And at this meeting we are going to um elect three officers and also a deputy clerk. And if you look at the first handout there kind of goes through the procedure
for how we do it. And as the current chair, I'll be I'll be doing the first nomination. Um calling for the first nomination for chair. And for each office, we call three times
for nominations. Um if there's only one nomination, uh we can point that office by acclamation. If there's more than one nomination, of course, we'll take a vote.
Um, any questions about that part? >> We've not had a deputy clerk or sorry, a deputy chair the past. Is that true? >> We We have not. Um, did I say deputy chair? I meant deputy clerk.
>> I think you said deputy clerk. >> It's okay. >> Okay. Um, it certainly would be appropriate at this time to ask if people are interested in
some of the offices. Um, we won't actually take votes until till the election. I mean, it's it's your opportunity at this point if you'd like to be considered for something. Well, I'll be the first to speak up. I
would like to be considered for treasurer. >> Okay. >> I'd be open to um consideration for chair. >> Okay. >> And I would be interested in serving as clerk. >> Clerk.
>> Okay. Um struggling with balance right now. So, okay. Need to overcommit. >> Okay. Melissa. Um, I would, but just given health issues in my family, I just I don't want to step into a role that I can't complete in a good way. So, thank
you for asking. >> Okay, >> Mr. Chair, since we've never had a deputy clerk before with that, >> we we've always Julie. >> Oh, that's great. >> It's Julie. Don't get rid of her job.
>> It is. I'm I apologize, Julie. That is correct. Thank you. I just you know what the assumption was is that it was somebody on the board and I just never mind. >> The real work behind all the good night. What am I? I'm sorry. I
apologize. >> Take it all back. >> Any questions about that procedure we're going to go through? >> Makes sense. Um uh the next handout you have there um uh is um
schoolboard operations voting examples uh for election of officers. And as you know, we're a board of six and so a quorum would normally be four and this is all kind of review to everybody. It the only the only place it
gets a little bit strange is if we don't have the full board here. But uh typically in the six member board um if you look at the first example there are three votes for candidate A, two for candidate B, one for C.
um the officer would not be elected because it's it would need to have four votes. Um in the second example there three votes for candidate A, two for candidate B and one abstension. In that
case the abstension goes with the majority. So that person would be candidate A would be elected. Of course, if there's only five board members, which is not the situation today, so we don't really need to worry about that. Um, if there's tie votes for
chair, uh, we the basic procedure is we keep voting and we keep voting and, um, point toss after three rounds or >> after three rounds, we can decide to come back at another meeting. But I
don't know maybe >> I think it goes to thumb wrestling after that rock paper >> but it has happened. I mean that I'm aware of a kind of a board that had dension and they could not land on a chair and it took multiple meetings actually.
>> That sounds like that would be a tough year. >> Oh my gosh. This is the beginning of the problems. Yeah, >> excuse me. >> Uh the next uh handout you have in your
packet is a code of ethics. Um maybe if everybody wants to take a minute to read through that themselves. I don't know if it's important for me to read the entire thing for everybody. Um it it is very important and this is
something that uh you signed a a code of ethics uh statement when you came onto the board. I'll give you a minute to read through. Please. That's good. In any event, that's a good document to
look over once in a while. Um, take that home with you. Uh, next item on the agenda is the schoolboard communication interactions protocol guide. And this was put together
a couple years ago about the time I came on the board. And um it it really clarifies a lot of situations what to do and kind of how to stay out of sort of a um nonfunctional communication linkups.
And um just going to review a a couple of the the key points here. Um, the first situation, what do I do if I get a phone call with concerns and a a lot of times as a board member, your
first impulse is, well, I'm going to get on the phone and I'm going to solve that problem with the person. And it it really is not the way to do it. Um, really, it it's it's a good idea to think in terms of chain of command.
In other words, who's the person supervisor? That's where it should go first. Um, it's always a good idea to notify the superintendent's office. We like uh Matt to be aware, Matt and Julie, to be aware
of situations that are going on. Um, I always I always think it's a good idea when you get calls from parents to direct them to the principal and the superintendent. Principles are the ones in the buildings
that have answers to most of those things. pretty important uh not to make promises, not not to not to make the statement, you know, over the phone, I'll solve that problem for you or in imply that.
Um kind of the same thing goes with uh what do I do if I get an email with concerns? Uh don't make promises. Um a lot of times it's good to acknowledge those
I I would say that um it's generally not a good idea to do reply alls on those. It's it's a good idea to do send back an acknowledgement. Thanks. Thanks for your email. I forward
it to the person who you know is responsible for that situation. Usually the superintendent. Um on the second page there is a one that uh happens quite frequently in a small community. What do I do if I get stopped
out in public? um if you're grocery shopping and uh um it it actually happens uh quite a bit happens to me at hockey games. >> Yes.
>> Um >> it it's it's always a good idea, you know, in a situation like that, you're not going to solve the the the situation, you know, conversation in Walmart. you know, refer them to supervisors just
like you would do with a phone call. Um, you know, redirect, you know, students will sometimes approach you as a board member and ask for something, redirect them to their principal. Um, and and same thing with uh uh
parents, you know, redirect them to principles. And I think it's always a good idea to let Superintendent Gross or the board chair be aware of what uh what the comments are that are being made.
Um the next one there, what do I do if I'm contact uh contacted in regards to an investigation or lawsuit? Uh you do not want to be the spokesperson. the the best thing to do is refer that
to the superintendent's office and and generally um it it happens quite frequently. I know as a board chair I get called on media requests and I I think it's always a good idea to
talk those over with superintendent gross you know before they happen. Usually the superintendent is the best person uh to be making, you know, statements to the media. For one thing, he's very articulate.
Um and and of course, as a board member, what do you do if you have a complaint? Um contact the superintendent or the chair. Um, some of the rest of those I'm not going to go through them specifically.
Um, I I guess the the the one that I would bring up is if you're going to visit a classroom, you know, don't just walk in the door and go to a classroom. You know, you need you need to schedule that. You
need, as a building principal, is one of the things I always wanted to know who's in the building. um somebody just wandering around the building talking to teachers and students is is really inappropriate. Of course, we know about the open
meeting law. Um it's it's important to note that you can violate the open meeting law uh by email or text messages. And generally best practice is it any
email uh that is going out to everybody. It it's okay if it's strictly an organizational we're scheduling a meeting. Um but definitely not discussion about
issues or uh that's one of the reasons why reply all is kind of a bad deal. it it can very rapidly turn into a situation where you're violating the open meeting law. And the last one is uh
um serial meetings. And that just means uh three people get together and talk about an issue, then three more people get together and and before they know it, a decision's been made before it even comes to the board. and not not really
appropriate. So, anybody have questions about those or >> we we put them together because it was starting there were you could start to see things popping up. All good intentions, but putting yourself kind of
in a crosshair that we don't need to be in. And so I know there was a lot of work done on it to put this together >> and it has made life a lot better um as far as communicating out giving it back to leadership.
>> What you often hear is well I've talked to so and so and I haven't heard back and so you can say well you can see see me on the email if you don't hear anything or if you don't hear anything let me know and we'll go another route. But I always try and put it back in the leadership's hands because most of the
time there's more information that we're not privy to that underlies a situation. >> Yeah, it's really well put together. And I know Melissa worked on that, didn't you? >> Yeah, David, I think you helped. Ben,
>> I appreciate this reminder. It was about the same time there was a bunch of litigation around text messages because your phone is discoverable. So I mean even with uh community people your phone is discoverable.
