001The order of the regular meeting of Independent School District 695, Chisholm, Minnesota. And could you do a roll call, please? >> Director Kragness. >> Here. >> Director Lappi. >> Here. >> Director Rohach. >> Here. >> Director Randazzo. >> Here. >> Director Rice. >> Here. >> Chair Casey. >> Here. Thank you very much. We have one special guest with us. Who will be addressing the board with the guest question? Is Brenden going to get Ms. Brenden in the minutes, too? Uh moving on. Item two, approve the agenda. I would like I would like to make one change or two changes. Uh under personnel, I'd like to add in Katie Pierson as a 1.0 special ed teacher. I would also like to pull off the consent agenda uh item I and move that to administrative business under
002D just because it's a resolution. With those changes, I would entertain >> And you're moving it to where? >> Moving it to administrative business. Uh >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second. >> Motion by Director Lappi. Seconded by Director Randazzo. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. Opposed? Motion carries. Item three, anybody else here for public comments? Seeing none, we'll move on to We'll skip over recognition of guests and visitors. Moving on to item five. Approve the site agenda. Minus item I. These are the minutes of the May 11th, 2026 regular meeting. Revise the operations of secretary job description and board action for flight secretary class one versus secretary class two. Item C, approve termination of paraprofessional Kim Mackey effective May 15th, 2026. Approve a name change for Payton Worley from step
003five, lane F to step six, lane G effective September 1st, 2026. Item E, motion to hire Casey Osborne as bus driver effective June 1st, 2026. Approve a leave of absence, item F, approve a leave of absence from Education Minnesota for librarian Abby Albert effective July 1st, 2026. Approve a leave of absence for Susan Preston Item G, revise the leave of absence for Nicole Olson sick. Item H, approve PSEO contract between ISD 695 and Lake Superior College for 2026-2027. Approve item which will now be item I. approve the property and liability and workers compensation insurance coverage for Marshall Spender agency for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and authorize payment of the contract premium for these policies of 225,000 $92.99 which represents the 2% decrease from fiscal year 2026 rates and item
004J policy 534 school meals and so we review and then we will change this. It was read and and changes made. Can I entertain a motion to approve these consent agenda? >> I'll make a motion. >> Motion by Director Randa Satter. >> I'll support. >> Motion by Director Holly Simon. Any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Item six reports. >> Laney, do you have anything >> Laney. >> Here. Ms. Friend, do you have any report? >> A little one, yes. Um a huge poll, I don't know if for PSEO, I know we just did registration for CIS classes and PSEO. I know a huge poll for at least the people that I know are going is that the classes are a semester and not
005spread out through the whole year. I know personally that's why I chose it and I talked to a bunch of other people and that's why they chose it. So I don't know if we can change that or if that's just how it is. So that's why people chose PSEO over CIS classes. >> And some other small issues, correct? >> Yeah. >> And we can discuss them later. On a later date. >> Uh activities director, Mr. Rocky. >> Hello. >> Hey. >> Uh there's a couple of things. It's a busy week this week. Um baseball is uh playing down at Waite Stadium today. Uh they are tied one to one in the fifth inning right now. Um still the J win and play again. So, if I get scooted out of here right after my report,
006that's I'll be heading that direction. Uh tomorrow track has their um sections, so we are crossing our fingers in anticipation of some state competitors coming out of that meet. Um our girls um have a blank slate to make it. So, um I I don't know that I'll be down there at all, but yeah, Mr. Wilson, Mr. uh Seror and Stish keep me updated pretty well. So, I'll post to Facebook as soon as I get word of of any uh of any potential state competitors. So, that's exciting. Um if baseball does win today, they will play again on Thursday regardless of whether they win or lose. Second the second game cuz they'd be in the double elimination portion at that point. So, um so yeah, lots going on. Kickball tournaments tomorrow. Um graduation, lots going on.
