TCU: Regular Board Meeting, December 2025

001Algiance 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. >> All right. Roll call finds um all present except for Cindy and only two of us have dressed in Christmas attire. So, it's unfortunate. >> I find [laughter] >> All right, let's start with the administrative report. Um, Blaine or Jav, whoever wants to go first is >> Yeah, usually. >> Do you have a uh >> I do not. >> No. No. >> All right. Well, thank you very much for giving us giving me this opportunity again, coming here every three months to present. Um, as in the past, I really usually don't go through like all the programs that we do cuz you guys have a pretty

002good handle on some of the programs that we do. So, just going to kind of come in and give some highlights of some things that we have going on. Uh, Little Titans preschool. U, we just finalized our Little Titans preschool 2006 2007 tuition rates. Um, you may have seen [snorts] that in Kevin's uh, report on um on Sunday um about making making adjustments. It takes quite a process to kind of determine what what we are going to look at charging uh the following year once we kind of um crunch numbers on on enrollment and transportation and staff costs and and and so forth. So we uh just finalized those um because we have open uh uh we have open enrollment or not open enrollment but we have our open house on January 26th. Uh so

003we'll be ready for that in all three sites. Uh school year kids zone highlights. Uh we still have high numbers in Lndale. Um the mornings have been uh uh consistently pretty high and that's obviously because of our late um start times over there. Um we kind of capped out some days just south of 40 kids in the morning. Uh we start off in the kids own room and then about halfway through we about 8:00 we offer any kids that would like to go to the gym and burn up some energy um for a while. Then we they ended up going to um breakfast in the morning and the rap kids uh will stay with us over there. Um the wrap numbers are still high. Um we haven't gotten to the point where originally in the

004beginning of the year we had to um um during that morning preschool time when we pick up our two-day and three-day kids until the 5-day kids go to uh preschool. Um we were over the 20 that we could have in a room. Um, since that time, we've had a couple kids uh um step out of the program because they they left the district or or whatever. So, we haven't been having to utilize our paras um our two preschool paras and a special ed parah um for about a month or so, but uh the numbers are still pretty high. Um there are a couple days where we're maxed out at 20 if all the kids do show up. So, numbers are pretty solid for uh for Lndale. Uh Montgomery after school. Um we do have some

005higher numbers there. We started picking up kids as the season went on or the school year's gone on. Uh so we kind of made a change here a little over a month ago um after school um when we we take our wrap kids down to to the front and pick up our kids from kindergarten through fifth grade that come to us and we actually just stay down in the cafeteria. So, we have uh our own sh uh games and all these other activities that we kind of leave down by the cafeteria and we go in there, which is great because our the kids own room's nice, but when you get that many kids, it's it's kind of small. So, we've been in the cafeteria and it's gone great. Uh we bought a wireless um doorbell

006and we hang it on the outside door where some of the kitchen staff and superintendent Babcock uh park and parents have been picking up there and it's gone really well um in there. So, plus you got that, you know, the new floor and you got the cafeteria tables for for activities, which is which works out really great, especially with doing coloring and and things like that. So, um so that's gone really well. Um parents have have adapted to that pretty well. Um and the center um you know, hard to compare that to the other two sites, but uh we've had a few days where we've had 14 kids after school. Um, not too long ago, we only had three or four um, two years ago or so, and those are by far our highest number

007since pre- pandemic. Um, so those numbers are um, are really nice to see. Uh, over there as well. Um, January 5th, one of our new non-school days. Um, we have that open online for child care. Our registrations have been a little bit slow. Um, uh, the sites will will be open open that day. um but they're just not pouring in. So, but we'll be open um for those. Um we haven't posted uh February 27th yet um because we usually don't post any of these until we know we have staff. >> Sure. >> With that. Um so, we're getting we got through the 5th and then once the fifth is um over with sometime in January, we'll make sure we have staff because um can't have kids who can't don't have staff. So, uh, we want

008to make sure we're not, uh, putting the cart before the horse with that, but I'm not too concerned about it. We should be able to have have staff for those days. Uh, Special Olympics, uh, bowlers. Um, our bowlers were our state bowlers was supposed to be here tonight and Kevin and I decided this morning that we'd recognized them in January because we had no idea what the roads would be like. Uh, we had about 11 of our athletes go to bowling and did pretty well. Um, so that's exciting. Poly hockey has started. Uh, that's been going. swimming, which is our biggest um Olympic, Special Olympic sport, will start in February. So, we'll be rolling back and forth with that. Uh the TCU, the pool is open, that opened up right after the swim team season

009ended. Um uh some of the only some of the concerns there is just we're just a little bit low on guards. So, we we're getting a couple guards from the Lenter pool um that are going to help us out. So, we reached out to them. We have a couple high school kids here going to try to fill some shifts uh for us. So that should get us through and we'll just it's a continue revolving door with lifeguards because you're going to have lifeguards that graduate. You got to bring some new ones in. So um so we're working with that to to keep that going and we have some college kids that are home right now so that are picking up a couple shifts. So that kind of works out pretty nice. uh some events uh

010that we have going on. Uh back in November, we had the Let's Smile Dental um come through. I don't have the the numbers. Amanda Slottic has those. Um I think the numbers were fairly consistent to the year before when they came in May. I think we had around 16 or so kids um that came through with that. Um they are a welloiled machine, you know. So, we just open up the room and they bring everything in and they're in and out like they weren't even there. So, works out pretty well. They'll be coming again in May. I think the third week of May, um they're going to be coming to the schools again. So, they're going to be coming every six months. So, hopefully after a few years that kind of kind of picks up

011a little bit so they can kind of get some more uh participation. Uh we had the Nutcracker on Friday, December 5th. Um we brought all the second through fourth grade students um across the district for a 1:00 show um to the PAC. Uh went really well. Um, again, here's another welloiled machine, the youth dance ensemble from Burnsville. Um, so the presentations went well. They stayed here all afternoon and we ended up using the fax room and some other spaces for for movies and they carry out uh all kinds of chicken and and mac and cheese for mac and over in Lansdale. [snorts] Um, and then the evening show we had about 100 people. I think we had about 61 62 people buy at the door and we pre-salled some tickets um ahead of time. Um,

012it was great. Even though we had a little bit of snow and and uh some other things going on, it was busy because we had b boys basketball here that night, but everything went went really well with that. And by the time we went home and took a nap. Uh, we came back the next day for breakfast with Santa. Um, so Amy Ser and Taher staff, they were here about 6 7 o'clock with Kristen Schlingman and I um getting things rolling. Uh, we had a record turnout. We had 323 uh people come through the door. Um so the year before I think we were about 298 299. So we broke that 300 mark. Uh weather is hugely dependent on on the events. We had a a gingerbread theme um that was voted on by staff

013um and we serve pancakes. I I'm up front serving pancakes, handing them out and every year is different. Sometimes you get a 105 minute rush and then all a sudden you get a 10-15 minute break. Otherwise, you know, it's just kind of all the way through and 10:00 we were still when they come off the griddle, I need them, you know. So, it's it was uh it was really fun to see. Uh new this year is uh um typically historically here we've only had the the Klachki um royalty helping out with arts and crafts and we had uh the royalty from Lonsdale and we had Miss Sham or one of the Shamrocks I believe from the center. So, all three communities were represented and uh >> King, >> huh? >> And Laspus King. >> Yes.

014There we go. So, we uh um had a good turnout and uh um uh super the Santa David Reese uh we appreciate him and Taher and [laughter] um everybody else that uh that helped with that uh our silent auction. Um that goes towards our early childhood family education like special projects fund. then we can buy stuff for the classrooms and we need to buy [snorts] some stuff for the outdoor play areas that we have. So, we ended up doing $2,190 for the silent auction and we had $1,519 for admissions for a total of about 3,700 uh raised for the ECF programs. Um, which is great. Um, so we're going to turn turn it around and the our early our preschool teachers and our early childhood special ed teachers are going to get uh kind of

015a stipen to do some stuff for their for their rooms because they volunteer their time and they they go out door knocking and they're asking for donations and stuff too and um so it's it's kind of a fair trade with that. So we're excited about about that and some of the opportunities they can have for the classrooms. Lastly, we have our Little Titans preschool open house on Monday, January 26 from 4 or from 6:00 to 7:00. All three sites um will be going at the same time. We are already ready for next year. >> It's cool. >> In December, >> it's crazy to think already. >> Mhm. >> Any questions for me? >> No questions. You're going to run out of room for breakfast with Santa pretty quick. I mean, I was there. >> What's

016that? >> I was You're going to run out of room for breakfast with Santa. Um I was there this year and yeah, there was a lot of people there. >> Yeah. >> And [snorts] it was cool to see all the royalty. So >> yeah, >> it was a lot of fun. >> Yeah, it's uh obviously it's it's it's our biggest community event that we do and it's great to see the the kids come out with the families and all decked out and dressed and Odin's donated the ham. Usually we have >> sausages that [snorts] uh um we get from Taher and they donated I think ended up being like 62 lbs of ham. >> Wow. >> Nice. So that man was really good. [laughter] I don't know if >> you guys had it here, but

