001Good evening. I'd like to call this regular meeting of the Jamestown Public School Board to order. It is Monday, February 16th, 2026, 5:30 p.m. in the Thompson Community Room at the middle school. We'd like to thank everyone in our audience for attending tonight. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Are there any new conflicts of interest to declare any new conflicts of interest? Any new conflicts of interest? If not, schoolboard norms. Jamie, would you please read the school board norms? The board developed norms are to share and respect opinions and speak with the united voice once the decision has been reached, execute all duties in
002school board in compliance with North Dakota Sentry Code, properly prepare for meetings, and commit to assessing board effectiveness and ensure high quality governance for all stakeholders. Thank you, Jamie. We have no public communication. Moving on to our consent agenda. Is there anything the board would like removed or clarified in the consent agenda? If not, is there a motion? Motion by Aaron. Second by Steve. We have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? If not, assuming roll call vote, all those in favor say I. >> I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion carried. Moving into our regular meeting. We don't have any recognition correspondence. Under reports, the student council report is embedded um in your drive. Um the student council member last minute was not able to make it
003but provided a a written report for us which was fantastic. Under board education and progress monitoring we have a strategic plan dashboard and goal 5.3 communication plan. Dr. Le. >> Okay. So I did include the board education and strategic plan progress monitoring together because they both deal with the communications plan and the communications plan just as a reminder is is really pretty new. It's in its infancy. We just adopted it in December and so we're doing progress monitoring uh here in February. So some of our goals I would consider them more as baseline goals. This is where we're at. Our communications plan hasn't had a chance and the assessments the metrics haven't had a chance to to change since the adoption. Uh but wanted to review those as a baseline as well. Um I will
004just go through the presentation here. Uh this is from our section on resource management and planning. The specific goal uh is to develop a communications plan by January 1st which we did in December. Uh but to pos with four goals position JPS as a recognized district of choice in North Dakota. Strengthen transparency and accountability within the community of Jamestown. Goal three is establish a regular cadence for modern and effective communications that promotes the strategic plan and the professional quality of JPS staff. >> Are you wanting to? >> Sure. doesn't matter. And then go goal four is to educate and engage stakeholders. So, as I just stated, the the plan was approved on December 15th. So that includes both goals in the short term, so what can happen within a span of a calendar year and
005then longer term goals that a little more aspirational that are in that 2 to threeyear uh window. Okay, I'm just pulling it up here. Okay. So, I just wanted to go through and and restate the the specific action steps. If you're following along in the presentation, there's a second slide that goes to progress. I'm just going to jump right to the progress and and kind of talk about these together. But the um you know goal one, you know, our action steps for the short term are to create a one-page infographic uh to more easily communicate with stakeholders and prospective employees. Uh that has not yet been started. Uh a w develop a welcome packet to new families and staff to the support to support transition and promote programs and successes. Uh that has not yet
006begun. Uh our short-term action step for number three is establish a systemic process for JPS teacher and support staff member of the year. That's developed has been that's in progress has already been selected for teacher of the year. They're working on support staff member of the year and we're also working on the timing uh to bring those people to the board as well uh to make sure that they get recognized. our long-term action step, a little more aspirational, build a cadre of JPS ambassadors to help advocate for the great work that our teachers do uh at Jamestown public schools. So, goal two, that that's strengthen transparency and accountability within the community of Jamestown. our short-term action steps, those things that we believe can happen in in a year, uh publish a strategic plan B dashboard
007that's completed and ongoing, but we're working on improving that process uh utilizing AI support. Uh second action step, implement a you asked, we answered series to FAQs. Uh that hasn't been started yet, but it does align with what we're doing with our social media um promotion. Uh so that's we we have a pilot of that going and I'll talk about that in a different goal. Uh action step three publish summary doc summary documents of the budget and then tax generation tools. Uh that's completed and ongoing. That's something that we've done for a number of years as part of our budget hearing. But I want to be able to enhance that uh as well and make that that shouldn't just be something we talk about before October 10th. You know, how can we provide those tools
