Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Shoot. Take that. Oh, that's great. I'd like to call this meeting of the Robbinsdale Area Schools School Board to order. Today is Monday, March 16th. It is 6:00 p.m. We are in the Education Service Center Board Room. Welcome everyone. And um I would like to have Director Brendelson read the land acknowledgement statement. We acknowledge Robbinsdale Area Schools is located on the homelands of the Dakota and Ojibwe people. We recognize the painful history of genocide and forced assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of this land. We honor and respect the the many indigenous peoples who live on and hold sacred these lands, and we stand with members of these nations to fight injustice in all of its forms. We uphold the preservation of the Dakota and Ojibwe languages, land-based education, and tribal sovereignty. Thank you. Will the clerk please take the roll? Yes, thank you. Director Bassett. Here. Director Bowman is here. Director Brendelson. Here. Chair Evans Becker. >> Here. Director Hillenbrand. >> Here. Director Long. >> Here. Director Wotow. Here. Dr. Salo. >> Here. Everyone >> Thank you. We are all here. Okay, first thing up is approval of our agenda. Do I have a move to approve our agenda? So moved. Moved by Director Brendelson. Seconded by Director Bowman. All in favor please please say I. I. Opposed say no. We have an agenda. All ready. Next thing up is our district system of continuous improvement. Take it away, Superintendent Salo. >> Excellent. Thank you very much. Good evening, everyone. As Executive Director Williams makes his way to the microphone, this is just again part of the board's oversight of monitoring our strategic plan and system of continuous improvement. So Executive Director Williams is leading the uh strategic theme C2 um and focusing tonight on the expansion of equitable inclusion and the influence of family, staff, students, and community voice. So, with that, I will let him take it over. Thank you. I'm Boris Ritson Estala. Um thank you for this opportunity tonight to present on um strategic theme uh C2. Um here to me All right, collaborations and partnerships. Um so, the work that we've been doing over the last couple years has really been uh grounded in uh When we talk about C2, it's really been grounded in this collaborations and partnership um work. Um you'll see you see our uh district vision there. Um we talked about the strategic themes. This is once again theme C2. And then we talk about the our continuous improvement. Um you see that that aligns with also one of our district themes. And really is grounded in how we engage our students, our families, our staff, you know, as well as our community partners. Um collaboration and partnership uh last week you Our last meeting you heard about C1. Today you're going to hear about uh C2 with span equitable inclusion and influence of students, family, staff, and community voice. You're going to hear about, you know, the ways we've done that and then sort of the focus points we've had throughout the year and over the last couple years. We talked about that there. Um my team members, you know, I have uh Principal Matt Phelps, Principal Kent Habel, um Naisha Smith, uh Melissa Latch, uh Christian Johnson, Angie Martinez, Rhonda, and Sheree Jackson have all been vital ones sort of in uh pushing this work forward, collaborating with other buildings and community members as we talk about this uh this thing. Our four priorities for 25-26 um have really been around uh expanding opportunities for students to connect with district leaders, as well as on providing input on issues that impact their lives, education and educational experience. One of the things we talked about last year, we really tried to roll out this year was on the creation of the youth voice and leadership website and you'll hear about where we are on the progress with that tonight. Develop an anchor partner criteria that guides our dealing seeking strategic partnerships that align with our district vision and contribute to the improved outcomes for students and you'll hear about that once again. And then invest in students, caregivers and community members. On the things you're going to hear about tonight are all things that are in progress, you know, so it's not a they're not hey, this is where we are and we're done. It's really it's really the work that we're currently doing and it's in progress on throughout the year and will continue throughout next year. First when we talk about on expanding opportunities for students to connect with district leaders. Many of you are already aware of what we've done with our 281 Youth Council. I see one of our former 281 Youth Council sitting right here to my to my right and I do not stage this as at all. >> [laughter] >> You know, but you know, this group of young young people are really work they work with an advisor, they do some research, they conduct interviews with other students and staff, you know, around issues that they they really highlight and they present those out to the board. You know, I recommend they present the recommendations out to the board. One of the things that's different this year is the structure is a little bit different. I know typically by now you would have seen the Youth Council come up and talk about sort of what their initial research is what their initial research is going to be for the year and then they will present out, you know, at the end of They will present out at the end of the school year on on, you know, their recommendations for actions for us to take. Um this year based on, you know, looking at other similar models through around the metro area, Um, doing what's more of a sort of intense dive second semester. So, they didn't meet the first semester. Um, they're having more intense dive second semester, which makes their schedule a little more manageable. Um, they then will do multiple presentations. So, they have a community presentation where it's open to community, family, and friends. Um, recommendations, they'll present uh once again to district leadership, and then they'll present to the school board. So, there's multiple points for them to to um to deepen really their recommendations to to various stakeholders. Uh something else we have had for a couple of years you all familiar with is the uh the student safety squad. You know where they're and and those are young folks um in in our secondary buildings who are getting feedback, you know, um from other students um around safety concerns. You know, working with district leaders um namely our director of safety and security Bo Pal, as well as other community entities to really uh try to figure out ways to best address those those concerns. Uh One of the things that's that's new this year, um we started our uh superintendent student advisory council. Um, we have representation uh from both Cooper and Armstrong and Highview. So, uh from all three of our uh our high schools. Um, they meet with the superintendent uh once a month to really provide um Dr. Stahlo with, you know, input on things that that we're talking about at the board level, also on things that are happening at the school level, right? So, this has really been, you know, um they've had two meetings so far. It just started in January. You know, I think we have a a very uh um I would say diverse, for sure a very diverse group. Um, it would not just diverse as far as representation, you know, um but also in in opinion and experience. So, I think this is very critical. And then one thing we're currently working on with with our American American Indian education is we're working on getting that native youth leadership council started this year. Um, so that's why you see um it's currently being defined the criteria is currently being defined, but that's something that they're looking to to get established this year. Um, it's another way to to once again elevate youth voice. Um, and and not just for us to listen, but really to include that in the decision-making process. And I and and I'm sure you guys are going to probably well, I would assume you would have some questions about how that's happened. So, I'll just talk about some things now with what what what we've done with the with the youth council recommendations since that's been really our our longest standing group. Um, we've had So, we've had a number of recommendations that came through. I think uh year one they talked a lot about mental health. You know, and you'll see some of the the trainings we've done throughout the year. But, year one they really talked about mental health. They talked about uh staff being aware of when students are dealing with mental health issues. From that recommendation, we've we've invested in our staff. We uh we you know, from there we started our youth mental health first aid trainings. You know, and we've had over 100 staff who've been trained as youth mental health first as you as youth mental health first aid responders. Um, primarily at the secondary level. Um, those are staff, you know, it doesn't it doesn't mean that you are you know, um that you are that you have to be the answer for students in that moment, but you're trained to to to recognize, you know, when students are in crisis and then provide them with resources, um whether internal or external to to deal with that crisis versus jumping straight to um a behavior or response, which is what our students had saw once again two years ago. And we've been invested in that initiative um now going into our really into our our second year. And we've also had seven uh staff who who are trained as uh mental health first aid uh facilitators. So, we we've invested in that based off of that recommendation. Um, some other recommendations that came out students really addressed um concerns with safety and security. You know, and that and that led to the foundation of that student safety squad or how we can, you know, not just um not just from from a from adult perspective, but really hear from students of what their concerns are and how to address those. Now, it doesn't mean that because we have these groups and we have and we're trying to to work out the solutions with student input that we have all the answers right now today, but these are the things that we've been working on over the last couple years. And there's a couple of the recommendations and we'll talk about those. Uh So, the next uh priority we talked about was the create that youth voice and action web page. This is just a screenshot from that web page. Um it's a way to talk about the district opportunities, um building level opportunities, and then just opportunities for students to engage if they're not part of a larger group, you know, but they can still be able to provide input um on things that they that they see. So, these things are all in creation mode. Um this website is created, but it's not it has not been published yet. Um so, hopefully uh the plan is for this to be published the following Monday. So, we'll present this Monday. It should go live next Monday. Um but once again, the information on this website is a live web page. So, it'll be, you know, information will be one thing today, and as we continue to get new information, we see new recommendations, and implement new things, that information will be updated on that website. Um this was also created out of um some of the feedback we got from students around, "Hey, how is our voice measured? How is our voice impacting, right? You know, you like you ask for student voice, but we don't see how the district is responding to that." So, this is one of the things um that we that we've been working on. Uh one name you didn't see on the on the sort of the as a team member was Claire Little. She's been fantastic. She's in our communication department. She's built the website. Once again, it just hasn't been published yet. I wanted to present it to the board first just so you know that this is something that we have we have created and is ready to go. Uh some of the implementation metrics for um for the youth voice and action. Um so, what I've been doing uh and once again, these are these are just data points are data points of two weeks ago. Um I've been meeting with with district leaders um figuring out what what opportunities they're providing. Not at the not just at the district level. You saw those ones I talked about at the district level, but then we recognize our buildings also have, you know, um youth leadership opportunities in in in the form of student councils or you know, I mean there's there's more than that. That's the one that comes to mind right now. So, I've been reaching out to to building leaders and working with them to identify what opportunities they have in their building for students to inspire and you know, create change at the site level. From the respondents that we have, we know we have nine schools participating and that's only be that's based on today's respondents. I will say I sent it out. We got 10 we got 10 replies. Of those 10, only one said they would like help creating. So, we have a good you know, percentage of schools who are doing it. As I continue to get more information from schools who are actually actually who do or don't have student leadership opportunities on site at the site level, then I'll update that information and say, "Hey, 15 out of 16 schools" or whatever the case may be. But, this [clears throat] is just a snapshot of where we are. We talked about the 11 opportunities or I referenced four of those at the district level. Then there are there are ones at the building level. When you talk about you know, as an example, you have the Multicultural Advisory Council at Cooper. That's a building level you know, group that that partners with the New Hope Police Department at Cooper High School to provide input also around safety and security. We talked about some of the student councils. We also have different leadership opportunities once again at the various schools. This is all levels, not just secondary. This is K K through 12. We have over 150 student leaders in our district. [clears throat] I'm providing input at the either the district level or the building level. And then I talked about two of the three recommendations from a district level. I talked about the Youth Mental Health First Aid, the the student safety squad. One of the things that I will say is partially implemented. We got a recommendation last year from our Youth Council about students being part participating in professional development opportunities or having opportunities to present to leaders. That's something that is not fully implemented right now, but we have taken the students who are part of youth council and a part of as well as the student superintendent student advisory have joined district leaders in some trainings around the dignity index, right? And we had a great conversation around what is what does it look like to deepen that understanding, you know? Hey, it was great to have student voice at the table with us, but then also to see, hey, what does it look like to deepen that understanding to transition that from just training of 10 to expand that, you know, to to a you know, a deeper level. And we talk about building leaders, teachers, and other students. So, those are things that are partially implemented as we are still, you know, I mean, we we're in our PD planning sort of timeline now, but how do we get students involved? We do PDs oftentimes there's no students in the building, we recognize that. So, so figuring out, you know, what's the best way to have students if they can't exactly be on site at the same time we're training teachers, maybe we can still offer some of our student leaders some of those similar trainings. It might not be every single training, might not be Wit & Wisdom, but why can't we offer them ACES training like we're doing for our our staff, right? Things like that are things we're looking at continuing to do. Uh last year we talked about anchor partners, you know, and I mean, we were thinking that this year would actually be the year we actually kicked off with anchor partners. We were going to our original timeline we talked about establishing on that criteria during the summer and then and then establishing sort of those anchor partners. Now, I will say Rob Maseo has a has a great network of partnerships. One of the things we did first with strategic theme C is we did establish and create our community partnership webpage, on which which not only talks about the process of becoming a district partner, but then it has a link onto that list our current district partners as well as vendors. But those don't just because you're a district partner doesn't mean necessarily you're an anchor partner who's a part of that critical decision-making process. Once again, we were thinking about that this being that pilot year for that. But with all the changes and um going on with the district, we really focused on honing in that criteria so we can say, "Hey, once once we have a direction for the from the board on where we're going as a district, then we need to find strategic partnerships to really help us uh you know, move in that direction." Right? We're talking about, you know, arts and innovation for for example, um we're going to be defining strategic anchor anchor partners to help us fulfill that arts and innovation component of our of our mission, right? So, um so right now we we have the criteria uh that that was uh came that we developed. Um obviously we want partners who share in our mission, um who who bring resources and strengths, um who offer expertise, um who commit for the long-term. So, these you know, these are you know, uh anchor partners not a one-year one-year two-year three-year or deal. Um we're really talking about building the infrastructure where we have partners who can who can walk along at the side of us through this journey. Um who value equity and inclusion, and then who collaborate openly. Um so I mean those those are the criteria that we that we developed. Um we shared these uh I think a few months back as well, but but these are these are the things we're going to be looking for as we recruit. Once we have a a true direction of hey, this is where we're going. We're talking vision 2030, we got to have partners to help us get there. So, this is going to be the criteria we're going to be using to to bring those partners in. All right, and then one of the um things I think for this year other than the well, I think I'm proud of all of all the work that we've done. Um but really the investment that we've made in our students, caregivers, and community members with some of the trainings we provided. You know, um one of the things that that uh that I think was key was um as as we talked to students and we talked to families, it's some alignment in what we're what we're once again teaching our staff, our students, and our community members. Because once you when you have that alignment, you can better support students. So, um this summer, well, I would say actually August August and September, um we held some community trainings around once again we ACES, which is something we're training our staff on. So, we held community trainings around ACES, um adverse childhood experiences. Um and then we held community trainings around Youth Mental Health First Aid. Um we had 35 parents participate in those trainings. Um we've had over eight students um and then uh two trained facilitators and then and then we had uh two parents um specific specifically with ACES who uh went to the training and said, "Hey, I would love to be a facilitator of this." So, we put we've had parents who've now trained um to be ACES facilitators and I think they've actually led out they participated in our last PD session um leading some of our trainings. Um that's for Youth Mental Health First Aid for uh for I mean that's for ACES and for Youth Mental Health First Aid we've had 11 parents trained and that's a that's a full 6 to 8-hour day. You know, if if you don't do the virtual training it's 8 hours. So, to get parents to commit for 8-hour 8-hour day on a Saturday um was great but we had 11 parents and four students trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid and that's work once again we want to continue to deepen um as we talk about, you know, um equitable inclusion of student staff, families, and caregivers. And we also have staff going through these trainings as well. So, not just parents and students um but also staff. Our next steps um I'll continue to look identify and create um opportunities for students to engage in building level and district-wide decision-making processes. Um once again it's not, you know, it's not just about hearing their voice but it's really how how is their input impacting change and in the decisions that really um influence their day-to-day life. Um identify opportunities for student leaders and staff to collaboratively um participate in professional development. Once again, a lot of our PD days well all of our PD days are on non-student days um but how can we do some things where students can also engage at least our specifically starting with the student leaders and then how can that be broadened out to to a broader net, but I'm looking at ways to to collaborate on that. Um increase the number of students, caregivers, and community members trained in ASIS and youth mental health first aid. I'm recognizing there are other trainings out there, but that's what we've decided to focus on these these first couple years, you know, so we want to make sure that we have maximum impact on the resources we receive to provide those trainings, and then once again, just we make sure we we we we have some alignment around, hey, this is what our staff are getting. Let's provide that opportunity to parents as well as students. And then um then and then host our first anchor partner network meeting once we have selected our anchor partner our anchor partners, um we want to get a meeting off the ground and help us uh guide the way forward for our students. And I talked a lot I sort of talked uh I know I'm a talk I'm a fast talker, that's just me by nature, but um I tried to cover it all within my window, so open for questions now. Thank you very much, you're right, that was a lot. Thank you for presenting that. Uh board members, do you have any questions? Director Bassett. Um hi, thank you for your presentation. Well, one of the things that um I thought about was uh I recall when we were discussing uh and this is a Thank you for presenting because we're a couple iterations out of when we talked about this last. And so, one of the things that's really kind of top of my mind is uh I recall that when one of the asks that the board had a couple years ago, maybe, was that we had a some kind of a a table that would show us what are because one of the questions that arose from among board directors was, how many different youth groups do we have? Because we got city council, we got this, we got I mean, not city council, but we've got, you know, student council, we've got a variety of things. And some are formalized. And I guess we were talking more about the formalized ones at that time. Uh and so that is still a question cuz we have not received it. So it would be good to have it. And then even to understand from the array of things that these different committees are focused on, which one of those align with whatever point in time the board is at any given moment, whatever we're we're working on. So that's a wondering and that's an that's an ask. And so the other uh thing I'm wondering is that we had uh been and this would would surely have been good because as we were going through this process of dis- discussion and listening, one of the one of the old things we used to do with our old um student advisory body was that uh the board would meet with them regularly and routinely. And some years more than other years, but we would always meet with them. During all of the discussions and all of the things that were that we've been talking about, it would have been good for us to have an opportunity to run a face with our youth our youth advisory group. I don't think it's it's organized the way that it used to be uh from what I know and from what you've shared with us. However, that interaction with the board was always very valuable. And I will say the board hasn't been as attentive the last couple years as we have been once were. Uh but it in the past we always found it every director always found it very valuable. And so I I just offer that for your thinking because it's one thing for the administration of the senior leaders to hear from youth, it's totally another thing for the board to hear from youth. And the other thing is I have had an inquiry from a citizen uh who is wanting to see how youth can be more involved with the board at the board some kind of way. Uh we have haven't delved into that. There's a anticipated conversation going to happen fairly soon, you know, and I'll whatever I hear I'll share. Um but uh so those are my wanderings about how how to end this evolution. If we evolve the board out of it, that's a question. Uh, and if we haven't thought about it, how might we, you and us? And if there are points of interaction, what what's the best way for that to happen and at what intervals and whenever? You know, so, um, I'm happy to hear this presentation, uh, and then I have one more question. Is it It's it's it's related? I I didn't realize I was going on and on. I apologize for that, but I but I have one more question. And that question is, uh, really kind of has to do with Well, I think it has to do with the anchor partner, so I'll I'll wait. Okay. Can I Can I respond? >> [laughter] >> Uh, cuz I I don't want to forget. I I forgot my my note my pen over there to write to to write down. Um, so, the the first part, um, I can get you a list of the student groups that we have identified. It It will be on the website that goes live. That's where it talks about those 11 opportunities. That's just a That's just a snapshot, but on the website it actually there's a drop-down that breaks down every every student group that we've identified, um, district level and building level and a description of what those groups do. I would because the page isn't live, it's hard for me to actually show it. That's why I couldn't I couldn't show it tonight. But next Monday it will be live. I'm just have to tell Claire to turn it live. So, um, so, it will have that, but I can also get you a simple just write up to. But it it really will be right there on the webpage. Not just for the board to see, but for the whole community and for students to be able to see. Um, as it relates to you were speaking, um, the student advisory to the Board of Education, which is called a SAVE. Um, we So, in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Alliance, we, you know, they have the Youth On Board initiative, right? And with the Youth On Board initiative it's really focused on having students who sit on various boards because we do not have a student board representative, which we recognize that. Um, Brooklyn Bridge Alliance and I found a few, you know, this came up a few years ago. They came and they presented and this is how we actually created the Youth Council. Um, so that way students are making recommendations to the board and we transition from that that then save to that to the Youth Council. Um, and there I think there is an appetite both ways on on how that engagement looks. Um, and we can look at how we like we're always making I mean we I told you this is third year Youth Youth Council and we've modified how we how we do things. So I think we can all we're all getting the feedback on that engagement. But the big part of the big objective is for them to to be able to use their student experience, provide recommendations, and then for us to act on those recommendations to the best of our ability. Some recommendations we won't be able to act on, right? There might be some constraints, some barriers, financial, whatever the case may be. But we really take the input and act on that to the best of our ability. But that was born out of that save that you that you spoke about, right? Um, and that that was in partnership with the the work we do with the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance and their Youth on Board. They their Youth on Board piece. Um, I I can't remember there was a third part to that question, but those those two I will I will follow up. Thank you. And you said the youth would be presenting to us later. Yeah, they we do have um, I'll make sure it's part of their agenda setting, but we have they have a timeline of when they're going to present. So they'll they have three different presentations. We also we've seen that in some other districts where they're presenting to the board, but they're not presenting to the community although this is a public meeting. But now they'll