Good evening everyone and welcome to the August regular meeting of the Priike Savage Board of Education. I'll now call the meeting to order. Please stand as you are able and join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, we have uh one member, member Johnson will be joining us remote around
6:30, he thought. And Director Mason is missing tonight. And I believe that Director France is on her way. So, we will start out tonight with uh Laker Pride, Dr. Thomas. Thank you so much.
Um, Chair White, board of directors, I'm excited tonight to learn a little bit about um some of our students who had probably a trip of a lifetime um to go to Germany uh June 8th through the uh the 20th and uh Mary uh Douly and Lisa
Becker um were the ones who um put this uh experience together for our students and we're excited to learn a little bit about uh what you've learned about and also see some pictures and things of that nature. So, with no further ado, uh Mary and Lisa, if you want to come forward and then introduce the students
and talk a little bit about your uh presentation. We're excited. Kids are going to do most of the talking when the pictures come up. But we have Ben Mlette. We've got Marshall Gillis, A Schwiggle, and Benny Butler
for our students tonight. I'm supposed to hit escape. Escape. I hope this doesn't say anything. Escape. Escape. click on here to get our presentation up there and basically I hope you did see between
the two screens. So um it just says that there were 34 students and then um four Prior Lake staff members. So Lisa Becker, high school German teacher. Um John Englesby who was a former German teacher now teaches at um Jeffers Pond, Sarah Durk who was our administrator
chaperone. and then myself. So, we did spend 12 days in these countries as each as each um city comes up. Then I'm going to have the kids start talking more than me, but that kind of shows the route that we took. So, landed in Frankfurt
and did Austria, Switzerland, even an afternoon in France, and then back up into Germany. So, basically highlights. You'll get to hear a few things from the students about these um highlights of the trips whether castles or hiking and
waterfalls and cathedrals. So our first town and I want like I said the students to kind of look at the pictures kind of relive that first day in Germany and any and all of you can make comments from where you are or what
do you remember about day one? Really tired. They were quite tired from the flight. That is true. Was there like a festival going on too? They shot like cannons to like commemorate. It was giving fair vibe. It was very much like the Renaissance
festival because it was celebrated the Renaissance from the 1400s. Exactly. Yes. A lot of like people, a lot of like shops and medieval cities. So those are some photos from that first town. We'll keep it brief. The next city we headed
to was M Germany. We've all heard of New Minnesota, which is a sister city. Um, what do you guys remember or what highlights from that second day on our trip? This one was a workout for sure. Yeah, the church was hard to walk those steps. Do you remember how many steps we
climbed up? I think it was like 500ish. 650. So, we went 600. That's the tallest um church tower in the world. And very very narrow staircase, too. Yeah. Yeah. like
it was so tiny. It was just spiral. You couldn't see the top. And up and up and up and up. Are we there yet? It was really cool once we got to the top because there was like a big You could see like almost the entirety of the city that it was facing. So the walk up and who's the little
character in the middle there? Einstein. Einstein. We didn't do a ton, but that was his birthplace. So that was alm the second day. The third day we headed to Daco. We'll start with that city, that town. What do we What did we do in Dhaka?
We went to see the old concentration camp first concentration camp built 1933. So, we did get to have a tour. We looked at the museum. There was a a movie. And then on to Munich, the third largest city. What do you guys know or remember about the two days in Munich?
The uh Olympic Park was pretty cool. I don't think anybody did the trampoline though, did they? No, they had to be It was actually you had to be 80 for like 10 minutes. Yeah. Yeah. You had to be 80 kilograms or um or lighter. So a lot of kids weighed more than that. But what were the things
like the pool? So it's a lot of like bonding time. Oh, I remember that surfboard that uh No, the diving board. Diving board. Diving board. And how high was the platform for the highest one? You guys remember? Like 30 feet. It's 33 feet. So 10 meters. So that's where the Olympics were in 1972. So they
have the platforms for 3 meters, 5, 7 and a half, and 10. And many of the students were jumping off the 10 meters, so 33 feet um into the water. And what kind of cars are made in Munich? You guys see the picture? Museums there.
The cars. They get to sit in the cars, the motorcycles. Um and then also palaces and castles there as well. All right, we saw some really special castles down in the Alps. Who wants to talk about those? I really like the new Shanstein Castle. Uh I thought it was really cool and I really like just hearing the story about
the like the old king that used to live there and like how he made all of the right. He had three castles. That bridge was a little freaky though. It was and you can see two of the students on the bridge overlooking the castle for nostein.
