I now call this meeting of the school board of independent school district 624 to order. Will the clerk please call the role? >> Striki >> here. >> Arin >> here. >> Here. >> Daniels here. Ellison >> here. Scar >> here. >> Okay. Will you please stand for 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.
>> We have before us an agenda. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? >> So moved. >> Allison, do you have a second? Second >> second by Daniels. >> Is there any discussion >> Mr. Scar? >> Yeah, I would like to add something to
the agenda which is uh discussion on the AP physics ENM to this high school curriculum as a discussion matter. >> All right. So, we have a far a motion was made to discuss the AP physics curriculum.
>> And um is there a second? Is there a second? >> Can I make a comment? >> No. No. >> Okay. No. >> There's nothing on the table to comment on. >> Got it. >> And last time, uh is there a second? Hearing none, the the motion fails. Now,
in [snorts] front of us, we have a motion before us for the agenda. It's been it's been made and seconded. Any further discussion? Hearing none, this will be a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed? Nay. >> Motion carries.
>> Are we going to talk about the consent agenda? >> That'll be coming. >> Okay. Thank you. I don't see it on our agenda. The consent agenda >> reorganization is next. >> Yeah. So, but we don't have the consent on there right now. >> It's after. >> Okay. Make it sure. >> I wanted to make sure I didn't miss it.
So, I'm doing my due diligence for a sir. >> I appreciate that. >> Uh, nominations are now in order for the school board. Are there any nominations for the office for the school board? >> Mr. Chair, >> Miss Ellison, >> I would like to make some nominations. >> Yes, ma'am. >> I nominate Scott Arand for chair. >> I nominate Angela Thompson for vice
chair. I nominate Kathleen Daniels as clerk. I nominate Deoid as treasurer. >> Okay. Are there any other nominations? Any other offices? Any other nominations?
Um, I guess I want to ask uh, Vice Chair Thompson, do you accept the nomination? >> I do. >> And uh, Miss Beloy, you accept the nomination? >> I do. >> And Miss Daniels, do you accept the nomination? >> I do. >> All right. Are there any further
nominations for the any of the offices? Any further nominations? If no further nominations, nominations are now closed. So has been elected to chair. Arcan has been elected. The vice chair um M um
Thompson has been elected to clerk and >> n sorry vice chair Daniels have been elected to clerk and to treasure by acclamation. Yep. I was just going to Is that good?
>> Okay, now we can move on. Next on the agenda, um I'd like to do the approval of the table portion of the November 10th minutes. As at December 8th meeting, the school board meeting of the A5G and B
portions of the November 10th minutes were not were tabled. The board must take action on these portions. Can I get a motion to approve those two uh portions as they appear? >> So moved. >> Who's that? >> Ellison. Second. >> Second.
>> Second by Stripe OG. Discussion. Could you could we could you chair? Could you read the um the motion to approve um that tabled motion? The first one. >> I got to pull it up. It's going to be right here.
>> Would you like me to read it? >> Yeah, you can. I was just pulling it up the >> No problem. [clears throat] This is A5G quarterly revenue and expenditure report. Thompson moved and Bloyd second to approve the monthly invoices all of which met the standards and guidelines
as set forth by the school board and the quarterly revenue and expenditure report. >> Can you read the second one as well? >> Yeah, pardon me. I didn't hear that. >> Will you read the second? >> Oh, sure. Uh, public forum. Scar began
to discuss. Ellison made a point of order that the agenda does not allow for discussion during the public forum portion of the meeting. So, the motion in front of us is to accept the items as they were shown in the agenda.
Any further any discussion to accept them how they are? >> I have a point. just the [clears throat] way that it reads, it's as if um the board is we're we're approving those invoices and
we're also attesting that they met the standards and guidelines as set forth by the board and the quarterly revenue and expenditure report. For us to attest to that means we would have to be involved in the review and approval of those
invoices. So my alternative would be something would be like the staff recommends that [clears throat] excuse me the staff recommends that the board approve the payments as meeting the board policies and guidelines and the
quarterly revenue and expenditure report. The reason I'm doing that is because I don't think we should be stepping in the shoes of staff. And I think that that the way that motion reads, it puts an obligation on the board that an implied obligation that we
have reviewed and attested to all those invoices, which I don't believe we have. So that's my point. So I'm respectfully requesting that it be changed to that.
>> Okay. Any further discussion? you making an formal motion to change that? >> Yes. >> Okay. The motion is to make that change. Is there a second? >> Is there Is there a second?
>> Is there a second? >> I'm not hearing a second. So, we're not going to change right now. The motion says to approve A5G and B um as it appears in the November 10th minutes. Any further discussion?
All right, hearing him. Um, I'm going to make this a roll call vote. So, there's no there's no um Sorry, let let the clerk call the role on this. >> Okay, >> I >> Thompson. I >> Aran.
>> I >> Daniels. I >> Ellison. >> Hi, >> Scar. >> No. >> Okay, motion carries. Okay, we now we have before us a consent agenda. Um,
this contains a variety of business items that come to us monthly, including donations. We are truly grateful for the donations and the support from that we get from the community. Uh, and we we we're very thankful for that. So, in front of us, we have the consent agenda. Can I get a motion to approve the
consent agenda? >> So, moved >> by Strife OG. A second. >> Second. >> Second by Daniels. Any discussion? Chair. Yes. >> I would like to take item B, payment of invoices, off the consent agenda and put
it on the regular agenda. >> Okay. So, we can do that and that'll that'll actually happen. >> Chair, I object to the consideration of the question. >> Okay. Do we have a reasoning behind? >> It doesn't. It's it's a deluatory motion
that is improper and misused for the purpose of obstructing business. It is absurd in substance frivolous. I mean, I could go on, but that's I'm objecting to the question. I don't need to have a second. It isn't a debatable question. It just
needs to be voted on >> by the whole group. >> Yes, we need a twothirds uh vote against the consideration >> or against the question >> and there's no discussion for it. So, can we Yes. A item on the consent agenda can be moved by the into the regular agenda by
any board member. >> An objection to consider the question is not debatable. It just needs to be seconded and then it needs a two-thirds vote. >> That is not true. We are contrary to Robert rules of law. So right now before us we've asked to
pull the um the checks and the invoices paid off the consent and move to a separate item. >> Mhm. >> And we have an objection to that. >> Yes. >> Do we have a second? Share the objection.
>> A second to the objection. >> Do we need a second for yours? >> We need a second to my objection to allow his question to be considered. Do we have an objection to allow that? >> Help me understand what we're asking for right now. >> We're asking for She has made a motion
to uh not allow the a question. So to do that, we would need a second >> to not allow it to be pulled off the consent agenda. I second. >> Okay. >> And then we need a two-thirds vote. >> So for this to move forward, we need a two-thirds vote. Um, I'm going to go
ahead and use a voice votes. No, I can't. It's money involved. I'm going to go ahead and call a roll call vote. So, call the roll. >> Stri >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Aran. >> I. >> Floyd. >> I. >> Daniels. I. >> Ellison.
>> I. >> Scar. >> No. And I think it's ridiculous for the board. >> I think it's ridiculous for you to continue to silence me. Okay. So now we have the original motion to
accept um the the consent agenda as it was presented. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. This will also be a roll call vote. Will the clerk please call the role? >> Strip. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I.
