Okay. All right. Welcome to the Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 Columbia Heights Public Schools School Board meeting. I'm would like to call this meeting to order with a pledge of allegiance. Please stand if you are able. I pledge algiance 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. >> All right, Laura, if you could please call rule. >> Okay, thank you. Uh Mueller here. >> Oh, >> I did it in the wrong order. I'm sorry. Before we swear in first, >> we have to swear in first. Yes. I'm used to not having something there. All right. So, actually, uh, first we are going to swear in one of our students, two of our student school board members. Um, so we will start with Christian who is here today. Are you ready? >> And then Cadence is on. >> And Cadence, you were on Zoom. We got you next. All right. We're gonna go over here. Do I have a No, I just have to talk loud, right? Yeah. Come on over, Christian. It is an honor to have been appointed as a student school board representative. As you recite the oath, you assume a tremendous responsibility as a student representative of our school district Columbia. This role puts you in the position of an advocate for equitable, highquality education for every student in the district to achieve the district's vision. The board establishes a structure. It creates an environment that ensures all students have the opportunity to attain their maximum potential through a sound organizational framework. By swearing in student schoolboard representatives, the elected school board elevates and includes student voice as part of its accountability to the community. Your work as student representative requires you to work closely with the district administration and the superintendent in the seat to understand the multiple perspectives of the entire student population. Having signed the acceptance of this role and oath, will you please publicly affirm your commitment by repeating the oath after me? I affirm. This is only the second time I've done this one. Okay. So, I affirm that I will support >> I affirm that I will support >> the Constitution of the United States >> the Constitution of the United States >> and of this state >> and of this state >> and that I will discharge faithfully >> and that I will discharge faithfully >> the duties of the role of student school board member >> the duties of the role of student >> of independent school district number 13 >> of independent school district >> to the best of my judgement and ability to the best of my judgment. And nowaday >> is on Zoom. >> And Cadence is on Zoom. >> Can I just have her repeat after me? >> All right, Cadence, are you ready? >> Yes. >> Okay, repeat after me. I affirm >> I affirm >> that I will support the Constitution >> that I will support the Constitution >> of the United States and of this state >> of the United States and of this state >> and that I will discharge >> and that I will discharge >> faithfully the duties >> faithfully the the duties >> of the role of student school board member >> of the role of student school board member >> of independent school district number 13 >> of Independent School District number 13. >> To the best of my judgment and ability >> to the best of my judgment and ability. >> Wonderful. Congratulations and welcome to both of you. It is an honor to have you both here tonight to do this and also um to have Etanan join us as well. So, thank you. Okay, now we are on to roll call. >> Ah, okay. I get to do this now. >> You can do that. Thank you. Mueller, >> still here. Still here. >> Jokes. >> Granland >> here. >> Pedway >> here. >> Palmer here. Maderas >> here. >> Paisles. Do I pronounce it right? >> Pña. Yeah. >> Pña. Okay. and Hansen >> here. >> Thank you. >> Oh, superintendent. >> No, and on >> Oh, um, officially. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. >> Where? >> Here. >> And then >> Thank you. And Superintendent Stenick here. I think we're going to figure this out. >> Yay. >> It's a much longer roll call these days. Love it. Thank you. >> All right. Columbia Heights Public Schools. Our mission statement is creating worlds of opportunity for each and every learner. All belong. all succeed. Our core values are community, excellence, collaboration, integrity, respect, courage, and innovation. Next up, we have our Highlander highlight. Um, congrats to Columbia Heights High School senior. Come on up. >> I'm not sure. >> He's online. >> Oh, he's online. >> Is on Zoom on >> Are you on me? Yeah, we can hear you. >> Hello. >> Hi. >> My name is >> It's an honor. Um, I appreciate it. >> We can say a few things about you. >> Yeah, we're gonna let we're gonna let the uh coaches brag break you up for a hot second. >> Sure thing. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. Uh, Chair Granland, members of the board, Superintendent Senvvic, thank you all for having us. Uh, just want to congratulate Amjad on uh, the all state nomination and uh, just an incredible honor. Uh, I've known I think I think did you start in seventh or eighth grade up at the high school? >> I think officially sixth or sorry, seventh, ethic officially ethical school. >> All right. Um, so he's been up at the high school for for a number of years. uh just a fantastic student um a great leader within our building um and then just has great work e work ethic on the field and uh one of my favorite kids uh for the last five years. So it's been an honor watching you to uh play and just get to know you and your family a little bit more too. So congratulations uh on your award and I'll hand it over to uh Coach Hector to say a few more words. >> Thanks Jake. Uh thanks school board for having me here today. Uh I'm Jad. I just want to say uh uh it's honor to have you be one of our representatives as our um as the best of our best for our program. I said sixth grade because I've been working with you and your family for six years. And so um whether it's that when I first met your brother and Nas or even back in the times of your oldest brother my day here in the high school um every moment in between has been an honor and um again just thank you for all the hard work that you did on the field leading the boys as a captain this last year. I think especially with our other very um cornerstone of our team Justin having his season >> ending injuries early on. uh you stepped in into that just singular leadership role and I know myself and the boys uh have only good things to say and are very thankful for again that leadership role that you did and were an advocate for your team. Um my phone fell asleep. Uh again, I'm proud that uh it makes sense that you're going to be our best of the best. Um you having a starting spot on my team over the last four years is a big request both because um we have now made a big program uh and the requirements to play on the varsity requires a lot of maturity that you've had since then and have flourished till now and so excited to what you uh see what you do next and I know that anywhere that you end up whether it be in education in uh further education further soccer um or just the workforce. Uh they will be uh lucky to have you. >> Yeah, thank you. >> I appreciate the kind words, Coach Hector and Jake. I was kind of scared for it. I thought thought you guys were about to bring on some scary news out there. I was scared. >> Oh, no. Thank you. >> Yeah. So today we're celebrating you um Amjad for your selection to Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association all state class doubleA second team. Um I also have here that you attended the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association