001Hello everyone. I'm David Law, superintendent of Minnotonka Public Schools. >> And I'm Patrick Leo Howerin, Minnetonka School Board Chair. >> We're glad you're able to join us for our school board recognition program. It's important to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our students, staff, and community members. >> We begin most of our regular board meetings with recognitions to highlight the positive impact that so many different people make in our district. Today we're recognizing district service center honored artists from our elementary schools, fall sport state qualifiers, newly named AP scholars with honor from the 2425 school year, and the leaders and site coordinators for our annual employee giving charitable campaign. >> We will now recognize a group of our elementary student artists. Each year, our art teachers select pieces to display
002at the Minnetonka School District Service Center. This is one way we celebrate the work of our students and our commitment to fine arts education. The works on display now are from students at Minnetonka's six elementary schools. These pieces will be on display through early January. Student artists, thank you for sharing your work with us. Your artistic talent and creativity brightens the district service center. We would also like to thank and recognize our elementary art teachers for their work to encourage and inspire our community. Minnetonka's elementary art teachers will be introducing the honored artists this evening. They include Christy Nent from Clear Springs, Reed Anderson from Deep Haven, Joanna Pediconi from Excelsier, Jane Meyer from Groveland, Melanie Mazingo from Minowashta, and Jennifer Ben from Scenic Heights. Our art teachers will now read the names of each
003student artist as their works are displayed. >> Hello, I'm Jane Meyer, art teacher at Groveland Elementary. Hello to the Minnotonka School Board, school community, and especially to our student artists and their families who are watching. We are so incredibly proud of you and we're excited to celebrate you along with the beautiful artwork you've created. From painting and mixed media collage to drawing and sculpture, you've used a wide variety of techniques and media to add beauty to our schools. Thank you for all the effort, joy, persistence, collaboration, and creativity you show every day. We will celebrate now by showing images of your artwork as we read your names. Your names will be read by your art teachers. Ms. Nent from Clear Springs Elementary will get us started. >> Hi, my name is Christy Nent and I
004teach art at Clear Springs Elementary. The honored artists are Erikson Banks, Vera Bellis, Rebecca Dela, Caprit, Kaylee Easanor Florent, Farah Jensen, Maya Moreno Jacobson, Fitzgerald Murphy, Reese Patterson, Santiago Rura, Thomas Ser, and Victoria Zaragoza. I'm Reed Anderson, art teacher at Deep Haven Elementary. Uh, Deep Haven's honored artists include Berkeley Cartwright, Isabelle Chin, Eleanor Cunningham, William Franson Weinberger, Grayson Guard, Jax Hulahan, Miles Keller, Aaliyah Maronga, Farooqurov, Zoe Roy, Anna Stark and Parker Trollson. >> I am Jordan Pakod and I am the art teacher at Excelsier Elementary. Our honored artists include Sloan Eggenburgger, Ena Jagwin, Preston Jenkee, Quinn Malberg, and Lexi Revard. The honored artists from Groveland Elementary are Arthur Athetherton, Amelia Butterfield, Brady Finger, Orion Hagerty, Autton Kazzy, Charlie Canudson, Hart Lewis, Hetty Lzer, Nielsen, Adria Mim, and Sylvie Walton. Melanie Mosingo is the art teacher
005at Mininoashta Elementary. The honored artists from Mininoashta are Everly Bisance, Sophia Borrison, Arabella Ber, Hannah Chu Hunova, Aviva Dson, Sage Deare, Leaf Butter, Lucy Hansen, Hope Hedrickk, Andelia Isbel, Louie Marert, Connor McDaniel, Seriana Moxus Bowman, Brooks Nonig, Miles Rodbold, Gordon Van Hec, and Leticia Western. I'm Jennifer Bend, art teacher at Scenix Heights Elementary. Our honored artists are Sanvi Aguual, Ella Budser, Bridget Gutenoff, Olivia Heinancing, Victor Impala, Adah Jeepson, Zara Karim, Hazel Kerr, Laura Lee, Joanne Lio, Henry Meyer, Noah Peterson, Ryder Peterson, Lydia Speedley, and Cecilia Wagner. Artists, congratulations one more time on being selected for this art show. You are amazing. Keep creating, keep being curious, and keep sharing your artwork through the visual arts. What you do makes a difference. Thank you again to all of our student artists for sharing your talent, hard
006work, and inspiration with us. >> Next, we will recognize state qualifiers from our fall sports teams. >> It's been a strong season for the Skippers with many teams qualifying to compete in state competition and several athletes earning top level awards at state tournaments. The varsity boys cross country team took seventh at the Minnesota State High School League state meet this year. Individually, Sha Fes finished first overall, setting a new course record in the process. >> The team is led by head coach Jeff Renland and assistant coaches Jacob Peterson and Titus Wenders. Before we recognize each athlete by name, let's hear more about the team season. >> Hi, I am the boys head cross country coach at Minnitankka High School, Jeff Renlands, and I'm so proud of this year's team. We finished a strong runner up
007in the Lake Conference. were section two AAA champions again, advancing to the state meet for the sixth consecutive year where they finished a hard-fought seventh place. We had our top runner Sean Fes winning the state individual championship and of course record time at the University of Minnesota and advancing to the nationals. It has been a very fun season and a privilege to coach you guys. Go skippers. >> Congratulations to the following state team members and alternates. Ishach Algapen, Christian Bach, Charles Cummings, Steel Etne, Sha Fes, Benjamin Krauss, Casey Nordstrom, Sawyer Schulz, Zachary Unger. The varsity girls cross country team had one athlete qualify for the Minnesota State High School League state meet. Congratulations, Evie Malik, who finished 13th overall. >> The team was led by head coach Rebecca Wesley and assistant coaches Bethany Brson, Cassie
008Klene, Heidi Leighton, and Amanda Mont Pleasure. >> Congratulations. The next team we will be recognizing is varsity girls tennis. The team qualified for state and placed second overall in the class 3A tournament. Four skippers also qualify to compete in the individual state tournament. Junior Bella Starkman and senior Tessa Travetti in the singles division and team of junior Arya Hook and senior Martina Francisco in the doubles division. The team is led by head coach Jessa Richards Boyi and assistant coaches Dan Richards and Greg Vanhist. Let's hear more about their season. Hi everyone, I'm Emily Levton and I'm a seventh grader at MMW. I was really excited to make the girls varsity tennis team this year and I had a great season with an 18-2 record at four singles. Our team had an amazing accomplishment by getting
009second in state. We practiced really hard and we made every practice count. I was a little nervous at the start because I was the youngest on my team, but the girls made me feel really supported and like I was always on the team and a part of their family. I had such a great group of girls. I don't think I could have asked for better. >> Congratulations again to the following athletes. Allison Britzius, Tatum Engson, Martina Francisco, Arya Hook, Alyssa Evenoff, Sophia Jalil, Jana Latz, Emily Levitton, Hangi Ping, Ava Pranzinski, Lucy Pranzinski, Sana Ramrage, Alyssa Ren, Emma Sen, Isabella Starkman Sen, Tessa Trevetti and Lauren Wenin. The final athletes we'll be recognizing this evening are the state qualifiers from our middle school and high school mountain biking team. At state this year, the middle school
010team took first overall and the high school team took second. The team is coached by Jake Seart and Leam Malik. Let's hear more about their season. >> Hello Minnitonka families. My name is Jake Seart and I'm the head coach for the Minnitonka mountain bike race team. On behalf of more than 100 riders and their families, we're honored to be recognized by the school award for a 2025 season that wrapped up in October. Highlights of the season included taking second place overall in the state high school team score, taking first place overall in the state middle school team score, and a focus on girls specific programming led by coach Sally Wood with a goal of getting more girls on bikes. Finally, I'd like to thank the 60 coaches and Ry leads who participate in our program
011every week. We wouldn't be able to have a team without all of you, and we're looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2026. Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Evoli. I'm a seventh grader at EM, and I was part of the state mountain bike team. At the start of the season, I had a broken collar bone. I pushed through it all from the encouragement I got from my teammates and family members. It was a great experience seeing all my teammates doing so well in all their races. >> Congratulations again to the following athletes. Levi Anderson, Owen Dalan, Henrik Colemmyer, Jackson Runk, Bennett Schmidt, Reed Thurbush, Everett Wilkkey, Axel Wood, and Charles Well, Adeline Malik, Quinn Miller, Alice Seawart, Claire Stro, Stella Swanson, Vivian Wood. Great work all. We will recognize our remaining fall sport
012state qualifiers in our January schoolboard recognitions program. >> Our next recognition group is the new AP Scholars with Honor from the 202425 school year. >> The AP Scholars with Honor designation is granted by the College Board to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and who receive scores of three or higher on four or more of these exams. The students we will recognize tonight achieved the AP Scholar with honor recognition for the first time based on their AP exam scores from the 202425 school year. Earning this award requires an incredible amount of hard work and dedication and we are proud of each student for this achievement. We asked our AP scholars with honor to share about a class at MHS that has inspired them and has made
013an impact on their academic journey. Here's what they shared with us. Hi, my name is Georgia Baker and I'm a senior this year. My favorite AP classes that I have taken over the course of high school have definitely been AP Chinese and AP psychology. I have loved being pushed to think unconventionally and beyond my comfort zone in these courses. And because I've loved them so much, I hope to minor in Chinese and major in speech, language, and hearing sciences next year. Thanks. Our student honores from the class of 2025 include Aaliyah Agri, Alexander Balbach, Maria Clara Baros, Fontes, Duza, Ryan Bontthus, Audrey Bhin, Rexton Breitbach, Khloe Chot, Davis Colbeck, Hudson Craft, Nathan Extrand, Amelia Foundre, Tyler Friday, Elizabeth Goodier, Jackson Hemple, Elliot Jones, Amriita Core, Rose Liry, Tyson Mahadi, Nicholas Martinez Gonzalez, Elizabeth McKini, Meline
014Men, Hugo Melany, Evelyn Noah, Emma Peters, John Rafferty, Devin Ryell, Nora Reard, Addison Rothschild, Parker Simmer, Kelvin Schoberg, Cody Steelug, Maline Swigert, Emily Travis, Maline Vasc, Romney Warner, Annabelle Wel, and Sydney Whiteside. AP scholars with honor from the class of 2026 include Aisha Adam, Oscar Anderson, Georgia Baker, Blake Bisson, Mia Bissell, Cade Budri, Jack Brillinthon, Joseph Broadbent, Matteline Brown, Ally Cannon, >> John Cantu, Paige Christensen, Brady Coyle, Cameron Deno, Jack Elvrog, Alex Fernandez, Alexander Frank, Samuel Fryberg, Claudia Garcia Arce, Evan Ginter, Isaac Godfrey, Julia Hayes, Greta Yella, Elyssa Ivangh, Peter Jwitt, Henry Jones, Wyatt Jones, Scout Katsenberger, Kira Kilgard, Camille Kilmer, Alexandra Kitine, Miles Laskin, Daniel Lebanon, Aaron Lowe, Griffin Macintosh, William McKini, Anders McNeel, Sophie Milstein, Isa Mojit, Matteline Morgan, Delane Navorska, Kaden Pelstring, Braden Puit, Sadana Ramrage, Matteo Rebman, Isaac Rose, Cole Rowan,
015Samuel Schmaltz, Scarlett Schmidline, Zoe Cybart, Alexander Severs Williams, Jack Ston, Madison Tron, Graham Tyler, Lou Verhelst, Samuel Walker, Birdie Walsh, Anna Wisnant, Caitlyn Woodford, Victoria Wyatt, Rissy Yei, and Sophia Jean. Our student honores from the class of 2027 include Asha Alam, Daniel B, Payton Barker, Lane Barton, Avery Beerley, Sophie Blesser, Maria Bondar, Maline Botton, Maline Brahma, William Braimemer, Henry Cheetum, Haron Choy, William Dornick, Abigail Edstrom, Aransa Escua Mendoza, Connell Fleming, Cole Frick, Neil Gotti, Ritvak Gapanoth, Lucas Grassel, Oleta Gross, Micah Herman, Brett Hitchcock, Mason His Grace Ingberg, Tyler Jabs, Annalie James, Payton Juel, Keegan Johansson, Colin Johnson, Akash Carician, Lily King, James Lefontaine, David Lozano, Matteo Mullet Harvey, Paisley Miller, Zayn Nashawati, Stefan Olri, Brooke Olsen, McKenzie Austinorf, Andrew Ray Maker, Soleie Ron Hell, Ellison Sulk, Penelopey Sassic, James Savage, Ava Schlapco, Casey Schllo, Ree
016Schroeder, Henry Schuler, Aaron Septton, Mucklumar, Abigail Seio, Liam Shaughnessy, Eric Scarlet, Blake Somerfeld, Zachary Stealthflug, Ian Sed, Talia Tobin, Alio Torano, Blake Viger, Elelliana Weiss, and Eve Zulland. AP scholars with honor from the class of 2028 include Aaron Burroughs, Gavin Flam, Alden Go, Asher Givvanathon, Bennett Lang, Wyatt Marcus, Margaret Nielsen, and Ally Stockman. Congratulations again to all of our AP scholars with honors. Our last group for recognitions this evening is a set of staff members who gave extra time and effort during the month of October to facilitate the Minnotonka schools employee charitable giving campaign. For the past 25 years, Minnitanka staff have participated in an annual charitable giving campaign, altogether raising more than $1 million throughout the years to support nonprofit organizations that assist those in great need. >> This year, our staff pledged together
