It has been great to see everyone back at school!”

Stanley-Boyd District Superintendent Jeff Koenig

The Stanley-Boyd School Board met Monday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school library, entrance made through Door 1 as work continues on the main school entrance.
Stanley-Boyd District Superintendent Jeff Koenig shared that the school year has gone well thus far. 
“It has been great to see everyone back at school,” he said. “Our maintenance and custodial staff have done an outstanding job getting the facilities ready. The rest of the staff has done a lot of preparation to make sure these first few days go as well as possible. It’s going to be a great year!”
Shared as well was the news that Stanley-Boyd had been ranked first in Chippewa County by U.S. News and World Report.
The report ranking Stanley-Boyd fourth in the Eau Claire metro and and 75th in the state gave Stanley-Boyd a 06.75 on its scorecard, noting that 42 percent of students took at last one AP exam and 29 percent passed. Also noted for Stanley-Boyd was a mathematics proficiency of 62 percent, reading proficiency of 43 percent, science proficiency of 58 percent, and graduation rate of 99 percent.
As for the front entrance, work is continuing, with steel up and outside boards on. Once complete the entrance will provide a new and more secure entry to Stanley-Boyd, undertaken by the board in response to community feedback received in the failed gym referendum. The high school office moved to the community room area and the district office relocated near the pool, with plans to remodel the current district and high school offices at some point.
On the agenda Monday night were several items for potential inclusion with the upcoming budget, with projects ranging from needed boiler replacements at Boyd and Stanley to a new fire alarm system and remodeling of the district office addition. The
Budget information prepared for the board’s Aug. 24 meeting shows the district could receive approximately $330,525 in additional base revenue after the state increased the per-pupil low revenue limit from $11,650 to $11,975. The estimate takes into account lower projected enrollment in the district. At the same time, the school expects its federal Title funding to decline by $23,477.
Among the largest expenses under consideration is the district’s bus fleet replacement. The board approved the purchase of 10 new buses in June at a total cost of $1.49 million. The district anticipates selling its existing fleet for approximately $1.07 million, leaving a stated difference of $442,764. District officials said that if Stanley-Boyd again qualifies for high-cost transportation aid, the state would reimburse most of the purchase during the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Another expenditure is a new building for the district’s Open Doors Alternative program. The board approved construction of the building by Heartland Construction at a special board meeting Aug. 17, with estimated total cost of $315,000. The total cost includes $307,00 for the building and $8,000 for furnishings and interior needs.
Facility needs at Boyd School meanwhile are also included in the budget discussion. All three boilers at Boyd need to be replaced because the manufacturer is no longer in business and replacement parts are unavailable. Replacing the three boilers is estimated to cost a total of $67,000. The district is also considering replacing the Boyd School fire alarm system, a project that has been on the facility plan for an extended period. That work is estimated at $80,000.
Boiler work is also being contemplated at the high school. The district has six boilers there that eventually need replacement, with most more than 20 years old. Replacing one boiler with a stainless steel air exchanger has been quoted at $64,000.
The district office addition meanwhile represents the largest ongoing capital project. Construction is underway on the approximately $2.8 million project. Stanley-Boyd paid about $665,094 toward the project during the previous fiscal year, leaving approximately $2.15 million expected to be paid during the current year. The project is being paid through Fund 46, the district’s long-term capital improvement fund.
Also in view, additional work will eventually be required to remodel the existing district office and high school office spaces. While firm remodeling plans have not yet been developed, the district hopes to keep that work below $150,000.
A main parking lot refurbishment meanwhile is planned for next year at an estimated total cost of approximately $750,000. The district had planned to put about $300,000 toward the project this year, with uncertainty over whether the timing will place the expense in the current or next fiscal year. That project would also be paid through Fund 46.
Another potentially significant project is replacement or repair of the main campus public address system. The system is outdated and experiencing a number of problems. Depending on the extent of the work, the cost could range from $40,000 to $350,000. The variation hinges in part on whether the project includes all new wiring, with existing infrastructure put in place over several decades as each portion of the school was built, a period dating from the 1960s to the present entrance.
As for general budget numbers, the district entered the new fiscal year with substantial savings and investment balances. As of June 30, Stanley-Boyd reported approximately $5.16 million in the Fund 10 general fund, with approximately $5.6 million in Fund 46.
No action was taken on the items presented for consideration, an official budget due out later this year.
The district’s August financial administration monitoring report indicated no major compliance issues, with an annual audit conducted in July. The district had not been informed of any problems, although the final audit had not yet been completed. The district meanwhile continues to deal with an IRS form error dating to 2023, in which an employee used the wrong form after the right form was not yet available, leading to several years of back and forth on the matter.
As for personnel changes, the district saw both new hires and resignations. New hires listed for Aug. 24 included Peggy Fifer as a cook, Annie Schindler as a paraprofessional, and Jessica Tichansky, Bob Nelson and Frank Stauber as drivers. Resignations included bus drivers Roy Fredrickson and Ed Turnquist and cooks Karen Gadke and Jean Straskowski.
Closing with the student council report, members helped prepare for the new year by producing videos, assisting with the district’s open house and introducing homecoming plans. Approximately 40 students participated in a scavenger hunt during the open house. Activities included learning about school clubs, meeting teachers and taking photographs around the building.
The Student Council has 38 members this year, including what advisor Kayleigh Steinmetz described as an enthusiastic freshman group. Members will also take over responsibilities formerly handled by the Stanley-Boyd Athletic Association at concession stands. One group will work on ordering and staffing, while another will help operate the stands. A Student Council representative will be present each night to assist participating student organizations and address problems.
Stanley-Boyd School Board meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month in the high school library. The public is invited and welcome to attend.