[0:13] Good evening. I'd like to call the order. The July 8th, 2019 meeting of the UNOK Headup and School Board. I welcome everybody in the audience to please join the school board in the pledge of allegiance.

[0:47] Okay, thank you very much. This evening, we are going to start with our consent agenda. Members take a motion to approve the consent

[1:02] agenda as presented, or as usual, we can remove items for a separate discussion if you wish.

[1:09] Motion to approve, as expected.

[1:10] We have a motion from Ms. Dirk's Wagger to approve the consent agenda as presented.

[1:15] Second.

[1:15] Have a second from Ms. Anderson.

[1:18] Any discussion on the consent agenda?

[1:22] Seeing no discussion, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

[1:26] Aye.

[1:26] Opposed, same side, motion carries.

[1:29] Next item we have this evening is our communications, delegations and petitions.

[1:34] This is the portion of the meeting where we welcome members from our community to please

[1:38] come forward and to address the school bar on manners of interest.

[1:42] We do ask that you please fill out a yellow card.

[1:45] The yellow cards can be found on the librarians table on the right side of the room.

[1:52] We do that because we do not have discussion or take action as part of this agenda item,

[1:57] But we do want to make sure that we can follow-up appropriately as required after the delegations of petitions.

[2:06] Is there anybody here to this evening with a yellow card?

[2:11] Any yellow cards?

[2:13] Okay, seeing no yellow cards for this evening, then we'll move on to our board calendar and district update superintendent law.

[2:33] Are you here for delegations of petitions to speak to the school board?

[2:36] I'm going to go ahead and invite you. We just went through that item. So I invite you to come

[2:42] forward. You can fill the card out afterwards.

[2:46] You made it in the nick of time.

[2:52] Welcome.

[2:56] Hello. Hello. Okay. Superintendent Law, Chair Hydeman, Vice Chair Anderson, all other members.

[3:05] Thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk today and for hearing out students and adults

[3:12] in the community who are concerned about education.

[3:15] My name is Rebecca Kotke and I'm going into my sophomore year at Blaine High School.

[3:20] And my experience with education has been possibly the greatest experience of my life because

[3:25] I have always been so grateful for the education I've been granted because of my circumstances

[3:33] and I will always be grateful for that but I'm also a firm believer that we can be better

[3:38] and that we have to be better.

[3:41] Education reform is a long and difficult process, but it's necessary for our future.

[3:47] The way we educate students today forces students to conform to a predetermined mold

[3:54] or curriculum with the exception of IEPs and fails to address individual strengths and weaknesses

[4:00] of each student.

[4:01] Obviously, in the district of our magnitude, it's impossible to create an individualized

[4:06] education experience for each student that accommodates their skills and any deficits.

[4:13] And so far, no public education systems in the US have had the time, inclination and

[4:19] resources to address this issue and create this type of system.

[4:23] But there are some things that we can do with our minimal resources to enrich the education

[4:29] of our students, encourage individual and creative thinking and better prepare our students

[4:33] problems solving in their life and in their chosen profession.

[4:40] So a couple things that this might include would be not maintaining the same curriculum.

[4:47] Being able to change the curriculum and allow for different pathways for teachers to change

[4:53] the curriculum so that their students can learn the best.

[4:56] I have had many talks with a lot of my teachers and...

[5:00] And they've expressed concerns that they're supposed to be teaching one way, but they feel it's

[5:06] not helping their students, and they are allowed some leniency in how they teach, but they

[5:12] feel that sometimes they're penalized for changing an altering curriculum. I've had teachers

[5:19] who are on board to create right an OKAHNP in curriculum, and they've also expressed that

[5:26] having boards is very helpful but there should be more leniency during the school year to change

[5:31] the curriculum. Changing teaching models to accommodate non-IP students who don't fit the mold

[5:38] of who the curriculum is aimed at because I have a lot of friends who are both they don't have

[5:43] IEPs but they have learning deficits and learning disabilities and they can't grasp knowledge or they

[5:51] don't grasp it in the way it's being taught and I also have a lot of friends who are relatively

[5:55] high achieving and they feel bored off in the classroom and I'm one of those kids.

[6:01] It's not fun to be in a class that you feel isn't helping you at all and to be able to

[6:09] address that, I feel that one thing we could do is allocate more resources to extra curriculars

[6:15] curriculars and hands-on learning where students get immersed in problem solving and basic

[6:21] tasks that they'll need in their everyday life and experience other professions and things

[6:27] more fully.

[6:29] And I understand that our school district is fantastic, Minnesota is fantastic for this.

[6:34] We like to give opportunities to learn about things that aren't necessarily classroom topics,

[6:40] but I feel that we can be better on this and allocate resources for students to determine

[6:44] what they'd like to do. Little anecdote, in my science class this year, it was an

[6:51] interesting experience. I often felt that I wasn't, my time wasn't being used

[6:57] wisely, it was mostly presentations and we got to do three experiments. All three

[7:02] of which the teacher went through beforehand and one person in each group of four

[7:07] people got to perform two basic tasks. It was not the type of thing that I would necessarily

[7:16] say is educational, so much as being able to follow directions. And I actually went out

[7:24] and I performed an experiment at the University of Minnesota, which gave me the opportunity

[7:30] to go to the International Science and Engineering Fair earlier this May in Phoenix, Arizona.

[7:36] and I am so thankful for that. A lot of people there open my eyes to other educational systems.

[7:42] A lot of people from private schools, schools that are a lot more focused on changing how we educate students,

[7:51] but very few people from public schools had the opportunity to perform the type of experiments that got people to ICF.

[8:01] And it was a really great experience, a lot of the presenters also encouraged education

[8:08] reform, encouraged changing how we educate our students, and that kind of propelled what

[8:13] I already had been researching on society and intelligence.

[8:18] And so thank you guys so much for listening.

[8:22] Have a great day.

[8:23] Thank you very much.

[8:24] And if you want mine, please fill out the yellow card and give it to Ms. Kofsky so we can

[8:27] have that information.

[8:29] Thank you.

[8:31] Okay, the next item then we have is our communications, our board calendar, district updates, superintendent law.

[8:38] Chair Heideman, members of the board, you see in front of you the calendar for July, there is still an awful lot of summer planning events that are happening.

[8:46] I do want to point out that on August 5th, we are kicking off the new school year with the leadership retreat at 8 a.m.

[8:52] the district office on ferry street and there's a handful of back to school meetings in August that board members would want to pay attention to.

[9:00] I have three announcements that I'd like to share.

[9:03] First of all, there's free back-to-school backpacks for the community members.

[9:07] We've been given a grant from the United Way of Twin Split cities that is a donation that exceeds almost $50,000 in value.

[9:16] Backpacks will be distributed free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis at elementary school open house events on August 27th.

[9:23] This also encourages parents to be more involved with their students education by coming to the open house.

[9:29] Next, I'd like to point out, high praise for our district communication efforts.

[9:33] Our communications department was honored as one of the nation's best at the recent National School Public Relations Association event.

[9:42] They presented the Golden Achievement Award to a no-canoping community education for work supporting upgrades and improvements at Roosevelt Community Pool.

[9:49] The district was one of 153 districts in the nation, and if people are wondering, there's just over 13,000 districts in the nation.

[9:57] one of 153 to be recognized at this level in the...

[10:00] The only school is drinking Minnesota dirt in this status for 2019. Congratulations. There were also words of merit presented for our the back to school video board members are familiar with our online e backpack newsletter and the video production featuring the stars of Nolka and up and coming down the red carpet that you remember. Our five member communication team that needs to be recognized for this is director Jim Skelly, assistant director K. Valella, Derek Williams and Tiva Evans are

[10:29] communication specialist, and Janet Kimmel, our communications assistant.

[10:33] Congratulations team, exceptional.

[10:38] Finally, transportation director Keith Paulson has been featured in a national publication.

[10:44] Our transportation system is the largest and most complex transportation system in Minnesota,

[10:49] and the person who manages that is considered one of the top and as fuel.

[10:52] Keith Paulson was selected to feature in the school transportation news on the importance

[10:56] of building trust.

[10:57] There's a link included for your review and we will have this link available probably on our

[11:06] district web page at some point in time.

[11:08] With that, I'd open it up for questions.

[11:10] Any questions for Superintendent Law?

[11:14] Seeing none, then we'll move on.

[11:16] Thank you.

[11:17] Our first item in elementary secondary education is item 6A, our equity achievement plan.

[11:26] And we have a team of people here to present this evening.

[11:31] Welcome.

[11:54] Okay, Chair Heidman, Vice Chair Anderson,

[11:57] Superintendent Law, members of the board.

[11:58] I want to thank you for the opportunity to share this tonight.

[12:01] I'll reintroduce myself to people who haven't met me.

[12:03] I'm Eric Melby, the new Associate Superintendent

[12:06] for Middle School Student Services Special Education.

[12:09] And I just want to thank you for the opportunity

[12:10] to serve an Okanupan District.

[12:12] I'm excited and I'm on day three, just as a-

[12:17] I know our time is tight tonight, so I want to jump right in, remind you that this presentation was scheduled to happen in June, but due to full agenda got pushed here to this meeting in July.

[12:30] It is a strategic priority for the district, the equity achievement plan.

[12:35] It's been over a year in development as I understand it, and obviously there's a bunch of folks up here that are going to do a great job presenting this.

[12:41] since, like I said, it's my third day.

[12:44] So I'll introduce you to them.

[12:46] We've got Tasha Cox who's a parent in the district,

[12:49] Dr. Jennifer Cherry, Director of Student Services,

[12:53] another parent, Judy Orland.

[12:55] Thank you.

[12:56] And James Greer's Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.

[12:59] And with that, I'll pass the microphone over to Dr. Cherry.

[13:03] All right, thank you.

[13:05] Chair Heideman, members of the board, Superintendent Law.

[13:09] Thank you for the opportunity to come back to you

[13:11] share with you our district equity plan. As Dr. Melby just mentioned this is a plan that's been in

[13:18] development for over a year and a half now. We're going to talk a little bit about the teams that

[13:24] helped in the development of this plan and then briefly do an overview of year one on the action

[13:30] items of the plan. Okay. So before we get started let's all come to agreement on what is the

[13:38] definition. So when we think about educational equity or equity in general, we have come

[13:45] to terms by defining educational equity as when educational policies, practices, interactions

[13:52] and resources are representative of constructed by and responsive to all students, such that

[13:59] each student has access to, can meaningfully participate and make progress in high quality

[14:05] learning experiences that empower them towards self-determination and reduces disparities

[14:11] and outcomes, regardless of individual characteristics and cultural identities.

