ELLSWORTH – The Ellsworth School Board met for their monthly meeting on Monday night and reviewed budgetary spending from the 2020-21 academic year while approving fees for the 2021-22 academic year for the middle and high schools.

Proposed Ellsworth High School fees are based on expected expenses in elective classes that come from needs for class projects, such as in woodworking, or travel fees for field trips for band, choir and other classes.

Ellsworth Middle School fee are less costly for students and families, such as student agendas ($5), athletic fees ($50 per sport), forensics ($50), and drama club ($50).

The board spent time deliberating if fees for elective high school classes set up unnecessary barriers that could prevent students from courses they would like to take if their families could not afford them.

Board member Gary Kressin spoke on what these potential barriers could mean for students.

“There's not a whole ton of elective credits or classes in Ellsworth,” Kressin said. “And some students we just don't know about. Families will say to their son or daughter, no, you're not going to take that class, I'm not going to spend the money five or, in some cases $60 to take that class. The school district just doesn't know about that. My stance on it is that if you need to do this project, in order to get a grade, in order to graduate, you shouldn't be charged to pass.”

Board President Doug Peterson countered Kressin’s point on making these electives free of fees and barriers that could be created from removing fees.

“I would say that they could also make the case that we could be setting a barrier because right now, we're in the financial situation where these would be free classes. But that has not always been the case, nor will it always be the case. So we get in a situation where we do not have the funds to fund these classes in the future. So those classes disappear, would we not also be creating a barrier?”

The board voted 5-2 in favor of approving the set fees for Ellsworth High School and Middle School for the 2021-22 school year. Kressin and Steve Mark voted against the set fees.

Fund 46

The board also talked about Fund 46 and for what it can be used. According to theWisconsin Department of Public Instruction, a school board with an approved long-term capital improvement plan can establish a “trust” that is funded with a transfer from the general fund. Funds may only be used for purposes identified in the approved long-term capital improvement plan.

In the school district’s 2017-18 Capital Improvement Plan, 24 items across the school district in need of repair were listed; replacement and/or repairs was not to begin on those items until the start of this year.

Some of these items scheduled for replacement/ repair in 2021 include gym floor replacement at Ellsworth Middle School, updated kitchen equipment at both the Middle School and High School, repairs to the district bus garage, and new carpeting throughout the high school.

Academic standards

The Ellsworth School Board approved all areas of academic study and their standards for the 2021-22 school year Monday night. All areas of study, geography, mathematics, reading, science and writing will be met under the Wisconsin Academic Standards while science will also meet the criteria of the Next Generation Science Standards. English Language Proficiency will fall under the WIDA English Development Standards Framework, 2020 edition.

Personnel

Hires: Jessica Richards, new custodian for Ellsworth Middle School Resignations; Katie Deiss, elementary special education teacher; MiKayla Sanocki, district- wide physical therapist; Brent Swanson, high school business education teacher; and Mike Wilson, high school custodian.

Extra/Co-Curriculars: Mandy Heitman, Mentor; Rob Heller, Tech Ed/Ag Department level chair; Kari Jennings, Mentor; Michelle Mitchel, Mentor.

Public comment

Only one person spoke during public comment, Lisa Kuchinski. Kuchinski expressed concerns over what is and is not being taught in the Ellsworth Community School District curriculum, such as cursive, Critical Race Theory, and if students are doing the Pledge of Allegiance daily in the classroom. Kuchinski also asked a question based on falsehoods about COVID-19 vaccines, claiming that vaccine shots are ineffective and can lead to death from those who receive them. This has not been proven.