New Berlin presents employee-survey results, near-site clinic use and staffing update; board approves employment report

The School District of New Berlin on Tuesday presented results of its 2024–25 employee experience survey, updates on the district health plan and near-site clinic use, and a summer staffing report; the board later approved the employment services report after returning from closed session.

The presentation, led by Scott Garner, the district’s director of employment services, highlighted a 90% participation rate among certified staff and an 82% participation rate among all staff for the annual survey. Garner said, “We had a 90% participation rate. We had a total of 500 responses, with the certified at 90. All staff participation's at 82%.”

The survey’s strongest responses were on recommending the district as an employer (84% agree), feeling a sense of personal accomplishment (85%), and feeling safe at work (92%). Garner said those results show staff “feel engaged” and that “they believe in the fact that we will act on that survey information.” He also summarized employee well-being measures and noted areas for improvement raised in open-response comments: compensation and benefits, communication, time and workload, and focus on students.

On benefits and utilization, the district reported second-year data for Sentivo, its insurance administrator, and increased use of the district’s near-site clinic run by Marathon Health. Garner gave utilization figures, saying the clinic had about 9 99 eligible lives and “a total of...1,939 total visits” last year and that the near-site clinic helps reduce higher-cost medical claims. The presentation also noted the district’s use of ATI for lower-cost physical therapy and orthopedics.

On staffing, Garner reported 24 licensed educator openings as of the most recent data pull, of which six were new positions and 18 were replacements. He said district fills are ongoing and expressed intent to reach full staffing by August. On retention, Garner reported that 76% of licensed staff intend to stay more than three years and 65% of support staff said the same, resulting in a 72% overall intention-to-stay figure.

After the district returned from a closed session called “pursuant to section 19.851 c e and f of Wisconsin Statues,” the board took action on employment services. A motion "to approve the employment services report as presented" was moved and seconded and the chair announced the motion passed by voice/hand vote. The board did not place specific personnel details on the public record during the open session discussion.

District leaders said next steps include school-level data sharing with principals, building- and district-level action plans on retention and recognition, and a fuller retention presentation in the fall.

Speakers who addressed the item included Scott Garner, Joe Garza and other staff and board members. Quotes in this article are from those speakers as spoken during the meeting.

The board made no additional public personnel disclosures beyond the motion approving the employment services report.