I really like beautiful palace. There was like a lot of like gold looking things like white neat like the only one though. That's his only Harry King say he just stops in that room.
But they are beautiful castles of course. Real gold. Yes. Real gold. Then we were off to Reut which is city in Austria. Look at the pictures and tell me what your what we did there. Big old bridge and it was really pretty. So it's called the Highline 179. So,
it's 403 m, so like four football fields long. And it's um hangs 140 ft in the air. We crossed it's these are actual photos of our kids on the bridge and um looking at the castle ruins. So, that was kind of an exciting thing. We did that early in the mornings, crossed the
big bridge, then we headed to Oversto in the mountains. Tell me about that day. It was steep for sure. Steep to Yes. A big hike. It was really beautiful though. I was so pretty and the glacier link there. We had a lot
of fun the lake there. Just imagine like Superior but a little colder. It was a little colder. So we we took the gondola up. We um hiked down for two and a half hours to get to this lake in the mountains. And then it was another um hour and 15 minutes. And that was when we had what?
The rain. The rain. Walking down the rest of the mountain. And hail. Don't forget the little bit of hail too. But again, these are all photos of our students doing all these things. And then we headed to Switzerland. See, chocolate factory. At this point, I want
Ben to pass out some of our chocolate to the board members. So, we'll start with the chocolate factory. Well, one for each. What would you like to say? Swiss chocolate factory.
They're good luck in Germany. Thank you. Thank you. Like you can see there has three buckets for me for 30. Those were the defects you could buy for cheap.
Yeah, it was just like packaging defects. How did we miss that? I didn't see that. I mean, yes, chocolate. Yeah, there was the actual chocolate. It was just Okay. Well, it was next time. So, the free samples for the chocolate
tour. And then how about the cheese factory? Went to a Swiss cheese factory. They gave us little samples of the cheese, all the ages. And Oh, yeah. Again, movies, how they make it, a big tour of the facility. And then lastly, the largest waterfall
in Europe. We got to see it. We got to be at it. So cool. There's a little trail you could go all the way down. You could you could touch the waterfall. You could touch it. Touch the rind. Just touch the water at the bottom. Yeah, but that sounds cool. And you get a little splash from the rind. But that is the largest waterfall
in Switzerland or in in Europe. Right in Switzerland. Then we headed up through back into Germany through the Black Forest. I mean couple things we did in the Black Forest. Oh, we saw Germany's toss waterfall. Right. Exactly. In Treeberg. That's the middle picture. Yeah. We went Yeah, we hiked up a thing.
We also saw um the Yeah, the clock. Largest cuckoo clock in the world. Watch um a guy actually make a clock. So that was fun. So demonstration at the wood carver shop. He sat and he demonstrate how they put the clocks together. Um that's the older gentleman's a five generation wood
carver and then his son is six. So that's his grandson who's a seventh generation wood carver and does sits and just carves wood. And then lastly, the two other pictures on the side. What else do we do there? the alpine slides. They each got four rides down the
mountain. They had so much fun. So that's in the Black Forest. Um the next day we headed a little bit farther north. We went to Europa Park. Do you want to explain what that is? It's like Germany's Disneyland, right? They even got They have like different like sections
of the park based on different like countries in Europe. Yeah. So it was all like very themed. It was all very Yeah. You can see Ireland sign there. Yep. It says Eland for Ireland. Yeah, you walk through third 14 different countries. You get to have food from wherever Russia or from Austria or
Likenstein like you get the culture and they have movies and performances as well. But lots of rides and then we spent about five hours I would say in Strawburg France because it's right on the border there. Tell me what you liked about Strawburg. And then what's that other thing?
