001America, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um, I do have a number of people that have signed to speak. I have five that are speaking on the sports complex because that is the same issue. Um, it would be suggested that you either choose a spokesperson or you'll each get two minutes to talk on that topic. Um, >> that's not gonna be okay. We have >> Well, that's the policy. So, I'm gonna let Mary go first. She has signed up first and your topic is Pat entering her. So, >> right. So, I get the full five minutes. >> You do. Go ahead. >> Yep. >> Okay. And first of all, I would kind of like everybody to turn towards me so I know for sure you hear what I have to say. I'm
002Mary Sweeney Gingler and I and after the last school board meeting, Pat Ningringer asked me to give her a call. The first thing she said to me is, "What's the hurry?" She's not able to attend tonight because she has a prior commitment. But she did want me to share some of the history leading up to this point. 25 years ago, when Pat was on the city council, it was decided that the houses that houses could not be built on the land next to the Slooh that is currently being considered for the new athletic complex because it is too wet and too low. That has not changed. Pat was contacted approximately three years ago to see if she would donate more land for an athletic complex since she had already donated 15.5 acres of land for
003the ball fields, which the school currently uses for the girls softball team. Being an educator herself, she was concerned that they would even consider an athletic complex with all the uncertainty going on. She mentioned the fact that class sizes had grown recently and will continue to grow due to the growth in our city as were shown in the video in Dakota news that Dakota News shared. Also, the or situation is still unresolved. After all, education should always come first. She also noted we already have a nice football field manicured by the coaches, students, janitors, and volunteers named after Roger Fritz. as everyone knows a legend. Mr. Hammer put her at ease and insisted her concerns would not be a problem. Hence, the negotiations were started last April. Pat started with a land price of 30,000
004per acre. The land belongs to Pat, but her son Aaron wrote a letter to help her out since he was unable to attend that meeting. There were no demanded stipulations, but a lot of ideas had been suggested by Mr. Hammer at the very beginning of the discussions going back three years ago. She was asked to be included with any future proceedings which could include further negotiations with the price and the number of acres. She was left feeling like they were going to use her land with details yet to be worked out. She was never contacted again after that. She did miss visit Mr. Hemmer in September after finding out about the survey. She was surprised and angered hearing that the 10 acres of land next to the Slooh in our backyard had already been considered
005for $178,400 or $17,840 an acre. She said she was willing to sell 12 acres for $200,000, which equates to 16,667 an acre. 16,667 an acre is less than 17,840 an acre, not almost double as was stated in the last school board meeting on December 8th of last year. Plus, the two extra acres would allow room for bleachers on both sides of the field, and there would always be the possibility of obtaining more land in the future. There would be plenty of space for parking on a road that is nowhere near as busy as Highway [clears throat] 34. Also, the land Pat would sell is on the flat section next to the baseball diamonds. She was told the land had been tested and it was okay. discussions were so serious that there was talk of not
006planting a crop on that portion of the land. And now Mr. Hammer was saying the north side wasn't even a viable option. You've all heard our reasons to stay away from the land in the partial flood plane behind our row of homes. While there are probably other football fields with houses around the outside, I doubt any school campuses have houses sandwiched in the middle. You're dividing this community. Things have gone too far and it needs to be stopped. And is this the way we treat a woman who has already donated 15 and a half acres being used by the school and our community? We're a small community and this isn't how we treat each other. I see the land behind our rule of houses is on the agenda again. It isn't too late to do
007the right thing to stop this right now. And I'm very anxious to see if anything anything we say matters by how each one of you votes tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Laura, you are first for the sports complex. >> Good evening. Laura's work. First and foremost, I want to say I continue to be disappointed in the Coleman Egan school board. You are representatives of us, the people, and you are supposed to represent the opinion of the people, not your own opinion, or your opinion of a select few. I would like to respectfully encourage you to remember your elected officials that represent everyone in the district whether you like them or not, agree with them or not, and you're welcome to resign at any point. If you feel you're unable to perform your duties as an
008elected official, it is your duty to hear the concerns of your constituents. If you cannot do that, you should step down. And shame on you for not rearranging. It was requested that you not have your backs to the public. If you've ever been to any county commission, schoolboard meetings, anything, you never have your backs to the public. It's incredibly rude and disrespectful. And the fact that I asked for it not to happen again and you ignored that fact is unbelievable. It's rude. >> Shame on you. >> That's about the complex. So, >> no kidding. >> Stick to your topic. The reasons previously stated for the board for proceeding with the complex are varying, but none are legitimate. Community support. It has been mentioned supposedly that in the survey in July of 23, which was almost
0093 years ago, that the community showed support, which it doesn't matter. It's severely outdated and many, many, many factors have changed since then. The newest survey only showed 56% in favor, which is not enough to pass given the opportunity to vote. Another reason we heard is proximity to the school which is unnecessary for an athletic complex. These kids are athletes. They do not need a bus ride to track practice. They can run. Land cost is not almost double as previously stated. It is actually less. I would like to strongly encourage a motion for reconsideration on the purchase agreement of the east parcel of land. The public came to the last meeting after being encouraged by the board to show up and voice their concerns. They have again tonight. As we just heard from Mary Gingler,
010the purchase price was not double as the board indicated. So given this enlightening information, I think it's totally appropriate to reconsider the purchase that we've been lied to about. I would also like to encourage the board to pump the brakes, slow it down, and do some serious community engagement prior to proceeding any further. When an issue like this doesn't have public support, it shouldn't happen. There's no reason to proceed with a complex that we do not need. You're simply causing unnecessary division in our community. When you encourage attendance to meetings and blatantly ignore the public feedback, you are causing resentment. I myself collected 60 signatures and not a single board member asked me, "What are people saying?" Let me tell you what people are saying. People are saying that only a small group wants this.
