I would like to call this meeting of the Robbinsdale Area School Board to order. This is our business meeting. Today is Monday, December 1st, 2025. It is 7:24 p.m. We are in the boardroom of the Education Service Center and I would we are not going to read a land acknowledgement tonight because we already read it when we opened our other meeting tonight. And so in that case I would like the uh clerk to call the role. >> With pleasure. >> Thank you. >> Director Basset >> here. >> Renee Bowman is here. Uh Chair Evans Becker >> here. >> Director Hillbrand >> here. >> Director Long >> here. Director Wuto, >> here. >> Dr. Salo, >> here. >> Super. We're all here. All right. Next thing up is approval of the agenda. Could I have a motion to approve the agenda, please? >> So moved. >> It's been moved. Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded to approve the agenda. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Oppos say no. We have an agenda and we're moving right along. Ario Proud Plymouth Middle School PMS igniting student leadership. Take it away, Susan Tenton Stalo. Excellent. Good evening all. We are delighted to have a guest with us tonight from Plymouth Middle School. Uh Principal Thomas was unable to be here this evening. However, uh her team of faculty and student leaders are here with us tonight to showcase and share some of the work that they've done around student leadership. Um after that piece of the presentation, we are also going to have uh Miss Johnson will introduce students who uh will perform a musical selection from Beauty and the Beast Jr. So, with that, uh, Lisa Raymond, I will I'll hand it off to you. Thank you, >> Chair and Executive Cabinet. My name is Lisa Raymond, AVID Coordinator for Plymouth Middle School. I am stepping in at the request of our principal, Tamiko Thomas, who due to an unexpected medical issue, is unable to attend tonight's meeting. >> [clears throat] >> She wanted all of you to know, especially our students, that her absence does not diminish her support or appreciation for the important work taking place by our student leaders. Tonight, we will highlight the great work of our student leaders. Miss Thomas was inspired by three things. Last year, high school student leaders shared reflections from their middle school years. And after hearing their stories, she was committed to finding ways to improve the middle school experience. Data from our middle school surveys and knowing their research on the significant transition from elementary to middle and again from middle to high school. And thirdly, the need and desire to elevate the student voice and enhance the middle school experience. to excuse me. To that end, last year we started a student leadership group under my facilitation and this year we have been fortunate to have a second teacher, Marina Day, join and co-lead this awesome group of young people, several of whom you will have the chance to hear from shortly. In addition, this year, Miss Thomas launched the principal student advisory team. The purpose of Plymouth Middle School advisory team is to develop student leadership, promote and create projects that improve school culture, and to make our school a more positive place for everyone. This team has met several times this school year, and while the work is just beginning, Miss Thomas is excited to begin this leadership journey with such an amazing group of young scholars. When we established the student leadership group at Plymouth Middle School, it was apparent that students needed more opportunities to be involved in their school and they had a desire to positively affect our school's climate and culture. It has long been a known fact that when students are connected to their community, they will excel both academically and socially. Students are at the heart of what we do. And it was our hope that by bringing together a group of student leaders, we could inspire more engagement, foster more kindness, and build more community. As the student leadership group began to meet and plan events, it was clear that giving students a voice also gave them the power to see that each of them could make a difference in how our school's climate and culture could be transformed. In addition to working to transform the Plymouth Middle School community, the student leadership group also gives students the opportunity to transform themselves as leaders. Being in student leadership means accepting responsibility for being a leader in the school. This looks and sounds like showing kindness and empathy in the hallways and classrooms, being a good friend, and advocating for others. Now you will hear from Arena Day about the specific activities student leadership has planned over the past two years. Hello, my name is Marina Day, one of the adviserss of Plymouth Middle School student leadership. One of the things I love about student leadership is seeing how all of our student leaders have a voice in the school community. For example, students are currently working on naming our hallways. Students also work towards building a strong sense of community within our school. Students have run projects such as kindness week, an anti-bullying campaign, and running student tours for new students. During our anti-bullying campaign, 153 students and staff took the anti-bully pledge to help make our school a better place for all students. Student leaders also help out at school functions such as our rising sixth grade night. They answer questions that new students may have. Lastly, our student leaders plan our spirit weeks. Students planned dressup days for students and staff to connect and build a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Here are some quotes from student leaders that could not be in attendance tonight. I joined student leadership to support my community and others. I joined student leadership to be a good example which is needed sometimes. People might look up to someone in someone to see what to do or just to have someone to be there who's a leader and that's okay. So I gladly decided to step into that role. >> Being a leader is important to me because it means I can lift others up and help others do the same. I joined student leadership because I wanted to be a good leader. I joined student leadership because I wanted to help out my school community. I joined student leadership because I wanted an environment where I can help the school. I think it is important to be a leader because people aren't always very nice and I want to be someone who people can talk to. I think student leadership is an important part of PMS because we really help the school and make sure that everyone has a good time at the school and has fun. Next, you will hear from four of our student leaders. First, we have Julie Cabayro. Hi, [clears throat] sorry. Hi, my name is Julie and I'm in seventh grade. I joined student leadership because I love helping students and bringing everybody together. I'll be talking about community and why I think it's important to me and the school. Community is important because it brings us all together. And it's about making people feel connected, valued, and seen. A school can't operate with a school climate that doesn't have community or else people won't feel welcomed. The point of community to me is that everybody feels like they should belong and be treated with respect. This means we acknowledge the different cultures, traditions, and celebrate these cultures in a way that brings us all together. We've done several spirit weeks and anti-bullying month. We people actually came together as a group and did the activities with us such as the pictures. And as we continue our journey, I hope our community grows stronger. Thank you. Now you'll hear about Cammy share about how student leadership impacts our school community. [applause] Hello, my name is Camille Gallardo. I am in seventh grade and I joined student leadership because I wanted to improve my school community somehow in some way. This group seemed to be impacting the environment the most. As you may or may not know, middle school hallways aren't exactly the best for building kids up, but student leadership helps the community become friendlier. Recently, we did an anti-bullying project. It was focusing on taking a pledge to anti-bullying. And if they took the pledge, a photo was taken and they received a bracelet. 153 kids and adults took this pledge. Obviously, that's not all the students, but that isn't the point. Multiple teachers and students took the pledge, which means they will stand up to bullying and prevent it, thus making the community better piece by piece. Student leadership is helping Plymouth Middle School community by doing activities like these. Sure, the community isn't perfect, but student leadership group is helping the school become better as a community. Student student leadership is always trying to look up for the PMS community and we are stronger together and we can do amazing things if we work together. [applause] Hello, my name is Kate Florson. I'm an eighth grader that goes to Flint Middle School. I think student leadership is important because it gives students a chance to have a voice for the school and create a positive school environment. Student leadership is also important for increasing community involvement within the school. It is important because it's a way that students can actively make the school a better place. I joined student leadership because I want the opportunity to make students feel welcome and included in our school. I also get help I also get to help create a culture of kindness not through my words but also through my actions. I try and do this by being good attitude, sharing kindness to everyone and being respectful to all my teachers. I joined student leadership because I want to help Plymouth Middle School, Plymouth Middle School be a better place. I think one of our most important roles in student leadership is to make sure that the incoming sixth graders feel welcome by creating a positive and fun environment for them to come into. Some ways we do this is by playing theme weeks where people get to dress up. We also make posters against bullying. It's part of my role as a student leader. I try to be a good influence to others. I feel honored to be in this position position to help my school in this way. Now you'll hear from Ava. [applause] >> Hi, my name is Ava Penguin and I'm an eighth grader. To [snorts] me, leadership means not needing the validation of others to do and show what is right. It means being a good person even if there's no reward for it and being your own person and making good decisions even when nobody else is. Standing up for what you believe is right, speaking up for people, and making sure everyone feels seen and heard. It means always doing what is right no matter what. It means recognizing that nothing will ever truly be perfect, but trying as hard as you can to get as close as possible. It means setting good examples and not only doing what is right for the approval of others. It means making everyone feel like their ideas, voices, opinions, and community are valued and giving people faith that things will change for the better. It means always being willing to help someone, being kind and respectful to everyone, and building each other up and giving each other motivation. Leadership means having a positive and encouraging mark wherever you go. to be strong and persistent for what you believe in, pushing the limits to do more, and being kind to everyone, even if they aren't to you. Lastly, radiating positivity everywhere you go, and just being a good person overall to everyone. Thank you. Now, you will hear from another music, another one of our student groups, theater, and the musical Beauty and the Beast Junior. [applause] Um, thank you to the student leadership group. You guys are amazing. Uh, and it's, I think, no surprise that a lot of the people who are part of student leadership are also involved in theater. Um, I think that a lot of the kids at PMS are involved in multiple activities. It's really great to see. They do a really great job at the school of allowing kids to be involved in multiple things. Um, we all try to work together to allow kids to be in as many things as possible. And big props to Miss Raymond because she's always really good at helping juggle schedules so people can be in multiple things. Uh, my name is Nina Johnson. I am a parent of two kids at Armstrong High School and I this is my fourth year being involved as the um coordinator of the afterchool theater program at PMS. So this year we are doing for our big musical Beauty and the Beast Jr. and I have brought three amazing eighth graders who are going to um share some selections from the show. And I have first off a speaker, Annabelle, who is going to tell you a little bit about her experience involved in theater. So come on up, Annabelle. [clears throat] Good evening everyone. My name is Annabelle Rollinger and I'm currently an eighth grader in Plymouth Middle School. We are here today to be representing our school musical program. When I was in sixth grade, I was a member of the tech crew and this year I am a member of the acting crew. Both tech and acting have been so fun and truly amazing. Ever since I joined our musical theater program, I've always had a reason to be excited for school. I've been on tech and acting crews and it can always sometimes be nerve-wracking. However, the musical has always been fun and provides others to be creative. For the first time I joined, I was a part of the tech crew. I was pretty shy, but I quickly opened up and now for this year it is my second time and I am happy to be back. I am now a part of the acting crew and I've been meeting new people and it's overall amazing. Everyone is so kind and supportive, especially our especially Nina, our coordinator. We all open up with each other and truly care about each other. And now, and I know that our district is facing budget cuts. And my hope and dream is that we are still able to support the musical theater program districtwide so other students can be supported in trying new things, having a creative outlet and opportunities to grow. Thank you for your time and have a good evening. [applause] >> And Annabelle, what uh who will you be playing in Beauty and the Beast? >> Yes, Annabelle will be playing the Pepper Shaker. It isn't. >> Yes. Um and we have this year in our musical about 110 people involved. We have 68 kids on our cast and then um about 40 involved in the crew. So we have over 10% of the student body involved in the theater program each year. Um and we work really hard to make sure that is accessible to as many people as possible. So next up to go up there to the big mic. again. >> Oh, one second. I'll meet you on the other side. Okay, try it. >> Oh, is okay. My name is Tegan Chamberlain and um I'm in eighth grade and I've been in all of the musicals in Plymouth Middle School. Um I'm being Mrs. Pots this year. Still as [singing] old as time as it can be. Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly. Just a little change, small to say the least. [singing] Peace. Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Beauty and the Beast. [applause] [applause] My name is Heath Luben. I'm in eighth grade. I've done all of the Plymouth Middle School uh theater programs. And this year I I'll be playing Lumiere. Marmoiselle, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents your dinner. Be our guest. Be our guest. Put our service to the test. Tie a napkin around your neck, Shelly and Will provides the rest. Soup dour hot. Why? We only live to serve. Tries the gray stuff. >> It's delicious. >> Don't believe me? Ask the dishes. They can't sing. They can't dance. After miss this is France and a dinner is never second best. Go on. Unfold your menu. You take a glance. Then you'll be our guest. We our guest. be our guest. [applause] Thank you so much for letting us come and be here tonight. Um, and um, we have a little mini poster for all of you to invite you to the show. Um, and then >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. You're welcome. >> Everybody, please come see our show. It opens January 13th and we have a break for a concert and then it comes back January 15th. >> So, thank you guys very much. We're really, really happy that we could be here tonight. >> Awesome. Thank you. That was awesome. [applause] >> Thank you very much. This is what student leadership is all about. What a perfect presentation. Thank you all for being here. I would love to grab I know you're passing these out, but I'd love to grab a quick picture um of y'all. If you want to meet me up on the front, that'd be great. She did a great job. You need to get in there so they can get in the picture. Get in the picture. At least weirdo. Yeah. [applause] I think a star was born tonight and I will die. >> Wow. >> Okay, that was amazing. And now we move on to the consent agenda. How [laughter] do >> right? >> Hard to follow that act. Wow. Okay. Items on the consent agenda are routine in nature and are generally enacted with one motion. uh as soon as I find it. Okay. Anyway, um items on our cons consent agenda tonight are the language access plan, uh meeting minutes, financial reports, and personnel reports. Is there uh move to approve the consent agenda? Moved by uh Director Basset, seconded by Director Hill. >> Second. Yes. >> Okay. Seeing no hands going up for discussion, this is a roll call vote. Um let's vote on the consent agenda. >> Great. Um Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. >> Uh D um Chair Evans Becker, yes. Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. Okay, we have we have approved the consent agenda. Moving on to item number five, unfinished business. Um, we have the continued statutory operator SOD plan. Uh, Superintendent Stalo. >> Excellent. Thank you very much. Good evening, board members. Um, tonight we have a very brief presentation. And really we want to just make sure uh everyone is up to speed and that we get any additional direction um that we need moving forward uh as we look forward to next Monday night for another study session. You recall last Monday night we had a study session dedicated entirely to talking about both the site consolidation part of the SOD plan um as well as the additional budget reductions that are being recommended. Uh we've received several questions from board members since that time um and that evening and were able to get several of those responses back to board members today. Uh there were questions that were asked that we simply didn't have time to get the data to you um based on the holiday weekend. We will certainly get that to you. What I would request just because we track the conversation as much as possible. We all take notes as much as possible, but I want to be sure that we get all of your questions. So, if there's something that you asked um that we haven't yet responded to, if you could email that to me, that way we can ensure that we are uh getting you all the information um that you need as we move forward toward uh a decision point. Um as you can see from this shortened calendar and again we have been meeting for uh multiple weeks um about the statutory operating debt the short-term timeline tonight as I said we really don't have additional new information we are going to ask for um additional uh questions from you um next week then we have uh a listening no is it just study session no there is a listening time um and then a study session where again we can uh address all of your questions and the additional information that you're seeking as we make a way to the December 8 15th hearing and ultimately the decision around that. Um so if you would move to the next slide please Molly. Um tonight we just want to be sure that again the board is all on the same page in terms of the statutory operating debt components that we need approval on. You can see on this that this total sum equals over $8 million which is that target part for year one that we are seeking. The school closure recommendations as they appeared in the the administrative recommendations remain up there. Um and again we'll continue to get data to you and answer your questions as we work forward on that process. The second piece there is the magnet transportation. The third piece is magnet transportation to um Plymouth Middle School for the Spanish immersion program. The next piece is the Minneapolis open enrollment transportation. Um as you recall last year there were several zip codes that uh the board approved um stop the transport the transportation into some of those zip codes in Minneapolis. However, we um have continued to maintain uh some of the transportation for students from Minneapolis who are open enrolled into us and you can see that there. The next pieces are the administrative um actions that we are working to implement which is um in uh the IB programming maintaining at Cooper High School for next year so seniors can uh finalize their program but it will now no longer be um a K uh through 11th grade. the scheduling and staffing efficiencies both at the secondary level and at the elementary level and then the realignment of the reductions of non-instructional staff. So those are things administration continues to work on. There's a lot of details uh as we move forward with with those um with those that work. Uh but those are some of the things that we're working on right now. So, as I said, want to have an opportunity for board members. Um, the sooner we can make these decisions, the better. Uh, especially the pieces around the scheduling. Um, some of those impact uh registration that students are taking um or preparing for which uh obviously impact staffing and other opportunities. We want to be sure that we are able to move forward with these decisions um as quickly as we can. And it would be great if by December 15th all of this can be uh there can be action on all these items. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, happy to take any questions. >> Okay. >> And I know uh CFO Hoheisel uh assistant superintendent McDow and any of the cabinet members will certainly answer questions as we need them. Okay. I appreciate all the work that has been done on this. I support nearly all of it. Um, I know that I am not a team of people working on it. I'm not going to make suggestions for changes, but I'm having a really difficult time with magnet transportation um on multiple levels. I mean, safety, access, equity. I'm having I have a problem with that. And I'm just wondering if there is something else somewhere that might be able to be cut instead of the magnet transportation. I know it's a lot. It's 1.7 million, but that one I'm really having personally a difficult time with. So, I just want to put that out there. Okay. Not expecting an answer tonight necessarily, but Well, um you're not going to get an answer tonight either. However, I do I do need direction and if it is the the will of the board for us to continue to explore um this is all goes without saying and as we heard again tonight amazing voices uh with amazing stories of love for their schools and their programs. Um, we certainly understand that and as we've said multiple times, there are no good decisions. We're trying to um help support the best of the worst decisions possible. Um, so >> so in order for you maybe direction to see >> looking at something else, you would need to hear it from other people on the board. >> I I do take direction from the full board, not an board member. >> I understand that. Um, are there other board members that are wrestling with this? Director Wuto, are you? >> Yeah. For me also, I I just I want to know what if there will be any legal implications to providing transportation to some schools versus other schools in the district. >> Good. >> Say more about Could there be any legal replications or implications of that where parents from one school could say why are you taking transportation away from my child and yet giving transportation to other children? >> I'm not a question. Well, I don't think >> Yeah, I think um largely it would look at the the equity of the situation overall. So, I think if the board says we won't bus students more than X distance or we uh will only bus students um you know within certain zones or something like that that those sort of um bigger picture more objective criteria where if the board were to say we're going to bus students to uh this elementary school but not that elementary school that there would likely be an examination of like the demographics and the basis for that decision to determine whether discrimination was relevant. >> I would like to provide some clarification uh to what Liz is saying that magnets are a choice school. They don't have attendance boundaries. And so I believe by Minnesota statute that we are required to transport within, you know, certain attendance areas or whatever. But because they are a choice school, students would have the opportunity for transportation to their neighborhood school. If they make a different choice, then legally we're not required to transport to choice schools. >> If if that's correct, >> that is correct. Yeah. But I wasn't thinking about the the magnet component of it. Um but because every student who lives whatever the more than the distance from a school would have the option to be busted, then uh that's correct. wouldn't be required to provide transportation to magnets. >> Just a followup to that, >> right? Direct message. >> Can I just a follow up? >> Yes. >> So, will that change if a parent that lives within the boundaries of that magnet school is claiming that school as their neighboring school? >> Yes, we do not have there is not. So RSI, C, Fair Pilgrim, and Fair Crystal don't have attendance boundaries. >> Okay. >> So they Yes, it would if they don't have that. >> Thank you. >> That they actually have walkie walkers who live within a certain All of them or some I know some do. >> All of our magnets have we do well I shouldn't say walkers. We do have students to all of our magnets that are not transported through uh Robbinsdale school bus. >> Dr. Basset. >> Well, uh I have a different question, but I do have a comment based on your question about transportation. Um I really would like to see the administration really look at some kind of a feebased structure. um because it accommodates all of the free and reduced and uh at the same time uh on a sliding fee scale based on the federal index of poverty, you could the district has the opportunity to set a policy that kind of looks at whatever percentage we think is reasonable and feasible that makes an impact on the transportation cost but is not too honorous on the families. I think that I'm not necessarily looking for an answer to that tonight. I don't like on the cuff responses to this. I like to see it in writing so that I know um who's saying it and that's doesn't you know you know certainly I want to hear from you but uh the point is is that so I'm not asking for the answer to this tonight but I think that that's a reasonable kind of approach to this because it hits at the equity but it also it also hits at some of the cost associated with it the transportation and it also allows parents who who can afford to have some but I think it would be important for the district to hear I I don't know what people's income are and what the right niche is for that kind of calculation. So, um the administration would be the one who would be in the best position to kind of find that out and and apply that if that's the case. So, that's one comment to transportation a question that I have and I actually have posed already >> and we actually responded to it in the email that we sent this. >> Well, I just got this email this afternoon. So, I'm just saying I haven't even read it yet because I was at a meeting before I came to this meeting and then I just got this and Molly was kind enough to print it for me. So, I I'm going to take my time and read it and after I read it, I'm going to think about it and if I have some more thoughts about it, I'll respond. But I I really appreciate you're taking the time to do that. Uh but I just want to, you know, for the public record just to say that I think there's some other alternatives I'd like to see the district investigate just as you just said, you have some you're struggling with transportation. I too am and and I have some specific associated with by request. Um my issue is not, you know, I was going to talk about that, but but finish up on the transportation one before we >> Oh, is there more comments about that? Sure. >> Dr. Dr. Long, are you speaking to transportation? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I had an issue at our last meeting about taking away the magnet transportation. I had said that was really concerning to me and again I had asked about cuts to administration. Um, you know, thank you for responding to my email that I had sent. You know, you responded to it within five minutes that I sent today asking about org charts. And when I looked at it, I noticed the cabinet is up to like nine members. Is that correct? >> Well, we call we not executive team members. No, but have a 10 10 member senior leadership team. Yes. >> Okay. Because we had reduced that and then now it seems like it went back up again. >> Yep. We can show you. We'll So, your question that you asked last week, we didn't have time with that holiday as I said, but we'll bring back on the ETH um all of the changes, the reorganization that we did last year. Um, and again, people who maybe weren't sitting on cabinet level last year in positions that I've chosen to expand it. Um, so what we want to focus on as we look at administrative uh positions and and cost is the reductions that we've made. At the end of the day, you've hired me, I believe, to determine um what structures are needed in our departments and our schools in order to fulfill the mission of our school district. Um I'm accountable to all employees. You're I'm accountable to you. I'm I'm responsible for all employees. Um ultimately, what uh what I need to make sure I do is get the reduction level targets that y'all are seeking. Okay. >> So, just you know, if I can finish that up. So, you had asked what could we possibly trade out for that? I would like to see how we could make some cuts to administration to trade out for the magnet transportation. >> Um, Director Hillbr. >> Yeah, I I I don't I don't love the idea of getting rid of magnet transportation either. Um, but Well, first of all, I just want to address the fact that it is an actual fact that on average the parent the families who attend the magnet schools are significantly more affluent on average than the families who attend our our neighborhood schools. Significantly. And I'm happy to put this data out there for you, but we have our our schools, our neighborhood schools, ranging between our 50% qualifying for benefits all the way up to 92%. And our our magnet schools are between 34 and 45 or no, sorry, 29% and 45%. That is that is a huge difference. First of all, I still don't love it because still those kids who are in that in that band and families who are are just above it still need that support. So I don't I don't want that to be misconstrued saying that families don't need that. My kids went to a magnet school, too. Transportation was hugely helpful for us. So I'm not pretending that these aren't real needs, but these are also factual statements. But as far as the transportation goes, my problem is, my concern is the only other way you're going to get to 1.7 million is closing another building. And I don't have an appetite to close another building. I don't know how else we're going to get to another 1.7 million. And that's my concern. So, we can sit here and talk about, but I don't know where else you're going to find that big of a bucket. And if anybody else can identify it, I would love to hear it. I'm just saying that that's the problem is the only other way you're going to get to a big number like that is closing an additional school. And I don't I this is hard enough as it is. We can't even agree on on schools we want to close as it is. I don't know where we're going to find another other set of you know another building. So, >> Director Bowman, >> uh yeah, thank you. Um, you know, thank you, uh, Director Hillbrand for, uh, you managed to articulate my concerns. Uh, where else would we get it from? Um, you know, magnet transportation. Yeah, it's a it's a ugly thing to look at it at one whole number and I am willing to explore, but again, my concern is where are we going to pick up 1.7 mil? Uh the only other thing I was thinking of is I don't know if transportation hubs uh are at all a possibility. Uh I know that you have all these staggered time start times etc. But uh to for the first year or two it first year could you know a transportation hub might soften some of the pain. So that would be one of the options we could look at. And then I also think that um some of our discussion is being lost in uh or it's like we're taking this away. But if we look three years down the road and we have uh different schools opening or or our neighborhood schools going, what are what are we going to increase in those schools? how are we going to uh benefit more kids more widely across the district than by just the lottery system that we have now for a few schools. That's really kind of what I'm interested in because it feels to me as if we're protecting a certain class within our district and we're not dreaming enough about how all of our kids are going to be exposed to the magic of what goes on um in a in a magnet school. So, um, because I I really have a problem with a lottery system inside of a public school system. It doesn't mean that everybody gets equal access to that. And what my concern is is I want to see all of our students get equal access to all of the fabulous things that we collectively talk about when we're speaking about our schools. That's what I want out of this situation. So, um I'm open to things, uh but the cuts are going to be so severe, you know, I don't know where we can find it. I'm open to it, but uh I I think that is, you know, I just think that uh like I said, schools that have a lottery system to it uh already have an edge that other students don't have. and uh I'd like to see us make sure that all of our students get everything uh promised to them. So, thank you. >> Thank you. So, to summarize, um Evan Specker, WHO, Long and Bowman are willing to ask to see if there's something else. So, that would be four of us, which would be a will of the board >> and actually even more so the transportation hub thing. >> Okay. But I just >> right >> I don't want to >> before you summarize. >> Yes. >> Uh actually I asked the administration about hub some time ago and never got an answer. So I I I did and so if that's a possibility within the mix of what I said a few minutes ago that's the reason why I wanted to raise it is because the all of the comments that I made go toward concerns about transportation which is how you raised it in the first place. So I basically said the same thing and I think trying for consensus on this board rather than oh we have four votes that's it I think is a is folly when we have so much to get through. Seeking consensus is really the way that things work better and so there seems to be some consensus and so I'm going to use that word rather than the will of the board. Consensus among these board members is what's really needed on many things. So, um, if we're going to explore some things about transportation, I'll read what you wrote, but I already expressed my concerns about transportation when I asked about So, maybe it's a mixture of hubs and some kind of a fee structure. Maybe it's a mixture. I'll read what you said and if you have more comments, I I'm happy to see them because uh I think that's kind of unanimous. It's not >> just four. It's it's several people here saying that they have concerns. So, it's more than just a few. >> I think we all have concerns. >> Okay. So, and I wanted to talk about my issue though. So, what we'll do transportation? >> I I just do want to I I believe and we'll look at our records, but I believe when that um the transportation hubs question came up last year, I believe we did provide a response. So, we'll be sure that we provide that response again. >> Super. Can I just have a point of clarification because so we get these emails, you know, responses back to some of the questions that we ask and then I feel like there's a loss in our loop because there is an answer to the transportation thing and it was about, you know, then the whole fee would be charged to the magnet families for whatever that transportation would be. But then it's like we don't say that out to the public. So then I feel like that piece gets lost then somewhere in how we're doing our business. And so I guess I don't know. So I asked for a point of clarification. So then how do we go back with some of these questions that we ask and then we get responses to them in emails to make sure that the public is along with us in that information? >> I think that's a very good question. Um, in the past sometimes board members state their question and they state their answer that they had gotten um, in order to inform people. But um, >> I think the I think the other thing that we've done and we maybe haven't done it for every question certainly, but I I think we've also tried to incorporate incorporate um, some of the questions that the board has asked during the next presentation. Again, I hope we'll get a little grace because we had two days to work and then a long holiday weekend. So, we probably would have had without the holiday more. We'll come back on the ETH with another presentation and um you know, we can certainly look at some of those questions that were asked, especially the questions that were asked during the study session. Um since they were asked publicly, want to be sure that we respond publicly to those. Thank you. >> Yep. Okay. So we have we have some direction here just to see what another possibility might be for that one. >> And my guess is it will be board members uh combination again a 1.7 million is a high ticket item. Um uh I'm confident that will mean bringing forward a recommendation for another school closure. Um, I don't know how else we get to 1.7 million, but we'll certainly take into consideration uh what we've heard tonight as we bring forward additional options next week. >> Thank you. All right. Um, director Basset, you had some I have Basset Wong Long on my list. >> Okay. [laughter] Uh so um on that same notion I do think and one of the questions that I had asked before this meeting was uh I think that if we are contemplating another school closure uh you know the fact that we've not advertised which school that might be uh is not a bar because this is December 1st takes two weeks as I understand it that we have to publish. So, if we have to publish something about an additional closure, we have time to do that. I see a head shaking. No, you do not have enough time to post another school for closure and get it posted for the length of time that needs to be posted and have the 7-day waiting period for the hearing and then the vote if it were to take place on December 15th. It would have to happen at a subsequent date later. We talked about this a little bit a couple board meetings ago. Um, and if you'll remember, there was a conversation about Monday the 22nd while we were in winter break and all that, but there would not be enough time to add another building for potential closure as part of the list that it will be going in front of the board on the 15th. >> Thank you. >> Okay. [clears throat] However, um the main point I want to make is if we're talking about moving students several times in the next two years, within the next two years, and uh if it's true that um there's some other considerations that have to be sorted out, it's worth it if we have to make some more decisions. publish something else so we get closer to what's going to be solid for a period of time. In my estimation, the barrier or the bar of the publishing should not be the enemy of finding the best solution, you know, and so um if we have to move it up and there's some different dates and and if having that in writing about what's the drop dead date, we could do something new if we needed to have that information come back to the board uh would be helpful dates certain that we need to have it by because we've had special meetings before. We can have them again if we need to. This is one of the most consequential decisions that this board will make for the next 10-15 years. If we get it wrong on phase one, when we get to phase two, we'll already may have boxed ourselves into some kind of a corner. And so that's my concern. And and and so around the whole transportation, all of it and the timing, that's that. The other thing is that as far as I know, we have not t the board has not taken any action on the IB program that was proposed. I I you know, we haven't taken a vote on that. So, I'm not sure what that implementing means. And uh No, we have not. >> No, we haven't. But that's an administrative rather than >> Oh, I know. It's a recommendation. So, I'm wondering why the other ones are awaiting board decision and this one says implementing. That's why I'm asking the question because it's written up there that way. So, if it's still awaiting the decision, then it should say that, you know, and and let me further say because uh one of the questions that I sent in, and I apologize, I haven't had time to read it today. I was at a a session today uh about education from with another group, you know, and so I wasn't able to read this and then I just got it and looked at it this afternoon about four or five o'clock when I got home. So, I'm going to read it tonight. And uh but it doesn't change anything that I've said because of my questions that I sent in. I had a question that had to do with not only the IB but about Sanberg Middle School. And so we talked a little bit about that before and perhaps we can talk about it later. But the other question I had uh which goes to one of the points that's been made here at this board meeting tonight is that a vision for the rest of the district. This board has been um we have adhered to I'll speak for myself as a member of the board. We've not talked about programming. We've deliberately put off, maybe deliberately is the wrong word, but the board has not had an opportunity to talk about the programs that we value for this district. We've talked about facilities only. The IB program is a worldclass program. We've had that program and in fact, we had one of the first buildings, I believe it was Samberg, that had the first IB program in the state of Minnesota. And so to just cavalerely decide that we're going to stop doing IB, in my opinion, in my perfect world, we'd have IB for all our primary all our elementaryaries because the reality is that and then what do we need to give up to get that would be the question I'd be asking because primary years IB across the district provides that kind of inquiry basis for all of our kids, all of our neighborhood schools in addition to whatever else they're doing. And we know how to do it. It's not like we don't know how to do it, you know. And so this board has not had a conversation about programming. And so to take a program off the table before we even had a chance to do it, I find very disturbing to say the least, you know, and uh and when we talk about that, when we talk about some cost savings, we were asked at the last meeting work session, if there's if we take IB off, if if we take it off the table, what do we replace it with? You asked you invited that question. So I made some suggestions. And so one of the suggestions that I made was a was a wage freeze. And I went further to say an uh a wage freeze from the program director level upward for however long that's for the board to determine if the board decides to go that route. And we're not taking a vote on that tonight. But I'm just saying you ask for suggestions and I'm going to give you suggestions. And if they don't hit the light of day, nobody knows we're asking these questions. And the bottom line to the whole