there. >> Thank you. We'll do the pledge of allegiance, please. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This meeting of the Brainer School Board is being conducted in accordance with Minnesota statutes 13D.02. This meeting is being livereamed. Access to the recording is available on the
school district. Look for a motion to approve the agenda as amended. We did pull the um financial audit off there for next month. Wasn't quite finished. I will move to approve the agenda,
>> Madame Chair. >> Yes. >> No, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead for a second, then I'll then I'll come in. >> Are we going to >> I'll second. I'll second. >> All right. We've got a motion by Director Breen, a second by Director
Ward. Any discussion? >> Yeah, Madam Chair. >> Okay. Um I would like to add two agenda items. Um I should have done that before you called for the motion but they would be the following discussion uh under new
business. They would be the uh the following discussion on recruitment and retention of staff. And then the next one would be under new business legislative action. So there's two items I would like to uh add to the
agenda under new business. All right. So, Director Ward is making a motion to amend the amended agenda by adding a discussion on recruitment and retention of staff and legislative
action. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. We've got a motion to amend the amended agenda from Director Ward to add the discussion on recruitment and retention and legislative action. We've
got a second by director Breen. Any further discussion on the amendment? >> Yes. >> John, would you be amable to two separate motions? >> No pro. No problem. >> In other words,
motion for one and a motion for another. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Okay. This is getting confusing now. >> Why don't you make the motion, John? Make the motion on the first one. >> Yeah, let's go that route. >> Okay. I'll move I'd like to move uh to
add to the agenda under new business um discussion on recruitment and retention of staff. >> Okay. So, we've got a motion to amend the amended agenda. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Director Breen is second. Any further
discussion on the disc discussion of recruitment and retention of staff to be added to the amended agenda? >> What are we trying to What are you What are you looking for, John? >> I mean, is this more You think this be better in a workshop or No one's got a presentation ready, do they, Peter? >> No.
>> So, what are we going to talk about? Just curiosity. >> Um, yeah, I'd like to get a a committee set up to work towards this to talk about the staff uh recruitment and retention. That would be my my goal. Um and and it absolutely can be a workshop,
but I want to bring it up as an agenda item. >> What's that? >> Any further discussion? >> Well, do you want to change your motion that we um we form a committee? >> Good idea.
>> And then that could be the motion and we could talk about it and then we can vote on it whether we want to set up a committee or not. Does that make more sense than to just talk about >> But it has to be but doesn't it have to be an agenda item, Madam Chair? >> Um, it would I think it that would be an
agenda item either way. We'd make that amendment to the agenda right now to either add it as a discussion item or add it as a an item to discuss having a committee. Either one of those would be an addition to the agenda. >> John, can I ask you a question?
>> Absolutely. Are you you're chair of the uh personnel and benefits committee, correct? >> Yes. I >> think he is, isn't he? >> Uh, no. >> Where's DJ? Okay. I'm sorry. >> Sits on it. >> Okay. >> No, no, no. >> Okay. No, that was just a question.
>> Yep. >> Got my answer. Thank you. >> All right. Any further discussion on that amendment to the agenda? If not, we'll do a roll call vote, please. >> DJ Doner,
>> yes. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes. >> Randyman, >> no. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> Don Ward, >> yes. >> Breen, >> yes. >> Okay, we'll add a new discussion item
under new business um to discuss the recruitment and retention of staff. Now we'll go back to the approval of the agenda, the amended agenda, >> Madame Chair. >> Yes,
>> Madam Chair. >> Yes, Director Ward. >> Uh, I'd like to move that under new business again, uh, I'd like to add, uh, amend the agenda to add the following new business, uh, legislative action discussion. very important kind of deal.
So, legislative action discussion. That would be my amen. That would be my agenda item. >> All right. We've got a motion to add an agenda item for legislative action discussion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> We've got a motion by Director Ward, a
second by Director Heidman. Any discussion? >> What are we going to talk about? Legislation. legislative action. >> Yep. >> We'll find out. >> Just some things that I think that uh
need to be addressed um with a short session. The session is done May 18th and so there's a time crunch here and uh there's some things that we need to in my opinion um address or try to advocate for or whatever.
>> I thought you did. >> I did too. I don't know what's going on. >> All right. Any further discussion? We'll do a roll call vote on the amendment. >> We don't have a second, do we? Oh, yeah, we do. >> Sorry. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes.
>> Randy Hidman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> John Ward, >> yes. >> Yes. >> DJ Dinger, >> him too. Yes. >> Yes.
>> Thank you, Kelly. All right, back to the agenda. We've got >> I have a question. >> Y >> So, there things we want to pull out of the consent agenda, do they need to be pulled now? >> We can do that when we get to the consent agenda. >> That sounds good. >> Great question. All right. So, that'll be what? An action item under uh new
business. Correct. >> Yes, we will put both of those as action items under new business. So, it'll be number three and number four. >> Just wanted to make sure we're >> actually Yeah. >> Okay. Good. discussion items. >> Good.
>> Okay. Thanks for that clarification. All right. Back to the approval of the agenda as amended. Uh it has the first amendment that we came into this meeting with to remove the financial audit and
the additional two uh amendments to the agenda to add the discussion items. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? >> I'll make a motion. >> Second. Actually, I take that back. We already had a motion and a second in place for that before we started down the other
path. So, we've got a motion by Director Breen, a second by Director W. Any discussion on the agenda? >> All right, we'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Randyman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> Ward, >> yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Stephanie Edman, >> yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. And we have an agenda. 10 minutes in. Doing well. All right, we've got some recognitions here that I'll read through if you guys are okay with that and then I'll ask Dr. Stalmach
to come up and talk about the math masters ones at the end. So, we'll start with congratulations to the following. The boys and girls Nordic ski teams both qualified for the Minnesota State High School League state tournament. The boys team took ninth place and the girls team took 10th place. Annelise Baird finished
fourth place in pursuit and Owen Robertson finished 13th place in pursuit. Congratulations. The Warrior Dance teama uh championship in both kick and jazz as well as the Minnesota State High School League class AAA state championships in
both jazz and kick. Fantastic. And the Warrior Dance Team coach Cindy Clow was named the section 4A head coach of the year. The Warrior wrestling team won the section 8A team championship. Individual
qualifiers were Ari Picar fifth place at state, Ariana Halbert, sixth place at sixth place at state, Serenity Krebs Bach, Jake Rodriguez, Ben Rodriguez, Easton Dirks, second place at state, William Dirks, Jackson Berhow, and Ty
Faber. And the adapted floor hockey team win won the MSHSL adapted floor hockey PI state championship. And the Warrior knowledgeable team took third place at the section tournament and qualified for the state tournament. The boys swimming
and diving team was crowned the Central Lakes Conference champions. Individual state qualifiers in the 200 medal relay. Ninth place at state were Carter Jerks, uh Jack Taji, uh Drew Heglin, Bennett Day in the 100 fly, Drew Hagglin. In the
200 free relay, 14th place at state, Great Sumption, Bennett Day, Brooks Barraek, and Henry McCully in the 100 free, Bennett Day in eighth place at state. In the 400 relay, 14th place at state, uh were Drew Heglin, Brooks
Barraek, Henry McCully, and Bennett Day. And then thank you, Dr. Thelma for sharing with us about Math Masters. >> You're welcome. So, um, Math Masters, um, began as a fifth grade math competition program
back in 1989 with teams from 44 schools taking part. In 1995, the competition expanded to add sixth graders. And our sixth grade team went this year. That was the Friday before spring break. We've got some fifth grade teams who are going pretty soon soon as well to the
fifth grade one. Back in 2022, fourth grade was added. And so I know that our elementaryaries and from having been at Baxter, our elementaryaries often participate in in the math masters as well for fourth grade. So this year there were approximately 500 students signed up for both the fifth and the
sixth grade competition overall total. And we had 29 sixth graders participate from Forest View. Um it's offered at several locations and we went to the source one just it's less expensive to go close um for busing and all of that.
So receiving awards in the fact drill competition we took first place Marley Shaw and Everett Grahams, third place Ellen Anderson, fourth place Delaney Gervy, seventh place Hannah Larson, eighth place um Eva Rimza, and ninth
place Stella Vang and Carter Rut. um receiving awards in the individual problem solving competition. First place Elm Anderson, second place Marley Shaw, fourth place Ara Hellsbersma, fifth place Sullivan Brantley, sixth
place Everett Grahams, and 10th place Eva Rimsa. And then receiving awards in the team competition, there were 16 total teams there. We took both first and second place. First place on our team, Marley Shaw, Cara Swanson, Everett
Grahams, Annel Hadia, and Ara Hellsbersma. And our second place team, Ellen Anderson, Sullivan Brantley, Emma Lynn Smith, Stella Vang, and Ruby Shaw. Uh, these students worked hard,
practiced a lot to get ready. Um, and Mr. Lane Danielson, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that he was the staff member who took on the coaching of that. So, thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next up, we have public input. A member of the public can
address the board during this time. Comments will be limited to three minutes. Complaints or allegations against students or employees may not be discussed due to data privacy. Complaints or allegations must be submitted in writing to Superintendent Grant. The board of education andor superintendent will not converse with
guests to address the topics discussed at that time. And up first, we have Doug Kern. please. >> Wasn't expecting that quick. >> Yeah. Good evening. Um, I would have brought this to the last school board meeting, but I thought it was a special
meeting with no public input and I was surprised that there was public input and I know Director Ward, you know, kind of threw it threw it off a little bit. Um, one of the things that uh I'm concerned about was I would have brought this up before the ICE walk out, the ICE
protest that they had. You know, I want to see this school succeed. I want to see, you know, it may not seem like that sometimes, but I want to see our teachers be uh the retention like John's talking about later. I want to see them uh want to be here and want to stay
here. Um, when I had the IT department, they ran a ICE protest. Um, I did a data request, 1,279 records just for the word ICE protest. Now, that's inner office memos that are going back and forth. They say it was
studentled. I'm concerned that it wasn't studentled because the students around the state, there's no way that they could link together like that without help. Um anyway, uh that that I was just really disappointed that there there was public comment last time around on
February 10th. Um just uh that ICE walk out, you know, to to know that the students were down the street with no supervision. Um at least that's what I was told. There was no supervision. I I don't know if they were considered
tardy, if their parents were notified that they left. um anything concerning the safety of the students. That's a big concern. It's a big concern. Uh anyway, I'll move on with that. Um there's historical facts about
uh tribal land. Um I'll just read this real quick. I learned North American history. My teacher was Reginald Me. I'll never forget Regginal Me. He taught me all about North American history. you know, you're going to have some uh
people talking about um APAC. I think that's what it's called. And here's what I learned. You know, we when we were in school, we had to learn from Mexico all the way to Alaska where all the tribes dwelt where they all were from the Cree to the Shaune to you name it, the Sue,
the Chipua. Here's something that h that I learned um from Reginald me. The Sue took the lands from the Cheyenne who took it from the Kaiwa. I might pronounce the names wrong. Who took it from the ponyi, who took it from the crow, who took it from the arka.