Carousel. We all took a carousel ride. And there it was kind of neat because the kids then appreciated knowing German and how different it was. So French was difficult for us for those couple hours and they wouldn't speak German really to
us although they probably knew some German. And our last and final day was in H Highleberg, Germany. Tell me a little bit about that afternoon because we kind of rushed. Yeah. We uh went like the sideways tram thing up to like to see a castle and
like see the view of the city. Yeah. The largest barrel. That's right. So Finny had an Well, you can tell about your exchange student. Yeah. So a while ago I had an my family hosted an exchange student from Germany and she lived a bit farther from H
Highleberg but we were able to meet up on the last day in H Highleberg and spend a few hours together. I hadn't seen her in six years up to that point. So, that was very fun. Glad you were able to do that. You saw that uh monkey statue. Yeah. There's
Oh, yes. statue in front of the famous uh H Highleberg Bridge. And if you touch it, it's supposed to bring you um was it wealth or happiness? A legend. But, and finally down at the bottom, we had our awards ceremony where each student was given a little prize. and then you know if they spoke a lot of German or most
improved or best traveler awards. So those types of things. Um another fun thing we'll let Ava talk about this one. She's in the talent show. There's like a little talent show that we had in one of the uh one of the where people like play piano. There was some
like Vinnie was also in the talent show. Taekwondo. There's a little show off of things. There's some serious piano players in that. Not so much me, but No, you all did great. So, we had a little entertainment um and for prizes and then just a couple of
random pictures from different lakes and just how the kids played um soccer and volleyball in the evenings or played giant chests, which is pretty common there. And I think the best part really was like the friendships that they made and they all got along so well. So, you can just see them together
um at all the meals and it just the whole experience. So we do want to thank uh the school board member members of course but allowing the kids to do this because I think it was very educational being surrounded with the German language. They had to order their meals for lunch. They had to shop on their own
and I think I think they learned a lot and use the language very well at least any comments about just overall I I agree. Um, as you said, it's a trip of a lifetime and hopefully that that'll inspire some of them to continue
German, but also to maybe travel back on their own someday. Yeah, you would have been very proud. We got lots of compliments even at restaurants. I didn't hear that one, but you said a German teacher. Uh, yes, a teacher from Germany came up uh when the entire group was having
lunch and just commended them on their exemplary behavior. They were just they were they were overwhelmed with a group of us coming in unannounced and they were polite. They appreciated that. And so for a German teacher to say, "Wow,
your kids are so well behaved as if better than German students like yes, your students in Germany." And our bus driver too said the kids were awesome. They were so respectful. They didn't, you know, they were just good. Once once or twice we were late, supposed to meet them at the bus, but um but no, just very
respectful. That's the hazard of traveling with 30 some odd people. Six of us. So, um I'm supposed to do something at the end, I think. Escape at the end. But that is our presentation. So, again, do you have any questions for the kids? But it was a great experience every day and
I was very very very proud of them. So, absolutely. Final questions are good. Okay, that's awesome. But I just um I think that last slide sums it all up. I love hearing I love obviously seeing all the um things that you were able to
do, but I think it it says a lot that the compliments that you received. So, thank you for behaving so well and representing Prior Lake so well abroad. Exactly. I felt the same way. So, yeah, they were great travelers. So, thank you. I've got And students, if you want to
come forward, thank first of all, thank you both for your leadership for the students. And if the students that are here and the two of you come forward for a picture. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Put the kids in the middle. Thank you for coming.
Thanks for sharing. [Applause] All right, thanks again, guys. That was awesome. Uh, next up is the superintendent report. Dr. Thomas, thank you. Um, just a couple of quick things, uh, to recap and, uh, to
announce some others. Uh, just last week, um, several of us, uh, did our annual night to unite. Uh, we also partner, uh, with the city of Prior Lake. um first responders, police, fire, and everything. So, we meet up and do a big group photo every year as well. Um but just wanted to say thank you to all
those who participated and just a thank you to our community. It's a great opportunity for us to come out and meet new neighbors and build new relationships and friendships with folks throughout our community. So, that was a real fun opportunity to connect. Um we also uh many of us were down uh at Prior
Lake Days on Saturday uh through rain, sleet or snow as they say. Um we definitely had some booms and we definitely had some rain on Saturday, but uh believe it or not, people were packed in there um under umbrellas and really enjoying themselves. So thank you
to all the staff and again uh just a opportunity for us to connect with our community. Um, in that same spirit of celebration, we are doing our second annual back to school celebration August 18th from 5 to 7 invitation to all of Prior Lake Savage, Credit River, Spring
Lake Township, and others to come on out to the high school at the lower lot. Um, it's a communitywide event. We'll have plenty of food trucks, family-friendly activities. Uh, we'll probably have our own in-house DJ again. And uh we also have um something new this year and
that's the uh stuff the bus school supply drive. So a great opportunity and I think it's going to be stuff the bus trailer technically um just so that kids can get onto the bus and tour the bus and turn on the lights and open doors and all that. So we'll have a trailer to pack everything. But again, last year
was our inaugural event of that and it was packed and uh we want to make sure that our community comes out for that. We're really looking forward to a nice way to kick off the spirit of the new school year. And then lastly, um just uh uh as we all are anxious to uh bring our
kids back, we also as the adults get anxious of bringing the adults back. And so we are bringing our um staff back on August 28th or August 26th. Sorry, I almost gave you two more days of summer vacation. August 26th at 7:30 in the
morning. Um that's again uh at uh the high school. So always looking forward to a great um all staff welcome. introducing the board, new staff members, and just the new theme of the year as well. So, looking forward to a lot of great events coming up. And that's all I have, chair. All right. Thank you.
