001Um, it looks like everybody's here, so let's go ahead and pledge allegiance. Ready? >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Well, looks like there's a few changes to the agenda. Under 9E, there was a spelling error for the recommendation to approve the termination of Kelly Nelson as the FIE teacher and 9E addition recommendation to approve the resignation of Maya Ober as prayer professional. immediately. Are there any other changes to the agenda? Okay. If there are none, would someone make a motion to approve those changes? >> Thanks, Angie. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Thanks, Dan. Um, all those in favor say I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. Now, we need a
002a motion to approve the agenda. Make a motion to approve the agenda. >> Thanks, Dave. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Kyle. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carried. Uh, any public input this evening? Nothing. Okay. So, we'd like to recognize some good things that are happening. We'd like to congratulate the fall athletes and artists on a great season. Uh, best of luck giving postseason play, which may all be over by now. So, um, we also like to congratulate the school district on being named to the best high schools in Minnesota by US schools and world report. So, that's awesome. Second time in five years. So, is anybody anything else that we need to uh um >> recognize at this time, some great things. >> Oh, I just
003I want to take this opportunity on behalf of my wife and my family to thank everybody that has stepped up and donated. your contribution is um we're very thankful for it and grateful for all the support we received here. >> Absolutely. It's our pleasure to help out any way we can. Is there anything else? Otherwise, we'll move on to the reports. Would our student representative have a report tonight? >> Um fall sports have concluded. Girls basketball begins November. November 10th, boys basketball starts November 17th. For student council, we had haunted halls last night and our fall ball is November 8th. FFA, we have contests ongoing. Fall frolic was held this past Saturday. Fruit sales end this week. National convention is October 29th through November 1st. And the student led food drive is this week. Then
004student services. Last week, 9th through 12th grades had an opportunity to attend a health career fair at Mayo Civic Center and the construct tomorrow trade fair for 10 through 11th grade is tomorrow. >> Thank you. Any [clears throat] questions for Kendall? >> Thanks, Kendall. Okay. Uh staff report from the student services team. Oh, so my [laughter] >> You get to be right at the front of the agenda. >> Yes. So, um this is my fourth year in the position of student services adviser, but my very first year or very first time being here um before all of you. So, thank you very much for the opportunity. Um I have notes cuz [clears throat] I want to try and keep it on point, but I can tend to be a little wordy. So, just bear with
005me. I might even repeat a little bit of what Kendall said just because some of these things are um in my toolbox to organize. So on behalf of our Dina students, Trevor Carrier, um he coordinates our missing assignment process for the 7th through 12th grade. Um this new process is giving more grace for students that are missing one to two assignments that we used to hold accountable in previous years. um but now we're focusing more on those who are missing five plus um assignments by the end of the week. As a result, we've seen success where we've had a reduced number of students who are having to serve in interventions. Last year and previous years, we've called it seat time. Um but we really felt like interventions interventions was a more appropriate word because we
006feel like seat time is just sitting in a seat putting in time whereas in interventions we have them doing their work during that time after school from 3 to 4. um we have seen um a great reduction in the number of kids who are serving um on a Wednesday every week. And then in addition, we have been very um pleased with the very few amount of detentions for behavior and we really feel strongly that a lot of that has to do with our relationship building with the students. The more they know us as human beings and they know that we care about them, the less they want to try and disappoint us. So, we're really trying to strengthen that student bond with them. Um, and then of course, you know, that he is definitely involved
007in all the sports stuff and whatnot. And so, he has a number of different hats that he wears. Um, in addition to being our PE teacher, so he's got three three or three classes that he's teaching. Um, Becky Marorrow, our social worker, she continues to meet with our students that need individual or group social and emotional support. Um she is in charge of the backpack program. This is a program that offers food for our Maui Mau County students um that they take home for the weekends. They consist of like meat sticks, cereal, oatmeal, fruit cups. As of right now, we have 95 students who are partaking in this program, which is the highest number we've seen in almost 10 years. >> Did you say 95? >> 95. Yeah. We now have a Fern book therapist
008two days a week coming to school to assist our students. It's based upon parent referral and insurance is build for their services. Um she said that they have approximately 8 to 10 students who are currently taking the service. This is in addition to the IMS which stands for independent management services that we also have here. These programs provide skills and therapy in school in school settings. [clears throat] But Fernbrook has a school linked mental health program where a school has a designated therapist through Fernbrook. Um so that is um let's see um Becky and Aaron meet uh met with mobile mama. She's a professional regarding internet safety for children. In November, certain grades will receive booklets on internet safety, cyber bullying, and and important information for parents to take. Um, she and I hosted the
009the FAFSA meeting that was in the media center on October 22nd. We had approximately 30 parents and students who came to listen um and h and learn how to apply for federal aid for college. And our speaker was Patty Heman from Riverland. Um my position in student services, my main priority is to ensure that we have coverage um for teachers and parents every single day. For September and October, um I will have subbed on 35 different occasions totaling 123.7 hours for teachers and six occasions totaling 8.4 hours for parents. When I'm not subbing, um I maintain records of student attendance and tardies. um by holding them accountable through conferences that we have one-on-one and then assigning detentions if they're required. We've had 17 occurrences of students serving time for missing work attendance tardies and behaviors.