011And those board members are in favor of saying are that are in favor of it are saying it's a done deal that it's going to the east of the school. All the while in public meeting we're told it hasn't been decided. My number one question is why are we not working together? It is an athletic complex really worth the division that you're causing? Please represent the entire community tonight and going forward. And in order to do that, you must be honest. So please, for the love of God, stop lying to us. Thank you. Charlie, you're up. [clears throat] Charlie's work concerned property owner. I'm against this project until these questions are answered. First of all, there are 53 banners in the gym hanging right now. Over twothirds of them are for football and track already.
012Are you doing this project in stages to keep the cost below the 1 and a half%. Can you guarantee this project will not raise the mill levy? Where did the capital outlay monies come from? Governor Rhoden has recommended not to raise funding for education because of these tough economic times. Since 2021, my family's taxes have gone up over 30%. I wasn't at the last meeting, but I did listen to it. Kirstston stated, "We are going to approve land purchase tonight, even before there was a vote." Seems a little presumptuous. I also was at a prior meeting where Kristen assured me we weren't going down ORR's path. I strongly disagree. You have purposely chosen a route that gets you what you want, not what the people want. This project is a $5 million want, not a
013$5 million need. [clears throat] If you really want this community to survive and thrive, give the people what they want, chance to vote. The division has already started. Only you have the power to clear the gap. Close the gap. Thanks. >> Thank you, Dan. you are up. >> All right. Good evening. My name is Dan Schmidt. For those of you who don't know me, um I'm a lifelong resident of Coleman. Um I was going to start off first by saying thanks for rearranging the meeting room, but obviously I don't need to say that. But thank you for turning around. I'd like to at least be able to see everyone as I'm talking to them and know that they're listening to us. Um I'm going to talk a little bit about transparency. We hear so much
014in today's world concerning the term transparency. Uh it's a relatively new term often used in government and I get to see it every day in the corporate world also. Um it seems like this term is used by many to make themselves feel like they're doing the right thing while full well knowing they are not divulging the entire truth. Um I was taught to use the word truth instead of transparency. In fact, that happened in this very building. I'm asking that we all move forward in these discussions by being truthful. I watched the recording of last month's board meeting and we were told several times during that meeting that we have no plans for the land we're going to purchase to the east. In fact, I think it was five or six times. No plans for
015that land. We were then told that the land to the north was going to cost twice as much with several stipulations and is simply not a viable option. We were told that coaches, teachers, and staff are all in favor of the land to the east. Sorry, but that's not the case of the ones that I've spoke with. The survey was sent out back in September October included a concept drawing of the proposed complex in the east location only and also showed the bleachers and the crow's nest on the east side. We were also told that it's not legal to put this to a boat according to someone's interpretation of the law. Sorry, but last I checked, we still live in America. While this might not be legally required, it's not illegal to seek community input
016to gauge the public's support. I, alongside many concerned citizens, don't feel that we are being told the whole truth on several of these items that I just listed. If all of what we are being told is the truth, it seems there should be absolutely no worries about putting this up to a vote and letting the entire community decide what is best for the community. I'd like to close by thanking you, the board, for the work you do. I understand it's a thankless job. Um, but if you want [clears throat] to make your jobs easier, please let the community help you by [laughter] listening to them. In a small community, we are all connected in some way and we need to begin working together as such. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dan. Mike, are you okay
017if I skip and go to the rest of the people who have the sports complex? written down. >> Steve was asking me to >> Yeah, >> skip you for just a second. I'll come back. Uh Terry Spulen, you also had sports complex down. Good evening. Hi, Terry Stalken. Uh my wife and I have lived here in Coleman actually for 45 years, which is shocking. We live right across the street, right out here. Uh, for anyone in here that doesn't know, I was the principal athletic and activities director at this facility for 33 years. Um, that doesn't hold any weight now. I I understand that, but it just it may may have help explain some of my opinions. Uh, I want to point out that I retired in 2013 and I've never attended the first board
018meeting I attended since I retired was last month and now I'm here. So, if I talk about something that you've already covered, I apologize, but uh I'm not on Facebook and I don't subscribe to Plant and Paper. It's uh Ronnie's not at RJ's anymore, so I have to [laughter] Okay. [clears throat] I would remind you that it seems to me that this community is very supportive of education. Uh this room that you're sitting in now was I think built in 2003 or four, something like that. Uh I would also remind you that when we started talking about building this current what where we're at and uh the original plan was to have a practice gym between the shop and the classrooms over there. And after a while, some of us decided listening to people that
019uh it would never pass unless we did a real gym because for 22 years, every home event in our gym, people would complain we didn't have a stage and we didn't have bleachers on both sides and so on. And so some of us felt that if we didn't change the plans and build a real gym, it wouldn't pass. And so we changed the plans and everything that we asked for passed by 14 votes. I would encourage you don't be afraid to let this community vote. They support education. I also would like to tell you that I appreciate the opportunity to be here. I appreciate what you folks do. Uh the administration and the board. Uh thank you for being here. Thank you for putting your necks out and trying to to do things. Okay. I
020want to point out that when you did a survey I think in 2023 and you said who's in favor of a sports complex I was among those I think 70 some percent that said yeah we were interested what I want to say though is that I still 100% support going forward with a sports complex. This community needs it. The school needs it. Uh we have portaotties in 2025 for god's sakes. I mean, come on. [clears throat] We need this facility. If our community is going to grow, if our school is going to grow with the community, we need to be in competition with all the other communities that are building new complexes and so on. So, I encourage you 100%. Let's keep going. Move forward. >> Uh >> Terry, you got about 30 more seconds.