>> Yeah. Good good reminder. Anything you put into an email, >> you might as well say it to everybody because eventually it could be >> Yeah. >> Or I don't want to be called out for deleting emails. How's that? Right.
>> Right. Right. We don't want to be doing that. >> Yeah. Um, next item. Superintendent Gross, do you want to talk about the schoolboard calendar? Um so this uh Julie put together a a calendar and we her and I discussed it a
few different times. Um met with Mark went over it and you know trying to be as consistent as we can with what we've done in the past with um with respect to regular meetings and work work sessions timing those when we've needed those in
the past. Um, you know, I I was going through our budget timeline today, for example, and realized that we needed to make an adjustment there with the March. So, um, there's a lot that a lot of factors that goes into this calendar and
trying to make sure we're not having to change things all the time. You know, things like MA even when that conference is and making sure we don't conflict with that. um keeps the regular meeting and work
session total the same I believe as this year. Anything else, Julie, that stands out to you? >> Um overall the the number of meetings is the same. There's one extra regular meeting, one less workshop in the schedule. Um simply because we took a
workshop out of November. um we will be having to um because of the election um we'll have to canvas the results and it needs to be done 10 days after the election and if we don't we didn't have a regular meeting scheduled
so we just made that workshop basically a regular and took away a workshop so that's really the only difference um nothing too outstandingly different from what we had this
We did talk about the, you know, we've tried to have meetings in Big Fork the last uh going back many years and we've adjusted the dates of when those are. This January one coming up
uh coincides with a Big Fork school advisory committee meeting date. And so it'll be kind of a cool opportunity to um check in with them on a little bit more in-depth level. So that that made
some sense we thought. And then we always ended up kind of with some different types of meetings in Big Fork and so looking at spacing that out and having one there a couple weeks into the school year uh which we hadn't done in a
while. So that's uh that's it. Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Superintendent, is this uh consistent with uh our neighboring districts? >> Um no, the uh our board meets more
um I'd say considerably more I think. uh and that to be based on my experience there is a there is a function of scale that leads to a need for more meetings and I you know when I first came here I was trying to get a feel for whether
that was the case or whether and it it is the case there's just a lot more that goes on in a district our size. Um as far as days of the week go it's a little bit of a mixed bag. We have some boards that in our area that meet on
Mondays and some that meet on Wednesdays. >> But the holidays uh are consistent with our neighbors. >> Um the holidays are Yeah. >> Any questions or comments about that?
Have we uh so so the state policy has kind of changed midstream on us here in regards to attendance in person, right? Do we need to I mean I I assume we still want to, >> you know, have some kind of guidance to
let Julie know that, you know, it's not last second three people say, "Hey, I can't make it today." You know, and and so we're making sure we have a quorum. Do we need to outline something somewhere in regards to that or a policy or a suggestion or whatever a best
practice whatever you want to call it? I mean, it's nice to have the flexibility, right? But I think we want the last thing any of us wants to show up and find out last second. We don't have because the the thing is >> I don't care where you are. Internet's
never super reliable, right? You always have a risk there. You always have a risk. So, um, do we want to outline something on that or is this a time to talk about that again? I don't know. Well, certainly um if you know you're
not going to be available, >> as soon as you know that, you know, please notify Julie >> and um we've had a couple situations this year where we were kind of worried like,
oh, we got to make sure we have a quorum and um if we have a little bit of advanced warning, you know, we can kind of work around those issues, But >> as far as going remote, I don't know, dude.
>> I think that early communication is just is the key thing. You know, we can usually adapt and adjust as long as we know, you know, few days in advance even. >> Yeah. What Julie, what's your preference? I I mean, a week or few days
adequate for you to react or I guess I'd like to get your feel. Um um as soon as as soon as you know is best um and I know that things come up, you people get sick and and things come up. Um fortunately, we have never since I've
been in the um in this position, we have not had to cancel a meeting due to lack of a quorum. So I feel like board members have been really good about >> following that. Um it isn't, you're right, it's not in writing anywhere necessarily. It might be something we
could add to um I don't you know even the um code of ethics you know giving proper notice as soon as you know something like that >> just some a guideline right I'm I'm not even looking for something to kind of >> hold someone a little bit accountable
right and say >> yeah because it's it happens and I know it's happened with other boards so um but I but I appreciate I think our boards have taken it pretty seriously which is nice and I appreciate that. >> Okay. >> Uh, one of the next items in your packet
is a calendar of indicator reports. Okay. >> I think it might be >> one or two down everybody find it. And uh these have been put together based on uh
kind of the the presentations we've done in the past. Um certainly I I think we've added some and we've taken some out. Uh Matt, do you want to make any comments about those? >> Some of them are timely, you know, based
on what when things are happening during the year. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think the balance that we're trying to strike is to um >> enable you to be the most well-balanced, well-informed board members you can be with all the operations that are going
on without going unnecessarily into the weeds on it. But, you know, there are a lot of aspects to the school district that uh you might be unaware of without, you know, a spec specific conversation
about them. So, I think always open to suggestions to or if there's a uh a topic that you're very interested in that um might also be, you know, interesting to the rest of the board. Um
and you know sometimes too the the the indicator report is not only beneficial to the six board members but it can also be really helpful for our community to hear that talked about publicly that way. A so that they can be
informed but also b to be able to recognize that you as a board uh are staying in touch with all these things. So if you have suggestions, certainly open to those and if there are other things that you think might fit in a
better place certainly open those open to those too. These, you know, we we take a lot of latitude with these and and can move these around pretty easily. Um so there's a lot of flexibility there.
Um, the only question I had here was I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't we just hear from the Big Fork school advisory committee just last month, >> so I'm just wondering if that one might need to shift. >> Yeah, we did. Um, part of the reason why
that why the 20th is a little bit redundant is because our board meeting is going to be >> in Big Fork on the 20th and that's the date that they're meeting. So, >> okay, >> it it it's really about the convenience of >> being up there and probably seeing
>> those uh advisory committee members in person. Okay, makes sense. >> Any other comments or suggestions for indicator reports? >> Am I missing a transportation report? >> November 23rd.
There's on the back. >> I stopped me for a while. >> Thank you. >> We have one for online school. >> We do. >> I'm guessing that might be a good one because we talked about >> Yeah, it would be >> that one. that one. I I could if I could
just we um they are included in the school like in the whole enrollment >> all the school options >> um school options that's one of them and then the enrollment piece they're in there and then they're also added for the principal updates that we we do a
rotation you know just regular principal update. >> Yeah. So they're in that one as well. >> Um so >> in March. >> Yeah. I'm just thinking pulling it out because we, you know, we had it out and to take a look at the whole program and its entire
>> I know I would like it being new and really kind of trying to get an understanding what's working, what's not working if there's anything we as a board can >> assist with in that in regards to their success, right? Or
>> maybe in the summer. >> Yeah, maybe in June. Um, we have some data, year end data. >> So, we'll plug that in. >> We'll plug that in in June. >> Any other suggestions or comments? >> Keep us moving on then. Um,
in your packet you should have sheet called benefits for school board members and also a board salary history. Basically compensation $2,500 per year for 20 regular meetings. Board chair gets an extra $425
and $65 per extra meeting. Um I don't know if anybody is participating in the car pension plan. There's some information about it there if you need it. Also medical insurance.
