SENECA - School days lost to snow storms were on the agenda of the Seneca School Board at their regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 16.

The school district budgets a certain amount of extra days into every school year calendar for ‘weather days’. However, at times there are more days lost to weather than were budgeted in the calendar. That’s what happened this year.

The district is two days over the allotted days to cover ‘weather days.’  So, the current calendar also contains days that are scheduled off, but can be rescheduled to school days if necessary. Those days scheduled off were Monday, April 6, Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8. The board approved using April 7 and 8 as snow day makeups.

Seneca School District Administrator Alex  Osterkamp told the board that if another ‘weather day’ occurs, a makeup day in June would have to be scheduled.

This is all necessary because the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction mandates districts provide  a certain amount hours of classroom learning every school year. If districts miss too many days, they must make up those hours by scheduling more school days.

In a related matter, the Seneca School Board approved the 2026-27 School Calendar, which is similar to the current school year’s calendar with some minor changes.

The board also approved a first reading of revised Wellness Policy, which was updated to current standards. The Wellness Policy will be on next month’s agenda for a second reading and probable approval.

Another related matter was the Seneca School District Student Meal Account Donation Distribution Policy.

School administrator Alex Osterkamp  explained the policy includes seven areas to be considered in distributing donations to cover school lunch bills. This school year, the district received a $1,200 private contribution toward school lunch debt relief.

Some of the criteria used to determine eligibility for accessing this funding include: are the students on free or reduced lunch plans; or are they eligible to be on free or reduced lunches.

The policy also includes provisions for maintaining confidentiality and privacy for those receiving the funds.

Like the Wellness Policy, this policy is scheduled to be reviewed and update every three years.

The Seneca Area School District Monthly Recognition Award honored Shelly Davidson for her work with SHARE’S Wellness Day, as well as, the boys and girls basketball and wrestling teams for their successful seasons.

In other business, the Seneca Area School District Board:

• approved 10 Start College Now applications, allowing the students to take college course in the 2026-27 school year

• received an update on the Senior Class Trip to Orlando Florida  from April 29 to March 3

• learned a bit about school budgeting from bookkeeper Sarah Sime, who explained to the board that the school year was about two-thirds done and in the material she prepares she is looking to see categories are spent to about the level of two thirds of what was budgeted

• heard Sime explain that the finance committee is considering proposing a referendum to increase local financing of district, given recent and ongoing deficits-she noted it has been 18 years since the last school financing referendum was passed