Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. Everybody, hey Heat. Heat. >> [music] >> Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Hey Hey. [music] Hey. Hey. >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Everybody. It is 6 o'clock and I would like to call this meeting of the Robindale Area Schools School Board to order. It is Monday, December 15, 2025. We are in the Education Service Center boardroom. And at this time, I would like to read the land acknowledgement. We acknowledge Robbinsdale Area Schools is located on the homelands of the Dakota and Ojiu people. We recognize the painful history of genocide and forced assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of this land. We honor and respect 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 Ajiway languages, land-based education, and tribal sovereignty. At this time, will the clerk please call the role >> with pre uh Thank you. With pleasure. Director Basset >> here. >> Director Bowman Marks herself here. Chair Evans Becker. >> I'm here. >> Director Hillbrand >> here. >> Director Long >> here. >> Director Wuto >> here. Uh Dr. Stalo >> here. We are all here. And so the next thing on our agenda is approval of the agenda. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So moved. >> Moved by Director Wuto, seconded by Director Bowman. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Oppose say nay. >> We have an agenda. Okay. Next thing up is the consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted with one motion. There's no separate discussion of these items unless a board member so requests. In that event, the item will be removed as a consent agenda item and addressed separately. The consent agenda items are as follows. The legisl the 2026 legislative platform, the district calendar for 2026 27, monthly professional development report, meeting minutes, financial reports, by monthly dis disonly dispersement report for December 16th, business office monthly contract report, community education monthly contract report, dispersements for November 2025, monthly budget to actual report, personnel report, license and non-licensed report. >> Is there a director Basset? >> Would you like to make have the motion first, Jer? Because I I can make the motion to move it. I I just would like to um remove item two. >> Remove item two, the district calendar. >> I'll move the consent agenda with the exception of item two. >> Is there a second for uh for the consent agendrand with the exception of item number two, district calendar. >> Okay. I believe. Is that a roll call vote? >> Nope. >> Okay, then. And all in favor of approving? Yes. >> Yes. Wait. >> Wow. It is a roll call vote. >> It is. Sorry. Thank you. >> It has to do with money. >> Yes. >> Oh, it's on here. >> So, we are voting on approving the agenda minus item number two. When you are ready, Director Bowman. >> Yes. I'm almost there. >> All right. I'll do it this way. All right. Director Basset. >> Uh, yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. >> Director Hillbrand. >> Yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. Unanimous. >> Thank you very much. All right. The item that was pulled is the 2026 27 district calendar. Is there a move to approve the district calendar? I'll move it for discussion. >> It's been moved to approve the district calendar. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Moved by Director Basset, seconded by Director Bowman. >> Uh Director Basset. >> Thank you. Well, my concern is that um when the calendar was presented at the last meeting, uh it was kind of really the first uh opportunity we had to take a look at it. Since that time, we've heard some comments and uh you know, gotten some feedback and and for me myself, uh starting this will be the first time I think it's proposed to start before Labor Day. And maybe uh director uh or can talk about that, but uh that would be a departure from the historical departure. And so with all the attention that's on what we're doing with the closures, I'm just wanting to make sure that I'm not sure I'm clear about why we're making the change. And I'm sure the public may not know that as well. uh families, staff, everybody has uh plans that they've made already and I think moving this to a discussion at a later time might be fruitful for us for everybody to be clear about what that means to their families. There's a lot that's going on here and so to move this start time at the same time, I just think that's a lot and making sure that the community is aware of it. That's that's my rationale for wanting to maybe have it at a work session uh so we can hear a little bit more about what the rationale is, what the thinking is. And and I know in the past we've had both our executive director of uh human resources and uh the federation both come together and present the calendar. So I don't think that that's hum hugely unusual, but that's what we I've seen oftentimes in the past. And so, uh, I just wondered, but that's that's less my concern than what I've already stated. >> Thank you. Okay, seeing no more hands, let's [snorts] vote. >> Yeah, I have my finger. >> Yeah, sorry. Yeah, I agree with um, Director Basset. I feel like we should hold that for another time. I also would like to discuss possibly that Wednesday before Thanksgiving, having that off, especially since, you know, students will be let out in May. I mean, and typically we're let out in June. So, you know, if we could push that calendar back just a few days to make some of those exceptions. >> Okay. Chair, >> are you wanting to say something different? >> Well, I wanted to to kind of I'm not sure I'm clear about that and and I'm not sure what what she's asking because what I'm just saying is that if we have a work session, all of those details because one of the things I do recall is that we want to accommodate some of the other holidays that we have not been able to accommodate before. And I think that's very important. I don't know what this change if we're going to achieve 100% of that or not. I I I'm not sure what what that means. So, a little bit more time to talk about it and for more for the public as well. Uh if we're going to make a change to the calendar to accommodate families, so then be good for families to know. >> See, no more hands. We will vote. >> And can you restate it, chair? >> Right. The motion was to approve the calendar. >> You spoke against it, but I did. Motion was to approve the calendar. All in favor of approving the 2627 calendar, please say I. >> I. Oppose, say nay. >> Nay. >> Division of the house. Let's do a roll call. >> Great. Uh, Director Basset, >> no. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> no. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wu, >> no. >> It does not prevail. >> Okay. The calendar is not approved. We will move on to um unfinished business and letter A action item is a resolution for the 26 um the 2026 election combined polling locations. We were uh presented with this at our last meeting. Anybody have anything to say that hasn't been said? Okay, let's get a a motion for the resolution then. Who will move the resolution? I'll move approval of the resolution. >> Moved by Director Bowman. A >> second. >> Second by Director Basset. >> Okay. It is a resolution. Resolutions require a roll call vote. We are voting on the uh 2026 combined polling locations. When you're ready. >> Thank you. Director Basset. >> Yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker. >> Yes. >> Director Hillbrand. >> Yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Motion prevails. Motion prevails. All right, moving on to new business. Um, resolution accepting donations. Over $9,000 were donated since the last time we accepted donations. Is there a person who would like to move the resolution to accept donations? >> So moved. >> Moved by director Hillbrand. >> Second. >> Second by director Basset. All right. This is a roll call vote because it involves money >> of course >> and a resolution also. >> Yes. uh director pardon >> for donations. >> Okay. Right. The resolution accepting donations in the in the amount of 9,213.91 >> to be clear. >> Um Director Basset, >> yes. >> Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> yes. >> Director Wau, >> yes. >> Motion prevails. It's unanimous. >> Yes. Thank you. Okay. Um this is a review of the January 25th, 2026 meeting agenda. What we are proposing is to change um the board calendar for that meeting to add a listening time on January 5th. Uh this way people from the fair schools would have an opportunity to talk to us. >> I'll move >> moved by director Bowman. >> Second. >> Second by director. All in favor of adding a listening time January 5th, please say I. >> I clarification. Is it a listening time or a hearing for them? >> Yes. Okay, there. Oh, wait a minute. This is for the listening time because the hearing we are we were already planning on having >> the hearing is on the 5th. >> The hearing is on the 5th. So it would it would go listening time, business meeting, hearing vote. >> Yep. And as part of the business meeting, it's also the organizational meeting as well. That >> That's true. Where we swear [clears throat] in our new board member and elect officers. But we but instead of starting the business meeting at 6, we will start the listening time at 6 and have the meeting start at 7. Okay. So all in favor of adding that listening time, please say I. >> I. Oppose say no. >> Okay. We have a listening time on January 5th. And then moving on to action item C. Another proposed change to our calendar, the board meeting calendar. Uh um a lot of people really want to be heard and so we're proposing an additional listening time next Monday. Not a board meeting, just a listening time at 6 o'clock on December 22nd. >> I'll move approval. >> Moved by Director Bowman, seconded by Director Basset. Okay. Um all in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> I. Oppose say no. >> Okay. We will have uh extra two extra listening times coming up soon. >> And just for clarification, um I know for sure on the uh January 5th that'll be a normal 50 minute. Is there is the same for December 22nd? >> Thank you for asking that. Board members, how do you feel about the timing on the one on the 22nd? Just whoever comes has a chance to speak because last time they ran out of time when it was just 50 minutes. So mean you want to limit to two hours or do you want to just like if they come >> what do you want >> is there there's no other meeting beyond >> there's no business meeting there's no study session it's simply an additional time for us to listen >> and it would make sense to me that the meeting would be open until people were you know same rules three minutes each >> speak one time three minutes >> yeah under those same rules everyone who shows up should be heard >> okay do I have consensus on that from people >> I see nods nods over here. So that's what we'll do. Okay. All right. Number seven on our agenda, uh, policy committee report. Director Wuto. >> Yeah. So in front of all of us is the, uh, 400 series policies that we had a first read on, uh, I believe three meetings ago. Uh, policy 41, 43, 44, 46, and 48. Uh, requesting a second vote, a second read and a vote. >> Okay. And can we enact these with one motion? >> Yes, please. Would you like to make that motion? >> So moved. >> It's been moved by Director Wuto to enact these five uh policies in the 400 series. >> I'll move approve. I'll second that. >> Seconded. Moved by Director WTO, seconded by Director Bowman. Seeing no hands. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Post say no. We have four 400 policy series. >> Okay. And then first reads. We have no first reads tonight. So, next item on our agenda is the public hearing. Public hearing is for the closure of schools. The proposed schools for closure are Robbinsdale Middle School, Lake View Elementary, Noble Elementary, Sonis Elementary, and Neil Elementary. The process for tonight's hearing will be the following. First, an administrative presentation. Next, public testimony. Third, board deliberation. And fourth, board action by resolution. Under Minnesota statute section 123b.51, SE subdivision 5, a school board may shall hear from individuals requesting to give testimony for and against a school closure propo proposal. In doing so, a school board may impose restrictions on speaking time or other hearing procedures in a meeting on a school closure so long as those restrictions are reasonable and allow a meaningful opportunity for public testimony. The following procedures and guidelines and restrictions will be in place for tonight's hearing. Persons wishing to give testimony as part of this hearing must have signed up prior to 6:30 p.m. Okay, still have 15 minutes. on December 15, 2025. Using the Google form available online, each person signed up to provide testimony will be allowed three minutes to provide the testimony. Speakers will be announced in the order of signup. To facilitate efficiency, the person who is up to speak, the person who is up to speak, the person next to speak, and the person on deck to