007Um couple of notes for you that you'll see probably at some point. Maybe I don't Do you guys have two meetings in June or do you suspend it to just one? >> No, we're two. >> Okay. So, maybe your second meeting in June, I'm I'm working on tweaking the um policies that we have in place um, with our fees and our, um, stuff. So, I'm kind of going through the language on those. Look at that. Some small leaks in there. Um, also, uh, I'll provide an update at that same meeting on balance. Just so, um, I have to start educating people. So, once I have the registration built for that, I'll do a I'll actually do a video where I register someone. Just so people can watch, you know, and then do that. Since we're
008not going to accept paper registrations, everything's going to be online starting next school year. So, um, we're starting to educate the public on that. Um, and then, um, I just did the high school league resolution made it on there. So, um, we have that. Um, yeah. Let's, um, Oh, and then I want to mention one more thing. So, the golf, the Blue Streak Scramble is Friday, June 26th. Um, uh, that is also Day of Action Day here in town. And so, um, you know, I certainly encourage, um, people to do both like I'm going to do, and volunteer, uh, in the morning with Day of Action, and then, of course, play in the golf in the golf scramble afternoon. So, we pushed it as late as we could, knowing that it was a dual event
009that day, and I certainly don't want to push anyone away from from that Day of Action. It's an important day to make sure the community is as clean as it can be, and and projects get done. Registering for the golf scramble, you just have to get a hold of me, uh, to get your team registered, and, uh, we'll send out the information out in the mail, and so, we'll just wait and see. but usually we get about 13 or 14 teams that that typically sign up for that. It's a It's a good event, so I'll be here a lot. Thank you. Working on that stuff. So, yeah. That's about all I got. Unless you have questions. >> I don't, but Travis, I'm going to add to your uh miss friend. It's her first time in
010pole or high jump pole vault. And she made it to sections. So, she's going on tomorrow and it's her first time doing it and she just started in the last few weeks, so >> Perfect. >> Mhm. >> That's the way to go. >> Thank you. >> That is not easy. >> No, let me do it. We have so many good weekly teams. Watching them at track is been amazing. >> 7:00 >> on Friday. Yeah, I'm still looking for one more chaperone. for the opening prayer. >> Cindy, we usually come a little bit earlier cuz we get flowers and everything. >> Uh any reports by committee members? Okay, hearing none. Uh Superintendent switch. You're on the docket. >> I don't have a ton to report out today. Um just kind of keeping you updated on a
011few things as we're going through. One of the big ones that you're going to see is a resolution that's on your agenda later on in this meeting. Um but it's completely related to the bus garage. Um and so, I just wanted to make sure that everybody is aware of what we're we're looking for here. So, the resolution that we you'll see on the agenda is a resolution to authorize us to apply for and accept funds from the IRRB to help in the bus garage. So, what will happen is in this funding is part of funding, there's two big different pieces. The first piece is a joint collaboration between the city of Chisholm and their public I guess it would be public works storage more than anything. It's where they store their garbage trucks, things like
012that. On the same piece of property, we would put up a brand new bus garage. Um and that the goal is to have that as a collaboration so that in our existing building that will be on that property, there'll be a joint wash bay so they can wash their their dump trucks, their garbage trucks, our school buses, things like that. And in the building that they have on the property, there'll be a joint lift where our school buses can pull right onto that mechanical lift, lift them all the way up so we can do our maintenance on staff and send them instead of needing to send them out for servicing. Through that, we think we can save money in the utilities and the land acquisition cost, in a joint fuel tank. There's a quite a
013few of efficiencies that help both the school district and the city. And so, if that resolution passes tonight, it's will be on tomorrow's IRRRB board meeting agenda already at a 9:00 vote. If it doesn't pass tonight, they'll pull it off of the agenda, but if it does, it'll be voted on at 9:00 in the morning um at the tune of about 4.4 million dollars of money coming from the school collaboration fund. So, there would be no impact to our taxpayers at all, nor would it come from the pre-existing referendum funds. This would come from a new pot of money that is available through collaboration with the city of Chisholm. So, that's one thing that you see. Within that pot of money, there's an additional set set amount set aside. We would actually keep our existing
