ELLSWORTH – The Ellsworth School Board will vote in June whether or not to increase Panther Kids Club rates for the first time in 13 years. In that time, operating costs have risen 90%, said Superintendent Barry Cain at the May 8 meeting.

PKS needs to increase its hourly childcare rates in order to cover the current operating costs Aug. 28, 2023 (the beginning of the 2023-24 school year). If it doesn’t, it will operate at a projected loss of $41,000 per year once grant funding ends.

“Our goal is to break even or run slightly positive so equipment can be replaced,” Cain said. “We stayed out of the red due to ESSER grants.”

In 2010, the average hourly cost of staff was $15 per hour with most staff being part-time, Cain said. In 2023, the average hourly cost of staff is $29 per hour with most staff being full-time with benefits.

Other contributing factors to increased costs include changes to state childcare laws requiring PKC to meet state mandated staff to child ratios and staff certification/training requirements. The number of staff had to be increased along with pay for additional training time.

The rate increase was going to be proposed in 2021, but PKC received grants from May 2021 to March 2023 totaling $114,760, which allowed PKC to keep fees at $3 per hour and $25 per day for two additional years. The grants also allowed the district to provide financial assistance to families and free snacks for all children, to eliminate the electronic payment fee, to add additional staff for behavior supports, to pay transportation costs for summer field trips, to provide additional training and to create an updated summer learning program.

Ellsworth Elementary School Principal Travis Logslett said they’re waiting to hear on a grant that would provide $3,000 in funding per month.

Board member Gary Kressin said he heard PKC summer registration filled up in 10 minutes. He said it’s because childcare options in the area are so limited.

“It’s a tough time coming out of COVID,” Kressin said. “Childcare is a great need in the community.”

PKC is limited to the number of kids it can accept due to square footage requirements.

“We will run into space issues if we go beyond what we have right now (about 65 kids),” Logslett said.

Cain, who is part of a local team applying for grants through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Dream Up program, said studies show that area surrounding Ellsworth is short 700 childcare spots. The school district may consider building a childcare facility in a future referendum; however, the red tape is daunting.

“We need a private model that works,” Cain said. “Many parents open enroll 4YK students so they can have childcare. There’s a real lag legislatively.”

Board member Steve Mark said he’d like to put off the rate increase as long as possible. He said it’s a tough issue, whether taxpayers should be providing daycare.  

“These families are hurting,” Mark said.

Cain agreed, saying the district does not want to bring an increase forward; that’s why administration has been delaying it.

The board will be asked to vote on the following rate increases:

• Increase the hourly rate for before and after school care and the wrap-around are program from $3 per hour to $4 per hour (raising an additional $58,000 in revenue annually).
• Increase the daily rate for all daycare (non-school days) from $25 per day to $30 per day.
• Snack fees and electronic payment fees now included in hourly/daily rate.
• Field trip fees based on the cost and charged back to the parents to cover the cost.

However, if the board approves the rate increase and grant funding continues, the rate increase would be put on hold and the current $3 per hour and $25 per day rates would remain in place.

To compare surrounding districts:

• Prescott charges $14 before school, $23 per day after school, $40 per day for non-school days, a $35 registration fee plus a $20 supply fee. Drop-in fee is $30.
• River Falls charges $4.75 per hour before and after school, $40 per day for non-school days, $25-$30 registration fees and a $10 drop-on fee.
• Spring Valley charges $8 before school and $11.50 after school, $31 per day for non-school days, a $235 registration fee and a $5 drop-in fee.

Acknowledgements

The following students were recognized by the school board for their accomplishments:

• Senior Lucas Kirchner, the voice behind all the “We Are Ellsworth” sports broadcasts. He will attend University of Minnesota for journalism. He committed his entire high school life to the broadcasts, Assistant Principal Jason Janke said.
• Valedictorian Holly Hufnagle, who will attend CVTC then UW-River Falls for biology, and Salutatorian RaeAnna Smith, who will pursue legal studies at UW-Madison.
• WIAA Scholar Athletes Anthony Madsen, who participated in baseball, wrestling and football grades 9-12, and Ashlyn Townsend, who played golf in Grade 9, ran track grades 10-12 and played basketball all four years.
• The EHS Forensics team, who competed at state in April. Lily Vesely, Kallie Beissel and Lillian Clark earned bronze medals. Aidan Johnson, Katie Pederson, Kona Lansing and Rebecca Dendinger received silver. Gold medals with perfect scores went to Breana Blanch, Nina Augustine, Taylor Franklin, Maya Bueso, Axel Simonson, Holly Hufnagle and Andrea Esterby.

Personnel

The board approved the following personnel changes:

Hires: Amanda Kissinger, EHS phy ed teacher; Seth Maina, sixth grade social studies teacher; Alexis Midtlien, EHS science teacher, Weston Morley, EMS band teacher, Katerina Musgrave, EES music teacher’ Abbie Reed, fourth grade teacher; Nicholas Verheyen, EHS band teacher.

Resignations: Allison Odmark, EHS math teacher; Sandy Radkey, community education coordinator; Rebecca Syverson, EHS Spanish teacher; Kiara Therriault, EES teaching assistant; Jessica Weyer, third grade teacher.

Transfer: Brooke Minder, from C team volleyball coach to JV volleyball coach.

Extra/co-curricular: Kelly Carlin, EMS track assistant/health aide; Madeline Poulos, EHS C team assistant football coach.

Organizational meeting

While the board makeup did not change after the April 4 election, members had to elect officers and organize committees, plus designate an official newspaper and bank.

President: Katie Feuerhelm

Vice president: Susan Beck

Clerk: Kurt Buckner

Treasurer: Julie Lundstrom

EES liasons: Beck, Feuerhelm

EMS liaisons: Lundstrom, Michael Petersen

EHS liaisons: Gary Kressin, Petersen

Bus garage: Buckner, Steve Mark

Budget & Finance: Lundstrom (chair), Mark, Kressin

Buildings/Grounds/Transportation: Buckner (chair), Lundstrom, Beck

Communications: Beck (chair), Feuerhelm, Petersen

Curriculum: Mark (chair), Kressin, Petersen

Personnel/negotiations: Feuerhelm (chair), Lundstrom, Buckner

CESA rep: Bucker, who will go to a conference at 7 p.m. June 5

WASB rep: Kressin, while will attend Jan. 17-19 in Milwaukee. Beck is alternate.

Meetings: 6 p.m. on the Second Monday of the month

Official newspaper: Pierce County Journal

Official depository: CCF Bank