[14:17] So we're looking at a commitment to achievement to all of our students when we're talking about

[14:23] educational equity.

[14:27] What you see before you, you've seen many times before, just a reminder though, on the work

[14:33] of our educational equity plan.

[14:37] We started with a student services advisory committee

[14:41] that convened last spring.

[14:43] And that committee is made up of parents, students,

[14:47] staff members, teachers, principals,

[14:50] student support staff, school board representation.

[14:54] We had a lot of people come together and gather

[14:58] and review data.

[15:00] We have identified programs and areas for improvement within our schools, and a make recommendations for specific strategies and things that we can do to improve our practice. We started by conducting an equity context analysis process. That was a review of our system where we really dug in and looked at what is the current context that's creating the conditions that we're seeing in terms of outcomes for our students.

[15:28] where there are differences in achievement in outcomes for students in various student groups,

[15:33] and then what can we do to change the environment to eliminate those disparities?

[15:40] Working in conjunction with the Student Services Leadership Team,

[15:43] which is an internal leadership team,

[15:45] made up of district administrators, directors, coordinators,

[15:51] as well as school board representation again,

[15:55] developed this equity achievement plan that you'll see tonight.

[16:03] The next slide gives an overview of all of the members that served on our advisory committee.

[16:08] We had, like I said, multiple student members represented from each one of our high schools.

[16:15] We had parent members from all across the school district in every geographic area at all levels.

[16:21] And then we also had a representation of staff members and administrators.

[16:28] And so we had a nice mix of teaching staff, classroom staff, and student support staff as

[16:34] well.

[16:35] And then thank you to Dr. Nocoe Hayes for serving on that committee as well.

[16:42] When we look at why we're here and what we're doing, this is really a response or a reaction

[16:47] to a strategic priority that you gave to us in setting forward an equity achievement plan.

[16:53] So through this year plus of study and development of the plan, we're here tonight to present that to you.

[17:00] Again, we conducted the eCAP or the equity context analysis and in doing so we looked at student

[17:05] outcomes data. We did school site visits, we talked to teachers and school administrators,

[17:13] and we also performed a variety of different stakeholder surveys to include students, staff, parents, community members.

[17:23] Using all of that information in conjunction to a metro-wide effort called Reimagined Minnesota,

[17:30] we used all of this information to develop our plan.

[17:41] Talking about our students, we really need to understand who we are.

[17:46] Who do we serve?

[17:48] Our student body continues to grow in diversity.

[17:52] We look at our student demographics and look specifically

[17:55] at race and ethnicity.

[17:57] In a nokehane pen, 68% of our students are white

[18:01] and 32% of our students are students of color.

[18:05] When we look at the languages that are represented in our school district

[18:09] about 6.5% of our students are English language learners.

[18:12] That varies by level.

[18:14] So if we're looking at the elementary level, about 10% of our student body are considered

[18:19] in English language learners, 4% at the middle school, and 3% at the high school.

[18:25] Looking at our economic situation, 35% of our students qualify for free or reduced price

[18:32] services, and within that proportion between 3% and 4% of our students are McKinney-Vento eligible.

[18:43] Now, if we look at just the race or ethnicity?

[18:47] Yes.

[18:47] Jennifer, when you say McKinney-Vento, that's homeless?

[18:52] Yes.

[18:53] Okay.

[18:53] Thank you.

[18:56] And so, when we look at our staff that work directly with our students, being our teachers

[19:02] and our administrators, the racial makeup of our staff is significantly different than our students.

[19:08] So, other, approximately 3,000 teachers in a nokehanapin, 96% of them are white and

[19:14] 4% are teachers of color.

[19:17] When we look at our administrators, we have about 200 of them in our school district.

[19:22] 94% of our school administrators are white and 6% are people of color.

[19:27] So that's something that we considered as we're looking at who we are as a school district

[19:33] in terms of our students and our staff.

[19:35] I'm

[19:39] going to pass it over to Mr. Greer and he's going to talk a little bit about our goals.

[19:44] School board chair, item and superintendent law and members of the board.

[19:49] My name is James Greer, I'm an inclusive and diversity coordinator.

[19:54] My involvement with student services advisory committee is to continue serving.

[20:00] We're reporting our students academically and socially to ensure that their voices are heard and that their voices are also implemented into the equity plan.

[20:12] As we look at the goals. Goes aligned with world best workforce. Our goal is to increase math and reading proficiency and reduce gaps between students of color and white students. As you look at college and career readiness, our goal is to increase college credit.

[20:30] course taking and increase graduation rates.

[20:40] Priority equity domains, we look at climate.

[20:44] We want all members of the learning community to experience safe,

[20:48] supportive, and inclusive learning environments.

[20:51] We want to recognize and value our students' differences and create space for

[20:55] family and students to participate in decisions that affect their learning trajectories.

[21:02] As we look at student engagement, we want all students to be active participants in their

[21:07] own learning and are engaged in high quality, rigorous learning opportunities.

[21:13] Our students, our students, academic, social and personal growth are very important outcomes.

[21:21] As we look at instruction and assessment, curriculum instructions and assessment practices support all students in identifying and using tools and knowledge resources for multiple communities.

[21:38] We need to empower students to make decisions that will lead to social change in and out of school.

[21:45] School

[21:50] Board Member, School Board Chair, Heideman, Superintendent Law and Member of the Board.

[21:56] My name is Latasha Cox, and I am a former district employee.

[22:00] I have a school-aged daughter, Mikaela, who attends Anokamata School for the Arts, and a pre-schooler named Mariah.

[22:08] My parent involvement journey started with my daughter, Mikaela, at Ramsey Elementary.

[22:16] and that encouraged me to create a parents of student of color group within the district

[22:22] and to become more involved in the student services advisory committee.

[22:28] From this work I am confident that the school district will become more intentional

[22:32] and achieving education equity amongst all students,

[22:36] but especially amongst our increased number of students of color in the district.

[22:41] The first strategy that I'm going to present is on climate and the goal is to eliminate

[22:52] ineffective adopt behaviors and ensure policies do not lead to a disproportionallyality,

[22:59] provide growth oriented,

[23:06] growth orientated, student, staff, and family support.

[23:10] Each school program has an educational equity team to implement district equity plan aligned to build opportunities, build priorities.

[23:21] Team members include principal teacher and student support staff.

[23:29] Climate strategy two is recruit and retain staff of color.

[23:35] And the action step is to develop relationships with teacher preparation institutions focused on diversity on the teacher candidate pool.

[23:43] And as well as researching and mentoring programs for new teachers of color and

[23:48] explore options for implementation.

[23:54] Climate strategy three is build bridges between school and community.

[23:59] An action item is coordinate and support parent affinity groups.

[24:03] And that insists includes the parents of students of color community that I created the school year whose goal is to build community amongst families of color and

[24:14] advocate and ensure that our needs are being met.

[24:21] Climate strategy four, create and sustain consistent, shared understanding of equity and

[24:27] high level of skill application for leaders at all levels.

[24:32] And action on those reach-ups, review and identify equity consultants for leading and implementing

[24:38] culture responsive teaching practices.

[24:44] School Board Chair Hydeman, Superintendent Law and Members of the School Board.

[24:47] My name is Judy Orland and I'm a parent and community member in the school district.

[24:54] I'm a sort of familiar face to some of you.

[24:57] Um, um, I have.

[25:00] Two sons, one who the oldest one who graduated from and over high school two years ago, and it will be a junior at Northwestern University in Chicago. And my other son will be a sophomore this fall at and over high school. My involvement with the Student Services Advisory Committee is to be a natural continuation of my five years of service on the anti-bullying anti-herasement task force, which I was a member.

[25:28] I see it as a continuation of the goal of ensuring all district students have equal and inclusive educational opportunities.

[25:39] Looking at priority equity domain student engagement strategy five includes elevating student voice and leadership and wanting to improve and ensure inclusiveness in the school culture and environment.

[25:54] One of the action steps to be taken is to create regular, encouraging and safe places for students to share feedback, especially opposing opinions.

[26:07] For example, suggestion box, electronic forum meetings and advisory discussions.

[26:17] Continuing with elevating student voice and leadership, we discovered from the students on our committee that they weren't aware

[26:26] care if they had been heard or their suggestions had been heard and or implemented.

[26:33] Thus, actions step C to focus on the need to communicate about student suggestions

[26:41] and actions to promote safe and welcoming schools.

[26:48] Student engagement, strategy 6, prioritize and ensure personalized education with emphasis

[26:56] on acceleration versus intervention.

[27:00] Action step for that to create a common definition and vision for personalized learning.

[27:10] Curriculum Strategy 7, develop and implement culturally inclusive curriculum and assessment systems.

[27:18] Action step would be A, provide training for teaching and learning specialists on

[27:24] and critically conscious pedagogy, and identify tools to review curriculum for cultural responsiveness.

[27:34] Curriculum Strategy 8 provide culturally responsive teaching professional development for all staff who work directly with students.

[27:44] A, CRT district support team, support school equity teams, and provide peer-led professional development for all staff,

[27:55] who work with students.

[28:00] Just keep it there for just a minute.

[28:02] Okay.

[28:04] And so, as you saw as we were presenting each one of these strategies,

[28:08] we chose one item to highlight within the action plan.

[28:13] Within the full report, you will see that there is a three-year implementation plan

[28:18] and it's a phased approach.

[28:20] There are eight strategies and within each one of those strategies,

[28:24] there are multiple action items.

[28:26] What you saw here was just really a preview of what was highlighted of the main priorities

[28:31] that need to be accomplished first, but if you read the full report, you'll see all of

[28:36] those things.

[28:37] Another thing to point out is within each one of these eight strategies, there is an indicator

[28:42] of progress, a measure for how we will determine if we are making progress as well as a target

[28:50] and where we want to go within the first year for each one of these strategies.

[28:55] Within each one of the action items or the action steps, there is a deliverable

[29:00] and a leader responsible for carrying out each one of those.

[29:04] As you heard, Tasha, talk about the very first action step in priority area one.

[29:10] There is a need to create an educational equity team in each one of our school sites.

[29:16] that educational equity team will be responsible for really leading a lot of this work that happens within the building.

