July 14 , 2025 School Board Meeting

001I'll call this meeting to order. Thank you, Ryan. Um, we do have additional seating in the room be directly behind us and the room directly behind here if you find it more comfortable to have a place to sit. But appreciate you all being here tonight. All right, we will start with roll call, please. >> Breen >> Here, >> Stephanie Edman >> here. >> Randy Hidman >> here. >> Sarah Spear >> here. John >> here. >> Great. We will do the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. We will entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented. I'll second. >> Got a motion from Director Ward, a

002second from Director Breen. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppos the same. Motion carries. We've got some recognitions here. Um there's just a few, so if you if you guys are okay with it, I'll just read them off here. Congratulations to the following. Ty Nelson for winning the state championship in the track and field triple jump, which is awesome. Brady Osland for his ninth place finish in the Minnesota State High School League state golf tournament in earning all state honors. Maya Tajis for being named the 24-25 Gatorade Minnesota softball player of the year. Piper Werewis for her first place finish at state for the VFW art contest. She's moving on to the national cont competition. Congratulations staff member Mary Piwaset for being accepted into the project momentum's K

003through2 ESL additional lensure program. Mary was selected out of 100 applicants from more than 50 districts. Pretty awesome honor. and athletics director Jack Freeman for being named the Minnesota Intercolastic Activities Administrator Association's MNAA 2425 regional athletic activity administrator of the year for region 8A. >> Wow, [Applause] >> I should have looked at that ahead of time. >> All right, we'll move on to 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 David data privacy. Complaints or allegations must be submitted in writing to superintendent Grant and the board of education and superintendent will not converse with guests to address the topics discussed at this time. So we will start with Jessica

004Gangel please. Hello, welcome. Thank you for having me. I'm Jessica Gangel. I'm a parent of three Brainer Public School students, a community member, and a proud Brainer Warrior alumni. I care deeply about our schools and even more deeply about the future of the students we serve. We are fortunate to have a district that offers highquality programs and a wide variety of opportunities to support every type of learner. But I'm increasingly concerned about what will happen if funding continues to fall short. We're facing the potential loss of essential staff, reduced class offerings, and fewer extracurricular and co-curricular options, all of which directly impact our students. I've had the chance to speak with a few of you uh one-on-one, and I truly appreciate your honesty and talking about your concerns. From those conversations, I believe there's room

005for thoughtful compromise, a path forward that supports both fiscal responsibility and the need for additional funding streams for our school. Letting the community vote on a levy gives everyone a voice, allows parents, business owners, and taxpayers to decide what kind of investment they want to make in our children's education and our shared future. Please consider bringing this decision to the voters. Let's trust the community to make the choice on an operating levy this November. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you, Jessica. Next up, we have Robert Cobinsson. Hope I got that correct. My name is Robert Colemanson. I live in Baxter. Um I just got a couple points. One is is that a few years ago the city council oversold, overbuilt, and now they're over budget. We I need I'm all I'm asking

006for is that you fix the problem. Find out what the problem is and resolve it. Whatever went wrong. The other thing is is I'm also asking don't dump it on the taxpayer. try to do this inhouse first. We know some of the things that haven't worked out exactly the way that we're planned. So, the other thing is is I I also ask is don't don't uh say, "Well, it's all about the children." I've supported the children for 50 years in this district. I'm all about the children. And uh the other thing is is if it's going to go for a vote for a levy, I I don't have an issue with that, but do it during a general election. Don't do this off your nonsense. Are you afraid of the turnout? Probably. That's the only

007explanation I got. So those are my opinions. Thank you. >> Thank you, Robert. Next up, we have Mark Olsen. Mark Olson, 12336 Thompson Road. Got a lot of things to say. Uh, not much time. MDE, Minnesota Department of Education. Did you guys know that they hired a person at a high level position that just got terminated because he was a sex offender and he was investigated by ICE and you guys listen to Minnesota Department of Education? You got to be kidding me. How about the policy of disrupting of students? I just talked to uh two um teachers, grade school teachers, and that policy is still there where a disruptive student is in the classroom and you move the whole classroom out. And you wonder why that uh kids can't learn. How about this one? A

008third of the space in all your schools is not used. Niswah built for 425. It houses 248 right now. Garfield 425, 251 right now. Riverside 625 and you house 40 405. You've lost a thousand students. I wonder why. Well, here's a reason. We came here two years ago, talked to you guys about pornographic books. Don't know if they ever got out of this school. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. But a man sitting here, Mr. Ward and a past chairman lectured us about bringing this position to you guys about pornographic books. Maybe that's the reason you've lost a thousand students. How about this one? I did a data request. Uh do you know out of 15 people who are uh assistant uh principles and principles 2.7 mill 2.700 mill 700,000 you spend every year 225,000

009for the high 169 for the low an average of 178,000 how about district 181 that was mentioned here the policy on the big beautiful thing that you guys did in 2018. You sold it as 205 million. It's going to be close to 300 million. Do your research. It's going to happen because of why? Because of the interest payments. Nobody talks about that. Now, the operating levy, huh? Money doesn't fix all things. Fix the problems. It's not about money. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, "The love of money is the root of all evil." In 2006, I ran for the school board. Two people, uh, Reed Campbell, Ruth Germinder said, "Mark, you got you're on the right track." Ruth Ginder retired after I showed her what was happening. And you guys are on that same path. What is

010it? You have to address the elephant in the room. It's teacher salaries and their benefit package. Check that out. Thanks for listening. Thank you, Mark. Next up, we have Michael Ericson, please. [Laughter] >> Okay. >> Thank you. Um, I graduated from Brainer in 1974. We just had our 50th uh class reunion last year. That really doesn't mean that I'm old. Okay. Um history was not my strong suit when I went to school, but I do remember uh one of the things that they taught us, and I'm not quite sure why they taught us that other than for this moment in time, the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party happened December 16th, 1773. The colonists uh who were called the Sons of Liberty at that time were basically upset with Britain because they were being

011taxed without representation. They were being told what to do without having a voice in the matter. Now the context is different but the principle is the same at this point in time regarding a possible levy vote. Okay. The community should be able to have a voice in the matter. Now in the history books it was important enough that they put the Boston Tea Party in. It was one of the precursors of the Revolutionary War. We should not have a situation where the public does not have input into this matter. If the public votes no for a levy, fine. If the public votes yes for a levy, fine. I have a preference. You don't need to be surprised what my preference is. Okay. But I want to vote. That's the main issue. If you stand up

012at the beginning of your meetings and say the pledge of allegiance to that flag, the Revolutionary War was based on those simple principles. the people should have the opportunity to have their voice. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Michael. >> Uh, next up we have Mary Hullbrook. >> Is she in the back room? Somebody making a announcement back there. Thank you, >> Sarah. Why don't you call the next person so they're ready? >> They're coming. >> She's Thanks. She's on her way. I see her. Thank you. >> I wiped out a few toes there. >> Hi, my name is Mary Hullbrook and I live in Niswah, Minnesota. and my husband and I came to this community 25 years ago and I thought I would share with you what brought us here and what

013keeps us here. First of all, it was family. Yes, I have a couple of grandkids in the school district. Second of all was the health system and unfortunately yes, we are using that a lot more these days as you can tell my hair color. And thirdly was the educational system. both Brainer High School and Central Lakes College. We've taken in and enjoyed activities and performances in both. And to us, a key measure of the health and vitality of a community is its educational system. Now, I'm on a fixed income, so of course I have some concerns. And because of that, I want to be able to know in detail what happens if we don't pass this referendum for an operating levy. And I want to know in detail what happens if we do. I don't

014know right now how I would vote, but I want the opportunity to hear, see, discuss, question all the data. surrounding this question in a thoughtful manner with time enough to give it full consideration. At this stage in my life, I can share with you and you probably have guessed this, but our kids grew up in a very small and poor school district that managed somehow to uh pass a referendum. And looking back, I cannot give you in detail how much taxes we paid. It was, I'm sure, a stretch. We were a young family. But I can tell you in detail, name after name, of students whose lives were elevated by a caring community that supported their education and laid groundwork for their success in life. Please give me and every other voter in this district

015the opportunity to fully consider this referendum for our students of today. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Mary. >> Up next, we have Katie Marsh. Good evening members of the board. I have three children in the Brainer School District and they have benefited from the amazing teachers and administrators at Nisa Elementary and L Elementary through the AGA program and next year we will have one starting at Forest View. I'm here as a concerned parent and member of this community. Oh, I just started Um, so yeah, so I'm here as a member of the community and most importantly, um, as someone who believes in the right of the people to have a say in the future of our schools, I want to urge this board to bring the levy to the ballot and let the

016voters decide. Right now, three members of this board have made a decision that will deeply impact thousands of students, parents, and staff. If this levy is not placed on the ballot, we are facing real and painful cuts to teachers, programs, transportation, and maybe even safety measures at our schools. And with those cuts comes a very real possibility that more students will leave our district and more long-term damage to our public schools. Our family open enrolls into the Brainer School District because of the unique educational opportunities. And our family is not alone. When you hear those numbers, some people are coming to this district. Not everybody is leaving. My children are already bracing for cuts and changes at LOL. Elimination of the Spanish program, not rehiring the science teacher, and uh the the uh letting go

017of the music teacher. We've also heard about the falling test scores, but cutting programs and understaffing classrooms won't raise achievement. Investment will. Investment brings more students and families to the district. With the resources this levy could provide, we could strengthen core education, core instruction, support struggling learners, and raise our scores. Without a vote on the levy, we don't even have a chance. The bottom line to all of this, this is bigger than three individuals. Our schools belong to this entire community, and the community deserves a voice. Refusing to even let this come to a vote sends a message that the public can't be trusted, and our voice doesn't matter. This community deserves the right to weigh in. And placing a levy on the ballot does not guarantee a tax increase. It just gives the public

018the choice. To deny that choice and allow just a few individuals to make the decision with farreaching consequences is not just short-sighted. It's undemocratic. Give our community the right to stand up for our kids, our teachers, and our public education system. They deserve that right. Thank you. >> Thanks, Katie. All right. Next up, we have Izzy and Ally Burkevet. Please. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Ally Burkovit. I'm a brained parent, a business owner, and a weekly volunteer in our schools for the last nine years. I'm also a member of the Baxter PTO. I'm here tonight with my daughter, Izzy, to speak plainly about what we're seeing, what we're experiencing, and what we're asking you to do. The request is simple. I'm here tonight to ask you to let our community vote.

019Kids are already feeling the consequences of cuts that have been made, and families are left wondering what's next as opportunities quietly disappear. We can't wait until this gets worse. The time to act is now. Let's stop pretending this is a political debate. It's not. It's a question of whether we value educational enough to keep it strong, even when the numbers get tight. Meanwhile, students are already feeling the consequences. And I want to give Izzy a chance to explain what that looks like from her perspective. >> Hi, I'm Izzy and I'm going into fifth grade at Forsu this year. I love learning, especially reading. Every week I finish books that are over 800 pages long. I tested it in the 95th percentile for reading. I've always really looked forward to being in the accelerated reading class

020at Forsu, but I didn't get in because there's there just wasn't enough room. There used to be two accelerated sections. Now there's only one and it has 36 kids in it. I'm not sad. I'm just disappointed. I did the work. I showed I was ready. But the opportunity was already stolen. That's frustrating. Not just for me, but for a lot of other students who are doing their best and still being told there's not enough space. And when things like this happen, we talk about it. We notice and we start asking, "What else are we going to lose next? >> What exactly will we cut next? What's the plan?" Cuz right now, no one knows, and that's just unacceptable. Izzy isn't the only one. She represents hundreds of students across this district. Kids who are falling

021through the cracks because we're operating in scarcity mode. As a business consultant and a marketing strategist, I can tell you this. When a business hits hard times, they can either cut until they collapse, or they can strategically invest in growth. The organizations that weather storms aren't the ones who slash everything and hope for the best. They're the ones that focus on bringing in more, more opportunities, more visibility, and more alignment with what their community values. And right now, we need more. If this board is supposed to be pro- education, pro- student, pro community, and we know that as a school board member, your job description includes strategic planning, community engagement, and educational leadership. That's where your focus should be. Not digging your heels in to prove alliance to one political party or to the other.

022That's race to the bottom for all of us. We've already seen the impact of cuts and now we need to know what's your strategy to build us back up. >> I know I'm only one student, but I think what's happening affects a lot of us. It's about students starting to feel like they don't have the same chances that kids have had before us. We already went through a lot with CO and we're finally getting back to normal. But now the things that make school special like electives, challenges, and extra support are starting to disappear. Please let the people vote on the levy. Give please give us the chance to keep Brainer strong. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next have Karen Kudson, please. delayed applause, I guess. Um, I am here because or I'm speaking because

023I'm I'm just looking at, okay, you'll never solve a problem unless you identify it. Brainer schools need to alleviate the debt and provide a sub a sustainable budget that provides excellence in education. And I do agree that if you do a levy, you need to tell the public what is the money is going to be spent on. Um I asked a local Christian school principal for feedback about the reason given for brain the children leaving the Brainard public school district. Um, and these were the responses. This is I'm I'm a messenger. I'm not saying this is this is not my opinion, but the opinions of the students and the parents and those schools are they have people on waiting lists to get in as our children are leaving. So, it's good to look at this

024um because you don't solve a problem unless you identify it. These are the responses from parents and students. There are many variables for why the families are escaping from Brainer. What I heard most of course this is a principal speaking is the liberal agenda but another huge thing is a lack of discipline in the classroom. Also there's a severe lack of expectations for students success in many areas. Everything was dumbed down. Everything is digital. So there's limited engagement with books and with experiential learning. The environment is very institutionalized. Teachers are stripped of all power in the classroom and there's not respect for teachers from the students. Also, the leadership does not support the teachers. There are so many things wrong. What is inhibiting their recovery is an unwillingness to address the actual problem or even

025admit that they have a serious problem. Specifically from a kid perspective or from the mouths of the children there, it was said they do not feel safe at all in their brain schools. They're even afraid to go to the bathroom. Safety is a basic human need. They say they do not feel loved, accepted, or like they belong. And like I said, this is not me speaking. This is actual children that have been in our in our district. I also have um a a a direct um something for um Sarah, I just wanted to ask you um um I'm looking at the Minnesota School Board Association legal requirements for schoolboard members. And it says um that a conflict of interest as a board member if you have a personal financial interest in the sale, lease or

026contract with the district. Um and there's two stat Minnesota statutes and I copied them and I have them um for the group if they would like to look at them. that I'm thinking about. You are the the marketing, you are the vice president of marketing for Sourcewell and I noticed last time there were a lot of Sourcewell people here and um these uh statutes um I asked a lawyer about it and he said that it does appear that if you are voting on something where you get a contract, >> thank you Karen. >> It's a >> conflict of interest. So, I'll leave these with you. Okay. >> Up next, we have Kate Keepers, please. >> Good evening. My name is Kate Keepers and I have two daughters who attend ISD 181 and a daughter who

027graduated in 2025 or 2022, sorry. I want to thank each of you for your service to our community. However, I am concerned with the direction this board is taking when it comes to upcoming financial shortfalls in the budget and not allowing an operating levy to go to community vote. While you were elected to make decisions on behalf of the community, I am concerned you are doing so without listening to the majority of your constituents, parents of ISD 181 students. One statistic that keeps being mentioned is that we've lost 997 kids. I went back and researched in 2013 we already had lost 600 kids opting out of the district. So that means in the past 11 years we've lost an additional 374 students. Don't get me wrong, the decrease in students is concerning and something that

