The good news is we’ll be able to keep the front entrance open until the end of the school year.”

Stanley-Boyd District Superintendent Jeff Koenig

Construction on the $2.897 million front entrance and district office relocation project will start April 20, with substantial completion by Oct. 1 and a finish date of Oct. 30, per an update shared by Stanley-Boyd District Superintendent Jeff Koenig at the March 23 School Board meeting.
Koenig told school board members the timeline had been finalized following a recent planning session with contractors The $2.897 million project was approved in January and awarded to Hoeft Builders will be paid for with Fund 46 capital improvement funds. Initial work on the front entrance and district office relocation project paid for with Fund 46 Capital Improvement funds will begin in late April while school is still in session, disruption expected to be limited through the end of the academic year.
“The good news is we’ll be able to keep the front entrance open until the end of the school year,” he said.
Construction will begin with preparatory work inside the building, including installation of a temporary curtain in the pool area to allow for window replacement. Crews will also remove a staircase near the elementary music area, requiring the temporary relocation of some classes for the remainder of the school year.
Exterior changes meanwhile will include fencing along portions of the front entrance and parking lot, with some impact to parking but the entrance kept open for the remainder of the school year.
Construction will expand considerably following graduation on May 22, the main entrance closed for the summer to allow crews to begin major work on the ramp and corridor area. Maintaining access routes and minimizing safety risks will nonetheless remain a priority for the district, with Stanley-Boyd Schools coordinating with Stanley Fire for alternate emergency pathways.
“We have had communications with the fire department in case we have to have alternative routes,” Koenig told the board.
By mid-August—before staff return for the new school year—the district expects the newly constructed corridor, which will replace the current ramp, to be operational. However, some work may continue into the fall, potentially requiring limited daily closures of certain areas during school hours.
Koenig acknowledged that the timeline is ambitious but emphasized the district’s expectation that contractors remain on schedule.
“We made it clear that we want them to keep moving forward and not fall behind,” he said in reference to frustrations with the pacing of previous construction efforts.
In other news from March school board meeting, board members heard a report from Student Council Advisor Kayleigh Steinmetz on student activities, highlighting continued engagement and fundraising success among high school students.
The “Bow Ties and Tiaras” dance on March 20 drew more than 100 attendees from 30 families and raised $500. Combined with other fundraising efforts, the student council expects to increase the number of scholarships awarded to graduating seniors from three to four this year.
“It’s been nice to see them work so hard knowing that it’s going back to the students,” Steinmetz said.
Additional fundraising is planned through an upcoming blood drive in April, with the proceeds helping support scholarship funding.
Also from March, the board held the first reading for a series of policy updates, prepared by Neola. Among the proposed revisions are updates to reading and promotion policies, particularly affecting third- and fourth-grade students. These changes reflect new state requirements related to reading proficiency and intervention plans.
Several policies address compliance with “Act 57,” a recently enacted law focused on student safety and misconduct prevention. The legislation has prompted both new policies and revisions to existing guidelines, particularly regarding reporting procedures and staff responsibilities.
Additionally, the board considered adopting a new policy previously deemed unnecessary but now recommended due to overlapping requirements in recent legislation. Policy edits will now return for final approval in the April consent agenda.
As for school finances, the board reviewed updated audit documentation related to federal funding. The additional audit focused on a specific federal program, as required by state guidelines.
Koenig reported no discrepancies or new concerns, noting that the findings align with previously presented audit results.
“There’s nothing really new other than it’s just more information,” he said.
The board also approved a consent agenda that included $317,655.23 in expenditures, personnel changes, and approval of previous meeting minutes.
Looking ahead meanwhile, the district is preparing for several key events and administrative milestones.
The spring school board election is scheduled for April 7, with incumbents Ryan Lewallen, Denise Hoffstatter, and Toni Seidl all seeking reelection unopposed.
The board of canvassers will meet to certify results following the election, with board member Chad Verbeten will fill Seidl’s place as members seeking reelection cannot be involved in vote canvassing. A similar measure was made by the board when Bob Geist was up for reelection in the last election.
Also from Monday school board meanwhile is a handbook and personnel committee meeting April 9 at 4:45 p.m., committee members including Seidl, Hoffstatter, and Becky Peterson. The board also discussed scheduling for April meetings, noting that state law requires newly elected members to be seated before the fourth Monday of the month, when board officers are selected. The school board normally meets on the fourth Monday, making for interesting logistics to ensure board members are sworn in. Graduation this year has been set for Friday, May 22 at 6 p.m.
Closing the March school board update, members entered closed session under Wisconsin State Statute 19.85(1)(c) to discuss employee non-renewals and layoffs, as permitted under Wisconsin law. No action was taken from closed session.
The next school board meeting is scheduled Monday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school library. The public is both welcome and encouraged to attend.