SL stateallate ceremony on Sunday with the Highlander boys soccer coach Hector Leon uh to receive your award. Um, so you've been Yeah. with us since seventh grade. So fantastic. Thank you so much. Like congratulations. >> Yeah. >> Appreciate it. >> Yeah. Uh, do members of the board want to say anything? Yeah. Go ahead. I just want to say thank you for being such a great representative of our school and district. We really we love it when students step up in leadership and um just ability and using that to support their their team and the district. So thank you. >> Yeah. Well said. >> Thank you very much for that >> Jessica. I just wanted to extend my own congratulations and thank you for being here. I also wanted to let you know that um your achievements had come to my attention when the district had um publicized this and so when I went to uh the city council a couple of months ago and gave updates about our school district, I shared um that you had been named to this team. Um, so that's out there with our our our city leaders and community members who attended that meeting as well. So congratulations again. >> Thank you very much for that. >> Yeah, you bet. So I have uh for you the next time that we see you or I'm sure we'll get it to you as your Highlander highlight. So, this says Minnesota State High School Coaches Association, Amjad Muhammad, All State Class DoubleA Second Team Soccer, and this was December 9th, 2025. So, congratulations again. Thank you for all of the work that you've put in, and we are so so proud of you. >> Thank you very much, guys. Appreciate those kind words. >> Yeah, >> it does feel good for that, you know, hard work the past four or five years. So appreciate it, guys. >> Yeah. Well, thank you. Take care. >> Be safe. Stay warm. >> Bye. >> Thank you guys. >> Have a great day. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Uh, moving on. We are at the agenda. Approval, adjustments, and announcements. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? >> Whoa, that was three of you. >> I don't want it. I was gonna say something, too. Can I get in on this? >> You can second if you'd like. >> All right. Uh, >> pick one. Give it to Lauren. >> It was Laurian. Okay. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> There we go, Jessica. All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. All right. >> Let me get the water in before I read all the announcements. All right. January 26th, there is no school. February 5th is a flex learning day. February 6th, we have no school. February 10th at 5:30, we have a school board work session here in the community room. February 17th at 4:45, we have a subcommittee on policy superintendent conference room. February 17th at 5:00 p.m. we have the subcommittee on community engagement in the community room. February 17th at 6 p.m. we have our school board meeting here in the community room. All right. Communication to the board. At this time, any citizen or employee may briefly address the school board. The board will listen to the brief remarks, ask clarifying questions, and if desired, request that the administration follow up. The board will not take action at this meeting on requests presented at this time. Time will be limited to three minutes per speaker. Do we have anybody? Nope. All right. Next up, we have the consent agenda. In the consent agenda, we have our personnel report. Um, we have our minutes of our last uh two meetings and we have a treasury report from September 2025 and October 2025. Can I get a motion to accept our consent agenda? >> So moved. Julie, can I get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Laura. Any discussion? >> All right. All those in favor of accepting Juliet. >> Oh, Julie, you have a question. I'm sorry. I did not see that. Go ahead. >> I just wanted to point out that the Treasury report is um we already received November as well. So these are two months that were um just missing from our previous meetings due to the audit and other priorities of the finance team. So >> just wanted to mention that. >> Appreciate that. >> All right. Any other discussion? >> All right. All those in favor of accepting the consent agenda as presented say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. All right. Uh, now we will go into the acknowledgement of contributions. That loaded up. Awesome. Okay. It's a big one, which is wonderful. Okay. Acknowledgement of contributions resolution Minnesota statute 123B.02 02 permits school boards to receive for the benefit of the district bequests, donations or gifts for any proper purpose and apply the same to the purpose designated. On that behalf, the board may act as trustee of any trust created for the benefit of the district and for the benefit of pupils thereof. Therefore, the school board of Columbia Heights Public Schools Independent School District number 13 resolves to accept with appreciation the $27,793.50 in monetary contributions detailed in the background below. uh monetary Tammy Fischer and Nicole Halib both donated $100 to the retired staff scholarship fund. Anonymous donation of $10,000 to Valley View Elementary Sunrise Fund to support scholarship fund for students. Anonymous donation of $150 to North Park for school supplies. Anonymous donation of $6,000 to Valley View for the scholarship fund. Micheline Verlutz donated $1,000 to Valley View for the food shelf. Carissa and an anonymous donor each donated $25. Kristen Stunkle and Karine Linderman each donated $50 to the Columbia Heights Public Schools Early Childhood Program. Zack Garmin donated $200 to North Park School for Innovation. Nikki Wacle donated $25 to Columbia Academy. Joan Leonard donated $50 and North Beast Petare LLC donated $100 to Columbia Heights Public Schools. Vit Automotive Foundation History Museum donated $500 to Highland Elementary Food Shelf. Box Top Box Top donated $80 to Highland Elementary. Valley View PTO don donated $1,38.50. Valley View Sunshine Committee donated $700. And Maria Oelen Felen donated $200 to Valley View Elementary for school use. Italian-American Club Foundation donated $5,000 to Columbia Heights High School for staff appreciation. Trevor Major donated $100 and Brothers Empowered donated $1,000 to the athletics department to support boys basketball. Dean Bliss and Joyce Bliss donated $2,000 to the Columbia Heights High School 2026 scholarship fund. Inind donations. Anonymous donor donated snow pants, boots, gloves, hats, jackets, and a gift card for purchase of additional winter clothing valued at $454.60 to North Park School for Innovation. Anonymous donor donated blankets for families valued at $487.92 to Highland Elementary. Anonymous donor donated food for the community gathering valued at $200 to cookie cart delivery for the community gathering. Anonymous donated, I'm sorry, anonymous donor donated food valued at $74.20 to Valley View Elementary to support families. And an anonymous donor donated gift cards to the school district valued at $475 to Columbia Heights Public Schools to support acknowledgement of substitute teachers. Total fiscal year 2025 2026. Monetary contributions to date, $51,7826. Can I get a motion to accept this resolution? >> So moved. >> Laura, can I get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Michelle. Discussion. Laura. >> Um the the the generosity of our community is amazing. And the thoughtfulness of each one of these contributions. I they're they're they're so incredibly thoughtful and so um and so appreciated. I I don't know what else to say. It's just it's it's a beautiful thing and I love my community. I just