001[clears throat] Good evening and welcome to the November 18th regular school board meeting for the Duth Public Schools. And I call this meeting to order at 6:36. Thank you for our patience um with us today. I'd like to move on to roll. Roll call. Clerk. >> Member Banks here. >> Chair Durer >> here. >> Member Laughler Kemp >> here. >> Member Loel >> here. >> I member Mixel I am here. Member Saddowski >> here. >> Member Williams >> here. >> Superintendent Maggus >> present. >> Assistant Superintendent Bonds >> present. >> Deputy clerk Zunich >> present. >> Board Secretary Pquette. Oh, she was hiding. [laughter] Uh ALC student rep Taylor is excused. ALC or no Zenfeld student rep. Garn is excused. East student rep Dean >> here. >> Roll call is complete. Thank you. We'll now
002move on to the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Please stand if you're able. And our flags are located here. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. I would like to now move on to approval of our agenda. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So moved. >> Member Loalt has moved the agenda forward. Do we have a second? >> Second. Okay. >> Uh, member Saddowski has seconded it. Um, do we have any discussion on the agenda? >> Member Banks. >> Thank you very much. I would like to um move that we um pull the field trips that are coming up. Uh there's like four
003of them that will be coming up uh in uh 2026. And I would like to have just a brief discussion or get some clarification on one or two of them for sure. Uh so if that could be moved from the consent agenda uh to our regular uh agenda. >> So member banks are you I believe the agenda item is 1B4B. >> That is correct. >> All right. So member banks has moved to pull the field trip request from the consent agenda. Do we have a second? No. >> No. Okay. So, we've pulled that from the agenda and >> point of order. >> Yes. >> Point of order would be that this item would not be pulled from the consent agenda, I believe, and until we we vote on the consent agenda. >> So, right now,
004we don't have to approve. We don't have to pull that for our regular board meeting. >> Okay? We would pull that when we get to the consent which is exactly what we want to do but we don't need to do that approval right now. >> Okay. So member lodald so we will member banks when we come to discussion of the consent agenda would you please bring these agenda items back up. We'll pull them off at that time handle the rest of the consent agenda and then move on with those items after the consent agenda. May I just uh suggest that we see what Robert's rules of order >> uh say regarding it. >> Member Loalt has it right here. Member Loel >> that but I've also got the cheat sheet for it. >> Okay. Thank
005you. >> I don't I don't have a cheat sheet but it is there. >> Is it this one? So mine is point of order and then you want to >> it is going to be it's going to be >> just give us one minute. Thank you. It is point4 to amend [clears throat] or substitute but but it yeah is [clears throat] Point of order, >> member Williams. >> Um, I guess to kind of go off of what member Loalt said, um, the motion on the table was to approve the consent agenda. >> No, approve the agenda. >> Approve, I'm sorry, to approve the agenda. However, the in discussion, member Banks brought up a new motion, but we can't do that motion because the first motion to approve the agenda is still on the table. Like,
006you can't do a motion within a motion. Yep. So, that leaves us. So, member Banks, would you be immunable if we all agree it's okay, we'll we'll approve the agenda and then we'll come back at the consent and pull it in the discussion of the consent agenda. >> I'm amendable to that. However, uh that was not my understanding as to Robert's rules of order and uh so but I am amendable to what uh member Williams is suggesting and member Loalt. >> So then at that point, Member Banks, would you um be comfortable pulling off that at this point so we can vote on the motion to approve the agenda? >> Yes. >> Thank you so much. So, Member Banks has withdrawn his request to pull um 1B4B off of the consent agenda. So, now we're
007back to the original um motion, which is where we have the con um member Loalt has moved the consent agenda forward. Member Saddowski has seconded it. We've had some um lively discussion. And so, now we are going to vote on the agenda. So, all those in favor of the approval of the agenda, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? The agenda has passed. Now, um, moving on with baited breath and our very full room here, we're moving on to school and community recognition. So, thank you so much for everybody being here today. And I'll I'll turn it over to Assistant Superintendent Bond. >> Thank you and good evening, board, and good evening everyone who has joined us. Um, first I would like to call up the history day adviserss if they could come up as
008well as the four students who made it to the nationals and then other students uh as I indicated you will have the opportunity to also join us uh and introduce your project in a moment as well. So advisors as well as the four students you can come on up. um those who made it to nationals. Dear members of the board and community, tonight uh I am pleased to honor and recognize a group of exceptional students who have distinguished themselves in the National History Day competition. Their dedication, passion for history, and remarkable achievement deserves our utmost recognition. We had over 25 students in our district qualify and compete at the state history day competition. Four of those students went on to the nationals. Laya Rankinan qualified for her project called Wisconsin versus Yoder, a compromise between
009religious rights and educational responsibilities. Recognize yourself. There you go. >> [applause] >> Margaret Johnson uh qualified for the second year in a row. So, congratulations for her website called the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978, protecting Americans right to pristine wilderness. Congratulations, [applause] Annaise George and Ana Ericson qualified for their group documentary called the asylum to the community-based model mental health patient rights and a legacy of de institut in de institutionalization. So congratulations [applause] Adviserss, would you like to share something? And then um you know what? Before that, let's have our students come on up and then advisers, you also can um share. So, congratulations to all of you. Um all of the other students uh who competed come on up. We'll give you a chance to introduce yourself and your project. Yeah,
010both mics. >> We start here. >> Just introduce yourself and your project. >> Um, my name is Anna Johnson and my project was Love Canal, fighting for the right to live in a healthy community. >> My name is Arlo Hoffman. and my project was reserve mining company versus the United States. >> Um, my name is Finley Evansson and my project was on the Cambodian genocide. >> I'm Nissa Johnson and my topic was the laws and implications behind the sword sodomy. >> My name is Ella Holinger and I'm Tesla Kyle and our project was the Nermberg code and informed consent in medicine. My name is Laya Davis and my project was the Federal Theater Project engaging in the responsibilities and expanding the rights of theater. >> My name is Satie Pard and my project was on
011the Russian Revolution. >> My name's Lucy Wongaker and I did Native American boarding schools. [applause] >> Stay there. Stay there. Stay there. Advisor, come on up. I'll start off with uh Katherine Amar. Come on up. uh she can then introduce others um who are sitting in the wings you know >> very uncomfortable >> welcome welcome so I'm going to turn over to >> yeah you want to start um and then you always have the opportunity to share as well um and then >> you know we'll go from there we're winging this right now so >> it's kind of the the day um thank you board members for the opportunity to highlight the students that were involved because they they worked really hard. >> We have the community. >> Okay. And to highlight their their work.
012I will joke in class that only the strong make it to the academic finish line because a lot of students start and there's some information that I shared with the board members but 19,000 students started last year in the state of Minnesota and a lot of the competition is in the metro area. So they take their time and families that takes over your house. it takes over sometimes weekends and there's, you know, computer crashes and software glitches and bibliography fiascos and all kinds of things that happen. And so I think it's a testament to their efforts to learn something often above and beyond, you know, in the in the classroom. And just so that, you know, at the national level, a lot of the funding was was reduced dramatically. And it's been a competition for
01351 years. And Minnesota has opted to still um support it. And so I'm excited that there'll be a competition this year that they'll be going on to state. There's a new category for the state. It's um podcast. So, I'm not sure if any of the students this year um will will uh will participate uh with that. So, um to to you and to families, thank you sincerely for all your work, all those hours, lots of hours, and I uh wish you all the best and thanks for competing in history day. [applause] >> That's all I have. Any questions from the board? >> Thank you so much. It's wonderful you for you to join us today. It's great to see kids at these meetings cuz a lot of times we don't see kids and we're here
014in service to you. So, thank you so much and congratulations. That's some amazing topics. So, thank you for being here today. Is there any other board members that would like to share anything? Member Saddowski, >> I would just acknowledge all of the work that you've put into your projects. I um I've just heard that it takes many, many hours outside of school, inside of school when you have that time in your history day club, but um just thank you for your hard work on these. I wish I we had opportunities just to hear all of your presentations. So, you know, if there's opportunities to come see those or hear those Yeah. at school. Please let us know. Miss Nbar, thank you. >> Member Laughler Camp, >> I I echo uh what my colleague said. I
015just was really impressed with the variety of topics that you chose and the the depth of those topics. So just really um uh amazing uh leaders that we have in our district um future leaders as well. So thank you. And then uh also yeah any opportunities for future uh that we can come uh and be a part of it. I I've judged history day before years ago when my kids were involved and it's it's wonderful. So thank you >> member Mike Cassell. >> Thank you so much for representing Duth Public Schools so well and both the state and national level. It's amazing. Um, and then also thank you so much to our adviserss and staff um, and all the families and all the extra effort that you've put in um, to help these students achieve
016so much. Thank you. And just as a reminder, when you all come here, we are just so thrilled to see your faces. So to us, you're rock stars. So thank you for being here. That's why we're all smiling with such big goofy smiles on your on our faces. So thank you so much. >> And normally would come and shake and go do that. >> Okay. If you have a chance to come in and shake hands you guys all picked your passions I Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Appreciate you guys taking awesome. >> So, so students again she's our information office. She's outside. She's going to take your picture. So he's outside. So congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. >> Advisers, we want to get you into the photo outside. >>
017Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everyone for coming. >> Thank you. [applause] Nobody wants to stay. Come on. It's amazing. Nope. Okay. [laughter] [snorts] >> So, before we get started, just to member Banks is Yeah. >> No, I was just um to before we get started to member Banks's point and to member Loalt's point, I did a little research and um just to make sure we're we're following what we need to and it is okay when we're in that consent agenda part. It is perfectly acceptable to be pulled during that discussion at that time and then we'll address it immediately after the consent agenda. Does that does that make sense to everybody? >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, member Banks. Thank you, member Loal. And I think at this point we
018can move on um to the report of the superintendent. So, Superintendent Maggus, I'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you. Just one second. >> Cast Here we go. So for my superintendence report, of course, we're focusing on our mission, which is every day, era, every student every day will be empowered with learning opportunities for growth, creativity, and curiosity, and preparation for the future in a global community. And our vision is the duth public schools provides an academically engaging, safe and inclusive environment with high expectations and responsible use of resources. Our core values are learning, developing a love of learning through lifelong inquiry. Excellence, having high standards for all through accountability, integrity, and authenticity. Equity creating conditions of justice, fairness, and inclusion so all students have access to the opportunities to learn and develop to
019their fullest potential. collaboration, working in partnership with families, staff, students, and community, and belonging, providing a welcoming and accessible environment where everyone feels safe, seen, and heard. Topics for tonight, we have our student reports. Uh then we have our human resources, uh some human resources updates, uh work session update, legislative update, superintendent goals, and first street buildout update. and then any other items that come up through conversation. But let's start with uh Representative Dean if you wouldn't mind starting. And I think we have a Denfeld report uh that was shared by Representative Garner, but uh she was unable to attend unfortunately tonight. >> All right. Well, good evening. Um per usual, East students have been staying very busy. I wasn't able to make it to the last meeting because we had a tech rehearsal for
020our fall musical, but I'm glad to be back. So, I'm just going to start with some overall school updates. Uh the fall talent show put on by student government is tomorrow evening. We have a really great lineup of student acts and then skits by Stugo. Um there's going to be a canned food drive to benefit CHUM and each can brought in will earn people raffle tickets to win prize baskets. So, I'm going to bring a lot of cans. It'll be fun. Um, next, the debate team has been practicing and is looking forward to what will hopefully be another very successful season. Last month, around 50 seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society. They will be completing 30 volunteer hours throughout the year. They've been connecting with students throughout East as tutors. Um, whether that's
021at Saturday school, at Ordin, or through one-on-one sessions. Turning to the fine arts, one act audition started today and will continue tomorrow. The team will be competing with a production of country gothic. It's a very, very weird show and I really like it. Um, [snorts] additionally, band, choir, and orchestra have all recently completed their fall concerts and practice for the big holiday concert is now underway. This is something sort of new. Recently, the culinary classes opened Greyhound Kitchen. Before school, students work as baristas at the cafeteria coffee cart and they also sell fresh baked goods made by the students. The program has been really successful so far and we are excited to see where it can go in the future. Next, the boys and girls basketball teams have begun their seasons with practices well underway.