[29:23] But as you see in each one of these items, there is a leader responsible.

[29:27] So whether that's the principal or a different district leader, district director, those are all outlined in the plan.

[29:37] And so as we look at moving forward and how are we going to think about the ongoing evaluation of this plan?

[29:47] We have put forward a three-year plan, we imagine that this will continue to be refined a year after year as we check for progress on our goals, and further refine our goals.

[30:00] Our plan accordingly. When we think about what is the criteria that we use to measure our effectiveness, and how are we looking at making movements and stride in educational equity, we're looking at those four specific areas of access, participation, representation, and outcomes. We want to make sure, again, that we're moving forward in terms of educational equity and achievement for all of our students.

[30:31] And with that, we ask if you have any comments or questions for us.

[30:36] Okay, board members, any comments or questions for our presenters?

[30:40] Mr. Dirkswager?

[30:41] I just want to take a moment to say thank you for this extremely important and crucial work.

[30:48] I'm really pleased with what you've put in front of us tonight, and I know this was a long time coming.

[30:53] But a very important set of strategies and actions and outcomes, so thank you for this work.

[30:59] And then my question to go with that, you touched on a little bit, Dr.

[31:02] Cherry, but the standing process for review, so at some point, this is just a first

[31:09] read I know tonight of the plan, but when we do the approval for the year one actions,

[31:15] year two and three will come before the board again, within the next year, or yearlies at the.

[31:20] Actually, I was going to ask that question, because I just realized now that we had just year one

[31:28] So that is a question for Super-Tenna-Law, how is this going to come back to the board if there's three years of actions?

[31:34] Are we going to do this?

[31:36] Board members, I anticipate similar to other community advisory committees like the anti-bullying anti-heresmic committee.

[31:42] The student services leadership team will monitor this meeting throughout the year probably at least by trimester.

[31:47] And then we'll do a summary report and you're to follow up probably in our June or July meeting.

[31:55] So there's plenty of time for internal teams to put this into action.

[31:59] But I would anticipate seeing I can't commit these parents, although some of you have been around a lot of summers.

[32:06] You'll be seeing a team of this group evaluate this and bring this back to the board every summer.

[32:12] So every year it'll come back then for further review and school board adoption.

[32:17] Sure, I'm in a whole different measureable results.

[32:19] With a measureable results, okay.

[32:21] Any other questions?

[32:22] questions? I miss Hayes.

[32:28] Thank you, Chair Heideman. I just want to say that as board members we all have the

[32:33] opportunity to serve on a lot of committees and serving on this committee has been an absolute

[32:38] honor. So thank you to all of you and that whole list of names that you saw. It was just a

[32:46] tremendous undertaking and it's hard to capture that in a ten or fifteen minute presentation.

[32:51] but everything from the data gathering to the sorting to all of the post-it notes and the big posters on the boards and how the group came together and had some really deep discussions about what the priority should be and why.

[33:09] And, never once losing sight of this committee speaking about what is best for an Okanupin students,

[33:18] what is best for our kids.

[33:21] And, the other piece of this committee that will always stick with me is the wisdom and

[33:28] the patience and the insight that our student representatives had.

[33:32] Just phenomenal kids and just a real honor to get to know them and work side by side with them.

[33:40] But to Jennifer and James and Judy and Tasha, I just can't thank you enough for this work.

[33:46] And it really is hard to capture everything that took place over the past 12 to 18 months really.

[33:55] But I will share too that at one of our last meetings we had an opportunity to share so now what?

[34:01] But so what's next and there were several people in the committee that felt very passionate

[34:07] as well as concerned that this work was done but then what, where does it go.

[34:14] So I really appreciate the three-year action plan of the additional work that went into

[34:20] outlining, whose lap that falls into, where does that responsibility lie, and then adding

[34:27] the measurement later because as challenging as this work was, it's really just the beginning.

[34:34] And what we do with the plan is what will make the difference for

[34:38] Anoka Hennepin students, so thank you.

[34:43] And one of the key things I think in a large organization like Anoka Hennepin,

[34:47] as this is a high priority, high priority, really has been to reduce the achievement gap, right?

[34:54] So our single goal is to reduce the achievement gap and improve graduation rates.

[35:00] And prepare more kids for college or secondary opportunities, whatever that may hold. So that is the fundamental goal in communicating that within a large organization. It has to be very clear. It has to be very actionable and very well understood. So everybody knows how they can support this goal. And I think that's the best way to make sure that we actually achieve the results that we're looking for.

[35:29] in terms of the achievement gap.

[35:32] So as I go through a couple of these things,

[35:34] I'm gonna highlight just a couple of things for us

[35:36] to think about in terms of that level of communication.

[35:41] I think the goal statement's very clear

[35:43] and we've talked about this from day one.

[35:46] How do we reduce the achievement gap?

[35:48] We're doing phenomenal work leading to one of the lowest

[35:52] achievement gaps in the metro area,

[35:55] but it's been stagnant for three years.

[35:57] it has not changed and has not improved so we were at that plateau where we said as a board this has

[36:04] to change and that's really why it showed up last year in the strategic plan to watch it and then

[36:11] this year for this school year to actually start creating an action plan that was real deliberate in

[36:18] terms of how we are going to really impact that in a positive way. So as we look at our priority equity

[36:27] I would highlight the instruction and assessment, I think that we ought to take a little bit of a look at the wording there to make sure that that's aligning to our current policies relative to respectful learning.

[36:39] We usually talk about providing all points of view, targeting the curriculum to our students with multiple perspectives.

[36:53] But we never usually talk about what we expect those students as being independent thinkers

[36:58] to do.

[36:59] So that's a little bit different step forward and probably a little bit out of step

[37:03] with our current policy.

[37:04] So we may want to look at that.

[37:08] As we go through some of our action plans, I think that good work and getting very deliberate

[37:16] in terms of the actions that we're doing relative to these different priorities and domains.

[37:27] One thing that I saw here in the climate strategy one, where we talked about ineffective adult behavior and impact on policies.

[37:39] One thing that struck me is the area of single standard of behavior for all of our students.

[37:47] It's well communicated to both staff and students and giving teachers and staff the tools necessary

[37:54] to make sure that it's implemented consistently across the district.

[37:58] I know we're working on that right now and I think that we should really take credit for that in this area.

[38:03] Because that is being something that we're definitely working towards.

[38:08] As a general rule, as I look at the actions, I just want to make sure that I understand where is the school board role.

[38:18] So once we do the actions, especially in the ones that may impact curriculum, how does that come back to the school board?

[38:26] If there's going to be a change to curriculum, for instance.

[38:30] Chair Highteman, first of all, with respect to adult behavior, I just want to go back to that comment.

[38:35] But we have an expectation that all students perceive that our system is equitable and just,

[38:43] and no part of that is lowering expectations for any student.

[38:48] But at the same time, one of the questions is eliminate ineffective adult behavior.

[38:55] We want all adults to feel confident in raising student achievement and consistently enforcing

[39:03] expectations.

[39:04] And so that's a training piece, you know, we want to encourage positive relationship building is a big part of that so that we can we want to keep kids in class.

[39:13] You know, that's a commitment we have now with regard to any curricular changes that are referenced in here.

[39:19] As we go through a review process and identify something as culturally insensitive or a group of students or community members and this happens fairly frequently.

[39:30] We'll have an employee grab a set of outdated materials because they don't have something and it'll include something that's culturally offensive and our goal is to get that out of the system as soon as possible.

[39:41] Frequently, it's not currently board approved materials and we can quickly address it by saying you should be using what we're teaching.

[39:50] Okay, sometimes in the adoption process something we might not realize is offensive to a group

[39:58] and we would bring that back in.

[40:00] Let's say this unit needs to have a different lens, or at least the lead in, or we need to train staff on how to teach this unit because many students say I'm uncomfortable engaging in this unit in this course. When we make that type of adjustment, we would bring it back to our curriculum adoption committee and say, here's a change we're making in unit seven of 10th grade class X, because routinely a student group has said, I'm very uncomfortable when that lessons taught. So we'd bring it back through the kayak process.

[40:29] So that's, that was the important piece.

[40:31] We're not really changing our current process because we already have items that are brought forward to the school board that are questioned.

[40:37] Right.

[40:37] Many times it's maybe use the materials and we're not actually adopted by the school board, which there's one remedy for that.

[40:45] The second is if it is school board curriculum, then it comes through a normal review process where we would make necessary changes.

[40:54] And I give one example.

[40:55] We recently worked with the University of Minnesota to review our 10th grade U.S. history, which is ripe with lots of contentious issues, slavery among them.

[41:08] And we had an outside land school through that process and talk about how to approach this in a classroom that's full of diverse students.

[41:14] And that was through the kayak process and approved in that process as an improvement to our entire U.S. history, both in middle school and high school.

[41:21] For example, I just wanted to make sure that our normal processes aren't being changed

[41:26] here as part of our adoption, and we do have that ability to preview some of these changes

[41:31] with the community if they need to come forward.

[41:37] Then I think I had one other comment,

[41:43] and I think that had to do with the curriculum review

[41:49] to rubric's teacher learning specialists to look at the curriculum for responsiveness and make sure that changes are implemented.

[41:59] So that answers the question in terms of our normal processes or still in place for review.

[42:05] This is part of our process currently and I think many people don't realize that when we are going to mass adopt a set of materials,

[42:12] we specifically have student services or representatives go through that material.

[42:16] many times the publisher does also but we haven't been able to say here's a

[42:21] rubric that we use okay that we can use consistently and that would be brought

[42:25] back to the kayak process for the committee your curriculum and instruction

[42:28] committee to see it probably in a summer report of this plan and that's I like

[42:33] the idea of a rubric because then we know we're being consistent year after year

[42:36] after year and regardless of which person and that's the also the statement

[42:40] that I was gonna make about the student behaviors as well having that rubric to

[42:45] to make sure that everybody's judging the behaviors appropriately and taking action consistently is also important.

[42:53] Any other questions?

[42:56] This is a lot of work, a lot of work.

[42:59] Thank you very much for all the hard work on this.

[43:02] And we look forward to a partnership for a few years to come.

[43:07] I'd just share how to make a comment to bring 10 a lot.

[43:09] Having intended two or three dozen sessions across the state and

[43:14] And actually sometimes at national events about how to make true change for all students

[43:18] in a school system that starts with the school board and commitment from the school board.

