Good evening. Today is September 11th, 2025, and the time is 6:30 p.m. I will now call the regular meeting of the ISD 191 School Board of Education to order. Welcome to those of you who are in the audience here or watching online. A
special welcome to our new student board representative for this school year, Feban Tes Tespi. Great to have you here with us. Uh, Director Hume, will you lead us in the pledge of allegiance? 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. [Music] Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on a significant day
in our nation's history and remember the victims of September 11th. Today marks the anniversary of the attack that took nearly 3,000 lives in 2001. We remember those who were lost, their families, and the first responders who
acted so bravely. The events of that day remind us of our nation's resilience and unity. Please join me in a moment of silence. Is there a motion to approve the the agenda? So moved. Moved by Director Alt.
Second. Second by Director Anderson. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Nay. The motion carries unanimously. Tonight we will start off with a summer program report. Here to share this information with us this evening is Jason Sers,
director of community services, Allison Jordan, supervisor of community education, Courtney Jackson. Courtney Jackson Flowback, youth services and credit recovery coordinator, and Caitlyn Canola, early learning coordinator.
[Music] Board Chair Worb, Superintendent Daniels, and board members. Every year, our summer programming team looks forward to presenting to you and to our community regarding all things summer in our district. And based upon Director Alt's questions around logitudinal
summer data last fall, you may recall that Supervisor Jordan and I were here last spring sharing some truly profound and impactful data surrounding students that attend summer programming and their remarkable academic achievement. Tonight, this team is here to provide this board, our new superintendent, and
our community a highle overview of summer 2025 uh programming. Our community is very appreciative of our efforts to provide these opportunities for students of all ages, and I really truly think that folks will be amazed at just how robust our summer programming
is in 191. But before I hand off to Supervisor Jordan, I'd like to genuinely thank our summer staff, each and every one of them. I would like to thank our district departmental partners and I would like to thank our community for supporting summer 911 programming each
and every year. And with that, I turn it over to Supervisor Jordan. Good evening, Chairman Werb, schoolboard members, Dr. Daniels, and members of the community watching from home. Thank you for the opportunity to share information about our summer programming. I want to begin by expressing gratitude to
everyone who worked tirelessly this summer to support our students and families. Your dedication is the foundation of ISD 191 Community Education's summer success. This evening, we will provide an overview of our summer programming and highlight key
outcomes and areas of impact. Our district's core values are reflected throughout our summer programming. Tonight, we want to highlight the way these values come to life for our students and our families. One key example is student agency. Ensuring that students have both voice and choice in
their learning. By engaging in hands-on experiences, students are able to explore their interests, discover how they learn best, and take meaningful ownership of their education. Each summer, we utilize space across the district to host programs. The numbers
in parentheses show the number of participants at each site. This year, we made a location change for kindergarten jumpstart. After meeting with MDE, we learned we could generate ADM based on the submitted calendar through June 30th, which allowed us to fully utilize
the 6 ADM allocated by the state. Beginning July 1st, these students transitioned into area learning center programming. Structuring it this way ensures that kindergarten jumpstart remains a free program for all students entering kindergarten in the fall.
Summer programming in ISD 191 reaches every age group in our community with enrichment opportunities for both youth and adults. Christy Meyers and I work closely to build partnerships and expand opportunities for our 191 families. This
summer, the adult basic education program led by Susan Edmonson had another strong season serving 371 students who generated more than 5,800 hours of learning. Providing programming throughout the
summer allows us to make a meaningful impact on families in our community. This summer, 3,800 scholars participated in community education programs. The EDGE summer programming for students in grades 6 through 9 saw an increase in
participation in their feebased offerings. And the photos on the screen showcase students engaged in a variety of summer learning experiences offered by community education. This summer, we provided new opportunities for our students. We
redesigned funding for kindergarten jumpstart by enrolling students as VPK learners, which allowed us to claim reimbursement. Enrichment opportunities is also a highlight for our students. This summer they enjoyed field trips to the Science Museum, Hidden Valley Park, and Big Air,
along with on onsite experiences like Campfire Minnesota, the Discovery Dome, a theater performance of The Little Mermaid, Fun and Field Day, an ice cream truck visit, and a special performance from the Teddy Bear Band. We also celebrated student creativity with a
glow-in-the-dark art show hosted by our art specialist, Maria Starky. Students artwork was displayed under black lights, creating a unique experience for peers and families to enjoy together. Safety remains a top priority. All staff receive training on the SRP model, and
we conduct regular evacuation and shelter in place drills to ensure student and staff are prepared in case of an emergency. Overall, ISD 191 community education summer programming continues to be innovative, sustainable, enriching, and
safe. supporting students in meaningful ways both inside and outside the classroom. Summer school alternative learning center or ALC programs are considered extended year programs under Minnesota state statute. These programs are
required to have a continuous learning plan or CLP with specific goals. at Fist of View, Hidden Valley, Eagle Ridge, and Burnsville High School. Each CLP is developed as a partnership with both students and families signing to affirm their commitment to summer learning.