love my community. Thank you. >> Same. Anybody else? >> Christian, go ahead. >> Um, me personally, I mean, I just love seeing how a community can come together in time of crisis and support families who may not be as fortunate as other people. And I just love like hearing about even the small donations can make a big impact and are uh giving gratitude. And I mean it's just amazing to me to see how, you know, Colombia Heights is closely connected to each other and how we're basically all trying to help each other out every single day. And it's just beautiful for me to see. >> Yeah, incredibly well said. And I don't think I could follow that with a better thing. That was wonderful. All right. >> If there's no further discussion, this is a resolution, so we will need um a roll call vote. >> Mueller, >> I >> Grenland >> I Pway >> I >> Palmer I Maderas >> I motion has passed. Motion carries. Thank you so very much. All right. Now we will move on to discussion reports and information items starting with reports from members of the board. Um Julie, do you want to go first? >> Sure. Um I participated last week in our work session and um just before this meeting I participate in the community action committee slash legislative action committee um meeting which were very productive. >> Wonderful. Thank you Laurian. >> Um last week I also attended the work session. We had a closed session as well. Um, I also attended the subcommittee on community engagement. I agree with Julie that that was a really productive meeting. So, thanks Michelle for chairing a good one there. Um, also had conversations with community members. Um, and I just wanted to thank our community members. Um, although this should never be necessary, um, we had a number of our community members who came out and helped our students go to and from school safely. um and and really just stepped in and I really wanted to thank our community who did that. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you, Jessica. >> Sure. Well, I was looking back and we actually haven't had the opportunity for board reports in quite some time. So, um I do have a little bit of a list here. Um I was able to back in December um with some of you attend uh the legislative exchange visit to North Park. um school and be able to um kind of show off some of uh the unique things about that building and our programs there. Um I was able to attend a band concert at uh Columbia Academy. Um, I uh participated as a baker in the holiday baking uh class that the district um has every year and they did a fantastic job uh in the high school cafeteria with food service. Uh it was a welloiled machine of assembly uh and baking of lots of different uh cookies. Um I attended uh PTO meetings at both Columbia Academy and Highland. Um, I attended like all of you the schoolboard organizational meeting uh at a couple of weeks ago um and the schoolboard work session along with both close sessions that accompanied those meetings. Um, and then I also attended the policy subcommittee meeting prior to tonight's meeting. Um, and I just want to also take an opportunity to expand on some of the comments of our new student representative and of director Mueller in talking about community because that's one thing um that's an area I've been spending a lot of time in um as a parent, as a board member um and as a neighbor um really just spending the last couple of weeks um trying really hard not to cry. I'm failing miserably. Um, spending the last couple of weeks really being in community um, in those roles and seeing how many people across our school district um, across our neighborhoods, in the adjacent um, communities to ours are really stepping up and um, serving others in really traumatic and challenging times. Um, and I just, you all know who you are that are involved in that really important work. And I just, um, want to extend my appreciation for everything that everyone is doing to make sure that um, our students um, are safe at school and that they can continue to learn. Um, so I'm going to leave it there, but thank you very much for the opportunity to report. Thank you, >> Laura. >> Okay, I'm going to keep mine brief. Um uh just as far as our activities, you know, we did all to the organizational meeting. I kind of feel like we need to kind of go back. Um u we also had the opportunity to um to do a couple of negotiations with um uh with local 710. Um, I appreciate the collaboration that we always had with our with our various um um uh bargaining units and I found that to be very productive and um I'm glad that we got everything looking good. um also attended the policy subcommittee prior to this and um and I'm not going to go into community because we have a lot more to say and they're amazing and I'm not going to turn this into a cry session. So just we love you and we're here for you. I don't know what else to say. >> Thanks Laura Michelle. >> Yeah. Um, so in December, um, I also attended the CA band concert, um, which is our first concert there, so that was nice. Um, I attended the work session and close session, um, as well last week. Um, I did go to the MSBA conference. It was awesome. Um, it's really hard to focus on the work right now. Um and so uh I in the future when we are able to do the work that we are here to do, I don't want to lose that. And so um they had a banquet and everyone felt guilty being at this banquet having fun and like doing all the things. But um we do need to take time for ourselves um so that we can keep doing this work and so that we can keep being there for our community members. So, um, I felt bad for a little second that we were all like enjoying this day and we were talking about things that don't seem important right now, but um, I actually learned a lot. I got to connect with a lot of different um, uh, boards and communities. Um, the directors of color celebrated their 10 years uh, and we had Commissioner Jet there um, to, you know, to be with us and and and share a couple thoughts. And um it was just like one of those moments of you know kind of like back when co happened where like everybody just rallies and like we all just kind of were there together and it was just a good experience. So that was like a good three days cuz the banquet now is on the night before the conference and then the conference is two days. So we spent a lot of time together actually over the last weekend. Um, and so that was a nice uh that was a nice moment to be able to just get with other people um outside our community and see what they're going through too, share tools and what we're doing and things like that. Um, I attended the chair meeting um, prior to this. It was my first chair meeting. Um, so that was fun. Having a lot of firsts. Um, and I also attended the community engagement legislative action committee meeting. Um, we are very proud of what we're doing. I think that um we'll have updates soon um and I'll just uh reach out and let you guys know uh what we're thinking and things like that. But thanks so much. >> Thank you. Um so for my update, um I've done a lot of things in our community over the last few weeks. Um, I didn't make the chair meeting today and I didn't make the policy subcommittee meeting because I was in the community comforting family who had a child taken by ice today. And I have spent the last few weeks trying to make sure that our students and staff and families and everybody in our community are safe. There was no warrant that was presented for this family. And so I missed the meetings today to be present within our community and with a family and trying to get them access to the resources