001Good afternoon and welcome to the Duth School District October business meeting. And before we get started today, I just want to send out our wholehearted support and fandom um for our boys soccer team from Denfeld who are down in their first game for state and for our girls soccer team from East who are also playing for state. So, um we look forward to watching both those teams be very successful in their representation of Duth. So, go Hounds and go Hunters. Moving on, I will ask the clerk to do roll call. Member Banks >> here. >> Chair Durk Eater here. >> Member Laughler Kemp >> here. >> Member Lald >> here. >> I am Member Mel I am here. Member Sidowski >> here. >> Member Williams >> here. >> Superintendent Maggus >> here. >> Assistant Superintendent
002Bonds >> present. >> Deputy Clerk Zunich >> present. >> Board Secretary Pettz >> here. And our student representatives, um, Taylor GS and Dean are excused. Um, >> yep. Uh, one is down at the state tournament, uh, cheering on boys soccer team, and the other is at rehearsal for a fall play, which we'll hear about in her report. And all calls complete. >> That's what I was going to do. Friday. Now, if you're able or willing, please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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. Now we move on and look for approval for this um evening's agenda. Do we have a motion? >> So moved. >> Member Loal
003has moved for the approval of the agenda. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Member Williams has seconded it. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of approving the agenda, please say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. The agenda has been approved. We now move on for this month's school and community recognition and we'll turn it over to Assistant Superintendent Bonds. >> Thank you. Good evening board um and community. Um tonight it is my distinct pleasure to recognize one of our exceptional educators, Allison Wood, a science teacher at Denfeld High School. We are here to celebrate her remarkable remarkable accomplishment of being awarded a 2025 2026 fullbrite distinguished award in teaching research fellowship. This is an incredible incredibly competitive and prestigious award sponsored by the US Department of State.
004Allison is one of only 14 K12 educators to be selected for this honor. She will conduct her research in Greece starting this February of 26 until June of 26. Her research project will focus on how schools in Athens and throughout the country incorporate citizen science, which she will share what that means later, and outdoor data collection into their curriculum. When she returns, Allison plans to share her knowledge by providing professional development sessions to teachers here in Duth. Her commitment ensures that this international exchange experience will directly benefit our teachers, our students, and the entire district. We are and I am immensely proud of Allison for receiving such an esteemed award. Her success brings honor to Denfeld High School and to our entire community. Please join me in congratulating Allison Wood. She is a true example
005of one of our worldclass educators right here in Duth. Congratulations. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And I would like to add I I will also add that um when I became uh had the privilege of serving and being uh recognized as the assistant superintendent uh for Duth, Allison was the first person to reach out to me via email and invite me on a uh a walk with her dog name >> Willow. >> Yep. Yep. >> So and I took her up on that offer. So I I remember that finally because uh we actually did that. I think I did I drag you to Chester? >> It was Chester. Okay, we did. We did. >> Yep. Uphill, downhill. >> Yeah. So, congratulations. >> Yeah. >> And I'll let you um tell us a
006little about the the research and the experience and >> Yeah. Thank you all. I'm super excited. I will be at some point figuring out maybe with the help of Adele how to share things while I'm there because I need to figure out a way to make it easy for people to put it somewhere where kids can get at. And my hope is that then the questions can come from kids. You know, what does the grocery store look like? What does a classroom look like? So, I'm really excited. It was a very delayed process. This all started last winter. The applications were due in January and we were supposed to find out in June and given the budget of our federal government, we had no clue until right before school started. And so, it has been
007a fast and furious entry into this whole process. I think I'm still digesting the fact that it's real and that I get to go. Normally it's about 30 or 40 people that do this program and it's down to 14 this year. And so that's also settling in like wow they actually like my idea and I get to go and do this. And so the idea uh citizen science is the idea if anyone has the Merlin app or the I naturalist app if if you're the dorky people in the room that do those things which is not dorky anymore. It's quite cool. um is to get out there and get students, adults, whoever out watching the natural world. And then if you are recording it, which not everything has to become real by putting it on
008the web, but in the world of data collection, if you can put things out there, then other people can verify it, watch it. And the hopes is that then we can be more conscious of anything whether it's climate change data whether it's changes to trees and changes to animals changes to water temperature and Europe has a whole set of citizen science platforms where people go out and collect data and put it onto their platforms and then scientists anywhere can look at it. So we have I naturalist is pretty strong here. There's a kid version called Nature's Nook or Nature's Notebook and then they are using other ones there and my hope is that there's too much connected between the world now. I feel like it'd be really cool if we could get schools on both
009sides to start using shared platforms. So my hope is that we can get classrooms at the same time there and here doing some sort of experience. So far, I'm working with some people down at the mainu and they're they are really excited about helping set this up so that we could get something at the same time, same topic or something similar and then communicate data in between. So, I'm really excited to figure out teachers are sometimes not super excited or know what to do when they take their kids outside, right? It's chaos or it feels like it will be. And we've gotten to the point where we have our cute little playgrounds outside that are a little bit more rustic and we still have some teachers who will take their kids outside. And so my
010hope is that if we can make more suggestions and give data collection because then people say, "Well, I don't have the time with all the standards we have to cover." Well, if we can get the data collection piece to cover standards at the same time as getting kids outside. Yesterday I took my natural resources class outside with binoculars and we were just in the little dip old front door of Denfeld and we were just sitting around and I thought they were going to be super embarrassed walking around the building with binoculars and um just sitting in the courtyard because all the windows look out. They were not at all. There's a pigeon. Oh my god, was that a crow or a raven? I mean, they're just like it didn't really matter, right? they just getting
011them outside noticing. So my hope is that it will help teachers who are scared get their kids outside if we can push this a little bit more give more lessons more examples. My hope is that I can go there and the reason Athens is so cool is that one of the main women who publishes on this topic for all of Europe is at the University of Athens. Um, so she's going to be my mentor and uh we're still communicating a little bit as to if I'll work directly with her or one of her grad students, but to get connected to the teachers in Greece that are doing this already. I'm secretly hoping maybe she can also connect because she works really closely with Finland and Germany and some other places. So, I might have to
012go and visit some other places to visit schools uh and see how they're doing it and um get ideas. They are their schools are arranged very differently and they're much tighter. Their day gets done by 1:00 or something in the afternoon and then if you have money you go get tutored after that. So public education is super short in the day. So I want to see how they're covering. How can they fit this in and work on that? So questions. I don't know. >> Do you need a recovering immunologist to go with you? Totally. Totally. You can come. Yeah. Open invite. Yeah. So, I appreciate support. Yes. >> I was just going to say how impressed we are and how well you represent the school district and Denfeld the school district in general. Just to
013be one of the few fullbrights and going to Greece, it's just incredible. Um and uh and we tech we were emailing a little bit and I I do have uh family in Greece. So if you >> I know I'm as excited as I >> somebody in Athens too. So if you need some backup or support, let us know. >> Ah yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's great. >> Yeah. Well, I I'm just really hopeful that we can figure out before you leave working with Adele and other masterminds that know how to do this where there is an opportunity even for your own class at Denfeld to be hooked up to, you know, the the classrooms that you're at in Greece and have some questions and conversations and >> open that up and Yeah. >> Yeah. We'll figure
014it out. Apparently, even to set foot in a school, you have to go to the teacher who gives you permission to the principal who writes a letter to the Ministry of Education. And when the Ministry of Education says yes, then you can go into the building for the So, I'm excited. We'll find out how much I can actually take photos and stuff, but at least of the spaces and things. >> A retired English teacher could come along, too. you know, I I taught the Odyssey and it's really right in that that sea area. I could rediscover, you know, where Odessius went and >> Right. And so I think the the hope I have in the request from all of you is when teachers are looking at doing weird and cool things like this, how we
015have a great teachers contract, but it's very vague because I think we don't think about these things. And so, um, as Maggus knows, it's been a little bit of a confusing rough road as to how to get permission to do this and how to get my job back. Right now, there isn't a guarantee that I'm getting my position back when I get back. Um, so just to make that smooth and supportive, I know when teachers leave for two to five years that makes a lot of sense, but >> something short like this to think outside the box because I think cool things like this should be offered or encouraged and >> that would be really great support from all of you. >> Yeah. So, thank you. >> My light's on. >> Oh, my lights. >>