014bus garage as well. So we'd keep that bus garage. We take down the existing carpentry shop. So when they do the demo of the CE, you'd see the carpentry shop go down. All of that stuff would move into the pre-existing bus garage. So for a period of 1 year, all of three or four buses would need to park outside, which is not ideal. We're well aware of that, but it's a small growing pain for a long-term gain. But what would happen is once those buses all move down there, we'd still keep the bus garage. And that's where we would have our snow removal, our lawn care removal, our carpentry shop, some additional storage that we we've identified as a need. And hopefully two or three of the stalls would become existing or additional CTE auto
015maintenance shop space for our classrooms. So a lot going on. Again, built right into that school collaboration fund with So fingers crossed that all goes well tonight at our board meeting. Tomorrow at the I3R meeting. In addition at the I3R meeting tomorrow, kind of out of nowhere, we got a call today. These are the best kinds of calls to get. They called and said, "Hey, just want you to know that Chisholm is on the on the docket tomorrow as a budget line item that if approved, which it's expected to approve with 100% approval, we'll get a one-time payment of another $118,240 just for next year." It's a positive to us, but you know, to be completely transparent, because of a reason that negatively impacted our region. So typically tax funds are dispersed on these funds
016are dispersed based on taxable tons of taconite. And so 25, little over 25 cents a ton are are taxed and then redistributed out to projects at the mines or projects in the cities or projects in the school districts. Well, two of our local mines, Minorca and Northshore, have closed. And so typically what happens is they have to vote each year how to use that money. Minorca's union votes. Northshore's union votes on how to use that money. Well, they closed and so now that money's been just sitting there in this pot that nobody had the authorization to distribute. And so through legislative act, now the IRRRB can redistribute that. Um but like I said, I think the important thing to understand is is it a great, you know, one-time deal for us? It is, but it
017it is a it's huge negative impact um to a lot of our families and so you know, for those of you that that were impacted by that, it's it's really no small feat. Um that's that's a big hit to the to the communities. So, big things happening at the IRRRB. Um so it's very interesting to watch the inner workings of how that goes um and that process um of how that plays out. Um so we'll be looking at that. In addition to that, um you know, just kind of wanted to touch base just a little bit that we did start to see our CIS numbers go up. We haven't necessarily seen our PSEO numbers go down, but I think we found maybe one of the reasons why that might be. Um but our CIS numbers
018went up a little bit and part of that's because um 10th graders are eligible to take classes uh in CTE. Um and that hasn't been previously advertised to our students and so this year we pulled every kid that was eligible for that, explained what they were eligible for, invited them or their families to ask more questions, and we signed up about 15 of them for their first PSEO class. A lot of it's like intro to health care, that kind of a class. Um and then that opens up additional CIS. And part of that mission is that if we can get them connected here to CIS courses on the campus that we're hoping that over time they will continue to stay. And interesting, a lot of our juniors and seniors this year have said, "Wow, if
019that would have been open to me and I would have understood this, it may have changed my trajectory." Um so again, we're not going to see that realization right away, um but we're trying to turn those pages if we can um to try to keep our leaders here on campus if we can. All right. Yeah. So that's a big one. Other than that, um building moves going on this week. Huge building move from the Von Steuben's room up to here. Um we've got about 16 kiddos that are taking daycare um from the K2 building. So I'm glad that we offered that. How did that go today, Bev? >> Good. >> It went pretty well. They were excited to be here. They kind of wish they were able to sleep in like their friends, but they
020were still in good spirits. So that one that one very well. Um most of the boxes are getting um moved over. We have a few more to go, but most the teachers we asked them today, "Is there anything you're waiting on?" And they all felt like, "No, we had enough to keep themselves busy." So we'll just kind of keep turning that over um as far as the CE building goes, we've got one more day that we're allowed to be in there. Tomorrow's it. Um so the auction items will be picked up tomorrow um and then TNT Construction will go in, get rid of anything else that goes in the dumpster, but effective after tomorrow at midnight, none of our staff if you are not a contractor, you cannot step foot in that building. Right? So
