001Good evening. I call this regular school board meeting to order. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. >> [laughter] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [laughter] >> Thank you. I think next time we should record that and send it to Channel 11 for their morning Pledge of Allegiance. That sounds great. Good evening fellow school board members, district staff, and community members. As a reminder to us all, the mission of St. Francis Area Schools is to equip all students with the knowledge and skills to empower them to achieve their dreams and full potential while becoming responsible citizens in a dynamic world. Before we begin tonight, Mr. Anderson is not
002with us tonight. He is home ill with some symptoms that did not allow him to be here today. So, he sends his apologies, but we will get him updated. Our first item for tonight's agenda is the adoption of the agenda. Are there any questions prior to a motion being made on the agenda? No. No, that was a joke. Any other questions? All right, is there a call for a motion for the April 13th, 2026 meeting agenda? So moved. Thank you, Mr. Anderson. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Workman. Any discussion on that motion? Hearing no discussion, all in favor of the motion signify by saying I and enter your name. I. I. Motion prevails. Thank you. Next item is a short statement on behalf of the board before consideration of visitors. This is
003to in response to all of the emails and community outreach that we have gotten over the last few months. Thank you for your continued engagement throughout the mediation process. As we move forward, our commitment remains firm reaching a sustainable solution that honors our staff while ensuring the long-term viability of our schools. To maintain the integrity of this process, it is a standard mediator-directed guidance that both parties refrain from sharing specific details during active sessions. While we understand the desire for information, the circulation of incomplete or inaccurate details, whether within our community or among our staff, can create unnecessary division and hinder our progress. We encourage everyone to rely on official updates to ensure our discussions remain rooted in facts rather than assumptions. The district does not take these decisions lightly. We are tasked with balancing
004the needs of 12 different negotiating groups, and we do so with deep appreciation for the vital work every employee performs. While we value our staff and their contributions immensely, we must also value our ability to run the district in a fiscally responsible manner. To be direct, the district must navigate this agreement within a volatile financial landscape. We are currently facing unpredictable funding changes, increased operating expenses, and known reductions in revenue that require us to be disciplined. Our ability to react to these shifts is tied directly to our fiscal responsibility today. To provide clear context on the significant multi-million dollar gap between current requests and available revenue, we invite the community to visit our labor negotiations webpage. While we cannot meet every individual request, the core of every offer we have presented across all groups has
005centered on providing wage increases and addressing the rising costs of health insurance. However, we must be transparent. Meeting the full scope of requests from all groups simultaneously would place the district at significant risk of financial instability that could jeopardize our long-term financial health and autonomy. Maintaining our 12% unassigned fund balance policy is not an elective choice. This policy is a critical tool that allows us to absorb revenue shortfalls without compromising our educational mission or workforce stability. Stability that is impacting neighboring districts and districts statewide currently. We acknowledge that trust is earned through action and transparent communication. We are changing how we engage in our evaluating our overall operational needs both now and into the future. As always, this includes exploring all potential revenue options, including those that may eventually require voter support, to ensure we
006can meet our long-term commitments to our students, our facilities, and our entire staff. Our goal is to finalize an agreement that is fair, respectful, and sustainable. We remain optimistic that a resolution is within reach and that our employee groups take the same approach. Agenda item three is consideration of visitors. We have 10 >> [clears throat] >> individuals tonight. You will be allowed 2 minutes per speaker. Again, I ask each speaker at the end of your time, if you hear the the clock, to just wrap up your final statement so the next person can come up. Our first speaker for tonight is Keith Popinski. >> [clears throat] >> Good evening, members of the board. My name is Keith Popinski, and I've taught American history and coached in this district for 32 years. In my classroom, we
007often talk about inflection points in history. Those moments where a single decision determines the trajectory of a community for decades to follow. Tonight, St. Francis is at one of those points. I spent 32 years teaching our students that history is not just about names and dates. It's about what we value. It's about the legacy we leave behind. The current salary offer on the table is more than a budget line. It's a statement of what this district thinks of a 30-year veteran or a first-year teacher is worth. But it is even more dire than a stagnant wage. We are currently facing a catastrophic increase in healthcare costs that threatens to swallow what little we earn. When you pair an insufficient salary offer with skyrocketing premiums, you aren't just asking us to hold steady. You're asking us
008to take home less than we did a year ago. You are asking us to choose between our families' health and the profession we love. To my fellow teachers, you are the living history of this school. I've seen you weather every storm from ever-increasing demands to a global pandemic. You are the experts. You are the mentors. And as your colleague as your colleague for over three decades, I am proud to stand with you. We are not just asking for more. We are demanding the respect that our professionalism and our students' futures deserve. To the board, I've seen 32 years of budgets come and go. I know that money is finite, but I also know that saving money by undercutting undercutting teachers and passing the burden of healthcare onto our backs is a debt that this district
009will eventually have to pay in the form of high turnover and lost expertise. >> [music] >> Don't let this moment where St. Francis decides its educators are an expense to be managed rather than an investment to be championed. Let's make the right kind of history tonight. Bring us an offer that honors our work, protects our health, and secures the future of our schools. Thank you. >> [applause] [laughter] >> THANK YOU, KEITH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KIM GRZECH. GRZECH. GRZECH, thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Good evening. Thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Kim Grzech, and I've served this district as a teacher for 31 years. I was here when the district faced financial crisis and fell into statutory operating debt. I was here when teachers were asked to carry that burden.