017it was great with the pancakes and um everything else. So it went really well. >> Great. Thanks very much. >> Um while Jav's coming up, I just want to remind we're going to move the capital bond vote and discussion to just after the consent agenda, just so everyone knows. All right, guys. I know how much you guys know that I love sitting in front of a camera here. So, I got my little pad here and um uh the um so I've had a lot of u meetings with my team lately um just to kind of get their feeling about the direction we're going and where the team is going and um uh the facility department um continues to stay proactive and positive and focus on maintaining safe and reliable learning environments across the district. Um

018with five buildings that are aging, um we do remain committed in addressing repairs promptly and correctly as issues arrive. Uh while buildings require a constant attention due to their age, we are keeping up and we are assuring quality fixes now. We are not duct taping things, we are not doing things halfway. Um everything is being done correctly into expectation. Um uh that's our just my kind of opening from my meetings with my guys and I think they'll appreciate that they're they're driving right now. They are they're pushing hard to get the buildings where they're supposed to. Um, uh, Greg Peterson has been killing it. Um, he's on top of the HVAC the day of. Um, he goes, he gets up on the roof. He's troubleshooting things. He's getting teams out to fix things. And, um,

019he's uh, he's been really good. Um, staffing update. Tomorrow we will be celebrating the retirement of our longlasting uh, custodian, Miss Robin. uh her experience, dedication, and willingness to train and support others have been a tremendous impact on the district and she will be missed. We are grateful for her years of service. Um a replacement has been hired already um and has been training with Robin over the last two weeks to ensure a smooth transition. Um uh boiler mechanical systems, all boilers across the district have been opened, cleaned, and tuned as of last week. Um while we did identify a few minor issues during inspection, overall um internals of all of our uh boilers look good in our gas chambers. We did not open up the water side, but um uh but all of the

020fire side is it looks good. Um the primary building boilers, uh this boiler struggled um up until about 2 weeks ago. Constantly going out, flame not staying on. Um, and about two weeks ago, we were able to sustain operation and we are hoping that it stays on until the heating season is over. Um, that um that'll be something I'll bring up um over my next one because we're going to have to figure something out cuz if that doesn't turn on um the only heat that that building has left is the rooftop unit that heats the middle space. So, all the classrooms will be cold cold downstairs will be cold. The um the gymnasium will be ice cold. um that's all done off that boiler downstairs. Um and then if we pull a permit for that,

021um we need to become ADA compliant in that building at the same time. Um so that's that's something that needs to be thought about. Um cuz again, this year was a struggle for that boiler really hard. Um I do have a plan. Um and I think I got approval that it's doable. If we connect the boiler system that we just put in at the laser site to the downstairs boiler that heats the gymnasium, we can remove the small boiler that's down there and put it over at the primary. Um it's more cost effective. Um and we wouldn't have to uh I don't think we'd have to pull any permits cuz it's just on it's on the same property. We just be able to pull a boiler out and stick it in and plum it in

022and be back up and running. um all the refractory in that boiler down in the primary has started to fall out. That's what protects our tubing from um overheating, expanding, busting, water pouring out. Last year we fixed a pretty significant um boiler leak on that one. Um so just that's our struggle bus over there. Um when it comes to our boilers, everything else is is running the way it's supposed to. Um the Lndale boiler loop uh glycol levels are currently at about 17% uh below the preferred 30 to 40% range. This issue was discovered this past summer uh when I do my yearly glycol testing. Uh we have since evaluated the size of the loop, which is a little bit harder with um a glycol loop versus a water loop. Um we don't really have

023a whole lot of documentation on them, so I didn't know what size was. With a glycol loop, you have to put a barrel of glycol in and then you have to test weeks later, find out what's the percentage change and then they can do an analysis to find out what that is. Um, so we uh have ordered u glycol um that we plan on next Monday pumping into that system to get us back up above 25. Um once we're at that point um no organisms will grow [clears throat] um and organisms is what clogged up our Montgomery site. Uh we did clutch this early enough and we are fixing it early enough that we do not have any clogged filters. Nothing's um we're not going to have any issues once we get it up uh

024back up to the correct percentage. And I have notified all of our boiler operators across the district to never add fresh water. That is what has caused this issue. It's a past practice that we don't do anymore. So you don't add fresh water to a glycol system. Once it's in there, it should be let let it sit. Let it do its thing. As long as your percentages are staying, and that's why I test every year, you should never have this issue. Um, and uh, so they all know never to add water unless it's an emergency, and then I'd be adding water, and it'd be on me anyways. Um, safety and compliance. All facility staff will be participating in the ark flash training on January 5th, an important step in meeting the new Minnesota state regulations.

025This training will train staff on importance of on the importance of PPE and when and when not to touch electrical panels. Next steps will be that is required is to have an electrical team come down and do an analysis of all the electrical equipment across the district. Um then they will set these up uh with specific codes that will say on the panel um this is a level four. This is the PPE and this is the level of certification that you need. Um the state is making it a little bit harder for us to even turn a breaker on and on at on and off at this point. Um, so after all of this actually goes through and I believe the final date for us to be compliant, I'm going to say it wrong, between

026now and 2028. Um, uh, and we're supposed to show that we are moving towards that. That's why we're doing the ARC flash training this year. Um, and then we'll we'll slowly make steps. Um, but, uh, yeah, they want you to be in a rubber suit. Um, they want you to have the proper gloves to be able to turn a breaker on and off in our buildings. Um, so that that is later later. Um, the updated TCU emergency resp uh response guide books have arrived. Kevin and I went through those um last week or the week before and we made some final touches. Uh, I'm working on getting those final touches um fixed up and then hopefully I will be able to distribute those to all the principles and the facility staff uh at the beginning

027of the year. um our new form um our newly formed emergency response team uh made up of staff with diverse backgrounds met several times reviewing um our emergency plans and strengthening district-wide preparedness and this uh document will be refreshed um and [clears throat] it showcases the hard work that we put into it over the last year. Um uh it is a beautiful binder um and we will go through it more often. Um, that's the whole point is for us to actually be prepared instead of just having it there. Yes, it's there, but now we're going to be prepared by using it, meeting with staff frequently, doing uh drills as we're supposed to or as we should supposed to is a pretty harsh word. Um, and then uh we are finally finalizing our I love you

028guys structure. Um, and I have prepared or I've begun preparing our rock boxes um and all of the relative um uh relative equipment to be ready for a first our first full-time training this upcoming summer. Um, all you guys know about the love you guys stuff. I know that was a Kevin Huber push um when I first came [clears throat] on, but we're finally at the end of it um or the beginning of it. Actually, the beginning of Yeah. Um uh and then uh Mach OSHA uh we recently completed another Mach OSHA inspection and I received the reports last Friday. Uh while we still have items to address, we were significantly better this year. Uh last year when we did this, I think each building had like 64 violations. Um every violation from OSHA is

029now over $1,000. There's nothing over under $1,000 anymore. So, um, we corrected all of those violations last year and then, uh, this year, um, Lonsdale had zero. Uh, Montgomery had like 12, Lenn had 16. We were so much lower. Um, and that just shows that we are making a huge impact. People are starting to see the structure, the safety stuff that we need. Um, and it it was good to see. And my guys are working on correcting all of that stuff. Um, over winter break. Um, we do have a couple repeat stuff that we corrected last year that it just went back to being the same this year. Um, and I will talk with the principles about that and have them uh address that. And then, uh, last thing, uh, work order and preventive maintenance

030systems. We are excited to launch our new district-wide work order and preventive maintenance platform. This system developed in partnership with the Brightley technical team will significantly enhance how we track, manage, and report facilities and tech work. Um me and Carl share um the work order system and uh one of the big things um that he's excited for is the asset tracking and I'm pretty excited about that too. Um we'll be able to put barcodes on every piece of equipment that we have and we'll be able to track all the preventive maintenance that we're doing and we'll be able to see what how many dollars at the end of the year we put into this air handler um this computer so on and so forth to really give the board a real visual of what we're

031doing and where the money is going. Um it also comes with preventive maintenance alerts, materials and labor cost, inventory database, uh deep reporting capabilities, LTF compliant data management. Um and the principles will also um there's only one principal that wants this, but uh they will be able to uh deny and approve requests if they want to. So they'll get an email of the request instead of my leads. Um and they'll be able to say yes, I want this or they'll be able to cancel it. Um and again that there's only one principle that wants that. The other ones we do a pretty good job. So um this tool uh will improve transparency, efficiency, and long-term planning while making the process more userfriendly for both the staff and the building requesters. Um and then um with

032this our staff development, we are implementing a more structured training process to ensure new hires receive thorough hands-on instruction and that all staff continue to build be built on a well-rounded skill base. Additionally, we are exploring ways to provide more regular refreshing training throughout the year to ensure clarity and expectations to promote continuous growth. Um while scheduling this training has been my biggest challenge given that uh professional development days, holiday breaks and um summer months are pretty much dedicated to either catching up on being behind or we're top down cleaning every single classroom or dealing with projects. Um, we that I am committed to making sure that my staff feel that they're getting trained and we're pushing them in the right direction. And that's it. Sorry. Hopefully I didn't uh didn't take up too much