021I don't want to cut you. >> 30 seconds. Yeah. >> I thought I had 5 minutes. >> Well, cuz so many people are talking on the sports complex, you only get two minutes. Really? >> Yeah. I So I don't want to cut you off. So if you have something really important, I want you to be >> It's all important. >> Okay. [laughter] >> I'll I'll read real fast. >> Okay. >> When I sent in my positive response, I didn't understand that I was sending a blank check to this group so that a minimum of three people could tell me where and where you're going to build it and what you're going to build. I also didn't understand that I was telling you that it had to be under the magic 1.1 a.5% of the assessed
022valuation. I thought we would have a plan. What do we want in a sports complex and then we would decide where we would put it. I wouldn't be afraid to let this community vote if you put out a good plan and put give the people what they want. Um, okay. Okay, we'll skip through a whole bunch of stuff. Your last project passed. Wonderful. Great job. The only thing was it was 33% off on the estimate and the cost. Thank God it was 33% under budget. If you're staying under the magic 1 and 12% and you do this next project and you're off by 33% and that puts you over the 1 and 12%. Does that mean you have to stop and then you have to let us vote and then I mean I don't I
023don't understand how that works because if we don't have a plan, if you don't know what you're going to build, how do you know you can give the people what they want and still say under the one and a half%. Okay. Uh, couple of things that I think have to be in the in the in the new plan if you're going to do it. You have to have artificial turf and you have to have new bathrooms. And I know artificial turf puts us the price way up there. Right now, I know you're going to do a football field and a track. That means I know that the football parents and grandparents and track parents and grandparents would vote for it. The rest of you are going, "Oh, I don't know." If you put artificial turf,
024it's a K12 facility. >> That's time, Terry. So, if you want to wrap up, I'll let you wrap up. >> I'm going to wrap up. >> Okay. >> Everything from PD classes, recess, marching band, football, track and field, marching band, I got the twice, softball, soccer, all practices, so on so on. You can use the field for about six and a half months a year. I'll gladly buy the first ticket to the first festival of bands field competition held on your new field. All of a sudden, it's a K12 facility and you've got every parent and grandparent of students that attend here. You have their votes. All right. I thought you'd have a once you had a plan, you'd have a you you would look at where to put it. I thought you'd look at
025the I thought where can we put it? And I thought of four places right out your back door. Kids just walk out there. It's perfect. Yeah, you have to do some adjusting. You have to get a little creative. Uh parking. Actually, that piece of property is wider than the piece of property you're supposedly are going to purchase. Okay. Across the street to the east. Interesting. I've lived here for 45 years. Every house on this street except mine is older than 50 years old. In 50 years, not one person has ever tried to build anything on that land. Nothing. Not one house, not one shed, not one anything. You'd think Dollar General would have thought that if you maybe foot traffic and all that, you'd think Bank West. No one wants to build on that. What
026do they know that we don't know? Uh I don't know. North of town8 miles out. Uh if you I it doesn't matter if you put turf and put it out there. It'll still be used for six football games and four track meets a year because nobody's going to drive out there. Nobody's going to load up the kids, the elementary kids, and put them in a bus and take them out there for PE or recess or whatever. Whatever. You turn it again, you turn it into a high school facility, not a K12 facility. Uh, number four, this one was fascinating to me. I haven't heard it discussed. The city has tons of land south of Coleman Building Center. Certainly much better building property than this land to the east that no one wants to use. Uh
027all the room in the world, pure issues. I wonder why this option was never considered. Was it simple tunnel vision? you were going to buy the property of the east without even to my knowledge no one that from this board has even talked to the city to see if they'd be interested in selling the land. Uh I'm guessing they' give you a deal because you're telling us that this is a pretty good for us to have it in our backyard. [clears throat] Hell, they'll sell tons of new new lots. people will be just begging to buy those lots and so they can be encircled or up close to the grandstand. Uh I'm guessing that the thought process was there's no sense asking them because they won't sell it anyway because putting a stadium out there
028would impede the rate of new homes that we're building. So rather than mess with new people that might come in, we'll mess with people that have been here for 50 years. Anyway, I encourage you uh I'll wrap this up. I encourage [clears throat] you to hold all decisions on this project and spending of any dollars in obeyance until you have a real plan in place. And don't be afraid if that real plan is over the one and a half%. If it's a good plan, this community will support you. It's just my opinion. You can prove me wrong. Thank you. >> Thank you, Terry. Appreciate it. Bob, you also have the complex sound. Uh [clears throat] uh Bob McGuire I'm not sure uh what I would say but you know going back to the previous meeting
029it was explained that there was land stipulations cost and within like two days I found none of that was the issue. Um kind of like really quick couple phone calls we all know who owned it. We all know who to talk to. figured out that they were more than willing to work and then apparently the school board walked away from it. Not even a counter offer, not even, hey, let's, you know, maybe take another month or two to sort this stuff out. Nothing. Um, as far as the survey that I had mentioned last time, I wondered Monday, I got a survey at work asking about the coffee machine. I have received more survey questions and information on the coffee machine at work than I have on this complex. And I wonder how many people are
030still sitting at home waiting for the rest of the information. If I need more information was in the survey and people click that, I'm sure they're still waiting. Nothing has pres been presented to anybody except that you've purchased this land. We were told that the land up north was too wet. It wasn't ideal. It's at a higher elevation level with three or four other complex supporting places up there. It's like why doesn't it affect them? I feel that everybody is probably not being told the whole truth or outright lies. And I think that there needs to be more surveys. They can't cost that much or take that much time. And I think everybody would be appreciative if that was the minimum input. We need to get it. I've never heard anybody say, "Hey, listen. We're