010We were told that there was no money. We were asked to accept less, to be patient, to trust that when the district recovered, you would make it right. We trusted you. Paper. There we go. Then expectations changed. We were told the fund balance needed to grow 6%, 8%, 10%. And then again, teachers gave up more, believing fairness was still ahead. We're here today, and nothing's been made right. At the March 23rd meeting, I listened as you discussed protecting that 12% fund balance. And what was clear is every time the teachers come to the table, the rules change. Teachers have not changed what we are asking for. The board has. And let's be clear about the consequences. We are losing good teachers, experienced teachers because they can't afford to stay. We're asking educators to subsidize the
011district with its own livelihood. That is unacceptable. This is no longer about patience, it's about accountability. Promises were made to teachers in this district that if we stood by you during hardship, you would stand by us when stability returned. Stability is here, but the commitment to teachers is not. So, I will ask you directly, when will you honor those commitments? How many times will the parameters change before teachers are treated fairly? Because we are done waiting. If funding is the issue, then do your job. Go to the community, advocate for an operating levy. Make the case for your teachers instead of asking us again to sacrifice. We have already done our part. Now, it's time for you to do yours. Thank you. >> [cheering] [screaming] [applause] >> Thank you, Kim. Our next speaker is Chris
012B. That was really great. I don't know if I'll be that good. All right. Chris, constituent of the Saint Francis School District, I recognize the position you're in. You're facing real financial constraints and difficult decisions, but the most important investment this district makes is in its people. I'm here to support our educators and education support professionals. Across Minnesota, we're seeing staffing shortages, burnout, and rising turnover. Districts are competing for a shrinking workforce, and when other districts offer better pay, educators leave. It's just that simple. When they leave, students lose stability, relationships, and consistency, and the district pays the cost to replace them. At the same time, inflation has eroded real wages. Many educators are effectively making less than they were just a few years ago. And here's the reality we cannot ignore. Right now, our
013district operates without a voter-approved operating levy, while most districts rely on one. That means we are starting behind. Fewer dollars per student, fewer resources to retain staff. We are asking educators to stay in a system that is not built to support them. We are also managing aging buildings, infrastructure concerns, and limited enrollment growth. But none of that improves if we cannot keep the people who make our schools work because when educators leave, students follow. And when students leave, funding follows. I don't have children of my period, but I have always voted to support public education because strong schools strengthen communities. So, I'm asking you, bring a levy forward. Let this community decide. If we don't invest in our educators now, we are choosing not to have them later. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank
014you, Chris. Our next speaker is Nikki Krusdy. Nikki. I didn't fall. That was good. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Nikki Krusdy, and I'm a parent in this district. I'm here tonight because I'm worried about our kids, our teachers, and what happens if we don't get this contract settled. Last year, my daughter was struggling. Anxiety had a grip on her that was affecting her ability to learn, to participate, to just feel okay at school. Her teacher noticed, not just once, but consistently. She checked in with my daughter. She took the time to give her real, practical strategies to calm herself down when things felt overwhelming. She didn't have to do that. It wasn't in her lesson plan, and it came from a from genuinely caring about my child as a person. That
015teacher changed my daughter's year, maybe even more than that. And here's the thing, I have stories like that every single year with the kids, with my kids' teachers. Teachers who sent a kind note home at exactly the right moment, teachers who saw something in my child that my child couldn't yet see in themselves. These aren't rare exceptions. This is who our teachers are. This is what they do, day after day, often without recognition and without adequate compensation. Our teachers show up. They go above and beyond, not occasionally, but every single day. They deserve a contract that reflects that. They deserve to know that this district values them as much as my family does. A strike would not only hurt our kids, but the path to avoiding one is clear. Settle this contract. [clears throat] And
016and send a message to every teacher in this district that their work is seen, that their dedication matters, and that they have a partner in this board. I'm aware that it complicates the budget and there will be other impacts, but what do we have if we completely destroy our educators' trust in this district? >> [music] >> Please get this done. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you, Nikki. Our next speaker is Brian B. Brian. Hi. My name is Brian Baumgart, and I'm a community member, a parent of a child in the district, and a parent of a recent graduate from the district. The simple reason I'm here is to speak about settling the teacher contracts. But let's be clear, I can't speak to the specifics of the contract. There are negotiators for that. But
