PRESCOTT – The Prescott School Board May 20 heard updates from the district’s listening sessions regarding the possible sale of the Malone Intermediate School building at 125 Elm St. N.

Superintendent Jim Reif said of the 30 residents at the April 15 listening session, he estimated about 60% were in favor of selling the building. At the April 30 listening session, about 20 MIS neighbors attended, with 65% wanting to keep the building.

Reif said attendees expressed appreciation for the pace and transparency being used in this decision by the board.

“Many people expressed that it’s been much different than the last attempted sale,” Reif said. “There’s a general acceptance that something has to shift with our current financial situation and declining enrollment.”

Reif listed what he called “sell it” points made by those in favor of the sale.

• Many noted they were promised it would be sold once the new high school was built.
• There was some resentment that that promise wasn’t kept.
• Belief that we can’t be concerned about “sunk costs” if we don’t need the building, we need to move on.
• Increased savings makes better financial sense.
• Concern about sinking more money into the roof and air handler.
• Trust that the district’s other three buildings could house 1,420 students comfortably, which is about 300 above the current enrollment.

Those in favor of maintaining the MIS building made the following points:

• We’ll never get square footage back at this cost.
• What if we have a population spike?
• Strong belief that the district is at minimum a decade away from trying to pass another building referendum (will have to come from the next generation).
• Significant nostalgia for the building and community.
• Several suggested renting out portions of the building to nonprofit organizations. Reif has concerns about an educational entity trying to be a landlord.
• Some suggested keeping it for a year or two and seeing where enrollment numbers end up. However, the district is still 300 under its full capacity and that’s expected to increase to 400 in 3-4 years. New proposed developments in town are estimated to possibly bring at most 225 new students.

A main point brought up was the district’s desperate need for gym space to keep the Prescott Community Recreation and Community Ed course schedules afloat, along with school sports.

“As Mr. Smith (activities director) reported, we are desperately short in gym space compared to other people in our conference,” Reif said.

An estimate from Bray Architects shows a new gym added to the back of the high school would cost about $4.4 million in 2027-28 dollars; this would include a new vestibule and bathrooms as well. Board Vice President Tanya Holub believes the number is high and that the district doesn’t need “all the bells and whistles” and new bathrooms.

Reif presented four options to the board to consider:

1. Table the idea for 2-3 months and get more input from the community. No one felt this option was beneficial.
2. List MIS and its gym space to be sold for $3.5 million after selecting a realtor. Then try to make up the difference to build a new gym.
3. List the sale of the building with a 50/100-year lease back of gym. This would involve selecting a realtor and seeking local buyer(s) who have already shown interest in the property, using a lawyer at an hourly rate to close the deal.
4. Hold onto the building, allowing Northwest Journey and Gathering Place to expand in the academic wing and exploring additional rentals, though that presents concerns as to who would manage rentals. The kitchen and cafeteria could also be rented out. Keep in mind the roof will need replacing in 5-8 years.

Reif said he has been in Prescott for 11 months and loves the community, but he believes any of the options are viable and since he’s been here a short time, he is not recommending one.

“I think all three options are valuable,” he said. “I think it’s’ something that the board needs to decide on behalf of the community. So I am not recommending any one of these three over any of the others.”

Treasurer Vicki Rudolph said she would like to know the city’s stance on zoning and if it’s willing to consider allowing development there.

“I think we need to know if this is even a possibility, selling it to someone who wants to turn it into condos,” Rudolph said. “Could we do that again? Because last time, we’re kind of getting dinged on that for not letting people know, but someone came to us. Someone approached us. They wanted to know, can we do this now? We didn’t have the luxury of the time and the asking all the questions.”

The board directed Reif to research potential realtors to list the building, which will be on the agenda for the June meeting.

River’s Edge Virtual Academy

Prescott High School Principal Josh Fiege, who has spearheaded researching the plausibility of bringing a virtual academy to PSD, gave the board an update on his findings.