Good evening, Chair Worb, schoolboard members, Dr. Daniels, and members of the community watching at home. My name is Caitlyn Canola, early learning coordinator as of July 1st, 2025. Kindergarten jumpstart is made up of students who attended VPK in district
191 as well as students who did not. When reviewing the data, it is important to highlight that both that students both maintained and showed growth. This reflects the unique makeup of the student population, the strength of our early childhood staff, and the intentional planning that goes
into instruction into the summer programming. Our analysis included all students in the data set. And even with this broad view, we continue to see strong success in the post assessment results. It is also worth noting that many students entered the program already performing at grade level on the
preassessment. Disagregated data shows the greatest growth in phmic awareness. We believe this is largely due to the dedication of our teachers and community education associates who consistently implemented Heggerty during the school year and continued to implement it through
kindergarten jumpstart, completing the 35week curriculum. We also enhanced our summer curriculum to better prepare incoming kindergarten students by adding new features designed to boost outcomes. Hearity was incorporated into the daily schedule,
allowing many of the students to experience the full 35 weeks of phmic awareness curriculum. To support a full day of engagement, we introduced three dramatic playrooms that promoted student agency collaboration and creativity. In addition, we added a frog themed STEM
room where students observed seven tadpoles growing into frogs, experiencing the life cycle firsthand. This space integrated hands-on exploration, vocabulary development, literature, arts and crafts, and provided a developmentally appropriate and engaging way for students to deepen
their understanding of science. A music specialist and naturalist specialists were added to the full kindergarten experience. The enhancement of the curriculum and along with collaborating with a master gardener from the University of Minnesota. Our data coming
out of community eds ISD 191 VPK program continues to amaze us. Our students make incredible gangs during the school year and this summer we saw continued gangs in all areas. Last year the team worked with Dr. LOL to collect data about our students who attended VPK programs
during the school year. In the years after VPK up to grade 3, students who attended VPK in district 191 outperformed their peers on a reading, a math, and MCA assessments. We're excited to see the data on these students as they progress through the school through
our school communities in the coming years. We plan to pull the data again in the spring and my prediction is that these students will not fall in the high-risisk or some risk categories in their spring fast bridge assessment. Summer school students are enrolled in
grade level classes that match the grade they just completed. The goal is to prevent summer slide and strengthen the skills students need to be successful in the next school year. We continually review student data and curriculum to improve programming. This slide highlights math outcomes where many
grade levels achieved doubledigit growth. As in the previous summer, we were able to hire two middle school math teachers which allowed for targeted instruction. Using pre-EST a pre-assessment data, they grouped students by need and delivered focused
lessons to address specific skill gaps. The results were outstanding. The growth we see reflects the hard work of teachers and staff who prioritize math instruction as well as the commitment of students who fully engaged to strengthen their skills.
Our literacy data shows posit positive growth across all grade levels with many students making double-digit gains this summer. A key factor is access to books and libraries. Students were able to check out books weekly and we also distributed many withdrawn titles for
students to keep helping to build their libraries at home. Instructional practices also made an impact. Many of our kindergarten and first grade teachers implemented Hegerty FMIC awareness curriculum as part of their literacy instruction across preK to
grade 12. The data shows our summer programming provides not only academic growth but also social emotional support. We believe the combination of hands-on project-based learning, experiential activities, and outdoor learning makes the program so highly
successful and engaging for students. Good evening. Good evening, Chairperson Warp, members of the board, and Dr. Daniels. My name is Courtney Jackson Flowback, and I'm the youth service and credit recovery coordinator. Tonight, I'd like to briefly share the impact of two of our credit bearing summer
programs at Burnsville High School, the 9th through 12th grade credit recovery program and the eighth grade STEM success academy. Let's start with the credit recovery program which is designed for students in grades 9 through 12 who are credit deficient. This program is offered through our ALC
programming in partnership with community education. We provide multiple flexible formats, daytime, virtual, and after school, to meet diverse student needs. Next, the eighth grade STEM Success Academy focuses on preparing rising 9th
graders for high school success, both academically and personally. First, we help students become familiar with the high school environment, classroom structure, expectations, and the physical layout. Second, we build academic readiness, especially in high
school level reading and writing. And third, we support students in developing leadership skills, encouraging volunteerism and community service both in and out of school. These two programs are critical components of our student support strategy. The credit recovery
program plays a direct role in boosting graduation rates by giving students a clear, attainable path to recover lost credits. The STEM Success Academy builds both confidence and academic readiness while nurturing the next generation of
student leaders. Here's a snapshot of student what students accomplished this summer. In the eighth grade STEM success academy, 102 students were registered. 59 of those students earned a total of 84 credits in the summer credit recovery
program. For grades 9 through 12, 529 students were enrolled and 233 students earned 472 credits. We also saw strong participation in our academic year day program which operates during the school
day with the daytime, after school, and virtual options. 688 students were enrolled. 481 of those earned 1,357 credits. Sorry.