021if you need one more opportunity to say goodbye, tomorrow is the day that you are going to want to do that and that includes the public because the auction is going on. If you really need to come in, the world is not going to crumble, we'll make it happen. Um and you can go there, but it is a construction zone and so you just need to be very, very careful. There's a lot going on in that facility right now. Um but you'll start to see orange fences go up next weekend um right after graduation. Orange fences will go up all around the entire perimeter, um which means the only way you'll be able to get into any of the K-12 facility is through the door by the district office or the door by the new
022playground. Every other door until probably the beginning of September will completely be off-limits because of the demo and reconstruction that's happening in this area. So, a lot going on this summer. >> be done before the Isn't the the grand opening? >> Grand opening? >> Well, it depends how rainy of a summer you have is what I've been told. They have about five to seven rain days built in. If we have a really rainy sunny or summer, we could be in trouble. Um, because they're expected to be done on the 25th. Um, if all goes well, if there's more than about seven rain days, we could be in trouble. So, Mother Nature, please be nice to us. >> Yeah. >> So, Pam, can you email the door numbers that we can get in? >> Pam, there's
023>> door numbers either of them right now. Yeah, so there's cuz everything's getting new door numbers at the same time. >> open back >> So, it's where the one that says fitness center? >> Oh, okay. >> Um, >> Or the one into the band room. Sure. I don't wander on that much, so >> Or the one back to you. >> Most of the doors are locked. >> Yeah. >> Or the one into the new cafeteria. >> Or the new cafeteria, you can go in back there or you can go in over on this side. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um, and so there's a lot going on here this summer. There's, you know, there's safety town, there's camps, there's ballet camps, there's all kinds of things happening. Um, over the summer, so it
024is going to be very busy. The building is able to be used. You're going to hear quite a bit of noise. There's a lot of tuck pointing and window replacements and roofing and reconstruction and demo and paving and it's a lot. As of right now, we're going with probably a a no. We couldn't guarantee them that it would be able to handle the professional sound that they wanted because we said we can't stop construction. We just don't know we can do it. Um, so they were going to get back to us on what they wanted to do. So, um, >> And what day is the wrecking ball day again? >> They don't have a specific day yet. I should know that. I would venture to say I will know that by Friday. Um, and we
025will make sure that that wrecking ball day is very, very, very public because I know lots of people that just want to sit in a lawn chair and watch this thing happen. Um, it's expected to be if all goes well, it's actually expected to be sometime next week. Um, so it'll be next week. If it's not next week and they need a little bit more time, it'll be the week after. Um, but abatement's done. All the all the the ballasts are out. Um, so there's no lights in that facility anymore. Boilers are out. The water is drained. I think that's what it'll be like when they put up the barrier. It's It's a big one. >> So, the windows in that facility, are they all coming out or >> The ones that can be reused
026are coming out. >> They're coming out, yeah. >> Yep. And the ones that can't be reused, like they maybe don't fit the measurements or things like that, then those will go with the building. Um, earlier this spring, um, the board authorized that resolution and change just because, um, it cost more money to take them out and reuse them than they were worth. Um, because they no longer meet code. As new as they are, they still didn't meet code, um, because of the changes in how painting works and energy efficiency works, um, as we start to retrofit, so. >> Did you pass on to the board the other good news out of the omnibus funding bill? >> Remind me which one? >> Question one, 100k. >> Oh, oh, yes. Thank you for bringing that up. Um,