We have uh no proclamations this evening. So, this brings us to the open forum. This is a 15minute period of time set aside for the board to receive citizen input. Please uh respect the 3minut time limit that each speaker has. We have three speakers tonight. Uh first
up is Becca Moser. Uh, good evening. I am here tonight to ask the board members to stop using language that hurts our students and families. When I watched Director Atkinson's language and behavior at the July board
meeting, I was appalled. So, when Director Atkinson recently celebrated its media coverage in a public Facebook post and asked a community member, quote, "Can you please help me understand how I promoted anti-trans talking points in my post?"
I appealed to her directly and I said using language like quote biological male and quote biological female is hurtful to many trans and gender non-conforming students. Stop it.
I was met with mockery and accused of harassment. So I am here now to ask the board for support. I will tell you what I told her before I left the online discourse. I'm not here to harass. I am here as a
human asking you to stop hurting people. I spoke with my child about this interaction with the board director and their response was quote, "Ew, gross. No, that's not okay."
I asked to make sure I wasn't speaking incorrectly on how using anti-trans language like biological whatever instead of how their friends identify is hurtful and they say it is. I believe them.
I'm a parent in the district and I've been a Savage resident for 21 years. I know many LGBTQ plus members of our community and kids within the district. I spent a day at Pride with some of them.
I'm not asking for a list of politically correct terms for you to use. I am pleading for board members to stop knowingly hurting people. I'm here tonight telling you that students say it's hurtful
and that should be enough for all of you to take seriously. So by whatever means you have, can you please commit to decency on this matter and the larger issue of
supporting our LGBTQ plus students? We would not tolerate this behavior from our students. My kid is right. What's happening now is gross. Thank you.
[Applause] Thank you, Becca. Next on the docket is Maryanne Vanasi. Hope I got that right. Good evening. My name is Mary Anne Vanasi. I lived in
I've lived in Savage for um since 2009. And I'm the proud grandparent of an a transg grandchild and a gay grandchild. Neither of whom who have ever been to a Prior Lake Savage school because they
don't live here. And besides, they're all older than that right now. But I have I come to you tonight because I did send to uh Chairman White a uh a piece of research by their world which is
spelled t h i e r w o r l d and that is an organization a charitable organization and they did research which shows that um there's alarming new data that usg
GTQ plus students are twice as likely to drop out of high school. Um, and it it costs our economy when that happens. And so I bring that to the board's attention today because I'm not sure if um,
Chairman White passed that on to you or not. So I want you to to uh, be cognizant of this kind of research and what it might mean to students in Prior Lake. Um it shows that
suggests that more than one in every 10 LGBTQ plus students in the US does not complete high school compared to um and that's uh 11.6% 6%
and that's compares to 5.7% across the country's education system. And um it also projections show that a dropout rate of between 8.3% and 14% for
LBGTQ plus high school students in the US has a midpoint of 11.6%. The national figure is higher than the nation's most comparable neighbor, Canada, which has a projected dropout
rate of 9.9%. The projection suggests that more than 650,000 LGBTQ plus students currently aged 12 to 17 in the US are at
risk of not completing high school. Research predict long-term term economic consequences running into the billions, projecting each graduating class of LGBTQ
plus students who leave school early cost the US economy up to 706 million over a working lifetime. This equates to more than 30 billion for each cohort of students not graduating from high
school. In a quote from the researcher who did the study says, "When we fail to nurture all young people, we face not only a moral dilemma but a ser but serious economic
consequences. So I bring that to your attention as you consider the role of policy as schoolboard members. Thank you. Thank you. And our last speaker is Jason Anderson. Good evening board.
