November 13, 2025 School Board Meeting

001And we will begin with the pledge of allegiance. >> Roll call. >> Oh, nope. I apologize. We're going to start with roll call first. [laughter] Just a drill. >> Michelle >> here. >> DJ >> here. >> Stephanie >> here. >> Randy, >> I am here. >> Sarah >> here. >> Ward >> here. >> Thanks, Kelly. And now we will do pledge of allegiance. I pledge [clears throat] algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. This meeting of the Briner School Board is being conducted in accordance with the Minnesota statutes 13D.02. This meeting is being recorded. Access to the recording is available on the school district's YouTube channel. We will look for

002an approval of of the agenda as presented. And just a note, um there has been an amendment to the agenda. Uh so it is an amended agenda. The amendment came out of our work session to add for new business um for action a number three to pause testing for kindergarten for the for kindergarteners for the AGOT program. >> So you're looking for approval for the amended >> for the amended agenda. >> So moved. >> I'll second. >> All right. We have a motion by Director Heidman, a second by Director Edman. All those in favor, we will do a >> Madam Chair. >> Yes. >> Madam Madame Chair. >> Yes. Director Ward. >> So I I see that the St. Francis agreement was not on the current agenda. Is that is that right? Is that is

003that correct? >> That is correct. That was pulled off the agenda. Our um we it was a mistake. We don't have to have that on the agenda through the school board. So that was taken. >> All right. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thanks for asking. All right. So, we will do a roll call vote for the approval of the agenda. >> DJ Doner. >> Uh, yes. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes. >> Randy Hidman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> John Ward, >> yes. >> Michelle Breen, >> yes. >> Thanks, Kelly. All right, we'll move on to um some congratulations are in order. And I'll read a number of these and then I'm gonna ask Principal Rasci to come up. She's got a number here at the end as well. So to

004start off with, uh, I believe we have in the room actually, so this is going to surprise this person, but I'm going to ask Mariana Cowell to stand up, please. The Brainer Community Action and Brainer JC's recognized her as the youth volunteer citizen of the year. Congratulations. [applause] >> [applause] >> That is just fantastic. Thank you for representing so well and we're so proud of you. >> Awesome. Um up next we've got John Cowell and Brie Blazing for qualifying for the Minnesota State Hike School League tournament in cross country. And the Warrior girls swimming and diving team section 8A champ doubleA champions. And Avery Deer earned section 8 doubleA swimmer of the year. and Ca Coach Dan Dan Anderson named the section 8AA coach of the year. And then we've got a number of state

005qualifiers. Isabella Plof, Avery Deer, Errolyn Marcelo, Ally Riley, Kaia Iski, and Blair Alquist as well. The Warrior Robotics team, congratulations for earning the judges award in the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference. And the FFA team is the region 2 champions in parliamentary procedure and are a Minnesota state FFA winter leadership summit qualifier. And we did have them come and present one time >> to do parliamentary which I enjoyed because I learned a lot. So [laughter] um and jazz band musicians earning all conference honors. Arabel Boisen, Logan Daniels, Abigail Isacson, Carter Matchy, Jillian Mardle, Owen Olsen, and Mia Sapinsky. Congratulations to all of them. And I'm going to invite Principal Radi [clears throat] up to announce some celebrations from Niswah. Good evening. Thank you for having me and thank you for reading our student names every month.

006I really appreciate you. You're like, "Is Miss Rasky here?" No. Okay. [laughter] So, you always pronounce them very well. So, uh this month we celebrate students um that show great leadership and trustworthiness. And those students that were honored this month at our warrior way rally were Winston Bidder Brixley Brier Tennis. Thank you for doing this. [snorts] Olivia Hedland Vetta Oscar Snyder Reagan Reagan Shank Natalie Wolfley Rory Carbajal Blake Isa Sano Aurora Nicaborn Dawson Cruz Wells Hermanson Daphne Heath Matthew Lens Lunzik Ryan Rendell Lucy Nicholson, Laura Stumble, uh, Lynden Lee, Kirsta Buckos, Finn Patterson, Tia Bad Podski, Norman Schwarz, Kora Parks, and then Ellen Marsh. We also celebrate students who show great grit and stick tuitiveness. And those winners were Breen Devour, Grace Pad Padronos, Nor I'm so sorry, Grace. So sorry, Nolan Anderson, Charlie Hess,

007Elliot Shrock, Lena Bates, Piper Shimik, Christian Marsh, EMTT Broie, Noah [snorts and clears throat] Rosinski, Jackson Wagamaster, and Mave Ranweller. I also want to thank [clears throat] so many Brainard High School students who came out to our spooktacular this year. Our spooktacular was like no other this year because of them. They came out and we had 20 sign up but 30 showed up and so they had so many um they had a blast. They dressed up. They interacted with our students. They showed great leadership. And I don't have all of their names because I already botched a lot of the ones that I already know. Um, but [laughter] that was really profound to see how many of our high schoolers signed up and came out to make a night so that the parents could be

008with their student and they could um really show great leadership. And so I just really appreciate Brainard High School students and and how they just show up for us. No one gave them anything. I gave them a certificate that one of my teachers made. Um but they got nothing else other than, you know, just the pride in that. So thank you for your enthusiasm, leadership, and positive spirit. >> Thanks for having us. >> Thank you. [applause] All right. Next, we've got public input. A member of the public can address the board during this time. Comments will be limited to three minutes. Complaints or allegations against students or employees may not be discussed due to data privacy. Complaints or allegations must be submitted in writing to Superintendent Grant. The board of education and superintendent will not

009converse with guests to address the topics discussed at that time. So, we've got a few here tonight and we are going to start with Maya Christensen, please. >> Welcome, Maya. Am I saying that right? Is it Maya or Mia? >> It's Mia. >> Oh, dang it. Sorry about that. Welcome. My name is Mia Christensen and I'm [clears throat] a senior in high school. I attended Forest View in fifth grade and MLAP in sixth and seventh. This was recommended to me by a counselor at Forest View because I had struggled with severe social anxiety and something called selective mutism, which basically means that I would go an entire day at school without seeing anything. While this took more than just switching schools for me to get over, having a space like MLAP in the Brainer Learning

010Center allowed me to better manage my anxiety and grow in my social and communicative skills. One of the biggest hurdles for me at Forest View was the size. I was intimidated by the crowded spaces, the constant noise, and having lunch with 500 other kids in the cafeteria. MLAP's layout provides a direct contrast to this. A smaller space, smaller classes, and a smaller network of people to see throughout the day. At the time, that was exactly what I needed. I don't think I could have functioned properly if I'd had to stay at Forest View. It probably would have led to homeschooling, one of my parents quitting their job, and me never learning how to leave the house. Because of the support available at MLAP and because of the option to leave the school where I had

011struggled, I'm in a much better place now. It might seem like it doesn't matter where MLAP is located as long as the resources it possesses are still available. But dismissing the value of a safe space is dangerous. For me and my classmates, and I'm sure for the people who go there now, it was crucial to exist in an environment structured to support us. Attending Forest View, even under a separate program, is not a viable option, especially for those who have had bad experiences there in the past. MLAP cannot be replicated in a building that houses almost 2,000 students. By taking away the Brainer Learning Center, you would be taking away that safe space from vulnerable students who need it, not only for their mental health, but also for their success in education. It is because

012of that fact that I'm saying the place to make budget cuts is not BLC. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, man. audience. [applause] [applause] I apologize. I wholeheartedly think we should we should applaud that, but this is a public meeting. So, I'm going to ask that we hold our applause and just know that we'd love to applaud these students and you can thank them later. Thank you. All right. Next up, we have Mariana Call, please. Welcome, Mariana. >> Thank you. >> Um, good evening members of the school board and community. My name is Mariana Call and I'm here tonight because I'm deeply concerned about the proposal to close the Briner Learning Center building. I understand that our district is facing difficult financial decisions and that the learning center program would continue elsewhere. But

013I want to make it clear that this decision is not just about a building. It's about the lives that are shaped and in many cases saved inside it. The Brainer Learning Center is not like other schools. It provides a smaller, more personal environment for students who struggle in traditional settings. The building itself plays a crucial role in that. It's accessible. It's safe. It's it's familiar. And for many students, it's the one place where they finally feel seen, accepted, and supported. [clears throat] Moving the program to another location like Forest Middle School or Washington Education Center might seem like a simple change on paper, but for many students who attend the learning center, it's not. Those larger environments can be overwhelming, stressful, and even unsafe. The bullying and social pressure that many learning center students have

014already escaped from would come right back and that would undo years of pro progress emotionally and physically and academically. The learning center isn't just an alternative program. It's a lifeline. Taking it taking away its home would be would send a message to students that the safe space they finally felt like they belonged in doesn't matter. And that me that's a message I hope none of us want to send. I know these decisions are hard, but I look I ask you to look beyond the numbers and think about the students, the ones who finally found hope in that building. The cost of closing it may save money in the budget, but the human cost would be far greater. Please keep the Brainer Learning Center where it belongs, in the building that has given students so many