that they need. Um I saw the power of community but at the end of the day we had whistles and they have guns. And this is not sustainable for our state or our community. And really, it shouldn't be for anybody. And I am grateful for community stepping up to be there and to help and to work really hard to keep everybody in our community safe to make sure that they have food and access to what they need. And we are still going to do our best to live our mission and our values because they won't take that from us. >> Superintendent Stick. >> Thank you, Chair Granlin. Uh over the last six years, I've always said that the safe the top priority is the safety of children, staff, families, and community members. Um and um I've been empowered to be in this position to do that job and um that job is becoming increasingly more challenging. Um, so I just want to take a moment to thank our staff who are working round the clock um, all weekend on Martin Luther King Day when they didn't have to work. Um, and doing that work in community in collaboration with a lot of community members. Um, I know many people are working all night, all morning trying to support um, families who have had a small child taken like this afternoon. Um, so my heart is shattered for our families. Um, and I will continue to uphold our mission and our vision and all of the work that we are here to do um to support children. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Student school board representatives. Um, we'll start with >> Yeah, sorry. No, that's okay. I appreciate it if you are there. Aton. >> Yes, I'm here. >> Hi. >> Can you guys hear me? Okay. Yes, we can. >> Okay. Um, since the last time I was in a schoolboard meeting, um, I went to the organizational meeting with you all. Um, I also attended, um, uh, the speech mock tournament, uh, for the start of the season. Um, that was really fun to see all the new people join the team. Um, I also attended a boys basketball game on the same day. Uh, we didn't win, but it was, um, an interesting game. We were really close. And I also attended the Columbia Heights High School sitin in the PAC. And I thought that was a really wonderful experience to see all my um fellow classmates and staff come and listen to what our community members were saying and like student experiences um during this difficult time in our community. That is it for my report. >> Thank you so much. Cadence, would you like to go next? >> Um um yeah. So lately I've been I did the AI committee and I'll go to the next meeting and that's been very interesting to hear like staff and other community members and parents their very different opinions on AI usage in our school and I've learned a lot about um AI use in everyday life and generative AI and how can how can it affect the environment and the community And I've also been editing a lot of stories for the Heights Herald. And it's been very stressful and a very hard time in our class because um we decided that it would be much safer if we didn't report on any activity going on currently with ICE. Um, which has been very sad and very disheartening because uh we don't have to be censored anymore necessarily, but we're choosing to censor ourselves because we don't want to have our school be unsafe or be targeted because of what we're saying, which has been very very disheartening and very hard for a lot of the class and especially Polly. Um, so yeah, that's end of my report. >> Thank you, Christian, >> recently uh due to mental health reasons, I have actually instead of coming to school been attending a PHP, but I still stay connected and I just learned now that um we're choosing not to report on ICE because I was not informed. I haven't, you know, been coming and it truly feels horrible having to especially when you have a passion of letting the truth be known and telling others about how to stay safe and, you know, protect their families uh when we can't report on it. It's really uh difficult for me to just accept that we are choosing to stay silent when even though we want to report on stuff like this uh for the safety of our school and for the well-being of everyone else, we choose not to. But I am also uh really proud of uh you know the efforts of our students. I would make a highlight but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to name drop. Um but one of my friends organized the sitin in the PAC which I sadly could not attend but I am just proud of seeing students come at such a you know unknowing time especially since a lot more people are in danger now that's more policies have been ruling out and just more violence has been breaking out, especially with recent incidents in neighboring cities. Uh, it's tragic seeing all of this happen and I just think that our community is still finding a way to stay strong even in the most uncertain times. And even though sometimes it feels like we're lo like we're fighting a losing battle, we still have something to fight for at the end of the day. And I'm just proud of seeing everyone get together. First for the gun violence walk out and now for the ice sitin. It makes me feel a sense of pride in this community and being able to confidently say that I am proud of the people in here. And that is the end of my report. >> Thank you, Christian. Well said. Um, and because, you know, this is where we're at, we're going to continue on and continue to to govern our school district. Um, so next up, we have our policy first reading. Um, >> here Garland, I think that might be an error. >> Is there an error? >> Yes, >> they Well, they just aren't listed on the I apologize. On the agenda. Yeah, the policies. >> Yep. >> 407 and 412. >> To be fair, I do tend to make mistakes on these things. Um but um so the following policies were reviewed at the December 9th policy subcommittee meeting. These policies will be made available for staff and community input on the district web page and brought before the board for second reading approval at a future board meeting. The two um policies reviewed were 407, the employee right to know hazardous substances and 412 expense reimbursements. Moving on to action items. Um discontinuence of programs and positions for 2026 2027 um with director Bennett uh who is the director of human resources and director Henkin the director of finance and operations. Chair Granland, members of the board, Superintendent Stenick. Tonight, the school board will be asked to approve a resolution directing the superintendent and administration to consider the discontinuence of programs or positions to effectuate economies in the school district and reduce expenditures. Make recommendations to the school board for discontinuence of programs. curtailment of programs, discontinuence of positions or curtailment of positions in order to balance the school district budget. This is an annual resolution brought forward to the school board. Thank you. I will read the resolution first and then um we will ask for motions. So, board of education resolution directing the administration to make recommendations for reductions in programs and positions and reasons. Therefore, whereas the compensatory aid funding stream is uncertain with the potential for Columbia Heights Public Schools to see a reduction of approximately $4 million. And whereas the school district continues to have a special education cross subsidy of over $3.2 million, requiring the school district's general fund to cover this obligation. And whereas the school district continues to have an English learner cross subsidy of approximately $350,000 with funding uncertainties and requires the school district's