028needs to be addressed. But if you're discussing making cutting based on that 997 number, it's uninformed policymaking, especially considering cuts that have already taken place. Another number that no one mentions is the 400 plus students who opt into our district. We live in Pillager School District. My husband and I drive our kids 25 minutes one way every day to Brainer because we feel it offers the best education in the area. Our daughter is excited to take an engineering class. It was said that we may need to cut classes like this, but I see those as career exploration and readiness opportunities for our students. One class that was mentioned being cut was creative foods, but I would guess that local resorts and restaurant owners would strongly disagree with you as they have a chef shortage that's

029lasted for over 10 years. Employee compensation was discussed. Teachers are highly educated professionals who deserve to make a decent salary. Sartell, Detroit Lakes, Bumiji, Sock Rapids, and Hibbing all have the same average salary as Brainer or higher. Pillager has our same benefits package. It's been said that upcoming cuts will not affect the classroom, but some of you been on the finance committee for years. And if there were options that don't affect the classroom to be cut, why hasn't it been done? Why have we cut EAs, interventionists, literacy coaches, and not hired for open positions? These are significant cuts that have affected the classroom and they are the reason I'm hearing from parents that people are choosing other schools. We are not alone in needing an operating levy. Over 73% of districts in Minnesota have one,

030including Pillager in Peekquat. It is a bigger problem than just cutting. You have a superintendent that was chosen for his expertise with levies. You all voted to spend $20,000 on a survey and then you ignored the results. That is a waste of taxpayer dollars. They are similar to a line um if you were to get a levy to pass, which we're not advocating for. Um just the opportunity, you do not need to use those dollars. It is similar to a line of credit. You have the power to lower lower the levy rate and not increase taxes if you don't need it. Levies are a way for local communities to directly support their schools and have a say in the quality of education provided. Come up with a plan, work together, let the community say what

031they'll support. Thank you. Thank you, Kate. We can refrain from applause. Thank you. >> Um, Ruby Shaw, please. I want to keep this short because there's a lot of people here. So, all I have to say is let the people vote. >> Thank you, Ruby. [Applause] >> Please, folks. I know it's I know it's hard not to, but please um if we could refrain from applause, that would be great. Doug Kern, please. I'm really glad that Marcy Lord will be giving the lowdown on if it passes or doesn't pass here after the public comments. I think that's awesome because it'll give a better heads up of what we got. Um so I I really appreciate that. March 15th, the Brandard Dispatch article, it said with the presidential executive orders calling out calling out diversity, equity,

032inclusion programs unlawful under civil inclusion programs and unlawful under civil rights law. Briner school board members discussed updated language for district initiatives. They plan to come up with a new name for the board's equity task force which concerns with concerns about potential federal funding impacts. President Trump's executive order regarding DEI had nothing to do against bullying that physically handicapped or mentally challenged individuals. The executive order was issued to stop boys from competing with girls in sports, which is a Title 9 violation. I got eight sisters. I know about Title 9. Instead of eliminating all references to DEI, this may cost Independent School District 181 by losing over 6 million in federal funding. We have been told that DII critical race theory is not in the schools, but we have an equity task force to implement

033it. Uh, and the name change is the solution. That's not a solution. In October of 2021, our high school principal told the previous board, the student council wanted to have a a homecoming for homecoming, two kings or two queens to be more inclusive. That resulted in students boycotting the home homecoming dance and they had their own dance at Northern Pacific. Some of you guys were here, some of you weren't. In June 2023, we had challenges to pornography available to our students. The challenge failed even after reading the explicit porn during public comments from many books. And I thank Gail, she's in the audience here for reading the books. uh to put the children in co to put this in children's classrooms and libraries with the notions that men can have babies there and there's nothing

034unusual about changing your sex you were born with promoting child sexual exploitation like it's perfectly normal the book uh plant seeds of confusion in young minds then there was the discussion about the Minnesota student survey designed for grades 5 through 11 in April this survey includes highly invasive questions many which were sexual in nature and example how do you describe your sexual orientation. Choices include straight, bisexual, pansexual, queer, etc. What's your gender identity? The choices include non-binary, two spirit, gender fluid, etc. Again, seas of confusion. Where are tax, where are our tax dollars well spent? We teach our children that God created Adam and Eve. I'm a Sunday school teacher of almost 40 years. I'm an educator. And the DEI tells them that it could have been Adam and Steve or even Vonnie. Humanism at

035its finest. That's what it is. And it says, "You can be the God you deserve to be." And just like the original line that Adam and Eve had. >> Up next, we have Thank you. >> We have Chloe Baker, please. Hi, my name is Chloe Baker. I am a proud um Brainer alumni. I grew up in this district. I graduated from these schools. I am proud to call Brainer home and proud of the education I received here. Now, as a parent with kids in this very same district, I want to keep that pride alive, not just for myself, but for them. In fact, my son's photo is in the back of this room. I want my kids to have every opportunity to learn, grow, explore their interests, and feel supported in school, not to see

036those opportunities slowly chipped away by cuts. When we talk about what draws families to Brainer schools, it's not test scores on a sheet. It's the stories parents tell each other, the way teachers go the extra mile, the diverse programs that light a spark in kids. Word of mouth is powerful. If we start losing electives, if classrooms grow too large, if support staff continue to disappear, people notice and they take their families elsewhere. I may not be a teacher in this district, but as a parent, I can only imagine how heavy it must feel to be asked to do more with less. To see vital resources and supports pulled away from kids you care about every single day. Putting a levy on the ballot is not about forcing an outcome. It's about letting our community decide

037what kind of schools and what kind of future we want here. I want to keep being proud of this district, not because we managed to get by with less, but because we invested in our kids. Please give us the chance to make that decision together as a community. Put it on the ballot and let us vote. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chloe. Next up, we have Rick Felt, please. My name is Rick Feld, Brainer, Minnesota. In 1849, Minnesota started property tax nine years before becoming a state for 100% funding in the public school system. In 1967, the state of Minnesota turned it back over to the counties because tens of thousands of people were losing their homes. So, they actually implemented a state sales tax and a and a Minnesota income tax to help alleviate

038that problem. 69% of that tax right now goes through schools and law enforcement. 31% goes to the county roads and employees. Right now, since 1967, we have 105,000 acres of tax forfeited land in Crowing County alone. So, don't tell me that people aren't being suffered from losing their property over this issue. We had an $18 billion surplus in Minnesota two years ago, now an 8 billion deficit, and we're only halfway through the year. That's a $26 billion shift. federal government were two bit trillion dollars in debt every single year with a 36 trillion unfunded liability. We have a hundred in school district 181. We now have $3 million in debt. All three of those federal government, state government, and local government have one thing in common. They refuse to reconcile a budget. My taxes, my

039property taxes have gone up 58% the last four years. That's a $1,200 increase. And I was offended when Peter Grant said just last month that two months ago that he saw a lot of gray hair out here and everything, but but he doesn't have any trouble taking my $3,200 a year for this funding. Also, I think it's also unfair that every single tax property owner is directed for this tax. That does not include every single person that has children in this thing. So, we also have to look at that. When we passed that levy, now we're over $300 million in debt to rebuild schools and a thousand stu a thousand students have left since that time. Minnesota is now top six in taxes in the in the 50 state area. And we're also top six

040for businesses and people leaving the state of Minnesota. The two reasons that they're given is because of high taxes, crime rates, and and other situations. I also did some of my research on private schools when I contacted them. The number one reason for everybody that every single school private school system gave me was the woke agenda. They said that was the most infuriating thing that all of the people that were bringing their kids to that system. Number two was safety. Just as Karen Nen said, we had children that were literally holding their bodily functions, refusing to go to the bathroom because they were terrified of getting beat up in the bathrooms. In Forest View school, we had a teacher's aid that was assaulted in Forest View, requiring serious knee surgery and no discipline for this

041student. Not one complaint or of a large class size or lack of funding was ever given to the to the private school system. They are now enrolling their kids in a larger class size than what they had here. >> Appreciate it. Ed Shaw, please evening. Ed Shaw Brainer, a parent of two children in Forest View. One of which you heard from a few minutes ago. You know, also a small business owner here in town and heard about a lot of things in the discussion. Books, should we ban books? Are gay people a problem? Are trans people a problem? Is the city council doing something bad? The department of education, the federal government, the state government, none of that really matters. They're they're not here. This is the school board in our community. Now whatever one

042thinks about various policies and what we should do the issue is how are we going to fund our schools and who is more importantly who is going to decide that as my daughter said put it to the point let us decide there's some different arguments in this room there's some different opinions there's some different opinions in this community there's certainly a lot of people who want their schools to be adequately funded I get being frugal I've been a business owner for 30 years I'm some people would call me cheap I've never bought a new car in my life. But sometimes you have to spend money. You cannot you have to invest. I invest in my business. You know, you have to invest the community in things that you value. And you have to look at

043investing in your schools like anything else. And you know, we have had a good district here for a long time. You know, people come people people tell me they move here because of the schools. That's an asset to everybody. That's an asset to every business owner, everybody in the community. But bottom line, let us decide. The six of you up there, directors, you know, give you credit for what you're doing. You've all got your opinions, but let us out here decide. You know, we're the people. We can decide. We don't bite. Not too often, at least. Let us make the call. Give us at least that much respect. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ed. Next up, we have Christopher Fagaroo, please. Good evening. Um, I have my teacher shirt on, but I'd like you to

044just imagine that I put my dad hat on because I'm very proud to be a teacher in the Briner public school system. I'm even more proud to have my son as a second grader next year and my daughter going into kindergarten at LOL next year. And I honestly I was really nervous. I talk in front of thousands of people all the time. I'm a musician, but I'm really nervous to talk to the seven of you cuz this is really important. And the only thing that gave me the courage to come up here was Izzy and Ruby. I thought if they could do it, then I could come up here. And the first word on the Briner Public Schools logo is opportunity. And you've listened to many people who just wanted the opportunity, the opportunity to

045vote, to say yes or no. That's all they wanted. My student, my kids want the same opportunities that past students have had. Many of you have had your kids go through the school system and are have had great opportunities. and my kids deserve the same opportunities. Sometimes it's our as adults, we want to give our kids even more than what we had. Right? That's a goal. We don't want to give them less than what our kids had. We want to give them more than we had. And you have the opportunity to do that. You can give opportunity. Give opportunity to the voters. Give opportunities to our kids. And you also, it's okay. You have the opportunity to change your mind. The people I respect the most in my life take and weigh heavy issues and

046they get different opinions and they change their mind. It's okay. It's actually the mark of a leader to change their mind. So you have opportunity to give opportunity. Thank you for being here and dealing with these hard questions. It's not easy for anybody. Um, so thank you. >> Thank you, Christopher. Next up, we have Jeannie Foss, please. Hi. I wasn't going to speak today, but I I I was asked and I think that it's important that we all say our um our reason why we're here. I'm an owner of five local businesses. I have two kids currently in the Briner High School district. Two recent grads, one's in the Navy, one's in dental school. We moved here in 2004 to start our businesses and heard from other business owners that it was a great place

047to raise your kids. I cannot say enough about the how hard all the teachers are trying to allow our students success on a regular basis regardless of their name, background, economic status, etc. I surveyed other parents um before coming here tonight and business owners and they all said the same thing. Trust the teachers. Ask the teachers what they need. So, I've asked the teachers, they they wanted us here for support and they want to have um more opportunity. They volunteer so much already of their time and money um to the students in our community. Business owners rely on the health of schools for their local business success, mine included. The first question that uh we always get um from people that we're trying to recruit as new doctors is how is the school system? I

048have many new patients moving to our area every month. We need to keep them here. Our schools don't have enough. They're starving. We don't have indoor spring training sports facilities like a lot of the city's school, but yet we play them. We don't have early language programs. Um, and that is something that even I had in a small school where I had 58 people in my class. We don't have extra staff for disability learning. We have class sizes of 28. If you want to run a successful business, you need to reinvest over and over for optimal growth. A business that constantly cuts the wages of employees and penny pinches is an essent in essential areas are killing that business. And their employees are walking on eggshells. Who's always worried about they might lose their job

049and nobody needs that kind of stress. Our teachers don't need that kind of stress. Our students don't need that kind of a stress. We earn the right to vote in a community that we care about. A good leader bridges the gap. We find ways to make both sides find common grounds. Our teachers, our kids need their teachers and the community that supports them. The best stock option that we have to invest in is our children and our schools. How many businesses want these kids to move back to the area after they go off and leave the area? I know I do. I want my kids to come back. With inflation and growth come costs for all of us and we should and that should not be dismissed. But a good leader figures out how to

050lead a community to success, not its demise. >> Thank you, Gamie. >> Next up, we have Beth Hull Brook, please. Really tall. Hi, I'm the mom of two Brainer High School students, a ninth grader and a senior. And to be honest, I don't really want to be here today. Uh, I worked until 2 am last night, and I haven't seen my kids for two days. I would really rather be at home with them, probably getting ready for bed. But this one, this issue, this issue is too important to set out. Um, I'm asking that you please allow the community to vote on an operating levy. And it's also important enough that this is my first school board meeting I've ever attended. So, I chose to move to this district 16 years ago precisely because of

051the quality of the education. I grew up in a small town not too far away from here and Brainard was the envy of the um area. They had so many opportunities that I did not have in my small school district. I've been proud of this district. I don't think you guys hear that enough. I've been proud of Brainard uh school district and um I've been proud of the opportunities it has afforded my kids. I'm concerned that more cuts will affect the quality of their education and not only the opportunities for my kids, but the opportunities for all kids in this district. I've heard some of the directors say that they can come up with a way to address this $3 million shortfall without affecting the quality of education. That's great. Let's see your plan and

052have a vote on whether we want to go ahead with your proposed cuts or whether we want to fund the district so that it can continue to provide the level of services that it currently provides. And finally, I want to address something that director Dandelinger said to me today. He said, "This is a republic and not a democracy." Which is why the um school board doesn't need to take this issue of an operating levy to the voters. But rather than being dismissive of the people who want a choice, I think the board should feel incredibly grateful that the community is invested in the school district and feels passionate about public education. Please let us have our voice. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. Next we have Amy Gunlock, please. >> Okay, thank you. We will

053move on to Melissa Schmeck. Um, good evening. I know some of you are tired of hearing me speak, but I was raised to stand up for what I believe in. I was taught that if you're not willing to speak up and be part of the solution, then you don't have the right to complain. So, I'm here again, not to complain, but to advocate. I've been a teacher for over 20 years. I have a master's degree in special education and have completed all of my professional development credits. Yes, I am at the top of the pay scale. And yes, I've heard that some board members believe teachers are paid too much. Honestly, that's defeating. I work incredibly hard, coming in early, staying late, coming in on weekends, going above and beyond every single day. And I'm