Through our credit recovery day and after school programming, of the 200 senior credit recovery students, 146 graduated in June of 2025. This means 73% of senior students enrolled in the credit recovery program graduated on
time. By design, students can only enter credit recovery after officially failing a course. This makes continuing contin continuing programming into the summer essential for student success. This summer alone, we supported an additional 69 seniors in achieving their graduation
goals. In total, 41% of the senior class had a connection to credit recovery supports across our day, virtual, and summer school offerings. Each year we take time in recognizing the incredible community partners who
support our programs throughout the year. One partner we want to highlight is Open Door Pantry. In addition to their work during the school year, they collaborate with Summer School to host pop-up pantries, ensuring that students and families experiencing food insecurity have access to food even in
the summer months. At the end of summer programming, we ask families for feedback on their experience. Here are some of the comments we received this summer. We see this as an area for growth next year as the number of responses was smaller
compared to last year. Staff feedback is equally as important as it helps us to evaluate what is working well and identify areas for improvement. Many summer staff return in subsequent years, reflecting the success and positive experience of our programs.
Additionally, a number of summer staff go on to find employment beyond summer within ISD 191, demonstrating the value and impact of our summer programs on both students and staff. This summer, we were able to provide many students with personalized learning
opportunities. Our goal is to offer support in the summer that mirrors what students and families can access during the school year. To meet the diverse needs of our students, we had additional staff available, which allowed for more individualized attention. By providing
this extra support, we are better preparing students to enter ISD 191 schools in the fall with the skills and confidence they need to succeed. As we plan for the summer of 2026, our continuous improvement cycle focuses on
several key areas. refining and revising training for non-licensed staff members, creating innovative outdoors experiences for our students during the summer, reviewing the K5 summer curriculum to ensure highquality learning experiences, and examining the structure of summer
credit recovery to determine more effective ways to support a larger number of students. Attending the national summer national learning association annual conference in Washington DC last fall also allowed us to connect with other leaders in summer programming. This experience provided
valuable ideas for improving student learning as well as insights into what we were already doing well. This helping us to continue to flourish in lead and summer programming. Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who supported the nearly 3,800
participants in community education this summer. We especially want to recognize district leadership Dave Lake, Julie Cronabetter, Rachel Gorton, John Olaflin, and Jason Sers. We also want to thank collaborating directors and staff,
directors Petrrowski and Oftall, Jennifer Mittenorf, Christy Wanzac and Kim Wacle and our core ALC team, Hamdi Dawoud, Etica Antiveros, Marisella Dale, Ardo Ibrahim, Danielle Anderson, Ruth Anne Museter for their leadership and
dedication to the ALC summer programming. Also, thank you to all summer staff. Your hard work and commitment are truly appreciated and valued. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any comments or
questions from board members? Director Chester. Yeah. I just want to say thank you and how much I appreciate the summer programming. Um both my kids were project kids in school year and summer and my daughter was part of the edge
this summer too and had a blast. um and really enjoys the the way that it was, you know, welcoming. She made friends from different schools that weren't part, you know, that she really enjoyed that opportunity to broaden her community. Um and I also appreciate the
benefit of the that eighth grade STEM for high school preparation. I think my son was in the pilot first group and it and seeing it evolve over time I think really helps add that welcome to the new
students coming in from the the middle schools going into the big high school. So thank you. Thank you Director Hume. Um I'll just echo Director Chester. think it's pretty apparent how fantastic our summer programming is and how
impactful it is for each of the students that participate. I know I was just thinking as you were talking when I was a kid I didn't know any better. I just assumed summer school was basically like detention and so hearing what it's like now many years later is really great and
it's very apparent that it's having a big impact on each of the students that are there. So thank you for that. I did have um just a couple of questions. Um on the graduation slide, I think it was 146 you said had graduated and then 69
others had gradu were those two different programmings. Um so over 200 students graduated as a direct result of our summer programming is what I'm just wanting to double check. Great question. So we had 200 senior students that were in credit recovery, right? And 146 of those students graduated on
time because of credit recovery. And then in addition to that in the summer 69 students were able to graduate um in addition. Got it. Because of summer program those 69 would not be considered on time but they did graduate.
