The Owen-Withee School Board held their regular meeting on Monday, June 16. Public Participation of Agenda Items generated much discussion about middle school sports. Ellen Petersen said that middle school baseball was looking to be equal with the other sports. She said that some students might switch to school affiliated sports and that might be why they aren’t playing baseball. Peter Devine said they have been fortunate to have someone volunteer to coach for the program, adding that it is difficult to get volunteer coaches. They need funding for things like uniforms, transportation and coaches. He said he will have nine freshmen coming into the high school program next year. Board member Robyn Renderman said they had contacted other schools and found that most didn’t have a school affiliated program for middle school baseball and softball. District Administrator Randy Bergman felt that part of the reason is that most of the games are played in the summer and the teams are sponsored by businesses. Devine pointed out that summer basketball is a school affiliated sport. He said that most area schools have programs affiliated with the school. Renderman said that didn’t agree with the information they had. Grace Dale said that if it isn’t an affiliated sport, there might be some kids that can’t get there. She said without that middle school background, you don’t have players for JV and Varsity teams. She said what is currently happening has a lot to do with the parents who love baseball. Dale also felt some parents can’t afford the costs. Devine said they just want it to be an equal sport. Board member Joan Jalling asked if the goal was to build a program. Elementary principal Julie VanArk said that as a parent she feels the district should look at it as it currently isn’t equitable, but she realizes they can’t take money from academics to pay for sports. She said she would also love to see a middle school softball program. VanArk said a lot of parents do help out. She suggested that they could maybe look at dividing sports funding differently. Petersen said they could come up with some cost numbers for the board. Board member Dean Schmelzer said that middle school coaches for sports affiliated with the school are currently paid $1,600. He added that you would also need to know the cost of buses and equipment. Devine suggested they could do whatever they do for middle school track uniforms for baseball. Jalling pointed out that the basketball programs hold fundraisers. Board member Julie Wendler expressed her opinion that head coaches do a ton of work. Renderman wondered about the liability of having the games on school property. According to Devine, the WIAA says that middle school plays 12 games. Bergman guesstimated the cost of busing at $1.80-$2.00 per mile. Devine questioned the school’s liability if a player gets hurt and there is only one coach. Who takes care of the team while the coach takes care of the injury?
The Consent Agenda was approved, including minutes, bills, activity accounts, WASB membership, the 2025-2026 Growing Our Owen Scholarship, an agreement with Loyal to share an Occupational Therapist, and the resignation of Nicole Hougard.
The discussion then moved on to board discussion of middle school athletics. Renderman said the committee of the board that was put together to look into this found that Owen-Withee is pretty comparable with other schools in the conference at the high school level. At the middle school they are under supplied. They discussed adding coaches back in due to liability and safety concerns. One suggestion they had was to possibly make the C-team coaches middle school coaches. Not a lot of schools have C-teams anymore. Or they could only hire a C-team coach if they have enough players to justify it and maybe pay a per game stipend based on the number of games played. Bergman said they could wait to offer contracts until they see the numbers of players. Schmelzer said the volleyball schedule is already set and they can do a C-team. Julie Wendler felt they need to establish the numbers that justify extra coaching staff. Board member Todd Nelson pointed out that the basketball C-team was a disaster. Jalling questioned having two baseball coaches when there were only two O-W students playing on the co-op team. She also said that football was the white elephant in the room, but Schmelzer said only five of the football coaches are paid. The rest volunteer their time. He said the question is what to do with the middle school as that is where they cut coaches. Board member Angela Greschner wished they had money for all sports. She felt if they affiliated middle school baseball/softball, that would open it up for archery to ask to be affiliated with the school. Nelson said he didn’t think that would happen. Bergman pointed out that some middle school coaches are paid more to coach both 7th and 8th grade teams. Renderman said that other schools have at least two coaches at the middle school level per sport. Schmelzer said if they added back in a middle school coach for volleyball, girls basketball, track and football, that would cost $6,400. If they added baseball and softball as a sport, that would mean four more coaches and another $6,400. He said they could look at one coach per sport. Wendler felt that the reality is if you only have 14 kids for baseball, you only have one team. She suggested they stay flexible on a second coach. Schmelzer wondered if the Community Fund could be used to pay for middle school sports. Renderman then asked if it could be used for unforms and transportation. Nelson wanted to know if students are taken out of school for middle school baseball. The response was they were a couple of times.
