Hurley School District receives state 'report card'

By MEGAN HUGHES

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley — The Board of Education for the Hurley School District heard on Monday an annual update on the “report card” that the state of Wisconsin issues the school.

According to district administrator Kevin Genisot, Wisconsin grades the Hurley K-12 School more heavily on its growth than its achievement due to this area being classified in high poverty.

“Had they scored us on achievement, our report would have been higher,” said Genisot.

Moreover, he added, the state report card grading scales change each year, with formulas being adapted to adjust to new thresholds for school requirements.

“It is very clear that the changes made here at the school are for the betterment of the students, not necessarily to get a better report card,” said Genisot. “Students that graduate from Hurley have a career path that they are looking forward to and are set up for success.”

The website of the Department of Public Instruction explains the grading as follows: “As part of the state accountability system, (DPI) produces report cards for every publicly funded school and district in Wisconsin. These report cards include data on multiple indicators for multiple years across four priority areas (achievement, growth, target group outcomes, and on-track to graduation).”

The website adds, “In addition, the report cards provide course and program participation information for grades 9-12 for public schools and districts. A school or district’s overall accountability score places the school/district into one of five overall accountability ratings: significantly exceed expectations, exceed expectations, meets expectations, meets few expectations and fails to meet expectations.”

According to the 2023-2024 report off of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s website, the Hurley School held an overall score of 65.1, meeting the expectations set by the state.

Genisot also updated the board on the school’s safety status.

“Yearly, school districts in Wisconsin are required to submit to the school board an update that they have completed the drills required by state statute,” he said. “For example, we are required while school is in session to have a fire drill every month unless the weather does not allow for it — in which case we need to swap the fire drill for another type of readiness drill.”

He added, “Our slowest time out of the building was 64 seconds, and our fastest was 44 seconds.”

He said the drill times are reported to the local fire department, and the faculty talks about their evacuation drills.

“We work in conjunction with the Hurley Police, Iron County Sheriff, Iron County Emergency Management coordinator, and Schilleman Bus contractor, and we create a plan to perform it,” said Genisot.

He added, “We want to make sure we are compliant with state statutes, and make sure that no students are put in a position to be unnecessarily alarmed. We take their well-being into consideration, especially with everything that has been happening — most recent example being in Madison.”

Genisot was referring to a Monday shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, where a 15-year-old girl fatally shot a fellow student and a teacher before also killing herself. Several more students were injured, with some hospitalized in critical condition.

No action was needed on reports regarding the state grade or safety.

In other news, the board also approved reports as presented and took the following action in relation to 2025:

— Approved the 2025-2026 school calendar.

— Voted to postpone the audit review until January.

— Decided not to send any board members to the state conference in January.