033time. Any questions from the facility side? >> I have a question. >> No, you go ahead. >> I have a question about the raptor thing. So last Friday I went to the kindergarten concert. Did we scan all those parents in? >> Nope. So the that's only during So there is another part of the the raptor system that we can do that that's going to make Chad's life a living nightmare by himself to try to track every single one of those parents into the building. >> Um it can be done. Um but it it's a it's a hard system that we didn't start with. >> Slow. It'd be very slow back up. >> Well, I just think that's the time that something's going to happen. >> Yeah. Not like >> most of the events that do

034are happening are during school times majority not saying all but um so we are taking I mean that's the first step and that system is finally >> as of last week Lucas I think we smoothed everything out with the raptor system. >> I think we're four days where nobody has had a singer malfunction >> so um we're in a good spot with that one right now. Okay. >> So that's used in all the buildings. >> Yes. Yep. It's been very effective so far. We had a few glitches here and there and >> it's for visitors. >> Yes. So, anybody during the school day comes in, they put their ID, it does a background check, sex offender check nationwide um and then sends it back. Um and then we have pro processes in place for a

035little nice sticker with their face and their name and where they're going. >> Yep. So, it's a it's a pretty nice >> Sorry, when did that go in place? I should know this. >> Uh so, it started u day one of this year. Okay. Um, but we we've had some technical difficulties. Sure. Um, and that's due to Microsoft outro an entire new update at the same time. [clears throat] Yeah, >> that's Jab's understanding of the technical side. Um, >> correct. [laughter] Then a staff learns to grow with it more. Then Josh, if you are walking the building, you don't have label on, they don't know you, they should be asking. >> That's the next step. So once people understand that raptor system more then any adult in the building that's not noticeable should be questioned.

036>> And is that the raptor system should be used for every any visitor regardless of who it is? >> Yep. >> No matter regardless of familiarity. >> Yep. Contractor. I mean um I think about Scott uh Scott. Everybody knows him here in town and he's our plumber for a lot. >> We still have him go and get his >> Okay. Yeah. >> Y I think it's good practice. >> Yes. But I mean, if you're not going to use it to its full capabilities, [clears throat] why have it? >> Yeah. And we have contractors that we've hired for regular workloads. Um, and, uh, we have talked about having them do a school background check so that they don't always have to, but then that we have their background check here on file. Um, but we haven't

037we haven't had any at this point. So, >> is that background check instantaneous? >> When they when they a visitor comes in, it it's that quick. Well, okay. >> Yep. So, and then um we're thinking about doing the same for a walking course with community ed um open up our buildings for the morning to let the communities walk during the winter [cough and clears throat] months. um and to be have access to that from the time frame. Um uh we want to them to go through the raptor system first so we at least get that background check. Um because it's it's not free but it's free for them at this point and we can get the community and walk in our building if they if they want to be >> working on that right now.

038We've had more and more requests for some walking. >> I think we got like 50 people at this point that want to walk our buildings. Yeah. 39 here at the Monty site. like they used >> um only a couple in Leer [clears throat] and I think or in Lndale and I think we got like 15 in in Lenter. Yeah. >> Anything else? >> Did you get the hot water here figured out? >> The hot water here at the Monty site. So I actually had that on here site. >> At the high school. Yep. Um so we had three bad check valves um that we had to cut out a bunch of piping. We had a bad um uh circulating pump that um wasn't moving any hot water and that's why we were struggling so much

039in the showers. So, we replaced that, a bunch of piping and the three bed check valves. Um and then I held off on the rebuild of the um the mixing valve altogether cuz I was like, if I can save that fund, then I will. and I turned the hot water on and we went three days where everything was good, toilets weren't hot, and then uh [laughter] um and then last Friday when I came to work, came to the office, Allan asked me about something else and I went down to look and all a sudden the the toilet was hot. Um my hand was not in the toilet, but the toilet itself was hot. Um so, uh water got shut back off Monday morning. Uh this upcoming Monday, he will be out to rebuild that um

040final mixing valve. Um, and there's checks in there that um, they break over time and so >> it wasn't done properly when it was first. >> Uh, yeah, there there was no ball valves installed and that's why we had to redo a bunch of the piping because anytime we were to have to repair that or a bunch of equipment back there. We had to shut the whole building down. So, we put in a bunch of ball valves to isolate the equipment the way it's supposed to be um, to help us for the future as well. Again, fixing and doing it properly this time versus not before. Yeah, emergency plan book that Jeb's talked about. I'll bring that to uh either work session or a board meeting. So, you can have a look at that. Uh

041we give Jeb huge amount of kudos for putting that together because it is um extremely elaborate. Uh and it covers anything and everything this could use emergency. >> Now, there's always going to be a thousand whatifs. Uh but I told the committee that we can't get hung up on whatifs. Otherwise, the book and the Bible couldn't have more words in it at that point. I mean, it would it'd be so long because we got caught on that a lot. What if this happens? Well, we can't we couldn't [clears throat] structure out everything in the book, but we got a really good handle on a lot of good stuff. And I'm excited to show it off. >> Yeah. You can't go down the what if rabbit hole all the time, otherwise it it becomes un not

042useful because it just gets too big and unruly. >> So, >> the one comment you talked about the boiler switching it out in Lee Center from the primary. Do you need a permit in order to do that? >> If we had to put a brand new boiler in to that space, yes, with my idea, I don't think we do. >> Okay. But I want to make sure not we don't think. We want to make sure that we know that >> because I don't want to be [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm I'm still in that process. I'll [clears throat] have more of that information >> cuz knowing and thinking are way different things. >> You didn't ask for forgiveness after the fact. >> No, you do it right the right first the right way. Uh,

043a lot of this once we got it up and running a couple weeks ago, that's when I started digging into permits. Um, I reached out to Yale Mechanical who does a lot of our boiler stuff for us. Um, their thoughts on it. Um, and if they've ever done it before, um, but I have not reached out to, um, the city to find out what their rules and regulations are. >> So, if we pull a permit, we have to have that entire building ADA compliant. >> I'm pretty sure that was brought up to me my first year with that whole building. If we pull a permit at all to do anything in that building, we need to make it ADA compliant. So that means putting in an elevator, taking out the middle of it, putting the

044ramps to where they're actually um the accurate distance. Um the uh basement, all that. I mean, there's a couple of things that we'd have to Oh, all the bathrooms need to be refurbished. Um doorways need to be opened up. Yeah. Well, I just want to make sure though that again, we're all told things that sometimes too, which may or may not be true, but doing your due diligence in regards to that if we do or have to. >> I've been working on this for a little while. Make sure that that we can hopefully swap that. >> And I get that and that's great, but we just want to make sure that we can without a permit. >> Definitely wasn't staying open. Thank goodness it's open right now. >> So, >> I have a question. When

045you're fixing the hot water heater on Monday and stuff, will the bathrooms all still be used? Yes. Yep. We're >> dry on Monday. So, it was just making sure I wouldn't have to be worried about >> That's why we put in That's why we put in the isolation valves this time is so we can just shut down the valve uh for the showers at that time. >> Yeah. >> But Jeff, >> thanks guys. All right. Um we're going to have Kevin do the goal update after in underformational items. So, >> all right. Uh, next I'll seek a motion to approve uh the agenda. >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second it. >> I have a motion by Chris Les, seconded by Trevor Hone to approve the agenda. All those in favor? >> I. Those

046opposed? Motion is passed 6. Under the consent agenda, we have approval of minutes from the November 10th, 2025 school special board meeting and uh November 11th, 2025 board meeting. Under personnel, we have new hires. Uh Katarina Ellis, paraprofessional, Michaela Michaela Bless, paraprofessional, Kylie Juan, paraprofessional, Jessica Jolan, paraprofessional. Arthur Arthur Divine, custodian maintenance. Sean Cisco, custodian maintenance. Uh Cheyana Torbinson, long-term sub lonsdale. Nate Reed, co-trifest adviser. John Sosa, co- trifest adviser. Maria Ruiz, assistant speech coach. Under senior list, we have administrative assistants, custodians, pair of professionals, teachers tenur, teachers non-tenured, teachers, ECSR, approval of bills in the amount of 1,522,222.30. >> Say that again. 552 >> one sorry 1,552,22230. Thank you. >> I was going to say I almost made it through the whole thing without making a mistake. Those names were easy to say so

047good. >> Thank you. And that covers fiscal year 26 December prepaid fiscal year 26 December paid fiscal year 26 November student activities paid. I will seek a motion to approve the consent agenda. Josh, I think the two it should be November 10th and November 10th, not 11th for the board meeting because it was two Tuesdays, right? >> It would be the Tuesday. >> No, it' be the Monday. So, it' be the 10th. >> Okay. Is it the maybe? >> Um, we had a meeting on the 10th. That was a board and work session. And then we also had the 24th was a board. >> Okay. That's the one I >> So >> 10th and 24th. >> That's what it would be. >> It would be the end of the month regular meeting. >> Sorry about