017if we don't offer a fair contract for our district teachers, we could be facing some dire consequences. So, let's take a moment to exact to imagine this version of Saint Francis. The first and most obvious consequence is that our best teachers will leave. Those with other options, those who understand their own value in an area where neighboring districts pay and support their teachers far more, will leave. And that reputation for teachers leaving because they aren't being respected by the district will grow. New teachers will not want to come here. Positions will not be filled with the best and the brightest. Some won't be filled at all, and others will be filled with those unhireable in other districts. But maybe we won't have other districts because after so many years of our students not graduating, of
018unstaffed schools, of very few extracurriculars, maybe we'll see Saint Francis either shut down or absorbed into the larger Anoka-Hennepin School District. Maybe we'll see decisions made for us from outside of the community. Without teachers, we have no schools. Without schools, parents have a much larger stake in raising and educating their children academically, emotionally, socially, and financially. Without schools, we have no community. We've seen it. Whether all of this comes from an unfair contract in place or from teachers unwilling to accept an unfair contract and striking, there will be impact on this place we call home. How much do we want to see our seniors not graduate? How much do we want to see sports and other events canceled and scholarships lost? How much do we want to see parents losing their jobs because of missed
019work due to a sudden need for child care? No one wants a strike. Teachers don't want it, the union doesn't want it, students don't want it, the community doesn't want it, parents don't want it, and the school board, [music] I assume, doesn't want it. So, now it's time to offer that fair contract. I acknowledge that the district is not financially overflowing, but this is where that money must be spent, on educators because without them, we have nothing. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Brian. Next is Juanita. Good evening, members of the school board, Saint Francis staff, and fellow citizens. I am Juanita Boniface, an old-timer with 84 years of formal and informal experience in education. I've been a student or an educator from country schools to universities. During my early years in the country
020school, I remember the commitment of the district patrons to provide a safe and welcoming facility, raising funds to compensate teachers for their professional training, experience, and skills. These families, many second and third generation newcomers to America, understood the value of an education and worked together in their own little village to provide opportunities for their children. Fast forward to 2026 and the need for citizens to join together and provide a strong local school that will achieve its mission is as critical as it was in the old days. Education is in the people building business, helping all you and adults cradle to grave to learn and grow in positive ways. Educators are the key workforce in this building business. Here in Saint Francis, we are fortunate to have strong educators, strong in talent, many with advanced degrees,
021and many, in spite of the challenges, have a continued to serve our city and our school for over 20 years. The demands of public service continue to grow. New teaching methods, classroom technology, increased knowledge in all subject matter fields, developmental needs of children, and building multicultural understandings, and and changes in educational policy, just to name a few. Coping with these many changes and demands takes time, often money for additional coursework or specialized conferences to maintain professional excellence. Let's not add concerns about salary and benefits to our educators' already full plate. >> [music] >> Too often adequate inadequate compensation requires educators to take a second part-time job, drawing time and energy away from their own well-being and professional priorities. Others leave the profession, creating high turnover and shortage in the workforce. We and our school community
022must stand up and do what is right. Send our educators a strong message of support by granting fair wages and benefits. Positive citizen involvement improves student outcomes, boosts morale, confidence, and longer tenure among teachers and staff. Active partnerships build public trust and strong support for our schools, our community, and our business. We are in this together. THANK YOU. >> [applause] >> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY GREEN. KATHY. >> [clears throat] [laughter] >> Good evening, superintendent and members of the school board. First of all, I want to thank you for your for your service to our district and for the difficult decisions that you have to make and for working hard to be fiscally responsible. I know it's not an easy job and I appreciate what you do. My name is Kathy Green and
023I'm a kindergarten teacher, also serving this district for 22 years. But did you know that I am also a counselor? I help students navigate anxiety and conflict. I am a nurse. I wash hands, put band-aids on, keep eyes clean, fevers out, and I even have a puke bucket. I am a data analyst. I track progress. I adjust instruction on a daily basis. I'm a curriculum specialist. I design highly engaging lessons that inspire learning based on rigorous um standards. You may not also realize that I am a coach, I'm a mentor, I'm a communicator, I'm a tech support desk, and occasionally, I'm even a detective. So, I got curious. I thought if the district hired separate professionals for each of these roles, counselor, nurse, analyst, curriculum designer, communication specialist, you would be looking at paying well
024over $200,000 for those combined expertises. I don't even know if that's a word, expertise. And yet here we all are, highly trained, highly dedicated [clears throat] professionals providing all of that at a fraction of a cost. So, honestly, you are really getting a good bargain. But even the best bargains need to keep up with reality. And right now our rising health insurance costs are cutting into our pay. So, when we ask for fair pay, we're not just asking [music] out of extravagance. We are asking to maintain the ability to keep doing all of these jobs well. Because when teachers are supported, students benefit, classrooms are stronger, and our communities are better. We all love what we do. This is why we're still here and we're asking that the value of that work be recognized in