022Last Saturday, the dance team traveled to Roseville for their first competition of the season. Um, let's see. JV kick and varsity both and varsity kick both placed first. Varsity Jazz placed third, JV Jazz placed fourth, and B squad Jazz placed second. So, our dancers are very talented. Um, the girls hockey team, um, which has combined, students from East and Denfeld are a few games into their season, and we're excited to see what they'll achieve. The Nordic and Alpine ski teams have also been practicing despite the lack of snow. Next week, the Nordic team will head to West Yellowstone for their annual trip, and we are wishing them snowy trails. Additionally, the boys swim team has become has begun captain's practices and has their season stretching out ahead of them. Last weekend, the girls swim team
023competed at the state tournament with multiple swimmers setting some very dramatic school records. So, they've had a really, really good season. And to wrap up the activity updates of this report, tomorrow Hounds will be hosting their first of three blood drives. Um there's going to be one donor bus and we have nearly 70 donors signed up. So they'll be heading down throughout the day to save lives. Um with so many clubs and activities available to join, I've definitely heard a lot of feedback about students not having time to or support to be as involved as they'd like to be. I'm not sure how much you guys have heard about our current pause day format, but the way it's structured. So, our pause is we have two class hours and then a block to go to
024clubs activities and then a few more class hours and then an afternoon block and our final class hours. Um, but this current schedule doesn't allow for students to attend more than two clubs and often students are required to attend a meeting or other obligation during that time. Pause days simply aren't working. They've become catchall days. So that we're throwing in large group photo day, a random assembly, senior panoramic, catching up on lockdown drills. Um, we are losing so much time to the other things that we're not willing to spread out on other days. To quote student from student forum last week, we have no time to take tests. Teachers are giving new content and it's overall very unproductive due to the shortened class time. So we're down to about 30 minutes per class. There are
025no stretches of really uninterrupted time to sit down and focus. and involvement in clubs and other groups has been tanking. Something I've always seen as a really strong part of the culture at East is the ability to sample a variety of groups just for fun. So whether you're just checking out International Snack Club, going to Harry Potter Club, German Club, Taylor Swift club, curbage club, or one of the other unique groups East has to offer, East students love and value the culture of just trying these new clubs and getting involved simply for the fun of it. Our current schedule not only diminishes this key part of our current schedule diminishes this key part of our school. It's an ineffective attempt to provide more academic support but so we have no more than 30 minutes in
026each class and we have nearly a month's worth of makeup tests and needed support piled up. Students go through pause days with heightened stress and diminished productivity. We need a more standardized solution and we deserve to hear what the schedule for our pause days is going to look like more than 24 hours in advance. Um, thinking of, you know, going back to having time to sit down, focus on work, get test taken care of, whatever you need. Um, the spaces and opportunities for students to focus are just really lacking mostly because of access to the library. I think last year we were really excited to have continued access to our media center. We our understanding of it was that we would have daily access. Unfortunately, students have found that hours are really unpredictable and even
027students with passes to the media center are often turned away. Personally, I haven't checked out a single non-extbook from the library this year and I don't know anyone who has. I love reading and I love browsing for material, but I have no clue when the library is going to be open. I could go early one day, but there's no way to know whether there will be someone there. I can't stay after school. I can't go during class time because of course I'm in class. Um myself and my peers have struggled with the lack of quiet study space um to go in. We sometimes go in during the mornings when it's open and it's a good space to take a break on an overwhelming day, but that you know we've lost a lot of that access.
028Um, I think this district has put a lot towards, you know, focusing on the foundational education like reading and media skills and I just question whether these goals are being fulfilled. Unlike CTE and other additional programs, all students are impacted by the funding that goes or in this case doesn't go to the library. Access to books and study space in a school shouldn't be a goal. I think it should be a guarantee. And moving to the last part of my report, it's my self-proclaimed responsibility to always take a moment to remind you to take student feedback with a fresh perspective each and every time you hear it. One of my favorite parts of this job is getting to hear more about what you guys do, how the board functions. I never understood the complexities that
029go into the decision-making here. It's crazy. there are regulations to be followed, lots of groups to be pleased and I think not a lot of unu not not a lot of students understand those nuances. So I think that's important to recognize but on the other side of things like none of you are high school students in 2025. Your curriculum decisions determine how I spend the majority of my time. Access to media resources determines the quality of my work. Your choices affect what students eat, how they get to school, what activities they join, and more. you only see some of our perspectives and students can only see some of yours and there needs to be a lot of balance there and luckily that's something we can all contribute to at school. I you know I don't
030just come here and go on a long list of things we're dissatisfied with. I I also go to my peers and I try to explain to them why some of the decisions that frustrate them so much happened, why some of that has to be necessary. I try to challenge them and myself to look at broader pictures. It's an ongoing goal with imperfect execution, but I hope that you will continually and critically reflect on how you choose to incorporate student voices. There's, I think, a very distinct difference between listening and hearing. So, with all of that said, thank you for your time. >> Thank you, uh, Representative Dean. And I know that uh director Larva has director Larva has reached out to you to uh work on the intracity student council and there's been some delay
031in in that. Uh it's been challenging for people to have I know she's trying to set up meetings. And then Mr. Bonds I know that you are Mr. Bonds you planning on on presenting on the high school schedule uh in the near future with director Larva per at the at the December committee the whole >> December. That is correct. Then uh December, we're going to have a summary report provided. Um and then in January, a more extensive um presentation of information related to the secondary schedule and other information. So yes, two months in a row. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> So uh pardon. Um I have the schoolboard report for October and November for um student representative Garner. So the events at Denfeld, they had the witches princess hosted by the Denfeld Theater for
032November the 6th through the 8th. The first ever Hunter helmet one day plays hosted by Denfeld Theater on November 15th. The fall ball hosted by student government on November 1st. Native American Heritage Week was November 10th through the 14th and um student representative Garner now has some student feedback. The new backpack rule at Denfeld requires Denfeld students to store their backpack, string totes, and athletic bags and lockers instead of previously being allowed in classrooms. Many students do not agree with this new rule, and some students don't even acknowledge the rule. One of those students lives at home with me, so I'll just add that [laughter] feedback. Um, I talked to both upper classmen and underclassmen about this rule and the majority of upper classmen do not like this rule because it's harder for them to
033adjust considering upper upper classmen have had backpacks on them for most of their high school career. For underclassmen, this is a little different because there were always accustomed to the rules since the same one applies at Lincoln. The Hunter license has received a lot of feedback over the years from both students and staff, both positive and negative. I've also received that feedback at my house as well. Um, many teachers like the Hunter license because it makes students want to pass their classes and it can be an efficient way to improve Denfeld's graduation rate. But students have had their own opinions. In the past, many students did not agree with the Hunter license because it was based off of grades and attendance and many students found that to be unfair. Students also did not agree with
034the licenses because it determined your ability to attend games and for students and students found this unfair as well because we need the most spirit at games and having that in place prevented students from attending games. This year the hunter license is based off grades only and you do not need the Hunter license to attend games. With these changes, I have heard more positive feedback from the student body regarding Hunter licenses. And that concludes student representative Garner's report from Denfeld. >> Excellent. Sorry that I was breezing past that. I did not want to not include that. >> Um, human human resources. Um, it's been busy as we mentioned previously. Uh, director executive director Seanc's last day was in October. Uh I'm now serving as the interim director of human resources for the time being, but
035Steve Johnson is also doing an excellent job in his role as human resources manager. Um I meet with Steve multiple times a day on human resources uh pieces and he's doing a great job in that regard. Uh but it is uh it is taking a lot of time and and I also want to make sure that we have u a high degree of quality as well. There are a lot of serious changes happening in in the state right now with earn safe and sick time and uh contract negotiations starting up for a couple of different groups. Uh grievances uh employee issues, things of that nature. So we want to make sure that we get somebody hired soon. Um so that's important, but it's also important to hire well as you know. Uh that position will
036be closing later this week. uh was reposted uh one more time and we had talked about the change in the um some of the language that we are uh proposing for the director position so that it aligns similar to the director of technology uh because positions don't always have uh people quite often people have a lot of experience and not necessarily a master's degree in that area similar to uh technology. So, we we uh have it posted uh pending approval of the board. If the board was to choose to deviate or go a different direction or not approve that position, then we would um we would repost with with a new position. But we hope to interview for the position the first week in December and hopefully have somebody uh starting before the new year
037or at the beginning of the new year. Uh we have an upcoming work session. uh some of the things that we're meeting this Thursday from 4 to 7. Uh focusing on the following topics. Uh Jeff Anderson is going to be here working on our our legislative platform. We're going to be doing a book study from our book that we've been reading. Uh we're on chapters five and six of the school board members guide book becoming a difference maker for your school district. And we're again chap focusing on chapters five and six. Um, we're also having some conversations about growth and capacity. We've talked about that a little bit in some of my other uh reports and maybe some consideration of looking into demographic studies and things of that nature. That would be something that we
