MONTICELLO - The Monticello School Board Thursday moved to issue preliminary notices of non-renewal to its entire certified teaching staff, citing lingering uncertainty around the state budget and collective bargaining standoff in Madison.

The move comes as many school districts are taking action to comply with state law related to notices of non-renewal - even as the situation in Madison means they have no idea how much state aid they will receive, or what's to become of collective bargaining with teacher unions.

"The message is that we respect our teachers too much to make a decision (about staffing) under these circumstances," District Administrator Karen Ballin said Friday. "How do you pick and choose when you have no information?"

Her sentiments were echoed in a statement from the school board that said, in part, that "the board believes it shows more respect for our teaching staff to treat everyone the same rather than single out individuals with non-renewals in the absence of any firm numbers regarding next year's budget."

Under existing state law, preliminary notices of non-renewal must be served by Feb. 28 - with a final deadline of March 15 - unless another date is stipulated a district's collective bargaining agreement.

In Monroe, Superintendent Larry Brown said the district opted to go a different route by agreeing to a memorandum of understanding with teachers extending the deadline for the non-renewal notices to May 1.

"Everybody's doing this because we just don't know what's going to happen" in Madison, Brown said.

In Albany, Superintendent Stephen Guenther said his district also inked a memorandum with its teachers to extend the deadline to April 15. But Guenther said he recommended that the board issue the notices "at 100 percent," even though they ultimately opted for an extension instead.

"It's very difficult to make decisions under these circumstances," said Guenther.

New Glarus School officials and teachers also have agreed to extend their non-renewal deadline to May 10, according to Superintendent William Conzemius.

"I understand why people are doing this (issuing notices)," said Conzemius. "But I don't like to do it because it causes a lot of emotional turmoil" for teachers.

Sheila Andrews, administrative secretary for Darlington Community Schools, said she was unaware of any immediate action taken by the board there related to non-renewals. The Darlington board is scheduled to meet again March 7, she added.