008on a regular basis? So I think there needs to be some enhancement there, but we have a a good start. Uh four, provide short and digestible summaries of board meetings. So that's something we have in progress for staff. Uh so that's something we've started, but we want to expand that out into the community as well. So thinking about how to best do that. Uh as far as our long-term action steps, we want to look to a work-based learning position or work with the University of Jamestown. uh looking at potential interns to support communication strategies because essentially the communications department uh in Jamestown public schools is in this room at least most of us are in this room uh it's we don't have a department it's aspects of all the work that we do uh and
009so that's something we need to think about is how how can we comp and this comes up in my action you know our next steps too but how can we fulfill all the expectations in this plan with the current staffing that we have uh and that's a challenge we need to overcome. Uh the second long-term action step uh is to develop a parent portal with accessible links. The thought here is rather than going to a website and and looking at different areas or going to, you know, Facebook or whatever, how can our parents have all of the links in one place that they need for their child in their grade level? Uh and try to make that just a little bit easier for our parents. Uh goal three, establish a cadence of modern and effective
010communications that promote the strategic plan and the professional quality of JPS staff. Um so our first short-term action step, uh the first thing that we implemented was a district-wide communications calendar. So we did a pilot for social media between January 1st and the and the end of the school year. And that's been going very well. We've organized how that cadence works so we're not overloading the public, but also making sure that we get a a bride a broad swath of our strategic plan identified and communicated at each of those levels. Uh that means a Monday post and a Thursday post. Uh and that's our feedback for that has been pretty good. We need to think about expanding that uh over a whole year and what does that look like and how does some of these
011other areas in the communications plan fit into that? uh we have not uh yet started data analytics but we're looking at or we're thinking about what's the social media presence and how are we tracking that website hits things like that in the long-term action step steps we haven't started any of these yet but invite JPS ambassadors to conduct learning learning walks what we mean by ambassadors are those leaders in the community uh other interested parties that just want to come and take a look I don't think that people understand the great work uh that our teachers are doing and and how uh the profession has evolved since they've been in school. Uh and I really think that would be a great um step to take to ensure that people see the I mean really amazing
012work that our teachers are doing and and uh learning walks are partially uh um just observing and then there's a there's a debrief after. So giving our community members a chance to understand what they saw and how that all ties together in terms of how we how we uh uh support the learning process. Two, a long-term action step two produce social media series a handful of those just a couple different things that we thought about faces at JPS inside JPS and JPS in the community. Uh we haven't started those but I feel like that feeds into that short-term action step of our pilot for district communications. Um the last goal or step three study the opportunity to provide school-based communications liaison. We have other positions that have some role uh in the district and and
013the thought there is studying could we shift some of those responsibilities around to give them some communications responsibilities because we currently don't have that department. Goal four is educate and engage stakeholders. I think as you can see that whole goal aligns pretty well with our district communications calendar. Um include staff uh participation and perspective uh in board education. That's you've seen that already. That was a request from the board to make sure we had more staff voice, administrator voice in our board education and that's in progress. I think that's been wellreceived. I I do believe our our staff appreciate the opportunity to come in and share their perspectives with the board too. um a communication of existing resources, partnerships and engagement with stakeholders that's in progress through that social media um plan, but we need
014to take that further. Uh utilize engagement measures to gather perspective and create a board annual report. What are the things that we've been working on? Uh that's in our progress monitoring. I think we can think about expanding that or separating that, but right now that's embedded in progress monitoring. Um action step four for short-term is create an invitation schedule. That's the thought there was just invite our other community groups and other community leaders to a board meeting. Um give them a chance to see the work that you do as board but also just to get a taste of of uh what's happening in the school. uh and five study best practices for inclusion of student voice for decision-making. If you I know that uh Belle wasn't here to give that uh her student council report,
