Good evening. I'd like to call to order tonight's meeting of the ISD 191 School Board. The date is March 12th, 2026 and the time is 6:30 p.m. Um, I'd like to start by welcoming uh those of you who are joining us in person as well as those who are joining us virtually. Uh, we always appreciate folks who decide to join us and uh learn about the work the work of this board on behalf of our students and our schools. Um, we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. Uh, Director Anderson, would you please lead us? 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. Thank you. Uh we will start by approving tonight's agenda. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. Moved by Director Chester. Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Hume. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> Oppose. Nay. And the motion carries unanimously. Uh, next we will move to the information portion of tonight's agenda. Uh, starting with a school report uh from Harriet Bishop Elementary School. Uh, welcoming Dr. Belmont, assistant superintendent, uh, principal Ken Essay, uh, Siri Maring, uh, Clarissa Ruvocaba, and Caitlyn, uh, Shirley, teachers. Welcome. >> Thank you, Chair Alt, Superintendent Daniels, members of the Superintendent Daniels, members of the board. We're here with our Westernmost elementary school, um, Harriet Bishop. And uh just a reminder to the board, our school reports are intended to um hear directly from our principal and guests around um priority based datadriven decisions that are leading towards those intended outcomes as described in the school improvement plan. So without further ado, principal essay. >> Good evening. Um I would just like to start um good evening superintendent Dr. Daniels um board chair and board members. Um, and to our 191 community that's listening at large. Um, I feel blessed to work in this district and I want to thank each of you for your servant leadership and giving back to our community. Um, tonight we're going to share a concise update on how the Harriet Bishop inclusion work has strengthened learning for all students with a focus on special education, sensory supports, and multi-llingual learner success. We have three incredible teacher leaders with me to help share our story. The story of our students, the story of our families, and the story of our community. We have Miss Siri Miring, our multilingual teacher, Miss Clarissa Ruval Cababa, who's a special education focused teacher, and Miss Caitlyn Shirley, who's a first grade teacher and a valuable member of our BLT. as we talk about design and and why this work matters. Um what we design for our students um and we think about our students with some of the greatest needs. We raise the floor for every single student within our building this year. The work that we have focused on building inclusive systems that are proactive, sustainable, and student centered. When we talk about inclusive PRA practices and multilingual learner success, we focus on inclusive practices for students who receive special education needs as well as our linguistic linguistically gifted students. It helps to ensure that all students have access to rigorous learning. When we design for our most diverse learners, when we design for those learners to meet the needs of our most diverse, we create classrooms that work better for every student and improving the outcomes for all students. And the last bullet point there as we talk about building systems, not programs. So many schools that I've been in before have had a multilingual program or a special education program. And what we want to think about is we want to have a multilingual school. And we want to have a school that supports special education students. And these three will give you some stories about how that's happened at Harry Bishop. >> Hi, my name is Clarissa Ruawa. I'm the focus teacher at Harriet Bishop. Um we've partnered with a special um a sped inclusion specialist who has worked alongside with our staff um during uh for job and better professional development. The strategies to focus focus on student regulation, increasing engagement, keeping our students in in the classroom is the most important thing. Um and ensuring access to learning in both sped and general education settings. Hi, I'm Caitlyn Shirley, first grade teacher. Um, to go along with what Clarissa said, we are just um took that training with Jace and are using different strategies to help support kids to keep them in the classroom. Each classroom now has a designated spot with calm-own tools and calm down areas that are taught to each kid. So, if they're feeling upset or any emotion, they can go and they know how to use those tools to stay in the classroom and get themselves back on track. Along with that, we have spaces within our communities where that they that they can use. Um, and the just the whole goal of this is to give them the strategies to um use independently and keep them in our classrooms and also give uh the teachers the confidence to help these students in the classroom so they can succeed. That's me. um as a by intentionally educating um the staff. Uh I'll speak mostly to the focus program that I have. Um I've made it really intentional this year to really teach my staff on not just or I work with ASD students DCD a little bit of everything. Just teaching them that they're more beyond than what they're labeled as. Giving them like okay if we see this behavior this can be they are seeking sensory needs. They are trying to communicate something to us. It's not just behavior. And I feel that that was my biggest intention coming in this year, especially with I knew I had a great team look to look forward to. I'm like, "All right, we're going to kill it this year. Let's do this." Um, now shifting that view has really helped us out this year of we've been able I've been able to in my room really independentize my students. I love I know that they can do hard things and that's a thing a daily affirmation that we say to ourselves. We can all do hard things. And watching my students be as this year has progressed be more and more independent has been has made me so happy. We've started with having our students be in their gened class all by themselves and now their peers are the ones that are bringing them back up to focus when it's time for academic support. Um recently last week I had one of my students that she kept asking for her Jenna teacher. She's like miss. I'm like hey let's go. And so she walked all on her own. I was a little bit behind her so I would be like, "Okay, we're gonna make it." Um, but being able to um see that has been like as a team one of our greatest prides. Um, the work has just strengthened the environment between not just the students but also the staff. Being able to connect on many different levels with the gened staff are not in our own corner of the school. We are one unit together. Um, has been amazing this year. Hi, my name is Siri Maring and I'm a multilingual learner teacher at Harriet Bishop. Um, I'm going to talk a little bit about our ML inclusion model that we have at Harriet Bishop. Um, it ensures students have access to grade level instruction while receiving targeted language support aligned to classroom learning. So we have set up a co-eing model in writing where every grade has um one class where the classroom teacher is partnering with a multilingual learner teacher to teach writing together. And so this um allows students and all students really, not just not just our ML students, but our students with disabilities and our um mainstream mainstream students to receive this strong really strong core classroom instruction. And so this is one way that we have really focused this year on providing that um instruction and allowing our ML students to stay in the classroom during that during that core time. One way that we have done this has been to use elevation strategies that have been provided to us through the through the platform elevation. Um it supports our work in two critical ways as an educational system. First, it helps us better understand our ML students by providing clear and accessible data um about students language proficiency and their instructional needs. Um these strategies allow us to better plan um intentionally and respond to students with precision rather than assumptions. Um second, Elevation equips our teachers with high quality tier one instructional strategies and this is um effective for our multilingual learners but also all students in the classroom. Um these are strategies that ML teachers and classroom teachers have access to and so they're able everyone is able to support the students with these strategies. Um they improve clarity, access and academic language development in every classroom raising the quality of teaching and learning across the whole school. When looking at our ML students and their access testing scores, um the verbal and listening scores are always usually the highest and the writing is the one that tends to be the lowest, which is where that writing co-eing model came from. I have had the chance to co-e with Siri this year and we have seen amazing growth in our first graders. In your folders, there are a few writing examples. Um, and there's three different students and you can see where they started at the beginning of the year. Two of them have a mid-year one and then one um more recent this winter. All three of those students are ML students and then the one that has only two um that student is also a special ed student too. So you can see just the growth in their writing and the confidence that they have um the their confidence in their writing has grown so much and that's because of the work that me and Siri have been able to do together. We're really able to individualize our instruction and give them what they need to really support them in their writing and to make them a more effective and confident writer. As Caitlyn mentioned, we chose writing as this is an area where students tend to struggle and it tends to keep them in the ML program for a long term. Um, and we know that once a student exits from ML services, they're twice as likely to be successful in high school and beyond. If multilingual students don't exit by fifth grade, their chances of exiting plummets. And so we feel that we need to provide that service for them in elementary school and especially in the writing area so that when they get to middle school and high school and even their later years in elementary school they are able to access the material um in a successful way. Um exiting language services exponentially increases future academic success which goes into high school and beyond high school. Um, and then it also allows them to access that rigorous coursework um better if they if they have received that support in in elementary school and and early on. >> And as we talk about um Harry Bishop and in one of the um graphs that you saw earlier, um I'm very proud to say that 52% of our students um speak a language other than English when they go home. And so when we think about being servant leaders and meeting the needs of our students, more than half of our students um are linguistically gifted. >> And so when when I share that um I also want to state that we have 23 different home languages and and and so as we celebrate all of the great things that are happening, it's creating a system that can support multi-needed um or students who need many different um ways to access learning. This is just a quick snapshot. And so this split screen on the right hand side um that's just a looking at our A-reading growth of all students at Harry Bishop. And so that's from fall to winter of this year. And so when you look at that number there, it's 53% of students showed typical or aggressive growth. And the bottom right um graph there shows the A-reading growth that's happening for our special education students. measuring some of the impact of all of these systems at work. When students are in the classroom more, when they have access to tier one quality tier one instruction, they're going to be more successful. And so, um, and then on the left hand side, as you look at that, I think just giving you multiple lenses to look at the success of our students. Many people will look at a reading growth for our ML students and you're not always going to see the magic there, especially for students who are like a 1.0 to a 2.0 on the access scores. Um, they're not ready yet to access that A reading or that that assessment. And so the the data at the top, that's from Harry Bishop's Northstar report. And so the the number that they share there, the the index is the average amount of progress English learners made towards their individual goals on English language proficiency. So it's really looking at our access scores. And so number that you see there, 74.63% of our students are achieving growth. And as you compare that to to district norms and and and state averages, that's and I and I I just want to give kudos the the three people that are up here, but our our building really um the work ISIS has done in bringing elevation um to to our building because it's not just a multilingual teacher. It's the whole building having access to um ensuring that all students learn at high levels. And just to finish it up, um these inclusion practices support not only students with disabilities and ML students, but any student who benefits from structure, clarity, solid tier one instruction and explicit instruction. And that is what we we have we have focused on keeping everyone included and making sure everybody is getting the best the best tier one instruction that they can. And I'm just going to close with with two comments and then I'll um send it back to the board chair. Um the first is if you want to see something magical um our ML teachers at um next fall they will print out certificates um when students exit ML because we recognize um that's a ticket that's a ticket to success >> and it's magical to watch that exchange happen. The second thing, um, Clarissa alluded to it, um, but to see her students independently, um, cruising around Harriet Bishop, it brings straight joy and just happiness. um one of her students um he makes me giggle like like makes me giggle like I'm like two or three years old and he sees me coming and I just think like that's all the like I said the the work that we are doing um to to humanize every student that walks through our doors and to ensure that every learner is successful. So thank you all for your commitment and I will turn it back to you. >> Great. Thank you all. Appreciate the report. Um, I will open it up for comments and questions. Okay, fine. Director Chester. Yes. No, I I really appreciate this report. I really appreciate the intention with inclusion. Um, having a son who was in a focused program. Um, I think knowing that he had teachers who saw him, understood him, and to have other teachers in the room understand too that it he's not a behavior. He is not, you know, he he can be challenged like you said. And then to then know that the students flourish because they have that kind of setting. And so and and bringing that on to ML students, you know, all our students, I think I think it just speaks volumes and the your test numbers are showing it too. So um thank you for that and appreciate all the work that you've done to make truly an inclusive belonging seeing being seen environment at Harriet Bishop. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Director Chester. Any other comments? >> Director Web. >> Yeah, I just want to echo what uh Director Chester said and that I really appreciate hearing about the inclusivity especially for the sped students and um I liked hearing about the calming tools in the classroom. Um and just anything we can do to keep them in the classroom feeling like they are part of the the class. um you know all students should feel like they can be in the classroom. They should never be separated and just I think that does attribute them to being able to learn and um the you know being able to you know you know showing the data um how that is impacting um the test scores and um obviously that you know that does work. So I appreciate you bringing that data to us and and showing what's working in Harriet Bishop. So appreciate you being here. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any others? All right. I will wrap us up um with a couple comments. Um just kind of thinking back to, you know, comparing um the the the picture that you all have have painted today of of all the work and um really the the hard work that's being done um at Harriet Bishop. uh and the fact that the students are uh to dovetail on Director Worb's comment, they're staying in the classroom um compared to where we were um years back when students were being pulled out of the classroom and and how um really as the adults in the schools now, you know, we talk about attendance being so important for our students. Um the adults in our schools are recognizing that it's not just attendance, it's keeping the students in the classroom once they're in school, right? Um whether they're multilingual or special ed, let's keep them in the class, keep them with their peers, keep them with the the the skilled experts in the classroom, the the the teachers that that can really help them learn and grow. and acknowledging that, you know, while they're in elementary school and they speak um 1, two, three languages at home, their little brains are learning all kinds of things, right? And and we may not we may not see that in their test scores right now because their brains are still piecing everything together. Um to your point though, you know, the oral piece is is a lot easier to get than the written. So, um, let's help them get to the written piece because they're going to get there and when they do, that's really when they're going to fly and be successful. So, um, thank you. Um, really appreciate um, all that you've shared and um, kind of expanded. I I just my mind went to the the vin diagram and how big that overlap is um in Harriet Bishop for the systems that you've built to to really make a difference for our students and and has as has been pointed out you know the data is is proving that out. So um keep up the good work. Thank you. Thank you um for all your hard work and um we will look forward to to hearing more uh next time. >> Thank you very much. All right. And our next report um is our report on achievement and integration plan uh 2027 to 2029 with Isis Buchanan, director of educational equity. Welcome, ISIS. >> Thank you. Good evening, Chair Al, Superintendent Dr. Daniels, and members of the board. Today I'll be sharing information about our achievement and integration plan for the fiscal years 27 through 29. Um this sorry I brought papers today. The overview of our presentation today is going to include the things that you see on the slide there. And I will start by sharing a um definition of our achievement in integration program and what it's targeted to focused on. And so you can see the items listed here. It's important to center the why. And the purpose of the ANI program um is defined by the state is to pursue racial and economic integration, increase student achievement, and most importantly reduce academic disparities based on students um race, ethnics, ethnicity or economic background and ensuring that all students are learning. And so, um, part of the work that sort of went into this, um, program each month or, and I don't make it every month, but there are metro area equity leader meetings. And so, at some of those meetings, um, staff from the Minnesota Department of Education have been there. And one of the things that I with this specific funding because it talks about how you have to like exclude kids with disabilities and also students who are English learners, but really trying to help them understand that our students are whole students. And so some of them, you know, don't fit into those silos. And so some of the language that you'll see in our new plan um is um around culturally and linguistically um diverse students because the state is really trying to look at more ways to help share examples of goals and strategies that focus on that. So there there is a timeline of the work that happens with achievement and integration. And so every three years, districts have to develop a three-year plan by reviewing data, working with partner districts, um, and also if they have racially isolated schools. At this time, we don't have any. Um, and then in February to March of the year, the new plans are developed, you know, you continue to meet with your multi-dist collaborative council and build out um, a plan for three years. That plan is submitted on March 15th for approval. And so hopefully after your approval today, I'll be submitting this to MDE. And then the phase of when this program will begin will be um July 1st of 2026 and then go through June of 2029. And so um the goals one through four and the the reason for four goals is because if we lump them all into one goal, if we don't meet one part of the goal, then we don't meet all of the goal. And so MDE has really been um sharing a lot of great feedback about how to separate out our goals. And so we know that graduation is important for students. It's the northstar. It's the thing that everything that happens before high school needs to help support. And so with that, we have a target of moving, you know, our BIPOC student graduation rates from 73.6% to 90% by 2029. And then also some specific um benchmarks for our culturally and linguistically diverse students and our indigenous students and our Latino students. And goals 5 through 8 really are about integration and just really looking at our students and their access to the rigorous courses. And so you can see here again four goals, but it's because we really want to target looking at students who are enrolling in courses and creating supports so that they stay in those courses and are successful. And then the final goal, goal nine, is about teacher um equity and really just ensuring that our teachers have experiences to better understand the culture of our students and that they know about um culturally responsive practices to engage students in learning. And so we're developing a survey um thanks to partnership with the CISA team that we will be able to give all of our teachers in secondary so that we can collect information about how they're feeling about the things they're doing. And um a big part of the strategies that go with all of these goals is we really are um I think it was chair m board chair Mickelson she's not here today but she had a question about how is this different from our plan before and really it's like twofold. We're trying to help build up a system that's going to already have a pipeline of students getting the support they need. And at the same time, we're going to continue the targeted things we're doing that work. And we're going to add in some other layers of things that we're hoping to continue to um look at and build. And so the strategy one here, the targeted student support to improve academic outcomes, it's really about developing that vertical pipeline. And so in the middle school, we're preparing to launch um the average um AVID because when students start in sixth grade, there's not an AVID elective. And so we're building in a schoolwide foundational AVID in sixth grade to really make sure that all those teachers have training and academic um strategies that are rigorous. And so AVID emerge is a program that we've learned about which is a facet of AVID in which all those teachers will be able to attend training and we're hoping to cycle through from sixth grade to 7th grade and 8th grade so that all the teachers at the site have the um tool. The tool is very um well done. It has a lot of the practices that support English learners embedded within it and a lot of the materials are things that are already prepared and align with other things that we're doing already. And so it's a real and some of the key performance indicators to go with some of these is really having us look at real time data about how students are doing. And so looking at our registrations and then making sure that if we don't see diverse representation that we're going back to our students and looking at our data and nudging students and calling parents and you know just doing things to just make sure that there's access. Um at the high school we're also adding in an AVID flex. So we still have our core AVID courses or elective courses but the AVID flex model is combining two things. So, it's combining AVID strategies along with credit recovery because when we looked at our data, we noticed that the um credits towards graduation that students need, there's a bubble of kids who they're not failing and they're not like excelling, but they just need a little safety net of like getting caught up and staying on track and some affinity about learning and being in school together and doing hard things. Um, and so we're really using the Avid Flex model to target Latino male students right now because we've seen, but it's open to all students. Um, strategy two really talks about our partnership across the district. And so this year getting to know Bloomington Public Schools um, school district. They do a lot of things with AVID. They also do a lot of culturally responsive um, professional development as well. And so um like their Indian ed team, they bring a team of teachers to Baiji each year to do some learning that's actual like embedded. And so we're excited to partner with them with um by really talking about how can we help make sure our students know the options they have when it comes to the rigorous courses. And for strategies three and four, um this goes back to the targeted professional development to improve academic outcomes, but really focusing on making sure that staff know our students and understand their perspective and that they're bringing that into the classroom. Um and then we do have that Avity merge that kind of goes with this as well. Um, part of the high school avidity merge and targeting PD is also focused on like equity based grading and ensuring that we're looking at student learning and that that is showing up in our grades so that the grades really are true um I guess true feedback about student learning. And then there are some real time monitoring we can do with some of um with some of this PD to know if it's impacting grades because we have some dashboards created where we can look at the number of students who are um earning credits and close to you know on track with graduation and then the ones who are a little further away and further away so we have a way to intervene earlier so that we're getting students caught up before um the gap is too large. Um, and then t the strategy number four really is about that family engagement piece and it's a partnership. Families don't just get things sent to them. The whole point of the partnership is families understand the structures and the systems and they want to help their student get access. And so, um, some of the cool, um, key performance indicators that I added to this plan included, um, looking at our parent view use with parents. And so we that we could look at our students who are behind in courses and then looking at the activity of the parents and then trying to target those families to help them get logged on. And so I just think that there are a lot of um different things that we could do. And then also with the seniors, there's the um parent portal and the FAFSA DREAM Act um applications. And so really just having us take some time to like keep track of those things that our students are doing. And then our fifth strategy, I tried to have as less least strategies as possible, but we had to include this part um because it's it focuses in on our indigenous students, but the culture trunk project. And then at the same time, there was a a book giveaway or literacy thing that we've also submitted for some resources and materials. But again, the team is fabulous that we have Marlene Bad Warrior, Madison McKini. Um, but they already came up with the plan and the structure of how we can use books and literacy to get intergenerational learning going, which is is again another example of true partnership where we're trying to get the student, the family, and the staff all on the same page with um moving academics forward. And so with that, we get to our budget. And so you can see our numbers are very similar to what they've been in the past. About 1.8 million goes to direct student services and then another 88,000 for professional development. And then 210,000 is for the administrative indirect support. So things like part of like my salary and the AVID site coordinators and then really adding in a district site coordinator. I think there was a question about that as well. And the reason for that is with us adding these additional layers to the AVID work, we just want to make sure there's a consistent through line from middle school to high school and that there's the same um d, you know, AVID district-wide director keeping us, you know, on track so that all the dots connect. And then, you know, I'm hoping that there'll be like a flood of students coming to fill all these classes. So then we're offering more of those classes instead of um other ones. So, thank you. That's the end of my presentation. >> Great. Thank you very much. Uh, director's questions. Director Tester, >> I love the restorative practices that are built in there. I think that is really important. Um and I think um also um I think it's more than access or try you know I think the the the pathway to improve academic outcomes is ensuring and I believe this does this here um is ensuring that a student feels they belong >> because they're not going to seek something out if they don't feel they belong. And and so I appreciate the the um strategies outlined here and the emphasis on on some of the professional development to create that through restorative practices and um establishing that sense of belonging. >> Thank you. Thank you. Questions, Director Hume. Um yeah, I wanted to ask about the um the graduation rate slide. I think it was maybe slide five, four or five, somewhere around there. >> Um in the years I've been on the board, >> Mhm. >> I've never seen improvements quite as robust as what is in this plan. I think it's great. I also think it's very ambitious. Mhm. >> Um, so I guess that's more of a comment, but >> well, and some of the goal setting, it's my first time writing the plan, but when I was talking with MDE, again, it's looking at our demographics of our students and then trying to make those percentages be in balance. And so I feel like if that's our aim, you know, we should see what that looks like. And right now I think I had a question about like what does that mean for courses if we have 80 more kids who are taking AP geography you know like >> that'd be a good problem to have. >> Yes. And so then it's just we would be shifting then what we're offering because it's always based on that student experience. And so I just feel that for me personally, I wanted to stay true to what those numbers should be so that if we don't hit them, we know what they are. And then as I write another plan in three more years, you know, like we can continue to try to move the needle. >> And in my experience at my other job, >> sometimes having stretch goals, >> you get you get closer to what you want to achieve than if your goals are too conservative. So I respect that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I'll dovetail. I usually don't do this, but you >> completely hit one of the questions that I was going to ask. So, I'll I'll do this. >> Um because I noticed the same thing. Um and I guess my question was really related to based on the goals that you've set, how will things be different? Mhm. >> And so right now I think things will be different is because we have the key performance indicators that will help us monitor the progress and the things that we're doing. And so some of this is building new systems like just this spring as students are registering for classes for next year at the middle to high school and high school. um they're we're looking at who's wants to take which class and then we're looking at the assessment scores of students and teacher recommendations and then going back to the students. So I think really um like one of my simple things right now is like learning like if we focus on the students and they're learning and then make sure they have the opportunity and they know that school is about learning like it's just going to be an automatic synergy that comes like I was just at Nicollet yesterday with Dr. Belmont and their A-reading scores um they had a school improvement goal of 45%. Their their benchmark in the fall was about 30 something%. they hit 57% at their winter, you know, score and and literally it's like cheering for the teachers and then cheering for those students and having those goal meetings with the students so that they're excited and want to knock it even further, you know, when they take the final assessment in May. And so I really think it's about excitement for learning and really trying to make sure that we're doing things that help kids see that we want them here. We want them to learn because no one comes to school, you know, not wanting to do well. No one sends their kids to school not wanting them to do well. And so we just have to stay focused on the learning. That's why you're here. That's what we should be doing. And hopefully some of these strategies will help move us along. >> Great. Thank you. Stepping back. Other questions? >> Yes, Pvina. >> I was just wondering, how do you plan on changing reaching to the parents? Because you said I know we all use parent view, but do you think you're going to have one-on-one meetings or like maybe group meetings where you kind of talk about students? >> Yes. So, part of that is some group meetings. Um, like AVID has some ideas of parent things already. There's also things that we are already doing. And so what we're hoping to do is to center some of those meetings on like graduation and parents who are getting ready to send students to middle school and then them really getting on parent view and knowing right away because if students go to middle school with good habits of, you know, keeping track of their um assignments and things like that, it's just going to lead to even more positive outcomes when they