>> Aran. >> I. >> Lloyd. >> I. >> Daniels. I. Ellison. >> Hi. >> Scar. >> No. Motion carries. We are now to the public forum portion of the meeting. Um this is an opportunity for the public to
talk to the school board and give us information. It uh you'll be allowed up to three minutes per speaker with a one minute. You'll see the orange card be held up to to show you have one minute. Then at 30 seconds you'll see the yellow card and at the end of three minutes we
will let you know your time is up. School district policy and data privacy laws preclude personal and student matters or data from being discussed publicly. Speakers may not make allegations, charges, or complaints against any student or employee. Speakers will be called to the
microphone and recognized one at a time. Only those individuals have been recognized will be allowed to speak. Members of the audience may not engage in conduct that disrupts any part of the schoolboard meeting or that otherwise impedes school board's ability to conduct bis conduct business.
Right. Thank you, Chair Aran, members of the board. Tonight, we proudly celebrate the achievements of a central student who made it to state in the VFW's Patriot uh Patriots pen essay contest and fall musical participants who received Henipin Arts Spotlight Awards. Congratulations to each of you for your
state level recognition. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the dedicated staff and supportive family members who played a vital role in these successes. In recognition of their accomplishments, students have received a certificate, bear pin, and letter acknowledging their achievements. Now, please join us in
watching a video highlighting their accomplishments. Go Bears! [music] >> [music] >> Hey, hey, hey. >> [music] [music] [music] >> Hey.
>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Yeah, impressive impressive. [applause] Some of them are some of them are here tonight. >> I'd like to move on toformational item
C2, superintendent report. Dr. Kasmichek again. >> Thank you again, Chair Arcan. It's time once again to celebrate professional excellence as part of the White Bear Lake Area Educators Teacher of the Year program. Community members, families, students, and colleagues are invited to submit nominations, which opened today
and will close at 4 pm Monday, February 9th. You can find complete information in the nomination form on the district's website. The 44th annual Jazz nightclub event is taking place on Saturday, February 21st in the high school student union. Tickets are available through February
10th on the Huddle app, which can be found linked on the activities website under the ticketing tab. This is always a terrific night to enjoy live music while supporting our students. The recent snow, ice, and cold weather provide a reminder to once again invite the community to use u the fieldhouse
walking track, which is open from 6 to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Um there's no cost uh to u uh take part, and we ask that those who participate uh to wear clean, dry shoes. As we were reminded last week with a
two-hour late start, it is important to remember the emergency school closing information process in case there is a need for it. If winter weather is so severe that schools need to close, start late, or dismissed early, the news will be shared through local media outlets and district families will be alerted through a parent square, phone message,
text message, and email. A message will be posted on the district web um visit the district homepage, and the messages will be posted on the district's Facebook and Twitter pages. And finally, any of you who have seen last night's community e newswsletter video edition will be familiar with my last uh report item tonight. The
district's building our future website page as a new addition, the 2025 video update. These projects highlights have been pulled together each year going back to 2020. And the set of videos showcases the construction journey we've taken, and it's uh fun to see how far we've come. Thank you again to our
community for supporting the 2019 bond referendum that made these facilities improvements possible for our students and families. That's it. Thank you. All right. We're going to move on to information item C3, overview of Welcome to White Bear Lake, update registration
information. Thank you. >> Hi there. Uh good evening to uh Chair Arand, our uh school board members, and our student representatives as well. My name is Marissa Vetti. I'm the communications director, and I have been working with our schools for something
that we call welcome to White Bear Month. Um, and so I'm excited to be here and to give you a little bit of a glimpse at what we're up to. Uh, it's crazy to think that we're already planning for the fall of 2026, uh, while we're in the middle of 2526 school year,
but here we are. And we're excited, uh, to really welcome our families in. And so, we will get started here. Um, we'll start with elementary and I'll give a description of some of the activities that we're you um that we are going through in welcoming our incoming
kindergarten students and families. As you can see from the information that's listed on our welcome to Whitebear website, uh we have a lot of activities that we have planned uh to bring brand new families into our elementary experience. So, in uh in fact, we
actually started this endeavor in the fall. We started by asking our current families and families in the community to let us know if they have incoming kindergarten students. And we had uh we had almost 450 people who, you know, said, "Pick me, pick me, make sure I'm
on the list." So that was really fun to be able to make sure that we are not missing anybody. So when we had that information, some of the families were already on the list that we we consider our incoming families. And then there were others that that we didn't know were there. We didn't know were in the houses. So, it was a really great way
for us to make sure that we are welcoming our entire community of our our little kindergarten bears into all of the activities that we have going on and getting them the information in hand. So when we got the information in hand for them, our kindergarten packet
uh contained the our elementary guide and then they also um contained elementary experiences postcards, large scale postcards or bookmarks that we mailed to families in English, Spanish, and m. And that was really an opportunity for us to share information
with families of experiences that they can uh they can do together with their with their children and experiences that they can work on with their child um as they're preparing for kindergarten. So that's something that our early childhood program helped us put together and our I think our families appreciate
that little nudge of or nugget of information as they're preparing their their little ones. Uh within the packet, we also of course made sure that we mentioned that as the enrollment process was complete, an I'm a bear t-shirt that you've probably seen little ones running around in uh in the community wearing uh
making sure that families understand that when that process is complete, they'll get a fun package in the mail along with a note from their school. Um, rumor has it that it's a really popular package uh to receive in the mail, both with the little bears and uh with the families, although the families are
probably a little more bittersweet about the package than than the little ones are who are pretty excited to join us. So, additionally, uh the packets do have mention of two specialized programs that we offer as well. Um so our international balora program that takes
place at Matosska International and then our um elementary Spanish dual immersion program that is offered both at Matoska and at Otter Lake Elementary. So transportation is available to all of our district resident uh families for either of those programs at either of
those two locations. The IB program has been available to our families for quite a few years. And then the uh dual immersion Spanish program was just offered uh last year, last fall for the first time. So this year's kindergarten class is is the inaugural class. Um and
then they will move on to first grade Spanish immersion while our incoming kindergarteners and we'll will join them right behind. So that's been exciting to be able to share with families continue to share with families as well. Uh so some other things that we we have on the docket for welcoming our family. Once
again, this year, uh, we have a billboard along Highway or Interstate 35E to let our community know that we're currently accepting, um, enrollments and and actually the photo that's on the billboard, it was fun. Uh, one of our our Facebook posts, the the mom of of
the little girl said, I'm so excited to see my little one. I don't know uh that she knows that I saw it, but I didn't. And that was a really fun fun way to make our day that we made her day. So, that was fun. And then um we also produced a video with our elementary principles that you may uh remember that
you saw back in November, the principles welcoming the families. And again at that point it was telling them uh to let us know if they want the kindergarten information. Um and then of course you probably also remember we left that video at the end with a homecoming assignment that will come in for years
to come or come in handy for those students for years to come with the Go Bears cheer and learning that with their family. Another video that we produced was our elementary experiences video and we um we did that again for this year and it is uh focused and and featured on
our elementary academics page as well as on the enroll page as well. And then additionally we mailed a postcard to all of our families who had received the kindergarten packet and mailed a postcard to remind them to enroll and then also to let them know about open houses that we offered to our incoming
kindergarten families. and we'll talk about that a bit more on this next slide. Um, so some of the new experiences that we implemented this year for our welcome to White Bear uh month um have have been really fun ones to work on. So, first we
worked with our uh Willow Lane Elementary uh to create a video that showcases what a typical day in kindergarten in White Bear Lake uh White Bear Lake Area schools might look like. While each school does things a little bit differently, really the core instruction models that are followed at
the schools are the same. And so I'll play a quick video here that I I think you'll enjoy as much as as we do. Um, so you can see an educational day through the eyes of some of our youngest students. Heat. Heat. >> [music]
>> Heat. Hey, Heat. All right. So, if you watched that and wondered um or wished that you could be a kindergartener again, I will tell you, you're not the only one. Um we've heard that from a few people. And so, that that again was a really fun way to capture the excitement and really
capture the experience of our kindergarten students and share that with the families as they're they're considering White Bear for their kiddos. Uh so secondarily, you'll see on this slide, um we added something new or added something back this year that is pretty exciting for me as well. We
offered our families to come in and take a tour and and check out the building in sort of an open openhouse tour style um to just see for themselves and learn a bit more about the school. So we had more than 150 families who RSVPd to attend those openhouse tours throughout
the um throughout the district. And if you saw the video last Friday in our week at 62.4 second video update, we highlighted a couple of those uh the building the building tours. I myself was at Birch getting some of the footage and it was really fun to see the
families getting questions answered and really fun really to see the little ones. They were so confident and so curious and felt right at home in the media center and sort of looking around peeking peeking through all of the places uh that will be theirs their spot
uh next year. So that was really fun to see them really exploring and making it their own. So moving on to exploring and making it their own. Our middle school students are also in the midst of um planning for their incoming sixth grade, seventh
grade, and eighth grade opportunities or experiences. So, the registration window is now open and it will be closing next week already. Um along with the information that was shared in registration nights that were hosted, the registration guide is available for
families that really um gives the lay of the land for what's happening at middle school and what's happening in the curriculum. And that um that gives families of course a glimpse of of what is going on there. And then an elementary experiences video of course is also posted on the district's website
on the academics pages for middle school. Something that our principles did this year that was new um was in they did this back in October. They invited the families district families district resident families who live in the
district but don't attend our schools invited them to come in have pizza with the principal learn a bit about the district. And so um both central and uh mariner principles hosted events and invited people to come in and then those families were also invited to attend the
registration events in that as well. So moving on to high school the same story that um the incoming class of incoming nth 10th 11th and 12th grade families are uh were invited last week for a parent information night at the
high school. And then additionally, the high school students themselves had a registration fair um during the school day and then the registration window is open currently and that one lasts a little longer. Uh the registration window will close on January 23rd.