general fund to cover this obligation. And whereas enrollment is declining which affects the school district budget. And whereas the new voter approved operating levy funding remains well below the metro average. And whereas the financial condition of the school district is dependent on fed federal, state and local revenues and these have not been sufficient to cover the total cost of ownership for school district expenses. And whereas transportation costs are projected to increase. And whereas the school district has an obligation to balance the budget on an annual basis and remain within the school board fund balance policy. And whereas reductions in expenditures in school finances may include discontinuence of positions and discontinuence or curtailment of programs if necessary. And whereas a determination must be made as to which faculty and staff contracts and programs may be terminated and not renewed and which licensed staff may be placed on unrequested leave of absence without pay or fringe benefits and affecting discontinuence of positions and programs. Now therefore, be it resolved that the school school board of independent school district number 13, Columbia Heights, hereby directs the superintendent of schools and administration to consider the discontinuence of positions and/or programs to affectuate economies in the school district and reduce expenditures. Make recommendations to the school board for the discontinuence of positions, curtailment of positions, discontinuence of programs, curtailment of programs in order to balance the school district budget. Can I get a motion to accept the resolution? >> So moved. >> Laura, can I get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Laurian. Discussion. >> Go ahead, Laura. >> Um, just comment. This is of course this is a yearly resolution. Um, we need to do this to give permission to um the uh the staff to be able to look at all of our programs and make sure that we are within our budget and that we have the right people in the right places. It is a long process and um uh and um the administration has made a commitment to be able to um give this information to staff as quickly as possible um so that if there is a discontinuation of their their position um that they are able to have a smoother transition. So I appreciate all the work that goes into it. It looks big and scary, especially with our budget uncertainties. Um, but um, we go from here. This is what we have and thank you for doing this. >> Well said. Go ahead, Jessica. >> Thank you. I did just have a question. If you could um, just share sort of what happens from here, assuming this resolution is approved. Um, sort of what what happens next. um administration, the superintendent along with principles. We start meeting to look at um programming for next school year. We look at also um teachers up for tenure because one part of it would be a non-renewal if they're not going to be um asked back for next school year. We look at the budget. We um will determine how much we need to curtail or discontinue in programs to have a balanced budget. Um we try to do two separate resolutions. We've done this since Superintendent Steuk took over and we do the first one where it's um lenture, you know, you're going to be non-renewed. Um we put performance in there, too. Um trying to think what other ones, long-term subs, so positions that we just know are going to be cut. And then the second one is we wait till the very last minute that we possibly can um to cut people that we do not have positions for. Thank you. I think it's important that the community understands how this resolution fits into the rest of our budget work. Um we know the um legislature will be kicking off session here very shortly. Um and I believe their legislative adjournment date is uh May 18th this year. um which does put us up against um a lot of other deadlines that we need to meet as a board um in order to give our staff notice and our schools notice. Um so we'll be kind of watching that carefully too. Um just a point of discussion. I I did want to note that while while this is a um a resolution that we do generally approve as a board annually that um if you look at the language of this resolution um it's important for the community to understand that we are really um in a different space than we have been the last couple of years financially. that while we um have been able to pass an operating levy uh recently and we really thank our community for that and that has helped us tremendously be in a position where we haven't had to make cuts the last couple of years that we're really on the precipice right now of sort of a financial onslaught on from like all angles. So, if you look at the language of the resolution, um things that are sort of staring down at us going into this legislative session include the loss of compensatory aid, which we've talked about a great deal as a board. We've had great activism in our community, advocacy in our community to help keep our compensatory aid. Um we know that Superintendent Sedvic is is doing what she can on um that that statewide work group. Um, but that we could see a reduction of $4 million >> to um the budget of a district our size would be um beyond challenging. um knowing that there are going to be cuts made this year through the blue um ribbon commission uh to special ed funding, special ed spending um that could hit our district at an almost equal amount. Um knowing that we continue to have the ecross subsidy and the great need in our district that we have for those services. um knowing that our enrollment is declining and that there's so much uncertainty around that given the current environment. So, knowing all of that, um I'm in support of this resolution. It's what we have to do. But I just think it's really important um for transparency for uh our entire community, but particularly parents across the district and our staff um to know that there there are a lot of um significant financial detriments that we are likely to face um between now and the end of legislative session. Um, and so I know that um, those recommendations will come to us as a board and those are always incredibly difficult discussions. Um, but I know that as a parent before I was on the board, um, I often felt blindsided by some of the decisions that had to be made as a result of discontinuation of positions or programs. Um, and so I want to be very clear with our employee community, our parent community, um, the larger tax being community of our district that this is the this is the financial reality that we're facing going into legislative session. So, thank you. >> Yeah. Well said. Thank you. Anyone else? >> No. All right. As this is a resolution, we will need a roll call vote. Maderas >> I >> Palmer >> I Pway >> I >> Granland >> I >> P >> I >> Mueller >> I >> thank you. All right, motion carries. Thank you. And last but not least, we have uh Director Henkkins who will be presenting our um fiscal year 2025 audit. Thank you, Chair Granland, members of the board, and Superintendent Stenick. Um, so this evening, um, I'm going to go through a presentation that the board, um, already received and had a good conversation with our auditing firm, LB Carlson, in particular, Jimden from LB Carlson, presenting that, um, and at our work session last meeting. Um, so I'm gonna try and be a little bit briefer um in the presentation. Uh, but wanted to make sure that um, we had this presentation on on camera. Make sure that you guys can see what I'm seeing. Fantastic. Um, and then this evening, uh, the school board's role in this is to accept the the audit, um, as