I don't know if anybody's participating, but there's information about that coverage. Uh life insurance basic coverage is $5,000. Board members can take up to $150,000 supplemental coverage uh if they fill
out the questionnaire and approval by the life insurance company. >> Mileage standard rate is 70 cents per mile effective January 1. >> That just got it just got >> it did. It's 72.5 now. So I'll update
that. That was >> 725. >> Yep. For 2026. So I will I'll update that on the final discuss >> and meals as as allowed by district policy. Looking at the board salary history
um as you can see um >> board salary since 2012 has been $2500 a year. There's an allowance for extra meetings. We do have 20 meetings this year.
>> Comments or discussion, >> questions. I think it's just worth noting that um you know given the current situation of the district's finances. Um I'm certainly not looking to um increase the
board compensation, but I do want to make it known that 15 years since an increase is quite a long time. So I think there's a a concern on both ends of that. Um but again, I'm not looking to
suggest a change. Right. But in that discussion for the nine years I've been on the board, that's been the same. And that's at what point do you actually say >> you know what, >> right? >> We need to, >> right? >> Um
>> for fairness and I and I say that because a lot of people who are able to sit on this board are able to do it because it's such a small amount of money, right? >> And there are people that can't participate on the board because it's such a small amount of money, right? >> I'm just going to leave it at that. Yep. Good comments. Any any other comments or
discussion? >> I will say if I see one more Facebook post on the school board should take a cut. I'm going to scream. >> I'll join your screen. >> Yeah. I mean, yeah. Can you imagine?
>> I don't Yeah, I don't think it to get rich. I don't think that's what's need but not even a little bit. >> Next item on the agenda is committee assignments. And typically uh during the workshop we do go through this list here and put down names uh as to who would
like to be on what committees and how we're going to cover everything. You also have a handout uh Grand Rapidia Schools Board of Education Committee participation kind of describes all the committees and what happens on them.
Um on the committee sheet we have a list of who's on the currently on the committees and uh some of them obviously will change. You know there's some things that the the chair is automatically on.
Um, and maybe it would be a good idea at this point to just kind of go through the >> the list here, >> talk about uh, >> what committees people would like to be on, what they'd like to stay on, what they'd like to get off.
And I'll start out by saying I would like not to be on the policy committee. >> Um, I >> You're not even on the policy. I would like to stay on the policy committee. Um, but I would also like to remove myself from the wellness
committee just simply based off of time. I'm not going to be available to make it to their meetings unfortunately. But um I am comfortable with the rest of what I have my name attached to. So
>> Julie, are you taking notes as we go? >> Yep, sure am. Um, maybe we should start at the maybe maybe we should say are there any committees that people specifically would like to be on? It's kind of nice to let people be on a
committee that they're interested in, not that they're necessarily assigned to. >> Really like policy. >> Oh, we have problem. I think the the ones that are on policy are pretty happy with I'm not going to
speak for you. I apologize. But um yeah, I'm >> David. Do you want to stay on policy? Okay. >> Awesome. >> I would depending on the election whatever um I would look to remove
myself from finance. Um, on that same note, I'd like to remove myself from I ask just because of my current situation with family health. I don't think I can contribute what I need
to do that. And then labor management. I don't want to step in and into the middle of what's already happening. So I could I would remove myself from that as well. >> So you you want to be off labor management? >> Yes. >> Okay.
>> I'm the alternate on I ask and I'm more than willing to be the I ask rep. >> Yeah. I mean I think it's going through, you know, another evolution and I think it needs needs people that can be there. I believe I believe they do want an alternate on that one. Is anyone
interested in being the alternate then >> for for the IS? >> Yeah. In case >> they were to run into the lack of a >> quorum. Those are mostly online. You do visit schools like they try and visit a school like once a quarter. So,
we've been in Hill City and Rever and just to try and do that, >> but most of them are online >> and they're usually at 5:00. >> I can probably be alternate. >> You want to be the alternate or the primary?
>> Alternate. >> Okay. Um, anything specifically you'd like to be on? >> Um, I I have enjoyed the Big Fork advisory group there. So, I I would like to continue that if if there's anything.
Um, beyond that, um, I mean, willing anywhere. >> Okay. Well, I'd rather not policy, but it sounds like we got that covered. So, >> yeah, we'd be violating the open meeting
law to put you on there. So, >> um, is there anybody else that would like to be on the Big Fork school advisory? I'm on there currently. >> You know, I'm I'm willing to give that up if somebody else would like to do that. You can leave me on
David, anything specifically you'd like to be on? >> Uh, no. I'm I'm good with >> Are Are you okay with the ones that you're currently assigned to? >> Okay. >> I'm concerned that with finance committee if we do need to have somebody there.
>> Yes. Wonder. >> I I could go on the finance committee. Tom, anything you uh would like to be off or on? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean nothing other than like I say I I'm open to anything that's there
that I've been doing this fine. >> Are you willing to stay on staff development? >> Yeah, that's okay. >> I'm going fine. >> Julie, do you know when the wellness committee meeting is happening now? >> They've been put on hold so far this
year. Um, Holly's the chair of that committee and she had some other obligations. There were some state >> report reporting that needed to be done. >> Um, we haven't scheduled our next meeting yet, but it's >> it will be. It just hasn't been scheduled.
>> Okay. Okay. Do >> we need two people from the board on that >> on the wellness? >> Not necessarily. Not not necessary. >> I don't think so. Okay. >> Can I back up?
>> And if you want, I can stay on the labor management committee as long as it only meets like four times a year. >> If I look through. >> So Melissa, you're on. >> Yeah, I can go as the alternate. >> Okay.
Dave, any uh others that you would like to be on or off? Are you okay with the ones you're on? >> Yep. I think outside of uh fin removing from finance. >> Good, >> Ashley. >> Um yes. I just wanted to double check
the schedule for the ATF area schools community education advisory regional council real quick. Um, do we my main concern is just the time in which those meetings start and making
sure that I'm available to actually get to them. So, that's my only um because I know for sure that I am available to get to policy uh committee. It'll be remote. I'll have to be online
to do those. But um uh I can only do you know one one in the day essentially and I know that they're not scheduled the same time but I think that's my only >> Do we know what time those meetings start for that particular
>> they have typically been scheduled like midday >> um late morning to midday is is typ typically what >> but it's only >> they hold those meetings yeah four times a year. You know what, Julie? Let me I'll just stay on this one because if
it's only four times a year, I can swing that. That'll be okay. >> Are you willing to stay on activity council? >> Say that one more time, Mark. I apologize. >> Oh, yes. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> And I I' I'd like to stay on activity council also. really >> uh community engagement. >> I'm good with staying on that. >> Good staying on. >> I'm good with that as well.
>> Okay. And I'll stay on that. >> David, uh comprehensive achievement civic readiness. Is that is that our >> hacker now? used to be world's best workforce and before that it was um
>> school accountability or s >> school accountability report >> endowment David >> facilities >> y >> Dave and Tom >> with that
>> uh finance I guess That's myself, Ashley. Are you going to stay on that? >> I Yes. >> Yes. >> Um, I apologize, >> Julie. What time do those meetings usually
>> take place? >> The finance committee, >> those have also typically been during the day. Um, now with Alex, our business manager coming in, I don't know if that will change. I don't um
not sure >> um you want to put somebody else on. >> Can we I apologize. Just >> I guess I don't be during the work day between 8 and 4 is my guess. >> I Yep. >> That would be an alternate. Okay.
>> So I can replace David. Correct. Put David on there. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. Sorry about that. >> Prince benefit. Melissa, are you good? >> I can stay there. >> Stay there. >> Uh, labor management. Melissa, you going
to stay on as alternate? >> Yep, I can do that. >> Ashley, are you okay on labor management or is that >> Um, no, I'm fine with that one. >> You're good with that one? >> Yeah. >> Uh, for the district, how vote for ESPs, David?