Uh, Minnesota was taken by the Ojiua, from the sue. The victors not only took their land, they also enslaved their enemies. Um, the battle across Lake was one of those historical things that I think every student in Minnesota, at least in this area, should know about
the battle across Lake. And I would venture to guess that you wouldn't find a student in Briner High School that would know about the Battle of Cross Lake. And you know, I I just was so into history by the way that the teacher presented history. And it it was just uh
I really really think that, you know, we have to go that we have to understand that North American history did not start with the Vikings or Columbus. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Up next we have Sarah Roa, please. Hello, my name is Sarah Roa. I am an
educational assistant. I was hired in 2009 and have worked at BHS the entire time. For the last five years, I have had the honor to serve as president of the Educational Assistance Union. I have sat in the chairs behind me for nearly every board meeting. The last time I spoke was when our contract was brought
to the board for approval in 2023. I am not here to talk about the fact that the EAS are currently working without a contract that ended in June of 2025. The district and our union are currently in mediation and it is my hope that an agreement can be reached that is fair
and equitable to all parties. What I am here to talk about is something that has been weighing on my heart ever since the budget cuts, operating levies, voting or not voting, has been discussed in this boardroom and in public forums. I consider myself an intelligent person. I understand hard choices have to be made.
But what I cannot understand is why it seems like we are trying to balance the budget off the backs of the people that make the least and care for the most vulnerable at our school. Educational assistants care for students from birth to 21. We provide support with physical care, feeding, dressing, toileting, and
mobility. We provide academic support, assisting teachers and to individual students. We provide emotional support. We give hugs, shoulders to cry on, and high-fives. We cheer victories, and we support students when things don't go as planned. We provide physical security. We check bathrooms for vaping. We
diffuse situations before things get volatile. We put ourselves in harm's way more often than we care to admit. We provide discipline support through hallway duty, playground duty, and various types of detention. We provide vocational support, assisting students in school-based vocational pro programs
such as the Warrior Outlet. Why do we do this job? I asked myself that on a fairly regular basis. The hours are pretty good. There's no nights and weekends, and most of us don't don't do a lot of heavy lifting, unless you count squirming toddlers or wheelchair transfers. The benefits are also decent.
We earn sk sick time, and we have personal days. We have access to health insurance. That is not bad, but we do pay for it. For example, family plan C is $368 per paycheck. And the average pay is $16 to $18 an hour. Why do we do
it? We do it for the kids. We like the kids. We like them when we're good when they're good and we like them when they're challenging. We love to see them grow and change. We love to see the challenging behaviors get a little bit less challenging over time. The educational assist assistants and nurses
are covered by the same contract. We care for the most vulnerable and often the most marginalized in the school community. Parents hand their most precious thing, their child, over to us every day. Parents of special needs children go a little bit further. They hand us their special their little
person, often fragile, often misunderstood, for us to care for seven hours. The works of nurses and educational assistants are acts of service. All of this brings to mind from the book of Matthew 25:40 when Jesus said, "Whatsoever you do to the least of
my brothers, that you do unto me." An act of service shown to the poor, marginalized, or vulnerable are directly recognized as an act of service to God. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next up, we have Laura Pollson, please.
Good evening. My name is Laura Pulse and I've worked at Riverside Elementary since 2015. I've been working without a contract since July 1st. I quit my job as an accountant to go back to school and try to help change the world, one small child at a time. I'm nervous to sit and speak before you, but it's time
for more people to find their voice and show you our concerns. Both of my children graduated from BHS and we actually open enrolled into the district. We were supposed to be at Pillager, but this district met the needs of my children. My daughter graduated from BHS and she's pursuing
her nursing degree with dreams of becoming a nurse and estatist because of this district. This district met the needs for her by helping her with music and dedication through sports. She has a hard work ethic. She supports herself as a 21-year-old. My son started out in the
level three autism program and each and every year had a large team of certified staff and support staff encouraging him to do hard things. When he was little, I'm not sure what his future was. I didn't know if he would read. I didn't know if he would drive. I didn't know if he would be with his peers. I could
never say thank you enough to the amazing people who transformed him into the successful young man he is now. Many of those people are sitting behind me right now. Paul Bunny Cooperative also played a huge part in this. He's on the dean's list at CLC. He bought a car with a cash
he earned at Mickey's working for four years. He got a loan. He paid for another car. He now has the confidence to continue his educational path. I sit here before you today as a tired, some days broken teacher who's overwhelmed, overworked,
and underpaid. Class sizes have dramatically increased, which correlates to increased behaviors. They have limited consequences right now. It impacts not only myself, my co-workers, and my students. I never thought I'd have to lock a door to keep students out of my classroom. I never thought I'd
have to find alternative routes within our school, on the playground, in different hallways just to keep my students safe and shielded from the behaviors and inappropriate language for six and sevenyear-olds. I never thought I'd have to make a child wait to use the bathroom for 10 minutes so another adult
could help them escort them 10 feet from my doorway. I never thought that this would be what education would come to from the Brainer School District. The next passage was written by an anonymous educator and it speaks volumes about what all educators in our district feel. Teachers are expected to break quietly.
Teachers are the only ones expected to absorb dysfunction and call it dedication. No curriculum? Figure it out. No support? Figure it out. Behavior out of control? Build some relationships. Test scores down work harder. Be creative. Funding cut? Be
creative. Parents upset? You need to be professional. You are expected to stretch, shrink, sacrifice, and smile. And if you finally say, "This isn't sustainable." Nobody wants to listen. They'll tell you to remember your why. This is too much. This isn't fair. This isn't how a career
should feel. We are not selfish for wanting stability, respect, pay that reflects our skills. A life that doesn't revolve around surviving on a Monday. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Up next we have Misha Yukes.
I don't know if I'm pronouncing that correctly. Misha. Uh maybe it might be Michael Ericson. Sorry. >> Sorry. >> No, I should have gotten that. Thank you.
>> Sorry. Usually my writing is better than that. >> No, it's my reading. >> Okay. Uh I'm here to speak in behalf of the uh Apac stuff. I know you're going to do a report on it uh later. Um
basically what I want to bring up is a is a few things. Um for you and I guess the general public, I want to just talk. Have you ever been followed in a store, been accused of theft, pulled over for
no apparent reason by the police? Uh, I have. Uh, and it wasn't because I was drunk. Okay. Um, I have, and it's because of the color of my skin. And, um, for most
of your students that look different, they will experience something like that. um and especially your Native American students. Um so that's why many of the things that the APAC group are pushing for
discipline um safety attendance issues are so important to them because those are the kind of issues that will help you and help them make sure that hopefully those students will become
successful. Okay. Um, and that's that's kind of the bottom line. You know, we want our kids to be successful, but the reality is kids that are black, indigenous, people
of color, they are not successful. They struggle. All people are not equal because we do not treat them equally. That's the bottom line. We do not treat all people equally.
At one point in my career, I had the pleasure of running an IND Indian education program in International Falls, working with Apac, school board members, parents, teachers. Kids were always the best. Uh we had board members
on our APAC committee. Um I understand uh Stephanie was supposed to be on the committee. My understanding is she has not went to a meeting this year. Um that's a disappointment. Um the board needs to be involved in those
kind of things. Another thing that the board needs to realize and the teachers need to realize is in in indigenous communities uh a vast majority of indigenous communities they are matriarchical
which is different than Caucasian communities. Okay. Uh indigenous communities are matriarchical which doesn't necessarily mean that they run the the show but they're at least equal. Okay. So that the power structure is an
equal power structure. Okay. So it's not male dominated. Um Okay. >> Thank you, Michael. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Up next, we have Tim Edinger. Please,
Superintendent Grant and members of the school board. My name is Tim Edinger and I live in Nisa. I've lived in the Brainer School District for 35 plus years and I'm a retired public school teacher who taught for 34 years. I truly wish I wasn't here tonight. I tried to
shine a historic light on your course of action this past summer, but several of you didn't listen and our school district is mired in a mess that possibly could have been avoided. However, in several ways, things are even worse than I had predicted.
Watching the last schoolboard meeting for the first time since I took a teaching position in Brainer, I believe I witnessed the school board and admin attempting to influence contract negotiations publicly at a schoolboard
meeting. Whether or not it meets the legal threshold for bargaining in public or an unfair labor practice will be resolved. Regardless, it was a thinly veiled attempt to sway public opinion as to the district's position in a mediation process that is required to be
closed. Any attempt by a person in a position of power to influence employees or the public regarding closed contract mediation is at best a horrible mistake and at worst extremely unethical. The only contact regarding mediation
between the district and employees should be through the mediation process itself. Second, there is also an ongoing attempt in my opinion to v villainize our school district's employees. Employees who've been asked to do more with less for more
than 25 years. They didn't go into public education to get rich. On several occasions in the past, these hardworking employees traded salary for benefits in bargaining. And now somehow that's not acceptable. Regarding PTO,
that was brought to the bargaining table by administration, not employees. It seems to be totally unfair to me to villainize employees for the actions of previous administrations supported and/or advanced.
The forementioned actions are not examples of honorable discourse in the workplace. More than 80% of Minnesota school districts report shortages of licensed teachers and substitutes. The mantra in teacher training programs for
decades has been, "You won't get rich, but you can count on good benefits." Good luck finding teachers to replace those who will retire or move elsewhere if leadership is going to continue to disrespect employees unethically.
Maybe instead attention could be given to traditional public data based on historic timelines in the district. Aren't the school district financial reports such as the audit later than is typical? >> Thank you.
>> All right, we will move on to the approval of minutes. We've have three meetings worth of minutes there to approve. We'll look for a motion. I'd like a motion. I'll second. We've got a motion by Director Edman and
a second by Director Breen. Any discussion? That we'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> John War, >> yes. >> Yes. >> DJ Donner, >> yes. >> Betterman, >> yes.
