Superintendent outlines curriculum updates; board adopts Wisconsin model academic standards and Act 89 policy updates

Superintendent Kelly Ryder told the board she is working on K–5 English language arts and middle-school math curriculum updates and exploring use of Title funds to offset costs. Ryder said the state program could reimburse up to 50% of selected curriculum purchases, and the district will seek quotes and vendor negotiations to reduce costs before purchases proceed.

Ryder described early steps to review vendors and policy platforms (including a planned meeting with a Neola representative) and said updated curriculum choices could also trigger partial state reimbursement of expenditures made from Title funding. "If we can get anything back, that would be helpful because those things just cost a lot of money," Ryder said.

On action items, the board approved adopting the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards as the district's standards for the coming year. Trustees also completed the second reading and approved Act 89 policy updates that had been presented at the June 15 first reading; the policies were approved to go into effect.

Administrators also discussed individual student scheduling and credit: the board heard that a student who took high-school-level courses while in middle school will have those courses counted for credit and will not be required to retake them. Administrators said they will return to the board only if a particular scheduling decision requires formal approval.

The superintendent said she will continue vendor conversations and curriculum work before formal purchases are finalized.