That's correct. Yes. Okay. That's what I was wondering. Thank you. That's perfect. Um and then did I have one other? Nope. I think that's it. Thanks. Thank you Director Alt. Thank you chair Wor. Yes. Thank you for this report. It's always great to hear
about what's going on in in our summer school uh with our kids. Um couple comments and a question. Uh looking at slide 12. Um and the progress of fifth through 7th
graders. Um they have relatively flat literacy rates. Um it's I guess it's more of a statement. We just clearly have our work cut out for ourselves. Um recognizing that this is likely the co the co kids, right?
Yes. Um eighth grade STEM. I think I know the answer to this, but I'm just curious. Was there a connection between 8th grade STEM and the 9th grade academy that they'll be participating
in? I believe the nth grade academy is for all 9th grade students. So um this is in addition to what they would be getting. So um the curriculum is a little bit different and staff isn't at the school at the high school. So it would be kind of
tough. This is I that's why I thought probably no would be the answer. Um and calling out data um you know hearing 41% of our seniors participated in credit recovery um that's another area for opportunity obviously um schoolwide
that's that's a high number um and I know I know that we'll we'll do better. Um, lastly, loved hearing that summer school programming is kind of a recruiting mechanism because in this age of teacher
shortages and people making choices to work elsewhere that this is yet another arm for recruiting this time staff as opposed to students and families in addition well in addition to students and families. Um, that was just just really nice to hear. So, thank you.
Thank you. That's it. Okay. Um, thank you for coming and uh with your presentation. It was amazing. I just love hearing about the the summer programming as well. I don't think people recognize the amount of work that's involved in summer
programming. um you know, they maybe don't realize um they maybe think like uh Director Hume said, you know, it's just like detention or something that there's like a a significant amount of work that's involved and um a lot of things to coordinate and um things that
we're adding on and expanding continuously. So that involves a lot of people um and it's, you know, a lot of good work. So I appreciate you for bringing that forward and and sharing it. Um, I just have a a question about
um um Project Kids. Um, I just wondered if there's any there's been any issues with staffing. I know there was at some point a point where like my kids were in it and that it was hard to find people to staff to make sure that there was, you know, um enough people to like if
there was people that wouldn't be able to enroll in summer like do we have any issues with people being on waiting lists or making sure everybody that wants to get in summer programming um can get enrolled? That's a great question. uh chair were a
couple of responses. Um first, staffing is different year-over-year. Um and so some summers we have more than enough staff. Um some summers we struggle in getting staff. This past summer um we were very successful in getting highquality staff, but one of the
reasons is we went to a new model. In meeting with the team, um we consolidated to one site. So that allowed us to offer more opportunities for students and not really have a wait list. Um second response would be that
parents get to make choices. They may register for one day a week, two days a week, Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays, right? And so we do offer um a registration window for our own district 191 residents. Um and then we open it up to sort of everybody. And you can see
from the data on the slide that project kids is mostly district 191 residents. And of the ones uh that aren't attending our schools, I think it was about 35 or 45 as it was like 30 of them do live in our borders but just attend other
schools. And so um uh third uh we also hire additional when we can find them licensed staff to provide additional supports so that we're not out of ratio uh for our uh students with learning differences to ensure that they can
attend the program as well. Um and so yep, there can be challenges. I I just would like to also give a shout out, you know, the fourth response and last is we hire a lot of our high school students as some board members know because we've hired them uh their children. We hire a
lot of high of our high school students who come in and we train them and do they do a really wonderful job and some of them find a passion for kids at that point and go on uh to think about potentially being teachers. And so the kids, the little kids really love the big kids. Um, and it's also a source
that allows us to provide as much programming to as many students as possible. I hope that answers your question. Yes, absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, and uh, is there any other questions? Okay. Thank you.
