[Music] All right. Item 3.0 is approval of the agenda. Can I have a motion? So move second. Any discussion or questions on that?
If those who approve say I final public comment, we have none. 5.0 is a consent agenda which also includes a list of coaches here. Um, so I need a motion for that. Since they move me up to the main
Yeah, you're getting it. I'll be demoted next month. Don't worry. Okay, now we'll put you up here. Sorry, I need a second. Any discussion on those in favor say I.
Those opposed. We are on 6.0 and we have a little presentation. Did you say something? Yep. So I was um introduced to Amy first from Monaceel
Public Schools is when we first heard about Amy and then she also graced the previous district I was at about helping all students and then the key is staff have a place where they know they can feel safe and have a different way of getting
their emotional needs. needs met a safe place. Um the key that she's going to talk about today is um I've seen it where they come once a week and that's where we were first exposed to it. But the true impact was at area
high school um they're there every day. So people know that they can earn a pass or they can come before or after. And that's why when I came we were very fortunate. That's Sue here. I hope no soon in the front but most important the
person we're going to talk about the learning program but it's Franny. So Franny's also here and we're hoping that after you hear about this that maybe she could join our staff and the key is that it cost us no money
to have this program here. It cost us around $300 for an insurance component because she's training would be here whenever she's able four days a week. But if she needs a sick day, if she takes a sick day, she needs a day where they can't be here, then that's okay.
But we would pilot it and we have the funding to do that to try it out this year and both principles and now we're going to program.
Thank you for having me. put together a little slideshow for you just to give you a little insight that we are a mental health nonprofit, not a therapy dog organization. See if we can get up and running here. So, right off the bat, you're going to
see this is our logo. You're not alone. And we have a hidden message in our logo. I don't know if anyone can see it. And generationally, not everyone knows what it is. I'm going to talk about the semicolon. And the semicolon is a mental health um
it's a symbol for mental health. I'll explain to you what that looks like. So mental health defined if you have a brain you have mental health. Some of us have great mental health and some of us don't. But mental health is what we are
all about. So a few a few statistics. Um one in five American adults will be diagnosed this year alone. And that was my story. This is where the semicolon comes into play. And then but
46% of those Americans actually were diagnosed at the age of 14. And that is my son's um one in six youth ages six to 17.
So in our situation, the semicolon is a positive You don't have to put a period like you do at the end of the sentence. It's a pause. So you can be struggling and miserable for 18 of the 36 years of my life. You might smile. My pause or my
son was getting the therapy I needed to get better. Everybody's depression and anxieties manifested different. Our family had the facade of no one would ever guess it by looking at us because we needed to look like we
But what happens is a lot of times what we perceive of a person is not the truth. So it's all about not judging by the outside character. So in 2007, two years into my recovery, our sixth grade
son was having some issues but wouldn't share until Monday night. And this was way back in 2007 and no one talked about mental health unless they looked at.
So not only was mom suffering, but now our middle child is. And we had a therapist that said, "You know what? He's just cooperating and patient. We did impatient and out and he said you
should consider you can imagine my husband has a sick wife and two other children want to bring a dog tool and boy
six weeks later we met a and her nine siblings and we were able to visit her and bring her home with us and she changed everything and turned dysfunction into a function and for a long time we couldn't figure out really the key but it's the
unconditional love. We all need more love in our lives where we're not doing something to earn it and that's what these dogs and cats give us. So, this puppy passed away in 2019 and I
had a vision of the future and it was a golden retriever. The other dog was a black lab. I didn't know what it meant. I just knew I wanted to help people not to feel as alone as we do. We were on an island. And back then, like I said, nobody
talked about it. So, you had no one in your corner, but we want to be. So, we started um our mission is shattering the stigma that surrounds mental illness one therapy dog at a time I was supposed to be in the hospital
setting so where did I end up back in the middle school when my son we had found out that so they allowed me in Monaceel to come back in I trained that golden retriever Willow and I just came in weekly
just do small groups with kids just to give them respit from the day. Staff too if they wanted they conveniently walk by the um the library when I was there and what turned from small group in a caring community member. This is what I was
doing. I was educating and implementing social emotional skills with the children. Um we were encouraging mental health and wellness helping kids realize that animal, their role and their love is to make them feel and then to come into terms
with, hey, this is to you. They feel all of your emotions. Um, yeah, I would have staff members come in. We started bringing we come in on staff wellness days
just as much as the as the kids do. You have a huge job and so we'd like to come in and bring And our main thing is we are talking about nonjudgment. People judged me for being happy.