>> Yep. You're good. Uh, meet and confer should be the chair, whoever that is. >> Uh, special ed advisory committee. >> Yep. >> You're good, David. Uh, Dave, are you going to stand wellness?
>> Um, yeah. I I mean, >> we're kind of on hold with that, right? Yeah, we're until we figure out when to just be part of the conversation as we figure out the scheduling be helpful. >> I'm sorry, what? >> Just to be part of the conversation as we figure out the scheduling of it be
helpful. Um the last last two boys and girls club David Marty R Dave yep >> kind of pot committed now >> Julie
>> and did you catch all those? >> I did. >> I did. Yes. And so at the regular meeting, we can I I'll give a final um >> document to you after the tomorrow or whatever, but during the regular meeting tonight, we can say
it was determined at the workshop. >> Okay. >> We'll fill those committees. Okay. >> Did we used to have a Rams rep, too, didn't we? Or was that on a separate or what happened? And >> Matt, are you actually on Rams now on
the board? >> I'm on the Rams board. >> Yeah, you have to be elected. >> There you go. All right, >> good call. >> He had stiff competition at the election. >> Did you? >> You were uncontested.
>> I really liked how that sounded. >> Wow. >> This year before there were like 15 or 16 people. Yeah, >> that's a lot. >> Yeah, this year there was like
12 of 11, >> right? >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. The year before though, I think you're right. It was like 18. >> I mean, it was like a ton. Like half the people got like the No. Sorry. Uh some of the rest of the items are
kind of standard routine designation of financial institutions for school funds. And you have a a list in front of you and basically these are the banks that the business manager does business with.
So we'll be designating that during the actual board meeting. Has there marked a review recently of this list and is it still the right list or is that a policy that is reviewed at
some frequency? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I don't know that it's so much a formal review has happened as much as u >> periodic analysis of interest rates and
like bank policies and flexibility. So, some of these some of these are about investments where we make some investments >> um whether they're short-term or liquid or >> fluid. Some of them we use to transfer
money in and out or payroll. >> And some of the choices there have to do with um timeliness >> or interoperability with our payroll systems. So, I don't know it's so much
of a formal review, but a periodic assessment of rates and particular bank policies. >> Okay. Thanks. >> I guess I would comment that bringing on a new new person there, I'd hate to be
changing that right now anyways, right? Give them a chance to kind of learn the system and come back to us with what they have, right? And when Cara came on, she did do something because we took some off and
put some on. So when she came in, uh, she did do a lot of work on that side. >> Okay. >> Next item that we'll deal with in the board meeting, >> uh, certification of the chief financial officer.
>> And if you see, we we have >> Cara listed as a CESO representative. and then also our new uh business manager and that should kind of accommodate the transition. >> That's right.
>> Is it appropriate to uh continue uh with Cara >> at at this point in the transition? um it would be the board if it wanted to could revoke that at a subsequent meeting if it
>> felt it was relevant um or important to do that. Uh there will be some overlap you know of course and and Alex's first date is until uh January 19th. There'll need to be that overlap. Um and CISO is going to
continue. We're going to continue to work with CISO in an advisory capacity uh for a while just to ensure that we have a good transition there. So I could see later in the spring uh revoking that designation.
>> Thank you. Next item, you have in front of you a list of the um school district legal council and names authorized for contact. I won't say too much about that, but
these are the uh these are the organizations that we've worked with in the past and and the ones that we use uh most commonly. and also uh lists who who is authorized to contact them directly for legal
advice. >> If it's helpful, Mr. Chair, sometimes it's about the firm and what they specialize in. Sometimes it's about particular attorney that works for a firm that um >> has a very particular you know set of
skills or an approach that uh is helpful to the district. So it's good to have some options. Uh, next item, >> uh, designate a representative for the Minnesota State High School League. >> And Tom, I think you're the current rep,
correct? >> Are you willing to keep doing that or somebody else want to do that? I I'm willing, but if anyone has a passion, feel free to
>> say get out of the way. Thank you for doing it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Our next item is designation of the official newspaper. And I think we only have one
>> one paper that uh applied to to be that the Herald Review. Next one is does make the official radio stations Um and we we have I think last year we added a second one.
>> Correct. >> So we have Rapids Radio on KEXC and designation of the official posting site which the new chair will read at every board meeting. >> We used to have to read the meeting. until I started singing them. Then we
gave something different. >> We are kind of coming up on uh six o'clock, but is there any other business before we adjourn? >> Did I hear a little bit? Was there an adjustment on that 250 number?
Was there change in the Which one? >> What? 250 >> uh >> you were talking about a bullet or something or does >> Oh. >> Oh, on the consent or on the regular
schoolboard meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's in the regular meeting. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We pull We're pulling 8E just because it's not necessary to do that. It's already Yeah, we're already good to
go based on our policy. If there's nothing else, um, >> we're adjourned. If anybody wants to take a, we'll come back into session in a minute. You don't look good. I call him.
weeks to figure out. >> Yeah, I'll have to I'll have to ask Gage. >> Uh, let me see. almost. >> Okay, we're good. >> Okay, at this time the open forum work session >> is open.
>> Um Julie, has anybody signed up? >> Public input? >> No one has >> No one has signed up. >> No one signed up. Um maybe at this time it would be appropriate uh Joe would you want to move up and do your presentation early.
>> Get you home a little bit earlier. >> Thank you Jill. >> Y >> okay well good evening um school board. We have been busy. It was the first day back to school after our twoe break but we got right back to it. We just
finished up our winter screening in December um in reading and math and then our social emotional. So we've been already >> before break ready to go to help kids with our interventions. Our new intervention groups have formed >> um and something new that we have to do
is the CAP screener. So, we have about 119 kids that we have to test this week and we test those students who scored below the 50th percentile on our winter um literacy assessment. >> So, that's actually it sounds like a lot
of kids, but it's actually um >> probably what I would expect. >> And so, after our CAPD results, we'll reconvene our interventionist team and then decide um look at the diagnostics and decide who needs to go to an intervention or who did great. they can
just you know you know receive their reading um all with their their classroom teacher. >> So we are busy with that. It's it's brand new for the teachers. We had to receive training. Um kids kids were busy doing the capy today. We'll have to schedule. So just like a lot of new
things with that um but I feel I feel confident that they'll know what to do and we know what to do and we'll get those kids the right interventions that they need. Um um also our leadership team will meet on Thursday and so I've been working over break and with the
leadership team we'll finish our state of the building. It's our presentation that we'll provide to our staff next week at our staff meeting. It just gives an update of um our data results for our winter screener and then progress on our school
action plan. and and by looking at the data over break, our school in some grade levels has already surpassed their end of the year goals. So, we're going to need to adjust and increase our probably our we'll see what the leadership team wants to do, but we'll have to raise our our levels of
proficiency, which is good. >> Um um our need an area of focus for East right now is third grade. Um um we have 61% of our third graders needing an academic intervention and that is a lot of kids.
>> So um we're working the third grade teachers are working very hard >> and we have them all in a lot of intervention. Um and those are not kids who are in special ed. >> So you add that in there. We have about 30 um some kids are >> tier two and tier three but
>> we're looking probably >> 70% 75. So, so um that will be our area of need this year and what we focus on which will be good. >> I have >> I have no doubts though the teachers are working really hard. They have great collaboration, great instruction.