054not the exception. This is the norm for so many dedicated educators in our district. It's disheartening to hear some board members feel overwhelmed by phone calls and emails from the community because they have their own jobs. But being on a school board is a public service. Hearing from the people you serve is part of the job. It's also frustrating to hear talk about kicking the can down the road, especially when 73 73% of school districts in Minnesota already have operating levies in place. This isn't about delay, it's about survival. On top of that, we've heard comparisons that our schools should be run like a business. With all due respect, that might make sense if we were chasing profits, but we're not. We're shaping lives. Schools weren't just built for kids. They're sustained by the dedicated

055educators and staff who give everything they have for those kids every single day. To suggest that the adults working in our schools are in it for themselves is not only wrong, it's deeply insulting. No one chooses a career in education unless they care deeply about kids. We are here because of the kids. There's also been a lot of misinformation shared with the public. Yes, we've lost some students, but no one is talking about how many families have chosen to open enroll their kids into our district because they believe the education they believe in the education we're providing. I've heard it said that the vote is sneaky because it's not an election year. But our responsibility to students doesn't follow an election cycle. We show up every day regardless of the calendar. We work hard. We

056care deeply. And we shouldn't have to fight this hard for something that should be a no-brainer. All we're asking is that you let the community decide. By voting no, you're sending a clear message that you don't value the educators who are working harder than we have ever worked before for our kids who we love deeply. We're not here to fight against anyone. We're fighting for something. Please let the community have a vote or voice. Let the community decide. Thank you. >> Thank you, Melissa. Next up, we have Trisha Riley, please. Hello, my name is Trisha Riley and I'm a proud parent of two BHS students and a taxpayer of ISD 181. I'm speaking today in hope specifically that board members Doninger, Ederman, and Hydeman will reconsider their position and allow the community to vote on

057an operating levy. I want to be clear, allowing the community to vote does not guarantee that the levy will pass, but it does allow for the democratic process to play out and for the community at large to decide what we're able and willing to support. Voting in the democratic process is the foundation of who we are on a national, state, and local level. It's how all of you obtained your seat on this very school board. And there is no reason why the operating levy should shouldn't follow this process and be a community vote. I also believe there is room for compromise. You, as the board, you can allow the community to vote on an operating levy and make other budget decisions to get us in a more fiscally secure position. It doesn't have to be

058one or the other. I've emailed board members and I've received responses on why they're not supporting the levy vote like there is much room for improvement without increasing class sizes and we need drastic changes to the district that should have very little effect on our kids. I ask these board members to be forthcoming on how the district can achieve this without affecting student outcomes. What is the boards and the district's actual plan and what is going to be cut? The community, staff, and students deserve to know. ISD 181 students also deserve the best from the adults that make decisions on their education. We need to be able to look them in the eye and know as a schoolboard, community, and educators, we've explored all funding options to ward off the most extreme cuts. Allowing the

059community to vote whether the levy passes or fails is that option. Please consider the allowing taxpayers and parents to have a say in our community and our schools. Put the operating levy on the November ballot and allow us to vote. Thank you. >> Thank you, Tesa. Up next, we have Jeff Chzik, please. Am I facing this way? >> Straight. Look straight ahead. Right. Hold that for me. >> Yeah. >> I just need a second here. Thank you. Um so I listened to the uh pre the last regular meeting and uh I have to say that uh the audience members the vast vast majority of them were correct. The people should be allowed to vote and they did in 2022 when they elected Randy and DJ and again last year when they elected Stephanie Edman. Thank

060God for that. This school district and like most every other one is always ruled by a liberal majority. Now, we've had a couple of conservative board members. However, they can't push back because they're in minority. Now, we're at an impass. And you know, by definition, I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding here. It's up to the board to decide if you're going to allow the voters to vote on a referendum. and win. How hard is that for people to understand? The decision was made and you call it a not a decision because there's not a majority. This is our firewall. Thank God, Randy, DJ, and Stephanie because it always goes the way of the liberals. And oh, it's not political. Yes, it is. Sorry, folks. It's political. We all know it. Just admit it. It's political

061at its core. You all know it. And you're tire. It's tiring. So, we have a backs stop, a firewall, and these three board members, just so you know, there's a lot of people in this community that are standing behind you. Sure. They come out in mass because they organized with Heidi Han and and Cakekeepers back on the 16th of September out at the Old Prairie Bay. They get their posters made. They come in, they're like petulant children who can't take no for an answer. Um, a couple of house cleaning items, housekeeping items. Uh it was stated that the referendum vote and special election would cost 10,000. In 2018 it cost 25 or 50,000. You the board resolved to have the there's half the polling places. So it made it more difficult for people to find

062their polling place. And since then the election judges wages I think have increased twice. So just by that alone in the last four years of high inflation that's not going to lower the cost of that $50,000. That's in your records. the 50,000 and um you know we hear a lot of nashing of teeth and stomping of feet and raising of voices saying I'm not going to stand for this. Well Sarah it it it's the way it is. We have a three to three impass. Move on. Help DJ Randy and Stephanie with their ideas. Some of their ideas just get ignored. You don't want to work on stuff together. You want to get in the way only until it goes your way. And that's tiring. You see this all the time. an idea comes up, you

063can't even change the name of a couple of dates on a calendar. This whole wokeism, this whole uh everything about it is just failing and you refuse to do anything about it. John, you talk about the the u the morality, the the morale of the school district. Check the taxpayers morale. >> Appreciate it. >> Check theirs. Thank you. >> Thank you. Up next, we have Laura Jery, please. Thank you for allowing me the time to speak. My name is Laura Jervy. I'm a second grade teacher as well as a mom to three kids who are proud Brainard Warriors. We've been a part of this district since we moved here nine years ago. And over those nine years, I've witnessed support and resources being removed year after year from the students and the staff of ISD

064181. My two girls had a full-time classroom EA when they were in kindergarten. My second daughter being the last class to have them before they were another budget cut. Our youngest, my son, wasn't so lucky. He has never known what it's like to have that support in the classroom. the past two years when he was in second and third grade, he's been part of a class of 29 students. It should come as no surprise that he struggles to be successful in school. Um, and trust me, it's not for lack of effort on his teacher's part or lack of extra time put in by his teacher mom on nights and during the summer. Those class those class sizes should alarm people. There's no way that valuable learning can take place when there's one adult and almost

06530 primary age students. Read any of the research that has been published about class sizes and student achievement. We're setting our students up for failure. We are setting our teachers up for failure. I see the level of burnout amongst my colleagues and it's so heartbreaking. Amazing educators are hanging on by a thread and begging for you to see us and acknowledge our pleas. At last month's board meeting, I listened to so many intelligent people, many of whom are tied to education in one way or another, and all of whom are very decorated in their career and respected by this community, sit in front of you and give you reason upon reason as to why our community deserves to get to vote on this and why it is so needed for our schools and for our

066students. It was so disappointing to watch a few of you ignore their expertise. It's not uncommon for a school district of our size to rely on a levy to keep things operating efficiently and effectively. The answer is pretty simple. If we want better student performance, which we know is tied to lower class sizes and more student supports in place, operating levy. If we want higher test scores and for teachers to have more support in the classroom, operating levy. If we want to stay competitive with surrounding districts and keep electives in the high school, operating levy. The fact that some of you are saying no is beyond my comprehension. An operating levy is not political. It's your job. It's not your job to silence the voices from being heard. And our community definitely wants to be

067heard. It's your job to listen to the voices of the community and make our school district progress and be the best that it can be. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to facilitate my students learning to help them grow, to love them, and make them feel safe and valued. Your responsibility is to the betterment of this district and to provide students and staff with the best possible chance at being successful. If you have ever looked any of us in the face. >> Thank you, Laura. Appreciate it. >> Up next, we have Connie Lissio, please. Thank you. Thank you for listening to all of us. I know a bit of the information can no doubt be redundant, but um I do have a few things that might be a little bit of a different perspective.

068As a teacher of 30 plus years in this district and now having served on the Baxter City Council for over six years, I may have a unique understanding and an appreciation of having to make decisions that affect our entire community. They're hard. Many times while serving on council, I would have welcomed the opportunity to allow stakeholders, the citizens a vote. Why wouldn't I? I was never afraid. There have also been times when I entered a meeting believing I had made up my mind my mind how I plan to vote on an agenda item only to change my mind after I listened to the citizens who cared enough to attend a meeting and share their beliefs based on facts. Listening to hear not just giving lip service is a necessity at times and it takes strength

069and courage to change your mindset and your vote. Superintendent Bob Gross, who I'm ass sure many of us are aware, certainly he's legendary as an educator, once shared a lesson he learned early on in his career. And as a tough old German, he always felt he saw no need for a school district to offer counseling and mental health services at school, something I've been told is on the cutting floor. As our students and families needs changed, so did his mindset of all people. There are few if any educational letter leaders more highly respected than he. I hear about these cuts and possibly that of the extracurricular activities potentially happening and it scares me. I too just had a major class reunion. Our memories were not centrally located to what happened in the classroom. The majority

070are the extracurricular offerings. That is mental health and wellness. We seem to be losing our democracy one vote at a time. Please allow the community to vote on a levy in November. Mr. Gross would also say, "Are we the school district that eats dust, or are we going to be the one that makes dust? Please let 181 be a leader in the state as it always has been. Don't allow us to choke on that said dust. Our kids are so worth it." And as I'm making my way up here, our district, just in this classroom, has more gifted, educated, and caring teachers and school staff than some towns have in their entire district. I hope you appreciate them. >> Thank you, Connie. Next up, we have Tony Bower, please. Good evening. I too was under

071the impression that a three-3 vote on a proposal by this board effectively killed that proposal, which is why I don't understand why it would be discussed again, let alone reconsidered. Let's dispel some of the falsehoods being thrown around by some. Many here would have you believe that this is a voting issue as in a fundamental right. First, this is not a voting rights issue. Citizens did vote. They voted to elect this school board to make decisions. This is a responsible use of tax dollars issue. And this district has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted with the cart blanch nature of an operating levy without oversight. Second, there is absolutely no correlation between tax dollars thrown at education and improvements in student scores and performance. In fact, quite the opposite has been demonstrated here in Brainard,

072in Minnesota, and many other states. In the past, this district has set goals for the number of students to be to be assessed for test scores, but no goals to actually raise the test scores. Third, the financial pickle this district finds itself in is a direct result of reckless and irresponsible decisions and spending by a previous board and superintendent. Brainer schools foolishly borrowed against future government enrollment dollars only to see an actual decline in students. Many many policies and decisions like co masking and sexually explicit and inappropriate books being intentionally made available to students force many parents to decide to pull their children in favor of other options. ask these major spending questions during evenumbered general election years. Many will say they are bound by Minnesota law to pursue these dangerous practices, but in ISD

073181, the I stands for independent. So, let's be independent. These policies have created more cracks for students to fall through, not less. Neither emotional political please nor the crocodile tears of the current superintendent or any other person in this room will change these facts. Thank you. Thank you, Tony. Next up, we have Dan Hegstead, please. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, Dan Hegstead, please. Thank you. >> Applause. >> Oh, yeah. >> Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you tonight. Um, we live in uh Northeast Brainard for many years. Uh, three of our four kids went through uh, Brainer schools and they're all doing really well. Uh, and that's that's really nice. That's makes it for a very pleasant retirement. The reason they did well was we had great schools. And the

074reason we had great schools is because for decades and decades and decades, people voted for strong schools. That's why people move to a community, why they stay in a community. And uh now uh we're in one of those positions where we need to make some decisions. I would remind you that this is the district that recently voted to spend $25 million on new schools and updated facilities. We voted for that. We voted on the referendum to raise $145 million. Key words, we voted. We invested in our schools because our children are worth it. our community is worth it. And as many people have said, if somebody's going to move to a town, that's the first thing they're going to look at. I would remind you that uh years ago, the uh our legislators were not

075listening to us saying we want our taxes raised to do some good stuff. So, we had to get an amendment to the state constitution for the land and legacy amendment. Do you know how hard how hard it is to get an amendment just considered and then it passed by 60%. But that's what we had to do was was go over their heads and that's not the way you should run a government. The legislators should have been listening. Now on a state and national level, we are representative democracy. We have representatives who are supposed to listen and and do the best they can. But as a school district, we have the opportunity to have a referendum. We don't generally we don't do that on a state level. So, let's have a referendum. Uh why not? You

076recently voted to not let us taxpayers vote. Why? The only reason I can think is because you're afraid that we're going to vote in favor of it. What's wrong with that? Why why would that be a problem? Allowing us to vote is not the same as advocating for the referendum. Uh make the case in favor, make the case opposed. We'll listen and then we'll let you know what we decide. Let us vote. >> Thank you, Dan. >> Thank you. >> Up next, we have Scott Bender. Please. Good evening. My name is Scott Bender. I'm a dad of two warriors, fourth and sixth grade. My wife has taught primary elementary in this district for 20 years. And I'm also a warrior born and raised in the Briner Lakes area. I'm a local businessman in the community

077as well. I don't think you're wrong in saying that our district needs some restructuring, something that should have been started a while ago in my opinion. However, I don't feel like it's fair to point fingers and blame our current situation on one or two things at this point. I've watched my wife pour money into getting two college degrees and additional credits on top of that so that she can get the most out of her career financially. I've also seen how the mental, emotional, and physical stress that being a teacher to a classroom of 28 or 29 kids, juggling an abundance of needs with little to no support each year has on her. Not to mention the hundreds of hours she works throughout the year that are not part of her contract, but what she feels

078she has to do in order to keep up and be the best for her students. Her and her colleagues are some of the hardest working people I know. I know it's because I make a point to spend time in her classroom as well as my children's classrooms. Aside from that, when my own children have additional needs that they need help with, they continue to miss out on support while crammed into a classroom of 29 kids. No one is thriving in a setting like that. Not the students or the teachers. What I would love to see is this board working with teachers and other staff to problem solve and come up with a plan. I would love to see some marketing with positive solutions that will retain our warrior families and our warrior staff. Our students

079and our staff deserve better than what is happening and currently in ISD1. Although a restructure has to happen, there's also need to funding that is inaccade adequate to get back some of the support systems and the resources that we used to have and need now more than ever. Those things are truly what made ISDA 181 amazing, which is why my wife came to teach in this district to begin with and why I moved back here to raise a family. Over 70% of districts operate with a levy, including neighboring districts. I feel our community has a right to vote on an operating levy. you can get levy funding and do some positive restructuring marketing all at once. Please give us the opportunity to vote. Thanks for being open-minded and for the hard work that you do

080in getting our school district to be a better place in this amazing community. >> Thank you, Scott. >> Next up, we have Nikki Hardy, please. >> Hello, my name is Dr. Nikki Hardy and um once upon a time I was an academic scientist. Now, my husband and I live in Pekquat Lakes, so I am out of district, but I am here to remind you that the decisions that you make ripple throughout our entire region. So, this isn't a matter of whether or not this levy will pass. It's about the people of Brainard having um being trusted to make a decision. And so, in Peekquat Lakes, we just recently had a levy referendum. The first time didn't pass, right? But people were listened to. It was redone and then it passed. So, it wasn't just a

081financial win for our district. It was the community being respected. The community was listened to. And that's democracy working. And now we also have a semblance of stability through a really challenging time. And it's a place that I'm excited to raise our children. We chose the Brainard Lakes area because it is exceptional. Brainer is exceptional. Peekquat Lakes is exceptional. This is an exceptional region, but cuts will take away that exceptional uh the whole just that whole idea of being exceptional. So why am I here today in Brainer? I'm here to remind you that you guys are the cornerstone for our region. These communities, Brainer and Baxter, are essential to the prosperity of our entire region. So what you do here has a ripple effect through all of our communities and the things that help a