010Looking over the statistics that I've kept, this is about average for the last three years. So, um Nikki and I tag our team to evaluate senior transcripts and um assess their credits to make sure that they have enough to accept their graduation diploma. We don't want any surprises there. So, we make sure that we try to cross our tees and dot our eyes there. Um so far, I've met with all the seniors that have had any sort of um anomalies that would um affect their graduation. I still have to finish up with some of those who just didn't have any issues and it's just a matter of saying you are a-ok okay keep your course. Um I organized field trips in the area for college and technical school expose and career readiness events and as
011Kendall explained um we had the career quest at Riverland and we had 22 students attend on September 8th that was 10th graders. Um on October 22nd we had 9th through 12th grade students who had an interest in the medical arena and we had 19 students um attend the Mayo Clinic High School Career Festival. Tomorrow I am attending with Mrs. Schuman and and Mrs. Olsen, the 11th and 10th grade adviserss. We're going to construct tomorrow, which is a trades fair event, which will feature 14 businesses that will have hands-on demonstrations um that students will be able to participate. Um last year they had masonry work, so we had some kids that were laying concrete or they were laying um bricks. We had paint sprayer um boos where they could use the virtual reality goggles and pretend
012that they or practice spray painting. Um these vendors are bringing remarkable technology into um these fairs for kids to really get a hands-on opportunity to see what the trades are all about. Um I will have 40 students who are attending that tomorrow. Um this year we have 10 elementary helpers um who go into the classroom or the lunchroom in recess to assist our teachers and paras during one of their class hours for credit. Um we also have eight work study students who leave for seventh hour and go to work for credit. They must meet certain requirements to have this opportunity. Mr. Hunger Holtz the teacher on that and I'm the adviser. I keep him a breast of any students that um aren't adhering to um the requirements of the course and such. So basically just
013a data um chaser. Um and then lastly I um assisted maintaining accountability through um weekly time cards and work log checks for these students. mid-carter and quarterly evaluations where I talk to the teachers, I talk to their employers and um I keep regular communication going through either face-toface contacts or through Google Classroom with them. The last thing that I do when I'm not subbing is I maintain the internal accounting of all teachers that sub for other teachers. So there's only one of me, but oftentimes during the busy times when we have flu and multiple events going on, we have multiple teachers that are out of the classroom. And so I take one of the classrooms. Elementary is always the preferred for me to take because I can break up any high school absences with different
014teachers selling their preps. As a result, when I first came, we didn't have internal controls to make sure that we knew how teachers were getting paid from um subbing for this, that, and the other. And so what I did, just because I did office work for my husband's business, was I created um spreadsheets and um abilities to make sure that we accounted for every single teacher that has a prep that they sold. So that way when I work with Sharon at the end of the month, if she has any questions whatsoever, I can tell her exactly what teacher um sold their prep for what hour and we have all of that accounted for in case we ever have auditing um situations and then I go home. [laughter] >> That's not much, is it? >> So
015it keeps me very busy. I'm never bored and um enjoy thoroughly all my roles here. It sounds like you enjoy your job and >> and you love her. >> I'll talk more about her later, too. >> Any questions? >> I I think it's very very eye opening that we've got 95 uh on the back. >> Yes, >> that's a huge percentage of our enrollment. >> And it is very concerning that we are right now in a situation where our government is shut down and now we have um families having to be concerned now just about their benefits to be able to put food on the table at home for Monday through Friday. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, welcome. >> Thanks, Virginia. >> Okay. Uh, principal report. >> Um, I am not following that. No. [laughter]
016How you going to keep up with that? >> That's right. No, I uh talked to De said, you know, I gave you guys a ton of information last month. um kind of emptied my cover a little bit to you guys with that. So, I was gonna give you guys a a month off from my stuff. So, not much has happened with that. So, I'll bring more as we get into the next month will be oh man, we'll be getting close to the well November 7th is the end of the quarter already. So, I'll bring some end of the quarter info and stuff to next month and stuff like that. Time goes fast. >> That's crazy. >> Okay, Jen, how about you? live quite a bit tonight for you guys. So, and some of it I
017will copy Kendall, but I'll also copy Georgin. And I'm also going to talk a little bit about Tiffany. Glad she's here tonight as rep, but I got to expose her a little bit, too. She's doing some great things. So, um I'll start with some kind of fun stuff. The first thing is uh you guys received the email as well and so did our staff that we celebrated America's Safe Schools Week October 19th through 25th. Uh that's where I sent out an email related to all the fun things that are safety related in our school district including our bullying policy, our emergency management plan, things like that. So, uh we talked to classes, we talked to teachers, did all that fun stuff about that. So, uh that was wellreceived and the teachers did a great job
018with that. Um kudos to Mr. John Stockdale again this this term. Uh MDOT came in on September 23rd. all 11 vehicles passed. Um so again, we're very proud of him and what he does and he regularly meets with me to talk about his department and um he's on top of it, folks. He really really is. Uh yearly fire alarm inspection. I'll I'll keep emailing this to all of you, but we do have this. I know somebody in the community was concerned about our our fire inspections. Uh we are school districts. I just want to make a friendly reminder of that and that at least twice if not more times a year the fire marshall does come into our district. We do have record of that. If anybody would like to see it or call the
019state feel free it's fine. So if if they do find something likely they won't shut us down but they will ding us and we have to we have x amount of time to fix it or whatever it may be. So uh we do take care of that. All of you too also receive our LTFM document and I'll get more into that a little bit later. That's our long-term facilities dollars. It's our capital dollars, things we're doing within the building, um, and the improvements we make in building, grounds, and safety. So, I'll get more to that in a second. Uh, every year, school districts, Aaron and I will be on this, our civil rights data collection comes about. That is one of our accounting measures. We have multiple accounting measures in this district. It's not just
020our community or our school board. This is a federal accounting measure. It's our civil rights data collection. Some of you may know it as our CRDC, but the United States Education Office for Civil Rights conducts a yearly survey on everything we do. Everything they we do, including um kind of our student body. What are they doing? What do they look like? You know, how successful are they? Um but keep in mind, too, they're not going to look at us just purely federally. We also have accountability with the state department. And so a lot of our links through this program run through the Minnesota Department of Education too. So we have that as well. Um, another piece of accountability of course that we do is we have our staff meet with the the school board just