017to raise an incredible $72,300. The donations will go to support one of three nonprofit federations, Creating Healthier Communities, Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless, and Greater Twin Cities United Way. Or they will fund programs at designated charities that were selected by our employees. At each of our buildings in the district, we had campaign site coordinators who arranged activities and outreach efforts for their staff and their buildings to promote engagement for the giving campaign. I'm grateful to each of them. The donations our staff raised are desperately needed by many people who are struggling this year. Tonight, we'll honor each site coordinator for their amazing contributions in bringing staff together to accomplish this wonderful fundraising effort. The following staff members led the annual employee giving campaign for their buildings. >> From Clear Springs Elementary, Kurt
018Carpenter, Courtney Davis, and Elizabeth Johnson. from Deep Haven Elementary. Mallerie Brockamp from Excelsier Elementary. Michael Savage >> from Groveland Elementary. Andrew Gilbertson and Sarah Klitsky >> from Minawashta Elementary. Cindy Andress, Lisa McHugh, and Jenny Venolsburg >> from Scenic Heights Elementary. Nicole Snedden and Jared Vanellsburg >> from Minnitankka Middle School East. Charlie Dorne >> from Minnitankka Middle School West. Jacob Westman >> from Minnitankka High School. Jennifer Benbach, Sarah Martinson, and Emily Rosenrren >> from the Minnitonka Community Education Center. Kim Carlson, Jenny Bedurka, Molly Banaman, Angie Kleinedler, and Louise Weir >> from the District Service Center and Tech Center. Christine Breen, Harry Filowski, Beth Ericson, Kristen Laughlin, Shana Lesey, and Anelise Peterson from Sale, Aaron Valenta. >> And finally, I'd like to give a huge thank you to our district-wide campaign chair, executive director of communications, Dr.
019Jackie Getty. We are grateful for each of you and for each staff member who contributed to the giving campaign by giving so generously. You have all truly made an impact on our community. That concludes our recognition program for this evening. Thank you again for celebrating with us. The school board meeting will begin shortly. All right. I'll now call the uh December 11th, 2025 meeting of the Minnitankka School Board to order. >> Let's rise and say the pledge to the flag. >> Pledge 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. >> Don't forget to welcome our new board members. Of course. >> All right. Um before I proceed, I want to welcome our student board
020members for the evening. We have Zayn Cassim and Ally Stockman joining us. And uh we will uh next item, we'll I'd like a motion to adopt the agenda, please. So moved. >> Dan, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Mike, any discussion? All right, there's a motion, a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Uh, first item on our agenda is now the school report from sale superintendent law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, one of the highlights of every first board meeting of the month is a chance to hear from our school leaders about programming happening at schools. Tonight, we will get an update on our relatively new program called sales students achieving independent life. Tonight's presenters will be executive director of student services
021Christine Breen and team Dr. Breen. >> Thank you, Superintendent Law, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Um, we are super excited to be here tonight, especially this week is inclusive schools week. So, thank you to Superintendent Law and our amazing communications team for sharing that on our social media platforms. We're super proud of sale and we're here tonight to highlight all the amazing things happening there. You'll notice our student Sue Sienna Miguel is ill, so she is unable to be with us, but she is highlighted in one of the videos that we'll show shortly. So, it is so hard to believe, Superintendent Lodge said, relatively new program. It is so hard to believe we are in our fifth year. we will graduate our fifth group of graduates um this this June. So um continuing to
022see growth in resident students and students attending through open enrollment and I'll highlight those differences on the next slide. Um the team will also talk about the sale businesses and what our students do to create, make, and sell unique items to the community. Our business partnerships over the past five years have grown as well, expanding throughout our community. different types of jobs, different types of partnerships based on what our students interests are. So our team will also highlight that. And then one of the most important pieces of sale is the belonging. We brought sale to Minnotonka to create a sense of belonging here in our community. Most of our students are our residents in this community and after they graduate from us and leave us, they will remain here. So it was extremely important for
023us to bring sale home to have our students build that sense of belonging in the community they will reside in. So this is the enrollment through the years. We started in our inaugural year in 2021 with 26 students. We had 25 residents and we had our first open enrolled student attending purely for sale. In 2022, you'll see we had 29 students. 24 were our residents and five open enrolled specifically for sale. Um in 2023 33 with 24 resident and nine open enrolled. Sorry. The percentages are the percent of open enrolled students coming just for sale. So 100% that one was coming just for sale. 80% of the five that were open enrolled came just for sale. 78% in 2023 and then 90% for the last two years. Students are coming after their high school career
024to join sale. It's something we're super proud of. It's one of the reasons we knew we could continue to grow this program. Um and so our highest year was last year um with 42 students and we have 30 37 students this year. And to Megan's point in the the previous um presentation, the students who move on to sale are not counted in the high school graduation rates because we have the ability and the opportunity to continue to educate them. And so we are super excited for them to stay with with us as long as they need to through or up to their age of 22. Um I took the next slides from super superintendent. He's going to love that I said that. Jeff Ericson, head principal at the high school. Um he presented to you
025in the fall board retreat around um the quality programming at the high school. And what we want to highlight today is that sale continues to be an expansion and an extension of the amazing programming at Minnitankka High School. And so this is the AASA promise that he showed you that you're probably familiar with. um high quality education results in students seeing all the possibilities before them exploring those possibilities, setting goals, and making informed decision based on their interests, skills, and aspirations. This promise is no different for our students who continue on at Sale. This promise starts in our kindergarten settings and continues through our educational career here in Minnetonka through Sale. So that AASA promise again says effectively to effectively prepare students for the future work workforce and real life we must utilize all we
026know about how individuals learn grow and adapt over time we have the luxury of using the I and IEP team to do just that and that is what sale does. We have maker spaces that change year-over-year based on student interest and engagement and needs. we get to do the eye. Um, so particularly at sale and and the team will highlight that shortly as well. This is Jeff's profile of a graduate and again this opportunity for our students who continue to need services just continues for a few more years. Enroll in an exper experiential learning course and work collaboratively with an outside audience and mentor in an area of passion in an authentic setting. This is highlighted at sale through our community partnerships, our business partnerships, our outings. We are doing this exact thing. It's done
027at Vantage. It's done in momentum. It's done at sale in a different and unique way. Really individualizing on that student's needs. And then participate in clubs, athletics, and arts to develop and their leadership skills to serve the greater good and community. If you ever need a pickme up, those of us in this building who miss students, one of the buildings we go to to get a smile on our face or just have student engagement is sale. Aaron will invite you at the very end of the presentation to come visit and tour. So again, this sense of belonging is one of the really one of the pillars of sale. It's why we do what we do. Um I took a a quote from the belonging goal. The district will continue to foster and promote positive student
028well-being, connection, and belonging efforts, and will identify and remove barriers that have detrimental effect on students well-being, connection, and a sense of belonging. I would like to highlight Aaron as the director of sale and secondary programming. She does just that every single day. We have colleagues, I have colleagues from other districts, other superintendents touring sale. They want to see what Sale is and what they can do in their communities to build their own transition programs. A lot of our neighboring districts don't have their own transition program. They rely on intermediate districts. And while that is amazing programming, they're starting to see what we value in SAW in bringing sale um into our community. So kudos to Aaron and the team for highlighting what sale is and what can be to prospective parents, current parents, and
029other educators in the community. Aaron and the team will talk about the three pillars of transition. Independent living, post-secary education and training and employment. That is what we focus on at Sale. So I'm going to turn it over to Steve and you can continue. >> Thanks. So we have sale business that we practice every day at school. And at Sale, we prepare students for multiple avenues of success. In the appointment sector, this means not only learning how to work for someone else's business, but how to run your own. In the sale of business seminar, students work collaboratively to make dog treats and fire starters with all profits returning to their programming in the forms of outings, um, incentive parties, and business supplies. The result is a self- sustaining model in which the entire process from
030conceptualization through creation and eventually to marketing, selling, and taking inventory of the products is realized in practice. To date, our students have generated over $6,000 doing this. So, next we're going to focus on a video that highlights our incredible work sites that sales students access >> new perspective. >> Goodwill. Northern >> Bean Haven Country >> Country Club Planes >> Walgreens. >> It's a lot of enthusiasm. Um, our work experience program is unique in that is integrated into the community to which our students live. These placements allow students to learn the soft skills of competitive employment in a safe and supportive manner under the guidance of trained job coaches. When paired with our inschool employment seminar, the result is a wraparound model that encourages belonging, skill building, and increased confidence. We just like to say thank
031you so much for uh our community businesses partners and their support. Additionally, sale continues to be active in the community. Our weekly community resources course directly supports the schoolboard's goal of belonging and action by fostering meaningful connections between our sale students and their community. Through this act of participation, students engage with our local businesses and services. Students have been to many locations, including our libraries, bowling alleys, post offices, retail stores, parks, restaurants, and medical services. These experiences help students build confidence and develop practical life skills. By creating opportunities for students to interact in real world settings, we ensure that belonging is not just a concept, but an actionable practice at Sale that prepares students for independence and strengthen theirs tie to the community. They also have a lot of fun learning and we would um
032would love to welcome you guys anytime if you'd like to have a visit or a tour. Thank you. [snorts] >> Thank you very much for that report. Um do we have any questions or comments from the board? >> Yes, Camarine. >> Thank you for that. That was a great report and I will vouch for if you need a smile, it's a great place to stop in Dr. Alon. I've done that and it's been a great place. But and my dog loves the dog treats. I >> was going to say you're you're a great customer. [laughter] >> Repeat offender. Um a question is on the business slide if anybody needs [laughter] it. >> A question that I did have is you mentioned neighboring districts with transitional programs and do you off the top of your head