016So, has a question or a comment. >> So, really quickly, hi. And Allison and I have been friends for a very long time. So, I would like to join the other folks that want to go. Is that possible? >> You are welcome. >> Okay. >> Trip. >> As long as we don't go at the same time. >> Are only three of us together? >> It's a donation. >> I love it. Sure. >> Oh, come on. Are you kidding? >> Yeah. Thank you so much. Oh, yeah. Thank you so much. That was a lot of fun to hear about. Have the best time. Thank you. The best time. So, now we will move in to a much less exciting report of the superintendent. So, I will turn it over to Superintendent Maggus. >> Thank you for
017that uh exciting intro. No, it is hard to uh it is hard to compete with with such an amazing amazing uh educator and we do have some information. Uh we would normally be starting with our um let me just cast here a second. We uh would normally be starting with our student reports um but our student u student leaders are not with us today but we do have Kate De's report and I believe that member Mike saw you were going to read it. >> Yeah, I have doing that. >> Um so from our um Duth student representative uh Kate Dean, good afternoon. Unfortunately, I'm not able to attend the meeting um because uh she is at dress rehearsal for the musical. Um and she goes on to say, "I wish I could be at the
018meeting tonight. I'm at tech rehearsal for the fall musical. Here are the updates I have. We are approaching the end of the first quarter. It's been an busy one here at East. Homecoming took place two weeks ago and was a huge success. Student government put together our theme, hurricane hounds. Dress up days all based around a weather theme. Two assemblies. a movie night, lunch activities, and of course, a dance. We sold almost 900 tickets to the dance, which was at the deck. It was a week filled with spirit and was one to remember. Last week, the East National Honor Society inducted new members from the senior class. Each of them will spend 30 hours volunteering, and at least 15 of those hours will come from tutoring students at East. On the theme of community service,
019hounds are preparing for their fall blood drive and Key Club remains the biggest club at East. Next, the boys soccer and football teams have wrapped up their seasons and athletes are beginning to look towards winter sports. The final cross country team dinner is tonight and their season is also at its end. The girls soccer team is playing their first game at the state soccer tournament tonight and a fan bus full of East students went along to support them. Next, the fall musical Alice by Heart opens this Thursday. Shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are at 7:00 p.m. and the Sunday matinea is at 1. Student tickets are $10 and adult tickets are $15. Tomorrow, East students will experience our new pause day schedule for the first time. I created a form for students to share
020their opinions about our new schedule, which includes only two blocks during the day in which students can attend clubs. The most common statements and responses testify that students are struggling to meet their class requirements, challenge themselves academically, and still have time to be involved with school clubs. Without WIN, students who don't have the option to be part of a sports team or other high commitment activities aren't able to get nearly as involved with extracurriculars. In addition, those who are very busy after school don't have many options to expand their participation through inschool clubs. This is an issue that affects students daily and I plan to bring more feedback and testimonies after seeing how tomorrow goes. I look forward to being back for the November meeting. This is uh respectfully submitted by student representative Dean. >>
021Thank you so much for sharing. >> I have a quick question. Can you please reread the dates and times of the musical? >> It is begins this Thursday is opening night and the dates are >> Oh, I don't need the dates. How about the times? >> Uh 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 100 p.m. on Sunday. >> Thank you. >> Y everyone should go. It's going to be amazing. >> Excellent. Very, very much appreciate it. So, uh, as far as the other topics for tonight, I have some general updates, uh, some updates related to human resources as well as some legislative updates. It's a fairly brief, um, superintendent report. And, uh, I I would say that, uh, things have been very very busy and they're always busy, but I would say u me and my
022team would I think everybody would agree it's been busier than usual. And uh so I the reports are are moderately brief but we can answer any questions you may have. So as far as general updates as I mentioned last month our enrollment is up significantly and we're frequently hearing lots of praise about duth public schools. I think that's the hearing from uh the chamber at our board retreat hearing uh from many others about just how people are really really supportive of our schools and I think that that is showing in our enrollment. Uh we still have uh some things to work out because space is constrained as we heard during our listening session at some of our sites such as Lester Park, Homecraftoft and Myers Wilkins. And I think uh that's something that we're discussing
023uh with board members as well just as far as what what can we do as far as next steps related to some of those constraints that we see. And um yeah, I know that in some of our schools as we as we heard that there are um sometimes class sizes with you know 25 26 27 students in some of our classrooms that that in general is the norm unless it's a u very low poverty classroom. Uh then then we have rates in the teens because those are funded through our um our comped and and title and other funding areas. So sometimes if there's classroom with say 19 and 20 at one school uh versus 27 and at another it might be because there were that many students at that grade level and if if there
024were 30 if there were over 30 students we generally split that. So that's that's generally how we work with enrollment but but our numbers are pretty high in some of our our elementarymentaries and uh at Homecraftoft for instance they uh are out of room as is Lester Park. uh they're they're at Homecraftoft they're using the teachers lounge as a classroom and so I think that we are at a point as a district where we have to really consider looking into our demographic studies and and seeing where the populations continue to grow and uh consider how we can work on that. Um, we're also working with continuing our work in labor management, working with uh the Bureau of Mediation with our DUTH Federation of Teachers on Octo October 30th. Uh, thinking about how we can continue
025to improve our labor management practices, really take trying to take it from good to great is what we said at our last meeting. Uh, because we always work on collective problem solving. So, uh, next Thursday, uh, we're meeting with all the members of QSC and we're going to be getting training, uh, working together on how can we, uh, do that. Last time we worked with them, it was, uh, in I want to say 2021 and it was a really good experience and, um, we did some things that we changed some practices that we still have, uh, in place today, but we will continue that. Also, we started work on our first street building. Uh there's a lot going on there and I'd be glad to set up um board um tours at some point if
026we'll I'll work with facilities to see what's possible. But you know as we get get further down the road that's something that we can do. Uh and we look forward to providing more information in the near future about those developments. Uh I also recognize that the board is likely uh interested uh in further exploring naming of the building. So that's something that we want to think about as a board because it would be nice to go through the naming process potentially before we open it in fall. I think it would be great that'd be great rather than just call it the first street building. It'd be nice if we are going to name it to go through that process and that process takes several months. So that's something that I would encourage the board and
027and uh administration to consider. As far as human resources updates, uh Teresa Seance, I just want to say thanks to her for for many many uh years of great service. Her last day was on October 10th. Uh and I'm serving as the interim director of human resources for the time being. Uh the position was reopened after it was open for a couple weeks uh to gain more applicants. It's now closed and we're reviewing the current applications and uh we're also considering exploring external temporary supports if needed. Sometimes there are human resources uh or there are various entities that can provide support to a department and uh we're very thrilled to have Steve Johnson, our new human resources manager, but knowing that he's only been here for a couple weeks, I think it's important for us
028to make sure that we continue to provide the high quality human resources support that's that's needed there. I enjoy uh working in the role, but it it is does uh consume a lot of a lot of time and it's uh important to make sure that we have somebody that's highly knowledgeable in those areas. As far as legislative updates, uh yesterday I met with our lobbyist Jeff Anderson to discuss our timeline and process for our legislative platform. We're hoping to have this as a topic at our uh November workshop. Uh we talked about that in previous workshops that it'd be great to use part of workshop time to go over our platform and I was thinking that if we do that we could finalize and then vote on the platform in December and then we could
029meet with our local representatives in January prior to the session u beginning with a completed platform. Last time we met with our our representatives when we had a draft and I think it would be nice if we sequenced it and got it done a little earlier that way it would be finished. And then on Friday, October 7th, I chaired a meeting of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators working on developing their platform. We had over 50 superintendents and district administrators participate in the process, and we'll meet in November to finalize the platform for approval by their executive board. So, that'll be uh something that's done in conjunction with um the uh Association of Metropolitan Superintendent as well. The um we also continue to moni monitor the impacts of federal government shutdown. At this point, our
030program programming has not really been significantly affected uh because we've had money in reserve to uh deal with this type of situation. But as things go on, uh that that is something that could have more impact and we are uh like the rest of the state and rest of the country watching to see how things develop there. Any questions? Member Saddowski. >> Thank you, Chair Eater. Um, just more of a comment for, um, maybe some of our I, you know, I remember when I first started on the board my first year or two, um, we went through a naming, you know, where we renamed the Denfield football field. So, I would just remind everyone of our policy 810. it'd be a good one to review um as we kind of step into the process. So,