021like George did a fantastic job tonight. We want them to tell you not just what we're telling you but what they're doing um in the building too. And we want our community to hear that as well. So nice job. Thank you for that. And I know Tiffany has done before too. Um, we are currently in the midst of open enrollment for insurance. Uh, Aaron Angie as a board representative, Georgina is on that committee, but we meet regularly and have been for the last year and make a lot of decisions on how the district can save money, but how our teachers, parents, custodians, all our staff can save money in terms of insurance. And we all know that is such a hard thing right now, but our committee I feel like does a really really nice
022job. I feel like we can be very vulnerable with each other and talk about items that are really hard to talk about. Um and so and and so we get through things and find solutions and it's working really well. But open enrollment is coming. More and more emails are are going out. We are having a meeting next Monday with the entire staff if they so choose to attend about the process of open enrolling for insurance. So, that's great. Uh, let's see here. In terms of, and this is kind of piggybacking off what, um, Erin's been talking to you about, but also Georgin, uh, in terms of curriculum standards, graduation requirements, diplomas, all that stuff. We do have partners in education with post-secary institutions, uh, such as Winona State. We have online college in the high
023school. We have college credits, uh, KIPP. We have all of these things that we do here um to make our students better and more prepared for the future. Um granted, it's only almost November. We are actually looking at next year already of who we can partner with in terms of the higher institution level and how we can get our kids more credits, how we can um heck have them graduate with a degree or two degrees, a high school diploma and a college degree. We're looking at that all the time. So all of those things are happening right now. Uh you may notice that the heat is finally on in the building. Um we have to do a friendly reminder email every year to our teachers. Some like it really cold and some like it really
024hot with a boiler system. It takes a little bit of time to balance that out. But if you hear that, yeah, it might be too cold in here or too hot. The boiler just was turned on and we're we're ready to go. So be prepared for that. Speaking of that, because we had to turn the boiler on, it's been cold. Um please be very careful. There has been ice alerts in the morning when I get here early in the morning on my car. Um, we tell this to the staff, too. Make sure when you're walking the building, please be cautious. Walk like a penguin. They say when you're walking in here, we try to do our best to keep it safe, but we just never know. Um, emergency communication system, please. And this is more
025for the community than the board because all of you um are on our system. But if there are parents and guardians that are not on our emergency communication system, we really want them to know how important that is. So then they get text messages, emails, phone calls, whatever they choose, if school is running late, if school is cancelled, if there's [clears throat] an emergency in the building, whatever it may be, we want them to be well advised of what's happening. Um, don't forget the annual truth and taxation meeting is in December. Yet another accountability item that the school district has. Um, but that will be at our December school board meeting. Remember, it starts at 601. We cannot start at 6:00. Um, but we can at 601. And more to come on that. I'll be
026sending you information on that. Um, and with that, keep in mind, too, um, our audit is coming. Uh Sharon, our business manager Peterson and I the last couple weeks have been working through a lot of auditing details um because that presentation will likely be coming to you in November. Um and that keeps us rocking in terms of our budget for next year as well. Um we are definitely on track to have a budget prepared for you long before the or the June board meeting. Um so more information will be coming on that too. Uh let's see here. Couple other things. Um, I did apply for a grant through the Southeast Minnesota Emergency Communications Board. Um, to try and receive a digital GIS mapping of school facilities, and that's for the safety of our students and
027staff. Um, and that would be shared with all our local law enforcement officials of exactly what our building looks like from afar. Um, so fingers crossed we'll get that. So, I applied for that a few weeks or a month ago or two. Couple weeks ago, I guess. Um, don't forget to I want to go back to that fire marshall issue. We are mandated by Minnesota statute to have x amount of fire drills, x amount of tornado drills, x amount of lockdown drills. Those dates that we have, those are actually sent to the state department. Again, another that's another accountability measure every single school district in the state of Minnesota has. Um, but it is in statute. If anybody wants the statute number, just let me know and I'll send that off. That's not a problem.
028Uh, huge shout out to the kitchen. Also, I already shouted out to Mr. Sockdale about our transportation department, but our kitchen had zero um, inspection orders this last time that the Minnesota Department of Health came down. So, Chris Hansen and the gals in that um, department did a great job. If anybody would like to see that report, it's here as well. But they got an A for the day also. Did a great job. And also our swimming pool. The Minnesota Department of Health also came down. Again, these are accountability measures and they can come in whenever they want. There is no schedule. There is no calendar of when they're coming. They can pop in and buy rights. They can do what they want. Sure enough, they showed up at the pool. And again, we have
029flying colors. So, kudos to Kristen Stevens. She's done a great job um with that department as well. If anybody wants to see that report, you are welcome to come to my office to see it as well. Um, keep in mind too, we have mock uh ocean inspections a couple times a year. I know the staff get very angry at it and I do too. Um, it's unplug things, make sure these lights are on, don't put Christmas lights up, whatever it may be. But this is a nice account kind of a pseudo accountability measure that we have with IEA. that's our kind of our building grounds and safety third-party people that come into our building and make sure we're doing things right in terms of those three things. Um, but we do have those mock OSHAS
030that happen as well. Um, I did send the school board this way back on the 10th of October, so a few weeks back related to kind of some facility updates. So, a couple things the M gosha we talked about uh water softener um the committee thought that should be a priority. So, that is coming that is coming. Tiff, thanks for being on that committee. She does a nice job. Dave and Kyle are both on that committee. Aaron as well. Um but we've decided as a building grounds and safety committee that will be our priority. Uh the bid came in much lower than expected. We were thinking double it. Um and it didn't. So, they are looking at a potential Christmas time installment already. you do have to shut down water and so legally with students
031in the building you can't shut water down just like electricity um and so they do it over Christmas when nobody's here and that's wonderful we can do that so that's exciting news um concrete outside um as you see can see kind of by the um Cardinal kids cardinal carry area we fixed all that as well the mud brothers came in and took care of that um roof repairs you may recall a few months back. We had some leaking stuff, but it really wasn't the roof. It was more our eaves um that were the issue that ran into the brick. Um so, they are now taken care of. They are taken care of as well. So, we've been working on those kind of things. Um this week, the board will get my weekly email. You will
032see the new updated version of our spreadsheet that we've been doing for the past five years. So, it'll all be updated for you with a little bit more accurate dollars. So, look at the last page. That'll show you everything there. Uh, let's see. We are looking, Dylan has done a great job for me of researching a couple things. We want to um look at a new camera system potentially for our front door. Um, it tends to go on and off on occasion and we sure don't want that. That is a huge safety concern of ours and so Dylan is on it getting us quotes. Um, I call in his expertise in terms of the technological piece of it and he's done a great job with that. Secondarily, he's also helping with with our gym speaker