033know those around us? >> Um the ones that have transition programs or you want to know that do? Um, well, I think all of our neighboring districts have them in some form. Some have smaller ones that are built onto their high school. Like we have a handful of students that come from Waconia. They drive all the way together in the morning and open enroll with us because they don't have a separate transition program that's as robust. We have a student that comes from AIO because again there it just isn't as big. I think they access a transition program that way. We have a student from Eden Prairie. Um, and then we have a student from Mound. So, as for robust, you know, it it really is is different. Eastern Carver has a a bigger one.
034Um, and like I said, Wakoneia has a a smaller one. So, >> thank you. Great work. >> Yeah. >> Thank you very much. Anyone else? >> Thank you. >> Thanks for your Thanks for the report. >> All right. We have reached the time on our agenda for community comments. Community comments is an opportunity for the public to address the school board on an item included on this agenda in accordance with the guidelines printed on the reverse. Do we have anybody here who wishes to address the board? No. Next item on the agenda is approval of new course proposals. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. chair, members of the board, um at the work session or the study session in November, you saw a preview of all these new courses that have been vetted by our uh student
035teaching and learning advisory committee or community teaching and learning advisory committee and previewed by the board. I will share that as I was prepping our students to come to the board meeting tonight, one of the first questions was the excitement from a student who was aware of this and said, "Will all of those courses be prop or be approved by the board?" And I said, "It's pretty likely that that'll happen." And there was there was much satisfaction in the room. So, I'm excited to call up our um director of instruction, Elida King, to present. >> Thank you, Superintendent Law. Mr. Chair, members of the board. As Superintendent Law mentioned, we were here on November 20th for the study session. Um and that evening, myself and assistant principal Emily Rosenrren brought forward seven new courses. Some
036of those courses um were legislative and standard adjustments as well as some things brought forward due to teacher and student initiative. We had two courses with name changes and a slate of courses that we sunseted due to not having um subsequent years of student enrollment. So tonight, we're here to seek um final support and approval so that we may place those courses in the skipper log so that come registration time, late winter, early spring, our students are able to register for those courses starting SY 2627. So if there's any questions or comments, I would welcome those at this time. >> Thank you. Why don't we move it so that we have something to talk about? So I would entertain a motion to approve the new course proposals, changes, and deletions. >> So moved. >> Megan
037second. >> Second, >> Mike. All right. Questions, discussions, comments. All right, we've got a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Next up, we have a uh community education update and approval of MCE fees. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, on an annual basis, our community education department reviews revenue and expenditures and various programs and makes recommendations to ensure that they are since they are feedriven program that they are going to be financially viable uh for the upcoming year. And this has to be done ahead of the enrollment process that's coming up. So tonight, executive director of community education Kim Carlson and her team will uh share those fee proposals and an
038update from community education. >> Good evening. Yeah, I know. I'm not sure I can do it or not. I've had a cold for five days now. [clears throat and cough] So, we're going to have me talk as little as possible. Um I'll have Jenny and Molly come up. Jenny Molly's gonna talk first and I'm just gonna throw it over to her. >> [laughter] >> That was unex. Good evening, Mr. Chair, Superintendent Law, members of the board. It's nice to see you all again. Uh, we're going to talk about fee proposals for this upcoming school year. First, just a couple highlights about what's happening in my building. I like to also brag if you want to go somewhere to fill your bucket. I've got the cute ones. They're >> um some highlights for us this year.
039Right. Last year I was uh spoke to you about a new program called parent education plus which is a program where I'm combining a mental health practitioner with a parent educator to offer more in-depth group experience. Um it's going awesome. Our better together which is the one we're offering for ECF ECSE families has now it's in its fifth session. Um and the groups are cohesive and it's just amazing. So, we've added something to that called social butterflies so that we're giving the kids an opportunity to have some time with an early childhood educator as well, and it's going um really well. So, we're adding something called Dad Lab. So, I'm really talking about this because we don't have enough enrollments right now, but >> Dad Lab is designed to really um provide a place for
040we have a lot of dads that come to ECF and talk about feeling, you know, they'll go to the DMV and someone's like, "Oh, you're watching your kid." And he's like, "Yeah, dad, that's my job." So kind of helping dads to find a place where they can, you know, talk about what it is to be a primary parent and all the same things that we've always offered to mothers and we want to call it out that dads are doing the same work. So we have increased enrollment this year. Um we did some cool shifting of our programming. We now have three different types of programming. So the initial programming is for new parents that are walking through the path the first time. We had a lot of parents that are on their third or fourth
041kid that are like, I don't want to do that again. can I have something more? So, we got some topics from them and then are now running sessions that allow for them to come in and talk about more topic based learning. And then we're continuing our session of picking books that we often um recommend to families and say, "Hey, you don't have to do a book study. You don't have to do a book club, but let's talk about the concepts in these books and how you can apply it to your life." And then our free Fridays are always available and I just they're the best way for people to come and see what we're about. They're free to anyone. Um, we have literacy, science, and playtime. So, um, our census data this year will indicate
042that we'll have a little bit of a bump in our ECF levy, which is nice. Um, every year I bring to you the data that shows how people are utilizing our sliding fee scale. Um, we're about the same as we've been are over people who pay the full price for the class and people who don't pay at all are about the same right now, which is great. Um, it means we're reaching everyone in our community equally. So, I'm asking for a 0% increase. I know it's a really hard one to [laughter] go for. So, I'll pause here seeking approval for a 0% increase to our sliding fee scale. >> All right. Any questions about what we've heard so far? If not, I'll entertain a motion for a 0% fee increase proposal for Mitaki ECF for
0432026. Uh, Sally, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Oh, wait. Who was the first? >> Oh, I was I think [laughter] >> I was the first. >> Okay, Sally. Then we need a second. Somebody else. All right. Camry. Sally and Camry. >> So much work to get 0%. Okay. [laughter] >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All All those in favor, please say I. I. >> I. I >> opposed. The motion carries. Superintendent. >> Okay, moving on to preschool. Um, we always do our general plug that our uh preschool open house will be on Saturday, January 31st from 9:30 to 11:30. It's a free event at Minnetonka Community Education Center. It's a great place to just come find out more about our program, meet other parents, and see
044our teachers and get your face painted, you know, the good stuff. Um, so we've had some interesting enrollment kind of changes this year. Um, for the 24 25 school year and the 23 24 school year, we had an increase in students who were utilizing our ECSE services. And as we projected for our enrollment for this year, we realized we weren't going to need as many seats for those students. And so we were able to reduce the number of seats that were purchased because we just didn't have the kids in the pipeline. Um, additionally, I had a couple sections that ran pretty they were thin margins and so I was able to reduce the number of sections that I was offering but still serve as many students as I had served before. So in that enrollment
045number, it always includes the seats that are purchased for ECSC whether or not those seat seats are used. So we want to make sure that we're being good stewards of those dollars and really only purchasing the seats for the students that we see coming and knowing that we're going to have seats that we can provide later. but so that we're really, you know, dollar in dollar out want to make sure that we're as balanced as possible. So, we're at an 88% enrollment this year and our building feels great. Kids are happy and it's wonderful. We always look at how our open enrollment comparison compares to the district open enrollment comparison. Um, so I like to provide you with that data. Little bits of changes here and there each year. So when we compare our program
046to other programs, I always say it's apples and oranges because everybody does it differently. Now that the state has legislated that all teachers need to be licensed teachers by a certain date, this might get a little easier as we go, but we've had licensed teachers in our classroom for a very long time. Um, so what makes us unique and what we compare is the licensed teachers that we are a four-star parent aware program both in Minnitankka preschool and junior explorers. Um, we look at what an averagely average hourly rate is for tuition and then the length of classes that people have, how long is their school year, how many days do they meet a week. It's we make up a lot of math to try to get it to balance out to the same. So,
047based on what we know for our teacher contract that came through this year, are going to propose a 5% increase to our preschool tuition just to keep everything going along smoothly. So, we'll pause here for that approval. >> All right. I'd entertain a motion to approve the 5% fee increase for Minnetonka Preschool for 2026 27. >> So moved. >> Mike, we have a second. >> Second, >> Dan. All right. Any discussion? Megan. >> Um, I just had a question. I know that when I was on ECF and preschool um for the when they had the meeting and they talked about this with the parents, there was support for a prior increase. I'm assuming that that was discussed again with that group and was was there support within that group? >> Yep. So before I bring
048the increases to you, I have a conversation with anyone that holds a position on my PTO board. So this year it was I think eight people. pretty large PTO >> and we go through the different scenarios and talk about why the increases are. I'm pretty transparent with the finances for everyone in my sorry in my program because it can be so confusing and it is a program that's funded by participation. So, I really need to show how and we use the money and where it goes. So, yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Any other questions or discussion? Okay, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Okay. >> Any opposed? The motion carries. >> Thank you. I think I'm passing it to Jenny. >>
049Are you going to try again? >> I'm gonna give it a try. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> One of my favorite pictures is this one of these toddlers really going to work and it makes me smile because I wish we could hear what they were thinking. But great, great slide of kids. Um, so yeah, we're going to talk about explorers. I might turn it over to Jenny sooner than later again, but um [clears throat] I want to talk to you about a couple things we've been doing uh with explorers and one of them was a safety audit and we heard back um you know at the beginning of the school year [clears throat] given the uh uh incident at annunciation it brought to everyone's heart and attention the safety of our students and especially after
050school care. Um we started getting phone calls and emails and conversations with principles. So, um, Scott Gericker and I met with David Law and had a discussion around what we should do about it. We decided to do a safety audit of our programs. So, Jenny and I and Scott went around to each site, talked to principles, um, looked at the outlay of the buildings possibilities there, um, looked at other school districts, what they're doing out in their after schools. Um and ultimately um last month we came uh to uh David with a recommendation that we thought we would have two pilot sites that would have a building supervisor at the door. We'd lock the doors after school. We pick Minawasha and Scenic Heights and we'll have a building supervisor and they will greet families and