048that. >> Oh, we're good. >> Thanks for Thanks. Thanks, Hillary. So, November 24th, 2025 board meeting, approval of those minutes. >> Y >> I'll make the motion. >> I'll second. >> All right. I have a motion by Marcia Craft, seconded by Hillary uh Bzel to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor? I. >> Those opposed. >> Motion has passed 6. All right. Capital bond. Um I'm going to read the motion as it's written and then we can have any discussion. So we're seeking a motion to approve moving forward to pursue a capital levy bond on May 12th, 2026 in the amount of uh 39,999,000 and to submit information to MDE for review and comment. Any discussion before we seek a motion? >> We're going for the exact same amount. >> That's discussion we should

049have. >> What was the facility task force feedback? >> Same. Basically, they said keep it keep it to the same number. They were all unan I mean I want to make sure were they all unanimous that they all said there wasn't anyone going well it was a a unanimous decision that they made. >> Yeah. So within the facility task force they were unanimous with that. um they'd heard people discussing you know the tax impact but again most of the time when those conversations have been had >> people realize that [clears throat] tax impact is relatively conservative >> was there a discussion about a vote yes committee >> very >> and what was the discussion on that will there be one that will come out >> yeah I normally decide on that not we can't go

050ahead and >> well right I'm just because that [snorts] it didn't happen So if we need that to happen. [laughter] >> So we can't guide them. Can you guide them? >> So [clears throat] obviously the school district has has to they can give information but they can't advocate on that. So um you know a vote yes committee has to be something that is formed from their own fruition. >> Yeah. It can't be anything that we >> was there anything that they said remember there was parts that people didn't agree with. That's they said that last >> or they would they didn't agree with Yeah. >> Yeah. So we we we have our facilities and grounds meeting on the 5th of January to really dive into the specific scope. >> The she's >> the simple answer

051to that was the the piece that people had a hard time understanding was the renovation of the auditorium at Montgomery. And so um I would make the suggestion that if that's something that was not necessarily understood or felt that there was a need is something that is pulled from the scope and at the same stage they were very supportive of the school district along with the survey um to support further CTE programming. So I think substituting the auditorium renovation work for a greenhouse and CTE addition at the high school here would be a a good a good change of of Skype. >> How often are you involved in these that fail, Michael or Matt, that don't change anything and just come back and ask for the exact same thing? I'm I'm having a hard time

052with it. >> Well, that's that's not technically correct. So the change would be changing the auditorium and renovation of those classroom spaces. >> The price is the same, but we could change the scope of work on the back. >> What are we going to do with the auditorium? It's wasted space and it's embarrassing. >> Got brought up 30 seconds ago. That was never >> told us. >> No, I mean, but like we were just in there for the kindergarten. It's embarrassing to have people in there. >> Well, you're not voting on scope right now. >> Just be clear. You're voting on a dollar amount and you're voting on May. And most importantly, you're voting on giving me permission to write the review and comment because [clears throat] the review and comment will be due in

053early January. So after we have the opportunity on that January 5th meeting to actually really fine the scope, but um you don't have a subsequent board meeting until after the review and comment. So this is really a procedural piece tonight. in terms of um in terms of the adaptation of the scope, you have an awful lot of infrastructure work which is embedded into that scope. That's not going to change. You know, you just heard from Jav again going through the fin the finagling of of the you know difficulties that you have with those infrastructural pieces. You're not going to trim that infrastructure work. That's only going to get more expensive. The only thing that you really have the opportunity to play with is some of the programmatic pieces. You require an addition at long staff.

054Again, that's not really going to change other than the longer that delays, the higher the price of it. And then it comes down to some of the smaller pieces. The reason I think the auditorium one is a good one to swallow at this point is that was a preventative piece for further expansion of Mondale. So if and when then hits its new threshold. You have additional capacity should you need it in Montgomery. It is something that you could also do on the lease levy and you could do out of your own capital funds should you choose to do that when the need hits. The argument for it is is that a need today compared to is that a need that we will experience in the future and that's probably the only reason that that one

055is lower on the list of priorities than some of the other ones. But isn't that kind of what we're doing? I mean, to be honest, aren't we quit fixing and putting a band-aid on something knowing that we're going to need that in the future? I would say we would still do it now. I don't want to keep putting things off down the road. That's why we end up where we're at. I mean, that's been >> needs and wants is so subjective. Objective agree. What's a need and a want? Again, if this fails, what's going to change? Are we not going to have events here because of the locker room situation? No. We going to cut weightlifting team? Nope. Are we closing enrollment lale if nothing's passes? Nope. So, where's the fine line? There's not a

056fine line in between needs and wants. It's hard to I had a tough time explaining this to people of needs and wants and then say all this stuff and they're like, "Those aren't wants?" And I'm like, "Yeah, to each of us, we can each say what's a need and what's a want." I have a I still have a hard time wrapping my head around over $25 million of infrastructure. It's a huge number. And that's the the bottom line of people that voted no that I've had conversations with. Well, that's a big number. What's that going to? And and again, as a board member, I had had such a hard time telling them where $40 million was going. And that I'm completely getting off topic, but this is the problem I have with going back. Our

057voters said no to 40 million. And we're we're just changing our strategy to get that 40 million. That's all we're doing. We're we're not Are we listening to them? No. We're just going to knock on more doors. That's what we're going to do. [clears throat] >> Okay. I want to comment though when you talk about nothing is going to change. Why can't we do that? If this doesn't roll out and it doesn't pass in May, we have to make some tough decisions. Do we have to cap lawns down? Yeah, probably. We have to make those choices. >> We don't we make smaller class size or bigger class sizes. >> Okay. So then that's what we do. But those kids have to go someplace. >> Again, my whole point of that was I understand but then

058that's what we can say. I don't want to put that dollar number out there either and say, "Well, if we're not going to get it, this is what's going to happen." I don't want to put that strap on our our parents for that fact. But at some point in time, push [clears throat] it has it has to happen. Something needs to happen. We cannot continue down the path we're going >> without the money. >> I'm not saying we're giving up on this. I'm not saying that at all. I just said, >> but there has to be consequences at some point in time. >> I have a problem with the same number. That's all I'm getting at. And and follow it. I'm just saying that I have a problem with the same number. That's it. >>

059Well, I had a problem with this number long ago when we went through and did this, too. But if we're hearing all of the things that we heard from the survey and now the task force saying that they like their recommendation, would we keep it the same? I think we keep it the same. If we have to tweak some things, we tweak some things. We look at the numbers again. Maybe we get more money. You know, >> look at the project. But the survey also said $6 a month was not a problem. Yeah, it was. $6 a month was a problem. Right. So, I'm I I have a lot of trust in the survey, but it's not >> it's not a small portion. I know >> $6. We went to 40 million. We went to

06040 million because of what the survey said. The public said no. >> And now we're going back to to say what the what the survey say. >> How many votes was it that they said no by? What did we lose? 50 >> 160 was about 160. >> So pre previous referendums were >> they weren't unanimous on anything like completely 8020. They were really close like 40 60. >> I get what you're saying. The public said no but almost half said yes. Almost half said yes. >> Correct. >> I think we have to take that into consideration. >> Sorry. I think too I was kind of kind of backing up. I think um we intentionally when we went out for this didn't want to We wanted to we wanted to portray opportunity rather than consequences for

061the public. You know what I mean? And so I think we can argue all we want about whether it's a need or a want. I don't really I don't see >> like I don't see the district as being greedy or wanting to get a new toy necessarily. And I know I'm overgeneralizing what you're saying, but I I kind of see in my mind a want would be a brand new football stadium with turf field, you know, all those things. I don't see how necessarily like maintenance things are wants. I think it's being proactive >> um trying to anticipate needs in the district rather than constantly being reactive, which quite frankly that's what the district was doing for a very long time. >> A very long time. >> Um so that's my concern. But I guess

062that leads into a question is what about um what about and maybe this is too much in the weeds for this vote, but what if you split this up into two questions to to provide more choice to voters to help them see what's you know I don't know if that's an option. I don't know what that how that would change things. >> We've looked at trying to break this into two questions. Kevin and I in fact um I I wanted both Kevin and Matt to have a different set of eyes on this. Arguably, you could you could make this into about a 34 and $5 million question, but within that $5 million second question, there is nothing in there that the district wouldn't benefit or require. And so at that stage, you're giving people the

063option to vote on something purely in order to say no, right? Um, but at this point you were close the first time around. You saw low turnout. I don't think that if the tax difference had been $6 or four difference that it would have changed one vote. I think it's the concept which means that you need to get more people out to say yes. Do >> don't you feel though tax neutral or a tiny bit two cents refund a year would have would have changed it to be honest with you. You really don't. No. And actually, I think if you opened that question, it probably would have been even more detrimental. I think the other if you look at your consistent referendum history, you've had almost the exact same number of no votes every time.