And so something that changed last year and that continues to this uh this current year as well is that the registration during the registration process the course catalog is available online. So, it's searching um searching and really looking at the the available
classes in a way that's more we've been told by some of you on the schoolboard as well um looking through the the class listings in a way that makes a lot of sense and that makes it a lot easier to go through the process. So, we were excited to be able to do that again and
again the the feedback from both the students and the families has been really positive for that. And then of course another online element is the um [clears throat] the experiences video that we have posted on the academics page of the high school. So similar to
the experience for the middle school families who live in the resident families who live in the district but do not attend our schools, we did also invite um families in for pizza with principal to learn about the high school. And uh we heard good things about that. In fact um at one of our
coffee with Dr. K events. We heard uh good feedback that that that event it was um appreciation for hosting the event and acknowledging that it was is well attended and and really in helpful and informational for families. Um so
again, those families were also invited to our high school registration events um in that happened last week. And then last but not least, our early childhood program will very soon uh be accepting res uh registrations in late January.
They'll host or the registration guide will be available and then they will host openhouse events at Normandy at the elementary schools where our preschool is taking place and then at Tamarack Nature Center. And uh then these events will be these activities will be done in
preparation for the registration window that opens on February 2nd at 8 a.m. I know that there are many families who sort of watch the clock and and wait for that to happen as well to get into their their chosen preschool. And so with that, as you can see, we have a lot of
fun things happening that we have done and that we continue to do to welcome our families into White Bear in the middle of this school year, preparing for next school year. Uh we're excited to finish this school year strong, of course, but then looking forward to a really great uh fall 2026 as well. So,
are there any questions at all? >> Any questions from the board? >> Mr. Scar, a question. >> Yeah. Um, [snorts] do you know how our enrollment, this is questions about enrollment and [clears throat] that upfront part seems to me it would help
enrollment but our enrollment hasn't really improved. Do you have any pulse and this is for the superintendent as well. Why isn't our enrollment where it was projected to be when we did the referendum which was over 10,000?
I calculated just off an [snorts] and or off an napkin that there's probably a little bit north of 12,000 K through 12 students in our district. I don't know what the number is. >> Sure. >> But that but our market share is 70%
80%. >> Yeah, I think I mean and I I'll start answering and then Dr. K can fill in if he'd like, but I think the materials and and the the process that we went through for the the bond referendum was in 2019,
which is very different than it is in 2025. So, I think that that or upcoming 2026 as we are right now. So, I think there yeah, things that happened in the middle there that certainly have affected it. Um, I think we're we're seeing um and we we won't know what our
fall 2026 numbers are for for quite a while. Of course, we've got I think it was 200 um kindergarten families that are enrolled at this point, which is great. Um so, we'll continue to work at that and continue to offer um you know, reminders to families to get their
students signed up and and registered early. And I I didn't mention this, but um one of the reasons that it is really helpful for us helpful for us as a district to have our families enroll now versus waiting until August or July is really from a staffing perspective that
when we know who our students are and where they are, where where they're enrolled at, that helps throughout the the spring and in the summertime with staffing. So that is absolutely something on our radar that we pay attention to and that is important to us as we're we're planning and and figuring
out where uh where we need to be paying attention. >> Yeah. So co again we've we've talked about this co co had a had an impact on our our enrollment. Birth rates have gone down from what were projected previously. Um good thing is building is
continuing. We have um new construction happening in the district. So there's, you know, hopefully still some positive signs moving forward. Um, but during co parents, uh, some parents made some other choices, homeschool or private school. Um,
and so we're, you know, we've generally stabilized and so hopefully now we we start moving in the right direction. >> Okay. I understand co's overused, become kind of a >> Yeah, it's a real factor though. Yeah, absolutely. >> It's overused. It's an excuse. And to
mean 20% projection in demographics with only a few years, that's a pretty big that's a pretty big miss. So I mean it seems like maybe in the B and this is it's fine if you use the higher end of the projection
for you know the population. I mean that's fine but I mean this comes down to money right because >> can I just remind us that we're talking about the registration process >> which impacts enrollment and it's gerine to this topic >> okay >> it's gerane to this topic so enrollment
is an issue that I think the community needs to know because if our enrollment continues to be flatline or declining it's going to mean fewer dollars which mean where are you going to get the dollars from taxes go up so it's something that we need to discuss and
address >> at the board level. >> Yes. >> Not much we can do about birth rate. >> You know, that's people's private choices and you know, they either want to have kids or they don't. And that's a fact that a lot of our young millennials
and younger families are not having as many children, which we counted on when we did our demographic study years ago. And I want to thank you for having the uh middle school and the high school pizza nights to let people know the good work we are doing in the schools and
gives them an opportunity to showcase what we're doing so they might make a different choice. Um since maybe they left during COVID, maybe they left after that, I don't know. But um I [snorts] think that's great and I hope that it draws in some new students and renews um
students that maybe left and want to come back. So thank you for doing that. Miss Bloyd. >> Yeah. I don't know if our demographer lacked a crystal ball, but nobody predicted COVID and nobody went through
this COVID through that period of time anywhere in history except back in what 19 whenever the Spanish flu went through. So to say that it didn't affect and we shouldn't use it as a reason when it absolutely is a reason for what
happened to students leaving because they wanted to be homeschooled. I mean every parent can make whatever choice they want and that's great but it's a fact and to try and state that it's not a fact and that it can't be used is
ridiculous. >> Well 2019 was when co hit so we should have adjusted the numbers then. 2020. >> You should have adjusted the numbers then. [clears throat] >> Okay. Um Strife OG, >> thank you. I just want to thank you and thank you for your efforts to increase
enrollment and let us know how we can help in any way with all of the things that you're doing >> um to help our families learn in the area about what we are doing and all the great things that are happening there. >> Thank you. I I just want to thank you because what we're trying to do with this welcome is
to attract more families and let them know. So, um we know that if our enrollment's down, but we're reaching out to people and that's the that's the thing I think we need to look at here is we're going to continue to reach out and let people know um what what's happening in Wiper Lake. So, thank you.
