Good evening everyone. Welcome to the GFW school district regular board meeting 18th. It is 6:02 p.m. like to call this meeting to order.
Stand for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
>> Do I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda for tonight? >> I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. I'll second. >> All those in favor? Was there a recommendation? We have nobody. >> Agenda.
Do I have a motion, a second to approve the consent agenda? I'll make that motion. >> A second. Okay.
Um, as a consent agenda reads, uh, approval of special meeting minutes, approval of regular board meeting minutes, approval of financial report, approval of activity account review,
approval of personnel, um, field assignments and resignation and terminations. um information items. >> We need we need a
>> All in favor, please vote. >> All those in favor approving the consent agenda, information items, superintendent report. >> Yeah, lots of exciting things happening around the district. So, our elementary and middle school high school students impressed our families and staff during
their spring concert performances. Um, including, um, a lot of artwork displayed around the building as well. If you get a chance to go take a look at it, it really highlights the strengths of our music and our arts programming across the district. Earlier this month, um, some of our elementary students were able to participate in a leadership
opportunity as junior coaches where they represented our district at the statewide playworks uh, youth leadership summit along nearly a thousand other students across Minnesota. Um, we've had a lot of a lot of events happening across the district throughout the past month like spring fling week, the
variety show, student council activities, and the upcoming evening of excellence and national honor society induction ceremony. our community education and early childhood programming continue to be a major strength for our district and the inflight should be delivered to mailboxes either already has within the
last few days or it's on its way. Um check out make sure you check out a lot of the great feature articles that are in there as well as some of the summer programming that's happening. Um now to talk a little bit about what's been happening at the state. Last night the legislature adjourned and there were
some positive investments in education package but overall the funding remained very very flat and not very positive for a lot of school districts um especially with increasing operational costs and um inflation pressures that we're experiencing. One of the largest
concerns is compensatory revenue funding, which school districts across the state, we requested about $90 million to help keep us flat while they figure out a fix for the free and reduced meal programming. Um, we requested $90 million and the legislature invent uh invested $10
million into the program. We don't need to worry too much about that because um I had a feeling that this wasn't going to move forward. So, we already did that first round in our budget cuts um for the compensatory funding falling out. For record, we were expecting, if
nothing had changed, $718,000. Um the law that was in place would have funded us for $595,000. Now, with this $10 million fix, it's a $642,000 in compensatory funding. So, the state still shorted us about $76,000 of
funding for our district. Um, in addition to the compensatory struggle, we are still ant anticipating $250 million in special education related reductions or shifts statewide. We have not been told yet what that's going to look like. Um, ultimately the
governor directed the Minnesota Department of Educ Minnesota Department of Education to identify alternative funding solutions before reductions would come directly from the giant education revenue. They did that with the establishment of a blue ribbon task force. the blue ribbon task force has
not completed their work. So the $50 million is going to come out of probably general education funding. So we won't know for quite a while as to what that is going to look like. Um and so that's really hard exactly to
pinpoint where the money is going to be reduced and how much GFW's share of that $250 million is going to be. So given the state of current funding and lack clarity around it, um the district is going to temporarily freeze external
hiring, we're going to live within the FTEEs that we have um for the time being and making sure that we honor the contracts that we've got before we bring in the outside hires. So we're going to start looking at shifts with that. You know, we remain committed to doing what's best for our kids. Um it's
unfortunate when the state funding does not keep up with what we need for our students to be successful in the classroom. So um other than that, you know, we continue to provide great opportunities for our kids. It's been really fun this spring watching our kids interact. Um
812 having breakfast together and seeing each other in the hallways and stuff. We continue. There's another student who gave us an 8,000 star review the other day, so I'm very excited about that. That's probably the best you can get, right? I don't think there's anything better than that for a school district.
So, that's my update for this one. >> Sounds like a good update. Elementary school or middle school, high school. >> I have that. I don't have the elementary, but um so as stated in
previous board meetings, this has definitely been a challenging year for various reasons. However, also a great one. So many firsts have taken place in this building and our seniors are thankful they were able to experience
and enjoy this space for the short time that they had here. Right now they are focused on finishing the year strong and making the most of their final days as GFW students. We have also had many field trips and activities taking place
this spring and it has been a very busy time across the buildings like Mr. Berg had expressed. We have now finished our senior meetings and their final meeting has concluded. Students were handed
their caps and gowns. So, we're now moving to the finish line. Next Thursday marks the due date for our seniors and some of our high school classes. And the following Tuesday will be our senior's
last half day. as GFW students. On Tuesday, they will share lunch together before they conclude the day by participating in one of their long-standing traditions, the kickball tournament. So, it's the battle of the grades
planned by our student council. Unfortunately, we'll have three golf students that will that are seniors that won't be able to participate, but um they're they're a little bit sad about that, but we just can't make it work. This Friday, we will take time to recognize and celebrate those seniors
that are student of the month and our high school highlights assembly. Following the assembly, we will host our senior breakfast. Later that day, students will have the opportunity to help with the elementary track and field day. In addition, our student council and NHS students will also participate
in ditch clean. Prior to the assembly on Friday morning, we will host an elementary parade with our seniors. So they will get to walk through and be a part of the uh infamous tradition of the elementary students celebrating them.