064And last time you failed a referendum, you came back and you asked for about seven more than the first time and it passed. It's not a tax impact piece. It's a communication and it's a scope >> economies >> and that's your job between now and May. >> Well, >> there is very little in the scope. You know, you've literally just heard your finance, sorry, your director say you're talking about moving a 27y old boiler from the basement of the center and putting it into [snorts] the primary building. Do it properly. do the infrastructure because that's what looks after the community asset. >> Is that part of the >> That is not [snorts and laughter] >> We don't want to push this till next November >> million >> cuz then it's going to get lost >>

065for sure. >> Can you say that again, Hillary? I didn't catch that. >> I said we don't want to push this till next November because then it's going to get really lost. >> No, absolutely not. Well, my concern is always I I I because I remember I remember the the referendum failing then going back out for it. Um which is why I'm not as opposed to going out for it again. My concern is and I've mentioned it before is um for a lot of individuals it's the principle of it they have and like you you've mentioned too I think Michael is people don't have control about their taxes um at all and they've been going up and then you have um the state which is filled with fraud right now to the tune of billions

066of dollars and people are upset and they don't tr they don't trust any um they don't trust any government entity that's trying to get their tax dollars and so this is the one thing that they have control over. So I think it's just communication is a big thing and being upfront. Um so I think that's the I think that's kind of what we're fighting not fighting but I think that's what >> that's the biggest battle >> people are reacting to right now is I can't control any of these other things and I just have to I just have to take it from the city from the county and the state but I can control this one. You know, and I think because I think at the end of the day of all those things, if

067they could choose where their tax dollars would go by choice, it would most likely be to the school district, >> but they don't have that option. >> Quite honestly, like the city came out with stuff right before we went to go, you know, like >> the taxes that came out the following week. That's why I think we're up even up against a tougher spot and all the city everybody's taxes went up $500. There was talk of it going out, but literally the following week, we get our tax statement saying >> May is far away. >> Yeah. >> It's just it's just another thing that is kind of against us. I mean, I'm I'm 100% behind the May. Again, we're the only thing on the ballot, but the whole nation, the whole state was talking about

068obviously elections in November, right? There's going to be no one's going to be using the word election in May is going to be a going to help us out. Again, I stood behind somebody in line that accidentally went to New Prague to vote. They didn't even know what school district they live in. And they're like, "You're in TCU school district." So, they came over here and they stood in front of me in line. I know the guy. I'm like, "Well, that's clearly a no. You were just going to vote no wherever it was." And it was election day, so they were showing up. You know what I mean? Somebody like that is not showing up in May. >> Do we have to decide today one or two questions as well? >> Can we have more

069discussion on that? Uh we we can certainly have more discussion on it, but I So here here's the other piece and and I'm going to be quite candid with it. May is your last opportunity to get what you want because if May fails, November, you are going to have to change your strategy. And and quite honestly, you are going to have to just do some of this under authority. you know, you have the option to do somewhere in that 15 to to 20 million of this without even asking the public. And that's something that you have the authority under Minnesota governments to be able to do to look after the quality of the air and the conditions of you of these assets. And you have you have a responsibility to look after these assets on

070behalf of the community. They're their assets. So May is the only opportunity to actually get what you want to do to give opportunities to Russia. As you said, beyond that, we have to take a different approach otherwise you lose that debt drop and then you have you're really up against the wall. >> I think it's >> in this in May, >> don't rock the boat too much. Ask for what you want. If that's not or not even what you want, there is nothing in the scope that I genuinely think is a want rather than a need. I get your subjectivity, but there's nothing in here that's flavor >> or I think someone mentioned it one time. Do we lose those two words in this next one? >> I completely >> Yeah, I think that message

071needs to change because there might be a need down the line today. >> All of it. You you could, but I mean as as a board there they're they're needs in our eyes, but it's >> trying to tell the public to vote for a tax hike. You can say that if they're needs and not wants. >> They put up some pretty good arguments to me. >> Well, we could three campaign. >> We could argue $4 million in ceiling tile. >> Well, there's there's some some questions in that for sure. >> Well, but again, those are estimated costs, right? So, until they come, you're not paying that number until it's bid out until the market determines what that price is. >> This is the highest price possible. So, you know, if if the bid for those

072comes in below that number, now you have freed up money to do something else with it. >> Dumb question with that though. If we let's say 40 million, >> economy turns around by the time we do this and everything costs 25 million. >> Chris, that's we just talk about whatifs with Jab. >> Do we have to lose all that money or can we shorten things up and return it or how >> that that's a great question. So, state law says >> from the date that the referendum passes, you have 5 years to spend the money. >> So, yes, you could do in your scenario 25 up front and save the remaining 15 million of authority that if there's other needs that you wanted to take care of in that 5year span, you have five years

073to >> but you have to use it. We can't shorten the term and say, "Hey, we only needed 25. We'll give the taxpayers back five years." I believe you have to >> you would yeah you would have flexibility on the financing structure. Absolutely. >> How about within that five years is that do they start getting taxed for all of it right away >> in the scenario of doing 25 million? >> Yeah. >> The answer would be yes. But as Chris mentioned, you'd have the opportunity to say, "Look, we're going to reduce the payment amount with a lower dollar amount to reduce the tax impact or maybe keep the payment amount the same and reduce the borrowing term to 15 years rather than >> Sure. Okay. >> Michael, you said that 1520 for that we always

074have the to pull on. Were you saying that in this 40 million we have about 15 or$20 million worth or that's the amount that we have available? >> That's the amount we have available. >> Understand my question about the least. >> Well, oh the the 15 to 20 million would be LTFM qualifying expenditures that you as a board could do without board approval. >> Okay. So the things that you can do, >> you can do roofs now and you can do a majority of the HVAC, electrical distribution, and then fire session systems. >> So there's a there's a good chunk of that stuff that you can do under board authority without asking the public. At that stage, you're then asking the public to support the programmatic pieces. You're asking them to support the Lndale audition.

075You're asking them to support some CTE enhancements. You're asking them to support um some of the enhancements over at the center and whatever. >> So we could add on again I'm I'm hoping we don't get to this point. I guess I just want to understand the lease lobby. So you saying we could use it for locker room wait room situation but you we could not use it for an expansion in lale for more classrooms. >> You could but you don't have enough capacity to do it. You only have about four four and a half million. four four and a.5 million will be about if you used every dollar of lease levy for 15 to 20 years you're going to be somewhere in four or four and a.5 million project that you're limited in the I

076mean you get $212 per kit of lease levy that you have board approval to do or only need board approval but you're limited in what that 212 generates >> and that's 15 years >> every opposite what you just said >> 15 to 20 years >> we only have four and a half million not 15 to 20 million >> you could go as far very if you wanted to. >> So useful asset >> the the difference between those numbers. So the the lease levy so there's there's two different funding sources at play. The lease levy you're capped at about 4 and a half million. So you could do the locker room project. >> Then on your LTFM >> you have the ability to to levy the public on the things that Minnesota gives you the authority

077to do which include >> air handling systems that don't need code. >> There's two different levers there. Gotcha. Is that different from what we did where we borrowed ahead and put ourselves >> that was on the LTF? >> Yes, it is different. >> Okay. >> Correct. Big long gap. >> There was a IQ component to that as well. >> So that would be >> there was both that component. That's what we talked about to get that >> but that doesn't reduce our correct doing some of this is to build up that >> we need that safeguard though too then we can so air quality asbestous uh health and safety qualifying projects fire alarm suppression and then also would be the four that would be what I call above the line that you can be beyond

078what you get from >> any other questions or comments or >> I would I would add from a financing standpoint comparing where we are today with rates compared to where rates were in June of 25 when we submitted a review and comment rates are lower now. You also have tax base growth year-over-year that using the same 399 for 20 years the impact is slightly lower than what you went to the taxpayers with in November. Trevor, I know you brought up the idea of going to 25 years and having a drop out in the future that my hope on the fifth would be to look at some different scenarios to decide what you all want to go with at the 399. >> Okay. Any other comments? Okay. fail seek a motion to approve moving forward to

079pursue a capital heavy bond on May 12th, 2026 in the amount of 39,999,000 and to submit information to MDE for review and comment. >> I'll make the motion. >> I'll second it. All right. I have a motion by Trevor Hone, seconded by Marshia Craft to approve moving forward to pursue a capital levy bond on May 12th, 2026 in the amount of 39,999,000 and to submit information to MDE for review and comment. All those in favor? >> I. >> Those opposed? >> Nay. >> Motion is passed 51. Okay. No open forum it appears. Um, thanks for your patience, Selena. You're up. Um, comprehensive achievement and civic readiness report. >> I believe someone has the there's two presentations. >> Yep. Which one do you want first? >> Um, that one works. >> Great. So these are the