>> Miss Sorry, you didn't see my hand. Uh, I don't have a question, but I'm just wondering, can adults get a I am a bear t-shirt as well? Because, you know, there's some cute stuff out there, but that I am a bear shirt is >> got a special bear on there that we [clears throat] don't have on anything else,
>> right? We haven't done that yet. We should put it in the >> Maybe the whole family would like. >> Maybe the school store could add that as an option. >> That would be fun. It is really fun. I'm sure you've seen that we've been able to share out photos of babies in onesies and then the toddler in the three
t-shirt and then the kindergarten, you know, the family of three um has been a really fun not generational but siblings uh in it together. We could add for parents as well. >> All right, >> thank you all very
>> I want to thank you for your time. Um, I'd like to move on to discussion item D1, roles and responsibilities of the schoolboard members. Uh, this is a good time for us as we reorganize tonight to see um, you know, our responsibilities and how we operate as a board.
So, go ahead and roll the video. In our school district, voters elect school board members to represent the interests of all the citizens [music] and of all the students. The school board supervises and evaluates one employee, the superintendent,
working in consultation with the school board. The superintendent is the chief administrator who oversees all operations of the school district. So what does the school board do? Like in many school districts around the
nation, our school board has adopted policy governance as its model of operation. This means the school board approves policies [music] that provide general principles for guiding the management of the school district. The superintendent and the
administration develop regulations that specifically support the school board's policies and make [music] recommendations for the board's consideration. Policy governance school boards will exchange ideas [music] and debate issues.
However, after a vote is taken, all members have a responsibility [music] to speak with a single voice regardless of their individual views. This unified position gives sound and clear [music] direction to those in management and to staff who will implement the decision.
Parents and staff will often pressure the board to engage [music] in management to affect the things they are passionate about. But policy governance school boards define what they are providing to [music] whom, why, and at what cost, but not how. That's up to the superintendent
[music] and administration. It's the board's role to interpret the needs of the community and members often receive [music] feedback and suggestions on all sides of issues. But when school boards like ours consider all public viewpoints and
practice [music] policy governance, they are fulfilling their key purpose to serve as a united though not always unanimous governing body. >> Thank you. I think that's good for me to hear and remind us to how we operate and
how we stay in governance and when I if we want to if I want to go into management it reminds me to stay in governance. >> Um Miss Ellison you have a question or comment >> comment if I may. >> You may. >> Okay. Um so as I enter my ninth year as a board member um I can tell you that I
still don't know everything. And in my first year on a on the board, I I realized that I and many others didn't really deeply understand the role of the board. And good me board members are aware that they are always learning how to be better. And I've learned much from past board members and as well as those
currently on the board. And it takes a lot of trust to act as this governing body and humility to understand that it's not about us as individuals. We are here to serve students. So for our reorganization meeting um I think it's important that we reaffirm our roles and responsibilities and share those with
the public so that we have a mutual understanding of how we are expected to conduct ourselves as elected public servants. So we govern we're not legislators, we're not judges, we operate as a governing body and the only power that we have is as a quorum of
members. So we take training on the state and the national level because there's there's always more for us to learn. So the kind of big big things that I've learned over the years that are our roles is that our only super employ or only employee is the superintendent and it's our job to
annually review the superintendent's performance and work through him not around him or over him. We set the strategic vision which we've reviewed again in the time since I've been on the board. Um, and the best visual that I have gotten for this is that we set the destination
and the superintendent and staff decide best how to get there. We approve the budget and provide financial oversight and it's our not our responsibility to get into the weeds because we have we have staff for that. Um, and that's the role of the staff who report to the superintendent and we look at the the
big picture. And finally, we set policy. We get input from federal law, from state law, as well as as well as the Minnesota school boards association. And we review and update our policies regularly. The superintendent and district staff ensure that the procedures help meet the policy agreements. And I I
read on the NSBA, the National School Board Association website, is that respect for majority rule and compliance with the law are not optional. They are a minimum mustdo part of our job because the board member is not the board. the exercise of boardsmanship, which I I
really like that word, is a set of individual skills, which we all bring very different individual skills here. It's important. It's not the same as the exercise of governance, the set of collective skills that only the board can demonstrate. And and I won't pretend that this isn't difficult. I would say that most of us here have been on the
losing side of a vote, including some topics that impact us very personally. Um, but we act as a board, and after a vote, it's our job to speak with one voice. And I learned early on in my service that I carry the label of a schoolboard member everywhere I go in
this community. Um even when I'm just being a parent or a resident. And so it's important for people to see that I support the decisions of the board regardless of how I vote in the meeting. The other important lesson that I've learned is that schoolboard meetings are not public meetings. It is our meeting
in a public setting. Sort of like if we were conducting this in a conference room and people could watch from the outside. As a board, we control our meetings, including the rules and policies that govern these meetings and the process. So, Minnesota open meeting law permits but does not require public
comment during a meeting. Um, and most boards do include public comment and MSBA calls this a limited public forum. So, we're allowed to set reasonable rules and policies and procedures um using and we use Robert's rules of order um including a limit on time, number of
speakers, requirements for requesting to speak. And since I've been on the board, we've always limited to three minutes per speaker and set a limit on the number of speakers on a single topic. During CO 19 pandemic, we created new
policies due to disruptive meetings and several instances where our rules for our own meeting were not followed. So in order to do our business, we have to keep order. Public comment is equal to emails sent to the board. We don't respond individually as that violates
our one voice responsibility. If appropriate, the board chair or district staff may respond to emails or reach out to public speakers. And in the spirit of fostering a relationship of trust and mutual respect between the board and the community we serve, I want to emphasize to my fellow
board members, myself included, that we have a responsibility to remember our roles as set forth by law and our own policies. policies 209 and 215 clearly outline our charge. So, I missed the December 8th
meeting due to illness. Miss Boyd, who was also absent, sent an email to the board requesting clarifying information about a comment Mr. Scar made regarding district finances. So, I watched the video of the board meeting and at 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 54 seconds, Mr.
Scar said, quote, "So, I don't know if you've ever heard of Ken Wolf or Bob Fallon, but they're experts in education finance in Minnesota." Now, when they looked, I asked them to look at our numbers last year. End quote. Miss Beloy requested information about this
exchange with Mr. Wolf and Mr. Fallon, specifically when the ask was made and when the report was delivered to him. So, because I wasn't there, I Googled these two individuals and found that Mr. Wolf passed away in October 2024, and he could not have spoken to Mr. Scar. The report provided was dated July
of 2024 and as of today, the board has not received an answer about when he made this request and when the board was delivered to him. So, I would like to affirm that we are called to meet our duties with integrity and trustworthiness per policy 215. 215 also
permits prohibits us from undertaking independent investigations and 209 requires us to support decisions after they are made regardless of how we voted. And as we move into a new year, we must model the behavior we expect of our students and publicly uphold our
policies. So, Mr. Chair, I'd like to recommend that we undertake a board self-evaluation this year. This is something that we've done in the past and but with every new iteration of the board, we need to evaluate how we are working together and getting the work
done to better serve this community. >> Thank you. I think what also I would like to bring forward is um I'd like to have us I'll work with the superintendent to schedule a staff development on uh how the board works and we can bring somebody in. Again, we do this almost every year to try to
remind us so we can also do that. So Dr. Casmichek, I'll work with you and we can set up staff development time. >> Okay, Mr. Scar. >> Yeah, I'd like to just respond to that. First of all, uh, reading what the Minnesota statute is for board duties.