thing is that I already know what the administrative recommendation is. When I send a question, I don't appreciate getting, well, that's not the administration's recommendation. I already know that. I'm asking my question because you asked me to. I'm asking you to look at look into this because is this a possibility? Because I rely on you. I rely on your expertise. I'm not an educational expert. I don't have to be but we're responsible for what happens in this community because this what we said we do you know so if I feel seem sound a little passionate I am passionate it's not directed toward any one person it's how serious this is very serious and my child has graduated I think there's some other people up here with kids who have graduated these people have their children in schools right now and they deserve to have us talking about programs and until we talk about programming, I'm not okay with us taking programs off the board until we have an opportunity to talk about it. And what else are we going to do? >> Director. >> Yeah, thank you. Um so just based off some of the remarks that we've had already um also based off comments asking for other options which I know the administration have had time to look at options right I'm sure when we are looking at cuts different things come to mind and then you come forward or the administration brings what's the best option is right. Would it be possible for future especially in the near future to start giving the board all your options? >> Thank you. >> based on certain criteria. Right? This is what the administration suggests we do. These are some other options we can consider. Right? And the reason I say that is I know in the last few meetings when objections have been raised to things that we are things that are proposed right the question always comes up well what do you suggest we do? I I expect that whatever those suggestions may be, administration might have already looked at it and if you bring that as a second option or a third option and questions are asked about them and you explain or you tell us why they don't work that might avoid some of the other type of questions that are coming like on magnet transplantation. I I would not agree that the only things you've looked at is the list that is in front of us. I am hoping there were other things that were discussed. Right. So in the future, I think it will help the board guide us in our decision making process so that we are not trying to support one school versus the other school, one program versus the other program. give us all the options you talk about and that might help us make those decisions a little bit faster. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Long. >> Yeah. Um, I guess one thing I have really been struggling with is, you know, like, you know, we're calling out magnet programs, we're taking away IB, like we're taking away the things that made Arddale Ardale. And that's what's really kind of concerning to me. And I know that, you know, we do have our neighborhood schools and within our neighborhood schools, they have things that they that make them special in their neighborhood schools. But I mean, it is like we heard during listening time, we're kind of pitting different schools against each other and taking away essentially the essence of what makes Robbinsdale Robbinsdale. And so this I at this point I can't go along with any of these choices. I my decision is to vote no on all of them >> with all the information that I have been given or not given. Um and I still feel like I have questions from way back when we were asked to imagine as schoolboard members what we thought it would be that still haven't been answered. Um, and you know, to pull transportation away from the magnet programs to talk about taking IB away. I mean, I know last year when we talked to the principles in the high school, we had the one principal pretty much tell us she wasn't really invested in IB and so things weren't put into place to make sure that that program grew there. And so then I think like that's a program issue that should have been addressed, a procedure that should have been addressed as to why it's so successful in our elementary schools, but then what happened to it as it moved through our system versus just doing away with it because people have been talking about IB here for quite some time in Robinsdale. Um I just I I just I don't know. I'm just having a huge problem with this when we're taking away what is essentially so essential to Robinsdale and then we're going to move to where we just have neighborhood schools and restructure all of our boundaries around whatever the neighborhood schools are that are opened. I'm also wondering too, you know, if we're going to move to just neighborhood schools, like, you know, Director Basset brought up why wasn't Sunny Hollow put on that list? I mean, you know, Sunny Hollow and Sonos are just like what, a block away from each other. >> That's RSI. Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, RSI is the program, right? Sunny Hollow. That's right. That's exactly. >> Oh, that's why I'm saying Sunny Hollow. >> So, I I guess Yeah. I just the more that we delve into this and again I wish we would have been brought on sooner to this it just brings up >> more questions for me and I don't feel comfortable taking the essential things out of Robinsdale that make Robinsdale Robbinsdale >> Dr. Dr. Hillbr. >> Yeah. I I guess I just want to stress, you know, I hear what everybody's saying, but at the same time, when when the administration has given us data, given us information, given us, they did bring us some choices. First of all, they didn't just give us one plan. I We have to remember, we've hired Dr. Stalo. She's hired the administration. We have to trust that they're we have to have some trust in them. We don't have any reason not to trust them. Um we have to trust that they're bringing forth good information. And we have to our role is governance. Their role is programming. Their role is administration. And so to a degree we have we can't be getting so far in the weeds here. And I think the reason we're doing that as a group is because we don't want to make this decision because nobody wants to make this decision. I'm not saying not pointing fingers at any particular person. I'm saying none of us wants to make this decision, right? Um and so it's easy then to say we want more. We want more options. We want more information because we want to not have to make this decision. But ultimately, no matter how much information we get, no matter how many different options and how many different iterations there are, we're going to have to make a hard decision. And we have to do it soon. We're running out of time. We have to say, "This is the data we have. This is the information we have. We have to use the empirical data and make a decision." And and we can't keep passing it off. We can't keep running ourselves in circles. Um we have to say, "This is what it is. this is where we are and we have to make a decision so that next year we can function and that has to happen soon for a multitude of reasons not just sod but also because kids are registering for schools for next year they have to know where they're going to school teachers have to know what their contract is and if they have a job and where they're going to be and us dragging this out and constantly going in circles is really unfair to the members of the public to the staff and so I'm just going to urge everyone and I I don't love any of these choices by the way and I feel the same thing. But as I'm sitting back and looking at this, I think that we no matter how much information we get, we're not going to like our choices. And so I think we need to just really think about what we already have, what we already know. >> And and we have to make a decision. Saying no to any of these plans is not helpful to our community. And so I think we really need to I mean not to any, but to all. We have to come up with a plan and we need to stand behind it. We need to stand behind our administration and it has to happen soon. Not tonight, but soon. That's >> Thank you. Okay. So, looking at this one year, >> agreed. >> I have my hand up. >> You're on the list. And then >> Okay. Well, I didn't know that because you didn't know it. >> You're right after me. >> Okay. >> Okay. Looking at this list, the ones that say uh implementing in the IB, the scheduling, scheduling, and realignment, as you might remember at our study session, those are under the administrative purview. Those do not need to be voted on by the board. [snorts] Um transportation does, school closings does. And so and I would like to just say also I understand um about the I've been to the balorate uh silver platter day and uh projects days and I mean there's like seven kids or nine kids. It's not what it used to be as a pillar of our district. It's very much smaller and it's very expensive. So I understand the the thinking on IB >> and Director Basset. >> Well, u thank you for that. Um and so I think that um there has been years of not really invested in the IB program adequately as it should have been. That's my that's my response to that. And as we're looking at programs across this district that um you know because I think bolstering neighborhood schools that have their own identity already with a curriculum uh that is been something that is respected uh like the um IB program is something that can fuel investment in that program down the road. Now I I'm not asking for agreement on that. That's just my my perception of it. You know just like I respected your perspective. My perspective is that if we invest in it, we're going to get a return. It it what you look for and what you just like what you feed and what you give attention to grows. And I think that that's a possibility and I'd like to see us continue to have that. Um I I hear what you're saying about the administrative recommendation. If that administrative recommendation is in to disband that IB program isn't an option, then I then if it's all inclusive, then then I I'm just telling you I don't support that, you know, and I'm saying it publicly. And uh and so and and to the point that we hire the administration, I just want to be clear. People are confused about what the board's job is. Governance means that you're responsible for the vision and partnership with the administration. The board with the community sets the vision. The administration carries it out. So when I sit here and I talk about the things I'm concerned about, I'm concerned about the vision for the future. And I'm not saying they're not, but that's part of my job. Now, other directors can see their job any way they want to. I'm not trying to tell them how. But what I'm saying is that every board I've been a part of for 22 years has seen vision as part of their job and has interfaced with the administration in that manner. And I think it's been a good partnership to the whole point about trust. Let me just say anytime $21 million comes up missing and superintendent and I've had this conversation. She wasn't here for it. But far as I'm concerned, everything can be looked at. That's a big mistake and it's caused a lot of pain in this community. And so just to say I'm just whatever this, you know, and I'm not saying anybody here says that, but I'm not that one. Everything the administration says, I'm just going to trust everything they say and I don't have any questions. I'm not that person. I like data and I don't like presentations that I get that don't have citations, that don't have dates, that I don't understand where it came from. I get that in my professional life for 40 years. And when I come to an an organization that's an educational institution, I expect that. And I'm not going to be shamed into asking for information because if somebody else doesn't need it, if if you if anybody doesn't need it, don't read it if you get it or don't ask for it. I'm never going to denigrate or put down what somebody else on this table asked for. I never have and I never will. And there's no shame in it. And and I also police myself. I don't ask for random information off the clear blue sky. This is what I've asked for recently has been relevant. We're talking about transportation. Is there something else? I talked about hubs a while back. There have been some questions that have been posed that have not been answered. So, I I don't come to every meeting and talk about what I didn't get. That's not me. I'm not trying to do that. But if the issue comes up, I'm going to talk about it honestly with no judgment, no accusations, no lectures to anybody. I'm just sharing what my rationale is because I don't want anybody misunderstanding what I'm saying or putting words in my mouth. I can speak for myself. >> Yeah. >> Superintendent. >> Yeah. I would just like to again reiterate. I believe I've got one of the finest administration administrative teams I have ever worked with in my life. And I hope this board in this community understands how fortunate you are. And I'm not talking about myself, but to have people who have wanted to step into this district at a time that strong leadership was clearly necessary. I think that we have provided answers to questions. Do we miss some? Absolutely. I believe collaboration >> and partnership is when you send me an email and say, "Hey, I didn't see a response to the question I asked. Would you please ask that?" To send that to me, I can get it to my team. We can get it back here. instead of publicly ridiculing me and my team with comments. That's what I would ask. That's how I believe trust is and that's how I believe collaboration and partnership work. So that's moving forward what I would ask of board members. We're not trying to not answer questions. We are trying and working really hard to get the data and the questions that you're seeking. And we're not going to be perfect. And I hope you're not looking for perfect, but I hope you're looking for really dedicated, committed people who are trying to provide you the information you need because these are horrific decisions in front of you. >> That's all I would ask. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Long. >> Yeah. So, I guess this isn't why I put my name on the list, but I just wanted to address with the IV thing. It seems like the goalpost for that then has changed because last year when we talked about it, it was something that the board was going to vote on >> whether or not we were going to continue with IB and then because the community was so upset about it, it was taken off the plate. So, I guess now to sit here and say that that's not a board decision is really confusing to me when at one time it was. But I was wondering about, you know, cuz this has come up a couple times and I guess I don't really know the teacher contract here um in Robinsdale, but I don't know if it's the teacher contract or if it's just the budgeting uh procedures that happen here in Robbinsdale. So I know there's like a date of February and January and January. What do those pertain to? Is that in the contract or is that just the budgeting timeline? What is your the date you're asking about? What is the question around the date? >> Well, because there keeps there the conversation keeps coming around to well, we need to let teachers know by X time, by this month, and by February we need to have this in place. And so I'm thinking is it around the budgeting timeline procedures or is it teacher contract? Which is it? So the staffing timeline needs to be approved with the teacher with the between the RFT and the district by February 1st. Is that the question? >> Yeah. So is there any way that I could get information on what this staffing procedure is because that seems to be bringing up a lot of questions lately. >> Yeah. So the staffing timeline is from February 1st moving forward from February 1st to the end of the school year. What that timeline will entail? >> Yeah. So that has not so there there's a draft developed but that draft will not go to the RFT until January for final approval because it won't need to be approved until fe before prior to February 1st and but it goes to RFT. So it's not like budgets that you're giving to the buildings. >> No, it's just the staffing timeline that I'm talking about. >> Okay. And the staffing timeline will include what? >> When everything is due. when your your retirement paperwork is due, when the pools are going to start, when pool one, pool two, all of the staffing components. >> Okay. And then I don't know. So, >> in my world, we call it budget tie out. So, budget tie out is on a different timeline >> like when the budgets go to the building and then the building. >> Correct. >> Okay. And then what's that timeline about? Well, the budgets that go to the building are independent of all of the staffing that's playing out. So, you're talking what? Like supply budgets and building level budgets, if that's what you're talking about. >> I'm talking about the how the buildings produce their what their staff will be for that year. That's that would be part of the enrollment and staffing process. >> Okay. And >> based on enrollment. Yeah. >> And so when does that go to buildings? >> That staffing piece will start in February. >> In February. And so there will be two pieces going at the same time. Then one will go to RFT, one will go to the buildings. >> Go ahead, Dr. McDall. But I think we need to back up before we get to the staffing timeline because what we're really talking about is what drives the urgency for the decisions that we need to make. Uh we talked about this a couple meetings ago uh as well. Um so as we approach winter break, what's happening at the secondary level is courses are being put into course registration guides. Uh students are making selections for uh what they're going to take courses at. And then um the enrollment process for elementary students uh has already started as well. So those those decisions kick off what creates FTE need. So at the elementary level, we get all of the numbers for each one of the sections that we call rollup for the following year. that gets us the FTE by building that we're going to need, which lets us know how many elementary teachers we need. That number also then lets us know based on sections how many specialists we need. Um, all of that is happening uh before we get to February. Uh because February is when we roll out. Okay, here's how we're hiring at the secondary level. As soon as we come back from winter break, we are in the staffing process uh with our secondary buildings where based on enrollment numbers and based on registrations, we are getting uh numbers needed to staff not only core sections but elective sections based on what students choose. That's similar to the elementary process drives the secondary process. All of that drives the pools. So in this case, we are also going to have a preool or a closure. >> Sorry, point of clarification. >> Yep. >> To define the pools. >> So that's what I was just getting into. So there's a preool and I'm going to turn it over to HR because I will mess this one up. I just know that we have an additional pool before we need to get into the normal pools uh for the process. >> There will be a pre-pool process because we are consolidating buildings. So those that are going to be in the affected buildings, there will be a pre-pool process for those employees. After the pre-pool process, then we go into our typical pool one process, which typically falls after spring break where we have pool one, then pool one, round two, and then pool two. The first two pools are voluntary pools or people coming back from leave or people that have been displaced from their positions. Pool two are people that are put in the pool based on seniority or choose to jump into the pool. After that then our open positions are posted to outside public. >> Okay. So hypothetically and then I'm I'm done. Um, hypothetically, if we were not closing buildings, then we wouldn't need that first pool at all. >> Correct. >> So then we would just have the other pools and each building would get their budget of FTEES that they would need for that year. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thanks. That's it. Good >> for now. But now it's going to spin around and then I'll probably have more questions >> another time. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Seeing no more hands. >> Thank you everyone. >> One last question. >> You have a final question. >> I do. And so superintendent, am I to understand that if there are other questions, I think I heard you say that earlier, but I I just want to make sure that if there is any question about something that we've gotten or just lingering to send it to you. >> That'd be fantastic. >> Yeah. I mean, >> and if you've asked something that you haven't gotten a response to. >> Yes. >> Yeah. And so I haven't done that in the past, but I will. I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Okay. Go. >> You have more questions, send them to our superintendent. If you have unanswered questions, send a nu um director. >> Yeah. I just I want to state some clarification based on my last comments when I was asking for options. This is why either one or two meetings ago, I think two schools were on the list for the board to approve for publication for closure. By the end of that day, the board ended up with four schools on the list. Now, today we are talking about transportation for magnet schools. I know we are not making a final decision on that. There is a possibility or could happen that the board may or may not support that idea. What if we don't? Does that mean we are not meeting the cut to make sure our sod is going to move forward or can there be other options for discussion? That's what I'm asking for. >> No, we that's what I asked for. >> Same thing for the school closures. >> Right now we have two schools that were brought forward, >> right? RMS we've already agreed the board has decided to close right there are other two schools that are on that suggestion or options I should say what if the board decides not to approve those two schools for closure does that mean we are not closing any schools I don't think that is the option that we have it means we will have to close two schools so what are the two schools what will be the pairing when I'm asking for options. That is what I'm thinking about because if that day comes for final vote and we decide that these two schools that are top on the list, the board decides not to approve them, then what? Can we go to option two? Can we look at option three? That is what I'm looking for. I know we all receive the data. It does not mean that individual board members may not anchor one way or the other. That is why we are all very different. Does that mean if that is the choice there is no other options or can we get option two, option three, option four? That that was my point and maybe I should have clarified that just saying it out loud because the possibility is there. We are only six right now. So if one fails does that mean we don't close any schools >> and we all walk out of the hearing and say the district decided [clears throat] not to close schools. I think we all agree that we do have to close two schools. [cough] What are the other two then? Or what is the third set? or what is the forset? Let it out there. Let the implications be known or let board members make those choices for [clears throat] themselves. I trust the administration. I do. And I hope you all know that. It doesn't mean that every suggestion that comes forward as option one may go well with me or other board members, right? Just like transportation just came up. So don't leave anything else off the table. You can give us other options. That is all I'm asking for. >> And we definitely do need to close two schools as as you as we know. >> It needs to happen. >> Thank you, Dr. Bass. Did I see your hand? >> You did. You did. And I just wanted to say uh actually to to the point that uh this I trust the administration to because you've got the data and that's why in the interim I went over and asked uh Dr. Mal a question because you have the data that tells you how many students are in how many buildings in in given buildings right now. You know what can and cannot fit. That's why I ask you, you know, uh because you have all that. So, uh to director Huto's point, the data that you have, if we had options to look at some of those things, that would be helpful. So, that really drives some of the questions that I ask. And so, some of the answers you provided to me and I think to the board um just reiterating why it's some comments about why they do or do not work along with those options. [cough] Excuse me. what drives your recommendations that would be helpful. >> I pay attention to it. >> Okay, I don't see any more hands and so I'm [clears throat] move to new business and we have an action item here. It's the levy certification for taxes payable in 2026. Uh we've gone over this in a past meeting. Um CFO Hoheisel, is there anything we need to know? Uh there is nothing you need to know. It would be administration's recommendation that uh [clears throat] you adopt the total levy in the amount of 76,520 or yes 522,8675. Okay. Um, is there a move to uh certify the 2025 levy for taxes payable >> money >> in 2026? >> Whatever. >> Director Bowman, >> I will move approval of certifying the uh tax levy uh for the amount of 76,522,8675. >> And is there a second? >> Second. >> Director WO seconds it. Seeing no hands, we have had a chance to talk about this in previous meetings. Let's do a roll call vote. We're voting to approve the levy for 2020, the 2025 levy for taxes payable in 2026. >> Thank you. Uh, Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker, >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> I'm not stayain >> Yeah. I just don't fully still don't fully understand what we're doing there. >> Director Wuto. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh we have certified the levy. Thank you. All right. Next thing up on our agenda, >> a resolution accepting donations. We have a sizable number of donations this time. $29,474.13. Dr. Bowman, >> I will move approval uh to accept the donations >> in the in the amount of 29,474.13. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Seconded by Director Hillbrand. Thank you everybody for all those donations. Uh this is roll call vote. >> Yep. Uh Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Uh Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wu, >> yes. >> It's unanimous. Thank you for those donations. We have accepted. Next thing up, yay. Um, informationational district balance card. >> Excellent. As we are coming, uh, getting ready for the presentation. I just want to set a bit of context. Um, as you know, uh, the mission and vision of this school district is set forth by the strategic plan, which is a community created, board approved document that gives us permission and responsibility to do the work that we need to do on behalf of kids. Uh, that strategic plan lays out our priorities, our priority work. And one of the missing elements um as I stepped into this role a year and a half ago was that we were not measuring uh those outcomes defining and measuring those outcomes consistently. So we uh worked out a process last year to to begin the process of a balanced scorecard. And the reason a district balanced scorecard matters is because we often um in education we talk about uh standardized test scores. standardized test test scores are always going to be a part of our accountability system, but we also have to think about as a district what do we value um and therefore what do we measure and monitor. So this evening uh actually last May the board saw uh the draft of the of the uh balance scorecard and we've been working on it throughout the fall. I'm excited to uh introduce and welcome um Erica Algrren, our assistant director of analytics. And I know there's other parts of your title, but it's the data the data piece that we care about this evening. So, I'm really excited um and filled with gratitude about the work that you have done to collaboratively finish this uh very huge and complex uh project. So, with that, I'm going to hand it over to you, Erica. Thank you. >> Thanks for being here with you all this evening. Um, my purpose tonight is just to really give you a highlevel introduction to the data tool that we're using right now to really measure the strategic plan. So, we're not going to dive deep into it this evening, but we have jotted down in January and February different folks to come in and kind of share their work and the metrics that we're collecting uh and kind of introing with you tonight. Um, with that, all of our metrics are living within uh Ardell's system of continuous improvement. Right, as Dr. Stalo said we are we have our strategic plan that really aims to articulate what it is that the district is focused on district level, right? We have department plans um and charters that articulate what is each department doing to fulfill that strategic plan. Uh we go down a level to our school improvement plans which really brings that strategic plan to life on a school level. And you can even take it a step further down into grade level or professional learning communities that also build um to to the initiatives of that strategic plan. So um the data is really uh surrounded in all of these areas at different levels throughout the institution. Um with that we are um within the the there's