have opportunities to present first to families and friends and community. They'll present to district leaders and they'll present to board. So it's really is is is is more about a more of an engaged buy-in component there um, for that for that group than than just doing the research and then presenting to the board and then everything sort of goes goes blind until we say, "Hey, we we did this two years later, right?" So we're trying to improve that process. Thank you. Director Brintonsun, did you have a question? Yeah, I was just curious how our plan is to get this information. Uh, Student and parent involvement is the key to everything. We all know that. But right? Like having a website is awesome, but people aren't going to go to the website. I I right? Like the kids don't read Schoology. They're not going to go to this random webpage. So, I I'm just curious curious what are the strategies that we because I mean this all sounds awesome. How do we get more kids involved? How do we get more parents involved? That's kind of and it's a larger holistic question, but I'm just kind of curious. >> [snorts] >> You know, um I will tell you that I think so for the the webpage component of it, I think it serves a purpose of being able to tell the story of what we have done with student voice. I think that's the singular purpose. It's not necessarily the the engagement. It's the telling of the story piece of it. Um but that's a very good question about how do we get more people involved, right? And that's something that I've actually brought to students. You know, we've you know, Schoology you talked about students not reading Schoology. One of the ways we used to communicate with with our with our student advisory council and the superintendent advisory council. Hey, create a Schoology group, you know, we'll we'll share out the messages on the Schoology group. And they're like, "Well, we don't really don't look at that too often, right?" And some students actually do use it a lot, right? So, so that's something we're still working on, but it's really going to be it's going to have to be driven by the students and parents cuz everybody communicates differently and I don't have an answer to give you like yeah, we I have this because everybody really is different. Um but but the purpose of the webpage is to tell our story of this is what this is what opportunities we we provide for students and this is and this is the input they've given us and these are the actions that we've done to you know, to the best of our ability to implement based on the based on this input, but it's not the engagement tool. >> Right. And I we I don't know if we have that yet, but that's something that we'll continue to work on. Cool. Thank you again for the presentation. I'll judge it on. Um wondering for our anchor partners what kind of contracts we have with them. We we don't have anchor partners right now. We have partners who I think would be great anchor partners that we do have that we do have contracts with. For instance, we talked about this a couple of years ago, but I think a very a very natural anchor partners of the district will be redesigned family services collaborate. They they they support the district with wrap around supports through and through. So I would think that would be a That's That's my personal belief. Right? Obviously, when we talk about anchor partners, it's not going to be just my personal belief. We don't have any current anchor partners right now to talk about what a contract looks like. We do have a standard contracting process which which we we actually was formed out of this theme C initiative because, you know, at one point in time contracts look very different for every individual group that we work with. So we do have a standardized process that is on the collaboration and partnership web page. So I think that would be the template we start with. But once again, then we work with our partners to to customize things. We don't have a current anchor partner identified that what I would say this is our anchor partner contract. But I I think I mean it's a valid question. We just don't have a We don't have a partner right now that for me to give you an example. We have partners. We don't have an identified anchor partner for me to give you that example. And then do we have a way of vetting them to make sure for student safety that we're not allowing people near our students who might Yeah, I think that I think we have that right now with our current partners partnership agreement as far as when it comes to background checks, data privacy, all that stuff is built into our into our contract template. And I think that's pretty standard that's been standard for for a number of years. So yeah, yeah. And the And the ones who as far as partners who would make powerful anchor partners, I hate to say this all publicly, but it's just the reality. We have partners who who currently Hennepin County partners with us very heavily, right? We we we receive funds from them. They they're involved in a lot of things that we do. You know, I talked about Robbinsdale redesign and some others. Um we're working with them right now. That's not all [clears throat] we need to carry the work forward, um but I think once when we we have a a standard contract simply which covers things that, you know, liability insurance, background checks, um uh uh uh data privacy, so on and so forth. So, we do vet our partners um here in the district. And then my last question is, what about uh partnering with city councils, city managers, cuz they do have uh community departments there, too, and Yeah, I mean, I think we're open to all, right? You know, um as long as they as long as they match those those six core criteria, um and and they're in it for the long haul, right? And it's >> haven't looked into that yet? >> No, we haven't. We just came up with the criteria right now, and once once the district, you know, once we have a clear vision, like we were supposed to do, you know, do this work this year, but we have we don't have a vision for what 2030 looks. We have a a vision team, but we don't have a district direction, not a vision, but we have a direction for where we're going. So, to go out and say, "Hey, we want these partners without direction, what it, you know, I probably would have been putting the cart before the horse. Is that how that phrase goes a little bit? But I think we're ready to once we have direction and decisions made by the board on where we're going and what our who we are as a district, then we're ready to engage partners and say, "Hey, all right, all right, do you want to walk with us on this journey?" So, so the short answer is we don't have that established yet. Uh Superintendent Stahler? >> I just want to follow up on Director Long's um question because um there have been um some of the city managers that I've met with that have asked the same thing, you know, they've got different advisory teams and kind of that same question of how can we get students engaged in some of that. So, I think that's definitely something we can continue to explore and and figure out how to provide those opportunities to our city partners as well. I even think, you know, after school activities for some of our students or maybe if they could be involved in helping some of our sports or, you know, Thank you. Uh Director Bowman. Thank you. Mr. [clears throat] Williams, you're on fire. It's wonderful to see. 3 years ago when we started this journey, you know, if I can remind you, there was a whole lot of unanswered questions and a whole lot of confusion and chaos around some of those questions even. And I just want to make the remark uh that you've really instilled in me a sense of confidence about the progress that has been made in this area. I mean, it's early. Um as you say, you're talking about uh future things that, you know, you've got things in place for the future as those as decisions are being made. And I'm I'm impressed with uh the different training and the website, and it really shows to me the fruit, you know, we went from dream and ragged conversation to here you are today with really concrete um uh items that for me as a board member, I can sink my teeth into. So, um it is wonderful to see you charged up, and thank you for an excellent presentation, and I I look forward to the next one. Thank you. Uh Director Bassett, one more. And so, um so, my question kind of has to do with um the um ACES and well, even before that, uh I'm wondering about I kind of live in the world of of purpose statements and uh and of course, we have our uh our overarching goals and objectives that we're talking about for the district. So, and we see them all the time because you guys are always putting them in front of us and saying, "Here's the And so, I'm wondering, uh, I I'm very visual. And so, for me to understand, where do you see this, uh, anchor partner work living in that structure? The overarching structure that we have that talks about community engagement and some of the other things that are in our information. I I don't quite see where that fits. And I'm wondering, uh, and so, and part of that wondering kind of goes to making sure that whatever we don't want to partner willy-nilly. If we have a mission, a district mission, a you know, a unified district mission, whatever vision, whatever we're calling it this week, uh, that overarching thing. So, the purpose statement for the anchor partners, how does that scaffold to I I see these uh, I see the criteria and I see the values, which are, um, sharing our mission, resources, and those kinds of things. Those are value statements that are important. Um, but I did wonder about that. But And And most importantly, I wondered about if we're we're training people on on ASIS, uh, do we have any Is there any interface between this and our DAC committee, which is our old The committee has morphed its name, but it's the committee that's kind of associated with teaching and learning. And And uh, and so, how how does that scaffold or how does that fit, uh, in that relationship? If Is there one? So, I I think, um, I mean, I'll try to answer this to to the best of my ability. When we talk about where does the anchor partner fit, um, it fits within strategic theme C, collaborations and partnerships. And And And also in recognizing that as we move as we go forward, any district, any organization, any institution that goes forward needs strong partners to to to do the work. I think I mean that's where it lives and breathes in everything that we do, right? You know, we Robbinsdale has always had partnerships. You know, and and I think that, you know, something that when I came to this district was very unique was a number of partnerships that Robbinsdale has. But identifying what an anchor partner is, it once again is that partner that is going to look at data, is going to look is going to is going to bring expertise, is going to say, "Hey, these are the trends we know that are happening, you know, in the community, in the market, so on and so forth. And this is how [clears throat] we can, you know, use our expertise to to make sure that Robbinsdale is ready to meet that challenge." You think about, you know, when I think This is another hat that I wore a while ago, but when I think about I think about how you do career technical education, right? You're not doing it in in in a silo. You can't do it in a silo effectively. So, you're going to partner with institutions, you're going to partner with workforce development organizations. Those would be considered anchor partners in the work of community technical education. You know, so things like that. But how do we do that for a district? Once we we're talking arts and innovation, and once again we have partners who who are doing critical work here in Robbinsdale, but they're not identified as anchor partner. We don't have a round table conversation about the trends, about the data, and about the about the outcomes of what that looks like. So, this is this is just the criteria, but there is work on how this on how on on what is the work that an anchor partner does. Once again, the goal is for them to walk alongside of us as we try to reach the Vision 2030, you know, outcomes, the desired outcomes. So, it's not us not operating in in a silo. I don't know if that exactly answers your question where it lives, but for me for me partnership lives in everything a district does. Well, it answers a great deal of it, and I was glad to hear you say redesign because, of course, you know, we we're just talking to redesign about some things. And so, uh I'm I'm looking forward to hearing more about how you see the anchor partner or how that all evolves. And I think Brooklyn Bridge is a wonderful resource uh you know, in some capacity, however that shakes down. Yeah. And then your second piece around ACES, um so it So, we provide trainings, you know, um that aren't that aren't curriculum-based trainings. So, when you talk about the the the DAC, I think I can't remember the acronym for it, but I know that's the district I think it's DAC. I think it's district curriculum advisory council. Um So, ACES isn't isn't a curriculum, you know, it's a training uh around, you know, um really really emotional and mental development, right, based on childhood trauma. Um so, there So, that doesn't necessarily align with with wisdom curriculum that that our teachers are working on or the READ Act. But, um we recognize that and it's really this was driven, you know, I mean, districts have done ACES training and all types of trainings, but our students um pushed for staff to better recognize, you know, student trauma, student mental health issues. That that really drove the conversation around ACES and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Thank [snorts] you. Thank you. Superintendent Dollar. Um I just want I don't know if you're closing this up or not, but I wanted to thank Anthony. And I also wanted to highlight two other examples where um I think are really important in terms of empowering student voice. So, on the Vision 2030 team, we had students a part of that vision. And as you recall, September 23rd, when that team gave their recommendations, um a student from Cooper was one of the three presenters that evening in front of the board. So, I think I think that illustrates the the living what we believe. I think the second piece was with the Youth Council uh recommendations. Um I believe it was in August with the Building Instructional Leadership Team Retreat, they presented um to uh so, that had have teams from all of our schools. Um, so they presented those recommendations and again shared their interest in in being a part of understanding more the professional development of our staff across the district. Thank you. That is great to hear. I I think we're finished questioning you. Thank you so much for your presentation. All right. The next thing on our agenda is the consent agenda. And items on the consent agenda are considered routine in nature and will be enacted with one motion. Uh, there's no separate discussion of these items unless a board member requests so, uh, in which the item could be removed from the consent agenda and addressed. The consent agenda items include administrative, personnel matters, and financial matters. And although I don't want this item removed from the consent agenda, I want to comment on the licensed staff part of it because we have 10 teachers retiring and six of them have two decades or three decades of work with us and that is a lot of time and it needs to be appreciated. And so, I would like to recognize, uh, Christine Dormant, 21 years. Peter Eckhoff, 31 years. Andrew Hunter, 32 years. Uh, Brenda Starsoth, 23 years. Riva Vincent, 33 years. Um, and Carolyn Wignot, 32 years. That is a lot of TIME AND SERVICE. >> [applause] >> OKAY. IF I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THAT, I SHOULD also I should also mention Patricia Fenner, nine years. Uh, Susan McCreary, 14 years. Jolene Sullivan Warnke, eight years. And Paula Wagner Lutz, 14 years. And that's our retirees and that is just Thank you. That's a lot of service and congratulations on your retirement. I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I like mine. >> [snorts] >> Okay, so do I have a move to approve the consent agenda? So moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Okay, there's one more thing in the consent agenda. The The staff the line change the lane changes for spring that represents a whole lot of learning by our teachers. That that is huge, and so I just wanted note that before we vote on it. So, remind me who moved it? DJ. Okay, Director Brinderson moved it, seconded by Director Bassett. This is a roll call vote. Uh Brinderson, Bassett. Great. Uh Director Wuchter. Yes. Director Long. No. No. Director Hillenbrand. Yes. Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. Uh Director Brinderson. >> Yes. Director Bowman votes yes. Director Bassett. Yes. Motion passes. Motion carries. All right, we have a consent agenda approved. Moving right along. Um we're already up to unfinished business, and we don't have any. So, we'll move to new business. Uh resolution Donations. Pardon me? Donations. That is under new business. Okay. Um the resolution to accept donations. We have nearly $5,000 in donations that we need to have a resolut- approve the resolution to accept. >> Move. Moved by Director Bassett. Seconded. Seconded by Director Brinderson. This is a roll call vote. >> Yes. Ready when you are. Great. Um Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. Director Brinderson. >> Yes. Director Bowman votes yes. Director Bassett. Yes. Director Hillenbrand. Yes. >> Director Long. Yes. And Director Wuchter. Yes. Motion prevails. Okay. Next item. I know it happens every year. And I've experienced it myself and it's not fun. Director O'Hearn. Good evening, Chairwoman Brubaker. Board Directors, Superintendent Stahle. Um in front of you, you have the proposal, um the resolution to terminate probationary teachers for this coming school year in the fall of '26-'27. So, we have gone through the initial round of staffing. So, in front of um tonight is 55 staff on the list either being um non-renewed for seniority, non-renewed for license that they are holding, whether it's an out-of-field license, or a Tier 1 or Tier 2 license, or non-renewed for performance. So, the list was available in my office prior to this meeting. It will be available in my office after the meeting as well. But, that is the resolution that we are seeking approval on tonight. Thank you. Okay. Do I have a move to approve the resolution terminating probationary teachers? So moved. Moved by Director Wuto. Seconded. >> Seconded by Director Hillenbrand. I have a comment. Director Bassett. Yes. Um it's my hope that as we move along in this process, because we're still going through this building closure process and all of that, that we will be able to actually determine collectively, numerically, how many positions are tied or as a result of the closures, to be able to clearly delineate that uh at the board [snorts] level would be something that would be important to me. I have a comment. Okay. That was our only comment. So, we are ready to vote on the resolution um waving the reading of the resolution. Correct. >> Okay. All right. Uh resolution proposing proposal terminating probationary teachers. Roll call. Thank you. Uh Director Long? No. Director Hillenbrand? Yes. Director Wuto? Yes. >> [snorts] >> Chair Evans Becker? Yes. Director Bowman votes yes. Director Bassett? Yes. And Director Brittainson? Yes. Uh motion prevails. >> Motion resolution prevails. All right. Next thing up, the primary election process. And I'll just turn it right over to Joanna. Well, I don't really have anything to add. I think I'll just put this in. I know that there's a possibility Okay. So, if we want we have a school board election coming up this fall. We have four vacancies. According to state statute, um we may have a primary election, which would be in August, like right around the 12th of August. And um there are some You have to have a resolution by the board that says they want to have one, and you also have to have more than double the people file uh for the office. But, you don't have to have a primary election. But, you have to decide if you want to have one ahead of time because you have to file with the state if you're going to. In the past, the board has decided we will just o- wait and see who applies for school board, and whoever applies applies, and we have an election, and we'll get our people. Uh if the board is thinking that they want to have a to primary it, we have to make a decision on that so that the paperwork can go ahead. Does anybody have any questions? Are you we clear on the process and everything? Director Bowman. A quick question and that is if a primary is held in August, we file in August. Uh, no. Okay. >> know that we are going to have a primary, Okay. everything backs up and it makes the campaign season considerably longer. >> Longer. And do you know what the filing date would on that would be? We don't know. >> Oh, did we get that in the information from Molly? That's okay. The memorandum That came I think it's in the memorandum. Yeah, not a problem. >> Okay. Not a problem. Director Long. That's it. And then could we just talk about what the cost to the district would be so the public knows that piece of it? It is an added expense to the district in order to have a primary election. And somewhere between 35 and 60,000 dollars. I wanted her to say it. Say that again. Uh, in the past, it was somewhere between 35 and 60,000 dollars depending on what Please, order. Order. Um, in uh, in the past it depends on how many other entities are also primarying. If we're doing it by ourselves or if there are some candidates for other entities that are also being primaryed at that time. So, in the past we've said, "We'd rather not spend that money. We'd rather spend it on furniture. That was an inside thought and I heard it. >> [laughter] >> Um, according to the memo, it says 8 to 10,000 dollars, not that that I still Uh, I think it's a lot more than that. It is a lot more than that. Okay. So, can I just >> for the general election. >> That's the general election because so many people are voting. So many different people are sharing the expense. So, um action It doesn't say this is an action item, but can I just get a feeling from the board? Like, I would I'm not supporting a primary. I see you're shaking your head, Director Long. No, I'd rather that money be spent on teachers. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH DIRECTOR BASSETT? WELL, I I just want to say that I think that um in if if you have to have an affirmative vote if you want to do it. If we don't vote on Then it just dies. then it's it's moot. We're not doing it. That's And the history is as you said, the history is that the board has consistently decided not to do that because we want to save the money. So, that's been the posture. So, it'd be a departure to do something different. >> Right. So, your opinion on this? And and and I want to say I'm I'm really you know, if if you if we take a vote and everybody votes yes or no, I I really think we need to move away from this informal voting because and I'll talk more about that at a different time. I'm not going to talk about it now. I think it's a slippery slope to ask people's opinions without taking a vote. A vote of the board and the majority of the board it what is what prevails. And so, um I I think that that's important and not all this vague, you know, back and forth. And the bottom line is that if we don't take a vote to do it, we're not doing it. And we have to vote by a certain date. Right. And I'm just looking for interest right now. And so, I'm just I've said what I've said. I think you And so, do you have interest in a primary? Um I not I'm not making a motion to go out for a primary. And and as I said before, that's been the posture of this board that I've supported for years. Okay. Message received. Anyone here interested in I see no interest in making a resolution for a primary, so I'm going to move us on to item D, which is an action item. And this is the application for the cooperative sponsorship for girls lacrosse. And Director Williams, do you have any Executive Director Williams, do you have anything you want to mention on this? This is We have done this with other sports. Yeah, this is [snorts] Chairman Becker, members of the board from the attendant style hall. This is River Tree School is interested. River Tree is within our district boundaries. They're interested in entering into a cooperative agreement with Armstrong Cooper Girls Lacrosse. They're co-op. Previously had with Osseo as in Park Center has been has been dissolved or they've been dropped from their co-op. So, we'd love to enter into this co-op to bolster up our Lacrosse girls Lacrosse numbers. The request for approval for the cooperative agreement with girls Lacrosse at River Tree. Okay. Okay, it's been There's So, we need to approve the application for the cooperative girls sponsorship for the girls Lacrosse. Do I hear motion to approve the application? Moved by Director Bassett, seconded by Director Printzen. I don't see any hand I do Director Blon. Yeah, where is River Tree School at? It's in our district. I want to call on Director Tate who might know that who He'll need He'll need a microphone. Can you come up a little quick Director Director Tate? >> [snorts] >> He's so excited. Hello, welcome. I believe River Tree's in Crystal. And they for before they went into the Osseo Park Center co-op they were with Cooper in a co-op. And then when Cooper couldn't fill the numbers, then they went with Osseo Park Center. Currently right now, they have four girls basically don't have a home to play. Um we're roughly right now, I mean our season doesn't start until the 30th. And we're right on track with where our normal numbers normally are. Um we did lose nine seniors. So, with the addition of the four, we should be hovering right around the 27, 28, 29 era that we usually are. That'll give us the field to full teams. Thank you very much. Is that a charter school profile? >> Yes. Okay. Is that a finger I see? Just just a quick >> Director Brittinson. Sir, do we have any idea how many co-ops we have in the district? >> The same question. Um right now well, Armstrong, all of our co-ops are with Cooper. So, right now we have boys and girls lacrosse. Um boys and girls hockey, alpine skiing. That is for us. Um speaking for Cooper, they also have girls swim with Columbia Heights. And I believe that's the only additional one that they have. Okay. Right. I don't see any other questions. So, let's do this. It's a vote. It's a roll call vote. We're voting to approve the application for cooperative sponsorship of girls lacrosse. Take it away. Ready? Ready. Great. Thank you. Director Hellenbrand. Yes. Director Bowman votes yes. Director Brittinson. >> Yes. Director Long. Yes. Director Bassed. Yes. Director uh Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. And Director Wooten. >> Yes. Motion prevails. Motion carries. All right. Good luck with the cooperative. Thank you very much for enlightening us. Next up, uh number eight is policy. Policy Committee report, Director Wooten. All right. So, our next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 18th at 5:00 p.m. Uh in front of the board is the second read. I did not receive any questions on any of the first reads, so I am hoping that we are ready to get those to pass. Super. Do Are you moving? I am moving. Okay. And moved by Director Wutoh, seconded by Director Hillenbrand that we approve the policies listed 501, 502, 504, 505, 508, 511, 517, 518, 519, 520, 525, 527, and 528. Okay. And this is not a roll call vote. This is a voice vote. I see no hands. All in favor of approving these policies, please say I. I. Opposed, say no. We've [clears throat] got policies. All ready. First reads, we don't have any tonight cuz you're meeting this week. Correct. Moving right on. Number nine, administrative reports. Thank you very much. Good Thank you and good evening, Chairwoman Specker, school board directors, those of you in the room, and the viewing public. At Robbinsdale Area Schools, our mission is to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and to positively contribute to their community. And tonight, I'd like to share some of the work in which we have been engaged. In the strategic priority theme of academic achievements, the five members of the Armstrong's Quizbowl team pictured here had a great performance at the Acronym 19 Pop Culture Quizbowl tournament. The team went undefeated all the way to the finals late in the afternoon and finished seconds after a hard-fought battle against Minnetonka. Nima and Ben, who are pictured above, were in the top 15 individual scores and earned a prize book for their accomplishments. In the strategic theme of academic achievement, students and staff at Neill Elementary School are bringing some creative fun to March through math math madness, which features entertaining math activities like estimation, graphing, listening to math stories, and fun dress-up days. The students and staff celebrated Odd day last week by dressing as creatively and unusually as they could. >> [snorts] >> In the strategic theme of student engagement and wellness, our nutrition services team has been constantly experimenting with new ideas and looks for opportunities to introduce culturally relevant foods and incorporating locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. An important aspect of how menus are built includes getting students' feedback through taste tests. Recently, the team invited 25 Armstrong students to sample and evaluate six potential menu ideas as part of the district's ongoing effort to keep school meals healthy, exciting, and reflective of student taste. The foods these students sampled included a Cuban grilled cheese, mambo with coconut curry sauce, a lemon blueberry oatmeal bar, and a fast favorite for the taste testers was a honey chicken taco with cilantro lime slaw. None of this work would be possible without our amazing nutrition services staff in our buildings who prepare the meals every day and serve our students directly. This team serves roughly 7,000 lunches every day, including more than 11,000 surveys or servings of fruits and vegetables across the district. In the strategic theme of collaboration and partnerships, Robbinsdale students will be performing at the upcoming annual Empty Near Empty Bowls fundraising event on March 26th at the New Hope Church. The event brings community together to raise awareness and and critical funds to fight hunger in our area. Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort that highlights the reality of food insecurity while supporting the vital work of Near Food Shelf, which helps support our families and community members in need. Finally, I want to provide a brief update on transition planning for the 26-27 school year. Across Robbinsdale area schools, teams are actively preparing to ensure that every student and staff member enters next year feeling supported, welcomed, and ready to teach and learn. District and school leaders have been meeting weekly to coordinate this work and stay aligned as we plan across departments and between these weekly meetings, a whole lot of detailed planning is happening. Several key milestones are part of this effort. A calendar adjustment for packing day will give staff time needed to prepare spaces and materials. We're also preparing uh to bring to the board um for approval a contract with uh Stages Theater Company uh to provide, which represents an exciting partnership that will continue strong arts opportunities for our students at both middle schools next year. In addition, our staffing timeline has been updated to provide clarity and support for our students as they prepare for next year. This work reflects the dedication of many teams across the district all focused on making sure our students and staff are ready to thrive when the next school year begins. For those of you who would like to learn more, I invite you to visit the transition planning web page on our district website. You can find it by going to arden.org, clicking reimagine Arden, and selecting 26-27 transition planning from the left menu. The page also includes an archive of transition-related updates that we have shared with our community. That's all I have this evening. Thank you very much. Super. Thank you. Okay. Brings us to future events, which will scroll, and it is time for us to adjourn the meeting. Do I have a move to adjourn? I'll move. Move by Director Bowman. Second. Second by Director Wuteh. All in favor, please say I. I. Opposed, say no. All righty. This meeting is adjourned. The study session will begin at 7:10. And well, it says what does it say on the I think it's going to be 7:10. 10 minutes. [snorts] 10 minutes after adjournment. All right. Thank you. Thank you. I know I still >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> And we're back. Okay. Welcome everybody. This is our school board study session. And generally in a study session, everyone introduces themselves and so I'm going to start and we're going to go that way, all the way around the table, back to me. Okay? And also Joanna, you can be after Executive Director O'Hearn, okay? All right. So, I'm Greta Evans Speckart, Board Chair. Sorry, Terry Alice, Superintendent. Ellen Bass, School Board. Caroline Long, School Board. DJ Brennan-Jones, School Board. Renee Bowman, School Board. Aviva Hellenbrand, School Board. Kenneth Gulto, School Thank you. Welcome everybody. All right, next thing is the purpose and agenda Superintendent Powell. Excellent. Good evening again everyone. The purpose of study sessions is to provide an opportunity for board members and administration to delve into issues and have conversations and discussion and share information back and forth in order for the board to have information that they need ultimately when they're at the board table making decisions. Tonight as you review the uh Board of Education agenda and working documents, um most of this evening's study session falls under the board's role of operational oversight and organizational direction. Primarily we did have earlier some work around the continuous improvement plan, but this one really is about monitoring the use of enrollment data to plan strategically for current and future facilities, staffing, and budget decisions under the operations piece of things. Secondly, the board will be having just a brief conversation I know related to the board self-evaluation. So that really falls under the board governance role of the school board as well as taking a look at some meeting adjustments. So that is on the agenda for this evening. Thank you very much. All right, first up district governance and policy. Nope. Um moving to number five, operational performance and oversight and organizational direction. This brings us to reimagine Ardelle Vision 2030 and Assistant Superintendent McDowell will be presenting. Board members I ask that if you have questions, please write them down. It is fairly lengthy uh presentation but in order to keep our train of thought and everybody on track listening, we will ask questions when it's over if that's okay with you. Sounds wonderful. Okay. All right. Mr. Chair Becker, school boards superintendent. Uh tonight we have tried to put together a slide deck to help us have a conversation uh to dig into more detail with regard to the planning of facilities programming and really more longer-term planning and get us to a spot where you're feeling comfortable making some additional direction decisions for us as we work through this process of trying to um get to a spot where we can finalize some of the additional questions like phasing and ultimate programming and things like that. So, we do like uh Chair Evans Becker said, we do have a lengthy slide deck. Uh we'll go uh at a medium pace through it as we've done in the past. We'll Once we're done, we'll flip back and forth between slides. That's not going to be a problem. Um but I'm hoping that it'll give you some scope of what we're trying to get to tonight and then allow for you to have um some good conversation. So, our purpose tonight really is to revisit information uh as you have seen has been the flow of our information. We have slides at the beginning that are repetitive in nature. That's on purpose um not because we don't think you've seen the information, but I think it helps the general public who are watching to see where we're at, where we've been, um and it keeps the things that are consistent at the front end of what we're doing there and readily accessible. Next, we want to examine some some more decision-making domino effects. Uh there were some questions that came out of the last presentation from the board, and so we're hoping to answer those and get you to a spot where you like I said before, you can make some further decisions, and then that leads us into uh getting some answers to board questions. So, this slide is really what we are after tonight in terms of a conversation with you as the school board and what we're hoping for outcomes. We talked last time about a couple of these things and we're hoping for some more detailed direction around things like what are you feeling about the high schools? One high school, two high schools. What are we feeling about a competition pool? You'll notice we've changed that to competition pool. It seems like that's a better titling of what it is than an aquatic center so we're not confusing people but that's really what it is. What, depending upon decisions there, what do we do at middle schools? What do we want to do with Spanish immersion programming? We talked a little bit about that last time. What do we want to do with elementary magnet programming? Really there we're talking about the programming at Pilgrim Lane and the programming at Sea. What do we want to do in the future with the RMS site or not do with the RMS site? What do we want to do long-term with the elementary site locations as we move through Vision 2030 and what this all might look like into into the foreseeable future and then we can't forget about what we're going to do with the early learning cuz depending upon what we decide at the high school that kicks in a domino effect to potential early early learning location moves. And so in the end we're hoping as a whole you can provide us the administration with information requests needed to make additional decisions and then like I said at the beginning giving us some more detailed direction. And with that I'm going to turn it over to a CFO Hohl Heisel to run through the next couple slides. Good evening, everyone. The lingering root causes why we are where we are. This is an interesting slide to me because it's very um in listening to the conversation that has been going on I arguably for the year but certainly in the last few months. It is it is trying to quantify or or pinpoint a particular thing that has happened. That's a natural human instinct, right? It's the cause and effect of things. Um unfortunately in in Robbinsdale situation or fortunately maybe for that matter uh that there's been years of things that have happened that were just finally at a point where we can no longer um maybe dismiss is the appropriate word. One of those things is declining enrollment in all grades. When you look at uh information from the fall of 2018 to the fall of 2025, we are down in all grades. Pre-K uh all the way to 21, we are looking at a decline of approximately uh 2,200 students. Again, that trajectory is not going to be changing. Um we've known that to be the case for years. State funding not keeping pace with costs. Now, we do hear legislatively there's a there's talk on on the news um coming from different school districts that that state funding isn't keeping pace. And what does that actually mean? Here's an example. When looking at um the inflation factor that's on our general education formula, yes, we are getting uh the consumer price index or the inflate inflation factor that's being applied is 2.67%. What does that mean? That means approximately $202 per adjusted ADM. Sometimes it's easier to look at it as per student. The formula is adjusted ADM, but nonetheless, if you were to assume for ease per student. If we have 10,000 students, that's 2,000,000 200,000 uh 2,200,000 dollars. Now, if you just take our employee all of our employee contracts that impact the general fund, not not nutrition services or community services, um things that could be coming out of different areas, just the roll-up costs on the general fund, it's 2.8 million. So, when you consider the inflation factor and what were the addition to the state from the state versus just roll-up costs for contracts alone, we're overspending. That is what the statement of state is not keeping up with costs. Now, that's not even considering what do utilities cost, what's what's the other costs of doing business. This is just the cost of our employees. The next uh bullet point addresses a voter-approved operating levy limit and approximately $65 per pupil unit. What has happened is throughout time, the school board and our voters have said, "We're not keeping up with our pays We're We're not keeping up with the increased costs. We need to go to our voters and ask for more to help with our financial situation." And we have been fortunate in that our voters have said, "Yes." To the tune of being almost at a state-imposed limit of what we can ask our voters. So, that $65 per pupil unit is the state-imposed limit to say where where what we're currently asking per pupil unit and what we legally can ask is is only $65. So, to go back out to the voters for an operating referendum, which is what this is, um would not be a financial consideration if looking to address the situation in its entirety. Or quite honestly, even when looking at the difference between our contract roll-up costs and inflation, even the spread there, uh we're close to covering it for a year, and that's what we'd be looking at. And then, in our district, we if we haven't had a our last voter-approved bond for facilities, uh was in 1980, and that is 46 years ago now. That's a significant period of time. There are other So, the the right or the left-hand column is are things that are really true to Robbinsdale. Um when listening to what else is happening in the state of Minnesota and other school districts, and it's not, you know, you'll hear people say it's a very common theme. The spending down of fund balance rather than reductions. It's hard to reduce, and it's hard to reduce when when um supports and different things are needed. And so, schools continue to reduce their fund balance um instead of making those reductions. COVID and ESSER funding decisions, um those were one-time dollars, [clears throat] uh and it it was pretty explicit that those were one-time dollars, and schools throughout the state of Minne- Minnesota choose to put them into maybe staffing or different things, and then didn't and then viewed the staffing that they had as a necessity, and then you've got to cut somewhere, right? You can't get a a few years worth of money and and have long-time long-term funding decisions or staffing or whatever it was beyond that. Leadership turnover at the superintendent and chief financial officer level. Again, very specific to Robbinsdale. Everybody knows the history here. Um but I would also argue that any any um systemic issues that typically lie within school districts are you lose that historical knowledge, you lose the consistency in application. Um consistency in staff means means more um than any number probably could show, especially if you are looking at qualified individuals. Uh increase in special education needs without full state funding. This is where the general fund will continue to kick in and support um the the needs of students at a at a pretty high rate, even though both federally and at the state level the promise was to give more. And that just has not happened. And then incremental long-term facility maintenance defer deferred maintenance decisions. Um certainly within our district there have been we have issued debt for um a long time, pretty consistently over LTFM. Um unfortunately, to do that continue to do that in increments is not enough to support the needs of all our district in its entirety um with what is uh with the number of buildings and the number and the age of the buildings and the amount of maintenance that is needed. The next slide is district funding categories. This This slide for me is a particular favorite. Um and maybe it's because I'm a I'm kind of into the whole finance thing, um but I think it helps explain categorical how how uh dollars can be split between fund accounting one way, but they can't go the other and let me let me explain that more. When you look at the general fund the general fund is is essentially an all-encompassing it is the operations of of teaching every day. It's what's required to do that. And you'll see a teal line after the general fund bucket and the descriptor. And the reason that teal line exists in that spot and not in every other spot is because should any other of the other funds need assistance from the general fund the general fund will go over and cover those funds. That doesn't work in office in the opposite direction without board approval. So the general fund will have to cover any deficit food service community community service and so on. The general fund will have to cover those deficits but that is not the case going the other way. When we look at then our different funds our food service fund they're essentially a self-funded unit um yes there are prices to the food or it's reimbursed both federally and at the state level um but we have an option or an ability to raise prices and they can what they do is a self-contained program the same would go with the community community service fund. They have the ability to charge fees um they have their own committee as far as how to operate their budget or an advisory council. um And now the two others than the the next two buckets the building construction fund and the debt service fund I'd like to explain more because there's a little bit of an interplay. There actually there's a great deal of interplay between the building construction fund the debt service fund and the general fund. When looking at um a like a a referendum. A bond referendum, a facilities referendum. The building construction fund and and it and it works with our LTFM too, LTFM as well. Uh the building construction fund is what we're paying to have the work done. So, when there's money in that account, that means we're that's your contractors, that's your cost of construction, that's your different things. When that work isn't going on, either that money is sitting idle if there happens to be money left or that account is zero. It's meant as a checkbook for construction in its simplest form. The debt service, that's your mortgage. So, when you issue debt, you give the money to essentially you give the money to the building construction fund to pay your contractors and get all the bills paid and do all of the things. And yet you're going to be over here in the debt service paying your mortgage. And that's what gets put put upon our taxpayers. That's the vote. And so though that's the exchange between those two funds, the debt is in your ongoing 10-year, 20-year, 25-year, whatever you took out your loans for. The building construction is how you're paying paying to do that. But the interplay with that it to the general fund is by saying, "Okay." And I'll and I'll break this down and say like a like a home renovation. Um because people are like, "Well, why can't I I've heard I I shouldn't say people. That's not a fair statement. I've seen printed materials that say, "Why can't you just do something in the general fund and don't do it to facilities?" The interplay is is like your home. It's it it's a multifaceted. If I have leaky windows and I need a new roof, um and uh my uh heating units, whatever I have in my house, it is is shot or if I have a septic or, you know, lines coming in from city city water and sewer, whatever that looks like. If those are repaired, especially like when looking at efficiency well um efficiency windows, different things that can save on utility costs or a high efficiency heating unit, you're actually going to save money in that general fund because you're not writing a check to your power company maybe for quite as much. Yes, you make the investment. You you made the investment. Um you're doing it for home repair, you're doing it to increase the value of your property, but you're also, oh by the way, saving in what it costs you to run your home every month. And the same holds true back to your facilities when looking at the economies of scale. If I have If I have a four-bedroom home and I have three people living in my home, that works great. If I have a four-bedroom home and I have five people living in my home, essentially those two other people created an efficiency. They have less expense living somewhere at like the larger the volume that you can fit into a space, the more I can offer within my home. We get Netflix now. We get a streaming service and we might be able to do other things because where I'm not having to pay rent for those additional two people. And that might be a really cumbersome example now that I'm hearing myself say it. Um but the point is that there is economies of scale with with buildings as well. If you can make them efficient, if you can make them um serve programmatic needs and oh by the way, you can fully utilize them, that actually helps your general fund and supports the ability to do different things there. So, that is when looking at um from a financial lens, what kind of why are we here? And then when talking about our different categories or our funding buckets, how do they interplay with each other? These are the examples that I like to use and I will turn it back over to Dr. McDowell to carry on with the presentation. Thank you. So, one of the questions that's out there is why a voter approved bond? Well, if we look back at what we've done so far in our context, right? We've taken steps to reduce our footprint already. So, so we're on the way there. We've taken steps to reduce staffing to match the reduced footprint. We have a plan that we're working through with the board in terms of what might be, what are the things that people have an appetite for that include a smaller footprint, figuring out ways where our facilities can provide and and ensure a guaranteed and viable experience for all students at each level. The idea of keeping Spanish immersion programming in place and finding ways to identify the district as a district-wide innovation and arts district in all of that we're doing. On top of that, we're having conversations about building locations. Are they in the right places? Some are, some aren't. We're looking at building capacities. Even as we're reducing our footprint, we're looking at building capacities. The high schools are a perfect example. We have a decision to make. We we can't fit all of the high school students in one high school as they exist, but you can keep two and operate them or you could find a way to make it into one bigger ones. Like so So, the capacities play into this. And then we look at the facilities themselves and back when we were starting the conversation about reducing the footprint, are the facilities where they need to be in order to do what we want to do, in order to program the way we want to program? Um and and is that something that is not only desirable, but it's feasible and really importantly, it's sustainable over time. And that gets us to LTFM. The LTFM dollars can only be used for like for like. We gave the example last time, we can fix our pools, but we can't make them deeper. Um we can't put a diving well in, but we can fix the tile. And as CFO Holley-Zollinger pointed out, we only have $65 left in our operating levy to go for. So, when we start looking at how do we get to a facility set that supports forward-ready programming, not just for today, but for well into the future, the only way we really get there by mechanism is entertaining a voter-approved bond to help us shore up the LTFM dollars, use those the best that we can, but at the same time get new monies into the facilities to provide for the vision that we're looking for. And that gets us into our timeline. You've seen this before. Extended timeline, we're in phase two right now having the discussions exactly as we anticipated we'd be having between now and August, uh which is really um in a shorter draft form still, a timeline that gets us to November getting backing in from the decision that has to be made in June. All right, so the board has to make a decision by the end of June for us to consider that voter approved bonding. We talked last time about our foundation, our current reality, and the documents, the presentations that we're using as grounding. That has all been shared with the board whether it's demographics or facilities condition assessment, the actual recommendations from Vision 2030, the residential survey, the SOD approved plan that went into place a couple months ago. And then we talked we've talked previously about how we're triangulating the information from that data really to get us where we are tonight. Which is continuation of these cascading decisions. Right? This idea that really we got to decide about what is the appetite for the high school, whatever that is, but that decision really ends up dominoing into all the other decisions and not the other way around. We talked about ways in which we can make large high schools feel small. We have additional data to that that we can we can speak to as well, but really it comes down to either programming or facility design or like Champlin Park or Wayzata put in place a system that impacts every student every day to make them feel be smaller, to make the connection be smaller, which really gets back to how do we continue with relationships with kids? How do we keep engaging kids on a daily basis that that we know that they feel in a that they're in a smaller place than what they actually are. And so, any of those work depending upon what we're willing to put into it. We last time went through a comparison between Cooper High School and Armstrong High School. There were some questions by the board to put more details that we talked about in that and so we did. One had to do with including this the actual acreage for Armstrong High School and Cooper High School. We put that in there. Um the idea around um just what what is the true difference between the two and that got us to the next slide which we really ended up removing the build a new high school option. So, from the high school piece, we're really talking about the board's appetite for either the renovation of a high school. In this case, we've left the Cooper site on there based on the conversation last time. And the potential of renovating both high schools. Uh the data that's on the screen or the information rather isn't different than last time. It's just in a more condensed format. But what we did do is again walk through kind of that decision-making of what has to happen. So, if we look at moving to one high school, at this point in time the idea would be to renovate and expand Cooper. Right, it creates a 9-12 facility and at this point the assumption of having a competition pool there because neither one of the middle schools have a competition pool. We then look at renovating portions of Armstrong site so that we can house 6 through 8th middle school there along with other programs yet to be determined. But we could imagine Highview being there. We could imagine ESC staff being there. We could imagine RTC being a part of that. That means that we then need to be looking at what do we do with Sandburg and its renovation so that our students at Sandburg have an equitable experience to the students that would be at Armstrong. So now we're moving into the cascade of middle school decisions. We then back to PMS to Plymouth Middle School because now that site becomes open and it's an option to put Spanish immersion. We talked a little bit last time and one of the questions for tonight is what's the board board's appetite for keeping Spanish immersion at 700 students ish in that ballpark, condensing it to less. Um and if it stays at around 700, it would need a bigger site. One of the options is a middle school. Plymouth can be that and then again because it wouldn't take up the whole building, potentially additional programs. Uh this is an option because it gives you the potential in the future for us to decide do we want to actually expand the Spanish immersion program or not, but it's but it's there. And then we move into the elementary school decision, right? So we we know that we're going to need six elementary schools that can accommodate four sections each if we stick with six. Can you go to seven? Sure. Can you go to eight? Sure, but you're operating more facilities than you need to operate. It just means that you're going to have less students. Um so so the ideal situation we would argue is how do we figure out a way to get us to six elementary schools that can all house four sections, which means we've got to make a decision about geographic location. You notice that was another thing in our outcomes for tonight of what are the four surest elementary schools and then we're going to build around that uh to see what other schools would make most sense. And then lastly, a decision about early learning and a decision about RTC and adult academic programming. When we talk about renovating two high