The board must superintend and manage the school schools of the district, adopt rules for their organization, government instru and instruction, keep registers and prescribe textbooks and courses of study. The board may enter into an agreement with a post-secary
institution for secondary or post-secary non- secretar non-secarian courses to be taught at a secondary school non-secary post secondary institutions or other or another location and I've made it clear
that policies that are adopted and I made this clear to the general counsel at MSBA as well as the executive director and they'll be reviewing the policy 209 and 250 15 as well because it's being used as a way to intimidate
minority board members. That's what it's being used for across the state. So, they're going to take a look at it. I'm I hopefully I'll get a report on that. Um, as far as No one talked to me, I knew that Mr. Wolf had passed away, but
no one had talked to me about the information. I got the information while I was campaigning, not while I was a board member. So, if somebody just asked me and asked me where I got the information, the information is on on your is on the district's website.
Everything that I quoted is on the numbers are on their website on the compre it's called the comprehensive financials audit summary. It's there. >> It's it so it's not it's not a secret. It [clears throat] comes from the same information. It's MDE, Minnesota
Department of Education. I >> think that's what you were implying that you had a discussion. Sorry. Take turns. >> All I was I wasn't disputing the numbers presented, but the numbers presented was it was not apples to oranges, but was
presented was a slice of the orange, not the whole orange. What uh the financial report that I that I had was given provided the whole orange. And if you look at your numbers, that's that's where the numbers came from. same
source. MDE, Minnesota Department of Education. >> Yes. Okay. Now, >> I have nothing. >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry because I want to give you >> Oh, that's okay. >> Okay. >> Said what I said, >> Miss Bloid. >> But it's not an applesto apples comparison. You're talking about the
overall numbers, every single dollar that comes from whatever revenue stream it comes from. Those were the numbers that you presented. That's not what we presented that night was for the [snorts] truth in
>> taxation. >> Taxation. The difference is what what affects the taxpayers are the levies and those levies are what are making up the difference between what is covered by federal and state government,
what is not. That was the whole point of that presentation. But the numbers that you bring out and what was that? The numbers that that you presented, you presented in a way
that made it seem like the numbers that were presented to us were inaccurate or were present were uh we weren't presenting the whole picture. The whole picture is if we don't want our
taxpaying base to keep having these levies, then the state government and the federal government were supposed to cover all of these mandates that we have and they don't. So that is the difference between the numbers that you were talking about and the numbers that
were presented. >> May I respond? That's, you know, >> quickly that's fair. Um the the only thing that I would would say is when you when you bring up that school funding has not kept up with inflation and then I
>> and then when I look at total revenues for the school district 2024 to 2023 it was 12.2% increase with allin revenues allin revenues 12.2 to it. So that that statement I mean the public's not going to
>> funding through the state federal order point of order point of order. >> I well I appreciate this conversation. The item on the agenda for discussion is the roles and responsibilities of the school board. >> Okay. So we'll go back to that and it
it's clear that it would be helpful if we have that staff development. I didn't identificate you. I [clears throat] just want to remind well chair or cand that we do adopt the rules. So the rules we are following in this school district have already been
adopted by the board. [snorts] So the statute says we adopt the rules. We have adopted the rules. Is that correct chair arcane? >> I believe so. Yes. >> Okay. And then I would just remind board members that when we are talking we should be talking and addressing the
chair. So we should say chairand could you please um inform me what Mr. Scar's question about the finances are what how we always want to direct our questions to the chair and not to each other to
avoid us in this back and forth um dispute that doesn't allow us to conduct a a meeting that we should be conducting. >> Could I could I be recognized for what comment >> one more time? Yes, sir. I think it's extremely productive to have the back
and forth and the formalization to go to the chair and so forth is not helpful. I mean this is a school this is to me it is I'm just giving you my opinion. I like the discussion. I like I like uh I welcome disagreements.
That's where we get better. Having a single ideology is not helpful. Having a single point of view is not helpful. We need different points of view. And right now, I mean, I'm, you know, obviously I'm not in the click. So, it's six to
one. It is. So, I get silenced. I'm give I'm giving you my view. I've given you my view. Can I Can I just summarize what I think you said? The point is is we we're trying to I we're trying to have people not talk over each other. So, that that's what the idea is
to rec be recognized. Otherwise, if we get two or three people talking, then nobody hears it. >> So, but I think that's is that what you were kind of just going to? >> Yeah, it it doesn't mean that we're not going to have back and forth conversation because I too very much
>> believe that that is what we do here. Um I have many times been on the opposite side of the entire board up here >> and then you move forward because that is our job. But it is to direct our questions when we're wanting clarification about when another board member is saying that we are supposed to
direct them through you >> and that is what Robert's rules of orders clearly states and that is what we are governed by and those are the rules that we follow. Um with that um could I make a I can't remember how I've never had to know this much about
Robert's rules of orders a cheat sheet too. Um, but I believe I can ask a point of um >> point of question >> to call a question. >> Uh, to call a question to ask Chair Arand if we could purchase a copy of
Robert's rules of orders for dummies for all of the board members who do not have one. If other board members may have one, I'm not aware, but I've never needed one before. Um, and it is a helpful tool for us all to utilize at this. So the motion in front of us is
you're asking to purchase the Robert's rules but for d is it your specifically for dummies. >> It's a little bit easier I think to read. I mean if everybody wants the official book I have that one. [snorts] Uh this tends to be a little bit easier and you can utilize it.
>> So the motion was made to purchase the rabbit's rules of orders for dummies. Was there a second? >> Second. Second by boy for future discussion. Okay. Because this involves money, this will be a roll call vote. Can you call the roll, please?
>> Strioji. >> I >> Thompson. >> I >> Aran >> I >> Floyd >> I >> Daniels I Ellison >> I >> Scar >> I. >> Right. Motion carried. And it would be nice. I'm going to say if we can get those and then do the staff development
would be helpful. We could combine it. That would be nice. I'd like to move on because we have a lot of business left to go today. So I'd like to go on to operational item E1 action on the tenative agreement. The
2527 fiscal year clerical school service local 284. Mr. Ms. All right. Good evening. I've got a series of uh agenda items for you here. Starting out with our uh clerical
bargaining group. So we are recommending approval of the tenative agreement that we've reached in all cases for the next four agenda items or for this and then the following three agenda items. Um the agreements have been ratified by the collectively bargain group that were
that we've been working with. Um I just want to say a thank you. We had two new business managers representing our clerical unit and we had a really good um open uh discussion through our bargaining sessions and also just want
to thank our clerical group. Um they're well represented and there was a lot of time that went into this process. So want to say a thank you to that group and also to our district bargaining team. >> Okay. So the the recommendation is to
approve the proposal for the 25 through 27 clerical uh clerical school service employees SEIU local 284 tenative agreement by passing the following resolution. Can we get a motion to accept this? >> So move. >> Okay.
