Albert Lea Area Schools - Board Meeting -December 15, 2025

001Well, welcome to tonight's uh business session uh meeting. Um is there any open form? Okay. So, I'll move on to that. So, we'll go right to uh approval of today's agenda. However, uh just one note on that. We're going to pull 10.4 on the back and add that on later. Otherwise, everything else stands as it is. So, I'd look for a motion to um approve today's agenda. >> So, move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I >> I oppose the same sign. >> Okay. Passes six. On to the uh Okay. And now we got five requests for donations. Mr. Derbot. >> Hi. Good evening. Uh thank you, Chair Clott, school board members, Superintendent Hy. Um so this evening, I just

002want to make a quick note that uh we had a little clerical error. The last year's November donation list ended up in the board packet for 24 and so we've got it now updated for public. It's posted with the agenda online, but just asking for the approval of the November the 25 November uh donations. So I'll read through those kind of been our recent practice just to recognize those making donations to the school district. So, um, the Sons of American Legion donating $250 to the Southwest Middle School Tigers Den. [snorts] Um, some generous donations from the FFA Feed a Farmer event. I believe those will go towards a uh a camp, Camp Courage. Um, ship grant donation uh to uh the Tiger Pride at Albertly High School. Uh, the Albertly Swim Boosters donation for um

003mental health. Uh, I'm assuming that's fun run. um there the mental health fund run. Uh and then Kuanas uh donation toward towards our early learning tuition assistance with community ads, $562.50. Uh the Blackbot giving fund uh $28 that's going to the Brookside Early Learning Special Education. Another FFA donation. Um and then uh Pratt Corrugated Holdings MCB uh $500 towards our esports. So just asking for your approval of those donations this evening. And thank you to those community members making a donation. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Dervan. Uh I'll look for a motion to accept our donations as read. >> Is there a second? >> Second >> and second by Angie. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I oppose the same time. All right. On to the consent [clears

004throat] items. And uh you've been provided those in the packet. So I look for a motion to uh accept the consent items as written. >> Second. >> Gary second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> Oppose the same sign. All right. Thank you very much. Okay. Off to number seven, Mr. Derban. All right. Uh so um chair clot school board superintendent hy uh it's my pleasure to introduce to you Riley Kudson uh with Smith Schaffer. Riley is the manager with Smith Schaefer CPA um and he did uh and his team did the bulk of the work on our audit this year. Uh reminder, last year we made the move to Smith Schaefer and it was a nice um um our prior auditor has um retired and so um we've

005had a nice relationship with Smith Schaefer over the last two years and uh foresee that continuing in the future. Um before I pass it over here to um Mr. Kenudson, um I would like to just um thank Smith Schaefer for their work. Riley and his team did a phenomenal job uh communicating to our office. As you know, there's a lot of uh you know uh obtaining files and passing those along and organization that goes into the audit. Um and it was very smooth process this year. Um and also want to just give a shout out to the business office staff, specifically Kaylee Gryom, our controller, who did a lot of the audit work for our team on on our side this year. So, um so I guess I'll with that I'll pass the torch and

006welcome Riley. >> All right. Thanks, Paul. Um Paul mentioned I'm here just to present the overall audit results for fiscal year 25. Um so on that first slide there we'll kind of give you just an overall breakdown um of the audit and what we had done here. So in the audit opinion uh the Smith Schaefer issued a clean unmodified opinion on the district's financials. Basically just entails that we had no issues with it um during the process. Okay. Um and then uh we provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that there is no material misstatements or free from material misstatements. Um we met with Dan and or not Dan, excuse me, Paul and Kaylee on November 20th to go over the overall financial statements which you all have a copy of the full financial statements. This

007is just a brief summary of such um along with the board letter there as well in front of you. Uh Minnesota legal compliance. So we test various areas um concerning collateral um conflicts of interest, public purpose um and we did not have any findings for any of those areas this year. Um the internal control letter um we report that you guys have annual financial reporting under GAP or generally accepted accounting principles. basically just is a overall encompassing um finding for we us preparing the financial statements on behalf of the district um just largely because it's not feasible for a really any district in the state of Minnesota to prepare their own financial statements. It takes a lot of extra effort to do so um and so we prepare those on behalf of you guys. Um

008we also did have a single audit in the current year. Um we did not have any findings for this. We did test the special education cluster along with the title one programs for um federally funded programs. Um student activity, we did not have any findings on the student activities. Um and then the audit committee letter, as I mentioned, that is in front of you as well. Um this basically just goes over um our significant risks, any estimates on the financial statements, if there were any disagreements, which there were none, um and any other um responsibilities related to the financial statements. On the next slide will be your average daily membership or ADMs um for the district. So as you can see um from 2020 you had about 3,491 students or ADMs um compared about 3296

009in the current year. Um overall you can kind of see that downward trend over since 2020. Um overall we're down about 195 students since 2020. Um but in 2025 you did have an increase in ADMs of about 29 students. Um in the top darker gray portion there of the 1584 um you increase about 41 students in those grades 7 to 12 students. Um in the grades one through six in the orange there um in about 1391 down about 11 students from the prior year. Um and then in the pre kindergarten and kindergarten you're down only about one ADM overall. on the next slide will just be your overall revenues. Um so in the left stack column there's going to be your property taxes. In the yellow will be your current year fiscal year 2025. Um

010so for 2025 we had about 9.4 million property tax revenues compared about 9.3 last year overall up about 134,000 um largely in your debt service as you have those new debt coming on um and attributing to your property tax levy. Um then we have the state aids overall about 50.8 million um in 2025 compared about 49.9 million in the prior year up about 930,000 overall largely attribut attributable to your general education and special education aids from the state. Um the federal aids you can kind of see the pyramid there is forming um from 2020 on through 2023 there. Um those were what we would call the COVID years. So there is a extensive amount of federal funding received by many school districts throughout the state. Um so you can see that's sort of trending down

011as those programs have slowly come to an end here. Um 2025 was the last year of the major ones considering like the esser programs, supply chain assistance, other federal programs that um funded the district for a little bit there. Um but overall in 2025 had about 5.1 million compared to about 5.5 million in 24. Um so down about 400,000. Again, that's largely related to those programs ending um between fiscal year 24 and 25. And then your other revenues overall um this just includes your investment income from other local and county sources um and some sales and conversions of other assets. Um this totals about 3.4 million in 2024 about 3.2 million up about 200,000 there. Um largely related to some additional medical assistance funding and some youth skills training funding. So overall, 2025, you had

012about $68.8 million in revenues. That's up about $894,000 from the prior year. On the next slide, we'll just give you kind of a pie chart breakdown here of those revenues and how you this district receives their funding. Um, so as you can see, the largest portion of your funding is coming from the state. That's about 74% of your funding. Um, not much change there, about a 1% increase from the prior year. Um that 1% comes from the federal. Basically just swapping spots there. Um but overall about 74% from state, about 7% federal, um 5% other, and then about 14% property taxes, which will be your other largest source of funding. On the next slide will be your property tax levy. This is just the overall history of the property taxes um levied by the district.