I come saddened to read the news of a situation within our beloved Prior Lake and Savage community. I would like to give a PSA to the knowledge of an open investigation by the Prior Lake Police Department and the Minnesota Attorneys General's office
to a sexual assault incident to a minor by a minor occurring Tuesday, August 5th at Thomas Ryan Memorial Field. This was conducted by the Prior Lake Athletics for Youth Organization, which operates many of its functions and activities on Prior Lake Area School
Fields and Gyms. I urge all parents to talk to their kids about what to do if verbal or physical assault or harassment happens to them or someone else. I know that Prior Lake Area School has a strict anti-bully policy which I would urge the
school board and members schoolboard members and the community members all of us to expect all organizations to enforce a similar policy on Prior Lake area school or Savage and Prior Lake public property
involving students and children. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] All right. Uh, next up is the approval of the agenda.
Make sure that Charles can hear. Yeah. Are you Can you hear Charles? Yep, I can hear everybody. Thank you. Uh, the approval agenda. I'll entertain a motion to approve tonight's agenda as presented. So made by Director Atinson. Second. Second
by Director Bullion. Any discussion? Hearing none, we will be taking roll call votes all night due to Charles remote attendance. So, we'll start it with Jess I. And M Lisa I. Amy I. Uh Mary I. And Charles
I. And I. That motion carries 6. Next up is the consent agenda. These are items that are considered routine in nature and will be enacted with with one motion. Uh, is there anything that anyone would like pulled off the consent agenda for
separate discussion? All right, hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to uh accept or to uh accept the consent agenda as presented. So made by Mary. Second. Second by Jess. Any discussion?
Hearing none. We'll start with Jess at the end. I. And Lisa, I. Amy, I Mary I. and Charles I and I that carries 6. Next we're moving down to uh personnel
items. Um we have a new PLSAS administrator. Uh Director Kudson sorry pinch it here. Uh thank you Chair White. I just want to uh introduce Mr. Robert Coularn um who will be joining uh
the PLSAS family as our new executive uh director of administrative services. Uh Robert comes to us from uh uh Rochester Public Schools and uh he's here tonight if he wants to come forward and just to say a quick hello. Thank you for making that trek up here.
And we're we're thrilled um to have him uh join the team. um his background and experiences in a very large system um very complicated uh system uh but more so just knowing all the technical aspects of what's um moving forward with
contracts etc um in in K12 industry he possesses a wealth of knowledge in that and so just truly uh grateful for you to join the team and turn it to you if you want to say a few words about yourself well thank you very much yes uh like uh uh Superintendent Thomas said I come from Rochester public schools I've been
there the last 14 Uh my wife Elis is here in the audience as well. She drove up with me to to see this and uh super excited to be part of this family. Uh since I've made it official down in Rochester, I can't tell you how many people have come to me and said they started their career here or
they worked at Prior Lake at some time or they lived in this community and just told me how how awesome everything is about it. So I'm extremely excited, extremely blessed um to be here and can't wait to be a Laker. Thank you. Welcome.
Thank you. [Applause] Okay. Then I will entertain a motion to accept Robert Ktherern as our next executive director of administrative services. By Amy, second by Jess. Any discussion
hearing? None. Jess, we'll start with you again. Welcome. I Lisa I. Amy I Mary I and Charles I and I that motion carries at 6. Next is uh the extension of the uh the
term of the interim executive director of administrative services Dr. Thomas. Thank you chair whiteboard of directors. Um before you you have an extension of the interim appointment uh that Michael Kudson has so graciously accepted in this time of transition. Um and so we
needed to it was through the uh month of July but because of negotiating times and everything like that um uh he'll be doing this through uh the 15th and so just wanted to extend that extra time for him in that interim capacity through August 15th and that's what we are
seeking um your action for. All right, I'll entertain a motion to accept the extension of of interim director Kadudson's um time. So made by Mary second. Second by Amy. Any discussion
and Jess? Thank you. I Lisa I Amy. Thank you for your flexibility. I Mary. Charles I and I. That motion carries 6. All right. We have no unfinished
business. We move down to new business. Uh budget update enrollment report. Director Ryder. Good evening and thank you. Um so in the tonight's report we have the enrollment history that you've seen in the past with a slight change to it that I'd like
to talk to you about and the kindergarten enrollment. Um, as we look at the enrollment history, you'll find that the rows are are numbered and as you go down looking at the school year 2425, which is the past school year, you
will see that every month you were given numbers for enrollment. Those numbers for enrollment are of a um a head count you might say or cheeks and seeds, butts and seeds, right? So that
is what those numbers reflect and throughout the school year. That's what you would expect to see is the count of how many students there are in each of the different grade levels and what those numbers look like at the end of or at the timing of each month's report.