080um updates and goals that get submitted with our title, our consolidated grant um earlier this month. So I'm just going to keep going and >> um so this used to be called the world's best workforce. Um, the purpose of this is to really consider strategic planning across all of our funding sources and programs. If you go down to the next one, so sorry that you're this that person today. >> Just tell just tell me to go just >> Okay, next slide. So, um, these are the five categories that we're expected to connect our goals to. Um, as a reminder, the next slide is our, um, strategic plan. So we've got our mission, our vision. If you go to the next one. Um so when Kevin and I have sat down and we have looked at

081our achievement and integration, our title, our local literacy lead plan, our ads grant, we're expected to connect multiple goals to those five. Um, also part of the CACR, we're supposed to be very clear about the materials that we provide for our students and our educators to use. So, if you go to the next slide here, oh, one more. There it is. Here is our curriculum review cycle starting from last year all the way down to 2032. Um, we are currently in the review and selection piece for math. Um, and we're doing a needs assessment on social studies and health and PE. Those standards get implemented next year. If you go to the next slide, this is the detail of what we do each year. So, currently year two, we're vetting resources. We're engaging engaging educators

082in pilots or material reviews, finalizing curriculum. um that is the current world we're living in. Whereas for ELA, we're in years two and three. If you go to the next slide, um we also have to discuss our equitable teacher distribution. Um currently in that first column is our percent of experienced educators and then in that far column it is our percent of FE out of field educators. Um, and then percent of courses taught by licensed educators. We have all of our courses are taught by licensed educators whether they're out of field or not. And then the percent of our educators with a master's plus degrees. >> What makes them experienced >> tenure? >> Oh, okay. >> Next slide. Um, so all students are ready for school. Ours's goal was the TCU TCU will increase the

083percent of students meeting and exceeding kindergarten fall benchmarks from 59 to 62. We did hit that last year exactly at 62%. Um, our kindergarteners are asking what's are your letter sounds, your letter names. They're reading nonsense words. Um, so think of like our consonant vowel consonant sounds. Nan, van, lan, man, right? Um, so 62% of our kindergarten students, first grade students could do those skills. Next slide. Um, for closing the achievement gap, um, we were looking at race and ethnicity, our goal was to close it to 20%. Um, same with sped and eel. So, I'm going to go through these pretty quickly. In reading, um, ours we're at 24.7 and for math we're at 18.2. If you go to the next slide, when you look at our sped versus non-sped, our reading did decrease. We

084went down to 23.9% of our achievement gap, but we went up in math to 28.6. Then if you click on the next slide, we'll look at our EL non EL, that's our multilingual students. Our achievement gap increased in reading and it's at 43.6% and for math it's at 35.2. to and that also went up. If you go to the next slide, all students ready for um career in college. We were looking at ACTs and we were trying to connect how many of our grade 11 students were meeting all four expectations. 16 out of 120 or of 109 um complete or met or exceeded in all four categories. If you go to the next slide, all students graduate. We our goal was to 95%, we did increase by 8.1% and landed at 90.8% for last spring.

085Um, and this was over this was a multi-year goal. And then our last one for last year's goals um were one more slide. [laughter] >> Sorry. >> No, that's okay. 83% of all third grade students will meet or exceed springfast adaptive reading benchmarks of low risk or college pathway. And though we did increase about 8%, 60% of our students were able to um be at that level last year. What questions do you have about the end of the year report for 2425? >> We're always behind one year. What do you make of the ACT one? Did I because I really I'm going to back up. >> 16 out of 109. >> Yeah. What do you make of that? Anything? >> We're probably high [clears throat] compared to everybody else. >> Bec things. I actually was

086talking to some seniors about this. They were doing a project on how we treat our ACTs. >> Yeah. >> Now, from a student perspective, they don't feel prepared enough. So some people go in and they like don't study and they don't that's from the students perspective. Um so and I do think that's true. I think some just like go in and hope for the best. >> I do think when you look at all having all four of those meets or exceeds and not many students I mean there's multiple different pathways compared to 12 years ago when everyone had to get these scores. I think there's just a different pressure. >> Sure. >> Um we did change this goal. >> Um because this has been our goal since 2017. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. We're doing

087some more meetup goals because the ACT is not as like L was saying is not >> there's not the pressure to have to take it to a lot of colleges now. So it's kind of losing a little bit of its >> its flavor and we have a lot more kids that are >> starting to tail off of going >> fouryear. >> So there's a whole bunch of reasons for that. But it's also creating atmosphere to wanting to take it. Um, being in that moment to take it and like glad I said the preparation piece. I heard some >> seniors say that uh they were in a study almost the night before for it. >> That's a that's a year-long study for the ACT. It's not an overnight, you know, so some different preparation uh pieces

088and really making sure that the kids that want to take it, we have them ready to go for it. >> So that's just seniors talking. >> Thanks. Yeah. >> Any other questions about the 2425 CAR report? >> I I do the the gap that's that's larging and that shortening. I mean from that >> which one are you talking about? >> The first few slides they were all about the gap >> between the race ethnicity. Yeah. >> Yeah. We there we decreased I mean, is that one getting better or the other one falling off that the gap is widening? >> So, for this one specifically, the one on the the slide um are sped or which I we'll start with. >> Sorry, I'm bouncing around. Sorry, I'm trying to catch it. Sorry. Sorry. [laughter] >> Our

089for reading we did start to close the gap whereas in math it did increase by.3. So, it was like a student. Um this one's This isn't based off of cohort. This isn't based off of anything like that. So to like give you a perspective when you look at reading, we should expect some sort of fluctuation a little bit because for one year the third graders aren't tested. then they come up and you might have you have an eighth grade class that drops off for two years because they don't get tested until 10th grade again. And so there is some shifting because you know we do know that some cohorts of students have different needs than others. >> Um we do see a tendency to fluctuate between sped and non-sped. I think some of our biggest

090areas of growth and opportunities to improve are our race and ethnicity and EL versus non-ELL. Um, when you look at we increased 7% in math for EL and NEL gap, that's a huge percentage. >> Is that the next one? >> That's the next one. >> Um, so we increased 7% in math. So we opened the gap farther to 35.2. 2 and though it was only 3.4% um 43.6% is um is a large gap >> and we are working on that. We're implementing some strategies um to really help that acqu like the language acquisition for our students. But that's what I'm wondering. Where where do those points come from? From the EL dropping lower or I guess the white students increasing more. I mean, cuz isn't that part of it? I mean, if the EL learners

091went up 2% and the white kids went up 10, we just wind the gap. But is that a problem what we just did there when both groups went up? >> No, it's not. Our problem is that both groups aren't increasing. We're seeing a decline with our EL or >> that's what it is. The EL students are dropping harder than the other students >> and our instructional team is working really hard on implementing high leverage engagement strategies to help with language. are um Shellyley who really leads that department with Sarah Tupi. Um we've been working to look at the curriculum when those students are pulled out of class for their ELD services. Um I've been working inside the classroom to provide better suggestions for core experiences because those students if they are pulled out of their

092classroom, it's only 20 minutes a day. Um and you might have a gened teacher who sees them for 5 hours. And so we're really trying to balance that. >> Sure. >> We also had some discrepancy on do you teach them all in their language? You teach them all in our language. All right. So there was there was a bunch of that with the curriculum. Yeah. >> Even administration a little bit as to where you settle on that. So we I think we've got that over. >> Yep. because we're obligated to the language of instruction is English >> and on these MCA assessments or the other assessments we provide, they are in English. They can't be read aloud to students. It's against testing pro protocols from the state um unless it's in their IEP. Mhm. >>

093And so when our staff so lovingly provides a translated copy to our students, >> we're providing too much of a support in certain circumstances. And so we're really we've really been reflecting the last two semesters on this um and we're monitoring this one closely. >> Gotcha. Thank you. >> What other questions do we have? I have no more. >> Okay. So, if you go to the next one, this is now our current um current system. And I'm just going to have you click >> skip. >> We're going to skip. >> Okay. Oh, go back. >> Okay. So, this goal is aligned with our local literacy plan. um that's obligated by the read act and it's connected to our title one activities. Um by spring of 2026, we want to increase the percentage of K3 students

094reading at or above benchmark by at least 10%. Our goal target is 80%, that's MTSS's recommendation by the state. We want to go at least 10% um every year. Next slide. So this is um exactly worded how it was worded [snorts] in the previous years that we want to start closing the gaps on MCA reading. This is aligned with our title one. If you go again, we have a couple more um closing the achievement gap by spring of 2026. We want to ensure that's at least 65% of our K3 students identified as below benchmark in the fall demonstrate sufficient growth in the subsequent screening period. So there's three assessment windows, fall, winter, spring. Um the fall and spring must be within the six weeks of the school year. That's by law. That's not TCU polic.

095I mean it is TCU policy because we adopt that law. But um the idea is if our first graders are supposed to gain five points and that first grader came in below grade level, we still expect them to grow five points. Um because every year the kids are walking in and it's a moving target. MDE sets those cut scores. We can increase them. We can't decrease them. And in second grade, they might be expected to grow more than what they did in kindergarten. And we want 65% of our students, regardless of where they're sitting, to move. Um, so that is that one. If you want to go to the next one, by 2028, the percentage of all 10th grade student groups for reading MCAs will increase by 4%. This is in our achievement and integration.