a link to your to the district scorecard and it is uh robust with a lot of different metrics. Um, it's an internal document, but you'll note that there are four areas within this document. Academic achievement, student engagement and wellness, [clears throat] collaboration and partnerships, and staff investment and impact. Um, which are all make up the themes of that strategic plan. Um, so with that, um, we've gone through as as Dr. O mentioned you the the work had really started last year around what does what data needs to be on this on this scorecard and then that work continued this year. So we work on this at um district learning leaders where we have all different department leads and principles and assistant principles in the same room looking at maybe it's not just um our MCAs we want to look at but maybe it's our growth metrics that we want to also look at to see if we're succeeding at some of these um uh different goals, right? And so it's been a very collaborative process um and including multiple different stakeholders that all have stake in that strategic plan. So within that balance scorecard, you're going to see the goals and metrics that are aligned to those strategic priorities which I just named those four priorities. Um what what kind of differentiates the data is really around the first is around outcome metrics. So these are really results we're thinking or looking for, right? Um, think student achievement, think how many kids are participating in um, afterchool programming, right? So, is the initiative producing the results we are intending to achieve? So, those are the outcome metrics we're looking at. And then the second portion of the data is actually the implementation metrics. So, this is really around the adult actions or the inputs, right? So, how well is the initiative being executed? So I'm just going to kind of walk through an example of this. So for A1, this is our academic achievement. Um we have fi six different um levers of outcomes. One is around early learning. One is around literacy, math, science, reduction of achievement gap and then some student and staff perception data. Um these are not only informed by the group right that would came together but it's also um informed by our comprehensive achievement and civic readiness which you um heard back in October and our uh achievement and integration. So some of those state statutes around what metrics should we be looking at. So those outcome metrics and then they're also similarly aligned to oops went too far to that implementation. So if we are if our goal is to around to increase literacy right what are the ways that we are um uh implementing uh literacy practices right and so one of the ways that we've um committed to was all literacy teachers are doing letters training right and so we're going to have that specific data for you um in a very digestible way and kind of sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh share with you um some of the different implementation metrics as well. So with that um we have that strategic vision um and we've defined these metrics. We're collecting the data quarterly and then really we're coming together and creating systems to come together um and collaboratively analyze that data to adjust the plans um and can adjust the um the action plans but also adjust our school improvement plans for what's working and what's not and then share progress along the way both to the board and to the public. So again, this was just high level and we're going to dig into it again in January with more specific data, but wanted to just kind of preview what's to come and kind of the backend work that's been leading this fall um around gathering the data, naming the data, etc. Um any questions that you have um around the the district scorecard, >> where is it located? So there's a link right now in the um board packet. It this is again an internal document that we're using internally right now. So there will be a more polished version as we um share out different portions of the data at different times throughout the year depending on what data is coming in. >> Thank you. >> Basset. >> So um can you go back a slide? Mhm. >> Well, this one too. So, um both those slides actually. So, proficiency, individual student proficiency where the students measuring themselves about how they're doing. Where do you see that falling in this? >> So, if you actually open up the district, you'll see all the different proficiency metrics. So, we have proficiency around literacy on both MCA and our screener fast tests. we have um proficiency in just phonics in our K12 curricular. So there's a lot of different metrics that we'll be looking at. But >> okay. So then based on that then so if I'm understanding you, what you're saying is that for each one of these metrics that you have here, there are some proficiency goals >> for each child that are embedded in that. It's district goals for >> that's why that's why I'm asking the question. Yeah. >> You know, so if I'm a mom, how do I know that, you know, how how can I tell what you're measuring for proficiency of my child and when will we know that we got there? >> How do I how do I find that out? >> Yeah. So, individual students get sent home in the um in the mail any any uh proficiency data that they receive from MCAs or on their fast bridge. So the and those are they have those tests and those kinds of things happen and periodically. >> So um is there anything in between for a parent to know how their child is doing with proficiency? In other words, if if the proficiency data falls into um a catchment that is really and we need information like that to show us districtwide how we're doing generally >> uh building and all of that and systemwide. How can we help a parent get on board and get on track and understand the proficiency information uh in layman's terms? How do they know and what what cues do they get and uh what kind of support do they have? And so um if that's not if you're working on those things to measure up to this system, then I'm not expecting you to to you know have all the answers to that. uh but you may have them. So if you have them, I'm ready to listen. >> Um [clears throat] Maria is coming ne is supposed to be coming in in January to present out on some of that early literacy work and she can explain a little bit more around some of the different data metrics that are being gathered at a classroom level at a school level and uh share out some of those communication systems for parents as well. >> Okay. So we're going to get a presentation on that. >> Yeah. >> You've been working on >> Yes. Yeah. >> Good. It's >> in the works. Any other questions? >> Director Long. >> Yeah. So, I was wondering since this is an internal document, will there be a link for board members to have access to go in and look at data in there? >> It's in the board packet. >> Board packet. >> Is there a PDF pilot? You >> were just looking at the presentation, >> but that Yeah, that wasn't But will we because as the information changes, how will we have access to it? Because what I saw was just it wasn't a link. It's a PDF file as it stands right now and then we'll be updating it as data comes [clears throat] in and and figuring what's >> it'll always be just a PDF then >> I think part of what what what we've been working on is this is really long and lots of metrics. So internally um I refuse to let go of any of this. So it gets longer in part because of me. Um but we have to figure out exactly what you're asking for. What's the dashboard right? What's what are those vital few areas that we want to be sure that is is a public facing. >> So just not there yet. >> Scorecard dashboard. >> Yep. >> Got it. [clears throat] >> Two different things. Yep. Really? >> So we're working on that as well. >> So all we'll have access to so far as board members is a PDF that that will be updated. >> Yeah. And then what what our goal will be is quarterly to figure out what is that sequence of of sharing data with you. if that becomes quarterly, if that becomes and and again as as Erica was talking about part of it is also aligns the priority work that we're doing. So right we're working on implementing a new literacy curriculum. So what are we measuring along the way to to see how that implementation is going as well as how do the student outcomes um go as a result of that. >> Um director Hill and Brad. Yeah, I mean that was basically my question was just when or you know or is it built into the plan and how far away is it that it would be data also that the public could look at and see um just snapshot I don't think they need all of the data too but just be able to see oh okay this is how they're doing and this is the growth over time >> we're working because screener windows are different than MCA so it's kind of a matter of what [clears throat] makes the most sense to share and when >> I think probably the most impressive part of this and I've worked in a lot of districts and and uh worked with a lot of balance scorecards. Um what the team has done on this with both the student outcome data and the adult implementation data is really impressive. Um, so I think hopefully that's going to also be a support to our teachers, our principles, district staff who are helping to um determine um professional development needs because we'll see where there might be some additional needs in the implementation. So really excited for that part of the tool. >> Thank you, uh, Director Basset. And so and the [clears throat] other part of that whole situation is u this work is um there's some work for the board to do because the board has not talked together about what kind of information we want because um that's the monitoring role of the board. So once we know and we work with the superintendent to kind of identify that because you you're closest to it, but the board has a governance rule that says this is the kind of data that we want to see at these intervals. So it's a it's a it's a both and as in because we are going to rely on the superintendent and you to kind of figure out between the dashboard and what's public, but the board may have need for other kind of information. uh and typically they do you know and so this board should be no different but we haven't had an opportunity in recent times to really talk about what are the board's goals I mean that what are the things we want to monitor and that's not a bad word it's [snorts] an accountability word the board monitoring how we're doing and we then we can ask reasonable questions and uh it will direct our questions so we're not just all floating in the dark and so uh thank you for this work. I'm happy to see it, but the board has work to do. We spent this whole last year >> not doing that. >> It's a sort of a silly question, but what is NG? >> NG, sorry. In the beginning. Yeah, there it's different codes for no progress or not collected or new goal is >> Oh, new goal. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Yep. I I do just want to um just state again these measures are all aligned to our district strategic plan community created board approved document that gives us permission and responsibility to do the work we need to do on behalf of kids. So these measures are aligned to those priorities. Again seen a lot of strategic plans [clears throat] in my life. There's always going to be a priority around academic achievement. It's almost always going to be something about student engagement, always something about partnership and collaboration, and always something about investing um and supporting our staff and and retention. So, these goals all align to those priorities, the work that's happening within those priorities. Um and certainly along the way, if board members have additional input into these measures, we'd want to hear that. Um I believe last spring when I shared this with you, I asked that same question that if there were any uh data points that you also wanted us to take a look at, we could do that. Um as we keep moving forward, it's a work in progress. >> It's a whole lot of data points rolled into seven pages. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Erica. Okay. All righty. This brings us to property and liability insurance broker with our CFO [clears throat] Kristen Hohheisle. Thank you again. Uh tonight what is in front of you is a essentially a proposal to switch our broker for property and liability insurance which includes other things general liability auto umbrella cyber and such from uh we're currently with Marsh Mlen and switching it to USI. A handful of years ago, uh, USI actually came and presented their ins how they broker broker uh, two different insurance uh, packages, if you will. One was our workers compensation program and the other at that time was the property and liability. The district decided to move forward with the workers compensation program. And on the handout that you were provided in the packet, it shows um since that time, since they have come into the district as our broker, which was 2021, you can see direct premium savings compared to where uh the with compared to the broker that was here prior to them. and then also uh the abilities that they have claims reduction closures for workers compensation. Given so far as their success within our workers compensation program, I think it's time to reassess uh what they can do for us with our uh packaging, if you will, of our property and liability insurance. Um, right now they are proposing an annual fee of $75,000 for all of our comprehensive risk management. This is different than how it our our package is currently structured. Currently, our bro the broker, and I can't even break out the percentages, um, bills us a percent of package, if you will, um, based on the type of insurance. I my best guess it's 15% for one type of insurance. It's maybe 20%. So they embed their fees. Not easy to extract out. But if uh if we were taking our best estimate, we're based on standard industry percentages, we're assuming that it's about $138,000 that we're currently paying as opposed to a proposed $75,000, which would then uh give us an annualized savings. Also with that they have a uh USI has a comprehensive uh targeted risk management plan and what that means is that they work with district personnel to make areas of exposure for us um to reduce our liability there. Uh it is it is a very focused uniform effort and the the areas again let's just say if it was cyber liability they come work with uh district personnel we roll that out. Um so we target our how to manage our risk um in those categories and they also oh by the way have relationships with underwriters which hopefully gets us different rates. Um, so not a decision uh tonight that the board needs to make or I am seeking approval for. I