[43:23] I appreciate the fact that our board has looked at data that doesn't speak favorably about

[43:28] the work that we do with our students and taking that head on.

[43:31] And I'm excited to see where this goes, but it starts with you.

[43:34] And so thank you.

[43:36] And we'll hopefully set the tone and then we'll be looking at individual school plans

[43:42] to work on it. So, okay. Thank you very much. Okay,

[43:52] the next item we have this evening is

[43:54] 6B Special Education Clotted Action Plan, Mr. Melby. You're on the hot seat right away.

[44:03] Mr. Melby.

[44:11] That's just the way we are in an Okanapu. We just throw you a right-hand head for you.

[44:15] Yeah, I saw that two big, two big agenda items on the first board meeting.

[44:18] That's good.

[44:19] I like it.

[44:21] So Chair, item in Vice Chair Anderson, Superintendent Law, members of the board.

[44:27] This presentation like the previous one was scheduled to take place in June,

[44:32] but due to full board agenda's got pushed to tonight's agenda.

[44:37] And so a lot of people have, again, on this plan,

[44:41] put in a lot of work or on this update I should say the special education audit action plan update.

[44:47] It wasn't my work but it is my work now so I'm looking forward to diving in and supporting

[44:52] that work. Tonight with me I've got Stacey Dolby and she'll be presenting the lion's chair of the

[45:00] This information with you tonight and Superintendent Law will also be chipping in on the presentation as well. So without further ado, I'll pass the microphone over. Thank you. Good evening. The purpose of our presentation this evening is to review the results following year one of the implementation of the special education audit action plan. The first couple slides you've seen before, so I'm going to going to go over them very briefly.

[45:26] To review the special education audit was conducted under the framework of continuous improvement

[45:34] to help the district prioritize plan and implement special education services that align

[45:40] with best practices in the needs of our students.

[45:46] There were five specific audit questions that were developed by the district.

[45:54] This is a reminder of those 15 individual audit areas that were analyzed as part of the

[46:00] process.

[46:03] As you know, data was collected using a variety of methods,

[46:09] and the audit was

[46:11] conducted in two phases, the first being those individual audits, and the second being

[46:16] the strategic planning process to help prioritize our findings.

[46:22] There were four priority areas

[46:25] that were identified through the strategic planning process, which included the multi-tiered systems

[46:30] of support, mental health, staffing, and paraeducators.

[46:39] For accountability purposes, for implementation, we have created a special education scorecard

[46:46] that does reflect our academic and behavioral outcomes.

[46:52] Those academic and behavioral outcomes are being measured through specific measurements

[46:57] and are being analyzed by comparing data to students not receiving special education services

[47:04] by the various disability categories,

[47:08] students receiving special education services

[47:12] at differing instructional levels,

[47:15] and students receiving special education services

[47:18] in districts across the state.

[47:26] So the next four slides will highlight the work completed

[47:29] in the four audit priority areas,

[47:32] areas, as well as the ongoing

[47:34] and year two action steps.

[47:36] The first of those four priorities is the multi-tier systems of support.

[47:42] I'm going to highlight some of that work for you in each of these slides.

[47:48] The ongoing work associated with MTSS will continue to address social emotional learning

[47:53] at the elementary level through the piloting of New Curriculum

[47:58] and at the secondary level with the material adaption process.

[48:03] further year two action steps include the implementation of the MTSS action plan

[48:12] across the system at all levels. The mental health audit will continue to

[48:21] implement the year-over-year utilization model in data collection systems

[48:27] aligned to student outcomes. During year two the focus areas include implementation

[48:32] addition of additional therapists and interns, along with the onboarding of the third community partner vendor.

[48:42] Priority three?

[48:43] Ms. Dolby?

[48:44] Yes.

[48:44] Could you clarify interns?

[48:46] Are we talking administrative interns or something?

[48:49] No, mental health interns.

[48:53] Thank you.

[48:55] Priority three of the audit is staffing.

[48:59] Here continued work under this category includes refinement of the staffing models, budgeting

[49:07] process, and paperwork reduction.

[49:10] With year two action steps focusing on continuing to seek and develop ways for staff to provide

[49:17] feedback.

[49:20] Priority four is our para educators.

[49:26] I'm going to work focuses on developing systems for license staff and paraeducators and continuing

[49:33] to expand our professional development options, action steps during year two focuses on developing

[49:40] more effective and efficient ways to schedule our paraeducators work.

[49:49] The next several slides will highlight the work in each of our individual audit areas.

[49:56] under the individual audit of

[50:00] Developmental cognitive disabilities this past year, we opened our River Trail's Learning Center at Verndale site, and next year we will be implementing program enhancements at our bridges transition program. The next slide highlights our work in autism spectrum disorders. We continue to work on refining criteria for placement in our center-based programs under this audit area.

[50:29] Highlighted here is the work completed ongoing and year two action steps associated with specific learning disabilities.

[50:40] Year two action steps will focus on intensifying instruction and implementing strategies to support behavior.

[50:48] Could you just define FBA evaluation?

[50:53] Yeah, that's a functional behavioral analysis of behavior.

[50:57] And it is a process that we go through that includes observation, gathering of data through interviews.

[51:07] And then looking at what are the triggers that cause behaviors.

[51:13] And then what are the interventions or the skills we need to teach students to replace that behavior with a more appropriate response?

[51:22] Okay, thank you.

[51:22] Yes.

[51:23] Yes.

[51:24] Yes.

[51:24] So under the early childhood special education audit, we've completed several of the action

[51:31] steps and have highlighted the areas of our continued work in year two action steps,

[51:37] including creating additional program options for our three-year-olds.

[51:43] Under extended school year audit, your two action steps include developing options for

[51:48] students who may participate in both targeted services and extended school year.

[51:55] The audit work under the speech area includes completion of wonders and wonders works training

[52:02] with our speech language pathologist.

[52:04] Our ongoing in year two action steps are also included in this slide.

[52:10] This is a representation of the completed ongoing in year two action steps associated with

[52:16] the transition audit area, with a focus for next year on additional graduation pathways for students with IEPs.

[52:26] Under the emotional behavioral disorder, I can't do print in a lot.

[52:33] You're doing a great job. I just wanted to clarify to the board.

[52:35] So many of these items, and we just skimmed over one of them,

[52:41] Our board approved throughout the year, or board presented and run through the appropriate channels.

[52:46] Like our curriculum instruction committee previewed, new pathways to get students through graduation on their IAPs,

[52:55] something that the board is herdanic totally, our community members have said.

[52:59] That one little step was significant work that will benefit tens of students each year.

[53:04] That went through a process that came before the board multiple times before being implemented.

[53:08] So while this work is this summary of volumes of work, each of these steps had touchpoints

[53:16] within the board.

[53:17] And I want to make sure that the board appreciates the fact that we're talking about something

[53:20] you've seen before has been board approved as we're moving forward.

[53:25] But it's nice to put in one full comprehensive package to see how it all fits together.

[53:30] Right.

[53:31] Yeah, thank you.

[53:32] Thank you.

[53:34] All right.

[53:37] The EBD, we've done transition, we're moving on to the emotional behavioral disorder audit.

[53:45] Continued work includes providing resources and materials that our teachers need to support student behavior.

[53:53] And then again, the completed in year two action steps are also highlighted there.

[53:57] The audit work being conducted at River Trail's Learning Center,

[54:03] Aloe Jacob site, is highlighted for you as well.

[54:07] For next year, RTLC will focus on the implementation

[54:10] of light space interventions and systems of support.

[54:17] As year one of our action implementation plan came to a close,

[54:22] we conducted a survey of our staff to get their feedback

[54:26] so that we can make adjustments in year two of implementation.

[54:32] This slide represents who completed the survey by their level, role, and years of experience.

[54:42] Survey feedback from staff indicated that teachers and staff know how to access the data to

[54:48] needed to write IEPs and inform instruction. Further staff reported that the support they are receiving

[54:56] from our special education service supervisors.

[55:00] And behavior intervention specialist being housed in the schools is more collaborative and responsive.

[55:08] Continued areas for growth and improvement as a result of the survey include access to

[55:15] behavior and mental health supports for our students who receive special education services.

[55:21] Strengthening our transparency and streamlining the paperwork requirements, and strengthening

[55:28] and our communication on how staffing allocations are provided across the levels.

[55:35] In addition to the feedback we receive from the survey, we also engage various leadership groups throughout the school year.

[55:44] These groups included and will continue to include special education teachers,

[55:50] pair of educators, and administrators including both special education supervisors and principals.

[55:57] Ms. Anderson.

[55:59] I just have a quick question.

[56:01] So looking at your survey details, I was just kind of surprised at the low response

[56:06] of building administrators.

[56:08] So is that normal or is that, do you think that's situational or is it,

[56:22] okay, got it,

[56:22] okay, never mind.

[56:23] All right, thanks.

[56:24] Okay.

[56:27] Thank you.

[56:31] And then finally to ensure fidelity as we implement your two action steps, we have designed

[56:36] a system that will help us monitor the implementation of the action steps by identifying who, how and what supporting evidence will be gathered, allowing for adjustments and follow-up as needed.

[56:53] And then we go on to staffing.

[56:56] Four members.

[56:57] Screen tenant law.

[56:59] Associate Superintendent McIntyre wanted to be here as a follow-up for board questions on the staffing process.

[57:05] And we took some time over the main meeting and the intended June meeting to clarify some of the staffing questions that the board brought.

[57:13] And in his absence tonight, I have offered up to talk through this process.

[57:18] The slide you have in front of you is a reminder of all of the parameters that are considered when making staffing decisions.

[57:25] Including things like Department of Education guidelines in terms of center-based programming or

[57:30] state licensing requirements that comes up, do we have the right number of teachers in the right licensure area or building space where specific disability needs, like the need for bathrooms or motor access or sensory needs, all of those things play a part in the staffing process, you have seen the next slide on the workload staffing model that said all the things that are factored into a teacher's workload are there daily minutes of students daily minutes of direct service daily in direct minutes, teachers need

[58:00] for daily prep time, teachers need to manage IEPs,

[58:04] how many kids, teachers, she's at one point in time,

[58:07] the grade range that a teacher might see,

[58:09] and how many ministers the entire school have

[58:13] that they need to service.