082region thrive. Good jobs, affordable housing, decent health care, and good schools. You have a choice here and it could impact the the latter of all of those. You could risk the exceptional school district that you guys have running here. So, in tuning into the schoolboard meetings, because I have been over the last couple of months, I've taken an interest in what's going on in Brainard. I've heard concerns about declining enrollment. But why? Declining enrollment is a signal of something significant happening. People are pulling their children out of public education. And why? I have some guesses. And much of it centers on public trust in education that is under siege from misinformation, deliberate division, and outright lies. And let me tell you, families don't stay in communities that underfund their schools. Businesses will go elsewhere. Families

083will go elsewhere. It will be a difficult time to recruit great people into the region. So, every student that leaves will take dollars with them. So, this deficit that's projected at $5 million in two years. It could be much worse. a solution. Go through, ask the public, let them have a voice, tend to the problem, balance that budget knowing that you have stability, that you have stability in the future. So, yes, spending should be scrutinized. Communication gap between MDE and rural districts is real. Thank you. >> Thank you, Nikki. All right, last but not least, we have Lane Larson, please. >> Thank you, Chair Spear, School Board, and it's nice to see you again tonight. Um, I was here last month as well. Um, as you know, I was the retired superintendent who served from

0842016 to 2022. And I spent the majority of my time a month ago talking about statistics regarding the state and operating levy referendums. And I also gave just under 12 examples of how Brainer Public Schools has reduced and restructured over the course of the last 18 years since the failed operating levy referendum in 2007. um as we talked about at that time and all of you um most of you anyway have been on the board for quite a while. You understand that this is a really intense and a large uh undertaking. Every single year you spend months and months and months analyzing the budget to balance it. And yet for 18 years we have been cutting um which has affected the classroom. It has affected many areas. all of the early interventions that we've been

085looking for, class size, and etc. I'm here tonight to encourage you to all work together to support additional educational solutions and opportunities for our future, for our kids. I agree with the last lady who said this this is an exceptional area. People want to be here. They want to bring their kids here. This is a phenomenal school district, one that I have been very proud that I was able to serve. But we need to continue to support our school and and that can start with having a united front, working together to find the solutions, continuing to look at our budget, but also to provide that stability that we need. We also need to listen to the public and accurately answer their questions. We must give them the facts that they deserve and let them decide

086and provide some guidance as to where the future reductions may need to come. Also, I've heard over and over many times, develop an extensive plan clearly identifying what will be maintained, reinstated, and increased in the future if this operating levy would pass. And if it doesn't, what are the things that you see that are part of the plan that will have to be reduced? But let the people know. Also, demand yearly updates of how this additional revenue has helped move forward the academic excellence of Brainer Public Schools. And again, um, every December, you have the truth and taxation hearing. You as a board can decide if you're going to levy the whole amount or you can decrease it year by year. I'm asking you to please please let the constituents provide guidance this November by

087putting our students for first and pursuing educational excellence for all. >> Thank you for the work you do. >> Thank you. >> All right. This concludes public comment for tonight. We'll move on to the approval of the minutes from the regular board meeting on June 9th. >> Motion second. >> We have a motion by Director Donninger, a second by Director Heidman. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion passes. We will move on to school board minutes from June 27th from the special board meeting. So move for approval. >> I'll second. We've got a motion from Director Ward and a second from Director Breen. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor? >> I >> All those opposed? Motion passes, we'll move on to the consent calendar. I make a

088motion we approve the consent calendar. and I'll second it. >> We've got a motion by Director Breen and a second by Director Edman. Any discussion? >> A question. Chair. >> Um, we have a new milk. We We're having a new milk provider. We're going to save some money. >> Lost bid. >> Good. Good. Good. And the sale of the Buffalo Hills property. We got that uh taken care of. as far as >> everything. >> Cool. >> Supposed to close by the end of the month. >> Yeah, that's good. >> All right. Any additional discussion? >> And what was the sale again? Just for the public to >> Oh, yeah. >> the people that are here. >> 45 >> $245,000 we're going to get for some property in South Brainer. So, that's a good deal. >>

089We've got a motion by Director Breen and a second by Director Edman. If there's no further discussion, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I >> oppose the same. Motion carries. We'll move on to new business. For action tonight, we have a presentation on the financial and general fund and some comparative data by Director Marcy Lord and then up for discussion and approval to move forward with a referendum in the fall of 2025. Welcome, Mercy. >> Good evening. So, we changed the format a little bit. You know, normally you get the financial report at the end, and we're I'm moving ahead. So, the first part of your agenda, I'm going to pull it up, is the financial report, as you guys have seen it in the past. And the only thing really I'm

090going to note on there is if you look at the community service fund or excuse me the food service fund we are down about 10% and that was because we were tracking higher in uh food expenses in 23 24 25 we adjusted the budget and so we're right around that 80%. So if you look at the bottom of the report overall we're at about 80% which is right in line with last year. Um, and then there'll be no June financial report in August. That won't be presented until the audit's complete. Any questions on that part? Okay. And then this um from our work session, we shared that we had this new uh analytics program which is really really cool. Um this is going to be something that I'm going to try to do every month

091is just you know focus on one area. So the focus this with the topic that we have in hand is general fund all revenue sources. So the blue across the top I'm mainly going to focus just on that top graph. That's all districts all public school districts their general fund. Um all revenue sources. You can see Brainard's kind of right in the middle. The average is about 17,000 and we're at about 165 for revenue sources. This next slide breaks that out then by category. So the general fund what are our local sources i.e. taxes um fees those kind of things. Uh you can see that we are towards the bottom of that graph. So the average is about 3400 in the state and we are at 2300. So we are under on the local sources

092and this is all new. We'll get to the comparative data that we went through at the work session coming up. But this next one is all state sources. So again, just one piece of that pie. Uh the average is 12,600 or about 13 and then we're at about 13. So we're getting around the average for state uh revenue. And you can see that that line that has um that's Brainer Public Schools. And there's on this there's 325 school districts just so you have that reference point as well. And then on this last slide all federal sources. So our average is about $1,100 and Brainer Public Schools is about a thousand. So we're a little under on the federal revenue side. And again that's taking in all districts across the state of Minnesota public schools. Any

093questions on that? Otherwise, I will go to the next presentation. So, we did go through this at the board work session, but I'm going to go through it again and um just kind of hit some of the highlights. When we talk about comparable districts on this presentation, there's demographic or peer districts, meaning ones that are like us in um student population or size or I should say area. Um and then the comparable enrollment districts are just taking what our current enrollment is and going nine above and nine below. So they may not have the same demographics as us, but they are comparable in enrollment. Um, one thing I was going to note on that was Brainard is at 6,134 and the high on that is uh Shakapei which is 7,678 and the low on that

094is St. Louis Park which is 4,347 just so you kind of know what the range of enrollment is on those groups. So this first graph um goes through the per student spending comparison. So this is in the general fund. The or blue is brainer. The orange is the peer group which is the demographic group. And then the green is the state average. So you can see that per student we are below the state average and our peer group on spending per pupil. And this is for the last five years. Why are we below >> on our spending? >> Um, so we're spending less than other districts. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Did you ever figure out why we were so like we were kind of all the same? You know, we were a little bit

095low, but we were kind of keeping up >> in 2020 and now we're dipping down by like 4 500 a a person. >> Did you figure out why? >> So, we've been, as has been presented, we've been making cuts throughout. I mean our expenses we continually >> spending >> right right >> but it's comparative to other schools so if their spending goes up >> doesn't make I don't understand how it wouldn't kind of go together you know you think they kind of >> so then this next one is um expenses of comparable districts and demographics again and this is by program so when we talk about uh the account code structure with school districts program tells you what areas you're spending. And I know it's very small. I'll see if I can zoom in a

096little bit. But the the areas I want to point out is the blue dot is Brainer Public Schools. So you can see that in elementary and secondary instruction just regular we are under. And then that line is the median. And then if you go to special ed we are way over. And um we do have a higher student population of special ed and it's not something that we can just not do. We are mandated with special ed. All the other programs we're kind of in line with. We're a little bit under on the student support services as well. And that would be your social workers, um uh health services. So, >> so on so on that special ed, how much are we getting back from the government and how much are we actually spending that

097we're losing money? >> So, when that is a really good um roll into this next slide. So, we net we are actually losing in special ed 4,000 almost $4,700 per kid. And we how many? We have 25%. Most districts have 14%. >> I don't know. I think the state average is like 17, I want to say. >> 18. >> Yeah, >> it's up that high. >> It was 14 when we got elected, Michelle. >> Yeah. I just saw something recently was like 17. >> 14 and a half. >> We were at 24 then. Now we're at 25. of what this means >> keeps going up >> is that the $4,000 that we're short we have to cross subsidize for. >> So it comes out of our general fund. >> Correct. >> To make sure that

098we are abiding by the federal and state statutes for special ed kids. >> Correct. >> And part of the problem is the federal government in in 1972 promised 40% reimbursement to school districts for their special ed services. They've never been even close to that. let's just say around 15%. >> So the feds have never lived up to their promise. So it throws a back on the state and on the local districts to have to find the resources for our kids and that's significant. >> Correct. And it keeps growing. Like you can see this is the last five years and it just keeps going. >> So in essence, Marcy, is that $4,000 per student? That's every student, not just the special. So, of the the $15,000 that we get per student from the state, 4,000 from

099every student is going to pay towards special ed. Correct. >> And why does that keep going up every year? >> So, >> why why why are why is special ed going up every year in our district? >> So, if a student moves I'm just give examples. If a student moves in and they require a a one-on-one, we have to add that parah position. Um, if we need to add a interpreter because a student moves in, that's another expense that could be added. Just naturally, salary um and benefit increases also account for that. But the main thing is is when we have those students move in that require some of those one-on-one or adding programs. Um if we add a program for example at LEC uh that's all sped >> and the special ed population is

100rising nationwide but also statewide and local wide point in hand 14% when you when you guys ran for office about 18% now. Well, that 4% is huge dollars in increase for this for the finances >> for sure. >> But why does that keep increasing, John? Why why why why is this happening in in our country and in our school district? >> I've got my specific reasons why um but uh I think a lot of it is uh um societal >> period. You think cell phones have anything to do with it? Social media >> that would be included under societal. Um, this next slide is a similar comparison to that previous one on expenses, but it's revenues. And so, you can see Brainer Public Schools is the green dot and then the median is the line.

101So, in local taxes, we're on the low end to our peer group. And then, um, for state sources, we're kind of right in the middle. And then the other ones we are right in line with the median and a little bit below. >> What's the line? The line is the average. >> A median. Yep. >> So we'reove we're above average. >> So median doesn't mean average. Median means right now. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Just checking. >> Yep. We should also say that um or I should also say that um in 1972 special ed kids were recognized as any other normal whatever normal is student and thank God that we have provided them since 1972 with a fair and adequate education appropriate education that they deserved. So, I'm none of us are saying

102special ed is uh or I'm not saying that anyhow. Special ed is not um the >> it's not that it's not important. >> Not not the cause of a lot of problems, financial problems >> because those kids deserve deserve it too. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. >> Absolutely. >> And this next slide is the comparable districts in enrollment. They're referendum authorities. So the only districts that are showing up are those with referendums. Um so there's 18 districts in that group and this is the number of districts that have them and the highest is about 2800 and then the lowest is about 180 which is Biji. So if we took that even the lowest 180 times our 6,000 kids that'd be about a million dollars additional revenue for us if we had a refer. And then you

103can see >> that's on the low end you said Marcy as far as a refer. Okay. >> Yep. And then you can see the average is about 1100. And again, this is just our enrollment. Like there's data out there for the districts across the state. Like there if there's more information needed, we can pull that. >> So what's time 6,6 million? >> I I should have just asked you. >> 6.6 Okay. >> Yeah. >> And then we had talked about the net open enrollment. So again, this is um comparable districts of our demographics. So yes, we do lose in 2024 we netted a negative 584. But if you look at some of the other districts that we compare to, St. Cloud nets about 4,000 that they're negative. um with the lowest being Alexandria netting 300

104out and then Fergus and Sock Rapids are a positive 224 and 268. And I know during that uh work session it was well what are they doing? Sock Rapids is close to St. Cloud. So part of St. Cloud's loss is I'm assuming part of Sock Rapids and then Fergus I'm not sure what their demographics are. Um and then also just uh next month I will have the historical which is typically presented in August on this stuff for just us specifically not all the comparable districts >> and then this is where I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Grant. So, um, I went out and I I was puzzled about it. Why are we in financial trouble? And I I kind of knew the answer, but I wanted to go to MDE and find out

105was I right, was I wrong, was I even close. So, what I'm doing here is I'm comparing Brainard to the state averages. So for this example, this first one in 2021, you can see that the state property tax average is 2813. Our local was 2180. General ed 8,500. General ed here was 8,300. State special education was 1746 per student. Brainer 254. So right there, we're losing $800 per kid. 2021 coming out of our general fund. And then the total fund 01 which is general fund the state average is $14,612 per student. Brainer is 14,289. Now I want you to look at these numbers and see how they change between now and when we get to 2024. the spread for state property goes a little bit more. the gen ed a aid not quite so much.