031just going to have a meeting in the library for feedback. Just to sit here and talk." Nothing. Nobody's asked me my personal I've never heard anybody up here say, "Hey, so and so came to my door and talked to me about this." Or they sent out an email saying, "Hey, come on in and talk with me." [clears throat] maybe three or four people or the people who live across the street that this will directly impact, but nobody else. I personally am still waiting for the rest of the survey. I would like to know where my information is coming from and who's going to give it to me and when. I clicked I need more information. I would like that as soon as possible. I'm not going to stand in the way and I don't think
032anybody else is. But we'd much rather be proud of a complex than see something and go imagine all the hate and animosity that was created because of that. It's going to be astronomical because it feels like everybody at least in here isn't being listened to. And that will be the first thing everybody sees when it's mentioned, [cough] when people drive by it, when they see a picture of it, they're going to go, "I remember all the hate and division that came along with that. when it should be. I remember the pride we all took in collaborating and figuring out what everybody wanted. I don't think you'll find a lot of people that stand in your way to Mr. S's point. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Okay, I'm going to go back up to the
033people that I have skipped. Um Mike, [clears throat] >> Mike Kangler, a couple questions. Would any of you mind [clears throat] living in the center of a school campus? If your house on one side is the school and the other side is a football complex, this will infringe upon our rights. We will lose our privacy and our property rights will be ignored. My second question is, do you have a problem voting to have others forced to live in the center of a school campus? The board may not have to deal with eminent domain. This board may not have to deal with eminent domain, but the future boards will. And the as homes come up for sale and the school realizes there's not enough room over there, they will start buying up our property. There's no
034place to expand anywhere else besides the water. I'm frustrated when I hear discussions at some of the holiday parties over the last month with board members telling people that the decisions already been made and the complex will go there. I just want to make it clear that myself and many others here oppose this complex behind my house. >> Thank you, Mike. Um, Lisa, >> mine actually has more to do with the sports complex, too. Just basic questions that I don't feel we had answered yet. >> Sure. >> I live right next door to Mr. S on the south side of him. >> And my wife. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Yes. >> Cover your bases, Jerry. [clears throat] I've been in Coleman almost 25 years and I've been in this house about 20. We are well
035I am I don't Everybody else kind of seems the same but we're all wondering what happened to our opinions. Why don't we count for anything when it comes to this? I don't think anybody wants this in their backyard. A quite a few years ago that actually flooded and it was so deep my basement flooded. It's a flood plane. It's going to take so much. Is all of that extra money figured in to your whatever 1% so you don't have to ask us our opinions. What about electricity? We've got to run electricity out there for signs and whatever else is going to be out there for lights. I What if when people are cutting through our yards trying to get from there to the road? Who's going to pay for all the damage to our yards?
036I don't want people going through my yards. I already yell at the people on the corner to not cut through my yard. I don't want to yell at more people. [clears throat] Are we going to have to put extra fencing so that when kids are there at these com at this complex, they don't wander into the water because the slooh's right there? I mean, what's going to happen with liability? Who's responsible when people get hurt? My homeowners is supposed to cover everybody that cuts across my yard. that all that does is up my insurance and that's not fair to me. The traffic is going to be astronomical. You already can't drive down this road when I mean we can't even get out of our driveways when there's games going on because people park they'll block
037your driveway. They don't care because they don't live here. So how much attention are they actually going to give to the people that are Coleman residents? Very little. Otherwise I agree with everything these guys said. There has to be another option. I'm all for the complex. We That would be great for the kids and for our town, but there has to be another way to do this instead of making half of us feel like we're left out and we don't count for anything. Thank you. Thank you. What's on >> Tom Schmidt? I'm a lifelong resident of Coen here. Um, I like to think of myself as a money manager. Everybody thinks I'm cheap, but um, but I would like to and and some of this probably has been discussed. I This is the first school
038board meeting I've ever been to. When you built the other school, Terry mentioned 33% over. I've heard more or less, but so I had heard it was like 1 million to 1.5 million. And I'd like to know where that money's at and what's it doing. It should be hopefully drawn interest. Whether it is or not, I don't know. But in at a bond rate and I bought school bonds and my guy that does that for me said that like at 5% most of them cost, some are a little less, some are a little more. At 5% interest on a million dollars, that's 50,000 in one year interest. and that'd be like 4,100 a month. And uh he goes, "It's business 101. You'd have an extraordinary call that any off money you had left over, you
039can automatically pay it back." And that would be just common sense to me. Second of all, what are your long and short range goals for your school? One, three, five, or seven years out. Are you going to have to build again? You hear all these stories of Rutland going to do something and we're going to get 75 kids. I don't know. I don't have any kids. I'm not going to have any kids here. All I'm going to do is uh I'm going to go along with whatever happens. I guess if you have to build, what are you going to do if you run out of money? I mean, they might not go for another uh bond here in 5 years when you got a 21 20-year one over where our heads right now. [clears throat]
040Last of all, um and Charlie, I've talked about it. I don't understand the capital outlay. If you get capital outlay, is that a certain percentage of something? I don't know what it is. Somebody told me, "Well, you can bank it. You don't have to use it all." I don't believe that. I think if you get capital out, you got to pay. we got to use it or you lose it. And uh it sounds great if it's not going to up our taxes and uh that, but what are you going to do if that isn't enough? How do you do you can you raise it every year? Like I was on a township board that always had growth and that you had one or two% growth and you always got a little bigger budget every year,
041but this here is would be a lot. And I guess that's it. Thank you for listening in. Thank you, Tom and Bardine. >> I'm just gonna pass. I disagree with everything everybody [laughter] said and we would just like some answers. >> Okay. Thank you very >> for you to be honest with us. >> Okay. Perfect. All right. So, I need Let's see. Scott, is there anything to be added or on the agenda? Um the only thing I think is we amended the wait room use policy or agreement. >> Yeah. >> And so what we put in the um packet yesterday I did add two um parts to that. So I you know for nine I guess if you put as amended I think that would show that it changed from what was in the packet.