>> Heman, >> yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. We'll move on to the consent calendar. So, how's that work? Do we gonna um I'd like to pull a few things out of it. >> Yep. >> So, let's pull the spending deal for the
uh BHF roof replacement down to the Riverside HVAC. >> Okay. >> And then, um poly 602 and 712. And so where do they go? Do they go in new business?
>> Yep. We'll put them at the end of new business. So um would you like to have the roof replacements in the HVAC as one item or separate? >> They can be one item. >> Okay. That says one item and then we'll take 602 and 712 individually. So is the
reason just because we want some discussion on those specific items? >> I think so. >> Okay. which we could do it right away if you want. >> You're pulling Harrison, too? >> I think we should pull all three of the spending things. >> Yeah. I just I didn't hear anything about Harrison. That's all. That's why
I'm inquiring only. >> Oh, can you tell me which ones we're pulling again? >> You got the >> Harrison, BHS, uh, two of them, and Riverside. There's four different uh, wolf replacement. Okay. Riverside.
We're pulling them, but we're going to discuss them >> at the as their own individual. >> We'll approve them individually. >> Okay. So, I have three. >> There's four. >> There's four. >> What's the fourth one? >> Well, the BHS has >> BHS is there's two contracts within BHS.
>> Oh, you're right. I'm sorry. See, BHS >> Oh, one and two. Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. Got it. Thank you. And then policies number 602 and 712. >> Okay. That makes sense to me. >> So that will be item five, six, and
seven under new business. >> All right. >> All right. >> So I'll make a motion to approve the rest. >> Got a motion by Director Dondelinger. Second it
by Director Edman. Any further discussion, >> Madam Chair? >> Yes. >> Uh, you know, we always look at the donor kind of deal or I do anyhow and and uh and appreciative of everybody
that uh gives gives to our kids and this month in particular members uh board members uh the Brainer Sports Boosters and the Baxter PTO have significant giving this this month and so we're appreciative of all people that give. But when we get large ones like that, I
like to I like to call them out separately and thank uh thank them individually. So, just wanted to make that comment. >> Thank you. Thanks for bringing that up. >> All right. If there's no further discussion, we'll look for a roll call vote, please. >> John Warren,
>> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Stephanie, >> yes. >> Heidman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. We'll move on to under old business for action. We have the nomination and
election of officers for this year. We'll look for nominations for chairperson. >> I'm going to nominate Sarah Spear to be the chairperson. >> Um I'm going to nominate um DJ Don.
Any further nominations? Any further nominations? Madam >> Chair. Yes. Madam, >> go ahead, Madam Chair. >> I was just going to call call for the third time for nominations just to >> Yep. Yep.
>> books. Any further nominations? All right. We have >> Madam Chair. >> Yes. Director Ward. So, um, you know, to me, this is we're coming in
with a new superintendent and some, you know, new folks. And, um, I want to, uh, be able to find out, uh, I want to ask some questions of each nominee. Um, and I don't when when can I do that? Prior to a vote.
>> Well, we're just about to take a vote, so this would be the best time. >> Okay. Um, I think it's imperative uh that um our new chair or our chairperson um strongly support an operating levy.
So, I'd like each each nominee to um um tell how they feel about an operating levy uh moving forward and the support they'll have for it. >> You want to go first? You want me to? >> Go ahead.
>> Well, John, that's a loaded question. you dirty dog. Um, >> sorry I don't feel loaded, but okay, >> here's the deal. Imagine that. Um, here's what I think about the operating levy. I think that there's a lot of
stuff we need to clean up around here. And, um, it's not an operating It would be an operating levy, wouldn't it? Yeah. Um, and if we got that down and kind of got our our housekeeping done in the Brainer School District and we could go out and
go for an operating levy that we could be proud of that would improve the situation and class sizes and EAS and curriculum where we could start to get back to the winning ways of the Brainer School District that I enjoyed going to
school here and so did my children and my parents. um I'd be all about getting on board with a um operating levy, but the way things are today, I would uh I'd have to say we have a little more work to do. >> So, I guess that's about as good as I can give you.
>> Thank you. >> I director Ward, I would say my support is not conditional. I think that education is underfunded from the federal to the state all the way down. And if we have an opportunity to change that, it's a no-brainer to me. I think
um there's a lot we could do in our education system here locally. It we don't need to struggle the way that we do if we were to fund education the way we fund lots of other things in this country, in this state, and in this
district. And it's a no-brainer for me. >> Thank you. >> Especially someone that serves on a public school board, I am in favor of everything we can win for a school. And I would also say to Director Dondelinger's point, yes, we do need to
be very fiscally responsible and it's a both and. It's not one or the other. Madam Chair, I have a follow-up question for each of you. And uh it's in my opinion uh DJ, I'm sorry you feel it's a they're loaded
questions, but they're not. They're very important to me and to a lot of other people in this district. Um, so my question to both DJ and uh and Sarah would be um what would be your um how would you handle um uh working with a
new superintendent with our new superintendent um and um as a board chair on issues that you know will be um contentious with the school board members. >> Want me to start? >> Sure. I don't understand the question.
>> Um, I think what you're asking is would we still put it on the agenda if it was a if it was contentious? >> Am I reading that right, Director Ward? >> I'm talking about your relationship, not an agenda item, not an agenda situation.
I'm talking about um your leadership. your leadership as a as the chair of the board. Um with um knowing the board might not uh agree with um issues that the superintendent
um wants to uh um do or project your relationship, your relationship with the superintendent. are, you know, are you going to be a rubber stamp or are you gonna stand up for um you know what what you think? >> That is a loaded question >> and that might be a loaded question to
you. >> I you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to stand up for what I think. Um I do think though that if a super you're going to have to support the superintendent. If the superintendent wants something on the agenda, I don't see how you stop them. Um I think it should go on the agenda and we should all talk about it. Um, I don't I don't
think that I don't think that being the chairman is like a uh a way to stifle uh other opinions that aren't yours. I mean, I wouldn't I don't think that's part of the job. >> I wish it was, but >> I'm just kidding. The other the other
thing I would say is because I agree with you DJ that um the board has one uh one employee and that's the superintendent and our job as a board is to make sure he's successful, has what
he needs and trusts his recommendations and expertise. I've always heard um trust and validate and I I think that's fair and I would ask that whoever is in the superintendent position would do the same of the board. Um, so I think it it
has if it's successful, it has to be there has to be trust and support. Um, that there's going to be transparency and honesty in that situation. >> Uh, thank you both. I appreciate the fact that you're both willing to step up and be leadership for the board and
represent the board. Um, I'm not sure why you want to do that, but thank you for doing it. >> And I'll be there. Any further discussion? All right, we've got two nominations for
um the position of chair. We'll take a roll call. Please name the person you would like to see in that position as your answer to roll call, please. Michelle Breen, >> Sarah Spear, >> DJ Dier, >> DJ >> Stephanie Edman, >> DJ
>> Randy Heiden, >> Director Dier, >> Sarah Spear, >> Sarah, >> John Ward, >> Sarah, >> we >> are tied again. >> Are tied again. We will see you all next
month. Um, for this >> I don't think we can do that >> same discussion. >> I don't think we can keep putting this off. We can >> we can >> supposed to be done in January. >> All right, we will move on to new business for action. We've got the approval of a literacy resource as
presented by Dr. Melissa Cornneia, Guyelm, and Blake Alm. Welcome. Thank you for joining us. >> Be patient. >> Blake, do you want this one? Hi all. Thank you for having us this evening. Um I first want to start with just recognizing how much each of you
gives to Brainer Public Schools. And we're excited to sit in front of you as a partner for our warriors um and and move K4 literacy forward towards uh how we can best serve our warriors. I sit
beside you or sitting beside me are my colleagues. >> I'm Guy Kell. I teach second grade at Harrison. >> Blake Alholm, second grade at Baxter. >> And I'm Melissa Cornia, K12 literacy and humanities coordinator. Um, we come to
you on behalf of two different teams. The steering team. They were an integral part of our journey here. So what we're going to bring to you is our recommendation for the K4 resource for tier one literacy. So every kid every
day across tier one for K4 literacy. The steering team is the team that truly led uh the decision making based on teacher input. So the steering team was seven teachers from five of our elementarymentaries including special education. every grade level
represented, two elementary principles, the director of teaching and learning, executive director, and myself. This K4 literacy task force started this summer. Uh started with 13 teachers across all actually K6. Um and then it
grew this fall to 28 teachers across all elementary schools and all uh grade levels. And so we're coming to you our charge this summer was guaranteed and viable curriculum. So that idea of every kid, every class, every day has access
to the Minnesota grade level benchmarks through what we know about best instruction. So our journey started um I've sat here before. Our journey started way back last year with OLA 300 educators coming together to learn about structured
literacy, what we know is best practice to impact reading and writing development. What we then did last summer is we brought that team of 13 together and we looked at Minnesota grade level benchmarks next to what we learned through OLA about what is best
instruction and we made recommendations of these are the learning experiences our students need. After doing that work, we looked at our current resources, our current K4 resources and determined that we truly need a new route when it comes to the resource for
our K4 literacy at that tier one level. This fall, we knew that our kids couldn't wait. Our kids needed best instruction right now. We needed to shift our instruction towards OLA this past fall. Um, and the teachers, they they did it. They did the work. They
championed it. um and and truly putting in uh hours that ideally a resource can provide so that they can work to be responsive instead of just the creation mode. Um so that was this fall was putting those recommendations into
practice as that team of 28 weighed in on the resources that were available. So we started with MDE's list. So MDE they did the work over the past years of looking at different resources. First
they said is this even aligned to what we know research says about the science of reading and writing. If it's not aligned then it's not even going to be on the table. If it was aligned then they did a very extensive rubric. That rubric determined highly aligned, partially aligned, minimally aligned. So
what we did if you look there then at November we had our team of 28 teachers weigh in from that list. So we already narrowed it down to the 17. Those teachers K4 they weighed in that then moved to the steering team of seven. So
the steering team they looked at the input. There's two types of input. What should we consider for resources and what needs do you have as a grade level from that? The steering team narrowed it down to about eight. From eight, we
narrowed it down again to four. From four, we narrowed it down to two. Again, just kind of going through that thorough process of is it aligned to Minnesota grade level benchmarks? Is it aligned to structured literacy, what we know is best instruction? Does it align to our needs? Um, our needs were K4 vertical
alignment so that there aren't discrepancies as students move to different grades. We also wanted comprehensive. So the idea of reading and writing, they're not siloed. Or phonics and comprehension, they're not siloed, but instead the literacy block
feels like a cohesive literacy experience. From there, we narrowed it down to the two. The two then we put back in front of our teachers. So we gave them samples of both. We gave them online access to
both. Um we then had grade level conversations. So they came together for example to second grade on February 13th that PD day and every teacher had the opportunity to provide input on those two. That then went back to the steering
team. The steering team using their input using all of the hours of work before that were able to come to consensus on the resource that you see below there. Emerge. Emerge was resoundingly the resource that all
teachers weighed in and saw this meets the need for my grade level. This meets grade level benchmarks. This meets structured literacy. Um the hope then is upon your approval we can start moving into professional development that helps us move into implementation for next
year. So going to briefly talk about emerge um and three of the highlights based on the needs that were important to our teachers. So what I'll get into next is the idea of structured literacy and why we're
doing this. So this is a road map of what we learned from the science of reading and we learn that structured literacy is best practice. And when you think of this resource, you think of the the WH who um this is guaranteeing that no matter what tier you're in, tier one,
tier two, or tier three, that you're getting the same high quality instruction. If you look at the what side on the left there, that those are the components of structured literacy. And when we looked at our curriculum, we looked for that existing in emerge. When
you look over at the how, that is how are the teachers delivering that information. Um oh yeah like when we were selecting this resource we used this structure literacy diagram to determine if we felt emerge
held up strong and we feel that way. Uh it it contains all the principles of literacy and it is also very teacher friendly and student engaging and we feel strongly that it is doing right by kids and is best practice when we look
at the structured literacy components. And then looking a little closer to the curriculum, you'll see how the um curriculum goes from K to 4. We've looked at the first box on the left, K1. You'll notice more foundational skills, more time for foundational skills,
building and comprehension skills, then some group focus. And as you see, five, it branches off away from foundational skills because that that time they should have most of those in place. and those would only come into play if they needed more work in a smaller study
group. And so this curriculum really addresses the different ways students learn and expectations at each grade level. The dashboard on the right shows something that we were pretty impressed with is that we're getting real time data. So if you're doing an assessment
or a quick intervention, you can plug that right into the computer and it gives you groupings. It gives you things that you should be doing next time with this group or with an individual which we don't have right now and most of the curriculums didn't show that. So that's a tool that I know we're going to use a lot just to guide our instruction.
