Edgar K-12 grapples with recent WIAA decisions

By Casey Krautkramer

Edgar Middle/Sigh School principal Michael Wilhelm said last week that he and athletic director Jim Steinke recently met with the head coaches about the WIAA’s decision to no longer restrict the amount of contact they have with student athletes in the summer.

The WIAA used to only allow coaches to spend five days with athletes in the summer, and as a result, parents had to coach student athletes in many summer tournaments.

Wilhelm said now, for example, varsity football coach Jerry Sinz could conceivably coach the football players in their summer 7-on-7 league in Mosinee.

Wilhelm said he was happy to report that Edgar’s head coaches plan to stick to their normal amount of contact with student athletes in the summer, consisting mainly of Edgar summer camps, so they aren’t fighting against each other to have more contact with the athletes, many of whom play three sports.

Elementary School principal Lisa Witt brought up the controversial topic of NIL (name, image and likeness) now being allowed by the WIAA. She said she believes the WIAA is not looking out for student athletes because of its recent decisions to allow NIL and giving coaches unlimited contact with them in the summer.

With NIL, Wilhelm said a student athlete could, for example, get paid by Edgar IGA to represent the store in TV commercials, so long as the student athlete is not wearing Edgar School District apparel.

“We are not paying kids to play football and basketball,” Wilhelm noted.

Other business

■ The board approved a 2.90 percent increase for administrative and support staff for the 2025-26 school year after meeting in closed session last Wednesday.

Superintendent Cari Guden said the board, while meeting in closed session, did not discuss administrative evaluations because they have not been approved yet. She said the three salaried support staff evaluations were discussed, and the three contracts that accompanied the discussion were approved for the 20526 school year.

■ The board approved COBRA rates for the 2025-26 school year. The monthly administration cost will remain the same as the 202425 school year, at 75 cents per eligible employee per month. The monthly administration minimum will increase from $60 per month to $65 per month.

■ Board members approved a total of $81,260 in premiums for property insurance in 2025-26 school year, which is a decrease of $4,164 from this year.

■ The board approved a 3.5 percent increase in the district’s busing contract with Fischer Transportation for the 2025-26 school year.

■ Board members accepted the resignations of Doug Borchardt as full-time night custodian and Alyssa Drake as the new hire for the Family Consumer Science teaching job. The board approved the hiring of Jade Schenzel to fill the Family Consumer Science teaching position once Kris Federwitz retires at the end of this year.

Michael Wilhelm