presented. Um uh so it's not a it's not a matter of approving um it but it's accepting it. Um and uh hopefully uh um um Jim provided enough information in the in the work session and and again I'm just going to be doing a brief overview. >> Um but so our auditing firm third party auditing firm that comes into the district every year um currently is LB Carlson. previous school year it was um MMKR um LB Carlson and MMKR merged and now they're just LB Carlson. So it's really the exact same people um providing our audit um for uh fiscal year 25, so the previous fiscal year. Um, and so they're they're um two two things that they're really doing is they're looking at our financial statements and having an opinion on on on those financial statements and ensuring that you know they don't see any misstatements within those statements that we're putting together as a team um in my finance department. Um and then looking at internal controls and compliance. Um so um you know digging into the state laws and regulations and then again the controls around um um what we do up in the finance department um creating those financial statements and running the district. Um and so uh you know very happy uh to continue to have an unm unmodified opinion um uh with our auditing firm which is the best opinion that that we can receive. Um and we have a note this year where there's additional Gazsby standards um governmental accounting standards that um were came on this year were added. Um uh there was more than one but um we only have to make a note of one because uh um there was only only one of them had actually something to report which are compensated a um absences which we have to account for differently than we used to um in the liabilities around um uh those absences that are on our books or that people have access to. Um and and then uh uh um through an audit process, you know, again, they're looking at how we're doing things in the office and looking for anything that's uh um you know, where we have deficiencies um and maybe in internal controls. And so this year we had two findings in internal controls, two deficiencies um that they found. One was segregation of duties, which is one that has been found every year. Um and traditionally it's been in in three different areas. um you know, cash receipts and and accounts payable um and payroll and um uh member HooL um had a big discussion with uh um the our auditing firm on this very topic u previously and and as discussed at the board last meeting um two of those have been removed from segregation of duties and that's payroll and and our cash receipts and um and we still have some um work to do and in um accounts payable. This isn't This is something that small districts have for sure. Um and but this year we uh they went deeper into looking at specifics. Um once we were done with our single audit, which is still ongoing, um we'll we'll uh revisit that and see what additional things potentially we can do within their existing staffing um to potentially remove that. Um, so it's not a for sure, it's not a for sure staying, it's not a for sure removal, but we're definitely going to look into the possibilities there. We had an error correction this year. So, previous year's financial statements um specifically in debt. Um, we have bonds um that uh basically was an error in a spreadsheet. Um and uh to keep it simple and not go into too many deals details on it, it did not affect any of our financial statements in the sense of fund balances. Um so all our fund balances were correct. um you know, debt balances, uh all of our our bond payments were made on time and and so uh but um within our financial reports um we are reporting out um on those um debt schedules and um one of them in particular with our related to we have two different ones for our 2019 bonds. um we have an A and a B. Um in 2019 B the spreadsheet um was incorrect and uh so we made a correction on that. It was something that um Kate from our my team found um and and reported it to um our auditing firm. Um so it wasn't it wasn't something that they said oo we found something. Um we said hey we see something um can you can you verify this for us because it seems wrong and they said yes indeed it is wrong. Um and since um you know we acknowledge that is is incorrect um within our financial statement they verified it is incorrect with our financial statement from FY24 we have an error correction um so that is lower it's not a material um weakness or correction but a significant significant deficiency and um and so uh that has been corrected and uh we shouldn't see any issues with that moving forward. Uh the last one um on the legal compliance side, we have uh withholding affidavits um for larger projects. Um we have a withholding affidavit um making sure that our contractors are paying their subcontractors and um it's typically a a piece of paper that uh the contracting company sends to us um and then before we make our final payment and close out the uh project. And in this case, we didn't receive it before we made the final payment. We did receive it um but we didn't um uh receive it before we made the final payment. So, um we've changed some procedures a little bit within between our our business build our buildings and grounds department and our finance department to ensure that um those things are checked specifically before that final payment is made. um so that our accounts payable person and um our deputy director of finance can clearly see yes that is there in this folder and we can make that final payment. Um so I I mentioned the single audit which isn't complete yet. So whenever we receive a a high enough level of of federal dollars um a single audit is required. um our auditing firm didn't receive um uh details into how to proceed or a direction on proceeding for the single audit for fiscal year 25 until late November. So they could not complete the single audits in time that we have until March 1st I think it is to complete that. So uh we are close to completing that. So we'll complete it in plenty of time. They're they're actively working on that now. Um and that will have to come back to the school board um once that is completed. Um this graph uh just shows our average daily membership um and our pupil units. So um you know that's how we are counting our students um and the pupil units units is awaited. So our secondary kids are weighted a little bit more. So that's why you see that yellow line number higher than the blue line. And uh you can see over the last four years particularly um we've we've seen a growth in our student population. um direct correlation to a growth in our financial position in the district. Um and uh and so coming out of the COVID years which was our low uh when COVID started um we we see a higher enrollment or higher pupil unit than we've seen in a long time and and thus you know currently our finance financial position now that we're seeing a downward trend. um you know that you know we we need to really that's why that previous uh action item is incredibly important to make sure that we're looking at those efficiencies as we see enrollment trends go down and how we're making adjustments um to make sure that our financial position doesn't end up um you know where it was right in that heart of COVID um and you can this just shows our financial position. So you can see again if you look back at this enrollment graph it doesn't look as dramatic but you see it it kind of it dips down in 2021 at a low and then 22 it starts going up and then 23 24 25 you can see that growth um and then our financial position you can see