013Um so in the far right column will be your 2026 or fiscal year 2026 levy. Um overall that's about 9.8 million compared to about 10 million in the prior year. So down just about 200,000 there. Um in fiscal year 26 compared to 25. On the next slide will be your expenditures. So these encompass all your funds excluding your building construction and debt service um expenditures. Um so I'll just kind of hit some of the highlights here. So administration overall in the purple there is going to be your 2025 in the administration portion on the far left that's up about 185,000 from the prior year obviously related to some salaries um support services gen overall about the same uh regular instruction you can see a slight increase there that's about 562,000 increase in the current year

014largely related to some salaries and benefits consulting fees and transportation additional costs Uh, vocational instruction, not much change there. Um, at special education increase, that's about 893,000 this year. Um, about 417,000 at its salaries, another 300,000 related to benefits and some additional consulting fees as well. Uh, instructional support um that actually went down this year about 300,000 um largely related to tech devices. Again, this was using some of those co funds that received in the prior year um to purchase those additional tech devices for students. Uh pupil support up just a little bit there about 170,000 overall lar transportation costs. Uh sites and buildings very similar. Uh fiscal and others slightly very similar. [snorts] Uh your food service up or down, excuse me, about 78,000 largely related to fewer food purchases in the current year.

015And then community service is up a little bit about 89,000 um largely related to salaries. So overall in fiscal year 25 about 64.9 million in expenditures compared to 63.2 million um in fiscal year 24 about a $1.6 million increase or about 2.67%. On the next slide we'll just give you a breakdown of the general fund activities. So in the blue there is going to be your revenues. Yellow is going to be your expenditures. Orange is going to be your transfers and other financing sources and uses and then green um will be your change in fund balance. Um so in the blue there overall on 2025 revenues are sitting about 60.2 million compared about 59.3 million up about $950,000. Again largely related to um state sources and then a slight decrease in your federal sources. Uh

016expenditures then at about 60.5 million compared to about 58.8 million. that's up about 1.7 million the current year. Um overall largely related to salaries and benefits about 1.2 million there in those combination. Um so overall in the current year the general fund had a decrease in fund balance of about 241,000. On the next slide will just be a breakdown of your general fund fund balance. Um so in the blue there is going to be your unassigned fund balance. Uh the red will be your restricted and non-spendable fund balance and then the green is going to be your committed fund balance. Um in the blue there, so in the current year about 6.76 million of unassigned general fund fund balance compared about 6.98 million in the prior year. That's down about 200,000. Um overall that's about

01711.64% of your current year expenditures um per the board policy. So you are just slightly below that 12% goal. um in 2025. Uh the restricted balances in the red there total about 1.39 million. Um this includes your restricted requirements by the state of Minnesota along with non-spendable spun balances which relate to prepaids or inventory related items. Um and this year we did have a pretty decent size increase in your prepaid balances. So this is just attributable to spending your dollars before the expenditures are attributable attributable to the current year. [snorts] Um and then in the green there as you can see you had some fund balance there um related to some Q comp. This is now a MD restricted fund balance. So it's just moved from that committed fund balance into your restricted. On the

018next slide we'll give you a breakdown. There is a lot of different um restricted fund balances that the state requires. I'll kind of just hit some of the major ones here. Um so your student activities um on the far left there in the green will be your current year. I'm sitting at about $229,000. Um see little bit left or no balance there in the safe schools, excuse me. Operating capital um about $264,000. Um LTFM that is still negative. That's in about 313,000. But we did have a transfer in the current year related to the LTF funding for the 2024A bond as that first year payment is related to LTFM funding as your property taxes have not been allocated towards that in the current year. Uh medical assistance sitting there about 61,000 there. Uh scholarships and

019about 260 16,000 excuse me. Um and then the ATPPS this is going to be that Q copper related committed fund balance. So, we've added in the prior years that were committed just for comparison there. That's sitting at about 107,000. Um, and then on the far right, you can see there's just singular stacks there. Those are the new um related to some new aids by the state of Minnesota that require restrictions. On the next slide will be your food service fund activities. So, similar to the general fund, the um slide previously, the blue is going to be your revenues, yellow expenditures um and so on. So in the current year about 2.59 million in revenues compared to about 2.8 million that's down about 289,000 again [snorts] largely related to your federal funding as some of those

020programs have stopped mainly being the supply chain assistance that was about 90,000 in the prior year. Um we did have a decrease in some sales to pupils as well along with our summer food service program. Um expenditures in about 2.5 million compared to about 2.6 6 million. That's down about 78,000 overall. Um largely related to food and milk supply purchases over the year. Um overall the food service fund added about 45,000 in fund balance. And then we did have a transfer this year to um relieve some of those delinquent um student accounts that have gone negative. On the next slide, we'll just show the overall fund balance of the food service fund. Um, so in 2024 we were at about 937,000 and in 2025 about 983,000. On the next slide will be your community service

021fund activity. So revenues for 2025 send about 1.9 million or excuse me 1.82 million compared to about 1.76 million in the prior year. Um so up about 64,000 um largely related some pathways um additional state aid um but we did have a decrease in our property taxes related to community service fund. Um expenditures sitting about 1.8 million compared about 1.78 million in the prior year overall up about 89,000 largely related to salaries there. Um so overall the community service fund realized a loss on the year of about 40,000. On the next slide is a breakdown of that community service fund fund balance. Um so about 254,000 there in the restricted fund balance along with the community service fund balance of about 40,000. Um so the yellow there is a decrease about 68,000. [clears throat] Um

022largely related to community ed being down. Um but we had some increases in our early childhood and family education [snorts] um school and then decreases in school readiness and adult basic education. Um and then that community service fund balance is up about 28,000. On the next slide is just a breakdown of your debt service fund balance. Um so in the orange is going to be related to your QAB bond. Um the 2014 I believe >> um 2014 bond. This is accumulating over the years. Um you guys get proceeds each each year um related to this bond as you um nears its um payoff date which is in 2029. Um so that fund balance will continue to build until the payoff date through the issuance of investments and you guys are investing to pay off that

023bond as well. Um so that's sitting at about 1.2 million and then the normal debt service is sitting at about 789,000. On the next slide is just a breakdown of your building construction funds. So, we did have the issuance in the prior year um and we spent down a majority of those funds, but as of 2025 or June 30, 2025, we had about 500,000 um remaining in those building construction funds. Uh the next slide is going to be your health insurance net position. Um so, this is sitting at about 3.4 million compared to about 3.5 million in the prior year. Um so, down just about 60,000 there. Um and then the final slide I have for you guys, just a summary of kind of what we've gone over. Um so general fund expenditures and other

024financing uses exceeded our revenues by about 240,000 overall in 2025. Um your UAR's unassigned general fund balance is sitting at about 6.7 million or 11.64% um as your board policy describes. Uh the food service fund revenues exceeded the expenditures by about 45,000 in the current year. Um ending fund balance about 983,000. Um the community service fund expenditures exceeded your revenues by about 40,000 in the current year. So ending fund balance in about 294,000 and the building construction fund has about 503,000 remaining in fund balance. That is all I have for you guys tonight. Any questions for Riley? Riley, I've just got one on page eight, [clears throat] whatever. Slide 8, nine, whatever. I just had made a note on here. Was this, and maybe I grabbed the wrong one. Was this the first year, maybe

025Paul can answer that, too, that we've had now more expenditures than we have revenue? page 11 maybe I'm on. >> Nope. So if you >> That's food service. Go ahead. >> You can see in the 2023 you had a slight deficit there as well. And in 2021 you also had a >> you was a general. I wasn't thinking of food. I said food. It wasn't I said too but okay. I was just looking at our revenue differences from the first page. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any other questions? Seeing no other uh questions, let's see. This is a action item, so I need a motion to uh accept the and to approve our uh audit report. >> I'm on the finance committee. I'll move to >> two finance committee members, Mal

026and Gary. Thank you. Is there now any discussion? I just have a question. It's more for Paul. >> Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but when we have a high enough balance, a fund balance in food service, does it require a spend down? I'm remembering that I thought we spent down >> last year. Am I >> correcting? So, we made some efforts to increase our expenditures. Um, even with that, we're still seeing increasing fund balance. Um, and I believe it used to be six months operating costs, but I believe there's talk of refining. Was it three months? >> Correct. >> Three months operating cost. So, we will um when we come forward with a revised budget, probably make some recommendations to increase our expenditures and fix year 26. >> And um, Chair Clot to to

027your point, I I believe it was on page eight that you were referencing with the general fund >> four in your packet. Okay. >> Yes. Um and it it has happened two prior years where we've seen that expenditure succeed. But in that those scenarios, our fund balance was a little bit healthier and you didn't feel the impact as as much. >> So it would have been back in 2021 22 maybe >> uh 2020 2021 school year and uh 22 23 school year. Okay. >> Correct. >> I just when when Riley had mentioned that I saw the 58 I see the differences and that's what I want to clarify. So >> any other questions or comments? Okay. Seeing none, we have a motion on the table. All [clears throat] those in favor signify by saying I.