>> Daniels Thompson with a second. Any further discussion? >> Because this also involves finance. This will be a roll call vote. We going to call a roll. Strife I >> Thompson >> I >> Aran >> I >> Daniels I Ellison >> I scar
>> I >> okay motion carried all right we're going to go on to oper operational item E2 action on the tenative agreement for the 25 through 27 fiscal year principles association >> great thank you so again I recommend um
that [clears throat] you approve the recommendation before you and with our principal association It was uh we re-implemented a interest-based approach to bargaining. Um we had really good
discussion and the conversation led to more creative outcomes which is what we're always hoping hoping for at the table. So we really appreciate that process and with that I'll ask for the approval. >> Okay. The recommendation is to approve the proposed um 2205 the 27 principles
associates tenative agreement. Uh can I get a motion? So moved >> by Strife OG. A second. >> Second. >> Second by Beloy. Any discussion? >> Once again, this will be a roll call vote. Will you please call the role? >> Strife. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Aran.
>> I. >> Boy. >> Hi. >> Daniels. I. Ellison. >> I. >> Scar. >> I. >> Motion carries. Moving along. We are going to go on to E3 action on the tenative agreement 202527 fiscal years with the non-affiliated
groups. And so with this group, this rec this really represents all of our employees that don't collectively bargain. One note that I'll make there is we try really hard still to engage in um positive conversation with folks. And
so we um throw out uh in advance what we're looking at consistent with the parameters set by the board and where we've fallen in the rest of our bargaining so that people understand um what kind of changes they could be uh looking at. And then we also try hard to
meet with all of our larger groups of unaffiliated employees. So although they're not collectively bargained, we make sure that there's space for a back and forth dialogue there as well. um whenever that makes sense and is appropriate. So there I'll ask for your approval.
>> So the recommended action before us is to approve the proposed salary and benefit contributions for the non-affiliated employees for the 202527 fiscal years. And can I get a motion to approve? >> So moved by Ellison >> second >> second by any discussion
and once Yes, ma'am. >> Can you state what the non-affffiliated groups are? >> Um there are so very many. So, no, I cannot state an exhaustive list, but as we're looking at that, um, this would be
lots of employees that fall between, um, administrators in a collectively bargained group. So, I can toss out some examples of what that would look like, for instance. So, like our tier 2 um, technology employees um, would fit into
that group. Um, a lot of our coordinators would fit into that group. um cabinet members would also fit into that group who um would bargain individually if that was going to uh be the case. So, it's really all of our
employees, folks that might be in a one-off position or small groups of employees. So, again, another example of what that would look like would be our extended day leads. Um so each of our sites, for instance, has an extended day lead assigned to it. you know, that
group, we have the conversation, but they're not collectively bargained. So, it's really kind of everybody. I would say that there are um probably over 50 individual positions at least uh that comprise. >> Thank you.
>> Yep. >> Any further discussion? >> All right, we've have a motion in a second. So, I'll ask the clerk to call the role. >> Stay. >> Thompson. >> Hi. >> Aranti, >> I >> Daniels, I Ellison, >> hi. Scar >> I. And motion carries. We're going to
move along to operational item E4, action on the tenative agreement for the uh Wiper Lake Nutrition Association uh through 25 through 27. >> Right. So, uh without being overly
redundant here, I will just say a thank you to the team that we met with u with nutrition services. They are phenomenal to work with. they've really adopted an interestbased approach along with our principles and teachers um you know to work through that process. I I know that
it uh feels good for us um in management working with them and I think that it works for them as well. So just to thank you for the time they put into that process and with that I will ask for approval. >> Um before us we have uh recommendation to approve the proposed 2025 through
2027 White Lake Nutrition Association tenative agreement. Can I get a motion? >> So moved >> by Daniels. Second. >> Second. >> Second by Strafe Oji. Any further discussion. All right. Once again, this will be a roll call vote. So I'd ask the clerk to call the role.
>> Strife. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Arant. >> I. >> Lloyd. >> I. >> Daniels. I. Ellison. >> Hi. >> Scar. >> I. >> Motion carries. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Uh, next on we're gonna move on to E5.
Um and this is the um compensation for the 2026 board and I it has not changed. We there was no increase. We kept it at that. Um any questions? >> I can tell you
>> I don't know. I don't know how the other board members feel, but I kind of feel kind of a little uncomfortable voting on my own compensation. I'd rather put it out to the floor vote for a vote on it, but I understand that. >> So, I'll I'll just abstain. Thank you.
>> Okay. So I can tell you right now that in the 2026 the uh stipen amounts for the chair is 5450, vice chair is 5250, clerk is 5450, treasurer is 5250 and board regular uh a
board member is 505,550 $5,000 $5,50 point of clarification. Yes, >> that's an annual. >> Yes. So that's not every month. that is for the whole year you so and that gets split up into four stipen payments over
the year. >> So it's um >> yeah and most we don't do this to make large amounts of money. We do this because we care about our community I think we can say. >> So uh can I get a motion then to approve the compensation? Okay. Thompson, can I
get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Strafe OG. Any further discussion? Uh hearing none. This will also be a roll call vote. I'll ask to call the role. >> Strike. >> I >> Thompson. >> Hi. >> Artan. >> Hi. >> Floyd. >> Hi. >> Daniels. I Ellison.
>> Hi. >> Scar. >> Abstain. >> Motion carries. All right. Next on our agenda, it's going to be action on the appointment of intermittent school district 916 representative for 2026.
Hang on. Um and and this year Angela Thompson will serve on the immedate intermediate school district board uh for 2026. Is there any Can I get a motion for this? >> So moved. >> So moved by Ellison. A second. >> Second.
>> Second by Daniels. Do we have any other questions? Um thank you Miss Thompson for taking this on. We appreciate you doing that. >> Thank you. >> You haven't gotten it yet. We still have to talk. Uh, okay. This will be a roll call. This will be a roll call vote. So, can you
call the role? >> Stripe. OG. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Ar. >> I. >> Boyd. >> I. >> Daniels. I. >> Ellison. >> I. >> Scar. >> I. >> Okay, that motion carries. Now we're on to I believe
E7. Uh, and this is um appointment to Jessica Ellison to the White from White Lake area to the representative to Brightite Works for 2026. Can I get a motion? >> So moved. >> I'm sorry. Did you say E7 or D7?
>> It's E7. >> E7. Sorry. >> So E7 action on the Bright Works representative for 2026. And once again, that'll be Jessica L. Ellison who made the Okay. So we have Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Thompson. Any discussion?
>> Just could um could I ask Jessica to give like a maybe a 30 second overview of Brightite Works so that I I read what it is, but maybe for the public that don't know what Bright Works is. >> Sure. It's one of the regional service cooperatives throughout the state.
They're, you know, called by different names and Brightworks used to be called the Metro Exu. And so it represents the Metro, but they changed their name to Bright Works a couple of years ago. And so they provide services to member districts and other districts um in the metro area, you know, on a variety of
issues. And so I each member district has a representative from the school board from that district to serve on their executive board. >> Okay. Thank you and thanks for serving. >> Okay. So we have any more questions? All
right. We're going to make this a vice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Uh we're moving on to um E8. Action on regular and work session meeting schedules for 26 through 27. Dr. K.
>> All right. Thank you, Chair K. So we hold our regular schoolboard meetings on the second Monday of the month, work sessions on the fourth Monday of the month, except during the months of June, July, and December when there are no work sessions scheduled. Then the March 26 and 27 regular meetings will be held on the first Monday of the month due to
spring break. And the May 2026 work session will be held on the third Monday of the month due to Memorial Day. Um the October 12th, 2026 regular meeting falls on Indigenous People's Day per Minnesota statute. Section 60 645.44 subdivision 5 where it is determined
that indigenous people's day is not a school holiday. Public business may be conducted. So the recommended action is to approve the regular and work session meeting schedule for January 26 to August 2027. >> Can I get a motion to approve the regular and work the regular and work session meetings? >> So moved.