>> So I know that that that gap will will decrease for sure. >> Asks question sorry is that in regards to >> math reading or across all you're saying? So 61% are receiving either
math, reading or both. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> And then and then we have just >> posted the ADSIS behavior interventionist. So very excited about that is definitely a need at East. We are up about 3% in referrals from last
year. So we have an increase of um behavioral needs at East. I so my hope hope with this position is we decrease our office discipline referrals >> um I'd like to reduce the number of students that are in special education
at East or about 25% which is very high >> so we'd like to decrease that >> and also um build staff capacity >> for um >> you know you know supporting classroom management redirecting behavior and kind of
>> focusing on that that student too in the classroom >> so looking forward forward to to those goals being met with that position. So stay tuned. >> Day one. >> Day one. >> Any questions for East?
>> A question about you said uh 25% in special education at East. Does that mean that 25% have an IEP? >> Yes. So it could be reading, math, um behavioral or speech only, too. Uh
>> Jill, thank you. Uh very nice presentation. Uh 61% that's a big chunk of kids. >> Um >> did did you did we have the sense when they came in you were going to have that
much of a a load in the third grade? A and B would you anticipate that continuing to next year? are our second graders coming in going to be >> um yep so the MTSS coordinator who was Mrs. Shadine last year did alert me to
that there was a high need. So she said make sure you save eight intervention groups for some chunks of kids for reading. So we did anticipate we made sure that we had enough >> spots to service the kids in tier 2. So preliminary we were planning for >> um a larger number of kids needing it.
>> I hope that we don't have that again. >> It it really does impact our data. It'll impact our MCA data and we can still support those kids but it gets much more challenging to make great gains in achievement, huge leaps um in third,
fourth and fifth. >> Those those I do see in research supports that it happens much more in the K12. >> So the stronger they can come in >> um it just helps them a lot more with what they need to learn in third, fourth, and fifth grade. >> Thank you.
>> So I know nobody likes to say this word, but were these the co kindergarteners? Those would be our fifth graders. >> Current fifth graders. So not interesting. >> So then I'll then I'll ask a harder even
question and that is as the principle there. Do you have any idea why these numbers are what they are? >> I don't >> I don't but I I definitely think it's worth like a root cause analysis for sure of will this is this a trend? Is it new? I mean, there's numerous reasons,
but >> I think it'd be important to >> at least kind of tease through some of the data and >> determine. I absolutely agree and I think that we have to be plann to your point, David, on what does the future hold and if we have to plan for this
level of increase or if this is an anomaly, >> hope it's an anomaly, but again, yes, >> not a strategy. >> Yes. And that does happen. There are different groups of students that have more challenges sometimes, but it's it's important to know too so that we can um
you know support them and get them to the achievement levels that they need to. >> This is where I'm grateful that we do have >> grade level buildings because you can actually see it. >> Yes. >> You know, as opposed to being dispersed in like a scatter plot like you actually
can see it. I mean, I know that's hard because you get all of it in one spot, but at the same time, >> it really does allow for the full picture of what's happening in our third. >> I think it it helps um if you have strategies for making the
the problem better because all the teachers are together, they can collaborate. Um you can have eyes on the the whole grade level. They can have interventions with all of the teachers that are intervention schedule and their schedule is amazing. And I don't think the kids would make they're making leaps in brown improvement already in a few
months. So >> it does make a difference. >> Well, I'm grateful they have you as the leader in that school. >> Jill, do you want to a couple things? I just I think you know the >> anytime we look at a issue that this
that predominant, >> we have to start by looking at core instruction. So I think that's you know the the place that we're looking. Um so our strategy team and there's some other work being done there but that's the
first place to look. >> Um >> it'd be great if you could share. So this is the first year that you um you know you did some changing with staffing and departmentalizing. Um I think the board would love to hear sort of your
preliminary >> kind of assessment of that and maybe just review the decision. >> Yes. >> Yes. Uh so I noticed um well a number of things but high level in in the building I was
getting feedback from staff that they it felt like a big building is a big building. Fifth grade's upstairs. Oftentimes they don't ever see a third grade teacher till two weeks later. And so they were hoping, you know, what what could we do to make more collaboration? How do we build within teams? This is the first time they've had a team of
eight, right? So before there's the same amount of teachers, but you had K5. So now instead of working with three or four people, you work with seven or eight. >> So that felt different. And we have to almost run two schedules. So there's like a pod A and a pod B. So even though you teach fourth grade across the hall from somebody, you might never talk to
them >> for a week >> for a week, which >> is hard to imagine, but >> um but it it it it does impact that. >> And same with the students. The more >> adult students have that know their name, can say hi to them, >> teach them,
>> it just there's more success. There's lots of research around that, too. So I started thinking there's got to be something different. I also noticed, you know, the teacher workload that with the new curriculum and the reading demands and there's science and there's math, elementary teachers teach many things.
Um, that there had to be a way to to lessen that, but we still need to teach. So, >> so I had sent out a survey and just asked if people were interested in departmentalizing. Actually, prior to the survey, I brought it to the leadership team and they said, "No, no, we don't want to do that. Nobody wants to do that." And I was
like, "Okay." and L let it sit for a while and then I sent out a survey and it was unanimous that yes please can we departmentalize. So then I had also asked who would like to teach reading who would like to teach math and then in my mind I had some people who have strengths in those areas
um based on observations based on year after year after year of MCA data and high 80% proficient is pretty incredible. So why not people teach and make that impact broader? Um so it's worked great. We have increased
collaboration. Um teacher teams were selected for a number of reasons and I've seen strong relationships across pods. Um more teachers are talking to each other can see each other because they you know are in different schedules.
um students have I don't want to say two teachers now, but they've got two sets of >> teachers >> teachers greeting them and caring about them. It's just another adult in the building um in a building that is so big that doesn't feel so big. >> And I have uh passionate teachers who
love if you love to teach math now you're teaching math twice. So now you're impacting >> 60 kids >> versus just your 30. Um >> and same with reading. I've seen >> the results on our STAR data and our winter
>> assessment screeners is strong >> stronger in some areas than it's ever been. I think I would believe well stronger than last year for sure and I believe prior to me as well. Um >> um so I really haven't seen anything >> um >> um >> that would be challenging. It's all been going pretty well and the feedback's
been pretty positive. We're going to have a meeting here in a couple weeks, a feedback meeting so I can take in all the feedback. I haven't really heard anything negative, but I told them to come prepared with pros and cons and then we'll make a kind of a final adjustment or plan and be ready to go in
February for next year. >> So, one challenge I should say is we have seven sections at each grade level and so someone for next year can't departmentalize because we can't divide evenly. So, there I have some thoughts about what to do there, but
>> that that that is a challenge. That will be a challenge. Thanks for bringing that up, Matt. No, it's it's been >> it has surpassed my expectations, I will say. >> I had a question on that. Uh do you have any anecdotal comments from teach from
parents or students about what their experience has been since you've >> not from from teachers, from staff? Not from parents. I think they're I mean not positive or negative. >> Sure. >> I I I mean >> Okay. I don't know if kids are going
home and saying, "Hey, it's different." Or >> I know that that would I would be curious. >> One of the things that Jill did mention that she did that was really smart was >> she talked to these teacher teams about having similar routines and expectations.