028>> I. >> Oppose the same sign. >> Thank you for your time >> presentation. Okay. All right. Here we go. Number seven. Now we're Oh, no. I'm sorry. Number eight, curriculum instruction. Mr. Gaskin. Good evening. I get the honor tonight to talk about one of our many trips we're having this year where our students are getting the opportunities to travel uh to sort of get a little more world exploration in them. So the trip I'm going to talk about is going to be led by Peter Sonnenborg. It was a trip combined with our French club and Spanish clubs. It's going to be leaving right after the end of our school year this year. Uh the plan is that the 14 students and four chaperones are going to be flying off to Paris. They'll spend a

029couple days there where they'll get to explore the many, you know, memorable sites of Paris, Eiffel Tower, Lou, that type of thing. Um they'll be heading down the Royal Valley to see, you know, examples of French castles and chateau. Work their way down to Gaskin and the Basque country to a little bit different culture down there. They spend two, three days there, head over to Barcelona and sort of finish with a little bit of a immersion in in Catalonia and Spain. So, um, very excited. Um, it's going to be an awesome trip. I say that as a member of that trip. I'm excited. Um, my my wife was also invited, but uh, they chose the administrator over the OB when it came to skills, so I get to go. So, I know I know she

030was she's very hurt by that, but so [snorts] but no, uh Peter's very excited. I know the the students have been um you know, it's been building since last spring. It's being run by EF Tours, which is a group that we have used in the past, reputable group. Peter's very comfortable. It allows them to do all the logistical side. He gets to focus on getting them ready linguistically, culturally for the experience over there. So, it's going to be a fantastic trip. Like I said, one of many that we have planned. I know Teresa is going to come up and and uh talk a little bit about hers. Uh Ken Fiscus, I believe, is going to come in January and talk about his along with Carissa Blizzard's domestic trip, if you will. So, um very exciting

031that we get to have those opportunities for our students. Theres. >> Hi, I'm Theres Netzer. Um, I teach Western humanities, college and schools, Western humanities and honors composition. This is Maisie. Maisie is the senior at the high school and she's coming with on the trip to Italy. Uh we are going for spring break this year. Um so we're really excited. We fly into uh Milan, then it is there's four places. Let's see. Milan, then Venice, then Florence, then Rome. Um it's going to be so phenomenal, especially because we get to study so many of these things in our class. And so to see these in person, um is just going to be really terrific. Maisie has been working very hard to fund raise. She's seen some of you guys at some of our events. We

032just did the holiday bazaar at the Broadway where she sold caramels. She didn't want to speak. That's why I'm kind of slowly talking. Do you want to give a little shout out or? Um, well, I worked very hard cutting and packaging and wrapping these um, caramels and I did bring some um, forgot the word >> samples. Sorry, in case any of you wanted to try. [laughter] >> We thought we would It's not Italian Caramel, but we thought we'd bring you a little sample if you wanted one. >> But me and all the other girls are very excited. Um, we're ready to experience the new food, the architecture, and the scenery. So, >> yep, that's all I have. >> Would anyone like some samples? >> Yeah, you go do it, girl. >> Pass them around. >>

033Thank you guys. >> Dave, while she's passing >> Yes, I am. I brought them away. >> If you're interested in buying, you can just shoot me an email. >> Okay. $5 a bag. >> There's eight pieces in each bag and they're all five bucks. >> So, and and just for the future, just for the future, we'd like to invite anybody back to give a presentation about their trip, what they saw, and what they did. I think the board would enjoy that a lot >> along with our [snorts] community. Thank you, >> Sean. Before you leave, I just have a quick question. So, this Oh, thank you. Um, so that was my question. If we have students that want to participate in these trips and they are maybe have some barriers to be able to do

034that, are there programs are there besides for fundraising that might be a barrier too? Is there are there opportunities for to support? >> There are some. Yes. And I know Peter um worked early with some of those families that identified early on that this would be something their their student was interested in but would needed some assistance. Um EF Tours offers some scholarship opportunities limited. Um, and then I know Peter has also worked either, you know, on that fundraising directly with that student, um, but to just sort of look for some some other community opportunities for for them to raise because, correct, we we want to make sure if you have a student like that, we do everything we can to get them an experience that's that's truly unique. All right, let's head over to

035uh reports. Dr. Hy. >> Thank you, ladies. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the board. Um [clears throat] appreciate the opportunity tonight. Um so, in front of you, um we're kind of getting we we tested um strategic plan. I I spoke with a couple of different uh groups in the community. Um I brought that uh packet. I showed a different way to look at it and that's um what you have in your hands. Um but um if you remember last board meeting, Kim asked about um I kind of called it the super person um icon and I sent Kim a text. um groups that I went to uh a couple of community groups um and talked about with community members um feedback came back of it looked either either they thought it looked too athletic

036or it looked a little bit early childhood or elementary. So, um, when I asked why, because I wanted to have feedback why, um, a lot of our community, uh, adults my age or older said they they thought the compass provided direction in their mind and they thought that readiness, having a direction that that they kind of like that a little bit more. So, um, I kind of left the compass in there because I kind of got the feeling, um, from our community members that they they like that a little bit better. So, um, in front of you, I do have a color copy in case anybody wanted to look at it, but I do have a friend that's in marketing, and he always would would tell me, "Look at things different ways." So, I thought

037I'd print it in grayscale once um, and hand that out to you. It's it's in its colored version up there. But sometimes looking at something just slightly different catches your eye. So, that's why I provided grayscale um, to the board this time. Um, nothing's really changed with the the vi the mission, the vision. Um, I do have the local examples there. Um, the wording is all staying the uh same because I'm the I'm getting a lot of positive feedback about it. Um, so I think the work that we've done over the last couple of months um is holding true. Um, the icons um what our priority areas and core value statements are um and then our daily desired experiences. And we had changed that with some feedback uh to families and community and made those

038um statements um more family and community based than just a family based uh statement there. Um so testing wise um it's coming out feedback from uh teaching staff is you know it's great but show us how we're going to live it right and so that that's kind of my job right there on how to do that. Um, so just kind of as um as we're kind of looking at the new year, um that'd be a great time to roll out. So probably the next time you see this, I'll have that little booklet redone and I can get you advanced copies of that. Um we have this and if you'd like copies in color, I can get you that, too. Um but I can share everything online with you. Um also, um but I just thought

039black and white you might look at it and read it and catch something in there. Um, but I think we're we're really close to to rolling out. I think around the new year be a great time to kind of roll out uh fresh um and then maybe do a board adoption at our next board meeting um if we feel that that's this is strong and this is the way we want to go. >> So feedback. >> Thank you. Schoolboard member reports. We'll start with Kim. >> Well, just uh feedback on the strategic plan. Sorry. >> I would just say I'm okay with the change of the or not changing it. Yeah. But you know I my roots are early childhood. So that was [laughter] >> I thought it was interesting feedback that either they came