015but when you have a chance to go through and read that, that's one of the things that student council is asking for too. How can we share our voice more? Uh and so that's something that aligns pretty well with what the communications plan is already talking about in terms of long-term action steps. Uh create community advisory groups. That seems like a really aspirational one, but we already have a model that exists in CTE advisory. Um, we have those groups that come uh and give feedback to our staff uh for from a CTE perspective. Uh, but what if what would that look like if we had a kindergarten advisory, first grade advisory, social studies advisory, those kinds of things? And that's kind of where the thought is with that. Again, it's connecting to the work that
016the programs and the staff are doing and what kids are learning. uh to establish a JPS community academy. The thought is taking what we've already do with board orientation and expanding that and making it an opportunity for our community to come in and learn the same things that you do uh in learning about the school. And the last one fairly easy uh send quarterly district newsletters. Um we have some baseline metrics. I'm just going to very briefly talk about those. The plan identifies a couple metrics. uh we aren't far enough along in in the adoption of the plan to uh to really give you a great feedback on how it's going other than the goal said create one. Uh but we do have some metrics that we're going to be looking at. Um that includes
017the cognitive family survey. Uh the district ser district's community survey. This I think is going to be a really important one because it aligns uh with our strategic plan. Uh and we're we aren't we are meeting these already. We're not quite meeting the district's community survey. Uh this is an important one too. Vital ties in the work that uh Vital does tying our our survey data uh in individual threads. Supportive community is is uh aligns to the um to the communications plan. What's interesting about this is our goal was five and we're exactly at 5.0. uh and we have the top strength item and the top growth opportunity uh across all of our bands or all of our questions. So our top strength uh across the district or one of our top strengths across the
018the district is feeling supported by colleagues but two areas are below that five uh and that's where we're going to see a drive to improve which is I feel supported by the families of my students that's below that that's actually decreasing and it's below our a where we want to be with 5.0 know and our top growth opportunity across the entire um survey is educators are respected in my community. And so we want to see both of those drive upwards. Uh right now they've taken a dip down. Uh and we want to make sure that we are reinforcing the work that happens in our classrooms so our community can feel or so our teachers can feel supported. Um key takeaways, next steps, community engagement. This is actually a pretty helpful this uh this slide had
019nothing to do with the communications plan but it was driven by the survey that we sent out last year. Uh we got great pretty statistically reliable information. Uh we had almost 1,200 responses that came from that survey. One of the questions we asked was how do how would you like to receive uh school and district information? Uh, and as as you can see, non-parents and parents think very differently about how they want to receive that information, but we focus almost exclusively on our families. So, we're missing the largest portion of our communities because we're driving our communications to our parents, which we need to do, but there's also a broader audience that we need to think about. And so, we need to be a little bit more purposeful about how we're engaging everybody. Uh, and
020this was a a good piece of information for that. Uh so action steps, what are we going to do next? Um you know, right now our main leverage point is social media. Uh but we need to expand beyond that. As I just touched on, uh we need to have more specific strategies um to support those other demographics as I touched on. the strategies uh for short-term goals are can easily or fairly reasonably be accomplished if we're working together, but there's long-term uh the longer term goals are going to take a little bit more time and support. We don't have communications department to help that capacity. So, we need to think differently about uh how that's going to work because that needs to be a shared responsibility. Uh AI tools are going to be critical for
021us. um work-based learning students or interns would would help us accelerate our longer term plan in particular our longer term goals. Um and I think this goal needs to be continued. Uh but it needs to change. Uh the goal was get this communications plan done by this timeline. Now we need to be thinking about what specific communication strategies do we want to accomplish. So that's something for the strategic plan committee. But with that, I would stand for questions. And there's the recommended motion. >> Any questions from the board? >> Okay, Aaron, go ahead. >> Yeah. So, just going through this one here. um it kind of it helped me understand a little bit better as far as the the scope of the communications plan and what it's all uh doing as it sits today. Um