027so in let me pull it here. So, what he's referring to here is um, if you watched any of the news, you heard about the minerals bill and everybody's like, what what is it? It it was a big deal. The Iron Range got a lot of information and a lot of money from the minerals bill, but nobody really could make sense of what all the pieces were. So, as it comes down to this particular site, um, oh, I got two more things actually. That is related to the permanent school fund and so what happens is um, two pieces of this. So, Mesabi Metallics, are you guys familiar with Mesabi Metallics? If they start producing taconite by the end of December, by December 31st, then we will see a payable increase in FY27. If they don't
028start producing till after January, we'll see a payable in FY28. But what um, he's talking about is because Mesabi Metallics isn't in our backyard, so the way taconite dollars work is you only get the taconite benefits if that is in your your school area and Mesabi Metallics is not, it's over by the Greenway School District. So, our legislators and our um, the Costin's Group, the lobbyists that worked for us, um, really were thinking ahead and said, well, if HibTac goes down, our district could lose a ton of money. They're going up and that's really good for them, but how do we make sure that, you know, schools like Chisholm don't end up losing money that we've relied on for decades, decades. And so what they wrote into that bill was an annual allocation of $100,000
029annually that comes back to this particular school district once Mesabi Metallics goes up, but it's not based on tonnage at all. It's just a guaranteed allotment of money, which for the foreseeable future is a great pot of money. As inflation keeps going, it might not be as great, but as of right now, um that is a great pot of money that we can count on um as we start to move forward to that or help kind of our general fund is moving forward. >> So, is it only limited to >> Only limited to us and Ely. >> Oh, wow. >> Us and Ely, so it was very specific, very, very specifically done. >> Okay. >> Um So, there's a fund there's some changes on that and you'll hear me talk about this a little bit
030more in July and August and September and October leading up to our election because the permanent school fund is an element that you'll see on the ballot in November. So, it's not guaranteed money until our voters vote yes. So, this permanent school fund has zero impact on our taxpayers. It just changes the algorithm of how money from that pot is distributed out. So, we're using an algorithm right now that was created in 1871, which worked really, really well at that time and and up until the recent years it actually worked relatively well. Um now, we're seeing a little bit change of of change instead of using interest and dividends, using bonds um and and kind of using capital gains as your algorithm. Um and so, if that passes, we'll see some change in that, which
031will result in a little bit of an increase for us, too. Um so, there's some possibility there. The other thing that you're going to see on your agenda today is two things. It's just It's been a very fruitful last couple of weeks is the Owens Foundation and that's another piece um that's on your agenda to determine whether you'd like to accept the funds or not. But, um Mr. Vakki and Mr. Casey and I went to the Owens Foundation in Hibbing and pitched a few ideas to them of different things that our school district could benefit from if we were able to be the recipient of their grant funds. And one of the things that they really bought into was the idea of increasing our workforce related to health and human services, specifically related to the
032health sciences area, the CNA lab, the healthcare field, things like that. Um and so what they have awarded us as long as we choose to accept it is about $190,000. Um and that $190,000 is just to update science labs and bring them to the state of the art and update the CNA lab and bring that to the state of the art. In addition to that, they gave us a $50,000 challenge grant, which says if we can find one more grant that will give $50,000, they'll give an additional 50 and as a $100,000, they'll work on the sound and the lights upgrade for the auditorium. So, a lot of good things going on. It's very, very busy. There's many, many moving pieces. Thank goodness I have my business manager because he just deals with my crazy
033wins and figures it out and smiles and and keeps going. Um but Um but yeah, things are great. Um so this year what I've told a lot of people is, you know, I'm an academic girl by nature. That's where I spend my That's where my heart is in the academic field. This year has stretched me for sure because I have now become the the real estate capital and and building construction girl. Um but we had to spend a lot of time this year on our buildings, which was something that needed to happen and and work on some systems. Um but I've been working pretty diligently with our staff and especially our leadership. We have our plans in place that next year, you know, we have to do some of this stuff too, but we've got