get to high school. And so it's really about that partnership. So if you have ideas on how you think your parent, you know, might get more hooked on it, but really it's not to scare kids to say you're going to go look at my grades, but it's really about the partnership of when you're coming to school is to learn. And we want to help you have the tools to cheer your child on, for them to cheer themselves on, and then for us to rally around, you know, the results that we hope to have. >> Great question. Thank you. Yes, Director Anderson. Um, I'm going to dubtail because my question was also about the parent or comment, I guess, um, about the parent engagement. Um, I will say knowing my kids are still in elementary school and and as my mom friends um are having kids move into middle school um the big transition is we can see everything now and and every parents are really excited about that >> and um >> I think um if you can see it sounded like you would be able to see which parents are engaging >> with parents for us to because we can pull the list of students who are behind credits and then we can go and see well is the parent account set up and then we have a wonderful tech team in our district as well. So, it'll be another question that I'm asking them to help us um >> you know, baseline find. But yes, >> yeah, I think that's really great to get um the whole family involved in um each other's success. And um and being able to to reach out to parents and say, "Hey, >> we notice you haven't um checked this out. Did you know?" >> Uh I think that that's really going to be effective, I think. I hope. Thanks. >> Other questions? All right. I had a couple um looking at slide seven. Um and you touched on the uh teacher equity question. Maybe things have been So this was about the the survey self-reported data point. Um staff share culturally responsive practices. >> Yeah. Um, are there multiple parts to the question? Um, >> so this question will involve a professional development survey that gets at some of those things that we're looking for in our classroom. And this connects kind of with that avity merge/culturally responsive practices, but really being able to survey teachers to have them look at what am I doing as an instructor to make sure my students are learning and to really collect information about that. are adding visuals and you know having students do projectbased learning or um I'm working with um Colleen Coleman and our teaching and learning team to develop that but we're trying to make it multiaceted. It's not just going to be for our ANI plan goal. We're hoping that it's just going to pull together a lot of data to help us know and then we also um have a plan of being able to do some shared walkthroughs in our buildings so that we can see things that way as well. And so we're, you know, are really trying to make this practical with small little everyday things that we can do to help keep the focus on learning. >> Gotcha. Thank you. And just a comment as well. Um, having looked back at other previous plans that we've had and I know that some of this came from you, some of it came from MDE. Um, and this is specifically looking at I I think what is now slide six. Um, I appreciate the additional granularity that you've proided it provided in the plan rather than simply lumping our students together all as one monolith. We're looking at the individual groups of students um, Latino, American, Indian, linguistically, and culturally diverse students so that we're actually looking at the individual groups progress. Um, I think that's going to be much more meaningful for the students and the families and our um, instructional staff um, than simply looking at just the one large group of students. So, um, thank you for making that change as well. >> Thank you. >> Um, and with that um, thank you for the report, Isis. Always always look forward to the ANI plan. Much appreciated. All right. Uh next we will receive a report about regulation 524 implementation of personal electronic devices during the school day with Dr. Chris Belmont assistant superintendent and Jen Hall dean of students at Eagle Ridge Middle School. Welcome both. >> Thank you chair Superintendent Daniels. Members of the board um I'm going to walk you through a report about 524 regulation implementation of personal electronic devices. I believe it's kind of the first formal update since a lot of work's been done to implement in the past year from statute to policy policy review to presenting those policies to the board to implementation. So I'm going to do some walkthrough of some a lot of technical pieces and then um we'll hear from Dean Hall about how things are really kind of working through in the schools and then we'll receive any questions and direction from there. Here are our learning targets today. Um, understanding the context, making sure that you are aware of the data trends and what we're seeing in around this topic and then um exploring ways our schools in 191 are looking to adapt, enhance, and and improve on those data trends. As the board might be aware, 2024 there's a legislative session where um school districts were compelled to adopt a formal cell phone policy by 2025. Um we did that. We met those terms and then our our community went further and adopted a regulation with more specificity um that occurred um just more recently last spring. throughout all of it, we've just really wanted to operationalize our response to this, I don't know if I'll call it a new phenomenon, but emerging and changing phenomenon um with a plan, do study act. So, making sure that we're really planning intentionally, then going ahead and and putting our plans into action and then reviewing that on a really ongoing basis with real data, similar to what you heard from our school reports. Um, and just to underscore the how much things are changing when in the world, I just think just opening up news, seeing legislation and case law going on on the on the West Coast right now, we just we want to be responsive both to um the needs of our community, the needs of our students, and what um and how things are ever changing in technology. So, here's some of the just like an overview of our policies. Um, and really kind of what it means. Uh, for elementary, it's away for the day. Students should not have it with them. Um, oftentimes I see it maybe in fourth or fifth grade. Um, students are keeping a cell phone intermittently or for a specific need in their backpacks or with the school office or even sometimes locked in a teacher's desk. Um, sometimes it'd be because of maybe they're um have multiple parenting households and they're switching that on over a weekend or something like that. So, it's um it's usually student by student, not as much of a need for pervasive ongoing policy review at within the within those classrooms at the elementary, but it does come up especially up our at our upper levels from time to time. Middle schools away for the day. it can be on the person. Um although there's um Dean Hall will speak to kind of how that looks in practice. High school um like admittedly and you'll see in the data like our high schools are struggling more than our K8s with cell phone implementation and uh personal electronic devices. So um currently our our practice is that the cell phones and other personal electronic devices are expected to be away during instructional time and they can be on the person and used in passing time and lunchtime. Again this is um pretty much brand new this year in the 202526 school year. some definite practices that were existed before, but as far as the specificity in the regulation itself, new this fall, we expect to have a series of leveled interventions with clarity around expectations on the front end and then really um trying to be as consistent as possible with responses. Um all of our policies allow for use in emergency situations and our deans have really been identified as champions. as they've been working throughout the year with support from um Dr. below and other um members of our central office team on really being um calibrated around practice across our system especially 612 and then um and then like most recently and Dean Hollow mentioned they visiting each other's sites to see what it really looks like and in practice in the fall and in the winter we responded or we um surveyed teaching staff. So we heard from um approximately a quarter of our teaching staff uh both on in the fall and in the winter. So pretty strong um response rate. The uh one of the questions was how much more attention are you seeing? How much more focus are you seeing on um this practice compared to past years? So that did tick up a little bit. Generally four out of five teachers were sharing that they they are seeing increased attention from administration school site collectively. Some other trends that we noticed um from our teaching staff in that survey data is that um success depends on staff communication and consistent application. When that's thrown out when that's thrown offline, outcomes are thrown offline. And then teachers just didn't get into this business to be phone police is some of the other sentiments shared. Here's a few quotes. I won't read them all to you. So, our principles um reviewed that data. They helped sought the data. They've shared data with their bu building leadership teams both fall and then more recently in the winter. and we'll do it again towards the end of the school year. Students, um, we did focus group approach for, um, interviewing students. Actually, Dean Hall helped us at Eagle Ridge, so she'll be able to speak to it. This, generally speaking, students are reporting more attention. They're admitting more attention and concentration without the cell phones nearby or the other electronic devices. um that rules feel more script strict and they have found ways around them. Some reported um interesting like uh finding that I guess I didn't cuz I went through the K12 school system before cell phones. I'll just say that. Or if there were cell phones, they're very large and carried like around the shoulder. that they've reported because at this is at the high school because those allowance times are more defined in the cafeteria. They're finding that there's less they're reporting that there's less social interaction during that time because they need their phone. sharing some quotes from Eagle Ridge student, Burnsville High School student, Burnsville alternative high school student and Nicollet Middle School student. We have great kids with that are very insightful as you all know. Parents, we also chose a focus group approach for our parents. Um there some trends that emerged. Parents main concern is the ability to have um emergency contact with their child. That's something that's um kind of clear and present and a worry that was voiced by um multiple um parents interviewed. Just to name to all of our focus groups, all of these groups you're seeing um were surveyed across all of our secondary sites. So, we focus 612. Most parents value reduced distraction. Um and parents have concerns with fair application of our policies. That was voiced as well. All right. Some quotes from various parents that were interviewed. administrators um behaviors are so um perhaps you're seeing some different trends or outliers depending on who is um interviewed. The principles shared that behaviors are sometimes escalated to administration faster than what is um specified in the handbook guidance. that consistence staff implementation is so important and that um when they when when put into place routine consistent use of tools like the wall pockets at Burnsville High School have produced positive results um being in our sites so much I would say like that's an ongoing challenge to maintain that routine and that consistency both within the classroom and schoolwide. comments from our administrators, behavioral data. Um so just this is the quantitative data that we collect. Um I will note in 2324 we did not have strong systems for identifying um behavior incidents specific to personal electronic devices. So this is um this is the best our data team could do to give you a picture on what we're seeing. Um generally speaking though the last two years uh our handbook team had made it pretty consistent. So to see that um to to see 2425 and 2526 it's fairly representative of what occur what gets to beyond um a typical redirection is what I would share. I found the 11th and 12th graders kind of leading with incidents um related to personal electronic devices. I would note that we have less 12th graders on campus on a typical day because of PSO, because of um internships. So um when you talk about the overall volume of students on campus, um our 11th graders have have more students on a day-to-day basis than our 12th graders. This concerns me when I see that male students um I think we like just to editorialize and there is research going on. We are in a a silent crisis when it comes to to boys, especially black boys in our in our um country. And this is showing once again that perhaps we're having disproportionate outcomes to well-intended um equal application of policy. So I will say that um when you receive this student performance and achievement report around behavior from um I think director Petroski typically shares that this really mirrors what we're seeing with other incident codes as well and suspensions. So you can hear from me on kind of that high level or the things from from my view as assistant superintendent, but really grateful to have Dean Hall here who's been instrumental in working to build our systems and really to get the I want to I want to thank our deans and um and Dr. low for working so steadfast since last summer, including our SSLs's um to try to make make sure that what we are doing in the schools is consistent and aligned and that they're supporting each other. So, >> good evening board. Um thank you for having me tonight. Uh I come to you as a representative of someone that's been tasked to enforce the new policy language. Um, and I don't know how many of you have kids or nieces or nephews, but um, I think kids feel like they need their phones just as much as they need food and water. Um, it's hard to make that separation. Um, and while you know some students like all students that I got input from about the the policy language, um, they all commented that they are able to focus more, right? Um, I think a lot of them like they don't like the rules, right? But it's just like me. I don't like that I can't drive 70 to get to work on time, but I got to respect it, right? So, uh, the parents also appreciate that we have a policy in place um that supports our students with appropriate usage while they're at school. Um, and for the kids that do struggle with the expectations, there are clear steps to intervention. Um, level one is a verbal reminder such as, "Hey, put that phone out of sight. You should not have it visible during the school day." Um, and our level two is we bring the electronics to the office to the end of the day. And the student can pick it up. We do call the parent to say, "Hey, I just want to let you know your student is in violation of school policy for the second time." And then for the level three intervention, um, now we see it's it's presenting a problem and distraction in in their school day. So we do, uh, take the electronics and put in the office and call the parent and say, "We need you to come in uh to talk about an intervention plan." Um, and so we feel like this policy um is running pretty smoothly, right? Some students need zero reminders while some students need many. Okay? and we're here to work with all the students in between. Um, and so it's a gradual release of responsibility going from elementary where you can't have a phone at all, right? And then to middle school where you can have your phone on you, but us adults shouldn't know. And then when you get over to the high school, um, you can use your phone during certain times in certain places, right? Um, and so we believe that the new policy language is preparing our students to be future ready and to process real world situations when it's um when it comes to appropriate use of cell phones. So, >> thank you, Dean Hall. >> Yeah. Um, so part of our work between now and going forward, especially this spring, will be to partner with our administration and our teachers to try to figure out new ways to update our student handbook language. Um, create stronger alignment across our sites. Um, find out and dig into the data to find out what's really going on at the classroom level. Um, perhaps through classroom walkthroughs or fidelity checks. And then to um to set a path forward to try to um for sure decrease the overall incident rate um and also to decrease the the disproportionality and then to really find out like what practices are having that high impact and that sustained strong outcomes and replicate that across our system. Um we'll keep monitoring changes to the legislature. I think it was a um there's bills being discussed as we speak that might give us further direction. I'm not based on the early reports. I don't think it's going to significantly change what we're trying to do, but um we're certainly going to pay attention to it. We're going to certainly