So structured literacy aligned to structured literacy. It's teacher friendly and then we know that it's all about our students. So it is highly engaging for our students. um every student. That's the key with structured literacy is how are you making sure that
every student is engaged in the learning right then and there. But then the other key part is as students are actively engaged, how do we as teachers monitor that learning and give immediate feedback or immediately correct course based on our assessing real time.
And so one of the tools that will be used and I just want to show the difference between K to four is are these response words. You meet when you hold group up on the rug or at your desks and you have the sound boxes for K
working into word structure down here. Whereas it goes into second third more into syllable boxes. But then you'll notice on the fourth grade one it's mainly about sentence structure and writing paragraphs things like that. So it's more room for that. On the back we
start with the basic handwriting with a penmanship there and then cursive second on up for cursive. So it covers and handwriting also includes this curriculum which has not usually been something that we've seen. We also had to do an outside support for that. So it's nice that it's embedded right with
everything. We don't have to grab another tool to say oh now I've got to do this. It's embedded. And again, these are quick response boards so that if we're teaching, you have them show the board, see who's struggling, who's getting it, and you might keep a few kids back on the rug, let those go work, you're like, "Hey, let's work on this
again." It's a quick way to see instead, always doing a paper pencil assessment and going, "Well, I'll get that later." It's right now in the moment of teaching. >> Another piece of that you have the student companion. So, every student will get this for each unit. If you look up on the screen, there's some pictures
of examples of what each page looks like. There's things for decodable. So, when we're working on phonics skills, there's things for that. And when we go to that knowledge building and building that comprehension piece, they're responding to questions. They're responding, they're doing writing responses to questions, and then they're
building their writing skills in there as well. I think as educators, what excites us the most about this is the student application piece. When we think about student engaging engagement, kids need to be doing things when we're instructing. You think of that we go
where I'm instructing. They're also applying their learning right then and there instead of doing it independently. And that's where we kind of miss some things. But if they're actively participating in the instruction when we're giving it, we can kind of like we said, we can go back back fix things
right then and there. And when kids are participating in their learning, they're picking it up much more effectively, if that makes sense. So the student application piece in these student companions really excites us because it requires kids to actively learn while they're learning from us as well.
>> You can see that difference too of the kinder compared to second compared to fourth. So again, that um what we needed was we needed something that although it could be one resource that was vertically aligned, it was ultimately developmentally appropriate. How do we do best by our kindergarteners? How do
we do best by our fourth graders and every year in between? Um ultimately we come back to this quote again and again from Dr. Louisa Moes. Uh she's an expert in literacy. Uh the different for example Ola. There was Ola but then
there were two other uh programs we could have gone with. She's the author of one of the other programs letters. and for her to say that it is not about programs, it is about our teachers. Um, again and again, we are here to promote
and to request that Emerge be adopted as our K4 literacy. Um, and the power is the people that our teachers, uh, the work that they put into this. I calculated it, it's almost 1700 hours,
not including Ola, um, that this team of educators have put into this work. And ultimately, it is the teachers who also sit behind us that we are excited to continue to champion and give them the resource that's teacher friendly, student engaging, and aligned to
structured literacy. So, we want to open it up to questions now. >> Um, well, I just want to say thank you for doing all this. Um, so with the merge, what kind of results have they had has other school districts
previously had when they've gone to this curriculum? >> So, it is uh publication date I believe is 2027. So, it's in the midst of different iter like piloting and those types of moves. a brand it's a brand new
program that's coming out. Is that what you're saying? >> It's brand. So it's from McGraill. McGraill was wonders before that. So if you look at the research of wonders um you can go to ed report, you can go to the reading league uh third party reports that you're going to see that
they had a track record of impact. What we know with structured literacy is structured lit or sorry with emerge it's not even a a revamp. They truly started from structured literacy. So they didn't start from wonders, they started from
structured literacy and built from there. So that idea of what we did is we looked at everything wonders and we held everything wonders up to what we saw in emerge and checked for does it have all the good it's supposed to have from
wonders and does it have those pieces that we know through OLAP it should have. >> Thank you madam chair. Yes, director Word. >> So, um um Melissa Guy and Blake, thank
you for your uh hard work. Just like, uh director Edman said, um I understand there was a team of 28 that put in about 1,700 hours. And um I like to I really like to see at the all grades example B
at uh you know uh from the uh phonetic phonetic kind of um we've always been a lot of us have been talking about improving our phonetics you know system within our reading. So number one um this this really does
improve phonetic uh reading phonetic uh programming correct? >> Yes it does. So according to the framework and benchmark from the state standards and the training we had the foundational skills we've worked on a
lot over the past years and before this curriculums weren't really putting that in as much. They had reared away from it but we knew it was such a need we had so we had to look at that in every resource. So you'll notice that the foundational skills are quite strong for every grade level and it really
grows well through K4. Yes. And maybe to >> Thank you. >> maybe to kind of make sure everyone's on the same page there. I don't know if it's in our second grade book. Um but >> yep, here I see it. So, um what I think of with what director Ward is saying is
the idea of words are made of sounds, right? And so those sounds then are represented by letters. And that's the work that our especially K1 that's the work that they are trying to figure out is they know a cat right and they they can see a cat then they know the word
cat but now they need to figure out kat right and they have to start to associate that with sounds. So that idea of you have um the the phonics and you have phmic awareness. This is a second grade book. um by second grade they shouldn't uh what research shows is that
they shouldn't need solely instruction on sounds. They should be moving into more complex spelling patterns, but it's built in here in case that teacher needs to tap into it. We also use it at the start of a phonics lesson of um so for
example, change need the e to oh man, it's probably a bad example. Um, that was a bad example, but that's an example of right >> change e to >> there. Perfect. Right.
And so you like you have that idea of getting even second graders to manipulate sounds, but then they're going to start to tap into e versus eer. But even I can sp can sound like nerd, right? Um, and so that was something
that was important to us was that any resource if it's going to be a K4 resource, it had to held hold up on that foundational level for our kinder first second grade. >> One, Madam Chair, one one more question.
Um, I know that the 28 uh team members had a consensus on this on uh this selection. um the other multiple uh uh staff that we have um do you have any kind of feedback from the other staff um
in the district as far as this programming? >> So what we did was when we when we brought the resource out to teachers, they had a feedback form that they could fill out. So every teacher had the opportunity to have their voice heard and then what we did as the group of 28
was or as the steering team sorry as the steering team we looked at that feedback and saw a consensus towards emerge as well. So even though they weren't a group of the 28 all teachers voices were heard at some point to a different degree but at some point every elementary teacher's voice was heard.
>> So we heard from >> Thank you. We heard from every grade level team across all six elementaryaries that once we figured out who was there on February 13th um the form was anonymous but we were able to say like yep everyone is represented
here. Um when we looked at the feedback it was glaring that with emerge they could name structured literacy that evidence-based practice they could name it more easily. They could talk about it for their grade level. um and and speak
to it very clearly with emerge. >> Thank you. So the level of support seems to be very strong which is which is very important as well. Thank you. >> I'll make a motion to approve it. >> Okay. >> Second.
>> All right. We've got a motion by Director Doninger and a second by Director Ward. Any further discussion? >> Madam Chair. >> Yes. I'm so impressed with you guys and the work that you put in. Unbelievable.
And it came from the ground up, not top down. Teachers were listened to. They're the ones that are going to do the work. And man, you guys put in a lot of work.
I mean the presentation that you gave at DAC and just the stuff. I mean this is so incredibly important and you took the time and you got people involved.
Uh good job. Very good job all three of you and getting everyone involved. It's probably wasn't easy sometimes and thank you.
>> Yes. Thank you very much. So, I love that they're getting a paper book and I love that they're going to start learning cursive and writing and reading those hand in hand. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you for evaluating this and
finding the best tool for us. And I'm so glad that there are books and curriculum out there like this that have done the hard work of getting to it right away so that there are good resources for us. So this is fantastic.
>> When will the teachers get started? Will it be in the fall or >> maybe sooner? >> You all saying you all saying yes has I have a meeting with Christina on Thursday. Uh and we have our next inservice day is April 6th. Um, so our
hope is uh with a yes from all of you that we can get teachers wrapping their brains around it as soon as possible. >> Great. >> Well, I I think do you don't you have something else to say about the cost of this? >> I do. It came in under budget.
