001Stacey will not be speaker and will stand for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Welcome everybody. First item up will be to approve the meeting agenda and there was policy that was pulled. Is there any additions or subtraction? Okay. So it stands on >> I'll move to approve the agenda. >> Okay. Motion by Greg. Have a second. >> I'll second. >> Second by Andrew. Any discussion on the agenda? Hearing no discussion. All in favor of approving the agenda signify by saying I. >> I. Those oppose name. Agenda carries. Opportunity for visitors to address the board. I don't address the board. You ready? Okay. [Music] Okay.
002We will move on and we have some acknowledgements. So, we have the school foundation. Want to thank you for all your hard work to help raise money for teachers and programs at our school. We have the technology staff. because of it appreciation day was is uh was yesterday and school board members my fellow schoolboard members it's schoolboard appreciation month so appreciate that Mr. Cor you got anything to add just wanted to thank our foundation school foundation for all their work and their time and their effort technology staff for all their work to helping staff and students and thank you to all the school board members for all your work that you do for ISD 548. We appreciate it. >> We'll move on to presentations. So, we have a marketing presentation. Miss Wonder, >> good evening.
003>> Evening. >> Just going to update you on what we've been doing with our marketing so far this year. I believe we have copies of it as well, but otherwise we'll have it up on the screen. So, every year we start out with a new brand. Our brand this year is packed with opportunities for success. And as you know with brand, we're looking at color spons graphics. This is kind of our main graphic that we'll weave in throughout the year and also a kind of a district voice and some stories that all kind of goes in with brand. So what we want to do is we want to highlight our strengths, our differentiators, how we are unique, how we are different from other districts. So this ad really is kind of what we're doing and
004highlighting a lot of what we're doing. So we have a lot of unique course offerings. We have free biking preschool and free um midday transportation. We have a respectful learning environment, rich diversity, and a high number of post-secondary credits. And so what you'll see throughout the year is that we're going to keep this this is really kind of our main ad. This is touching all of those areas. And so we're going to use this in different ads. We're going to have it on the website. We're going to have it in our newsletter. And we're just going to keep this theme going. Uh the first thing we do once we get our brand set is we do a district flyer. So this flyer went out in June. You probably all got it in your homes. This
005one goes out to over 10,000 people that are in our district. So the really nice thing is even if they don't read it cover to cover, they see it. Oh, excuse me, not this one. This one they will read cover to cover. Um anyway, this goes out to 10,000 people every year. And so this is where we bring our new brand out. This is a district flyer that's going to tell all about everything from preschool to our graduates. Then throughout the year, we have various district ads that we do. So we have a lot of them that we do in the press. Um we have a ad package that we do throughout the year. They also have um a publication, the Lakes and Lifestyle magazine that has a distribution of 6,000. And so that is
006one of the ads that we put in. This particular ad was from uh last year, but it still has a similar themes. Um then the press also has a special summer section that distribution's about 2500. And then total market coverage goes out to about 8,000 people. You'll also see then on our website and Facebook, we are keeping that same theme. So really everywhere you you go, you should be able everything should look the same. You should be getting the same messages, the same information. Uh we're also working on an ad bar that can go in the program. So if you go to a sporting event, if you go to a concert, we'll just have an ad bar in there with our QR code so you can learn more about the district. Um, and just another
007way that we kind of keep our message going. We have the back to school section that we do with the tele press. And so this one we do a preschool ad, we do our regular district ad. We usually do a um looking for substitutes and then with our ECF program. So these are the ads that we did in the back to school section. We also use this ad then in the daily journal. So, the daily journal is this uh sports journal one. We do ads in the fall, the spring, and winter. Uh that distribution is about 3,000 people, and they have articles about some of the other districts as well. The other um publication that we've been doing is the Ottertale Lakes uh county magazine. This is distributed, this distribution is 30,000 people. And so