038would have as a topic for our uh committee, the whole agenda in uh December when we come back from the Thanksgiving holiday or the the um November holiday. and then uh talking about my superintendent goals and we'll talk about that a little bit more in in my uh presentation tonight. Uh as far as legislative updates, uh board members are completing a survey that Jeff Anderson, our lobbyist, sent uh that we'll be using at our Thursday board meeting. Uh, we also sent a a copy of last year's legislative platform and we'll be using the the information from your survey to formalize and finalize our platform ideas so that we can vote on the platform in December. And if you remember last year, we were still finalizing our we we met with our legislative uh group prior
039to the platform being formalized and voted on. We're we're making sure that we're getting ahead of it this time so that we can uh be ready with a finalized platform when we meet with folks in January prior to the session beginning. And then this Friday, I'll be finalizing the state uh Minnesota Association of School Administrators legislative platform uh leading that work as their chair on Friday. Uh so those are some of the things going on from a legislative perspective. Um, several board members were also at our uh the legislative priorities breakfast that we had at College of St. Scholastica a couple weeks ago and that was really great. We had a lot of local representatives um and uh it was just really good to hear what the priorities of different organizations were throughout our our
040region. As far as superintendent goals, a few things that I was just suggesting. Uh we I'm very open to other options, but I used uh the superintendent evaluation tool that we've used for evaluation and three standards that I was thinking about. We I'm certainly very open again to others, but I just wanted to share this out. uh communications and community relationships, advocacy since we're doing a lot of work with uh legislative advocacy and since that I have a role at the state level this year, I thought that was a good goal for me to be focusing on making sure that I had my skills. Uh school improvement we have had as a continuing goal and I think it should be potentially continued again. I think that there's always more that we can be doing. Making
041sure that our alignment between our school improvement plans and the work of the district is well aligned. We heard our presentation on multi-tered systems of support at our committee the whole uh meeting. And so that's an example of a lot of the work we're we're leading right now, but I'm suggesting that we continue it, but we can have a different goal. There's there's quite a few other goals that I checked is is uh thinking that they would be interesting. uh kind of went through the what we would do with the toy catalog when when the winter holiday came along and circled ones that I thought were interesting and then added stars to them as I thought they were even more along the lines of what I was hoping for. But I'm very very open to
042uh shifting what what my goals would be based on what the board intends. And then we've also been focusing a lot on school safety. School safety is a very significant issue across the state and it is likely intertwining with our advocacy work as well. Uh but we've done a lot of work this year on um our emergency operations plans. We even met this morning. We every time there's any sort of incident, we meet to uh debrief uh about the incident. We gather all the stakeholders, the the uh the leaders uh throughout the district and we meet to talk about what what did we do, what worked well, what could we have improved on so that that uh we're improving those processes as we go. So, I think school safety and security might be something that
043we could have as a potential goal since it's a pretty significant body of work. And then, uh, just a quick little update on the First Street building. I know we're looking for a new name for the First Street building, and we'll begin that process with the board based on our naming, uh, work. Uh, but we are meeting with all leaders on a regular basis to discuss questions, concerns, and to plan next steps. Uh now that things are moving further further along, we're holding our leadership meetings in person. Our last meeting was last Friday, I think it was. Uh we met here with a group of about 20 of us. Uh including the um principal of the ALC AEO and the uh leaders for adult education, community education, Head Start, and all the different um folks
044that will be in the first street uh facility. I also know that we uh have conducted quite a few tours and I know me many of you as board members have have uh gone on some of those tours and uh I think you're seeing some some great work being done down there as well. So uh want to make sure we get that naming process moving along. Uh and then any any questions related to anything we've shared tonight in our presentations. >> All right. Thank you. >> Oh, sorry. >> Mike, >> sorry I was slow. Um two questions. It's been referred to that there's going to be a meeting with legislators in January. If that meeting has been set, can that um date be shared if it hasn't yet? >> Uh we have not yet set
045a date. Patty will be working with the board to determine and and also the legislators to see what date uh would work, but we want to get that out as as soon as possible um so that we can meet with them before the the session begins. >> Great. And then second question, um I've heard in a number of meetings now the urgency to get the naming process started and I'm just curious is that something that the board needs to initiate so that we can get that process started or is it >> it's joint between board and um and administration. So I I think there are some respons if basically if the board is intending for us to start that process, I can I can get it going and and I can uh start naming people.
046I assume that that that is the will of the board at this point unless I hear otherwise and we can we can get things going. Good. All right. Thank you. >> Question. >> Yeah. Member Loel, >> can I have a followup just to the naming process? Is is that something done in a workshop setting, in a cow meeting, in a closed meeting, in small group meeting? you know, if if we think that we want to go that way, there's a policy that would guide our our work >> and um maybe it'd be interesting to just all of us review that policy as we are looking and then I don't know what the what the process looks like. >> Sure. actually our communication officer uh Dell Wellins can outline some of the the aspects but um
047it's it's a public process and and it involves some things with uh seeking input from from students and community members and posting things publicly but go ahead and share. >> Yeah. So um me and um finance director executive finance director Simone Zunich have a meeting set up so that we can start the process um starting on December 3rd. So, we will post on our website and social media and other places asking for nominations regarding the names and that will be public. Um, I believe last time when we did it for the public school stadium was for a month and then we will um gather all of those names and then we will have a committee of um people appointed by uh the superintendent which would include students um community members and staff. And then we
048would um discuss all the names, all the options, determine their value um moving forward based on the policy and then we would come to the school board with a recommendation. >> Thank you. Do we have any other questions? Great. Seeing no other questions, we can move on. And now we are at our um report from our standing committee. So I'll turn it over to Assistant Superintendent Bonds for the committee of the whole meeting. >> Thank you. And um the meeting was held recently and um we had two primary topics as indicated earlier. Um I want to thank the team for coming to share an update related to our action card, the MTSS action card. uh Julie Stalbert and um Todd McGawan uh as well as Dale Usman and [snorts] um director Sparts also was present
049as well to provide an update related to that uh key work as superintendent discuss and how we are really strategically approaching uh improving our systems around instruction and fostering a positive learning environment. So I want to thank the team for that work. We also had a report um that is also on the agenda for an action item uh from our um director of Head Start. Um Barbara Ecberg was here providing insight related to the Head Start report. There was a presentation. There was also required work uh from the governor's team which the board serves as uh for Head Start. And I want to thank um um coordinator director Ecberg for uh that presentation, the board participating in that training that she provided. And that concluded the cow agenda for the month. >> Thank you. Do
050we have any questions for assistant superintendent bonds? >> Member >> Oh, sorry. >> Go ahead, >> member Laughler. >> Not not a question. just a a appreciation that all of our most of our uh principles from across the district were in attendance for the committee of the whole meeting and and available. So just really appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> And I I would uh echo that that having our principles here and focused on on uh their work as leaders, they're very very important to us. Um, often times this time of year is a time of thanks and we're very thankful for first and foremost our students, but our our teachers and administrators who are leading our schools. Very important. And also um something that we've we've focused on uh and talked about quite a
051bit in our meetings uh that that hasn't really been outlined through the committee the whole or or in my report is uh next Monday night is the uh the starting or the uh the kickoff of our district advisory committee. So we've talked about that with the board and so we're meeting on Monday night with with that committee. So that's that's great. Great. All right. So, now we'll move on and um Member Saddowski, could you please um the HR business services? My apologies. Um >> No problem. I did the HR business report. First, I just wanted to thank member Williams for chairing it for me at that meeting um since I was out of town. Um so as I always start kind of by saying we had our HR business services committee meeting on Monday, November
05210th. Um you can find that meeting on our YouTube and I would encourage uh our community and everyone to kind of watch that. We often have 300 plus pages in our HR business um report and we go through it in detail at that meeting. Um at this meeting at our schoolboard meeting I'll pick um some highlights. It might be a little longer this evening because we did have some significant thing items kind of come through that meeting. Um, but I'm certainly not going to go through the 300 pages again. Um, but we will go over the highlights. So, starting with our HR report. Um, we have about 12 open positions districtwide still. So, I just kind of wanted to note that and really appreciate our human resources department working on the hiring of those and
053um we are working to address um failed negotiations between Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aspirus. I thought that that was important to note. So making our HR department is working with our staff to kind of navigate the challenge that that impass has created um for our staff um but also in our community. I know that's impacting a lot of people. For a child nutrition report um we have a newly formed wellness committee um filled with staff, community members, parents, grandparents, and they're working on a wellness policy. They also recently submitted um our child nutrition department submitted a farm to school grant that'll be like a 50-50 match which is really glad to hear. Um you know so hopefully we can infuse local healthy foods even more um into our into our meals for our students.