031more of just a comment. It's 810 naming rights and naming school facilities. Thanks, >> Member Laughler. Camp. >> Thank you. And member Saddowski, you make this policy chair u just shine that you uh brought up that policy. So, good job. Um but um uh Superintendent Mega, great report. Uh just a couple quick things. Um uh with the legislative um uh platform, will uh our lobbyist Jeff Anderson be sending out a survey again so that we can kind of share issue our thoughts on different issues like he did last year? I found that really helpful and I think many board members did uh as well. >> That's an excellent suggestion. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to do so. >> Okay. >> Um I'd also say like some people might think a lobbyist, the Duth
032Public Schools has a lobbyist. That's interesting. And I would say every year it's more well more than paid off for itself. It's it's resulted in millions and millions of dollars over the years. Every year there's hundreds of thousands of dollars we've get gotten in funding uh based on having that lobbyist. And so uh I think it's important that we continue to support that. Uh I think it brings in far more resource than it costs us. >> I I would second that as well. um our lobbyist and previous lobbyists for our district has uh have done um excellent work in representing uh the DUTH public schools and bringing us and making opportunities for board members and staff to participate in lobbying a bit more actively. So um uh I look forward to meeting with uh Jeff
033at our uh meeting the end of November. My my second quick question uh just or comment. I I just really appreciate the leadership that you have provided on MAZA and and other state organizations around lobbying and legislative uh issues and uh I again I think that just really uh gives us an opportunity to shine as a district. Um but um uh just really appreciate uh that is one of your roles as a schoolboard member and you do it well and just really appreciate that you uh are are using your your time also with other organizations that we can learn from and we can collaborate with. So uh thank you on that. >> Thank you very much. And um in talking with uh Mr. Anderson, we also talked about making sure that when we are thinking
034about our spring that we we uh think about having the board come down and and have uh opportunities to meet and we want to make sure that we stagger that a little bit so that it's not right next to, for example, the MASA or the AMSD meeting. So, because then sometimes you're meeting with people and then meeting with them a couple days later, a week later. And so, we want to uh think about that pacing. Uh so I'll be glad to work with the board with that as well as the uh survey. >> Clerk Mike Cel. >> Uh yeah, just two quick questions. You had mentioned that with a federal shutdown, we're currently not being effective because we have a reserve and I was just checking who is the Wii there. Is it Duth Public
035Schools or is it the Minnesota Department of Education? >> I would say some of both. Uh D the state of Minnesota is using some reserves for their some of their programming as well. Uh but Duth Public Schools is using our reserves and and Simone if you want to comment on that in any greater detail feel free. But um that we we're getting constant updating. There was a email yesterday or today. I think I actually have it with me maybe yesterday. Do you want to just comment on that >> regarding head start? >> Yes. Um we are getting information uh we received information yesterday that um we are to continue continue as business as usual and um we are still receiving payments. So um we are unique because our program is housed within our district where
036many are sometimes housed outside of the district. So, we are unique that way. And um you know, we are I know I spoke with the community ed director and um assistant superintendent Bonds is we're just reassuring staff um that we have every intention of continuing our process. So, >> I would say that we are impacted though in other ways. Uh when we think about, you know, families maybe not getting paychecks, when we think about food programmings like SNAP and WICK that have been uh cut or suspended, uh those affect many of our our historically underserved students and and have impact on us. As well as when we think about uh the Office of Civil Rights and the uh Department of Education, a lot of times if we have questions, there were direct people that we
037could call and and have conversation. I also think about uh there were certain situations where we were working through civil rights issues and unfortunately that that work was was paused because of a lack of u people that were able to to address it. So, it's is I would say it's not without impact, but as far as our uh ability to to still put on day-to-day larger programming, we haven't been significantly impacted yet, but uh we continue to monitor things carefully. >> Thank you. Um last question, you mentioned um the October 30th meeting with the Bureau of Mediation and the DFT. Um I was just curious if there was a a um specific event that led to that or is this a routine um meeting that happens or >> Yeah. So there wasn't and and I
038actually was trying to uh preface things carefully because I think sometimes people might think like bureau med like is something being mediated? It's uh what they actually do is they they work with teams to uh think about how they work together and think about their skills. And so it was actually um kind of what kind of like when we have our workshop and we're we're working on governance uh trying to think about how do we continue to improve our relationship while things are still good like while things are really good how do we make things even better um I would also say I I would say during our QT and QSC process we we all um feel sometimes that it's it's a good opportunity for collaborative problem solving And it's also sometimes a time when
039people are needing to vent about concerns. And what we found sometimes is if we have 25 items, for instance, we don't get to go deeply enough into any of the one items to really um do a deeper problem solving. And so that's that's one of the things we're focusing on is is how how can we maybe go deeper with fewer items so that we make more progress on it as opposed to it being kind of a a quarterly cycling of the the same same issues. And so, um, I I I would feel confident in saying that that, uh, it was between the leadership of the DFT and and us that we were, um, just just deciding that we wanted to do this as kind of like a um I was going to say a marriage
040retreat or something, but but that may might not be that the most accurate thing, but just just sort of saying like thing things are good. There isn't a specific problem, but how do we uh continue to focus on on making things better? So there wasn't a an issue that arose or or a need for mediation on on a particular thing. It's more around um continuous improvement of our processes. >> Great. Thank you so much for clarifying. >> Thank you. >> Member Laughler camp. Do you >> Thank you. Now I have three things. Um, one is, um, I'm familiar with the Bureau of Mediation and and it's common for them to do, uh, trainings like this between AD, uh, management and and and staff. So, I look forward to it. Both uh member LoDold and I
041as you guys know uh serve on um the QSC the quality steering committee and I believe both of us will be also at that training on um next Thursday too representing you as a board. Um two other just quick things um though uh uh superintendent um you you talked about some of the ways that we are being impacted with the shutdown. Um, can you touch on anything with special education um uh with the the shutdown? >> I'm looking at phone a friend for for uh Director Crane. Uh I I I would say as as uh Director Crane comes to the front, I would say um you know again when it comes to guidance sometimes that that that's something where where if we have um an issue that needs resolution or something through the IDA act
042or something like that that that we don't have anybody that we can call for that guidance at this point. But uh Director Crane want to save me? >> 2.8 8 million is around our uh federal funds that we get for special education. Um they were allotted to the district and every school district gets those funds in July. So we have our funds. They've already been issued. So no changes to the programming that our federal funds support for special education at this time. >> Thank you. Um, just to follow up with that, I I I just know that some folks have said on different sites like the um uh information has been changed on there or you can't get into certain documents and things like that. And I'm again just cur and and I actually was
043going through a training and um where I needed to get to a federal site and I couldn't reach some of the documents that should have automatically popped up and so >> that side is true. I mean, the people that during the shutdown, the people that aren't at their desks are not available for the resources, but a lot of our networking and support comes from the state of Minnesota, and those people are still there. I I just went down to the Department of Education for a meeting two weeks ago. Wonderful new site that they have. Actually, they used to be in Roseville and now they're off of Stinson Avenue Boulevard in Minneapolis. And those people are are available to network with us. And we still have our finance support people like Paul Faren um that we
044work very closely with on our resources. >> Great. Thank you. I'm I'm glad to hear that. And I appreciated superintendent, you also just talking about the broader impact um of uh like the SNAP program and and programs like that. I I actually as I've been out door knockocking one week I ran into four families that parents both worked for the federal government. they were furoughed and so you know there there's that piece of it as well. So uh thank you for raising those broader concerns. >> Member Loal. >> Thank you. So my questions have pretty much been covered though too but I really love that you asked the question about the mediation uh part of it because I know that when you say we're getting something from the mediation services. So thank you for going
045further into that. Um, I also really I do feel like um, Superintendent Magus really keeps us updated on um, shutdown information or funding information. Um, so I appreciate that. I'll just tag in with this. So, we did the legislative um kind of update and um maybe tonight we would have had three legislative um bills that resolutions that we submit sub submitted to MSBA to be uh considered coming from the kind of the Duth school board but as a way to interact with our MSBA and their lobbyists. And we sent three. We sent a resolution on career and teched funding. We sent one on increasing just the general fund. You know, we get a 2% or a 3% but we're asking for 5%. And and our resolution said something along the lines of um the increase