040back and they said it looks like it's all athletics or they came back it looks like it's geared more towards elementary. And I mean even some of our wording I had elementary and preschool people come in like college and career. Well where are we? So like we said of prek12 learning and so we kind of had to keep that that full vision um of that going forward. So okay well I'll get everything ready and then we'll we'll have a stronger roll out and then we'll start to connect this to everything we do. Um I can tell you there's a lot of community members that said it's refreshing. They like the take that we're going with it. They like how they like we used what was asked for them because I had several community members. I

041remember doing this a year or two ago. Thank you for showing me how it fits going forward. So um e-learning uh snow day conversation. Um it's a little bit about having a new guy, right? So I just kind of went you don't make changes as you're going. So we had a few conversations about this before. Um, but then it became very evident that as a board, um, the question was coming to you last year. It just never got to you because somebody wasn't here to have the conversation with you. Um, but I had some uh, teaching staff and some support staff ask me privately through email, why not a snow day? Why an e-learning day? And so when I asked the question, um, everybody said, 'Well, the board's really never had input on do you

042go five e-learning days? Are there any snow days built in? Do you prefer a snow day or two first? Do you prefer an e-learning day? Ultimately, that conversation um comes down to, if you kind of look at my um second, comes down to um student contact hours. So, the way you figure that out is um a at the high school level by statute, you need to have 1,020 contact hours um minimum. For uh that's grades 71 12. For grades 1 to six, you need to have a minimum of 935 hours. And for kindergarten, you need to have for all day kindergarten, you need to have a minimum of 850 hours. So what you do is you can't count lunch but you can break down your school day. So if you take the high school uh

043if you take lunch out there that's a total of 6 hours and 5 minutes. So it's a total of uh 365 minutes. You multiply that times 171 days that we have um in session right now. Um and I was having a lot of fun doing all these calculations today. So um so that's a total of um 62,415 hours which equates to 140.25 hours. Then what you have to consider is um PEFES uh anything you do during the school day that's not uh student contact classroom academic um related. So that leaves you with a total of 20 hours of wiggle room. So with that total of 20 hours of wiggle room would just be my suggestion that we stay with e-learning days and we don't look at the actual just snow day. Nobody ever does anything

044because if we ever get audited and we had to go back and count everything, I bet that 20 hours gets eaten up pretty quick at the high school level. You got a lot of wiggle room at the elementary. the one6 level and the K level. Um, but that um, not that I want to make it lack of conversation, but on the current calendar, just having 20 hours extra is not a lot of wiggle room when you consider pep fests or kids leaving for for states so they have those pep fests or homecoming when you do different things, a parade, all that. So, that all takes away from that contact instructional time. Any thoughts on that? >> We are doing calendar committee which I'll reference here in a couple. So if you were to say no

045in we could figure it out. >> I like the wiggle room as you said. >> Yeah. >> I really have felt over the last few years we've continued to cut out days where we're not seeing the kids. And I'm very would be happy to add one or two back to make sure we had that's just my opinion but got plenty of I mean the kids are here to learn. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's what we want. Spend time with them. >> So, >> I would agree with Dave. I would rather see the days added back in so there's a little more cushion and um I've heard repeatedly that kids don't get a lot out of the e-learning days. So, >> yeah, it it's tough. Yeah. So, since we have to have it off, um you kind

046of do a minimum with e-learning days, but there's at least something done. I know at the Hy house on this e-learning day, most of all my kids were done by about 11:30 noon somewhere in there with everything they had to do. But my wife said they got up, they got to work, they got their stuff done, they were done. So they did do some academic stuff during the day. Okay, that leads us to e-learning documents. What I did find out through some questions uh from staff was that uh e-learning days weren't standardized. So I have some uh documents and I'll I'll provide those to you privately. Where they are right now is with ALA double-checking everything from the union standpoint and they're just kind of word smithing everything. um and the principles will look at

047it tomorrow. And then once I I get that, my hope is to bring it to the next um um session that we have so that you can have them so that if we want to go ahead and do depending on what ALDA wants to do, if there's anou or or it's just something that is a board, we say this is how we're going to run e-learning days in conjunction with um uh the teaching union, then we'll we'll go forward there. Um, but there's an overall school district vision for e-learning days. There's um an FAQ for students, uh, staff and families. And then there's a there's an elementary like early childhood elementary and then a middle school, high school checklist for students, staff, and parents so that it's not so loosey goosey or that um, people

048at least have an idea of what's expected on e-learning days. So outlines it a little bit more. Um [clears throat] calendar update. The committee met today for the first time. Um we uh talked about priorities. So we talked about uh at that meeting they did talk about some of the professional learning community meeting times. Um ATPPS uh ALA um the elementary the middle and the high school all all kind of are asking some different questions about professional learning community meeting times. Uh so we had that discussion. Um some information will go back to those committees. Um we talked about conferences. Um the feedback that we heard about conferences this year and and very publicly I got a lot of feedback uh from some early childhood parents. Um and the educators they each each early childhood

049educator has 20 kids in the morning, 20 kids in the afternoon. They had a total of max of 10 minutes to talk with each parent. Every single one of those parents said, "Wait, that was not enough time." Every single one of my teachers said they were stressed because they had so much information to give and not enough time. Um, elementary uh um teachers said uh they were they were between 10 and 15 minutes. There was not enough time. Um high school, middle school, they were okay because people pop in and out um a little bit. Um but again, same issue that you have with middle school and high school parents. Not enough show up, so a lot of sitting around. Um so we did have the conversation at the calendar committee of going back to

050our elementary has a full day and two evenings and where the high school and the middle school have the two evenings uh per semester. Um that seems to be what our parents are used to and like. Um it seems to be what the teachers think they get enough time to talk about uh with parents to have a good conference. Um so that again is going to calendar committee. Um not I don't think a single person even the parents that were there today. They were all like it worked better uh before. I don't know if you have any input on that for as a board. >> [clears throat] >> Um and then uh what what we kind of did as um just kind of a workshop with the calendar committee was if you take out all

051the gray and all the red days and you just leave in the days that we have to have off or where the spring break would be that leaves you with 180 days of student contact time. So that's roughly or roughly exactly 1,095 hours and then we start. So this is how I've done it in past districts. So you start with that and then you go, okay, if you're going to have conferences and it's two full days out of the elementary, you subtract those um 12 hours out and you just kind of work your way backwards. um that way you can kind of see how many days are left, how many are there based on what different groups say their needs are for the uh calendar. And so we'll kind of work our way through there

052and as we get a little bit closer with that committee, I'll bring you updates every time I can. Uh we were just kind of in the priority setting. Um so we showed them how if you work through that 180 days and then some of the different needs that were met. Um, and I think, um, going back to what Dave had said, um, that's how we can ensure that maybe we're a little above 170 or yeah, 171 days and that we're starting to add some of those student contact days back into the ca into the calendar. So, the the gray and the red days will go back to professional development because I'd like a little tighter this is what we do on those days and that's the expectation. um now that we're starting to inch our

053way out of the mandates of the read act um [clears throat] and that'll lead into my next conversation here. But that's kind of how we work with it. Uh teaching staff still has 168 days on contact. So we still have six days of professional development during non- studentent contact days that we can account for. So [snorts] and then mathematics curriculum. Uh the first we're up we're due for um a mathematics curriculum review. Um so Tanya and I have sat down and talked about uh the curriculum review. Um what we need to do, it probably would have started at the uh second half of last year, but we're in a little bit of change here in the district. Um so we're getting uh the committee together um here on Thursday will be the first meeting. we