042>> Yeah. Um, please be that for item nine. Okay. >> So, I need a motion to approve the agenda. Oh, go ahead, Jen. >> Do we need to appoint a land representative for ASBSD to follow >> um legislative session and give updates to the board? >> I have do that, don't we? Or >> we can I have not seen from >> because it legislative session started yesterday. Yep. Let's add um let's add that to 14 and we'll move executive session and adjournment down um appoint a legislative um representative. >> Okay. So then I need a motion to approve the agenda as amended. >> Make a motion. All those in favor I nay. Motion carries. All right, Mr. Johnson, principal's report. All right, did January December we had our attendance was 96.25% attendance still been pretty
043good. After we got back to break, we got a few more sick students out. So hopefully it doesn't spread. Sounds like lots of things going around. Uh we're one and a half weeks in the second semester already. Uh winter activities are still going strong. We have the winter formal this Saturday night from 8 to 10 here. Um it's early, but driver's education forms are going home this week. Some of the students interested in driver's ed. Today I attended the region principal meeting in Sou Falls. uh coach Stiglemire from SCSU talked about leadership and um his big slogan mad slogan make a difference and had a good perspective on lots of administrators in the room how we could do that every day and we should look for those opportunities and make a difference in the lives
044[clears throat] of kids. So great speaker. Um Monday we have inservice. Diana Tyler is going to run us through run the staff through a data dig. Uh we're going to focus mostly on smart balance testing. Uh she's got all kinds of data and charts and things to look at. Going to try and pinpoint some areas of strengths and weaknesses of our test in the last few years. And then we're going to all beat together the staff and try and figure out ways we can fill in some of those gaps and improve our test scores. and then also help guide us in looking for language arts curriculum that we're updating for the elementary next year and hopefully make sure it all it's working together. >> Who did you say is going to do that with you
045guys? >> Diana Tyler, she's with Teach Well, I believe was a principal I think at West Central for a long time. Yep. >> Yeah. She was here a long time ago at some point. And that's all I have right now. >> Did you guys choose your language arts curriculum? >> No, we haven't yet. >> A couple. Okay. There's still we've gathered about four different samples, but teachers have slowly started looking through them. But once we break down some data, I think it might help. >> Yeah. >> Kind of guide us a little bit more on if we think someone's been weak the last few years or >> we're struggling in. >> Will you use the NAPE testing also or just the smarter balance? >> Um, we might look at NAPE some. That's only one. >>
046It would be the the fast testing. Oh, the fastest only one grade. >> I believe it's eighth grade and we don't take that every >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, we'll look at fast testing too, but kind of focusing on balance testing and I think we have some ACT data to look at. So, things like that as well, but that's only one grade level. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for Mr. Dawson? All right. Thank you. William, >> just a couple things. Um, on the board report, we have a correction or I have a correction. Um, it was read as um, uh, let's see, ASBSD delegated delegate assembly discussion combining funding codes. And what it should have read was uh delegate assembly the discussion was about the support of funding for STE programs
047moving from the legislative resolution to a standing position. CTE. >> CTE. Yep. What did I say? >> STE. >> Oh, sorry. I don't know how to read my wording here. >> And then the only other thing was on the bills because of the way our bond is paid automatically um from our account to the bond holder. Um it's an automatic payment and therefore it's entered into the documentation. But when I go to print the board report and um process it for checks, that does not show because it's an automatic payment. It will be in the um board minutes. It will be under the um debt services um fund. And then also we had on the um a check for processing for the um land that was also the same way. So, but they will be
048included in the information and recorded in the minutes. Any questions for Lan? >> All right. Uh, school phone reports. Dan, anything? >> No. >> Jen, um, I did the pluck um call. It's just a I mean, basically, we're going to touch on it later in the meeting. Um, we talked a lot about what uh dissolving it will look like and I did ask about how like what Medicaid reimbursements look like and I did ask to see that breakdown. Um, so going forward, I I would like to look at, you know, what what that would bring in for the district. >> Um, you know, when we're kind of on our own and not with um anymore. I can tell you what we received last year. $1,481 because we don't do independent for Marlo does all the
049billing, [clears throat] >> right? And it's only those students who would be on Medicaid or rebuild for every student on Medicaid. That was my understanding, but I couldn't. >> That's correct. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah, mostly we talked about dissolving and then having the vote tonight and then reporting that you filling out the paperwork and sending it in the pledge. And then you are a perfect segue into I was looking at our state report card. um Bart at last meeting talking about we are the board of education not the board of athletics and he talked about um he made two points [clears throat] about something and then and I know I've talked about wanting to see the data >> and talking about setting up a strategic plan. Um so I went on and I looked at