Okay, I added row 13. Row 13 now is taking a look back at last year and now we have reported our numbers through the stateedit process. And that's when you're able then to see how
the parts of students enrollments throughout the year have added up and what is the equivalent average daily membership then for all of the students. You can't do that really throughout the school year because you need to see kind of okay of all of the days that they
could be here what days were they with us what days were they with another school district. And when it passes through the state edit system, that means they're comparing all of the school districts. So if every student has an ID number, a student can't be in
two places on the same day. So if there is a problem like that, it's called an error. And they put it back through for the districts to work out. And we have until the end of December to square all those errors away. Okay? So when you hear us talking on a month-to-month basis throughout the school year, those
are going to be more headcount. Whereas when we get to this point in time and we're looking back, the numbers are going to look different because they are a different um reflection of those numbers. It means something different. Now it's an average daily membership and that is what is the basis of the revenue
calculations that we have for purposes of audit and for funding. Okay. So um it would be my practice then moving forward that as we have new runs we'd be showing that as a comparison so you can see how that might be shifting or not shifting.
Okay. We will be using these numbers at this point in time for our audit because those are the latest numbers. We will check them one more time before the audit is issued just to see the latest then and make sure there's no need for an adjustment of any kind at that point. So that's the enrollment report I have
for you. If we look at the kindergarten enrollment report now, we're switching over to the the new year. Um, so you see here now 25 26 at the top of the kindergarten enrollments and um
you're seeing a comparison to every other school year at this point in time in that year. Okay? And as you make those comparisons, you can see what we're seeing is that it's about 96 to 98% or on average of all the years shown
97% of the way there. Okay. So the count that we show right now as of August 1st is 515. That 515 if we assume 97% of that number has been calculated, it would mean then
that we would anticipate an count of 531 kindergarteners. So this is um a report we just try to update and you can see the history all the way back through when did we start this? February 3rd. Okay. So we'll
continue this process until we get to that October one piece and um or I think it's actually when school begins. We'll continue through the month of September. So you can see that and um there is always then the shifts that will happen at the start of the school year where you find that there are students who may
look as though they're enrolled but then they they go elsewhere possibly or um or they're just they're not on our list any longer and they have to be dropped. Right. So I do anticipate there will be some shifts to these numbers but this is kindergarten only in this report
and that's the enrollment. Any questions for director Ryder? Okay, moving down to the budget calendar which we will need to take action on. Director Ryder, thank you. Uh the budget calendar is a timeline for the 2026 2027 budget
planning. I take a look at this calendar and I know that this calendar actually reflects three different school years. Okay? And the reason I say that is because beginning in July is when we start pulling our data together that we have to submit to the state of Minnesota
for the process of them providing us what they call levy certification sheets. And in September, you have the opportunity to certify that preliminary levy on a maximum basis. Um with all the formulas having been calculated by the state at that point in time, leaving an
opportunity for any November elections. Then you then certify final in December. That's the beginning of our cycle for the 2627 school year. Okay? So that that's already started now. And so when you see reflections of that levy
process, that's that's for that school year, the 2627 school year. You will also see within this budget planning document indications of the 2526 budget where we're just watching our we're comparing our enrollment. for example,
we're taking a look at the revision to any necess necessary changes to the current year budget and we're executing that budget, right? So throughout the school year, you're we're working off that budget. We're working on making sure it's as accurate as possible. You will also note that on October 13th,
what's listed here is a board meeting to review audit presentation. Here's where you're looking back at the previous year. And with that information we get from that audit presentation, we will use that information to consider if that changes or modifies anything about our
expectations for the future and how we might want to adjust the current year budget or even future plans. Okay. So this is a a timeline for the 2627 budget planning. It's very similar in nature to the previous year's timeline as to the
content days shifted somewhat. Um included in here you will see that there is indication of finance and operations advisory committee. So we are expanding that and including the operations. We've expanded the opportunity for applications and welcome anyone to
please apply. Um and so that's a part of our process as well for budget development. questions. Any questions? Yeah, I have a Yeah, I have a question. Thank you. Um, just one thing regarding the finance and advisory committee
meetings. Um, notice that they shifted to a Wednesday versus they were on a Tuesday. Um, is that something we could bring to the committee for discussion as far as what works best for everybody's calendar? Um, yeah. Um, we've had there's three different active um, groups that are now
out there again for applications and there has been some shifting of days from Thursday to Tuesday and then Tuesday to Wednesday. So, we can talk that through, see if we can figure that out moving forward, but even though if we approve this, can that still change or do we have to bring it back up for approval?
