Menomonie School Board approves winter sports

In accordance with the guidelines from the Dunn County Health Department, in-person attendance for the public Board meeting will be limited to 25 people. It is anticipated that there will be 14 spaces available for members of the public. The meeting will also be live-streamed on this page, Facebook Live, and YouTube.

Members of the public are welcome to provide comments to the Board during the Community Communications item listed on the agenda. No in-person community communications will be allowed at Monday’s meeting, but comments may be provided in writing or virtually through Zoom. Please submit your written comments or your request to be placed on the schedule for providing virtual comments by emailing [email protected] by 3:00 p.m. on Monday, October 26.

Agenda Items of special interest:

II. ACTION AGENDA

A. Approve Adoption of 2020-2021 Budget

Approved unanimously.

B. Approve Certification of 2020-2021 Tax Levy

Mill Rate reduced 4 cents to 8.48

Approved unanimously

C. Approve Recognition of SDMA Students, Families, Staff, Administrative Team, District Administrator, and Menomonie Transportation for the Successful Reopening of SDMA Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic - 0:08 

Approved unanimously.- 

D. Action to Approve the Addition of Winter Sports and Activities into the SDMA Reopening Plan - 0:11

WIAA has prepared a document on the opening of winter sports. Public Health is not recommending high-contact sports, but in general sports has gone well, although it does increase the risk of COVID-19 spread. A recent US study shows no correlation between sports participation in schools and COVID spread.

According to Superintendent Zydowsky; "If we don't have organized sports most of our students will participate in activities that are less safe" 

Several board members suggested that wrestling, basketball, cheer, and competitive dance are considered higher risk, and perhaps those should not be approved. According to Zydowsky "we need to be careful where we are sending our kids to compete ... and we need to be mindful of who they are potentially exposed to."

Board member Freeman suggested that the board does not have enough information to make a decision and asked to table this until the next meeting and seek more information from the consulting health experts. 

 Motion to hold winter sports was passed 6-2 with  Chris Freeman and Amy Riddle-Swanson voting no.

E. Action to Approve 66:0301 Special Education Services Cooperative Agreement Between SDMA and the Chippewa Falls School District for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Teacher

F. Action to Approve 66:0301 Special Education Services Cooperative Agreement Between SDMA and the Chippewa Falls School District for Instructor of the Visually Impaired

III. DISCUSSION ITEMS/POLICY REVIEW

A. COVID-19 Report  - 0:57

All non-essential and committee work for teachers is on hold.  

Final devices are being prepared for kindergarten students - it is no likely there will be virtual school required, but this leaves an option.

B. Act 185 Report

C. Virtual Education Report 1:12

There have been some challenges - for some students on-line programming is not the best fit. 

The district owns 60 hotspots and only two are available at this time. 

D. Student Achievement Report - 1:15

E. Review MHS Course Offerings Timeline for 2021-2022 -  1:38

COVID may present some issues with keeping to the timeline.

F. Review Extracurricular Staff Contract Requests

G. Items Related to Next Meeting Dates, Board Committees, and Reports