050the data and um we're we're close to the state average. I'd like to see us above the state average, which is where we're going and I'm very hashy about that. Um, graduation rates very good. ACT is also below the state average. Uh, 64% of our graduates, and this I just looked at last year, and I looked back a couple years, and it's it's pretty comparable. There was one year that was >> Yeah. Way >> very high. Yep. >> Um but you know [clears throat] 64% of our grads are college and career ready and that's based on cut scores from different tests that they take. Um and the state was at 55% as their average. But >> just so you know that they completely changed >> how they and it's it's very skewed because now to
051qualify for certain things you have to offer specific classes and so it's >> I'm not >> I did see that and even counting things up that I knew from like Johnny's class. I'm like >> it's different now. >> It's not and it's not right. some of it didn't seem right from just knowing who went on >> to postsecary and who went into the workforce. >> Um, and just so the board knows for our ELLL students, they are doing very good. um 47% are on t target, 20% are growing and then I believe 13% are not growing. But it takes 7 to 10 years completely immersed in a language to become proficient. That means not speaking [cough] your home language at home, you know, completely speaking your language. So, I just I just wanted to share
052that since I looked at it. >> Jen, I'm curious. Do you think that because this is the first year that ACT is required for all juniors, do you think that the statewide score will drop? >> Oh, yeah, definitely. >> Yes, I do. They're going to have to norm that out again. It's yeah I mean not norm it out but it'll be a new average and we'll have to see several years of data before um it's meaningful one comment I would make only because I was looking I need one more credit because I have to renew my teaching certificate. So, I went to Compass TAI um and if we would renew our TAI membership, our teachers could take advantage of what they offer at no cost and they could choose to take it for graduate credit
053at a reduced cost. So, I think that is a good investment. And then we could also use some of those trainings for professional development. I have some other ideas, but I think that's enough for tonight. What was that? Um, I have a few things. Somebody reached out to me, so I wanted to throw it out there about I think it was touched on a little bit earlier about in the event the land is purchased to the east, would we consider moving the boss barn and then redoing the field where it is? So, I'm just throwing that out there to you guys. Sure. Um, I have been doing a little bit of e digging as well. Um, kind of listening to everybody. Um I've felt burdened for a while I guess about um CTE things um
054the offerings we have for students. So I did a little bit of digging. Um I think that we need to consider expanding um what we offer using funds to do that. Um so we've discussed the athletic complex um at length and it's been on the agenda for 12 of the last 14 months. We have not had discussion regarding any CT offerings during this time at all. And I want to explain why that matters. I looked on the DOE website um to gather some information about graduates and it shows on there that the class of 24 37% went on to higher education. Class of 23 was 57%. I have a graduate in the class of 24 and that number seemed pretty low to me. So I decided to do my own digging a little bit. I
055have graduates in 24 and 25. So based on the information that I have from those two classes having a graduate in there in 25, 11 of 25 graduates went straight to the workforce or to technical school. For the class of 24, 14 of the 24 graduates went straight to the workforce or to technical school. So that percentage comes out just for the last two years between 44 and 58%. Um, so I think that we need to be discussing more what we can do better to set the stage for their success. Um, I think I've mentioned before, but partnering with local businesses or we have a lot of people in the community with specific skills. Um, bringing in different occupations to talk about their jobs. We have an auto body shop in town. We have a
056welder that's local, construction workers, business, egg, we have a bank, lineman, su valley is right here. Lots of [clears throat] local resources. um workforce's number one concern is soft skills. So adding opportunities for that would increase the likelihood of their success for the student which needs to be our priority. Um Darby Howell when she was here doing the soft skills through department of labor they didn't ever replace anything did they? I mean they shut down Madison and nothing else was offered even virtually. >> I don't think so. They talked about it but cuz if you had anybody here that wanted to do that, bring in your agame. It's just um uh I have the I have the material in my office because we used to offer that through our program. If if you're interested in
057bringing that here and having somebody here on staff teach it, I can email you the link for the materials. Otherwise, skills to pay the bills used to be the federal program that everything's online and that's free if it's still there. I don't know. >> Skills. [clears throat] All right. Anything else, Melissa? >> Nope. >> Great. Thank you very much. Um, everything I have has already been discussed. Scott. >> All right. Uh the 21st I will have my superintendent meeting and we'll also have our plea meeting. Um we'll discuss PLE a little bit more later. Um let's see. As of right now, it looks like we have one maybe two roofs that we will look to replace this summer. I'm hoping if weather stays good, they can maybe start on things um you know this spring