schools, there was some questions from the board about what would it take in number three? What would it take if we had Spanish immersion, but we moved it to one of the other elementary schools cuz as you you'll remember one of the things in the previous slide, we utilize PMS because it's big enough to house the RSI program as it is. So, we asked Nexus to do some figuring for us and you'll see on this slide that if we were to consider Fair Crystal, if we were to consider Forest, if we were to consider Sonnesyn, it is estimated that we would need to get ourselves up to around 38 classrooms. We would need to uh keep the gym space the way it is. So, the there's an equitable amount of gym space with Fair Crystal and Forest because they have two large dividable one large dividable gym versus two smaller gyms. So, we don't got to have to do anything there, but we would have to add additional square footage. So, that additional square footage is where you get the price tag on the far right. So, that would be a dollar amount in addition to what's at the bottom of the slide in order to you keep two high schools, you renovate two high schools, you renovate both Sandberg and Plymouth, and you keep those as middle schools, and then Sunny Hollow goes offline, and we choose a different elementary school that we build out expand to that could house that program with the enrollment that it currently has. Number four and number five stay the same as in the previous slide. We've got to decide on geographic locations for elementary schools. We've got to decide on RTC, adult academic programming, and you'll notice that early learning is not in there because theoretically early learning could stay on the Cooper site depending upon what that renovation was. There was also a question about a non-voter approved non no bond option. Really what this means at this point in where we are at, it means all we would do is figure out where we best can use our LTFM dollars with the existing sites that we have and not ask the voters to approve anything additional. That means that we're in the same place that we are right now. It does mean that we could make a decision about Spanish immersion. We wouldn't need to keep Spanish immersion at 700 kids. You could make it smaller and put it into a site that isn't with as much need as the Sunny Hollow building. So there are decisions we could make. There are some consolidations we could still make, but it would become much like we did it way back in the fall where what we were trying to do is figure out which are our best buildings for the long term and what is the least amount of long-term facility maintenance that we can have to spend on those so we can do more servicing of our existing buildings than we otherwise would be able to. But it would be limited to LTFM funding. So all of that gets us all up to speed of really kind of the nuts and bolts of tonight. Some decisions that we're looking for some more direction around. What does the board feel like they have the appetite for with regard to magnet programming at the elementary level? Because that potentially impacts location decisions that we're going to get to in a little bit. What does the board really have the appetite for with Spanish immersion enrollment size because that impacts decisions that we would make around elementaries. Then the actual decision around elementaries themselves. What's the appetite to for lack of a better term lock us into elementaries that we know are going to be here no matter what decision is made. And then lastly, the decisions about the other programs like RTC and adult academic programming and High View, etc. So that gets us to the map, the first map. The map you're looking at now is a map that assumes that we would build a new elementary school. Right? A new elementary school gets built on the RMS site. You'll see that that is highlighted in blue on the right-hand side of the screen. As we move into the slide, what I want to share with you is we did an exercise with district leadership. And we gave them blank maps, and we said what we want you to do is everything you know about the district, everything that you know about the programming as building principals, as district leaders, give us your best guess, best intuitive recommendation of if we told you you can only have six elementary schools, where would you put those six elementary schools? So what you see in blue is the result of that conversation. And essentially that is we came up with collectively that regardless of what happens anywhere else, whatever happens to other buildings, we need to keep Zachary Lane, we need to keep Meadow Lake, we need to keep Northport, we need to keep the School of Engineering and Arts. What you're seeing as the sixth school here is the build. So, the build would be Robbinsdale Middle School site as the uh or I'm sorry, as the fifth school. And then what you would have to decide, we would have to decide, everyone would have to decide is where does early learning go in this scenario? Most likely one of the green sites. And where does the sixth location elementary school go in this scenario? So, again, this is a new elementary build on the RMS site. Assuming Zachary Lane, Meadow Lake, Northport, Robbinsdale Middle School site, School of Engineering and Arts. And then we have to decide early learning goes somewhere. A sixth elementary school goes somewhere. Plymouth Middle is highlighted in this in red because the assumption is that RSI has moved to Plymouth Middle School. In the next slide, you're going to notice it looks exactly like the first slide with the exception of there is no blue highlighting around the Robbinsdale Middle School site, but there is around Lakeview. So, at this point in time, our assumption is administratively, based on what we've seen so far, that we will have something in the city of Robbinsdale. And so, if there is not a build on the Robbinsdale site, our assumption right now is that Lakeview Elementary stays in its place. Maybe we can add on, maybe we can't, but it stays as one of those. It still leaves us with the questions, a decision about early learning, a decision about a sixth elementary school, and a decision about any other remaining buildings that are uh in our footprint currently. The numbers on the bottom left are just there to help people understand how are we coming up with this six school set? If you assume four sections, that means that you would have 672 students per elementary based on our class sizes in K through 5. So, if you take that times six, you're at 4,032. If Lakeview, cuz it's a smaller school, if Lakeview is in the mix, that number's reduced to 3860. We have to take an assumption of RSI out of the mix, so we don't need the the 700 kids as part of that six. So, we are somewhere between a total of 4560 and 4732. And if you look at the very bottom, our projection out to 2034 is 3847 to 4016. So, six elementary schools with the addition of RSI, we have more than enough capacity for what our projected enrollment is six if we were to do this this way and get those elementary schools all built out to the size that we need them to run four sections in each of them. I'm going to take you back to the outcome slide. Fun part of the discussion, right? What we're hoping for is that you as a board will be able to provide us some more detailed direction as a result of our conversation with regard to the high schools, with regards to a competition pool idea, with regards to the middle schools, with regards to Spanish immersion programming, with regards to magnet programming, ideas around the RMS site, the long-term of those elementary schools that are there no matter what happens, and then an early learning location. It's a lot. It's a lot. Any further detail, even if we don't get all of it, any further detail helps us work more with Nexus to come up with a more detailed number and amount. And remember at the end of the day, what we're trying to do here is this funnel approach, is get you to a place that by the end of June you're comfortable with a here's what we're planning on doing, and here's what we're planning on if we're going to ask the voters, this is the number. That's That's the goal. That doesn't need to be decided tonight. We just need to inch ourselves a little bit closer to that tonight. Chairwoman Becker Evan Becker, I will turn it over to you and the board, and we will do our best to engage and answer questions and give you what you potentially need. Thank you. Okay, so far I know Director Long and Director Helenbrand have and Director Wuto have questions. So, we'll start with Director Long. Yes, so I'm kind of wondering about for RSI, Sanston is right there. Why not utilize both of those buildings for RSI? A dual administrators? Maybe. Or maybe have a principal and AP cuz they can just walk what? Cross the field right there. >> it's farther than that. It is a little ways. Yeah. It's You'd have to drive. Like it'd be a nice walk. If it's an emergency, you're not going to walk. Um Sorry. Anyway, you're looking at uh Director Long specific to the building condition. You're looking at two of our buildings that are in, uh, comparatively are in, uh, worse shape than other buildings. That would be number one. Uh, with LTFM, number two would be the operational cost because you what we just, uh, reduced to get savings for our statutory operating debt, you would be adding back staffing for clerical support administration. That's sort of So, that's not an efficient model, either. Well, we didn't choose to close Sunny Hollow, so is that what we're saying then we're going to close Sunny Hollow then sometime in the future? That's one not Yeah. Okay, so Sunny Hollow will be closed sometime in the future and instead of utilizing that space with those two buildings so close to each other cuz there could be like an upper and a lower. Mhm. So, I I The idea is to reduce the footprint, not to increase the footprint. Uh, the idea is to maintain cohesiveness of programming and essentially by dividing the RSI programming, we're now splitting that programming. We're creating a duplication of staffing, uh, for all of the support staff potentially. Uh, we're duplicating the sites, uh, from a cost standpoint. And so, we'd actually be moving backwards from a facility uh, set than what we've been recommending to this point. Uh, based on what I just shared with the options that are here, what we're trying to do is find a place that can house all of RSI students that would get them out of the RSI location. Or reduce it in in enrollment. But not expand it to two buildings. That That would cost us more money. >> way better than a brand new building. There isn't a brand new building being suggested for RSI programming. >> Well, in Plymouth Middle School is and that's kind of pretty large. Are you thinking that RSI is going to get that large? No, I I So, back on I'm going to take you back to this slide. We We aren't We aren't thinking that RSI is going to get any larger than the board wants it to get. We these two options. Number four, you'd renovate Plymouth and you'd house Spanish immersion programming and potentially other programs. We talked about this, I think, at length last time that if we moved If we moved RSI even at the current 700, uh we'd have plenty of space in that building to put something else there. Uh whether that's adult academic programming, whether that's RTC, whether Whatever programming makes the most sense based on all of the stuff, exits, and uh where it fits in the building and and just everything that goes into the building. So, So, we aren't Unless the board were to say, as I shared earlier, "We want Spanish immersion K-5 to get bigger." Um and we had this conversation, the beginnings of it, last meeting. Um and there wasn't a ton of appetite for RSI getting any bigger than what it is or expanding it to K-8. And so, no, uh we would not be building a new building. We're not proposing building a new building. We're proposing we would move, depending upon the high school decision. Potentially moving RSI into Plymouth's site or having it be part of a renovated building that would get it bigger, which gets us to this slide, which would add cost uh depending upon which building it would go into. Or you drop enrollment. So, for me, it just still doesn't make sense why then we didn't close Sunny Hollow to begin with. And then we're going to be closing it again. And the Plymouth Middle School move, too. None of that is meshing for me. So, we didn't say we were closing Sunny Hollow twice. What we said was that if the if if middle if [clears throat] the if we move to one high school in that option, if we move to one high school, that is going to leave an existing high school available. We would move one of the middle schools, Plymouth, to that site, which would then leave Plymouth open, which would then allow RSI in its current size to move into Plymouth Middle School site without having to add on to a building. >> Right. I heard that, and that's still's not meshing for me. Like, I feel like then Sunny Hollow should have been on the list of schools to close when we talked about closing schools. So, it's just still not still not meshing for me. >> So, it's still not meshing for me. >> Yeah, that I was going to say the thing thing same thing Dr. McDowell did. We if we had closed Sunny Hollow this year, we didn't have another building that's as large that we wouldn't have had to do additional renovations. So, instead of moving the students from RSI, we wanted to wait until the board recommended kind of a final site plan before we did anything with with But, all of them are going to require some kind of renovation or changing or upgrading anyways. And that's why I think we what we're trying to Sorry to interrupt you. Yeah, so my my whole feeling is then it should have just been a part of our discussion from the beginning and it wasn't. No, because it wasn't one of the buildings that we chose to close for the 26-27 year and we wanted to get exactly to this conversation so the board can decide >> what's the overall footprint um so that they can make the best long-term financial decision for RSI's future home. So I'll move on for now, but if you could put me back on the list. Sure. Thank you. Director Hillenbrand. I just I wanted to get a little understanding around you you keep talking about the early learning um stuff in the from my understanding recollection, early learning only takes up a small portion of that building, right? And and do you have pre-K classrooms in the elementary schools, right? So that's mostly ECSE, right? That's in early learning. Early childhood special ed or what I'm just trying to figure out because you keep I just I'm trying to figure out what the footprint of early learning is as you keep saying making room for early learning. The first question >> It's only um like when you come in New Hope, it's only that wing to the right primarily, correct? So um I think when um Dr. Mondale >> [laughter] >> I think when Dr. Mondale is speaking about early learning, it it has shifted um over the years because now it's all under one umbrella. So he's speak he's speaking about the entirety of the early learning which includes early learning which is a portion of that building as well as the ECSE program. It's all under the early learning umbrella, so and then that's all New Hope Learning Center. He's speaking about the entirety of that school because that that was organizational change that was made about two years ago where they were once separate, now they're just considered early learning. So that's early childhood special ed, early childhood family education, and then the preschool experiences. >> is in the school building mostly, right? >> There are some classes that we have a classroom as well. And ECFE could be also spread What What I'm saying is I don't know how much dedicated space What I'm just trying to picture It could be slotted in anyway in in one of these other buildings that has some space because most of the pre-K classrooms are in embedded and when you talk about a K-5 school, it's really a pre-K-5 school, right? So Well, some of the so Or are we Or we should I'm hoping, I guess is what I'm saying, is that where when we're planning these schools that we're planning for pre-K classrooms in these K-5 schools. Well, so some of our schools do have a pre-K classroom within them. All of them do not. We do find value in having that centralized location as well. Um part of the reason that some of our schools don't have a pre-K classes is is is a space piece. Some of them that we have had designated when you spread them out to every to every single building, um then you run into a a numbers game, right? You have You may have five seats versus having a full program. So, that's why that, you know, having them in some buildings where we can have a a certain capacity, but then also having that centralized location allows us to have a full classroom versus, you know, five or six seats. >> Sure. But the But by having fewer schools, right? Cuz it's a great way to get kids and and and to increase your retention rate of those those pre-K kids cuz I know that sometimes preschool doesn't have the greatest retention rate, especially when they're not on site in the school building. This is a great way to build that relationship and keep families in the district, right? And so, I'm hoping that as we're accounting for those classrooms that we're accounting for having pre-K, at least one section in each of those buildings. So, it would be a both-and. Uh my understanding in talking with Ms. Levenson who runs the the uh New Hope Learning Center is that >> Sorry. Um it's going to be a both-and >> because uh what I've learned here um is that in Robbinsdale, based on what Ms. Levenson has told me who runs New Hope Learning Center, is that the majority of our families actually prefer to be at the New Hope Learning Center. Um and so um I would agree with you. In my experience in other districts, um it's been almost the opposite. Um and so we're we have to plan for both. Uh right? We have to be uh responsive to what our our parents and our families want and experience and at the same time give opportunities. I I know that as we move into next year, um at least one of our elementary schools we're not going to do pre-K in it next year because the numbers continue to drop in in that building. Um and they're rising over at New Hope uh for that population. So, uh I I think it's a both-and. Um as we move to uh buildings of 500 and 600, there's going to be space. There would be space for that easily. No, that's great. Thank you. And that just helps me understand a little bit in terms of this. Thank you. Okay, next Director Wotol. Yeah, so my question is twofold. One, as we are talking about demagnetizing possibly some of the schools, uh can you speak a little bit more as to what that really means? I think it starts with uh we've had these conversations before. This is not a I want to start with this is not a new conversation. Um I would also like to say that this is not solely my conversation, right? This is our conversation about what do we want to do um and there are different ways of going about doing it. If we If we circle back to what has been brought to the table in terms of do we continue with elementary magnet programming as we know it in Robbinsdale, not including RSI. That leaves us with Pilgrim Lane. And that leaves us with C. When we talk about not having that programming, it is simply that. Right, it it is no different than the conversation around um Fair Crystal and programming at Fair Crystal. Uh the decision was made that we're not doing that. Will we have to do something different? Yes. Was it in the Vision 2030 plan? Yes. The idea is to find ways to expand it. No different than at a very simple level, the the conversations we're already having with Stages right now. It isn't a question of what do we do, it's how do we do it? Right, how do we make it happen? If it's that important, then we have to make it happen and figure out how we do it over time. There are two competing interests to that. One is we know it's going to take time to train teachers. We know it doesn't happen overnight. We know teachers are going to need time to do it. We know that it is not going to feel different until it is totally different. That is going to take time. That is no different than our high schools implementing bar. It did not feel like a bar high school the first year bar was in it. It took a year. It took two years. It's now in a place where it's a demonstration school. Same type of thing. We have to put the time into it. The two That's the first part. We wouldn't be magnet programming for those two schools only. We would have to expand the programming that we want to keep from those two buildings into the other elementary schools. The second part is we would no longer have dedicated um transportation to those buildings. Right? So, they would essentially become neighborhood schools. Um the board, I think, needs to decide I would argue sooner than later, what is our what's the intent? Because that has an impact to how we plan uh either way. It It has an impact. Has an impact on transportation, has impact on programming, and has an impact on facilities. Um so, that's really what the change would be. Um does that answer? Yes, it does. I think what I'm trying to understand is that we are not taking successful programs necessarily off the table. Right? I understand that the the buildings will become community-based schools, but programs that have been running these schools currently can remain if we decide to do that and make sure that they are then expanding to the others locations that we have. That would be the intent of what we are trying to do. If we If we go back to conversation from months ago, um particularly after the Vision 2030 team gave its recommendations, that was the intent was if if magnet programming is good for some, then it's good for all. And how do we make that happen? And And I think what I think staff and I think what I'd add to that, again, the I want to be really clear that all of the data that was collected through the Reimagined Ardmore process, um you know, one of those questions that we asked, surveys, every world cafe that we ran is, you know, if we didn't have barriers, what what is the the experience we would want our students to have? And what we heard over and over and over was outdoor learning, project-based, hands-on learning, collaborative spaces for learning. So, I think to your question, Director Wutoh, I think that I want to be really clear that just like with with the middle school programming, it's not going to look exactly as it looks at Fair Crystal right now. And the the value of this community on arts is very, very clear. So, that's exactly the step that we're taking is how now do we make sure that every middle school student has some of the opportunities. It's not going to be the same right away. And it will be, you know, our students, our families, and our staff who help continue to give im- input to build what we want. And it'll be the same way I would say with the elementary. Should this be a direction that the board gives us? Again, what we want to do is take the best of what we see at our current magnet programming, of some of the inquiry-based learning, the outdoor learning, the project-based learning, right? And how do we have that be an experience that all students have? Again, won't look the exact same, nor will the arts component look the exact same, but that would be the goal. And again, that came even before the vision team's recommendations in September. That came with every conversation and the results of the survey that we had is is what is it that the community at large wants for our kids? And um that notion of of arts and having opportunities for the hands-on project-based was clear throughout the district. Thanks for playing along with that. Thank you. Director Long, did you want to recycle? Sure. And then So, this is good cuz I was just thinking. So, you know, when we talk about demagnetizing because we did demagnetize and that wasn't something that the board had an option in. Why was RSI chose to keep as a magnet, whereas some of these other schools were not chosen to keep as a magnet? What what was the distinction there? And and the board can always choose something different. The distinction that we've shared with the board on a couple of occasions is the specialized training um that our teachers and our staff at RSI need. And again, not to say there hasn't been a ton of specialized training that our staff at um our magnet schools have had. We can, again, not overnight, but we can ensure additional training for outdoor learning, for project-based learning, for inquiry learning, for integrated arts learning with our staff. Again, not tomorrow, but over the course of the years. The specialized training that our RSI um staff have is something that would be much more difficult to take to scale and replicate. So, that that's the discussion that we've had to this point and I I think Executive Director O'Hearn wants to add to that. Or clarify what I said, something. RSI staff also have additional li- And again, that could be a decision the board decides to uh to not have RSI. What we did is we have every step of the way taken from what we heard largely from the community, what we heard then from the vision team, and then what we're bringing ultimately to the board for decision-making. So, should the board make a decision about eliminating um the Spanish immersion program, that would be something the board certainly could do. I think it's important also to just for everyone, when we talk about uh language programming magnets. They're It kind of sounds like you're mumbling. Sorry. When we're talking about, uh, language program magnets, they're different than the magnets at Pilgrim Lane, the the magnet at SEA, in that it builds upon itself. Right? Very few students that are in fourth grade can jump into a magnet Spanish program. A fourth grader could jump into Pilgrim Lane and continue into that programming, um, with relative ease in or to take part in it. And so, the RSI programming from that standpoint is significantly different in that you start and then you work your way through it. You you don't enter at any point, um, and so, it is a very it's very specialized from the teacher standpoint, but also from the student experience. Um, it's a different uh, type of magnet programming than what we have at the other two, uh, other two buildings. Is there any cost difference between RSI and the other magnets? I don't know that there would be a significant cost difference because the the teaching staff are paid on the teaching contract. The support staff are paid on whatever contract they're a part of. Um, the building operates the same as as other buildings do from that standpoint with costs, um, for that building. Uh, we still need curriculum. Um, maybe that might be a place is is in the curriculum area, both some of the English, you know, I'm thinking of of reading curriculum. Is there some that's both in English and then in Spanish? So that that might be I don't have those numbers or facts in front of me, but I'm just thinking that could be something that Is there any way you guys could get us that information? Director Brandon has a clarification right before I just want to interject one thing. Now that it's a dual Spanish immersion as opposed to be like when my kids went there it was just one way, but because it's dual Spanish immersion, it also it has much more equitable numbers than the other um magnet schools. So in terms of the demographics, they match the district much better than the other magnet schools. So there's also that piece. It's a much more um representative school of the district than the other magnet schools. So I just wanted to throw that out there. Do we know that for sure? Yes, it was in our packet of all the information that we got about each of the of the schools. So if you want to look back to to that information that we got when we started this process, it's in there. Um so it serves a lot more of our uh native Spanish speaking students. Um so that is another um piece to just consider as we think about that that the school because it's dual immersion we're also scooping up these kids who speak Spanish at home and they're getting the English immersion side of it as well. So I'm just throwing that out there as that it's a little bit different in that because it has different demographics than the other magnet schools um significantly different. Um socioeconomically as well. Are there any FTE differences between the magnets? staff Yeah, I know. FTE is based on enrollment so Okay, not even with support staff either? >> I mean, keep going or are there other people? Others, I have a question. No, Ellen, it's my turn. Um, I'm I'm going to cycle back to you, Director Long, because Director Bassett's been waiting. So, no, no, that's okay. Um, a couple