I could betray whatever I want. It didn't matter. But what we're challenging is for people to look inside and know that we all have struggles and what you perceive in your in a family isn't always true. And you'd be amazed when I share that with kids and they're
like just shake their head, you know, if they're living in dysfunction, but they understand. So after a year of doing this, we discovered what a difference because the
kids were saying things like, "I can get through the afternoon or getting up on Wednesdays with Willow. it's easier to go to school even if I don't see. So we thought we have something here that's working.
So here was the first two years. It was just Willow and I in the Monaceel Middle School. Every week I'd see about 70 kids in two hours. We do small group settings during the recess time of their lunch hour. Well then after we heard all those
wonderful things, we said, "Well, let's expand year three." And our goal was going to be 10 schools. I'm still the only therapy team. So WCC came along and did a story on us that year and it blew
us in a great way. We went from one team to 25 teams and every single one of our teams so that the kids have something to take away and it's just like a baseball card.
It has stats on it. and we've implemented some really great things along the way. And last year, as you can see, we got into 42 schools. We have 30 schools that are waiting. So, when you have someone in your school district already that is a certified
therapy dog, I mean, this couldn't have happened any easier. Quite honestly, um, we are all over a lot in the Mono Big Lake, St. Cloud area. We go as far north as St. Francis. We Hudson,
Wisconsin. And in our first year, we've already been in Rhode Island. So, I would like to share with you um and this is how we did our very first year. All of our these are all people that volunteer all of their time. None of us
can get paid for our services. And that's the difference in our insurance as a volunteer comes through our certification company. when you have a facility will be you have to have a different insurance policy to cover. So there's
the difference. Okay, I'll play just a little bit of this so you can see kind of the action of how things were in the school. This was the um WCC I believe. They're not alone was created because I had a son when he was 11 years old. One second. I thought I did put the WCC
on here. So this is video that we are sharing. We just made it and it's kind of telling you about a story and has a couple of the children that have been for the last couple years. So now I'll play. Thank you. They're not alone was created because I
had a son when he was 11 years old struggling with mental health issues and we had a puppy that came along and saved our lost when I was two to pneumonia and stuff. That was really hard for them.
Depression and anxiety struggle. It just feels like you're struggling alone. That's what you feel like. But you're really not. I feel like I can be more open and I can say anything and the dog is when you're sad or you're struggling. So just comes
to me and it sits down. I was think anxiety and depression. And like whenever I pet just focus on that and my mind wouldn't be racing as much. It's just this dog helping people
just overcome these thoughts. School just help or some of these kids they're not going to go to the school class. They're not going to talk to the social worker. But if there's a space and then there's, you know, kind of this vessel of a dog, it
just allows kids to open up about some of these things and then you know those mental health professionals in the schools present and can then circle back to that bridge I think some of these kids that you know sometimes still do the cracks
in ways no one knows they're struggling struggling with their mental health so that's the real value to being able to have their a few weeks ago when I was sharing with
schoolers about the symptoms of anxiety and what happens within your body. She stayed later to tell me, "I think I really have that and I've never told anyone before." So, we were able to get her in touch with the school,
therapists, social workers, and get her the help she needs. And two weeks later, when she came back with a smile on her face knowing that we had helped her, it made it. You're not alone in this mission. My heart
and to walk alongside kids that are struggling that maybe haven't vocalized again was exactly what I was [Music] wanting to touch a lot of people throughout our
nation and to help them find ways to get the help they need. And it is true. It's the kids that see the staff every day that don't want them to look at them because they feel that way. When you're around an animal, you have chemical reaction in your brain. This
happy chemicals gets released and then if you pulsing the blood pressure to share with you, we always have a staff member with us so that they can make sure.