>> So that was good. >> So uh yes, we did not want to put anything in front of our teachers that we could could not move forward. Um and luckily both happen that this this is
the best of the best. This is what our students need. Um and it is under budget. >> Awesome. >> Awesome. >> Thanks you guys. >> Yeah. >> All right. We've got a motion on the table. There's no further discussion.
>> We'll do a roll call vote. >> Dam. >> Yes. >> Stephanie Edman. >> Yes. >> Andyman. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> Sarah Spear. >> Yes. John Ward >> 120% yes
>> 130% yes >> thank you guys we have the approval of the resolution for the American Indian parent advisory committee um vote on non-concurrence our response as a school board and Superintendent Grant has that for us
tonight. >> Thank you. The Brainer Public School Board of Education proposes the following in response to the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee in its vote of non-concurrence. So to the American Advisory Committee,
APAC members in response to the APAC recommendations, we offer the following. Recommendation number one was how many times throughout the year is student attendance information provided by race or ethnicity? Our response student attendance is monitored throughout the
school year. Regardless of race or ethnicity, data collection is stored in the Skyward student database. Depending how families register their children, the district cannot request or ask about ethnicity or race. There are three ways
parents, guardians, or students typically identify their indigenous identity. ethnic and racial demographic form, a title 6ED506 Indian student eligibility certification form and the Johnson Ali program
certification form. Thus, when the Minnesota Department of Education requests student data, the district reports the information according to the registration process. Data reflecting race or ethnicity is reported to MDE through the MARS reporting module.
Recommendation number two, how is indigenous Americans discipline tracked? A response, tracking of all student discipline is kept in the Skyward database. Depending on the registration process completed by parents, guardians,
tracking discipline by race or ethnicity can only be accomplished by the registration process. All of this data is reported to MDE through the MARS program. Recommendation number three. Does the district and school staff attend and support local community
events along with engaging in the indigenous community organizations? Response. The district does not have requirements for employees to attend local events, local community events or those even sponsored by the indigenous
community. The district does encourage its employees to be active within the community which could be inclusive of the indigenous community. A great many employees are quite active in the communities. And recommendation number four, does the district monitor or seek
indigenous American student satisfaction ratings of the schools? Our response is student satisfaction surveys monitoring is managed in different surveys throughout the school year. Student satisfaction is not scientific in determining racial or ethnicity
satisfaction as students are not asked to identify their race or ethnicity. Grade level and gender identification is typically requested of students in surveys. The only survey that would seek specific identification would be the
Minnesota student survey which is provided as an opt in or opt out every three years for specific grade levels. That data is then reported back to school districts in the following fall. >> Thank you.
All right, we'll look for a motion to approve the resolution. >> I'll make it. >> Second. >> We've got a motion by Director Edman, a second by Director Ward. Any further discussion?
If not, we'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. John Ward. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. All right. We will move to the additions that were added to the agenda. Number one, a discussion on recruitment and retention of staff. >> So, thank you board members for agreeing
to uh just talk about this for right now. Um I want to give you some factual information. Uh annually 8% of our educators 8% of our educators in the United States leave the profession. Uh
that's 270,000 teachers or staffer every year. And by the way, I'm talking about all staff. I'm not talking about just educators. Um there the last 10 years there's been some of the highest turnover in uh education that we have
ever had. In the next 10 years, 5 to 10 years, there looks to be another 35 to 50% uh of teachers and and staff, educational staff that are saying, um I can't do this anymore. Um less than 20%
of the people leaving are due to retirement. So that means the pe that that means 80% of the people that are leaving is due to something else. So recruitment and retention in my opinion um just like we talk about losing
students is critical is critical and I think and you know we we in ISD 181 um you know have have uh lost staff both through retirement and through other reasons. Um and I think it's about time
that we address it and do along with our students decline. Um as uh uh my colleagues have so eloquently pointed out almost every meeting. Um I think it's time that we also talk about what
recruitment and retention of um staff could and should look like. Um, so I would like to see, Madam Chair and colleagues, um, some type of an ad hoc committee. By the way, I had an opportunity to, uh, down here in Florida down uh, talked to a first grade teacher
out of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and um, this young lady was uh, a just a dynamic young lady, bubbly, and, you know, just the kind of elementary teacher that you'd love to have in your district. She's been doing it for 10 years in
Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Uh she said her first five years were wonderful, were were just great. Uh things were awesome. She just was loving the profession. Uh the last five years, not so much. Um we've heard that tonight in our public
comments also, my colleagues, we heard from uh a number of people that came to the the podium tonight that talked about recruitment and retention um of educators and all staff, educational staff. So, Madam Chair, I would like to propose that uh either at a workshop or
even tonight that we set up an ad hoc committee to um study and and come up with some um ideas, some suggestions, some whatever on uh on u retention, recruitment and
retention of our staff. And by the way, the other thing that I think is very very important and I'm glad to see so many people in the audience tonight in a variety of uh in a variety of um uh venues, a variety of feelings, a variety of uh interests.
This has to be a cooperative cooperative um dialogue with uh with with management and labor period. And we as a community need to um have that dialogue as well. So, I'm not putting this on anybody.
It's on all of us. And so, um, if I can, Madam Chair, I'd like to uh I'm not sure how we would set up an OAL committee, but I'd like to at least somehow start studying it and maybe even through a work session. >> So, um, let's let's just discuss it for
a minute or whatever. I'll stop for now and listen to you guys. >> I'd like to put it in a workshop. >> I think that makes sense. I'm I'm wondering um, Director Ward, maybe either you or maybe somebody else, one of our colleagues wants to bring forward
some best practices they've seen from other districts or other districts that are doing similar kind of work that we don't need to recreate the wheel. >> Um if there's a successful program or committee like this elsewhere, maybe bring that to >> is Jason here >> the workshop. >> Yes.
>> Yep. >> He's back there. >> Well, I'll tell you what I'd like to see. So when I went to schoolboard training with MSBA, uh they broke us up in these groups and I was with the uh retired athletic director of Cambridge and was the football coach forever. And
he told us that when he went to Ohio State that uh I think it was 24% of people that went to college in 1976 went to school to be a teacher. Might have been 21%. I could be off, but now it's down to 4%. And so the questions I
have, which John, you're you're on it. Um, but the question is is that I don't I'm not sure we need a committee as much as because we are the committee like we put this on our workshops, but why why are people leaving the
profession? You know, um Tim uh said it right tonight. Nobody went to be a teacher to be the richest person in the county. Everybody knew what they were signing up for, but it used to be honorable. They had some power. Administration backed people up. Parents
didn't have access to go uh attack these teachers. The stories I've heard, no one was getting spit at, swore at. There were consequences for actions. And somehow I think we've drifted off course. And maybe I'm completely wrong,
but I would think as big of a group of people as teachers are, there's been studies done on this. There's there's there's there's data out there that's going to tell us why people don't want to be teachers and why they're leaving the profession. And you know, and some
of them, of course, don't forget when you talk about your 8%. Some of them might just moved, you know, um it's not always that they're leaving the profession, but they're leaving us. So, there's a little bit of floating around, but I I think that you could find it. You know, it's a pretty good resource
that that um that I've been paying attention to is that SB schoolboard S E A >> AE. >> Uh they got some pretty interesting stuff like the 74. I've sent you some articles out of there, John. Um they're
kind of a aolitical thing just about school boards and education and what's going on. And it's fun to see this curriculum come out. And I think that maybe the next step is to kind of if if you watch how people how things go is it's like we're too far this way. So
then it seems like the pendulum swings and you end up too far the other way. And maybe if it came back to the middle, kind of like the reading, you know, we went from all phonics to everybody's the same to no phonics and now we're kind of coming back to the middle. Maybe it's the same thing with behavior and pay and
respect um for these educators because from what I've heard, it's not a not the funnest thing anymore. >> Come into our schools and see what it's like. Yeah, >> I've been in them >> really when >> who? Me?
>> Anybody? >> Sorry you guys. No, you're in a public meeting right now. >> Um >> TJ, I go ahead Randy. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Randy. >> I was a no vote on this and let me
explain why. Has nothing to do with recruitment and retention. There aren't consequences for behavior. You're never going to be able to recruit and retain teachers. Simple. I mean, it's this is not rocket science. Now, when I went to school, and I'm
Yeah, that was about a million years ago. But when I got in trouble at school, I didn't have to worry about what I got trouble in school for. I was worried about what was going to happen when I got home. every a lot of things have changed, but if we don't start backing new teachers
and supporting them, you we can have all the recruitment and retention plans we want, it's not I don't think it's going to hopefully it would make some difference, but I I don't think it will because it is an honorable profession and should
be returned to that and consequences have kind of gone by the wayside. side. >> I mean, I don't know. I'd probably be in jail if I was a teacher. >> I would too. >> I'm just being honest with you.
Teachers, you you guys have so much p I mean, I was at Baxter for opening day and some of those kids were just mortified for their first day at school. And the way the staff at Baxter handled those young kids, unbelievable.
Unbelievable. And I also think this kind of lends itself kind of towards a management issue where the board tries to stay out of management issues, but I think we can cross over in this case and talk a
little bit about management. But it's got I mean the board we're the furthest ones away from the issues that happen in the classroom. And what we need what we need is we need teachers
to tell us the honest truth without retribution. What's going on? What can help? What can we do? That's where I'm at with this whole issue. Now, we already have a committee. We have a personnel committee. I don't
know, John, if we need another committee, but I certainly think we'll definitely let's talk about it in a workshop and let's talk about it in personnel committee as well. So, thank you for bringing it up. Uh, and it needs to be addressed. There's no
question about it. >> Thank you. >> Well, I appreciate both uh, Madam Chair, I appreciate both, uh, Randy and DJ's comments. Uh, I agree with them. um the the profession just like it has been said need needs to have the respect and
admiration and promoting and um honoring appreciation support brought back to them and that's my that's why I'm suggesting that you know somehow we form a committee or we do it in a personnel committee or whatever Randy I agree with you and DJ also on that um but DJ you
said we are the committee my idea of a committee is not the six of us my idea of a committee is some educators, some TAs, some administration, some board, some community people, some students. That's the idea of my uh ad hoc
committee, just like you said, Randy. Uh get get back feedback and suggestions from those that are boots on the ground. And um I'm all for it. Let's let's continue this dialogue in a work session and and see what we can do with it.