008this goes out in about 500 regional locations. So that's a good opportunity for us to have information about our district as well as our ad. Um community connections. We have done um numerous things with the senior assisted living. We've had different students. The choir's gone in and sang. sad group has gone in and helped do a craft. Uh homecoming last year, we gave out buttons. So, just trying to do a lot of interaction with students and the residents there. Uh the city pool this year, we did something kind of fun. We got packets of lotion, shampoo, and sunscreen and had little hiking stickers on them just courtesy of Pelican Rabbit Schools. just another way that we can um touch people out in the community. Uh some different events we have in Pelican Rapids, some in
009Fargo, just some of the district show or excuse me, the like Chamber of Commerce shows, things like that. So, we'll have our pens at those events. We'll have our flyers, our most recent district newsletter. And then we're working with the chamber and the city of Pelican Rapids. They're doing a movement just with ads and videos promoting our community as a great place to live, work, and go to school. Another thing that we're doing this year is we're going to have district folders available that can go to new families, businesses, realtors, and so basically would have our district flyer. This is a QR code. Contact us with questions. request a school tour. This QR code goes to our um askbikes. us email and that I get those emails so that way I can forward to the
010appropriate person if we have inquiries in. There'll also be a welcome letter and this is just uh highlighting the different aspects of our district again from our preschool to our high school. And then we'll just put the most recent school newsletter in there. We are also uh continuing to market to ages zero to five. So right now we're in the process of coming up with some new ideas. For probably the last eight years we were sending out a book for each age group, but that's gotten cost prohibitive. So we're going to try to come up with some other creative ideas, but continue to market to those age groups. >> Is that the first time that little Viking has been used? No, we've used him for a while. >> Long time >> for preschool. Different ways.
011>> Cool. >> Yeah. Kind of fun. This is Jay with that. She's our graphic design expert. So, yeah. Uh and then finally, looking ahead, um a little more into fall, we are going to have a redesign for our websites. We have a different uh website provider and we're required now to switch to one of their templates. So, you'll see that probably in November. We'll make that change. The template that we've chosen looks really similar to what we have um and yet has some nice improvements as well. Um ads we'll have through the Pelican Press, the home for the holidays. That's again one of their special sections, that ad bundle that we get. In the winter, we'll go with another daily journal sports ad. We'll also send out a newsletter that usually goes out in February.
012And the newsletters go out to about 11,000 people. um in the area residents. Um also any other events that come along again with maybe assisted living or other um chamber com events, that type of thing. In the spring, we'll do another ad in the Daily Journal, sports, Pelican Press. We'll do that links and lifestyle magazine. We do congratulation graduates. And then in uh May, we'll do a newsletter where we highlight our summer programs. And then we also market our preschool and kindergarten programs. And then we just kind of start that cycle over again in June with with our brand for the following year. So any questions? >> Looks good. >> Thanks. Okay. Should we move on to Mr. Nelson with the elementary? >> I think I'll stand over here. >> Yeah, it's probably a good
013deal. >> Perfect. Uh, last May we ended with a uh 435 enrollment. Right now we are at 461. Giving a tour Saturday morning to another family. So, uh, we keep having families come, which is a good thing. Uh, VPK is at 41, our 3-year-olds are at 29, and Head Start's at 32. So, the preschool is down a little bit, uh, but K through six enrollment is up um, quite a bit. So, I want to thank the staff for a great open house night. We had the meet and greet. Uh, we did something different where we had pictures taken. I think the links already been sent to uh families where they can have the pictures already ordered and we had um club bites did a cookout people could get hot dogs, chips, waters, uh snow cones.