[58:15] You have seen the next slide before,

[58:17] that says at the elementary level,

[58:20] we staff in the range of a student group size of two to three

[58:25] and that is directly related to the needs

[58:29] The needs of the elementary that are served very generally at a grade level and the need

[58:34] to have smaller groups to work with students at a grade level.

[58:37] The target was two to three.

[58:41] You can see, for an example, an endover elementary, they were having a student group size of almost

[58:47] five, so we needed to add two teachers to get that in the right range.

[58:51] For a school like Cricket Lake, they were overstaffed and by cutting a teacher, they'd still

[58:58] within that right class size range.

[59:00] This was the shift that was put in place

[59:01] in January of 2018 and refined this year.

[59:07] In January of 2018, it was during an addition process

[59:11] and it was very well received by staff.

[59:13] This year, it was a tweaking process.

[59:15] And when you're not making ads,

[59:17] there gets to be some challenges.

[59:20] Here is the middle school or middle school group size range

[59:22] of six to seven.

[59:23] You can see in 18 and 19, at the middle school we had 46 teachers, the far right green column.

[59:32] In 1920, we had 46.5 teachers, an increase of 0.5.

[59:36] If you go back one slide, Mr. Skelly, you can see at the elementary level, we are 18, 19 staff.

[59:44] It was a total of 89 teachers, and the total number is not up there.

[59:49] But there we are seeing a significant increase in the students coming in an early elementary that we adjusted to.

[59:55] If you go to slides forward for the high school 18.

[1:00:00] In 19 district wide, we had 48.5 teachers for 19.20, we're down three teachers all across our high schools to 45.5. No site lost more than one teacher.

[1:00:14] One of the questions that we had, if you go forward, Mr. Skelly, you've seen this slide before that if you add of all of the minutes of service that are in an IEP and that divide that by direct service to students and group size, you get the number of teachers you need.

[1:00:30] And there was, we've gone through this a couple of times, and we tried to think of a different

[1:00:34] way to explain it.

[1:00:35] Good teachers try to find multiple ways of teaching the same lesson.

[1:00:38] So here's version two of this lesson, or there's presentation.

[1:00:44] Here's an example of a high school, and if you look at the far left column, 11,325 minutes.

[1:00:53] At this high school on that given day, and I'll keep in mind with Movements and Moveouts

[1:00:57] and IAP meetings, things change every day, but this data is monitored every month.

[1:01:02] At this high school, at this point in time, there was 11,325 minutes that were required

[1:01:08] to be delivered on a daily basis.

[1:01:11] The middle column on top shows that any given teacher can service students for 224 minutes.

[1:01:19] It says for class periods, what that really reflects is three periods of direct instruction

[1:01:24] and one period where teachers meet with students indirectly.

[1:01:28] If you take the total number of minutes

[1:01:31] divided by the number of minutes a teacher can teach,

[1:01:35] you get the number on the right.

[1:01:36] For example, if this high school only hired one teacher,

[1:01:40] that teacher would teach essentially four classes

[1:01:43] of 50.5 students per class,

[1:01:45] that wouldn't be acceptable in any realm.

[1:01:50] Now, as the middle column adds teachers,

[1:01:53] you can see what that does the class size on the right.

[1:01:57] We were working under the guideline of class size

[1:02:00] and working backwards.

[1:02:02] This shows you and what a board member had asked earlier.

[1:02:04] What's happening in the classroom when we go from 11 teachers to 10 teachers

[1:02:09] or 12 teachers to 11 teachers?

[1:02:11] What that really does on the right size is across that number of classes

[1:02:17] that you're seeing a point four of a student shift.

[1:02:21] what that will do is that, I mean, someone could have two more students and someone else will have none,

[1:02:26] some of their class size.

[1:02:28] So this slide is a reference to how dividing total minutes by the number of minutes teachers can teach,

[1:02:35] you get class size.

[1:02:37] And what actually happens. Now, if you go to the next slide, Mr. Skelly,

[1:02:41] here's a sample schedule on top.

[1:02:43] The gray line is a high school schedule of actual classes.

[1:02:49] If there were 12 teachers, the white line is if there's 11 teachers.

[1:02:56] So one of the questions would be, there'll be big swings in every class period.

[1:03:01] You can see on the top line, the X reflects a teacher who's on a prep.

[1:03:06] A zero reflects a teacher who is doing indirect service and doesn't have a full class of students.

[1:03:12] all the other numbers reflect actual class size.

[1:03:17] Now that 12 and 11 are very likely a co-taught class with a special education teacher and a general education teacher.

[1:03:27] The difference in class size for 12 versus 11 is on some of those higher ends and 8 might go to a 12 or 9 might go to a 11 to keep those smaller groups at 5 if that's what the school chooses to do.

[1:03:43] So, trying to show what's going to happen in the classroom with the cut of one teacher.

[1:03:49] If you go to the next slide, here's a teacher schedule and you can look at the total duty

[1:03:55] day of a typical high school teacher.

[1:03:57] You can see on any given day of the week, the green line is that teacher's direct service

[1:04:03] in a class.

[1:04:07] The bottom across the board is IEP management time given to allocate for paperwork.

[1:04:18] The middle line is prep for class, and there may be some indirect service to students

[1:04:23] during that prep for class, it's not a full class of students that might be one or two students

[1:04:27] that come in one day a week.

[1:04:32] So the final piece is, well, what are our classes look like next year?

[1:04:35] And this slide shows that for replacement classes, now a replacement class would be the

[1:04:43] student doesn't have a general ed math class in 9th grade.

[1:04:47] They only attend a special education teacher taught math class.

[1:04:52] Some of those run bigger and that's a school choice, you can see to accommodate a smaller

[1:04:57] group.

[1:04:58] for a cold talk class.

[1:05:00] Classes, it'll be 8 to 15 students. And again, that range is driven by the school's master schedule. An individual students request for coursework.

[1:05:10] These ranges might be up one on the low end in the high end, or they might be very similar to what they were in years past, depending on the school.

[1:05:23] What you're going to, if you go back, what you're going to see is a shift of about more tense of a student per class.

[1:05:31] Aggregated over those classes, go ahead, Mr. Skelly.

[1:05:36] So as long as we're on that traffic, I'll go ahead and ask the question then.

[1:05:39] How does licensure or lack of licensure impact the ability to spread students evenly across these different teachers?

[1:05:48] That's one of the things that we try to monitor with the school of a school.

[1:05:52] Let's say a school has a larger pocket of autism students coming in.

[1:05:56] They might need, within the staffing process, a school might only be down one staff member,

[1:06:03] but might see a three staff member swing.

[1:06:05] As we've added two, we've maybe removed two learning disability teachers and

[1:06:10] added two autism teachers to the shift.

[1:06:13] We factor in the unique needs of that school in the staffing process.

[1:06:19] Where there are a lot of staff members, those swings are less frequent.

[1:06:23] like if there's 10 staff members that are 11 and rice ball.

[1:06:27] Right, but we do monitor that, so if we see a huge swing in student population

[1:06:37] because of lack of licensure across the student body, then we can adjust for that.

[1:06:44] Absolutely, okay.

[1:06:45] For someone for seen reason, we typically see that coming up through our system,

[1:06:50] sometimes move in surprises but one of the things that right now people are much more likely

[1:06:57] to tell us they're coming to us than they're leaving. So all summer long we have new enrollments

[1:07:03] and then the first week of school when students have moved to another school setting we find out

[1:07:09] that week and so our teachers see ads from June until September and get a lot of anxiety about

[1:07:18] but humming in a service all these students,

[1:07:20] then there's typically a right sizing

[1:07:22] that happens that first week of school,

[1:07:24] and then we can adjust and it's okay,

[1:07:25] where we have a license here at that middle school,

[1:07:28] do we have the right number of LD teachers there

[1:07:29] for the minutes of service we have?

[1:07:32] And through that process,

[1:07:34] do we, are we able to source the right talent

[1:07:37] to fill those spots then?

[1:07:39] Well, here's one of the criticisms is,

[1:07:42] we cut and then we're desperate to find.

[1:07:45] Right.

[1:07:45] The trade-off is, if we hire before we needed the wrong site, our current contract

[1:07:50] doesn't, it's not very easy to move someone once they've started someplace.

[1:07:55] Our pairs don't allow it, and our T-Pair contract doesn't allow you to move sites once

[1:07:59] you're assigned someplace.

[1:08:00] Okay.

[1:08:01] And for our teacher contract, once we commit to hiring someone, it's challenging.

[1:08:04] So the trade-off is to be overspent and staffed at the wrong spots, versus hiring late.

[1:08:11] And so it could be a topic to discussion for efficiency because these are concerns that

[1:08:18] are brought forward by teachers which are impacted by their own contract, right?

[1:08:25] Very few districts across the country are bold enough to go in early October and say, looking

[1:08:31] at where everyone is now, we're going to move these 20 staff.

[1:08:34] But for efficiency sake, that would, you know, you break up relationships with those students

[1:08:40] at that site, but you also match our resources to our need.

[1:08:45] But you know, at least we have a good solid explanation of why we have the practice that we do.

[1:08:50] Okay.

[1:08:52] Great.

[1:08:52] Thank you.

[1:08:53] The next slides you've seen before and have not changed.

[1:08:56] This is just in terms of center-based staffing.

[1:08:58] This is much more common at the elementary level and middle level than at the high school.

[1:09:03] Go ahead.

[1:09:03] And this is the Minnesota staffing rule is the lightest line below.

[1:09:10] For example, in EBD programs, every 10 students require one teacher and one pair according

[1:09:16] to state guidelines.

[1:09:18] The next two grade lines are district practice.

[1:09:21] You can see that our district has a practice of having a teacher in two pairs for

[1:09:26] anything up to eight students.

[1:09:27] And a teacher in three pairs at 10 students.

[1:09:29] And so we allocate two additional parrots to an EBD center race program more than the state

[1:09:34] requires.

[1:09:36] And that's the true of our autism programs and true of our behavior intervention programs.

[1:09:42] And so when teachers ask questions about center race staffing, we're routinely staffed better

[1:09:49] than state guidelines.

[1:09:52] And then you might, in the top program, for example, you might have nine students in there.

[1:09:59] and a T.

[1:10:00] Section two, pera's. And we might not add a third pera because one of our students is leaving and they'll be a window of time where they're staffed to richer than the state guidelines and not quite as well as our district guidelines. But what we know is once we add that pera, we have that pera in that program for the year. And we want to make sure that we can commit that resource. Mr. Skelly, when we get staff reading requests, we review all of this data. And I met reference earlier.