015reasons to believe in themselves again. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mariana. >> All right. Up next, we have Lisa Christensen, please. Good evening. My name is Lisa Christensen and I am the proud parent of Mia who spoke at the beginning and I too would like to advocate that MLAP and the ALC stay in its current location and not re relocate within Forest View walls. When Mia was younger, she struggled tremendously and my husband and I dove into the research to figure out how to support her. And in the literature, we kept coming across this term called contaminated spaces. And I understand that that word sounds harsh, but the idea behind it is important in that students who struggle with trauma, um, anxiety, depression, OCD, in her case, selective mutism trick their brain into thinking spaces

016are no longer safe because their emotions live in this part of their brain. And once triggered, it's hard to reason with them. uh and your logical reasoning lives up here um to convince them like you know that's you know it is a safe space and so um for Mia having MLAP as an alternative location was all that she needed to work through that time reset grow and rebuild her confidence Mia wasn't going to brag but I will um she is graduating this year at the top of her class. She's been offered tens of thousands of dollars on a merit-based scholarship, but most importantly, she stood up here today and spoke to you all. And that is a gift um that I will forever be grateful. Sorry, I talk with my hands. To Brainer Public Schools

017for having this opportunity to to having that space and to the staff in the back there [clears throat] that helped us through this challenging season because otherwise parents like myself would have had to explore quitting and homeschool and online and we don't want our kids um to be staying at home during this time. So, I will forever be grateful and I strongly urge you uh to keep MLAP in its current location because education shouldn't be a one-sizefits-all for everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lisa. Appreciate it. Um, next we have Massie Young. [clears throat] [snorts] Welcome. [laughter] >> Hi. >> Did I get that right? >> Yes, you did, actually. Thank you. [laughter] Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. [sighs] My name is Mazy Young and I graduated from BLC in 2020. I think

018a lot of people have the wrong idea of BLC in general because when I went to school and throughout my adult life currently, I've heard people call it the bad kids school and that's not what it is at all. It's a school that's not or [laughter] sorry, it's a place for kids who don't have the support and security that you should have at home. I remember always feeling loved and cared for. I'm so nervous. I'm so sorry. I remember always feeling loved and cared for from the time I went there in 2015 till when I graduated in 2020. And I can tell you that the whole building in general made me feel so wanted by everyone who was there. I never felt wanted at Forceville. I was actually asked to leave because I was too

019much. I just wanted to be very much heard and understood that the location of the building is what makes it BLC. It's what makes it a safe place for me and so many other kids who have gone and still attend. I hope someday my child will be able to attend MLAP/BLC because I absolutely do not want him going to Forest View. Why would I want him going somewhere I wasn't wanted 9 to 10 years ago. The location was always more workable, not only for my schedule as a young mom who had a child at 13, but also my mom who I wish was still here so she can explain how much this place meant to her also. who always helped me get to school. I couldn't ha I couldn't imagine having anyone else by my

020side throughout those complicated and confusing years of my life trying to figure out who I was. If it wasn't for the teachers, my mom, and the convenient location the school is in, I can tell you I definitely wouldn't have finished school. If I never would have gotten the chance to leave Forest View, I wouldn't know the amazing people I know today. I appreciate everyone's time today to hear our pleas to keep BLC exactly where it is so kids can keep going to a place they're wanted and loved and appreciated. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> Up next, we have Danielle Addison, please. >> Welcome, Danielle. >> Good evening. Thank you. I'm not here speaking only for my family tonight. I'm speaking for those that I've taken the time to listen to. Some of some something that

021some of you have failed to do. Since your survey went out, our community has been even more filled with confusion, frustration, and heartbreak. Parents, students, and staff are scared. We all see the direction things are heading, and we're not asking anymore. We are demanding for you to pay attention to us and our families, the stakeholders in this district. Surveys may may make it easier for you to sort your data, but they don't capture the real voices of our families. They don't tell you about the students who cry at night because their favorite teachers were cut. They don't show you the parent who feels hopeless trying to fill out a form that can't possibly represent the needs of all their children. We know we're not the only district struggling. This proves it's not a poor management

022issue, but a national system stretched too thin. Families have already put pulled their children because they no longer feel supported. Others are on the verge of doing the same. Parents are saying, "My child can't make it through another year like this." One mother asked me to share her story. Her daughter's IEP includes a a study session, a lifeline that helps her succeed. If the high school periods are cut, she might still get that study time, but she'll lose other electives that give her joy, confidence, and the ability to graduate. She'll lose the balance she's fought so hard to find. MLEP parents and students here tonight and other parents say that their children are thriving, not just surviving during the day. That's because the smaller environment and the sense of safety at the BLC building. Some

023of these students have faced trauma you may never see or understand. But for them, walking into that building each day is the difference between hope and despair. If you take that away, you're taking away their safe space, [clears throat] their chance to believe in themselves again. And the electives, they're not just extras, they're lifelines. They show students who they are and who they can become. We're giving them the chance to dream before life forces them to choose out of fear or debt. We all under understand the need to tighten our budgets. Other Minnesota communities had levies on the ballots this year and over 62% passed. That's because communities know that when everybody gives a little, we all gain a lot. And let's not forget during the July board meeting, some of you said you'd rather

024see this on the 2026 ballot. Now's your chance to prove you meant that. Put it on the ballot now. If your proposed cuts truly don't harm students and do fix the deficit, you can always vote later to remove it. But if you re refuse, the message is clear. You don't care and your goal is effectively to destroy this district. It's time to show the community that you do care and that you see the faces behind the numbers. Every cut takes a piece of our students futures away. So look at them, listen to us, and choose to protect what makes the district worth fighting for. Last time I spoke, I said you need to do better, and you haven't even tried. >> Thank you, Danielle. Next up, we have Amber Hajoki Han, please. [clears throat] [snorts]

025Hello. [sighs] Welcome. Let me find my I'm a little nervous, too. It's been a while. >> You got this. >> All right. Um, good evening, members of the board. My name is Amber Hapokihan. I am currently a behavioral management specialist at the high school and [snorts] up until last year, I taught yoga and breath work for grades 5 through 12 at BLC. I'm here tonight because I've seen firsthand how deeply that school changes lives. You see, I am also a graduate of Brainard. During my senior year, my dad, who happened to be the chairman of this very school board, passed away that year. I didn't want to go to school. [snorts] I skipped classes. I withdrew and I barely got out of bed. Some days I was lost. But I was given a second chance,

026a chance to graduate on time because there was a school and a staff that believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. That second chance saved my life. That's [snorts] what our alternative school is doing for every single student in that building today and into the past. [snorts] These kids aren't here because it was the easier option. They're there because it's the right option for them. [snorts] Because the teachers and staff there meet them where they are, see them as individuals, and help them find their way forward. For many of those students, that school is not just a place to learn. It's a family. [snorts] It's often the only place where they feel seen, supported, and believed in. [snorts] I've watched those students grow, graduate, and become incredible human beings because someone didn't give

027up on them. Had someone [snorts] given up on me 25 years ago, I wouldn't be standing here today with two degrees, a career I love, and a family I cherish. [snorts] Please don't take away that second chance from the students who need it most. Keep this school, its staff, and the students where they are, in [snorts] a space where they can continue to thrive, to heal, and to believe in themselves again. Kids first always. Thank you. [snorts] >> Thank you, Amber. Up next, we have Jackie Janisk Foss, please. [clears throat] >> Welcome, Jackie. >> Hi. Good evening. Um, I'm reading this letter tonight on behalf of Clarice Wrenchler. Um, Clarice is the wife of the late Arlo Wrenchler who founded ISD 181 Area Education Center 55 years ago. Good evening, members of the school board.

028I'm unable to attend the board meeting, but I want to highlight the exceptional work that is being done at the Brainer Learning Center, AEC, and MLAP. I want to advocate for the continued support and investment in this vital program. The BLC serves students in many grades who benefit from a more personalized, flexible, and supportive learning environment. It's not just an alternative. It's a lifeline for many students who thrive outside the traditional classroom. Many hours of hard work went into getting this established. The district was sending a large group of students to the learning center in St. Cloud. Arlo recognized this for the district and therefore after many trips to the state department of education, the program was established in 1970. The BLC meets students where they are. The program offers small class sizes that foster

029meaningful relationships between students and staff. This close-knit atmosphere allows the individualized and one-on-one academic support, helping students build confidence and achieve success both in school and in life. The fa the flexibility in pacing and scheduling is especially important for students [snorts] balancing education and personal challenges and responsibilities. Beyond core academics, the BLC provides hands-on electives and innovative learning opportunities that spark curiosity and encourage exploration. Whether students are discovering new interests or deepening existing skills, they do so in a setting that values opportunity, innovation, and personal growth. If the district moves the location of the program, many will not attend. The reason being they do not like formal classroom learning and their experiences in other buildings have not been pleasant. So again, the district will be losing state aid for these students. I am not certain

030what a full-time equivalency student is worth, but I know it's quite a chunk of money. Please reconsider. As we look ahead, I urge the board to continue prioritizing for the BLC. This includes staffing, curricula, curriculum development, and most of all their facility that reflect the importance of the work being done there. The students served by BLC are not just completing credits, they are reclaiming their educational journey. Thank you for your time and your commitment to each and every student in our district. >> Thank you, Jack. >> The BLC Wow, she was over [laughter] Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Up next, we have Edshaw, please. [clears throat] [snorts] >> Welcome, Ed. >> Welcome. Evening. Uh, madame chair, directors, superintendent grant, um, Ed Shaw Brainer, parent of two Forest View sixth graders, and certainly some previous