Here's a question, John, and maybe it's a question for Jason. And Jason, you don't need to come up here, but um I'll give you an analogy. Call up a travel agent. Some of you aren't old enough to know what a travel agent is, but we used to have these people that actually got you your plane tickets,
right? Call up your travel agent and tell them you want a ticket to Dallas. What's the first thing they're going to ask you? Where are you? And you just tell them, "I don't know where I am. Just get me a ticket to Dallas." And they're going to say, "Where are you?" And so where we've got to start, John, with what you're talking about is we
need to know where we are. And Jason, I got to imagine there's information out there. You know, I'm just a dumb car salesman, but we know that you think it takes too long to buy a car. I can read all these articles all day long is what I do is like, why is this happening? Why are people not coming to our service?
How can we get more people to come to us? Right? And it's got to be the same thing in education as big a business as it is. There's got to be studies that have been done at this college or that college or people. We don't need to set up our own little committee. You know what what it's amazing if you saw why people do
things, why they buy, why they leave their jobs. It from what your brain would tell you to what it really is are so far apart. Um I study all the stuff. We're survey nuts in my world, the retail world. And so anyways, it's nice to know where you are to try to figure
out, you know, where you want to end up, but if you don't know where to start, you're kind of just treading water. So I think we should really dig in and try to find some stuff. I'll try to dig around a little bit and see if I can find something, too. Why people are leaving? Good stuff.
>> Can we have a Can we just have a And part of the part of one of you or maybe both you talked about, you know, one of the situations is and and we heard that at the podium tonight, too. um the environment and behavior problems within the classroom setting and the size of
the classroom setting. We heard that tonight also and that's significant. And can we just agree that um we will continue this discussion in work sessions later on? >> I I'm fine with that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Are you good with that, Michelle? >> Yes. Yes, I am. >> Absolutely.
>> Well, um I um I'm just going to say one more thing. So, I have a girlfriend whose son is going to St. Thomas. He started in a class of 24. That's all they had in their class for teachers. They're down to 12. They went and did
student teaching around the Minneapolis area. It was awful. They were getting yelled at, swore at. She goes, "Half the kids left and her son is now going to be a firefighter, not a teacher." >> Really? >> Yes.
>> So now St. Thomas is down to 12. >> All right. Yeah, >> let's go legislative. >> Yep. All right. So, our next work session, I believe, is April 8th. >> So, we'll put that or work shop >> or work session or whatever. >> We'll put that as an agenda item.
>> Retreat. >> Retreat. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> What do we call it? >> Party. >> Thank you. All right. The next item was legislative action discussion. >> And thank you for allowing me to bring this up as well. Uh this is a a bonding
year. It's a short short session. Uh the session is done on May 18th. Um the bill deadlines are coming up. Uh uh Superintendent Grant, thank you uh for um your very good idea of trying to get uh construction um money moved into the
general fund money, which takes legislative action and the support of uh the local school board. Um, and I I uh I visited today with uh the revisor's office down down in Capitol, and I know that um uh our our our representative
has said that um he was going to get that jacketed and and introduced, but it hasn't been yet. So, um Superintendent Grant, if you could communicate and see where that is, that would be great. But I wanted to talk to not only does us as board members or the administration or
educators, but all all of the community. um you know and we've heard tonight about um the education field in general people as as director Edman said people are kids aren't going into it and you know um for a number of reasons and we
have discipline problems and we have classiz you know we got a lot of problems but I believe that we can write the ship I really do believe that we can write the ship and but it takes advocacy it takes lobbying it takes communicating it takes um talking to our uh leadership
in the legislature um to ask for certain things. You know, I want to make sure that um I hope Teresa is there because Teresa, as we put this in the as you maybe put this in the paper, I you know, I'm guessing that some of the people don't even know what Senate District we
are in. Um we're in Senate District 6 and we're in House District 6A and 6B. And um you know, I'm guessing that people don't even know how to email our legislative folks. in the house. It's It's It'd be like rep.jh.ward
house.gov. >> Yeah, I know. I You can Google it, right? I understand that. And I'm saying I I I understand, DJ. >> The policy deadline is coming up on March 27th. The finance deadline is
coming up on April 17th. And there's two there's uh there's a two two uh two bills that I wanted besides the construction funds uh superintendent grant. Um there's also the seasonal recck bill which has a lot of support
this year you guys uh in uh in the Senate. It has not as much support. I was on MA Minnesota Rural Education Association legislative update this morning and there's not as much uh support for that. that will really help in a rural greater Minnesota operating
levy request. And so, um, I'm going to encourage and ask, you know, everybody in in the community, um, not only in Brainard and Baxter, but statewide to get involved and to, um, to reach out to their legislators and ask for support.
Um, the, um, House file for the seasonal wreck is HF1161. And yeah, DJ, you can look that up, but I bet you didn't know it for crying out loud. Um, and the Senate file, the Senate file is 1197. And I'm not, I'm just kidding you, G DJ. But it's
important. This stuff is important, folks, that uh we advocate and lobby. Um, our kids are dependent on us. Our kids are dependent on us, just like um the previous generations have depended uh uh you know, giving to their kids as well. So, Madam Chair, thank you for
allowing me to rant and rave a little bit, but uh the sessions uh the session is short and uh we need to get done what we can get done. So, thank you. >> I do have a response. >> John, you listening?
>> Okay. Today, okay. Today, Representative Heitzman told me that file House file number 4306 was read for the first time, which is for the district 181 fund transfer. And it was >> awesome. Thank you.
>> And it was referred to the committee on education finance. >> That's wonderful. Did you all get that? House file 4306. >> Wow. >> Email Email them and ask for their
support. House file 4306. Let's go get it done. Thank you, Superintendent Grant. >> All right. Thank you, Director Ward. >> I'm calm, Randy. I'm staying calm, Randy. >> Not bad, John.
>> Good job, buddy. >> All right. Thank you. are going to move on to what is now number five on our new business for action and that is stuff that we took off the consent calendar.
>> So I'd like to make a motion. This is how this is this is how we should do this. >> We >> I'd like to make a motion that we accept this policy as it's written except I think we should get rid of in uh >> Oh referring to >> 712 is the next one
>> where We're doing HVAC first. >> Well, let's do the HVAC. Hot dog. >> I didn't put the HVAC on there. >> All right. So, we've got the Harrison roof replacement, the BHS A1 ballasted roof, and the BHS old white coated ED
EPDM roof, and the Riverside HVAC project. >> Good evening. Thanks for the opportunity to come here and discuss the projects. What questions can I answer? Well, for me, Jeff, the biggest thing was is just bringing this out into the
public. >> Sure. >> And saying that these dollars aren't coming from general revenues. They're coming from long-term maintenance. And uh so it's not going to affect anything as far as the general revenue is concerned. >> Correct. Could our school district? >> Yep. Every project we do that's repair replacement, all comes from the
long-term facilities maintenance budget. >> And we're able to uh take care of roofing projects, uh HVAC projects that didn't get taken care of during the referendum. So, we're very lucky to have the the funding to do it. >> All right. >> I think that um you know, I kind of asked for these to be pulled, Jeff, not
because I'm trying to bust your chops. Go ahead. >> But I do think that this isund this is 1,160,000 bucks for all these four projects. And I think that the public deserves to know how we're paying for it. Especially like John wants to get a referendum through.
Guys like me just read this stuff and like they just spend money like it's going out of style, right? How are they supposed to know that you're spending this LTFM money spend it or lose it? And then I don't think it would hurt when you start to do the projects like the high schools or Riverside is 718 grand
that you explain to us that the HVAC is shot and it was put in in >> in 1998 and it's really has they've been limping it along for the last five years and you know what I'm saying just kind of sell it a little bit so that I just don't feel like and you know Peter Sarah
>> that's one of the reasons I want to be the chairman is I don't think there should be a um consent agenda. item. Conject agendas are the stuff that you have every single meeting that are simple deals. And I've learned in this week or last week that um the county
board does this kind of stuff, puts all this spending in their consent agenda. But I think a consent agenda is like it's the checkbook register. It's this, it's that. It's the stuff we have at every single meeting. It's always sort of the same. It's always different, but it's kind of the same five things. And all of a sudden, now we've got 20
policies in there. We've got a million one 60 and 160,000 in spending. And it's like I just think that just like Randy said, I think that public should know that, hey, we need to spend this money and we're being prudent with their tax dollars. >> Yeah, that's fair. I can even have
vendors come in here and give presentations to you if you would uh if you would like that or if you would just like >> a brief synopsis of the uh projects, I can do that as well. >> So, we are too deep for us on LTFM, don't we? >> Okay. Well, we used to and we used to
give reports. Yeah. >> We don't do that anymore. >> Okay. >> You know, are you on LTFM stuff? >> No. Are you? >> No. >> Used to be Jeff. I don't know. Peter said I couldn't be on it anymore. >> That's me. >> You and Jeff threw me off the LTFM deal
>> about things about that. So, >> no. I would appreciate like any input that you guys can give for any of these projects. A lot of times I kind of just feel like we're out there just trying to, you know, we're doing the best we can for the students and for the teachers and everything like that and that's the main goal we have in our department and
>> um any input you guys can give would be very much appreciated. So >> Jeff, is there a committee right now that you report to regarding >> facilities? >> Yeah, facilities. >> April 16th is our >> 16th is our next meeting and our next >> I feel like we get this is where that's
a good place to do your presentations or whatever. I don't know if it was our last facilities comedian, the previous one before that, but Jeff talked about the things that he was had on the schedule, including the football field being replacement and so forth. >> All of that money comes through LTFM and
then the projects are sent to the state for approval first >> and then you approve them. If you don't, if the state doesn't approve it, you're wasting your time. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And we we were doing these at the LT or the facilities committee meetings
prior to the new superintendent being hired and all that when focus shifted and we just haven't had a chance to address some of these at the committee meetings. But >> well would you >> that or we can do this? I' more than happy to do >> would you feel comfortable just giving us a two-minute rundown on the Harrison roof and >> so the Harrison roof um it's
>> not on each one just the whole >> I couldn't give you how many years old it is but we've had leaks since uh prior to the referendum being done. Um, luckily our our team at Theland has been able to fix these uh leaks and this year we have the money to repair the to replace the roof. So that's what we're going to do. Same thing with the high
school. We these roofs are, you know, way too old to be on there and we're lucky we haven't had worse problems with them and finally we're able to repair these. >> Uh the Riverside HVAC, Jill can speak to this. Uh we've been struggling with it for three years. is we've been running on one compressor for the music area and
the teaching wings for the last three years and it's been every year when the spring rolls around I'm happy because I get to golf but then I'm not happy because I get to hear about a lot of teachers being hot. It just doesn't work. So finally we're able to get this done and we're going to do it the right way. So
>> what percent of the roof I is the the whole high school roof old or did a lot of it get new when they remodeled? >> If I I shared in that packet that I sent there was a the roof inspection. saw it. It's just all different colors. I was >> Yeah. So, it's got all the different colors and it's got by, you know, it's kind of like green, red, yellow, what
needs to go first and what needs to go kind of in the in the order. And I couldn't give you like we're in pretty good shape in most on most of our roofs. Uh Forest View is the one that's going to be coming up next because none of the roofs have been replaced and it's coming in on 25 years old. So, we're going to
start doing uh replacements on that facility coming up the next summer. >> Cool. just hitting the worst ones first and kind of catching up and that's the goal. >> I know you mentioned pattern. >> Yeah, I know you had mentioned something about river or uh a forest field that's on the agenda for next summer.