051let people in and out as they come. And at six o'clock then we'll open the doors for evening activities. So, we're going to start doing that. Um, if uh Jenny will post and hopefully we'll get some interest in working after school in um in a building supervisor role there is maybe working. Um we've also had a task force um of families. We put out a uh application for folks interested in being a part of a task force to examine um our uh registration process. As you probably know, we did not uh we were not able to accept all the contracts of students of families that were interested in our explorers program. And so um we started this task force. It's it was great. We met four times, got really indepth, had some great conversations. Um
052we in September we surveyed our all of our explorers uh families. So we use that input along with our task force information. Um that's a picture of some of the people on our last day. Some people couldn't make it but great group, great questions, just very con, you know, trying to be helpful. Um bringing lots of good things to our attention. Our decision was um that for 2627 um we're going to be first come first serve again but modified. So we're going to take what we learned from the task force and uh conversations that we had and we're going to do some improvements if you will making an evening registration. We heard from the surveys and from the task force that that 8 a.m. start just isn't working. Um as well and we're also going
053to stagger uh registration dates. We used to have all the registration in one day. We're going to make the like three schools and three schools and have them have different times. Um, however, the group very strongly was interested in prioritization, but we also felt as a team um and our technology were considering going to a different um from LEO to a different registration system. So, we're exploring that as well. We just didn't feel like we'd have the time and um to do it properly and put it in order. So for 2728 we're looking at having that goal of implementing a prioritized registration system and our task force did kind of determine along with those parents and our conversations what that might look like as well. So we're ready to roll um forward this year um
054registration it starts in February for juniors and um >> February for summer explorers and then March for K5 for the 26 27th school year. >> Okay. And then um so this has been communicated to our task force. Um and we so far I haven't received a lot of emails yet. Um it was just sent out this afternoon before we came, but the one I did receive was very appreciative of the time and we did have some really good feedback from our group just saying they felt heard, they appreciated the changes we were going to bring to the first come first serve and um it was a great learning opportunity for them as well. I think they'll come back as champions for our programs and help people understand um just everything that it takes to um
055get someone hired and just all the intricacies of the group. So, I'm going to let Jenny speak now so you can talk a little bit about it. >> All right. Thank you so much. Um one of the things that is really important to us is to hear from our explorers families how things are going, what opportunities we have to improve and what's going well. So, uh, we survey them at least three times a year. Uh, and these results are from our fall survey. So, really strong, um, feedback about their overall experience, about their our staff, and about the communication that we provide in the program. And we'll talk a little bit more about the weight list. Um, our goal is certainly to serve all families. Um and we are challenged as is our greater state
056in uh country around um having enough capacity to support all the students that would like to have child care. So at this time last year when we presented to you we had 289 students on our weight list. Um our update as of Tuesday for this year's weight list is 85. So we're feeling really good about that. Um and we have moved 319 students off the weight list. So that's not necessarily into the program. Some have found another care plan and don't need to come and and many have come into the program. So um really been able to do that thanks to our team who has been working really hard on our hiring. So so appreciative to them. Um we have continued to partner with um a recruitment company that helps us support being able to
057get the word out and help some of the process of recruitment. We continue to partner with principles at elementary schools. Um, and we do have many paras that work with us after school, which is such a nice connection to bridge the day. Um, and so we're really super excited to share we've hired over 50 um, Explorer staff since the start of the school year. So really brought a lot of great new uh, team members on and have been able to bring more students into the program. So, as we do with most of our programs, we kind of do look at what our open enrollment is. And it's um might be hard to see, but 38% of students we serve in Explorers are open enrolled from varying districts. Um and this is just a sort of
058a 10-year look at enrollment. So, um the darker blue color is our before and after school during the school year. So, you can see a nice jump um from the last number of years, higher than we've been. Um, juniors has been very consistent. That's the teal color. And then we we will see what happens with our upcoming summer numbers, but enrollment's going well. Uh, so as we looked at fee increases for explorers for the upcoming school year, we're going to differentiate a little bit between our K through five program, which we're proposing a 5% increase. Um, and then we're looking at a 10% increase for juniors. Um that program throughout the year runs as a full day care program open from 6:30 to 6. Uh we often have additional staffing needs as well for our
059younger students. Um and for our K through five program we do receive levy funding through the state to support um our staff that support students with additional needs. And we are not able to um use that funding for our junior program. So, we're recommending 10% for juniors and 5% for K through five. So, I will leave that for you guys to chat about. >> Thank you very much. Uh board members, any questions for the presenter? All right, we'll kick it off with a motion. Dan wants us to make a motion. >> Uh says so moved. >> All right. And that motion was to approve the proposed 2026 27 fee increases of 5% for K through 5 and 10% for junior explorers. May we have a second? >> Second, >> Megan. All right. Any discussion or
060questions? Dan, I just have one quick question about the registration fees. Do those fees if if the students enroll go toward their enrollment or are they just like placeholders? Uh, two answers. For K5, they just go towards um their enrollment and our processing of that. With the juniors, they pay a little bit of a higher fee. Um, 100 of it stays as a registration fee. The other $100 does get applied to their first month's invoice when once they start the program. >> And there's is there help for parents if that's like an economic barrier for them? >> Yeah. So, um, county assistance is an option for families who qualify to have their child care, um, supported and so, um, that we do work with the county to accept fees for payment for childare. >> Thank
061you. >> Yep. >> Any other discussion or questions? We have a motion in a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? The motion carries. Thank you. >> All right. Well, that concludes our presentation for the night. So, thanks so much. Thank you very much. Uh, next up we have approval of policy. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, each year or each board meeting, excuse me, uh, policies may come forward for a variety of reasons, whether it be just a time for a timely review or statutory change or feedback from within our system. Tonight, general counsel and executive director of human resources, Angie Flowers will run through policies that you've seen at the study session in November, but for a second reading and approval. Miss Flowers. >> And
062board members, please note there is a carrying item on uh policy 429. So, make sure you refer to the right one. >> Thank you, Superintendent Law. Good evening, Mr. Chair and board members. The first policy you have before you is policy 719, nutrition services. And as discussed in the study session, this policy really reflects the changes that constitute that we provide free breakfast and free lunch to our students. So we revised that language to show meals instead of just lunch. And it also shows that that eligibility is still in place even if the students have a balance on their account. So pretty minimal changes, but we did want to make those corrections and have that transparency for families. >> Any questions? >> No. Should we take these one at a time? All right. Let's uh
063uh we'll have a motion to approve the revisions to policy 719. >> So moved. Camarie, we have a second. >> Second, >> Mike. Any discussion or questions? Oh, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? >> And the motion carries. Miss Flowers. >> Thank you. The next policy 535 assignment to schools. In this policy, we did quite a bit of language cleanup. Starting with the purpose. We revised that just to align more with our other policy purpose statements that we have. We also went through and delineated authority of superintendent versus administrators to make that clearer um as it relates to school assignments. We clarified current practice about which middle school students will attend based on their homeschool and elementary pathway. We also added
064Tonka online as a school that students may be assigned to because it wasn't in existence when this policy was created. There's also some language added that reassignments may occur due to educational or safety reasons. Again, getting some clarity there to reflect our current practice. And lastly, voluntary open enrollment. That language is stricken because it's outdated and we have the open enrollment statute. Any questions? >> All right. I'll uh entertain a motion to approve the changes to policy 535 on assignment to schools. >> So moved. >> Sally. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Mike, any discussion or questions? Hearing none. We have a motion to second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. I any opposed? And that motion carries. Miss Flowers. >> Thank you. The next policy is our conflict of
065interest policy 210. We are proposing to sunset um or of complete strikeout of the current policy and incorporate the revisions in policy 210 and sunset the nepotism policy because we incorporated nepotism into this conflict of interest policy. You'll see that this policy is more comprehensive than our previous one. Um, it clearly provides district personnel expectations for financial conflicts, gifts acting in the public interest, um, and more, including perceived conflicts of interest. we did retain the purchasing authority and vendor conflicts that were in the previous version of this policy. So that we didn't want to lose that um critical information. And we also noted the process for reporting conflicts to the Minnesota Department of Education which is required for school districts to have in their policy. Any questions on conflict of interest? I guess we'll entertain
066a motion to accept the changes to policy 210 conflict of interest as along with the uh corresponding sunset of the nepism policy number 433. >> So moved. >> Dan, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Mike, any discussion or questions? There's a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. And that leaves policy 429. >> Thank you. Policy 429 leaves of absence. The first change you'll notice um that is different from the study session that came after some discussion is that we've stricken the title um the words in the title without pay authority to act. The without pay was causing some confusion. So, we wanted to clarify um so that our employees know that this is a leave of absence policy regardless if you're
067using your vacation time or sick time or basic leave. So, just for clarity, you'll see that it the policy is now leaves of absence. And throughout the body of the policy, without pay is stricken. Doesn't mean you can't take a leave of absence without pay, but we just don't want to give the impression that that's the only type of leave. Another change you'll notice is that we struck out master agreement throughout this policy and replaced it with collective bargaining agreement. That's a change that we made with all of our union partners. So that's a a correction to reflect that. Moving on to concurrent leave. Um, we discussed that at the study session that paid family and medical leave and Minnesota parenting and pregnancy leave along with FMLA that those things will run concurrently as it
068is allowed in the statute. And many of these changes are a result of the new statute paid family leave that is going into effect on January 1st of 2026. If you look at factors to be considered in acting on a leave of absence, again following the statute, leave requests for paid family leave must be provided 30 days in advance if that is foreseeable. And for employee sick and safe time, notice must be provided at least 7 days in advance if foreseeable. On the next page, you'll see that we um have that we would like to have notification from employees if their leave is intended for use to work for another employer or to pause employment with a district to go work elsewhere. We would like employees to notify us of that and have that discussion.