046in technology and cyber cyber security um funding. And our last um resolution was on transportation and um a funding formula for districts that have such a large geographic area like Duth does. And so, one, I want to thank us as a board for being active in thinking that it's good to send even resolutions from our community down to MSBA because there are um voice as well at the legislature. But I want you also got a a letter back that said we're these were really great submissions, but felt that they already were being like they were submitted last last session, still being worked on. So, they appreciate it, but we're not going to actually have one in the MSBA packet. Just wanted to update you on that. But it's good that we support um the process
047of advoc advocacy and I really do support um working with Mr. Anderson as our lobbyist as well. He really opens up doors of opportunity for us to use our voices at the capital. >> Two things if I could. Sorry, I was I didn't mean to start speaking, but uh I just have I have uh I suffer from tabulitis, which is keeping all your tabs open on your computer. And I happened to click on one of the tabs, which was a uh uh a message that we sent to all of our families a few weeks ago about our federal funding. And we said within it uh that the fed the Minnesota Department of Education has informed us that due to the availability of prior one-year funding, most of the state's federal education programs, including ours like
048Head Start and preschool, uh will continue to operate through the beginning of the s shutdown. So that explains in a little more detail what the the state is doing. And then um I I will make sure that I keep you aware of of some of the ongoing uh things that are being asked for uh related to funding. One one thing that affects our district and a lot of the north north uh eastern districts in the state is uh a change in taxes on recreational properties. And I think that's something we want to keep our eye on because right now you you know that we like when people pay property tax and it goes to this part goes to the city, part goes to the county, part goes to the school district, that's great. Um, but
049the uh recreational properties, the the tax money for that goes into a just goes into the general state account. And so rather than it being considered taxable property for school districts, it doesn't. And so many districts, especially along the Northshore, DUTH, uh, being included and having having properties on Northshore and Island Lake in those areas, those recreational properties, we don't get the tax money for that. And so that's something that we're looking at changing. And I would sorry I would just say to clarify recreational properties that's like second homes and cabins too just for anyone that might be listening. So um sometimes when we say recreational property someone might think 40 acres where you can go four-wheeling or something. So it's it's um a significant tax base that would have a huge impact on many
050small rural districts. Um, it would also have an impact on Duth Public Schools. >> Thanks for clarifying. >> Thank you, Superintendent Magus. Do we have any additional questions? >> All right, we'll move on to um we have a schedule of meetings and events attached to our excuse me, attached to our board book for everybody to take uh to peruse to see what our next couple weeks look like. Next, we'll move on to reports of the standing committee and we'll turn it over to Assistant Superintendent Bonds to talk about the monthly committee of the whole meeting. >> Thank you. And that meeting was held on October 7th. Um we had three presentations that were provided that night under the category for advancing equity. A presentation was provided by our director of elementary schools, Brenda Sparts, as
051well as some of our teachers uh who um teach in our um Mars Wilkins Spanish immersion program. you you had a lot of information or heard a lot of information tonight from some of our families who shared uh their concerns, but uh I want to thank uh Brenda Spartan teachers for coming that night uh to provide an update related to the transition and the expansion uh of the Spanish immersion program to Myers Wilkins uh from LOL or in conjunction with LOL. So, I really do encourage uh community members if they have not had a chance to do so, please um watch the cow meeting that was presented on the 7th because it did provide some information and you also heard the voices from our teachers and so I want to thank the team again for
052that presentation. Under the area for improving systems, there were two items. The school resource officer update was provided by our director of secondary schools, Jen Larva. Uh she as well as some of our principles and officers were here to provide a um update related to how we assess the overall um performance of our school resource officer program as well as um how it connects with our contract with uh DPD. So I want to thank them for their presentation as well. And the third presentation under that category was provided by our very own superintendent of schools, John Maggus. He provided an update related to the vision card strategic plan. Um the intent of that presentation was to provide the board an update related to the development of the vision card um which is which consists of
053both the inward and outward measuring um uh tools that will look at our key performance indicators. Uh so Mr. Magnus uh provided that insight and again if individuals want to know like how are we going to assess our district's performance to improve outcomes for our students that that would be a a good presentation to at least get a glimpse of some of the ways we're going to do um measure and hold ourselves accountable for uh those improvements. So that was the um pre three presentations that were given tonight and I want to thank uh Super Magnus for his presentation. >> Do we have any question? Um, member Laughler, >> just a comment. I just uh wanted to uh appreciate that the Myers Wilkins Spanish immersion update and the fact that uh both the principles from
054LOL as well as Myers Wilkins was there and all of the teachers um hearing from them um uh gave a lot of good insight. Um so just really appreciated that that the teachers who are working uh in the classrooms with our kids um and with the families were were well represented that night for that presentation. So thank you. >> See um Superintendent Magus. >> Yes. Uh on that note, I I um know that uh Director Sparts had uh addressed some things just as far as summary of some of the the the parents and such. Um and let me just pull that up. I apologize. One second. Uh I actually I I'm not seeing it right now, but I but we will follow up with the board on some of the some of the uh the
055summary of some of those those things that were brought up. But I I think it's important that we continue to address. Thanks. Seeing no further questions, we'll move on to our HR business services report. Can you hear me? Okay. If my microphone is this far away. Okay, great. Um we met on October 13th, so last Monday I believe here at 4:30. Um and we reviewed 376 pages of HR business um business and documents. So normally I um you know kind of go over the just different in reports that we have. So, I'll kind of summarize those and usually do top five highlights, but because there was almost 400 pages, I have about seven or eight tonight, but I'll try to be succinct and I would encourage our public to check out our HR business service
056meeting, which is on YouTube where we go through in very depth and detail um the report, but normally we go over our human resources report um and then reports including in under business services of our enrollment, child nutrition, facilities, technology, transport, ation. We also go over our recommended resolutions of which we have five, two, three, four, five, A through E. So, five. Um, and then on our consent agenda this time, we actually had many, many, many job descriptions because of the hard work that our staff um have been doing to kind of shore up some of those, which I'll talk about in a little bit. And we also go over our financial report. We review all of our bids, um, RFPs and quotes. We review our contracts, change orders and leases. And then a lot
057of times we have uh miscellaneousformational items like expenditure contracts, no cost contracts, revenue contracts, grant applications, and change orders signed, which we've had a few of those, and you'll see a few in our packet because of um the work that we're having done. And that's normal um uh operations for a construction project that always happens. So, the couple things that I wanted to seven things that I wanted to highlight today, I'm going to start with our human resources report. Um, I think it's important to point out that we have our food services employees contract um for um 2025 to 2028. In addition, we have our education directors association contract and that's for years 2025 through through 2027. We also recognized and welcomed um Steven Johnson who's our new uh HR manager. And so we welcomed
058Stephen and we also noted that um as we know we said goodbye um and thank you to um Director Severance who moved on to a different position and we really appreciate all that she has done for our district in the last couple years especially um regarding improving systems um which was one of our strategic directions. And then um I would briefly point out on our enrollment report that we're still up. So we budgeted 8,999 students and um as of this report um we are at 8,254.59. So we are up couple hundred students um from what we budgeted for which is really great news. Um, and I think there's a lot of different reasons for that, which I won't get into on this report, but I think parents are really appreciating, um, you know, the myriad
059of programs that we have in our duth public schools. And then on our facilities report, um, I think it's important to note, and Superintendent Magus mentioned this, but construction on the DNT has started. So, I would take you up on a offer for a tour for sure. And there's also a lot of work on other buildings happening which is noted in the report. And we also said thank you to Elizabeth Leoo and Daniel Cen for 40 years of service in the district. Um one of them retired and one of them is still working but we really appreciate that is a long time to stay with one employer and we're very grateful for all that they've given to the district over the last 40 years. And then in our transportation report, uh I think just important
060to note that we um service 484 routes for busing students. So I think member banks pointed that out or someone did and it was it was definitely a significant number. So wanted to highlight that. We really appreciate all of our bus drivers who are sometimes the oftentimes the first person that um that our students see in the morning and they get our kids safely to school. And then I would highlight our resolutions because those are always important and we have five of them which we'll bring forth in a little bit but I thought it was important to probably talk about some of them. In my pack it's on page 15. It's resolution B25-4123 and it's um hold on here. It's the resolution providing for the issuance, sale and delivery of general obligation capital appreciation facilities.