the the same correlation there that dip and then that growth it the growth in the financial position lags a little bit with that population growth but um you can see it direct the direct correlation and the importance of student enrollment Um this just shows our overall uh fund balance. Um so you can see last year at 9.4% or fiscal year 24 at 9.4%. Um and fiscal year 25 ending at 13.9%. Our prediction was to end between 13 and 14%. So we're we're at the higher end of what our prediction was the 13 to 14 but still within that prediction. So um you know ending in fiscal year 25 again um our financial position is within our fund balance policy of the 10 to 18%. So you know we feel very good about that but before we overceelebrate we have to again look at our future and and what that looks like and and prepare and and uh and just make sure that we're we're continuing to stay on top of of where we sit and where our our variables are within our budget. Um this is our general fund revenues. Um uh one of the questions that came up in this one uh in our in our discussion at the work session was federal sources and seeing that number at 2.6 million um on the budget and the actual about just a little bit lower just under 2.6 million. Um, and when, you know, we had discussed and talked about previously about this five 5.5 million in in federal dollars that the district receives, this is just the general fund revenues. Um, and that we're showing in this graph. And food service accounts for about $2.7 million. Um, community education accounts for some dollars from federal, too, though it's shrunk a lot because we no longer um have the 21st century learning grant and that was um you know 300 to $400,000 in federal dollars. But so the federal sources there um is still north of $5 million in fiscal year 25. Um fiscal year 24 was about 5.5. Fiscal year 25 is, you know, was a little bit less than that, but still very over the $5 million mark. Um, so that's the change there, but you can see that state sources is where we receive a majority of our money. Um, and so, uh, and you can see where property taxes is. Um, and then federal sources and other sources. Um, you know, that other sources, it could be things like scholarships, it could be donations that, you know, we talked about earlier in this meeting. Um, that would go into that other category. Um and then the g general fund expenditures. No surprise there that you see salaries and employee benefits um are very salaries being the largest area, employee employee benefits being a very large area just behind purchase services. So um you know that's staff is where a majority of a school district's expenses are. >> Um and then the other funds um I mentioned food service. Um so you can see there over the last five years the um fund balance for the food service a very very stable uh fund balance for that program. Um you know I would predict we are predicting that fund balance to go down again at the end of this year. Um larger expenditures um doing some work in kitchens and that fund balance going down. So um you can see we dropped a little bit this year from 24 fiscal year to 25 fiscal year. Um and community service is something that um we've worked really hard on in the LA that last year and was continuing to look at this year. Um as that fund was continuing to go down and we knew changes had to be made and um worked with Kristen a lot closely on making those adjustments. Um and we can see and our revenues were a little bit higher than anticipated and our expenses were a little bit lower than anticipated in community ed which grew that fund balance um in that area. Um, you know, hopefully the programs that, you know, like Adventure Club being added back to North Park, you know, hopefully these things we can sustain that will continue to help that that program. Um, because when we decrease that that the amount of uh of, you know, things like adventure club programming and we have less sites, um, it just in increases our overhead or our overhead stays, you know, closer to the same and we just don't have the revenues coming in. Um, so it just lowers our fund balance. So looking really good there. Um, and then we have these other funds. Building construction fund, that's our fund six. Um, our capital projects levy. Um, so that's the technology and deferred maintenance projects. Um, so that fund continues to be um, stable fund that we do deferred maintenance projects out of and support our onetoone. Debt service is, you know, for our previous uh, bonds. Um and internal revenue services are are um our dental and so that's a self-insured fund. Um and we have a about $140,000 balance in there. Very stable fund um for us um compared to the expenses. Um over the last couple years that fund has grown a little bit. I think it was down below 100,000 out about 140,000. So sitting very good. OPE Trust continues to do very well for us. Our postemployment benefit fund um and it's sitting um between 4.8. 8 $4.9 million. So, um we're we're well funded um in that in that OPED trust for post-employment and benefits. Um so I think that's uh it. The rest of them was just a summary um about what I just talked about. So, um, that's probably a little bit longer than I was going to go, but, um, just a brief, uh, summary of the audit and again, seeking action from the board to accept the audit. >> All right. Thank you so much. Can I get a motion to accept the audit as presented? >> Thank you, Michelle. Can I get a second? >> Second. >> Second by Julie. Discussion. I just want to say that we had a very robust discussion at our work session about all of the things that you um shared and we did go uh a little bit more in depth uh about the findings and things. I think it was a really helpful conversation to have and I appreciate um even though you say you went a little bit deeper than you had planned to, I really appreciate the um the information being shared uh for our community. Laura, um I'd also like to make a comment um as well um is your foresight in putting um some of those funds aside because of the expectation um that we're going to have some difficulties in the future. So I really appreciate that because I know as bleak as things are, your preparation is going to it is going to make a difference, but we are still getting hit with an awful lot of stuff. So just thank you. Thank you. >> Julie. >> Yeah. Um, Director Henkins, how much, you know, I know that we kind of have a cyclical number of students, you know, it goes up and then a few years later it's coming down. Um, how much is it per student? when some when a student leaves or is no longer here, how much per student is pretty much taken out of the budget because of that formula? >> Uh, good question. Um, you know, every student um does not bring in the same amount of revenue, but our average is close to $15,000 per student. Um, the general formula makes up a big portion of that, but that's not all of it. Um you know we have the other components of that like our um our levy um is a per pupil that you know that student here bringing in that money compensatory aid some students qualify and bring in money revenue for compensatory some don't but it's about $15,000 um currently. Um so it's very significant. Um, so as as a district our size, you know, goes up and goes down, our up and down doesn't have to be that big um to make a big impact to the finances of the district. >> And so the in um current situation, we're down about a hundred students, would you say? >> Yeah. >> And so we're talking$ one.5 million. >> Yeah. It's a big impact. Um and and that's, you know, our average daily