031comments. It's not one sizefits-all. My kids love Forest View. It doesn't work for everybody. And it can be it can be tempting to kind of make the cuts in the most marginal parts of society. the kids that they're not the quarterback of the football team, the homecoming queen or king, you know, their parents usually aren't rich. It's easier to cut there, but that's not what we should do. That's not fair. That's not reasonable. It's not going to save us money. There's a state aid that somebody mentioned. And you you drive the marginal out of education. Where do they end up? Well, they end up in my line of work, the court system, the jails. That's where they go. and it costs a lot more money to have him there besides being rather inhumane. So you

032this would be pennywise and pound foolish. But stepping back echoing in the comments of someone a couple people ago, we shouldn't be in this position. The school the board of Crosby Ironton they trusted their community. They said you can vote on a levy. You can decide whether to fund our schools to meet the budget needs or not. And the citizens decided to. They had the right to vote. Our people didn't. I mean, we the people out there, we didn't get to vote. We didn't get to to make a decision. So, now we're looking at cuts that are going to have a nasty impact no matter where they fall. There's no easy answer at this point, but we shouldn't be in this position in the first place. We never should have got here. And it's not

033it's not something unique to this district. Districts all over are facing budget challenges. And I've heard at other meetings, you know, blaming scapegoats, blaming trans people. Somehow we're letting trans people in. That's a problem. Bologoney, to be blunt. You know, there are trans people all over the place. [laughter] Picking on a scapegoat is not going to work. It didn't work for Hitler. It's not going to work for us now. Give us a chance to vote. Give us a chance to decide. Please trust us. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ed. Up next, we [clears throat] have Doug Kern. Please. Welcome, Doug. >> Yep. You got uh some hard decisions to make. Um but we forget how we got here. We had blue ribbon schools not too long ago, and we got class A teachers, uh helpers.

034We got people that are really, really awesome here, but we forget how we got here. Um the last meeting that I was at, I was encouraged because I saw the equity committee was not on the agenda. Well, it became the uh safe and welcoming schools committee. You just changed the name. Um the community, they're looking for trust. They want to build trust. I I know you guys had a meeting just before this where you talked about um uh a survey that was put out. Um I didn't see what what the um outcome was on that. Um when I look at the enrollment report that we're going to look at here at the end of your meeting, we're going to get to see it. We're still losing students. And you know, when you lose over a

035thousand students, that's why we're in this boat we're in right now. Uh over the last couple years, losing students like that, that cost the district. Um and this the the problem still hasn't been solved. And you know, when you got a two-year waiting list on all the other schools that are around the area, uh that's scary. It's scary because if if I thought that just throwing money at the school would fix the problem, I would be all for it. um our teachers, you know, there's going to be some some pain because of what's been going on. And you know, I know you guys are dealing with past past boards decisions that they made. Um my heart goes out to you because you got some tough decisions to make and you know, tightening the belt is

036not easy. It's not it's not going to be fun, but it needs to happen uh until we quit hemorrhaging students. Um I just I just look at the uh the dollar amount from the federal funding, even the Title N thing. I don't know if that's still in the balance or if that's um uh something that the school can actually look forward to. The 6 million that we're going to lose in federal funding uh from the Title N letting boys compete against the girls. I don't know if that's even been resolved or or not an issue anymore. But anyway, I I just thank you guys for your work. Um I know you got some tough days ahead of you and I like I say, we got class A teachers here. Um, but you know, you got

037some tough decisions to make as far as um, uh, the schools are awesome here. You know, my kids went through it. Um, wonderful schools and we want to keep them that way, but you know, you haven't corrected the problem yet. So, now we have safe and welcoming schools committee and that that let me down. So, thank you. >> Thanks, Doug. Yep. >> Thank you. >> Up next, we have Missy Kimman, please. >> [clears throat] >> Uh, thank you for giving me time to speak tonight. My name is Missy Kimman and I recently heard that there is a chance that the BLC programs may be changing locations. Um, as a mother of who had all three of her children attend and successfully graduate from AEC. I really hope that doesn't happen. For most of the kids

038who I've known to be enrolled at AEC, they choose to go there because they the learning environment they left was not a good fit for them. For many, it's because of anxiety from moving into a larger location. Uh for many, it's because they get bullied at their school by their peers. And for many, it's because they just need a smaller setting. Whatever the reasons those students go there, they are seeking a place away from where they were not thriving. My children thrived in that school when they were failing at BHS in Forest View. I had tried all avenues before having my oldest enrolled at AEC when she was a junior in high school. The following year, my middle child was enrolled at the beginning of her sophomore year. When I had the opportunity to enroll

039my youngest when he was in eighth grade, I took it. Being with the same teachers for several years made a huge difference for them. They built real relationships with their teachers. The teachers knew what motivated each student to be their best self every day. Those teachers helped my children not only learn academics, but to be accountable for their choices. They also celebrated their successes. They showed them how to be a part of not just their school, but also in their community. I could go on and on about all of the positive things that AEC has. Having had five years of my children going there, I never had very many negative experiences. If you've never attended an ADC graduation, you're definitely missing out. I believe I've been lucky enough to watch all three of my children

040do that. Seeing a teacher speak of all the amazing things they helped your child experience and watch them grow through is so special. There is no way for that program to be as successful as it is if it is split up and moved to different locations. The staff there work so great as a team and they need to be able to remain a team. The connections that the staff make with their students is something that those students would miss out on if this program changes. I know our district is facing some pretty serious problems. I also work for the district, so I do have a little more knowledge than many others may have. I however believe that changing this program as it is now will be more detrimental than many may think. Those students need

041a safe place to learn and feel heard and important. AC offers that and so much more. Thank you again for allowing me time to speak. >> Thank you, Missy. >> Up next, we have Ann Roar. >> Welcome, Ann. >> Good evening, school board. My name is Anne Roar. I live in Breezy Point. I'm a senior and I attend school at the alternate education center. I was in the Peekquat School District for most of my education. I struggled but kept my head above water enough to pass. Then as many others, CO had a detrimental impact on my education and I became very behind. The Peekquat School District did everything they could to help students catch up and I tried all of it. From after school tutoring sessions to personal pair help and even out of school

042tutoring. Unfortunately, they just weren't the resources that I needed. At the beginning of my 10th grade year, I transferred to the Brainer High School with the goal of ending up at the 10th grade program at the AEC building. The difference in impact that the alternative program had was almost immediate. The smaller class sizes helped me be more comfortable and speak up in class discussions and the casual casual atmosphere allowed me to form meaningful connections with my teachers and those who were trying to help me and support for my staff and my my environment allowed me to keep take my education more seriously after years of neglect. The biggest impact was being the focus or having a school for me. It was the first time I felt a place of belonging in my education. Not a

043separate classroom to catch up, not a summer school, not after school in the library, not pushed to the side, but truly a school that was able to meet me where I was at and had the res resources to help. The accessibility of the school largely impacts the students. It's one floor, so students with mobility issues can manage the building easier. For many of our students, mental health is a large concern. Having on-site mental health counselors to help these students will help them succeed in school. Then there's the art room, the gym, the lab, and the shop. This building allows us the room to succeed. Not only will moving the program affect the Brainard students who are already at the school, but it will also impact the students in surrounding school districts that do not have

044the resources to have an alternative program. If I would have not been able to come to the school, I likely wouldn't have been set to graduate this year. Honestly, the school has been life-changing, and I would hate to see my underassmen not have the same opportunities, accessibility, and environment to learn as I did. I appreciate your time this evening and I ask of you to look at other options. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ann. >> Next up, we have Laura Rathy. >> Welcome, Laura. >> Hi. Thank you for letting me speak. Um, I am uh I live locally. I moved to the area and decided to live in Brainer honestly because although I did not work here, the activities and classes in the high school that my daughter could take part in were different than

045in other places and impressive. When I was a child, the adults in my community stood up and supported education, supported teachers, supported activities, and a variety of things in schools. This was a very long time ago, clearly. Uh, but all of the adults in this room had that experience most probably. And it's now our job to tell you that we need to support these young people. the we understand a lot more today about how kids uh are educated. You've heard from a lot of people about the variety of things that work for people and heard people speak very much better than I can about it. Um, if this means taking a vote, if this means increasing my taxes, that's my responsibility to make sure that the kids in this community have all the resources that

046they need to be educated safely and effectively. And my expectation of the school board is for you all to convince us of why this is and why we should be funding it. Thank you for your time tonight. >> Thank you, Laura. All right. And finally tonight we have Trila Eric Bolton please. >> Welcome Twila. >> Thank you so much. Appreciate it. It's exciting to see my amazing students here and their amazing families. So thanks to them also. Um and thanks the board. My name is Twyla Eric Belton and I am proud to teach at the Brainer Learning Center. The Brainer Learning Center serves a variety of students with many different reasons for needing an alternative learning environment. An undertold story relates to students who attend BLC with an array of health issues and diagnosis. During

047my time at BLC, we have had some students attend who have been in treatment for cancer, some who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and some who've had conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Those students would be challenged with with long walking long distance from parking spots, bus drop offs, and up flights of stairs. We have had students diagnosed with Crohn's disease, with kidney disease, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, all of whom need to be able to find a private bathroom to maintain their health and their dignity. We have had students that have had ports implanted for medical treatments, where walking through a crowded hallway where they could be accidentally jostled would be daunting and dangerous. We have students with weakened immune systems who could be medically compromised by the exposure to hundreds of students in