Up next, we will receive a report about our first week back to school from Superintendent Dr. Daniels. Thank you, Chair Worv, and to each director and each of you who may be watching. Um, I am giving a report about the first day or everything leading up
to the first days of school. This year's return to school was especially meaningful as I stepped into my new role as superintendent of District 191. The journey began in July with one-on-one meetings with every principal and director, followed by visits to our vibrant summer programs, which you just
heard about, where I met incredible staff and students. I also joined the community as a rockin reader in Nicollet Commons Park and celebrated the arts at the opening night of the prom. August was showtime. Our executive leadership
team engaged in key training and conferences including AVID, the MDE, MASA kickoff and the voices that lead conference. Our principles engaged in 3 days of training and professional development as well. We connected with
our community during night to unite and welcomed new educators through building leadership team on boarding. The state of the schools event hosted with the Burnsville and Savage Chambers set the tone for a collaborative year ahead. We officially kicked off the school year
with an all staff welcome event where I introduced myself to the entire district 191 team. From there, I personally greeted our community education team as well as our food service team and attended open houses across the
district. In the last two weeks, I've visited every school and also our virtualmies. I've also visited several programs. It has been an amazing experience to see so many smiling faces as we launch another school year. So,
this school year by the numbers, we've welcomed 7,200 plus students. We've hired 124 new staff, including 74 teachers. Our building and grounds team has cleaned 1.7 million square ft
of floors, walls, hallways, etc., maintained 350 plus acres of land and completed 84 construction projects in 58 days. Food services provided 3,536
breakfastes and 5,537 lunches on Friday, the first day when all students were in school in person. This means more than 50% of students are choosing to take breakfast and more than
80% are participating in lunch safely. We are transporting 5,628 student students daily across 53 bus routes, 32 special education buses, and
21 type three vans. Thanks to the dedication of our teachers, staff, leaders, and families, we've had a strong and inspiring start to this school year. I'm grateful to be a part of this incredible community and
excited for the school year ahead. This concludes my report. Are there any comments or questions from board members? I just want to say thank you for being part of our district and glad that you
were able to spread yourself that many places and get that that many places all at the same time. So, thank you. Yeah, thank you for your report. Up next, I would like to present a report from our close session held on August
28th to review graduation security. At that meeting, we heard from staff and our partners with the Burnsville Police Department. I want to start by thanking Chief Tanya Schwarz, Sergeant Brent Murray, Sergeant Jeremiah Mer, and Captain Sha Anelment for sharing their
expertise, experience, and time with us. I learned a lot listening to you and it's clear that our schools and community are well served. We started by reviewing the steps taken to improve safety and security at this year's graduation, including ticketing, hiring a private
security firm to help with managing people, additional police presence, and months of planning leading up to the event, and establishing a hard cutoff time for entering the stadium. We also reviewed and discussed what went well and what were concerns, including the
fact that ticketing was not seamless and some people attempted to use fake tickets. With a lot of people gathering outside the gates, but not all of them allowed in, the mood became more tense and there were some confrontations with disappointed community members. While
the stadium could be secured, the entire campus can't be, which allowed some people to be near the event who had no reason to be. Staff reported being traumatized by the events and indicated they would not participate in future graduation at the school. We also
discussed that holding graduation on campus is a long-standing tradition and it's meaningful that graduation is held at the school where these students earn those diplomas. As we acknowledge that moving to another venue doesn't guarantee that everything will go
smoothly, there are some things beyond our control no matter what. However, on the whole, I believe a few things became become clear through the conversation. First, graduation has become more of a community celebration, and there's a
desire for more people to attend than just the students immediate families. It's not the same even that it was 20 or 30 years ago, and we need to be responsive to that change. Next, our staff are not trained or equipped to manage crowds or logistics
for an event of that size. They want to be able to celebrate with our students, not tell family and community members that the gates are closed. We're one of the last big high schools to hold graduation on campus for just this reason. Along with the toll on staff,
holding graduation at BHS puts a strain on community resources, including our police department and our school resources. Um, a recommendation for all these reasons, I believe the board should ask Dr. Daniels and her team to bring us a
plan for moving graduation to a different venue. One that's intended for large gatherings and where they have experience managing crowds with the goal of ensuring a positive, safe experience for students, families, and staff. I
understand this would be a big change for the community, but I believe it will best serve everyone involved and I'm confident that Dr. Daniels, Principal Sandival, and our staff will work with students and families to make it successful. With that said, is there
support for that from other board members or are there additional comments board members would like to make? I can I can start off. Um, no, I fully support that um proposal. Um, especially
being able to accommodate more people as we are outgrowing our current space. Um, as well as um creating that sense of um not overextending our um staff and local
resources. Director Anderson, you um I think it's important that we like there's a little bit to celebrate here that we have um outgrown the football field that so many people want to come and celebrate our students.