054Any questions or comments so far on the HR, the business report or the child nutrition? Okay, seeing none, I'll move on. Um, a couple other notes that I had was for facilities just to thank um, Brian Brown, our facilities manager, for providing an update on the first street building at the HR business meeting um, and also other projects. And I would encourage everyone just to look at the facilities report. Um, there are a lot of projects going on across the district at a variety of our schools and we just appreciate the ongoing work for those projects. Um, our transportation department did um some staff training. I just want to turn to that page really quick here. Page, if I can find it. So, yeah. So, the staff training just sounded interesting to me um and
055important. and it covered several key areas including student management, preventing bullying and harassment and winter driving techniques. So, uh, additionally, Northwoods provided training focused on student interaction and deescalation techniques. Um, I'm always very appreciative of our bus drivers and appreciate that they took the time and the district took the time to do this important training. Continuing on, um then we have our three resolutions that I wanted to note that we're bringing forth from HR. Um the first one is resolution B-11-25-4131 authorizing the execution and delivery of an amendment to installment purchase contract and a supplement to declaration of trust and approving the issuance sale and delivery of $9,80,000 in full-term certificates of participation. Um and basically um that that is a big one. And I wanted to point out that last month we had another
056resolution that authorized um that where the board authorized the district to go to market for the bonds for the first street building and we talked about that last month. This time this resolution is to approve the purchase of the bonds for the $9,80,000 and these bonds are layered in with other bond debt. A lot of which is going to fall off in a couple years. Um, but that's why when you're reading this resolution and the whole document, you will see kind of that in there. But any questions or comments since that's a not one of our normal resolutions. I mean, it's normal business, but it's not our grants or our um donations. Any questions or comments on that? Member Eer, >> I'm just curious um and connecting this back to how we've been managing our
057finances the last five years where we went out and we have a rating with Moody's and our our interest rates our positive interest rates are reflected when we go out to buy those bonds. Correct. >> That is correct. We have an A3 rating. So, it's allowed um >> the we were allowed to go up to 4.74. Um, this one's I think 4.72 and it allowed us to drop to three something. So, perfect. >> It's been really good. >> And that was reflective last month when we voted on that was there. I can't I don't >> Yeah, that was a separate one. the separate one and this is along the same >> same the interest rate is still our the work that we've done on our credit score and our finances in the district over the
058last four to six years is directly positively impacting our our bonds and the percents that we're getting. >> Great. So, thank you everybody for work on that. That's wonderful news. >> When I spoke with Moody's, they praised us several times. You praised the school board several times. >> Great. Good job. Great. >> Any other questions, comments? >> Just a comment on the Moody's rating. Um, >> part of what they commented on as well is that they they knew that we needed a course correction with the the budget with the reductions that we had to make this this past year for this year. And I know that that was really hard uh because anytime we have to make reductions in in what we provide for our our students, staff, and families, it's not something that is
059done e easily. And so I I appreciate the hard work that was done and I appreciate the sacrifice that we're trying to make with with doing uh as much with less or more with less. Um but I think it was necessary for some of the work that we need to do from a from a fiscal standpoint and grateful for the board for that work as well. >> Thank you, member Sidowski. >> Great. Thank you. Um the other resolutions that we're bringing forth this month are accept are um the acceptance of donations to duth public schools and the acceptance to of grant awards to duth public schools. Um and as always we're very appreciative to the many many people in our community who support our students programs schools with the donations. So, um I will let
060whoever brings that resolution forth later kind of highlight maybe a couple of those. The next items that I wanted to bring up was our um bids, RFPs, and quotes because we had a couple very large bids uh and and projects coming through for mostly lighting low lighting at Lel Elementary and lighting at Lincoln Park Middle School. Those are found on page 58 and 92. Um, I know, um, I'm going to see if anyone has any questions or comments, but I wanted to kind of give a few. Um, there was I first of all, I really appreciate the work that our staff did to provide the bid packets. Um, I think we have a high level of transparency in our school district. I mean, when you look at other school districts and kind of what they're
061providing the board, um, it's kind of interesting. Um, we do get a lot of information here, including later on, you know, outside of the bid process, we get updates on the change orders that happen. Those come through our packet, too, and we have those in here. I'm not going to highlight any of those tonight. Um, but for the low lighting, we had um several people bid on it. We had um the lowest bidder was Westcom at 538,194 for the LOL lighting. Um the next um smallest amount was 657,366 for a difference of 119,172. So um the Westcom bid was the lowest there [snorts] for bid number 1344 for the Lincoln Park lighting. Um, Wolf River Electric came in um the lowest at $948,615 and Hunt Electric came in at 1,25,527 for a difference of $256,000
062uh $912. So, $256,912. Um some of the questions that I um that I think many of us board members were wondering about is you know are these which contractors are union which aren't? Um you know are we requesting prevailing wage that's really important to to many of us um you know sitting at this table. And so yep we are uh requiring uh the that these companies pay prevailing wage whether they're union or not. That's part of our process and what we've decided uh as a board that we that we would like. Um I have you know some concerns that I have and that I am going to follow up on. I just wanted to share with the board is that um sometimes when companies aren't union um there are there may be attempts to skirt
063prevailing wage and things like that. And so one thing that I'm going to be requesting for these projects just to kind of look moving forward um just making sure that we're getting those prevailing wage reports if we can to make sure that the prevailing wage is indeed being paid. And uh secondly, I'm going to be keeping a really close eye on the change orders because another thing that can happen is if a bid comes in lower and then maybe we get change orders moving forward for a lower bid versus a a union bid for example. So that's one thing that um just in my role as chair of the HR business when I am reviewing the 300 pages over the weekend before chairing that I'm going to keep these projects in mind. keep a little
064note and make sure that I'm looking at those and I I welcome other board members to do to do that as well if you want or I can I will definitely keep you posted. But those are some of my thoughts on these bids. Um definitely we're, you know, as we all agree, I think that we have a a fiscal responsibility to, you know, make make the most sound decisions as we can with these bids. Um, but I would open it up to any other thoughts or comments or questions on these bids. Member Lo. >> So, thank you um, member Zidowski and as the chair of the finance, I'm really um, glad to hear that you're going to lead a more um, awareness for us as board members, too. We rely on that finance committee, the
065three of you that sit there to you know continue to um dive deeper and um you know make sure that we are following the guidelines of prevailing wage is is a big one for us and we always ask that at the board table um if they're offering whether they're union or not. Personally, I prefer that I want our local unions to be, you know, incur, you know, offered, but I know that low bid is is a is a required state guideline. So, I understand that. I would challenge um the finance committee too, and I can help in any way I can. That prevailing wage is a question we ask, but we should also ask a we should understand what a prevailing wage is because there's different prevailing wages based on non-union versus union. Or is
066it prevailing wage? Could you say we want a prevailing wage that's equitable to the duth prevailing wage? I don't know. You know, you might have a response and I'll I'll ask. So that's one thing. Um the other thing too if you're going to think about um some things we could we could ask our our facilities manager and our um leadership in that for our administration is to you know check on on the site work and have the the workers that are on that project you know sign in with this is an electrical um process so you know sometimes we want to make sure that they have lic licenses to work as electricians or maybe non-union companies don't require that apprentice or license. And so, um, safety wise, I'm worried about the safety of our workers
067when we commit to a project and we accept a bid. If it's a low bid, are their workers licensed and do they hire licensed electricians? So, that would be another thing we could ask. Um, or maybe not. But I am I'm you know I'm learning more too about about just working with our facilities um leadership and trusting them and then also making sure that you know the the values that I hold for my role on the board to uplift the families that work in our school district that work in duth that are union workers that families come to our schools that they're also available for work. So, I'll I'll leave it with that kind of comments, but um yeah, >> appreciate your your comments. Any other questions or comments on those bids? member, >> can
068I can I add that I I am concerned and I'm I'm hoping that either we can do this now or I would like to pull it off the consent agenda and see if there's board um desire at all to um do some more work on this, ask our our facilities to, you know, look for um some some studies that we're asking for um if that's a desire of the board or or not just there. This is not this is a lighting project going forward for almost $2 million. Um we want to make sure that we're good fiscal agents. Do we want to ask for a little bit more feedback or are we comfortable as a board? And we can either decide, you know, we can decide at the consent agenda to pull it off the
069consent and have a if there's any desire to make a motion or a second and see where we go with that or not. So, I think um the same as we address member Banks's questions about the field trip, if we could um when we get to the consent agenda and the discussion or or whatever, just pull those items then and then we'll address them immediately after the consent agenda. Is that fair? >> Should be. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Member Loel. Sorry, Member Sidowski. >> Sounds that plan sounds good to me. Um, so then our financial, so moving I'll move on away from the bids um, RFPs and quotes. I'll backtrack to the financial report. Uh, Director Zunich, do you have anything to add about the financial report? When I looked at it, I
070didn't see anything that stood out to me, but do you have anything to add? [clears throat] Thank you. It's uh, business as usual with our daily um, work with expenditures and revenues. We are in the middle of our audit. uh that has to be down to the Department of Education on December 1. So the next week and a half are a very intense time. And um we're in contact with our auditors. They have to start there's a new phase to an audit now. They audit our ESST time and they said that's a very intensive process. That's our safe and sick time. So um I'm still hoping we can be done on time, but it all depends on on how much they need to pull. So, got it. >> Thank you for that update. >> May
071I member or sorry, um, can you repeat that? I was sneezing and I didn't hear when you said one of the most important parts [laughter] that our auditors informed us that one piece that they still need to do is a a deep audit of our um, safe and sick time, ESST. They've done some smaller schools and it was an intensive process. So, we're a big school. They're big. You know, it's going to take some time. So, I'm still hoping we will be able to submit our audit on time on December 1, but uh they still have some of that work. It I just want the community to know that we they audit everything. So, it's um our leave. It's not just finances. They do dig into our payroll and our leave. Um I'm thinking um
072if we could have some idea with the new um regulations and laws around earn safe and sick time if you have an idea of the amount of time it's taken us to prep and what that's going to look like in time moving forward for our HR and then both our um business services office because I think as we think about our legislative priorities for some of these um things that are coming down from the state, how do we account not just for what they cost the district monetarily but then also and time and investment by the district. That might be some good information for us to have as we think about our legislative priorities. Agreed. Only one more item that I wanted to highlight and that was under our contracts. We have a purchase agreement