054will start setting our priorities and what our schedule will be. We'll be using a little bit of an expediated schedule um to try to look at mathematics curriculum. We're doing a prek12 look. Uh Tanya and I have met with um early childhood, all four um elementarymentaries, the middle school, and the high school to see what their needs and their what their individual needs and priorities are. And now we're going to pull the full uh committee together of everybody and have represented representation from all the different grade levels, all the different buildings um to start to look at what curriculum's out there, what looks good, can you reach out to other colleagues, can you get some recommendations? Um that'll that review will start now till early spring. By early spring, we hope to have it down

055to one or two, possibly three different uh textbooks or different curriculum companies to look at. Um there we'll start an in-depth review. We'll invite them in. They'll give presentations. Um uh we'll have teachers start to go through the curriculum. How does this look for your grade level? Um once we get that down to one or two, then we'll also invite community in. Hey, if you want to look at our resource can kind of come in and look at these two or these three. That's what's being considered. There's no decisions made. Um and then the board, this will come to the curriculum committee and the board committee. So, you'll get all this information too. >> [snorts] >> Um, what Tonnie and I hope to do is try to narrow it down to one and if we

056have to two to do a pilot in the first half of the year next year to try to narrow that down to what really works with our students and what do our staff believe. Um, in full transparency, we could wind up with a curriculum that's uh prek that's uh prek, K5, K8, preK8, preK12. We could wind up with a separate curriculum for the high school that they think works better for what they do at the high school as long as it aligns and matches up with what's happening below. So, we have all those grade levels working together. And I think it's very important in this that they do that our high school teachers know what's happening at the middle school and the elementary and that our elementary school know what's happening at the middle school

057and the high school and that our middle school knows what's happening on both sides so that they have a better idea of how the curriculum works together and a full um strategy prek12 and really builds these learners just like witten wisdom will start to do as we start to align now at the upper grades. um with what's coming to us. So >> this committee involves staff from K through 12. >> Yep. Yep. It'll be Yep. So and they they we gave them the ability. So part of the listening sessions was also to tell them here's where the first meeting will be. We we're going to set our priorities, set our meeting schedule, and then we made sure they all knew we need all of you to participate. So, um, from all the different buildings and

058all the different grade levels. So, I'm looking forward to it. It's a fun process. It's a hard process. It's daunting, but it's a fun process. Thank you. Did you One quick question. Have you do you have a curriculum you've used different times that might be introduced to the school that we consider? Um, what we're doing right now, um, I'm [clears throat] not stuck on a a specific curriculum. I It's I I've told people this a lot, whether it's a school schedule like a a high school, middle school schedule. I've I've I've personally taught and been an administrator of a few different ones, or it's a or it's a curriculum, like a specific curriculum. Um, I always I I can tell you the best schedule and the best curriculum, um, the best way that these things

059are done, if you want to find the best one, it's always the one the teachers believe will work with the students they are teaching. So that's why you can go to some communities and I'll just use an example. I Ready math um, Otana uses it. Otana believes in it. They love it. You can go to other communities and there's Bridges Math and they just love Bridges Math and they swear by it and it's just the one that their teaching staff believe works with their students. So my goal through this process is not what Steve Hy thinks is the best is what our teachers collectively come together and they say I believe this curriculum works and I know it will work with our kids and this is what we agree will work and then once we

060build that consensus then we'll start moving down that path. So, thank you. >> And Steve, this might be more of a question for Tanya. Tanya, when's the last time we had a comprehensive review of math curriculum and a change? >> It might even be a better question for Mary Joe told us 20 years. Oh, >> I don't remember the exact year every day math came in because it was already here when I came to district office and then with the MDE had been under a seven-year standards change for the last 30 years. But with COVID and really the social studies standards caused such a halt in the standards process at MDE because they couldn't get approval. So that seven years went on to 10 years to 11. Finally got approved recent, you know, I don't

061know last year, the year before. And so it really skewed everything we had in place. It just skewed it off because usually you had a one-year focus for each content area. Well, social studies, wait, they're not going. Wait, this is an extra three years. So, that's when we started science. Well, we got to get going. So, it really put a lot of districts. So, in front of me, Gary, I don't know, but it's been a long time. >> High school staff >> drop every day to what we have currently. Um but yes, there was a number of holdups at the state level with the cycle of standards. And then um the other reason we're partially behind um Steve mentioned our transition in leadership last year, but also the focus on literacy. So the state also

062made some changes there with the read act and so that became district's priorities um to adopt literacy. >> All right. Right on to um schoolboard member reports and we'll start with Kim. >> Thank you. Um I attended the policy committee meeting um and we're going to review those tonight. Um and then I'm looking forward to taking advantage of some of the winter activities we have coming up. That's it for me. The education foundation has been active again. We had a meeting uh was it last Wednesday? I believe the same evening as the task force met as the task force me met in the large room at the fieldhouse and we met in the small room at the fieldhouse. Anyway, the probably the one of the most significant outcomes of that meeting was the the foundation

063board made recommendations about scholarships. Uh Jess Hatland at the high school is uh mostly in charge of that program at the high school and she sent me an email today along with uh to uh with all the other scholarship people that uh are involved in the organization scholarships. Um because that's going to go public I think sometime in January pretty quick. So we have to have our ducks in a row. Uh and so we did the the board uh voted on uh recommendations for the number of scholarships to be awarded and the amount typically those are prescribed but sometimes as a result of various uh developments there's a fund balance in a scholarship fund which which would accommodate more than one scholarship or or two scholarships or whatever is prescribed and and maybe adjust the

064so occasionally We make minor adjustments there. Bottom line is that um when the the dust settles, uh the education foundation will spend in 2026 somewhere in the neighborhood of $220,000 in scholarships. Um and that's that's encouraging. Um I will not [laughter] make the curriculum committee meeting this Thursday because I'm going And that was uh changed I believe from previous for due to bad weather last week and I have something scheduled so won't meet that. Um that's enough. >> I did not have any committees this month. So I'm heading to Halverson again though Wednesday. Got invite in invited back by the teachers uh because I walked through with principal Larson a few weeks ago and the teachers reached out like you need to see the whole language. black. Okay, I'll be back. So, uh, I'll be

065back Wednesday. Okay, thank you. >> Um, I don't have any committee meetings either, but last Wednesday, Neil and I did meet with Superintendent Hy and Director Durban to talk about some ideas on how we could potentially save some costs in the future on our health insurance premiums. So, good discussion there. And then I sat in on another round of negotiations with the custodians which we'll talk about in close session. >> Yeah, we had the finance and policy committee. I was braced for that curriculum committee meeting last week. I had snowshoes on. I was ready to go. I'll be there. >> I'll be there. Um attended a facilities task force meeting last week again. attended the um MSBA delegate assembly with Angie and Dave and again what >> yeah it's a big deal um I would

066encourage other board members to attend it it's just a great opportunity to uh learn about what issues other school districts are wrestling with a lot of it is leaves and uh there was probably 10% had to deal with PSO and college in the schools and maybe being restrictive on what students can do and none of those passed which I was happy to hear about. Uh uh heard the corral perform at the all service club lunch and boy one of the strongest corrals I've heard. Men are always good but this group was just impressive. Took in some boys hockey. Um, also the uh I shared the news with Jess that the uh creating entrepreneurial opportunities uh met two significant goals and Steve's been on that steering committee with me. Um first they hit the nine donors