[1:10:28] our monitor move-ins and move-outs, we consider our current budget restraints and we will continue

[1:10:35] to monitor and support as enrollment changes as the board is aware. This November, the board made

[1:10:39] a $600,000 addition to special education staffing based on what we learned at the start of the year.

[1:10:45] We would hope that we get tighter with those types of allocations, but we also realize that

[1:10:51] people move into our system or people of unique needs to start the year and we want to be flexible

[1:10:55] to those.

[1:10:58] With that, comments and questions for myself, Mr. Melby or Mr. Delby?

[1:11:04] I'll follow up with one more questions on the topic of the staffing part of it and teacher

[1:11:10] contract and paracontract. So the phenomena of par- uh, par- uh, paros being released, um, end of year

[1:11:20] in some schools is a result of staffing decisions made in the previous year based on the student body that was there, anticipating it's going to change the following year.

[1:11:35] And if it doesn't change, then we go and make that decision after the start of the school year, hoping we'll get qualified people, right.

[1:11:43] And so that's one of the things that we hear a lot about in terms of the meet and confer

[1:11:50] process of not being able to find the right individuals at the right time to fill those

[1:11:57] positions.

[1:11:57] I'm kind of curious, at least for the pair of part of it, because I know, at least for

[1:12:02] Nokahaisko, I think there were six that were released, many of them found jobs.

[1:12:07] Other places.

[1:12:08] I'm just wondering, what percentage of those found jobs in other school districts?

[1:12:13] I don't know that we have that data.

[1:12:14] We have a strong pattern of people that we can't reassign

[1:12:21] Paris to new buildings or we know that we're going to hire back.

[1:12:24] We anticipated hiring back almost everyone we let go.

[1:12:27] Other than people that weren't, we're going to not come back to us in the first place for any number of reasons.

[1:12:32] Could we just do a review of the data because this is an area, this seems to be a hot topic.

[1:12:37] And so we're hearing that the contract plays a role in that because once we commit to that staff member,

[1:12:45] that staff member has to stand at school, even if the student body population and need changes,

[1:12:51] we can't move them to another site, right?

[1:12:54] So our process is to displace them, sort of like the teacher transfer process.

[1:13:00] We displace them and then they apply back into the system.

[1:13:02] So knowing that that is to put yourself in the in the Paris position, they're essentially without a job hoping that they'll get a job back.

[1:13:14] So they may not want to gamble and wait and we have some school districts around who have very attractive pays compared to an Okhenupin at least for the Paris.

[1:13:25] So I think we should seriously look at this, because we may need to find a different way of dealing with this.

[1:13:32] Absolutely, this is, let's let the data talk, okay.

[1:13:36] Let's take a look at the data, see what it says.

[1:13:39] But putting people out of a position, not knowing if they're gonna have a position,

[1:13:45] they're gonna probably go out and find one, and we hope they're gonna stay in an Okanupin.

[1:13:48] But these highly trained people could just as well go somewhere else.

[1:13:53] So, we will gather data on employees that we would have planned to rehire and do how

[1:14:00] many of those do we lose?

[1:14:01] Right.

[1:14:01] Absolutely.

[1:14:01] Let's take a look at the data and see what it says.

[1:14:03] Sure.

[1:14:04] Sure.

[1:14:06] Mr. Slager.

[1:14:08] Thank you.

[1:14:09] Thank you.

[1:14:10] Chair Heideman.

[1:14:11] Thank you for this great work in presenting on this meaty subject, Dunday 3.

[1:14:21] And it's also relatively new for you too, so thank you for that as well.

[1:14:26] I guess and so I have a hard question and it's more to raise a discussion point for the board

[1:14:32] than I really expect either of the two of you to be able to answer.

[1:14:35] But Superintendent Law you talked about this is less than two of the same presentation on the formula.

[1:14:42] I'm still, I really am still taken aback by the comment about we know that indirect services occur and it's a draw on staff time.

[1:14:55] And I, we heard at meet and confirm.

[1:15:00] I'm sorry about those indirect service, the time that that takes not being accounted for in the model. And I know that that's the variation in those indirect services is large. I know that there are a number of variables for what all those services are. But I'm having a hard time thinking about how this model is going to have, you know, for some areas large swings.

[1:15:24] when we haven't based them on all that truly reflects the draw on all the time.

[1:15:31] So I can answer that quickly, this model reflects indirect service included.

[1:15:35] The 224 minutes a day gives teachers credit for that hour of indirect service as if they offered it all days.

[1:15:42] No, it swings the other way and there's a double edged sword.

[1:15:47] It gives those teachers credit for a full-class five days a week during that period.

[1:15:53] What that does when they don't meet with the full class for five days a week is it drives

[1:15:58] everyone else's class size up because if I get credit for a period of time where I'm

[1:16:04] meeting with two students indirectly and I count it as minutes of service, the rest of

[1:16:09] you have to cover what would be my full class.

[1:16:12] But this model does reflect in the red service that 214 minutes.

[1:16:16] It's been an adjustment since that I confer.

[1:16:19] Awesome.

[1:16:20] Thank you.

[1:16:21] That's huge.

[1:16:23] And did that, can you remind me and maybe you said this if you did, I apologize.

[1:16:26] Do we talk about what the input process was for that revision?

[1:16:30] So it was through that survey process and rolling out the models, and then actually Ms.

[1:16:35] Dolby went and visited with almost half of our secondary sites and talked with teachers about.

[1:16:40] Thank you, Ms. Dolby.

[1:16:41] Thank you.

[1:16:42] And we also are going to continue the work this year with our leads and a teacher group to look at what,

[1:16:50] But how do we define those indirect services?

[1:16:53] Are there ways where we could use resources and buildings to help address some of those

[1:17:00] indirect services that may not necessarily need to be provided by the case manager?

[1:17:06] Thank you.

[1:17:07] That's really the second part of my question when we, when Associate Superintendent McIntyre

[1:17:12] was here, I recall asking for some sort of a list of, you know, if we knew what this was

[1:17:18] is going to do what other possible efficiencies were there.

[1:17:21] I love the idea of looking at the data regarding

[1:17:24] paraeducators and moving outside the district.

[1:17:27] So I appreciate that work as well.

[1:17:29] Thank you very much.

[1:17:32] Any other questions?

[1:17:34] Miss Hayes.

[1:17:37] Thank you, Chair Hydenman.

[1:17:38] And thank you to Stacey and Eric for the information.

[1:17:42] One item that I'm recalling from the audit

[1:17:44] was a mine shift of not counting students,

[1:17:48] but coding minutes, and in that the services that each student needs are incredibly unique

[1:17:55] and vary from student to student.

[1:17:58] So I see minutes reflected, but if the math in my head is working, it's really about the

[1:18:04] number of minutes available in a classroom time, during that time, it's not if it's a 50-minute

[1:18:10] class or a 42-minute class or whatever the schedule is on that particular day.

[1:18:17] Can you talk a little bit about how the staffing process allows the flexibility when the building

[1:18:25] knows the unique needs of the students being served?

[1:18:29] So for example, of the six students in classroom X, they know that those six students have

[1:18:37] a higher need than another classroom of six students and how that is adjusted for.

[1:18:44] or when there's a transition from a student going from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school and they're preparing to meet the needs of that student and it is a higher need student that is going to require, you know, not one on one time, but certainly that student would be more successful in a class of four students versus 14 students because in the in the slide, you know, we're seeing class ranges of anywhere from four to 15.

[1:19:13] So, that's a huge range.

[1:19:16] My question is really about how does this ultimately impact the decisions once we know the unique

[1:19:24] needs of the students in age building?

[1:19:27] Well, again, the calculation looks at the number of direct services that that student needs,

[1:19:35] so that is calculated into the formula.

[1:19:38] So different students require different direct services.

[1:19:42] So, that is calculated into the formula which then helps us determine FTE for a student.

[1:19:50] The previous caseload model did not take into that into account at all.

[1:19:57] It was just...

[1:20:00] Eric's going to have 23 students, Stacy's going to have 23. I could have students that have more of that setting to instruction and Eric could have all setting one instruction students. So it does create a little more of an equitable case management or not so much case management, but a workload. Looking at how are we servicing our students and

[1:20:30] in the building as a whole.

[1:20:32] It does not break down the number of students per class,

[1:20:38] if that's what you are asking, Nicole.

[1:20:40] But I would add that in a transition meeting,

[1:20:44] transition an IAP from middle school to high school,

[1:20:46] they would have conversations that would say,

[1:20:48] this is a student who really was just fine

[1:20:52] in an English class with 12 other students,

[1:20:53] but in their math class, five students was appropriate.

[1:20:56] And those are notes that the case manager

[1:20:58] for the middle school transition to the case management for my school, and then they

[1:21:01] try to schedule that accordingly.

[1:21:03] And as a former scheduler for seven years, we set aside extra days in the summer for

[1:21:12] the special ed case managers and lead to come and work with the scheduler to put those pieces

[1:21:16] in place.

[1:21:18] So they are considered, but I have to be honest, we schedule within the parameters that we

[1:21:25] We have financially, there are an awful lot of students that would be better served in a smaller classroom across our entire system.

[1:21:33] And we have to allocate the resources we have.

[1:21:38] Numbers, any other questions for our presenters?

[1:21:42] Okay, this is the first read, so thank you very much.

[1:21:45] We appreciate answering all the questions.

[1:21:51] Next item we have this evening is six C members.

[1:21:55] I think we have a lot of little items here, so we'll run a little bit past eight o'clock where we would normally have taken a recess.

[1:22:00] but we'll be probably done by 15.

[1:22:04] So let's go ahead and keep going if that's okay.

[1:22:06] Let's start with 6C Community Engagement Feedback.

[1:22:12] Mr. Skelly.

[1:22:13] Thank you, Chair Heardham and Vice-Tray Anderson,

[1:22:16] members of the board, Superintendent Law.

[1:22:18] Jim Skelly and Kay Vilella from the Communications

[1:22:21] and Public Relations Department.

[1:22:22] We're gonna present from here.

[1:22:24] So I hope that works for the board.

[1:22:27] I can look over there.

[1:22:28] Okay, great.

[1:22:28] We do have a nine-page report in your packet, and it provides some findings and feedback from activities that I think everyone in this room was involved with in some way, shape, or form our community conversations where we had a chance to dialogue with community members all across an Okanupin.