073for a land sale. We met as a board about this probably last spring sometime and that we have a purchase agreement in here on page 132. So, um, member Laughler Kemp, I see your lights on. >> Yep. I just a follow up to, um, Simone about the audit. Um, do we have a tenative time when we would receive the audit as a board and get that information. Thank you. >> Question. Um, we have sent them the dates and we'd like we'd like to get a draft to you uh, for the HR business services, but sometimes they've not been able to meet that. But we will put attachment pending. As soon as I get a draft, I will send it to you. So, um there's a small chance it won't be at HR business services, but
074I will send it as soon as we can. We will have a presentation. It will be me and one of the auditors the night of the school board along with the truth and taxation presentation. Thank you. >> That's the end of my report. Thank you. Member Sidowski, I think you um member or clerk Mike Cell has a question. >> Sorry. Member, >> quick question, and you didn't cover this in the highlights, but at um in listening back to the HR business services committee meeting, the technology report, um there was an item about um preparing for the roll out of Google Geminis Gemini's AI platform for our high school students, which will be starting this winter. And I was wondering if you had any other information that you can share with the board for that. >>
075I do not have any additional information on that. Um I would lean on Superintendent Maggus. I know I shared just when I think about AI. A concern I have is just or a question rather was what are we doing to educate our students and parents about this tool that that we're living with that we can't it's there. kids have access to it, right? And so, how are we teaching students how to use how to use it responsibly? That was one question that I had. So, I appreciate you bringing this up. I apologize I didn't highlight that one. Superintendent Megan. >> Sure. Thank you. And great questions. And I know I think it's probably a question that that most people are wrestling in with uh throughout the country. Um so assistant superintendent Bonds and uh director
076uh um >> Creger, sorry I was >> I was pausing for a second. My my my organic intelligence was failing me. But if you want to uh share a little bit more about what we're thinking timelinewise, but I think it's very important for us to uh be very mindful of the impacts on our students and families. And something Mr. Vance has talked about quite a bit is making sure the communication is really good with with our our our families and community uh particularly because of um people's concerns and fears and reluctance and also to make sure that people are well prepared for it. So, also um um Director Larva is up with us as well because she has some perspectives based from a curriculum standpoint and probably has a little more impact on secondary than
077it does uh on elementary. Director Kger. >> Yeah. Uh so, Director Lav and I can briefly speak to this. Uh we're we're looking to roll out uh Google Gemini to uh to our high school students uh this coming February. and we've laid out a timeline to do that. Uh and leading up to that, there is a variety of training and communication uh planned uh both internally and for outside stakeholders who also are are interested in this topic and uh certainly uh important participants in the process and I can briefly let director larva uh address that uh as well. >> Yeah, thank you. Um so we've been meeting Cindy Miller is our um computer science content lead. Julie Stabber, our curriculum instruction coordinator, Greg, myself, I think we've pulled Adele in a couple of times to
078some meetings as well. Um, but we've been talking about um the planning for this and um where it makes the most sense for it to to land. And we've decided to start with the um with the um students at the high school level. Um we're still going to be working within the Gemini, which is our walled garden, as I've learned from Mr. Krueger. Anyways, we are um we're doing a lot of things in the background. So, some of the things in our timeline, we'll be addressing the teacher capacity with some of the trainings that we have with our PD development um professional development days on December 8th. And then again, we have an asynchronous day on January 2nd. Um and so we have AIS being a main topic during those opportunities there. And then we
079have teachers that we've identified. Um specifically we're trying to what we're trying to do is we're trying to train a whole bunch of stu students in a short window of time which is very challenging. Um we do happen to have those courses which we are we have all of our nth graders in all of our 10th graders all of our 11th and 12th. And so one semester we're going to do half of the groups in each of those grade levels. At the very end of of this first semester and then at the very beginning of the second semester we're going to be training um the other part of the students. And so those um teachers are going to be coming in and working with Cindy Miller on what the messaging is going to be and
080what the training is going to be for students as well. So, we have we have that planned out um to be in January as we're just starting those those transfers and then opening up the AI product to students after February break. >> Appreciate the the input. And just a question for our student representative, Representative Dean. Sometimes we're looking for student voice and things and um just thinking about what what your perception is as far as students uh their use of AI right now. Do you think it's it's are students occasionally using AI? One >> say occasional. >> Yeah, >> I think um I actually talked with director Larva about this a little bit earlier. Um you know, I didn't know this was something that was happening until today and I had to be like, whoa,
081that's I don't know. I think it's crazy because I think the way AI has come forward so prominently so quickly and obviously I think it's going to continue to be very present whether it's in our you know school, college, jobs, whatever. So I think it is good to you know we can't ignore it as like oh you can't use it at school. Well then it's still going to be out there in the real world. Like learning how to use it responsibly I think is important. And I also think, you know, I'm at I'm at school every day. I see how my peers do some of their assignments. And I think that a district issued list of this is when it's okay to use AI. This is when it's not that that's not going to do
082anything. I don't kids already use it to write full essays. It's not, you know, I think there are ways to use it responsibly and there are ways to teach it teach how to use it responsibly. it's very hard to follow through on that responsible usage and I don't have a solution to that. Um, I also did something I said earlier. I think that when this roll out happens, there needs to be public messaging from the district letting students know like this is the environmental impacts of AI cuz I think there have been that's something I'm really concerned about. A lot of my peers are concerned about I know you pro the board knows East Climate Club is very involved, very vocal. Um, and I think they've worked really hard to let this board know how
083much students are passionate about, you know, the environments is our future. It's a huge issue and I'm sure you guys have all heard about the impacts AI has on it. And from a personal standpoint, I think it's the responsibility of AI developers or people who are, you know, like like this, you know, making AI accessible to students in this way. I think you I think that's a good thing. And it's also your responsibility then to let the people who are making it available to know the impacts of it. So whether that's going to be a statement saying as you're using this know this is what's happening in the background to make this math problem worked out for you possible cuz it's not insignificant. And I've told I've like I've walked up to my friends I've
084been chachy ptinging a chemistry problem to figure it out. I've done it, too. It's a useful tool, but I'm like, but we don't, you know, I think there needs to be more publicity about how that's going to be impacting our futures. And this is something I think about all the time, and obviously me going on a whole tangent about it makes that clear. But I put on my common app when I was applying to colleges, I put a disclaimer on my common app saying I did not use a single piece of AI on this because I feel so nervous about my work being discredited as AI. And that's something like I never used on assignments and I have, you know, and I constantly like I turn in an assignment, I'm like, "Oh my gosh, I
085hope my teacher doesn't think I used AI because there's an M dash in here." And that's a really weird feeling. Yeah. >> Thank you. And I think that's the sentiment that we're feeling is that it's being used. It's being used widely and we want to make sure that we're uh we're putting our arms around it and trying to to make sure that we're we're uh helping provide some guidance in in what's happening and it's because I think the wild west is kind of happening behind the scenes and we want to make sure that we we bring it into the forefront so that we can provide some some uh thoughtful scaffolding and guidance as we work together. We realize this is going it's going to be it it's going to be an evolving piece for our
086society, an evolving piece for our schools. Uh but we we need to we need to at least figure out what that's going to look like so that we can teach responsible use but also equitable use. I think that's another piece is that some people have access right now and others don't. And I think uh thinking about that accessibility with Gemini so that that people can be trained up when we think about uh job skills for the future. I think that it's important for people to understand uh ho how to use AI and what it what it looks like. So I think that's going to be critical for us as well. >> Thank you. Member Laughler. Yeah, I I just I really appreciate this discussion and just wearing my policy chair hat, look forward to any
087policies or regulations that might need to go through our committees as we uh roll this out and as we uh explore what other districts are doing uh as well. >> Yeah, we do plan to bring that forward in the very near future. >> And I just wanted to thank Representative Dean for your comments. Um, I know many students, including my own, that share your concerns, especially about the environmental impacts. Um, that's when I when we have AI discussions at home, that's the main topic from my own my own kids. So, thank you. I know you're not alone in that feeling. Seeing no further business from the human resources business services committee, um I'll turn it over to member Laughler Camp for the policy committee update. >> Great. Thank you. We held our policy committee uh
088just last Thursday, November 13th. And as uh member Saddowski said, our our policy committee is also on YouTube uh and the discussions um that we had at that meeting. So, I encourage people who want more background information um to go to that meeting. I'm just going to do some highlights and as we always do uh at our meetings uh with policy, I I'll read uh the the purpose of the policy um not the whole policy itself. Uh and again, I want to thank uh board member um Micel and board member uh Lo for being a part of our meeting last week. So the first policy for first reading that we're looking at is policy 205. Uh that's our advertising policy and it's replacing 1025 and 10:30. And the purpose of this policy is to provide
089guidelines for the advertising or promoting of products or services to students and parents in the schools. And it goes over the guidelines. Uh and then again at the end uh like every policy does legal references and cross references and I just wanted to point out uh in the cross references of this policy it does highlight uh policy 810 uh which we're going to be reviewing uh later on and that's the naming rights and naming school facilities. And this was referenced in some of our other updates. So I just wanted to uh reference it um with this first reading. Um for second reading we have uh three policies uh and these are new policies. Um and they're really to bring our um policies up to best practice in the uh with these three. But uh the
090first one um is policy 303 superintendent selection. And the purpose of this policy is to convey to the school community that the authority to select and employ a superintendent is vested in the school board. Uh policy 304 superintendent contract duties and evaluation. The purpose of this policy is to provide for the use of an employment con contract with the superintendent, a position description, and the use of an improved instrument to evaluate performance. And then uh the third policy uh again for second reading is policy 306 administrative code of ethics. The purpose of this policy is to establish the requirements of the school board that school administrators adhere to the standards of ethics and professional conduct in this policy in Minnesota law. Then uh the list of policies that we reviewed uh mainly because of legislative
091ch changes uh is policy 516 um student medication and teleaalth. Uh the purpose of this policy is to set forth the provisions that must be followed when administering non-emergency prescription medication to students at schools. And again, uh there were some language changes. Uh policy 516.5 overdose medication. Uh the purpose of this one is as a means of enhancing the health and safety of its students, staff, and visitors. The school district will acquire, administer, and store doses of an op opiate uh specifically Nexalon uh Narcan and administration devices or kits for emergency use to assist a student, staff member, or other individual believed or suspected to be experiencing an opioid overdose on school district property during the school day. I I wanted to mention uh the the the first one I just read uh policy 516.