>> Um it just comes natural to Jill to think that way. So that's why she didn't remember to say that. Um, but it was a really smart thing that she did so that that kid doesn't have two different sets of rules, two different sets of ways of doing things. It was consistent even
though they were in u in different teachers. And so I thought that was really smart and I think that's probably one of the reasons why the transition wasn't really that difficult for most kids. uh you know kids in the elementary are used to
even before this kids would still move teachers during the day they would have a different teacher for fiad and a different teacher for music so that it you know even before this they didn't have the same person all day long anyway um but I think just even in my
interactions with people I've heard things like this is my best year teaching that I've ever had >> or I haven't I haven't enjoyed my job this much in a long time and I think Some of it comes back to what Jill's saying about just doing something you enjoy and you're passionate about and
good at um more. So, I think that's been a positive. >> Yes. Yes. I'm glad you brought that up. The routines are very important and he and he's not kidding. Right down to the >> the black box is the box in Mrs. Olsen's room and it's the black box in Mr.
Luckan's room. So, I mean little things like that seem but it it leads to Yeah. people's brains are their cognitive load is freed up to worry about teaching and not where their binders and pencils are. So, um it's been very successful.
>> Just real quick, Jill, just to give you some positive feedback as a parent of a student at your building, she loves it. She loves being able to switch between her teacher, her main teacher, right, and going across the hall, and then having another um there's never been
anything negative that has come out of her mouth. And she's thinks very differently than others do. Um, but she enjoys having different teachers teach her different things. Um, because >> they have a different perspective or a
different thought process and they tend to enjoy that particular subject more than another teacher does or that might be their specialty subject and she can tell and she enjoys >> being a part of the different rooms that give that um, opportunity. So,
>> yep. Thank you. >> As a parent, I appreciate it. Thank you. Yes, >> I had a neat experience. I don't I didn't get a chance to tell you this, but um >> at our first community engagement meeting. Uh I had a parent afterwards
>> catch me and and the parent was like, you know, in Europe they do this thing where teacher teaches the same subject to multiple groups at the elementary. And I said, funny you should say that. Let me tell you about Easter Rapids Elementary.
She's like, "Oh, that's great." Uh, so it was uh it was really good timing and really good opportunity to share that with her. >> Ask a question here just because I'm still with some of the acronyms, right? I'm still trying to get my feel around
them. We've been talking about CAPY, right, as as our kind of measurement tool, right? Now, last year we talked a lot about UFly and star data, right? Um, and if I remember last year >> correctly, we
>> we saw tapering down on our reading about mid >> mid school that it started dropping and it kind of confirmed with our MCAs at the end. >> Correct me if I'm wrong. >> Are you talking about third grade? >> Well, yeah, it would have been third
grade last year, right? I think um are we seeing that again this year or because because one of those one of those measurements we do four times a year is it or three times a year. I might be wrong. Was it UFly or >> Well, we do our assessments three times
a year. >> Okay. >> But then UFI has a weekly assessment, but I think I know what you're talking about >> and and yeah, correct me on the acronyms. I apologize, but >> So, a couple of things. Um we're talking if I believe what you're talking about the data is fluency. So, >> so our fluency data, so that's a
separate that's another So, yes, we do our screener, but in third grade, then the interventionists also have the kids read a passage and then they time them and they get like a words per minute score. So, in third grade, our fluency did go down. That is still an issue in third grade um for for East anyway. I
haven't looked at Cohasset and Big Fork. Um and so that's on our leadership team meeting on Thursdays. We we need to beef up our fluency. It's not horribly, but it's just >> but again, >> we're seeing a trend similar to last year again. >> Um, and we really haven't changed much
in our fluency practice. We have witten wisdom. Yes, there's fluency passages within that, but >> it's minimal. >> Um, also by third grade, yes, you still need to work on fluency, but that should be something that is really strong from K12 as well. So that would probably be an
area of need I would say for K12 as well to build up that fluency to the best it can be. Um but our third grade they will be some teachers are doing um >> time can dedicated to fluency in their day and you can tell because their data
is different than where it's not. So that this is very fixible and our leadership team is going to talk about it on Thursday. >> Okay. So we're seeing y data >> yes >> shifts depending on who they're with a little bit there >> and again the focus should be strong
that K12 and then in third grade we do have you this year >> but it is not a third grade program so it's remedial it is a it's for K12 so our third grade teachers started teaching because of that need from the data from last year >> they started you know teaching whole
group a remedial curriculum for the whole class cuz it wasn't need. Then our scores because of that um started to shift a little bit and our team met at East and we decided um that it wasn't needed for everybody. So then we kind of shifted our scope and sequence and fast
forwarded to the end of the year type things that they would see on MCAs like >> prefixes suffixes for example. >> Um so we we are constantly looking and shifting instead of just staying to that >> because it is not a third grade curriculum. Um um and then now we've
already shifted again. We got received morphology training last month and all of the seven teachers, six started teaching morphology today and one is still doing UFly because um that teacher didn't attend training. >> So that will be interesting to see the
differences with that moving forward. >> Thank you. >> Did that make sense? >> It helps. There's no doubt. I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert. It's a whole new It's a whole new uh vocabulary. I think just to clarify,
UFly is more of a curriculum. CAPY is a assessment. >> Yeah. >> Um and and like just CAPY is new to us. It's a new it's a it's a function of a new state requirement. Um unfunded mandate. I'll just say that.
>> Um and so that and that runs all the way up into the secondary level. So we're doing that at the high schools as well. So that's new there. Do you want to just explain what morphology is? >> Yes. So So you have the different areas
of reading, right? So we talked about fluency. Well, morphology is just a study of the word of words basically so that kids understand more themes or word parts. Um and it helps you read especially in the third at the third, fourth and fifth grade level. So, helps with the Greek Greek and Latin roots, if
you understand what a suffix means, what a prefix means, how the base word. Um, and then that'd be the high level version of it. And then kids can they learn how to spell the words. It's incredible. >> We have some teachers who had piloted and have been doing it all year and it's
kids are able to write quickly the word cardiologist, for example, >> all by like what's the word? What's the suffix? What's the it's >> it's very um It's going to be very very helpful for for our students.
>> It seems very mentally spelling. >> Yeah. >> Jill, one more question I think for me is uh you've said a couple times tonight uh your leadership team at East. Can you tell us who that is or what >> who makes up that team? >> Yes.
>> Yes. So, it's our BLLT. Um each school has one. We it's the principal my so myself and then there's a rep two representatives from third grade fourth grade and fifth grade and then we have our student support specialist uh a representative from our intervention team
>> and last year we had someone from specialist like PE and gym but we don't this year >> um and we just there it's kind of like a shared leadership model we just >> um provide leadership for the building we have norms and we have goals and
things we we do >> try to Keep it broad. Sorry. High eye level. >> Great. Perfect. Thank you. >> Wow. >> Thank you, Jill. >> Anything else? >> Thank you, Jill.
>> Thank you. >> At this time, we're going to adjourn the uh open forum work session. We'll come back into >> regular session for the regular meeting in 5 minutes. 30. Let's hope it Thank you.
What are you doing? I'm just going to existed into order. Please stand for the flag 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. Mike, >> first item on the agenda is approval of the agenda with the removal of item 8 echoe. Do I have a motion to approve the
agenda? So move David. Moved by David. Do I have a second? Second. >> Second by Melissa. Discussion >> hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Agenda is approved.