022so looking at this it it it is very heavily weighted towards a more of a one-way communication. Um with the goal four does have some engagement elements in there. So, it's like um maybe not for this first iteration, uh you know, as we learned more about uh you know, the the community's thoughts and making sure that they're aware of everything that's going on um within the district. But um at some point building in a feedback loop and uh an ability to uh identify actions that you know we may need to address concerns of the community and what that would look like then as a more of a two-way uh communication avenue then I agree with that completely. Uh this is focused right now on you know very purpose purposely on just those four goals. there
023is an opportunity. There has to be an opportunity uh to engage. We're we're trying to be a little bit more purposeful about that as well. The guiding coalition, something I'll talk about in my um my superintendence report, is an example of that, but absolutely there needs to be more two-way. Uh and we are heavily focused on one way at this time. >> Any other questions? >> Right. >> I think I do think you one more point on that. I do think it's, you know, that's where like the advisory groups, you know, uh, the long-term strategy that's alo in goal four, but those could serve that purpose as well. >> Yeah, I think initially there's a there is a an element of it, but then I think as we mature in this, um, we'll be able
024to build on that and get that be able to u make sure we have productive feedback and and a response to that. >> Yep. Agreed. And I think we need to look at the metrics over time too. Our metrics are fairly simplistic now. I think we can enhance those as the plan matures. >> Any other questions from the board? Is there a motion? >> Motion by Jamie. >> Second by Owen. We have a motion, a second to approve the goal 5.3 communication plan and as presented. And um there's some initial plans for metrics built into that as well. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? If not, assuming roll call vote, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion approved. And thank you, Dr. Le, for presenting that. I think this something the
025strategic planning committee has been talking about and we're looking forward to seeing this move forward. Superintendent report, please. >> So, you have the written report attached uh to your agenda. First item, guiding coalition updates. So we have continued to meet with our guiding coalition. This is our we've just met for our for the third time. Uh fourth time if you consider a work session that Mr. Gayler organized for those that still had some additional questions over the different schedule models had a work session that was voluntary to the group. But if people just wanted to come in and take take an even deeper dive uh that was some facil there was some facilitated discussion on that on Friday. I think you said nine nine uh individuals from that group did show up. So, it was
026it was well worth it. Um so, right now in the process where we're at is is we've taken some time in the first meeting to build some norms. Uh recognize what we're trying to accomplish here, looking at the factors that go along with, you know, considering structural changes. Uh now we're in the capacity building uh analysis stage where we're looking at those different models talking about pros and cons to to the different models. What would that look like? looking at feasibility. Um uh you know those types of uh discussion questions and we're getting into small groups and large groups and allowing the different stakeholders in in each of those groups to have a chance to uh look at some guided questions and and analyze uh what what that would look like. Uh we're trying to
027be as broad as possible. So we're looking kind of at everything right now, but eventually we're going to narrow down and do some force choice around uh what model should we be considering in greater depth. We can't study every option uh to uh the same level of depth. It would take us a year uh and we know what our timeline looks like. So we want to give everybody an understanding of what those different models are and then narrow the focus down so we're spending more time on the two or three options that have greater feasibility. Um there's been some tools that have been developed like an FTE demand calate cal a schedule model calculator things like that that help to uh facilitate the discussion amongst the group. Um so right now they're engaged in discussions
028on trimesters block uh hybrid block seven period schedules, eight period schedules, flex mod. All of those are the are our focuses right now building capacity on those different models uh and looking at them. Then we're going to be building towards that prioritization uh and then eventually building towards a recommendation that comes um you know to the board to consider you know so that'll flow from the committee. You'll hear um some feedback from that then I'll come back with a recommendation uh on on what comes next. So we're really pretty open uh on you know what what is happening. uh but we just wanted to make sure that we had staff and parent feedback uh through this coalition to give us to make sure that when we make re a recommendation on this that we are