Um I think that that's a celebration. I also think um that staff would rather be present to students and celebrate them than be managing crowd control. Um is another celebration. Uh, I think
obviously all the all of the reasons um it would just be easier ticketing wise, security-wise um but the fact that community can come together in a in a comfortable safe place where we all have
our own seats um I think is enough reason to uh to want to move forward going somewhere else. Thank you, Director Hall. I agree. Um, in the interest of celebrating our students accomplishments
in the safer space, a change in venue um really at this point is needed um for graduation. Um you mentioned, Chair Worb, that there are variables that are out of our control. Um an indoor venue does provide enhanced security and space
management. Um, and as Director Anderson mentioned, we need to be mindful of our staff. I think Director Chester, you mentioned it as well. Our staff and our family experience. We all want to be able to celebrate. Um, given the world that we live in, making a change in
venue is prudent at this time. Um, moving forward, um, I would say it will be the responsibility of Dr. Daniels and her leadership team to lead with clear communication to our school community uh with mindful consideration and
management of access and transportation uh and with an eye on the joy that we all feel when attend this event. All right. Oh, uh Davin Favin. Oh. Oh. Oh, she's sorry.
Good. I just want to second what most of you guys said and I can tell that many students since so many neighboring high schools have transitioned into an indoor space. The question of why not Burnsville. So, I think I support um and
having the comfort of everyone that you want to invite to come to your graduation is an very important thing. So, not denying anyone I think is essential. So I think transitioning would be a very good idea.
Thank you. Uh Director Saxi, thank you. Um fully supportive as well. Um I think the vast majority of the issues experienced all stem largely and cascade from capacity constraints. Um so
that in of itself is reason to do this. And then I think just echoing the other comments that have been made, we have a lot of staff who want to be a part of this and they've worked with the students all the way through and want to be part of it and support it. Um, and this will put them in a position where we're not asking them to do things that
are out of what we should be asking them to do. Um, so being there and being supportive and finding roles for them, um, at a larger graduation, um, rather than having to deal with fake tickets, um, and then dealing with that and crowd control and other things that are not
things we should be placing upon them on what should be a very fun, um, and joyous event. Thanks. Either one, Director Mickelson. Sure. you know, just in addition to what everybody uh has
already said, uh, you know, because I definitely had those kinds of, you know, comments, um, and thoughts as well, uh, is that I really like the idea of an indoor venue, we have the uncertainty about where this is going to be held because every year it's always what's
the weather going to be like? Are we going to have to move this indoors where attendance is going to be even more restricted than it already is? And so that's I think one of the uh other you know kind of maybe not always uh you know thought of benefits to having it
indoors for sure is we don't have to worry about the weather and so people can make their plans and they can be certain about who's going to be able to attend that they're not going to have to tell you know someone in the family oh sorry we don't have enough you know tickets anymore because it had to be
moved indoors. So I really think that that's just another plus. Thanks, Director Hume. I completely agree with all of my colleagues. Um, change is hard. Changing long-standing community traditions is
harder, but living with the fact that a preventable tragedy happened and we didn't do everything in our power to prevent it would be much worse. This is why I'm in full support of this recommendation to change the location of our graduation ceremony. I'm all too aware that moving to Burnsville high
moving the Burnsville High School graduation ceremonies indoors does not mean that nothing bad will ever happen. But as Chair Worp said, it's one thing that is within our ability to do that will make it much less likely that our students, families, staff, and the larger community will have to suffer
from the same tragedies that so many schools have suffered, including just yesterday in Evergreen High School in Colorado and two weeks ago, of course, in Minneapolis at Annunciation Cath Catholic. So that's what I want to say. You have my support. Thank you.
Um just want to acknowledge we, you know, made did not take this decision lightly. Um we a lot of thought was put into it and consideration. So um Dr. Daniels, we um present it to your team to move forward. Thank you to each one
of you and thank you to your word for um again each of you and including you Favven um for supporting um this recommendation. Our team will work very diligently and communicate very clearly the process we will engage in to make
this transition. Thanks. Next on our agenda, we have our student representative report from our new 2025 2026 student representative Faven testify.