>> Yep. Cool. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's just moreformational than anything else, Jeff. I mean, we're not >> We need to vote on it, though. >> Oh, I know that >> because we pulled it. >> Correct. Correct. But the reason we pulled it was just moreformational. We're not we're not
>> microman. >> No believe I'm and I appreciate being able to let people know what we're doing and and let you know how it's how it's funded. So I appreciate it. >> It's nice we don't have to take it out of general revenue. >> Yeah, we wouldn't do it. >> That's why we haven't done it for >> Yeah,
>> we get more pales coming out weekends be all right. >> Well, I'll make a motion to approve them. The four of them. >> I'll second that. All right, we've got a motion by Director Doninger and a second by Director Heidman. Any further
discussion? If not, we'll do a roll call vote. Let's go. >> Heman, >> yes. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> John Ward, >> yes.
>> Yes. >> DJ Dunley, >> yes. >> Stephanie Edmond, >> yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> Thank you for your time. Thanks, All right. Up next, we have policy number 602. >> Oh, wrong order. 602.
>> Is that the right one? >> It's fine. Any difference? 602. Okay. >> Yes. The organization of the school calendar and school day. I think the biggest issue, and
this may have to go back to committee uh for you guys to talk more about it, but uh >> can't remember how long ago we voted on uh e-learning days, and we weren't going to use e-learning days at all for snow days. >> It's been a year. It's been a couple
before on the board. >> Can't remember. >> It's been a while. >> It's been a while. And uh it now appears that there's some second thoughts about doing that. >> Maybe.
>> What are you asking? >> Well, we voted not to have e-learning days anymore and now we've got a policy with a whole section of e-learning days. I don't understand. >> Well, are you asking that it should be reinstated? >> No. >> No. What I'm asking is is it sounds like
it sounds like it we some people want to reinstate and use e-learning days when we have a snow day so we're not closed down. >> That's what that's what we're trying to do, right? Well, it depends your interpretation, but >> okay, >> what is the original what it was saying
is an e-learning day is a school day where a school offers full access to online instruction provided by students, individual teachers except during inclement weather. And luckily, we didn't have to use it today,
but in order to keep things under control, I think you should go back and allow that as an opportunity for use e-learning days. >> Yes. because it otherwise the last thing we want to do is add days in June and if we had had taken today off April
6th would have been the next day and me personally I would never and add a day at the end of the year. It's not good for students, not good for parents. This certainly isn't going to be good for staff. So if you want to try and keep the flow of education not being
interrupted, that'd be the advantage of an EDY, but everybody's got to have their act together to make sure they're prepared for it. You know, there's the difficulty right now. We don't have it as an access because it's not allowed. >> If if I'm remembering, didn't we do like
a staff survey and community survey and >> parent survey? >> Yeah, a parent survey. >> Survey and no one liked it. Nobody liked it. The problem was earlier it's because it was under CO. This would be an exception to
the norm. I mean, how many snow days you usually get? Two or three a year. That's the only times you would use it. It isn't something you would want to utilize just because you wanted to take a week of E days. I I think wasn't the part of the problem is that many families didn't have access
to the internet and or it was very difficult for families >> grandparents were trying to deal with the kids >> do their work that day and >> don't we think that I mean here we go but don't we don't we think we're going to end up getting out of these
Chromebooks anyways I mean the whole world is ditching them all this you know all these countries are outlawing it for the little kids. So then what do we do with them? Then >> you know it's like >> let me ask you this question Peter
>> and it all goes back to the kids for me. We want to improve proficiencies and outcomes. So do we get that with an E day which a lot of studies have shown
probably not a lot. and at the end of the year where probably sometimes people have kind of tuned out a little bit towards the end you get down into May the first part of June and I I mean I'm not disagreeing with you. I don't see the difference. >> Well, I don't I mean to me I see a great
difference because at the end of the year it's a waste of time. >> At least during the middle of the year when you can at least accumulate some I would think valuable learning still really. >> Yeah. Okay. I mean, how many of our when
you go to college, a lot of people are doing, you know, e-learning. Granted, it can't be maybe for K12, but it can be for certain levels. I'm not saying blanketed across this the district, but when you get in when you're in Minnesota, what are you going to do when
you have four or five snow days? >> Well, maybe we have to take a look at the calendar. >> Well, I don't disagree with you. >> That's why I think it has to go back to unpredictable, >> right? And I misinterpreted this because I was thinking it was for >> staff
>> for staff if we were to call an um a snow day that they would still report virtually as an E day or whatever that is. But I do think you know for example if we have five or how many snow days we
have built into the calendar right now? Two two snow days >> kind of. Yeah. >> And then you're out of snow days then what do you do? I mean really technically a snow day is more based on labor costs than student learning. I hate to say it that way but it's true
>> because you have to figure out EAS for example if they don't work they don't get paid. >> Okay. >> But they'll make it up at the end of the >> if it's feasible. >> Yeah. >> If it's feasible. Yeah. >> Understand. I understand. So, and sometimes it puts a certain group of of
employees in a tough spot because if we had a couple days back to back, it cuts their pay check off in the middle of a week or middle of the month. So, then how do you catch up? And they have to figure out how am I going to catch up with two days less pay and it just becomes a headache. Yeah. >> So, it's not easy.
>> So, it's so it's being rethought because I know Michelle, you're correct. We did we did a survey. Do we want to, you know, do we want to do another quick? Well, I'm gonna just say, hey, as far as I'm concerned, I'm gonna refer this back in my opinion, refer it back to uh a committee and let you guys talk about it in policy. >> We'll figure it out
>> because we can sit here until the cows come home and we ain't going to decide anything tonight. >> No, that's fine. >> Okay, fine. >> Perfect. >> I like that. >> Okay. >> All right. So, let's move on then to this would be action item number seven
and policy 712. ready. >> Yeah, I'm ready. >> I'd like I make a motion that we accept this policy as written and we just need to remove the word normally. And it's in section two of the general statement. Number three, it says video recording
will normally not be used in bathrooms or locker rooms, although these areas may be monitored by individuals of the same sex as the occupants of the bathrooms or locker rooms, which is fine. Why would we even say that we will not normally have recordings in
bathrooms or locker rooms? I don't want to I don't I don't I don't see why we want the liability. Let's just say we're not going to record them. So, we just take the word normally out and we can approve this policy as written. Does that make sense? Is that a good motion or >> That's a long motion. >> Well, you don't have to put the part I
read. There's a lot of anybody out there that doesn't know what it says. I just don't know why we'd want to be like, we don't normally put cameras in bathrooms. I don't think we should leave ourselves open for that. Yeah. >> Okay. We've got a motion. Thank you. on the floor to accept the policy um by
removing the word normally. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. We've got a motion by Director Dondelinger and a second by Director Edman. Any further discussion? >> I have a couple things. Sorry. Um is
this Ryan? Is this your department? >> Sure. >> Okay. Where do we keep the videos? I mean, I'm not I know they're not on VHS tapes. You have Are they Are they in the cloud? >> No, they're stored locally. >> Yeah. >> So, who has access to them? >> Um, district admin can see the cameras
and review footage. The only people that can pull footage are myself and Jeff basically because we don't allow footage to go out. So admin that's principles, vice principles, superintendent, >> Jason, Marcy. >> Mostly the building principles can view
and record and look at incidents. >> Like how many people are we talking about? 50 30 >> less than 50. Yeah, probably 30ish. >> How long do we keep these videos? >> That's it's usually between 60 to 90 days. But >> does it automatically get purged?
>> Yeah, it gets rode over after it runs out of space. But what we normally will do is if there's an incident, we we do what's called bookmarking it and then that saves it indefinitely. >> And then if we have to, we can pull it down and put it in the cloud to if it's a lawsuit case or something like that.
>> Do we get do we audit ourselves on this to make sure we're doing it right? I see it says that we follow the Minnesota storage rules in here. I mean, is there anybody >> storage rules are very loose? I think it's like 10 days or something. I just worry that we've got videos of young
kids and then how accessible are they? I just want to make I mean people's passwords getting changed every 30 days all that kind of stuff going on. >> The only people that can actually the people that can even view recorded footage is very limited to mostly just principles. >> Do you see it when they get in there?
>> I can see it. Yeah. So, I mean, when they go in, you know that, oh, Michelle was in there looking at >> I can look at log files to see who was logged in and stuff like that if it's ever needed. Yes. But as far as actually pulling video off of our system and sending it, removing it, it's just Jeff and I.
>> Well, cool. I think it's just important that, you know, we've got a lot, we got a little liability there. We got to make sure we pretty prudent on that and stay on top of it. >> I would think. >> I mean, they're kids >> and the adults. So, I just have an a
question. Is there a reason why we had video recording will normally not be used in bathrooms? Was there >> There are no videos in bathrooms. >> Yeah. But was there a reason why? >> MSBA probably did it. >> Oh, okay. Got it. >> I just I'm sure it's MSA.
>> Yeah, I just remove that word. >> I didn't know if there were exceptions >> because I know our cell phone policy strictly prohibits anything in the locker room or bathroom. I'm totally great with it. I just was curious why it was in there to begin with.
>> Okay. >> All right. Any further discussion? >> Not. We'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Sarah Spear, >> yes. >> Ward. >> Yes. >> Breen. >> Yes. >> Dley. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> All right. We've got a couple of committee meeting updates. The first on our list is the curriculum instruction and staff development committee that met February 19th. Director Hydeman chairs that committee.