He outlines the roles and responsibilities of staff members needed to make the academy a reality, using current staff members:

Program administration – PHS principal

EdOptions contract – PSD Administration

Scheduling – PSD teachers

Special education oversight – PSD special education team

Staff evaluation – Administration

Counseling – PHS counselor

Enrollment/state reporting – Counseling and career coordinator

Attendance, engagement, parent engagement, academic monitoring – PMS/PHS teachers

State testing coordinator (required) – Teaching & Learning Director

Parent Advisory Group – Program Administrator

Marketing outreach – Social media/district communication channels

Fiege said after digging, they learned the parent advisory council can be appointed. It would have seven members, with a secondary principal (opposite of program administrator), the teaching and learning director, a counselor, parent or REVA student, parent(s) of a Prescott student and a Prescott community member. Fiege said he would like to reach out to Prescott area homeschool families who are looking for help with programming to see if they would be interested in attending and/or serving on the advisory board.

The academy would be open to special education students, Fiege said. They would each get an Individual Learning Plan, be assigned a case manager, collaborate with the EdOptions special education team and undergo ongoing progress monitoring.

The district would receive funding for REVA, with 70% going to the virtual academy and 30% to PSD.REVA funding that is not used at the end of the year can be put in Fund 10, Fiege said.

He added that Dr. Glenn Webb, district administrator for Elmwood schools, said ¾ of the way through the year, they hadn’t used 20% of their 70% allocation for their virtual academy.

Fiege said it is something he’d like to pursue.

“Anecdotally, we’ve been losing quite a few students to online,” he said.

After the last board meeting and article published in the PCJ, Fiege said he received a few inquiries about people wanting the option for their child.

“I think there is a desire and need,” Fiege said. “Obviously, there are a lot of virtual charters out there, but I think students and families who are more localized in our surrounding community obviously, but also in the surrounding counties, want somebody who’s a little more local. They don’t want to go to an Appleton or a Milwaukee because I think it feels so impersonal.”

Fiege also said PSD has garnered trust in its dedication to academics, so people don’t feel like they’re going to get a “puppy mill” virtual school due to the district’s good track record.

The board will see the item on the June or July meeting agenda.

“If the state’s not going to do that (add funding), then we need to look at options and if this gives us that little bit of help and you guys are ready to go…” said Rudolph.

Cardinal Champion

Reif named Denise “Deedee” Mulligan, a middle school cafeteria employee for the past 11 years, serving as the #1 lunch cashier and a true student favorite year after year, as the Cardinal Champion.

“She has an incredible gift for making every student feel seen and valued – knowing each student by name and sending them off each day with a smile and encouragement to ‘have a great day,’” Reif said. “What makes Deedee so special is the genuine care and compassion she shows to every student who walks through the lunch line. She takes the time to notice when a student might be having a difficult day, offering kindness and conversation when it is needed most.”

Free summer lunches

Due to a federal shift in the poverty lines, Prescott School District is eligible to give students free food throughout the summer. Recipients do not need to be on free and reduced lunch. Beginning June 18-Aug. 6, families can pick up free weekly meal care packages every Thursday at PHS between 11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Each child 18 and under will receive free breakfast meals for the week, free lunch meals for the week and one gallon of milk.

Those interested can fill out the Google form available by June 8. There are no income requirements, applications or forms beyond the sign-up process. Anyone in any community is welcome to sign up.

Staff milestones

Staff will be honored for retirements and milestones June 4.