[1:22:45] So what we're going to do is go over the report and answer any questions or take any feedback that the board has on this process.

[1:22:53] Starting off first with our objectives, what we were trying to do with this, kind of based

[1:22:59] on our scientific Morris Leatherman survey, had determined some areas of the survey that

[1:23:05] were curious to staff and some board members about, and wondering why is that?

[1:23:12] So over the past five years, the district has increased its level of quality of education

[1:23:17] from 24% to 32% and so knowing a little bit more about what that maybe led to that was an interest of the district.

[1:23:30] And then there was some spikes in concern level of certain areas.

[1:23:34] One was a lack of discipline and chemical health issues for students.

[1:23:37] And Kavilello will get more into that as we go along in the presentation.

[1:23:42] But our idea was to get together with community members, have these conversations.

[1:23:46] and see what we could learn so we, using the Board's continuous improvement model,

[1:23:52] just continue to move the district forward.

[1:23:57] Superintendent Lancher,

[1:23:58] hi to many members of the Board.

[1:24:00] I just wanted to talk a little bit about what the format was for the community conversations.

[1:24:05] So we held five community conversations.

[1:24:07] We had one at each of the traditional high schools.

[1:24:10] In total, we had about over a hundred participants throughout the community,

[1:24:15] the parents that were involved. We started with a brief presentation, about 15 or 20 minutes

[1:24:21] that was led by Superintendent Law, just to kind of give a brief overview of what a note could,

[1:24:25] who a note could have been is and the things that we have going on. We, as Jim mentioned,

[1:24:32] we had some of those questions from the community survey. We asked those same questions that we

[1:24:38] wanted to know a little bit more about. We asked those same exact questions to the group of people

[1:24:42] that came to these community conversations, then we had shared those results and compared

[1:24:48] them to the community survey results.

[1:24:51] We did that kind of an interactive fashion.

[1:24:53] We used Kahoot if you're familiar with that.

[1:24:55] then we went into a focus group discussion.

[1:25:00] And I'll kind of get into that a little bit more down the road here. And then we also had an interactive question at the very end, just talking about what they really like about a nocahennathan overall. That was kind of done in a word, word ol' fashion, and we'll show that towards the end here.

[1:25:16] So in the focus group discussions, again, this is an unscientific kind of gathering information, but we really wanted to dive deep into those three areas that Mr. Skelly mentioned. So our quality of education, we talked specifically about

[1:25:30] about how we could improve the quality of education satisfaction.

[1:25:35] We talked about communication related items.

[1:25:37] We talked about any educational program related items, operations related items.

[1:25:43] We also talked about the perception of the lack of discipline, and maybe what is causing

[1:25:50] this increase, as well as what the district should do about it.

[1:25:53] And that same thing goes for chemical help, health, what is causing the increase, and then

[1:25:58] and maybe what we could do to change that perception.

[1:26:04] So I'll go over some of the key findings regarding in the quality of education area.

[1:26:10] We took that item, carved it into different areas.

[1:26:15] So we were able to get more specific feedback in the area of communication.

[1:26:19] And these may be common sense things that board members here all the time from your constituents.

[1:26:24] But when you look at the number of suggestions that were received,

[1:26:29] It did boil down to a couple that percolated up through almost every group, and one was

[1:26:36] be dependable and timely with information from school.

[1:26:39] A second one was the website, so there was real interest in improving navigation and ease

[1:26:45] of use on the website.

[1:26:47] I will install the parents are using it, and the better we can make the website and easier

[1:26:52] to use, it's likely to improve quality perception of the district and satisfaction from parents

[1:26:58] A second one was education related and these are programs that might be a

[1:27:05] curricular program that parents might think what is it that no

[1:27:09] can happen could add or it might be a class or anything related to a

[1:27:14] student's education and again these really resonated more around things that all

[1:27:21] students could benefit from so ensuring programs challenge and motivate all

[1:27:27] students and particularly those in the middle, parents rallied around that idea, engaging students,

[1:27:34] the idea that students are really active involved with their education, motivated in the classroom,

[1:27:41] that's what the best schools have, that's what an Okanupin that improves quality of the district.

[1:27:47] And then maybe this one goes back to communication somewhat, it might go to school events as well,

[1:27:52] But highlight academic achievement, similar to how we highlight co-curriculars, get it out there so people can see what students are doing on the academic side.

[1:28:02] And let parents see how well their students are doing on the academic side as well, get them involved.

[1:28:10] On the area of operations, this could be food service, bus transportation, anything related to the business operation of the district.

[1:28:18] This one I can almost guarantee board members here from their constituents, but improve student pick up and drop off areas at school.

[1:28:27] That seemed to be a common theme that came up in multiple groups.

[1:28:32] Just the general maintenance of exterior buildings, landscaping, and maintenance.

[1:28:36] This would also go to the interior of the buildings as well.

[1:28:39] So parents, guardians they want, well kept buildings, buildings are a source of pride for the district, and they noted that.

[1:28:50] And then athletic facility upgrades, both gym space and fields.

[1:28:53] There are multiple comments about how they traveled other schools, they see what they have.

[1:28:58] Both inside the buildings, outside the building, they're a source of pride for these people that are involved with the programs, and they feel that.

[1:29:07] I'm improving athletic facilities, both gym spaces and fields.

[1:29:12] I have a reflection on the district as far as the quality perception.

[1:29:18] Now in regards to the perception of the lack of discipline.

[1:29:22] A lot of the parents talked about discussions going on at home with their children.

[1:29:26] So that could be a reason for maybe the increase in this perception.

[1:29:31] They all talked about a variety of solutions, but mostly those solutions focused on strategies for

[1:29:36] student behaviors, character education and conflict resolution.

[1:29:41] They also said parent communication and parent education needs to be a component of this.

[1:29:46] Sometimes they were hearing about it from their children not necessarily for this, from

[1:29:50] the school in a lot of cases.

[1:29:53] In regards to the perception of chemical health increase, vaping and

[1:29:59] e-cigarette use.

[1:30:00] This was consistently noted in all of the groups that we talked with. There seemed to be a higher awareness of this, though, more with the secondary families, the elementary families, some of them were not even aware of this increase. So maybe more of the secondary families were leading to this increase in or perception of increase in chemical health. So a lot of the items were kind of started, I would say. We had some communication plan regarding this topic.

[1:30:29] So, we shared a lot of those ideas and a lot of them were in agreement with the direction

[1:30:34] that we were going into.

[1:30:35] So, definitely continuing the partnerships throughout the community that we have and just

[1:30:42] eliminating as much as we could as a school district from the schoollands, not necessarily

[1:30:49] like trying to fix the whole student, but fixing the problem within the school environment

[1:30:54] is what they were most focused on.

[1:30:56] And a lot of them are saying it's not your issue to kind of like save the entire planet.

[1:31:03] So to speak, like, focus on what you can focus on, just focus on the school piece of things.

[1:31:11] So just as a conclusion and keep in mind, I know that all board members are involved in these discussions.

[1:31:16] So your perceptions, and you were involved in these conversations.

[1:31:19] These are high level kind of items that resonated in all groups that we were able to determine.

[1:31:27] and we did put links to all data if you'd like to go and look at that in the report from all the

[1:31:33] meetings that were held. But just from a high-level summary, the series and the five meetings did

[1:31:40] provide feedback and context on these issues. So we were able to gather some valuable feedback

[1:31:46] and engage, I think like Kavila said, on 105 community members in discussions about the schools.

[1:31:55] And the people who are there have a strong connection and sense of pride with the school district.

[1:32:00] I mean these are people that want the school district to improve and felt that their time I think for the most part was well spent engaging in this activity.

[1:32:11] And they were engaged and actively involved with suggestions almost we probably could have kept going and gathered more ideas.

[1:32:18] So as far as getting out there and gathering these ideas, it was time well spent by the district.

[1:32:28] I just wanted to share the word, so to speak, with each of the community conversations that we

[1:32:35] were involved with. So I'll just show the five. This was the question about what participants that

[1:32:43] that was the most positive thing about a note can happen overall or their school overall.

[1:32:48] And so this is an example from and over.

[1:32:52] You can see there's a variety of different things on here.

[1:32:54] Teachers came up a lot on all these, but community spirit, opportunities, high expectations,

[1:32:59] et cetera.

[1:33:01] The ones that are larger are the ones that more people wrote on the most, so this is the

[1:33:09] I know a good example,

[1:33:16] the Blaine Example,

[1:33:21] Champlain Park and

[1:33:26] Kung Rapids.

[1:33:32] I know we went through that rather quickly.

[1:33:35] It was a big commitment for the district.

[1:33:37] All these meetings and for our parents and guardians to attend.

[1:33:41] But that's the presentation on the community conversations.

[1:33:44] If there's any comments or questions for board members,

[1:33:46] share it's over to you.

[1:33:47] Members, any questions for presenters this evening?

[1:33:52] I thought it was absolutely well worth the time.

[1:33:54] And I really do appreciate the time that staff put into it going to all the different high schools

[1:34:01] I made all but one of them and it was a lot of similarities but yet a lot of differences.

[1:34:09] And I think collectively it just provided a little bit more insight into some of the targets that we're

[1:34:15] trying to hit as a school district like what does it mean to provide a quality education?

[1:34:22] How do parents define quality? How does our community define quality so that we can start

[1:34:29] moving in their direction so we get better ratings relative to quality? So I think that

[1:34:37] it was very well done.

[1:34:40] So are we planning to do this again next year or how we planning

[1:34:45] to go forward with some of this work.

[1:34:49] Chair Hydeman certainly remembers the board.

[1:34:52] Certainly we had great community feedback on this.

[1:34:56] We will be sharing the community server this year.

[1:35:00] We're wrapping it up. It'll leave you be in August or early September. We have that information. And it might appear as if we move the needle on some of these things just by having community conversations. We'll share that and then we'll take some direction from the board about where we would take this next. Got it. Okay. Sounds good. Any other questions, members? Seeing none, then thank you very much. We'll move on to our next item. Item number 6D, Minnesota State High School League resolution for membership.

[1:35:29] Pendex H.

[1:35:31] Chair and members of the board in front of you, you have our annual resolution that all of our high schools be members of the state high school league for the purpose of competition with their peer schools and the opportunity to compete and higher levels of competition as their success warrants.

[1:35:46] This is a board resolution.