um apply our tools of cultural proficiency and what we know gets to those results. Um, so thank you. I hope that you um heard from Dean Hall and I some context and learned some more context around how policy 524 is showing up in our schools to hear what our data trends are and then to identify what those potential next steps are as we go forward. Back to you, chair. >> Great. Thank you, Dr. Belmont. Thank you, Dean Hall. Appreciate the update. Uh board members, any comments or questions? Director Saxi. >> Uh first, thanks for the presentation. Um more of a comment, but just the fact that I appreciate this wasn't a set it and forget it type of thing in response to the legislation and everything else and really tracking where this goes and how we can tweak it and fine-tune it. I think the reality is at an elementary and and even at the middle school level, it's pretty straightforward, but it's actually quite nuanced and complicated at the high school level. Um, I think meeting the needs of the high school population at large and getting increased focus and at the same time talking about future ready and the reality is 6 months from now some of those high school students are going to be in a college lecture hall and their note-taking is going to be taking pictures of the slides up on the screen on their phone. Not saying that's maybe the best way to go about it for your grades, but that's going to be happening and they're going to be doing that. And then others are going to be going into the workforce and my phone is three feet from me the entire day I'm working and you have to know and be able to adjust to that of what you could be doing versus what you are doing. Um, so it's complicated at that level. So I appreciate or diving into it from all different stakeholders and figuring out how actually do you balance that at the high school level. Thank you. >> Thank you. Other comments, >> Director Worb? >> Um yeah, I just want to say I appreciate the work that's been done on the policy and implementing um the um I guess the workflows or processes or whatever we're doing, you know, in the schools and the um the tier one and two and three for the discipline. Um, and I just would ask, you know, that, you know, when looking at the handbook, um, making sure everything is clear and concise. I just I know there was conversations, I think it was last spring about the handbook. So, um I just want to know like as a parent, you know, with a student that has a phone that when I go online and I look at the the policy and what are the repercussions and that is very it's clear, you know what I mean? just for somebody that doesn't watch board meetings and um you know it's just it's very clear if they want to go out and see the rules and they're not just hearing it when somebody calls them from the office and says your your child is in trouble you know that it's displayed somewhere where you know it's very accessible. Um, also I thought I'd heard that some teachers were taking attendance by their phones being in the phone hotels, >> the whatever they call it, the phone hotels. >> Yes. >> I don't know all the terms, but >> um I just my question I guess is because I know consistency is key. um and what kind of supports are being offered to the teachers, especially at the high school to support them on implementing this because I feel like that's kind of what I heard a lot of with teachers is some teachers had a really hard time with implementing it. Like I guess and you could see in the comments like I'm not the phone police. Well, the students in your classroom with a phone. I don't know who else is going to police it. you know, they have to have some sort of, you know, it's not fun to have to tell a child to put their phone away, but if they still at the same time want them to learn in their class, they are the ones that the, you know, the students in their class. So, I don't know how else to solve that problem. But if there's a support you can give to the teachers if they're having a struggle with how to manage that in their class, I guess I'm curious if that's being looked at. Mhm. >> Well, um thank you for that, Director Worb. I I kind of heard I heard two things among some other pieces in your um one is that there may be some high impact practices that we can really be learning from and implementing, right, that humanize the student, but also get into those routines. And so, in fact, I think we can humanize our students through those consistent routines. So you mentioned that and then um the the survey data around teachers 70% of teachers um and I'm speaking kind of like generally but around 70% or twothirds of teachers said I don't need more support at this time in this area. However, a significant amount of teachers 20% asked for more skill building and support in how to set things up. another set wanted more um stronger responses from administration. So my the reason I share that is like there there is a continuum of need amongst our teaching staff that we need to respond to aside from some of those upfront pieces like really front-loading communication that that the policies calls for checking in and the respon um checking in and reminding students especially after breaks. I'm aware of those things occurring. I'm not necessarily aware of specifically what coaching and support is happening for um for teachers. When um Principal Sandival's back for his the second spring school report, we can ask him to speak to that. >> Thank you, >> Director Hume. >> I had the same question as director, but I'll just make it so I mostly make a comment at this point. Um, I think all of the adult stakeholder groups that were in the presentation, the teachers, the parents, the administrators, >> all commented about cons, how important consistency was. >> Um, so that kind of jumped out. Of course, the kids didn't say that, but um, but I thought that was interesting. Um, and I think hearing that 30% of the teachers, 20% of the teachers are saying they need more support. I guess >> maybe a little bit of a question. Do we know how many of those I guess is the percentage of teachers who feel like they need more support higher at the high school? I guess like 20% of teachers across the district, >> but what's the percentage of teachers like at the high school? because I think you said toward one of you said towards the beginning that that's kind of where the most challenges have been and implementations at the high school. So I wonder if that percentage is >> higher at the high school than say at the elementary school. So it averages out to 20% across the district but it's very different depending on the building. >> Thank you uh Director Hume. Good question. I expected it to be like significantly higher. Um it it was higher but >> um there was a there was requests at the middle level too. um I want to say like that 10 to 15% of the overall group and then 25 to 30% of that that 20% um from their high school asking for those more support. >> Um >> y so that's >> that's really all I had. Thanks. >> Yeah. And to your point too, I did I know we couldn't be here all night talking um personal electronic devices, but when I did do like a wordle uh a word cloud with all the survey data, >> second only to the words cell phones, consistency popped in the middle. So it's like >> thanks for noticing that. >> So yeah, I think that's going to be important to move the needle on the >> on the issue. Definitely. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? Oh, okay. I will wrap us up. Um have a couple of my own of course. Um so I see um a lot of work that we're doing internally, right, with our staff and with of course with our students. Um I also recognize our need to connect with our families. um right connect our families with the caring adults in our schools both postcoid and post metro surge. Can you elaborate on how we're working to bring our families along with us? I think that's an important piece. Um when we get to the level three uh intervention, we do um sit down and have a meeting with the parent and the student together and we do have a I guess you could call it a cell phone contract. um uh that outlines like how we got here. Um the dates of uh the infraction um and then what the plan is going forward. Um and have a dialogue with the parent about uh you know the importance of you know we know you want your student to have their phone at school but it's also important that they know that it should be often out of sight here in our building. Um but if you need to reach your student I offer my phone number. Um, and also make sure they have the office number if they, you know, need to reach their student when they're on their intervention plan where, uh, let's say the first first time that they get to level three, they can't have their phone for 2 weeks, right? Um, and so we just make sure cuz the biggest concern is the parents being able to reach their student. And so this isn't a way that we are saying we want to cut off that connection, but we just need your student to understand that your phone needs to be away so you can focus on why you were sent to school today. And I guess my mind goes to something that's less reactive >> and more proactive to kind of be reassuring to families so that we're not sitting with the family >> after something has happened but to reassure them in advance. >> And I don't know and this is this is just me talking here. You guys are doing hard work every single day in the schools. So take this for what it's worth. Um, you know, how can we and and this is a question not to be answered necessarily, but how can we reassure our families around the cell phone conversation um so that they can feel comfortable, right? um within in the world that we live in. >> Um so that the cell phone ceases to be such a charged issue for the parents and they can feel some release around the cell phone when their child is in school. Um and it doesn't carry the the value and the weight for them in the same way that it does, right? Um because I know I having kids of my own, they're no longer in school. um it didn't carry the weight for me that it that it does today even and my kids are adults. >> So I understand that >> but being reactive and I appreciate having all the tips that you just shared cuz I think that's a wonderful path to have with the family after the fact. Yeah, >> we just need to kind of maybe do something a little more proactive perhaps. >> Well, I will say in inhouse like we do give the students several reminders. Um, and we do loop slides on a regular basis, especially when we're coming back from breaks about the expectation. Um, and so it's really hard for me if a student says they didn't know. Uh, because we have things posted around school. Uh, you've heard me not be quiet about it when I catch your friend cuz I want everybody to know, hey, look, look here. What's the rule again? Let's talk about it. Um and so we do give the students um several reminders in house about the policy language and really we always try to direct it back to the purpose behind it is so that you can do what your parents sent you to school to do. >> Yeah. >> Um and so then we could work on you know the other piece as well. >> Yeah. >> Awesome. >> And that word proactive chair that you use, Dr. Daniels uses that word a lot and so she expects our teams to really be planting those seeds and having strong partnership relationships so that when there has to be a tough conversation on the same page. >> I appreciate what director director Buchanan shared this evening. We I do believe that we continue to add a lot of tools and um for outreach, but are we um are we shrinking that partnership gap and and are we really making sure that we're forming those deep relationships? I think that's going to be ongoing challenge cuz cuz our parents are on these phones, too. Attention is difficult right now in our society. So, we have to figure out ways to form those meaningful relationships to be able to circumvent the challenges that when they show up and >> and hopefully since we have the policy now K12, right, the behaviors are being learned by our littles in kindergarten and they'll just get used to those behaviors so that by the time they get to secondary, >> good point. >> It'll be a little better for everybody. So, >> yeah. Well, thank you both. appreciate everything you're doing and appreciate the report. Thank you. All right. Uh let's see. Next, we are receiving FY27 budget report next vision and recommendation uh with Dr. Daniels uh superintendent and Stacy Sovine, executive director of administrative services. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Cheryl. Dr. Daniels, members of the board, uh tonight we will be bringing you a presentation of our uh budget uh for 2627 uh embedded in our vision and recommendations. Our agenda for tonight will be to discuss briefly our budget reality. Uh then look at the foundation for the recommendations that we're bringing before you tonight. Look at the recommended structural changes as well as the recommended adjustments by the different areas. And then finally, we'll wrap up tonight with our next steps. As we presented uh previously before the board, uh we are going to uh receive some funding for uh general student aid around $327,000. A slight increase for our cross subsidy for our ML services about 1.2 million. that pushes us just over the 50% point of um offsetting our ML cost. So yes, it is an increase. We are grateful for the increase. However, we are still subsidizing the rest through our fund through the uh budget. Special education formula will also increase by about a million and then also our general fund property tax levy increases by about 1.37 million. However, we are looking at a deficit or a decline in our compensatory funding of about 1.9 million. So, that is going the other direction. Our expenses will increase uh between two 2 and 1/2 to 5% in the different areas including salaries, insurance, transportation cost as well as other inflationary increases uh that we are anticipating. So, at our last meeting back in February, uh we brought to you a number of scenarios, kind of the two extremes. If you wanted to protect the the percent of the fund balance, do X. If you wanted to spend it all down, you would do that. And then a couple of scenarios in between of reducing the budget by 3 million or 5 million. we landed on a an approximation of around reductions around $4 million are coming in around 15% of a fund balance once for FY27. So the foundations as we move forward. >> Thank you Stacy. So as I started my journey as the new superintendent of district 191, it was very important to me to become grounded in um stakeholders voices around what were the areas of opportunity in our school district and also what makes you proud to be a part of the school district. So I conducted several listening and learning sessions throughout the district with so many different stakeholder groups to to get a better understanding of what our challenges were as well as what are our foundational elements that are basically holding up this district at this time. And in um my listen and learn sessions um there were several themes that emerged that are drivers of the recommendations that I'm bringing before you all tonight. um schoolboard directors. The first driver was a need for clarity. Um there is a need to for us to streamline communication, share information, identify truly what our priority work is so everyone is a breast of it, aware of it, and know how best to implement. Also, there's a desire to improve not only the adult culture and climate in the school district um but also student um culture and student climate as well. And we know that culture is the foundation. It is the soil in which everything grows. It is the it's the unspoken rules as to how we operate as a school district. And climate is the mood, how we how we show up from day to day. But ultimately we know that culture is what um basically can eat of any strategy. And so it's important um there's a saying that culture eat strategy for lunch. And so I'm sure you all have heard that. But so it's important for us to have a very positive um culture for our students and staff to um produce excellent work. Also there is a need to improve internal communication with our stakeholders. I think that we do a great job commun um communicating outwardly but there is a need from our stakeholders for us to improve communications internally and so we um will be working to build structures to improve communications and we have worked on that this school year. Also a theme was the need to improve safety. Um, I heard a lot about um safety as as it comes in regards to how um teachers are engaged in the classroom, how um our playgrounds perhaps need fencing, which is something that we're working on of course due to what happened at Annunciation. Um a need for um more secured entrances and that's also something that we are currently working on. and um behavior student behavior was thematic across all stakeholder groups. So how do we work as a system to support student behavior proactively as well as reactively? And and Dr. Belmont is correct. He's heard me, the team has heard me talk about that a lot. So, at the beginning of the school year, we talked about um at the all staff kickoff, we talked about um