061And basically what this one is is this is part of our um LTFM plan. You remember that we gave permission to bond which is a normal part of our LTFM planning process that we do. Um, and this is the resolution for the issuance, uh, sale and delivery of the bonds. So, you can kind of think of it as our mortgage papers. And I think it's significant to point out that we had originally given permission to bond for a percentage rate of up to 4.74%, but because um of our work shoring up our district's finances as a board, as an administration, we got a 3.52% rate, which is really great. It's um that's you know couple million dollars right there that we have um extra to kind of work with um which is great. So um
062and that's you know part part in in great part to our Moody's rating which is an A3. Yeah. And then um I'm going to skip ahead. And I'm going to do all our resolutions, but I wanted to um if you in my book, it's page 155, but if you look at our contracts, which I'm going to go to, one of our contracts was the general obligation capital appreciation facilities bond series. Um, and this was basically giving permission to Bayer to purchase the bond. So, this was our purchase agreement. So you can kind of think of it when you if you buy a house and you give an offer and you get a purchase agreement versus if you go over here to the resolution. This is the mortgage papers. So I just wanted to and I
063thank Director Zunich for that analogy, but it really helps clarify things. I can't take credit for that, but it certainly when you're asking detailed questions like we do at our committee meetings and you know in person that helped clarify. So then I will move on to our second resolution which uh is on page 33 here. Um and this is the resolution um B-10-25-4127. And this is the resolution authorizing the issuance and sale um of full-term certificates of participation. Um and this is basically the setting the parameters for the DUTH New Tribune. um it's giving Bar permission to go to market to purchase the bonds for that building. And then we have resolution uh our third resolution um which is the acceptance of donations to Duth Public Schools. I would encourage everyone to take a look
064at that long long list. We are so grateful to our community. It was multiple pages this time and we're very thankful to our community for those donations. And then our fourth um resolution is the acceptance of grant awards to DUTH public schools. And our fifth resolution is um authorizing a bank account signer, which is business as usual that we see those come across our desks um every once in a while here. And then on our consent agenda, we had, like I said, multiple job descriptions. I um would just say thank you to not only our staff administratively but um a lot of our clerical job descriptions were overhauled and our clerical played a significant role in that process giving feedback sharing about um what their job looks like and it just sounds like it was
065a very collaborative process. After our HR business service meeting, um I just got some feedback from a couple staff saying that they really appreciated being involved in that process and I know um how much work it is to redo job descriptions and so this is quite the undertaking and really appreciate the work on that. Um one of the job descriptions that I did highlight was on page 122, payroll specialist. Um, and this is this person is going to really help us navigate the complexities that come with PFML, so paid family medical leave, and ESST, so earn sick and safe time. Um, those programs can get a little bit complicated. They're great, but we needed to hire someone to help help with that. And then our financial report, not a lot to report because we're so
066early in the school year, but it's looking looking good. Status quo. We also had our fundraisers on page 145. And um yeah, the other contract that I would point out was on page one. We only had two, but the other one was on page 169. And that's our our contract with Baird, who helps us with our a lot of our financial matters. Any questions or comments? >> Superintendent Magus? No, I appreciate the uh detailed summary and and I I really am excited about that Moody's rating. I mean, I think when a lot of people think about um trust and financial responsibility, uh Moody's is uh one of the most highly regarded uh organizations in the world for bond bond ratings. And uh our Moody's rating could be thought of as kind of our our organizational
067uh credit score. And for our score to to remain the same and high as it is right now, that shows that uh Duth Public Schools is rated by independent outside agencies is doing a really good job with their finances and they're also, you know, considering even uh raising it higher if we continue on our trajectory. So, I want to say thanks to the board and thanks for everybody who has uh put put uh in the hard work to make the hard hard choices that we've made and even some of the financial correction we've made with um having to make some budget reductions that was really hard for everybody involved. Uh but that was a big part of what kept our rating because if we hadn't made that course correction uh it would have been seen
068as not being on the right financial trajectory. So sometimes when people are out there saying, you know, you can't trust the school or things are are not handled fairly, to have an outside agency that's one of the highest regarded in the world say that we're incredibly trustworthy is uh that says a lot. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> I just Sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I just had a comment. Thank you. Um, appreciate your great report, Member Sidowski. Um, I just had a quick question on the revenue contracts that were signed and um, no, that's okay. Uh, I I just um a clarification, I guess. I I I'm excited uh that uh we're this our CTE programs are working with the Northeast Service Cooperative uh to help start up uh at East High School a studentr
069run cafe. Uh that was so popular when we had that in the past with the culinary program. And so I just um uh wanted to clarify I guess that uh Danette Seibo is the one who's kind of helping get that going with the staff person at East that the culinary person. Is that correct? Is there any more you could share? I guess >> I would have to defer to Janette, but she is the one who has been working with um that instructor on uh building that programming. So I want to make sure that she has a chance to share that fully. >> Okay. and I can follow up with her. I saw that um that >> I appreciate you pointing that out. There's so much in here, so it's really hard to narrow it down
070to eight things. >> No, but we did talk about that at the meeting, too. I don't think we got in the details, but it certainly sounded like it was you know, moving back in that direction. So, >> thank you, member Saddowski. Now, um have Oh, sorry, member lo. >> So, I just want to um uh appreciate the transparency we've worked on. This is the second month now. And late earlier this week, I went on to look to and and you're updating it. It's the bids quotes um um button on the website that opens up the opportunity for those that are in our trades in our community to kind of see what's what's coming up. We we do have buildout going on in of course the first street building but in other buildings throughout to the
071roofing and the parking lot. So, I really appreciate through the kind of dialogue you've had during your your business service meeting to kind of aid the community in that that easy access to see what what they can bid on and and now that just helps them make decisions on where they can work. I I appreciate it. >> Yeah, thank you for that comment and thank you to Adele too for her work on our website and getting that up. Really appreciate it. Okay, seeing no further questions for member Saddowski, um member Laughler Camp will give us our policy committee update. >> Great. Thank you so much. So, we had 139 pages to discuss um on uh Thursday, October 9th. Uh and um uh we we are just uh doing some excellent work going through our policies.