Renderman suggested they eliminate all C-team contracts. Greschner wondered why they don’t just approve contracts as it happens. Bergman said they could start by just approving contracts for the head coaches. Wendler said they could wait to approve C-team and a second coach for a middle school team until the season numbers are known. Bergman pointed out that at one point, the district was giving a lump sum to middle school baseball. Schmelzer suggested using Community Fund dollars for equipment or maybe just a stipend for the coach. Bergman said they could do that, but would have to make the community aware of it. They could give some funding if the sport wasn’t school affiliated. Schmelzer suggested giving $500 each for middle school baseball and softball. Wendler again said they need to define the numbers. Nelson felt they need to have the numbers to at least be able to field a team. Schmelzer then asked about golf, they compete both as a team and as individuals. Renderman said they were putting too much focus on the numbers. Wendler suggested that it go on the next agenda as an action item. Renderman said the discussion shouldn’t be about numbers, but with the coaches and athletic director. She felt they should not affiliate middle school baseball and softball with the school but give them some money from the Community Fund.
Elementary Principal Julie VanArk gave the AGR Report. She said that in kindergarten only 2 of 27 students ended below grade level in reading. For math, 25 of 27 students were proficient. In first grade, 15 of 33 students were below the 25th percentile in reading. They saw growth but didn’t meet their goal. Teacher Lisa Westaby said they are judged on oral reading fluency. Sometimes they can do it, they just can’t do it at the required speed, but they had an average improvement of 30 words per minute. She also mentioned their ability to use phonics and spelling. She said both first grade teachers are doing the same thing in regard to interventions. Another issue is with students who move into the district. She said those who didn’t meet the goal were not a surprise. In math, 30 of 33 students were proficient or advanced. Schmelzer said that just looking at the numbers, at the beginning 50% were below the 25th percentile, now 45% are below. In the second grade, 9 of 29 ended below grade level for reading. In math the number was 19 of 28 proficient. VanArk said the number went down but that is because at this level there are a lot of word problems and it is harder if they can’t read. She said they also need better technology to administer the testing. In third grade, at the beginning of the year, 21 of 40 were below grade level for reading. By the end of the year, the number was 15 of 40 so they didn’t meet their goal. She said there are a lot of special education students in that class. For math 34 of 40 students were proficient. They aren’t required to report fourth and fifth grade, but she gave the board some numbers. For fourth grade at the beginning of the year, 42% were below basic. By year end the number was 29%. In the 5th grade by year end, 59% were proficient and 29% were advanced. Bergman said attendance is important. Truancy stalls out at the county level. He said that the state legislature wants public schools to fail.
The board approved the salary increase on base wages. Certified staff and support staff will get 3.1% and administration will get 2.4%. Wendler said they wanted to make the average pay increase about the same, which is why administration is getting a smaller percentage. Bergman said the starting wage is $41,500.
The Reading Promotion Policy was approved. The Co-Curricular Athletic Assignments were moved to closed session. The 2025-2026 Student Handbooks were also approved. Wendler said that board committees will stay the same.
Under Administrator Reports, Elementary Principal Julie VanArk said report cards are going out. They are in the second week of summer school with 119 students attending, up from 90 last year. They are counting the 37 students for basketball camp and a number of students are attending swimming lessons in Abbotsford. They are almost finished with their Keys to Literacy training. Katie Hatlestad and Van Ark have finished the administrative training. They will have Bookworms training for teaching staff on August 19. They have seen improvement in student attendance.
Middle/High School Principal Nate Johnson reported that next year they will be doing a 45 minutes reading intervention block. The program is designed for students in grades 6-9, but they are going to do 10th and 11th graders also. O-W is in the pilot group and all staff will be trained in the STARI program. They will get all the materials and paid staff training. Those students not included will do other activities. He said this is too important and it can’t fail. He mentioned track and field athletes that advanced to state. They met with CESA to review activities and look at support for teachers in regard to reading intervention. They have 13 students enrolled in the middle/high school credit recovery program this summer. Four FBLA students will be going to the National Leadership Conference. Schmelzer thought there was a board policy that out of state travel had to be approved by the board. That will be checked on.
District Administrator Randy Bergman said the custodians are doing a good job of getting rooms cleaned. They are working on the bathrooms in the lobby and the art room floor will be done soon. The concrete by the gym lobby doors has been raised. He wrote a grant which resulted in some funding.
The board went into closed session for about an hour. When they came into open session, it was announced that they had approved fall coaches. For football, they approved five high school and one middle school coach. For cross country, they approved one coach. For volleyball, they approved two high school and one middle school coach. More coaches can be added if numbers justify it.