Retirements: Anne Kressly (30 years), Mike Hoikka (22 years), Mike Thomley (nine years), Dianna Morth (nine years)

Five years: Andrew Cohen, Arianna Kelly, Cynthia Widgren, Faith Siewert, Hunter Black, Jean Frederick, Jeremy Kerg, Lance Tokheim, Lindsey Wall, Michael Weiland, Richard Montreal, Stephanie Boden

10 years: Ellyn Lee, Emily Calabrese, Kandis Weiand, Kelly Capps, Megan Kerr, Sarah Westman

15 years: Brittany Kamrath, Nicholas Johnson

20 years: Bob Feyereisen, Mandy Matzek

25 years: Jill Kittilson, Mandy Bernick

30 years: Anne Kressly, Yvonne Zarnstorff

Personnel report

Hires: Addy Schmidt (MS/HS art teacher), Amy Foy (Intermediate School special education teacher), Lili Monteith (second grade teacher); Jenna Ham (middle school administrative assistant)

Transfers: Katy Hillebrand, from middle school administrative assistant to business office coordinator

Resignations: Anastasiia Bundy (Intermediate School special education teacher), Logan Figueroa (MS/HS tech ed teacher), Grace Wise (second grade teacher), Helena Yanish (PHS special education teacher); Cheryl Van Loon (Malone instructional assistant), Gwendolynn Finn (high school instructional assistant), Todd Braunlich (high school administrative assistant)

Transportation fleet

The board approved the purchase of a 10-passenger, 2018 Chevy Express van with 57,000 miles from Cernohous Chevrolet for $25,000. Dean of Students Rick Montreal said the Tahoe has not provided the usage the district thought it would with limited seating for larger groups (over six passengers) and very little cargo space. Varsity golf can’t even use it.

The 2024 Chevy Tahoe’s lease is $871 per month with $14,000 remaining. Fundraising is not offsetting the expense sufficiently, Montreal said. Special education at PHS mostly uses the vehicle. Cernohous is willing to void the lease.

A 10-passenger van would accommodate larger groups with ample cargo capacity. Kept at bus garage, all could use. Tahoe has been at PHS, mostly used by special education.

The board also approved removing two buses from the transportation fleet and placing them on the required public property auction site. With the voided Tahoe lease and sale of two buses, the hope is to recoup 80% of the new van’s cost.

Staff handbook updates

Staff handbook updates, which will be brought before the board at the June meeting, included the following:

• Intentional acts of dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action.
• The principal and superintendent must be notified if guns are on school property (for example, hunter’s safety).
• Staff must notify their direct supervisor and the superintendent if they are in a car accident with a school vehicle.
• Staff will be given five days of bereavement leave for spouses, children, parents, siblings, domestic partner or anyone living in their home; two days for grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers- and sisters-in-law (this also includes “great”); the district administrator may make exceptions for a close personal friend.
• Addition of a Dependent Care Flexible Savings Account, which allows staff members to contribute pre-tax to childcare.
• Changes to the 403B retirement plans, which encourages teachers to stay until at least year six.
• Addition of a $2,000 separation cost if a teacher leaves on or after Aug. 15.
• Personal day allocation designed to reward longevity.
• Hard-to-fill staff referral bonus up to $500, for positions that are difficult to fill, such as tech ed.

Public comment

Parent Natalie Kroenig and student Ethan Kroenig both spoke about a staff member’s social media comment about an attempted assassination on President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner.

“I believe there was a teacher that did incite a threat and wanted harm to come to the president of the United States,” Natalie Kroenig said. “And I feel that that is absolutely wrong and I’m looking to see the district’s stance and I guess just answers in regards to that in particular and how we can curb this so other teachers don’t follow suit. As educators, I hold them to a very high standard and they are role models to our young kids and I would hope that the district upholds that in the highest form, and that’s what I’m looking for tonight.”

The board asked Reif to follow up with the Kroenigs.

Parent Tasslyn Magnusson applauded the culture of the district and its regard for First Amendment rights.

Other business

• The summer school “Frozen” production will have two performances on Friday, June 26.
• The board approved an overnight trip to Rice Lake for a football lineman camp June 18-19.
• School board meetings for the 2026-27 school year will take place at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
• The Pierce County Journal was designated the school district’s official newspaper.
• The board elected the following positions: President Mike Matzek, Vice President Tanya Holub, Clerk Pat Block, Treasurer Vicki Rudolph
• The board approved the purchase of a John Deere lawnmower, costing $12,238, for custodial purposes. John Deere was the lowest bidder.