Discussion regarding the adoption of a policy addendum addressing transgender students dominated the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education meeting on May 16.
The policy addresses current language and sets procedures for transgender status. The proposal also included a gender support plan where transgender students would meet with counselors to determine their preferences and needed considerations. The Board spent about 90 minutes discussing the proposal which will be voted upon at a future meeting in June or July.
In action items, the Board approved proposed changes to the Employee Policy Manual that were addressed at the May 2 meeting. A primary change from the previous reading was addition of language that provides $300 for employees with perfect attendance who are not returning to the District. Extra-curricular contracts were also included and an advisor for culinary club was added, while assistant advisors for Science Olympiad and an advisor for the school store were eliminated.
The hires of Josh Murnane as Activities Director, Kendra Clayton as a speech language pathologist at Roosevelt and Washington, Stephanie Pommerening as a high school chemistry and broadfield science teacher and Morgan Van De Hey as a fourth grade teacher at Taft were all approved. Contracts were also offered to Allie Bellin as an educational assistant at Shattuck, Lisa Franke as an educational assistant at Washington and Thad Kraus as a District help desk computer technician. Retirement for high school administrative assistant Mary Nass and resignation of District psychologist Heather Kruzicki were approved.
The Board discussed a recommendation for Chartwells to remain the District food service contractor that will be voted upon at the next meeting on June 6. The Shattuck Mental Health Committee also presented their activities from the past year and the Board recognized Taft student Owen Blenker for his runner-up finish in the Mary Jo Nettesheim state literacy competition. Student representative Beatrice Padgham was thanked for her service to the Board from the past two years.
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