Now, the real neat thing is that you are going to help us facility. I would love to fac once a week for two hours smokers. The difference with a facility is you have kids every day that have issues
that maybe are just needing a little canine. The beauty of it is that let's say it's 45 minutes a child cannot get back. It's proven
to most like fortunate. The beauty of it is it does not do corporations that are investing in us. And I would love to just ask if there's any questions you would like to talk
about. I have some fun things I'd love to send around if you'd like. And then I'm going to sit down and be quiet for a meeting in another office. Um just to show you. We have different pens. They're tricky. So it's right here. Um and then we have three different
postcards. This one is mental health resources and it'll take kids or adults right out to our website where they can right away. This light green one is all about our school programming and the green one is just a general one.
I'm going to send around Willow trading card if you'd like to see what one is like. We also have the 988 number on the back of that for students. And so here's Willow. Um, every dog gets a mini me left at the
school. So, we need to find Franny's mini me. And in the case where we go in only for two hours a week, we leave this behind. child needs something bad or rememy dog dos and don'ts. So we talk to the
kids, we have you talk to the kids to know how to handle if you are allowed to do small sessions. The best way to do that and then conversation starters is a game we do with a deck of cards just to get people
Um, and then I have stickers. This one looks like it's nothing, but that is just our mark. You still matter what you're going through. And then we have a word.
So, please help yourself. Is there any questions I can answer? Can you expl how the process works. Is there a licensed therapist that comes in with adult to help facilitate those conversations? Is it done in a like a
certain room is set up for it or Yes. Good questions. I know everyone's like, "How do you make this work?" So, in a typical setting like I've done for five years with Willow, I walk from the school office right to the library. We're always in the same corner.
The kids either sit on the floor or comfy chairs. And um so let's say a typical number is 12 12 to 15 at the most. That way all the kids get hands on time. We are caring community members. We go
by our first name. We don't want to be known as a person in the building. We feel like that makes the kids feel a little bit less stiff. We have a social worker or a school
counselor or volunteer that can help if that child does open up. They don't always open, but if they do, we make sure a lot of times they'll stay after that group setting. They'll talk to us and then we give them
to some of our teams just strictly talk about unconditional love of their and what that can do for the kids in their lives. Um, but like I said, that chemical reaction really does
people that feel more comfortable. So they get puppy passes during the recess hour and then our school sixth graders that goes by the home room class so that everyone will get a chance. Seventh and eighth grade, whoever gets to the lunchroom first to grab a puppy pass
gets to come up and has 15 minutes with us. And 15 minutes is really all that's needed. Um not all the kids will touch the dog by choice. Most of them will. And it's just a calm You know, sometimes it's just how
you be amazed um on how they start to share with you because you're just caring about how this intersect with our staff. Very well. We So when I do my small
groups in Monaceel, there was a way we started and this is something that you could talk about is that sometimes the sped kids would would let's say it was a I don't want to use it as a merit system, but they would earn one-on-one time with me. So then they would come
down in between the sessions about five minutes and they get it all to themselves and then the general population of students would join them and include them in that time. really happen or now with I actually go down to the
special wing and go into the classroom and that is an amazing opportunity and um I actually have a teacher in Monaceel that has trained her dog her facility and the other social worker in the
building they both went and got tested by the same dog so they can handle him different You always have to have your dog on leash unless he's under your, you know, sleeping underneath your desk or however,
but there are rules and you do have to be a certified therapy dog. It's just safer for everybody that they have been tested loud noises, bells, fire alarms.
I was ask how the dogs are chosen. Y so anybody that has a dog and that's we've created about half of ours, we are over 50 now. Half of them have talked to us at a gathering or like
I do an info session once a month. We help direct them where they need to go. Sometimes they don't even need to take an obedience class. They train their dogs so well. We send them what's on the list of things to do. We practice that
and we set up an exam time for them. So what people don't understand is that um and we like to educate those emotional support which some kids can get.