Thank you. Um myself and this year's alternates Jennifer Sadu and Pina Yusupova are just so excited to work together and represent the student body this year. To begin, things have started very fast for students with open house
beginning or setting set on August 27th where clubs activities were showcased encourage encouraging student involvement. Posters and announcements have continued to be promoted um including various groups such as HOSA or the health occupation students of
America, Polyglot, Bernel Strong, speech and debate and many more. The theater guild has also announced their fall show Charlie in the Chocolate Factory and have started casting. And the National Honors Society has sent out their invitations for juniors. Link crew
leaders made up of juniors and seniors invited the upcoming freshman class with team building activities and guided tours to help their transition just be a little easier. Beyond firstear students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are
also settling into the new school year with counselors having a very busy week readjusting everyone's schedules, myself included, and students participating in class meetings where expectations and norms were reestablished, and we had a
nice visit by Superintendent Daniels. This past weekend, students were also involved in the Burnsville Fire Muster, where groups like the Blazettes, marching bands, beach, or rather swim, and the basketball team all took part. Fall sports season is also in full swing
with the football team, volleyball, tennis, fall dance, and swimming all competing, and even the girls soccer team winning their first game in 2 years. This school year has also brought a greater emphasis on the bell-to-bell phone policy, limiting phone use in the
classroom and making phone pockets as the newest new newest and coolest classroom decor. Now, lastly, homecoming is quickly approaching as it begins this Monday where students are looking forward to a very fun pep pep fest at the Pate
Stadium. There are also other events such as the girls flag football game, coronation, the middle school assembly, and of course the football game on the 19th, and the homecoming dance on Saturday with the under the sea theme. This now concludes my report.
Thank you. Um, are there any comments or questions from board members? just welcome. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Moving along, we will now hear a superintendence report from Dr. Latana
Daniels. All right. Well, let's celebrate. It is officially school board appreciation or recognition month. And so we want to recognize the
contributions of our school board. So the Minnesota School Board's Association has set aside September as the Minnesota School Board Recognition Month. Setting aside this month to recognize the hard work and incredibly important
contributions of school board members. As representatives of this entire community, school boards are responsible for creating a vision and direction for districts. They ensure accountability when it comes to student achievement as well as fiscal management. Board members
undertake a tremendous amount of work studying educations education issues broadly and the specific issues affecting our community. And they do that so that they can make difficult decisions that impact the lives of students, thousands of students,
members, students, and families. This is all true for school boards throughout the state and country. But I want to say that we are especially fortunate here in 191 to have board members who work closely and respectfully with each other
that they honor the expertise of staff members and they are fully dedicated to doing what's best for our students and families. I'm grateful for their work, expertise, and perspectives and support and especially for trusting me to lead
the 191 community. So on behalf of our school district, thank you to the members of District 191 Board of Education. So thank you Director Saxi, thank you Director Anderson, thank you Director Chester,
thank you Director Worb, thank you Director Alt, thank you Director Mickelson, and thank you so much Director H. We appreciate you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. That is my report. Do board members have any reports they
wish to share? Just a reminder that we have our committee reports scheduled for our second meeting in September. [Music] Director Alt. Thank you, Chairworm. Uh it was a real pleasure to participate in
the annual Burnsville Festival in Fire Muster along with Dr. Daniels and fellow board members. Our community enjoyed a lovely weekend of music. the annual parade, celebrations of our first responders, as well as a drone show new this year. In chatting with folks this
past weekend, um I wanted to bring back just some feedback that I heard um really um some positive and supportive community and staff feedback on our new cell phone policy. For example, one teacher shared that thanks to phones
being away during instructional time, they found an extra 10 minutes of instructional time. Increased engagement and learning, all that we were hoping for. Um, much appreciation to our community uh and staff for their
anecdotal feedback. It's always really helpful uh for this board member to have that mental image of how our policy impacts practice. And that completes my my report. Thank you.
Anyone else? Nope. Okay. Now we will move to the business portion of the board meeting starting with the consent agenda. Although board action is required, it is generally unnecessary to hold discussion on these items. In the event a board member wishes to discuss
an item, that item will be removed for separate consideration. Do board members wish to remove any items from the consent items? Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? So moved. Moved by Director Chester. Second.
Seconded by Director Mickelson. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Nay. The motion carries unanimously. On to new business. Up first our agenda. On our agenda, we are being asked to adopt a resolution to accept donations.
