The Mayville School District Board of Education received updates on school safety, student activities and summer school during its regular meeting Monday, Sept. 21. Superintendent Dr. Scott Sabol also outlined the district’s ongoing referendum outreach, while the board approved service agreements for four students requiring specialized educational placements.
Principal Reports
Mayville Elementary School Principal Becky LeBouton reported that Safety Week included fire and evacuation drills, giving students and staff an opportunity to practice emergency procedures. She said the evacuation exercise also provided a chance to work through transportation challenges, with the final bus returning approximately an hour after the drill began.
MES will hold its Bubble Run on Friday, Oct. 2. Kindergarten parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for Oct. 6, with conferences for grades 1-6 beginning Oct. 15.
Mayville Jr./Sr. High School Principal Mike Blaha also reported a successful Safety Week. He said police complimented students and staff on their response during the lockdown drill, while fire, tornado and evacuation drills provided additional opportunities to review procedures.
Blaha shared plans for Homecoming Week, including the return of a bonfire and activities involving student organizations, sports teams and clubs. The high school will also hold a flag football game as part of its homecoming festivities.
Blaha also reported improvements to high school lunch service. The largest lunch period serves approximately 200 students, with the cafeteria now moving students through the line in about 10 minutes. Nutrition Services Director David Beatty is also introducing additional meal choices, including a protein-focused option scheduled to begin Sept. 29 at the regular meal price.
Five Mayville Graduates to Receive American FFA Degree
Blaha recognized five Mayville High School graduates who are scheduled to receive the American FFA Degree at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October.
Ryan Clark, Austin Thoreson, Mason Gerth, Kaitlyn Oechsner and Kyleigh Casper will receive the degree, the highest honor awarded by the National FFA Organization.
Blaha highlighted the extensive agricultural instruction, work experience, earnings and community service required to qualify. He noted that earning the degree is especially significant because recipients continue working toward it after graduating from high school.
Summer School Report
7-12 Dean of Students Matt Dwyer presented a review of the district’s summer school program, which ran June 8 through July 3.
The program served 676 students, including five nonresident students, and generated approximately 1.8 million minutes of instruction. The resulting 37.1 full-time-equivalent pupil count contributes to the district’s state funding calculation.
Popular offerings included weightlifting, agriculture, kindergarten readiness and summer band. New courses included tractor safety and rocket science.
Dwyer also reviewed attendance patterns, noting that absences increased toward the end of the session. Administrators will consider that information, family preferences and teacher availability when planning next summer’s schedule.
Referendum Outreach Continues
Sabol devoted much of his superintendent’s report to the district’s upcoming operational referendum and efforts to provide residents with information about the proposal.
The district has begun holding community conversations and reviewing its informational materials with residents. Sabol said feedback from an initial group of approximately 20 participants led to significant revisions to a proposed mailer. The district is also preparing presentations, online resources and additional opportunities for residents to ask questions.
Sabol shared information about operational referendums in surrounding districts and discussed what he described as the cost of waiting to address Mayville’s maintenance and transportation needs.
He said postponing capital maintenance could increase projected costs by approximately $1.3 million over seven years, based on the district’s estimates. Delaying replacement of aging buses could also result in continued emergency repairs and additional operating expenses. The district estimated additional repair costs to be $110-140k with fuel costs increase reflecting $75-125k.
Sabol said the district does not currently have the funding needed to address its aging bus fleet, which is one reason transportation is included in the operational referendum.
Board members also discussed making referendum information accessible to residents whose work schedules prevent them from attending daytime meetings. Suggestions included additional meeting times and recorded presentations that residents could view online.
Board Approves Special Education Service Agreements
The board approved student service agreements for four students requiring specialized educational placements outside the district.
Director of Special Education Carrie Mathison explained that placements are determined by individual student needs, including the level of educational, behavioral and therapeutic support required.
“Some students need a different approach, a different environment and different therapeutic-type support,” Mathison said.
The district works with the placement providers to monitor student progress, with the goal of transitioning students back to Mayville schools when appropriate.
The estimated cost of the four placements is approximately $291,000, not including transportation, which will be an additional expense. Sabol said the placement costs were anticipated and included in the current district budget.
Sabol also discussed Wisconsin’s high-cost special education aid, which may reimburse a portion of eligible expenses above the state’s qualifying threshold. He said the district is reviewing its claims and funding sources to determine how much assistance it may receive.
Although the placements are required to meet students’ educational needs, Sabol noted that the expense remains significant as the district works to manage its budget and preserve its fund balance.
Consent Agenda
The board also approved a one-year agreement bringing retired staff member Colleen Klingenmeyer back to assist with speech and language services. The arrangement will provide required mentoring support for a new speech and language professional.
The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Monday Oct. 5, 2026 at 6 p.m.
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