092Uh if you go at the end again, we actually passed that in 2023. Uh and we also just reviewed it uh in February of 2025. So, uh, and then the one I just read, 516.5, again, um, it was, uh, first passed in 2023, and was reviewed, uh, last time in, uh, September of 23. Uh, the next policy is policy 534, school meals policy. Uh the purpose of this policy is to ensure that students receive healthy and nutritious meals through the school district's nutrition program and that school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The uh the policy of the school district is to provide meals to students in a respectful manner and to maintain the dignity of students by prohibiting lunch shaming or otherwise ostracizing the student. The
093policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day and minimize identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for alocart items or second meals as well as to maintain the financial integrity of the school nutrition program. And again, really appreciate Sheila Oaks, our food nutrition director's um uh review of this policy again. And there were some legislative changes last reviewed on November of 2023. And then uh the last one uh for review is uh policy 810 and another board member uh recommended that you all um re review this uh closely because we will be discussing it in the future. Uh but again uh 810 is the naming rights in naming school facilities and the purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria and procedures for
094granting naming rights in relation to school district facilities including buildings and grounds. And um we had initially passed this back in uh May of 2021. And uh I know at that time a lot of review and thought was put into this policy and looking at other districts. Um and again um there's just been some legislative changes. So that those are the policies for review. Uh and then um policies for consideration of de uh deleting. Uh again, this is as we've been going through the thou the different series um thousand series and uh this month we looked at the 4,000 series. Uh we had 10 28 policies that uh uh were brought forward and uh as we went through them, we uh did choose to delete because these policies fall into other policies or other places.
095Uh so we did choose to delete um uh seven or eight of them and I'll just read the title of those that we deleted. Uh and the rest in that series will be brought back uh to our policy committee. Uh but policies to be deleted are 4,000 general human and community resources and relations policy policy 405 school district employees identification uh policy 4025 standards of conduct for personnel 4095 student teachers 4115 professional leave with pay 4120 contractual leaves without pay 41 50 employees, organizations, and 4115 pay for substitute teachers and temporary classified personnel. And again, they either fall under other policies or other uh uh uh uh school district employee handbook books as well. So, those were uh our policies for this month. Uh do we have any questions? you have a question. >> Just
096a comment. Since we were talking about the naming rights uh policy, since we were talking about action upon the naming rights policy, just want to point out for the board that most of the any of the changes were very very minor just procedural ways of uh capitalization and making sure the formatting was the same. there there weren't any process changes and so we can uh proceed with that work uh according to the spirit of of the the policy. >> Thank you. I'm just always amazed at the amount of work that you guys plow through every meeting and just um when I started on the board I remember sitting down I believe member Laughler Kemp it was with you and at the time Superintendent Grth in the big 4,000 binder that was >> probably like that.
097So to see us move past those do the work so that we have um continuity through policies and all I just want you to know I really appreciate it. So, thank you to that committee. >> We appreciate that. [snorts] And I I would just add uh our uh next policy committee is on December 11th at 4:30. And again, uh as always, we we we want to uh thank um our executive secretary, Patty Pquette, for all the work she does to help bring these policies forward and uh make the changes uh and the recommendations u based on board discussions. So again, huge appreciation, Patty. Um, seeing no further discussion [clears throat] for our policy committee, we can now move on to any general board committee updates. And do we have any board members who'd like to
098share some committee updates? Member Saddowski. I would just like to thank member Laughafler Kemp for attending the Head Start Policy Council meeting in mystead while I was out of town. I really appreciate it. Thank you. I I'll just do a quick update on it then. Uh thank you. It was uh held last week and uh it was great to um be working with Barbara Ecberg, our new Head Start director, uh as she um worked with uh uh the new parent council and did some training as well as they elected their officers for the year and um to just get to meet some of the parent rep representatives that come from different schools that have um across the district with Head Start programs and uh we have some really uh wonderful parents involved at that level
099in a leadership role. So, thank you. Do we have any other committee updates? Seeing [snorts] no other committee updates, we can now move on to the consent agenda. So, we're opening up um discussion or we're opening up to the consent agenda. So, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So, moved. >> Moved by member Micasell. Do we have a second? >> Second. Member Loal. Now, we're opening [snorts] it up to discussion. So, let's hear it. >> Sure. I would like to um have a discussion about the field trip requests um that are mentioned uh in the consent agenda 1B 4B. Uh there are four of them. Uh I'm just wanting clarification mostly. Um, it's the Duth East Nordic Ski Club to West Yellowstone, Montana, Lakewood Elementary, Wolf Ridge, U fifth graders,
100Duth East Capella Choir to New York City, and then the final one is the Duth East Chamber Orchestra, Sterling Strings to Chicago, Illinois. Uh, I am bringing um my questions because I need clarification. >> Yeah. Okay. So hold on. I'm just writing. So now we have >> So member Banks, you would like to pull this off the consent agenda and then we can discuss it after >> the consent agenda. Does that work for you? >> Sure. >> Right. Okay. Yes. >> So I'm just making sure I'm having this correct. So we're going to pull off 1B 4B all four field trips. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Great. So, we will pull that off the consent agenda to take up for discussion immediately after we vote on the consent agenda. Thank you, Member Banks, and
101thank you for um being patient with me right now as I navigate this member. And I'd also like to pull off of our consent agenda. I would like to pull off um under two finances letter C and then numbers one and two. So it is two C bids, RFPs and quotes number one and number two. And I'd like to pull those off for discussion. And I also would like clarification. Yeah, that's okay. We'll we'll go with that. Just give me one minute here. I'm just making sure I have these are listed differently in different agendas in different places. So I just want to make sure I have them correct when I pull them when So you are talking about on the consent agenda. Sorry. Y >> So on the consent agenda, you do have two
102B. Yep, I see where it is. I just had it on me. I was incorrect though. I had it written down. You're under two C, bid one, and bid two. Thank you. Okay, thank you. So, we have pulled off the consent agenda um the field trip discussion which is B B 1 2 3 and 4. And then we're also pulling off B 2 C 1 and 2. Okay, perfect. Um, with those pulled off the consent agenda, we now will vote on the consent agenda without those items listed on the consent agenda. [snorts] So, all those in favor of the consent agenda as it stands right now, please say I. >> I opposed. The consent agenda has passed. We will now take up the items that have been removed from the consent agenda. Um and I'll
103do it in order from which they were were pulled. So we will begin with discussion on um on one B. I just had it. Sorry everybody. 1B 2 4 B. It's just the one. So um member banks, >> thank you very much. So [snorts] I I just want to take a moment if we could have just a brief discussion on the field trips. I have three uh specific questions. Uh and you can answer probably um all of the questions for all four perhaps. Um f the first one um how many students per field trip and at the same time how many chaperones will be participating? I know our policy is that there needs to be one chaperon per 20 students and for some of the low >> I'm not sure if the reasons that we're
104asking for a delay meet the recommendations of how bids should be if a bid should be rejected. Um so while I feel that there might be greater conversations around you know the um the different projects and the different people who submitted bids when I look at how this was um handled it seems as though everything is appropriate and to our policies. So if we want to have a discussion about changing our policy so that we have more authority in those ways or a different authority that might also be something that's up for discussion. Um, but I personally based on our current policies, I'm not sure that we have reason to not support what administration has brought forward to us at this time. >> Can I ask a follow-up question? That was member Williams. >> Member
105Williams. >> Uh, member Mikeel, can you read that portion that talks about the rejection piece? The rejection of bids. Thank you. >> So, rejection of bids. Should the low bidder one have a bid in excess of the budget for the project, two be determined as not reliable, or three have failed to provide the necessary bid security, the bid shall be rejected through schoolboard action upon recommendation of the business services committee. The school board reserves the right to withhold the bidder's quote good faith and quote guarantee if the bidder fails to meet the conditions of the submitted bid. >> Thank you. >> Member Saddowski. Um, if I bring it back to the Lel uh elementary project, um, I guess one and I I would say I agree with what you what member Mikeell just said. Um,
106when I look at these bids, you know, one concern I have is that um, our the bid that was brought forth, the lowest bid, Westcom, they're not um they're not part of our local union. I don't um they're part of a union but not not our AFL CIO union. Um so I I would just I kind of shared what I'll be looking for moving forward which is um I want to follow up on prevailing wage. I appreciate that member Lo um brought up that there are different maybe different types or different amounts of prevailing wage depending on you know obviously what position it is um depending on apparently the unions and that sort of thing. So I think for me the concerns that I have um this did follow the bidding process. It's the lowest
107responsible bid. And I think it'll be really important to make sure that we're doing our due diligence to follow up on these and really keep tabs on the change orders that are coming in, if so, and the prevailing wage and making sure that those are followed. Um, they should be because we're asking them to do that. Um, but I think it'd be worth just following up on that. >> Member Lo. Yep. And I I follow this conversation and that's why I pulled it is so we could have, you know, further conversation too. I don't mind not um holding off on this, especially the low one that has not as many alt. But, you know, I I do question why why does Wolf River give us a light pole um quote, but again, that's why I