033system. Um, if any of you have been to a game or even a FID class and they have to turn that on, it's questionable at best. And so, enough is enough. And so, just today he sent us a couple quotes on kind of what we can look at in terms of, you know, what we need for a new audit or, I'm sorry, a new audit system, a new kind of sound system uh, in that bill in that part of it. And it it won't be anything over that $20,000 threshold. I come to all of you. It surely will not be that. >> No more cord going to the stage. >> Pardon me. >> No more cord going to the stage. >> Nope. >> I might just throw a couple out there. It's kind of good
034for you. [clears throat] >> It's good for you. >> So, is that camera inside that enclosed area inside the door? >> Yeah. >> Okay. What do you [clears throat] the doorbell system? Yeah. >> Okay. Um, kind of speaking of the technology piece, he's kind of my go-to guy. I will text him quite often and he does a great job of texting me too if there's any kind of questionable security systems or cyber security systems that may be in question whether it's in our district or surrounding districts. Um, we also have a really great relationship with our director of CE technology who keeps us a breast of what's happening. Um, but our staff does a good job, too. If there's something questionable with any of you, um, or even our parents who are watching tonight that
035is coming through from the district, please let us know and we'll do everything we can to um, help with that security measure um, and keep everybody safe. Um, we know just a couple years back Rochester had a pretty significant um, cyber scare and with everything online nowadays, uh, you have to be extra careful. That's for sure. And schools aren't immune to that. No doubt about it. Um, in terms of finance, I just want to quickly mention, um, again, we have I I can't tell you how many com how many accountability measures we have in terms of finances in a school, whether it's through payroll, um, working with region, whether it's our own staff looking at their paychecks, um, individually, whether it's our insurance company looking at our finances, whether it's MDE, the feds, whatever it
036may Aaron and I, we're all we all, you guys, every month you see our records in terms of you are our accountability. Um, so we have that. So when there's questions related to certain things, I I need to say this first and foremost. I support my business manager 100%. I support our teachers. I support all of you. I support Mr. Hunger Hold 100%. And we are not doing anything wrong. If we did, you would hear it. our auditors will tell you and which you love our auditors. They are very open and very honest about what we need to do and what we don't need to do. So, for example, I write a $500,000 grant for this school district and it's questioned that the money wasn't spent correctly. I wrote the grant first of all, and
037it's a federal grant that ran through the state department that ran through MDE that actually ran through our system. So, pretty sure out of those five account five accountability factors, if there was anything that was wrong, it would have been caught. Um, so I can't stress enough, not one of us sitting here, not one of our teachers is on an island. We all have oversight on the top of us. And thank goodness we do. Thank goodness we do. We want that. Um, so I just want to bring I wanted to bring up the federal grant because it was kind of ironic when I was when there was information said about misappropriations of COVID funds, for example. Gosh, on September 29th, we all every superintendent and school district in the state of Minnesota received a federal
038letter stating what you can and cannot do with federal grants. Again, this is another piece of accountability. So I just want people to be very well aware of what we do here. Um and again you guys are a huge part of the financial aspect of us. Everything we run through in terms of finances are honestly through you all through you. Um since I came here too we also have numerous committees. Um whether it's the building and grounds committee we talk about monies and what things cost. Uh it's our insurance committee. We talk about monies and what things cost. We talk policy. Justin and are on policy. We talk about monies and what things can cost and not cost. So financial things are I mean we have to be very careful and I'm not suggesting at
039all it's anybody here but we have to be very careful of spewing things out that aren't true because it causes issues that harm others and and harm the harm the reputation of school districts. you know, not the person, but the district itself. So, I really need to throw that out there. Um, and we'll we'll talk more about finances when Sharon and I present on Truth and Taxation and when the audit is presented, when the budget is presented, we just constantly are reporting. We can't hide anything. So, um, I want to say too, I am extremely extremely proud of our staff. You heard Georgin, you've heard you heard Trevor last month. Uh you've heard Tiffany speak to you about all the great things they're doing. Um just last week I sent you all sorts of photos
040of the professional development that our staff does. Sometimes it's not very fun. Um but we had an all day staff development, half of which was dedicated to cyber security. Um and and we would you say Tiff, I hate to put you on the spot, you can say yes or no. Would you say we gleaned a lot of information from that that day? >> Um there was a lot there. I mean it was a little scary at times too which I think was okay scared us a little bit but that same day we also um developed our pair professional staff you know people aren't again immune to just certain um aspects of their job where we're just going to let them do what they want. We have high expectations and accountability for them as well. Erin
041and I were at that that same staff development we need to be there too. That's just part of it. Um, so I just wanted to mention that and how great the trainings were. Um, very proud of it. And I love that we we have a group of schools that work together. Um, so we can all join in together and learn together and actually take some time and talk and if there's an issue in your district, you talk about it with each other and we have that relationship with our consortium schools. Um, so I wanted to mention that too. Um, HR is one of our our hardest but most important departments in our school district. Um, I find it rather funny when somebody needs to leave the district. Um, lies are often told. Um, but often
042times the contract dictates when they leave or not leave. Um, I know I was recently um bombarded with the fact that I was at fault for somebody leaving when I never even talked to the person, but the contract dictated what the job was going to be. So, I appreciate being that powerful that they have to blame me. I do. I really appreciate that and keep it coming. Um, but at the end of the day, I'm not as powerful as people think. contracts are state statute is um the Minnesota Department of Education is our Department of Education with the feds. They're all pretty darn important and that's who we follow. Um tonight you um there's assurance of compliance um that says we will do everything we can to uphold whatever we have here whether it's the
043rights of students, the rights of staff, um our finances. We sign this. You approve our assurance of compliance. I sign it. My name is on that form to make sure we are doing everything we can to do things right. Even if people don't like it. Even if people don't like it. Yeah, we can have differing opinions and that's great. Let's come together and talk about it. Um but let's do what's right for kids and legal for kids. That's a big thing, too, by the way. Um so yeah, so contracts are big for us. That's an accountability measure. Uh, just as a matter of fact, today Angie being on our insurance committee had a meeting with our EA state representative and our representatives from the building because they had some questions about insurance and it was