things. So, one of the initial parameters uh, was that we were looking at facilities that required ex-number dollars and LTFM. So, uh, to the point that, um, uh, Spanish Sunny Hollow Spanish Immersion requires as much more than many others and quite a bit, in fact, to your point about it would need some renovation if it stays there. Um, what I wonder is one of the things that really stuck in my mind that you said was any option we come forward with has to be able to survive be, you know, feasible uh, referendum or no ba- bond or no bond. So, I have not yet seen now that we've identified some buildings to close, I've not seen a mock-up of an LTFM plan that takes those buildings off the sheet and redirects those to to form a pool uh, from which funds could be pulled to offset some of the costs in some of the other buildings like for like and all of that because they all need some maintenance, so we understand that. Um, but, uh, in any scenario, um, because even if, um, we have a minimal bond, if there is such a thing, um funds can be commingled or the outcomes or the focus of the funds can be commingled. In other words, if we were to build an envelope around Cooper, so to speak, and do some things, we can bring new dollars into that from any bond referendum along with whatever LFTM dollars that we have. So, funds can always be commingled in that way. So, if we were to go out for bond predicated upon what buildings we are determining that we want to invest in that need some helping, some fixture. Um but and and we agree we're going to allocate those dollars differently for those buildings because we want to keep them. Um we don't have that data. And I really would like to see that data because it's something that you said to us from the beginning that I have held in my mind. And uh and the reality is that if the board decides to go out for a bond referendum, it may fail. And if it does, I I don't think that we should be starting from scratch. And I don't believe that you will be. I believe you already have some I I I have faith and confidence that you already have some information and some knowledge about what that means. This board should not be making a decision without understanding what that looks like. And I'll go further and say the cascading, if I was have my magic wand and I was Glinda, the good witch, not the bad one, I would wave my magic wand and say let's cascade from the other direction. I would have wanted to cascade from the elementary direction. Um and um because I think that some of these questions I think we've done some work of eliminating some buildings cuz that's hard work to make decisions to take some buildings offline. It's very painful to many people. That's done. We've done some of it, beliefs, So, having done some of that, from where we are right now, cascading, I'd like to see your cascade coming from the elementary direction and not the high school direction because at some point it it it's it's we can wait. Because if we cascade from the elementary directions knowing what we've already taken off the table and knowing that we're going to be able to take capture some of those dollars and put some of those dollars into facilities that we we decide we or we just know what the pool is of money if we're not fixing those buildings. And we need to know what the cost is of mothballing any of them because even if we put them up to, you know, on the real estate market, we don't know if anybody's going to buy it. So, they're going to be in a pool and going to have to be maintained at a certain level for a period of time. So, we need to know what that is. Um and um because it helps us then determine it. Because the one thing that I keep thinking about is Forest and Fair Crystal are two of our newest buildings. And that's the other thing that you said to us. So, I mean, that's why my mind can be going around and around in circles because I'm I'm it may not look like it all the time, but I remember what you tell us, you know, and I hold on to those ideas, you know, and so if I look at Forest and look at Fair Crystal and they're the newest buildings we have you know, uh than any others. You know, um and Forest might be uh you know, I was around when they got built, so I'm about 20 years old. I only know that because I was around when they took the the bricks down, you know, no other bricks though. I wasn't around for any other bricks. Uh and then Fair Crystal as well because what like 2000? The year 2000, something like that. You know, so those are relatively new buildings. So, I I really do think that uh some thought about what happens to those. I mean, it makes more sense to me if we're looking at a anyway. I I haven't gotten that far in my thinking, but but that is something I really really would like to see. What is your thinking about if we don't do the bond cuz that's the impetus. If we don't have the we don't get all the money we want in the bond and we have to come back to the drawing board and we're already taking some buildings off. How much money do we have? And those buildings are off line, but how much does it how much does it cost us to just keep them you know, so they're not a big hazard for the next period of time and um then we can talk about investment to some of these other buildings because to director Long's point about Sannusi Sunny Hollow. If we're going to build on anything, building on to Sannusi and for the RSI campus. There's a lot of ground there. There's a lot of lot of land within those two buildings. They hold a lot of land. Now, I just can't remember if St. Joe's is positioned where it's positioned in proximity to them as if it's in the middle or if it's on the end. I just can't remember. That's all I'm saying. I know, but I'm just saying so they they are contiguous. They have contiguous space. So, if they have contiguous space, then building on the Sannusi site makes the most sense to me or or maybe it doesn't. I don't know. But I did wonder that same thing about Sannusi and Sunny Hollow because they're they're close by and in terms of um Sunny Hollow is right on a main street that there might be some interest in somebody to purchase it. Just keeping it real. You know, I mean it's it's it's it's on a thoroughfare, you know, that you know, might be you know, marketable. That's a whole different conversation. But the conversation about the utilization of Sunny Hollow now that it's off and if we can figure that rather than Plymouth Middle School and that speaks to the two high school option. Cuz we're not going to need to use Plymouth Middle School for RSI. But the investment I think there's a big appetite in this district for continuing to have a Spanish immersion program. Oh, a billion years ago I learned Spanish. Hablo español. Actually, I got A's and B's, but that was 50 years ago. You know, probably 50 plus. You know, but in any case, those are the wonderings that I've have and and everything else follows cascading from the elementary and going that direction because that is just as important. Because backing into it with in the way we're doing now, doesn't doesn't really do it for me. You know, and and I further think that this two high school option because I I think that the numbers that we have, while I really have a lot of confidence in what Ms. Reichhart has said, I think that one of the reasons I respect her so much is because she gives us a range. The range says it could be this or it could be that. We don't know. And just as we you know, um I think, you know, are very careful in what we say we don't know, we've done a lot of estimations with regard to this one school high school movement. There are a lot of assumptions built into this. You know, um but some of the questions that get posed we're more reluctant to make assumptions about those. Um and maybe we aren't and I just don't know what they are. You know, I mean so I mean I'm you know, I'm not going to presuppose that. >> [snorts] >> But I'm I'm quite interested in that because I am interested in the two high school solution. Uh I think that until such time as down the road that we require it. Because right now all of our kids don't spin into one school. And we don't know projection number wise as to when they would. And looking at the numbers of what it would cost to build one high school, I I think that's kind of porous. And do I understand we're doing a new We're going to do new survey. We're going to new do a new Leatherman survey? Did Did I hear hear that correctly? After we get more direction from the board and overall Yep, we've said Yep, we've been stating that. Can Can Dr. Dr. Stoller Uh Uh Chair Ovens Becker, if I if I could address at least a few points to Director Bassett's question. First off, I'd like to address the long-term facility maintenance and the updated numbers. I agree with you. Yes, those are in process. We're working on those right now. In its simplest form, if someone were to take the heat map that we have and strike the buildings that that are closing after this year and say we're not going to continue to make a long-term facility investment maintenance investment in them, it drops the number down, you know, You can follow that way. But as I am working on planning and how to best utilize our dollars, we we did issue debt for long-term facility maintenance in November of '24. And we have because projects went on hold to see what our building set was, we do still have money there that's now starting to be invested again. So, we have about $17 million that was sitting there. I think we um put out for like 18 or 19 million. Still have 17 and we're going to do 10 of that this summer. Because what happens is is we now know the buildings or at least we have an idea of the buildings that are we are that are planning on being a part of our inventory for a long time. Uh Sandberg is one of them. Right? Like we know that. We can start taking things off of the sandburg list using that money, starting to make investment. What we do not want to do with the long-term facility maintenance is to not have a a building set that the board set a building set that the board has said, yes, we believe we're not walking away from these properties. I need that because I don't want to be spending money into buildings that we're going to walk away from in a year or two. So, it's like go slow to go fast. So, the long-term facility maintenance is going to be coming and updated is going to be coming the board's way. Another consideration and again, all of the things that are going on behind the scenes with specific to long-term facility maintenance. So, you have another 10-year plan coming up. Right? The board is going to be evaluating that 10-year plan late spring into summer. Ideally, does that roll out at the same time as whatever the board is going to be looking at for a question? Because it's going to be here is the here is the 10-year plan which truly encompasses 2030. You know, so all of that work it is it what happens if a question, whatever the question is, gets approved, here's the 10-year plan. What happens if a question doesn't get approved, here's a 10-year plan. We're preparing for all of that right now. All of that. That That's to that question. >> [clears throat] >> Then you specifically asked about Sure. Sure. Sure. Um so, yes. I am saying that in order for me as one of the board members, maybe others don't need it. For me, having some um indicators of that information well as I'm making decisions is important to me. Um because it's you know, and I only have one vote. And everybody else can do whatever they feel think they need to do. I'm not raining on anybody's parade. But that information sooner than later, that's information the board should have too. And I I hear you when you say we haven't totally finished going through this. So, you know, I respect that and I think you'll be able to highlight for us where there might be some soft places. You know, um but um but I do think that that's information the board should have because it helps me when I look at this new map of the blue and the green, um what do we do? And um and then we haven't really even talked about programming. You know, like I mean in in really fully in its face. We've come at programming from side. You know, and so um and I I really I appreciate what you said, you and Dr. Director Woodall about this um whatever they're doing good they're doing in their buildings. Keep on doing it. We're going to try to spread it around, of course. You know, um So, if I could if I Yeah, I just want to I want to pull us back. I want to pull all of us back for a minute. >> Mhm. Um because I just want to remind all of us what started this conversation. And it wasn't just facilities. Mhm. What started this conversation a year and a half ago was how do we make things better for our students, for our community, for our families in Robbinsdale Area Schools. We knew we had huge issues with our finances, significantly issues. >> We knew we had huge [snorts] concerns with facilities. Both operating too many as well as um the condition of them. We knew there were huge concerns with the reputation, concerns of safety, identity. Mhm. We knew there were community concerns with inequity inequities in programming, in opportunities for our students. We knew there were and are concerns about student academic outcomes. We knew all of this. So, this process started with all of that. And what we did is we we went to our community and we said, "What's your vision of a better tomorrow?" "What's your vision? How do you think we can make education better?" So, we started with all of that. It may be a bond. The board may decide that. The community may approve it. It may not. But that's how this all started is with that community engagement, with a community uh team that brought recommendations for consideration and for exactly this conversation that's happening tonight. I think the second thing I just want to remind the board and the community as a whole is we're in statutory operating debt still. So, one way out toward a vision, toward a better tomorrow in school district is to invest heavily, which seems sometimes I'm sure for some people counterintuitive as we're reducing, but I think uh CFO Hochheisel did a awesome job sharing the buckets of funding and how those efficiencies long-term help us. So, right? So, we started. We're still in statutory operating debt. We're still going to have to be making reductions. If you recall the next several years, she showed us what that path forward is. I think the next thing is the notion of a plan B. Of course, if the board chooses to go out for a bond, a voter-approved bond referendum, there will have to be a plan B. And that plan B is, if it doesn't pass, how do we continue to do what we can? We We have a slide that says what happens if there's no bond already. We have a slide that talks about we'll we'll do the best we can. But we're not going to hit that vision. I think that's going to be very difficult without a bond, and I think that I've been saying that for a long time. Remember as we came in, we said we can't cut our way out of this. But that's exactly what we'll continue to do. We'll do everything we can to make sure that we're making the best decisions possible with those reductions, that we're making the best decisions possible to see what and how many buildings we will close or not close moving forward. And I think that there's The other two points I'd like to make is um the planning that we've done to date, and I think we've we've talked about I I respect uh always people have differences, including the board, and how [clears throat] um the administration has gone about the process. Um the domino effect of that one high school, and why we started with the secondary, is is why. And I certainly hear Director Bassett, you know, what you're saying about the the um elementaries. The The last point that I just I just want to be sure that I clarify publicly is, Director Bassett, you'd made a comment about um that we make a lot of assumptions. And And I guess that what I want to clarify is that those assumptions, especially around enrollment and how large our where our enrollment's going to be and how large that would make one high school, um that's all based on data from a very respected demographer in the state. So I I just wanted to be sure that I was able to say that those any assumption that we have with that aroma is based on data. So, I just want to clarify a few of those things. >> I think you both have Excuse me, I think we both said that because I said the one of the first things I said is we respect uh you know, Ms. Reichert's estimations. Even any any fiscal modeling includes assumptions. That's not a bad word. And that's great then. I'm glad we have both got to clarify I'm glad we both got to clarify that. >> Well, yeah. You know, assumptions are assumptions and they're made all the time. Thank you. Okay. Um Director Brenton, did you still have something you wanted to say? Thank you. Uh I'm assuming we're not too long in the process for I don't want to say outside the box ideas, but I mean we're still fairly early in this to some degree. All right? Like so, couple of things. One, um my concern with A, I don't want to see RSI get bigger. My concern with RSI long term, right? We keep RSI, that means we still have magnet transportation to RSI at a cost of a million dollars or plus going forward. That's eight nine teachers, right? Have [snorts] we contemplated other districts have done it, the school in a school model in the elementaries doing the RSI in the neighborhood schools? I'm just curious if that's been something we've thought I mean I talk it does it for example. I I'm just brought it out there. We haven't. >> Okay. Um we haven't and and I think you know, I I we we haven't um again, I think >> know if it's feasible even. I'm just I I don't want to come back 6 months from now and everyone's like, "God, I just wish we would have thought of that idea." You know, I think I think I I would guess one of the reasons that we haven't thought of it is we haven't heard any concerns about a what what we have heard is that recognizing the licensure that Executive Director Hearn talked about as well as the the popularity of the Spanish immersion and the long-standing history of that. We just haven't heard concerns and reasons that we would change that program. >> fair. I just again, my concern is transportation. Like like that it's going [clears throat] to be a big number. Recognize though that getting bigger board decision. Right, I get that. Okay. Yeah. Okay. And I just just want I know I'll be good this time. Thank you. Dr. Christiansen, you are finished. I have you down for 8 Thanks. No worries. Item number two for crazy outside-the-box ideas why not throw them out there. So, back on the two high schools, one high school. I'm a big fan of one high school. I hear people and obviously the size is a concern, right? Like you have a slide about how to make a big school feel small, right? So, I mean we're all acknowledging that. I get White Bear Lake just moved away from their 10 9 10 11 12 campus model. Have we considered that? Like you still have two high schools, you split the group into two, but at least in that situation, like the reason I love a one high school is I know that you've got the same curriculum, the same opportunities, the same stuff is happening, right? So, even in a even if you split it, you'd still have that. And the reason White Bear Lake, by the way, wins, just for the history lesson, the reason they went to 9 10 and 11 12 is because the they didn't want to build a second high school. They didn't want to have two high schools, so they decided to split it into the two campuses. That's why they did it. And they finally came back to a smaller one because their enrollment is down. So, >> [snorts] >> that's the history lesson for today. Yeah. Done with outside the box or do you have some more? And I'll just address that we haven't considered that either. Yeah. I I assume that. I just Yeah. Um just the two really small things. Could we go after that $65 you mentioned, awesome Hosai? You can do whatever you want. >> How would that work? Just out of morbid curiosity. Like if we said, "Yeah, we really want We need that." I mean, I get it's not a huge chunk of money in the end of the day. It would It would go on the ballot as a voter-approved operating referendum. Okay. All right. And that's all it would be. That's all it would be. >> Okay. Sweet. >> [snorts] >> Um and then I just want to clarify one thing you said way back on the on the fund bucket item. You made You made the line and I and I I don't You said that funds can't go back from things like food service and community ed without board approval back into the general fund. Like I'm just trying to clarify what that means. Like my understanding is like there's $9 million sitting between food service and the community ed right now. Like are you saying we could just wave our magic wand and move $9 million from those two funds into the general fund? I don't think that's true. >> No. No, but what The point is without any sort of board resolution, you can you move the general fund to cover the others. As a matter of fact, that's the expectation, right? Like if there was a deficit balance in food service on that. the department's going to say, "Move it on over." If it is going the other way, the board needs to take official action to move it to the general fund. I It's not something that can just universally happen. Of course, there's going to be different restrictions, but it's another step in the process. Okay. Interesting. Can you explain more to that step in the process? Like what would that mean? Well, it would mean It would mean a board resolution saying that we are going to transfer this much of a fund balance to here, but again I would have to be more um versed in I I'm not prepared to say here are the specifics of which you could do that under. Okay. I'm not prepared for that tonight. That's fine. That's fine. I just like obviously there's money sitting in some buckets over here. >> Mhm. There's a big hole over in this bucket over here. Yes, and I would then say to that and again not having not being versed on exactly what is in each particular each particular sub bucket. Right. Um usually community service is pretty well restrict under restricted. They don't have uh unres- typically not a huge unrestricted fund balance. Um the same would hold true for um nutrition services and then that move oh by the way is one time. Right. And I was more like you said it and I just wanted to make sure that the public didn't think we could just the seven of us just willy-nilly Well dollars or whatnot. >> [snorts] >> No, it's going to not look anywhere near that dollar amount and so Just wanted to clarify Okay. to the world. Good. All right, two things or a couple. So if in relation to your question about the $65 if it's $65 and we have say say we had 10,000 kids that's only $650,000. That doesn't get us anywhere close to what we need. Correct. Okay, just wanted to clarify that. Then I want to say I do believe I do believe in the 2030 vision. I want us to invest in our kids. I believe they're totally worth it and the investment is totally worth it. I want us to go for the money to do these things for our kids. I support one high school at least venturing into that, and I believe in magnet school program for all the elementaries. And I would like to keep RSI at current numbers, not drop it lower. I think that that would be a loss to our district. >> quite hear you. I want to keep RSI magnet I want magnet school programming for all of our elementary school kids. I don't want the current configuration. Um Cuz we have Fair Crystal I mean Fair Right. Right. I want what No, I should clarify. Thank you. What I mean is I want what they have at those two magnets to be an opportunity for the kids get the same opportunities across the entire district that those kids have. I don't want the haves and the have-nots. I want haves haves haves everywhere. Thank you. Okay. And keep RSI at current numbers. I think that dropping it smaller only does us less enrollment, and I don't want to do that. And possibly I want to service as many kids as we can. Director Hillabrand? Yeah, if you could put me on this I you know, I was thinking about that $650,000. If we're already putting a question on the ballot, the only question is does it confuse people and cause issues, but that's you know, that's like five positions right there. And but at the same time if it would cause too much confusion, but it's just something to consider for already putting something on the ballot. So we're already incurring we're already going through the process, and if it could give us five positions or give us you know, I I don't know. It's worth considering or at least doing the the market testing on or something like that. >> want to bring that up that for a sec. At at investigating, I think, um, for that. And maybe the market testing will also say it's a bad idea. I would say that the market testing, um, is probably going to give you tax tolerance. Right. And then with tax tolerance, then you then it the board has to weigh Yeah. decisions, right? >> worth investigating, um, for it's not worth competing if it's going to become a problem with the overall question if we decide to go that direction, but it is worth at least investigating a little bit more because that is a healthy chunk of money. I certainly someone said, "You have an extra $650,000 for your program or your department." I wouldn't say no to it. So, um, so yeah. Um, so I just wanted to throw that out there. I just have one fear about that and it's like, I am a voter, I want to support schools. I have a couple of questions here. I want to support This one's more expensive, this one's not. I'm just going to go for this one. >> Right, that's why And then that kicks us Right, and that's why the market testing is important and that's where I would defer to whatever, um, whatever we hear from the experts, but I just think it's worth at least asking the question. Um, but yeah, you're probably right. In the end they'll probably they'll probably say it's too confusing and to just go with one, but it's worth at least, um, at least asking the question. >> I've got Director Hutto, Director Bassett, Director Long. And tonight we're just I just want it before I Director All right, I'll put Director Bassett >> get back to you. Tonight you're just giving us information, you're not looking for uh, cuz going back to your first slide or second slide or whatever it was, you're just looking to revisit the information and provide answers to questions. You're not looking for any direction from us tonight, is that correct? >> No, we are. We're looking for direction. That was our the first and the last slide. Um, Do you want outcome? You want these outcomes? So, you're looking for a direction. Yeah, I think I think back to, um, I appreciate, uh, Director Bassett teeing this one up because we are it's a both end. It's not just coming from the high school direction. What we're really focused on tonight and what will be most helpful to us is understanding not only where the board is leaning towards a high school, but also what does the board view as the elementary schools that regardless of what happens, right? Do does the board agree with what the the administration principals and administration think about the the four that stay for sure and then what about the other ones? All right, so the ones in green are the questions about Forest and Fair, Crystal in the long term. What we need a decision about those, right? So for us to start diving into what C above all eyes I was talking about with regard to LTFM, if we know for sure that and I'm using it only because the slide's up there, that Zachary, Meadow Lake, North Port this slide, Lakeview and C, those are staying no matter what, now we got an LTFM set for those for sure. Mhm. Moving forward. Now it is the question about what what about the other ones um that go So So we are looking for I mean, A through H, we are looking for any further direction you can give us in A through H on this slide. Um as hard as it might be, but for us to have the back and forth and get you more information, it's that funnel approach, right? We we ratchet back and forth. You have questions, we bring some stuff back and then you say, "What about this? Have you considered this?" And and we can dig more into that, but yes, Director Hildebrand, we we're going to need a little more direction. Great. Okay, so Director Bassett is correct. She's on the list before Director Wutoh, then Director Bowman, then Director Long. Thank you. Uh so, um I I just a little comment. Uh this is really the only time that the board has to hear from colleagues about what else is on their mind. So, the proposal that we received back in September, yes, it was the combination of work that was done. We accepted it. We adopted it. We moved on some of it. We're moving on. We're not going