048a day at a traditional schools. We have had students who have come to us with diseases not normally diagnosed in the young. Things like Hashimoto syndrome, postural orthostatic tacicardia syndrome, and congenital heart defects who are just trying to figure out how to live a life with these conditions. We also have had students that were living with diabetes, seizure disorders, lupus, polycystic ovary syndrome, chronic migraines, and many other disorders that need physical accommodations for their bad days. We also have students that know something's wrong with them, but they haven't figured it out yet. Our building was designed with all of these students in mind. From quiet spaces with lights that can dim to access to private bathrooms to a parking area that's big enough to accommodate many cars and yet close enough to be just a

049quick walk into the building. The people who designed this, some of them who are might be in this room knew what they were building for. Our building is the only small building that can physically accommodate the needs of our middle and high school students who might be experiencing a new emerging or worsening health condition. We need options for those students who are experiencing a life-changing medical diagnosis and yet still would like to carve out some semblance of normality in their lives. I truly hope that none of you personally have children or grandchildren that need to attend the Briner Learning Center because of a medical condition, but we do need to be here for their worst days. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tyler. All right, that concludes public input for tonight. Thank you, everyone. We will

050move on to the approval of minutes starting with our regular schoolboard meeting from October 14th. I'll look for a motion. Motion. >> I'll second. We've got a motion from Director Donneringer, a second from Director Breen. >> Uh we will do a roll call vote for approval. >> Stephanie, >> yes. >> Randyman, >> yes. [clears throat] >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> Michelle Breen, >> yes. >> DJ Dair, >> yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. We will look for approval of school minutes for our special school burning on November 6th. >> So moved. >> I'll second. We've got a motion from Director Heidman, a second from Director Breen. All those Never mind. Uh we'll do a roll call vote. >> Uh yes. >> Sarah Spear. >> Yes. >> DJ. Yep. >> Stephanie Edman. >> Yes. >> Thank

051you, Kelly. All right, we'll move on to the consent calendar. Give you a chance to review that and then I'll look for a motion to approve. >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second. >> All right. We've got a motion by Director Donninger, a second by Director Breen. Any discussion? [clears throat] If not, we'll do a roll call vote. >> Spear, >> yes. >> Joe, >> yes. >> DJ Don, >> yes. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes. >> Randy Hiden, >> yes. >> Thank you. All right, we'll move on to presentations. First up tonight, we have Allison Vanleet speaking about the family liaison role in the district. And she did send out her presentation ahead of time. So we have a chance to look. >> Welcome Allison. >> Hello. >> Thanks for joining us. >> I

052was kind of volunte. [laughter] >> All right. So >> Ryan's gonna do it for you. >> Oh, he told me I was doing it. >> I got it. >> All right. So I don't want to go rogue because I do that a lot. So, I'm going to just read like other people are doing. All right. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Allison Vanple, family liaison for Brainer Public Schools. Initially, when this position was developed, the goal was to have a liaison as a support and contact person for families who were new to the district or whose students were new to a building, thinking kindergarteners, fifth graders, 12th graders. It was very quickly identified that the needs of our students families were much greater than just that. And this role has since expanded

053to all parents and guardians who want extra support as long as their students are in kindergarten through 12th grade. Keep in mind one person or all of them. Really quick just to look at the stats. I'm just going to do facts because that's just important to know for the work that I do. So for Crowing County, it talks about that we have a higher percentage of households with incomes below 50,000 other than other counties in our state. I pulled this up on a Google search. You can do the same, but this represents our community. This is the data of our school as of last year and this year. We had 40.2% 2% of our students qualifying as free or reduced and4% were identified as homeless. Currently, we have 52.4% of our students that are free

054or reduced and 1.2% are homeless. As the district's family liaison, my role is to build bridges between families, schools, and the larger community. I understand that people stay where they feel wanted, where they feel heard, where they feel respected. Families don't choose a district just because of what it offers on paper. They choose it because of who we are and how we make them feel when they walk through our doors. The same can be said for employees who choose to work for a school district as well. As the family liaison, I hope to help match our words to our actions because we all want students to succeed. Our words need to have life behind them for our families to have a sense of belonging at Brainer Public Schools, a connection to the people, the relationships,

055and the caregiving. My goal is to build communities within our schools, and a positive school community within our greater community. I'm doing this by connecting families to resources, providing support, encouraging parents and guardians, and building relationships. My work is about putting life into our words, helping families experience that connection, that sense of belonging, so that that when they think about staying in Brainer, it's not a data point or a dollar sign. It's because they feel at home here. So, this is what I'm doing. This is 2025 so far at a glance. I'm available to families every day to help with anything a parent or a guardian identifies as a need with the idea that when households have support, students will feel less stress and can be focused on learning. I'm not replacing anything. I am

056just there for the parents. So, since the start of the school year, I've developed a time for parents to come together for support and education monthly. I've attended various meetings for re-entry attendance, 504 and IEPs. I've connected families with food resources. I've initiated an essential needs collection and a food drive for our district. I have referred 22 families for Thanksgiving resources. And I've collaborated with Bridges of Hope, The Shop, Metap Five, CLC, Relationship Safety Alliance, Operation Community Connect, Lutheran Social Services, Crowing County Social Services, Salvation Army, various local churches, Thrive Financial, Brandon Public School Foundation, Lakes Area Restorative Justice Project, and more. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Alison. >> Thank you, Alison. >> We appreciate the work that you're doing. >> Yeah, >> I love this job. >> Yeah, it's >> important work.

057>> Thank you. >> We're very lucky to have Alison. >> Yes. >> All right. Up next on presentations, we have site continuous improvement [clears throat] goals. Um, we've got several principles here on our list tonight, and we're going to start with Martha Smithson. Welcome, Martha. Hi board members. We're going to ask the principles to present their reports to you and then Christina and I will be at the end to be available for questions. Um so if you would be willing to keep track of your questions and provide them to us um after all of them have gone, that would be helpful. >> Thank [snorts] you. All right. Thanks for having me. Um perfect. So we had three goals uh last year that we focused on. Um, honestly, we had probably five or six, but I'll

058share those three with you today. Uh, TS Gold, Teaching Strategies Gold, was our assessment that we used. It's the first year that we used it for all of our four-year-olds in in VPK and for all of our four-year-olds in preschool. So, it was a huge task to take 65 uh domains and objectives that they authentically were looking at throughout those routines and activities. Um so starting at 72% to 75% they rocked it with 83.89% in that area of literacy uh which was phenomenal. And then also in TS Gold uh we were looking at gross motor skills and uh we were surprised to see that it was 79% um in 2024 and they went to 95% um and that was through uh our motor labs uh working with physical and OT's physical therapists and occupational therapists

059and um really focusing on um what they could do in our gym and outside. Our teachers are math teachers, gym teachers, literacy teachers. They teach everything to those children. Um so those were the two areas that we focused on through the TS Gold. And then we focused on um developing the supportive and value based work environment and that was really focusing on the trauma-informed care. And so we had a reflective consultant that was paid for through a grant. um they were able to come into our school to support all of our staff through some very specific trainings uh for how we understand ourselves, understand children and understand families. Um and she was able to do some small group and individual work as well. Um so that was able all that work um from 2425 was

060where we were focusing on our goals for this year. So for this year with TS Gold um with all those 16 domains and just literacy, we decided to focus on the one area that was a little bit lower and that was rhyme. So that was at 78% this year. And so we want to move up to 81. And man, if we got to 95, that would sure be incredible. But we're doing quite a bit of work during our inservices um at PLC's a lot of work with our families uh with that focused on rhyme. If you walk down the hallways, you're going to hear our kids singing different rhyming songs. Um, and if you know a few yourself, let us know. Um, then our another goal, a continued goal from that trauma-informed care was the

061pyramid model, and that's doing some problem solving and um some strategies on how to uh cope with disappointment, how to handle uh frustration, what they can put in their toolbox. There's a lot of social emotional skills that we're working on with our kids, our families, and different adults too. Um, so that is a huge piece that they're working on this year um to have fidelity with that. So there's different checklists that we work on. Menco used to have this um but we're using uh those different tools. It's a national program as well. Um so the fidelity of that we're assessing every month. Um and then our data dig is the star program. Um and that's the teaching uh for students with autism. And so some of those uh direct teaching pivotal uh response um a

062lot of very focused work for children that have um either autism or some special needs. So what that uh fidelity could look like. So all three of these goals really encompass a big part of our early childhood. But birth to three is working very closely on um some home visiting guidelines and how they can work on best practices for birth to three. And then our speech pads are working very closely with the pyramid and star um and our ECF is working very hard on um how they can uh support families. So um a ton of great work that they're doing. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Principal Smithson. Welcome again, Principal Rasi. [laughter] >> Well, we do that, too, because we get to have early childhood. So, let's put that on the plate.

063Um, so Molly Rasky, I'm the principal at Nisville Elementary for preschool through fifth grade. And, um, our goal Go forward. So last year we really focus on growth because every student can grow. We want to make sure that our students are making predicted or high growth and so we are measuring that. If our students aren't all growing then we want to make sure that we are differentiating in the way that they need. If a student isn't growing we can meet all the needs of all of our students. then no student is left behind because when we look at proficiency, we are looking at just one number and we need to make sure that all of our students are making high growth because if they're not making high growth or predicted growth, they're all at risk.