044a great meeting. It was a great meeting. Um, but that's accountability. They had questions. We had to have answers. So, we do those things. Uh, Aaron did a nice job last month telling you about all the things he does. Um, I don't think you should have to do that. I think the proof is in the pudding of what we do and I'll be showing you here in a second what we do. Um Georgin just did too by the way. Um but great job last month by the way. Great job. Um student success. I don't know if I can add anymore because you did so great. You did so great. Um we we do things not only that are within statute meaning we follow statute like career college readiness. We are one of the best in
045our consortium and I will go head-to-head with any other superintendent about what we do for kids to get them ready for the real world. Any day I will go head-to-head. And Georgin mentioned a couple of them. Numerous field trips. She calls them in to make sure their credits are ready. She asks them questions about what do you think you want to do in life? There's a lot of schools that don't do that. We bring companies in to have to to meet with kids. Um, we've offered that to our community members if they want to come in. Tiffany Tim has a senior project every year to prepare them for real life. Um, so it just the list goes on and on. The little things that actually are big things, the weekend bags, we are making sure
046kids are getting fed. How successful can you be if you're not eating? That's not on the kids. That's not on the kids. So, we're here to support them. You saw the email I sent today. I worked on it this weekend thinking about November 1st is coming. Let's just be proactive. Put some stuff out there about how important it is to protect our community, but our kids, that's our priority. So, we do things like that. We work through MDE in terms of the curriculum cycle. Uh that's an accountability measure. Aaron does a great job. We're all over that. Uh we have a student representative on the school board. Kendall Olsson is not going to sit here and lie to you and tell you things that aren't happening in the district. She's going to tell you. That
047is her job. I talk to her often about that. Um, we have also other things such as, you know, Tiffany does a great I'm so glad she's here tonight. I didn't know you were a rep tonight. I knew your daughter was coming, but I didn't know you were a rep tonight. Um, but I asked her, I think it was even Friday night. Was it a Friday night I asked you to send me info? >> After five o'clock, I asked her a question. And sure enough, minutes later, I get an email. She takes kids constantly to places that likely they will never go the rest of their life. As a matter of fact, our eighth graders, is that right? Is that right, something >> will be going to Plain View Elgen Millville. Um, they will probably
048never go to that school, but they get a chance to go to the school and learn about the egg challenge it's called. and she sent me like all this information on contact context activities, snack time, the awards ceremony details. Um it's just insane. But we are offering these things that other schools don't offer. And if somebody in the community tells you otherwise, please send them our way because we have the data and we have the staff that is very welcomed or very would want to talk about the great things they do. Um, so again, tip, thanks for all you do. It's amazing. Um, Georgin, you mentioned this. We also have an F room for kids who, granted, yeah, maybe they're not getting the homework or getting the homework in, but they still might be failing
049classes. Trevor, daily, sometimes more than daily. Like sometimes 10 times a day. I swear eventually I'm going to turn him off because I can't take [laughter] it. Um but he will tell us who needs to be in the F room and not and where they are getting the supports or the interventions they need. The staff has come together to say our priority is kids. What are the extra things we can do? And that leads me well let me say this then too. Let me get to this but Dave was in my office today. I I love that our teachers come to my office and Aaron's office and want to show off the things they're doing in their classroom. Tina often came over today and they she's following her standards, but they are actually researching birds
050and they all got to pick a bird and do some research. But you know what the cool thing is? We are now living in 2025. She's actually having them make a QR code with their voice and their picture reading this to the parents. So she is going to have these all available during parent teacher conferences. So our community can see we're doing pretty great things. She's pretty excited about wasn't she? She was. >> We couldn't get her out of my office. Like I got to go. I got to go. T you guys already. It's kind of funny. But that leads me to this. So I've been here five years and I have never once not said that I am not impressed or that I'm imp not impressed. I am extremely impressed and grateful to be
051in this school district. Part of it is we always want to grow. We always want to do better. I rarely get push back on if a new idea comes out or a new statute or it's rare. It's rare. Um, other districts have that. We don't. We want to keep approving. We want to keep great things happening here. So, one of my first I think it was my second year here. I was offered the opportunity to apply for an award that you mentioned tonight, Dave, on our agenda. Um, and it's through US News and World Report. And it's a variety of questions and narratives that you have to answer. You have to have links available. You have to have newspaper articles available. Um, all these things, all these accountability measures to make sure what you're inputting
052is accurate, including the MDE website, your tax identification number, wild things. Um, but my first second year here, we did get best high school in Minnesota in 2022. And we believe it was the start of the student services program. All the great things that were going on and we couldn't say enough. We couldn't say enough. Now, test scores are part of this, too. Um, minor, I mean, but there's so much. There's just so much. So, over the summer, you have to work on this grant. It can't be done on a weekend. Um, but now we just received word and I did buy the plaque by the way. We got rec recognized again for the great things we are doing. The great things. Again, I'd like to say this huge shout out to the entire staff,
053Dylan, Tiff, Georgie, thank you and all of them. Aaron, for what you guys are doing. Um, and again, they they want to do good for our community at large. They want to do good for our students. Um, yeah, we we buck the system a little bit and say we're going to question things, but we're going to do it our way. Uh, we do wild and weird things and that's good, too, but it all comes down to obviously nationally we're doing pretty darn good for our kids here. We really are. And this, you can find this online. It's US Words, World News, US World and News Report. US News and World Report. Yes, you can find that. It's all there. I think I sent the link out. Maybe I didn't, but I will if you want
054it. Um, but that again, another accountability factor that you don't have to do, but I chose to do way back this summer. Um, >> that's an impressive honor there. >> Yeah. Our second one in five years, you guys. So, yes. And thank you to all you. You allow us to do this. You allow I mean, some things may be questionable, but you're like, you know what, trust the process. Things are happening. >> Things are happening. We have people in place to do things right. Um, for sure. Um, I guess too I'd also like to say, you know, that without my partner in crime over here, um, I know he questions a lot of my motives and I surely question a lot of his, um, we couldn't do what we do, you know. Um, I guess
055people can surely question us and claim lawsuits and claim we're doing things wrong, but until you're in the building sitting here listening and watching teaching happen, um, watching webinars with other superintendent or being on MDE webinars or following an audit or trying to balance a budget, um, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it. I don't want threats anymore. We can't be [clears throat] doing that. Instead, we need to focus on really all the great things. I know Dave tonight is going to speak on behalf of other things, bullying, enrollment, things like that. Um, just know where information is coming from. It's like me telling you how to fix your water heater. Don't listen to me. I may claim to be an expert. I'm not. It's kind of the same thing.