108would like more opportunity. I did listen to your HR. I did hear um um Mr. Brown come before us and I don't question that. And and you're right, we they have followed the process to a tea. So, I'm just um I'm just also, you know, laying out for board members maybe if if we have some concerns that we look at our policy and and see if we want to make any movement there. But, um yeah, and I I just I I somewhat wonder why such a big such a big gap in the bids, you know, that you know, that that's really, you know, kind of an eyeopener for us. And again, I I just got this when I got back from my time away as well, and so I haven't had as much time to
109dig into it. So, I thought if it wasn't something that um needed a deadline that we could maybe talk a little bit more, but you're right, um member Mike, I'm not I'm not I am not going to support not fulfilling this. It it is we followed every bid process and I think we'd be out of um apply compliance as a school board unless we had something that confirmed one two or three that you just read for member my um Williams and I'm I'm not I'm not going you know I don't have anything for that. I think that everything has been responsible. So, I just want further clarification about um just where we're, you know, where we're going with it. And and again, the L one wasn't my major concern, but if you want to vote
110on them separate, that's good, too. That's appropriate. >> Do we have any further discussion? Member Saddowski? >> Uh I would just say that I echo your concerns about the large gap in the bids. Um and I think um I have concerns about the reasons for that gap including um making sure the prevailing wage and and looking at you know people that might bid low and then have the change orders come in. So I I too am concerned about that and I appreciate the discussion. So if I am hearing the board right now, I've jotted down a couple things for us to think about and whether that um and for us to address is the prevailing wage question, change order followup and how does and do we have any what is our responsibility within our policy
111and how our policy reads and then I would also add what is our um statutory obligations um maybe a refresher for all of us as we walk through a lot of these processes. is um so does that sound does that sound like an accurate reflection of sort of this discussion right now for us to put on our um agenda moving forward for us as a board to do that work outside of this particular bid. So we >> you repeat that question. I'm sorry. So, I guess what I'm saying is there's three things that I'm hearing from us. The prevailing wage question, change order, follow-up, and then what policies do we what does our policy look like? Is it reflective of what the board um wants? And then in that policy that we have 726, what
112are what are our statutory state and federal statutory obligations when we think about um how the how our bidding process is and any adjustments we want to make to it? um that would be work for us to do outside of just this particular bid. Correct. When we think about how our bidding process looks as a whole. Does that sound as I'm just taking notes for? Okay. [snorts] We have a motion on the floor from member Loal. It was seconded by member Laughler Kemp and we have had our discussion. So, I'm guessing that at this point nobody has pulled this off or tabled it. So, we'll have a vote. All those in favor of >> Are we Are we voting on the low lighting? >> The low lighting. Yeah, cuz we pulled it. Yeah. Point of
113order. I made a motion to pull it off, didn't I? I think I did. >> And there was a second. So, you have to vote on that motion. >> No, you already pulled it off. You made a motion to move it and then the second so that we could have discussion. >> So I didn't make a motion to hold off on approving this this contract. >> That's not what we heard. >> Okay. Okay. Good deal. I'm glad. >> Did I miss hear it? >> Okay. So we've had a motion from member Loel, a second from member Laughler Kemp. We had our discussion. Um I see for us to move on to the vote. So, all of those in favor of this low lighting project, please signify by saying I. >> I. Nay. This lighting project
114has been approved. Now, we will move on to the next item that was pulled off the consent agenda, 1B2C2, the Lincoln Park lighting project. Do I have a motion um to app to approve this bidding to approve this contract? Member Williams, do I have a second? >> I thought we were going to discuss this. >> Yeah, we have to go. We discuss Yes. Yeah. Yep. Um and so we have an a movement from member Williams. A movement. Um Member Williams has moved this motion forward. Member Saddowski has seconded it. At this point, we are in discussion about this lighting project. So, let's um member Loalt, >> since I pulled it, I feel like I should at least start it because I'm the one that have questions about it. And this is the one that I
115thought, you know, just really, this is the first one I really studied, you know, when I was getting ready for board work over the weekend. And I I just really questioned the whole alt number provide concrete bases for light poles and how that kind of played into the base bid. And so I would just like more clarification on why that you know what does that in what does that really mean in in the process of accepting a bid? And so my thought coming to tonight's board meeting is I wanted to have conversation for more conversation from facilities as or from ICS about that kind of bid acceptance. I mean it still goes to Wolf River Electric because the bids are $45,122 apart. So, it still is in line with everything we ask. And again, I'm
116really not bringing these up almost like Mr. Bang said, like with the intention of not going through and approving these. They followed our facilities and um Director Zunich followed what we gave them as board. So, they did everything they did, right? I'm just coming before the board saying I have concerns about this and you know we should um have conversation about if we want to look at our process as a board to help us clarify companies coming for us and bidding on our project so they have a clear idea of what we're looking for as a board. But I do I have concerns and maybe I I've talked to um member Zunich earlier and so I I've I know that it's it it is a separate line item of materials and bids, but I just
117don't know why it's not added to the base bid. It would just make easier. >> Small, >> that's okay. >> Executive Director Zunich. Yeah, I I [clears throat] did chat with um facilities manager Brian Brown about these um alternates. Um they are it's typical to add these to a bid, but what we're accepting is the base bid of the the lowest bid of 948. The alternates are um they're they're allowing the project owner, which is us, the school board, um to compare different different pricing options if if it comes up that they want to do these different projects. Apparently, the lights outside at Lincoln um sometimes aren't they need help and they need extra work. So, they they put that in there. So all the biders added the alternates but the bid was the acceptance
118was based on the base bid. Those alternates does not mean it's happening. That's just uh an option for the school board to say hey if we choose to do a further in-depth uh part of this project that's how much it would cost. So that's why you see on the letter it says we're accepting the base bid of 948,000. Um and I would be more than happy to convey this information, you know, to uh the facilities manager um to let them know. So, >> member Sidowski, >> I would just uh thank you, Director Zunich, for looking into that for us and clarifying that for us. So, kind of what I'm understanding is um and this is what I thought we were doing is is we're, you know, considering the base bid. That's our bid. And then
119these are just kind of options. The alternate like if we decided to um do concrete base uh bases for the light poles going across at the alternates that's what each organization or business would charge us for that extra work. Correct. So um thank you for clarifying that. Um, when looking at the bids, you know, Wolf River Electric came in at $256,912 less than Hunt Electric. Um, I still share Member Lo's other concerns just about that gap and where it comes from. Hunt is is is a union shop, so we know that they're abiding by the strictest of prevailing wages and taking care of their workers with healthcare benefits and and all of those things. And so, um, but we have a fiscal responsibility to the district as well to make sure that we're doing these
120projects, um, with the lowest responsible bidder and that they're we also have a, you know, uh, as I've said, I don't want to sound repetitive, but we we do need to make sure, I think, moving forward that they this company truly is paying those prevailing wages. That's going to be really important to me um as I keep an eye on the work and get updates from our um business services >> member Loeld and then Superintendent Maggus. >> So I'll just agree with members and then I'll just go out on a on my own um thought about the fact that we've got um a non-union shop Wolf River from Isanti. their workers are not from Duth. They're not giving any opportunity to our our workers here in Duth to be able to work during the holidays
121and during this time of economic kind of struggles that we're all having. So, I'm concerned about that. And again, it's no fault of our process or our work our our leadership here. It's a conundrum that we have a maybe there's a lot of um there's a lot of companies that do work that like this and and they all are looking for work so they um they submit bids but I I still um will be looking forward to more conversation from board members about the fact that you know I I'm not happy not giving um work to families that attend our schools and do so much more for us when they give us um opportunities. They they donate monies to our our clubs and our activities. So, just a a comment. >> Superintendent Magus. Uh yes,
122I think it would be good for us um to to have further conversation um about not just these bids but the bidding process in general just because um I definitely I try and listen for for the the center of thinking on the board and sometimes I well some sometimes it would appear that the board has sentiments about ensuring that that bids are local union as opposed to necessarily the the least expensive. And so I think we have to consider how does that how does that play into our process and maybe there's a need for a change in in our board policy or at least at least conversation around things so that we and I think bringing ICS into that conversation would be good because uh your concerns about prevailing wage and is there their there
123creep there and I think sometimes there are questions as to you know sometimes somebody might say that they're a union shop but it might not be a local union shop. I think those are all questions that we've wrestled with quite a bit and um I want to make sure that I'm serving the board well and that the administration is serving the the uh spirit of what the board is asking for and also that to member Mike's uh point that that we if we need to make sure that our policies align with what we want our practices to be. Um, I would say that I find this discussion incredibly incredibly helpful and I'm very um glad that we are having the courage to go ahead and have these conversations around what does prevailing wage look like?