064So last year we two years ago we had the growth uh predicted and high of 63%. And so we wanted over two years to gain that by by 20%. Last year we had a huge year. We changed a lot of things and the most important thing that we changed was we were using all of our data. We have another um goal around fastbridge. We're using that to really measure to look at the benchmarks to make sure that everyone is growing throughout the year and not just at the end. So we're progress monitoring making sure that we are meeting those benchmarks and if we're not we adjust things. [snorts] So, we had two goals. We met our or our ontrack goal. So, we were at 63%, we're at 70. So, we met that benchmark. This next

065year we're looking at 80% of our students making predicted or high growth. And so, we're working really hard at that staff. They're they're talented. They're amazing. They're digging in with FastBridge, with Proliftic. and we are looking at every student. We meet every six weeks with MTSS. So, we're looking at every single aspect of their day to make sure that we are meeting their needs. If they're not making predicted growth, we look at that individual student and what we're doing for them and we adjust. I like this moonlighting. That feels that feels right. [laughter] Thank you. All right, let's dig in. Um, so we are on track and we're really excited about that. [snorts] So we're going to continue that. Our next goal is around Sabers, my Sabers, the risk assessments. Um, and our students, we

066wanted to make sure that 10% of our students move through the tiers. There is low risk, some risk, and high risk. Within Sabers and my Sabers, [laughter] there's always risk. which seems scary and it is. So we did have 10% of our students move and [clears throat] we still had one student at high risk but we had a lot of safeguards. That means all year we make sure that those students have what they need and they can move between those things throughout the year depending on what's going on for them. But we met that goal. We're meeting the needs of our students in many different ways. Regardless of how many students are in our room, we see each of them. And that is the way that we meet those goals. We see them, we meet

067their needs, they're seen, and they feel safe. So, we met that goal. That's an important one because they really can't access the academics if everything else isn't met. We also through all of this, oh sorry here, we also met our goal around data data digs. We wouldn't be able to meet these other goals or be on track unless we had assessments to monitor. So our staff and really they've taught me a lot. They're forward thinking. I've learned a lot from the people right here in this room that came to celebrate this and their work tonight. They have progress monitored using FastBridge and our OLA core Ola assessments and progress monitoring and our screeners. So they've really dug into all the different aspects so that we can understand where our learners are because if we don't

068know where our learners are, we really can't take them to the next step. And there's multiple tools in there depending on what that student is being held back by such as maze. If a student is being held back by comprehension, we need to do a different assessment to evaluate that and possibly adjust. But we're monitoring to see if they are making progress. If they're not, we need to adjust our instruction, which the talented people behind me, they can do that. I can support them with the assessments and all those other aspects, but they're adjusting to the assessments all day. And these are kids, not assessments are scores. We need to keep that in mind. >> We also are digging into prolific which is really exciting. And so that's going into this year and I'm talking

069too long and I know it really hasn't you haven't pushed me or anything. So we've met that goal. They've met that goal. I didn't I got out of their way. So goal met. Goal met. And we're still working on and we'll always be working on growth. Our students will always be growing. We'll always be growing with them. This next year, as I said, sorry, you're so good. Thank you. So, this next year, like I said, we we are on track. So, 70% of our students are making predicted or high growth based on the comp the um composite score in FastBridge. And that's kindergarten through fifth grade. I really like that we can assess students in one assessment and be able to look at the whole school and whether or not we're moving forward looking at

070screeners, progress monitoring, all of that. So this next year, our goal is 80% of our students will make predicted or high growth regardless of how they came in, they will make that growth. Students that came in and were struggling in a certain area, they should make a year and a half. And our teachers are really working hard to make sure that we support them in the way they need. Our data dig like I really got excited about prolific too early. Yep. Great. So we also have prolific which I'm so excited about because we So it is a data warehouse but also it looks at uh fastbridge and MCAs. It can triangulate our data and I get to look at demographics. So we get to see our students and how they come in and what barriers

071they may have and if there's any trends. So now we're digging into that. So we see the whole whole child as well as the entire school. Is there a trend we need to be looking at? So that's our work for this year and the work around our data that serves everything else. So we're moving forward in the same way. Our PLC is in line. Our staff meetings are in line. Our CIP days are in line. Our continuous improvement, everything is in line. So the ship's going in the same direction. I'm excited. And these people are doing the work. So, I just get to articulate it very poorly and so come on out. Thanks for having me. >> Thank you, Principal Rasi. >> All right. And >> I know and up next we have um Taylor

072Demouth, Principal Demouth from Baxter Elementary. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Right. Good evening. Um I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Taylor Demuth and I'm the principal at Baxter Elementary. As someone who has spent the majority of my career working for the Brainer public schools, it is truly an honor to be back working with and serving the amazing staff, students, and families who are truly the heart and soul of this district. So, we're going to take some time to look at reviewing our 2425 goals and then move into our 2526 goals. But I think it's really important to note um each and every single day the incredibly hardworking and dedicated staff when within each of our buildings who are continually showing up for our kids um reflecting and refining

073their practice to give them the best um looking at our 2425 goals. So our first goal was around our that um state accountability test in reading. um we did not meet that goal. And when I think about that, there are numerous factors that impact that data. So again, that is one test on one day. Um we're also in the middle of shifting and refining our literacy literacy practices as a district. So anytime that you make shifts of that magnitude, you are going to see change. You are going to see implementation dips. You are going to see some of those things. I also think it's really important to note um over the past years we have reduced staffing um support staff within our classrooms that directly impacts what we can do. Um again I think class

074sizes plays another role in this as well. So when I think about our building literacy or building leadership team we talked a lot about literacy being one of those foundational skills that we are going to continue to target because we know our students need to be able to read. they need to be able to write now and into the future. So again that you will see that um remaining one of our areas of focus as we move into the 2526 goals. Um our second goal was around our sabers assessment and so again that's that social academic and emotional behavior risk screener that is really important to look at. Um we because it helps us to identify those students that some are outwardly displaying those behaviors, some are more internal. So, it helps us to slow

075down as a staff and determine what students might need a little extra support because we know when they're struggling behaviorally, it is really hard to meet their needs academically. So, again, we had 76% of our students in that lowrisk category and the goal was to shift to 80% by the end of the year. Um, the numbers kind of waxed and waned throughout the year. So, we are going to since we didn't see that consistent trend upward, we're going to remain focused on this goal just because we know our students need those skills. And if they're coming to us needing additional support, we need to be able to identify what specific skills are they missing or might they need a little bit of extra um support and taking on so that they can navigate those social

076situations so that they can develop the appropriate coping skills and those behavioral skills to be successful in the classroom. And then finally, our last goal was around family engagement. Um, we had set a goal of 80% of our Baxter families attending those um, in-person family engagement nights and we were successful. Um, open house we had 91% um, attendance which is great. We had conferences 95.8% and then our keep in touch nights um, with 80%. So, we decided as a leadership team when we sat down this fall and really decided what what do we need to focus on. Um, family engagement and involvement is still very very important to us. We just decided we don't need a specific goal um set around it at this time, but just plan to continue building those strong relationships with

077our families and PTO as they are very actively engaged as partners in um each of our students educational journey. So that brings us to to our goals for this year. So we kind of grouped um our leadership team really wanted to focus in on literacy. Um again we talked about that um reading state accountability test. We are going to keep that as one of our goals because I think it's important um to note that again yes that's one test on one given day but that's that cumulative learning that occurs over their K4 experience right and so when you think about that we also wanted to add um a component of how are we going to monitor that growth throughout the course of the year. So uh we talk about fastbridge assessment. We give that through

078fall, winter and spring. We have three testing windows. And so we decided as a team collectively we are going to take that um whatever each grade level is starting at for their percentage um at or above um expectations and we want to grow it by 5% per grade level um per testing window. So accounting for 10% growth per grade per year through the course of the year. And I think just keeping that as our focus um when we go into uh our team meetings and we look at our data we're having a lot of conversations around our kids that are moving that are shifting that are growing and those that are not and why aren't they growing and what other supports do we need to add. So I think when you look at those action

079steps um implementing our district structured literacy work that's ongoing work. It started last year it's continuing this year. um each of our professional learning sessions, we are getting a little bit better each time. Um we're setting benchmarking goals. We're using that screening to intervention report within FastBridge to go, okay, what is that child successful at and what what is their next skill that they need to take on? And then as a team really determining what interventions do we need to put in place both in that general ed setting, in our intervention spaces, and within special education. And I think when I look at our team, um, we're coming together. We're using we have a reading interventionist. We have one. We're she her schedule is as full as it possibly can be. And it's constantly evolving

080be based upon how our kids are doing. We talk about if they're growing, we're getting them out of intervention um, and getting the next child in. um as well as all of our teachers are working to implement those strategies that we're learning through those collective district-wide literacy shifts. Um these conversations are happening daily, weekly um weekly at our PLC's. We talked about team meetings happening three times a year. Um our professional learning days as well. And I just think it is a big lift right now. And I I can't speak highly enough about the staff. Um both our educ our teachers, our support staff, we're all working together to go, okay, where are our students at and where what do we need to add to help them to continue to grow? And so again, that