membership. Um so a student that leaves midy year we get some credit for them or student that comes on midyear um is a little bit higher than that um than the actual physical number of down 100 students. I think it's 98 but um the ADM is more like 123 you know you know and growing. Um so um you know we'll we'll see um we'll see we we monitor enrollment weekly. So um but uh so it's definitely dropped more than what the preliminary budget for this fiscal year um anticipated um about it actually dropped double what I anticipated. Um so um that will be an adjustment in the revised budget that we see um so um which we're currently working on. Um, >> oh >> yeah, thank you. I just wanted our community to kind of understand like when we have that foot that um decline and we've talked about it with with the efficiencies that we expect the administration to come up with that is a part of that formula as well is that they'll need to deal with the fact that we may not have as many students as we've had in the past. So, and again, it's cyclical. So, you know, two years from now, that might be higher. So, it um I just want our community to kind of understand that piece. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any other discussion? >> Oh, go ahead. >> And I wanted to thank you for the hard work your team is doing. I know this year was more of a challenge due to some of the compliance um audit that was you know required to pull some additional documentation in a different way which was even though we had it it was more complicated and took time. So we really appreciate all the things that you've been doing and the fact that we have a clean opinion because of your hard work and dedication of you and your team. >> Yeah, we have a fantastic team here. um couldn't do it without them. Um and uh you know from an audit perspective, Kate um the deputy director really runs runs that audit. Um and Kelsey um they I mean they do they're our primary. So they're fantastic and and uh and I think the results show. So >> thank you. >> Thank you. All right. If there's no further discussion, then um we will now vote to accept the auditive the audited comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2025 as presented. All those in favor say I. >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. Thank you very much, director. >> All right. Next up is board topics. Um, I think I would just say it's really, really cold out there. So, in addition to everything else, um, my hope is that everybody stays safe and stays warm. Any other board topics? Go ahead, Michelle. >> I do. Um, and I hope that my subcommittee is all right with me asking this, but I thought about asking somebody else a question and I went that would be open meeting, so I'm just going to ask it now while everyone's here. Um during our meeting we were trying to come up with our um our priorities for uh day at the capital in March and uh compensatory um funding first on the list. Um but we were struggling to find more and I just wanted to like ask if anybody else had I mean like we know some more but I'm saying like uh priorities for our district. Um, was there anything that anybody else would have want like wants us to focus on as well? >> I think that that's a fantastic question. We, um, some of us may need a little bit of time to get that to you, so maybe we can get that to you. Um, >> yeah, that'd be awesome. I just wanted to put it out there. >> Looks like you have a Yeah, you have a comment. Go ahead, Christian. >> Uh, I have a suggestion. Not you don't have to take my word but uh someone who is greatly impacted by mental health. Uh I'm just thinking maybe a bit more focus on what we can do for students who suffer from mental health and uh conditions or have poor like just mental health in general and see you know what can we provide to them. Um cuz all we have a counselor but the thing with that uh with them is uh sometimes they're busy and it can get a bit often a bit difficult to schedule some uh meetings with them. And so in case there is no like available appointments when you need them, >> where could we lead our students or what could we provide for them that would uh keep them safe? And you uh it'll be a while before we can say for sure that they'll be like happy cuz mental health is a very complicated thing. But how can we just ensure the safety and uh you know give to people who need something from the school or don't have you know uh someone to come and talk to them when they need it. >> Yeah. >> Really great point and I super appreciate that as a social worker. I love that um that you brought that up too. >> Thank you >> Jessica. Um I don't have it in front of me. Um but I would also maybe encourage the subcommittee to look at um MSBA's uh 2026 priorities to see if there are some other things on that list that um would impact us particularly as a district. I know compensatory aid is one of the pieces on there. Thinking also about um the the work that's being done around um special education costs and thinking about how that might impact our district. I know that MSBA and is it MASA or is that's how they um they have a joint, you know, day at the capital coming up, I believe March 1st, something like that. 9th. March 9th. Thank you. Um and so we could probably probably maybe I maybe we can get that out >> like that the MSBA legislative agenda out to all the board members if we can get that from their site. Chair Granland, I was wondering if if perhaps you would want me to include in your Friday packet MSBA, MASA, and AMSD legislative priorities. >> Yes, I was actually literally going to ask about that. So, >> I was just going to schedule a call with you because um there's just other things around this anyway, so we can chat uh soon. >> Great. Great. Laura, I I would say one thing that I would definitely love to stress is um is, you know, you can give us school districts all the advice that you want, but please don't make anything mandatory. >> Okay? Because we're not getting any funding attached to that. And the additional resources that are needed just to be able to meet these new mandates and the expense that's included with them is really causing a problem. Not that they haven't been wonderful things that have improved our students. It's just on it's just give us advice on where we want to, you know, on where we want to go, but please don't make us do it unless you're going to give us money to be able to implement it, >> you know, please. That's that's just the the one thing that I would say. Just please don't make us do more because you're not giving us any more to support that. >> Yeah. The unfunded mandates, right? the unfunded man. Not that they're not that some of these mandates aren't aren't really incredibly good and and thoughtful and um um filled with um missions of dignity. Um but please don't force us to do this if you're not going to if if there is a cost associated with them and please keep that in mind. >> Thank you. Well said. >> So we'll be planning for >> I'm practicing. Can you tell? >> Yeah, we need you there that day. But um I will be there. That's the area of the day off. >> We we'll we'll uh update you all soon on, you know, dates and things like that. But we Yeah, we're inviting everyone um >> who wants to go. So that'd be awesome. >> Pencil in. >> Appreciate it. >> Any other board topics? >> Any others? >> All right. If there are no other board topics, can I get a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> All right. Can I get a second? >> Second. There we go. Second. All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. We adjourn at 7:15. We did