014Um and then the staff were out there welcoming the their new students to the room and had a lot of positive feedbacks from families. they really enjoyed the pictures that day um rather than you know once they're in school and the syrups on their shirt and the spaghetti sauces on their shirt and chin and everything else. So a lot of good feedback from parents on that. Uh, I want to thank uh, Teraf Fitz Simmons and Megan King and I say the uh, preschool camp for uh, preschoolers that were going into kindergarten. Kind of just get them back in the swing of school a couple hours a day, but it got those students ready to get back in school mode. So, thank them for their work with that. And then uh Craig Archimbo who uh worked
015as a parah for us got a job at a neighboring district at the same position. Um but we're thank him for his work but we're going to hire Rebecca Hooper to take spot as a per professional. Um and then bus safety was completed the first week. how the students went through the protocols on the bus and how to evacuate a bus and also the walking around the bus, the sidewalk safety, everything like that. And our first fire drill was completed yesterday. Uh we are required to do five fire drills a year. Um usually we get those in sometimes with the help of the cooks who accidentally may set the fire alarm off. So uh we try to get those in right away in the fall while the weather is nice. So, um, any questions? Anything?
016Otherwise, you're off to a very good start. Um, so far very smooth. So, >> thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mashesy High School. >> Moment for us. We are at 375. Last year at the end of the year, we at 373. So, we are up a couple of students. Um, first day of school looked a little bit different. We did our welcome back in the fine arts, but then we had students go to their advisors. Adviserss is new for us this year. Um, they will meet periodically at mid-carter and quarter with their adviserss to go through um different items that pertain to their their grade levels, but this time they got their schedules. Um we went through some handbook items and then also made sure that their laptops were ready to go in those
017advisor rooms. Readac update. Um I actually was in a meeting today. We continue to kind of work through the plan and what it means for the high school. Um our English department purchased new curriculum this year. They're working in their PLC to work on aligning standards and um working through the read act requirements in terms of testing and identifying students that need um additional testing. We'll use NWA map growth to measure progress and plan those interventions for students. This is homecoming week. It's a busy but fun week in the high school. I'm going to leave some of those events to our students to talk about, but you'll see we have dress up days every day. Um, yesterday was a rock, paper, scissor tournament um that went around the school. Our seventh graders really seem to
018enjoy that at lunchtime. Today was junior senior games. I think the jury is out on who won. Um, and then tomorrow we do have a couple of home events, girls soccer and volleyball. And then Friday, our afternoon will be the petfest. We invite the elementary to come over and join us for a walking parade and then we'll finish the day with coronation. Tailgate starts at 5:00 and our home game against Park Rapids is at 7. Upcoming um on Saturday we have a Viking gala PLC's and BLTs coming up and midquarter, believe it or not, is just in a couple of weeks. Kind of crazy. Any questions? questions. No, I don't hear any. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next up, Coron or Mlan like to give us a report. >> Okay. >> Um, as Miss
019Jay said, it's homecoming week, so the school is full of fun. Um, football team is currently 1 and two and their next game is at home on Friday against Park Rapids at 7. Uh, the volleyball team is 1 and5. Their next match is tomorrow night at home also against Park Rapids. Um cross country's next meet is the 25th at home versus multiple schools. >> Um soccer girls have been doing good this um season so far. Started off rough, but we're getting our group together. Um, student council, we have been doing a lot with coordination for my group, but we picked up the dress up days and did all that too, setting up from for behind the scenes. And the phone policy has been going good to a certain point, but a lot of complaints about
020teachers still having their phones are coming to me. So other than that, I see a lot of kids trying their best to keep their phones in their lockers. >> Anything else? >> Any questions? >> Thank you. Mr. Martinez is turn uh uh treasures report for the month of August. Uh a pretty busy month. Uh lots happening. Uh staff are back in the building. Uh students are starting to come back. Uh lots of activity happening. Um also state of Minnesota um starts paying the school district. So um that's always good to see. Um again uh we go out in terms of our uh budget to actual just to see that we're uh on target monthtomonth. Uh so far we've collected $1.5 million uh versus the $16 million that we projected. That's about 9.3% of our operating