backwards. We're going forward. That requires us to think. As we think, just like the brilliant, I think, you know, suggestion or comment from uh Director Brenteson, you know, um it's all of the information. The question from Director Hillenbrand, we need to talk to each other, too. So, the presentation's powerful, important, and informative, but so, too, is our discussion with each other. So, um to that end, if we get to talk about new and crazy ideas, you know, one of the things that I asked about, it's not new and crazy, in my opinion, but one of the things that I posed, that I think you may or may not have seen it, I know Superintendent did, you know, is about the utilization of Fair Crystal. That facility for its best and highest use, I would like to see some model that allows for an internship across our district, so some other students who is not their neighborhood school could participate. Now, if we go to neighborhood schools, and we're trying to infuse all these things that are good from each of the elementaries that remain, the best and highest use of that facility, I think should be factored in a way that access to other all our other elementaries is built in. Now, I pose the question and and I know that our teaching learning staff is working hard on reading. They're working hard on much stuff. I know that. So, I don't like to come up with an idea I'm not ask suggesting anybody do a whole lot of more work. But, what I am suggesting is is there a way we could have whole whole for each year or a quarter? Each of those students classes from the various elementaries rotate in and rotate out and get have full access to whatever we're doing at Fair Crystal. Now, some might think at the middle schools if if that's just the um arts theater and the kids can come and they can perform there that's enough. That may be enough. And maybe what I'm talking about is too much. However, if we're serious about wanting to have all of our kids across this district to have the same thing that everybody else has and we have a state-of-the-art facility that is built for the arts and we want to be branded as an arts district that we should be able to find a way to figure out how we could give provide some internships. You know, I don't have the teaching learning background to see if we could do it for one whole class one semester. Is it too disruptive? Is it one whole one building that rotates through? I'm not sure how that might work. Uh or if anybody else has ever done it. I I I can't believe that nobody else has ever done something like that. You know, um so but but that that is a question I have. And so the deeper question under that is how do we get the best use across our district for Fair Crystal if it's not going to be a magnet. And one of the questions that I had sent the previous week had to do with transportation and had to do with the magnets which is why I asked if we got are we going to abandon all magnets? Because that has implications for transportation. And I I DJ's when I love that idea about, you know, um trying to do some immersion in each one of the buildings because then I really like it because if we have to at some point we're going to have to come back back to this high price tag on what that that costs. Now, I don't know if feasible I know about all the special kinds of things that happened at RSI from afar cuz my daughter didn't go there. You know, but the fact of the matter is is that I know they have internships, they have student you know, they do a a whole bunch of stuff there. So, whether that can be to pat personal I don't know. But but I think it's that kind of thinking because the transportation costs for RSI, if I remember, was over a million dollars. Just for that transportation alone annually. Do you remember what that was, Director High School? Cuz it was on our little list of what we're going to cut. And then we said, "No, don't cut it." That wasn't just RSI, though. That was all of it together? Mhm. For all of it. Okay, but I So, then maybe we need to have some idea about what what is that What is that number? Yes, I can certainly get to that number. I again, not prepared to answer specific to tonight. Because if this is the opportunity that we get get to publicly talk about what's on our minds with each other and to the public, that's what we're here for. In in addition to hearing from you. But I don't tell me, uh you know, what more do you need to What more do you need to you know, what what's your phrase you always say by the end of these meetings? What more do you need or is there something else you need? What other questions do you have? What other questions do you have? And you do ask that question. So, then I send my questions, you know? And so, uh these are some more questions that I'm, you know, I'm very serious about these questions. Mr. Lieutenant, did you want to jump in? I did. I just wanted to clarify that that uh I had we had responded to that question and your other questions in the uh update that I sent to the board last Friday. And specific to the fair crystal idea that you just shared, what we responded was uh the board would need to provide direction for this idea. Well, so so you get to talk about it and so I mean I was really asking for the fees I mean I when I say it it's like is this even feasible? That's what I'm saying. So I hear you when you say the board would have to provide direction. Of course, but I'm I'm just saying so if if I don't say it tonight, if I don't say it, they don't get to know what what it we're even talking about. So don't disagree. I just wanted you what I I just wanted to be sure that you and the public knew that I was answering the question. >> Well, I didn't know you were answering my question. I thought you were just you know I mean I I didn't take it you answered my question cuz my question asked for specific information you know is this feasible? And and and and what we would have to do what I would need what I would need to in the scope of the work that our team is doing right now, if the board as a whole asked us to develop a plan. Yes. Well, so then let me be more specific about my ask. I think that I would like for our staff to look at the highest and best use of that fair Crystal facility because it's a state-of-the-art facility for arts. And if we're talking about being the arts district, I think that's a reasonable ask and and so I'm not trying to prescribe what it looks like. I had some ideas but I admit myself that they may not be feasible. So if the staff can come back and take a look at it and give >> I would just need clarity again on that. Is that is that board as a whole are you providing that direction? I'm not. What does it hurt? And I Yeah. I think I don't think it's a wrong ask. I just don't know if the timing is right because we are not deciding what to do with any of the other schools that we've closed quite yet. >> And I can respect that and what I guess what I say to that is the ideas on the table. I think that that's a principle that I would expect that the staff should be looking at anyway. The highest and best use of any facility. I think that's what they should be doing. Is looking at the highest commission issues. Okay. Um First, Executive Director Hearn, then Assistant Superintendent, and then Director Bowman. Director Basket, I I guess I have a couple questions. I I I think we would need direction on what exactly your thought is around this I'm not following, and I think we would need guidance on that as a whole. And then my second thing is on the best use of Fair Crystal, I agree with um but I think we need to look at all of our facilities, um and make sure that we are taking them all into totality, not just calling out one building, but making sure that all of our buildings are what all of our kids Mhm. Well, and and so uh Director Hearn, No, just wait. Wait. I just wanted to respond to her. I think you're going to have to hold off. Because it's her, and then he's still responding. >> I'm sorry. It's Just hold your thought. I just want to put out there I want to try and bring us back on track. Um we're we're we're pretty close I still have it on the slide, right? I understand that there are ideas. Um not all ideas are directly related to what we're trying to do at hand tonight. Um and so it's going to again be a both end. We're going to track ideas, but at the same time I want to try and keep us focused on what what we're trying to gather from you as a board with what we need with regard to direction to try and get you to the next spot. Um which is uh conversation around the elementary schools and A through H that is on the slide right now. Thank you. Director Bowman, Director Wutoh, Director Long, and then Director Bassett. I'm going to make this easy and just go through the list. How about that? I'll stick to the assignment. Uh first of all, I really want to acknowledge that we've always been considered an art district from the time I was a student here 100 years ago. So, I don't think we're branding us as anything. That's who we are. We are an arts district, and there's never been any doubt or dispute about that. So, I I'm going to function from that assumption. So, I support the one high school plan. Um I support the competitive pool. I really feel like my my 20-year dreams have been dashed that I can't call it an aquatic center though. Um but I but I understand. I'll take the hot tub and leave the pool alone type of thing. Um and I made known my view of that last time because I think if you're going to talk I I mean swimming in Minnesota is just lake activities. We need to know how to swim. We need to have dreams for sending kids to the Olympics for swimming because we can send them there for skiing. We could also send them there for swimming. So, um you know, I'm going to dream big on this one. I believe that we need to invest in our kids. I think that it is long been um we have long neglected our investment in our children, and we have been as a community sort of um head areas grade by all kinds of other discussion. But are we going to invest in our kids to me is the question. So, I support that high school. I I the competitive school. I support the middle school's plans that have been created to use Sandburg Middle School and Armstrong High School, which to me, if I heard correctly from a different meeting, we would retire those old 60-year-old pool spaces that have been bandaged together to the point that I'm embarrassed to have students or parents in that facility. Um, but to have those facilities converted into you know, music spaces, art spaces, uh, theater spaces. We can utilize that piece of building maybe, you know, that what the pool room is. Um, I think that the middle school program is a real common sense plan. I support the Duolingo Spanish English school cuz I'm done calling it Spanish immersion cuz I think that it is so much bigger than Spanish immersion. And one of my concerns that one that I want to keep it is that's 700 students. That's a huge chunk of students that I think would impact our bottom line if we got rid of it. So, you know, there's a payoff here if we decide to keep it, shrink it, or whatever we do to it. Uh, that number of students and and I think we've talked about before where I really like the idea that it's going to Plymouth Middle School. I like that there's space there to do other things and I like that what it does is open up the possibility in the future to make it a K-through-8, which to me makes sense if you're going to be K-through-5 cuz the thing that blows my mind is it's 700 K-through-5 kids. It's not K-through-8 already. So, um, I'd like to see it expanded. I think it's worth it. Uh, magnet school school programs, I'm all for the neighborhood, um, uh, school, uh, um, model, uh, because you know, I'm more I'm I'm also I'm somewhat associated with the whole notion of building good communities and I think that neighborhood schools help to keep communities strong and help to keep property values strong and help to keep strength in the community. Um, I don't want to lose just like we and we've talked about high school where we already have AB programming going on in the high school, but we're not going to be have AB. It's this sort of IB, excuse me. Um, it's the same sort of thing with the magnet program where to what Dr. Wuto had said earlier, you know, those programmings will be expanded. I see them as being expanded. I think I've heard that right because along with the programming that we would have there, we would have the social emotional stuff that would go into those buildings and all the other component components that would wrap a child in care for their time in that building. So it'd be academic and it would be social emotional uh wrapped in care. Um, the RMS site because I too have been dreaming way outside the box uh cuz I have lived in this community to and earned the right to dream way outside the box. I personally want to make sure I would like to make sure that we keep the RMS site. I would like to see um a brand new elementary school go in over there and utilize Lakeview for something like um uh uh the Highview program or some of the other uh smaller programs. But but I think that we could have a great and grand presence in the city of Robbinsdale with a newer elementary school there and repurposing Highview. Um uh let's see. Lakeview. There, Lakeview, excuse me. Um the other the G and H uh you know, we're going to be able to figure that out I think in the long run what we're going to do. I'm not as concerned about what we decide uh for those other programs. But, um let's see. One of the things when I talked about the magnet school programming, I've heard from residents in my community uh in Crystal that they pulled their kids from those magnet schools cuz their kids were on the bus for an hour and a half every day. 45 minutes each way, and they pulled their kids. And I think that that's also a factor. If we're going to be bussing kids, you know, you know, like I said, when parents gave up their position at Sea school because uh they couldn't see any merit in having their kids sit on a bus for an hour and a half a day, you know, that sort of needs to be factored into it. Um and that's just really my thoughts at this point. That That was your ask. I don't need anyone else to comment on my opinions. I just gave you my list. Thank you. Dr., thank you. Dr. Wuta? Yes. I was actually going to do the same thing. Um I think listening to the community, honestly speaking, we all know what we have going on in the district is not sustainable. Right? But, it's easy for us to argue that, "Well, even if it's going to happen, I don't want to be the one responsible for that call." Which is a lot of what I think I'm also hearing. Um we we do need to do something, and I think the time is now. Right? One high school sounds great. If we can afford it, even if we can't afford it now, I'm sure the community will know going forward with the data that we have, at some point in the near future, in it will happen. So, if we are going to take the depths to do it, I think the time is now. Right? So, I support that. As far as the pool, I can go either way. Um the middle school All I think what we've done so far is looking great. We would like to maintain and keep that. Spanish immersion, just like uh that woman has said, I think I support the 700 number. If it can grow, for me I think the world is not getting smaller. And these language skills are needed everywhere we go. So, if we can develop it and expand it, I will be all for that, but it's not a deal breaker. Um Elementary magnets, like I said before, I believe in the programming that we have in the schools. And as long as we can at least have a carbon copy of the same programs in some of the other schools going forward, even if not in the next year or two, that would be the dream to have that to occur. I'm okay saying that we are demagnetizing, but not saying we are pulling these special programs away from our kids. Um RMS site, again, if the dollars will allow it, I think a new build would be nice to make sure that Lakeview has a a space to be able to house more kids. And then also then do something with the current Lakeview site as the board decides going forward. Thank you. I have Director Long, Director Bassett, Director Hillenbrand, and then Director Bowman. I can Can I just interrupt? I just had one follow-up question that I forgot to ask everyone else. Sure, you can only talk cuz it's just right. The My question that I asked a couple weeks ago was to look at the long-term costs of running two high schools versus one high school because of dollars being compounded. So, if we could have some sense about what it costs over 10 years for two buildings versus what it costs over 10 years for one building, that would be helpful to me. And that's my question, and thank you. Thank you. I can answer that. >> a high school would uh bring us approximately $3 million a year. So, that is a significant component um and which then affords you opportunity to offer students more robust programming maybe with some of that as well. So. But, I I I director I Bowman I will get you um or try to estimate uh 10-year cost, but I will say at least where we were or have been is about 3 million annually. Okay. That it would be a savings to combine the two. So, if we have the two high schools and we cut off one, we're going to save $3 million annually. >> Annually. That that was the estimate. >> My concern on the dollar thing is if we keep the two, doesn't the $3 million additional expenses per year actually compound over time? >> It it does. I'm just saying. >> It does. And and if you were if uh those watching at home or even the board member to go to a different site and when I talk about the buckets, right? It's the investment in the facility if you went to one high school, that's a higher cost on the uh debt service, but it's actually a savings over on uh the general fund. Thank you. That makes sense. Director Bowman. Okay, so I'm just going to go through and ask my questions cuz you had said while we were going through the slides we should write down our questions if we had them. Okay. So, I have questions from going through the slides. Okay. So, slide 19. The buckets. Buckets. I'm looking over Sorry. So, for that last one is the trust fund. That's like do we have any buildings in trust fund at all? Do we have any properties in there at all? Any land? Any Okay. My other question was uh where are what bucket do our investments go into? Kristen, will you just repeat your responses to those first two questions just because I want to be sure the camera picks up your nods. My nods? Okay. Yes. Um the the questions uh that Director Long had asked was do we have land that's sitting in a trust fund and the answer was no. Um and the other one was do we have buildings in a trust fund and the answer was no. And then my last one was about investments. What bucket would our investments go into? Uh when you talk investments, Director Long, are you talking earnings from investments? Can you please define investment for me? >> I know other districts they have investments that they have and then they use some of the um interest The interest, yeah, thank you. The interest from those investments to offset some of the cost of things. So, we have um we have investments in our general fund. Okay. We also have investments with OPEB, which is not um other post-employment benefits, which is not identified in this bucket system, if you will. Um but that is a whole separate independent to pay for post-employment benefits and there are investments there. And that regenerates to pay for post-employment benefits, but the majority of our investments are sitting in or the other bucket is the general fund. And then do you know the how much we have in those investments and what the interests is accruing in those? Uh not off the top of my head, but I can certainly get you that information. Okay, thanks. Okay, so my next one is >> Can I clarify just one thing for that? The the interest that is earned in those investments, depending on fund balance, is spread throughout all of the funds. I mean, so if you have food service that has a fund balance and it's been sitting at a particular cash rate all year, there there's going to be interest that gets allocated because it conceptually that fund earned it. So, all of them ultimately would earn it. The general fund is where it's where it's housed and then we slide it across to the funds that have earned it. That makes sense. Alteration to my answer. Yeah. Yeah. I just yeah. It'd be interesting to know what that is because, you know, like I said, I've heard other districts talk about that those investment funds and using them for other things. So. Okay, my next one was slide 32. Mine are numbered differently from yours. What's the headline on it? Really? Yeah. Okay, cuz these and these match for me. No, slide 31. Sorry, it doesn't match. No bond option? >> [snorts] >> Cuz mine only go up Okay. So, for that one, I'm just wondering like so the others the slide before it >> 17 is our 17 is our slide. >> going to catch up to you. Oh, okay. Why is my computer document different from yours? I don't know, but I we're on 17. Okay, whatever. Whatever. Okay, so the slide before it has a the that talks about the LTFM, estimated LTFM. And so for no bond, there would still be an estimated LTFM, correct? Is there any way that we can get that amount? Would it still be the same as the slide previously to it? I Yeah, I don't understand the question. >> think I think I understand. Let me try. Okay. Um I don't think we would know because we still with we still have to find out from the board direction on what's the what's the footprint as we right-size our district. So the right the the right-sizing and which buildings we would use long-term facility maintenance for based on which facilities are still in operation. We still need that information first, is that right, Bob? Yep. So if uh So to answer the question, if you look on this slide, you'll see that the in this modeling, the LTFM estimate is 75 million. That's based on the building moves in this scenario. Whereas this goes down to 73 million based on the moves in this scenario. So every scenario, your LTFM estimated cost is going to depend upon which buildings are remaining in that scenario. For example, Wouldn't it be all of the buildings that Will you go to the next no bond slide, Bob? We would still get rid of some buildings? Yeah. Yeah. So it would depend upon which buildings are in play in totality for that LTFM. So I think what CFO Hochheiser was answering the question of the LTFM updated sheet. That's really part of what you'll get more detail on. For example so for example with this, if I were talking about are the the schools in blue, we can give you an LTFM estimate based on the schools in blue. If you add I'm making it up. If you add Forest to the mix, then it'll be an LTFM with Forest. If we keep Fair Crystal in there, then Fair Crystal goes in play. But if RSI comes off and it's Plymouth, then you wouldn't have the LTFM cost estimate for RSI any longer. It would be removed from that. So, the more detail I think CFO Hoheisel explained it in its most basic sense is if you took the original LTFM deferred maintenance spreadsheet that I don't even know how many slide shows before, but it that it was a heat map of here's all of the LTFM. If you zero if you crossed out the lines, you could very rudimentarily estimate what the difference would be based on which buildings you kept in play understanding that nothing has been updated. Why couldn't it just be the buildings in blue, green, and red would be the LTFM dollars for that slide? We could do that for that. That's what I'm saying. >> that's I think part of what I just want to take us Yeah. I just want to take us back to the fact that we are still in statutory operating debt, so we will need to continue to reduce We won't have all moving forward the likelihood of us having all the current elementary buildings are all the current buildings that we're operating um continue to operate is not sustainable. I don't know where we would get the reductions that uh the SOD plan calls for without closing additional buildings. I get that part. I just am not getting why I we don't know what if we do all the buildings then including what uh DJ said, then what would those LTFM dollars be? I guess I don't understand why It's this one, right? That's what you're asking. If you know, it's just this and we said, "Okay, here's the building set." Then what's the updated LTFM for that? Right. Yeah. >> got it. And that goes back to that facilities plan which is what we talked about the last meeting, right? >> the old plan. >> These are the 14 buildings that would remain open. Strike through, strike through. Oh, I got you. Yeah, that's what I said I got 20 years ago. Okay. Yeah, okay. Um Which one was answered? I was wondering why Sandburg, sorry, I always get that confused with the Minneapolis school. Yeah. I said it right. Sandburg, um why why that one were like, "Yeah, we know we're keeping Sandburg." Location, condition of building space. And that's that's it? That's a lot. And and that decision, I I think the other really important part of that is again as we've talked about um during this process is trying to minimize the impact of moves on our students and our staff. So, that decision really was made with the closure of Robbinsdale Middle School and moving um Robbinsdale Middle School students to Sandburg. So, to now close that, we have to decide where to go to and we would be moving all of those students. Okay. But in that one other slide we were talking about um closing PMS. So, just wondering why the difference between those two. Just like I was wondering the difference between Armstrong and Cooper. I got nothing. >> [snorts] >> Um Look uh if you if you Is my mic switched on? It's on. It's like Let's let's change mics cuz I don't think it's I don't think it's picking it up. Let's try. Yeah, and Ray, [snorts] as you're listening to this, if you're not hearing the audio come through, please let us know. Yeah, I'm banging on it but the people at home are Oh, here it comes. There it is. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is this We were going to recess when Director Long was finished? Oh, we were? Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Can we just a little bio break? Oh. And then we'll come back. Yep. And my last question Okay. Pardon? Did you say no? Yeah, thanks, Ray. Thanks. Okay, I think we got it. When Director Long has finished with her questions, we you will be taking a bio break and then it'll be Bassett, Hill, and Brand Bowman. All right. So, the the easiest start to the answer is location. All right. So, if you if you if we were to if we were to move Sandburg students to Armstrong High School, that would put a middle school on the far west side of the district. Right down the block would be the other middle school. Um, so from a location standpoint, that's that would be it. Um and then as CFO Hollingsworth pointed out, then you start layering in um conditional uh parts to it. Um, and all the other stuff that goes into it from a size standpoint. Um usage of space, all of it. I mean, we can create a laundry list, but the first domino is location. of SUI to simply answer the question. So, if there's if we stay with the two high schools, then that then isn't an option, right? >> Yeah, because you would end up if you have two high schools, you have to keep both Sandburg and Plymouth in play. Okay. Yep. And then there wouldn't be moving it that PMS anywhere else. >> No, you'd keep it there. Yeah, you'd keep all four secondary buildings where they are currently. Yep. Okay. Um, so I know kind of this has been asked a couple of times before, but I was also wondering it, too. So, I'm going to ask it again. The cost of mothballing those buildings. And one that's already closed? Yeah. So built into the what we projected as an estimated savings that we would get for the reduction for the SOD plan, the cost of {quote} mothballing, low operational cost was already built into that number. So, just the assumption that you're going to be running baseline heat, you know, you can't have your pipes freeze, you can't do that sort of thing. Um with the anticipation that within the next few years like they're not going to be mothballed and under district ownership forever, right? Like at some point the board is going to have a conversation about what we do with our properties that we don't intend on ever reusing, reopening, repurposing, what have you. So, I would say that the buildings that are slated to close for '26 coming into the '26-'27 school year, the cost of mothballing was already {quote} built in to just lower utility rates and property insurance and that sort of thing that goes into it just to make sure that they remain they don't remain they don't become a district liability in that capacity. It was it's already there. It's part of the number. And then what what about staffing to keep the upkeep of those buildings in in that time? Well, there truly I mean I'll hedge on the word upkeep cuz I would say that where it's it's more preventative than it is up than keeping up. I will have a custodian that goes over and does a boiler check, do a walk-through of the building they're out. Um as far as shoveling, plowing, again, it's not going to be a high priority. We're going to do the operational buildings first, so there's there should be no garbage collection, there should be, you know, minimal water, minimal heat, staff person just to go over and do a quick building boiler check, building walk-through and they're out. So, it's minimal in the scheme of there's no cleaning, there's no, you know, day-to-day operations that are going on. There's just making sure it's okay and leaving. And then I brought this up months ago, too. How are we going to ensure that a charter school is not our buildings? Do we need to be talking to cities about that? Like how do we ensure that doesn't happen? >> You you control your properties. You get to make the decision on who that gets sold to. And then whoever buys that, then if they turn around and sell it You're going to have covenants. Condition of sale. And that that'll be written into the whatever the board however the board decides to write the term of the agreement is how it gets written. Keep them coming. Okay, in that case it's 9:30. It's been over 2 hours. We're going to take a bio break and come back with Director Bassett, Hill and Brand and Bowman for starters, okay? And then Printice and Thank you. Let's do 10 minutes? 