072Um everything I'm going to update on is on our consent agenda uh later on that we'll be voting on. Um and uh just for the public and I I know we have a couple uh folks in the audience that are are new uh to coming to these meetings but um going to our committee meetings like our HR u business and then our policy committee uh the YouTube um a lot of the discussion happens at those committee meetings and so I I encourage you to check that out. uh each month uh and they're usually posted uh right away after the meetings um themselves. But my report then um starts with policies for first reading and uh the three policies I'm going to highlight are new policies um we've had um that that align with just best
073practices and so they're they're new policies that's why they're here for a first reading. Uh the first one is policy 303 uh superintendent selection. Uh 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. The second uh is policy 304 superintendent contract duties and evaluation. The purpose of this policy is to provide for the use of a employment contract with the superintendent, a position description, and the use of an improved approved uh instrument to evaluate performance. And again, there's more to these policies, but that's the the main purpose. And then the third one is 306 administrator code of ethics. The purpose of this policy is to establish the requirements of the school board that school administrators adhere to
074the standards of ethics and professional conduct in this policy in Minnesota law. So those are for first readings. Uh policies for second readings um include policy 301 uh and this is uh school district administration. The purpose of this policy is to clarify the role of the school district administration and its relationship with the school board. And uh with this policy we would be replacing a 2055 quality of work life philosophy. And um then the next policy for second reading is policy 305 which is policy implementation. And the purpose of this policy is to clarify the responsibility of the school administration for implementation of school district policy. And in discussing that, we also talked about reviewing this each year rather than the the three years that normally we we would review policies unless they come up
075in front of us for other legislative changes or other reasons. Uh and so uh those were the two policies for second reading. And I just want to make a note if we when we pass these or uh after the consent agenda, we will be done going through our 2000 series and replacing them with these which uh thank you. Thank you to Patty especially for uh all the work she as our staff person helps us with with um these policies. So that was a a big celebration at our our our policy meeting. Uh and then uh we had policies for review and again policies re for review generally are maybe small changes to the policy or legislative changes uh or they're up for a three-year review. So uh I'll quickly go through those. Policy 416, drug,
076alcohol, and cannabis testing. And the purpose of this policy is the school board recognizes the significant problems created by drug, alcohol, and cannabis use in society in general and the public schools in particular. The school board further recognizes the important contribution that the public schools have in shaping the youth of today into the adults of tomorrow. The school board believes that a work environment free of drug, alcohol, and cannabis use will not only be safer, healthier, and more productive, but also more conducive to effective learning. to provide such an environment. The purpose of this policy is to provide authority so that the school board may require all employees and/or job applicants to submit to drug, alcohol, and cannabis testing in accordance with the provisions of this policy and is provided in federal law and Minnesota
077statutes sections 181.95 to 181.957. And like again many of our policies, it goes through a general statement definitions and a variety of um other sections uh as well as uh the legal references and the cross references as well as when we last reviewed it. The the main change with this actually had to do with the documentation that staff sign and it was just a small language change. So not so much in the policy but in the attachments that staff sign. Uh so that was policy 416. Uh the next policy is uh 621 and that is literacy in the read act. Uh the policy aligns with Minnesota law established in the read act and on other topics related to reading. Duth public schools places a high value on literacy as a core component of students educational
078journey. The school district is committed to providing evidence-based reading instruction that is consistent with the Read Act, ensuring that students develop strong reading and writing skills. And the school district emphasizes a comprehensive standard-based approach to literacy, encompassing foundational skills, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. This dedication to literacy aims to equip every student with the essential tools for academic success and lifelong uh learning in all subject areas. And as you may remember um we uh adopted this uh in 12 of 24 because the read act is is new uh as a legislative statute. Uh and so there's just really were some definition changes and some screening tools that were added um from uh this past legislative session. Uh so it didn't change the intent of the policy. It was more of an addition. So
079that was 621. And then the next one is policy 508 um extended school year for certain students with individualized education programs. IEPs. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that school district complies with the overall requirements of law as mandated mandated for certain student subject to individualized education programs, IEPs when necessary to provide a free appropriate public education. Uh and this uh we brought forward because of it being our three-year review on it and uh there were no uh recommended changes. It follows uh state statute. So uh that is 508. Uh and then policy 101 naming of the school district. The purpose of this policy is to clarify the name of the school district. Again this is a three-year review of this policy. We last reviewed it in 10:18 2022. So no changes to
080that. And then um 101 uh status of the school district uh the um a primary principle of this nation is that the public welfare demands an educated and informed citizenry. The power to provide for public education is a state function vested in the state legislature and delegated to local school districts. The purpose of this policy is to clarify the legal status of the school district. And again, this is up for three-year review. We last reviewed and uh readopted it was 1018 2022. No changes on that one. And I just want to go to my notes for a minute here. Um let's see. Uh so those are all for for review. Um the next section was policies to be deleted and um this is under the thousand series. So it's 1100 public performances by uh students.
081We discussed this um uh a few months back uh but we wanted to have some further discussion with our principles and when they reviewed this um they recommended that it was be deleted because our practices um followed under a different policy. So that was 1,100 and then uh the last section was um we were looking at all of the series 3000 and um we had 40 policies to initially look at uh that could be deleted because they fall under other policies that we've either already adopted. And so of the 40 that uh fell under the 3000 series that were brought forward, um we're going to we're recommending we delete 11 of them, uh and I'll quickly go through those. The other ones are going to go back to our staff and committees to review and
082bring back to us. Um and again just a reminder to the board that we're looking to do chunks of these thousand series um because many of them are already in our new 30 uh hund series. So, uh, so the ones that we're going to recommend, uh, that we delete are, and I'm just going to, we don't have purposes like we do with the new policies, um, even though they're stated in kind of longer versions, uh, in the thousand series, but it's 3020 tuition fees for incoming non-residents, 3025 tuition fees outgoing residents, uh, 3033 material fees, 3035 sale and disposal, of equipment 3050 funds management 3055 purchasing 3130 maintenance and operation of plant 3137 memberships in community organizations transportation responsibility of teachers 3180 child nutrition and 3185 child nutrition commodities again this would be in the
083consent agenda agenda agenda Uh and then the last uh item was uhformational. It's deletion of 2055R quality of work life and we referenced that in um the second reading. Um this uh regulation does fall under the DFT contract. So uh the information falls in another place. So that was our uh our meeting our 139 pages that we discussed. Did I miss anything my fellow uh policy wonks? Okay. Uh then I recommend that we um support these in the consent agenda. And then again, just a huge thank you to our staff that really brings forth a lot of the changes in these policies as well well as Patty Pquette who uh uh keeps us moving forward and uh with with these policies and keeps them um updated for us. So a big thank you. Seeing no
084questions, um I just want to give a just a hand to both of our committees this month. That was a lot of work. So, thank you for that. That was a tremendous amount of work. So, thank you for that. Um do we have any general board committee updates that we'd like to share? Member Saddowski? >> Yeah, I can update on the DUTH uh Head Start Policy Council meeting. Um, we had a meeting on October 9th. We had it at LOL from 5:30 to 7:30. Um, it was we just have a really great group of parents and I would just share my gratitude for them. I I'm pretty sure we had every school covered. Don't quote me on that, but every elementary school, which is pretty amazing. Um, I could be wrong, but it was close
085if not all. um they learned so some of the new business that they talked about um on that date was the new community education director Nate Chapman. So they were given an update about him and his work. Um, some of the parents gave a planning committee report and I just wanted to share a reflection um that one of a couple of the parents just shared that this uh planning committee is such a great opportunity to connect with uh and learn about teachers, transportation, give feedback, but also they talked about the opportunity to gain leadership skills and network with other parents. Um, and so I just wanted to kind of share that Um, let's see what else. They learned about some new program interns and let's see. I had some they approved, you know, the September