025ways that is it can keep it sustainable. And [laughter] really, after giving this persuasive speech so well, I think I can put salesperson on my list. Thank you. Because [applause] again, you are getting us for quite a bargain. So, let's get this done. And thank you for your time. Thank you, Kathy. Our next speaker is Dominic P. Dominic. Good evening. My name is Dominic Piccardi. A few years ago I alchemized the feelings and frustration that the teachers in this district have and you were dealing with these contracts then. You need to take pride in the fact that you're doing everything you can to take care of your students. But you also need to understand that you have a responsibility not only to them, but to advocate for your teachers. Now, tonight there's been a lot
026of talks about community. A collective group of people with a collective interest, with collective goals. Now, there was two words Sorry, two facts that go with that word. These professionals have created an outstanding community with themselves to do the impossible. They are raising our children like the village that it should be. And two, this district has become a pipeline for them to go to other districts where they can take care of their families appropriately. Not above their means, but to get by. We are all stewards of this community. You especially. You did not ask. You You asked to be here. No one forced you. They are asking you to help them. Because God forbid my daughters have to go to a school here and not have a fraction of the talent that these educators have.
027I want you to picture who you want educating your children. Please. Think about what you can do to achieve that goal that you have individually for our children. What can you do to achieve it? This district is undergoing an exodus very soon. It's up to you to change it. If my words did not encourage you to do that, think of your own. Equip, [clears throat] empower, and achieve. Now, you can stand on your own morals and mean them, or you can hide hide behind a smoke screen of the fake morals that you want to have. Or you dare to call children special needs in this community, like my daughter, likeness to manure. Thank >> [applause] >> Thank you for THE LACK OF TIME. THANK YOU, DOMINIC. OUR NEXT SPEAKER is Sheila Piles. Sheila. >> [clears
028throat] >> Ooh, I'm not a public speaker, but I'm going to go for it. Good evening, members of the board and superintendent. My name is Sheila Piles. My connection to ISD 15 isn't just professional. It's lifelong. >> [cough] >> I'm a proud graduate of this district. I served as an educational assistant here before becoming a teacher, and I have spent the last 5 years in the classroom as a fourth grade teacher. Most importantly, I'm a parent. I have a third grader in our halls and a preschooler who was supposed to follow in her footsteps. But whether they do depends on the decisions made in this room. I chose to build my career here because of the family-like community in the district and specifically at Cedar Creek Elementary. I stayed because of the relationships I built
029with my students, their families, and my colleagues. But love for a community doesn't pay the mortgage or cover the rising costs of healthcare. Right now, by not settling a fair you are effectively asking me to choose between the district I love and the financial stability of my own children. I want to be very clear about the stakes. I live in a neighboring district where I can walk into a classroom tomorrow and earn 10,000 to 15,000 more per year. I don't want to leave my students, my colleagues, or this community. But as a mother, I have a moral obligation to put my family first. This cutie here is mine. When the math no longer adds up, the choice is made for me. I'm not the only one on this fence. There are many talented educators watching
030these negotiations and wondering if they have a future here. This financial unsustainability is driving away the very people who make this district a family. You have the opportunity and the responsibility to keep us here. I'm asking you to value our work, respect our families, and settle this contract so we can get back to focusing on what matters, the education of our students. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Sheila. Our last speaker is Ann Carter. Ann. Good evening, school board members. My name is Ann Carter, president of Education Minnesota St. Francis, and I'm here once again to speak to you about the unresolved teacher contract. I've heard the question repeatedly asked, "Where do you think this money will come from?" The answer The honest answer is I really don't know. I don't know the specifics. What I
031do know is that since I began teaching in this district in 1998, that same question has been asked during every contract negotiation, regardless of whether the district was facing financial strain or holding a healthy fund balance. I've also heard that a voter-approved operating levy is not a viable option because previous attempts have failed. But I have to ask, did we truly put forth our best effort? Were all stakeholders informed, engaged, and mobilized with that effort? In education, we tried is never the standard we accept for our teachers or our students. If a teacher said, "Okay, that student can't learn. I tried." We would not accept that. We would expect more. We would expect more of ourselves. We would problem-solve, adjust, and persist until we found a way forward. That is what educators do every single