067for with $45,000 to get started and to be participate in that program. And then yes last week they hit 35 donors that are will provide essentially three years of financial support. So the next step now is some training that that company will engage with the school district and al also business people in the community and oh I also participated in e-learning with my uh prek four-year-old and this must be an inbuilt instinct but he right away when I took the sheet out because we were taking care of him because mom and dad went to work he immediately tried to distract me from working on that worksheet. So, something's going on, but we got we got through it. Got through it. >> Uh, just a couple things to add in. Uh, I've had some task force

068meetings. I missed the last one due to surgery, but I figured figured I'd make this one. Um, the MSBA um, when we go to the conference this year, we've I think you probably saw last year they were they were doing some recordings and all of this stuff. They're trying to promote public education in Minnesota. And the company that we hired initially didn't turn out to be the company that they should have hired initially. So, we've got a new one and a gal they hired from um in the MSPA office to put it together. My comment is please stop by and give a two to three minute what public education means to me and they're going to go ahead and broadcast these over the state and at different things. and we did a bunch of that

069last year, but I think it ended up being proprietary material of some some sort and the other company hung on to it. So anyway, that's that's one thing. And then and then our delegate assembly and just a real quick clarification, uh it's been a great thing that the three of us been able to do it. Encourage others if you're interested. It's not what what it basically does is we take these 39 this year resolutions. you go through them and you talk through them and then you vote on them and it it's just basically builds a platform for the MSBA legislative committee to go on. And adding to that also in March, if you've been at the delegate assembly or not, we do have a day at the capital if you'd like to come up and

070just kind of hang out and talk to our legislators up there. It's it's a great time and it's a just a to me it's just a whole different feeling to be around the hill. So anyway, um other than that, uh no, that's all I got. So thanks everybody for the month and uh we'll move to our girls. Carly here first this time. All right. So um our next issue of the Alahasa is coming out later this week. So that's really exciting. We we as staff me staff members, I'm sorry, um worked really hard on it. Um, we have an upcoming um, field day on Friday because we um, got enough food during our food drive. So, that's really cool. Um, our blood drive was unfortunately cancelled due to the snow day, but it's being rescheduled

071in February, so that's again really exciting. Um, I went to Tiger's Roar. Um, saw a lot of talented students. Um, and I'm also going to the band concert tonight. So, that's really that's >> Alandra. >> Okay. So, first starting off with the food drive. Our first goal was to finish by the first week of December, but we were 3,000 pounds short. So, we called two emergency days. Um, but one of them was the snow day. But in that one Tuesday, we raised over 4,000 lbs of food in one day. So, our food gra goal was 16,000, but we ended up bringing in more than 20,000 lbs of food. A majority of that food will go back to some food shelves, but a good amount of it will also go back to high school students that

072are in need of food during the holiday break. That's really exciting. Um, during our field day on Friday, we're going to have a dodgeball tournament with the final game being the halftime where the winning flexes get to pie a teacher of their choice in the face. So, if you need fundraising opportunities, pying people in the face will get you good amount of money. Um, hockey is in full swing. All our sports are in full swing. They're all doing pretty good this season. I have a band concert and orchestra concert today. So, 7:30 we're all out of here. I I recommend I recommend, you know. [laughter] So, maybe we do have to play for candy bars today. 7:30. It's five minutes away from here. >> 7:30. >> Hour and 30 minutes, guys. We can do this.

073[laughter] >> And that is all I have. >> Andra, she takes such good care of our baseball team, too. So, thank you. That's how we get to know each other. Great cookies, too. All right. Um Oh, uh teacher, uh report. Do we have a team or principal? Principal. There we go. I see him there. Okay. So, I have the clicker, don't I? Love this. Okay. So, a lot of times I think my role um as a principal, and those of you who know me well know that this is one of my grounding statements here, that it's not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those people in our charge. I think that's an important reminder especially around this time of year because we know that um people are managing a lot outside. So

074taking care of our staff so that they can manage the students because that's indirectly how I support students is through my staff. Um so leading with that that is a quote from Simon SK. Um when I did the state of the schools presentation I think that was back in October. Um we just kind of talked about where we're going and what we're committing to at Hawthorne. Some of the things that we committed to and I shared at that meeting um were building collective efficacy and on purpose. Um we just did our initial data dig and our initial surveys um as a staff. That was interesting to dig into. Um so our HRS level one team as well as our HRS level two and three team are the ones who are digging into that data and

075then um mobilizing some of those action steps as a result of that data. and we will take data on that again um kind of mid year like February, March I guess it wouldn't necessarily be mid year and then towards the end of the year as well. So we'll have three data points with that. Another thing that we said we're committing to is using data to drive every instructional decision and really with an emphasis in literacy. Um and then the final commitment I shared at that state of the schools address was bringing families in as true partners. So I'm going to kind of talk about where we're at with some of those things and some of the action steps that we're currently taking. So can I um our commitment one was this collective efficacy and why

076it matters. I kind of screen captured some of those priority statements from our Tigers um strategic directions. So specifically this relates to grit and empowerment. Um and for those of us who maybe don't have a pulse on what collective efficacy is, I don't know if I can click like okay. This is just a short one minute video I wanted to share that I shared with my staff as kind of a grounding video. It should only play for one minute. That's what I at least queued up. John Hattie is [clears throat] most well known for this massive research study he did where he looked at the factors that have the highest impact on student learning. In the 2015 version of his study, he found the number one influence on student achievement to be the teacher's belief

077in whether or not a student could achieve. Haim Ganat has influenced me since I first read what he had to say about the relationship between teachers and their students. I know this quote by heart. I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. The late Dr. Rita Pearson is well known for her TED talk every kid needs a champion where she talks about the human connection in teaching and the absolute need for us to believe in our students in order for them to succeed. So Haim Ganut claimed that the teacher is the decisive element in the classroom. Rita Pearson calls for a collective belief in our students and John Hadtie studies

078conclude that the number one impact on student learning is what the teacher believes about their students ability to achieve. So what happens when we put all of this together? What does this actually look like? Thanks. Sorry. I thought in our presentations we could just make it it like cues off at one minute and then it stops. Okay. So we can see here and this is just visible learning at its finest. There's a chart right there that you can see that collective teacher efficacy has um a high high effect size, right? It's one of the top effect sizes and we know that anything above a point4 effect size has a very high, you know, high effect. So this is why collective efficacy matters and this is why at Hawthorne as their leader, we are really digging

079into this work and what that looks like for us. Again, grounding it in data. What do we perceive of ourselves? What do we perceive of the teams that we work with? and how are we going to change this belief that kids can so that we can have better outcomes for kids. All right, our commitment two was that data-driven decision-m um so we have two components obviously related to the science of reading and specifically Scarboro's rope. We have that word recognition, language comprehension. So obviously we're using Whit and Wisdom for language comp and then for word recognition we're using really great reading. So some tools that we're using to make data dri driven decisions aside from any of the formative classroom data, summitative classroom data or universal screening data is we're really being intentional with our

080teachers. Um so we have been doing those guided observations for leaders. Um our last one was what November November. So, some tools that are coming out of there, um, we do a keep, stop, start kind of debrief as a leadership team after we finish all these rounds. Um, one of the starts at Hawthorne is to make sure that in all of our coaching sessions, we're using um, what is called the TLP, the teaching and learning progression. So, that little graphic where it says the implementation phases. Um, in my coaching sessions with teachers, when I go through my observation cycles, I am doing it on literacy. I'm making them if they are a you know core classroom teacher. Um and I use this teaching and learning progression for us to um further evaluate beyond our instructional