081other goal that I referenced, we are going to keep the Sabers um assessment goal of increasing. We started the year with 78% of our students in that lowrisk category. Um, we hope to increase it to 82% by the end of the year and we just felt that remaining focused on being proactive in identifying and supporting our students who require that additional behavioral support is incredibly incredibly important because we are seeing a greater behavioral need across all grade levels across all settings. And so our leadership team as at a building level is contin continuing to discuss how are we going to best proactively teach those skills because we know just like reading, writing, math, if they don't have those behavioral skills or strategies in place, we have to explicitly teach them so that they can take

082on the academic learning as well. So those are kind of our action steps. We have daily morning meetings. We're doing monthly character retreats as well where we talk about what it looks like to be a respectful citizen, what it looks like to have a compassionate heart, giving examples of that um infused into our um the work of our SSI teacher, student support interventionist who meets with um each classroom and talks through those topics as well as meeting with small groups of students based upon individual needs. Um, the other piece is just looking at how are we as a school community helping all of our students to develop those skills that we they need to not only be successful in the classroom but in the real world as well. So, I want to just thank you

083for your time and support as we work towards those goals, all of these goals together as a team. I welcome you to come in and visit our school. We would love to have you um see the amazing work that our educators are doing every day. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. I got to go find it. What the hell? Take your two minute break or you want to keep on going. I'm going to go find it. >> Okay. It's annoying. Thank you. >> It's the heater. >> Oh, it's >> Randy. >> The heater. Randy. >> Randy. The heater. >> It's a register in the hall. >> Welcome, Dr. Stomach. >> Welcome. Thanks for having me here. Torture. Am I waiting? So, I'm Tammy Stomach and I'm principal over at Forest View Middle

084School. Um, I'm back at middle school as principal and it's my first year back over at Forest View. This is my 37th year in public education and 26 of those years are in middle school. So, it's exciting to be back in middle school and my roots in this district go back to being a a piece of helping design that building way back in the day when it first opened and we moved over in the winter of 2004. And I want to say before I start with the goals that I do think force was an amazing place um and I think it's a place that can be misunderstood and misrepresented often um in light. And I just want to say that we have take a moment to acknowledge that we've got an amazing staff. We're doing

085amazing things over there and middle school kids are amazing people. They're often misunderstood as well. And so we are having um a good year and my staff is absolutely amazing. So you'll see on the screen before you there, we have four goals um from last year and we were on track or met on all of those goals. So that's very exciting news and things to celebrate. We were looking at the percentage of our students um meeting their reading growth goal as measured by FastBridge. And last year we were aiming to have that go from 60% from the year before to 63% by the end of the school year last year. And we not only met but we exceeded that with a spring uh growth goal coming in at 66%. The second one is that we

086were looking at improving and promoting our schoolwide literacy and we were providing ongoing professional development for all staff. uh supporting and contributing to the efforts at our site. And then we have a forest view literacy poster that we have asked all staff to have at present and in their classroom so that that can spill over outside of just that one core content area, but it can be visible and a focus in all of our other areas. So for example, on the poster, students and staff are able to see and represent um things like comparing and contrasting. it's not only gerine to the subject of literacy summarizing analyzing demonstrating and showing evidence. So that was one of our efforts um around that realm and we're on track for that goal at the end of the school

087year last year. We were looking to improve our social emotional learning um and programming for the 2425 school year and also looking to have a plan in place for SEAL programming for the following years. You'll see that our summary there is that we most grades demonstrated growth particularly in emotional regulation. Seventh and eighth grades had the most complete data on the survey and the data that we were gathering and fifth and sixth grade showed um promising improvement in that area. Across all grades, students made more progress in emotional control um than as self assessed by putting themselves in I'm generally in a bad mood. They talked about themselves being able to have more emotional control. So, that's a good thing on track for that goal. And then we wanted to improve the middle school experience

088for staff and students, engaging in efforts to um assess student and staff climate was a focus for last year. Um and discussing that climate and taking efforts to improve student and staff climate. So there was a pre and a post test um with some survey information from last year and a new principal coming on. I also gave a staff survey in June before I came on site and looked at that data and we've uh been doing some focusing on where that data was at and things that we can do. And so I'm happy to report that we were on track for that uh goal as well at the end of the school year um last year. Then for the goals that we landed on for this year, we decided to focus uh very um basic

089in our focus on literacy and math. Two areas that we could focus on with a lots of changes um to uh the site over at Forest View. And we wanted to hone in on these two specific areas. So for literacy, we want the percent of our students at Forest View meeting their reading growth goal measured again by the FastBridge assessment that all sites are using to increase from spring of [clears throat] last year from that 66% to 68% uh this spring. And then we're also going to look at when available and it is now our fall data. So where did they come in at the fall? And we want to also have that 2% increase from fall of this year to spring. Our math goal again is on the fast bridge goal and we ended

090spring last year with that rounded up to 64 but 63.87% and we were aiming for a 2% increase in our math um as well and then again we're looking at our fall to spring. So we're looking at spring to spring as well as fall to spring. Um for that area components that we are implementing and focusing on with our goals um center on core instruction implementing our core instruction with fidelity um and intervention um are using our time to thrive time uh using multi-tered systems of supports. Um again I referenced already the literacy poster. We're taking the FastBridge assessment in math and reading three times a year. Our MTSS team has already reviewed our fall MTSS data. So, it's a big lift at a site such as the size of Forest View. We looked at

091over 1,600 students worth of data. We had one day scheduled and that was too much to ask to get done in one day. We had a second day, but we reviewed the individual data from all of those students to see where they're at and what their needs are. um and then we're able to place them accordingly in that extra chunk of time that we have. So, we've done a lot of work and we still are it's ongoing always um the work that we're doing, but I'm proud of where our staff is at and I'm proud of the strides that we are making as a site. Um so, I I hope you are as well. Thanks for having me. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Dr. Sal. >> All right. And next up we have the fall

092fast bridge screening data with director Lungren. Welcome Director Lungren. >> Hello Okay. Well, I am here to share the fall screening data report uh for our FastBridge [clears throat] screening. So, uh this is a two-page document. Uh on the first page, our first section, this is showing the district overview of our three assessments. So, starting at the left, uh this is our reading assessment. So at the top uh that information provides the number percentage of students that completed the reading assessment for fall and at the bottom that is the overall reading proficiency uh for that fall screening window. So that was at 62% uh proficiency again that's looking at how many students or percentage of students that are on track to meet that endofear learning outcome. In the middle uh we have the math assessment.

093So again, at the top, 89% of our students completed the math assessment. At the bottom, our math proficiency was also 62%. And then at the far right, um this is our Sabers assessment. 86% of our students completed the Sabers assessment and our proficiency in the fall is 78%. So again, that's the broad overview. in the middle. Uh the next graph that we have, this is looking again at uh grade level proficiency data for the two assessments of math and reading. So we have the on the y- ais that's the percent proficient. On the x axis, that's the grade level. The blue bar represents the math proficiency. The orange bar represents the reading proficiency. So that's just the fall screening data grades K through 11. And then uh last year um at the winter and spring

094we shared the student growth data. This is just a note that that growth data looks at the growth between two data points. So when we come back with the winter screening data, that information will be added to the report. On the second page, let me here. So this is the start of the trend data by cohort. Uh so looking at our graphs uh we have them broken down by the elementary cohorts, middle school, and then high school. On the y ais, that's the percent proficient. Oops, we got to restart it. All right, Canva said we're done. Okay, so we have the percent proficient on the y ais and then uh the screening uh date on the x axis. So the way this is labeled F24 that stands for fall 24, Wter 25, so on and

095so forth. So the third first three data points on the graph those are the three data points from last year's screening fall, winter, spring and then the fourth data point is the uh data point for the fall screening uh this this fall and this is by cohort. So for example, uh this purple line at the top, that is following students that are graduating in the year 2034, which is our fourth grade cohort this year. So the three data points from last year, that would have been from their third grade screening. And then this fourth data point is now that cohort's fall screening data point. So we have uh reading and math for those uh students in grades K through 4. Moving into the middle uh same type of setup. This is for middle school students.

