Osseo Area Schools — Transcript
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Equity Policies Review
American Indian Education Program Update
Education Technology Use in Ociary Schools
Votes (3)
Review of Racial Equity, Harassment, and Gender Inclusion Policies (Policies 101, 102, 508)
Dissent: None, discussion focused on gathering student feedback and future planning.
Student board representatives provided feedback on three policies. For Racial Equity (101), they suggested culturally responsive training for students and highlighted the positive impact of diverse staff and multilingual communication. For Harassment/Discrimination (102), clarity in reporting, engaging videos for student handbooks, multiple reporting options, and improved transparency/follow-up on incidents were requested, noting current under-reporting. For Gender & Inclusion (508), questions arose regarding parental notification for 18-year-olds changing pronouns and the importance of identifying safe staff. The board acknowledged the value of student input, particularly the video concept and the need for greater transparency and staff accountability in reporting.
American Indian Education Program Presentation and Community Feedback
Dissent: None, general support and encouragement from the board for the program's growth and vision.
The American Indian Education (AIE) program presented its mission to enhance indigenous cultural identity through experiential learning and cultural events. Key data points included 543 students from 80+ tribal nations and disproportionately high suspension rates (2.57 times higher than white students) and special education representation for AI students. Funding sources and the role of the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) were outlined. Student and parent testimonials highlighted the program's impact on college aspirations, community connection, and language revitalization. Future requests focused on increasing visibility, accurate data reporting, cultural supports, language programming, and recruitment of American Indian staff and professional development for all educators.
Education Technology Use and Digital Equity in Ociary Schools
Dissent: None, discussion involved questions and clarifications from board members, but no formal opposition to the program's direction.
The technology team presented on the intentional use of education technology (EdTech) to support learning, distinguishing it from general technology. The district's digital learning vision emphasizes personalized learning, with the ultimate goal being student learning. Digital equity was defined as ensuring all students have access, skills, and support. Data showed the district's intentional use resulted in fewer device minutes compared to national averages, with specific usage patterns. Core and flexible instructional applications were identified, noting an increase in music app use due to the cell phone ban. Classroom examples demonstrated how technology fosters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Board questions covered the opt-out process, YouTube filtering, device usage at home, EdTech effectiveness data, and concerns about technology replacing teacher instruction. The team reiterated the importance of intentional use, professional development, and technology as a tool to enhance, not replace, high-quality instruction and to bridge equity gaps.
Notable Quotes (11)
Policy 102, prohibition against discrimination, harassment, and violence. And um we want to improve clarity on how to report an incident, more engagement with student handbook for each trimester. So instead of just like handing the handing them the handbook and expecting them to read it, maybe have a little slides that go with the handbook or like teach something just so that they're more engaged instead of just expecting them to read it and having them sign at the end like they did read it...
It's more like if there is a form reporting, they're like, I don't know if I should do it because the school doesn't really do anything. Or they'll tell like a teacher, but they're not telling the right person. And does that teacher report it to someone higher up? I have no idea. There's not really a lot of people who go up to the source and they're like, 'This is the problem. This is what I want you to do. This is how I want you to solve it.' Nothing like that.
I just wanted to acknowledge that um I heard you loud and clear on the videos. Um I am also a very visual person and so um yeah I mean if we can find the time and the the budget to create some memorable videos like I definitely think we should do that every chance we get especially when um it impacts you know student safety um and then of course the culture of our our schools as well.
Our mission is enhancing the cultural identity of the indigenous child. That's the best way to put it in English. But we like to do everything from our indigenous pedagogies and frameworks. So we say so that the people will live. It's a very simple mission, but that's the root of uh all of our programming, our experiential learning.
...it's become a great resource for my daughter who was like I'm not going to college. done uh doing any of that and started going on the college tours with Indian Ed and has really seen like what her possibilities could be and is now going to Fondelac tribal community college next year and she's going to do um Indian education and uh music production and then going to transfer to the University of Minnesota for her bachelor's and see where she goes from there.
At first, I was telling uh Bella, the high school adviser, that like I want to be a mortician so that I can um help the community like hold free funeral services for grieving families. Um but she helped me like dive deeper into that motivation and uh like the staff encouraged me to begin and complete my application to Howard University, which I will be attending in.
I think one thing that might hold us back is uh the mindset of majority of the educators in our district... So learning how to build relationships with in particular with the native community I think could be very helpful for our educators as well as our administrators. Um and I think it kind of has to trickle down from from the admin.
Tonight, our focus is specifically on how technology is used intentionally in classrooms to support learning. This is our digital learning vision, and it's been uh guiding our work for several years... At its core, the vision emphasizes using technology to support more personalized learning by path, place, and pace while strengthening teaching and learning practices that help students succeed. Technology is not the goal. Learning is the goal.
Technology is an advantage that teachers can use in their classroom and it is the way that make my lesson more relevant for their interest. Technology helps students to improve their learning.
I am curious how um technology when it in some ways replaces teachers in the classroom and like if we are evaluating and being intentional about evaluating how our tech is used. Um, I've just heard examples anecdotally of YouTube videos being used instead of the teacher teaching.
I would say when you look at the studies, it all comes back to to two things. One, intentional use, and two, technology can't replace a high quality instructor and providing poor instruction. Um I think what we see in best case scenarios where there is positive impact it's a blend. It's not all on screens or all on paper.
Ordinances & Resolutions (34)
Racial Equity and Achievement policy under review.
Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment, and Violence policy under review.
Gender and Inclusion policy under review.
Document discussed regarding clarity and engagement for reporting incidents.
Referenced in discussion of tribal sovereignty and treaties.
Minnesota state legislation from 2023.
Funding source for American Indian Education program.
State funding source for American Indian Education program.
Federal funding source for American Indian Education program (likely Johnson O'Malley).
Grant received by the district for Dakota and Ojibwe language programming.
Passed in 1978, making indigenous languages legal after historical prohibition.
Individualized Education Program, discussed in context of special education disproportionality.
Initiative to reduce overrepresentation of Native and Black students in special education.
Partnership with MDE to learn and implement PBIS strategies.
District's Personalized Learning Plan, guiding the digital learning vision.
Influenced the district's definition of digital equity.
Requires media literacy across K-12, reinforcing technology use.
Survey of Ociary schools families regarding digital literacy and screen time concerns.
Filtering tool used on school-issued devices to capture screen data and monitor activity.
Core instructional application, YouTube filtering settings are part of this.
Core instructional application for elementary students to demonstrate learning.
Core instructional application for assessments, assignments, and curriculum resources.
Core instructional application mentioned in the presentation.
Core instructional application, used by younger learners.
Flexible instructional resource, with school-specific filtering and moderation.
Flexible instructional resource, likely for assessment.
Flexible instructional resource (likely a transcription error for a specific educational app).
Flexible instructional resource (likely a transcription error for a specific educational app).
Flexible instructional resource (likely Kahoot!).
Digital tool used by students for creative projects, such as PSAs.
Secondary math curriculum, using collaborative problem-solving.
Elementary math curriculum, workbook-based.
Part of annual review with students at the beginning of the school year.
Anonymous reporting application for incidents, discussed in policy review.