>> Next item on the agenda is selection of officers. >> Uh the first officer we will be electing will be the chairperson. Nominations are now in order for the office of chair. >> Mr. Chair, nominate Dave Cowen for
chair. >> Dave Cowen is nominated. Are there any other nominations for the office of chair? >> Second call. Are there any further nominations for the office of chair? Third call for nominations. Are there
any further nominations for the office of chair? >> There are no further nominations for the office of chair. The nominations are now closed. David Cowen is the only candidate nominated for the office of chair. I
hereby declare him elected by acclamation and direct the acting clerk to soc record in the minutes. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> We have an agenda. Yes.
necessarily. Thank you. >> All right. The next uh item on the agenda is the election of a clerk. >> Nominations are now in order for the off office office of clerk. >> Mr. Chair, I nominate Mr. David Marty as
clerk or to continue as clerk. >> All right, David Marty's been nominated for clerk. Are there any further nominations for the office of clerk? for the third time. Are there any further nominations for the office of
clerk? >> If there are no further nominations, >> nominations for the office of clerk are now closed. Since David Marty is the only candidate nominated for the office of clerk, I hereby declare him elected by acclamation and direct the acting clerk
to record to do to so record in the minutes. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Next the next meeting or the next uh item on the agenda is the election of treasurer. Nominations are now in order for the office of treasurer.
>> I'll nominate Ashley Goodman. >> Ashley Goodman is nominated. Are there any other nominations for the office of treasurer? >> Second call for nominations. Are there any further nominations for the office of treasurer?
>> Third call for nominations. Are there any further nominations for the office of treasurer? If there are no further nominations, >> nominations for the office of treasurer are closed. >> Since Ashley Goodman is the only candidate nominated for the office of
treasurer, I hereby declare her elected by acclamation and direct the acting clerk to so record in the minutes. Congratulations, Ashley. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> The next item on the agenda is to
designate a deputy clerk. I'd like to designate the superintendent's confidential assistant, Julia Rasmmanson, as deputy clerk under the direction of the board clerk to perform the duties of the clerk as deemed necessary. >> Do I have a motion? >> So moved, David.
>> Moved by David. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor vote I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Julia Rasmmanson is designated as a superintendent's confident or as the
deputy clerk. >> Right. The next item on the agenda is the forward community advisory committee update. Mr. Superintendent. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I previously reported on the forward community advisory committee meeting that we had
in December. Yes. And so just wanted to touch base on the one coming up on January 22nd. Uh similar to before, we'll be inviting or have invited folks to come to that meeting. Uh it'll be here again in this
very room. The focus of the meeting will be on uh school funding in Minnesota. We started by talking about in December talking about our school operations here, the results of the community survey that we
conducted this fall. And this next session uh will be on how schools are funded in Minnesota. We're not going to spend a lot of time on our particular uh district's finances. Again, the purpose of this is just really to educate, get feedback from the community. Um, but
it'll be a good opportunity just to uh do our best to explain school finance and how it works so our community can be more and more educated. There'll be a reminder going out this week along with a little homework uh for our
participants to do between now and January 22nd. We'll also be in January um rolling out a thought exchange for our community. We had high engagement in our first one. Over 800 people responded, which was awesome. And so,
uh, we'll be pushing out another >> question like that for our community to respond to here in January. >> That's it, Mr. Chair. >> Unless there are questions. >> Any questions? >> All right. Thank you, Matt.
>> The next item on the agenda is some organizational items. Uh the first one being approving the 2026 school board meeting calendar. Should have a copy of that in your packet. Do >> I have a motion to approve the 2026
school board meeting calendar? >> So moved. >> So moved by Ashley. Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? I I >> opposed. >> The 2026 schoolboard meeting calendar is
approved. >> Next item is approval of the calendar of indicator reports for 2026. Also have a copy in your packet. >> Have a motion to approve. >> So moved by Mark. >> Moved by Mark. >> Second David.
>> Second by David. Any discussion? Did did we make a friendly amendment to this in regards to the virtual? >> That's my understanding. >> So that was going to be was it March or June? June.
>> June. >> In the I record that in the minutes we will add a report from the Grand Rapids Area Virtual Academy in June. >> Okay. >> Thanks. Any further discussion?
>> Hearing none. Can I get all those in favor? >> I opposed. >> Right. The calendar of indicator reports for 2026 is approved. >> The next item on the agenda is the board payment rates for 2026.
As just a note, uh board payment rates have not increased uh since 201 I'm sorry, in 15 years since 2012. Can I get a motion to approve the board payment rates at $2,500 per member, 2925
for the chair, $65 per extra meetings to $195 max at 20 meetings for the year. >> So moved by Mark. >> Moved by Mark. Second. Second by Melissa, >> second by Melissa.
>> Any discussion? >> I would like to emphasize what you just referred to, Dave. Uh these rates have been unchanged for 15 years. Uh that's not healthy. But given the situation that we're in as a school, I think it's
responsible position for us as a board to tame that. >> Thank you, David. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. The board payment rates for 2026 are
approved. >> Next item on the agenda is the school board representative to committees. As uh determined at the work session prior to this meeting, members of the board have selected the committees that they
will uh represent. Do I have a motion to approve those representatives to the committees? >> So moved. >> Moved by Ashley. Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. >> Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor?
>> I I >> opposed. >> Committee assignments for 2026 are approved. The next item on the agenda is to designate financial institutions for school funds. >> Uh the approval org talk to Cara on this
or read through these Julie. >> Yeah. Yeah, you can just um read through read through them. That's fine. Okay. >> Yes. Uh the report from Cara is to recommend approval of the following financial institutions as official depositories for school funds and to allow paper and
electronic withdrawals from these institutions. First State of Bank, First State Bank of Big Fork, Grand Rapids State Bank, Municipal, I'm sorry, Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund, >> PFM Asset Management,
>> US Bank, >> Wells Fargo, and Zion Trust. I mo have a motion to approve. >> So moved. >> Moved by Ashley. Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> I would note that these are the same
institutions that we uh are currently working. >> We have a an experience with these organizations. >> Thank you, David. Any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed.
The designated financial institutions as listed are approved. >> The next item is to approve the certification of chief financial officer. We'll be looking for a motion to approve Carolyn Dean, our CISO representative,
and Alex Quazor, our incoming business manager, to act as the chief financial officers in exercising the power of the school board in designating deposiitories for the district in initiating, delegating the responsibility for electronic fund transfers, in the assigning and
releasing of collateral, and in the letting assigning of all contracts and construction change orders under $250,000. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Motion by Mark. >> Moved by Mark. Second.
>> Second, David. >> Second, David. Any discussion? >> I would just note that uh we may want to reconsider uh revocation after the transition has been successfully made between CISO and our new employee.
>> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I I opposed. >> Certification of Carol Lendine and Alex Kaser as chief financial officer is
approved. >> The next item is to select the school district's legal council and name authorized contacts. I'll be looking for a motion to select the legal firms of Kennedy and Graven,
>> Ratwick, Rosac, and Maloney, >> Colossal, Patchin, and Kierney >> as our >> legal firms for the school district. and the authorized contacts to be as Matt Gross, >> superintendent,
>> myself, Dave Cowen as schoolboard chair, Alex Kaser as business manager, >> Casey Mater as human resources director, >> Justin Sunquist as director of special services, and Julia Rasmusen, confidential administrative assistant. Do I have a motion to approve?
>> So moved, Melissa. >> Moved by Melissa. Second. Second, David. >> Second by David. >> Any discussion? Hearing >> hearing none. All those in favor? >> I I >> opposed. >> The district's legal council and named
authorized contacts is approved. >> Next item is to designate the representative to the Minnesota State High School League. I would recommend that the board designate a representative to the Minnesota State High School League for the year 2026 who is authorized to vote for member schools
Grand Rapids and Big Fork High Schools at all district, region, and section meetings and on mail ballots where member schools are called upon to vote. I believe Tom has been um has shown interest in staying as our Minnesota State High School League representative.