096Um last year we scored 36% as a reminder. So in the next three years we want to increase by 4% to 40%. Next slide. Um the gap between Hispanic students and white students graduating will close by 5% from spring of 24 to 28. This is aligned with the following title achievement and integration. Um 20% of our student body is Hispanic. Um, according to last year's data, 75% of our Hispanic students graduated compared to 80% of 87% of white students graduated. So, we just want to close that gap. Next one. Um, we want to increase our graduation rate by 2% by 2028. Next, um, we want to increase, this is our achievement and integration, but it is connect to our all students graduate goal that we want to increase the number of career and college programs

097between TCU and our ANI partners. That's Northfield, Fairbolt, and there's one more. Anyways, we want we're supposed to we're expected by law to do cross district um events. We did meet this already. We did one last week. >> Um, next slide. So, this is our all students are prepared to be lifelong learners. This has been our big reflection goal this year amongst our instructional team. We want 95% or more of our K3 students who identified at benchmark in the fall. We need them to remain at benchmark in the spring. What we tend to see are the students who were achieving all of a sudden just start dropping off because we're so focused at the below benchmark kids that we don't realize that students are not growing anymore. And so we have put in some data

098protocols in place. Um principles are monitoring this at their buildings. Teachers are going to be engaging in their class rosters with this on January 5th. And this is um aligned to a title in our readact two. I promise I'm almost done. Um by winter, so we'll know this um end of January, at least 85% of our K8 students who are below benchmark on two consecutive screeners are enrolled in a structured intervention program. This is supported by ASIS. We have wonderful a wonderful intervention team. We work with reading core. We provide lots of support for our students. We want to make sure that we're catching the kids who need to. Next slide. >> That's it. >> Great. What questions do you have about the new goals? >> That one with 10% I think it was year-over-year.

099That's a >> It was the first one. >> That's a lot. >> It is a lot. But I have a lot of faith in what is happening in our K in our K3 world right now. >> Um when you think of kindergarten like we we want 10% of our kids to increase in kindergarten to know their letter name sounds and read nonsense words. Like that is that is the goal. >> Yeah. >> We should be concerned and we're not going to be because we're going to hit that goal if we don't see an increase of 10% of our kids. Um, and we want to be consistent. So, yes, it is a it is a mighty goal. Um, MDE, MTSS recommends that it's 80%. 80% is that your core is sufficient is how they phrase it.

100We're not there yet. And so, we're like, let's aim high and realistic at the same time. 10%. We might not hit 80%, but the goal is there. That continued growth is our biggest point right now. >> Yeah. Year-over-year. >> The graduation rate that should definitely be achievable. That goal in by 2028 that's what one or two kids more graduating and a class of one. >> That one too. So I think this was at 62%. Is that accurate? The goal is 65. >> Um this one is different than that goal. >> Okay. >> Um Okay. And we won't I will have a closer eye on this one when I come back next month because we're just finishing our testing window this week and right after break >> and so we'll really be able to see are

101we are studentu 65% of our students growing how they should and they should they should and they will be >> okay for January 5th Yeah, the dumpster bag. >> Any other questions, thoughts? >> Not for me. >> I like him. >> Great. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Lida. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Have a great Christmas. >> Oh, thanks. You, too. >> All right. Um, enrollment update. >> You might You could just roll into the goals, too, >> that's fine. We're floating through the waters still up and down. Uh, we're down four. We got uh two that homeschool uh one that moved out and then one that um is a seasonal worker moved out on us. So, we're still consistently sitting in the middle of where we've always been. >> Okay. >>

102Nothing nothing overwhelming there. Homeschooling seems to be prevalent these days because it's easy to get online sources and so on. So, uh I just roll refresh uh my goals real quick that I had set for this year. So first one was I will lead the district in fully implementing our operational plan by ensuring clear communication defining responsibilities and monitoring progress regularly. Uh this includes sharing the plan with all staff supporting leaders in their roles and using data to guide ongoing improvements. Um bullet points uh I share this with our staff. Uh there's staff September notes mission and vision go on every single thing that I do for all of our meetings. I read it uh every meeting. uh begin all our meetings like I said post it at our board meetings uh reference our plan

103our meetings for alignment so when I set up meetings now I make sure that it aligns with uh our operating our operational plan and then um always speaking with our directors for our future growth and you can heard talk a lot about that in our um CACR report. Second goal, uh, by November 25th, I will lead and support district communications and planning efforts for the capital project levy by coordinating site logic and our communications team, delivering clear back-based updates to the board, staff, and community at least monthly, and ensuring all final pre-election messaging is complete by October 31st. I could probably change that to May now. Um, and then I believe that was executed for my first time around. I learned a lot uh as far as some smaller communications here and there and around

104and about uh especially with um looking at absentee balloting and early balloting uh voting I should say. So I've learned some more on working on that for for May. Um I updated it all the time. I guess every week it was updated. U met with site logic each week. Many updates to the community social media uh updated the board each week. We had many finance facility work sessions on this. Um, and like I said, I've learned more. So, I'm looking forward to the one in May, to be honest with you. Uh, and then the last goal is a personal one. I'll strengthen my leadership by building trust, improving communication, and growing leaders across the district. I'll hold bi-weekly check-ins with each director and principal to stay connected and aligned. I'll lead quarterly administrative leadership development

105sessions to build a strong, united administrative team. By May 2026, I will gather staff feedback through a leadership survey aiming for 80% favorable responses. I'll use that feedback to guide my own growth and improve how I lead our district. And some bullets on that. I have bi-weekly principal meetings, bi-weekly dire director's meetings, quarterly all administration meetings. I have bi-weekly individual meetings for all of our administration uh members. Uh I send weekly notes out. uh I by monthly uh staff letter by monthly newspaper uh quarterly to families uh and then uh meeting based on operational plan and feedback from bi-weekly meetings. So couple extra notes the second half I'm not quite to the second half of the year but I figured this would be a good time just because I know that the bond may take

106some time off in June. Um, next half of the year working on all an all community newsletter. Currently have Anna, you heard her speak last time. That'll start off three or four times a year. I will look at increasing that more going into 2627. Uh, next half continue to get more consistent with notes to our community and then continue to bring data to all of our meetings. I kind of my continue goals and my growth that I've been working on so far. >> Great. >> For this year. >> Thanks. Yeah. >> Student schoolboard report. >> Hi guys. So, it's just me tonight. I'm Jules Roder. I'm the president of the TC student council and student school board representative. Um, we had a snow day today. That was good. I was really confused when I woke

107up this morning. I was like, "What? It wasn't even snowing or anything." And then we looked out and then it was totally slick ice on a weird day. So, I was like, "Okay, [laughter] there you go." Um the high school life skills class was going to sell hot chocolate all day today, but it's going to be rescheduled. And then um the TCU student council and NHS helps with that for hours. Um our December Jamie's generosity is tomorrow. Um that's the that's the holiday sweaters that we've been selling. Um me and Gavin headed this with Miss Hoy and we did advertisements and a commercial if you guys saw it. >> I did. >> It felt super awkward. All the people that were sitting in the lunchroom were staring at us as we were doing it. >>

108That's right. Trevor's aren't >> Trevor. Yeah. [laughter] Cameo. >> Um they were active on the TC um school store and we think we sold a lot of them. Last I last I heard it was like a couple days after they went out and um Miss Davidson was like the 75th or something order. So I keep getting texts from people saying, "I heard you designed this. This looks awesome. I love mine." So they're good. >> [laughter] >> Um and then the um a percentage of the profits are going to go to Open Arms of Minnesota, a Minneapolis based nonprofit preparing and delivering free medically tail tailored meals to critically ill motans and their loved ones. And then tomorrow we are asking everyone to wear their crew necks in support of our cause. And then like student

109council's regular Jammy's generosity program, um students and staff will also have the opportunity to give a cash donation. So, student council members will be going around during first hours and usually kids just empty whatever change changes in their backpack, but [snorts] it's going good. I think the one for November we were talking about, we it was like $800 or something that we raised. Um, yeah, so that was good. Um, we have a student led blood drive next Monday led by myself and Zachary Helitzki. We have 66 slots available. We started with more because we keep filling up all our slots and then we are hounding down the the blood representatives saying we need more staff. We need more slots. So we just started with a bunch but nobody really wants to donate cuz it's over

110break and it's and this um high school students can skip a class for it. So [laughter] usually that usually that's my like in my like yeah incentive is what class do you want to miss? [laughter] But um our goal is to get 50 units of blood total and only 40 49 slots are filled right now. So if anyone wants to come and give blood, let me know. And we also take walk-ins. So anyone who shows up the day of, we can take them in. Um the clashes Royals here are planning to do more royal readers events throughout January and February cuz all of our Christmas events are done and we don't really have anything. We this is kind of like our downside period. So, this is the time when [laughter] this is the time when

111we go and do those. So, we're excited for it. Um, and then breakfast with Santa went really well. Isaac ended up painting an entire kid's face with a rainbow and a pot of gold on his nose, which wasn't really the right holiday, but it was awesome and he was really proud of it. And the kid was like overjoyed. [laughter] Tomorrow we are having a holiday party at the high school. All classes are pushed at the beginning of the day and then we will have holiday activities going on in all the classrooms. Um the Monty Middle School student council is doing concessions tomorrow at the middle school as well and they're selling hot chocolate, popcorn, and other goodies all day. So that'll be pretty cool. >> Um TCU FCA went Christmas caroling. So Chad posted that.