Presenting the resolution this evening will be Superintendent Dr. Daniels. Thank you, Chair Worb. Before I begin presenting the formal resolution, I just wanted to say thank you to the many community organizations and partners that support education and ISD 191. I am
so grateful for their support and generosity. In just two weeks time since our last board meeting, we have received the following donations from community partners. A wide range of general school supplies to kick off the school year. from the following. The Lions Club of
Savage Burnsville, Cataract Lodge Viael Johnson, Amelia Huddleman, the Sorrel family, Michael Caslo, Northstar Roses of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. We have also received generous donations to our brain power in
a backpack program from Egan Lions Club, Mighty Cause Foundation, North River Hills Neighborhood Organization, Target Employee Giving, Darnell Bennett for Imprint, and the Minnesota Valley
Electric Co-op Operation Roundup. Once again, thank you all to thank you all for all of your generous donations. It is now my recommendation that the board of education adopt a resolution to approve and accept these donations to our district in accordance with our
schoolboard policy and Minnesota statutes and to permit their use as designated by the donors. Is there a motion to adopt the resolution to accept donations as presented? So moved. Moved by Director Hume. Second. Seconded by Director Chester. Is there
any discussion? Having been moved and seconded, this resolution will require a roll call vote. So, in just a second, I will ask Sarah to call the role and when she calls your name, please respond with an I if you are in favor of the resol of
the resolution or a nay if you are opposed. Sarah, will you please make the roll call? Director Hume, I. Director Mickelson, I. Director Al, I. Chair Word, I. Director Chester,
I. Director Anderson. I, Director Saxi, I. This resolution was declared duly passed and adopted. The next item on our agenda is to consider approval of the changes to the boys lacrosse cooperative. Here to
present the recommendation this evening is Dr. Chris Belmont, assistant superintendent. Welcome, Dr. Belmont. Thank you, chair. Good evening, board. Superintendent Ba Daniels. Um, director, uh, athletic director Kleiner
helped me understand more about this request. Um, previously we've engaged for several years with Bloomington Kennedy in partnership for the boys lacrosse. Um, boys lacrosse numbers are are down state and nationally. That's a
trend. Um, certainly has occurred in at at Burnsville High School over recent years. Um, and then the most recent challenge that athletic director Kleiner and his partners are looking to solve is that the present partnership between Kennedy and in the high school still
isn't producing enough student interest in numbers to field a competitive team. So, um, so he's proposing dissolving the current sponsorship and looking at adding Bloomington
Jefferson as the host team. Um, he's examined the implications for this. There's some additional travel. It's slight and he's committed to working with um, all the families that are interested to make sure that it it's attainable and it's realistic for them.
So that's kind of the overview. We want to be able to provide the opportunity knowing that we can't self- sustain at this time one team. So therefore, it's my recommendation that the board of education approves dissolution of our current boys lacrosse cooperative spons
sponsorship with Bloomington Kennedy and that the board of education approves new cooperative sponsorships in boys lacrosse with Bloomington Jefferson and Bloomington Kennedy respectively. Is there a motion to approve the recommendation to make changes to the
boys lacrosse cooperative? So moved. Moved by Director Anderson. Second. Seconded by Director Alt. Is there any discussion? Director Alt. Uh just a question and Dr. Belmont, if you if you don't have the answer, by all
means, let us know afterward. Um, having looked at the numbers that were provided as part of this um, uh, board packet, it looks as though um, our district doesn't currently have a pipeline for
participation. The seventh grade numbers there there were no seventh graders um, for 191. What kind of visibility do we have uh, on recruitment efforts and engaging students and families? um to to get an
interest to generate that interest in lacrosse. I will have to circle back on that. Um trying to think of what I've noticed in the elementary schools being in the physical education classroom.
You know, having furnishing lacrosse sticks is an additional cost. I don't know if that's part of the current uh like core K8 curriculum. I do know it's not part of our middle school sports platform right now. Um
so I think we're probably leaning on community partnerships for that to establish that t that pipeline. But I can get back to you on that. Yeah. And I my mind kind of goes to like remembering years ago knowing students
that participated in lacrosse. Um there was kind of a dual participation. hockey for part of the year and lacrosse for the other part. And it seems like now the competitive nature of hockey is such that maybe students are just 100%
hockey and lacrosse is has kind of gone by the wayside. I don't know. It's anecdotal but and hockey numbers are down. We have a cooperative with hockey now also. Right. Right. Thank you Dr. Thank you. Um all those in favor say I.
I oppose. Nay. The motion carries unanimously. Thank you. The time is now 7:25 and having no further agenda items, I call to adjourn this meeting of the ISD 191 Board of Education.
[Music] That was a very short meeting. I'll have you start very