069And lastly, intermittent leave. That language was proposed at the study session. You will not see that proposal in this policy and what that is is setting a limit on the minimum number of hours that we would want employees to take for intermittent leave and we had proposed 8 hours. Um given some confusion about what intermittent leave is, we've been talking with all of our union partners and working with them to come up with some language around that throughus. Any questions on leaves of absence? >> Board members, any questions? We'll get there. Um let's have a motion to approve the changes to policy 429. So moved. >> Megan, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Camry, any further discussion? Sally, >> I I just wanted to comment. Thank you very much for the additional work
070on this and for reaching out to our union partners on on this to get the clarification. Um, really helpful. >> Thank you, >> Megan. Megan, >> um, I would just also like to add that we did talk about all these policies. um at the study session and we had most of our questions and discussions there. So um so if you are talking about intermittent leave with the different bargaining units, does that mean it will come back to us or is that going to be separate because it'll be encompassed by the agreements? >> Yes, it'll be separate. It won't be in board policy. It'll be individual agreements that we have with the bargaining units. And I'm taking from the comments that uh that approach was was uh welcome and acceptable to the union partners. >> Yes.
071Yep. Lots of positive feedback on that. >> Okay. All right. Any further discussion? We have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> That motion carries. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next item we have is uh authorization of sale of 2026A general obligation school building bonds superintendent law. Mr. Chair, members of the board, here we go. The vote is approved. Our uh ability to start some significant facility improvements tonight. That one of the major steps in the process is to bond the money so we can start the process. Executive Director of Finance and Operations Paul Bourgeois will prop make the first proposal to get that first trunch of money. Mr. Bourgeoa. Thank you, Superintendent Law Chair Leo Hatler and members
072of the board. Um, after the uh bond issue was approved, we put together a list of things that we wanted to check twice to see if there are things we could do to make them a little more nice. And if you approve this, we'll have a little more interest coming to town. Um, so the the uh what we did is we looked over I asked Bear to look at uh our our bond design and we were able to come up with a kind of a modified bond design that actually achieves the same goals. I have a one slide uh uh presentation that looks should look very familiar. It's the same pattern, the same layout, but by instead of doing a $5 million trunch and then a $50 million trunch in June, if we do them
073now, we'll actually earn an additional $550,000 of interest earnings that can go towards construction. Uh, but it will not impact uh the the actual payment structure that we presented to the pop to the public and uh maintain that zero no net tax increase on our general obligation bonds. So, um the the bond uh off um the bond resolution before you uh actually replaces the the one from November uh 13th where we were looking at doing that first 5 million. But again, we like I said, we looked it over and improved it. So, we'd ask you to approve this resolution to allow us to uh actually issue $55 million worth of bonds in in the single trunch with no no in no change to the tax impact as we um told the public would be the
074case. All right. I'll entertain a motion to approve the authorizing resolution as prepared by Dorsy and Whitney. >> So moved. >> Mike, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? All right, we have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. >> Thank you. Next item up on our agenda is the adoption of 2025 payable 20 26 property tax levy. Superintendent law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, at the start of this meeting, we had a truth and taxation meeting uh where the district's proposed property taxes for 2026 were shared and we entertained any community members for public comment of which we had none. This is uh your formal opportunity to approve this levy. Executive Director of Finance
075and Operations, Mr. Bishwa, will provide a summary. >> Uh, thank you, Superintendent Law, Chair Leo Howerin, members of the board. Uh, we are asking uh you to approve a final levy of 73,736,113.36 for the 25 pay 26 levy, which will help fund fiscal year 27. Uh, this is a 5.09% 09% increase 3 or 3,572,498.31 over the prior year amount of 70,163,615. We've looked over this levy as part of setting the preliminary levy uh in um in study sessions and then in action and then we've also uh reviewed this uh on on the updated levies with you. the um um upon approval of this, we have to uh notify Henipin County auditor and the Carver County Auditor and Minnesota Department of Education of the levy and then they will take care of uh getting, you know,
076the uh tax bills out to the populace. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Bourgeoa. I would entertain uh someone making the recommended motion in your packet to certify the 2025 payable 2026 levy in the amount of 73,736,113.36. >> So moved. >> Mike, may I have a [clears throat] second? >> Second. >> Dan, any discussion or questions? >> Hearing none, we have a motion to second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. Superintendent Law. Our next item we have approval of fiscal year 26 amended budget. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, each June, public school districts in the state of Minnesota must propose a budget for the upcoming school year. From June until October, November, there's a variety of adjustments that happen, whether it be related
077to pupil enrollment or state reimbursements or other state budgets. After that time, it's common for school districts to propose an amended budget which will forecast future budget uh processes so we can be ready for next June's budget presentation. So tonight, executive director of finance and operations Paul Miris will propose, summarize, and propose approval of the amended budget. Mr. Bouris, >> thank you. Superintendent La Chair Leo Hard and members of the board. We've gone over uh the amended budget with you for all the funds in detail. um I use a term that we ground through them uh at our last study session. Uh but there are a few people I checked and there are a few people streaming tonight. Uh so just a quick review of of the the key points of the general fund which
078is our largest fund. Um, I also just always have a slide in here just to note that it's the 10th year of our additional operating referendum dollars and we don't have um any f we have well we've extended that level of of funding through 2020 uh through fiscal year 36 but uh we don't have the ability to raise more and we've been trying for about 10 years. So um we will keep at that. Um, I'm going to actually just go through our our general operating fund. The general uh fund operating fund actually uh has our our general education revenue is about 56 million I'm sorry $93 million and uh that is um excuse me that is the bulk of our funding. It's about 52% of our funding. the operating referendum for our pupils. Uh locally,
079uh it's just under $2,300 per pupil, but it's about $28.5 million. We also have a $724 levy for local optional revenue of $9 million. And then there's some federal very a very small amount of federal of about 3.2 million and miscellaneous revenue about 5.6 million. We have $38 million worth of categorical of which approximately twothirds of that is actually special education. And those are the percentages that you see there. again 53% for general operating uh general education revenue and 16 critical uh percent for the operating referendum and 5% for local optional revenue. Uh our amended budget for general operating fund expenditures are teacher salaries of uh 2002 126,157,000 uh and then pair professional salaries of about 12,800,000. All other salaries and benefits are about 22.8 8 million. We have about $7.5 million in purchase services,
080about um $6 million of supplies, $7.9 million in transportation, and uh small transfer to the arts center for their uh the operation fund funds for that uh entity. Uh our teacher salaries are about 67% of of all of our expenditures, and that's the way it should be. Uh we're here to teach students. And then pair professionals are about 7 and a half. So we're at about 74 to 75% every year of all of our general operating fund revenues goes towards the personnel that spend the most time and they have the most direct contact with students. Then all other salaries and benefits are about 13%. So we're about approximately 88% salaries and benefits. Um and so there's um you we we run a very very tight ship so to speak. Uh this is a a a
081quick chart of of where we're looking at our general operating fund long range projection revenues to extend expenditures. Uh there's a um for fiscal year 26 uh we are projecting $178.4 million in revenues, $174.5 million of expenditures. That's about a $3.9 million surplus compared to the adopted budget. Uh we are up primarily because of some additional funding from special education for this year higher than what was estimated. Uh then for fiscal year 27 uh we are looking at having a $3.6 million surplus because of additional students again and uh special education. Fiscal year 28 which is the next bianium uh things start getting a little tighter. So we have work to do. You can never solve a district's financial uh situation for the long term. You always have to keep working it. But you keep
082um just keep keep looking ahead and keep planning ahead and try to make those negative numbers go away through careful planning and uh maybe with a little help from the legislature having uh about additional revenue at some point in time [snorts] and uh um this is just a a variation of that and um uh showing uh uh where we're going to be at out for for the long term. So we do have some work to do in 2829. Uh that's really all that I wanted to do as a summary. And so um uh with that, um I'd like to ask you to consider approving the amended budget for fiscal year 26. Uh and um then we will go forward and implement that and start getting ready for fiscal 27. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr.