They have a diagnosible illness whether it's anxiety, depression, autism and they can have that dog with them at their house. But they can't And that's where a lot of people that have PS issue because they think that gives them
free rain to take them in stores and that's not the case. They're not trained any better than just so then and the only difference there is that a child then let's say they go off to college they are allowed they cannot be turned away
or an apartment where no dogs they have to let them fee so that's really the only then there's a therapy dog which is our babies our Willow I would say is my husband's
emotional support him and I trained her. So there are dogs. Now that doesn't mean that let's say you have a child that has a great gold in retriever and you say hey I want to be trained with that dog as absolutely we find a lot of our retired people their kids have dogs and
they'll say can I do this with you get certified and then the next step is that service animal which is always trained professionally somewhere else and they get the dog when it's between 18 months and two years old and a
service dog can't be refused anywhere and if they are so there's a lot of different things but therapy dogs are just for dogs that are love people and that are you would
you Yes. Okay. Well, if if you would be allowed to do a small group, then she would want that social worker present. Let's say a child comes into the social worker and they're
having a bad day, say into the room. We would need to be able to cover her space in the desk and have her and go with the And we have to have confidentiality. There would be, you know, no worries
there at all. Um, yeah, she would always have to be the So, we jokingly say either the handler or the human. I'm in town know as Willow's mom. They don't remember my name, but we were in
the parade yesterday and they're like, yeah. So, that's where the trained, you know, the person comes in. So, we're just creating an environment where it can just have us come in on days. We have a
couple that are not too far from here that I could ask those kind of things. So there's lots of opportunities and what happens is we put an 8 by10 of a dog in the office. So anyone that comes
in says oh that's their name and what's happened is the dog has become a social emotional mas. Now you have your mascot which is a wing. Okay, but this is the social emotional
mascot and even like the little so you can play with that however you like that. Willow has a school badge that says she's staff and mine says I'm a volunteer and the kids think that's
so in the yearbook she's a staff member and a student. So you implement them however it works for you. Whether it's if granny can handle going to level, right?
If she can't, it's okay too. Um but however you want that to look within your district, it's really um you won't feel the change in your building. They say that when Wednesday morning comes and I'm coming,
there's a different And then when I'm there in the afternoon, the staff says it's so I'm also just going to think on the other side. What about children who are afraid? How does that work?
Okay. Well, there's a couple things. Now, I met Adam in the St. school district. So, we're going to talk about even a bigger problem and that's cultural differences. That is a highly small community and I thought when I went to meet with superintendent I had
all this info and I thought I was going to have to fight for it and she's like absolutely we're doing this. She said why would we ignore one population over another we're learning to work with it. So, In this situation, they're definitely
afraid of saliva. It's dirty. So, these children have never had a dog, so they're definitely afraid. But if you can have, we have Watson. Watson's a Burmese mountain dog. He's this big. And we have this little boy that was walking up to the front of
the classroom and everyone's ped. And he gets up there and he can't he's so afraid because one thing he's never about. The other thing is it's going to because mom told.
So after a little while they figured out behind you and she said and these little third graders are cheering you over your fear. So we find ways and what I say is it is
the best opportunity for children to learn how because they're so trusted in their behavior and even I've had children that come and sit first and we never push
And that's the best way to do it. Allergies. People wonder, well, what do we do with allergies? most likely will be to their office mostly and the social workers and that's how we look at them. We send
you a letter to send out to parents and say people we always want to be proactive as far as allergies. We would never make anyone see the fit. In the middle school I have kids that'll say well I'm allergic but as long as I
wash my hands okay I'll But that's how we get over the allergens. Now, what really works nicely if you can is if your friend go for five minutes per classroom and so everyone
gets a chance to see the dog and you're kind of throughout the building. So, you have to make sure parents are okay with that because half the battle with little kids especially is why you got to see the dog. What did you get? So this way we're doing it right off the and then if you can go
back and have 15 minutes in that classroom the kids are prepped on how to behave and everyone will get hands on top and we do that. So if that means you know here would be my suggestion is if you
could get a volunteer that would be whatever that happen that's my suggestion do that at the beginning of school then everyone knows oh that's everyone can have a trading card right from the beginning after
you're doing your open house open house are you going to get them Okay. And so then we can have so everyone gets a trading card. That's how we're doing elementary schools now. And I even have middle
school. So everyone gets to see that. So that's a great opportunity. So if a parent wasn't interested you get registration instead of having people opt in people opt out their child associated all. So what if it's a kid in
the classroom? Absolutely. Yeah. So then that would be something you would look at. Maybe that child would go during that time. If it was just she doesn't want the child around the dog
that child maybe would have to go in another space or the classroom. So but then you know that's what's so hard. It is parents choice. And you know what in in the 43 schools we're in we only
have two How many thousands of children and we understand, don't get me wrong, my youngest was afraid of dogs until we got to go. So, we would never force anyone to feel
comfortable. It's just a Where did come from? And then where is she going to live? She going to live. She's my daughter. Oh, is your dog? Tell How old is she? Franny is four.