034to move into academics as our primary focus next year. So, um the end of the >> What is that $50,000 actually? >> It's all >> There is no date. >> Oh, that's There is no date. >> So, um I figured I would start talking to a few local people first, um but um a lot Most of the grants come live in early fall, and so we'll kind of be looking at it a little bit then. I don't know. Exciting. Yeah, that's good. >> I am all right. >> I see it. That's good. >> Any other questions for the superintendent? Uh item seven under personnel, we have one item, um and it is uh an attachment to the memo of Katie Pearson as a 1.0 special education teacher, effective August 26th, May 26th, contingent upon receiving
035a Minnesota teaching variance and a rate of pay of 29,993. I'd like to entertain a motion for that. I will. Motion by Director Lappi, support by Director Raha. Any discussion? Hearing no discussion, all those in favor of this signify by saying aye. >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Under new business, uh item eight, resolution number 26-5-26-01, authorizing Independent School District number 695 to apply for and accept funds from the I C L R School and Community Development Fund for the Shared Public Works / School Bus Garage Project. >> I make a motion. >> I'll support. >> Motion by Director Friday Simon, support by Director Rice. >> Director Friday Simon? >> Yes. >> Director Lappie? >> Yes. >> Director Raha? >> Yes. >> Director Randa Satter? >> Yes. >> Director Rice? >> Yes. >> Chairperson? >>
036Yes. Motion carries unanimously. Resolution passes unanimously. So Item B, resolution 2016-5-26-2 authorizing ISD 695 to accept up to $190,000 in future funds from the Owens Family Charitable Foundation for upgrades to the science and certified nursing labs and auditorium upgrades. >> I make a motion. >> Motion by Director Friday Simon. >> I'll support. >> Support by Director Raha. Sports, I should have asked for any discussion before. Any discussion? I call roll call, please. >> Director Friday Simon? >> Yes. >> Director Lappie? >> Yes. >> Director Raha? >> Yes. >> Director Randa Satter? >> Yes. >> Director Rice? >> Yes. >> Chairperson? >> Yes. And thank you the Owens Family Foundation for their generous gift. Uh item C is the second reading of the Falls City 516 student student education and talent health. Uh this is the
037second reading, so there is no vote on that. Item D, resolution 26 - 5 - 26 - 03. This is the Minnesota State High School resolution. I entertain motion all motion motion by director support or by director any discussion. call please Yes, yes, yes. I don't know what I don't know any discussion board members. This past weekend I did have several questions on bricks Mosaic and things of that nature but we can stop the possibility of saving one Mosaic taking it down. I'm going to cement the grass over there. some sort of animal turds What's like a foot a foot or two? You know it's it's just an idea to keep one keep one of them alive maybe. The only things to consider I love the idea couple things to consider each one will is
038about $12,000 to take out which is okay but they did say that it will delay the rest of the project by about two weeks. So we just need to make sure that that's a choice that we want to make Um, it's if we do, it's just putting things tight. It might not be exactly 2 weeks cuz that was probably the dual wall. You might be able to get it down to a week. Um, but it is something that is very challenging for them to get out. It's not super easy. So, it's just something to consider as you're making that decision. >> Come and take a picture. >> At the bare minimum, maybe we could actually just have a actual photographer take a nice picture. Put it in a frame. >> Frame it out. Frame it
039out. >> We have a in the library right now. >> I'll go down there. Yes. Um, what's the gentleman's name in town? >> Yes, he does a fantastic job. >> Um, and I have them on a CD. >> Okay. >> Um, I I I'll ask when you get over there here what that if they don't think it will delay the project, you know, I can come back with more information, but >> Honestly, you could probably have an artist come in and copy that picture into cement. If you wanted to do that sometime around it. >> It was just a thought. >> I mean, why is it a idea? I mean, it's a Just the delay would be minimal in this case. >> Yeah, the delay was already in the summer. We're all like, "Hi B."
040>> I agree with Director Labbe on the first one. Any other discussion? Any additional information for the board at this time? Hearing none at this time, I'd entertain a motion to recess the regular meeting and go into a closed meeting for superintendent evaluation. Motion by Director Labbe, supported by Director Watkins. Motion by Director Casey. Director Snyder? All those in favor signify by saying aye. >> Aye. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Time is by her side, I guess. >> Thanks for coming. >> Good luck to you Serenity. >> Good luck. >> Yes, good luck.