A discussion about long-term vision and values was the primary focus of the Neenah Joint School District special Board of Education meeting on May 14 regarding the future of its facilities.

The meeting was the Board’s first of four scheduled public meetings in May and June to determine a plan for a potential April 2020 referendum. It was not intended to determine solutions, but rather to discuss what Board members would like the District to look like over the next 20 years.

The Board began by reviewing a list of values established during the recent referendum planning process in 2018. One of the main talking points was a discussion about the term “neighborhood schools” and how it has different meanings and significance to most people. The Board decided to keep the list similar to how it was presented, but several members noted there was nothing about education on the list and asked to include “providing a high quality education” as a value.

In regards to long-term vision, the ideas were wide-ranging. Three Board members specifically discussed the concept of building a new high school building. There was also significant discussion about the configurations of the elementary schools, which led into further conversation on that topic. During the open forum, Tullar Elementary principal Diane Galow distributed a letter signed by all District elementary principals advocating for schools with four classes at each grade level, as opposed to the current structure of having two or three classes at each level. The primary benefits of such a structure would be keeping more students at their “home” school and creating more staffing efficiencies.

Board members discussed the pros and cons of large and small elementary schools. There was a proposal about visiting some larger schools in other districts, but some Board members thought that could be challeging this late in the school year. The elementary configuration will be discussed in further detail when some potential referendum pathways are examined at meetings on June 11 and June 20.

The Board closed the meeting by reviewing a timeline of the referendum preparation process. The timeline includes an opportunity in July and August for community feedback sessions regarding the potential referendum pathways. Administrators indicated they favor doing another community survey in the fall and would have the Board offer its opinion on a survey at a future meeting.

The next meeting is set for May 28 at 6 p.m. at the Administration Building and will feature a presentation on school funding by Director of Business Services Andrew Thorson. Thorson will present details on such topics as state revenue limits, property tax rates, fund balance and the state funding formula. The Board will also discuss future planning for enrollment, facilities and property.