Franny is four. Um, we got her from a couple in Spicer. Um, and she is a Golden Beetle. Uh, so she does not shed and we've always had dogs that have shed. My husband's been a hunter forever and never had a dog in the house ever.
So, uh, this is the first dog that we have ever had that's been in the house and um you know, when when we got her, um, she was preeie. She was all black and and her mother is an excellent
hunter. I mean, he shaves her and he hunts with her. I mean, very, very, very good. The the male does not hunt at all. Um, but she said when she turns two, she will be gray because that's how the mothers. So, yeah. So, she um admits Yep. She
fits right in our family because I am gray, too. But anyway, she um she you know we we are busy. We have 10 grandkids and it's just you know we thought can't have puppies because we thought no way are we able to be able to do that. I wish we
would have because Granny has been Granny has been one of the um most amazing dogs I've ever had. I mean as a puppy she has never chewed anything. She's she doesn't bark and we play with her. I mean, she's just I can't I can't
say enough about her because she's just so calm. Always always has been. And so, um, I don't walk. I mean, we have a we have a leash, of course, but we go walking and I don't even need a leash to walk with her because she just stands
up. She doesn't charge dogs. She doesn't We don't We've always had electric fence around our place because we didn't want our dogs to go into the road or go to the neighbor's place. We never put electric on her. Um we thought she'd probably go the opposite way. Of course,
she sometimes has went to dips maybe few times. Yeah. But other than that, I mean, she's she does we have people come down the down our street, they ride bike, and she stays on the edge of the driveway. I mean, she just we've never had much
trouble with her at all. So, thank goodness. But, um my grandkids just adore her. Um All of our friends know who she is and they all want to babysit because she doesn't shed for one thing and she's just so calm. Um I never had a
dog that I've had to I mean that I've had not she actually goes into the field and goes to the bathroom so I don't ever have she just knows to go to the bathroom field so I never have that. Um and then I got interested in um being
she's such a great dog I thought what can I do to share her with people because I thought feel selfish because she's so good. And so I talked to hospice and I got involved in the hospice program there. And so we had a
bunch of training that we had to do. Um it was about a couple months that we had to do in cities for some training. Um it's all volunteer. Um but we have a patient here in Clare City that we visit the nursing home and then my
mother-in-law is also on And so they asked me to also bring to this park. She enjoys bringing. It's amazing how when we go to a place like that, the smiles and the comfort that they get. And my mother-in-law says,
"Oh, she's just the best dog." You know, um, and even the gal in Flair City here, she just everybody wants to pet her. I mean, she just walks the hall. Let me visit. door to door after we see our patient. Yeah, she's just amazing. So, I
can't talk enough about her because but yeah, so she's she's part of our team. So So, how old was she when you got her? She was a preeie. Six weeks. Oh, wait. So, you get you have had her the whole time. Okay. Not everybody does though. We had one pup rescued and within two months they
knew and he's a pity mix. So, a pit bull mix. They knew within two months. Oh my gosh. We are training him for therapy and he pass therapy exam like that and he is the most loving. And wouldn't you agree that being a therapy dog handler
is the most rewarding volunteer? It is. It It really is. I I never thought I'd be I never thought I'd do that. Yeah, it is. Because you bring joy and peace everywhere you go. Yeah, it is just amazing. Yeah. So, if you know of anyone that has dogs um and the
beauty and the whole that works is the dog's temperament obviously, but it's the relationship and the trust between owner and dog. And that's the key. We need to be able to trust when I bring Willow that she's going to be on her best behavior, but she needs to trust if
I see some signal and sign that she needs to do a walkabout, we go and then I come back, you know. So, we have to know and and that's the key to being a good therapy. Now, I know we talked longer than probably you wanted us to but
I just have a procedure question. So I'm hearing volunteer. Yes. But someone is a paid staff person. So how do we incorporate that so she gets compensated for the work that she's doing when she's with So we met with the principles. So it's a
pilot. So we have to work through it. But both principles and Kim and I talked about having people be able to fill in. We have to do the best we can. even show me how to use the phone because if Randy needs to go meet
everybody and I'm the only one available, I'm okay. I guess my question was that because you keep saying that when Sue's time with Franny with the kids volunteer, she is a paid employee of the district.