083Bourgeoa. I'd entertain a a motion to adopt the fiscal year 2026 uh general operating fund amended budget and fiscal year 27 projected general operating fund budget. >> So moved. >> Uh Dan, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Murray. Any questions or discussion? We have heard quite a lot about these. Yes, Dan. >> Um yeah, Paul, thank you very much for this. This is fantastic. Good news in the short term for 26 and 27. That gives us a little breathing room. And um like Paul mentioned, folks, uh this is an election year coming up with our state senators and state representatives. And let's just make sure we let them know that public education needs to be funded like the priority it should be. You're here. Any other questions or discussion? All right, we have
084a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? >> That motion carries. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Mr. Bourgeoa. Next on the agenda, we have acceptance of fiscal year 25 audit. Superintendent law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, on an annual basis, all public school districts in the state of Minnesota uh go through a process of having an outside agency audit all of the funding to make sure they meet a variety of uh codes and accepted practices. Tonight, executive director of finance and operations Paul Bourgeois is going to invite up our auditor who's going to run through our audit for FY25, which was the previous school year. Mr. Bourgeois, >> thank you. Superintendent Law, Chair Leo Howerin, and members of the board. We have
085with us tonight Lenny Pophagen, who is um partner, right? >> Partner with Clifton Larson Allen. So, we have the big guns tonight, but uh uh Clifton Larson Allen has been our auditor for quite some time. uh several decades. They were uh with the district before I got here. Uh and we continue with them. They've done a very excellent job for for you every year because they do the audit for you to make sure that we're doing our job. Uh but uh they do a very meticulous audit. Uh and but we want them to do that. If we if we we're not doing something correctly, we want to find out, make sure we do it right the next time. So, uh, they do a really good job at that and, uh, making sure that they're looking
086out for our taxpayers funds and making sure that we, you know, have every all the eyes dotted, te's cross, and the debits are debits and credits are credits. And, um, so with that, I will just turn over to Lenny and, um, for the rest of the presentation. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> I'm Craig Copenhagen. So, um, principal on your, um, audit here, just, uh, appreciate having a few minutes. um of your time here this evening. Um just to run through um just the high highlights of the audit. So uh we issued a clean opinion on the financial statements. So basically unmodified is kind of the the accounting jargon for that. Um but basically means we had no exceptions um within the financial statements. So numbers are you know what you
087told us the numbers were is what the numbers are from uh the testing and and work that we do. Um we had uh just one finding on um internal controls is specific to an adjustment um that we found in the food service fund. So, um I know it seems a little bit unusual that we have to write a finding on you know food service which is a fairly small component relative to the to the general fund. Um the reason for that is like each column when you look through the audit book each column has its own kind of materiality and scope that goes with it. So um that's the only reason is that there was one adjustment that was you know material to the food service fund. Um overall um you know $179,000 adjustment on
088$170 you know million budget. Um so certainly you know the house is in order. I mean is what I what I would say. Um otherwise um statutory compliance was good. Um fund balances are at a healthy level. um at seven un unrestricted or unassigned fund balance for the general fund is at um 7.99% of the general fund budget. Um basically you came out uh on budget. Um what you said you were going to do uh for the general fund for 2425 is what you did. So um I guess I would also interject um another comment that certainly as as your auditors you know we're kind of that independent check on you know on the on the numbers and kind of your processes and controls around those numbers but also um you as a district um
089submit your financial statements, your audit report um to the Association of School Business Officials um every year and Um again for this would be for the 2324 audit a year ago. Um you did receive their certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting. So we're one opinion on that. Um ASBO is is another. So that is now um 29 years in a row. So, um the 2425 audit in front of you this evening is going to be going in for that same um kind of program and and judgment again uh from ASBO. So, um we're going to go for 30. Um why not, right? So, um let's see. Overall, just a I can't I can't talk about an audit without talking about some numbers, right? So, um anyway, um your unassigned fund balance, it's something
090to kind of keep an eye on, but um you have a minimum kind of a policy to maintain a minimum there of 6% of your budget. Um again, you're at about 7.99 over the 5year uh previous five years here. Um you have drawn that down. So, you're getting kind of close to the to the floor um for your policy. So just something to kind of uh keep in in mind. Um generally you're doing a good job of using you know kind of those restricted um sources of funding um as they come in as well. So that does help uh certainly preserve uh unrestricted fund balance. Um enrollment wise uh for 2425 pretty steady um with the previous year um almost 11,300 students um enrolled um over the 10 years um that's been growth of about
0911,100 over the 10-year uh period. Um but the last three years relatively um stable. So um if you're budgeting for an additional uh 241 for next year, I hope you see that additional 241. Um that would be a good um let's see so just a little bit um you know kind of mill rate on um general education aid um it was an ad of about $143 per student uh for state aid which makes up a significant uh source of your funding. Um the mix of funding between property taxes, state and federal, um has been pretty consistent um over the last five years. So property taxes uh in total. This is just you know everything all included um for the general fund um about um maybe a third um state funding 2/3 um federal funding about
0926%. So relatively small portion of uh federal program funding. Um the formula going forward is changing. So um basically your state uh mill rate um general education aid is going to be indexed to inflation now. So I don't know whether that'll be a good thing or a bad thing. I we'll have to kind of see how that plays out. But um index to um the CPI index uh up to a maximum of 3% annual increase. So we'll see how that plays out um going forward. Um fund balances are pretty good. Um you did have a build in restricted uh fund balances. So those increased um about a million dollars uh roughly doubled um over the previous year. Most of that though is um capital related. So as your capital uses kind of come and go
093uh depending on what you're budgeting for your capital budget um you'll certainly make use of those. Otherwise um instruction related uh restrictions you're pretty much using uh those as they come in. Um just a couple quick notes on uh other funds. So the food service fund um basically had a break even year um in the previous five you know it's had either been break even or a little bit positive. Main thing there is um that it is supporting itself. It's not taking um requiring any subsidies from other funds like the general fund. So um you always like to see the food service fund be kind of self-supporting. um the last couple years um with the um basically meals being made free um to all students um and that's through the Minnesota legislature. um the last
094couple years um the federal portion um picks up um a portion of the co of the cost of providing meals to students and then um the state of Minnesota picked up the difference. So really there's no out of out of pocket costs um for meals to the students um except if they get you know alle cart or purchase alle cart separately. So, um it's been good um for the meal program. It's certainly driven up participation. So, for example, like 5 years ago, the number of meals um total meals served in the food service program was 617,000. Uh the 2425 years 1.4 million. So, um pretty enormous growth there and interest in participation, which is great to see. um community service fund much the same story as far as being self-supporting. So um generated a positive
095bottom line of $550,000 last year um on a topline revenue of 16.7 million. So again, it is um supporting itself um which is what you want to see also um with community edge programs or community service is that they're not taking funds away from the classroom or um the general fund either. So um self-supporting not requiring any subsidy um in that regard. So just a a couple closing comments then. Um if you look at total cost of say education. So, you know, when Paul was talking about all of the funds, you know, um in the budget um discussion previously, if you if you look at all the all the funds in the budget and all the costs in each of those funds, um the cost of education um that Minnotonka Public Schools is spending on
096a per student basis is $21,384 per student. um if you just kind of do the do the math on it. So just lift total expenses right out of your financial statements and divide by your enrollment number. Um that's what it works out to be. Um comparatively um all districts in the state if we did the same thing um came in at about $21,800. So a little bit higher than yours. Um if we looked in the 7ount metro is 22,900 almost 23,000. Um and then um another stat from the statewide um enrollment uh districts with students enrolled at 4,000 or more students uh 22,130. So long story short, um you're educating kids at about um $800 less cost uh relative to kind of some of your your neighbors or other districts in the state. Um the
097last thing I will just mention um is that with the with this year's financial statements um there was a new accounting standard that did take effect um around uh the recording of liabilities for compensated absences. So um that liability is um you know think of it as vacation pay, sick leave, um severance, anything like that. So um that was a with that accounting standard was a change in measurement. So basically you have to go you know employee by employee and what leave is each does each employee have depending on you know are they in a bargain bargaining unit which bargain bargaining unit are they in. Um so um you did engage an outside actuary to kind of help you with that um estimate. um but that was reflected in the financial statements this year. So
098that was kind of the change you know over the previous year's audit uh was just that new standard which was required a change in measurement. So otherwise um consistent apples to apples other than that that one change. Uh Mr. Chair that is the extent of the comments I had prepared to make and I'll turn it back to you. Thank you very much. Uh I'll first entertain a motion to uh that the school board accept the fiscal year 2025 audit and direct administration to file it with the Minnesota Department of Education. >> So moved. >> Sally, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Mike, any questions for our presenter? Dan. First, uh thank you folks for this and for all the good work. It's nice to see a clean opinion again. I do have one
099question related to the unassigned fund balance um percentage and and it's sort of a discrepancy between the amended budget we were looking at earlier and what's um stated here in the report. Are you folks calculating that based on the EUAR's general fund? And so our but our school district policy 703 that seems to pertain to just our general operating fund budget. Is that what accounts for the discrepancy? I just want to make sure we're we're measuring the right 6%. >> Mr. Bourju >> in in the audit is it's always calculated uh on the overall general fund. So that's with the one slide I had where it's our general operating fund plus all those other sub funds that we have slide slid in and then we talk about our operating fund for operations. That's what is
100in the the report that I just that we just did. So that's where on for that particular fund it's about 13%. So we're not trying to save 6% on like our capital projects for technology fund. We just try to keep it balanced and any other one is for example we have an operating capital fund where that will get down to uh less than 6% on its own. So the thing is is the um the amount that we've always managed to uh is the general fund and if the general fund is the general operating fund and if the general operating fund is where it needs to be then from a UAR's basis in this audit it will be above 6%. Right. Yeah. So, I think that's just just a a point of clarification for the future.