029considering the right thing. So it's a longer point. I'm just going to pause for questions on this one. >> Any questions from the board? I certainly appreciate we we appreciate the the time people are taking to put in the for this important work. So thank you. >> Yeah, thank you for bringing up it is a significant time commitment for those staff and parents that have already come in uh and provided that feedback. >> Aaron, >> just I don't recall what the how many more meetings are. It's roughly what a couple more meetings and then they kind of finish up in March. Yeah. Mid March. >> That already we we've had to extend that a little bit and I'm not sure if if we're focused on the end of March or second meeting in March or
030the first meeting in April now. >> Uh but uh we've had to expand because we've needed more discussion time. >> That's a good thing. Uh so but by the end of this by the by spring. >> Okay. >> Thanks Erin. Anyone else? Any other questions this time? >> Okay. Later in uh later in uh the agenda, you'll have a recommendation for hire. Uh Rachel Castet. Uh that was the uh the finalist brought forth to the board to consider for our Louis Lammore principal interview. We're very fortunate. We had good candidates and we're very happy uh that uh pending your approval that Mrs. Castadet has agreed uh to continue her work moving from the dean of students to the elementary principal. We're very happy about that. Uh finance committee meetings in February. Um so we're going
031to continue our discussions that we started uh in December. You had financial priorities uh in that exercise. So now we're looking at potential realignment strategies. So we are going to take a fairly deep dive as a finance committee with that. Uh but we're going to align a number of different potential strategies to those priorities, give you a cost analysis over a couple of different years as to what could those changes be uh and what might that mean uh from a long-term standpoint. Um and it will be uh the next step in what's sure to be a longer process. uh but it is the next step and I wanted to make sure that you're aware that we're continuing that work with our finance priorities with uh NDSBA presentation. Jamestown presented alongside a few other districts. Uh
032I've included that presentation link if you want to look through that. Um we also participated in an AI training. Mr. Gayler and myself both attended at NDCEL. uh the American Association of School Administrators, AASA, um provided us the opportunity uh that I'm able to attend a seminar on artificial intelligence to MIT. One of the things that I that's in July. One of the things I didn't mention uh is that we'll get to take two students with us. So, two students will have the opportunity to go to MIT Aasa will pay for those costs. So, we'll have to work with our high school administration and staff on the students that would be best suited for something like that. Uh, and so when we learn a little bit more about that seminar, we'll we'll have a chance
033to to dive into that. But a pretty nice opportunity provided to us from AASA. Um, wellness trainings for staff. Uh, we have uh that was an initiative we talked about at the beginning of the year. Uh, we had one online training or virtual training uh through the village already on money management. The second one, I don't think that's gone out yet, but that's going to go out next week on stress management. Um, that in particular aligns with what we found in our vital surveys as something people, our staff are requesting to help with that work life balance and that just helps us and and uh make sure that we are utilizing our EAP uh the way we should be. Uh the last thing that I had is just the spotlight. I wanted to recognize Janette
034Grabinger. uh she's managed our contracted services for decades uh with the first Dietrix and now uh with Harlo's. Uh we've had great uh consistent leadership uh from Janette. Um I have worked she probably won't miss the early morning phone calls from me uh when we have weather events. But um but she's been a a great uh consistent leader in helping with route management with helping with hiring, managing bus drivers, weather related decisions, and she she'll still be with Harlo's uh but she won't be in a leadership capacity. I just wanted to make sure that we recognized her uh and her leadership will certainly be missed. So with that, I would stand for questions. >> Any questions from the board? Aaron, >> just in regards to the finance committee there, um I guess to make sure
035that we we're going to be able to target some of the near-term, so next next year's >> Oh, absolutely. >> Yep. >> And then in addition to the long term. >> Yep. So essentially what I have uh what we've started uh is kind of a you know kind of a overall topic or a bucket that we're pulling from uh what that cost is what that financial priority is from our last exercise the core priority one priority two priority three. So outlining where that is, how much it is in this budget, um what that difference might be from a in 2627's budget or 2728's budget if it extends beyond that. If it's not a next year thing, if it's a two-year thing. Um also, if there's FTE associated with it or if there's other um expenditures