>> Ellison, is there a second? >> Second. >> Second by. Any discussion? >> Yes. >> I just have to say this is the first time this calendar has come before us where I see my last child's graduation date. So it's a little
>> I get some cleanings. Yeah, I might need some. >> Um, and I do want to point out I think most of us were have gotten invites on our calendar already. This is just formalizing this. >> Yeah. >> So, any further questions? Okay, this will be a voice vote. All in
favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> Motion passes. Uh, now we're going to go to E9, action on official publication for the school district for 2026. Dr. Kasmma check.
>> Um I'll just get right to the recommended action is to approve the White Bear Press as a legal publication for White Bear Lake Area Schools for 2026. It's long-standing relationship that we have with the White Bear Press. >> Can I get a motion to approve the White Bear Lake White Bear Press as our legal
publication? >> So moved. >> Uh Thompson. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second by Daniels. Um any discussion? >> Yes. just a comment that not all communities have a local newspaper anymore and so I'm really grateful that we we still continue to have a really
vibrant press in this community >> and I concur we are so lucky to have the wiper press and because other company other school districts have nowhere to go and so having the wiper press and having them report and having as our um
as our publication is very helpful and we're very thankful that we have So if there's no further discussion, [snorts] I think this will be a roll call vote. You call the role. >> Strike. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Aran. >> I. >> Lloyd. >> Hi.
>> Daniels. I. >> Ellison. >> I. >> Scar. >> I. >> Okay. Motion carries. >> Now we're going to go to E10 appointment or action on appointment of compliance officer. Dr. Kasmichek. >> All right. Again, I'll jump to the recommended action is to approve the
appointment of um Matt Mann's executive director of human resources and general counsel as a district human rights officer. Dr. Allison Gillespie, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning as a title 9 coordinator, and Lisa Orin, director of student support services of the as the district
ADA uh 504 coordinator in conformance with schoolboard policies. Can I get a motion to approve? >> So moved >> by Thompson. Is there a second? >> Second. Second by Boyd. Any discussion? >> Yes. Question. >> Um I I'm sure that all of these are
mandated, correct? >> Yeah. >> Uh my question is a lot of nonprofits as well as for-profit companies have, you know, overall chief compliance officers that assure compliance across the entire enterprise. I mean, does do any school
districts have such a position to uh where all compliance they do internal reviews, internal compliance reviews, those types of things. Do other school districts do that to our knowledge? >> I'm not aware of that. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Maybe Minneapolis and St. Paul,
something that size, but I'm not sure. >> Yeah, I just speculating. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Any other discussion? Hearing none. This will be a voice vote. All in favor say I. I. >> Oppose. Same sign.
Motion passes. All right. Now we're going to go on to action E11. Action on the local educ education agency authorization. Uh Dr. Casmichek, tell us about this one. >> All right. So the recommended action here is to authorize uh me. So Dr. Dr.
Wayne Casmmer, superintendent as the local education agency uh LEA representative for the purpose of reviewing and approving documents required for compliance to federal programs included in the uh elementary and secondary education uh act uh for 2026.
So again, the annual annual approval item um authorizing me to serve in that LEA capacity. >> Can I get a motion to approve? >> So moved >> by Daniel, second >> second by Strife OG. Any discussion?
All right. Hearing none, this will be a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Save sign. Motion carries. Now we're up to E12. Action on designation of legal counsel. Dr. Kasmichek. I'm going to get it right this year. I'm
going to turn it over to you. >> All right. So again uh we'll go to the recommended action is to approve Kennedy and Graven Chartered Ratwick Rosac and Maloney PA and Squires Waldsburgger and Mace PA and others as needed as our
legal council for the calendar year 2026. Can I get a motion to approve? >> So moved >> by Ellison. Second. >> Second. >> Second by Beloy. Any discussion? Mr. Scar. >> Go ahead. >> Oh, >> I just have a question. Are these two
separate organizations legal? >> So there's actually three there. So the Canadian Graven uh Ratwick Rosac Maloney and then Squires Waldenberger always had three that we rely on. >> Thank you.
>> Um so my question I brought this up be actually before I was seated on the board which and Matt this is not about this is not about you. Um okay. uh but having the general counsel and the
director of HR I mean have we had a review to see if there's potential conflict and what I mean there as a general counsel you're an advocate for you know you're an advocate for your client which is the district correct and
then as director of HR you're kind of advocate for your department and the people in your department and I'm just wondering if we could have a review to make sure that there's no that there not that there is but and I'm sure you have
safeguards but just so that we memorialize that. I mean, what are what are your I mean, you don't I mean, I guess I'm talking to the chair on this. >> Um, but I think it might be something that if this position continues and, you
know, god forbid you get hit by a fish truck or something, [snorts] somebody else steps in to the shoes that you know, they they have some kind of we've memorialized that this position is, you know, solid with no conflicts or anything like that because you've got safeguards.
Thoughts on that? So, I can step into that for a moment. What I would say is uh this isn't an uncommon setup uh within um school districts around the state, but especially in the metro. And um you
know, I [clears throat] have on many occasions needed to step aside myself in order to bring in a third party where a conflict may exist. And so that's always
part of the work. It's really part of our work regardless of which department we're in is to recognize um those pieces and when and whether as a practical or ethical matter, you know, those those kind of safeguards need to be put in
place. Um we've certainly had that conversation with third party attorneys who have looked at it. you know, we can revisit that to ensure that we feel good about where we're at right now. But >> do we have the procedures in place that
somebody could go to and say, "Okay, this is this is these are this is Matt's framework for determining, you know, whether there's a potential conflict or not. Do you have something like that in place?" >> Uh, no. We address that on a case- by case basis.
>> Okay, I see. >> Yep. And I think it would be safe to say if you thought there was a conflict, you would reach out. It wouldn't you you wouldn't ignore it. Right. >> Correct. Yes. And that's the current practice. >> Yeah. Just it's very as I mentioned to
um superintendent as well as you before I got seated. >> It is an unusual um position to have. I've I see general counsels as chief compliance officers but not general counsel and like you
know director of HR. I just haven't seen it even in the nonprofit world. >> So I was just curious as to the safeguards around that. >> Yep. >> Okay. Miss Bow >> and this is for for Dr. K. Um before we
brought Matt on board, who was our previous position wasn't also HR and general counsel. Who was the general counsel at that point? >> Uh we didn't have internal counsel at that point. >> Okay. >> Right. Yes, Mr. Foji.
>> So you mentioned though and I know of many HR directors that are also serving as general counsel and that's common in the metro. Correct. >> Correct. >> Thank you. in school districts. >> Yeah. Yeah. School districts, >> right? >> All right. Any further discussion?
>> Hearing none. This will be a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. Oppose. Save sign. >> Motion passes. Next, we're going to go to E13. Uh Mr. Wald. Action on the official depositories for the school district funds and authorized bank accounts and
signatures. Good evening, Chair Kan, members of the board. Uh, the this action item is an annual action item for the board. Each year, the board approves the list of institutions and accounts accounts as well as the authorized signers on those accounts.
That [snorts] list is included in the cover letter for this agenda item tonight. Uh the only change to that list from previous years is that Old National Bank purchased Bremer Bank and so uh the update there to Old National.
So the recommended action is to approve the list of official deposiitories for school district funds and authorized bank accounts and signatures for 2026. Do we have a motion? >> Allison second. Any further discussion?
>> Sorry. All right. This because it involves fi finance will be a roll call vote. I'll ask the clerk to call the role. >> Stripe. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Aran. >> I. >> Boyd. >> I. >> Daniels. >> Hi. [clears throat] >> Ellison. >> I. >> Scar.