106It kind of holds steady. State special education goes further. And then these total of uh fund one we're about $500 difference. This is where things start to change quickly. In 2023, >> what is the $500, Peter? What are you talking about? >> So, >> I mean, I saw it up there. I go back one. >> We're getting less. We're getting $500 less per student than the average >> school of the state >> according to the state. Okay. >> To the state. >> That's what I thought it was. >> Yep. >> So in 2023, you can start to see that the state property tax now is $1,000 difference. Gened aid staying around that 200 250. Look what happens at state average in special education. Now we're up 800 plus. And then when we get to the

10701 fund, it's spreading further. So what usually happens means is that the average aid throughout the state of Minnesota is growing faster than we are. To some degree, we're falling further and further behind. And then in 2024, state property taxes are 36 versus 22. Now we're $1,400 short. Gen 8, we're still around about 300 250, but spec now is $1,100 almost 900 plus. And the fund 01 fund now we're $1,000 behind. And what you have to understand, and this is why you're all here, 76% of the schools in Minnesota have a levy, operating levy that gives them extra funds to use at their discretion. We don't have that. So, we start to fall further and further behind because those that are that have the levy have operating dollars to use that we don't have. And

108what I want to be careful about, I'm not pitting us against the rest of the state. I don't want to pit general ed against spe special education, but this is what's happening throughout Minnesota specifically when 76% of the community school districts vote yes that are going to have more money than we will. 76 school districts or 73 whatever it is in Minnesota, they do not have an operating levy. That's a choice. A lot of them got defeated many, many times and the districts made choices of what they were going to do and so forth. A lot of them kept coming back, coming back. Um, if you noticed, um, was it Biji that was $28? >> 180. They probably fought really hard just to get 180. And it's a difficult plan to get into. It's a

109difficult situation. My point is that the state of Minnesota is not a sustainable funding mechanism for public education. It's impossible to have it stay sustainable, especially when we're spreading the dollars further and further away when what we call our most critical asset, students, our children. It's just the game we're in. And I'm sure other states are very similar, but I don't care about them. I only care about what's happening in Minnesota. And they've made some decisions. Two years ago, you know, when we had the 18 billion, well, a lot of that money was supposedly onetime costs. They said they gave a lot of money to public schools, which they did, but we're spending $400,000 a year on unemployment insurance out of that money they gave us. That's not a one-time money. So our problem is

110yes we have cut I don't know what we cut this year 2.6 or whatever and we're still 32 32 in the hole. We cannot keep up with the deficit coming out of our general fund for special education. In four years we have spent $6 million out of the general education fund to cover the gap between federal and state and what we're spending. And we have to do this because it's called maintenance of effort. We can't cut back in special education services willy-nilly. There has to be an actual audit to per to prove our reduction is appropriate. And as Marcy alluded to, as kids come in, if they need special education services, and I don't know the answer to this one, Randy, but a lot of the needs are getting very, very complicated. And we have

111to pick those. We have to pick them up. We have really severely um handicapped children at the LAC. We have handicapped children in our regular edge school and they all take a lot of time and effort and supervision for learning. That's the game we have. That's the cards we have. We cannot turn them away. So, we figure out a way to how to make this work. And we've been taking money out of the general ed aid to balance the cost. You cannot do 1.5 million every single year and stay ahead in the ball game. We're down 6 million in four years. That's why we're in deficit spending. Are there other causes? Sure. Inflation and so forth. Uh there's been talk about we're paying teachers too much. Everybody deserves a good wage and good benefits. Could

112we do things differently? Probably. But that's negotiated. And that's how that game works. We don't get to negotiate this. We don't get to negotiate with St. Paul. We don't get to negotiate with what the legislators decide to do. And so what I have to tell you is that we have to negotiate now locally. And with all due respect to all six of you board members, you got to go through an election process. You paid your $2 fee. You filled out the application card. You qualified as a candidate to be an elected board member of 181. You went out and you asked for people to support you either financially volunteer. You put signs up. You had articles in the paper. You might have done radio, I don't know, stickers on your car, whatever. But your goal

113was to get enough people to vote for you so you could get elected to the board. Now, what your aspirations were at the time, I don't know. But right now, what we're stuck with is that the very tool you use to get elected, you don't want to use again for the public. And I find that quite ironic. The vote is the most powerful thing our country has compared to the rest of the world. It can be yes, it can be no. I'd like to thank everybody who spoke here today, whether you were for or against the levy vote, at least you said maybe we should have a vote. And I I I have to tell you this, the reason I want to vote in November of 25 is yes, it'd be the only ballot question

114for the community to face. In 2026 and in 2028, there's going to be lots of names on the ballot. And usually at that time, public education is at the very end of the ballot and hardly anybody votes for it because by the time you get through all the other names, the judges and representatives and whoever, the mayors and the city councils and so forth, you get to the end and usually you forget to vote for the school district. That's not bad. That's not good. It's just a fact of life. Why would we vote at a time when the competition is way above us? That's my only point. is competitive enough in 26 with midterms. 2028 we start all over again with the big vote and people get saturated with a lot of political stuff and

115all of a sudden they don't want to vote after they get through the presidential or the senate or the house and local and that's it. So we're faced with a strong dilemma, a very strong dilemma. Those numbers don't lie and they're going to continue to get worse. We can cut. Yes. How far do you want us to cut? Even if we get a levy vote, yes, we're still going to have to cut because we can't make up 3 million in one year. And that number is going to continue to kind of grow a little bit because we're losing students. And it's not so much because people are leaving us. We're going from 2.25 kids per household to 1.85. 85. That's heavy across the state of Minnesota. So, the dilemma is, are we going to use

116the voting tool or not? And all I ask of the board is you use it to get here. It shouldn't be used because you don't want to or because you want to. It's a right, an opportunity to listen, make a choice. If we don't vote, I can guarantee you that three million is going to be five million that we have to figure out going into next year because we can't keep up. Plain and simple. And some people ask, well, can you tell us what we're going to cut? We don't know yet. We're just getting through finding out what the state gave us in June. But I can guarantee you this, you're going to know because there's no way would I allow you to vote not knowing what you're voting for. Because if I did that,

117you should fire me even before the action starts. You will know what's on the line, what's being trimmed, and it's not going to be a one-year trim. It's going to continue until we calm down on the budget side or we stabilize in the enrollment side. Otherwise, it's going to be a little bit like deforestation of a forest. There'll be a lot of trees getting cut. I can't tell you what and why and how and what it's going to happen one way or the other whether yes, it'll be trimmed without any voting at all until maybe 26, 28. We're going to cut our way to get there. And that's not healthy for anybody, I don't think. So, you wanted data, you got it. >> That property tax stuff, Peter. um because of such difference we have

118is that because of the uh seasonal properties? >> Well, it's it's really based on certain communities have a much higher tax base than others. So, if you go to Rochester, Minnesota, they want to raise $10 million. It might cost you 15 bucks. You go to Holly, it might cost them 150 bucks for the same amount of money because they're taxrich properties. Minneapolis, St. Paul, same thing. So for here, so that doesn't have anything to do with seasonal. >> No. >> And the money we get back from the state. >> Nope. >> This is everything equal. >> Maybe we should every two years, maybe we should start voting for people down in St. Paul that give a about education. No. instead of acting the same morons do around here. So Peter, basically what you're saying is

119okay is that if we do a levy that there's not going to be any improvements because a lot of people have been on me that oh we're going to fix this, we're going to fix that. We're going to get the EA's back and you're admitting that we're going to be 5 million in the ditch. So the 5 mil is the 5 mil. So it's a wash. So we're just basically buying ourselves a couple years. >> No, DJ, first of all, it depends on what the amount is we would ask for. I think we're asking for 3.2 is kind of the median. >> We're going to be turning around that. Huh. >> I thought we talked about 5.5. That's what Leatherman said. >> Depends if we go to 18. >> So, the survey had a range

1205.5 to 1 point something and the median of that is about 3.2. >> Yeah. >> So, DJ, if we got a B Yes. First of all, we don't get the money for a year later, but we're still going to be trimming. It's just we won't have to trim as much because we're going to try and see if we can come to a balanced budget which I think is critical. That's our responsibility. But can we do it without damaging some of the things we think are really critical to offer and still let um this lady who left there from Peekquat, we are the cornerstone of this area. We want to stay that way. It's going to be expensive so to speak. But that's the game we're in right now. That's just the way it is. >>

121Well, I would like to make a motion that we move forward with the operating levy in November of 2025. >> I'll second it. >> We've got a motion by Director Breen and a second by Director Ward. Further discussion? >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Um, >> you kind of opened up the discussion part of it. I'm going to be real honest with everybody here. There's some business owners that were here tonight. If they go to the bank and they want to borrow money, they got a big plan that they want to do. They want to open, they want to change their business and they want to do something, they got to have a plan first. A banker is not going to borrow money to a business owner that doesn't have a plan. And uh Lane, I agree

122with you. We need a plan. We don't have a plan. Everybody says we have a plan. Give me the plan. If You know what? If I would have been someone that was in favor of this levy in June of 2024, Peter, I would have been in your office pounding on the table. Let's get a plan. I don't know what I'm voting on, people. I don't know what I'm voting on. The money has to come or the the not the money, but we've got to figure out our spending stuff first. Okay, let's have that discussion. We're already into not into but we're close to a new school year. So, all the cuts have been made. Correct. >> For the most part. Yeah. >> Yeah. For the most part. Okay. So, we got a year. We got

123a year where we can engage the community. Blueprint 181. You led the charge. Did you ask for the money first or did you have a plan first? The plan is first and the community was involved. We have not involved the community at all here except to say we're going to have cuts. We're going to have cuts. We're going to have cuts. I got an email today towards the end of the day and it was the best email I've gotten from from everybody. Now, thank you for sending emails. I appreciate it. The person has solutions to the problems. They weren't just talking about cuts and teachers getting, you know, losing their job and programs being cut. I mean, I've been in the schools. I've been standing around for the last two and a half years, you

124know. I've been in the schools. We've got to have a plan and that's what I want us to I want this board to come together as a board. As Lane suggested, we're a team. Okay, we are divided right now. We are so divided it's unbelievable and the community is going to suffer. So, we need to roll up our sleeves and I want this man right here to walk out after his next year holding his head high, etc. We've got to come together. We got to have a plan. I would like to go into every elementary school and sit down and talk to the principles. They've everyone's got a leadership committee. I want to start going to those meetings. I want to find out what is going on. what is going on? You we we come

125to a meeting like this and we voice our opinions. But sometimes I truly believe this. Sometimes when teachers give their opinion, if it isn't what someone else likes, retribution sets in. I really believe that. And we got to cut that out. teachers are you are you are rock stars. I've seen you operate. But how can I how can I as an individual vote for a levy when I don't even know what the hell the plan is? Oh, we'll come up with the plan afterwards. Oh, really? Really? How does that work in the banking business? I'm going to come in with a plan, but I and I need $10 million. Now, trust me, let's say it's 3 million over 10 years. That's 30 million, right? Trust me, it's 60 million because that levy's going to get

126it'll get reup for another 10. That's a lot of money. We need to talk about it. Get involved. I'm sure you will, Wayne. Let's talk about this as a community. Let's figure it out. >> No, we're not. I haven't heard a plan yet. So, >> I have not heard a plan. >> All All I've heard is teachers getting cut, this being cut, this being cut. Let's figure it out what we need to do. >> Director Hyman. >> So, I'm I'm I've said my piece. >> Thanks everyone. >> I'm done. >> Director Heyman, as far as a plan goes, I absolutely agree that there needs to be a plan in place. And I think this is the first step to getting us there on what kind of plan are we creating? Are we ple creating a

127plan that's centered around putting out uh a levy vote or are we creating a plan around just straight cuts? And so I think we do need to create a plan and that is that is definitely on us and this is the first step in getting to that plan. >> Well, the first step is a plan. The next process is the board sitting back saying, "Okay, we're going to have a levy." I don't know what I don't know. I don't know what the plan is. So, some of you have been at this table or at this table have been on the finance committee for two and a half years and you've sat with the budget knowing we would experience significant budget cuts in 2025 2026. I have yet to see a plan or recommendation of how

128we can rightsize the budget >> while keeping with our great trai tradition of offering robust valuable educational, arts, and athletic opportunities and maintaining appropriate class sizes. My assumption is that there are limited cuts that can be made without compromising student achievement, student and staff well-being, and student and staff sa safety safety. So, not allowing the community to weigh in on whether or not they would support the future health of our schools and denying community voice is holding this district hostage. We are not going to ask for a levy without proposing what kinds of thing what we would do with the money that we're asking for. We're not just going to say, "Yep, we're going to vote. We're going to tonight approve to go for a levy and then we're going to put it on the

129ballot in November with no transparency. We also in that process will let the community know what significant cuts we'll need to make if the levy doesn't pass. that we're not at the we I mean it probably in retrospect would have been nice in this discussion if we would have had a plan. I can't even believe I mean I assumed we would go to the board meeting and we would approve a levy and then we would talk really seriously about what that looks like. I am dumbfounded that we're sitting in this space and we're fighting about or we're disagreeing on whether or not we should even go to the community our voice and ask for a levy. >> It makes no sense to me. I don't know if it's because some people on this at this

130table are business owners and they don't want to see their taxes go up. It just it makes no sense. What are we afraid of if the levy passes? I know what we're afraid of if the levy doesn't pass. But what are we afraid of if the levy passes? Why? >> I can tell I can tell you what I'm afraid of >> if you if you care. >> I do. >> Is that I've been talking about this for the whole two and a half years I've been on the board. I'm sick and tired of us chasing kids down the street. Well, one of the neighboring schools, I will leave them unnamed, their reading scores are at like 35%. So, we're dusting them. Like, we're doing way better. But they've got 300 of our kids. >> But

131you can see that our district spends less on our students than the a in our um in our or what demographic than other schools. That's maybe that has something to do with why the test scores are lower or not where we are. >> I don't know. We offer a lot of nice things. I just think that, you know, I've been begging for a couple years to try to get some changes made in the administration or this board for that matter. No one's wanted to work on any of this stuff and now all of a sudden we're at a panic and we're out of money. We knew this was coming. Marcy, you and I knew, right? We've talked about it for how many years, right? This isn't a surprise. None of this snuck up on us.

132We've continually spent money that we didn't have. We give raises that we can't afford. We do all these things and now it's the taxpayers's fault. So, our mistakes and I'll take credit. I voted for these budgets. I voted for the budget this year. $3 million in the hole, right? So, I mean, I I deserve some of it, right? What do we when are we going to face the music? Like, that's my deal. It's like, you know, it's like, oh my lord. Like, we've been talking about this for how long? If we could just get a 100 kids back, is that what they're worth? 16,000 a piece. That's a million six. I don't see them coming back. Maybe, but I I I'm more worried about us losing more of them. You know, they the the the

133the kindergarten through second grade needs help. We've got to get these kids to a third grade level. John, you and I have talked about it for a couple years. What have we changed? You know, it's not like, oh, if we had a referendum, we could get back the EAS. No, we already know we can't. So, it's like, what are we gaining? >> Why couldn't we? >> Well, we just talked about it. Peter just said we'll be 5 million in the hole next year, so we're just going to keep cutting. We can't add them back in. We have to make some tough choices. Something has to go. I don't know what it is. I've made plenty of suggestions. People think I'm crazy. I've never said you're going to do any of them. I'm not coming in

134there kicking your door in saying this is what you're going to do. I'm just saying, "What about this? What about this? What about this?" I haven't seen anything from the district in the years I've been doing this that came and said, "What do you think about this? What do we got? What would you guys think at one of our work sessions or anything about if we trim this, trim that, trim this, trim that? It's not the way it's just not the way it works. We we did make actual cuts this year, >> but there's never been any like brainstorming like what could we possibly do, right? And it just doesn't seem to me like it's a high priority for the district. So, I have a tough time. >> Sat on the finance committee. >> I've

135sat on the finance committee. I know. >> That's why I said this isn't a surprising thing. Director Donninger, I have heard you say there's you've looked high and low. There's nothing there. I know we are bare bones. If I were to liken it to my own household budget, I would say, "Yeah, we're not cutting vacations anymore. We're cutting meals next week. That's where we're at." And you're creating this false dichotomy like there's only two options. We have to get more students or we have to cut. And that is not true. We have other options. Although we are a service, we're not a business, we don't have a lot of levers we can pull, you know, for new innovations and and new products to sell, we can ask the voters and they want to be asked,

136they want to be part of this decision. >> Well, some of them do. >> If they don't want, >> Madam Chair, >> if they don't want to be a part of they don't want us to approve, they can vote no. So, let's just let them decide. And if if our community votes no, the majority vote no, then we know where we stand. Then we know, but again, it's not an eitheror. We can still continue to work on right sizing the budget and we can go to the community to see are you willing to support the future health of our district. >> Madam Chair, >> yes, director. So, um, first of all, thank you all for your discussion and being here and showing no matter what side of the aisle you're on, uh, or what you