124Um, do we actually within our policies and our bidding processes, are we actually um making sure that everybody's coming in on a playing field that looks alike? Right? So, I think that these are good questions to have and I think a larger conversation I would definitely support a larger conversation um with ICS and then us as a board to go ahead and wrap all of these concerns into policy or practice or whatever that looks like. I would like to bring us back though to policy 726 at this exact moment. Do we have um the B do we have the width or I don't know what word I'm trying to do we have can we what exactly are we able to do in this moment with this bid um moving forward. So I just want us
125to all think about the particulars of this bid holding that in one thought and then in the other thought what do we look what do we want to do moving forward as we as we enter all of these projects. So that would be my piece to it. And then member Laughler camp. >> Yeah, real good discussion and I share many of the concerns about using local union labor. Um I guess um as part of our process um uh particularly around prevailing wages because once a company's going you can't demand them to use prevailing wages. You can't stop that. So it might be helpful for all of us to better understand what prevailing wages are and how they work within companies. Um uh and so I I guess as part of our process um that would
126be one we we can't just watch for it. We we've got to um uh uh have the knowledge of it uh as the project is is beginning. And so um um I I think again this is a good discussion. I think u the education has to happen quicker than later especially with these two projects we have concerns about. Thank you member Laughler camp. Do we have any other discussion around All right. So, seeing no further discussion, we have a motion to approve um the Lincoln Park Middle School lighting replacement. Seeing no further discussion, we will have a vote. All those in favor of pro of approving this contract, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. We have approved this project with the caveat that going forward the board has worked well
127there's no caveat on that that's uncavatable um but we do know and recognize as a board that we are going to do some work on this moving forward and to member Laughler Kemp's point um I think it is important that we do it sooner rather than later so that is something that um superintendent Magus and myself as the board chair will make sure that we get moving forward for the board as a whole to have those discussions. So, please feel free to reach out and hold um Superintendent Magus and myself accountable for making sure that we get that work done. Okay. Thank you to the board. I appreciate that work and I also appreciate your patience with me today on this. Moving forward, let um we have some resolutions from our committee reports. The first
128resolution we have is B125413131. Um, member Saddowski, >> give me one minute here. [laughter] >> Switch gears. >> I'm still deep in thought about our process. I got it. Thank you. So, resolutions. going to move resolution B uh-1254131. This is a resolution authorizing the um execution and delivery of an amendment to installment purchase contract and a supplement to declaration of trust and approving the issuance sale and delivery of $9,80,000 in full-term certificate of participation um series 2 2025B. So I move resolution B1 11254131. >> Do we have a second? Member Banks has seconded. Do we have any discussion on this resolution? Seeing no further discussion on the resolution, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Next with member Loofald, we have the resolution for
129acceptance of donations. Um I move resolution B-11-25 4132 and it's the resolution the acceptance of donations whereas Minnesota statute 465.03 requires a school district to accept donations by resolution expressed in the terms prescribed by the donor in full. And whereas acceptance of the donation in accordance with the donor's terms is in the best interest of the DUTH public schools. Now therefore be it resolved that the DUTH public schools does accept the below described don donations from said organizations in accordance with the terms set forth within. Be it further resolved that the duth public schools wishes to extend its grateful appreciation to these various individuals and organizations. And there are four pages and I know in and members zowski's or um finance and HR she said I would highlight some of the the great ones but
130I I think they're all great and so I I don't want to read the whole thing. We've looked at them, but um it's on board book and I encourage our community to look over again the generous donations that go to schools like Myers Wilkins or Dean East, Piedmont, Congden, Denfeld, Lincoln Park districtwide. Um so all lots of schools get lots of um donations from our community throughout the year. >> Member Loeld has moved the resolution forward. Do we have a second? >> Second. Member uh Laughler camp has seconded it. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Next, um member Mikeel, we have resolution on acceptance of grant awards to the Duth Public Schools. Yes. I move resolution B-11-25-4133, acceptance of grant
131awards duth public schools. Whereas Minnesota statute 465.03 03 requires school district to accept grants by resolution expressed in the terms prescribed by the donor in full and whereas acceptance of the grant in accordance to the donor's terms is the best interest of the duth school board or duth public schools uh now therefore be it reol resolved yep that the duth public schools does accept the below described grant from the organization in accordance to the terms set forth within be it further resolved duth public schools wishes to extend its grateful appreciation to this organization and um the author was Tracy Hollesack with our um adviser to our DUTH HOSA chapter which are future health care professionals. Um as a current healthc care professional, I would like to thank Essentia Health for um making a donation to
132um our Duth Hosa chapter so that they can attend events, travel, and have their membership fees and dues covered. Member Mike Cells moved the resolution forward. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Member Williams has seconded. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no further discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Next, member banks, we have resolution. Um, yes, we have the resolution. >> Okay. Thank you very much. I'd like to move resolution B1254135, a resolution authorizing the closing of the sale of real property with the street address of 24XX East Pioneer Road, Duth, Minnesota. Whereas by resolution B3 25-4092 dated March 27, 2025, the board here and after the school board of school district number 32, County of St. Louisis state of Minnesota NKA Independent
133School District number 709. The district previously authorized upon the identification of a buyer and agreement to all terms and conditions of a sale the sale of real property legally described on exhibit Attached here to the real property. And whereas the school board has reviewed and considered a written purchase agreement for the sale of the real property. Now therefore, be it resolved that the school board authorizes the execution of the purchase agreement by schoolboard chair Kelly Durick Eater and authorizes schoolboard chair Kelly Durk Eater to sign all other documents required to carry out and close the sale and conveyance of the real property and the performance and obligations of the district under the purchase agreement. >> Thank you. Member Banks has moved this resolution forward. Do we have a second? Second. >> I don't know who
134to pick. We're going to go with member Laughler Camp on that one. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Next, member Laughler Kemp, we have a resolution. >> Just want to say on that last resolution after we had that meeting, I I actually went and checked out the property. >> Oh, you did? >> Uh, yeah. It's in my district. Uh so uh [laughter] okay. So resolution um I move resolution SP uh 11254136 schoolboard attendance at 2026 2026 NSBA leadership conference resolve that Independent School District 709 St. Louisis County, [snorts] Minnesota. Pay cost incurred as per district policy for schoolboard members to attend the Minnesota Schoolboard Association 2026 Leadership Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 14th through the 16th,
13520 2016. Member Laughler Kemp has moved the resolution forward. Do we have a second? >> I I'll second that. >> Member Lal is second. Do we have any discussion? Member Banks, >> I just have a quick question, >> please. >> So, with this resolution, is there any possible provision to prov to provide um opportunities for our student school board members to attend or is that um specifically for school board members elected? I believe it's for school board members elected and I believe there is a sec there's a different conference that has been moved forward for the school board for our student school board rep reps and um that is something member member superintendent Magus I know that it came up this year but I I'm not sure that >> yeah representative Dean do you have
136any comments on that for member banks >> oh I was just gonna say I know I did receive a little bit of information about a conference and I knew I had a prior conflict. So, I didn't pursue more info about it, but I've heard of events like >> Yeah. And I and I don't believe right, Superintendent Maggus, there's Go ahead. Sorry. >> Sure. So, there is a uh student uh represent representative u training and mini conference that they have. Uh, I've been kind of pushing MSBA to maybe rotate where that is located because it tends to be located uh in the cities or or further away. And so I think it would be nice if it rotated from place to place a little bit or maybe if they could offer uh maybe a couple of
137different events in a couple of different parts of the state because usually our school board representatives are extremely busy and for them to take an entire day or two off to do that is is challenging. Uh and to your point, member banks, um as far as student um representation, we we're actually looking at having a u there's a we have a couple of uh student activities that were included in the showcase. One was the um the culinary arts program uh was part of part of the showcase accepted. And so we're going to have them we we're actually uh funding a charter bus I or I think it's a charter bus or voyager bus for our students to to uh go down and attend the MSBA conference for the showcase. Um and then the the point
138I was going to make since my mic is on it's not in response to yours is uh just that I really appreciate the board's dedication uh to MSBA and the trainings we've had. I know some of some of the things that we wrestle with here uh are perfect examples of of things that that um that spending time with MSBA really helps us hone our like we talked about how it's really good to be able to have tough conversations together. I think that u those are things that that are are part of the training that people go through and I I just want to uh give a shout out to the board for always being uh very uh thoughtful in your membership and participation in those training events. Member Banks. >> Yeah. And the reason I
139asked that question, uh, because I knew that there were going to be students from our district, um, heading to this event. It would be great if, um, our school board representatives, our student schoolboard representatives could be there in support of their peers. And so, I thought that would make a nice uh, connection. So, >> yes. Thank you. >> Just wanted to put that out there. Thank you. Member Banks, member Laughafler Kemp, >> more more forformational. Um, most years there is a schoolboard uh panel. Um, I've uh facilitated it at times. We've actually in the past have had our school board members uh participate in some of those panels over the years that I've been on the board. So there have been some opportunities for kind of a one day often student rep our student reps
140can commit to the the couple days that that of the the full conference but um you know and then we've talked about other ways we've gotten students involved and uh made the requ we've had choir groups uh come down and a lot lot of other ways but um uh I I would support uh working to get that uh schoolboard conference student schoolboard conference closer to home because it it is I I've noticed um that it's always been kind of far away for our our group. So, thank you. >> Thank you. And seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of support of the resolution, please signify by saying I >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. And I um accidentally shut down my >> motion to adjurnn. Right. We have no questions or other. Yeah, >>
141one other. Sorry, [laughter] I got us through. >> No. Yes, Superintendent Maggus. >> Um, >> our lobbyist uh Jeff Anderson uh has received uh responses from five board members for the survey for the legislative uh part. I'm not asking for for names, but if the two who didn't could respond, that would be super awesome if uh possible before Thursday. Thank you. Can I add to that because I I I sent a response to um Jeff Anderson and he doesn't know like I said I I don't remember I I think I did it I I can remember answering some questions but I just couldn't remember and he said well I really don't know who has and who hasn't um because he he doesn't know. So I'm thinking did I did I do it twice because is
142is five really maybe seven. Yeah. So just >> Yeah. And I may have done it twice, too, because I I did it right. I think I did it right away. [laughter] Did I hit send? I'm not sure. So, everybody should do it. [laughter] I'm not stacking the legislative. I just think I did it. Oh, sure. That's awesome. All right. Do we have any other questions? Seeing no other questions, do we have a a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> Member member Williams moved. Member Saddowski seconded. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. Opposed we are journed.