10 minutes. >> Mhm. >> This will come up Starting right where we left off, Director Bassett, did you have any more questions or comments? Oh, I do. And And so, one of my first questions kind of has to do with your map. Uh the map that has the green forest and fair and crystal and fair in it. Um I'm clear about uh what you said about the five that remain. Oh, well, in the one scenario, there's Robbinsdale Middle. Uh as an elementary and then the other one This one has problems. Yeah, yeah, I just had to look back and forth. So, um I'm not so much focused on them right now, although I do think there's a big question about RMS. That's not been answered. As you know. Um so, about the three schools. And so, they remain there. And so, under what would you say about those three schools there? Because of they're not in your plan for geographic main- maintenance of the buildings that are plotted. Are these three then those that would fall off of the inventory? It is kind of a question. Uh or are there some thoughts you have about those? And and that's one of the things that led me to to my focus comments about Fair Crystal. A building really that has a specific use in mind when it was built is really my point. Um I, along with a I'm sure most people believe that we're going to do our best and highest use in every building. You know, but I just used that term for that building because of its unique characteristics. Our thoughts? >> question. Yep. All right. So, as we worked through it, our our initial thoughts were the assumption the assumption that you're at one high school. So, live in that world for the moment. One high school. That would mean that more than likely a good place to put Fair Chris- to put New Hope Learning Center is Fair Pilgrim in that building. That'd be an idea. If If Fair Pilgrim Fair You said Fair Fair Pilgrim, you said? What? I I disagree. Yeah, well. >> [laughter] >> You don't get a vote right now. Um that's one thought. Would be that if you didn't have a place for New Hope Learning Center, >> Sure. it goes into an elementary school. The one thought would be to use the Fair Pilgrim site. But to your overall question, those those three greens, so Forest, Fair Crystal, and Fair Pilgrim, that is exactly the question. Yeah, yeah. What what seems to make most sense, right? I think one option is you tackle the Fair Crystal. What do you use that building for at the end? You pull that off and say we we want to use that for something. We don't know exactly what that is yet, but we don't want to lose it as a as a place. The other option is you say we want that to be one of the elementary schools. Um and and you do that. However, in this model, if you look geographically, Forest is more from a location standpoint a better location as a neighborhood elementary school. And so that what you're asking is the exact it's the exact thing we go back and forth with. Of I don't know that I have a great Yeah. answer to it, but a decision at some point's got to be made about it. I I agree and um I guess that I I one logic is to kind of address it at the sometime in the future way down the road and and I think it makes some sense to think about it now. Um you know, because what you said makes sense about Fair uh Forest being more geographically located, turn more central than some of the others. And then um So you you've kind of answered it. So they're still you they're still in contemplation. We We haven't just made, you know, the board hasn't decided and you don't have a recommendation. I I think the the recommendation is what's on these I lost my screens. There it is. Oh. Is really what's on the screen now of >> [snorts] >> We're pretty certain that Zachary and Northport Middle Lake and see from a geographical location, that would be our recommendation. No matter what, you keep those. Mhm. If if Robbinsdale Middle School becomes an elementary site, then from simply from a geographical location, you're probably looking at Forest as an elementary. I could make the argument that if Lakeview is a remaining site, maybe Fair Crystal is your other elementary and you do something different with Forest. But, we throw either one of those out there and I'm sure one one group of people at home is going, "No, you can't do that." And we throw another one out and another group at So, it Those are really the next decisions after deciding and coming to agreement around the the blue highlighted buildings. Is what we do with with those three in the middle. Thank you. So, in some sense that turns that turns into between Lakeview and a brand new Robbinsdale Middle School. In some In some In some level. I I think if if it's the around high elementary, whatever it you know. If the if the assumption that we keep in there is we want to keep an elementary school in the city of Robbinsdale. That's the assumption we're going off of, then it it's it's either you we're building on the Robbinsdale Middle site or we're keeping Lakeview where there is and we don't know what we're doing at the Robinson Middle School site. That's the assumption we're working off of. And either way, there's some costs associated with either option. Well, there's there's a much more expensive cost associated with That's right. building a new elementary school. I I and I understand that. And I guess the only thing I'm saying is that um you know, sometimes having things be more concrete with regard to what is planned to cost us can be helpful. You know, uh you know, all other things being taken into consideration. And I do think that that RMS question about a new middle school has to be addressed. You know, I mean uh you know, because it's talking about some new construction. And if it's talking about new construction, um how does that weigh against the one high school? The cost of that. Uh and if they're combined, what is that overall cost? We have those on all the slides that we shared. >> I'm just This is rhetorical. Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were asking the question, and we have exactly what that would be with the new build and one and renovating the high school. >> that before, but I'm just say I'm just kind of, you know, I just just want to be sure you've got questions answered. >> Well, I am. You know, I mean, I'm I'm working on it. You know, and so making sure that that I'm clear about what the option is. The option is is that we do a brand new build at Arbutus Middle School. There's going to be new build, it's going to be on top of whatever we're talking about for high school. If it's new build or or renovation. And and I just want to make sure I understand correctly that the question I asked before about if we take some of those buildings off of the LTFM spreadsheet, is is that really the same question that I just want to make sure I'm tracking cuz I'm like, am am I in a different universe here? Because it's really the same question. If we take some of those buildings that we already have said we're going to mothball and take them off, then we can just strike those and kind of look at what those savings might be, and um look at what the, you know, where that where that gets us you know kind of thing. I just want to make sure I was tracking because I'm like I heard it sounded like a different whole different conversation. You know when I heard it. I I like the idea of an aquatic. Can you put that little slide up there? The slides about all those things all the things. An aquatic center um I'm I'm open to that idea to seeing more about that. I still believe I believe that there may come a point in time where we need one high school. I don't think we're there. I feel like in maybe 5 years down the road we may be closer to that spot. I think that any improvements that we make to the building if I what you've said what we've said about Cooper makes more sense to me. So if we're going to be doing some renovation and some repairs to the buildings anyway that we're making those kind of investments at Cooper makes sense because we've talked about using that same one scenario talks about using that same I don't know if it's the envelope the inner the outer using some part of that construction and just build on. So that's one thing we've talked about. So early renovations and repairs to that building can serve whatever purpose it needs to down the road. So I I just think that unless you have a date kind of a estimated date certain as to when you think of the senses of the high schools [clears throat] will be reduced enough to go to one building. A projection about what do you think that is? If it's 2 years 4 years 7 years down the road? When? And in the ideal senses at that time would be X number of students. That's what you're going to build for. And there are And you we also would have some indicators about demand as we go forward because to build a building believing that they will come. And then we have I'll just say for the sake of argument a 3,300 student building. But the census that has been projected continues to go. And I just want to say this because I've heard you know, several times in different places before and now uh we all are making investments in our children. It's just a choice of which things are we doing. So anything we talk about doing here tonight and going forward that's going to better this district is investing in the children. There's no one way that invest better. Well, some people may believe it does. You know, I mean we all have our opinions. But it's all investment as far as I'm concerned. So I don't think anybody has a corner on that. You know, but um so the middle schools we've talked about the Spanish immersion program. I think Cabin is seven. >> [laughter] >> You know, I I you know, I think it exists the way it is. I think it makes some sense to really look at the uh the Salasin site uh and uh moving that building there because I think the cost for repair of both of those buildings of I'm not I can't remember that chart. I've got it home and I'll look at it. But the comparable cost between repairs to um RSI as it stands right now at Sunny Hollow and what we were going to have to invest to improve Salasin um the comparisons I think were pretty comparable. I don't think they were that far apart. So if we're going to invest in a building I would like to see us look at that building as an option as opposed to even Plymouth Middle School quite frankly. You know, um and because that would buy some time. If you're not moving Armstrong, you know, right now if you're not going to one high school because you can't do it all next week anyway. It's not going to happen immediately even if you say you're going to go to one high school because they can't all fit. They don't have a place to put them. You know, so in the interim, you know, um I think paying attention to what we do with our Robbinsdale Spanish immersion with the Spanish immersion program makes a lot of sense to really pay attention to what we do with that site. And um I agree with you with the geographic sighting that you've done here with the blue buildings. I think that they make sense. Um I understand what you're saying about the I I just I'm not you know, I just don't know about the RMS site there for a new building. I'm going to have to think about those numbers again, but I do think some building in the Robbinsdale and I think a new building is our community deserves one. You know, deserves what does that mean? But anyway, um And I like the idea of the if we do if Pilgrim Lane comes off, then the early learning I think that was one of my early ideas. I mean, I'm just musing now. But uh to have it go there makes sense to me. Did at the time and does now. You know, for it to go up to you know, it's still be early childhood, you know, education. So, those are the only things I'm willing to kind of I mean, this the pool I'm willing to kind of continue to think about the aquatic pool. I think we need one cuz there's not a good place now. You know, so I'm not you know, I think there's there's a need for that. You know. Those are the only things that I have on my mind right now. Um Other than Fair Crystal becoming a neighborhood school. Done. Okay. Uh Director Hillenbrand? Okay. Um Go down the list, too. I think um I think you have me sold on one high school. Um I like the idea of everybody being able to have access to the same educational opportunities, no matter where in the district you live. Um, I think that the competition pool is important. I would say that, and I'm not sure which pool is in better condition, but if we could keep one of the pools and um Summit has more space around it, but um and have it be able to be warmer and have it as a lesson pool because the competition pools are really too cold for that. Um you have to remember I have a community education background, so take everything I say knowing that with that. [laughter] Um you know, around that. Um, but it would be it would be great you could have also do Zumba and other water Zumba and all those other kinds of things in there, too, for our senior community during the day. It'd be really great. Um I I like the idea of um then being able to use Armstrong as a middle school and Sandburg as a middle school. Um you know, and moving RSI to Plymouth is great. Um you know, I'm not so sure about the middle school piece, but I think that's something I could come over time just cuz we just closed to to pair down the number of middle schools we have and um seem I don't know, especially if it'd have to if it would require additional administration, it seems like going backwards instead of forwards. Um You talking about Crystal? PMHS RSI and not going to K8 Oh, thank you. because it seems like going adding more administration when we just cut back administra- you know, it just seems like counter to what the direction we're going. Um, but you know, that could that could be something that could be years in the future as we um as things change. I would say that yeah, that we would eliminate and this may be something that's phased um magnet programming at the other elementaries, but keep the keep eliminate them as magnets keeping the programming and then expanding the programming to the other neighborhood elementaries. Um Okay, the RMS You know, this is interesting about the elementary buildings and sites because you know, one of the things looking at the map is now we're not going to have a school in Crystal. So, that's going to be an issue, right? You don't have a school in Robbinsdale. Now we've locked ourselves into we have to have a school in Robbinsdale. too small, so now we're going to spend money building it. Are we going to spend money building at RMS? But now we have no schools in Crystal. So, now is that going to be a problem? So, now we're locking ourselves Do you see it? Like we're creating this issue where you know, the city of Robbinsdale you know, said, "Oh, we don't we have to have a school in Robbinsdale. Now we're we're creating a proposal where we don't have a school in Crystal. I own a home in Crystal. Uh well, no, that's that but that's not one of the ones on the table to keep necessarily. We could decide to keep one. But what I'm saying is in this plan. So, that then hamstrings us again, right? And I I'm just pointing this out. I don't have any particular deep um need to have any particular one of these elementary schools, okay? So, I don't I'm just pointing out that we're creating this cycle, right? And then if we pull one of the then New Hope doesn't have one. Then this one doesn't, right? And so, I want to just say that we set a precedent. Right? We told Robbinsdale, "Oh, well, okay, you said we have to have one, so now we have to have one." So, now we may be Crystal may come to us and say, "You have to have one in Crystal because our property values are going to go down." And I just want us to all be prepared for that. That's I'm just throwing that out there. Um So, good, bad, or otherwise, just putting it out there. Um but at the RMS site, this is something years ago we when I had worked in the district, we had talked about, but we had talked just thinking about my son who half an hour ago went to captain's practice for lacrosse was building a dome. Um so just throwing that out there as another idea as we're talking ideas, but we had talked about having um a turf and a dome so that um a lot of these spring fall sports that the weather is iffy and there's not a lot of space to practice, which is why my son's practicing at 9:30. Where he's practicing. Um and good for him. He's young, he can do it. Um I'm not staying up till he gets home. Um But you might want to You won't. I don't know. I don't think so. But anyway, um and then um but uh so yeah, so that's I just wanted to put point that out about Crystal. And then but speaking of Crystal and the the Fair Crystal building another thought and this is again the community Edlands, but you know, um in Hopkins they have the Eisenhower Center, right? Where they we could have that be a like a community Ed Center, a performing arts center. It could be rented out, be used for um PD days, it could be used for events, it could be used for community Ed classes, all sorts of different things. And I think because it has those specialized spaces, it would be really valuable. So that might be another really interesting thing because I don't know that there's a lot of those spaces or there will be those spaces um other than obviously when schools are closed and you have the auditoriums and things like that. But that might be an interesting um opportunity for Fair Crystal and then schools could use it also, right? Because they could use it for different events and plays and whatnot. And then obviously that would leave plenty of places for early learning to go and I don't know if that's helped you at all cuz now I just threw out a bunch of random ideas. But those are my thoughts. And oh, one other thing about numbers of kids and having to do with the high school and everything. You know, I I saw something from a state demographer um on Friday um which he didn't say anything that we haven't heard before except one thing that he pointed out and it's really good to remember is that all the reports that we heard from Hazel Reinhardt were before natural surge. And that has definitely had an impact and a cooling on our numbers in our state and and immigration which is what has been holding up our population in the state and which is where a lot of our younger kid like our our student population growth has come from in the metro area. So I just want to put that out there that also um that puts a damper on number of kids to expect over the next few years. So I just wanted to throw that out there as well. That's it. Yeah, I just I just want to have one follow-up um thanks uh Aviva. Will you go to but will you go to the maps slides? So just make sure check my math on this CFO Ho Hazel um but in both cases we only have five blue Mhm. and we have RSI assumption of the red. So we do we will be needing one other elementary. So just your point in Crystal and for the Crystal residents and everyone who's listening right now. So the the option could well um exist yet that ultimately the board will make decisions whether it's the new build on RMS or not that we will need one of those other schools that are currently Mhm. options. [clears throat] Director Bowman. Thank you. Um Couple of really dumb questions, but still they'll keep me up all night. Um thinking of empty buildings, do we have a like alarms temperature alarms in all those buildings? Okay, great. Um and then my other concern I was in this community at the Crystal site of the Crystal Shopping Center and my one [clears throat] concern is uh would that space could that space also which we wouldn't have as much control over be rented out as a charter school cuz when you walk into it you've got all these classrooms that are there and I know it'll be a few years before we phase that building out. But as I walked through that building the other day I thought uh-oh this could be problematic in the future. So I just want to put that on the table when it comes to the Crystal site. Um What's that? I said we're stripping all of our stuff out of there. So what if it leaves the building there with all the classrooms and with all the >> restrooms and all the other amenities that we built in there. I'm not promoting what we should do to it either way, but I just looked at it and saw okay, we don't have control like we would have control over selling a building uh but we don't have control over what happens to that property once we vacate it. So and then um I have just really loved hearing the ideas tonight and it's fun to be sitting at the table with people thinking outside the box and thinking of some other things it's something I haven't seen in my time this time around in this board. And just my point in making that statement is that as I've given it a lot of thought the one thing I realization I've really come to is that uh recapture is a term we sort of need to retire as in my mind as I look forward to the district and I really want to replace that with building a destination district. So, I don't think we can recapture, but I think that we can pull people in because of what we've built as a destination district in the future. Thank you. Judge Brintson. >> [snorts] >> Oh, I through the list. All right, here we go. Uh high schools, I do believe we should have one high school slash one set of programming at the high school level. Whatever that means, you get what I mean. Um in terms of the competition pool, I mean, sure. I don't I would still love to know how much you I mean, like if you're a swimmer at Armstrong or Cooper today, the divers don't dive at Plymouth or Sandburg. They go to another place, they compete, we spend money to do that, then they come back. Right? So, like how much are we spending to do these other things? Cuz there's a cost analysis there, right? Like we are spending money to send kids off other places. It'd be good to know it's not 26 million. I get that, but there is some number. >> [laughter] >> Right? Like I'd love to know what that number is. That's all. I I can get you that. Okay. >> We do uh diving at Anthony, just wait cuz it makes you got to talk into the mic. Or maybe use use DJ's. No, they put new heaters in both of them. >> Okay, can you All right. Um I I can get you that uh information about the the the diving. Um we do Um our diving is done at the uh Plymouth Lifetime Fitness. That's where that's done. Um all right, middle schools, uh if you go with the one high school concept at Cooper, I'm cool with Armstrong and Sandburg. Makes tons of sense. Uh Spanish immersion, I think it should not be K-8. It should be about its same size. Here's where I'm going to deviate for a hot second. Um cuz I do agree by saying you're going to move RSI to Plymouth, I do think you kind of box yourself in a little bit in this scenario. I believe that an option that might be worth considering, if you think about it, would be to put RSI at Fair Crystal. Yes, it costs $5 million or whatever it is to expand that site. I get that. But, if you were to do that you put RSI right in the middle, you're using Forest Elementary as another blue box at that point in time, and there's your six elementaries with Fair Crystal right there, and I would use Plymouth Middle School at that point in time for all of those other things that we have, right? Early learning, community ed, da da da da da, right? Like, between Plymouth Middle School and the extra space you have at Armstrong you're going to fit everything there. It just would. So, and and it's probably going to be easier to renovate Fair Crystal for an elementary than it is going to be to renovate Plymouth Middle School. I'd say. So, I I think there's some from a math and logic perspective, it probably makes some sense to consider that as an option. Um >> [snorts] >> At that point in time, right? Um I'm you know you're making the assumption that that we are doing something for elementary like this magnet program that we're going to be in arts and innovation, this would be at all the elementary schools, that's fantastic, wonderful. Um I'm not I don't think we need to build anything at RMS site, I really don't. There's a school at Lakeview, it's fine. I don't like that's another $50 million or whatever it is, right? Like, at some point in time we have to look at the public straight face and go here here's the number. You know, we need to make it palatable for them. If If so big, they're just going to say no. They just are. So, like we don't need it. We have a building, so we don't need to build another one. Um and then I already answered the long-term elementary sites. Early learning education can fit into Plymouth Middle School as well because heck there's plenty of room. And at that point in time, you can go sell Noble, Neil, the old Sunny Hollow, Sonnesyn, right like go down the list, get out of those properties, sell them all, make some money, pay down the bond. Thank you. I'm just EV. I'm next. Okay. Um I I know that I spoke about the high schools. Competition pool, I'm fine with that. Um the middle schools I just talked about. Um what I didn't talk about was the RMS site. And I I have a hard time asking the community for money to build a brand new elementary school [clears throat] and we're trying to close other buildings when we have Lakeview there. I mean, in my dreams out in the future, that would be an amazing place for a big elementary campus or something. I don't want to get rid of it. But I don't want to use it right now. I want to keep I would do keep Lakeview, keep Meadow Lake, keep North Port, uh keep C um keep The only thing I would change is um Lakeview instead of the RMS site and then I'd probably throw in Crystal. Not Crystal. I would throw in uh Forest, but I really like the Chris Fair Crystal. Uh I sent as a center for the arts or as something. So, I I would do the LTFM on that one, too. That makes sense. Too much? Um let's see. I think that's it. Yep. Keep Lakeview. That's good. Um Well, it's Director Long next. I can put you down though. And after? Yeah, you after Director Long. Okay. Okay, so I have some So, this the pool, what is the solo cost of that pool? The build of that. It's like 24. I think it's 24. I can find it while you're If you have other ones. Yeah, and then just wondering, will the community have access to that? Or is it just going to be solo for our use as a school district? Have we not gotten that far yet? Um I I would imagine after practices um that the community would have access. That's how our pools work. So, we do um we do provide lessons, and then we also have a group that that uses it as a swim team, a a youth group. So. It going to be warmer? They use it as it is. They There's always questions about the temperature, but they get in and they swim. Okay. >> [laughter] >> Okay. Question answered. Okay, and then if you could answer for the community too, they feel that we don't use the current pools that we have. Um can you say more about that because our our pools The only time we didn't use the pool was last summer because we had roofing at Sandburg, and we had a repair at Plymouth, but our pools are pretty much in use almost every night from from community groups. From community groups, but otherwise we don't use them as a district at all? Our swim teams. Just our swim teams and then our So, when I say community groups