Our student our our school band always plays to help bring the school spirit at our assembly and we are going to have some special music prior to ending the assembly with our school song. This Wednesday, we will host our NHS
induction at 6:30 p.m. followed by our evening of excellence at 7 pm. And both events will be hold held in our high school gym. So, I would like to extend the invitation to our school board members to join us for the parade on
Friday morning. that will start um at 8:20 and we'll attend um what will be the senior's final student of the month and high school highlights where they will be recognized. And we also had an awesome variety show
this last weekend. Friday and Saturday. Saturday is typically a little bit smaller in numbers than Friday, but we probably had uh over 200 people on Friday. and uh Saturday was uh slightly
less than that, but still a decent crowd. I also wanted to thank Mr. Jacobson for his knowledge and his expertise in technology and sound because it really sounded great in the gym and since we've moved in here, he
has done an awesome job helping those events take place. Otherwise, we may have not been able to have them. So, that's all I have. Thank you, student council.
>> Um, I have all sports are wrapping up their season. SHA has their subsection meet on Thursday the 21st at Sleepy where athletes will have to place top eight for individual events and top four for relay teams to move on to sections
which will take place on Saturday 30th of May. This week on Monday, baseball has a game away versus Martin County West at 4:30. These two sports will conclude the spring sports season. NHS successfully put on their second blood
drive for this year. The night of induction will be held at 6:00 on Wednesday the 20th where where they will welcome the new members into NHS. Student council has worked hard all year in order to provide fun and safe activities for all students. And to
conclude the year, we will have our end of the year kickball tournament on Tuesday, May 26th for grades 9th through 12th and grades 6th to 8th will play on the Wednesday, May 27th. Student council has already started preparing for next year with electing new officers. Our
next year president elect is Claire Mesley. Secretary is Kirsten Jazinski. Treasurer is Matthew Lee. Historian is Michael Nakr. and along with President-elect Laura Stegman stepping up as president for the upcoming year. Variety show. The variety
show was held on February 15th and Saturday the 16th. The variety show shine the spotlight of many GFW students by showcasing band choir and senior art case. Three awards were handed out on Saturday night at the end. The John
Phillip Sorus Award was rewarded to Luke Bastion and the John Phillip Award is the pinnacle of achievement in high school band. It recognizes superior musicianship and dedication. The
Louiswis Armstrong Jazzband Award was awarded to Nicole Jacobson and the award honors the most outstanding senior in jazz band. Cal Aiden received an award for her service to all of the fine arts programs at the GFW, going above and
beyond to help advisers and fellow students when needed. FFA had their barnyard day was it was held on Friday the 15th where all elementary kids got to see and pet animals. They had sheep,
cows, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and pe a peacock, a pony, and a pig. Along with the animals, the kids got to look at cool equipment such as tractors, a balor lawn mower, and a skid loader. The kids
also got a chance to learn about plants. FFA had their banquet where they announced all the new officers. Kelly Wiligle was elected as president. Anukica Lee elected as vice president. August elected as
senatoral. Matthew Lee elected as secretary. Cadence Judes elected as reporter, Joe Berneck elected as treasurer, Bradley Worsel elected as advisor, and Annie Worell elected as historian. At the banquet, they also gave a shout out to all the students who
participated in the state convention. Some contests that the states that the FFA students participated in were Agramrimony com competition, companion animal science, best informed greenhand, and general livestock evaluation.
The evening of excellence. The evening of excellence will follow the NHS night of induction at 700 p.m. on Wednesday the 20th. All seniors are eager and thankful to find out what kind of scholarships they will get the privilege of receiving.