112So >> that was cool. >> Um Carter Beli and Khloe Maddox were the recipients of this year's AAA awards. And then Gavin Phelps and Caitlin Hartwig were the recip were the recipients of this year's Excel Awards. >> Cardinals have great parents. >> And then we're kneedeep in basketball, dance, and hockey. All are doing well so far. Um and then one other thing I wanted to mention is that Gavin and I with help from other students will be working to address the want to restore graduation cards. Um as well as imple implementing other graduation related activities this year. But we'll be working with that. M with Mr. Fitter and updates on that to come and we will be we will be doing this as schoolboard representatives as well as student council officers since um we've always

113as a student council said if you guys want help with anything or want to do anything let us know we can do something other than selling candy canes. Um like a couple years well we were the ones who got us um able to wear hats. son. Well, we've tried to get out and be like be saying to people, "What do you guys want?" And it's all just snow vaping in the bathrooms, get us better school lunches. So, we're like, "Well, we can't really [laughter] help with that." But we're just trying to always watch around for stuff that we actually can help with. So, we're looking [snorts] forward to starting a couple new things. That's pretty much it. >> Great. >> Thanks, Jules. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Awesome. You said there's a good 20 slots

114left for money, the blood drive. Okay. [snorts] >> Or me and car me and Zach are going to have to start calling donors. We were trying to avoid that as much as possible. Get on the phone with people, but we'll probably meet sometime tomorrow and start calling people. So, >> push that out on Facebook and stuff. We've we've sent out multiple emails and I have um puted it on different three different >> Instagram tomorrow. >> Okay, I will. >> Thank you. >> Uh is there a facility for committee updates? Is there a facilities meeting updated at all or >> think we had one? >> It was it was been it was >> we gave the last update. >> It was Yeah, it was >> there's an update. We're going out for $39.9 million in May.

115There's your update. >> Conversation was just >> Thank you, Mr. Hone. Jab actually gave a good update. >> Yes, that is true. Update. >> Okay. Uh, donations. >> Be it resolved that the school board of independent school district 2905 accepts with appreciation the following donations and permit their use as designated by the donors. Rod teeth $75 community ed friendship adventure. Air prize financial $1,200 for high school weight room lockers. Lndale Lions, $150 for books for the TCU LNAL third grade. >> All right, I have a um resolution introduced by Hillary Burgil, seconded by Chris Plac. >> Uh this will be a roll call vote. Um Trevor, >> yes. >> Josh is a yes. Chris, >> yes. >> Hillary, >> yes. >> And Susie, >> yes. >> The resolution is passed. There's five of us. 5

116Okay. Levy certification. >> All right. Um whereas pursuant to Minnesota statutes, the school board of independent school district 2905 is authorized to make the following proposed tax levies for general purposes. Maintenance general fund 3,130,948.38. Community service $148,4412. debt service 4,774,23257 for a total proposed school tax levy of 8,53,621.97. >> Okay. I have a resolution introduced by Hillary Bris. I need a second. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. have a levy certification resolution introduced by Hillary Birds, seconded by Trevor Hone. Since it's a resolution, this will be a roll call vote. Um, Trevor, >> yes. >> Josh is a yes. Chris, >> yes. >> Hillary, >> yes. >> And Susie, >> yes. >> Resolution has passed 5. Okay. Uh, fiscal year 25 audit approval. I will seek a motion to approve. >> Okay. I guess we'll

117finish. >> I'll second. All right, I have a motion by Chris Flesach, seconded by Susie Rip to approve the fiscal year 25 audit. [snorts] All those in favor? I. >> Those opposed? Motion is passed. 5-0. Next, I'll seek a motion to approve the comprehensive achievement and civic readiness report. >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second. I have a motion by Hillary Birds, seconded by Chris Flesach to approve the comprehensive achievement and civic readiness report. All those in favor? >> I. >> Those opposed? >> The motion is passed. 5-0. January board organizational meeting. So I'll This is to um set a board work session in a special board meeting on January 12th. Um so I will seek a motion. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second. Have a motion by Trevor Hone, seconded by Chris

118Blessock to approve scheduling a board work session and a special board meeting on January 12th, 2026. All those in favor? >> I. Those opposed? >> I know it's after, but so the work session will be talking about the organization of the committees. >> Just because we set our new >> We have to vote early in January. So that's why the special session will be called right after it. So you'll have that conversation to realign. So, check that over in the next. [snorts] Um, >> can we get a >> update? Yeah, Brenda's reading my mind. >> She usually sends it out. You Yeah, usually send one out. >> That's why I brought it up so you look it over and then we'll talk about it at the work session along with the bond and then we'll

119do the um special session to vote when you're done talking. >> Okay. We dealt with the capital bond already. Okay. So, the 2627 school calendar. So, this is a uh motion to approve adding a third staff development date. the 26th 27th school calendar. >> Just to reiterate, the the two days that you just added on for this year were put back in the exact same spot. The committee wanted to keep the calendars almost identical year after year. Um and then it was I talked about it the the committee to have another day before um I don't remember what day it was on now. >> Before what? >> Christmas. >> No, it's in October. >> It's in October. >> It's October. So after data dump one, they're going to go through it full and then we

120decided to do it in March again, too. >> So no extra day at the end of the Christmas break like it is this. >> No, we it was fine for this year how it fell, but they felt it would be better used somewhere else in the next two calendars, give or take. >> Yep. And 2728 was also done at the time, too, but that one will be based on if this one gets approved. go to the next one. >> Just as a reminder, this the basic calendar has already been approved. We're just adding that we just marked off the third. Josh, there is should be a copy of it there. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't. Sorry. >> The committee just wanted you to look at it because they were interested in adding that October

121is it fifth or no? October 5th is a data day for staff. >> There'll be no school. Yeah, I can't. Yeah. So, that's the day. So, because of that, it's an extra day off for the students, which you added the two PD days that this would be a third, which will bring our student days down to 169, but staff stays at 183 and 186, I believe it is. And we're required to have 165. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, we're still for a me >> and we won't use we won't use them because we use e-learning days now for days. So, [snorts] >> well, what does everybody else do? Why did we fall over? >> Oh, let me grab my papers. Trevor here. >> Yeah, we're >> No worries. I got you. >> Oh,

122I have lots to say about this. Whoever has school this week should just ah okay. >> You affirm the calendar. >> I know I did, but I'm still going for the December 23rd. >> Okay. What do you want to know, Trevor? I pulled all the ones. >> I mean, is it normal that everybody's 3, four, 5 days over the minimum requirements? >> And we, as far as the people around us, I pulled all of them. We are all within a day or two. Like New Prague has one day off every month for PD. Um, it just depends on what district you look at. >> We were 108 to 17. >> I mean, we're not any different. It's just when you put those days or where you place them. >> Why do people go four or

123five days over the minimum? I mean, why don't we >> mind this here? >> Well, >> I mean, well, there's got to be a reason behind it. >> It used to be for snow days. But now we >> are online learning >> and then it used to be data online kids learn that has not >> over the time you see drop down closer grades require >> the minimum. Okay. >> Yeah. Because you have to have so many hours for different grade levels >> but it's dropped down because of e-learning. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> And just because you have five more days doesn't your scores are going to go up. >> Correct. That's what I was getting at. Why are we going 4 days longer then? Let's go 20 days longer. Well, really smart kids. >>

124No, no, cuz then they have to That would be too many in the teacher contract. >> Yeah. >> On those days where >> Can I make a motion >> to approve? >> Yeah, I'll seek a motion to approve >> the adding a third staff development. [laughter] >> What are we motioning to? >> The one. >> Okay. The motion is to approve adding a third staff development day to the 26th 27th school calendar and reducing student days from 172 to 169. I have a motion by Trevor. Right. Anyone second it? >> I do. >> You're welcome. I have a motion by Trevor Hol seconded by Chris Bllock uh to approve adding a third staff development day to the 2627 school calendar and thereby reducing student days from 172 to 169. All those in favor? >> I.

125Those opposed? Motion has passed 5-0. I will now seek a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:38 p.m. >> I make a motion. >> I'll second. >> Right. I have a motion by Susie Rip, second by Hillary Bzo to adjourn the meeting at 6:38 p.m. All those in favor? >> I. >> Those opposed? Motion is passed. >> Awesome. That was a long meeting. >> Mhm. Oh, sorry.