101Maybe if if we're measuring the the district's general fund operating budget, which we are to ju just so we see apples to apples on that in the future if possible. >> Sure. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Any other questions or comments? Uh Megan, >> um thank you. uh way back on page one, can you explain just what that means when it says there was an item of non-compliance with legal subcontractor payment or something? Yeah. So that one um that was so with the statutory compliance um one of the elements that we have to look at is like if you're um bidding out on contracts for construction activities and um so we looked at a couple um remodeling contract and the HVAC contract. So, one of the stipulations is um that um there's a clause that you're
102required to put into your contracts um with contractors that if they go out and subcontract that they're going to um basically um pay interest or whatever, you know, in the event that they don't get paid timely or what have you. So, but >> thank you for clarifying. >> Minor technicality there. So, if we didn't have to go look for it, we wouldn't. But, >> okay. Any other questions or comments? All right. We have a motion in a second. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> The motion carries. >> All right. >> Thank you very much. Next up on our agenda, we have the approval of 2026 legislative position statements. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, at our last study session, we saw a preview of three
103different financial recommendations that we might bring to the legislature this session to help us address that fiscal cliff that we hit in FY28 and beyond. You had a chance to preview those. Tonight, Mr. Mr. Bourgeois is going to walk through those and determine if this is the right time to approve those statements. Mr. Bourgeois. >> Thank you, Superintendent Law, uh, Chair Leo Howerin, and members of the board. Uh, these are the fin proposed financial planks for, uh, the district's legislative position statements. Um, there's been years when we've had other planks that have come from other parts of the district, um, that are included overall. Uh, these are financial ones. There's always financial ones. Uh just like with AMSD or MASBO, I sit on the MASBO legislative committee and actually help write the financial planks for
104that organization. Um we also have some other policy planks there uh that are statewide things. But um I'm just going to do a quick update on the importance of of a couple of these planks to us as far as fiscal year 28 uh is concerned. And the reason it's so important is uh for a couple of our proposals if we don't get legislative action in well we need to get legislative action in the 2026 legislature because the proposals would need to be included in the 26 pay 27 levy which funds fiscal year 28. So there's there's a little bit there's there's some urgency on this and we've uh had some urgency a few years ago uh and actually still do with the overall operating referendum cap and uh uh we were unsuccessful after 10 years
105of lobbying trying to get that raised. So we have gone through a you know two years of $8 million worth of budget reductions cumulative. So uh we're stable for the next couple of years but we have some challenges coming up. One of the things is on December 4th, the state actually uh issued their uh November projection for uh the rest of this bianium, but then also the 20 uh 829 bianium. And so I I' I read through that and um we actually talked about this at at uh finance advisory uh this um uh this past week and uh uh if you recall in February they were projecting almost a $10 billion deficit for the 2829 bianium. It's it's much better but it's still very significant. And um but I have I went back and I
106just tracked you know what why the state is is looking at such a such a problem for that bianium and um so I I pulled some numbers off of the u the management and budget uh annual November projections one for 23 because what uh in the fiscal year 22 23 bianium the state overall spent about 51.9 billion but then for the 2425 bianium they budgeted about 69 billion which is about 33% increase and they've been able to carry that through you recall you know the 17 billion surplus and all and I think they've been spending some of it you know utilizing that so they've been able to carry it through uh the uh the 206 27 bianium which is what we're in right now uh but then carrying forward those expenditures would rise to 73.22
107billion and those according to the projection from management budget and and the revenues are are not there to support that level. So, uh this is a chart right out of the management and budget uh uh presentation from December 4th and uh the the the key numbers are on the far right hand side, but you can see how they try to have some closing balance. They try to have kind of like the equivalent of our of our unassigned fund balance. They try to have something left at the end. And so they're showing how they're they're basically spending down some of that in fiscal year 27. uh and uh and they're still having a a projected service, but they're saying it's about a 2.2 billion structural imbalance and then that's going to cascade and basically double to
108about 4.2 billion, which is kind of the way expenditures work if you're short one year and then it it actually doubles. Another layer comes on top of that or below that in the next year. And um so they're looking at about a $4.5 billion uh deficit. Uh without um uh without inflation uh if they actually fund inflation increases, it'd be about a $5.4 billion deficit. So uh a lot better than it was in February, but still still very significant, still very concerning. So and the thing is is they're not going to they are not going to just reduce to zero to have it come out at zero at the end of 208 29. They always want to keep some reserves. So, they're probably going to try to continue to keep funding a chunk of that
109reserve. So, more than likely the full 5.4 billion uh is is going or or 4.5 billion depending how how they do it. Although, if they don't fund inflation, we have to cut for inflation or you know, and everybody in the state does. But, um the you know, unless the economy really would take off and generate a lot of revenue, there's going to be some significant budget reductions. uh they already have uh in in the last legislative session, the legislature uh set up a com uh a committee to study special education and their target was to come up with $250 million of savings for the 2829 bienium. And but if they were unable to come up with those savings, then uh an automatic uh reduction of $250 million in the uh special education cross subsidy revenue
110was going to take effect. And for us, that would be about 1.6 6 million per year, 3.2 million over the bianium, our share of the 250 million. So, uh there's there's some uh there's some storm clouds on the horizon in that regard. I I use a metaphor. It's kind of like if you can be on the beach in Florida on a nice day, but the hurricane is out to sea, but it's heading that way. So, you have a good day at the beach, but you have to be ready. Um a little bit of background on our school district, though, because uh it kind of goes to uh how uh uh Mr. Poppenhagen mentioned about how we're spending less than other school districts and overall we're spending less when you include all the capital accounts, but
111when you include just the operating accounts, it's actually even uh even more strident uh in terms of the different uh the difference. The average Minnesota school district gets $2,194 more per pupil in state aid than Minnotonka. 21% more. And uh so the average Minnesota district on the latest comparative data, which is fiscal 24 because fiscal 25 just is getting closed and they haven't calculated all this yet, but it was $12,448 per pupil for the average Minnesota district and we were at 10,254. If you took all the school districts and stack them up uh with the one getting the most 80 per pupil at the top is number one and the one with the least is 329, we're 320th out of 29. So, we are down down at the bottom. And that gap has been growing.
112A decade ago, um the the average Minnesota school district received $1,287 more per pupil than us, about 16%. Back then, it was $9,114 per pupil and uh $7,827 for Minnetonka ISD276. So, we've been below and and it's a significant gap, but that gap is is um is really it's significant. you know, $2,194 per pupil is equivalent about $27 million. And so our proposals are asking not for $27 million, but they're asking to let us handle locally uh at least a portion of that so that we can keep breaking even going forward. So, the first proposed plank um we've actually uh we had a we had a rough draft at the September finance advisory committee meeting and we had an review of a a second draft at the October VI uh finance advisory committee meeting. Um
113so, uh would be to increase local optional revenue by $255 per pupil. And um the funding on this has been frozen for a decade. It would benefit all districts. An interesting aspect about this is our district, we were the first ones to propose this and then it was picked up and AMD AMSD has really carried the torch and we've gotten Mazbo to also carry the torch, but we were the first district to actually hone in on this one and put it into our plank. Uh, and that that generated a lot of buzz um when we did that and other districts have picked it up because it just seems to make a lot of sense. Uh, we just hasn't got gotten through the legislature yet. Uh the proposal for this would be a third tier with
114no state equalization, so local control. A local entity could decide to levy it or decide not. If this would go through, uh we would pick up about $3.2 million annually. Uh and that would go a long way towards balancing the next couple of two to three years. The second proposal is to restore $300 per pupil and operate operating referum cap that was taken away from Minnotonka ISD 276 and a handful of other districts in 2019. uh back other school districts in 2019 received $300 of new money from something called local op from local optional revenue which is actually a two-tiered formula and the two-tiered formula uh the second tier was $300 in 2019 and for us they took money off of our operating referendum and they put it in this other category and they said
115and well you don't have to and it's a permanent dollar amount but they're saying and so you so like the benefit is well you don't have to go back to the voter for that. Well, our voters would would probably support it, but the thing is is uh neither does any other district, but other almost every other district got $300 per pupil of new money and we got zero. Now, and what was unique about that was when they did the initial $424. They did the same shifting like that, but they left the operating firm cap $424 higher. This was in 2014 on the original chunk of local optional revenue. and we were able to go back to the voters for the for and ask them for the additional dollars in 2015. And so we actually still
116had to ask, but we got additional dollars out of that one as a result. But the second time we we got we got zero. Uh and so actually if we were able to have the operating referendum cap increased um the you know the amount that was taken away in 2019, if they would just put that back on and let us ask that would be about $3.8 million annually. And then the last one we have here is um uh we've we've been asking for a number of years and so have other districts just trying to increase a special education cross subsidy. Uh it has gone up uh uh as part uh for the last several years actually. And so it is scheduled to go up by uh by 6% to 50%. Uh this would just be
117an ask of an additional 4% to 54. Uh so you know an additional 10% increase. That additional 4% would be about $500,000 annually. But uh um so these are proposed planks for uh for for the financial aspects of the district and um so we if if these are approved as to be part of the platform uh we then you know work with case to go lobby on that. Uh the other thing I I want to make a mention of is uh typically um and my area has has been res responsible for suggesting because that's what we do. We suggest it's your platform. Um my area has been responsible to come up with uh suggested dollar amounts out of different funding form funding formulas uh that might help us uh and those are put forward for
118for discussion and and approval. Uh it at at different times we've had other platform planks over the years not that often but we've had platform planks on some policy things too. So there's been times when there's been other things other aspects of it. Um the other other item I just want to mention is this year um with this with the referendum going on um and also a later start because it's an off year uh case has not met. So we haven't actually met with case yet. Uh we've had discussions uh uh internally about having to get that you know working on that and getting that going. Uh but that we have time to actually get that process going because the legislature doesn't start in mid January this year. It starts in midFebruary and the the