096Uh so students in grades 5 through 8. Again the first three data points would be their scores proficiency rate from last year. And then this fourth data point does fall uh this fall. So again, reading and math [clears throat] and then the the bottom row, this is our high school cohort. Um we only included grades 9 through 11. Our senior students, um some of them are not taking the test in the fall because their uh English 12 course. It's a one semester course and then they take an elective uh one of the other semesters. So depending on how their schedule is organized, they may not be in an English class in the the fall. And then same with math. So depending on what math class they take, they might not have a math class in

097the fall. So we only included grades 9 through 11. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any questions from the group? >> Madam Chair. >> Yes, Director Ward. >> So, um Christina, um and thank you and thank you the elementary principles uh for um really amaz I think really amazing results. Thank you uh for for that report. I do want to I do want to ask about literacy. Um I I know that we're going to more a phonicsbased program, but my understanding is we're kind of um putting it in in in uh imple implementing it in parts um and then at the and then in spring we're going to be pulling putting it fully um is my understanding and I want to make sure I'm I'm correct on that. Why why aren't we why

098aren't we fully implementing it now? the literacy program that we're going to eventually be going to, which is highlighting phonics. >> Um, [clears throat] Director Ward and members of the board, we do not have um a new adopted curriculum if that's if that's what you're asking. Right now, this year, we are doing a thoughtful and intentional implementation of what we learned last year in our structured literacy professional development. So we are doing stagebystage implementation for every grade level in every area um in more of a foundational structured literacy environment. Bonics is definitely highlighted in a structured literacy environment, but we're using this year um to support teachers with understanding those evidence-based practices and trying those evidence-based practices in their um settings. in all elementary levels um and understanding the difference between what phonics instruction looks

099like in kindergarten versus fourth grade. So, it is a more pronounced um component of our literacy instruction this year, but it's not the only thing we're working on. We're working on all aspects of structured literacy. [clears throat] So is the literacy um plan consistent throughout the elementary dis throughout the all the elementary schools in the district as consistent as we can be at this stage of implementation. Um our um CCC leaders and our PLC leaders have been instrumental in helping support their colleagues on our professional inservice days. Um and Dr. Melissa Cornnea, who is our literacy specialist um on staff, has also helped work with our teacher leaders to develop those trainings. um in part building um uh lesson plans and building structures in place so teachers don't only go back to their classroom knowing

100that these are essential components of phonics instruction for example but also understanding what that looks like day after day after day of instruction. this whole week. [clears throat] Uh we started with inservice day on Monday and we had uh a literacy coach working with uh teachers in every elementary classroom sharing the same um plan doing demonstration lessons um and trying to develop that consistency and common language so that all of our grade level teachers can work together cohesively. um when we are together on those uh inservice days. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So to follow up with John's question, we don't we really don't have a a curriculum right now. Correct. >> We absolutely have a curriculum. We don't have a new adopted curriculum since last year. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Let me ask

101this question. Um I'm not obviously an expert, but do we Do we use a soundss first approach or do we use a letter names approach when we start talking about the alphabet and with these kids and you're looking at me like oh where'd he get this from? I do my research. >> I know exactly [laughter] where you got that from >> came from Stubenville. Yes. Um we use a multimodal approach. Okay. >> So we do sounds, letters, listening, speaking and writing all inter >> all at the same time. >> Yeah. >> So if a student is is use um learning a letter name. They're also learning the letter sound, how to form the letter >> and where what the letter um contributes to um making words making and making meaning from text. >> Yeah. Because

102uh again the little reading that I've done, it's kind of interesting. We all know the ABC song. >> Not all it's cracked up to be. Well, you're right because why don't we have a sounds first song where the kids actually know what you know like you know that's what I'm saying. I mean there's there's there's an argument on both sides of the story but they need both. I was just curious if if we use one of those approaches or if we use both of them. That's all. >> We use a multimodal approach and there is a song for you Dr. or Dr. Heidman. It's called the other alphabet song. >> Oh okay cool. I'll look it up. Can you sing it for us? [laughter] >> It's definitely better than Baby Shark. >> My grandson would

103take um one other question. How are we going to and with a lot of the goals and a lot of the things that were talked about tonight, which really good stuff. Um we're using um growth. How are we ever going to compare ourselves to our neighboring school districts if we are focused on growth? >> Yeah, because we use the national norms for that growth. So, we are comparing ourselves to 8 million other students, not just ourselves. >> When we hit those growth targets, those are based on 8,000 other or 8 million other students that take the same assessment across the nation. >> That was never explained. I mean, that was >> Yep. pretty comprehensive data points, pretty intentional and pretty realistic psychometrically >> so that we have confidence and what those growth targets should be.

104Um you heard one of our principles talk about um um >> accelerated growth and predicted growth. Um so predicted growth is like average growth but if we know that students are not yet where their grade level peers are >> then we have to use those accelerated growth targets. >> Okay. >> So we don't measure just growth even though you heard a lot about that in the goals. We also measure proficiency uh which Christina talked about. Those are um the measures of how our students are on track to meeting those grade level expectations at the end of every grade level from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. And fast bridge right now is the only measure we have that does that. So it's an important part of our comprehensive assessment plan. >> Thank you. Any

105other questions? If not, thank you. Great information tonight. All right. Up next, we'll move into new business. We've got a few items here for action. Um, the first one on the agenda, I'm going to let Superintendent Grant speak to a little bit. Um, I think it was an omission. >> I'll make a motion. >> You could tell us, but what are we going to do? [laughter] >> The name was missed. >> Got it. >> The name was All right. Thank you, Director Dondelinger. Is [clears throat] there a second? I'll second. We've got a motion by Director Donninger, a second by Director Breen. I'm assuming there's no discussion. We'll do a roll call vote. Or yeah, roll call vote, please. >> John Ward, >> yes. >> Bill Breen, >> yes. >> DJ Dunninger, >> yes. [cough

106and clears throat] >> Yes. >> Randy Hidman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. Thanks, Kelly. All right, we'll move on to the approval of the first reading of policy 440, the employee social media use policy. And we previewed this reading. I think this is the second. >> We looked at it at a work session. >> Yeah, just the first. >> So, this is the first of three readings. Yep, good point. We have looked at it. [laughter] >> Hello. So, Jason is gone today, so you're stuck with me. >> Thank you, Carla. Um, I made the changes that were requested and then also everything is uh underlined in red that I changed. I also um tried to clarify a little bit. It was people were confused about does this mean I can't share when talking

107about um not posting on your personal page your students like in your classroom or whatever. People were confusing that with oh that means I can't I also can't share like the um boyer football team's photos because there's students in it. So, I was trying [clears throat] to clarify that under C um where it says employees may not post images of co-workers or any any personal social media network without the co-workers's consent. And then it says except for general images that may be taken in public arenas such as the sporting events or fine arts performances etc. And then I added or sharing posts from another page. I'm hoping that will clarify that for everyone being you don't have to worry about that. We're talking about your personal page and sharing something you know from in the

108classroom or in the school. >> So if you're sharing like the Brainer Public Schools post >> Yeah. Okay. >> Go for it. You can share whatever you want. >> And in fact we should be doing that. >> We should be doing that. And that was the concern. One of the concerns too was well then we can't promote our schools. It's like we want you to promote your schools. So, it doesn't we're not trying to limit what people are doing on their personal pages except for when they're using student photos in their classroom without permission from parents. You need to have that permission in order to do that. As a district, anyone who runs a district site, because we have 12 12 school sites that are all run by different people, we have backups. like I

109can get into each page. They're allowed to do that because they're the admin administrator of that page. So, I think there was a little bit of confusion there, too. >> So, I don't know if we cleared it up or not. >> I I think you did. Thanks for making those changes. Yeah, >> that makes sense. >> Any Madam Chair? >> Yes, Director Ward >> Carter. Thank you for um addressing some of the concerns we had at the workshop uh about this. Um the other thing that we had talked about at the workshop was um is it all legal beagle? Uh do we know that our um >> um attorney has >> Oh, sorry. Jason sent it to the lawyer, but I haven't heard if he's heard back yet, but I do know um after I

110made the changes, he forwarded it >> to the lawyer. He said, >> "Thank you. Great. >> So, we can still make a motion to approve this first reading and if the attorney recommends changes, then we can make that on the second. Okay. >> Or third. >> So, I make a motion we >> I'll second approve the first reading. >> All right. We've got a motion from Director Breen, [clears throat] a second from Director Edman. >> Any further discussion? >> And even if we do the third reading, we can always come back to it if something changes down the road. And >> that is [snorts] correct. >> Yeah. So, I mean, yeah. >> All right. Um, we'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Yes. >> Stephanie, >> yes. >> Andy, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear,

111>> yes. >> John, >> yes. >> Thank you, Carla. >> All right. And um the number three for the business new business for action tonight was something that we moved to the agenda after our work session earlier today. It was a conversation we had about the AGOT program and um pausing testing for kindergarteners this year because that testing is coming up here in December so that we can study the design of the program. um and implement whatever changes come for next year. And so that was a condition of being able to do that. So that is the um agenda item on the table for our action. >> So I'm confused. So in order for us to study the AG program with Dr. J. Peters, we have to suspend the program for next year for first

112grade. I didn't pick it that way. I thought we kind of I didn't understand why we were doing that in the first place. >> Well, >> I know we were saving $70,000. That's what I was told. >> That's what I remember hearing in the work session. Tell me where I'm wrong. >> No, you're right. If we [clears throat] do not test right now or the kindergarteners in our inner school, there won't be kids available at first grade because they haven't we haven't been able to evaluate their skills, >> right? [clears throat] And that would be for just the next year. >> So, but that really doesn't have anything to do with digging into the rest of the program. >> No, nothing. >> Okay. [clears throat] I just wanted to clarify that. >> Thank you. >>

113I mean, I didn't know if you got it that way or you took it took it the other way. I don't think one has any >> program will continue, but we will be studying the the program. >> Yes, we can study it either way. >> Yeah. >> But the program won't continue in first grade. [clears throat] >> Correct. >> We're voting to get rid of it for next year for first grade. Well, we happen to do a Yeah, we haven't reviewed it 2017 just >> and I think uh John had made a comment during the workshop too that didn't on your research John you said generally speaking it's not a good idea to test until at least second or third grade. >> That's what the research shows. >> Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah. >>

114That I've looked at. >> Right. Okay. It was too easy. >> So >> yeah, I mean it was a good discussion. Um the administration brought some ideas that we haven't really visited this program and the design of it in in several years and we reserve the right to get smarter and we should get smarter um as we're able to. So >> and just to clarify, we're not getting rid of the AGOT program. >> No, correct. >> Just want to make sure everyone understands that. [laughter] >> We're not getting rid of it. AGOT is a gem. >> Yes, it is. >> Pun intended. >> Better put that [laughter] better put that in bold. >> All right. Um, so we'll entertain a a motion uh that relates to this topic. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second.