believing first and belonging, building and becoming. And so, I took these um themes that emerged from the listening and learn sessions and made declarations because I wanted people to understand that the recommendations that I'm bringing forth to the board didn't just come out of thin air. They're not just, oh, this is what Latana wants to do, so let's do it. Or, this is what Dr. D, Dr. Daniels wants to do, so let's do it. It's grounded in student data. It's grounded in um staff's um qualitative feedback, parents qualitative feedback. And from the data that we collected and the themes that emerged, um there were declarations that um were put forth when I provided my update to the board in January around the listening and learning sessions. So I said we will provide safe and supportive learning environments so students and staff can thrive together. We will um cultivate a culture grounded in high expectations and mutual respect for all. We will communicate in ways that actively engage stakeholders in decision-m and promote clarity. We will provide aligned engaging highquality evidence-based instruction for the success of all students. and we will support students who benefit from specialized supports so they are both effective and appropriate. So with that we are um in a building phase. So, we talked about again believing, belonging, and building. And we know that the budget represents um what we prioritize, what is important to us. And in building to truly become that shining star that um we want district 191 to become, we are putting forth some structural changes for next school year for the purpose of creating clear and aligned systems and special education as well as around student support. Um removing a layer between the district and schools to improve um clarity and communication. Again, we are focusing on improving that tier one instruction that every school report um has um spoken about the principles and their teams and we are are are also addressing the budget shortfall that you all asked us to address in this in this proposal. The first structural change we are making is to create an executive director of special programs position. This um position will have oversight and provide strategic direction of over special education, student services, multilingual education as well. This um executive director role will oversee two positions. The two positions that this um position will oversee will include the director of special education as well as a director of student support. Um right now we do have um a director who is responsible for special education and student support. I think it is way too much and we are getting focused to focus on solely special education for special ed director and solely student support for a student support services um and engagement director. So, um, chair all when you talked about how are we engaging families, I see this student support person not only working with, um, teachers and principles to build s systems across the district to improve behavior and improve engagement, but how are we also engaging families proactively in partnership to do that work as well. So the key takeaways we want you to take away from this structural change is that we will be eliminating the director of individual student services and the director of educational equity as well as the ML coordinator positions and again the directors will be taking on more responsibilities in this model and equity becomes everyone's job for instruction. Tier one, the assistant superintendent will help have oversight of two directors. We will have a director specifically for elementary education and a director specifically for secondary education. Um what is needed in K through 5 is very unique. Also what is needed in 6 through 12 is also very unique. And so the models are about us getting focused to provide um rigorous highle instruction and highle supports for all students so all students can be successful. Tier one takeaways. We are um fortunate that we have had some retirements that allowed us to restructure and create a a new model in which we will be eliminating the director of CISA, the director of partnerships and pathways and all CISA coordinators. We will also be eliminating the SSLs positions and again directors will bear more responsibilities and in this model instead of having d um coordinators we will have 12 instructional coaches one at each building in order to provide support at the site level as well as drive district level priorities. I want to talk a little bit little bit about why we are adding instructional coaches um at the building. Um when I think about what we are tasked with as a district to ensure that we are working to improve the achievement of all students and all students are shining thus will make us a a shining star. It was important that we have a model that in which we're building capacity in which we're building capacity at each site in which we are also able to create alignment across all sites and provide support at each site. And so the instructional coaches will report to principles as well as report to the elementary andor secondary d or or secondary director in order to be that through line that you heard. um director um Buchanan talked about earlier in her presentation. And so the instructional coaches will build teacher capacity and elevate highquality evidence instructional practices, partner with teachers in co-planning, observing, and um ensuring that teachers are going through coaching cycles, especially as I think about the work that is happening this school year to identify the new literacy curriculum we will be um rolling out and implementing next school year. in grades three through five. How do we do that evenly and successfully and I believe that we can accomplish that by having a subject matter expert at each site to help with that roll out and support at the site level. They will also plan and lead professional development that supports school level and district level priorities and they will support curriculum and pathways implementation. So the key themes that we wanted you to take away from this restructuring is that we are moving resources um back to buildings to provide support. We are eliminating a layer to streamline communication and support. We are um right sizing to maintain um class size and again it's based on student enrollment. We are um strategically and I will say skillfully maximizing our restricted funds and we are also um meeting your request to um reduce the budget by $4 million. >> Sorry about that. So the adjustments by line item um as far as the budget impact overall, you'll see that the elimination of the four directors is around 880,000. Again, we're eliminating four specific directors, but we're also adding four different directors. So, that's going to be a wash pretty much for that that amount. We are eliminating five coordinator positions, which a savings of 875,000, one CISAsa for 121,000. We're restructuring um with the executive director. That will be an ad of 24045,000. And we are also adding clerical support for the two new director positions which will be an increase also. So overall we are reducing by about 581,000 at the district level office level. We're we're making adjustments for school support with our instructional coaches. That'll be about 1.5 million in which we're increasing. Uh we're reducing two continuous improvement coaches of 242,000 and we're restructuring uh SSLs eliminating those positions also a decline of 484,000. This is an impact actually of an increase of 726,000 to the budget. Then we look at our right sizing throughout the district uh to maintain class sizes or to um align with our programming needs for like ML. Uh so you can see the reduction of 11 uh elementary classroom teachers as elementary specialists as a result result we are actually adding about a 0.1 FTE for middle school based upon their class sizes and enrollment. We're reducing 3.4 four FTEEs at the high school. Um reducing two math interventionist uh at the middle schools. Um also reducing advanced learning specialists going from eight FTEEs to four. Uh this this aligns with where we were two years ago. So we've had the eight for two years and we're going back to the four. Reduce uh the high school interventionist. That's a compensatory reduction as a result of the reduced amount of money we're receiving there. Going from 53 FTEES to 49 FTEES for multilingual teachers with a reduction of 484,000. We are looking at an increase right now for VA secondary of 1.2 FTEES. And then through our restricted funds, our ALC funding, we're actually looking to add 12 FTEEs at the middle school uh through our school within a school programming. Each year for the last two years, we have we've added sixth grade for to to improve the house model. Then we added this year for seventh grade to improve the house model for sixth and seven. Next year, now we're rolling out the numbers to be able to do house model at the eighth grade level as well. So overall, this is a reduction of $2.2 million from the budget. Uh other ways in which we're maximizing funds, we are looking at uh tracking specifically the time that is used in the lunchrooms during lunch. So for supervision of uh non-licensed staff, our EAS for the time in which our custodians are spending time in there, we will use like badge readers to where people kind of badge in, badge out, and then we'll collect that time for a time study and then apply that as to what we're saving and can charge back to our food service department. Looking at also um coding our receptionist here at Diamond Head to Community Services. Um then some of the programming the same way for our food service programming uh technology custodial support that provides supports for our VPK programming during the school year. We can bill and reimburse their time back to the the community ed programming for uh for VPK also being able to code ML teacher. This is something that came to us this year um which we're reflecting and I've already started to make the adjustment. Uh the state said if you don't offset your ML services using compensatory funds, they would reimburse us $700,000. So we look for ways to would to code other areas to compensatory so that we met that threshold and received about $700,000 then additional from the state just with some coding. Then also maximizing again our restricted funds. That's uh the 1.2 million for the additional teachers for school within a school at the middle school. So overall again reduction of about 2.1 million there. Then you can see our four different areas. Changes to the district office, school support, uh direct student contact, as well as maximizing restricted funds. And we are bringing to you a budget that reduces our um unassigned by $4.2 $2 million. As you're familiar with our balance sheet, what this will look like then for projected for 2627, we will end up with a fund balance of 15.24%. Um, if we were to roll that forward for FY28 with another $4 million in reductions, we would still be above the board's policy of 8%. Okay. I do want to call out the fact that while we are making these reductions, our expenses compared to our revenue is still at a deficit of $10.5 million. So, we are still facing that moving forward. Um, but again, time has been on our side and we're hoping for another couple of years with that. next steps uh the board presentation tonight. We will then be looking at uh public presentations and feedback from tomorrow through April 3rd. Uh schools will be presented with the same PowerPoint by the principles and the staff to for our staff to be informed. Also, we will have a public presentation here at Diamond Head on March 25th at 6:00 p.m. uh for the community to come in and and have access to this as well. And then in June, as you're aware, we had to provide the budget book and have it approved before the end of the month. >> I would like to say that this was um very difficult for me. Um you all are aware um because when you need to cut $4 million and 80% of the budget is um people, that means that people are impacted. My team saw me toil um between the tension of people and purpose and um it was very difficult. It was very difficult for me to bring forth this proposal. But this is um a a proposal that um we are hoping is very purposeful and shifting us in a positive direction as a school district. And I just wanted to share that with you all um before we take your questions. Okay, thank you very much. Thank you, Stacy. I'll open it up for questions and comments. Director Chester. >> Um, Superintendent Daniels, um, I really appreciate the intention, um, in terms of taking what you're receiving in the listen and learns and bringing it forward in shifts, as painful as they are, um, with a budget. Um, so I really appreciate that. I mean, that was very strong. Um one question I have is um the 1.8 million in compensatory loss that is projected for next year. Now if it cuz we were we'll have that later in a report but um if it moves through where we're held harmless for another year will that change in terms of of these kind of of what's coming? If we are held harmless, then we'll need other direction as to do you want us to continue that within our unassigned because again we still are facing a a fairly significant deficit. >> Yes. >> Or how how would you like us to apply that? It it will be kind of that next step. >> Okay, great question. Thank you. >> Other questions or comments? Director Saxi, >> thank you. Um, I'll echo Director Chester's comment on the purposefulness of this. Um, I think any reorg and structural change to me kind of falls into one of three buckets. Um, and this is going to be a jaded opinion based on corporate experience, but I think one is you just take the axe and the goal is to cut as much as you can. this obviously isn't that. Um, the second is to just rearrange the furniture. Like we need to do something different. Let's just move it around and hope for the best. Um, and then the third and like I don't have much appreciation for either of those cuz they don't actually move the needle. Um, but the third is actually purposeful and trying to get to results and where it really matters. Um, so I think first of all kudos to you the team Stacy for taking that approach and it it is very purposeful that way. Thank you. >> Um that said, I think obviously there are roles, resources, talented people, I think that none of us want to see cut, >> right? >> Um and even as a parent, there are line items in there that make me >> yikes a little bit. um that you'd hate to see that go, but I think in the big picture, given uncertainty and even more negativity around budget, I think this focuses in on putting the resources zeroed in on the things that we're hearing about from the community that special education, student support, given everything that's going on. Those are the two big ones. Um, and then I think structurally this does allow for alignment and you mentioned sort of capacity in there and I think that's an important part of this of taking layers out getting to the point where we have that ability to build alignment much faster. I think we've like we've been impressed continually on the reports we get here of different things we're trying and different schools and different things we're doing and they're working but the scale behind that you need the alignment and the ability to move faster on that and get them to extend expand those scale those up across a district of this size >> I think that achieves that as well so I think that's kind of where I am at this point >> thank you director Saxi because that is the vision thank you so Any other comments, Director Anderson? >> All right. Um, I agree. I wrote the same note down is that I um a lot of the same things, but um that I really appreciate the care that was taken to build this. This was not a um well, we got to cut some things, so let's cut some things. Um and I appreciate that. Um, and also as a as a parent, um, it is and and as a people person, >> it's hard. It's hard and nobody wants to cut jobs and nobody wants, um, >> to let good employees go. >> Um, >> and I am curious to see um because there are some new created positions. There's new I'm I'm I'm curious as a a nosy person, let's say, how that's going to shift and what new faces, same faces are going to be in new positions and things. Um, and I'm hopeful uh for that, too. Um, but um something that is not my forte, but I know is important and and we've kind of um thrown this around. I am from Philadelphia. So, uh, the 76ers coach back in the day would say, "Trust the process." Right? And that is not my jam. I'm not good at trusting the process, but I I want to trust you um that you know more about school systems than I do. and um and that in the end the restructuring is going to be positive for our students um and not just a a number of things that we're taking away from anybody. Um >> thank you, Director Anderson. And it's it's not just my knowledge of the system. It's the collective knowledge that the team brings because I'm not an expert in everything and I rely on the subject matter experts that I have on my team to help advise me and I consult with them to um make decisions. Um I do think we should trust the process and um also know that the same way we capture ga data to decide