081model of Marzano where we're at with specific implementation of wit and wisdom. Um another tool that you see there is the wit and wisdom walkthrough tool. So that is a tool where again we are being really specific about our implementation of wit and wisdom and its health. Um so kind of a health implementation check. So those are happening as well. Um then we are coming up on our next set of instructional rounds at Hawthorne. We are focusing on literacy and specifically wit and wisdom. So kind of um allowing teachers to learn and grow from that process and replicating some of the things that we as leaders have learned about healthy implementation of the curriculum. Um and then another component of this is we are doing um data digs. It will come up on our next

082data dig actually as a whole group here in January when we return from school. Our teams are individually digging into their data here actually on Thursday. But that little colorful capture below wit and wisdom is just some of the slides that we've used to guide that work at our level two three team which is an effective teaching in every classroom team. Um but that's also now what we're going to share with our staff in January now that we have new data. Um, and then again, the word recognition component of this is really great reading. So, kind of replicating some of the things that we've learned through our Witten wisdom guided observations for leaders. So, you'll see there's kind of that purple, bluish, greenish, I don't know what color you want to call it, but we

083want to make sure that our um word recognition curriculum, really great reading, is working at high levels. So, we've used some of those scales like are we um implementing it with fidelity um just for lack of a better term and where are we at in that progression? Are we emerging? Are we developing? Are we achieving? Um so, I know my instructional coach has been doing those walkthroughs. I've been doing those walkthroughs just to do a health implement implementation check of really great reading and that part of Scar Bro's reading rope. Um so, you can kind of see the walkthrough tool is also right there too. So the again the teal purplish bluish is the data that we're getting from these observations. So you can see the school as a whole but then the tool that's

084below with like the lime green up top is the walkthrough tool that we're actually using when we're walking into those spaces. So kudos to Amy Schumacher. She has whipped these things out and really helped us to be very intentional about making sure we're making data driven decisions for our teachers and how we can support them. Um our next step and I had um Gemini generate this image for me is the vehicle to do a lot of this work subsequently is PLC's right so how are we going to take this data and use our PLC's to inform those everyday decisions in our classroom. Okay. And then our third commitment is this bringing families in as partners. And this I think aligns to all of those priority areas. So you can kind of see that that's captured

085up at the very very top there with all of those little graphics. Um some different things that we are doing. Um our HRS level one team does monitor this. Um we're becoming a little bit more systematic though through our work of the Minnesota Department of Education and their family and community engagement team. We call it the face team. So, some of the things that we've done this year is we have done parent interviews for um multiple different demographics and that was something that kicked out of that face team through MDE. The face team gave us an interview protocol and we interviewed all different subgroups. Um, every person on our little task force had a group they were going to interview. So, that was an interesting interesting thing. Um and then we developed after that an

086action plan in response to some of the responses that we had generated from conducting those interviews. So that MNM MTSS it's kind of that middle picture there um planning template captures some of the work that we are doing there and just like any strategic plan and has action items and a timeline that our team um is meeting monthly or sometimes more frequently if we need to to implement those action steps. Another um layer of this too is definitely our PTO who has rebranded themselves as a spark. So there's just a newsletter. Um some of those PTO members definitely want to get involved in the face components, but I think that the face components are a little bit they go a little bit deeper, right, than just planning the fun events or bringing the bounce house

087to, you know, for the back to school picnic. So um but that is also a part of our family and community engagement is that team as well. So um and then we know that our our kind of motto this year theme this year is one team one dream. So we just have some other fun things happening. We have leaders at all levels. We have three different leadership groups for our students. We have our conflict managers, our student council, and then we also have a student news team. So our kids don't ever really hear announcements from me unless it's absolutely needed. But our PA system is not very great. Anyways, um but they have a student news team who records and broadcasts a news announcement every single morning. Um and our conflict managers, they have little

088purple vests. If you ever see them out and about, they are using secondstep problem solving steps to help our kids. And then our student council members have so many ideas we have a hard time reigning them in to get them focused. Um we've been doing some partnership opportunities with Thorn Crests. They absolutely love love love us. Here are our third graders who are singing um Veterans Day songs over at Thornrest. And then just a shout out to our We have an EL teacher, multi- language learner teacher who does an absolutely fabulous job. Here's just a she sparks joy in her space every day. There's multiple other instances of spaces um sparking joy as well, but just you can see I mean it's hard to see if you don't zoom in, but kids are just lit

089up in her classroom all of the time. And she is really doing a fabulous job of connecting specifically to wit and wisdom, which I spoke to earlier and being that connection for those kids to then integrate into tier one instruction with just such fluidity and ease. And I just want to shout that out. So that's all I have. questions. >> Yeah. >> No. Good. >> Very good. Christy, how are you? >> Hello everyone. Um just wanted to share with you a little bit what Sibi is doing the last couple of months. Um, right now we're finishing up our fast assessments. Um, and then our grade level teams will take all of that data and they will work through the MTSS process and create some new um, interventions and like really really targeting the supports that

090those students need based on that new data. Our fourth and fifth graders recently took the CAPY assessment which is brand new for us. Um, so our staff is now building their understanding of how to interpret that data and what we need to do to assist our students. Um, we have grade level teams completing Whiten Wisdom module studies. Um, and that's going really well. Um, they've really dug deep into that and are starting to understand the whole process of Whiten Wisdom and I think we're we're we're gaining some great knowledge from that work. Um, we are celebrating a lot of our data um has come out real positive and we're celebrating that on Wednesday morning with staff. I'm I'm ordering them a breakfast. [laughter] Um, but we also have student council that's been planning some activities

091for the students, especially on that last day before break. [snorts] Um, they've done a very successful mitten and glove drive. Um, they've also done door decorating contests that we're in the middle of. So, if you're wanting to walk around, I enjoy I would enjoy you to come and see some of the wonderful doors that we have decorated this year. Um we have um the students are outside a lot and I don't know if you guys had a chance to listen to um my radio talk this week. Um so the the kids are outside playing a lot. We've got a lot of sleds and things for them. We've got the perfect hill right alongside Sibly. So they're outside playing quite a bit, you know, for recess and things. And um that just helps a lot with

092their um mental health, their engagement in in school. as long as they can get out and move and get that fresh air, um that [snorts] really helps with um supporting their environment in school with with their learning. Um and based on that, we have I have some more data to share. Um just wanted to I I brought it up before when we have our RNR um calls when students become disregulated or not wanting to be in the classroom for whatever reason, um they go to a place that we call regulate and return. Um we did that last year. So I compared last year's data to this year's again um where for the month of November we are at a 20% decrease in engagement calls and also in December right now just the first 15 days

093we are at a 37% decrease from last year. So we're seeing still lots of improvements in that. Any questions? um you know guest teachers who come in and substitute or the retired teachers who are doing the fast testing. I've heard from several of them and very complimentary of you principles of making and teachers in the build of staff in the building making them feel very welcome and just what you said of the reduction in all your um the calls in the building. They said the environments just feel calmer. So thank you for everything you're doing. >> Perfect. I'm I read with interest the Minnesota student survey results that came out and it's positive and the fact that students are feeling more connected with their school in a positive way and incidents and mental health related

094issues seem to be declining and between you and I think another report we had about the decline in deregulating issues for kids. I'm hoping that just our reflection of what that Minnesota data is showing that kids are better. They seem to be in a better place. >> Well, I think we're we're also giving them some tools that what we've done with the regulate and return is the staff there are trained in lifespace crisis intervention which also then works them through which when the kids come in, it works them through an intervention and kind of figures out, you know, what the problem is, teaching them the new skills and and having them go back. So, yep. Any other questions? >> Thank you, principles. All right, moving into number 10, effective and efficient operations part two. Um,