036u and then a rationale for why that suggested change works. So, it's going to be a pretty big spreadsheet to look at, but I think it's going to give you the finance committee some pretty good data to look at, but absolutely we're driving towards change next budget, but also thinking about future. >> Any other questions from the board? I guess I'd also like to thank Janette has been a that's not an easy job to help um guide and make those calls with in line with the superintendent early mornings. So we do appreciate her. How many years? >> A lot of years. I'm not sure. >> Yeah. So just would like to >> I'm not sure but decades. It's it's many many years. It's >> a lot of years. >> Many different superintendents I think. >>
037Yeah. So thank you. Any other questions about the superintendent report? If not, moving on. Um, we have nothing under old business, under new business, nothing under activities, buildings and grounds, curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Under finance, you can see the general fund balance as well as the monthly financial reports. Those are there for your information. Do you have any questions for Christy at this time regarding those? Okay. If not anytime, please feel free to contact her. Nothing under operations. Under personnel, a approval of notice of recognition, Jamestown Education Association. Is there a motion? Motion by Dan. Is there a second? >> Second by Steve. We have a motion, a second for approval of notice of recognition. Jamestown Education Association. Any discussion? Any discussion? >> I just had a comment. There's been some questions about this. Um,
038and what this step in the process is, we have to, this might look familiar because it looks like you just did this. uh but it has to be posted for a period of time uh to allow any uh other groups uh that we have no other groups but if there were uh other groups to be able to say no no we represent the majority uh and so we have to post that for a period of time and then it comes back to the board for verification that this represents 50% plus one of that bargaining unit and it certainly does >> any other discussion or questions regarding Not. If not, assuming roll call vote, all those in favor say I. >> I oppose. Same sign. Motion approved. B. Approval for hire for the 2026 to 2027
039school year. Rachel Castit. Is there a motion? Motion by Jamie. Is there a second? Second by Owen. We have a motion, a second for approval of hire of Rachel Castit for the 2026 to 2027 school year. Any discussion? Any discussion? If not, assuming roll call vote, all those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion carried. And thank you for Rachel for your previous service and welcome to your new role and thank you for serving the district. C. Approval of resignation and the conclusion of the 2025 to 2026 school year. Number one, Brenda Jensen. Is there a motion? Motion by Steve. Is there a second? Second by Dan. We have a motion, a second for approval of resignation at the conclusion of the 2025 to 2026 school year. Brenda Jensen. Any discussion? Any discussion?
040Any discussion? If not, assuming roll call vote, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion approved. And thank you, Brenda, for your your many years of service and different schools in the district. So, thank you so much. D. Superintendent evaluation timeline is there for your information. Amy needs this by Wednesday before noon. Hope um if you can get that done. I included um need to finish mine up. So it's so please check to make sure that you have all the categories. We have we'll talk about the category today yet at the end of the meeting, but make sure you have all the categories completed so that she can compile it. Any questions on that? Okay, moving on. Nothing under policy and procedures, tuition or other items for future agenda. Does the board
041have any items for future agenda? Any items? Any items? Okay. If you think of anything, please let Dr. Luck or myself know. We have meetings to be scheduled. We have a ground rules meeting with JPS administrators negotiations on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 at 4 p.m. in the district office conference room. We have ground rules meeting with JA negotiations on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. in the district office conference room. We have a finance committee meeting on Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the district office conference room. We have a district improvement committee meeting on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. at the high school media center. Our next schoolboard meeting is on Monday, March 2nd at 5:30 p.m. in the Thompson community room at the middle school. We're also have
042a doodle out on a communications committee meeting to be scheduled um possibly before our next board meeting. The next item on our agenda is possible executive session to discuss negotiation strategies. Okay, no motion. So moving on, we have monthly superintendent evaluation section one goal and vision setting and section six operation and resource management. Please complete that. There being no further business before the board, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you. Hey, hey.