what the structure should be the data collecting doesn't start stop. We will continue to make data informed decisions around what is working best for our students. And so this is not a a one and done. This is this a start this is a starting point and we will collect data to see how it's going and make adjustments um as we progress. Yeah. Thank you. >> Any other comments? Direct Director Hume. >> I couldn't tell if you were pointing or >> No, I was raising my hand. Sorry. >> Um I'll echo my colleagues basic feedback that yes, I think I app I appreciate I know I don't think I know that I appreciate the work that has gone into this up to this point. Um, I think sometimes inertia is hard to overcome and when you have some things that we've had in place for a long time, it's easy to say let's not touch it or that's sacred and you know I was once your trust the process comment run of someone I used to work with who said that a lot and also often said that you know sacred cows make the best burgers. So sometimes you have to be willing to make change in order to see the change that you want. So I'm going to trust the process as well. Um I did have an actual question though. Um so you talked in the presentation there was an overview of the newly created instructional coaches and I know we've also had for a number of years the coaches that that coaches that are provided I think funded by by like comp. Mhm. >> Can you help me understand the like the That's a lot of coaches. >> Mhm. >> What's the difference between the two and how is that going to be addressed? >> It's so interesting you would ask that because that has been a question and we have um Wendy here and I met with Wendy and um Camela yesterday to discuss um how we will differentiate um the roles of those co coaches. Um right now our QC comp coaches are are continuous improvement coaches and they have provided a level of coaching. They have attended BLT meetings. They have worked on school improvement plans. They observe teachers etc. Um, however, I believe that um, we have had um, and as the superintendent and the new elementary and secondary director, we will have a limited impact on what those continuous improvement coaches can do to advance the work. Um, that has traditionally been um, my experience in working with comp coaches just because of how the system is designed. So the instructional coaches will um take on the role of doing that heavy that heavy lifting. They have to be relational. They have to know how to build rapport. Um they have to be you know experts but they will be the ones at the table for building leadership team meetings. They will also have play an integral role um in ensuring that the school improvement plan is implemented in partnership with the BLT and the principal. Um they will um again be in classrooms observing teachers. They will be working on curriculum implementation. They will have a a a heavy job and um we have planned and Wendy is here and we have planned to um connect after spring break to um continue to undo what continuous improvement coaches do in comparison to what the instructional coaches will do. Also, the continuous improvement coaches, they will be shrinking um um for next year. the number just because of the reduction in in budget that we have. So, we're reducing two continuous improvement coaches and you'll find out more when they bring the pro propay plan before the board, but we will be working together after spring break to um figure out the differences in the coaches. >> So, it's still a bit of a work in progress, it sounds like. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments? Okay, I had one question in mind uh that Dr. Hume reminded me of and if it's a work in progress response that is fine. Okay. >> Um instructional coaches I heard you say they will have be reporting in two directions. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> To principles and to the district level. >> Yes. >> How does that work? >> It just works. >> All right. Well, this is this is how I this is how I've seen it work in the past. Um there again there for example I know that Dr. Austin at the middle school she already has identified something that she will be working on at the site level around data practices. Um that is something that that coach will be very well verssed in implementing at the site level reporting up to her around that work. Again around supporting teachers um ensuring that teachers are going the teachers who needed who who have been identified and typically in my past practice teachers who are going through um coaching cycles are perhaps um implementing new curriculum or new standards are under review etc. So there's a typical way that we have identified the teachers who are going through coaching cycles, but they also report up to the district level because there are district level priorities that we'll be driving as well. So for example, a district-wide priority could be catalyst. Um that is something that um at the elementary level, all elementary schools have engaged in training around catalyst. And so how will the coach at the site level support that initiative or priority at the building level? And that's something in which they would work with the elementary director as well as perhaps even the student support services and engagement person um to implement that work. And so it it it it works. It requires partnership, but it I have seen it be successful in the past. >> So it sounds like it's more projectbased. >> I would say it's more priority based. >> Priority based. Okay, thank you. >> Um, with that, I just have comments, of course. Um, I'd like to thank you and your team. Um, because you have presented a budget that does fall well within the board parameters. In fact, um, you're bringing forward a little more of a reduction and adjustment than, um, what we had originally asked. uh and you also deliver significant staffing and institutional change to spark accelerated learning and engagement in our schools. I believe um as has been indicated by um fellow board directors, change like this impacts good people who have long worked hard here in 191. uh restructuring such as this um impacts skilled, dedicated colleagues and represents shifts that warrant mindfulness and acknowledgement in these discussions. Um at the same time, um as we've discussed, we are here for our students. Um flattening the organization, pushing pushing additional resources into our schools. This is a change I can support. I have not seen a noticeable change like this for a while. Um, and I would again like to thank you, Dr. Daniels, uh, for your leadership, for leading into our school community during your first 8 months here in 191, working with your team, working with this board to bring forward this thoughtful change instrument to 191 as a whole. Um knowing that a pathway specific position has been reduced um Dr. Belmont and his team will be in the proverbial spotlight uh in terms of surveying and maintaining the rigor articulation and overall wellness of our pathways from kindergarten all the way through to the capstone senior year. Um, Pathways is a major part of 191's brand, and I expect to see evidence of our work to audit, sustain, and enrich these opportunities for our K12 students, and specifically ensure that whether it's business, construction, health care, or education, or any pathway yet to be offered, there is a home for our students to learn and grow under the roof at BHS. wall-to-wall opportunities for all. This was and remains the pathways vision and that the post-secary college and career opportunities enjoyed by yesterday's alums continue to be a reality for today's kindergarteners. And that ends my statement. So, thank you for your budget report. I appreciate it. Thank you, Stacy. >> Um, and with that, we will conclude the report. Uh we will move next to our student representative report with Parvina Yusupova. Parvina, >> thank you. Good evening members of the board and all of those in attendance in person and online. I would like to share a few events that have happened back in February back in March. They are happening right now and will happen in March. So throughout February, students celebrated Black History Month that we've all known. They have um they've had a lot of very uh variety of events including a photo booth and culture week. On Friday of that week, students participated and culture day by wearing clothing that represents their cultural backgrounds and identities. At the end of February, Bersville High School students participated in the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair with a lot of them advancing to state and receiving special awards such as U ofM College of Pharmacy Award, Minnesota Space Frontier Society award, Office of Naval Research Award, and many, many more. Two of our students, Loan Dunn and Sabrina Abdi, became international science and engineering fair alternates, which is the international competition held in Phoenix, Arizona in May. At the beginning of March, from 1st till 3rd, our DECA team competed at the state career development conference. 19 Bristol students qualified for the competition and three students advanced to the finals. This is the first time in about 3 years that Burns has had finals at the state conference, said the president of Decasalana Bain. During the month of March, Burns strong has also been working on several initiatives. The outreach committee wrote encouraging messages on mirrors and school bathrooms to spread positivity and the mental health committee created a bolden board with for you cards that students can just go and read when they need. This is especially meaningful since March is self harm awareness and brain injury awareness month. Right now, spring sports are also beginning with many students participating in triyouts and that have some have ended already. And there are sports like baseball, softball, lacrosse, golf, badminton, tennis, track and field, boys volleyball and adapted softball. For seniors, this is also a very important time of the year. A lot of students apply for community scholarships. Seniors are also receiving their regular college decisions that will help them finalize their decision. They're getting ready to graduate and students in the associate of arts program have applied to graduate from an earthl this May. Looking ahead, spring break will take place from March 16th to 23rd, which students are definitely looking forward to. And after your spring break on March 24th, Personal High School will host explore BHS night where 8th grade students will visit the high school and learn about the many sports activities and clubs they can join when they become become students here. So overall, students have been very active and engaged both academically and in extracurricular activities. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you very much, Parvina. Uh any questions or comments? All right. Uh, we will next receive a report from our superintendent. >> Thank you, Chair Alt. Team 191 has remained incredibly strong and resilient throughout Operation Metro Surge. As things in the community settle down, we see more and more students returning to Inerson learning and our staff engaging in strategies to assist them in a safe and welcoming return. I thank all who went above and beyond to ensure our students continue to learn in the safest way possible during a very difficult time in our community. With the news of budget cuts and the upcoming restructuring, it has understandably been an emotional and challenging time for many. Even in the midst of this uncertainty, our staff continues to show deep commitment to students, keeping their well-being and success at the center of every conversation and decision. For this, I am very grateful. I'm also especially grateful for our student representatives, Favven and Parvina, whose participation in the joint city council and schoolboard meeting added meaningful texture, insight, and authenticity to the conversation. Their voices powerfully reflected our core value of student agency and reminded everyone of the impact students have when they are centered in our work and at the city level. As we wrap up this week, I want to wish all oneonone staff and students a restorative spring break and a joyful Eid for those who celebrate. May the days ahead bring rest, renewal, and a renewed sense of hope as we continue moving forward together as one 911. Thank you. This concludes my report. Great. >> Thank you very much, Dr. Daniels. Uh next, we have our board member report uh section. Uh remember this is the portion where we share our activities out and about in the community. Uh board assignments and uh committee assignments and school assignments will happen at our next meeting. Any board? Yes. Chair Tester Director Tester. >> Yes. Um, Monday, uh, just this Monday, March 9th, was MSBA and MASA Day on the Hill. And we as a district were well represented on a very beautiful day. Um so as myself, Director Worb, Director Hume, and Director Anderson, and Superintendent Daniels, um we were able to bring our legislative platform, the legislative platform for 917 being a member district as well, as well as letting and sharing information about the impacts of uh Metro Surge in our district to those legislators. Um, we were able to sit down and talk with very briefly uh, Representative Ryer who was in a session um, as well as Representative Hansen. And for those that we did not have the opportunity to meet with, we did stop at their offices, left our contact information, left them that information, and as followup, we will be sending thank yous to all of them as well as invitations to come to a future legislative committee meeting. Awesome. Thank you very much. Any other reports? No. All right. Oh, wait. One thing caveat for anybody listening and anybody here because they're making decisions on whether or not to hold us harmless for compensatory. Please, all voices matter. >> Contact your legislators and let them know to to assure and vote hold us harmless another year. >> Great reminder. Thank you very much. Awesome. So, we will now turn to the business portion of our meeting. Um, starting with the consent agenda. Although board action is required, it is generally unnecessary to hold discussion on these items. In the event a board member wishes to discuss an item, that item will be moved for separate consideration. Uh, are there any items that board members wish to remove for separate consideration? Hearing none. Um, is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Moved by Director Anderson. Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Worb. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Nay. And the motion carries unanimously. Um, next we will move to the new business portion of the agenda. Um, we are being asked to preliminarily approve uh the Nicollet Middle School chess field trip to Round Rock, Texas, uh, May 14th through 19th, uh, 2026 with Dr. Belmont, assistant superintendent, and Brian Ribnik, chess club coach. Thank you very much for waiting, uh, Mr. Ribbnik. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, Superintendent Daniels, members of the board. Yeah, I think that phrase death taxes um and Nicholas or the the Burnsville chess team advancing to to the next tournaments are are constants that we can rely on. So, we have Mr. Ribnick here to share about where they've been, where they are, and where they're going. >> Thank you, Dr. Daniels and Ford for your time. Yes, I'm the head coach of Nicola Middle School chess team as a newly minted state champions. As of last weekend, I'm seeking permission to take uh the team to Round Rock, Texas this May for the national middle school chess championships. We plan to take about 24 students uh out of the 83 students on our club. Uh we've been successful in past endeavors to the nationals. Uh we have two sectional national wins in the last three years and one national championship in the blitz portion of uh the competition in 2024. I've taken teams to the nationals from our district every year starting in 1982 with the exception of uh 20 uh 20 when there was a pandemic going on. And um we've always represented the district well, I believe, and with no issues and um a lot of success. And um we also take a couple days, day and a half afterwards to do some tour touring to learn about the part of the country we're going to. And I believe you have the rough details of our trip. We're we haven't finalized all the details yet. So I but I will hope for your approval and I'll await your questions. >> I just add um in checking with Mr. Ribnik the and his team they they vetted through a lot of our expectations as he's mentioned the um though there is cost for student they really work hard to make sure that um financial considerations are not a barrier for access. Um yes. >> Great. Thank you. Uh, do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Moved by Director Saxi. Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Chester. Any questions? >> We will wish you the best of luck. >> Thanks. >> And on behalf of the kids, thank you. >> Um, congratulations. Stop the vote. Stop the vote. >> All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. >> Oppose. Nay. And the motion carries unanimously. >> Now we do. >> Now we wish. >> Yes. Uh next we are being asked to approve um the achievement and integration plan 2027 through 2029 uh the FY27 budget with uh Isis Buchanan, director of educational equity. Chair Alt, Superintendent Dr. Daniels and members of the board, it's my recommendation that um you approve the fiscal year 27 through 29 achievement and integration plan that was shared. >> Uh do I have a motion to approve? >> So moved. >> Moved by Director Hume. Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Anderson. Uh any discussion? >> Uh all those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I oppose. Nay. And the motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Uh next, uh we are have a resolute we're being asked to approve a resolution to accept donations with Dr. Daniels, superintendent. Thank you, Chair Alt. Before I begin presenting the formal resolution, I just wanted to say thank you to the many community organizations and partners that support education and ISD 191. I am so grateful for all their support and generosity. In this month's resolution, I would like to recognize the following. All those who have donated to our brain power in a backpack program. The US Bank Foundation, FI Fidelity Charitable, Mighty Cause Foundation, Target Employee Giving Program, American Online Giving Program, Wells Fargo Giving Program, Bob's Discount Furniture, and Ron PTO. Number two, all those anonymous donors who have donated to our food and nutrition services program. And number three, the following individuals and organizations who have supported a variety of programs and student needs in our district. Amy Petrrowski, Brandon Ka, Lisa Pzorski, Janet Sari, Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation. Once again, thank you for all of your generous donations. It is now my recommendation that the board of education adopt a resolution to approve and accept these donations to our district in accordance with the schoolboard policy and Minnesota statutes and to permit their use as designated by the donors. >> Thank you very much, Dr. Daniels. Um I will remind everyone that um when we with a resolution, this must be approved with a roll call vote. Um I will take a motion. So moved. Moved by Director Chester. >> Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Saxi. Um having been moved and seconded, um we will require a roll call vote. Um so in a second, I will ask Sarah to call the role. We know that she will ask for an I or a nay when she calls your name. Um Sarah, will you please make the roll call? Director Anderson. >> I. >> Director Hume. >> I. >> Chair Alt. >> I. >> Director Saxi. >> I. >> Director Worb. >> I. >> Director Chester. >> I. >> Uh, this resolution was declared duly passed and adopted. Thank you everyone. Um, let's see. We have one more agenda item, a work session about the Savage City School Resource Officer proposal. Uh prior to that we will take a brief recess. It is now 8:35. Uh we will come back from recess at 8:40. Uh I will take a motion to recess. So move moved by Director Chester. Second. >> Second. >> Seconded by Director Worb. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. And we are in recess until 8:40. Chief Juwel, thank you again for joining us. Um, we are having a work session this evening um to discuss the Savage City School Resource Office proposal. School school resource officer proposal. My apologies. Please feel free to begin. >> Thank you very much. Uh, chair, uh, Lieutenant Lieutenant, a very funny character. LIEUTENANT DANIELS >> DR. DANIELS, it's been a long day. Uh, good evening reference. >> Thank you. What's that? >> Is that a Forest Gump reference? >> No. >> Uh, well, it could work with that one, too. Um, so good evening board as well. Thank you very much for having me here. Uh pleasure to be back. Uh just for those that may be online, just a little recap. Um when I started as a chief of police and Savage in June of 2024, one of my first initiatives um while doing an assessment of the department was to uh establish again the school resource officer position in the Burnsville school district, three schools that we have in our city. Uh it started with the prior superintendent right away. We're our hope was to get one in for the 2425 school district or school session and uh Dr. Battle retired which put everything on hold. So um we continued our uh discussions with school staff uh um probably 3 4 months after Dr. Daniel started, we started up again having conversations and trying to build that relationship and and show why we need that. In that same time frame, um I started uh resource allocating in our organization. So um through our uh city administrator and our city council started proposing to them what did they think about that. uh real quick. Right away, we got a response that they would support that um relationship establishing again. So, with the council's support, I and my staff applied for a federal grant to um pay help pay for it. So, one, is the city going to back it? Two, do we have some financial backing? And three, then approaching the school board to see if there was desire to establish that. So, that's how we got here. We've had meetings before. I attended a prior work session and um here I am again. So, quick um because I know it's late. Uh we um have had a school resource officer with district 191 before 2002 to 2006. Um the assignment was paid through a cops grant, communityoriented policing grant. In 2006 to 17 that agreement was with the district paying 50% of the salary cost for that school resource officer and then the 2017 to present the district made a decision to remove the SRO's from the middle schools and replace them uh with other resources within the district. Call history since 20 or calls for service since 2017. Eagle Ridge Middle School we've had about 202 this is until them. So the whole time Harriet Bishop Elementary about 246 and Hidden Valley Elementary about 291 challenges facing students and districts in 2026 um COVID postcoavid generation uh this presentation couldn't tie in more with everything else you've been talking about budgets uh Dr. Daniel's reestablishing uh connections with the uh school district and the word proactive. A school resource officer is 100% a proactive position to establish relationships within the school to be proactive on safety concerns and then really tie into Dr. Daniel's other um points of safety and communication having that direct link right away in the schools connected um directly to the deans and the teachers and the students. Mental health issues have skyrocketed. Social media uh issues have skyrocketed. Um more and more and more of our crime especially affected by juveniles is through social media and through electronic devices that you talked about earlier. I couldn't be a more proponent of that uh restricting them. And um one thing I'll say is that uh you have to focus on that and you have to be true to that policy and procedure because if a parent is worried about um their child, that's the device is what they're going to be connected to predators and and harmful people through. So, um, and then I I have to say this, you know, one of the points was one of the parents, they want to stay connected to their children. Well, I'm definitely from a different generation cuz my parents sent me to school so they didn't have to talk to me. So, I found that very interesting. Maybe some of the other audience Oh, might have had a similar thought. >> Their parents didn't want to talk to them either. So, uh, but school safety, you know, you're talking about hardening your targets with safer, secure entrances. Um, it it gets more secure with the chance of having a armed police officer there in the school as well. Lack of access to various county service agencies along with a school resource officer being there. We now have uh since 2017 an embedded social worker working with the police department. Now, many of the students that are in these schools are Savage citizens and savage uh community members, and through that, they have direct access to Scott County uh uh social services through our embedded social worker who's employed by Scott County. So, that's another huge benefit. And then lack of familiarity and response time, challenges from patrol. We're doing everything we can to keep up that uh relationship and provide public safety, but when someone's on site versus someone having to respond, there's just going to be a response time there. Uh engagement, having connection to a police officer. Again, it's proactive building relationships at those earlier years with uh the police department and and getting that knowledge that it's not some big evil scary person. And this is a person that's there to help. Again, mental health embedded resources that we have pipeline to county services through that embedded social worker support versus enforcement. School resource officers are more about providing resources, establishing relationships, and being able to help right away. There's also a messaging and um collaboration during incidents between the teachers that educate the teachers on what the police officers can do. There's also an education component of the police officer teaching certain short uh lessons talking about the dangers of cell phones if you want to get with that as well with the appropriate age students in the middle school. and um helping with other education about victimization and healthy relationships, dating relationships, things like that that can be covered by a school resource officer to the age appropriate um students. Costs uh language from district 719 contract. Um we're using the same funding because the police officers are going to all under the same union contract. Um, we secured a a federal cops grant to create an SRO position specifically for 191. Uh, $125,000 grant is for 3 years approximately 42,000 a year per uh a year of assistance from the grant. We have at the city instead of just using that to pay our portion of the 50% we felt a model to make it more attractive and more feasible especially with difficult budgets is to basically use that to supplement both sides. So it would be about a third as opposed to paying half of a peace officer um position. Uh that because we secured the grant for the 2526 school year and there has been no activity meaning we haven't pulled from the grant or build the grant because there is no position that grant has been suspended. Now when we research this as I advised before in order to unsuspend the grant we will need anou or a working contract with the school district uh have to show that and prove that before they will approve any funds. Um so in essence depending upon time and when we could implement this that first year would be gone. Uh we look they won't push it back. It's kind of so sad too bad type deal that we weren't able to implement it. So, it would only if we were able to get one for the 26 27 school year, it would only be in essence a 2-year grant. They don't prorrate it. Um, we uh yeah, we would require to hire an officer because we're right now full. So, if we establish this new position, we would have to hire for it. We would take from our existing experienced officers to fill this position. which as I displayed before um the school district would have input and be there for those hiring processes or selection process. Estimated cost to the district for the school year would be approximately $50,848. It's going to vary depending upon the officer and their salary at that time where they are in the contract. We are requesting a five-year contract due to the fact that when we assign somebody to what's called a specialty position, we assign them for five years. And reason we do that is because it takes a lot of training to uh for a school resource officer. It's a course mandated by the state statute. And um if you can imagine you these positions are actually sought after by police officers. So if we were just rotating them in they wouldn't have the chance to build the relationships. And we feel 5 years gives them time to learn the position establish with uh relationships with the different principles and deans and students. And then after 5 years, because they're sought after, we switch them out and give them uh to another officer a chance. And then usually the school resource officers move to other positions within the police department. How's that for quick? So I just want to say before questions and I know it's a work session so it's a little more little bit less formal but the council that represents our community feels this is an important position. I feel it's an important position and I think it fits the narrative of Dr. Daniel's plans for the school district of establishing proactive uh philosophies with it when it comes to student and employee safety and then communication establishes that with our police department and I think it gets back to the fundamentals of just providing the best service possible for those students those employees in that building and uh with that I'll answer any questions if I can. >> Great. I will open it up for comments and questions. >> Uh, Chief Joel, when um Dr. Daniels and I came out to the city to meet with um you and Mayor Kelly. The um the impression I had and I just want to make sure that there there was also a need for it in the city of Savage and it was due to some of the um staffing or that it didn't seem like you could get to calls as quickly. Um I know you'd mentioned something about sharing something with Prior Lake or the other part of Savage. Can you just go ahead and remind us of what that that was that you were selling? >> Sure. Director Worb. Um, response time is the time it takes from the time a 911 call or a call to dispatch from that call to the time an officer is arriving and handling it. if we um as I think many of you know, two schools are next to each other on the same property and one is about a block and a half away. And so if we have a dedicated officer right there, response times are going to be low and uh meaning quick and you're going to get somebody when you need somebody. The uh the relationship is going to be established. What we have seen um and from much of my career which I spent in CHASA is there's a direct pipeline from the principal or the dean or right to the officer. They call their phone and they go right there. So it's even quicker than a normal response time as opposed to a dean calling dispatch through 911 getting to dispatch getting the computer system and getting to the officer and the officer jumping in their car and driving there. Depending upon if it's an emergency, it's going to be quicker, but if it's one of those things where it's not time-sensitive, it could be 10 minutes before an officer gets there. The Prior Lake School District, uh to the second part of your question, uh they fund fully fund a school resource officer for the high school. And um because they fully fund that school resource officer for the high school and it's their district, that high school officer also helps with the three elementary schools that Prior Lake has in the city of Savage. So they she will actually work for four schools and help in four schools. She does things like emergency planning. Um we do lockdown drills where she coordinates with our entire department. I go on them too and we saturate the school with officers call lockdown drill and then we all go together and check doors and check that proper protocols have been followed. So my first priority is to get a school resource officer in district 191 schools in the city of Savage. Um my next priority is going to be to try to actually get another school resource officer in Prior Lake. That school has 3,000 students and staff and uh other people in that property at one time and we have one officer. I think it's the third or fourth largest high school in the state and all the other larger ones have two in the school. So my next priority is going to try to get resources uh apply for another grant for Prior Lake as well. But that's kind of the connection. I think that's what I was talking about um when we met that time is to try to get that same model in the Burnsville schools. >> Thank you. Great. >> You're welcome. >> Other questions? Yes, Director Chester. >> Um I have two. Um one, I know all about grants. I'm a grant writer. This is finite two years. You want a 5-year commitment. who foots the bill for the other three. >> So the other three we'd be looking at cost sharing that we have before. I would also say that we would be committing to keep getting those federal cop grants um and applying for more grants, but it would go to the cost sharing model that we have with Prior Lake and uh what we had before, which would be a 50/50 cost share for that officer. And then second, um I appreciate that this is um a recommendation of interest from your police department and the city of Savage. Um I would like to know, and this might be on us, if this is a priority and of interest from our students and their families. And that would be um more as um a part of our deliberation in terms of >> multi multiple factors to consider. >> Yeah. Like the the >> the why. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> I think we probably >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Yes. I'm I'm hoping this public forum today with maybe more people online and hearing about it would garner some of that uh response from you. Um I don't have uh Dr. Belmont level stats like the cell phone one. But I will tell you um the school the three school staff that I've worked with are highly supportive of us. And I don't want to put words in their mouth, but I think they would love the addition additional resource from having a police officer in their schools. when I go to the schools and have lunch with the children there at Eagle Ridge, um overwhelming response. Please come more anytime you want. We love having you here. So, um and then if you want to talk about student response, I can tell you when I go read to the elementary schools, we get nothing but incredible feedback and hugs and they love seeing us there. So, in my 31 years, um, coming from a city of Chaza that had at one time four school resource officers and through the 2008 budget collapse and crisis, we went down to two. They're now back up at three and approaching four because they took over a co-op school in Chaza. But it's overwhelmingly that we're received very well within the school. It is not a uniform position like you see me wearing. It's a soft uniform position. So, it's a polo. Um we we happen to wear green like a green pants. So, it's a a uh black top, green pants, polo. Um they're from time to time in uniform if they have to go to court or something like that, but it's a softer uniform. And um I've my time in these three schools I would be surprised if you got a response of we don't want police in our school. These are middle school and elementary school kids where we get way more positive um hugs and they love reading um than we do in if you will in a high school level where you have more rebellious teens that don't want to put down their cell phones as we find out. So, um, I'd be very shocked, but of course, if this, and if I can say it this way as well, our council is our community members. They have children in our school districts. They have had children in their school districts. And it's not us driving the bus, it's our community driving the bus. And I think parents parents want um that resource. and and safety is huge priority as you saw in the feedback you got when you were doing your listening sessions and um I'd be surprised if it wasn't but of course um we do not want to be where we're not wanted and uh it would be um we have we have finite resources just like you. we get hit with budgets just like you and the fact that our council when we've had zero, you know, percent budget increases the last two year for us. Um, besides labor costs as you're feeling, um, we wouldn't push it if it wasn't something important to the community. >> Other questions? >> Yes, Director Anderson. So, I'm kind of I have two questions that are kind of back to back with yours, and I'm sorry if I'm um reinventing the wheel over here, but um so it says here for the the cost to the district um in with the grant, right, a after the grant is paid out um is 50,848 a year. Um, so when the grant is up, do we have a number on how much for the other three years specifically that we would be paying? I can't do that math. I'm sorry. >> So, we put uh the cost of an officer typically with full benefits and mandated um pensions and stuff like that at about 125 a year. And so it would go from um if you divide it 125 by3 it's approximately $42,000. It would go to about 5560,000. It's a it's like a third of the cost and then you go from 30% to 50%. So it' go to about 5560,000 a year from 42. Um my other question then is um and again similar to yours but um more specific maybe um these particular communities that we're talking about our our school communities um have been uh hit dramatically um during Operation Metro Surge and there is a um significant uh lack of trust of um people in uniform. Um what is the city of Savage doing? And I know I asked you this question last year, but I want to say it in public. Yep. >> Um, >> what is the city of Savage doing to combat that and to gain the trust again for from people? >> I'll I'll try to say a consistent answer from last time is I believe we've worked incredibly hard with our community. I think what happened was compartmentalized, meaning it was a federal surge. And I think that over that time you saw in our community that we did not assist ICE and other federal agencies in any way. And I'm hoping that we've had we have enough capital in the proverbial bank of trust that it was what it was is a federal um immigration enforcement action and not a local law enforcement action. Uh I think that message has been clear. I will tell you that there has been zero incidents um over the last three weeks where any type of incident has happened with federal immigration in our city that we know of or that we heard of or people called us on. We've always been in this community. We've always been embedded in the community. And what I can tell you is that we have received no different receptions when we're going on calls and we're called for service and when we're dealing with people than we did before. Um I don't want to say we came away unscathed, but I think we and I'll brag a little bit. I'm on the board uh for the Minnesota Police Officer uh Chiefs of Police Association. We started and we pushed that agenda to end that surge and to uh turn down the temperature. We started that and I'm very proud of the MCPA's work on that. And I think that combined with uh public messaging, I think, not that we haven't received any damage in our credibility, but I think it's minimal. And I think you can use that word again, compartmentalize that situation with protecting children in our school. I see it as different. Our me our uh mission is different. And um I'm hoping that as things continue to calm down and get back to normal that there will not be any lasting effects. And we will just to your answer continue to provide the highquality public service that we do and I think I think that will build back the trust. >> And to dovtail on Director Anderson's question, would you mind restating the city's policy on um immigration enforcement as it relates to police the police department? >> Yep. and I um have been very clear and our our city's messaging been very clear. We do not cooperate with any federal immigration enforcement at all. Um we see that as their mission and not ours. And I I'm very proud of our department, very proud of our officers. um when we were called to a situation or when we showed up at a situation, our public benefited from us being there into the fact that we injected our community valuebased policing into that situation, whatever it was. And so, um I I've reiterated this before. I have a very long career behind me of 31 years. So, I've I have a ton of experience over a ton of time and I again think that we are going to bounce back and we're going to move on. We're going to grow and build as a community and we will keep up our end of the bargain of providing just the best quality valuebased community valuebased police service and we do not cooperate with federal law enforcement authorities. We haven't and we never will. >> Great. Thank you. Any other questions? >> Go ahead. >> Um, yes. So, one of the things that I've been, I guess, kind of struggling with is we talk a lot about equity in our district and kind of the difference between equality and equity. and you know we've got a situation in Savage where a need has been identified. You've identified a way to address that need and you are coming to us asking for us to support you in addressing that need. Um we also have because of the quirky way school district boundaries are created in Minnesota as you've already mentioned Savage is part of two different school districts. I think Burnsville is part of at least three different school districts. The city of Egan is also part of at least three different school districts. Um, so it gets complicated when we're talking about the number of cities that we are worth working with and the number of districts in each of those cities. Um, and so, so I I respect that you've identified this need and brought it to us. And I will just say if there are similar needs in the other cities that represent us, those cities can bring them to us and we can have these same conversations with those cities. Like in my mind, yes, we if we were to move forward with this, it would mean one of our middle schools would potentially have an SRO and the other the way we're set up right now would not. That's something we would have to, you know, decide amongst ourselves. Is that something we would want to move forward with? And it's something we would have to decide with the city of Burnsville. Is that something to revisit at some point down the road? So, I guess what I'm saying is thank you for identifying a need and for trying to find a way to address it and for bringing it to us in in this way. You're welcome. And I and I really do think um the the police department and the city is pushing this agenda, if you will, because we see a need in our community. I don't know and I can't identify the needs in the other community. So, we see our job is to protect and serve the city of Savage and we feel this is a great way to do that. >> And that was the point I was trying to make >> and and I I would just say to the other agencies or the other cities is that um the school board is not pushing this on the other communities. We've identified this as a community need and I would hate to lose out because other communities haven't done that in theirs. No doubt there's the need. But um if if we're able to do it, I just think it's going to be a great resource. If we can't, I guarantee you we'll continue. I think if you reach out to those schools, they feel that they provided that we have provided them excellent police service. We've had incidents of threats and email threats and death threats that we've responded to and we've had those people dealt with within hours. So your service that you have now will not lack. You will not see anything more. Um I refuse to be uh the sky is falling person. Your students are safe, your community is safe and we will be safe. I feel this is a way to enhance the services and to make it better. And I think that's your agenda every year with these budgets. Make it make it better and do better. And uh that's our goal here. Um I do think we have challenges. Uh while I was watching this presentation, you still have a contract signed with Burnsville yet, and that's been over a year and a half. Um I have some concerns about the speed if we can get this done. Um I know you're running up against June budget time, your budget cycle. So, I want you to know we're here for you whether this happens or not. Um, there will be no if we can't get it and the budget hurts, we'll we'll try next year. And you know what? We'll reapply for another we'll apply for two grants. We'll apply for two officers. We'll keep working. We'll keep charging ahead. Um, there will be no hard feelings if we can't get it done this year. But it's not because we all didn't try. So, I just really appreciate the time. Appreciate you listening and being open and receptive. >> Awesome. Yes, Director Saxi. >> Um, series of brief comments, I guess, is how I'd summarize this, but first echoing others, really appreciate the proactive nature of this and bringing it forward to us and going forward with the grant. Um, second, I think there are definite known proven benefits of having SIROS in middle schools and high schools. Um, I think it has to be the right scenario and I think we're the way it's been portrayed meets that one instance of that being it's important we have a window in and actually influence on who fills that role. Um, that's that's super important um, I think for making it work. Um the distrust of law enforcement is certainly a real thing in our community. Um I think it's unfortunate how much of that has been driven outside of the control of the community and community policing and coming from the federal level. Um so that kind of puts us all in a bad spot with that. Um, but I think the messaging around that and then these are the types of opportunities to take baby steps, if you will, to actually do something about that and combat it. Like having kids have a positive influence with law enforcement or positive experience with law enforcement in a school setting like that. Um, that starts to change that and I don't know and many other ways in which we're actually going to start to break that down. Um, and start to change that and influence it. And I think when you flip that around as well, it's actually we just saw a budget and restructuring that's focused on special education and student support. And this is very much in that category of student support. Um so that's kind of how I view it. And I finally I'll just say I'm willing to go on the record as a parent of one kid who's gone through middle school and one who's going to be there in 2 years. I'd love for this position to have been there yesterday or several years ago. Thank you. >> Uh I I couldn't agree more. Um you're I I know I'm preaching to the choir about school safety and I will tell you that even during the metro surge when people were in trouble or they thought they had ICE behind them, where did they go? They drove to our police departments because they knew they could trust us and what we were doing. And um I can't think of any bigger testament uh to what we were talking about earlier that we do we are embedded in this community and it's another way to be embedded earlier and build that trust earlier and um the the story you know we you educate the youth and you you brought it up earlier chair about the if they get the cell phone policy now as they progress forward. It's the same with the relationships with the police officers. The earlier they see us as someone who's there to help, that sticks with them forever and that in essence is the goal. And then also too provide for your staff as well that are there. And you heard that in the survey as well is that they want to be protected. School safety is important to them as well. And that's typically more at the high school level, but we're seeing it more in the middle school level. So >> awesome. Any other comments or questions? Uh, I will. >> Yes. >> So, in the budget that was presented to us tonight in terms of recommendations, would this be a new ad if this is something we would recommend? >> That was going to be part of my Yeah. that we need to talk with Dr. Daniels about >> if this is something that that we land on. Um there will be another conversation around budget, >> right? There will be another conversation around budget and you know that even on Monday we um lobbyed for um more dollars towards school safety >> and if those are granted that would help in a situation like this. But yes, it would be something that the board would bring forth and Stacy and the team would take a closer look to see how we could absorb it in our budget. >> Thank you. Yeah. Um and kind of director Saxy and I and I think others mentioned this as well. I think the import the appreciating um being part of the selection process. I think that's important because >> we know our culture, we know our people, we know our our students. Um that's really key um to this to this process and knowing that Dr. Daniels um and possibly others would be part of that process is is really important. Um professional development I imagine that um the person would also would clearly be participating in police department PD but also would be participating in some of our own professional development. I'm thinking about our culturally proficient school systems. Um they would be participating in that as well. And um if there were others that probably would be part of the conversations >> sure >> in the contract as well. >> Um yeah I think uh we are all about school safety and I think this is another another tool in the toolbox um from a human perspective and then also as far as you know as you mentioned the hardening of the exterior multifaceted way of of making sure our our students staff and schools are are safe. So, um we have one to do um in terms of making sure we um find out from our our families and our students their thoughts. Um and then um we will reconvene and and have a conversation, find out what the what the outcome was and include that in the deliberations overall in terms of the the multiple pieces that we have to to consider and and make a decision. and thank you for waiting. It's it's a bit late. Um >> it it's worth it. It's important. And to your point, not only would it be school board or school district staff, it would be we need all the stakeholders. So I would love to have um the principles from the schools that they would be serviced or serviced by them and then students as well. you know, we bring in uh commissioners and city representative uh representatives from the city when we hire officers. So, of course, when we select this position, we would bring in stakeholders as well. >> That would be great. Awesome. Well, thank you. Great conversation everyone. Thank you for for sharing and uh we will look forward to more conversation sometime soon. >> We'll wait to hear. Thank you so much. Appreciate your time. >> Thank you. And uh I will declare us a journ. It is uh 9:20. >> Is that you? Did >> you say 920?