021budget. Uh for expenditures, uh we're at 3.4% um uh versus the 16 million that we have in our um operating budget. Uh and um 8.68.68% uh I was actually looking toward uh looking at the history of a lot of them and I think this is the first month that uh we're not playing catch-up. So I was like, "Oh, that's kind of cool." Um but other than that uh we're always in acroals and we're always playing catch-up when it comes to the revenue piece um based on our operating budget. So uh overall pretty good. Uh this numbers uh will change um and it will change as the new uh uh uh contract negotiations start reflecting. So those changes are you're going to start to see in the month of September. So month of a still reflects
022last year's um last contracts. So uh uh other than that, let's move on to the second page. Uh second page of is our cash flow statement. Just giving us an idea where we are in terms of cash on hand. Uh we started our investment account with $5.3 million. Uh we received uh just a little over 1.1 million of state aid, which is uh pretty good. Um that's the surplus that we see of um additional uh revenue versus our expenditures. off that uh we withdrew $684,000 to cover our expenditures. Total cash or total investment in hand um just a little over $5.8 million. Uh last month we started our uh operating cash uh in our checking account with a um forecasted again this is not actual this is um the idea of it. I know I
023had some uh community members even ask like are we in the hole in our checking account? No. Remember that there's the the time piece in terms of when we print checks. In theory, our checking account would have been 55, but we issue the checks and there's a time gap between when people get the checks to when they actually cash them. So, don't be scared that it says that our checking account is negative 55,000. This is a theoretical number. Uh deposits into our checking account, just a little over a million dollars, of which were 600 pulled from the investment account. Uh total uh bills that we paid this month were 562,000. Uh total payroll were uh just a little over $420,000. Uh total cash in our checking account again um just a little over uh $6,000.
024Total cash that we have available at the end of August is $5.8 million. So again, pretty good month uh uh pretty good month uh in terms of our operating cash. Uh the last pages again, it's the entire uh the entire uh bill of all the uh invoices that run through our checking account. And again, if anybody has any questions or require backup, you're more than free to let us know and then we'll provide that um at your request. Um any questions before I move on to the next piece in our board agenda today. Okay, perfect. Uh the second piece that we have in our board agenda again it's our current cycle that will go into our levy. Um so today we are um asking the school board to approve the levy for the maximum amount.
025Um we start that process again every September where we start to levy. Um and again the levy process covers everything from our operating budget to our debt service. Uh and it uh uh and it collects both taxes from our constituents, from the entire footprint of our district. Uh and it and it makes up for quite a bit. Um it touches the majority of our funds, it touches our general fund, it touches our community service, and it touches our debt service fund. So, uh today all we're asking the board is just to approve the maximum. Why the maximum? uh because between now and December there's a lot of fluctuation and there's a lot of changes. So the first initial reports that we get from MBE have a lot of errors and as business managers we go
026through about 3,000 different equations to point out where those errors are and then we work with the state to make those fixes and then make those changes. Um um next Wednesday um we have an administrator's meeting at Lakes Country Service Co-op where Kathy Ericson, the um finance director for MDE, will be there to walk all of the uh uh member districts through the new legislative pieces um that are impacting levy. So, as you guys know, in the spring, uh, when the new legislative pieces were enacted, some of the sliding equations for tier one and tier two of the levy were changed. Some were in our favor and some were not. So, that's where we are working with the state to understand why some adjustments are negative and why some adjustments are positive. Uh, for the