My concern is that she does get paid for that. How just like other school districts, we're going to during that time is going to be here all day every day. like a lot of the schools leaders come in. Uh we're just going to make it work and we're going to work with our team as a
pilot and make sure that you know the basics get done and if it's approaching too much then we might have to pull back in first until the princip. So let me clarify that because we have probably eight facility dogs now
and their pay does not change. They are not considered a But you kept saying volunteer. That's my fault. It was she's getting paid. So our students and our families are nobody's not whatever they're doing
greeting. We're still going to be able to pick that up. She's still getting her normal. You're not check out when you bring the dog, right? And it's called um animal assisted intervention. Okay. AI. And you're see it in physical therapy offices, mental
health providers. Um you're going to see it all over now that they are utilizing animals to motivate patients to do things. Um dentists, they'll come and pat. So they still get paid
only if you want it. Here's my other HR question. This then could be in Sue's job description and do we need to look at a different compensation schedule? Her job functions are based upon right now secretarial.
This to me is a higher level than what she is currently at. Do we need to look at like many times agencies have a dual pay for something? Is that something that has been talked about? Nobody's asked. And at St. Cloud, so I've only been exposed at St. Cloud,
there wasn't that. It was never talked about and neither was in Mon three facility and it was never brought up. It was just part of their work. Hopefully during the pilot we can gather
all that information and see and then bring it to the board. But this year there was no that's wasn't part of the talk yet. Nobody's even thank you for bringing it up. We want to be care. Yeah.
You know what I mean? So I have to figure out how to work even because I'm busy. You know, like we talked about we're very rare how that she's here that we got to jump above the 30 schools that are waiting.
That's why. So I think it's like it's any pilot. You just evaluate. You do it ongoing. everybody updated and then we just need to be very transparent how it works out how it does here's where we need to look and then Sue is just going to have to be
open and honest with you know myself and the principles and here's you know life stress and and let's say in the next six months a community member comes forward and says I want to be the volunteer that does you still get
to bring to school she'll be more available in the office as kids come But your volunteer would come in and do that two hours once a week small group. You can have best of both worlds. They can't take No. Yeah.
That would be so I still have to be there. Right. Right. She would stay with you in the office and let's you would help more on the kids that come to the office and that volunteer would be one day a week two hours. We don't let the dogs that come as volunteers.
It's enough time. If you see 70 kids and each one touches them. Um, so that person may bring their dog. Exactly. A certified therapy dog. Correct. But you are blessed to have an employee
that you can have a facility. Why not? I'm just curious. Uh, you talk about all ages kids. Is there a group that you see age group. I do and I would say the biggest age
group that I feel get the most of it is fourth to sixth graders or four to seven. You know, the first time I went into an elementary school, I'm changing the words depression to sadness and anxiety to nervousness and a third grader says to me, "You mean depression
and anxiety, right?" I was just dumbfounded. So, they already know it. A lot of them will say, that they're very forthcoming and thank goodness they're going to be the most to teach their parents how to be better
talker about social emotional skills, you know. So, we've got to catch up now to these kids that are learning all of this. Um, yeah. So, it's very interesting. But those those age levels specifically, I would say, you know, we got hormone
shift going on. Eighth graders are pool. They still come at their pool, but sixth and seventh are my biggest that I'm involved. Murphy Murphy say
beloved. So I know it has an impact at the high school. So I know but the high school students will really have the same benefit. Maybe not as much as groups, right?