032day. We are asking you to hold yourselves to that same standard. 97% of our teachers in this district support holding a strike authorization vote. That is not a decision that educators take lightly. It reflects a deep level of concern, frustration, and urgency among our staff. We are not here to simply point out problems that everyone in this room already knows exist. We are here to demand solutions. We are calling on the board to move into closed session immediately following this meeting to finalize a deal and set competitive parameters. The delayed tactics must end. It is your direct responsibility to set bargaining parameters that actually reflect the professional value of the people in our classrooms and a budget that reflects community priority of educating our students. You must find a way to provide a livable, competitive
033wage that allows our staff to live in the communities where they work. The stability of this district is in your hands. We have done our part by showing up for the students every day. Now, it is time for you to do your part. Get into closed session, do the work, and get this done. Thank you. >> [applause] [applause] >> Thank you to those that spoke tonight. We do appreciate the engagement from our staff and our community. Our next agenda item for tonight is consent agenda. Uh there are currently five items on meeting's consent agenda tonight. This will be a roll call vote. Are there any questions or requests to remove items from the consent agenda prior to a motion? Seeing none, is there a call for a motion to approve the consent agenda? Mr. Swanson,
034is there a second? Second. Mr. Working. Any discussion on that motion? I I have one item just to talk. Not specific to the motion, but just uh a highlight for the special meeting minutes uh that we were able to have that special meeting with our community engagement task force uh and how well that went and thank you for getting those minutes into this this packet. Uh roll call vote. If you are in favor, I. If you are not, nay. Mr. Humphrey. Sanderson. I. Mr. Swanson. I. Ms. Baumgardner. I. Mr. Working. I. Ms. West. I. And I am I as well. Motion prevails. As [clears throat] we move forward into information items and reports, again board members, remember to hold your questions till the end of the report. Our first one for tonight is the St.
035Francis High School Student Council. Jack Humphrey is here tonight to provide us an update and he knows he's got a 45-minute time limit. So, we'll get it, Jack. Good evening, school board, superintendent, cabinet, educators, and all those tuning in both online and additionally here. I am Jack Humphrey, the treasurer and senior class president of the St. Francis High School Student Council, and we are once again very excited to be having this opportunity to speak at the school board meeting. As our year wraps up as we are currently in our third trimester, there are only two main major parts that are left for St. Francis High School Student Council. The first was setting a date for our highway cleanup, of which we are currently finding a specific date that works with most of our members, but
036we are figuring that June will be the best time for us to do that. And then secondly, we are planning and executing our senior sunset, which will be on May 19th at the high school. [laughter] There will be yearbook distribution, food trucks for seniors, and other areas where we can celebrate them and highlight their achievements, such as speakers and different inflatables and areas for them to enjoy their recreation at the end of their senior year. Otherwise, something that we did this past Friday was hold our actual executive speeches for next year's executive board. Those running to be secretary were Elise Overbee, Izzy Baumgard, and Gabe Stoffel. Treasurer were Ava Westlund, Izzy Baumgard, and then for vice presidents, Elise Overbee and Ava Westlund, and then finally our president, Emma Sorenson and Gary Sundstrom. Otherwise, that's essentially
037all we have other than our banquet for the rest of our year, but I would like to congratulate a wrap-up of our fall and our winter sports and activities and give a special shout-out to the robotics team who recently placed seventh at their last tournament. They had previously placed 51st out of 51 teams at their last meeting, and this is a huge improvement that not only shows their dedication and improvements throughout the season, but then also a successful launching pad for next season for even higher highs. Finally, I would also like to explain that we are starting our spring and summer sports and activities, and we are already starting off well with softball and baseball having winning records, and I'm sure that our boys tennis and the rest of our activities, such as golf, track
038and field, will also have successful seasons as well. Finally, one of the main activ- many of the one of the main arts that we have coming up is this year's uh spring musical, Once Upon a Mattress, which is showing this weekend at the St. Francis High School, and then otherwise, I am open for questions. Thank you, Jack. Any questions? No questions. I see what you did with the successful launching pad. That [laughter] was That was the area that they were working on and improved on, so I see what you did there. Thank you. Jack, thank you as always for being [clears throat] here. All right, our next agenda item is 5.2, the first reading of policies 410, 503, 515, 530, 615, 701, and 721. Uh if you have any questions, I know some of the
039board members have sent that to the policy committee before uh the next meeting, but this will be our first reading. Uh any questions for anyone that's on the policy committee. Mr. Swanson. Um this was just a grammar thing. I don't know if we need to change it or not. Uh policy uh 503. Under religious cultural observances accommodation. Um right now it says "Reasonable efforts will be made by the school district to accommodate any student who wishes to be excused from a from a curricular activity for religious and cultural observance or American Indian cultural practice observance or family matters." Um for me just the word "and" in there just seems out of place. Um so it's just a grammar thing. What I would propose is just "Reasonable efforts will be made by the school board to
