The 2023-24 staffing proposal, budget framework and food service contract were all reviewed by the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education at its March 7 meeting.
The staffing proposal includes a reduction of 4.47 full-time equivalency (FTE) positions, primarily due to increased efficiencies in the school consolidations and attrition in ESSER-funded positions that will no longer be funded in 2024-25. None of the reductions would result in layoffs as they would be consumed through unfilled retirements and resignations.
Among the proposed additions are two counselors to give every K-4 school a full-time counselor, as well as a behavior interventionist at the high school and middle school magnet and special education teachers. There will also be an additional hiring in the maintenance department and Curtis Bartlett, the District STEM coordinator, would take on additional duties as an administrator at the middle school while continuing in his current position. The proposal will be voted upon at the March 21 meeting.
The budget framework is an early snapshot of the 2023-24 budget that still has unknown variables of student enrollment, state and federal funding and health insurance for the upcoming year. The budget is forecasted to remain relatively stable with the biggest change being a 4.0 percent pool of dollars being allocated for salary increases.
The District received only one bid for the food service contract, but it was from existing provider Chartwells. The District has established a strong relationship with Chartwells over the past 12 years and Chartwells was integral in the design of the kitchens at the new high school and future Neenah Middle School. Chartwells guarantees a return of at least $350,000 to the District annually. It is a one-year contract that allows for up to four one-year renewals. The Board will vote on the contract on March 21.
The Board approved resignations for Spring Road teacher Jessica Christensen, effective February 28, Shattuck attendance clerk Tess Du Vall, effective March 30, and Tullar teacher Morgan Johannes, effective June 2.
The Board also recognized students Jacob Herm, Declan Koch and Eric Schaufelberger on their top-three individual finishes at the WIAA state wrestling meet, and Kaylee Kurszewski for being the first Neenah female wrestler to place at the state meet.
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