>> I. Motion carries. E14. We're going to action on annual authorization allowing administration to contract for budgeted items. Mr. Wald. >> Yeah, we'll keep going. This is also an annual resolution. Each year, the board authorizes administration to contract
for budgeted items consistent with statute 123b uh 52 subdivision 2, which states the board may authorize its superintendent or business manager to lease, purchase, and contract for goods and services within the budget as approved by the
board. In our case, the business manager is the assistant superintendent for finance and operations. Um the board's delegation of this authority under this provision applies as long as the transactions do not um exceed $175,000.
In those cases, the board must explicitly authorize the transa transaction. The recommended action is to confirm the board's understanding that the superintendent and assistant superintendent for finance and operations have been duly authorized to lease, purchase, and contract for goods
and services within the budget as approved by the board in the amounts of up to $175,000 and restatement of authorization for the same pursuant to Minnesota statute section 123B 52 subdivision 2.
>> Can I get a motion to approve? So move >> Daniels. Can I second? >> Second. >> Second by was straight. Governor, >> any discussion? [clears throat] [snorts] >> Yeah, Mr. Scar. >> You know, I I think that the board
should either lower the threshold or we should review all the contracts. That that would be my recommendation. Uh so I you know that that's where I stand on this. I think that there's I
think we have a responsibility for more oversight and given some of the concerns that people have brought up regarding um uh the construction project, you know, the audit results having 13 material weaknesses in the last five years. And
then I just saw on our federal or I'm sorry special purpose audit report at the end of it it says does the audit audi qualify as a lowrisk audity and it says no and that was I found that a little bit troubling. So I'm I'm giving you my
opinion on that and um I would I would rather keep more um uh oversight with the board given the circumstances. Thank you. >> All right. Any further discussion? >> Um, what did our thresholds start at? I
been looking [snorts] at this for nine years and I know we started Did we start at 100? >> Yeah, it was somewhere in there. Yeah, over the years it's changed. >> There was one 50 up to about a decade ago maybe. >> It's been at this level for quite some
time. I think if we wanted to add this as a discussion item at some point, I wouldn't be opposed to lowering it. >> Okay. >> My opinion. >> Yes. Are you sorry? >> I just said my opinion. >> Okay. Uh, Miss Thompson,
>> I guess. How many times um are you you know is a transaction of this amount being used without before we you know how often would you say you guys are making purchases for that amount of money? Um,
we, you know, we have a lot of agreements and contracts throughout any given month and they're seldom for this, you know, pushing to $175,000 mark, which then would come to the board. So, they're typically in a much smaller um
much smaller amount and they're for many many different purposes. But just uh one question this so this is in regards to a single purchase that would exceed not you know a bunch of things right
>> yeah or to that amount to not exceed that amount yes okay thank you >> this is the amount designated in statute >> okay >> thank you >> pardon me is >> yes Mr. Okay. >> Is that the maximum, the 175? >> Yeah.
>> Not the minimum. There's no maximum, I'm sure. Right. >> Yeah. And then um well, it's actually the next agenda item, but um amounts 25,000 to 175 required um quotes. Anything over 175 is bids. And
then that's where the board comes in to approve those bids. >> Okay. You good? >> All right. This will be a roll call vote. I'm going to ask the clerk to call the role. >> Strife. Ooie. >> I. >> Thompson. >> I. >> Aran.
>> I. >> Floyd. >> I. >> Daniels. I. Ellison. >> I. >> Scar. >> Just going to abstain. Okay. Motion carries. All right. We're going to move on to E15 action on the annual resolution to
increase micro purchase threshold. Mr. Wald. >> Okay. We just were on this. It's or just talked about this I guess. State and federal statutes establish different levels uh for purchasing thresholds for contracting and bidding. Uh federal
statute allows school districts to establish an alternate thresholds as long as the school board annually approves this resolution which allows for the school district to follow the state's purchasing procedures for all contract contracting and bidding regardless of the funding source. And
so, uh, Minnesota school districts, I think almost entirely follow the state threshold, uh, of $175,000 and up required sealed bids for approval. Um, 25,000 to $175,000,
as Dr. K was just saying, uh, require two or more quotes and a single quote is permitted for purchases less than $25,000. That is the state threshold I just read to you. And so the resolution would be for the board to approve the state
threshold. Okay. Before us we have in front of us to approve the annual resolution to increase microurchase threshold. Can I get a motion? >> So moved. >> Allison. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Strafe OG. Any other questions?
Hearing none. Once again because of finance this will be a roll call vote. Call. Please call the role. >> Strifei >> I. >> Thompson >> I. >> Arkin >> I. >> Floyd >> I. >> Daniels. I >> Ellison. >> I. >> Scar. >> I.
>> Motion carries. All right. We're down to E16. Action on school board policies 402, 423, and 611. Um, so we normally do these in a group.
Um, so, um, if you have a question on these and you, um, have questions on it, we you have to let us know the page and where they're at. Before we discuss, can I get a motion to approve? >> So, move. Oh, sorry. So, moved
>> by Ellison, seconded by Void. All right. We have the motion. Okay. Now, if you have a question or something on one of the policies, please let us know. Can >> I just make a comment? Yes, ma'am. This is the second come before us before and this is the
second time they've come before us. So >> to the policy committee. >> Yeah. So what normally happens for the public to know is we have a policy committee that continually looks at what our policies are. They look to see if the statutes have changed or wording has changed. So they make those recommendations. Most of the time it
might be a minor change here and there as things have changed. Then we bring it to a work session and we discuss it and put it out there. and then we wait another month and it comes back to the actual board um meeting and then that's when it's approved. I had that right. Thank you. Any other
discussion? All right, this will be a voice vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> Motion carries. >> We're getting there. [sighs] Okay. So it looks like if that's
correct, we are now at board forum. It's now time for board forum. Board forum is an opportunity for board members to update the school board and the public on committee work at which they are engaged in their official capacity as board members and create awareness of upcoming district and partnership
events. Uh is there any board want to share upcoming events? >> Mr. Scar, >> we have the um MSBA meetings coming up. So, one of the things that I signed up for was uh moving from conflict to
conversation for board members, which I thought would be an interesting one. So, >> what time is that? >> That is Wednesday at 1:00. >> So, you have to pay for it. So, I think it was $125. But anyways, I think, you
know, maybe I can get something out of it and I can give a report back if you know if you'll listen to me. Um, I do think it's, you know, it's unfortunate to silence fellow board members to conduct point.
>> I'm talking about I'm talking about my role as a board member and I'm going to give a report on this because I think to silence fellow board members in their conduct of their fiduciary responsibilities to the public is not is not helping.
This is about act as your board and the committees you're serving on. >> Anybody else have anything to share? I just >> Yes, >> I'm going to break the rules a little so [clears throat] you can bang the gavvel on me, but I just wanted to just say
that I have things I would like to say that don't have anything to do with a committee meeting and I am holding my voice because I respect what our roles are here, but there are very pressing issues that I would like to address, but I'm not going to. So, just so we all
>> out of order. Let's just then we'll be done. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Any other forum hearing? None. We are getting to G1 labor negotiations. This portion of the meeting may be con closed to consider
strategies and labor negotiations including negotiating strategies or developments pursuant to Minnesota statute 1798.01 to 1798.25. Can I get a motion to enter close session? >> So move.
>> Okay. by Daniels. A second. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. So what will happen is we will go into close session in the other room. When we are done, we'll basically come out and um close the meeting. And so
>> Mr. Chair, >> I think there are there students if there's students who need assignment sign your stuff so you don't have to wait. >> Yes. We won't make you wait for us.