[1:35:47] So I just saw the details of this, it looks like the form is a little bit different than

[1:35:53] what we've done in the past.

[1:35:55] So I just want to highlight a couple of things that might prevent us from approving this

[1:36:00] evening.

[1:36:01] We are missing the student and parent advisers for the advisory board for Blaine High School.

[1:36:08] Okay, if you saw that.

[1:36:10] Also just one question and I think something that we should consider, I noticed in a number

[1:36:17] of schools, the advisory committee has either a staff member that happens to be a parent

[1:36:27] in a number of the different locations and there is a place in that advisory committee

[1:36:34] for faculty member.

[1:36:36] So I think we ought to maybe really consider a parent that is not a staff member or related

[1:36:46] to a staff member.

[1:36:47] Chairman, would you rather, we can bring these back in a moment.

[1:36:50] We're already going to have to figure out how to fill in blame, because there's two missing spots there, I noticed.

[1:36:56] So, do we have time to bring it back?

[1:36:59] We won't have any state participation before our work session in August.

[1:37:10] I would recommend we approve those that are complete and then modify them to just in,

[1:37:16] And the event that there are some activities that happen before the August public board meeting.

[1:37:25] So how do you want to handle some of these then?

[1:37:34] I'd be happy to offer another option, Chairman, and we could make the corrections you suggested and bring this back to a consent agenda.

[1:37:44] I think you have consent agenda be fine because we can always pull it off for separate discussion.

[1:37:48] Sure, our consent agenda for the work session.

[1:37:51] Yes, okay, that will clean up by then.

[1:37:54] Sorry, I didn't catch that in here.

[1:37:55] That's right.

[1:37:57] Okay, let's board okay with that bringing it back to consent agenda.

[1:38:02] Okay, let's move on to our next item for resolution proposing new polling locations.

[1:38:07] Mr. Superintendent Law.

[1:38:10] Pandex, aye.

[1:38:12] Chair head of members of the board, it appears that one of the previously designated polling locations is

[1:38:18] is no longer operating and that would be a church in the city of Blaine the way of life

[1:38:23] church is no longer going to be a polling place.

[1:38:27] The second option that meets the criteria is Blaine City Hall.

[1:38:32] So this is a board resolution shifting that polling place because you as a board have approved

[1:38:37] the list of polling places already and this is a change.

[1:38:40] How far is that from?

[1:38:43] How do we make the determination on location and proximity?

[1:38:49] The local election judges make recommendations.

[1:38:54] Okay, I don't know what our choices would be.

[1:38:57] This is the next, like the estranged for them based on our priorities.

[1:39:02] So members, I'll move appendix I as presented and this is a resolution.

[1:39:10] Is there a second, second from Mr. Erkswager discussion on this resolution.

[1:39:18] Hearing no discussion or seeing no discussion, the clerk will take the role or actually the treasurer will take the role.

[1:39:26] Mr. Erkswager.

[1:39:27] Hi.

[1:39:28] Mr. Harvey Votai.

[1:39:29] Ms. Anderson.

[1:39:30] Hi.

[1:39:30] Ms. Hayes.

[1:39:32] Hi.

[1:39:32] Mr. Hydeman.

[1:39:33] Hi.

[1:39:33] With the being five votes in favor and not in opposition, the resolution is adopted.

[1:39:39] Next item we have this evening is our pay 2020 tax levy time lines, Ms. Vargas.

[1:39:47] This would be Appendix J. Good evening, Chair Hydermann.

[1:39:50] That time of year.

[1:39:51] I know.

[1:39:52] It just seems like it just keeps going.

[1:39:55] It does.

[1:39:55] We just adopted a budget and now we need to look at next year.

[1:40:00] So tonight, what I have before use, in July, we always adopt our Truth and Taxation timeline. And basically what this is to set our hearing date. First time to get it out there. We start with tonight setting the hearing date for December 9th. We'll do it again during the regular board meeting as we did this past year. I'll be here in September when we have our proposed taxes to certify.

[1:40:26] Between November 11th and the 24th is when the county will send out the specific notices each property owner of estimated taxes.

[1:40:35] We'll be back here then on December 9th at our regular meeting to certify the final tax levy.

[1:40:41] And then the remaining dates are just for my certifications of sending into the county auditor in the state department.

[1:40:48] So basically the importance of today is really just to set the December 9th hearing time of 6.30 p.m.

[1:40:53] that's our regular board meeting in the timeline.

[1:40:56] So Ms. Vargas, is this our standard timeline process, nothing's changed here.

[1:41:00] It doesn't change just the date of the December board meeting generally.

[1:41:04] That's what I've got, okay.

[1:41:05] Members, any question from Ms. Vargas?

[1:41:08] Seeing no questions, then I'll move we adopt the calendar as presented in Appendix J.

[1:41:14] Second.

[1:41:15] I have a second from Ms. Anderson, any discussion on the motion?

[1:41:20] Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying hi.

[1:41:24] Post same sign, motion carries.

[1:41:26] Thank you.

[1:41:27] Thank you.

[1:41:29] And our next item is General Counsel, Mr. Katie.

[1:41:34] We have an approval this evening.

[1:41:36] Welcome.

[1:41:40] Good evening.

[1:41:42] Chair Heidman, Superintendent Law, members of the board.

[1:41:45] I'm pleased to announce that the Inoka Hennepin Building Supervisors have ratified a ten-of-agreement

[1:41:50] for a new three-year contract effective July 1st, 2019, through June 30th of 2022.

[1:41:58] The contract reflects the miscellaneous language changes, but overall, economic improvement

[1:42:04] of 2% on the schedule improvement each year, along with some improvement in the flex

[1:42:10] and 403B for a total economic improvement over the three years of 6.34%.

[1:42:17] And it's within the authority provided to me by the school board, as a result I'm seeking your approval for the ten of agreement.

[1:42:24] Okay, members, any questions for Mr. Katie?

[1:42:29] Seeing none, is there a motion?

[1:42:32] Some moved?

[1:42:32] I have a motion for Mr. Erkswager to approve the contract as presented in Appendix K.

[1:42:38] Is there a second?

[1:42:38] Second from Ms. Hayes, any discussion?

[1:42:43] Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

[1:42:47] Aye.

[1:42:47] Both same sign, motion carries.

[1:42:50] Thank you very much.

[1:42:51] And I'd like to think that districts negotiating team

[1:42:53] it included Nicole Tisher, Todd Monsick, Chuck Holden,

[1:42:56] Greg Cole, Steve Anderson, and Tom Karp.

[1:42:58] Thank you.

[1:42:59] Mr. Katie, are we, this executive session

[1:43:02] is it for matters of negotiation?

[1:43:04] Yes.

[1:43:05] Okay.

[1:43:06] Members, item number 10, board correspondence communication,

[1:43:10] is there anything members would like to share

[1:43:12] with their colleagues?

[1:43:14] Yeah,

[1:43:17] Mrs. Aison.

[1:43:18] Thank you, Chair Hydeman.

[1:43:21] I'd just like to share that Director Harvey and I had a chance this morning to tour some

[1:43:26] of the construction updates on the end of the county side.

[1:43:30] And first of all, coincidentally, the buildings and grounds, but thank you to all of the staff

[1:43:37] that have really worked above and beyond to make these projects a reality.

[1:43:41] And it's fun and exciting to see what students and community members are really starting

[1:43:47] to see in reality. And for some of our students that'll even be benefiting from the bond and

[1:43:54] a levy referendum that was passed in 17 this fall. And for the rest, it's going to be a

[1:43:59] blink of an eye. It's coming quickly. Sure, you can see it coming.

[1:44:03] Yes, but a true thank you to Chuck Holden and his department, all of the staff in the buildings

[1:44:10] that have been under a great deal of dust and construction and to all of the staff that have

[1:44:16] to help make it happen.

[1:44:17] Yeah.

[1:44:19] Mr. Harvey.

[1:44:22] Yes, thank you, Chair Hydeman.

[1:44:23] I wanted to echo Board Member Hayes' compliments of our fit for the future progress and all

[1:44:31] of the things that are just amazing and going on with that.

[1:44:36] Another huge initiative that's going on is our transition to the skyward software.

[1:44:42] And I don't think we've praised enough all the efforts and the time and the work that's

[1:44:47] gone in from many different people in the district service center to get that done and the

[1:44:55] efficiencies that our schools and our taxpayers are going to

[1:45:08] So, I just wanted to compliment all the people with fit for the future and the skyward transition.

[1:45:15] These are huge initiatives that our district has taken on. And unless we talk about it a little bit, sometimes it's almost seamless, it goes off. And we don't realize just how much, how much was moved to get to a great place.

[1:45:29] So thank you to everybody.

[1:45:30] It's kind of seamless.

[1:45:31] Don't you think unwinding ties was pretty seamless, Mr. Superintendent-O-Wah?

[1:45:37] I remember Harvey, thank you for acknowledging that you, I walked into work this morning

[1:45:42] for an 8 o'clock meeting with an employee who had worked 27 hours from July 4th until last

[1:45:47] night.

[1:45:47] So they have made the process behind the scenes, and they've worked hard to make it seamless

[1:45:53] for the rest of us.

[1:45:54] But you're this I've been here starting my sixth year and the transition from the ties program to something else started at that point in time

[1:46:03] This has been a long right hard left for a lot of employees in our system

[1:46:07] But to miss the Harvey's point. There's a lot of be hard work behind the scenes to make all this this is

[1:46:13] Make all this work. So thank you to everybody

[1:46:18] Okay, members, I'm going to propose under Minnesota State Law 13D.03 Subdivision 1 that the board move into a closed session in the Michael Sullivan room to deal with matters of labor negotiation and that is a motion.

[1:46:35] Second.

[1:46:35] Second from Miss Hayes.

[1:46:40] Motion by Mr. Hyde and Miss Second by Miss Hayes. Any discussion on the motion?

[1:46:44] Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

[1:46:47] Okay, post same sign, motion carries.

[1:46:51] Thank you very much.

[1:46:52] We're going to take a 15 minute recess.

[1:46:54] We're going to reconvene in the Michael Salvin room at 830.

[1:46:58] And we will continue with the school board meeting there for matters of negotiations.

[1:47:03] We'll be in that closed session for about a half hour and then we'll come back out and

[1:47:08] we will publicly adjourn the meeting.

[1:47:10] Thank you very much.

School Board Meeting

Transcript