056Kind of the same thing. So, but I too I want to like like Erin said to last month, thank you. We can't do it without your support either. Um, you guys have done a great job and some of you only been here a year, some of you many more years than that and you've seen the eb and flow in education, but guess what? We're in a high spot right now, folks. We really are. We're ahead of everything. We really, really are. Um, we know that I'll just end with this and Georgin said it tonight and and Dave Farley, you just mentioned it, too. We have students in our community that potentially might not get fed and we're worried about a lie of COVID COVID money mal mal whatever. And uh it's like come on. Come
057on. Let's think about our kids. That's our job. Um and we'll we'll fight to the end. Aaron and I will for all of you and our kids all day long. All we have and we'll continue to do so. We'll call them up because we can. out. >> Thank you. And I mean it sincerely. Thank you. >> Thank you. Well, I don't know if we should just adjourn after all that. >> I'm so sorry. I know. [laughter] >> Pretty awesome. >> I want to play with her. >> I know. >> I had to do you some. >> I know. We have a real good team here and I'm and I'm just proud to just be a tiny little small part of it myself. So, I really appreciate you guys, too. Okay. Uh are there any uh
058schoolboard committee reports? I know we'll get to policy here a little bit later. >> Um I just have I just have one thing for the MSBA. Um it is that time of year again registration is open for the leadership count uh conference. Um the registration goes till January 5th. Um and the dates for that is uh January 15th. >> Um there's also uh enrollment for phase 4. Um and deadline for that is no November 12th. >> And if you guys have questions about registration, just be reminded uh business manager Peterson, email her and she'll get it done for you cuz sometimes ask for a hold on a credit card and she'll do that for you. Not a problem. Not a problem. >> Any other uh committee reports or anything? >> We're gonna have a building
059and grounds meeting here next week Wednesday. >> Okay. >> Um did we get the the minor the thing? Did I I didn't see any email about that. I might have missed that. >> So is that >> Well, today it went down again. It's back again. >> It's back again. So, what it is, it's kind of some electronics, but we're on it. >> We're on it because legally we have to have it being >> it was grandfathered in that we have to have it. Um, so I would say the last two weeks he's been there twice. >> Mhm. >> Twice maybe three times. So, >> yeah, >> I think it's just today actually. >> We're saying today was from the little incident last night. >> Oh, yes. >> Because of the alarms, the person alarm. Yes,
060that was something different. Today's was different. You're right. because when the alarm went off and it shuts it >> it shuts it off >> well and then >> so we have to get it rebooted but the week before it was taken care of because it's an old function >> and it's fine now. Yes. >> Okay, >> sounds good. >> School did not burn down last machine. >> Machine log machine. >> Yeah. >> Anything else as far as uh schoolboard committee reports or anything? >> Okay. Well, then we'll move on to the consent agenda. Uh we need to approve the September 15th uh regular meeting minutes. Are there any questions, corrections to those? Okay. Treasures reports. Any questions on anything that they provided us on treasures reports? Okay. Uh fundraisers. Uh it looks like we need
061to approve the National Honor Society fundraiser for Austin Bruins tickets. uh student council fundraisers for dance, candy cane, Valentine sales, etc., etc. Um there was a silent auction for the Stern family uh via the L volleyball team. We need to go through that. That was on October 13th. Um there are donations. Uh we were donated $500 for Operation Success from the Leroy Community Foundation, $2,000 for the Elementary Snack Cart from the Leroy Community Foundation, and $500 for the Cardinal Pride program from the Leroy Community Foundation. Personnel issues, uh recommendation to approve the resignation of Gracie Burke, pair professional, effective October 9th. Recommendation approve the hiring of Urban Sanchez, student worker for custodial effective immediately. And then the additions recommend to uh approve the termination of Kelly Nelson, the the fire teacher, which never really started.
062And then uh they recommend to approve the resignation of Maya O'Burn as a par professional in effective immediately. Are there any questions on any of those items on the consent agenda? Otherwise, would someone like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda and uh note in your uh motion, thank you for all the great donations that were provided to the school district. >> I'll make that motion and thank all the thank all the donors for their generous donations. >> Okay. Thank you, Angie. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Dan. Any questions or discussion before we vote? [cough] >> Okay. If not, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carried. All right. Moving on to the discussion and action items. Policy review. So, um, we have the first reading
063of policy 701, establishment and adoption of the school district budget. 701.1 Modification of the School District budget. 702 Accounting 703 The annual audit. 704 Development and Maintenance of an Inventory of Fixed Assets and a Fixed Asset Accounting System. 705 Investments. 706 Acceptance of Gifts. 707 Transportation of Public School Students. And 708 Transportation of Non-Public School Students. So, I know the policy committee met. Was it today? >> No, >> that was that was insurance. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Any anything you need to add to that, Angie, at all? >> Any questions anyone has on any of those policies? We received all of those. Okay. If not, could we get an approval, a motion to approve the first reading of those uh u previously mentioned policies? Make a motion to approve first reading of 701 through 708.