095we've got some policies for review and let's see, Ashley, come on up. Sheila, >> good evening, Chair Clott, school board members, Superintendent Hiles. So tonight we have a number of policies for review um and also revisions. Um so as uh school board member Nelson uh mentioned, we did have a policy committee meeting uh November 15th, 17th um somewhere around there and those uh policies that you see here were brought to that committee at that time. So um Director Ree is going to be here talking to us about policy 516. >> Okay. Good evening. Policy 516 up for review student medication and teleaalth. U Minnesota legislature replaced the words auto injectors with delivery systems and that is aligning with the change in statute as well. Everything else in the policy is remaining the same but throughout

096policy they replaced got rid of auto injector and replacing it with delivery systems. Any questions for me? Give it to Tanya. >> Okay. Good evening. I have four policies up for review this evening. First is policy 418, which is the drug-free workplace and drug-free school. Um, this policy is simply an update due to Minnesota legislature amending the law. So, it now added tribal medical cannabis and the comprehensive cannabis education program was previously in the policy. All MDE did now was provide us with resources. Um, so policy 418 is a legislative update and MDE resources. Policy 531 is the pledge of allegiance. There are no changes to this policy language. This one was just due for a review. No changes in the policy language. Policy 621. Another update to the Literacy and Read Act. The primary

097changes in this policy are in how districts can use their incentive aid. And now as part of um the changes the reporting changes and how we have to report at the end of the year. So each of those are reflected already in our local literacy plan. But we now have to also report how we use our funding specifically for our readact funds and our literacy aid funds. And we have to outline all of our training. So, how many staff were trained, um, offered training but did not complete training. It's a pretty comprehensive list of how we're utilizing those funds. Um, and then the final update in the literacy um, and read act is uh, it more clearly outlines the characteristics of dyslexia um, which is a more comprehensive description of it. And then the final

098policy for me is policy 802. This is disposition of obsolete equipment and material. The reason I'm bringing this one forward today is the change in this policy is there is now an addition that if we have uh books that land on the disposition list um we can now donate those surplus books. So surplus books provision has been added. So we can donate them to families. We can donate them to charitable organizations that have 501 um C3 which previously was not in the policy. So it allows us to donate them. Those are my four questions for me. Okay. Thank you. All right. And the last two uh policy 507.5 um really speaks to school resource officers. So in that policy, it does indicate a September 1, 2025 um timeline for resources for peace officers who will

099be in the role as a school resource officer. So now this policy just adds what those resources are um through the state of Minnesota. And then policy 722 does talk about um requests for public data. That is a legislative change. So, um if that is a heavy data request, um a school district has the opportunity to work on chunks or portions of that data request and if the requesttor uh does not come pick up or inspect those items within five b business days, um the school district can pause on processing the rest of that that data request. So, um it really kind of puts more of a firm timeline um when we starting to see those big data requests throughout the state um with school districts. So, uh for tonight, we are asking for your

100approval um to these uh policies, revisions and review. >> So, moved. Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I >> and oppose the same sign. >> Policies carry. Thank you, Ashley. >> Thank you. >> So, we will move to policy 712. This is the final review. Um, again, video recording other than buses and this was again reviewed at our November 17th policy committee meeting. Um, again, that is a recommendation for approval um by the board tonight. Seeing none, all those in favor signify. Signify by saying I >> I >> oppose the same sign. surgery doesn't do good to my throat throat. >> Keep going. >> All right. And then tonight we are asking for our first reading um of really looking at policy 10190. So that is a local

101policy that we have had um with the district and replacing it with MSBA model policy 610 which regards uh or is in regards to field trips. um committee again reviewed this uh when we're looking at our local policy, it really did focus on more of a procedural aspect. So those checklists um things that an adviser would need to do um get information to the superintendent really MSBA model policy does also encompass that um but also those um instructional field trips um supplementary field trips um really as a whole. So this would be a first reading um and we would bring back for a second and final in the future. So, just for example, like [clears throat] we had the two presentations today. Believe it or not, you've already okayed those to go a while back

102and it took us a while to find the actual minutes where it said those those were going. Um, and then we'll have two more field trips. One is approved. Um, so it it just kind of interesting. But for all of that, we still had a lot of people that didn't even know those field trips were going on. And that's why I think it's important that they come present it to the board. you can ask questions, they can provide itineraries. Then we know where our students are going. More importantly, our community knows all the offerings that happen uh for our students. And it allows you all to kind of ask questions um and and really get an idea of why are we taking the trip, what are we going to accomplish um over just taking a

103trip, right? So >> So those field trip descriptions were consistent with this uh [clears throat] new language then, correct? Yeah. >> So, major magnitude is that just the maybe I'm confused on that. So, when I read the the policy 610, it talks about instructional field trips. So, like an elementary field trip, it now says if it's an instructional field trip, the district is funding it. So, does that include PTO funds or dis are principles aware of this? Thanks Tanya. >> Yep. >> So the major magnitude I'll let Dr. Hy speak to the language of major magnitude involving across state lines or overseas. Um for elementary we have a builtin budget for two field trips per grade level per year. one out of town and one in town. And then anything beyond the one in town

104and one out of town is either grant funded or PTO funded. Does that Did I answer your question? >> Yeah. So, those field trips won't fall under this policy fixture. >> No. Um, as long as they don't cross state lines. Um, and none of our field trips will cross state lines moving forward. We did have one kindergarten group that did go to St. Anser this year. um for a pumpkin patch. Um but we'll move that back to make sure that we're within state lines. So this wouldn't apply to any of our K5. >> Yep. >> Or we could just >> or we could follow [laughter] if we had to. >> Yeah. Um so [clears throat] the one of the important things are is um I think as a as a superintendent as a board we

105should be acknowledging any time um there's a trip where students stay overnight and or cross over um state lines um especially if they're flying halfway around the world too. But we should acknowledge that and have a conversation about those trips um and should know that they're going on. Um they do impact insurance a little bit. Um, and there's some other steps that have to happen in the business office for those. Um, excuse [clears throat] me. So, sometimes on some trips, even with bus companies, sometimes bus companies can only go so far in certain places. So, so those impacts, you just can't say, oh, in three weeks we want to do this. So, there's some implications for that. And so, we just want to make sure that everything is very transparent and what we're doing. On

106the flip side of that, it's very nice for the community to learn about all the things that our students do. So, there's kind of two two parts to that. Any other questions? All right. That lays as an action item also. So, I'll look for a motion to approve the policies as read and discussed. >> Some move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Any other discussion? >> Is this an action? >> Oh, sorry. >> Sure. >> What are we voting? >> This This is a first the first It's got action right over here. Oh, you're right. That was 712. Well, okay. We don't need one, but thank you. First reading. There we go. All right. Let's see then. 10.5 then, Ashley. >> All right. Uh, good evening, Chair Clatt, school board members, and Superintendent Hiles.

107So tonight we bring forward um for approval the 2025 2027 master agreement for the licensed practical nurses association. Um as we previously shared with you, this agreement includes a few clarifying language items throughout the contract. Um also addresses longevity and an increase to wages uh for both the 2526 and 2627 school year. Okay, this one I will look for a motion then approve. >> So move Nola, is there a second? >> Second. You got second. Gotcha. Any discussion for the master agreement? Okay. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose the same sign. Okay. carries. All right. Okay. So, it looks like um the next uh part of our meeting will be in close session. Uh persuant to Minnesota State Statute 13D.03 labor negotiations. Uh thank you for coming tonight. Our

108next meeting will be I don't have written downs. >> Next year. >> Oh, next year. It'll be in a couple weeks. >> That's okay. >> No, that's fine. January.