Um, if I if I can add to this. So, this is this is draft. This is subject to change. um you're you're you're approving the general flow of what we have. There will be some es and flows that we need. We're meeting next Monday, I believe, in the afternoon. We're going to talk through a little bit about some
of the that meeting cadence. Um you know, due to some of the other committees shifting days and how we tried to not be on the same morning because some of us present at both so we can't split ourselves. Um so we're going to have to work through some of that. So, as long as the board knows th this
is probably, you know, 95% set. There's going to be about a 5% wiggle room on some things, a committee might say, you know, we're going to move our date or, you know, we're not quite ready for the um town hall yet because we want to look at these numbers that might shift a week. So, but you get the general cadence is what you're approving
tonight. Okay. So, that's perfect. Thank you for clarifying that. Any other questions? All right. Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve the budget calendar as presented. Mary second. Second
by Lisa. Any further discussion? Hearing none. We'll start with Jess on the end. I Lisa I. Amy I. And Mary I. Charles I. And I. That motion carries 6.
All right. Setting the levy meeting date. the truth and taxation hearing. Director Ryder, every year there is a truth and taxation hearing required of a school district and ours is typically set in that meeting in December and uh so it is
suggested that that meeting date be December 8th, 2025 at the board meeting at the start of the board meeting. Okay, I'll entertain a motion to set December 8th as the truth and taxation hearing. So made by Lisa. Second. Second
by Amy. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none. We'll start with Jess again. I. And Lisa. I. Amy. I. Mary. I. And Charles. I. And I. That carries. 6.
All right. Now we have uh a resolution calling for a special election to fill a schoolboard vacancy. I will entertain a motion to accept the resolution uh as presented. So made by director Bullan. Second. Second by director Atinson. Any questions or
discussion? Hearing none. Start at the end. Jess I. Lisa I. Amy I. Mary I. And Charles I. And I. That motion carries 6. Next on the agenda is the 2526 PL Savage
area schools policies for parent student handbooks. Dr. Thomas. Thank you, Chair White, board of directors. Um, what you have in the packet this evening are the uh electronic hyperlinks to all the policies that are embedded in all school handbooks. As those policies have been
revised, they um get updated so that parents have the most um updated versions of every policy that we expect would be aligning to their um student and or their family. So that's what you're approving tonight, the ones that um are in those handbooks every year
that they're updated. All right. I'll entertain a motion to accept these policies as presented. So by Jess, second by Amy. Any other discussion, questions? I had one thing. Um under title nine, um
Emily Herman is still listed, so we'll need to get that changed. Oh, as the contact now that we have the as the coordinator. Yeah. with the official um hiring. We'll we'll get that changed overnight. Just wanted to make sure it was Thank you. there.
Any other questions or comments? Hearing none. We'll start with Jess again. I uh Lisa I Amy I Mary I. Charles I and I that motion carries 6.
Moving down to policy. We have a second and final reading uh policy 9004. I'll entertain a motion to accept policy 904 as presented with changes that we agreed to at our last uh study session. So made by Amy, second by Lisa.
Any discussion hearing? None. We'll start with Jess and the end. I Lisa I. Amy I. Mary I. Charles I. And I that motion carries 6.
And the next policies we have policy 414, 418, 515, 707,709, and 802. We are asking for a first and only reading tonight as these changes are um just statutory in nature and the the
body of the language remains unchanged. It's just updating them to reflect current state law. So I will entertain a motion to accept those policies as presented. So made by Amy. Second. Second by Mary. Any questions or discussion?