ability to know that Murphy's available, have the comfort to go down. Um, we have two offices in the main office that we can do pull out, so hopefully they're not used. We'll learn as we go. Um, and then
just have to social workers to see what's best for our school. That's what we decid a great idea everything about it. But like say worst case, you know, we have this insurance
like say there's a dog or a kid pulls her ear and she a little bit is that that insurance is going to like that's what that insurance is intended for. Typically it's between four and that's what it's for. That's why um
be here all day every day. She's available. Um it's is it 300 or 350? We're right in there. We have the funding for it that the school
identify got injured somebody or something like does that insurance cover that or just so you're covered? Okay. Now that you said that, too.
Um, I'm gonna look into that because I have a feeling it's where you're at that they would be responsible. Like you said, it covers you and Granny, but not if the child Yeah, I'm gonna look into it.
just a thought. Um, I don't know if this would work or not, but we've got kids that always need service learning. This could be a great tool in their tool that they had some experience about how to answer a phone customer service when somebody comes in. Maybe that might be a
possibility for some of our students. We can all those what we can explore because Awesome. I love it. Is there any other questions?
Uh, could I ask a question? So, so Sue, do you always have to be actively holding her leash or can you just be in the same room? When I walk with her, I have Okay.
But otherwise, under my be the alarm. It'll be good for we have to be in control of our dogs at all times. Okay. So it's not like super laptop. No,
exactly. Always in always in proximity in control in the space because she can read Franny's if she has tail.
my dog, some dogs will start um panting and for me, my dog, she's like, I've had too many kids around me in the circle. I need to get out from that. We do what's called a walkabout. We're gone 30 seconds. We come back in and she's ready. But she had she was
able to set that mom, I need and I have to respect that otherwise we're not going to get through the rest of them. So, it's amazing. Dogs are amazing. And I think you probably Now that you talk, you're going to see
more things. If anyone has a question, um, share my email address or there I have cards in the basket there. Um, please feel free to reach out. It's on our website. We do have one other video that I didn't share, but it's so we have a couple
treated us very kindly and uh they had us on the news two two Mondays ago. We were down there and I got to be on live on the show. So, that was very um everyone had a chance to look through the basket.
Would you like some? Yeah. And then the other thing, if you do want, we can send along. We sell these. These are all of our dolls. We got a middle school. You're not in there yet. It will be in volume two. Um we sell
them for $10 to the schools and can in however you like. And we have a merch store. You can't pay us for our services, but if you want to support us, that's a Yes. Thank you so much. Do you have this mine?
So as for us, right? Actually, I'm gonna [Music] All right. Thank you everybody. Thanks. Okay. Excellent. Um 6.12 Jim Trulock is not here. He left a written report and
of course the bulk of it was coaches set up for the sports. Um, Mod I'll be quick. Things are a little bit slower now in in July. Um, but learning doesn't stop. So, we're just finishing up with our pres kindergarten readiness.
We got three days left this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. That program is done. Service 10 students are about 25% of our kindergarten. So, it's kind of nice to get those kids in here as we get close to beginning of the school year. Then, as that finishes, We'll do an extended school year. So we
have students coming in for 12 days that bump trying to slow down that regression that takes place during summer. And then after your approval today we are set. We have our staff hired. So we are ready for the next school year which believe it or not in five weeks we'll have our
new teacher workshop starting. So it's coming up quick but it's a good feeling to have everyone in place and good quality people. So, we're excited for questions for all.
Okay. Like said, um, he's all fully staffed and so is the high school. So, teaching wise, we're fully staffed and ready to get the year started. Maintenance wise, this week we did a walk through with IC and design team
over the athletic complex. Um, the grass. Um, we pointed out a ton of concerns we had. They took pictures. There was also since it just rained, there was some puddling. So, we also pointed out three
or four areas where the puddling to either fix the drainage or they might have to scrape away and do some more flows. So, we're not west central working has completed the
last part of the roof and stadium Steve was in the gym and all the floorboards have been replaced last week that seemed to go well. Hope I say this name right but aers our
public finance met with Kim and I um show us a bunch of reports but I think the one key takeaway is unlike some other school districts our bond rating still considered a level very high impressed
district activity wise theft just had their leadership playing was successfully planned most their events for the year. The fitness center um as I've been getting here between 6
and 7 is bustling at that time with the majority of students coming after around 7:00 but it's active engaged doing type things outside and just normal fun. And the girls basketball team is also here I think it's twice a
week from 6:00 to 7. So I've been able to see them twice and They're at a camp. I think it's Thursday. Volleyball's at a camp this week. And Marshall, so hopefully next week I can come up and watch them in the boys basketball just so they can see me
and I can invite them in. The girls basketball team came in and some of the help just a great bunch of students. Overall, the students have been friendly. Um, I reached out to all three mayors. Mayor
Tensson's had time to call me back. I'm still waiting on the other two just so we can meet and greet. See invited myself to city meetings if they like. It sound
like that would be there was no need, but if they just want me to come sit there, I can know who we are. And then last week we had the city had their big event and I was able to go to those days and meet a lot of
kind hearing people invited myself to a few farms to see the new GPS technology which is really I met a family member from Illinois and Wil's
two more. One's already happened and one will be coming up. So yeah, welcome a question on the grass like just thinking like you know what's going to be coming up next. I thought the plan was to use like the practice field for
football practice this fall. Do you know if that's going to be that should be Yeah, that should be ready to go. Okay. It was more the BMS. Okay. Are a lot of weeds and the outfield areas but that this facility is looking very good and we hopefully will have um
the discus. They could have the discus this year. Um so we did that and then I've been working with the team. Um as you can see the trees now have wood chips around them and um fresh they're working on water management. So hopefully we can start
choking out the weeds and get it to finally catch out. But we've asked for back we'd like to see it. They won't slip. told me they're going to try to throw some more seed down, but they haven't got back to us with the proposal
just try to make it really nice. But then we'll have the big project coming up hopefully. So we'll have people that are You mean the temporary temporary? Let's just swing right into
the committee reports because this is talking about PC and we talked about these things that the grass but there are places where they do have to recede because of the was a good year to keep grass growing
there are yeah right right so that's the temporary um watering that you're talking but anyway um also at the P can help me out John here. We
talked about the bids for that storage building and you were going to verify some of those things. Yeah, the dollar amounts were such that we need to get on the shed. Um, but we going to go forward with the
paving on the north side all the way around. So, the entire area will be surrounded by fencing. So yeah, once you're into the football whereas now with the money
for that project storage for the team and then plan is to access all of that from the north side of we should be driving through our new grass.
Well, they would store track equip Yeah, and I went out and measured all the stuff that Yeah. So, we've got a little more Anything else on the path north side and then fill in that rock area
rocks get kicked all over the field I think financing Maybe just an underwater huge difference. They had insurance company. So they'll be digging up the whole field
and talk about it. Oh, there's the black. So they've been using field elevation.
Um, anything else? 7.0 and 7.1 is that resolution to adopt that 10 year LTF plan which Kim always adjusts. So, um, I need a motion.
It's really short this time, so don't be afraid to and then a second. Okay. John. Okay. So, um you got the um information in our packet about we can ask more questions of her too.
She's here. You want to go ahead and just read that? Sure. Uh pursuant to due call and notice there school board meeting of independent school district number 2180 state of Minnesota was held on July 14 2025 at 6 p.m. for purpose in part of
approving the district's fiscal year 2027 long-term facility maintenance statutes 2022 section 123b school board member introduced the following resolution
Uh resolution adopting independent school district number 2180 27 longterm facilities mainten the school board of independent school district number 218 statements approve the attached fiscal year 27 longterm
facilities maintion of ongoing for the foring resolution by membering being there. All right. Any discussion or question in favor of adopting? Oh,
sorry. [Music] Okay. 7.2 is to pro pilot program. You just heard Amy talk. I think it's fantastic. I don't say negative pilot. Okay. So, those in favor of the motion,
we got a motion. Sorry. Go ahead. A second. I'll second that. Right. In favor of approving the therapy pilot program, say I So, we have got upcoming board meetings listed there. And we've also got the um
teacher negotiation for the next meeting and other than that John second in favor say I Okay.