040accommodate any student who wishes to be excused from a curricular activity for a religious or cultural observance or American Indian cultural practice observance or ceremony." So. And I know >> [clears throat] >> I know you sent that to the policy committee members as well for review. Thank you. Give me a minute to think through. Here you go. Uh, policy 530. >> [clears throat] >> Um, well, what what is it you're Oh. Any Well, for on F, it says "If a person who is not a Minnesota resident enrolls in school district online learning course or program that delivers instruction to the person only by computer or does not provide any teacher or instructor contact time or required classroom attendance, the person is not subject to the immunization statement and other requirements of this policy." So, I
041just asked why it says "who is not a Minnesota resident and enrolled in online." And I guess it's a state statute. Uh, Brandon wants to It just seems odd that if you don't live in the state but are enrolled in your online, the rules don't apply. But, I think it's just out of our control. Correct. Yeah, I did review and it appears to be word for word from the statute. >> [snorts] [clears throat] >> Just last Did you say it's word for word from the statute? Okay. Did you follow the whole thing down? Um, what else is there? A lot of these are just I'll just move on cuz they're all in statute and it's just minor things. We can just proceed. Okay. Any other questions or discussion on those first readings? Again, if you
042have uh, information like Mr. Schornack did, send that to Brandon or the other policy committee members for review and inclusion in our next meeting. All right, our next item is administrative report. Superintendent Anderson is currently not here, so I'm going to run through quickly. Uh, Jack, thank you for hitting the first topic which was the robotics uh, piece for us and gave us the update on that. Uh, the only thing you didn't highlight is that the team grew from 14 participants to 27 uh, this year. Uh, so we thank uh, Ms. Dobson for her leadership in that and how growing that and we'll continue to recruit to fill that team. Uh, and I believe there was a team from Minnesota that made it to the national tournament um, out of Sartell, Minnesota this year. So,
043excited to see St. Francis there someday. Uh, and then uh, the two emergency response uh, reviews, any questions on those, you can direct those to Chris Linkous cuz I will not have the answers on that for you tonight. He's also the athletic director. All right, moving on to any questions for the administrative report? Okay, seeing none. Moving on to our action item for tonight. We do have one. Uh, it is the K-5 social studies and 9 through 12 math. Again, this is approval of the curriculum purchases. Uh, these are the curriculum that have been reviewed. Stacy's going to go through the process of how we got there. Uh, hold your questions till the end and then she'll answer those and then that we will have a action item on the math. Yeah, first I'm going
044to make a small introduction while I'm here tonight. It is fantastic. I'm thrilled over long and all of once. Um, I'm here really my desire is to support you by getting you the resources, materials, curriculum that is current. I'm also here to be fiscally responsible and I hope tonight you're >> [laughter] >> you're going to see that uh, because I have saved over $150,000 of what I thought I was going to have to spend. Um, and so I'd like to just go and remind us what Chair Byrd had said. I too am here to empower our students to do our mission. Um, and my groups that meet in my LAC curriculum review groups, they follow a two-year process with me um, to get that accomplished. And so this is our curriculum review cycle, just a
045reminder. In the red box is our current groups in uh, year one, two, and three. In the green bar is where I go to purchasing after year two. And this is just kind of what occurs in year one and year two. I don't need to read it, you can look at that. Um, but those are the things we focus on and we hold off on the purchasing and piloting until year two because we really look at best practices, research, we analyze data to make sure we're doing what are all the things that we need to be doing when we're teaching, including looking at new legislation and there's a lot of it in the past few years. >> [clears throat] >> So, what today I'm bringing is our K-5 social studies recommendation. Um, and the first
046thing this group did was come up with some program goals and priorities based on the National Council of Social Studies um, best practices and also the shifts occurring with social studies in Minnesota. So, these should encompass things that we need to shift toward as we're teaching and include in our teaching. Um, teachers provided feedback through viewing the curriculum, through piloting. Um, I had a team a small team that helped me through the process. Um, and these are just a couple of remarks from teachers. But, basically all grade levels did end up choosing the same resource. [clears throat] Um, we also had two community viewing opportunities and so there were lots of questions and comments and I provided those here. That included groups like the APAC, our American Indian group, um, and uh, also ACT, our
047advisory committee, and then just other community members that would come. And so, you can read those. Um, and so then I come to what I'm going to ask for. This is my ask that we can purchase TCM, Teacher Created Materials. It is like that kit you see in the picture there. Um, there's not a subscription. It's basically this kit um, with extra books I was able to get because normally comes with six small group books, I'm getting 12 per unit per uh, grade and I was able to reduce some costs through some of their inquiry books cuz I want to make sure we're going to use them before we purchase them for 10 years. Um, but we also have in any curriculum, there are a few holes that we have to fill when it comes