137believe in, yes, no, whatever. I I appreciate I appreciate the fact that you're here and, um, no matter what you feel either way about an operating levy or not. Um, I did a lot of research this week. Um, and you know, I I lost a really good friend recently as she was shot at her doorstep because she took a vote that took courage. It took courage for her to vote the way she did. But she voted for that for the better good of everyone, for the better good of every citizen in the state of Minnesota. And that's what we need to look I I came together. I heard people say, "Well, you put money on it and it doesn't make a difference." Yes, it does. Research shows that when you put money towards and invest

138in education, it pays dividends. It pays dividends. And you can change your head all you do all you want, but that's a fact, Mark. That's a fact. >> That's a fact. >> Madam Chair, I'm not done. >> I'll let you continue. Excuse me. nothing from the audience or we'll have to escort you out. Thank you. >> So the plan, Madam Chair, I went and looked at the oath that we all took. >> And in this oath that we all took, it talks about that we're going to do the betterment for the good of all. We're going to do the best job that we can to secure a sound system for our kids. And it is about children, by the way. And that's part of the oath that we took. And as I'm doing all my

139research, I'm thinking, you know, this isn't really about and we didn't even Marcy, you didn't even get a chance to go to the expenditures if they if people saw if people saw and and they should see tonight what the expenditures how how we have been spending in this district compared to around the state because that's that is very important and all of us have seen that and all of us have seen it and the fact of the matter is is we are under I mean expenditures are way way low in in the Brainer district. >> But then I realized, you know, this isn't about um this isn't about money we spent and this and that and up. This is about um allowing people to have a vote and a choice and a right just like

140you said, Superintendent Grant. And I came in tonight all prepared with all kinds of research and data to show and to talk about why we need to have an operating levy. And you've seen some of it, but you haven't seen all of it. But the bottom line is give all of us, give every community member a chance to say yes or no. That's what this is about. That's what it should be about. That's what I heard about tonight. Even the people that are not, you know, that didn't seem to support an operating levy, they said, "Let us vote on it, too." I heard that from those folks as well. So, Madam Chair, I I beg my colleagues to reconsider, to think about this and and you know, you there's ways that you can live to

141your principles and allow a vote to happen. If if you if you abstained from a vote that that in itself, Madam Chair, that in itself um would allow maybe a majority of the vote. >> When when somebody abstains, that doesn't count toward the vote total. Correct, Madam Chair? >> It counts as a yes vote. >> It counts as an obsession, but >> Okay. But basically, it doesn't count. >> Yeah. So there there's there's a way to live to your principles and allow allow all folks to vote, yes or no. I I I too did some research on a variety of issues um these last this last week and I was really kind of look doing a little deeper dive in teacher salaries because that seems to come up all the time. We're paying our teachers

142a lot of money. Well, the average teacher pay has failed to keep up with inflation over the past decade. Teacher salaries have fallen further and further behind those of their college educated peers. Adjusted for inflation, on average, teachers are making 5% less than they did 10 years ago, according to NEA, the National Education Association. And this was in April 2024. The Economic Policy Institute says that the minimum living wage is the income needed for a family of one adult and one child to have a modest but adequate standard of living. The minimum living wage in Minnesota, one adult and one child is 63,957. It's 119 for a family of four. According to the current teachers master agreement, a Brainer teacher in lane one would have to work for 19 years before they would make the

143living wage today. That's interesting to me. Y >> we we pay our teachers well. They have good benefits package, but it is what um we pay for what we get. >> I think the reason that the teachers come up a lot, Michelle, is not because anybody's after the teachers. It's more that they're the biggest group. So, it makes the biggest difference. We have nine bargaining groups. Teachers are half of the employees. So, their contract is such a bigger deal to the district than anybody else's is because they're such a large group. I don't think it's a personal jab at teachers, but you know, it's the it's a for the lack of a better term, it's the lowhanging fruit. It's what everybody sees because that's the big number, you know, >> and I guess I'm tired

144of that narrative. >> Well, no, we know the teachers were cut. We know we need to pay them. We're not saying we don't. So, um I would just like to say I have read all your emails and thank you for their encouragement. There are some well-intentioned intended emails and there are some not so nice ones. You know who you are. I'm not in favor I'm not in favor of bigger classrooms or cutting sports or music classes. I went through the failed levy in 2007. I had three daughters when you cut the sports. Do you know what parents did? We all got together. We formed Sports Booster so our kids would have sports. We work together as a group of parents. So I know what it's like to lose things. I just need to know where

145the money is being spent. Right now we have buildings that are not being utilized properly. We have empty classrooms in every single school. I'm going to give you an example. So in Looo we can have 475 seats. We have 350 students in that school. In Riverside we can have 625 students. We have 405 of this is May 25. So what is what? We have all these empty classrooms. Why don't we do some closing of a school? Move some students. Keep the fifth graders. There's a lot of options we have not talked about. We need to talk about this before I feel we ask the taxpayers for more money. Everybody doesn't have that kind of money to keep spending on things until we get through some of this stuff. And I know I've only been on

146the board five months, but I need to learn this budget and how we get the money from the federal and the state is a big learning curve. And I have been trying to catch up and everything. So, I need I've been doing a lot of research, but until I can figure out where the money is getting spent, I can't ask in good cautious, I can't ask people to give us more money right now. I'm not against the levy, but right now, I got to figure where it's getting spent. >> But, Director Edman, in all due respect, you can't hold the district hostage because you don't know what you're doing. >> No, I'm not holding the district I am not holding it hostage. Oh, we >> I am not holding it hostage. I have run several

147businesses. If I know we are not making the money, I do cuts. I figure out where that money is going and I've been trying to do this and I just found right here with our schools, but a lot of them empty. We don't have enough students and we need to close something. How much should we spend on Harrison just to get it up? And what is what is Harrison at right now? 232 kids and there's 375 kids we could have that. What did we spend 18 was it $18 million? >> I I don't think you're going to get any push back on that. I absolutely agree with you that we need to look at that and I think it's a both end. I absolutely agree. >> We need to >> I think we're on the

148same page. >> Yeah, we are on the same page. >> Marcy, could you can you tell me how much savings there would be if we were to go or if we were to close a building. >> So, we looked at BLC and it would be about 500,000 because we still have to, you know, keep it heated if we were to keep it on as our own. So, it'd be about 500,000. And I just want to go back to a couple of things and I'm I'm just trying to get information out there. I'm going to say that right now. You talked about blueprint 181. That was a little bit before my time, but I believe that there was >> mine too. >> But you you said there there had to be a plan, right? They did

149a survey, same thing, looking to see what the the community would support. They did an assessment that came in way more than what the 205 million was, but they said, "We're going to support, I believe it was in December, we're going to support going for a referendum." The school board did. >> So then when that passed, that's when they tried to formulate that plan. They formulated the plan on how much to spend on each building. They didn't go into details. They didn't say we're going to do this, this, and this, but they said we're going to spend X amount on elementaryaries, so we're going to spend X amount on Washington. And then that's what went to the voters. And when that Yep. And then when that got approved, that came after. >> Oh, Jen. >>

150So that is generalities. It's not specifics. >> December 11th. >> So then they So then they went to the voters. Voters supported it. And then that's when we hashed out the real details. So, I have not done this before. I'm going to look at Peter, but I believe that if you guys voted yes on this, then we would come up with a plan on if this is the amount. We'd have to discuss the amount, right? And then after that, we would have to discuss if it doesn't pass, what are the options? >> Remember, this is government. They do it differently. It's like Obamacare. We pass it, then we figure out what's going to be in it. >> I go back to what I go back to what Lane said. You know what's going to I'm

151going to tell you what's going to happen here. When this meeting is over, >> we are going to be so divided as a board. It's going to it's going to make your head >> It's going to be just fine. It'll be just fine. >> Well, I think but it's going to be divided. >> Let's start dealing with some stuff that's going to help the kids and help the teachers not get bit and sore at. Let's start getting some behavioral issues figured out around here. All we talk about is this adult stuff all the time. >> I'm just tired of it. >> So, I've heard you want to cut mental health programs. >> Who said that? Who said that? >> That >> I that was that was said the other day. Cuts family service class. >>

152You know what? I've been told I've been told that I want to get rid of 150 teachers at Forest View. Peter told me there aren't even 150 teachers at Forest View. I heard there's going to be 50 kids in a class. I haven't talked to anybody about this. You guys have been on the radio doing all kinds of fun >> and the last board meeting you said we could cut >> collaborative workers. Family service collaborative workers. Who are the mental health workers? the mental health workers in the elementary schools. We already got a counselor position from um the high school force. >> You asked what what things that could be done. I gave you things that could be done. Doesn't mean you have to do it. >> You're worried about behavior in the classroom, but

153yet it it doesn't make sense then to cut those kinds of supports. >> Well, I've been told by >> other people >> that we cannot remove these little kids that get themselves in trouble. that we have to evacuate the classrooms. I got the law sitting on my desk. I might even have it with me. I don't see anywhere it says that. It's our policy. It's not a state policy. It's like we need to get back and get this under control. Quit losing our kids. >> Thank you. >> People are scared to go to school. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um just some of the reasons though that that we as a board have talked about um and presented to the community why we why uh why we can't bring up why we why you shouldn't

154vote for an operating levy. Why you shouldn't let them vote. We t I heard it tonight again a liberal agenda, a woke agenda. Um is Carrie Ross back there. Carrie do all of our stat classes meet state standards? >> Not yet. >> What's that? Not yet. >> Okay. Do we have a woke agenda in this district, Carrie? >> What's that? >> State standards. State standards. Correct. And by the way, as defined in the dictionary, woke means recognizing systematic injustices and prejudices, especially those affecting marginalized communities. It implies not just an awareness, but also a proactive stance, a willingness to engage with and address these issues. That's what woke means. That's what vote means. So, call me woke and okay, that's fine. But to use it not to let people uh vote, that's ridiculous in my

155opinion. Um, classes that are offered are meeting state standards. Um, we all as a board got a letter stating that there were two medical folks that are so needed in this area, in our region that were looking at moving here in areas that we needed their expertise. They weighed in with everything in the community. They took their time to look at things and they and and the biggest decision was um how how the schools are. They decided not to come to our school district at this point. >> Was that because of the reading scores? >> No, that was because of the issue. >> You got the email. >> I mean, we got the email. >> I did. And that's somebody's opinion. So maybe they got offered more money somewhere else. Did you ever think of

156that? >> That's not what was stated by the person that doesn't know. >> Um Madam Chair, I have four, right? Mhm. >> Thank you. Um, you know, some of you have talked about adding EAS as a as a thing that you'd like to do, and I heard that out there. Class sizes in K2 that are 28 and 29 are absolutely ridiculous and don't do anything, especially our children, any good. We The only way we can add EAS is by passing an operating levy. Somebody said an operating levy. An operating levy. I think that was you, Laura, I think, or somebody. Um, class sizes are another issue. You know, they just came out today with the 30 top high schools in the state of Minnesota. Anybody see that article? >> 30 top high schools. And you

157know what they all had in common? >> Class size ratio ratio, students to teachers is the first thing that one of the things that they had. And then and then also electives um uh offerings that they have, you know, when we when we talk about and you did suggest something about letting some teachers go from somewhere at a at a board meeting. I heard it myself. Um, I know that that that was a that was a thing that was >> that I'm just saying that when we cut when we cut educators >> when we cut educators um or when we think we need to cut staff really what we need to look at is full-time equivalencies, FTEES, full-time equivalencies. um if we cut in 2007 and when the last referendum failed, the a class that

158I taught was cut because of budget crisis, those 75 kids that I had or 85 kids or whatever I had had to go somewhere else unless we cut an FTE. So, it isn't about cutting teachers. It isn't about having too many teachers or not having enough uh uh kids or whatever. It's about the FTEEs that we have. and we've been cutting FTEEs and cutting FTEEs and cutting FTEEs which has exploded the class sizes. Um the the information board members that we've been given recently, this information tonight that the community has now seen is valuable information. Thank you Superintendent Grant and Marcy and Jason I don't know where you are but you were part of that too. Bringing this information is critical and it only indicates that we should pass an operating levy and give the

159people an opportunity to pass to vote for that. So, this information is invaluable. Thank you for that. Um, thank you for allowing me to have the floor again. I appreciate it. I'm not sure that I'm done, but we'll keep talking. >> Um, I don't want to put you on the spot. >> Okay, that's fine with me. But it's it's it's stuff that you sitting here. >> Yeah. It's stuff that you've told us, etc. So, I just want to repeat some of it. >> Uh June 4 of 2024. You remember that day? >> The end of the school year >> last year. >> What was your interview? 2024. >> Oh, 24. >> That's when we interviewed you. >> Yeah. Yeah. We were talking about a lot of different things and you had said if the community

160if the board I should say if the board goes for a levy you will support it you will do everything you can to pass it. Okay. Uh you also said in that same interview that in Oatana because things were kind of getting kind of off track you froze rate wages for one whole year. Nobody got a raise. Nobody got a raise including yourself. And I commend you from the standpoint. You're not taking a raise. Now the second year here and you said the second year of the contract 1%. How much money would that save us to get us kind of back on track just a little bit? I guess what I'm suggesting is this. We need a plan. And we don't have a People People keep saying we have a plan. We have a plan.