119referendum is in the rearview mirror. So, uh, the, uh, uh, people who are involved with case, I'm sure, are getting ready to spin that up. Uh, so with that, um, just be glad to answer any questions you may have. >> Board members, questions, comments, Sally. >> Thank you very much. Um so as you mentioned we did get a chance to review this um as a board at the November study session and I appreciate you starting off by um explaining too that the proposal here really is the proposed financial planks because to your point we actually haven't convened the case group yet uh which is our community action for student education group our lobbying group which has been so robust over you know really really growing in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years
120that uh given that as Dan pointed out it is an election year um given that you know there there are things looming that we really need to lean in on um and I think the opportunity with that community engagement growing so rapidly. I really would like for that group to have an opportunity to consider not just the financial planks but anything else that we might want to bring to the legislators and and really how it's all framed. Um I think what I'm really getting at here is that our case committee members which numbered about a hundred last year which is remarkable. I'd like to think those are the people who are watching the live stream by the way. They're all so eager for this. um that I want them to really feel a sense of
121engagement with with our policy positions. And so I'm just wondering um as I was reading the board packet for tonight's meeting, it you know, that caught my attention again. I'm like, oh yes, you know, case should really be engaged in helping to prepare this platform. Um and so just wondering u like to hear from other board members too their thoughts on that but just feeling like I have no qualms with what's in this proposal um from a financial perspective but is this our public facing um platform statement or is there opportunity for us to perhaps you know uh make it even more powerful and engaging for both our community members and for the legislators. So, >> so that's more of a comment than it is a question, but >> All right. Uh, Dan, >> I
122um, for the most part, I concur. I think it merits running this through case because if we're going to try to get together with our legislators and present this to them. We want to get this finalized with case first and then get them in front of get these in front of case so everyone's on the same page when we go do talk and do make our ass to the legislature. And and I'm also curious like if there's any political appetite or realistic possibility like the the automatic $250 million dollars in cuts that are coming to sped that we've already priced in to 28 and 29. Like is that something that we could lobby the legislature to strike from their budgetary plans and make an appeal to say, "Hey, don't be cutting special education funding because
123that doesn't just affect us." That affects uh a lot of school districts around the state in the metro. So, and then I've I've always been curious like the way local optional revenue has lost purchasing power over time because it remains flat. I know there's like what a dozen or more other tiny little amounts that we get that have been implemented like decades ago that have remained flat. And I'm just curious if we might like >> throw all those at them and say, "Hey, the these are these are a bunch of other allocations you made 20 years ago that you've continued to not fund with inflation." [snorts] Just throwing it out there. >> Yeah, Megan. >> Um I have both a comment and a question. I'll start with the comment. Um I just visually compared to
124previous legislative positions, I feel like this is um very digestible. So I just wanted to commend that. Like I think the bulleted versus full sentences is easier for people to take in. I like that it's broken. It's like visually here's this here's the thing we want in blue. Here's why. And so I like the organization. So thank you for that. Um, my question is, so if the legislature is not convening until February, do we need to have this approved now or could we take it back to case and kind of get that input before approving it? >> Superintend it would need to be approved tonight. The the these like I I hear concurrence about these are the likely financial planks and this session will go even if it's not ready at the beginning. the the
125timing of it would be early in January that the board members that lead the case committee and we we can do some sort of gathering to put this in front of them and see if there's any additional ideas and this could certainly be approved. Um the problem is it won't be approved the first meeting in January because case wouldn't have met by then and committee assignments wouldn't have been formalized. So, it could be approved uh at the second meeting in January in a special session or even uh it could it could be ready to go and we could start talking about it and could be approved the first time in February. Um with the understanding that we'd be talking about it and it wouldn't have formal board approval. That's just the nothing would prevent that
126from happening. I as you know uh board member Brown sits on the AMSD legislative platform. These priorities have all been sort of run through AMSD and uh MASBO school business officials. So other people will be advocating for these things too. We can certainly run it through our local committee and then bring it back for approval. >> I think it makes sense to have the have cases uh weigh in. [snorts] um that that means it won't if we are deferring this to uh a meeting in January or February, that means it won't be for me to vote on it. But I will uh I will simply remind the board and the new board members who will be there next time that we're the only ones who are elected by our community to represent the school district.
127case is a fantastic committee of volunteers and has done excellent work over the past years. But at the end of the day, it is our obligation to engage them, take their input, and make our own determinations about what the what the right platform is going forward. I think there's a difference between the platform we approve and how we present that uh in legislative conversations. Um I think you know we have planks that then we need to communicate. But um having said all of that, never bet against me to talk too much. But um I think uh I think it makes good sense since we have such an engaged committee to get their get their buy in and uh their input and if we have new ideas like Dan threw out two just now. though. I
128think I think what I'm hearing is we might uh defer this until um maybe a special meeting in middle January just to give ourselves time to work through it and be ready. Thoughts about that? >> Um I would agree with that. I I don't know. Do we have to then do like a motion to do anything since it's up for approval or can we >> There's no motion before us. we could just >> okay >> uh defer to just table it for the next uh session and if we're ready by special session or by a special meeting time in January that'd be my suggestion to give ourselves time to roll it out to legislators before the mid start of session >> that would be January 22nd is the date of that proposed meeting >> okay
129>> I think that'd be preferable than waiting until the February meeting we yeah Sally >> yeah I just wanted to say thank you for for all of this conversation very helpful to me. I appreciate it and um this sounds to me like the right thing to do. I also want to thank you for all the work that has gone into this because it certainly sounds like this is our foundation at any rate. Um but it feels like the evolution of a great thing that we're building with our committees both the finance advisory and case and frankly our um students from Vantage Public Policy who have been weighing in on things. So it it feels like giving a little bit of time is the right thing to do. All right. So, procedurally, do we need to
130move to table or we just take it off of there? >> We'll just say we're deferring this for future action. >> Right. It it is tabled. >> Yeah. Okay. >> For future. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next on our agenda, we have the consent agenda. May I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Megan, may I have a second? >> Second. >> Mike. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The motion carries. Next, we have board reports. Any board reports? >> Dan and Paul kind of touched on finance committee already. We talked a lot about we we've seen the audits and the amended budgets and a lot what we talked about tonight, the uh legislative position statements. Um, we had some good discussion about
131the the fund balance and what that's looking like going forward and that we're comfortable now and we're just need to prepare for fiscal 28 and see what happens with the legislature and again that's just a pitch for people to join the case committee and and advocate for public education funding. Um, and uh we were looking at some of the other other fund balances and some of our other funds and just had some good conversations about some healthy balances and what might be possible there. So, [snorts] >> Thank you, >> uh, Key. >> Yes, for um, the Minnotonka Public Schools Foundation, I have a couple of updates. Uh, the teacher grant program applications are now open until February 17th. They are scheduling site visits at all of the schools to inform the educators about the opportunity
132and application process. And then, Dream Makers 2026, put this on your calendar. It's been new and improved at a different location. Um, I think it's going to be really a unique event this year and it's prom through the decades. So, get out your powder blue tuxedos, Dr. Law. Um, and it's going to be at the club at Golden Valley Country Club on February the 21st, 2026. And this is just a really important event for everybody who's involved in the district, parents, students, teachers. Um, every every dollar that is raised goes touches every student in the district. So, it's just a very very important event. Um, let's see, $1.6 million in grants awarded since the program's inception. So, and then just for Minnitankka Preschool, I wanted to highlight again what I heard tonight that there's an
133open house on January the 31st for Minnotonka Preschool. That's it. >> Thank you. Any other board reports? >> Superintendent report, Mr. Chair. [clears throat] Uh, first of all, I want to um let you know that our freshman student school board members joined us this month and they will be rotating through. We're at this point in the year where every upper classman, sophomore, juniors, and seniors has attended at least one board meeting. Some on their second cycle. Zayn, it's good to see you again. I think um I do want to say that the board me the these attendees tonight knew this would be a very lengthy heavy uh agenda and still chose to come. And I would offer just a minute if either of you have any any insights following tonight's meeting. There's not a requirement
134but there's an opportunity. No, >> I feel like you guys touched upon everything really well. You know, I felt really captivated despite how long it was. So, >> Thank you both. Uh, we are we are kicking off winter seasons. I I I heard tonight one of our student school board members traded with Zayn so he could go to the home opening basketball game. Zayn, he owes you for that. Um, but also it's concert season and uh we're just a week away from winter break and uh some very enthusiastic students were communicating with me about their concerns about safety getting to and from school this week. appreciate those students being so concerned about their peers. Weather decisions are made about what the roads will be like from about 6:00 until 9:00 in the morning and again
135from 2:00 to 5:00 at night. And we will communicate the minute anything comes up that would prohibit that. With that, I'm done. >> Okay. Announcements. I have an announcement. Tonight is my last official board meeting in front of you and on this uh platform. So I am going to pretend that it's announcement to thank some people for their work over the last four years particularly uh superintendent law all of the staff at the district service center um and all of the cabinet members a shout out to uh Mr. Bourgeoa for his Christmas themed tie and Christmas themed remarks earlier. We appreciate you and all of your work and the entire cabinet's work. And I also want to especially recognize Carrie Volos who does Yman's work uh day in day out for the district supporting superintendent
136law supporting the rest of the staff and those of us up here. I think um you and uh superintendent have made me a better board member and chair and I really appreciate your friendly presence and friendship. So thank you very much Carrie. Um, and then lastly, uh, I want to thank my fellow board members and all the board members who weren't here tonight, including board member Chris Vitali and the board members I served with previously. They also did a lot to help me be a better board member. And I'm particularly proud that this has become a board that is known to work together well. And uh as you saw tonight, we like to address uh transparently and openly the issues that are before us and we might not always disagree, but uh we we try
137to go forward together after we hear it out. So I'm grateful for that and I'm grateful for all of you. And with that, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Camarie, may I have a second? Second, >> Megan. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? We're adjourned.