058possibly. We're not going to do it if it's going to disrupt the class, but um hopefully in May they can get going on that. Uh just wanted to let you know, I don't know if your kids anything. On the 9th, we did have fire alarms go off. Um had some wax paper get hot and anyway, um the fire alarm systems work good, which we did a couple of uh uh we've already done a couple fire drills this year and we were fast enough to respond to it that the fire department didn't even get called. So anyway, [snorts] um but anyway, I don't if you heard anything about that. Um typically we let some teachers know if we're doing drills, but anyway, they did go off. Everything worked fine. Um two other projects, capital outlay type
059projects we're looking at. I mentioned before the lighting in the old gym. Um I'm going to work with another electrician just to get a couple options to see what's going to be the most feasible to replace those. And then also visiting with Dacttronics as far as doing some sort of updates with scoreboards and the new gym. Um, and I guess to go along with that, I've had numerous businesses in the last month or so want to know when we update those. As far as advertising, there's a lot more businesses that want to advertise in those spots. So, um, anyway, that's all I have for right now. >> Any questions for Scott? All right, we'll move on to the consent agenda and it'll just be approval of the minutes of the previous meetings as amended and
060approval of the bills. Just needs a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Oh, Melissa, did you um all in favor? I post nay. Motion carries. Additional bills. That's right. Easy one. Um the second reading of the wait room use policy and there is a new version because there we added um some language under number one and then um we added language above where the signature is for the members. Um just additional what you want to call it um release of liability language for the school. in the district employees. >> Anything else on that, Scott? >> I don't think so. >> Um, do we need a motion before we do discussion? >> I mean, that is usually how it goes, but that's not how the school board has done it for like 20
061years, so I've just gone along with how it was handed over to me. Um, >> okay. But so you can if you want [clears throat] to it now you can. Okay. I think we don't have an age limit on here at all. >> Um it says if members >> adults 18 and older, if they bring a family member who's less than 18, they must be accompanied by a family adult member. >> Do we want that to be supervised, not just accompanied? Maybe it doesn't matter. >> Um, I just think that everyone who uses it needs to sign, not just one person. >> Yeah. >> Jeff and Jennifer. I mean, >> right. >> Okay. For every person. >> And I mean, every person. If I bring Josie with me and I'm watching her, she should sign.
062>> [clears throat] >> And anybody who joins now would be through June 30th and then July 1st would be the I mean we're going to run it >> I think we'd run it January 1st through December 31st. >> Okay. >> I believe that's how it's >> Yeah. It says it's not >> Oh jeez. Yeah. If I would open both my eyes I would have seen that right there. Okay. moved to the second and then will we add anything to our facilities use policy to add this to there? I did notice that other um schools that had a wait room open to the public did have at least a little blurb in their um facilities use policy. So, I think we should look at that. >> That's not a bad idea to add that one as
063the next policy we look at. I'm okay with changing that from accompanied to supervised. Are you guys okay with that? Anything else? Any other questions or comments? an an adult family member, not a a family adult member. Yeah, >> JC >> on that >> that last sentence. We change that to supervis >> and it says by a family adult adult member instead of an adult family member. Then I would just need a motion to approve as amended. >> Second. >> All those in favor I post nay. Motion carries. All right. Item 10. Um, action. Take action on hiring a CM. Scott, you and Dan and Jen went over all that. >> Uh, we went through last night there were, um, we ended up with eight different applicants. Um, we read through all their proposals, whatnot.
064Um, it was my understanding talking to Jen and Dan that they found three that they would like to interview before making any sort of hiring on that. Um, so if I don't know what the board, um, if you want to interview three companies, >> yeah, I think if that's the recommendation, that would be good. Um, >> so the three companies that they would like to interview would be Huff, Mills, and Pitts. And I did call those three companies today. And >> do they have a date that work for everybody? >> Well, two of them said they would prefer to do interviews yet in January. I don't know. >> Suppose they got to work with me. Um [clears throat] >> so if we did um a special meeting for the interviews, um did you have any
065dates in mind? >> Well, the first couple dates where there's no games or anything else are the 21st and the 26th. >> I'd like the whole board there. So if we did a special meeting um do either of those dates work for you guys 26 that works >> I think Scott said there were no games on the 26 That explain >> correct. Does >> that work for you? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um probably think we have to do three of them. Say six. >> They recommended at least a half hour per >> Okay. >> per firm. So, >> yep. Okay. Um Yeah. Let's see if the 26 will work for them. And I'm guessing they'll make it work. So, [snorts] okay. So, we won't do anything on that until after the interviews then. >> Correct.