064>> Okay. Thank you, Kyle. Is there a second? I'll second. Thanks, Steve. Is there any questions? Any discussion before we vote? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? >> Motion carried. All right. Then we have the second reading. of policy 616, school district system accountability. 618, Assessment of Student Achievement, 619, Staff Development for Standards, 620, Credit for Learning, 621, Literacy and the Read Act, 623, Mandatory Summer Schools in Instruction, and 624 online instruction. Were there any changes to those since we had the first approved the first meeting? >> Okay. Are there any questions or anything regarding those? If not, would there be a motion to approve the second reading of those policies? >> I'll make a motion to approve the second reading of item 616 2624. >> Okay. Thank you,
065Dan. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Nicole. Um, any questions or discussion before we vote? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Motion carried. Okay. Um, we have discussion and approval of the following 40 OB 403b vendors. Equitable Advisors and Amer Prize Financial. Okay. Uh, Jen, would you like to comment? >> Nothing too exciting. Many of you know what a 403b is. It's very similar to in the public or the non-public sector a 401k. Uh, very similar to that. It's like a a little bit of a savings account outside of your retirement. Um, and so school districts always have to approve vendors and these are two that have been with us for many years. And so it's time again to re-up their approval. As a matter of
066fact, I take that back. Equitable Advisors has never been approved. Marrize has. Um, but and keep in mind too, this is contract related, too. Crazy teachers contract. If you have more than four people that are interested in a certain vendor, then the board can approve it. So, we have over four teachers wanting equitable advisors um to be vendors for their 403b, and they get to do that for their contract. 600 today. >> Okay. Any questions on that? Okay. If not, is there a motion to approve Equitable Advisors and America Prize Financial as the 403b vendors? >> So move. >> Thanks, Angie. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Kyle. Any questions or discussion before? >> If not, all those in favor say I. I. >> Opposed. That motion carried. Okay. Um discussion and approval
067of the MDE uh assurance of compliance with state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on age, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or disability with regard to public assistance provided by MDE. >> Anything you want to say about that? [laughter] So, every year school districts are mandated to not only follow laws. I think that's an obvious thing to say, but also really think about this um particular piece of legislation that because Georgin is a woman, I'm not going to give her money. We can't do that. We actually cannot do that. Or because Kyle is German, I'm just saying this as an example, I will not give him a paycheck. You know, things like that. that we cannot do at public schools. So, as I mentioned earlier in my report, this assurance of
068compliance is with everything we do. Everything we do. Um, it doesn't matter your skin color, it doesn't matter your abilities. Um, whatever it is, we are here to support and do what we can within the confines of the law. And that's what you guys are suggesting as well by the board approval tonight. But we do it every year. >> Norwegians get paid double. Right. >> Right. >> That's right. >> [laughter] >> All right. Any questions on that? Okay. If not, is there a motion, a motion to approve that MD assurance of compliance? I'll make a motion to approve the MD assurance of compliance. >> Thank you, Dave. Um, is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Angie. Any questions, discussion before we vote? Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. >> Opposed.
069Motion carried. Okay. Then we need to discuss and approve the following state high school league resolution uh for ISD 499 school board supports and supports the school application to the state high school league foundation for a form a grant to offset student activity fees. and a form B grant to offset support opportunities for athletic functions. >> So, it's rare that we have to do, of course, a resolution. I don't know if this is a new thing for the state high school league or not. I I didn't look back, but they just want a resolution. >> Yeah. Um I thought it was kind of questionable, too, but we'll do it. So, this is exactly what the the forms were super simple. You probably saw them in your emails. Uh Dave has them in front of him
070tonight. him and Angie will both go sign it if you so approve. Um, but like it says, one of the grants that we'll apply for, and Trevor's already started this one, is to offset any costs that maybe a student who financially can't um provide monies towards participating in a Minnesota State High School League event. It could be waved or the state high school league may give us funding for it. Whatever it is, we'll take it. The second one is kind of a little bit different one um but it's they have grants available at the Minnesota State High School League uh that schools can apply for certain things. We are looking at one of the things we would like to look at is a mobile AED. Like why not apply for that and have them pay
071for that? Um another thing we're looking at too and correct me if I'm wrong is padding in the elementary gym on the walls. We need some new padding there. So, we're trying to be creative to offset some budgetary things. Why not apply through the grant system, new grant system through Minnesota State High School? That's what that's for. >> Okay. Any questions? Okay. Um, will there be a motion to uh adopt a resolution um in approving this form A and form B for the state high school rate? [clears throat] Some move. >> Nicole. Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks, Kyle. This would be a roll call vote. So, we'll start with Jess. >> Yes. >> Dan. >> Yes. >> Okay. Motion carried. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Oh, before we get to
072the school district calendar, I emailed you all a a statement from our school board in response to uh Paul Aenhorst who was here last month and gave us all a letter with uh several complaints. he tried to form a a uh a protest outside the the building and everything. So, I just I wrote up the statement. I think you guys all uh have seen it and uh are in agreement with it. So, I'm going to go ahead and read that now and uh I want to do that publicly because he addressed us publicly as well. So, thank you for your interest in things going on at the Leroy Ostrander School. However, it is disappointing to us that you chose to highlight yourself by attempting to form a protest in front of the school building and
073create a public scene rather than by handling the situation a far more productive way by meeting directly with the administration team and addressing any concerns you may have in order to solve problems and make improvements. I'm sure as a city council member yourself, you can understand that we cannot and will not address any anonymous complaints or accusations that we really have no idea whether or not they are valid or not. If there is validity to these complaints, we encourage those individuals to come in and schedule a meeting with the administration, including board members, if they would feel more comfortable, to work together to address their concerns and create a plan to resolve the issue or correct mistakes. However, Mr. Apenor, we would like to address some of your accusations. Number one, bullying. If you had