will be at a future board meeting, but I just wanted to put this in front of you um should you have any questions about a uh administrative recommend uh recommended change to our broker as we move into future fiscal years with our property and liability and other comprehensive uh risk insurance. And we will be asked to approve this at on December 15th meeting just so board members know. We'll come up again on December 15th. Okay. Oh yes, Director Long. So you talked about they would look at [clears throat] those extra um exposure areas and that would be included in the fee that they've already quoted you. >> Correct. >> Okay. And then subsequent years as we go on, what do their fees look like? Like how do they increase as the years go on? I believed it was a multi-year $75,000. Um, but I will have to go back and make sure I have that for certain that it's a it was a set fee or there's a percentage increase each year. I'll make sure that I get that to the board as far as a multi-year structure of what is the fee that they're proposing. >> Thanks. You're welcome. >> Seeing no more hands, I'm going to move on to letter E, the resolution for 2026 election combined polling locations. And this is for Molly Olsen. >> Hello. Uh what you have before you is our draft of the resolution for combined polling locations for the 2026 elections. Um each year we have to determine these locations by the end of December and have them submitted to Henipin County. Uh you may notice that in the list there are some of the cities that are still TBD and that is because they at the same time as we are are trying to finish determining their locations and are um having them brought up at council meetings this week and next week yet. So once we have the final locations determined, I will be able to provide you with the final list. Um, and I'm shooting for the 15th of December for this so we can vote on it. >> Okay, I have that written down voting on December 15th. So hopefully you'll have the information. Thank you very much. Good work. Okay, next up is policy uh policy committee report. Director Wuto, >> thank you chair. Yeah. So we meet uh we met again on the 19th of November and in front of the board first reads uh some of them are administrative policies that are being convicted into regular policies and then I believe there's five of those. One of the policies on school weapons is going back to administration for further information before we bring that forward to the board. Um, our next meeting will be on January 21st. Because of all the information that we have and things to do in December, uh, the policy committee decided to skip December. And so, uh, here we have it. >> Okay. So, um, the second read on these is when we'll be voting on it. So, that will that be on the 8th or the 15th? 15th. It's on the 15th. Okay. We'll be voting on those on the 15th. Does anybody have any questions on any of them? >> Amy, is that accurate? >> Thanks. >> Okay. Because the eighth is a special. >> That's right. >> All right. This moves us to number eight, administrative report. Superintendent Stallow. >> Excellent. Thank you very much. Good evening again, Chair Evans Becker, school board directors. Uh those of you in the room who are still here, thank you. And the viewing public. At Robinsdale Area Schools, our mission is to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and to positively contribute to their community. Our collective work is focused on this mission. And tonight, I would like to share some of the work in which we've been engaged. In the priority theme of academic achievement, I'm excited to highlight three outstanding seniors from our Robinsdale debate team, a combined team representing both Armstrong and Cooper. Congratulations to Tessa Lanak, Lily Plan, and Allison Wanmacher. All three have earned a spot in the 2026 National Speech and Debate Tournament, which will take place June 13th through the 19th in Richmond, Virginia. The qualification process is incredibly competitive, and their achievement speaks volumes about their talent and commitment. Their success also continues a strong tradition in our district. This will mark the ninth straight year that Armstrong has qualified students for the national tournament and the fifth year in a row for Cooper. That kind of consistency reflects not only student excellence but also the dedication of our coaches and support of our schools and families. So, congratulations. In the district priority of community engagement, last weekend we welcomed more than 150 families to our kindergarten information fair at fair school crystal. This event engaged future kindergarteners and their families and gave them a firsthand look at what learning feels like in Robbinsdale. Joyful, engaging, and full of possibility. Families met principals, connected with early learning specialists, learned about enrollment and magnet options, and many enjoyed their very first school bus ride. We're grateful to our staff for creating such a warm and informative experience. If families miss this event, everything they need to get started is available at ardale.org back kindergarten. Be happy to answer questions at any time. In the district priority of collaboration and partnership, our American Indian education [clears throat] program hosted its annual round dance on Friday, November 21st at Robbinsdale Middle School in partnership with the Dina Public Schools. It was a vibrant celebration of Native Native American Heritage Month filled with the sounds of drums, the energy of dance, and a strong sense of community. Uh I was delighted to uh have uh uh both uh director Basset and chair Evans Becker attend that event. It was fun seeing them. Students and families and guests joined together for song, dance, and shared connection. And the turnout and the support was incredible. This event is a cherished cultural gathering and it reflects our commitment to belonging, partnership, and honoring indigenous traditions. We're grateful to our staff who organized this, our partners and community members who made the evening so memorable. Also, in the priority area of collaboration and partnership, Cooper High School students have been connecting with our youngest learners at the New Hope Learning Center this fall. Intro to theater students performed puppet shows for our early learning students, filling classrooms with songs, voices, and lots of laughter. and English language learner students spent time reading with children, gaining confidence as they practice their language skills in a meaningful and supportive environment. This continues a growing partnership between Cooper and early learning that truly benefits both groups of students. Uh that is what I have for this evening. I hope everyone enjoyed a long and much needed holiday weekend. Um, and as we officially kick off December today, we know that the stretch between now and winter break will be filled uh with incredibly busy opportunities for learning and student activities. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Next up is the 2025 annual staff charitable giving campaign report with uh executive director Anthony Williams. >> Uh thank you, Chair Vince Becker, superintendent, members of the board. Um, yes, I'm here to just give an update on the 2020 five staff uh charitable giving report. Uh, we were uh this year the campaign raised over $12,000, $12,51. It is down from uh previous years, but um just to remind everyone, the campaign did run during the government shutdown. So, we appreciate every single um contribution that was that was provided to uh by staff. Um, of that $12,517,198 was um donated to Seven Dreamers Foundation with 5,33 going to United Way. Uh so that is uh oh I would also like to recognize the the campaign chair which is Angie Martinez Grande um the community enrichment engagement director for uh overseeing the the campaign and I'm working with the various schools who participated. So that is the that is the staff charitable giving reports. >> Thank you very much. Okay. Uh the legis Well, you're going to be up again. Legislative Action Coalition Platform Report. Take it away again. >> It's me again. Um this time, uh Chair Becker, Superintendent Salo, members of the board, um I would like to uh to to preview the um the draft 2026 legislative platform. Um you know, we we're doing it a little bit differently this year. I know we've typically had this presentation during the work session. Um but given all the things we have going on and um the changing things with with the district, we wanted to to uh bring it forth here. I'm give an update on some of the priorities we're focusing on. Um, one of those priorities is uh to modern well enhance student centered learning uh which will uh we're asking state policy makers uh to expand student centered learning opportunities to allow school districts to create meaningful um and personalized experiences that that prepare students for future success. This includes but not limits to broadening the definition of hours of instruction to allow students to earn credit um for learning wherever it occurs. That's just um and then there's other things that fall within that category that you can see there on the draft platform. U one of the other things we're going to be asking the legislature for this year is to modern uh to modernize long-term facilities maintenance revenue to address aging infrastructure. Um, we're asking to them to support statutory changes expanding the allowable uses of long-term facility maintenance um, revenue to include facility modernization for buildings over 25 years with more than $5 million in documented maintenance needs. So this this this was to to uh to move beyond the like forl like replacements and to truly modernizing um some of our aging facilities. uh to expand uh safe schools revenue um and also modernize these uses um increase the safe schools levy and state aid to expand allowable uses um to include cyber security infrastructure, modern communication systems, uh mental health support, school climate initiatives and threat assessment resources. It's another one of our uh platform items. Uh institute tax equalization. Um this really speaks to uh you know districts who have low uh commercial property wealth um tend to pay more you know for an operating referendum than districts who have who the residents tend to pay more than districts that have um an abundance of commercial property revenue or wealth. And then our final uh platform item is to oppose any unfunded mandates which you know we ask >> often you know um but things like the read act things of that nature um tend to create a financial burden for districts to implement. So we're asking that as the legislature you know um considers these things that they oppose any unfunded fully funded mandates. Okay. All right. Um that is the legislative platform and I will open it for questions. >> Any questions board members? >> Thank you >> Dr. Long. Oh, I'm just wondering how much uh commercial um what is it the tax the institution tax equalization where like what are what are the what are the companies commercial properties that are in our area within our district area that get tax revenue from. Sorry >> discussion >> there it goes. >> Good luck with that one. I'll pass it over to our CFO. >> Yeah. [laughter] Thank Thank you, director, executive director Williams. Um, we don't just to phrase it appropriately and to the truth and taxation comment and also director Basset and I had talked about this. I am not going to name the commercial industrial properties uh within our within our school district limits. But what I will say is the more commercial industrial property that we have, the way it works is how they pay taxes help our residents not pay as many taxes. So they don't give us addition. They don't give us direct money. They pay taxes no different than anybody else on a part on a property tax statement. It's just they pick up the more commercial industrial that exists within a district, the less residents have to pay, which then lowers the residential tax burden and people can do different things. Like for example, Hopkins Hopkins P just recently passed um gosh, I think it was like a $130 million referendum, maybe it wasn't. and it and it was like a $9 uh a month tax exposure to their community because they have a very high commercial industrial property. Um so uh Director Long, I cannot say which ones are they like you could look at like a holiday gas station. You can like I don't know what our big ones are. You guys know the community better than I. Um but that's why you want commercial industrial within your uh confines is because they help our residents with that tax burden. Well, I'm also wondering too, like are any of them getting any tax breaks that could have benefited us as a district, too? >> Well, they're crafty and so I'm sure that they're working on it. Yeah. If they don't, I mean, companies or corporations thrive because they too know the laws and and how to work it. But I can't speak more to that than other than other just um conjecture. >> Okay. Director Hillbrand. >> Yeah. I'm just curious about the first one. I just I'm not quite sure I what do you what are you looking for in terms of broadening the definition of hours of instruction and also I'm just curious too about um the nationally recognized college entrance exam piece just because I know a lot of colleges are dropping that requirement. So just curious if that about the benefit of that just just trying to understand a little bit the language in here. interesting. >> Yeah, I think that the the places that I've heard the the districts that are working to do that right now, we know that there's a lot of students who opt out of the MCAs um or maybe don't give it their best shot. So, I think the question is always, is that the best indicator of an accountability system? or to your point, even though maybe we don't have as many students taking um the uh some of the ACT test, that is something kids care about. Um so again, we wouldn't necessarily have all of our students taking it, but I think that's that's where some of that is coming from. And also, what I think the the flexibility in terms of what's a clock hour mean? Is it just seat time in a classroom or how do we continue to offer opportunities for students through internships through other um apprenticeships? Right? So, that's some of the flexibility that if we're really about student centered learning, if we're really about helping students prepare for their futures, um we still have some of these old models of the Carnegie hours that does that really enhance their experience? So, I think that's the goal behind this is how do we just have it look a little different and more relevant so it means something to kids. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Well, um so that is the platform. I I do have one more administrative update that's not on that's not here, but I I I did want to just share um last Thursday uh Thanksgiving, we you know, the district partnered with the organization that does not want to be named. >> Um and we were able to provide over 300 meals to families. >> Um working with community uh volunteers, district volunteers to deliver those meals to families last Thursday. So, I thought that was something I would like to highlight. >> Thank you. Okay, seeing no hands, we're going to move to the 2627 calendar update. >> Director, >> thank you. Good evening, Chair Evans Becker, board directors, Superintendent Solo. I'm here tonight to share an update on the 2627 school year calendar. I believe it's important to share the timeline, committee membership, considerations, district administration calendar requests, as well as the teacher union calendar requests. The district calendar committee convened on September 30th, October 21st, November 5th, and November 24th to develop the 2627 school year calendar. The calendar committee is composed of 12 members representing a broad range of roles across the district. This structure ensures that instructional, operational and classroom perspectives are central to the calendar development. The um there are two executive directors on the committee, one senior leader, three directors, one program assistant, one principal, one assistant principal, and three teachers. The committee developed two initial calendar options, one starting before Labor Day and one starting after Labor Day. After reviewing operational needs, instructional time, and regional alignment, the committee reached a decision to begin the 2627 school year prior to Labor Day. The committee conducted a thorough review of instructional hours for each grade level to ensure full compliance with straight with state requirements, particularly the requirement for graduating seniors. This review confirmed that both calendar drafts met the exceeded and minimum instructional time needed for all grade levels, including seniors, prior to graduation. A key consideration from the committee was to ensure the calendar is inclusive of the district's rich cultural diversity. The committee acknowledged the following major religious holidays. Yam Kapoor, Rashashana, Eid Alfur and Eid Ahoud. Both the district administration and the teachers union had specific requests for the committee to consider. Jointly, we both feel the professional development should be front-loaded during the beginning of the school year. District administration requested the committee examine whether the school year could end prior to Memorial Day, which would expand the summer construction timeline and support maintenance needs across the district. The teachers union requested the following to add an asynchronous day at the end of the third quarter to support completion of grading. to add an asynchronous day the day before Thanksgiving. There was discussion from the district administration about reducing the number of days over winter break. The teachers union asked and others on the committee as well supported them to maintain the twoe winter break. Currently, the district calendar ends before Memorial Day, includes asynchronous asynchronous days at the end of the first and third quarter, and provides a two-eek winter break. The calendar, as you can see that you have here tonight, does not have an asynchronous day prior to Thanksgiving. While we understand the teacher's desire, the district administration believes that asynchronous stays should be intentionally used for professional development and inclement weather, but not for travel or holiday preparation. Therefore, the 2627 calendar you have in front of you tonight is the recommendation and will be on the consent agenda for board approval at the December 16th schoolboard meeting. Do you have any questions? I do. >> Director Basset, >> um, can you remind me, uh, Director, um, >> Director Amy, can you remind me of, um, so this meets the approved number of contact days the state has, but can what is that number? Is it this number exactly or what is it? because it was my understanding that >> hours for the seniors that we were short and this actually is going to increase the number of days. So currently this year there's 167 student contact days. Okay. And this calendar that you have in front of you will have 168 [clears throat] student contact days and the last day will be the Friday before Memorial Day which we're also looking at um a similar day for graduation as well in that week. >> Okay. So, Director Horn, so then if we have a snow closure or something like that, that doesn't count against us. >> If we implement an e-learning day like we did last Wednesday, that does not count against us. >> Okay. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Long. >> Yeah. Um, could you go through that list of who the members were again because it did seem to me like it was heavy admin. >> There are two executive directors, myself and executive director Williams, one senior leader, three directors, one program assistant, one principal, one assistant principal, and three teachers. So is that typically how has always been on it or have there been like other staff like you know ESP educational professionals or >> that's the same group that's been on it >> over all the years >> I there has been one additional senior leader this year outside of that that is the same group that's been on it. >> Okay. And no community members? >> No. or students. >> No. >> Um also wondering why we are ending in May. >> Go through that again. Sorry. >> We are ending in May. if we're ending in May to increase the number of weeks in the summer for potential whatever construction is going to happen LTFM any maintenance that is going to be done in buildings we will have additional time in the summer to do that and complete that work >> okay so but then if we had that Wednesday off before Thanksgiving then we couldn't end in May >> correct >> and is that the only reason why we're against that Wednesday. >> If you added a day, you would then go into June and have that following week. >> Director Hill. >> Yeah. Well, two things. One, I just want to say thank you very much for um considering those um Jewish and Muslim holidays. It's very important. >> Um even if it only affects a handful of people, it shows um some real um thoughtfulness about um cultural different cultural groups and how they interact with our schools. So I really really appreciate it. Um so thank you very much. Um I you know I do I did I know that we as a group did hear from the union their concern about that Wednesday before. I know calendars are really really hard. Um, so I'm sure that you've really looked deeply at it and and tried to accommodate that, but I I know that is a sticking point, which I'm sure you're aware of, too. I'm sure you did. I'm sure they weren't silent about that, but you know, if there was a way to accommodate that, that would be um really great. Um, but I really appreciate the work that went into this and thank you very much. It's taken us a few years to get here and uh just want to say thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I don't see any more hands. Oh, >> I am not on the calendar committee, so I'm slightly out of line with this comment, but I would like to say to director uh Basset's question of how many days it's 167 days, but if we do a staggered start, um meaning you have different grade levels that don't start on that first day, they automatically are like that 167 is the most. >> Then they would be 166. we have to do 165 to the point of if graduation comes before the last day of school depending on whenever that last day of school is that's when you run into the minutes problem. So if you weren't to end on a particular week with graduation coming after and graduation then came before and weeks got moved into future weeks. That's when you get into a minute problem with your senior class um or with your to because they don't have a day limit but they have hours that they need to make or minutes that they need to make. So, just point of clarification again, I'm not on the committee. It might all be there and I'm just I'm just talking because it's 9:35 at night. >> Yeah, we have confidence you guys are taking care of that part. >> Director. [clears throat] >> Okay. Next up is uh board committee reports. Board committee reports and board reports. I'm gonna start with um Director Helen Brand because we had listening session tonight. >> Absolutely. So um I will just talk about listening session. So tonight we had nine people speak. Um two spoke about wanting to keep Sonison open. One spoke about the um conflation of SOD and vision 2030. One spoke about space for middle school theater programs. if we close RMS. One spoke about um Lake View and keep keeping it open and the IB program. Two spoke about um keeping magnet transportation and two spoke about keeping Neil open and how they would welcome Sonison um into their school. >> Thank you. Y >> um Director Bowman, are you ready? >> Yes, I am. Not a lot this week. I did take the class, the MSBA uh phase 4 class on representing your community through policy and engagement and learned quite a bit about policy that filled in a lot of gaps for me and I'll be bringing those to the policy committee and hopefully we can talk about my one teaser is that there are many of the policies that we don't need to take through a first and second vote the mandatory policies. So, um, the the mandatory policies are what they are. They're mandatory. We don't have a say on any of that. So, uh, we could streamline the process a little bit. So, >> and beyond that, just, uh, reading emails. And I really want to say, uh, to that that I really appreciate all the time and effort that staff and community members, uh, and students have put into, uh, sending, uh, their thoughts and their opinions to the board members. I it's been an very important piece of information to look at. It doesn't make the decision making that we have to do any easier. Uh but I really want to be thankful for the thoughtfulness and the amount of time. Uh because these are not four sentence emails. Uh these are wellthoughtout emails and and I appreciate what the community has been sending us uh through our emails. So thank you. >> You director Long. I will pass. >> Okay. Director VH, >> I will also pass. >> Director Basset. >> Well, I I have some stuff to tell you. Uh, so the round desk was fun. I particularly liked seeing you in your You didn't have a ribbon dress. Is that a ribbon skirt? >> You I know. A ribbon skirt. Well, it's really cute. I have a picture of you. So, >> I'm holding on to it. So, be good. Superend. Yours was cute, too. Um, so that was really fun. I like going to the round dance. Uh but I couldn't dance because my foot hurt. So uh so I actually went to a training today from uh the African-American Leadership Forum. They've been around for a while now and they're really doing some planning and training around how can they partner better with community. I found it very engaging because we're talking about academics um the delegate assembly and so I and I'm sure you're going to reference that to uh chair Evans Recker because we are both members of the delegate assembly for the MSBA. So we'll be attending that. Um we went to a training already and we've gone to two and looked at some video but uh that's going to be this Friday evening and then Saturday a half day Saturday and Friday evening for the delegate assembly and that's they're voting on the platform that really kind of informs what happens at the legislature from MSBA's perspective. Uh and so that was interesting. I also participated in redesigns uh in the recent past. Redesign, we had a retreat and there was a half-day retreat and it went really quite well. I'm I'm I'm I'm very happy to to share and report that redesign is seems to be really getting on track and I just want to uh appreciate the our community department and uh director Williams and his leadership, but particular um Miss Nisha Smith, Miss Smith's been doing a great job. And so we had the meeting over at the um uh library down the record library and it was you know almost half half day and it was really good. We have a new memorandum of understanding. I am your representative on that board and so uh we have a newou that they put together and I very thoughtful. Uh they're in the process of uh you know refining their new bylaws which is very much needed and uh we have a meeting with Henipin County. um they have a some kind of meeting with Henipin County where two of us have to go. So, we're going to that this week and so I don't hopefully it won't be an all day or half day meeting, but anyway, we're going. So, we're going to go do that and um but they're just doing a good you'll be happy to know they're doing fine job so far. Really good. I'm happy. So, um and oh, they will need to sign a new joint powers agreement, I believe. So, we'll I'll find out more about that from Henipin County as I see how that goes. Uh, and then Seven Dreams uh is poised to have its um bird bash and that's going to be uh not till February, but it's February 21st and um they've got an exciting theme. I don't know what I'm going to do. I think it's some theme of the roaring 20s. I wasn't quite born right right then. I was around later, but not not quite then. So, I don't know what what I'm we're going to do about that. But anyway, so I think those are the important things I wanted to mention. Um and so that's all for me. >> Thank you very much. Yeah. >> Um I attended the district curriculum advisory committee. Um and this time it was about the new math standards. Uh and the new math standards are going to require us to teach math differently. So stay tuned on that. Uh yes, all of us have been getting a lot of emails. I'm the designated responder and I have not responded to all of them, but I want people to know that I am reading them all as other board members are. We are read them all. >> Um, >> round dance, super fun. Uh, the delegate assembly that director Basset mentioned is this weekend. There are at least 78 resolutions that we're going to be debating for the legislative platform. The little booklet's over 300 pages long. So, it's a lot of great light reading and I'm looking forward to that. And several things that are on our platform are related to what's on the for the MSBA. And I don't have anything else to report. Future events should scroll. I need a move to abjourn. >> I move approval to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded to adjurnn. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppos say no. >> Thank you very much everybody. He really loves the bang. [laughter]