Thank you. >> Thank you. Um board reports riverband. Yes. Um the area learning centers comprised of 76 students right now, 49 in person, 27 online. The
imprints area has 26 students in four classrooms. The Raptors have 20 students in three and the Rise have 20 students in three sections. So they are full and doing
well. One of the good things that came to Riverbend was big ideas which show students virtually what an occupation may entail etc. And that was a big hit. Other than that it was basically a
budgetary discussion and like GFW many budgetary concerns not in the immediate they're doing well in the immediate but it's what's coming up but one of the un and on a positive note one of their strategic educators which are
hard to get they have already hired so that Mr. hazing feel pretty good. So overall it was a quite a positive evening. And let's see. Oh, I forgot the one important thing. They had a recycling
challenge and those kids collected 1876.45 pounds of plastic. So in here they describe it as a visual. So you could picture a mature cow or a
small compact car. Those kids managed to collect that much plastic and they were able to submit it uh entries into some sort of raffle thing for possible prizes. But apparently uh collecting plastic uh excited riverbin
students considerably so and they did well. Congratulations for all that. That's it. Sounds like a lot of plastic. Um policy committee. We really didn't have anything going on.
FRP committee. >> Uh we moved it to tonight after the board meeting. >> It was cancelled last time. Uh community engagement. So we spent quite a bit of time talking
further about uh Gibbon and Winthre buildings, all the options that are involved um there. And then um we spent a chunk of time talking about a potential fourth
question on the November ballot regarding GFW school districts, which again we will talk about at committee of the whole coming up. And then I'm missing one item. >> You are the policy only the department that is going to be expected of the
employees and teachers. >> The strategic plan. >> Strategic plan is >> the most important one. Yes. >> Yep. Uh that was everything. >> Okay. Executive committee we didn't
meet. Enrollment K through 12 is at 539 which is down a couple from last month. Um on action items uh approval of GFW principles association contract.
That was an attachment. Yeah. No, I just want to thank both principles for working really hard on the association contract. We are still following the um Minnesota schoolboard association and Minnesota association of school administrators standard contract language for when it comes to um doing
contracts with principles. Um it does reflect a 3 and a half to 3% increase. um as well as some additional language related to uh stipens um for after working after school activities and events to help back up our athletic director um when we need additional
administrator supervision at these events. Um otherwise it's my recommendation to move forward with the approval of this contract. Okay. Approval on representation of exempt employees guidelines. >> And we have a motion.
>> Yeah. >> To approve. >> Do I have a motion to approve or a motion to approve and a second for the principal association contract? >> I'll make a motion to approve the principal association contract. >> I'll second.
>> All those in favor? Yeah. Not represented exempt employees guidelines. >> Yep. So this one again is um this is for all the salary positions within the district like um our transportation director, community director, technology
director, district office staff. ly. Um this represents a 3% increase on the salary ranges that are identified. Um and then the other big item change was aligning their um holidays with the rest of the district. So I believe it was
President's Day was added in to the to the agreement. So everyone else in the district had President's Day in their contract and so now we've added it to theirs, too. So it's my recommendation to move forward with this one as well. So it was like a $57,000
increase then in wages across the board. Did I read that right? The 3%. It had like 51 maybe was 54,000 from 25 26 then 26 27 was like 57. >> Yeah. So the bottom >> Yeah. The very bottom of that
>> very bottom. >> Yeah. Based on the assumption the budget assumption of a 3% increase that we had that we had identified with the budget planning. Okay. Y Motion to approve a second. >> I'll make that motion to approve the um
not exempt employees. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Could you repeat seconded? >> Thank you. Um Google resolution for 2627 Minnesota
State High School League membership. This is the standard annual um MSHSL resolution. We're just really ahead of the game this time because they sent it out early. So normally this is actually due in July. So nice to be ahead of something for once, right?
>> Yeah. And could you just explain briefly as the reasoning to this? >> Yeah, so the state high school league asked that all member districts do a resolution to commit that they're going to be a part of the Minnesota State High School, they're going to follow the
bylaws and the guidelines that are associated with the state high school league. Um it's really in that we're also going to have designated in the event of something was to happen where the state high school league was to ask all the member districts, hey, we need your representatives to vote. Um we
would have to identify the designated school board member, the designated school representative, which would be our athletic director, the activities. Um there's one for boys, one for girls, a designated representative. Um and then our local advisory committee, which a
lot of districts just use their school board and their administrative staff to do. >> What happens if a district isn't a member of them? >> Um so we were actually talking about that a little bit tonight. We believe that they would not our students would not be able to um go to state or they
would not be able to participate in sections like the state high school league sponsored tournaments is my understanding. So it's 100% just sports related. >> 100 Wells. >> Yeah. Any things that are coming competition
>> competitions? Yeah. Do I have first and a second to approve the 2627 Minnesota State High School League membership? I'll make a motion to approve the resolution for the 2026 2027 Minnesota
State High School weekend. >> I'll second it. >> Ser, >> yes. >> Breeze, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Miller, >> yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. I make a motion to be the first to all in favor to adjourn.