086minutes in the financial report and uh yeah, our parents and Head Start policy council do a lot and offer a lot of advice and I am looking for someone to fill in for me on November 13th. I believe I I will be gone um that week on vacation. So um I can send an email out if someone's interested in filling in for me. Um it's a great meeting and food is provided and a great opportunity to connect with parents. >> That that'd be great if you want to send an email out to us and then we that'd be great. member Mike Cel. >> Um yesterday I had the opportunity to attend the staff development advisory committee of which I'm appointed to be on. Um and we know that our staff and our schools do amazing
087work with our kids. But it was so exciting to be here with like a wide variety of um our staff members from principles, teachers, paras, um school psychologists. um there there was a a wide wide gamut and seeing a collaboration that they have together to teach and to learn more to do the um the important work of our district was just so so incredible. So Annie Schilling is our professional development coordinator and she kind of like runs that ship and um has been doing just amazing um very detailed work for every single one of our employees to go through professional development over the course of the year. um getting those days um planned out is just a heavy heavy lift and she's um seems to be doing a great job and she's really listening and
088taking in feedback from our staff. So, there's a lot of um collaborative discussion about um needs that are um had and um just a lot of good discussion there. So, next professional development day will be November 3rd. The catalog for that will be coming out at the end of the week. Um, and I was uh able to attend the uh keynote speaker of the first professional development day um of this year and it was amazing. Um, it sounds as though they'll have some good um um good opportunities for our staff to really um fine-tune their skills. Um and so and then of course after that then there's another professional development day in December. Paras will have a parah only development day in January. And so there's just always um more work to be done and
089I just um am so proud of the work that our staff does every day uh to make themselves better so that they can make our students and our community better too. So um and then I don't know member Loalt if you wanted to mention intergovernmental. Okay, I'll let you then. >> Member Loalt. >> Awesome. But then member Mikeell really does run a really great intergovernmental too. So, I feel like if I missed something, I I wasn't going to go into great detail, but I also want to just piggyback off of I really am um glad that the professional development coordinator, which was someone different than um our current one, um but she really encouraged a a school board member to sit on that committee. So, that's a fairly new kind of committee that a school
090board member sits on. And I just think it's really a a good lens for us to see um all the different representations that come together to try to plan professional development for all units within our within our staff. So I really appreciate that. And then like um member Mikeel said, we have intergovernmental which when I share that with other leaders in our community or when um you hear it here at our board meeting, it's really a unique opportunity for a intergovernmental. It's truly intergovernmental. It is county commissioner, it is um school board, and it is city council. Two representatives, sometimes three from each um entity, and we get together to talk about, you know, commonalities. I'm going to share just one success. One of the bigger successes of that shared is that the St. Louis
091County gave a great a substantial amount of COVID money to our district through that committee talking. I wasn't serving on the committee then to further check and connect. So there's really great advantage for us to meet and this month we um had had actually um taken Superintendent Magus' um ask of us and there is and you heard u Mr. Vold talk about it tonight. There is a a cannabis store um that will be in proximity to our school when the first street building opens and intergovernmental discussed that and um member um Razor >> Randorf really did a lot of of great groundwork to show us and and give us direction about the city's policy and exactly where um the responsibility is for opening um those kinds of stores and opportunities in in proximity to an
092educational facility. And we got a lot of questions answered and bottom line is is is that it it falls outside the parameter. So they they can locate three blocks from um a educational facility, but you know we we can work for you know collaboration and and do some discussion on that. Was there other topics? That was our big kind of topic of the day and then um >> yeah I think otherwise it was just collaboration talking about future planning um >> demographic data that kind of thing. So, >> and what what what I like going to the meeting for too is to see where the city has potential housing development going on so that if we are seeing more building going on um in certain sections of our our city maybe that that needs to
093be looked at for our building capacity and where young families will be going if there's a lot of building going on. So, um it's just really a good committee and um I'm hoping others will, you know, get appointed to that in January when we redo committees, but it is virtual which is nice for those of us that work um different flexibilities. So, um but a great committee too. >> Member Banks, >> thank you. Uh just a quick question. Um, can you clarify or give us some information as to whether or not there can be a reszone of those types of businesses within proximity to our school buildings, etc.? >> Yeah, we can share um the information that councelor Randorf um sent us after consulting with the city attorney um and the the map that they
094use to draw out some of their um where their ordinances um lie. So, we'll be sure to send that out to you so we can get those question questions answered. >> Member Laughler Camp, >> thank you. I'd appreciate getting that. So, thank you for sharing that. Um, I I I the the couple committees I serve on, we we're meeting in November, so I'll have an update, but I just wanted to kind of throw it out that the federal grants committee uh and that's a committee of staff and community members. So, uh, we'll under the leadership of, uh, Dr. Darren Sheldon, who's the principal at at Lakewood. So, that's coming up. And then, um, I also serve on the Duth Public Schools Endowment Fund, um, which is a part of the the Boreal Waters uh, Community
095Foundation, former Duth um, school uh, Duth um, Superior Community Foundation. Thank you. That's why they switched their name. It was too long. Uh anyways, and so we're we're starting up our meeting again and again that's the committee where uh we give about 25 to $30,000 of grants to school staff and that process um will be starting up um in January for that grant process, but the committee is going to be meeting in a couple weeks here. So just a quick update on those two committees. >> Thank you. Seeing no further updates, we'll move on to the next item on the agenda, which is the consent agenda. Do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Member Saddowski, do we have a second? >> Second. >> Member um Laughler Kemp, do
096we have any discussion on the consent agenda? >> Seeing no consent agenda. All those seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the consent agenda, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. The consent agenda has passed. Boom. Okay. Moving on for the resolutions from committee report. We will start out with member Saddowski. >> You say that one more time. >> My brain's really tired. >> The resolution. Starting out with the resolution. >> My resolution. Yep. I got it right here on top. I am going to move resolution B-25-4123. This is a resolution providing for the issuance, sale, and delivery of 38,664,948.70 of general obligation capital appreciation facilities maintenance bonds. Series 2025A establishing the terms and form thereof creating a construction fund and debt service fund therefore and awarding the sale thereof be it resolved
097by the Duth school board the board of independent school district 709 duth St. Louis County, Minnesota. Um the district as follows and then we have all read through this many times. So I move resolution B-25-4123. >> Do we have a second? >> Member Williams has seconded. Do we have any discussion on this resolution? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of passing resolution B-254123, please say I. >> I. Those opposed, the resolution has passed. And a big sigh over there from Executive Director Zunich. Next, um, member Loal. Yes, I move resolution B-10-25-4127. And this is a resolution authorizing the insurance issuance for insurance issuance and sale of fullterm certificates of participation series 2025b in a principal amount not to exceed 9,795,000 to finance a portion of the project costs for a school building located at
098424 West 1st Street in Duth Minnesota. So, be it resolved by the school board of independent school district 709 St. Louis County, Minnesota as follows. And then we've also had this in our packet and it is the resolution B-10-25-4127 that I move. Member Loeld has moved resolution B-10-25412. Do we have a second? Second. >> Member Saddowski has seconded it. Do we have any discussion on the resolution? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of resolution B-10-254127, please say I. I. Those opposed, the resolution has passed. Member Banks. >> Thank you very much. I'm moving resolution B-10-25-4124. This is a resolution for the acceptance of donations to duth public schools. 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
099of the donation or donations 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 donations from said organizations in accordance with the terms set forth herein. Be it further resolved that the DUTH public schools wishes to extend its grateful appreciation to these various individuals and organizations. >> Member Banks has moved this resolution. Do we have a second? Member um Laughler Kemp has seconded. Do we have any discussion? >> Yes. May I just share with folks? >> Yes. A little bit here, this is seven over seven pages of donations to the Duth School District uh in October. And uh just to give you some uh some of the donations uh for example at Denfeld Irving
100Community Association uh an award of $4,000 for the Denfeld High School choir. also at uh Denfeld Duth Aviation Institute in kind and $6,078 uh for aerospace physics uh intro to aviation CTE course uh for example another uh from Denfeld uh in fact uh quite a few from for Denfeld but also quite a few for Lincoln Park Middle School. at Lincoln Park over $8,000 uh in donations from uh for example um Subaru uh Miller Hill Subaru uh the Layman family uh over $8,000 just for that one school and that's uh that's absolutely wonderful and Ordin East um other schools in the district uh receive some substantial donations Pedmont Stowe So, uh it's very exciting that uh so much uh has come into our district uh for our kids and uh but to get such large donations