027most part, there's going to be a little change. um uh but I will give more information as time progresses and I understand more of those equalizing factors that change in the computation of the levy. Um and hopefully Kathy can answer all of our questions. Um big piece also in our levy is enrollment, right? So um they take last year's ending enrollment and they put it into all the equations. So my job is to work with the state and to say that number that you received in June is outdated. Here is our new numbers and then we go through that adjustment piece. Right? So between now and December everything changes. Uh big big date for school district is the first week in October. First week in October is when we send the state all of our
028student data, all of our initial student data and they plug it into their systems and they rerun all the calculations again. So this is why between now and December we just say approve the maximum because we work with the state because everything will change in December when we go through the uh truth and taxation meeting is when we set the actual number that we're living against our district. Okay. Any questions regarding the levy that we have approved today at the maximum? Okay. Well, thank you all for your time. Thank you. [Music] Okay. >> Okay. A few things with fall workshop recap. Um just a reminder that we had new staff workshop the week before we had uh district workshop. Uh, one of the biggest things with new staff workshop is our mentor mentees get together
029and we go through the outline with them of what the whole year will look like. So, all our new staff have a mentor which is good. Get them off to a good start and help them get through the first year. Uh, our Hunter Pinky was our speaker here this fall. Did a great job. He's going to come back October 8th. He is going to present at the high school and he's going to present at the elementary school. uh mental health training Monica Schneider presented to our district staff and we are looking at ways that we can incorporate her throughout this school year with our staff. We had school law training which is good refresher of uh law items related to education and we want to thank Minnesota National Bank for providing lunch for all our
030staff. Appreciate them doing that. We have peer professional training in the afternoon. We had uh OT training and CPI training and then principles mentioned that they had open house. Um open house was at both schools. Great opportunity for parents to connect with with staff. So great opportunities. And then on that first day we had staff breakfast, staff lunch, staff uh picnic. Great opportunities for our staff to connect with each other. So they all took uh advantage of that opportunity. It's a good way for them to connect with others. Um, from high school to elementary, elementary to high school. So, it was for K12 students enrollment. U, if you look at enrollment right now, both principles talked about at their buildings. If you look at K12 enrollment, we're up uh 28 students. If you compare where
031we're at right now compared to last May, if you look if you add our preschool head start program and early childhood programming up to 12th grade, we're up 23 students. Um, so if you look at our early childhood to 12th grade, so it's good news. We're positive. That's what we want. So, um, when Mrs. Wer presented about marketing, those are great opportunities for us to connect with with people in our district and surroundings. So appreciate all their work, all the people with parking, but we also appreciate our staff and our community members talking to families about our schools and uh sharing the good news, community engagement. A few things we talked about the open houses. One, we got homecoming week activities going on. Um this week you got coronation on Friday um afternoon. Friday night
032we'll be we'll be recognizing the homecoming court at halftime of the football game. And then we'll also recognize the uh teacher honor roll and the members inducted to the hall of fame on Saturday which will be at the Viking gala. That will be at Saturday and that's at the lower level of the VFW and doors open at 5:00 p.m. So um if you want tickets just Fay contact just Fay if anybody wants to get tickets for that and then they'll have the presentation at 7:30 and then from 8:30 to 10:30 will be games. So all the money proceeds go right back to our classrooms, our teachers which impact kids. So I want to say thank you to all um the Viking Galla team that puts this together at the VFW. We appreciate all their time
033and their effort on making this a great place to teach and learn. So raising funds, special ed co-op update. I don't really have a whole lot. There wasn't much at the last meeting. there was a resignation of a staff member and then we approved an agreement with Lake Agassy um special ed co-op for a death and heart of hearing teacher at an hourly rate. So there's some needs there. So those were the couple items on the agenda. So it wasn't really a long meeting. Uh nothing big there. So schoolboard agenda items tonight. Um one is approve the hire of Taylor Barren for junior high volleyball coach. Um that's one under consent items and then accepting donations which we do at every meeting and then approving the first and second readings of the policies with the