Um I just have a question. So will these policies still go through the normal cycle for other um review? Um uh Director Atkinson. Yes. Um as the 400s or the 700s, etc. come through. Um, even though these changes were made
based on state statute, it would just still be reviewed in that body or that series. Okay. And or sequence. Yeah, they're sequence. Thank you for clarifying that. I would assume that they as as director Herman had stated before she left that maybe there's going to be some changes.
So, leaving up to the new Yep. Uh, director to determine the cadence of the policies going. could be block numbers, could be sequence of similar topics. You know, that's something that I know we've already spoken with our board, current board reps about and uh that definitely would carry
forward uh with Rob and team. Okay. Anything else? Um I had a couple things. Yes, Jess. Um just uh quick questions on 515. Um Liz's name is there and I assume that's one of those situations where we
have to list a name, correct? I'm just confirming. Okay, great. Um, and then in 709, I'm sorry if I can skip a Is that okay? Um, turning my page here. Um, I I was just
curious why the deadline section was deleted. Is that a statutory thing or which which one or which section? Uh, sorry. Under C section two. Mhm. was all deleted. I was just curious as
to why. Yeah. This is just to reflect the current practice of of state law. Um that's that's the only reason that this was deleted. But I thought I thought those deadlines had to be in
place though. Sorry, I don't mean to be dense. I really don't. I thought we had to have deadlines for students to get safety training by a certain point. We we right now as the state law um sets
we have to have them in, you know, every year, but when we do those timings or when we do those trainings is is not something that's written into law. Okay. We do have to annually do them.
Okay. I thought Can I expand on that question? Um because I had the I I had that flagged as well because it wasn't redlined and so I was just curious as to um if that was an update to the statute or are we
just um are we modeling are we just making the change based on an how the statute is written? We are that is the changes that you have here are the technicals to model after the statute.
So we h the way that we had it prior was over and above statute and we are okay that makes sense and not locking us into I figured that line but being that it wasn't redlined I thought maybe there
was so that makes sense. Thank you. Any other questions? Everybody clear on what this all Okay. I I had one comment. Um and this is just my pet peeve because I do write policy quite a bit. We um I noticed that a lot of the
numbers of the statutes were embedded now into the paragraphs, which is up to the discretion of administration how they want to do it. Um but um we had previously said to remove those and then only reference them in the legal
statutes at the bottom so they'd be easier to maintain and change. Um so again um just a just a comment. It's it's not a question or or asked to change. I just thought it'd be easier to the reason why it was put the other way was to
sure be better maintainable and also have hyperlinks to eventually hyperlinks to the statutes when we go fully electronic instead of manually having to go into each one when statutes that are constantly repeated
change a number or update a version or something like that. Not substantive, just maintenance. Oh, I was just looking. And I pulled up MSBA model policy and it does state the 2025 Minnesota legislature repealed Minnesota statute section 123b.935
subdivision 2 which was the language that was deleted. So just for your reference, any other comments, questions? Hearing none, we will uh start with Jess at the end. I I Lisa I
Amy I and Mary I Charles I and I that motion carries 6. Moving down to administrative reports. Any administrators have anything to report during the summer? I would anticipate
not. That's okay. Anything from the from the board? No. Okay. I had I had a couple things. Okay. Um I just uh I since we had a a meeting um
we met at the board retreat and I I just wanted to say I appreciated the um positive collaboration and the vision the vision we set as we welcome the new senior leaders. um looking forward to um
upcoming the upcoming setting of goals in tandem with Dr. Thomas's goals that align to our strategic plan. Um so I'm looking forward to that. Um I also uh wrote uh this Thursday is the youth and art
craft market at Tom's from 4 to 6. And last year was the first year that I attended it and it was great. So that's all I got. Yeah. Take our money. It's so good. It's so good. Thank you for saying that. Christmas present.
All right. Thank you, Amy. Yeah. If that's it, we have uh just some future events that you can take note of. And if there's nothing else to come before the board, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. So made. By Lisa. Second. Second
by Amy. All in favor? Uh we'll start at the end. I Lisa I Amy I Mary I and Charles I and I that motion carry 6 and we are journed.
Ow.