>> Uh we discussed uh professional development uh sessions and the fact that uh I guess there was a positive response rate of over 80%. Uh focused on some continuing education uh credits for relicens.
We also reviewed the comprehensive arts planning program uh focusing on visual and media arts and uh we're going to develop a three-year strategic plan in that area. Uh we discussed a little bit about the
new social studies curriculum um uh shifting towards uh inquirybased learning and ethnic studies. Uh I think there's going to be a lot more to come on that uh just discussion and then we
talked about professional development plans for next year uh including some mental health first aid issues AI integration um and data management training and there's a preliminary work on staff
development plan and inservice schedule already for 2627 and Our next meeting is May 21st. End of report. >> Great. Um, next report is the policy and community relations committee that met
on February 26 and I can give a quick update on that. Um, all the policies that you saw here today were discussed at that meeting. And um the one other thing I would add is Ann Marie provided an update for us on the strategic
planning that was happening with the Gitches. And there's a small group that's working on looking at a management structure for that andor kind of a strategic plan to put together to figure out how we um make that a model
that is more community- based and managed in a way that makes it financially solvent. So >> when can we expect that to happen? So they there is a draft that exists of that plan and proposal and so they're
finalizing what that looks like and they would like to bring it to this team at some point. Okay. >> Are we going to see it before a board meeting? >> It's up to us where how we want to see it. I would prefer a work session then >> I think so too. >> And we've got time to >> Was there was there any discussion? I I
thought at one point there was a discussion about even maybe turning it into a nonprofit 501c3 just a possibility. It's one of the possibilities for a management model >> for management person. Okay, cool. >> Yeah, it it's really some exciting conversations happening there. But
>> I think yeah. >> Um and let's see what else. We talked a little bit about facility use policies um and some of the things that they're seeing come across the table there.
That was about it. Our next meeting is TBD for April 30th >> 23rd. >> 23rd 23rd. April 23rd. And that may change. We've had some discussion about some conflicts on that date. So more to
come. All right. Informational. The Brainer Public Schools Foundation. Dr. Edman. >> Okay. The Brainer Public Schools Foundation scholarship applications close tomorrow. Students only need to fill out one application to be in the running for
over 100 scholarships. Last year, BPSF awarded over $220,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors. Despite increasing our scholarship marketing, we have less applicants
submitted than usual. So, if you know any seniors, tell them to start filling out those forms. It has to be in by tomorrow. >> Call them up tonight. >> Call them up tonight. Okay. So, Brena Public School Foundation had
another gold medal big event. The Olympic theme fundraiser combined with the Warrior Club sponsors has brought in over $80,000 in support of our mission. A huge thank you to all supporters, attendees, donors, and auction winners.
BPSf will begin collecting gently used warrior wear at each school in April for our annual warrior worn initiative. New this year, please do not donate it donate customized gear. These items do not s sell well.
>> What kind of gear? >> What kind of gear? um customized like if you have your name on it, you know what I mean? >> Sure. Got it. Yeah, >> that makes sense. >> Also, please donate with dignity. Items should be free of stains, holes, and in good condition. Money raised from
this initiative supports our school pantries. Nearly 8,000 has been awarded to our school pantries in 2025 and 2026 through the fundraising. Thank you. >> Oh, thank you. That's great.
All right. >> I just cleaned out my daughter's closet. She must have, I'm not kidding you, 30 stuff with warrior gear. >> Yeah, they don't want antiques. They want newer stuff. >> Good stuff. It's not antiques. >> They've changed the logo since then. You
can't have the feathers. >> Knock it off >> that long. >> All right. The safe and welcoming schools committee and the wellness task. So on this the safe and welcoming schools committee, two key members of our community put together a slide
presentation to be shared with principles about perspective taking and the wellness task force smiles for Jake in partnership with Force View is supporting a peer-to-peer studentled club called the smile club. The purpose
of this club is to build leadership skills, empathy, and a sense of belonging while strengthening connections with peers, school staff, and the broader community. Students participating will help plan and lead positive inclusive activities and events
within the school. Our committee also has a small grant and we are in conversation with 512 administrators to determine a wellness pan plan for their respective buildings and then the elementary schools will be included in
this discussion next. >> Great. >> Thank you. Right. Business services report. Director Lord. Good evening. >> Welcome. >> Ah, thank you. In your packet is the financial report. Um, I want to note the
building construction and debt services will be increased with the budget revision. Right now, it shows that they're over just because of the um refunding that we had in the debt service fund. And then building construction, we did have some more activity than what we had anticipated
um last month. Building construction, just following up that you know, you guys got the information of what that was spent on. wondering if there was any questions. And then this month there is activity and I was just going to note um server room, the UPS red house demo um
and furniture were what was spent this month or >> what's the red house demo? >> What's that? >> What's red house demo? >> So we had two red houses over by Riverside and the the one got demoed. The other one is still up. And >> what are we doing with that again?
>> Uh we would like to get that up for sale. Um, I did reach out to our realtor and he did say that to have it moved you could it would be approximately I believe 75,000 and it'd be very limited on where you
could go. So that'll be a discussion for our committee of are we going to put it up for sale? >> We we definitely can. >> Okay. >> Um >> I have one thing for you. >> Yeah. Is there any way like for the >> Maybe I'm way off base. So just
straighten me out. You always do. So the building construction fund. >> Yeah. >> Wouldn't it be fun to have a balance >> like what the cash balance is? >> Yeah. Cuz we're talking about moving this money around. It'd be like nice to know how much we actually have in there to see how much we're spending compared to the budget. >> Yep. >> But it'd be just kind of fun to have a
balance in it. Um, and then the um the post-employment benefits one too because that thing's got a lot of money in it. I just be curious to see if it's holding its own. You know what I mean?
>> Let's see. >> Yeah. Do you want um historical or just like the last 12 months? >> Well, I just mean when this when you guys give you give this to us every month. >> So, basically what it shows is that Marcy did a good job in the budget because she's right on you know next month all these numbers are going to go up because it's going to be another month. So, in theory, they should go up
like what, 8% or something like that. 8 and a half. Um, >> it just be curious to see like on some of these ones that we're spending down. >> Mhm. >> Like, you know, with the general fund, well, >> yeah, >> that doesn't matter because then that's different. But these ones that we only get >> one time. >> Yep.
>> I'd like to just see where they are. >> Yep. I can add that. >> Thanks. >> Um, and then also in your report is the enrollment report. So, from the beginning of the year, we are down 130. I don't even like to say that out loud. Um, that is high. And looking at the
five-year average, it's around 84. So, we are again with the budget revision, we'll look at the October one count and then get that in there. But that is it is a lot. Um, and then you guys had asked for a budget update. Just wanted
to let you know we did since the last board meeting update the gened up 2.69% 69% and then remove the compensatory. Uh we removed BHS activity fees we had in there 10%. We're not doing that. And then uh boss uh Brainer online school
class sizes. We removed that because we're not doing that. So we're at about a $2.4 million deficit right now. >> It's better at 3.6. >> I have a question, Peter. >> Yes. We lost 50 students from January
5th to February 2nd. Is that normal that they come back from Christmas or something like that or it's winter? >> Well, at the end of semester, so I'm assuming some of them may have gone to CLC or graduated early. >> Oh, >> did >> I figured you'd know what they grad
>> it? Well, we could break it down. They're here. >> But, you know, if you look at these, we had 5523, then we went down to 54 83. Um >> yeah 20 >> we've had a lot of kids
>> 23 of them were at high school. >> It's mainly high school. There's not really anything happening in the little kids. >> Well, I would tell you one of the problems with the high school is if a kid wants to go online and there's no room, they leave and they find online someplace else. There lies our problem with that.
I also feel like there's a lot of students at Forest View that go online, you know, to I don't know how many, but I think it's >> Well, we don't sponsor that yet, >> right? But I'm hoping that we're continuing that discussion. >> And there's our challenge. Can we do
more online to keep them versus being maxed out? We go, "Well, we can't help you." They go, "Well, fine. I'll go someplace else." We lost 12 seniors. So that's, you know, a quarter of the 50. Well, I make a motion to adjurnn.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks, Marcy. >> Um, we have one more report left. >> You do? >> You cut me quick. >> Oh, you already had your deal report. >> I'll keep this brief. Um, first and foremost, thank God the weather people
were wrong. Um, you know, we I think the last four days going into break the snow depths were going from 5 in to 15 to 5 in to 17. And I'm glad all 17 went south and we just got a few. So, because if we had to call off today, we'd be in a
pickle. Um the other thing is that uh it was brought up about John I think maybe brought it up about a levy. Um you have a new superintendent starting technically July 1st. The transition's going is going to get started. But if
you're going to make a decision on the levy, yes or no, you better do it April or May because otherwise it's too late. You can't expect a new PR superintendent to come in on July 1st and hit the ball, hit the road running for a levy. You got to get it started before that because
Chris or Chip is going to have more than enough going on if he's got to start that from scratch. I think you put him in a bad spot. So, you're going to have to make your decision on that. And the last thing is um now that spring
break is done um talking to a couple principles today um we have basically 10 weeks left of school and the next thing you know we'll be done with MCAs. So it's going to go really really fast
and what we have to try to do is go slow to go fast so to speak. we got a lot of things to get done and our when we get through the fast bridge and then we get into MCAs and so forth um you know things are going to happen quickly and
for the board I know Chip and I have talked about this you're going to have to start finding time to sit down and talk with him so that when he starts he's got his feet fairly solid on the ground so he can be successful and the relationship you build with him
now is what's going to help him get started in July. So, um I know Kelly's going to work on that with Chip, but I really really encourage you to figure out you got to spend some time with him, whether it's one-on-one or two on two, whatever it's going to be, so that um
you guys got to get to know each other cuz uh when July 1 comes, it's going to be riding a rocket for them. So, that'd be all question, superintendent. Um,
>> okay. The operating levy. >> Yes. >> Won't that be part of our discussion during a transition plan with him as far as his thoughts and things like that? Okay. I just wanted to make sure. I mean, yeah. >> Yeah. >> I don't want to just dump it on. I agree
with that. >> All right. >> All right. Thank you. Um, there are some meeting dates there. Other than that, we'll look for a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make it. >> Second. >> All right, we've got a motion by Director Adam, a second by Director
Dondelinger. I'm assuming no discussion. We'll do a roll call vote, please. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Stephanie, >> yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes.