We're good. >> All right. 6:30. We'll call the regular scheduled school meeting to order. Uh we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. >> To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it
stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Uh roll call. We have all six board members here and people on the staff. Uh we'll take a motion to approve the meeting agenda.
>> So moved. >> Motion by Dak. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second by Jill. Any discussion? >> Not. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Same sign. >> All right. We have open forum one. Uh individuals wanting to speak at the open forum shall fill out a blue card.
They're actually white now. uh stating the reason for addressing the board. The board chair will limit the time available in open forms at the regular business of the district shall be completed on time. We will limit these to three minutes per car because we do have quite a few right now. Uh personal
attacks on individuals will not be allowed and all presenters will conduct their business in a manner that meets community standards for decorum. The board will not take action on items presented in the open forum. So uh first we have Jess Owen.
Good evening. My name is Jessica Olan. I taught for more public schools from 2006 to 2012. I'm here tonight to show support for our teachers. I speak with respect and in no way are my comments meant to be political. In the early
2000s, when I decided to become a teacher, my mom said to me, who was also a teacher, "The pay isn't great, but the benefits make up for it." This statement is increasingly untrue. Even during my time as a teacher in Mora, teacher contributions to health insurance
increased. We have one of the best school districts in East Central Minnesota. I know this from working here. I know this because people tell me they moved here for this school district and from my own experience as a parent. Our teachers inspire students and aspire
to rigorous academic standards as demonstrated by our district test scores. Our teachers are our number one asset. As a parent, I have watched our teachers pass the torch of learning to my own daughter in ways that I cannot.
They have played a pivotal role in teaching my daughter the foundations of reading and math and social responsibility in ways that I cannot. I know what it is like to be a teacher. The extra time spent in the summer, on weekends, on week nights, grading
papers, planning lessons, early morning meetings, rushed or even missed lunch breaks, limited chances to use the restroom during the day. Teachers work hard, harder than most of us realize. If we ask our teachers to financially
tighten their belts year after year, we will eventually lose them. They are the foundation of our district. Teachers are professionals who deserve to be treated with dignity. their contract and pay should reflect this. I know that costs are going up on multiple fronts. I know
the school board has to make hard choices, but I do ask, why are we not prioritizing our most important asset? Thank you for your consideration. Thank you. Next will be Kelly. >> Hi My name is Callie Gilbertson Buggy Buggar. I'm a parent of Winnie and Burke
who both attend Mora Elementary School. I grew up in Mora and went through the public Mora school system just like my dad. And I always knew through high school and college that I wanted to raise my family here, not to any small town, but to this small town. I have been back in Mora now for 11 years and
work at Wellia Health after receiving my doctorate in physical therapy. I would like to speak about the importance and value of our teachers. They are the individuals that impact our children's lives on a day-to-day basis. It starts with them showing our kids how fun and exciting learning can be. And it
continues by fostering a desire to be a lifelong learner. They are also taught the importance of social interactions, the impact you can have on others, and many other countless ways. I hope we all can reflect on the difference a great teacher has made in our lives. I have had the joy of watching my own children
experience amazing teachers. so amazing that they have insisted on inviting their teachers to their birthday parties and have broke down in tears when I explained their teachers could not come with us to Mexico even though we all would love that. Here in Mora, we have great teachers. This is something to be
proud of compared to surrounding communities. We don't want our education system to just be okay or even worse subpar. We want to excel. We want to be a place of excellence and create excellence in our children. This starts with teachers. Let's invest. Sorry.
>> Sorry. >> Take your time. You're fine. >> They deserve it. Um, they deserve raises that keep up with the increasing costs of health insurance. They deserve to be paid appropriately for the time and effort that goes into preparing for class and
planned activities that make our children excited to go to school. And lastly, they deserve raises that are comparable to administrators and should certainly not be asked to take pay take pay cuts when administrators are getting raises. It is important to show our
teachers that they are valued and appreciated and that starts with giving them a fair and competitive contract. Thank you for your >> and then we'll do one more of this open session. Uh this open we'll do Shaina Ham.
>> Hello, I'm Shaya Haml. I am also here to speak in support of our incredible teachers. Uh first and foremost, I am a parent. I have two kids in the elementary school here, both who need extra support in school. From implementing formal services or accommodations, supporting them
informally beyond what is expected. My kids teachers have all given us more than we could have hoped for. Every time I expected to have to fight for something for either of my kids, I've been met with teachers who not only jumped at the chance, but also welcomed any further ideas for how to best support them. In fact, there were times
it was the teachers that fought for them on my behalf. My family has felt truly blessed with the best teachers that have helped my kids feel comfortable. And even long after their turn with my children was up, they've remained some of their biggest cheerleaders. I am also a local healthcare provider who works in
developmental and behavioral pediatrics and understands firsthand just how high the needs are of the students in our area and in our school. I strongly believe in the importance of proper support in the school settings and the power of teachers to make a difference in a child's development, mental health, and overall well-being. Our teachers are
making that difference. We've all been witnessed to COVID, local school shootings, and increase in societal debates that sometimes target our teachers. We live in unprecedented times that have managed to threaten the health and safety of our teachers, force them into constant innovation, and threaten to steal their joy for teaching. Yet, on
a daily basis, I have seen these teachers give their all, pouring their hearts into their classrooms to help their students find success and excitement for learning. I've also seen them pour in their unpaid time, their own money, and their own last ounce of strength when both public and private life circumstances would have had anyone
else ready to walk away. If you had told me 20 years ago I would be raising my family in a small town, I would have laughed at you. But here we are. And as many personal reasons we've had to consider leaving, we are still here in large part because of the school, the teachers, and the comfort my kids have found here. Balancing a budget is no
easy task, especially for a public school district in our region. I worked for nearly 20 years in public healthare and am no stranger to working within a budget crisis. But I also understand that budget balance is about priorities and that how those priorities are arranged sends clear messages to your
staff. Our teachers deserve to be upheld as the most valuable part of the team, not as less than. They deserve to be compensated fairly. They deserve to not have to choose between wages or providing healthcare coverage for their families. They deserve to be supported, appreciated, and valued. Not asked to
pay take a pay cut in a way that sends a clear message that even I as a parent can feel the sting of. I am asking the board to prioritize support and valuing of our teachers and to hold on to the teachers we have, to keep the heart of our schools intact, and to show them just how much they mean to our students
and our community. Thank you. We'll pick up the next open open form. So, we'll move on to Mustang spirit recognition. >> I had I had mine in the two proclamations. So, the pair of professional recognition on the bus driver. I know we're going to get to
those two. So, >> okay, sounds good. Anybody else? Any board members? Okay, sounds good. We will move on to the refunding bonds presentation by others. Welcome, Greg. Thank you.
Thank you for having me here this evening. I was uh just sitting there reflecting on I started working here with more schools when I started at all hours early in the the 2010 201. And um
a lot has changed here since since 2013 2014 when we started passing referendums. And now as president of CEO of Dollar's companies, I don't get to get out as much, but when I do, it's so rewarding to to see kind of the the
small the small role that we played, the evidence of of uh your success in in building your community and and um having great places for students to to learn. So, very exciting to be back here. um coming back with a a a
discussion about the possibility of refunding that one of those initial bonds uh that was issued back in 2015 uh to finance uh some of your building projects. At that time it was the demolition of Fairview. It's addition to
Trail View and some uh work uh on uh the uh the Trailview school. Um the first slide I have is just a kind of a general overview of what refunding bonds are. And uh really the goal of it is to
reduce future debt service payments and tax levies. So um like a mortgage, you can refinance um outstanding debt of the school district. And there are greater restrictions on that due to state and federal laws, but um it's really kind of
akin to that to that same process. Um basically we issue new bonds at lower interest rates so that the payments are lower and um uh the levies then can be lower. It doesn't provide additional funds to the school district's general
fund. It um just reduces taxpayer uh uh levies costs through uh reducing debt service levies. So, as I mentioned, the 2015 bond was initi uh initially issued after the May 2015 bond referendum. If you remember,
that was for about $19.6 million. And there was a second question uh for the high school that didn't pass. But that first question, just under 20 million um for expansion or renovation of Trail View Elementary, we issued those bonds
in two uh parts. The first was uh just under 10 million in June of 2015 and then in the next February uh the final portion of the authorization was issued and um the next slide shows kind of just
your outstanding debt in general. Also, the first two lines uh relate to that um uh financing. And then obviously the 2020 bond is the largest debt outstanding for the district at about 60 uh originally $60 million
um uh for the high school. And um so then the next slide kind of describes this process and the estimated savings. So, the 2015 A bond of 9.9 million has just over $7 million
of principal outstanding and the coupon rates uh the interest rates on those uh bonds are uh 3 to four uh%. And those bonds are now callable. And if you if
you remember from my descriptions back in 2015, uh the call date is uh when a um uh underwriter is told how long you will hold the bonds before you refinance them. So once you reach the call date,
they're eligible to be refunded with the current refunding. And so usually that's eight or 8 to 10 years um after the bonds are issued so that there's some certainty that um that bond holders will have about how long they can hold those
investments. So those bonds are now haulable. Um they were haulable actually in February 1st of 2025 and we put a interest rate chart on the next page um to to show you what has happened to interest rates lately. And we don't need
to get into details on this because you're all probably pretty familiar because you've gotten car loans or home mortgages or um read the paper to understand what's happening with interest rates. And up until now, rates have not been low enough to justify
moving ahead with uh refinancing. And now um as you've read or heard or experienced, rates have dropped um pretty significantly over the last year or two. they continue to drop and um uh
so we anticipate there would be savings if the district goes back out to sell new bonds to refinance and replace the old bonds. How much savings it will depend on uh on the actual interest rate
bids received uh on the day of sale day of placement of the bonds. So, um, as we've done for the last 10 years, as you've issued debt, we do a competitive sale for the bonds, put them out on the market, ask underwriters to bid, and the
lowest interest rate um is awarded the sale of the bonds by the school board. Uh, that in uh November, we ran some estimates of about $100,000 of savings and um uh that's net of all of the costs that it takes to issue the debt. And um
we anticipate that uh the results will actually probably be better than that once we go to market because rates have continued to drop since these initial estimates were run. Um we had uh Eastrant Forks issue debt on Monday, sold some bonds. There were 12 banks
bidding. Uh we like to see at least three and um so to have 12 bid is uh shows the amount of interest there is in municipal debt and tax exempt debt. right now which also can contribute to uh lower interest rates uh even
independent of what else is happening in the financial markets. Um Edina schools had a bond sale today. They're slightly different obviously because they have a AAA bond rating but they had 15 biders this morning. So um there's a lot of activity uh right now in the municipal
bond market. So, um process-wise, uh you have a resolution in your packet authorizing the sale of the refunding bonds. Um, we would present a pre-sale report to the board next week with updated financial estimates should you choose to move ahead and then go ahead
and receive proposals in March um, and on the day of your March school board meeting and bring those uh, proposals to the board meeting for award of sale to the lowest bidder on an interest rate basis. And then in April, you would
receive the funds that they close about 3 weeks after the uh bid date. And in May, we would use the proceeds of those bonds to pay off the old bonds. And starting in uh pay 27, you would begin
to levy for um bond payments at the lower interest rate. So that's the first levy that the savings would uh come into play. I'm happy to answer any questions. Um I know Matthew has shared a little bit of
about this with you. So um but if you have anything you're wondering about, I'm happy to answer. >> Uh just one quick one. What percentage was this model the savings based off of? Like what percentage was it based off like a 4% or a 5% or
>> you mean >> for the estimated savings >> for the refinance >> in November? In November. So we we project interest rates in a in a couple of different ways. Um coupon rates and um and um what we call the true interest
cost which is the bidding rates going back. So we we anticipated 3 to 4% coupons. Um so an average coupon of 3.6% and uh >> okay so you pretty much had an average
or middle point. So >> what's that? >> So you pretty much took like a midpoint >> is what you're saying. Okay, great. Thank you. >> And Greg, as I understand it, so like the the savings would go back to the taxpayers in the form of uh reducing the levy,
>> right? Okay. So So that the chart that had the levy showed the the amount of reduction each year. So you would just spread that over the the life of the rest of the payments on the bonds. >> Any questions? All right. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Thanks for coming up, Greg. >> Thank you. Yeah. Glad to be here. Thanks for having me. And >> um great to see everything that's happening here tomorrow. >> Yeah. I'll get the resolution back to Matthew then. >> Is that correct? >> Okay. >> Have a good evening.
>> I'll move on to the next topic. Uh Mororrow School's enrollment presentation. Superintendent. >> Yeah. It's okay if I sit here. You want me to sit? >> Sit wherever you want. >> Okay. I'll sit here. So, um, last January we gave the same report to the
school board. Um, and enrollment can be, uh, tricky, uh, and complicated. Um, I think most people know enrollment is just basic however many students we have in class. Um, so these are some key
terms. ADM is average daily membership. So each student that comes to our school uh we get uh ADM which is is uh the number of days that they are in within our school district. So we might have a
student start at the beginning of the year and then move away halfway through the year. We we'd only get credit for that amount. And likewise if we had a student that moved here halfway through the year or partway through the year. So
it is uh it is an average and that's what uh the state collects and that's what we get paid on. So it's kind of a moving target as well. I know the board gets a a monthly uh report on the on the number of students that we have in each
grade level adjusted pupil unit. Uh there's more funding for students in grades 7 through 12 1.2 too. And and the reason being is um the state believes it costs more to educate students in grades 7 through 12 because of the programming
differences, you know, like CTE courses and uh band and some of those other things along with uh you know, some of the other supplies. Uh PSO is another one that's really affects schools now in the state of Minnesota more than than it
ever has. homeschool. Those are students that are homeschooled within our district. We do not receive funding for that unless they come to our school part-time. Extended time would be uh summer school targeted services or ALC. And then
residents are those students within our district and either o enroll in our district or or enroll somewhere else. non-residents are those students that don't um are are not within our school district
but end up showing within our school district. So um next slide just shows kind of where we're at with enrollment in the different grades and you can see that
there's like two or three grades. um third grade in particular, seventh grade, ninth grade is is pretty high. And you can also see that um you know some of our our kindergarten, first grade, second grade are a little bit
lower. Um and you can see that by the time they get to high school, generally speaking, the enrollment will pick up a little bit. There's a couple different reasons. probably more uh parents homeschool their kids at earlier age and then as academics maybe become a little
more challenging or or they want some more options they may send their their student full-time uh to uh more a high school. Um the other factor you know that the board has talked about before is last year's graduating class was 140
students. Um this year's kindergarten class is 112. So the difference there is about 28 students. So this is um what all other districts are experiences declining enrollment um due to a lot of
different factors. Mainly I know the state just sent out a demographic study uh or statistics. Um but there are fewer bursts than there are um than there have been in the past and that's why enrollments are declining throughout the
state of Minnesota. I wanted uh to note if you go back Kelly just a little bit in the lower right hand corner is um something that Mora has not qualified before and that's uh VPK that stands for voluntary pre kindergarten. So we get
seats uh that other districts cannot use and so that is that factors into our overall enrollment as well. Um, since it's new, we report the number of students to the state. They give us a
certain number of ADMs and then we get funding for that. Now, uh, we're not real sure. I talked to Carrie uh, Cell about this. We're not real sure and Eric, we're not real sure where the funding if it goes to community ed or it goes to the general fund, you know,
because it is prek. So, we'll have to iron that out. Uh but that's factored in here. >> They're supposed to be our transitional kindergarten students. >> No voluntary pre kindergarten. So they would be like preschool age kids and and uh schools qualify based on their free
and reduced lunch. >> So um we're right on that bubble. And so if other districts don't use their seats, then they go to the next school and say you can you can qualify and take some of these seats. Um there you can see the uh different
enrollments of the different schools in and just elementary and high school. At the elementary there's 840 students at the high school 752. And go to the next slide and all of this data is uh as of January 5th when we
submitted our last report to the state. uh you can see our enrollment over the past five years and um you can notice that we've we've grown a little bit um over time. I think the
phenomenon after COVID was we gained some of our enrollment back. We had the new school um we had students maybe open enroll from some other districts. This year again we're like I mentioned we're down and I think that's primarily
because we had a high graduating class and then we had a lower kindergarten class replace that. So that natural declining enrollment. Um okay Kevin. Um these are a couple interesting slides
like these are the the the open enrollment students to MORA and you can see that OGOB we gain quite a few from OGO in the next slide you'll see that OG gains the most from MOA so I am assuming
that uh proximity has a lot to do with this you know there's people on the edge of each school district whether it be Pine City Hley uh Bram So we have a total of 239 students that
open enroll to MORA. The next slide uh we have 23 32 students that um live within our district that go to another district and again I mentioned OGO v uh Cambridge is another uh one
where a lot of students go. Um online would be the third part. We don't have our own online program. Um so those are the big three but uh if you go back Kelly one
239 versus 232 the next slide uh so it's about the same number of students that we get rather than as we leave if that makes any sense but kind of interesting. These are the ADMs like I mentioned the
adjusted uh daily membership and you can see again we're down a little bit compared to well this is 2425 so it doesn't have 2526 just because we won't have that data until the end of the year. So,
but we're pretty pretty flat, which is a good thing. Uh pretty standard. Uh PSO enrollment. Um you know, we don't have a lot of students that open enroll to other um
other colleges. We do have one of the things that's not shown in this graph would be students that enroll to Pine Tech because we have an agreement with them. At the end of the year, they send us a bill on all the students that attend Pine Tech. We reimburse
uh Pine Tech. They give us a a better rate than uh the normal PSO students. So, we get that bill. So, that's not in there. Um concurrent enrollment are those students who um are taking college in the school
courses here at MORA. Um we have several courses that MOA students take. There's a part of the funding that goes to the college. Part of the funding stays here. So, any questions
about enrollment? >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Uh, next we'll move on to school bus driver appreciation day proclamation. And Dakota is going to read that. School bus driver appreciation day, Wednesday, February 18th, 2026.
Whereas school bus drivers in Independent School District number 332 safely transport our students to and from school and activities each day, often in challenging weather and traffic conditions. And whereas these highly trained, dedicated professionals are
entrusted with the safety and well-being of dozens of students on every route, serving as the first and last school related adult. many students interact with each day. And whereas school bus drivers play an essential role in supporting student success by ensuring
that all children, regardless of family schedule, distance, or transportation, access, can reliably attend school. And whereas students are significantly safer riding in a school bus than in a passenger vehicle due to rigorous driver
training, strict safe safety standards, ongoing student safety education, and continued investment in safe fleet operations. And whereas school bus transportation is the largest form of mass transit in Minnesota and a critical part of our community's infrastructure,
supporting families, schools, and local employees. And whereas Independent School District number 332 recognizes the ongoing need to recruit and retain qualified school bus drivers and deeply appreciates the individuals who come to serve our students and community in
these meaningful roles. Now therefore, let it be proclaimed that the Board of Education of Independent School District number 332 does hereby recognize Wednesday, February 18th, 2026 as school bus driver appreciation day in
Mora Independent School District number 332 and encourages students and families and staff and community members to join in expressing gratitude to our school bus drivers for their professionalism, commitment, and service.
Thank you. >> Next we'll do compare professional proclamation is going to read that for us. >> All right. State of Minnesota proclamation. Whereas Minnesota is the home to more than 20,000 paraprofessionals who contribute
to the success of students and their teachers. And whereas the support and services provided by pair professionals are an integral part to student achievement. PAR professionals take on a wide range of responsibilities to meet
the needs of the students in their care. Their dedication supports safe, effective and engaging learning environments throughout Minnesota. And whereas Minnesota Department of Education is committed to excellence in education and recognizes the important
role that pair professionals play ensuring success in our schools. And whereas Minnesota celebrates the essential contributions of paraprofessionals during paraprofessional recognition week. Now
therefore, I, Tim Walls, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby proclaim January 19th through the 25th of 2026 as paraprofessional recognition week in the state of Minnesota. In witness whereof,
I in Hedero set my hand and cause and caused the great seal of the state of Minnesota to be affixed to the state capital. the second day of January. Signed, Tim Wols.
>> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you to our bus drivers and pair professionals. >> Yes. >> Um, next we'll move on to the consent agenda. Uh, look for a Is there anybody that would like to move anything from the consent agenda? Not. I'll look for a
motion to approve it. So moved. >> So moved by Scott. >> Second. >> Second by Ken. Uh all those in favor of approving the consent agenda say I >> I post same sign. All right. Uh there's nothing to consider being removed from it. Uh the
budget budget calendar review is there for your uh viewing pleasure. Uh next we will do uh consider approval of the resolution accepting gifts and donations. Just like to thank Baldwin Insurance and Investment. They donated
$1,000 to Mora High School. Um, Moral Mora Traveling Baseball Association, they donated $1,500 to robotics. Uh, Tinker and Larson, $1,000 to robotics. Hosen Lumber, 1,000 to robotics. Mora Traveling Baseball Association, $1,
$1,000 to two and toes. And Jessica Larson, donation drive, $165 to Tutos and Toes. So, thank you very much. And I would uh consider taking a motion for uh accepting the resolution. So move.
>> So moved by Ken a second. Second by Scott. Uh since this is a resolution, we'll have to move by roll call. Start with Scott. >> Uh Scott is I. >> Dakota. >> Um I will abstain since I am employed by Baldwin Insurance and Investments. >> Okay. >> Amy >> I. >> Matt is I. Jill
>> Jill is I. >> Ken. >> I. >> All right. Thank you. Um we'll go to the next one. Consider resolution directing administration to make recommendations for reductions in programs and positions for reasons therefore for 20 for school
district for year 2026 27. And this is an annual thing that we do every year. Um that's not saying we're going to do anything. We're not going to make any reductions, but this just gives staff um the administration the ability to do that. So
>> So moved. Second >> Scott made a motion Dakota made the second. Uh any discussion? >> Not uh since this is a resolution we'll do by roll call. We'll go start with Ken >> I. >> Jill >> I. >> Matt is I. Amy
>> I >> Dakota. >> Scott >> I. >> Okay. That moves passes 6. Uh we'll move to the next one. consider approval of education Minnesota moral local 1802 AFL CIO seniority list for June 30, 2025.
Uh Dan, if you could give some background that I know it's been a couple year process. >> Yeah, we made a few adjustments. Um, we the the union and along with myself and Eric Bart has been talking about this and so we uh made it a little more
concise um and a little easier to read. So yeah, I think I think it was a a good a good decision. So >> okay, uh thanks for that background information. I'll take a motion to
approve the resolution for the more local 1802. >> So move. >> Motion by Ken, second by Jill. Any discussion? >> If not, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. Same sign. Passes 6. Um, move on to
the next one. Consider approval for resolution stating the intent of the school district to issue general obligation school building refunding bonds. That is what uh Ellers was here discussing. So um I'll take a motion to approve that.
>> So move second. >> Okay, we'll go Ken and Scott. >> Ken and Scott with that. All right. Uh any discussion? >> I just want to thank Dan and Eric for working on this to 100,000 over the last 10 years is going to be a good savings
to the taxpayers. So I want to thank you for the extra work that you've done. >> For sure. Yeah. Absolutely. Uh since this is a resolution, we'll be right roll call. We'll start with Scott. >> Iota. >> I. >> Amy, >> I. >> Matt is I. Jill.
>> I. >> Ken. >> Hi. >> All right. That passes 6. Um the next one. Consider approval of the 2026 27 and 20 2728 district calendar. Um this is the first time we've done a two-year approval of
calendars. So, um, I'll let Dan and the calendar committee. >> So, Ken and Joe were on the calendar committee. We had, I don't know, 12, 15 people. >> Some good representation from many different groups. Um, I think the unique thing about these two year calendars is
the fact that Labor Day starts on the um, Kelly, is that the 7th on the first first year? Yeah, >> the 7th of September. So it's it starts that second week. So there is a statute by the state of Minnesota that will
allow schools to start before Labor Day, but not until September 1st. So it gives us some options, but not a lot of uh we we can have three days of school that first year and two days before Labor Day the the next year. So um but we had some
good discussion. Um, we added a professional development day I want to say in miday. Um, that was uh one less student contact day that was added. Um, and so um and then I think the other thing we
added because um is the all day conferences. We had one this fall and we wanted to see what the um feedback was from staff and parents and the feedback was good. So um
the administration brought up they'd like to try a one in the fall and one in the spring. Um so I believe the one in the fall is in November again and the one in spring is in March. We try to hit
those times that are in between athletic seasons um and things of that sort. So um what did I miss, Ken and Jill? Nothing. Um the staff said that the the all day was very well received. They we
tweaked it a little bit. I believe we're starting at >> a half an hour early and ending at a half an hour late because they said the last hour wasn't as well attended going till 8. So, it's going to be a half an hour early, but they said that it was
very well attended and everyone everyone seemed to think it was a positive thing moving forward. >> Sweet. >> Good job on that collaboration and cooperation there. I >> I just wanted to mention one thing. I know that we have two calendars. Of
course, the board always has the option to adjust, you know, um we had to do that quite a few times in uh during COVID, but um we certainly if things look like we might want to change things the second year, we certainly have the
the board has the authority to do that. So, >> okay. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Yeah, I think it work moving forward with Labor Day being so late. I think these for now with minor tweaking, but everyone seemed to be had the consensus to move forward with it. That way we're
not running too late into June. So, >> yep, makes sense. So, I'll uh take a motion to approve the 2026 27 and 2027 28 district calendar. >> So, move. >> Jack, get this one. I'll
>> second. Second. Uh, all those in favor of approving those calendars say I. I. both same sign. All right, those pass uh 6. Uh next we have superintendent midyear evaluation summary. We did this at our last meeting. Um just want to
give an update that we did uh go over superintendent Voch's goals um which we gave him of uh school district operations, facility planning and also culture of cooperation and emotional health within the district. um we went
over uh you know how we rated them and we you know gave him some more goals to go over. So um definitely keep moving forward and is there any other discussion or I think that's pretty much all there was to win over. So
all right uh next we'll move into board reports administrative update. We'll do our uh student board member report. Thank you for waiting. >> Good. Um, I'm Abby Donghue. I'm one of the co-presidents for our student council. So, yeah. This past weekend, we
had our winter formal. There were about 235 attendants. So, that's pretty normal average. Um, our theme was dancing under the stars. So, it was like the real like the Netflix show or that was just like Dancing with the Stars and like disco
stars. So, yeah, that was pretty good. Um we had um our holiday drive and then we had our rewards for that. Um we were able to do all those. They're like movie rewards. So yeah. Um our dress up week
was pretty good. I think a lot of the students did that. I mean we only could do three because it's only three day week. Um, we are moving our pep fest to February 13th because that Friday we have no
school. Um, in February we have our matchimatics coming up. We're not too busy so that's about it. And then um me and Maya would like to give a special thanks for inviting us to this schoolboard
convention. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed having lunch. Um, we also just like to thank you for being part of the board. >> Thank you. >> Uh, do we have any board member meeting reports in calendar? You guys
anything else? >> Too much. We add anything. So, all right. Uh we had we can read activities buildings activities committee ad transportation buildings the ground and the principal reports in your packet. Uh superintendent Boj anything for your
superintendent? >> Um yeah I mean we uh we uh we went to MSBA. She just mentioned that it was nice to have the students down there along with some of the board members. It's a good opportunity to talk to other board members
um listen to some some good uh speakers and also uh attend some sessions that are related to other school uh school boards um uh organizations. So they do just a great job. Um so that was a good
experience. We had our epic professional development day on Monday the 19th of January. Jackie Stevens did an outstanding job of organizing that. And uh the epic staff development committee, I think Jamie was on there. Um Marsha
maybe was on there. Um uh Mr. Quall I believe was on there. Amanda Amanda was on there. Trying to recall who's always at those meetings. So a good opportunity for people to um collaborate with other school districts, Hinkley, Pine City,
East Central, and Mora. So, uh, we did it for two years and now it'll go to Pine City, I believe, next. And, um, and so, yeah, that was a just a good learning day. It happened to be cold that day as well. >> Seems to be the theme. >> Yes.
>> All right. Uh, item 14, the upcoming dates to remember. These are allformational. Um, I did have one question. Are we going to have a work session on February 25th? I know that Amy will be gone. most likely.
>> Okay. All right. Sounds good. >> Sounds good. Uh, any board correspondents? I didn't see any. If not, any other board business? >> I don't have any. >> Okay, sounds good. We will go into the
second open forum. I'm not going to read that whole statement again, but uh we'll still limit these to three minutes. Um, we have Amber Donahghue for uh on behalf of Mark Steg. >> Hi there. Um, as you heard, I'm speaking
on reading a letter on behalf of Mark Stman because he was unable to be here tonight to whom it may concern. My name is Mark Stman. I am a father to a first grader, fourth grader, and sixth grader. I am also a local mental health provider. My work in the medical field along with studying the adverse
childhood experiences research has increased my appreciation for teachers. The statement, "An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure," seems to fit best. For many, teachers are the most important or some of the most important people in humans lives.
The role they play is vital in the development of our social and emotional well-being. If this is not achieved at an early age, it can take a lifetime for many to achieve, if at all. Conversely, achieving this at a young age sets a person up for success for the rest of their lives. My concern is that if we do
not support the teachers we have as much as possible, we are going to burn out the quality teachers we have. This will leave us with either lower quality teachers or teachers that are burned out. I believe this will have a significant societal impact. The teachers we have had throughout our
children's schooling has truly been a blessing. Throughout my children's school experience, all of my children have been seen as unique. I have been blown away by how much care and work have been put into our children. They love going to school and love learning, which I attribute to the environment
that the teachers at MOA have created. My son would walk past his former teacher for years after and still do his handshake with her. They have had personal connections with with almost all of their teachers. On top of that, they are thriving academically. It is
clear that the teachers we have had, teaching is more than just a job, which is remarkable given the difficulties of teaching. Growing up, my mother was a teacher as well as both of my sisters. And I was able to see the physical and emotional toll it took on them. Despite
feeling overwhelmed much of the time, she saw every student as important. And to this day, people come up to me and tell me the impact she had on their lives. My kids feel that love every day they go to school. The teachers make my kids feel important. At critical ages of their development, they are achieving
their social, emotional, and academic, developmental needs at the highest level. The teachers they have had inspire them to learn and feel good about themselves as they now associate school with positive experiences. During a year that my daughter had a class with several kids that had significant
behavioral issues, her teacher protected her physically and emotionally and she was able to grow from that year. All of my kids look forward to going to school and are motivated to succeed and I am beyond grateful that they have had the teachers they have had. I hope they stay
supported. Sincerely, Mark Steman. Next, Carl Bell. Hello, school board members and superintendent. I'm Carl Norville. Um, want to start off by saying that I do like working with my colleagues and the administration team. Bor public schools
is a great place for students to learn, play sports, and pursue many other interests. Families are able to watch your students grow into welleducated young adults. As a staff, we work extremely hard to teach our students not only academics but life skills.
The students, teachers, and par professionals have raised test scores and met challenges. Just yesterday, an email was sent out to staff about current positions open up more of encourages us to apply or encourage someone to apply. I can't ask someone to
apply when we have staff who go backwards under the proposed contract we're putting forth. Please be willing to negotiate. Medical insurance is increasing for our staff. You cover the permits for your
superintendent and your principles. We'd love it if you would put some more money into covering the costs for our staff. You uh how about giving your staff more days to work uh to do the work that they
need to do. You've approved a great package for Superintendent Voce. You say more schools have great staff and that you're proud of the work we do and that you care about us. Okay. Please show us that you do care. We're not asking for
the world. Just a fair contract, not a contract that's going to hurt our staff. Thank you. Last but not least, Nikki Hi, good evening school board administrators, teachers, and fellow parents. My name is Nikki Priy. I worked
in the district as a parent and a long-term substitute for 5 years. I am now the extension educator for youth development in Kibbe County. My husband Riley and I both attended MOA school just like our parents did. My mom worked in the district for 35 years and now we are the proud parents of two young
Mustangs, one in kindergarten and one in first grade. I am deeply invested in the past and future of Morris schools. I'm here tonight because I've seen firsthand the impact our teachers have on my children and on our family. At their
age, school is about so much more than reading levels or math facts. It's about learning how to feel safe and confident and curious and valued. Our teachers do that work every single day. My kindergartner walks into school excited knowing her teacher cares about who she
is as a person. And then she comes home and insists on playing school in our living room. She tells or she wants to be a teacher and she tells me every day how much she loves Mrs. Burgdon. My first grader comes home talking about what he learned and feeling proud of his
accomplishments. And he might say that his favorite class is fed because he wants to be a Vikings player. But he insists that he reads a chapter of Harry Potter to me every night and won't go to sleep without at least 10 math problems that I give him. And that love of learning doesn't happen
by accident. It happens because our educators put their time and energy and hearts into their classrooms far beyond what their job description requires. As a parent, I rely on our Mora teachers. I do not trust blindly the
care of my children and I trust our teachers every day during some of the most formative years of their lives. That trust is built on the relationships that they create, the stability they provide, and the commitment that they show even in challenging circumstances.
That's why I strongly believe that our teachers deserve a fair and competitive contract. No educator should be asked to move backwards in pay, especially while being asked to meet increasing internal and external expectations to support diverse student needs and to make sure
that our children come home every day feeling loved and supported in their education. When teachers are supported, our students benefit, our families benefit, and the entire entire community benefits. And retaining experienced and dedicated educators matter. So tonight,
I want to be clear that the teachers in these classrooms are the stars of this district. And I want to support the fair agreement for our wonderful teachers. And I believe that valuing educators means ensuring that they are not taking pay cuts for the essential work that they do every day. So thank you for
listening and thank you to our teachers who show up for our childrens and our families. All right, that's all the cards I have open forms. So, we'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by Ken. Second by Jill. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
>> Both same sign. >> All right. Board meeting is closed at 7:23. Compute. Uh