Is that correct, Tom? >> Yes. >> Yes. Can I get a motion to approve Tom as our MSH? >> I make a motion to designate Tom as the representative of the Minnesota State High School League. Second, David. >> Moved by Mark, second by David. Any
discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I >> I opposed. >> Thank you. >> Tom has been nominated. Congratulations, Tom. The next item is to designate our official newspaper.
Uh the Herald Review is the only newspaper that has submitted. And so I'll be looking for a motion to approve the Herald Review as our official newspaper of the Grand Rapids Area Schools District. >> So moved by Ashley. >> Moved by Ashley. Second. >> Second.
>> Second by Melissa. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? I >> I opposed. >> The Herald Review has been designated as official newspaper. >> Next item on the agenda is to designate the official radio station.
>> Uh in keeping with our current um radio stations, we're looking to have a motion to designate Rapids Radio and Kaxe 91.7 as the official radio stations for the 2026 year. Do I have a motion?
>> So moved. David. Moved by David. Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I >> I opposed. >> Rapids Radio and 91.7 KXE are designated
as the official radio stations of the district. >> Next item is to designate the official posting site. I'll be looking for a motion to designate the bulletin board inside the main doors of the ISD 318 educational service center as our official posting site. Do I have a
motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Melissa. >> Yes. >> Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? I >> I >> I opposed.
>> The bulletin board inside the main doors has been approved as official posting site for the district. >> The next item is to approve the minutes of the 12525 comprehensive achievement and civic readiness public meeting. I
>> have a motion to approve. So move David. Moved by David. Second. >> Second by Mark. >> Second by Mark. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I >> I opposed.
Minutes are approved. >> Next item is to approve the minutes of the 12:152 regular school board meeting. Do I have a motion? >> So moved. Ashley. >> Moved by Ashley. >> Second. >> Second by Mark.
>> Second by Mark. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor >> I >> I >> posted >> minutes of the 12525 regular schoolboard meeting are approved. >> The next item is to approve the consent
agenda. >> These will be acted upon in one motion. Do I have a motion to approve? >> I think that's what we just did. >> Uh yeah, we just did this school board meeting 12:15. >> Okay. Motion to approve the consent
agenda. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. Oh. >> Second by Ashley. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I opposed. >> Consent agenda is approved.
>> The next item is to accept the second reading and approve policy 712 digital surveillance other than on buses. Mr. Superintendent, >> there were no changes between the first reading and this reading of policy 712.
Again, this was reviewed by a policy review on November 13th. Comes with that committee's recommendation. There were some changes to the video recording rules uh pursuant to MSBA's model, and I
would recommend approval. >> Thank you, Mr. Superintendent. Do I have a motion to approve? So move David. >> Moved by David. Second. >> Second Melissa. >> Second by Melissa. Discussion. >> Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I
>> I opposed. >> Policy 712 digital surveillance other than on buses is approved. >> The next item on the agenda is to approve the range association of municipalities and schools 2026 membership. Mr. Superintendent,
>> in your packet, you uh found a letter from Paul Peltier, executive director that does a good job of laying out the benefits of participating or being members of RAMs. Also included in that letter is uh the
indication that the dues remain unchanged for the 2026 year. I think that we've received good value from Rams in terms of their advocacy and lobbying efforts for schools and communities and
I would recommend approval of the membership. >> I have a motion to approve the 2026 membership in Rams. >> So moved Ashley. >> Moved by Ashley. Second. >> Second Melissa. >> Second by Melissa. Discussion.
I I guess I would just like to add that I mean I really feel this is a good organization very it brings a lot to the range. I think it's good for us to participate in this. I know the the workshop they held with the legislators
last winter was one of the best formats that I I've seen where we had a chance to talk with them and bring to them our issues. So I I'm glad we're participating and I'm glad that Matt's actually taken a a
leadership role in their organization. There's >> I would echo that same thing having attended the the dinner this a couple weeks back. I think there's an tremendous amount of value that we get as being part of that with access to peers and legislators across the range.
Great organization. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. Can I All those in favor? >> I I opposed membership in >> Rams for 2026 is approved.
>> The next item is board reports. >> Tom um >> you know I've just been active with the big four group there. we've, you know, that that group continues to get
>> more active in the community and and you, you know, what they did last year in regards to getting the band going, I think, is is a big thing there. Um, it's great to see it's great to see the the community getting involved. Um, and
what's going on there and I really like that. Um, you know, we we did have a Um we did have a group the board uh meeting on on the with the teachers um and uh in
regards to um some of the training sessions um they've they've made some good progress on on their approval process. Uh there's been good discussion there. So >> all I have
>> you Tom David >> uh very briefly uh uh meetings with u uh the uh endowment committee and with the uh uh boys and girls club and uh had the opportunity to attend the high school
recognition uh of the uh uh of the student student of the month. Uh there were uh eight of them I think. Uh and uh it's a really very impressive thing. We have some incredibly qualified uh brilliant students, great teachers, and
it's it's a great event. >> Great. >> Mark, >> uh nothing to report since the last board meeting. >> Ashley, >> same. Nothing to report since the last meeting, >> Melissa. >> Same. We're just kicking back in this week, right?
>> Great. The only couple things I had to add were um I was able as part of the Reich board to um be the volunte introduce the Rock and Roll Christmas Extravaganza which was sold out in a great event which was pretty fun
actually. Um except there was an tremendous amount of confetti to clean up. I appreciate the staff that had to clean it up. I >> can't tell you how much confetti was in the rec center. It was unbelievable. Um and then uh also just continued dialogue
and discussion with the RI external affairs committee meetings uh regarding the partnership we have with the feasibility study of the um cultural center uh project that they're working on. >> All right. The next item on the agenda is a superintendent report. Mr.
Superintendent. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I did have the opportunity to attend the music concert in Big Fork on Tuesday uh follow the day after our board meeting uh in December
and the edge was like well beyond capacity. Uh the community came out in droves to support that program and so it was really neat to see just to see that and hats off to our music teacher there
Miss Marts. um she's done a great job of getting music kind of back in the groove there. So, a lot of support, good to see, and and fun to see things come to fruition like that. >> Uh late that week, we um reached
tentative agreements with >> two of our other groups, our our service group, their ESPs. So, we have uh I think our those two groups as well as our teachers will be voting on tenative agreements this week. So, that's good.
to be making progress there. A number of discussions about the calendar. I shared a preliminary with you at our last meeting and just met today with some teachers about the 26 27 calendar and I think we're narrowing
down on an option. Uh it's pretty similar to this year's I'd say uh >> for the most part, but uh you'll see that here coming up at our >> next regular meeting. Um, and then our strategy team is
meeting this upcoming week here on Wednesday and uh we're at that point in the year where Joe was talking about winter benchmarking data. So, we'll be looking at that. Um, and uh talking about what what we need to do from a
systems level. Uh we you know that group is the one that kind of establishes the time frames and makes adjustments. We used to do four assessments a year in some cases and adjusted it to three and so make some of those systems level decisions to uh
>> you know that that enable us to operate. So really good group and looking forward to that meeting on Wednesday. That's all I have. Mr. Chair, >> thank you Matt. >> Just a reminder that upcoming schoolboard committee and meeting dates are posted on each agenda. Schoolboard
meeting agendas can be found on the district website and on the designated posting site at the ISD 318 educational services center. >> Julie, is anyone signed up to speak at public input? >> No, no one has signed up.
>> All right, with that we're adjourned. >> Thank you. >> Congrats everyone on their say What happened?