048to teaching Minnesota standards. No company builds a curriculum exactly for Minnesota standards. Now, this company is close. They actually decided to build it for Minnesota standards. It's not perfect, however. So, for example, when our American Indian group came in and looked through materials, they said, "You know, they show the past but they really don't show our present uh, American Indian." And we noted that as a group as well. And so in June, I have a group of teachers coming [clears throat] to work with me um, to do some curriculum writing. And there's still openings. So that we can improve >> [laughter] >> what we have in TCM and provide more. And then from that writing, we'll decide what resources are needed. Excuse [clears throat] me. Um, and so I've added a little funding for that
049so that I could purchase some things that would be needed. And then uh, Minnesota Economic uh, group has also developed some great lessons specific to the brand new standards and so I'm purchasing those picture books for every classroom to go with those lessons and that's what that cost is there. So, but that is a reduction of 110,000 of what I originally thought I was going to ask for. Um, and so I hope you will recognize that. The other group that I met with was uh, the math curriculum 9th grades 9 through 12. Uh, they too developed goals and priorities based on major shifts happening with the state and how we teach math and I have to give kudos to the math department for the amount of growth and development they have been going through. They
050are wanting to go to PD and learn more. Um, they were all on board with this process and I really appreciated that. And now we're doing the same with K-5 uh, which they aren't here for purchasing >> [clears throat] >> yet but we're coming. Uh, and it is a big shift in math of what we're asked being asked to do. And the teachers are getting on board. >> [clears throat] >> Again, a few comments from teachers and that community feedback you get from the same groups that came from those tonight. So, this is my ask for um, the high school um, and the biggest change I would say are the probability statistics are moving up as our forefront of our standards. Before they were kind of behind all the rest and that is a switch.
051Um, and so we do need to update our statistics and probability. Um, our Also, our geometry and algebra 2 is where we are getting Imagine I am, which is a shift in how we teach, where it's more conceptual. Here, we're going to engage more students because we're not jumping into the equation or the algorithm immediately. It'll be introduced through a video, through a scenario, to catch more students' interest. So, we should have more students interested in math because of that. I have about a $50,000 savings in this purchasing. So, my ask is that you would support this for purchases for next year. Any questions from the board prior to a motion? This one. Can you mention some of the standards that we're missing? Well, if we look at the American Indian standards, for example, it
052doesn't present present day as much as it should. It does focus on some past and what it was like in the American Indian culture in the past, but not as much in the present. So, we want to pull more of that in, for example. Ethnic studies would be another one. I will say we are not emphasizing much in ethnic studies right now because we're still waiting for the state who is developing materials to help us with that, and they aren't ready. I've been asking. Actually, I have two documents from them, but it's not enough yet. So, ethnic studies is kind of on pause because I want some support from the state. Those would probably be the two big areas. >> follow up on that one? >> Yes. Um when you decide to put that curriculum
053together to fill in the gaps, is that something we'll be able to review For sure. or that APAC group will be able to review it before it goes to the board? >> It fills in that gap. Yep. Okay. As well as ACT. Right. Any other questions prior to a motion? What um percentage of this curriculum um in the social studies for the younger kids and the math and math is online work as opposed to >> None of it for social studies. Well, let me rephrase that. They have like the presenting materials for the teachers are online, but not students online. So, some of the presenting materials, otherwise it's hands-on books, it's hands-on documents, uh first sources, for example, um that kids are involved with. So, it's more hands-on. Um math, it is a balance. In
054fact, that's why they chose this curriculum. We looked at another one that was more computer-based, less paper, and this one had more of a balance, and that is one of the things that they liked about it as well. So, what were some of the concerns with um either one that teachers brought up, and that how did you come to um a solution for some of those? So, for example, in math, I think the shift is a big one, especially in the high school, where we haven't been asked to teach it conceptually, where kids can visually see math. And so, we brought in uh people from the companies to actually go through lessons and how would you teach this high school lesson? What would it look like? And I think that really did help visualize um
055what that would look like. Before that, we also use our math coach um to come in and help with what are the MPs? So, in the standards, they have something called prac- math practices, eight math practices, and so we did a lot of learning around those in the context because those are some of the new shifts. And so, that was our first couple year and a half, probably, of doing that with the coach and myself and the team. So, that's my gap. Are you guys feeling the same like kind of People are People are thinking that we're spending too much time on computers, and you had [clears throat] to spend You had to spend some time talking about that here. Is that the general feel that we're going that context type situation? I think, you