066>> Okay. So, we'll set the special meeting for the 26th. And um will you ask Kyle or someone? I mean, I assume that those interviews are are in executive session as negotiations, but they're not. >> Okay. >> They are. >> That's illegal. >> Okay. >> We'll get clarification on that um before we send the notice out. >> So, we'll set that for the 26th and at 6:00 for right now and then any action we'll take at that after that. >> All right. Item 11, preliminary discussion on the 2627 calendar. So, basically, uh, what I sent to you would mirror this year. Um, I guess the only things that we ever really change would be the length of Christmas break. Um, and as proposed, it would be two weeks again. With that being said, we would
067look to have potential snowmaker days February 15th, March 29th, and the end of the school year. Um, the last day of school for the students would be May 14th with graduation to be May 8th. I know at a previous meeting I mentioned something about any conflicts with Howard Wood. However, Howard Wood that year is April 30th and May 1st. >> Oh. >> So, instead of rolling it back, May 8th would work for graduation for 2027. So, um, it I mean it follows this year's calendar. Nothing else changed. Um, typically we approve that in February. [clears throat] >> Have you visited with the teachers and >> I've visited with at least a handful right now and we'll talk more about it tomorrow and um go from there. >> They're still good with because we update was
068it this last year that we updated it so that we wouldn't have coming them coming back that Friday? Correct. had did they have any opinion on whether or not like do they feel that they still want to keep it that the same way >> as far as what Friday >> the first because they were doing teacher inservice correct not was it last year or two years ago why didn't we change it >> for the whole two weeks you mean >> yes to come back on like the second but that was the holiday for a lot of places so they didn't have >> child care most people like that >> yeah so now they wouldn't come back until the >> fourth Correct. >> Yeah. Yeah. Cuz we ran in when it was on when New York
069was on the weekend. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Do you have any questions on that? >> Like I said, typically we approve that in February. >> Okay. Yeah. So, if you have any questions on that, then just let me know and then you'll have the comments if any of the teachers or staff have any comments or questions. Perfect. >> All right. Any other questions on the school calendar? >> Okay. Um item 12, take action on dissolving of Prairie Lakes Education Co-op. >> So, I put that in your packet. Um when we met at the last meeting that was kind of the impetence of the um the superintendent group was to look at resolving. I know some of the schools have had um their schoolboard meetings already this week and that is the route they've taken.
070So um you know like I said I will be in contact currently share a school site with Tri Valley. Um we would look to keep working on some sort of a plan with them just because the days have worked. Um the only difference would be instead of contracting through PL we would um contract through TRA. So and we [clears throat] can as far as Medicaid reimbursement we can look at that too. So, >> any questions on that, Jen? Any thoughts on that? >> No, I mean it would be astronomical to be the only decision stayed [laughter] with black. >> You don't want to pay for every month. >> So then I would need a motion to um approve dissolution or Yeah. approve dissolution membership of of [clears throat] flat. >> Make a motion. >> Is
071there a second? >> All those in favor? I >> posted nay. Uh motion carries. Item 13, approval of land purchase closing. Um last meeting, I think we approved the signing of the purchase agreement, right? The closing was last Monday, so we just need to approve the closing. So really there's nothing. [clears throat] And that all went right. I think I signed everything Doby signed. So it's pretty painless. So we just need a motion to approve the closing. Is that right, Scott? >> Correct. >> Okay. I'll make that motion. Is there a second? >> I just want to verify again that this is not set in stone when we're putting anything over on that one. We have we have no intention right now. >> We have not made any plans to do that. Second. >> All
072in favor? I >> I nay. Motion carries. All right. Item 14 is executive session for SPCL 12524 for negotiations. >> Oh, sorry. 14 new 14 is appoint the legislative um rep [laughter] I'll volunteer you very much. >> Yeah. You want to know what's up there? Sure. >> Um there is a bill to give high school credit for extracurricular athletics. There is a bill to allow a school board to require certain students to receive alternative instruction. There is a bill to allow school districts to um administer epinephrine via nasal spray. And then there is a bill to change tax levies for general fund and special ed funds. And then there's a couple other ones, but >> they're not they they don't they aren't they have to do with schools, but they aren't they're like um like
073sh tax or the way the taxes are for college savings funds and things like that. So they don't directly affect what we do. They're more for parents. [clears throat] >> But that's what I saw. >> All right. All right. But there will be more to come. >> Yes. You know it. >> Oh, yes. I'm sure there will. Well, thank you for doing that and for forwarding those along. Um I think I can make that appointment. So, I'll do that. Okay. So, then item 15 is executive session for negotiations. So, I need a motion to go into executive session per SBCL 12524 for negotiations. >> Motion. All in favor I >> post nay and I 709. >> Thank you all for coming to the meeting. >> Thank you very much. >> Have a question. >> We're
074technically in executive session. So let me ask a question. >> We'll come back. Please let us know when you're done. Okay, that sounds good. >> Will it be very long? Do you think that you're an executive session? >> I don't know. We'll be It shouldn't be I don't know. >> We'll be waiting for you. Like you're not like you're not get so mad when we would come home. Quick change in front of volleyball. That's when he would like to stuff up. >> That's when mad. >> Yeah. Okay. So, our last item is adjournment, but I need to set the So, we'll set our next meeting will actually be the special meeting on the 26th um at 6:00 and then the next regular meeting will be the 9th at 6:00 and I think I checked and
075I don't think there's any games that night. So, we should be good there. >> Did you say the 9th that was our >> Yes, the 9th. Yes. Of February. >> Okay. And then um I I did just want to say that there were some questions that were raised tonight that haven't been raised before. And so um Scott is probably going to work on answers to some of those questions and we'll get back to the people that brought those up. Um so I do appreciate the the input and the questions from the community. >> So he's going to get back to them individually instead of in a public forum? Well, I don't know how he'll get back to them. So, um I'm sure he will address the people that asked the actual questions and um if
076we need to do something different, we can decide that later. >> Some of us didn't ask the same question again, but we all want to know the answers to all the questions we all asked. Understood. Yep. And we have all of your contact information. So, um, I think everyone put an email address down, so we could probably send out one email with the answers to the questions. >> Okay, that would work. All right, I need a motion to adjourn. >> Make a motion. >> Can we ask Can we still ask your question? Um, just a second >> before you can join or >> there's already been a motion. I need a second. There's a second. All those in favor? I >> I opposed. Nay. Motion carries. You can ask a question. What is your question?
077I don't know that we'll answer it, but what's your question? If you It seems like you guys keep telling us that nothing's done.