101and to have such a community that supports our kids is exciting and uh all of our kids will benefit from this. Thank you. And I I just want to note that I'm pretty sure on here the Denfeld donation for the automotive program, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that my son is working on in his brakes and automotive class. So >> awesome. >> Sure. So that's amazing. I love it. Um his best grade by the way. Okay. Seeing Oh, member Laughler camp. >> Uh 117 different grants >> or donations. donations. That's amazing. >> Yeah. How many? >> 117. >> Okay. To do the math. >> Member, my question is I know we used to do this um when I was coaching and would get those is um I I think we send thank yous to these
102these people. Do we still does anybody know? >> Yes. >> Oh, holy man, that's a lot this month. if he needs help, I can come and and uh volunteer to to help because that's that, you know, I think that's really uh impressive. And I again, I think I mentioned this last month, too, that we as a district have made it so much easier for our um buildings and I know Thea is here, so maybe it's true that that they to when there is a donation, we all we get it as a staff, we get a donation, you know, click thing to the form to report it. So, I think we're seeing more of what maybe we've always maybe not, but because our our school buildings are reporting it more because we've asked them to and
103we've made it easier for them to do it. And so, I think that that just is a a an uplifting thing to be able to at the end of our schoolboard meeting to see, you know, the generosity that goes to all of our buildings. And I I have to point out one because I don't think I've ever seen it before and it makes me think that we should do do more, you know, share with them. It's the Duth adult education, God's snacks. >> You know, we so often think of our our our K through2 programs, but we have significant um great things going on at our DUTH adult education and they got a donation for healthy snacks for adult education students. Quite impressive. I suppose we still have to vote on this though. >> No,
104we have a second. Yep. >> Seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed, resolution is passed. Next, moving on. Um, member Laughler Camp. >> Okay. Um I move resolution B10254125 uh acceptance of grant awards to Duth Public Schools. Whereas Minnesota statute 465.03 requires a 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 with the donor's terms is in the best interest of the DUT public schools. Now therefore be it resolved that the DUTH public schools does accept the below described grant from set organization in accordance with the term set forth herein. Be it further resolved that the Duth Public Schools wishes to extend its grateful appreciation
105to this organization. And we often have many others. Uh but this this time we have the Ordine Foundation um um giving to Laura MacArthur setting three classroom $1,000 for community outings to practice functional and social skills. So I move resolution B10254125. >> Um >> second. >> Yes. Okay. So do we have any discussion on this? Seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I opposed. The resolution has passed. Member Mike or did I skip one? >> Yes. >> Oh, sorry. I just got so excited. Okay. Um, member Loalt, >> right? >> Yep, it is. >> Resolution B-10-25-4126. This is a resolution authorizing a bank account signer. Um it's resolved by the school board of independent school district 709 St. Louis County, Minnesota that it hereby authorizes
106the following. It's asking or it's allowing Nathan Chapman, our new hireer in community ed to be the authorized signer. So I move resolution B-10-25-4126. U member Loalt has moved the resolution. Do we have a second? Member Williams has second it. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. The resolution has carried. Now, I'm we're ready for you. Uh I am moving resolution E-10-25-4128 form A, a resolution of governing board supporting the application to Minnesota State High School Leagu's Foundation. Whereas a Minnesota State High School League Foundation was formed to provide support for Minnesota's high school youth to participate in athletics and fine arts. Whereas a governing board of duth Denfeld and East High and East High School in ISD 709
107recognizes the value of student participation in extracurricular activities. hands. Whereas the Minnesota State High School League Foundation is offering grants and funding to assist schools in recognizing, promoting, and funding extracurricular participation by high school students in athletic and fine arts programs. Therefore, be it resolved that the governing board of duth Denfeld and East High School and ISD 709 supports the school's application to the Minnesota State High School League Foundation for a form a grant to offset student activity fees. Member Mike Sal moved the resolution. Do we have a second? >> Yes. >> Uh member Banks is seconded. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed. The resolution is passed. Member Saddowski. Yes. I move resolution um HR-10-25-4129. This is the resolution for the
108education directors association resolved by the school board of independent school district 709 St. Louis County, Minnesota, that the collective bargaining agreement between Independent School District 709 and Education Directors Association, a summary of which is in the hands of all schoolboard members, be approved and adopted for the period July 1, 2025 to June 30th, 2027 inclusive, and that the chairperson and clerk of the school board be hereby authorized to execute said agreement on behalf of the school district. Um, member Sty has moved the resolution. Do we have a second? Second. Member Mike Cell seconded. Do we have any discussion? >> Yes, member bank. >> Just a quick question. So, I know on some of our contracts, we've had three-year contracts >> and two years. So, u this is two years. Can somebody explain to me why
109uh it's two years as opposed to three or was that just a part of the negotiation? I can explain if that would be okay. Uh as interim director of human resources. Um no, uh most of the contracts with our bargaining units are generally two-year terms. Uh the superintendent contract is a three-year term. And so that's uh just the way that they are in the the state, at least for the uh superintendent contracts and most uh bargaining unit contracts. Occasionally, we'll send we'll sign more than one two-year agreement. Like with our teachers, we we had two two-year agreements. And we're in uh the second uh cycle of that. And when working with our my superintendent friends, I'm uh some we're sometimes the envy of many other districts because we already have finished our contract negotiations for
110our teachers two years ago. So that uh is is why they're a little bit different. That was discussion, right? Any further discussion? All those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. The resolution is carried. Member Laughler. Okay. I um I move resolution resolution HR 10254130. This is the food service employees contract. Uh be it resolved um by the school board of independent school district 709 St. Louis County, Minnesota. That the collective bargaining agreement between Independent School District 709 and the food service employees. A summary which is in the hands of all schoolboard members be approved and adopted for the period July 1st, 2025 to June 30th, 2028 inclusive and that the chairperson and the clerk of the school board be hereby authorized to execute the set agreement on
111behalf of the school district. And I just also want to thank uh Teresa Seance and the food service negotiating team for their work on this. Member Laughler Kemp does move the resolution. Do we have a second? Member Banks has second it. Do we have any discussion? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. The resolution is passed. And last for 11D, we have an approval of an individual contract for the director of advancing equity, member banks. Thank you. This agreement is made between the employee and the school board of independent school district number 709 duth Minnesota school district herein referred to as the employer. In consideration of the mutual promises and agreements set forth below employee and the employer agree to the following and
112uh uh there's approximately 20 agreements here. Uh I will not be mentioning the uh employees name uh but I am bringing this to the board for approval. >> Thank you member Banks. Do we have a second? Member Williams has seconded. Do we have any discussion? Superintendent Magus. >> Uh some discussion on this item and then a referral back to the last uh clarification I made. Oh, yeah. Uh the um >> just really excited that our school district is still uh working hard to fulfill our second priority. First is supporting every student. Second is advancing equity. And third is uh is uh >> Improving systems. Sorry, I'm a little tired. It's been been a long day. Um but but anyway, uh for us to be able to have a director of of advancing equity uh speaks
113to our commitment to it, and I'm proud to be part of a community and a district that still believes in uh the work of equity. Uh and back to my previous uh comments about the two-year contracts, most bargaining units are in two-year contracts, but there are some that are in three, and this is on a three-year contract, and I'm um I stand corrected. Pull it together. Interim director. Come on now. >> Okay. We have to still vote on this, right? >> Okay. All those in favor of the resolution, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. The resolution has carried. And I just closed my computer. I need left. Do we have Hold. Sorry. Um. Yikes. Okay. Do we have any questions or others? >> Chair Eater. >> Yes. >> I I would just
114like to report um I was looking at my watch kind of a little bit at the end because um Denfeld won their first football playoff 18 to 12 against Cloquet and then I wonder if anybody has an update for soccer or anything, but Denfeld football won a first foot a first playoff. I don't know if East is playing tonight. They might be. >> That's great. It's okay. >> The um the girls east started at 7:30, so we don't I don't really have an update, but I did maybe take a peek at the Denfeld boy score and they were not successful against Blake School. >> Oh, the Blake. Yeah. Okay. >> But that's okay. >> Yeah, they were It's good to be there. Supportive. >> My son has a shaved head now because of it. So,
115but it's okay. So, do we have a motion to adjourn this meeting? >> So moved. Member Loel, do we have a second? Member Williams. All those in favor please signify by saying I >> opposed. It has carried. We are adjourned.