I'm talking community ed and then also community groups. Um and then our swim teams use them during the swim season, but I don't know I don't I haven't gotten that feedback that the pools are aren't used or accessible. Okay. That was the question I had. I don't I asked the question. >> They're probably available at 9:00 a.m. for you. I know I'm not going to want to go for a swim at 9:00 a.m., but thank you. Ruin my hair. Okay. For the day. Um okay, so I yeah, I still am I still like the two high schools. Okay. Um I'm not sure about this pool thing at this time with what's going on with um What? Is the No, you have the number. Think >> 26.8 million. Huh? Well, that seems reasonable. Yeah. 26.8 million and that's just for the pool. Oh, that's That's what was originally scoped at. Right, there's there's no detail to that, right? So that is a that's that is Nexus and the architect saying not knowing any details, here's what we predict it would cost to put a pool in. Does that include like diving boards and >> Don't know anything other than that. So it could be more than that, could be less than that. And talking tiles? The what? [laughter] The talking tiles. And I think just at that point, I think it is important for the the community to also hear that that's why part of this direction from the board is so important because each step of the way then we're able to get this information back to the folks who are trying to scope and figure out the numbers. So that's why it's all So don't Nothing is Nothing has been decided. No amounts are exactly right at this point. Sorry, Carolyn. No, that's fine cuz asking questions, so I need answers. Um Oh, I'm s- Yeah, I don't I don't have uh honest thoughts right now about what I thinking about Spanish immersion uh program. I just feel that like I just felt like Plymouth Middle School would just be too big for RSI. Um Uh as far as like that I don't know. I just RSI, [snorts] I mean, you know, I guess I still kind of go back to like my original thought about RSI, like, you know, it's got a good location on a bus stop, you know, when we're thinking about our alternative students that go to Highview, like, I think that would be a better place for it than putting it out in Plymouth Middle S- putting them out in Plymouth Middle School or putting them out at Armstrong, you know, because then we could access those students who you know, might want to use public transportation to get to and from school whenever that is. You know, working at an alternative school myself, you know, the school day starts at 8:30, but kids roll in anywhere from 8:30 until 11:00 for their school day, you know, and a lot of them are using public transportation to get to those sites. Um and then roll out, you know, anytime after lunch um because of jobs or whatever else it is that they have to get to. So, um I also think, you know, if we're going to get rid of that Crystal um location, that again, bus stops are probably good for people who are going to be accessing you know, adult education and you know, and I so I just worry about some of these other programs if we stick them out further in the suburbs where public transportation isn't as accessible, what is that going to do to those programming? Um, even, you know, early childhood education, you know, we have parents coming with little kids. I mean, you know, are they accessing public educate uh public transportation too? Or are they all using vehicles? I don't know. I don't know what our demographic looks like in that. So, I guess for me I I just still Yeah, and I I'm not willing to commit to Right now, I feel like we need to stabilize. I'm not really committing to like wanting to close more elementary schools, especially like when Neil is on there and we're talking about moving students from Sanason and other schools over to Neil. Now we're going to talk about closing Neil. Like, that just is really emotional for me. So, I'm not really committed to an- any of these things. Have more questions and more things that I want to be considered. Done? Dr. Bassett, I just have to switch plug-ins here. Actually, um I go uh Director Long, I really appreciate what you just you said and reminding us about uh when we move these programs, um access for community depending on the program is important. I I appreciate your comments about that. >> [clears throat] >> Um, I I have to say I did like the idea of another school going into Fair Crystal. Simply because I just think it's it's it's purpose. I like the idea too about um you know, having a a center of sorts. Maybe not the um um Eisenhower or whatever they that program is over in that other district which shall remain nameless, you know, but uh but you know, to have a center uh that you can accommodate our students, I think it, you know, has a great deal of appeal. I I'd like that better than I like the competition pool, you know, after I heard how much it cost. You know, um because I I really do want to see us invest whatever dollars, new dollars, old dollars into the facilities that we keep. And, um I your comment also, Director Long, was very sobering about uh the fact that a couple of the buildings that have already pulled, for example, Neill's not on here, and they would be moving. You know, again, um that does, you know, I hate to see that, quite frankly. But, um you know, we are trying to go forward. And, um So, with that in mind, I I'm just saying that I I'm seeing the things I'm talking about are the directions that I'm leaning in. I still believe that is premature, you know, I'd like for us to um phase out this whole one high school idea. You know, and so I'm when I say I'm for two high schools, it's because I see it as a phased approach. You know, and I do believe, and I've said this before, I do believe there's a lot of work that needs to go into an investment. Not When I say work, I mean investment into the families with regard to blending those high schools together. I think there's a great deal of work that needs to happen there. And, uh you know, I don't think it's going to happen through osmosis. All of a sudden, it's going to be there, it's going to be great. We still have all across this district, staff and students and adults who are dealing with still trying to make it with all the trauma that everybody has gone through over the last few years to all of and not to mention what we're doing in the school district with all these changes. So, I I do think that it's a kind of a I I'm a realist to think that we're going have one new school and it's going to one school that's going to be Kumbaya and everybody's going to be excited. They're going to have the same programming. I think that's going to take the kind of focus that we appear to be moving toward right now with our administration where we're trying to improve all the programs we have. I think trying to infuse whatever we have magnetized in these programs that are magnets and then to filter that out to the other buildings that are neighborhood schools is going to be a job all by itself. And uh that is just because we pronounce it from this table doesn't mean it's going to happen. I think we need to I would like to see a track record of actually getting that done uh in terms of the preparation some of it down the road a little further for how we're blending that and how we're planning and how it's getting there than uh to say oh one high school it's all going to be the same. Uh and I'm not you know no disparagement for anybody else. I'm just talking about human nature. We it's not been that way you know I mean we have I mean when we think about some of the polarization between our schools right now there's a lot of work that has to to go into that. So I think we're realistically talking about phase down the road anyway. I I I'd like to be more planful in understanding that it's going to be down the road and I would like to be more planful with looking at what is it going to take for us to make sure that we are in a place uh that's going to be nurturing for all of our kids. Putting them all together without a concrete mapping of how that happens that gets at some of those social emotional stuff that everybody's dealing with. And the cross-cultural way that people will come together those are real things. It's happening in America. We're not on an island someplace. You know. I I I do worry about that. So, I think without a plan for a way to do it and I I I think sometimes thinking about the one high school uh gets me thinking about well, what about all the incremental steps that need to happen along the way? And having heard people in this district talk about wanting to be fair at all the schools and equity and all the things for 20 years and here we are today talking about those same challenges. We haven't explicitly said it, but we have talked about, you know, that we want to have them all have the same. That's what we're saying. And I'm saying that just because we pronounce it doesn't make it so without the work. And so, as far as the plan for how the work goes on, I just think it's incremental. It's phased out and I think we need to be planful and deliberate and clear have clarity about what does that really mean? I don't know what it means to have one high school. Is it 10 years down the road? Is it 5 years down the road? What are the kinds of things that we're going to build in to make sure we get there? I'm not so sure about that. So, um you know, and I think I I was a more neutral on the aquatic pool, the competition pool earlier. I'm less neutral on it now. I'm more about trying to make sure that we invest in the kinds of things that we and I especially since we're already using the pools and maybe they need some more, you know, shushing up. You know, but um no, I I like some of the ideas about, you know, I look I love the dome idea. That got me all excited. Didn't take much for me to get excited, you know, but but when I really kind of think about what does it mean to have one high school in the Robbinsdale School District and when might we have a census that really needs requires one high school. And one of the programmatic kinds of things we're going to do along the way to make sure when we do build it that it's going to be sustainable, desirable, what people want. You know, I mean, you know, some people might come for a brand new shiny building, but I mean, Forest is shiny. Oh, maybe not so shiny as it once was, but it's relatively shiny. It was really shiny when it got built. So was Fair Crystal. It was shiny. So what's our numbers we're talking about? The reason where you came to us is because we have the 2 to 300s in each one of these buildings that can hold 5 to 600 kids. That's even in the shiny ones. So I I mean, I I just you know, I think the work is we're doing, you know, great work on the staff. No shade on anybody. You know, you're doing what you need to be doing, but I just like to keep it real. And I think there's a whole lot of work to be to be done. You know, sit here and say, "Well, we want one high school." Well, there's a lot of work that needs to be done before we have one high school that's going to really, you know, really make the difference. I just don't know about that. Okay. Executive Director Williams and Superintendent Dollar, who needs to go first? You. >> [laughter] >> Well, I don't know what it is, but I don't know what it is. But I just I just I appreciate the questions and the concerns, and I just again if this board determines to go out for a bond, if the community approves it, we have a phased approach to opening a one high school model. And all of those things that you talked about would absolutely be the priority. She wants it now, though. Right, but but again and again I I I appreciate that so much and again I I we're trying we're trying to get the direction from you all that we need. And as decisions are made and I hope we're already proving this, right? As decisions were made last fall regarding which schools were closed and consolidated, then we begin all of the transition, all of the planning for what middle school programming can look like if we change what the Spanish immersion looks like, if we change Fair Crystal. Um so as those decisions are made, certainly everything that you said, Director Bassett, we know, right? Several of us have been in very large high schools. We know what it takes to build community, whether it's a high school of 1,200 or a high school of 3,000 or a high school of 300. It takes relationships, it takes ensuring that there are opportunities for every student to be engaged, it takes amazing staff who are building relationships and supporting kids every day. So so I just want to also put into the space, you know, I appreciate the questions and the concerns that you have about about that. Um and we recognize that as well. And that's that's just part of the work moving forward if that's the direction the board the board provides. Thank you, Director Williams. I Yeah, I wasn't I you know, wasn't going to speak tonight, but I do I I see the competition pool up there and I I hear um the conversations around the competition pool and Director Bassett, I'm glad that you you um I think you sort of answered it in in or referenced it in your last comments. Um and I I do know I wasn't aware of a $26 million price tag, but I do want to you know, let you all know that our current pools um are are not in good shape. So, whether you do a competition pool or or or something down the line, we have a very successful aquatics program, a very successful swim team, and and that is growing in Armstrong and Cooper, and the pools that they're swimming in now are not are not adequate. So, there will need to be a decision around investment in a pool, you know, whether that's competition pool or updating our current pools. I I think that's something that it won't be a zero cost. You know, a decision as you as you think about what going forward. Thank you. Director Brenteson. Two things super fast cuz I'm skimming through my notes too fast. Um number one, uh I I on the one high school thing, we were talking about this before. I mean, Cooper's at 1,200 kids today. Decent chance they're around 1,100 next year. We're talking 3 to 4 years before we'd have one high school. Right? [snorts] I mean, that from a construction standpoint, right? I mean, I don't know. chances of Cooper being under 1,000 kids by then? Pretty high. >> [snorts] >> So, I I'm just saying from a demographic standpoint, it's kind of pushing that way regardless. >> Yeah, I would I would echo that. And so, um the last presentation that we gave to the board, we had two slides in there. One was the a slide from Hazel Reinhardt. It was the total um enrollment. The other slide was enrollment uh projections broken out by elementary, middle school, and high school. Uh when we look out to 2030 and we look out to 2034, and you take out the students for um Highview, you take out students for RVA, you're somewhere in the ballpark, if everything stays as is right now, you're somewhere in the ballpark of 20 2,750 to 2,900. I mean that that's those are those are the numbers. Um nothing's changed um with the numbers that we've provided since last August with regard to that, which is again, I'll just remind for the public, we're using the I go to this slide, right? There's a reason why we've done this. We're we're going back to this information as grounding information. It is what we are using, it's what we've been using, it's what we'll continue to use to help ground us and make our decisions. It's all accessible online. Um the slide decks of every presentation we've given that has the details of it in it. But but that is we're we're going to be under 3,000 kids by all projections at the high school level out 2030, 2034. I'm sorry, did you say 20 what? Just since you're saying it now. >> 2030. By 2030. Yeah, I just wanted to hear him say that again. Okay. Yeah, so my my point is just that the the the numbers are going that way and I'd asked about open enrollment numbers into the district earlier, right? I mean there are What's the magic number? There are 1,300 students open enrolled into the district today. How many do we lose because of transportation in Minneapolis? Who knows, but it's a possibility it goes down. The second thing I forgot to note that I I do think is important. The district office should live in a high school or at the middle school or somewhere with kids. Look at St. Anthony Village is a great example of that, right? I I think there's a there's a connection point that is important that the district office be with the students. Good point. You're after me. Okay, I just have a couple had a couple questions. Mine is very similar to yours, Director Berendsen. Assuming that we had a referendum go out in the fall and assuming that it passed for making one high school, how long till there's money and then it can start being built and be finished being built? We can and and working on again to try to estimate impacts if we plan on going to a vote. Um, we could have money relatively quickly. You would start the design phase um for construction in this I'd go 18 months. I mean typically it like >> construction? Well, the thing to combine it. I mean instruction never changes because you would keep if you were going to >> Construction. Construction. I'm sorry. Um, [snorts] >> It's late. It is late. Um, if you to get all of the students to one campus would be 18 you're talking a couple school years to get them to one campus. So, for sure not this next year and then two more years after that probably which is plenty of time for the facing. Okay. Yes, your point and mine. Okay, is C school a four section school right now? So, in the map with the blue, does that make more sense to not have it be C and have it be Neil? Since Neil is a four section school? Condition of building I would say has to be factored in. And C is a better condition? Yes. We just do all the construction. >> Yeah. >> Okay. It's also at C school at also. >> [laughter] >> And then I also just want to table on Director Hillenbrand's about operation metro surge impacting enrollment. And with just a worry that is not impacting it yet? We don't know. Okay. Thanks. I think the closest, you know, one of the things in and CFO Hohai's will have this on what one of those first slides she shared was she the slide was specific to COVID and SR dollars, but I think we all recall the enrollment decline. I think statewide nationally it was a 2% loss of students. I don't know the degree to which that is rebounded, but I know in several districts it hasn't. So I think it's a good question. Okay, after me now Director Long. So I was just wondering about for the pools what the cost would be to repair them. And could that be LTFM dollars? The repairing, yes. The altering, no. Okay. Can't make them deeper. >> You can't make them deeper. Huh? You cannot make the pools deeper. So then they need to be deeper? Yes. Okay. So Without a referendum. Could I know the cost of repairing them and then the possible cost to upgrade them? Cuz the cost to repair them would be LTFM dollars, right? Correct. >> the cost to repair them would be The cost to upgrade would be capital dollars in some way. Ah. I'm also concerned too like if we build this one high school are we making that high school too big? I'm worried about our enrollment and if we continue to see declines, I don't want a really big high school and then we're worried about um not having the student body to fill it. Okay, I don't see any more hands. Or Is that a think future answer? Well Well, well, I think I I think it's a great question. I think there's so many what-ifs. Um and I we've used the word uh you know, as we look at our current capture rate, that's certainly something that um we want to be sure that we are, right? The destination district, the choice district for our resident families, for sure. And hopefully there'll be others, just like there are now, that um want the programming and the culture and the environment that we have here. So, um I think I think that's part of what we would look at to say what happens if we do nothing? What happens if we if we do what we're talking about here, and there's certainly questions either way. You know, if we do if we do nothing with our facilities, but fix them where when we can, and don't necessarily have some of the additional modern learning facilities and opportunities for our kids in terms of CTE and career pathways, what happens to our population then? I don't know. Um and what happens to our population if we have um facilities that and opportunities that more will want to hopefully choose us for. They're great questions, and that's certainly part of what we need to continue to talk about, and we need to get some of that information from our community as well. What do you think of that? Well, I uh to I'm just kind of responding to what you just said, Superintendent. Um I do think that um there's a kind of a I do think that investing in the buildings with new dollars to a certain extent is important. When I hear um because some of the the buildings that we retain, they're going to require more than just LTFM to actually make them be better and to be magnets in and of themselves. Do they need to be a Cadillac? Maybe they can be a Buick or an Oldsmobile. You know, we're looking for Lamborghinis here. >> I'm just saying. You know, I mean, you know, does it have to go all the way up to the top I mean, because if if we want to invest in the buildings and you we have expertise that's telling us here's the bare minimum with LTFM, here's what you can do based on what our assessment is of these buildings about what needs to happen in these buildings for them to be more desirable and here's what we might recommend to to make them at the top of the line, whether that's because all of them, if we're going to invest money in them, we might as well if we're only going to have five or six, they should be all we can make them. You know, and so that might require an investment of cash. That's defensible. That's really doing what we want to do for all of our kids and I am interested in understanding that a little bit better. I like your line I'm sorry. Okay, I like your line of thinking. Okay. As far as outcomes for this part of the meeting goes, how are you feeling? Are you feeling like we can move on to the next part of the meeting and revisit this and eventually have motions? Well, then I'm feeling like that, too. Let's move on. Okay, good. Okay. Uh, changes to the 2025 school board meeting schedule to include potential additional study session dates and I believe superintendent has some proposed dates. >> I am and I apologize for not um, I should have sent this to earlier today. Um, what we uh, what we took a look at um, as we backward mapped from ultimately a decision that the board will have to make in June um, about whether or not we'll be putting a a ballot question or a question on the ballot. Um, we added some potential dates on the what's in front of you right now. So, I've got all the board meetings listed between April 6th and June 15th in black. Those are the dates that are currently um, set for board meetings. And we anticipated that late April really May uh, as potential opportunities that we'd need more time with you as we get further along with decisions, get some input from community members, and come back to you to see how that informs decisions. Um, so I'm not sure chair how I don't know if there are some of these that folks would say absolutely not or if we can put holds. I don't know that we're going to need them all. I don't know that we're going to need any of them, but we'd rather have holds. Yes, for sure. And that's why I apologize for not getting it to you earlier. >> calendars. Just like take take like 2 minutes check your calendars. I'm not talking about it right now. Yeah. Okay. All right. We have you know, we We okay, we have another meeting on April 6th. If just don't want to make any extra plans for those dates until after April 6th. But um, maybe on April 6th we can firm these up. Sure. Will that work? We're meeting before April 6th, right? No, that's our next meeting. Yeah, that's our next meeting. Spring. God, this year flew. Okay. So, that'd be great if you can check if you can check all your calendars and be prepared if we were to say, "Hey, we're not ask for action on adding or putting a hold in scheduling meetings as needed." If they work for you, if there are there's a date in here that doesn't work for several of you, then I think we have to eliminate that. >> [snorts] >> Okay. You want anything before the meeting on the 6th? It probably would be really great. >> want to let Hello. Who should we let know? Me? Molly? I think Molly would be great. >> Let Molly know if Okay. If you know one of these four dates does not work for you, let Molly know. Cuz I'm pretty sure that they work for me. Sounds great. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. All right, that wasn't too hard. Moving along to board governance. All right, like I said in the email, we made a little boo-boo at the last meeting when [snorts] we decided to have our uh election post-election canvassing meeting the day after the election. Can't do that. State statute is 3 days after to 10 days after. So, the suggestion is We had two suggestions. >> [snorts] >> I just have to skip down to it here. The board meeting schedule >> of Friday, November 6th or Tuesday, November 10th in the >> Yes, the morning of November 6th at like 7:00 or 7:30 in the morning or the evening of uh November 10th on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. It would be like a 15-minute meeting. It could be done. People can zoom in or Google in or whatever people would want to do as long as there's somebody in this room, we can do that. According to the rules. So, does Do you guys have a preference? I'll vote Friday morning. Friday morning? I'll do whatever the group does. How about for the teacher? Would a Friday morning at that work for you? I'd Yeah, I'd rather not just cuz I have a staff meeting that starts right at 8:00 on Fridays. >> [clears throat] >> It's a 15-minute meeting though. No, not 6:00 a.m. Not at 5:00. >> That's not >> Did you say 6:00 a.m.? That's what you just said. >> a.m. anyway? There we go, right there. Me too. I don't wake up We'll be at the meeting. >> [laughter] >> Honestly, I'm not a morning person, but I'll do whatever everybody else does. >> You do not want to see me at 6:00 a.m., but that's what you want. What do you want? Director Wong said no. Okay. Tuesday, you're thinking Tuesday? Did you say the 6th? Tuesday the 11th the 10th at 6:00 p.m. Okay. Okay. Director Brinson, Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. for 15 minutes? Okay, all in favor uh well Oops. Do we have to move this probably? I move we have it Tuesday, November 10th at 6:00 p.m. Please have a second. I'll second. >> Seconded by Helenbrand. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, say no. See you on Tuesday, November 10th. Do we have to vote the wrong date out? No, we just overrode it. Okay, cuz it's illegal. We can't do it. So, okay, the next thing is the school board self-evaluation. Um The results are in and it's just like a chart. And I really think we need to have Gil Gliman from MSBA come or do it online. But we have money in our budget for board professional development. And I think this is important prof- I personally think it's important professional development for us. The decision to make is do you want to have her virtually or here? And the difference in price is $300. Uh $1,095 for virtually, $1,395 for here in person. I would like I think we will get more out of it if she's here in person. And we have the money for professional development. And the dates she's available are May 4th or May 18th. And so if you just let us know, I mean Either one. Those are both school board nights. And so in agenda setting, we'll decide which one of those two works. But I'm seeing all kinds of nods that yeah, we'll have the professional development here in Cool Bay. >> Can we just not have a packed agenda so that we're not all fried by the time we get to talk to her? Well, especially Director Bassett, if we add these other days in we're going to be just fine. >> Thanks a lot, Director Bassett. I won't write in that one. No, but but seriously, you know, we want to be >> Yeah, right. >> a board and board work. We It's important board work and we need to be able to all benefit from it. >> Yeah. Okay. So, we will have her here in person and it'll either be May 4th or the 18th and we will look at the agenda in agenda setting, make the decision and I'll contact her. I told her that we would be talking about it tonight and I would get back to her. So, that should work. >> Okay. Okay. Superintendent relations, community and Oh, sadly we're done. Good night, everyone. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, everyone. staff, thank you. Thanks, y'all. Really good information. You're lying. You're lying. >> Mhm.