161We don't have a plan. You know what your plan is? An operating levy. That's what your plan is. >> That's what your That's what your plan is. is to have an operating level. But we need to look at our budget. We need to look at how we can do things differently. I had an email today, a great email. >> Class sizes in one building are so low and then in other buildings they're so high. I mean, we need to talk about these things. And Lane, I keep coming back to what you said. We need a plan and we need to get the community involved right now. right now. >> You You keep referring to me. Can I >> Can I answer what he is alluding to today? >> I don't think so. >> I'm going

162to run the back. I'll be back. >> Well, what are we going to turn this into? I thought we didn't do that. >> Yeah, let's take a five minute recess. Can I make one? Yes. >> Once you start the meeting. >> Oh, >> click. >> Yes. >> Exactly. >> Um, I want to publicly apologize. I was using uh Lane Larson's name and I probably should not have been speaking for her, but I I might have misunderstood what she said, but I I want to apologize. >> Thank you. >> All right, Marcy, I know you had a few more things that you wanted to share. >> Yes. So when we were talking about blueprint 181, um one other thing I wanted Stephanie when you talked about the enrollment, yes, the buildings with blueprint 181 were um

163built based on the uh projections of uh uh ro enrollment projection model done by a consultant, not by the district. It showed that we would be increasing enrollment. It was obviously >> kids or something. >> Yep. It was obviously not accurate. So yes, the enrollment at the sites is less than what was projected. Um, but that is if we were to do another enrollment study, it may project, you know, it it's a roll of the dice when you do projections. So, yes, I just wanted to clarify that it does show that we're under, but it's because we built to those enrollments. And if we were to ever see a enrollment come back, we would want to have the capacity. So, not saying we can't close a building, but >> Oh, it's for sure would stink,

164but something's got to change. Mhm. >> And then one other thing was if I hope all of you know that if you guys need clarification on anything or assistance or it is it's a complex funding um I am more than willing to go through anything and everything. So >> thank you. >> I know you had a couple more slides that you wanted to share. Marcy, >> we do. >> Oh yeah, Peter. And I just want to say too, Peter pulled all of this off of MDE on his own. So kudos to him because that that was >> more than just an English teacher. >> He is he needs >> I can add and subtract. >> Oh boy. >> He is good with this. >> You want to talk about it? You want me to? >>

165You can. >> Okay. So obviously I looked at the revenue side. Then you got to look at the expenditure side because that only makes common sense. So again this is state average 181 average. So district administration across the state of Minnesota the average is 700,000 73 per student that's what is cost to have an administrator locally we're 391 not quite 50%. Regular instruction. The state average is 58.42. We're 5101. This is 2021. Speced 26.41. Local is 34.81. $800. Total PK 12. State average per student ADM. The state average is 14,000. We're 136. We're behind the eightball. That was for 21. >> Yep. 21. 22. You can start to see the numbers again. And they they do actually start to separate even further. Uh the key one again, speced 2743 versus 3717 almost $1,000. And then

166total 15,10 versus 14,614. So, as this continues to roll, you're going to see that we are not extravagant and because we have we have a really good business person who understands you don't over project because coming from behind. But this is why we can't keep up though. 23790 versus 444 6,181 to 5296 2919 to 3798 157 versus 148 Now we're almost $1,000 behind total ADM and then 24 848 versus 545 65 24 versus 55 38 318 8287 versus 4287. >> Bless you. >> Now we're,00 in total 166 versus 156. Now we're a thousand plus behind. >> So let me just clarify. This is money that our district is spending on admin, on regular instruction, on special ed, and then there's >> I picked the top four because those are the ones that gather most of

167the attention. So, if you think we're high on spending money on administration, if you think we're high at regular instruction, we are in trouble on special education. But with 25% of our population, about 1,500 kids, that's going to cost you. And at the very end, we're a cheap school district. I mean, when you think about the big picture, we're a cheap school district. We are mining our monies, but you can't go six million in the hole over four years and not have repercussions. And that's just so when I did this, I actually had to go through it two or three times. I thought, this this is not making sense. But it it's all the data. You can go out on MDE and pull your own, take a check. um expenditures. So, we're not wasting money

168in my opinion being here one year and I'm looking back over the last four. The district has done its job. The board has done its job monitoring the budget. The business office has done its job monitoring the budget. We have tried to contain costs. There's the data, but you can't suck away $6 million. It just it doesn't work. The math doesn't work. And then when you add other peripherals of inflation, um, student support services, all those things eat away pieces. But these are the big four. And if you don't like the data, that's up to you. I don't care. It's from the state of Minnesota that we have to submit every year out of her office, not out of Jason's office. This is where all this comes from. It's not phony numbers. And it's all

169based on average daily membership counts. And you know, just out of comparison, if you you look at the cost of the cost of care, the average cost for daycare for a family per child is about $18,000 a year. The average cost for caring for an inmate for a year is about $90,000 per year. It costs us about $16,000 to provide the education that we do for these kids. I feel like that is a screaming deal. And I feel like our job as a board, our primary work to do is to protect the public education of this community and to be champions and advocates for it. And I feel like we're not doing our job right now. Because our kids our kids are worth that. Our kids are worth asking for more money. >> And we

170should have asked for it soon. >> We should have asked for it sooner. >> We should have, but >> we have fallen way far behind. >> Yep. The blueprint 181 had just ended only two years ago really and care. So yeah, we I don't think we would have had the capacity to ask for it during construction and that's why it got prolonged. So I when you said like why why not delay it a year? We've already delayed. We've already been behind the eightball. >> Really what you're saying is the chances of it passing wouldn't have been very good. >> No, no, I'm I'm not saying that. I'm saying there was so many other things going on at the district level with blueprint 181 that to take on that then there it wouldn't have been possible.

171>> And one of the things that I don't know if you paid attention to when Marcy does her presentation especially the end of the year one fiscal year two years in a row we had over a million dollars in interest. If we hadn't had that, we'd be in a lot deeper trouble. It was good investments by the company that worked for us that made really great investments. And of course, some of it had to do with the 200 some million that was interest of that and we didn't spend it all right away. But without really good adviserss, financial adviserss, we would never had that because I think one year it went from 800,000 to over a million5 or something. I might have been high in the 800, but we were lucky. I mean, you roll

172the dice. It's like when you go to Vegas, you roll the dice and hopefully, you know, you don't get snake eyes. Well, our investor did a great job for us for two years. That interest is not there now. And I I I truly believe board that in our heart of hearts, we're all here because we believe in these kids and we want to provide an education they can be proud of and that will continue to feed this community and continue to bring people to this community. And the the more we cut, the more we cause division within our community over letting them vote or not vote or >> we could have been done with that a month ago. >> What they wanted to invest in >> starting that song and dance. >> We we need

173to come together around this. And I know we all >> So for $15,600 we have kids that don't know how to do fractions. >> Oh. >> Don't know how to read cursive. Oh yeah. Why would I bring that up? How many kids I you keep throwing out these these statements, but how many kids in our district? >> Well, call Felins, call Noran, call >> fractions. I I I just want some data to to say, "Yeah, I agree with you." >> Well, I just hire them, right? I hire them. >> I do know unequivocally you're not going to get more kids that know fractions. If we continue to cut, you're going to get less. >> Maybe we should just try teaching them again because Tim Mera told me we don't even expose them to them. But

174whatever, you know, if you think more money is going to fix it, I just thought for 156 we could maybe get that done. That's where my trouble comes in. Been doing this for two and a half years. We do the same thing every year, expect different results, >> you know. And DJ, I you you pose >> cursive writing. >> You pose an argument that is is really not easy to combat because you're thinking back to the days when you were in school and I think back to the days when I was in school. That's a new planet. But I would tell you this. I would rather see the 156 get closer to 166. >> I agree with you. >> Yeah. >> But that isn't going to happen by magic. Most of that's due because 76%

175of the districts have extra operating dollars that we don't. So that's never going to get tighter because we don't have the money coming in. We don't have the revenue, the extra revenue. And I hate to be repetitive, but if we if we think St. Paul's gonna bail us out, I got sand in Arizona to solve. >> Yeah, we know that. >> Yeah. >> So, the only option is if the community is willing to step up and do it or not. I mean, there's no other gimmick. There's no other game in town. Yes, we can rightsize to the point where we're not offering a whole lot of stuff, but like you know, and I asked Andrea Rusk, after you built onto the new high school, all those job creating courses were because of what was built

176at the high school. Yeah. Well, do we have to say there's got to be 25 kids in those class in order to offer it? If there's not, then next thing you know, the culinary kitchen. What's the point of it? We don't want enough kids to get in there because you got to have 25. You got to have this number. It It's a We're fighting a battle we can't win alone. That's my point. We just can't win it alone unless we have a benevolent benefactor in the community that's going to say, "You know what? I'll pick up your debt and then from that point on, you're on your own." I don't know anybody that can do that. But that's just >> and some of the ideas that you've thrown out. I mean legally we can't do

177some of them, right? Like they're statutes and if we were to do that then we open up our liability of okay so then a parent could potentially sue the district because we're going against state statute, right? So I I some of the ideas yes we want to be open to but some of them >> I just wanted to know if the kids if we could teach the kids to read and write cursive writing. I don't, you know, it's like it's an old fashioned thing. >> DJ, at this point, our words matter. And when you say things like that, you are insulting every teacher. >> I'm not insulting the teachers. It's not the teacher's fault. They're not picking that out. >> You're saying that they can't read and write and do fractions. >> They couldn't read,

178right? >> Well, they can't read cursive. >> We're not teaching it. >> Well, >> no. I just read an article about cursive. You know, I just want to say this. Just want to say it. You know what's happening in the different universities right now? The pros, the professors are saying no more uh electronic generated uh uh essays, thesises or nothing. You're going to handw write them out. And the reason for it is because they don't want AI getting involved with with the with the kid. Write it out and you're going to understand it a lot better when you write. I'm just saying that. >> But is it appropriate for us to weigh in on those kinds of things? >> It's just appropriate for me to be able to vote for something that I believe in

179when I've been asking for this for two and a half years. >> They they do teach cursive in second grade. There's a cursive. >> It's been around for a long long time. >> Well, there's a lot of kids are coming out in school that never got to see it, I guess. But I >> mean, I was talking the question. I was talking to some teachers, you know, on my way back to the bathroom and >> I'll call the question. >> All right, >> call the question. >> We've call the question. Remind me. Do we vote on this? >> Yep. Got to get a second. >> It's got to be two3 majority vote for it. >> Is there a second? Randy, did you want to finish what you were going to say? >> No, I'm fine.

180Okay. I've said enough. >> Okay. Is there a second? I'll second. >> All right, we've got So, we're going to vote on calling the question. We've got a motion by Director Dandelinger and a second by Director Breen. All those in favor of calling the question. Please say I. >> I oppose the same. >> All right, we will vote on the discussion on the table. the motion on the table to approve to move forward with a referendum in the fall of 2025. We'll do a roll call vote, please. >> DJ, >> no. >> Stephanie Edman, >> no. >> Randy Hidman. >> Uh, no. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> Motion fails. All right. >> Thanks, Marc. >> Let's move on. Thank you, Marcy. Let's move on to the approval of the administration recommendation. >> Motion. >>

181All right. We've got a motion by Director Dondelinger. >> Is there a second? >> Yeah. Is there a second? >> I made a motion. >> Yep. >> Stephanie. >> Second. It's >> we got a motion on a second. Um >> the reason we're having this is we missed Jennifer's name in June. So we needed to correct that. We wanted that to be public. So >> piece cake. >> All right. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please signify by saying I >> oppose the same. >> All right. We've got the presentation of the annual comprehensive literacy plan by Melissa Cornia, please. >> Welcome. >> I'm Melissa Cornneia. Um, I've sat here in front of you this year before. Uh, we talked about a novel. We talked about 912 ELA and we talked about personal finance.

182So, I'm here now to talk to you about our literacy plan and specifically a comprehensive approach um to this discussion because you've seen pieces and so just wanting to tie it all together to a comprehensive approach. Um, before I move into that, I'm gonna invite us all to think of a favorite book. Whether it was a book you've read to someone, a book that was important to you, a book in your journey, a book maybe just this past summer. Um, but I'm going to invite you to think of um a a book that's been an important moment in your life. When I think of that book, um, one of the books I think of is Matilda. And, and Matilda is part of why I sit in front of you now is because, uh, I believe

183in the power of books and just recently got to talk to director Lundren about um, even someone in her life who is excited about Matilda um, and the joy and and love of Matilda and and what books can do. So, um, I'd invite you as you as we go through this of just we to take a breath and to kind of tap back into what literacy can do, what we want it to do, um, but also the joy and the identity connected to it. So, here is the Minnesota Read Act 2023. Um the goal of the Minnesota Read Act, the shift that came with it is every year, every student being proficient. Um so beginning in kindergarten, and when we say every student that we are especially making sure that our multilingual learners and our

184students receiving special education, um that we're not leaving them behind. So before it used to be through grade three um but now specifically with read act every year looking at that reading p prof proficiency. So what that means for us here in Brainer public schools what we did this past three or what we did uh this past year these three goals um I'll give you the quick overview and then I'll go into each a little more depth. So the first is in alignment with the read act that phase one that was part of the read act that we um trained our teachers in structured literacy. Our second goal was multi-tiered systems of support specifically an assessment system and thinking about those tier one practices mentioned in goal one. And then similar to the read act

185that we want to develop fluent readers who comprehend across a wide variety of texts and we close achievement gaps across demographics. So goal number one goal number one is was training our teachers in structured literacy methods. And what goal number one looked like 323 BPS educators all successfully completed um our phase one learning. Our phase one learning was OLA um OLA online language and literacy academy. 323 educators included all of our district and school leaders, all of our K4 teachers, um, responsible for core instruction, our special education teachers, K12, our multilingual teachers, K12, our reading interventionists, and then five six, grades five, six, we focus, we um included those teachers to those core teachers responsible for science, social studies, math, ELA. um 323 teachers, educators successfully completed the course. That was more than 50 plus

186hours on average. Uh many educators much more than those 50 hours. And what it focused on was really two pieces and how they came together. Um what do we know about the reading brain and then how do we best facilitate reading development based on what we know about the reading brain. So the idea of the reading brain and structured literacy um that was what we focused on nine modules to look at the entire reading brain and that structured literacy approach. When I think of our teachers um our teachers they are hungry to do best by kids when I think of their reflections over the year um constantly asking them for feedback systematically but also one-on-one conversations. Our teachers can't wait to take these 50 plus hours of learning and start making it happen in the

187classroom. And what they want more than anything, they want to be effective every single day using this new learning. They want to be consistent across their grade. And they want to vertically be consistent. So I'm going to be awesome every day, second grade, just like the other second grade teacher. and then I'm gonna make sure I send them off to third grade so that teacher knows the skills that her students has and can continue to build on that. So, um I'm really proud of our teachers and the direction that we're headed. We had a group come together this summer specifically for making that transfer. We've done the learning. Now, how do we actually move this forward into um what classroom instruction needs to look like? So they looked at the Minnesota standards uh what does

188that mean for kinder and this aspect of the reading brain and what does that mean for best instruction across every kinder classroom. Um so that's the work that we're in the midst of. We are in a feedback loop with various leaders and then we're going to come back together this group based on their feedback and start moving into recommendations of what does that mean for classroom instruction? Um, what does that mean for supporting our teachers so that they can take all of this learning and start putting it into action? I'll pause after goal one. Any thoughts, questions, or needs that I can address? >> Is that going to happen this fall? >> That teachers start putting the learning into action. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Great. >> Yep. We're really excited. Um, there right now

189we're referring to them as recommendations and we have recommendations for every grade level K. Um, we're looking at K4 especially because we want five, six teachers as an ELA department to be part of that journey. Um, but K4 for them to be able to say, "Here's our recommendations for the different aspects of the reading brain and this is what this looks like based on the learning everyone had >> ELA English learning." >> Yes. Yep. So, in grades five, six, um, they specifically have an ELA class in English class. And so that's why we want to make sure that we have all of the voices for 56 ELA there. Whereas K4 um can't have 200 teachers in a room to make a recommendation uh for you know one specific piece. So that's why we have this

190summer literacy group of teacher leaders together. >> I might have missed it. You might have said it Melissa. What's a summer literacy group? >> Yeah. So we invited I appreciate that question director Ward. Um we invited teacher leaders kindergarten through sixth grade teachers who were part of that 50 plus hours of learning. Um we invited teacher leaders to take the learning look at the Minnesota standards and make recommendations of this is the goal we have for the end of each grade level. This is what we know success is going to look like. This is what best instruction looks like based on all of that learning. How many kids are participating? >> It's only teacher leaders. >> Okay. Teacher leaders. Okay. >> Yep. But it will um to that question, it will influence every single kid

191K4 um and moving into that 56 when we bring that 56 ELA team together. >> Thank you. >> All right. Okay, goal number two, solidify our MTSS, especially with that idea of assessment and being able to bring in what we learned from goal one, the tier one practices. So, uh, we have now a solid prek through 12th grade assessment system. You have that link there so you can see what that looks like. uh looking at fall, winter, spring, looking at being in compliance with state recommend state requirements um and being able to be systematic with learning about our students and doing best by our students. Uh we have a K3 testing team. The K3 testing team ensures consistency uh and thinking about just how we're using our resources. We had 94% participation in our reading