034policies listed is what we covered at the last policy committee meeting. And then just a reminder October 1st we'll have a finance committee meeting that will be at 6 p.m. uh right here in the district conference room. And then October 8th will be a work session. We will start at 5:30 and that will be with MSBA will lead us through that work session. So that work session will be about 2 hours long is kind of give or take. So uh finance committee meeting uh we'll provide food and at the work session we'll provide food. So then October 20th will be the regular meeting at 6 p.m. So we got a busy month of October which will be good. I think that's about all I have questions. I don't hear any. Thank you. Thank you. All
035right. Move on to consent items. We have item A, board meeting minutes. October, excuse me, August 20th, 2025, the regular schoolboard meeting and the August 28th, 2025 special school board meeting minutes. B, financial claims August bills. C, treasures report. D, personnel. We have acknowledge resignation of Craig Arch M. Bo as special education pair professional at the elementary. Approve the hire of Taylor Barrett as junior high volleyball coach at the high school. and approve the hire of Rebecca Hoert, a special education pair professional at the elementary. So entertain a motion for the consent items. Make the motion. >> Motion by Andrew. >> Second by Brendan. Any discussion on the consent items? Hearing no discussion. All those in favor of moving the consent items signify by saying I. >> I. Those opposed? Nay. Consent items carry. Move
036on to business items. We have uh item A, approve the resolution accepting donations. So I think what I'll do is obtain a motion in a second and I'll read the resolution and then do that call. We have a motion. I'll make the motion by Andrew. You have a second Brenda. Okay. So, we have a resolution accepting donations. Every such acceptance shall be by resolution of the governing body adopted by twothirds majority of its members expressing such terms in full. Therefore, be resolved. The school board of health Rapids public schools ISD 548 gratefully accepts following donation as identified below. Laura Clem $100 student accounts Laura Clem another $100 Mike and the class of 72 $25 PRHS scholarship fund in memory of Renee Isog Sen. Okay. So this is a resolution. So Andrew, how do you resolve?
037>> Yes. >> Brenda? >> Yes. >> Greg, >> yes. >> Resolution carries. Next item up will be to approve the Truth and Taxation public meeting date of December 15, 2025 at 6 PM. >> I'll make a motion to approve the Truth and Taxation public meeting for December 15th of 2025 at 6 p.m. >> A motion by Brenda. Do we have a second? >> Second. Second by Greg. Any discussion on the motion? Hearing no discussion. All those in favor of approving the motion signify by saying I. >> I. Those opposed, nay. Motion carries. So C all be in one school or we got to do each one. That's what we've done in the past. >> Okay. C will be approved the first and second read of the following policies. Policy 503, student attendance. Policy 506, student
038discipline. Policy 507, corporal punishment and prone restraint. Policy 509, enrollment of non-resident students. Policy 512, school sponsored student publication and activities. Policy 514, bullying prohibition policy. Policy 603, curriculum development. Policy 606.5, library materials. Policy 613, graduation requirements. Policy 620, credit for learning. Policy 624, online instructions. Policy 722 public data request and form. Policy 06 crisis management and four. So who would like to make that motion? >> I move to approve the first and second readings of the policies just listed by uh chairperson Carter and listed in the agenda approved by the board. See motion leg. Do we have a second? >> A second. >> Second by Molly. Any discussion of the policies? Okay. Hearing no discussion. All those in favor of approving the motion signify by saying I. >> I. Those opposed? Nay. First and
039second reading. Motion carries. Item D. certify the proposed tax levy for the tax year 2025 to 2026 at the maximum amount. So I don't feel left out. I will make that motion. We have a second. >> Second by Molly. Any discussion? Hearing no discussion. All in favor of approving the motion signify by saying I. I. Those opposed? Nay. Motion carries. Okay, we're done with the business items. So, we'll review the upcoming meetings again. So, October 1st, finance committee will be meeting at 6 p.m. October 8th, we have that work session with MSBA, 5:30 p.m. October 20th is our next regular meeting, 6 p.m. And then November 17th, we have another regular meeting at 6 p.m. And who would like to make a motion to adhere? Okay. Motion by Andrew. Have a second. >> A second.
040>> Okay. Second by Molly. Any discussion? Hearing no discussion. All in favor of the journey. Signify by saying I. >> I. Those opposed. Name. We'rejourn. [Music] used to never step back.