056know, we always try to provide some textbooks so that there is that balance and option for students, also for students maybe that might have to work at home or in a different classroom. Um yeah, I think we want a balance. I don't think we're all going all one way. I would agree with Okay, I've got two questions. One is for the group because we have a large audience tonight. Can you raise your hand if you participated in any review process for any of these uh two purchases? Okay. So, uh because I have you all here, thank you for engaging and doing that. I appreciate it. I know Stacy loved that. She would love to have everyone's hand up as part of those groups for curriculum purchasing, so thank you for that. And then the second
057piece is the K through 5 social studies. Do you think that this will provide a more consistent learning goal across our buildings so when they come back to the middle school, they all have that same baseline? Yes, they do. On top of shifting how we teach social studies, it's less of read, take notes, it's more about discussion, it's interactivity, it is hands-on. Um it and so, I think it's going to make social studies come more alive. How it should be. >> [cough] >> Okay. Uh is there a call to motion for approval of K through 5 and 9 through 12 math curriculum as presented? So moved. Mr. Anderson, is there a second? Second. Thank you, Mr. Shonkwiler. Any discussion on that motion? Seeing no discussion, all in favor signify by saying I and raising your
058hand. I. Motion prevails, 7 to 0. Thank you. Thank you, Stacy. >> [cough] >> All right, our next agenda item is upcoming medium meetings and preliminary topics. Are there any questions or comments about the upcoming meetings or topics as presented? Okay, there's one addition. On the 27th of April, one of the topics will be the community engagement task force survey results. So, not the task force presenting, but the results from that survey. So, Darren from Sight Logic will be here to present the results only. No recommendation or anything, just information for us for future discussions. And then April 28th, we are looking at a work session. So, that's the night after the board meeting to discuss uh the findings and recommendations from that engagement task force and where we want to go with with that
059prioritization or recommendations moving forward. And that will be posted in the newsletter, so we'll send out invites after tonight on that. Any questions? Okay. Uh next is school board member reports. Uh member Anderson. Uh I've been attending mediation, and that's all I got. Thank you. Member Humphrey. Uh said was at the early childhood uh meeting that we go to, and I got to once again give kudos to my friend Jess. Uh we're sitting in the middle of the meeting, we're talking about how the bus drop-off and pick-up is so messy, and she's all young and computer, and she got like uh Angie Berry on the line and has a meeting or has it on the agenda for the Elk River City Council to bring that concern to our uh attention. So, I really appreciate what
060she's doing. Plus, to get over to that early childhood, said all the time it's like Sesame Street around this place. If If we could continue that passion all the way through uh parents and involvement and kids and teachers and students, I mean, we'd be in a much better place. So, really impressed with that place. That's all I got. Thank you. Mr. Shonkwiler. Oh. First off, just thank you to everybody that in the audience that stayed, and some people just left, but they stayed the whole meeting. It's just nice to see the involvement. I know you're here for one topic, but just staying and just being involved and knowing what's going on in the district. Um if something's going on this weekend, I know it was brought up earlier with the theater this weekend. Every year,
061they do such an amazing job. So, if you're free, I think there's four shows, go check them out at one of those shows. They do so such a great job. Um and then just kudos to the National Honor Society. They had a blood drive last week that I participated in, and we just like to see so many community members, staff, even students donating blood. So, it's good to see that level of involvement. That's all I got. Thank you, Mr. Shonkwiler. Uh member Backstrom. Um I had APAC uh a couple weeks ago. Jake got my early childhood updates, and um custodian mediation, and we left early. That is it. Thank you. Member Working. I'm good. Go tonight. Okay. Member West. Um just I was not able to attend the robotics this year in in Duluth. I
062have attended it in the past. It's a blast. It's a lot of fun. So, um and fact that they're improving and doing what so well and growing their group is really good to see. So, you know, good job to them. Is that That's it? Okay. Uh I have also attended mediation for the teachers. We have a important insurance advisory committee meeting tomorrow, I believe. Brandon, right? Tomorrow for that. And then um our state economics challenge. We have two teams headed to state tomorrow out of the high school for economics challenge. I encourage them to come work in our business office and help us all with economics across the board and if they can figure out school financing, then they've got a job, right? Great great for them. But I'm excited to have them going on
063and representing St. Francis as we go forward. All right. Our next agenda item for tonight is the closed session for labor negotiations. Well, in order to do that, the next item on the agenda is a labor negotiation strategy discussion. Open meeting law, Minnesota statute chapter 13D.03 subdivision 1 Bravo states that school board shall close a meeting for the purpose of discussing labor negotiation strategies. During the closed meeting, the board will discuss possible strategies of labor negotiation discussions. A lot of words. So, I will entertain a motion. For a recess. Entertain a motion for a recess. Thank you. A second? Thank you, Mr. Werking. Any discussion on that motion? All in favor signify by saying I and raise your hand. We'll do a 5-minute recess. I ask those of you in attendance to please exit so
064we can enter into our closed session. Thank you for speaking. >> [laughter]