074stayed for the entire September board meeting, you would have heard an excellent report from Trevor Carrier on bullying. One of the many hats Trevor wears in his job here is dean of students. He and the rest of the student services team do an exceptional job dealing with bullying and other discipline issues and documented them. We would encourage you to go to the school website, find the recording of the September meeting, and listen to his report. Number two, test scores. Prior to that same meeting in September, the board asked the administration for a report on test scores. We read the same news reports as you supposedly telling us how bad we are doing educating the kids in our community. We would encourage you to watch the recording and hear Aaron Hungold's report and subsequent discussion on
075testing as well. The standardized state tests that you referred to in your letter really aren't a very good way to assess a student's progress. They also are not a very good way to assess how a school is performing either. They are a brief snapshot in time used a very small sample group of students which if they desire can actually opt out of taking the test which makes the group even smaller. The results are easily skewed either negatively or positively. and the group are not even the same students from year to year. Our district uses consistent testing given to all students on a regular basis collecting all that data so the administration and teaching staff can use accurate information to address the areas in the students education that needs improvement. They address everything from curriculum to
076teaching methods. Number three, declining enrollment. your accusation that the school is quote hemorrhaging students. Here are the actual numbers, good and bad, for 2025. This information comes from the Minnesota Department of Education. 23 students left this district for the following reasons. 15 family 15 moved out of the district with their families. Four did not indicate on the form why they chose to leave. Four left due to a divorce because one parent lives in a different school district. 23 students enrolled in the LO district from neighboring school districts. One from Grand Meadow, seven from Southland, two from Kingsland, and 13 from Iowa. Four students moved into the school district with their families. We had 280 students enrolled here in and we have 285 students enrolled here in 2025. Would we like to have more students? Of
077course we would. This information basically tells us that our enrollment is steady and families are more transient than ever before. We can also note that more families are moving out of our community than are moving in. So the en open enrollment of students from neighboring districts coming into ours is actually helping to keep our enrollment stable. Lastly, we as the school board of Leroy Orander would like to stress to you in the strongest of terms that we have the utmost confidence in our our entire administrative team. They are trustworthy people that tell us the truth whether it be good news or bad. They take their responsibilities here very seriously. and care a great deal about the young people of our community. They are constantly constantly looking for ways to improve and enhance educational experience for
078all our students. Can they make mistakes? Of course they can. We can all make mistakes. The key is are you willing to own them and correct them. They are those types of people because they recognize that the kids education and well-being depend on it. Unfortunately, that administration is an easy target for people that don't have all the facts. Thank you again for your interest in the school. Please consider coming in for a face-to-face meeting with administrators to discuss these issues. A board member or two can be there as well if you wish. Respectfully, the Leroy Strander School Board. Thank you. Okay. as as Forest Gump says. That's all I have to say about that. Um, so the school district calendar update, November 4th is election day. November 5th is our building and grounds and safety
079committee meeting. November 7th is the end of the first quarter already. November 11th is the district policy review committee meeting. And November 18th would be our next school board meeting at 6:00 p.m. Does the 18th still work for everyone? Also, friendly reminder related to election days. Um, anytime there's an election, a school district is again bound by statute that we cannot have activities after I or between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. So, anytime after 6, we cannot. Um, the staff is well versed in that. Our coaching staff is versed in that. So, but just a friendly reminder to all of you and our parents too. >> Okay. Okay. believe that if November 18th still works for everyone for a school board meeting. Um is there anything else that anyone wants to bring up before we adjune?
080>> Just real quick, um hopefully not controversial, should be fairly simple. Um I was approached by a community member um a local veteran who pointed out to me that the flag that we have on our flag pole out front is actually an inappropriate size. it's too small for the flag pole that we have. Um, and I did do just a little quick research and it does seem like it is too small. Um, he recommended a 4x6 foot flag. And again, just doing real quick little bit of research, looks like $50 to $100 to replace the flag. Um, but I thought that was something that we should probably do. And looking at it, it does look kind of small for that flag pole. Um, and then I also thought too with the Veterans Day program coming
081up that maybe it would be possible to have some local veterans retire our old flag and to raise the new flag and maybe a little ceremony. I don't know what the itinerary is for that day, but >> if we could put that in, I think that would be >> would be something good. Um, >> yeah. So, just wanted to bring that up. >> So, we just need to talk to Junior Hammond, I suppose, about that. Oh, yeah. Maybe. >> That's good. And I don't know too what the arrangement is, but um he said that the veterans would take care of lowering the flag to half staff on days that it needed to be lowered. I don't know who currently does that for us. Maybe they already do that, but he said that they would also
082take care of it. I think would be great. >> Yeah, >> that's really nice. >> Somebody else wanted >> Yeah, I think it'd be good if the veterans take care of great >> like to have your involvement in. >> That's great. >> Yes. >> And we have such a large Veterans Day program here. >> Yeah, the timing is perfect right now. >> This is great. >> So, when is the Veterans Day program? I think it's Ann this year. >> Get a flag. New flag. >> And you'll get an email from me about that from a reminder. You're all invited. >> Think we can get a new flag by now? >> We'll rush it. I'll get on it tomorrow. >> Be awesome. >> You're thinking 4x6. >> I'm sure them all the time. We got to
083buy one or >> And I'll buy a couple too just to >> Yeah. last. But yeah, why not? >> They get freed in the rain. >> We do. So that's awesome. Very good. We can get on that tomorrow. >> No problem. >> Thanks, Jess. Appreciate that. Is there anything else? Okay. If not, is there a motion to adjourn? So, thanks Dan. Second. >> Second. >> Thanks, Kyle. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Leadings. I don't know.