115>> All right. We have a motion by Director Edman and a second by Director Heidman to pause uh testing for kindergarteners for the EGOT program this year only. We'll do a roll call vote, please. >> DJ Dunlinger, >> no. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes. >> Andy Hidman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> John Ward, >> yes. >> Joe Breen, >> yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. And I know there's hesitation as we talk through some of these issues. And these are going to be very difficult and um hopeful that we come out the other side of this with good ideas and good design and smart thinking that we can put to work for our students. So it is not without um thought. All right. Uh we're going to move intoformational. Um, we've got several

116folks on the agenda that have attended committee meetings and are have some information to report out. We'll start with Brainer Public Schools Foundation. Director Edman, anything you'd like to bring forward? >> Yes. So, the Briner Public School Foundation will be hosting its fourth annual bingo night in partnership with the Brinard American Legion on December 8th, and tickets are available on the on their website. And BPSF has been growing like crazy and now holds about $4.8 million in assets between scholarship funds, 4A grants, and donor advised funds. The BBSF board held a strategic planning session last [clears throat] week identifying three key objects to help continue to move the organization forward and manage its incredible growth. The big event which is premiering which is the premier fundraising scene event will be held on Saturday, February 21st

117at Grand View Lodge. This theme is Olympics stronger together. They we are seeking sponsors, auction items, and ticket sales will be on sale soon. Visit pbsf.org for more details. And bingo is really fun. So don't forget to get your tickets for December 8th. >> Thanks. And it sells out really fast. So >> it does. >> Yes. Get on it. >> Thank you, Director Edman. Up next, we've got the Wellness Task Force. Director Breen. >> Okay. So, we met and a survey was created to be given to building principles regarding what they see as wellness needs within their buildings. That survey, from what I'm hearing, was completed and at our next meeting, we will be um reviewing that data. Um we certainly appreciate the building administrators for taking the time to fill that out. Um our

118team will um also Oh, yes. and make some decisions about how best to proceed with the data that we're getting. Um we also discussed ways to have small wins. Um we're looking at possibly doing um welcome Wednesdays at Forest View in the morning to just welcome the kids that are coming to school and then looking at doing some wellness tips for the parent newsletter on a monthly basis. >> Thank you. >> You're up again. >> Yes. And I'm up again except I did not I was not able to attend the safe and welcoming schools committee. So I'm not good. >> Oh, it's a good report. >> Yeah. Sorry. [laughter] I promise I promise to have more um next month. >> Michelle, is this the the wellness task force? Is that the committee that where we

119were trying to protect um students? I mean, uh, if I remember correctly, there was a the equity task force. There were students involved in and it was kind of a closed >> No. >> So, the so the wellness task force is open. >> Yes, it's open. >> Why can't we include that in our workshop stuff? >> Include what? >> Your meet or these people from the community. When do you have your meetings or when when do you do your >> So, our our meetings, we just changed them. I think they're the second Tuesdays of the month at 8:30. Um they go for about an hour and a half to two hours. >> Okay. So, >> we are we're a very new committee. We >> um and we're just trying to address mental health um how

120do how we can support mental health and staff, students, and hopefully eventually the community through Brainer Public Schools. So you think it's better just to keep it as a separate entity and not evolve it into the our work group sessions >> with the other committee stuff. >> We have six core committees. >> Okay. Then we have like I go to the um community ed ones. >> Yeah. >> And then I'm on the one for the health benefits. >> So those aren't really >> the committees like we used to be chairing and stuff like that. >> So they would not be would not be >> keep them totally separate. But that's community people that are a part of this >> DAC. Gotcha. Just >> similar to that. >> Similar >> DAC. Yeah. >> That's that's a

121really good point though and we should clarify that that we do have six committees that the board leads and it they're board committees. These report outs are on committees that we are as board members. We're liaons to those groups to bring back information. They are not committees of this board. >> But that's a great question Dr. Hegman. >> Does that make sense? It's kind of like DAC like the D. That's at night. So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Same deal. Gotcha. Gotcha. >> I mean, it's not that you you couldn't attend if you wanted to, but >> gotcha. All right. And then, um the last one we had was the Paul Bunan Education Cooperative um committee meeting update. Director Ward. So on uh December or excuse me, November 6th, Paul Bunnan Education Cooperative Board of Delegate

122meeting uh happened and um it was very well attended. Um and it was uh very interesting and informational. Um as everybody knows or all of the board members know that uh you know the uh to look at that agreement the joint powers agreement with them which started in 2012 and was revised in 2016. Um you know if we got out of that agreement it would save us uh let me just uh about 200 mutually dissolve uh PBEC agreement would be about $250,000. So there was a lot of discussion about that and and but there was a lot of great information. I sent all board members um I think there was 40 slides of information on on Paul Bunaned co-op. Um you know they're they serve uh six school districts and two >> six school districts

123and two charter schools. Um they they provide support uh with federal regulations and uh professional development. Um there's 11 school psychologists um that uh evaluate students and also offer a trauma event help and support. Um the [clears throat] uh they they have a third party all these services. Um and they have a number of staff that serve, you know, everything from uh deaf students to hearing student uh to hearing problems to deaf and hearing problems to uh interpreters um you know, many many different um services that are offered through the co-op to individual districts um including ours. Um we're the fiscal host for them. Um and so there is going to be a uh there in place right now and it has started a fiscal analysis of um what if the Brainer school district pulls

124out of the uh Palunion co-op, what would that mean to the individual school districts and what would it mean to Brainard? Um, so in other words, if uh the $250,000 that um that um Marcy has given us as a potential savings, um we would then um probably need to hire all those individual uh personnel um that are now kind of shared districtwide. So um it was very very informational and lots of good questions asked. Um and the fiscal analysis um will be done in early 2026. Um and I I hope all of you got I don't even know if it if uh my colleagues, my board colleagues were able to open the uh the slides that I sent you, but that's loaded with lots of information about the Probunian co-op. >> You better check your

125scent file, John. [laughter] >> We would love to see those. So, thank you. If you want to resend it, that'd be great. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> I will rescend it. >> Thanks. >> Appreciate that. Thanks for the update. >> Um, let's see. Business services report, Director Lord, please. >> Good evening. In your packet is the enrollment report. Um, since the beginning of the school year, K through 12, we're down 28 kids. 5-year average is 14. So, we are higher than that, but last year we were down 27 at this time. So, higher than the 5-year average, but pretty relatable to last year. Any questions on the enrollment report? Um, financial reports also in your packet. Nothing to note on the percentages wise. Um, just a quick update. MDE was on site last week

126for a compensatory audit. We don't have the results yet, but they did just come in and audit our um data. And then we did have to do an unemployment survey on Monday that was due. And an FYI, so the submission had 398,000 that we spent on that new summer unemployment. Um I'm hoping that we'll get more data if all the districts submitted on where we're at with that aid because once that aid is gone, then that's the district's responsibility. So just a quick update on that. If the aid runs out, that'd be 400,000 that we'd have to add to our budget. Uh the 2425 audit still ongoing. We're working on that. And then I was just going to do a quick thank you to um Brad Watson at Adina. The trade house agreement was in

127there. And then Brian Bourwell, the teacher. We got that done that this is awesome to get it off our plate and not >> really, isn't it? >> Yeah. And we don't have to worry about >> auctioning it. So >> yeah, >> that's all I have. >> Thank you, Marc. >> All right. And then the superintendent's report. I'll keep it [clears throat] short. Um, this week, as you know, was Veterans Day on Tuesday, and I don't know if any of you got to go to the schools for their programs. Um, it's kind of amazing. I I can only speak for the elementary right now, but um, we talk a lot about, you know, what can our elementary kids do, what they can't do. It's amazing though that they can sit on the floor for 45 minutes

128and be absolutely respectful. Number two, um they know what it means when the uh Legion does the parade of the flags and how to stand and put their hand on their heart for the national anthem. And they sang the whole thing and America the Beautiful on tune, never missed a word. So, um for all the things we think they can't do, they can. The good thing you weren't a music teacher, Peter. [laughter] >> You stick to the reading. I think it might have been a couple off tune. I don't know for sure. Maybe one. >> It's really cool to see um our schools recognize Veterans Day and you know, I know at the high school it's much more different. Um I'll tell you what though, 1800 kids are sitting for 45 minutes and they're being

129very very respectful. Um but it's it's [snorts] really a very very cool thing. And so if we worry about our kids and their patriotism and so forth, don't worry. It's there. >> We just have to let them show it. [snorts] >> Good. >> Yep. That's all. >> Thank you. All right. We've got a list of future meetings there you can review. Our next work session is December 4th. Um and then I'll look for [clears throat] a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make the motion. >> Second. >> Got a motion by Director Edman, second by Director Dondelinger. We will do a roll call vote, please. >> Yes. >> Did you see her? >> Yes. >> Did you see what Randy made for me? >> Yes.