Milaca School Board briefs: meeting Feb. 21

Milaca Public Schools science teacher Keith Anderson addressed the school board concerning two topics. The first topic was informing the board about the seven girls who participated in wrestling this year. Anderson said the girls broke many barriers, asked the questions the boys were too proud to ask, and they all finished the season strong with three of them placing in the section tournament. He went on to say that, in the future, they would likely need their own coach separate from the boys because they deserve it and there is a need with talk of even more girls joining the team next year. The second item Anderson brought up to the school board was an issue with the school’s class sizes. Anderson said that the class sizes are not right, and it is causing teachers to struggle. He said he currently has a class with 35 students, 14 students on an IEP in one of his classes, and he is “barely making it.”

Ron Wolbert also stepped forward to address the school board, with a message of gratitude and a concern. Wolbert said that he is very grateful for the teachers at the school and that they are doing a great job. He believes the school is in a great place and should continue on that path. However, he saw on the school board agenda that a person was coming to give a presentation to the board (the presenter was rescheduled due to weather conditions). The presenter was coming from Schools for Equity in Education (SEE), and Wolbert said he was concerned about the use of the word equity because it “is not equality.” He said equity would “lower the standards for the smart, able, and capable” to be at the same level as those that are less able and capable which is “not right.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, equity means the quality of being fair and impartial. Superintendent David Wedin later in the meeting said that the presenter from SEE was planning to present on disproportionate school funding based on area codes, not on the level to which individual students were receiving an education.

Committee report: Meet and confer

The meet and confer committee met and discussed some items from its meeting on Jan. 31. The committee’s first topic was special education. Wedin said that the special education population at Milaca schools has grown about 25 percent. The committee looked at the numbers and discussed ways it can advocate for those students in the future. The committee also discussed class sizes, subbing, and a make up plan if needed due to weather. The school has also seen an increase in students loitering in the building after school which is starting to become a concern because they want to make sure the students get to where they are supposed to be on time, and the school “is not a hang-out” place Wedin said.

Retirements

The school board approved the retirements of elementary teacher Tracy Hass and cleaner John Bergeron in its consent agenda. Milaca Elementary School Principal Steve Voshell and school board Chair Amiee Struffert took the time during the meeting to thank Hass for her 29 years at Milaca. Her retirement will take effect at the end of the school year this spring. The board also took the time to thank Bergeron for his eight years at Milaca schools. His retirement began at the end of January.