192assessments this year. So that increased consistency of if we want to do best by students, we have to know and understand our students and having a solid assessment system so that we can learn about our students and do best by students. This then allows for that database decision- making. Um, so for example, when I think of MTSS Elementary, really tightening up that MTSS, our multi-tiered system of support, um, and what are we looking at when we look at tier one to tier 2 interventions and then moving into further decision- making when I think of, for example, um, sitting with a grade level team, that grade level team with the principal, with the interventionists, you have your grade level teachers there and really looking at their data. So, back to that first bullet, being able to

193look at their data and first look at what does my whole class need? How can I do better by my whole class based on what the data says, based on what I'm learning from, um, our OLA? And then starting to think of what are some small groups I can do within class and who might need more. Um, when I think of database decision making too, I also think of BLC that they were taking that same approach um, looking at their data and being able to think of tier 2 interventions. And I know also as we think forward that Forest View and, um, Brainer High School starting to look at how are we really making sure we're making data informed decisions when it comes to literacy. >> And the data comes from Passbridge. Yes. Yep. That's

194and I should say yes and that for example when I was thinking of that team that I was working with, it was a first grade team. Um and they had in front of them they had the FastBridge data, but then they also had other indicators to be able to say like, "Yep, that checks out. I saw this when when I did this assessment in my classroom, too." Um that's part of our our summer group, too, is being able to say, "Here's FastBridge. Do we feel like we need another data point that can help us do best by students? Thank you. Um the last bullet there is be uh being consistent with family communication. So as we look at this data, how are we making sure that we're keeping families involved in the communication of of

195where's their child and what does their child need and how are we going to do best by their child. I'll pause before going to goal three. questions, thoughts, comments. >> So, are we gonna get like can we get the student outcome every month at how this is working for the students or you just going to give it like fall? Well, probably winter and >> yes. So, uh director Ederman that um my understanding is that director Lundren is going to bring you the data every fall, winter, spring. So if you click on it's actually on the next slide. Um that data is the data that she shared with you just in June. >> Yeah, that's what I thought. >> Okay. >> Yep. So um so yeah, making sure that you see the data and we can

196be looking at that data. Uh one of the things that we will have access to is being able to look across demographics. Um so that's going to change when we look at our with our data warehouse change. Is it possible uh and this might be a question for Christina um is it possible to get a monthly update as far as kind of how things are looking or don't you look at FastBridge that that often? >> So we only assess in Fastbridge fall, winter, spring, >> which is good. It's a It's >> But but but aren't you looking I mean my understanding with Fastbridge is that let's say you got some kids they're falling behind because we put the assessment stuff in fast bridge right >> so I think what you're referring to um we we

197assess every student fall winter spring and then there are students who might be receiving interventions and that progress monitoring data um when I think of that data. My hesitation with that that data is that data is indicative of only those students who are being progress monitored and not indicative of the whole. Um I will say that our teachers uh our teachers are amazing and and they are keeping a monthly pulse on >> are my students making the expected gains. >> I'm just talking about data. That's all I'm doing. And you know is there a trend line? Are we seeing this? you know, I gosh, you know, September was really a good first month was yeah, pretty good month. October, yeah, things got, you know, that's that's all I was really looking at is is there

198some sort of a trend line? >> There wouldn't be related to Fastbridge because it is only fall, winter, spring um that we don't assess every student using FastBridge September, October, November, and so on. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Thank you. Thank you. Other questions? All right. So, goal number three, um really that idea of developing readers, readers who comprehend, they are fluent, they have solid foundational skills, can uh do that reading work across a variety of texts and specifically thinking about closing achievement gaps across demographics. Um so, like I said, you have the link to the data there that you saw in June. Every school had a literacy goal um this past school year as part of their SIP um their continuous improvement plan. Specifically as uh as a big picture, we focused in on

199K4 word study and especially K4 word study. Um K4 word study is thinking about your phonics, thinking about your vocabulary, thinking about um we we talk phmic awareness and that's really the the sounds we hear when we hear a word. So if I say cat and I say how many sounds do you hear in cat? You go cat, right? Um that's a key skill that a kindergartenner needs to develop. Um and so that idea of K4 word study are those foundational skills. And so that was in place and now being able this past year to hold that up next to that structured literacy that they were learning um through their 50 plus hours of that phase one readact learning 912 ELA you heard uh me along with my colleagues that we brought that to you

200with our journey of what is best instruction 512 special education um specific to literacy they implemented language live and I remember a teacher who was actually at the done at the end of her uh Ola journey her 50 plus hours and and she pulled me over and she's like Melissa we got to talk language live and I was like I'm curious where this is going to go do not take that away we are making huge gains it totally aligns to Ola and what we're learning with Ola and we are so excited that we are doing really well in our data with our students who who are receiving special education services. >> Melissa, what is Language Live? >> Great question. So, Language Live is um it's a a reading intervention. Um and I'm going to be

201careful, so I'll I'll invite anyone to chime in. But it is a very structured reading intervention. With that reading intervention, it really does look at the entire reading brain. So, it's doing the right, but it also because it's 512, it's also having them um the book holes as an example, um it's also a movie. So, that young adult novel holes. So, you really have the whole range of uh let's build these foundational skills that students might have missed in their earlier years or just need more um more repetition with. And so, as we're building that, we're also getting exposed to vocabulary. were getting exposed to grade level text comprehension strategies um both targeted in individualized. So there's an individualized component to it, but then there is also the whole class instruction to make sure are

202we actually exposing students to the skills that are going to move them to grade level outcomes. Great question. All right, disciplinary literacy. disciplinary literacy is specifically um being able to read like a scientist. And so if I think of even just what I what I witnessed um over the past hours, we we read as educators. That's who you have been these past hours and the people who spoke to you. We read different research as educators. Some people read from a policy lens, some people read from a finance lens, some people read from a teacher lens. And being able to read from a specific lens, that's what we're doing as we get into um the upper grades is can you read as a scientist? Can you make an argument as a scientist compared to making an

203argument as a historian? So that's disciplinary literacy. Um, what I appreciate from the past year is leaders within my office, they were skilled up, so they completed the OLA learning too, the 50 plus hours. So, for example, Sandy Towjas, who you've gotten to meet, um, when she's had something related to AC comp or PLC's and they're talking literacy, she has a good handle on it and then she's able to tie me in for the work of that PLC or that individual teacher. So, here are some examples of supporting disciplinary literacy across the various content areas. I worked with a CTE PLC um and being able to talk about what does reading look like in the career, the technical, the engineering um fields, worked with a science PLC, that science PLC, they actually videotaped me um

204so that they could see what is best instruction look like and be able to reflect on it when they ask their science students to read in the classroom. social studies. social studies. I worked with our source well partner um as a 512 lens that what does disciplinary literacy look like 512 social studies and then even bringing this into K4 science and so that idea of if we are asking them to read as scientists in elementary school how does that look and how does that pair with OLA I'm going to pause there what questions can I answer >> so there's K4 word study stuff. Is this all part of the redact or were we doing this before? It's just got a new name. >> Yeah. So this um the my understanding of the process is that

205starting about 2 3 years ago uh noticing that we needed to do better specifically with those foundational skills. So like the phmic awareness sounding being able to hear the sounds, the phonics, the fluency. Um, I wouldn't say that that's because of the read act. That was happening in Brainer public schools because we noticed that there was an area we needed to do better on. When I think of the read act, the read act is saying very much we need to understand the entire reading brain and we need to implement structured literacy. And so that I'd say that we were actually on that journey. Um, which brought us to the phase one read act learning of now we were starting to get that in place. Now we have all of that learning of what is actually

206best instruction look like that we should be building our word study on. >> Let me go to phase two. >> So um, when I think of phase two, there's two ways you could think of phase two. Phase two in terms of the read act is looking at those other grades. So what other stu teachers need to be skilled up in structured literacy when I think of those teachers who have done phase one that's where we're moving into the summer recommendation that summer team where we're not just learning we're starting to implement. So formally phase two read act is all the other teachers. Um, when I think of the work we're doing right now, it's also how do we actually move our learning into implementation in the classroom? >> Gotcha. >> Other questions, insights. >> All

207right, here's where we're going. Um, so our goal for the years ahead or for this year, what you're going to notice is those three goals at their core stayed the same, but that they almost like the next step with that goal. So if you look at that first goal, we're still talking structured literacy. The goal last year was the learning of it. Now the goal this year is that implementation and that's where you see the um the recommendations from the summer group. When I think of goal two, goal two, really thinking K12, so Brainer High School, um I know that I started to work with Andrea Rusk of what would tier 2 intervention look like literacy related. Um during their win time, we built it into the forest view schedule that we automatically have this

208time built in. Um, so being able to now that we have solid assessment data in place, really being able to think K12, what is best instruction for every kid and then which students need more and how do we identify that and be systematic with that. And then the last goal, um, being able to look at data across demographics, um, and continuing to make that part of every school has a literacy goal so we can continue to focus on doing best by students. >> What questions can I answer? I >> think you covered it all. >> My goal is to be comprehensive. So, >> you're good at it. Yeah, >> I'll make a motion that we accept this deal. >> I'll second it. >> All right, we've got a motion by Director Dondelinger, a second by

209Director Edamman to approve the Brainer Public Schools comprehensive literacy plan as presented. Any further discussion? If not, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I >> oppose the same. >> Thank you, Melissa. >> Thank you all. Thanks. >> Thank you. All right. Next up, we have um an update on the 10-year LTFM and then um an approval of that 10-year LTFM plan. >> Sure. >> Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Welcome back. And welcome, Jeff. I know we went through this um through the work session so we can be brief. The first document is the revenues. I can pull it up if needed. And these are MDE forms. Just a reminder, the ADMs are updated or APUs, sorry, are updated. And then we verify the debt service payments. And then now that we qualify

210for the 1A funding, we can match um or make the expenses match the revenues. So when you pull up the other document, the LTFN expenditures, this is a summary of all of our projects for the upcoming year and those should match. So revenues match expenses. Um and as just want to note the total expenses you can see for this next year going to be about 4.5 and 5.4 for 27 and 28 fiscal years and then they drop. But like I said, it's we just need more time to finalize projects. So I don't want you to think that that's a doesn't show the need. There's still a need. It's just we need to finalize more projects. >> Anything you want to add? >> No, you spoke very well. Thank you. >> What is What is professional

211services and salary? >> Professional services salary that is >> engineers and stuff. What is it? >> Oh, it's it's could be that. It could be it's mostly my salary. >> Million bucks a year. You got to get a gig going here. >> How much is it? No, it's your it's your engineers. >> Oh. Oh, sorry. It's it's the engineers. >> It's the engineers. Yeah. >> Engineers on staff. >> Oh, the ones that we have working for us. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> So, we can expend some payroll to this. >> Yes. >> Correct. >> As long as they're doing LTFM work. >> Yep. >> That helps us. >> Yeah. So, there's there's a lot of ways we're going to have to dig into this and I think we can uh be very creative with how

212we spend it, not only projects but on humans. >> Gotcha. That's a good deal there. Mhm. >> So, the state doesn't tell us how to spend. >> No. >> Good. >> Nope. No. There are uh rules we have to follow, but they're uh obviously, you know, we can ask for assistance when needed, but cool. There's a lot of different ways to to use the money. >> All right. We'll look for a motion. >> So, moved. >> Second. We've got a motion by Director Heidman, a second by Director Ward. Any further discussion? If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. The same. >> Motion carries. >> Thanks you guys. >> Thanks. >> Next up, we have approval of the third and final reading of policy 512. >> Hello, Director Lingren.

213So again, uh 512, this is our third time coming to the board for the final approval and um on the table is to adopt the MSBA model poly policy language. Um and then we moved uh article 4 and article six from our current policy um as appendices um which outlined uh two procedures. >> Make the motion. I'll second motion by director Dondelinger, second by director Breen. Any further discussion. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose the same. >> Motion carries. Thank you, Christina. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> All right, we move on toformational. There is a section on here for a work session report. Being that we are all there, I won't um belabor the point. But I would just give an update, a general update for the public

214that we have combined our committee meetings into work sessions. So it was the finance committee and the policy committee that met and then we had um some work session discussion following that and those um discussions are all in that report. All right, Superintendent Grant. >> Um, want to thank Marcy and Jason for uh, digging into the data stuff. Jason um, opened the door and like Marcy said at the work session, now she's got a new home to live in. But, um, more importantly, the best thing I can say is we now have a new high school principal. >> Um, Terry Howser. Terry Howser. >> Bowser. Bozer. >> Carrie. Bozer. >> Carrie. >> I get Carrie and Carrie. >> Bozer, I think. Yeah. >> Bozer. >> Yeah. >> So, she agreed. Um, Friday >> a new

215what? High school principal. >> So, we have a new high school principal. >> Boer last name. >> Good deal. >> Carrie Bozer. >> She comes from Sock Rapids. Rice. >> But she was in the she was in the district. >> There's a lot of Bozers down in our district. >> Oh, she was in our district front. >> She was in Pierce. Okay. Yeah. Then she was in Pier >> as a principal and then she went to Sock Rapids Rice. >> Okay. >> Teacher and director of teacher and learning and then >> she's back here because she was here in 20025 I think. >> Okay. >> So we have it done. >> Great. >> She was a employee of the district. Is that what I heard? Yes. >> At the high school or where? >> Yep.

216I think she was assistant principal at the high school. >> Yeah. High school. >> Dean of students. Dean of students maybe. Yeah. Is she a bozer, you say? >> Oh, that's her last name. >> Yeah. Okay. Well, there's lots of them. >> Oh, okay. >> That's what I was curious about. >> Okay. I didn't know what that meant. >> Oh, self. >> Are you listening? >> That's what I thought he said, but he I'm trying to get the first name figured out. >> I make a motion. Oh, can I make a motion to adjourn? I'll make Oh, okay. All right. We've got a motion by Director Breen, a second by Director Edman. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Can we set a date? for uh maybe a special meeting so we can I

217mean director Don Linger brought up at the July meeting. No, the June meeting >> June. This is the July >> of getting together and start looking at our budget stuff. Seeing what happened tonight, I think I think it's imperative that we meet sooner than later. So, I'm just throwing it out to you, Madam Chair, because you know you you have can talk to Peter and do it. I'm just maybe suggesting we do it sooner than later. That's all. >> Do you want to do it before our August 2nd or 7th work session? >> Why don't we make that for work session? >> We could. >> Oh, yeah. >> Is that soon enough? >> Make sure Marc Yeah, I got another wedding. I can't do anything before the next I said the seventh will look good.

218>> Okay, you don't. >> Yeah, you can't do it before. No, >> I got to go to Ash. >> Well, let's make that um >> an integral part of that work session. >> Extend the time maybe. >> Yeah, we might have to extend the time. >> Okay. >> All right. Any further discussion? August 7th. >> Just one of the things I proposed about the work sessions because we have student representatives. If we could like if we start our meeting at 8:30 from 8:30 to 9:15 maybe we invite the two students on that committee and then 9:15 to 10 and that that gives us a half an hour. >> Um so that student doesn't have to sit there and they're not Yeah. Well, that kid that Eli >> and it makes us stay on track with

219our agenda as well, which is also >> I see. >> That's right. >> Thank you for bringing that up, Kelly. You've got that though, too, right? >> All right. Any other discussion? >> If not, all those in favor of adjourn say I. Bye.