speak will be announced at the conclusion of each testimony. As your name is announced, you should make your way in the line to the podium. Speaking will take place at the podium. Speakers should announce themselves by name and which school or schools they are speaking on behalf of. Speaking time will be controlled by a designated person. Oh, there she is right there. Uh, speakers will be notified by sign when there is one minute of time remaining. Speakers will be notified by assign when there are 30 seconds of time remaining. Speakers will be notified verbally and by verbally and assign when time has expired and must finish their testimony at such time. Speakers will not be allowed to continue continue on past time the allotted time. Please remember that testimony is directed only at the board and as per schoolboard policy personal attacks by anyone addressing the school board are unacceptable. Persistence in such remarks by an individual shall terminate that person's privilege to address the school board. Uh school board polic um administrative procedure 207 public hearing section 3 procedures under C. Additionally, speakers are expected to adhere to schoolboard policy 504 AP student address and appearance section 2 general statement of policy. Individuals may not combine speaking time. So if one speaker only speaks for a minute and 30 seconds, they cannot share that time. So the next speaker has four minutes and 30 seconds. Individual speakers may speak only once during the hearing. Speakers may only speak about Robin Middle School, Lake View, Neil, Noble, and Sonos. Testimony will only and and ESC testimony will only be heard for and against the school closures for this hearing. uh speakers straying off topic and or discussing other building closures will be direct redirected by the board chair. If the off-topic testimony continues, the speaker will be stopped and the next speaker will be called to speak to ensure the school board provides undivided attention to the speakers providing testimony. The following audience guidelines and restrictions will be in place. No signs will be allowed. No mascots will be allowed. No applause, cheering, booing, or other seemingly distracting behaviors to the process will be allowed. Persons not abiding by these restrictions will be considered disorderly, a disruption to the process, and be removed from the premises. The executive assistant to the superintendent and school board over there, Molly, will distribute any speaker documents to the board. We will now begin the hearing with an administrative report. Dr. McDonald. >> Good evening, board chair Becker, school board directors, Jen Stalo, and members of the public. According to Minnesota Statute 123B, Subdivision 5, the board may close a schoolhouse only after hearing public hearings and testimony on the question of necessity and practicability of the proposed closing. The following information addresses the necessity and practicability for the proposed closing of the following schools and the Educational Services Building. Robinsdale Middle School located at 3730 Toledo Avenue North, Robbinsdale, Minnesota 55422. Lake View Elementary School located at 4110 Lake Drive, Robinsdale, Minnesota 55422. Neil Elementary School located at 660 Medicine Lake Road, Crystal, Minnesota 55427. Noble Elementary School located at 2601. Noble Avenue North, Golden Valley, Minnesota 55422. Son Elementary School located at 3421 Boone Avenue North, New Hope, Minnesota 55427. And the Educational Services Building located at 4148 Waneka Avenue North, New Hope, Minnesota 55427. The Robbinsdale School District is currently in statutory operating debt. The district also operates more school buildings than needed for its current enrollment, and the district is projected to continue to see enrollment decreases over the next 10 years. On September 23rd, 2025, the administration shared with the school board a short-term timeline, which will include submitting a statutory operating debt plan or SOD to the state of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Education by January 31st of 2026. The timeline also included public board meeting dates along with expected topics of recommendations and options for reaching initial reductions of the SOD plan. The timeline specifically called out the potential of school closures as options for reductions. Between September 23rd, 2025 and December 8th, 2025, the administration presented at eight board meetings or study sessions. During these meetings, various pieces of information were presented, including but not limited to the cost savings, utilization rates, long-term facility maintenance needs, demographic information, public survey information, community and staff input, student enrollment information, specific building configuration information, transportation information, programmatic information, site information, and community partnership information. In addition, at each meeting, the administration requested from the board what additional information was needed pertaining to the decision at hand and then provided such information to the board. Between September 23rd, 2025 and December 8th, 2025, the administration shared on multiple occasions primary and secondary decision-making factors used in developing closure and consolidation options. The administration also shared how when considering the district as a whole, each option presented the needed balance of efficiency, effectiveness, and equity while also balancing which options were most desirable, feasible, and seemingly sustainable regardless of future decisions. Robinsdale Middle School had an October 1, 2025 enrollment of 571 students. Its current programmatic capacity is 16 thou or 1600 students resulting in a utilization rate of 35.6%. The enrollment of Robbinsdale Middle School students can be sufficiently consolidated with another district middle school. Consolidation of Robbinsdale Middle School with another school will create efficiencies in staffing costs, programming costs, building operational costs, and potentially transportation costs. According to the latest facility condition assessment, Robbinsdale Middle School has a significant short and long-term facility need. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing Robbinsdale Middle School. Lake View Elementary School had an October 1, 2025 enrollment of 250 students. Its current programmatic capacity is 572 students resulting in a utilization rate of 43.7%. Due to interdis intrad district transfers, Lake View captures 191 of 391 resident students assigned to its boundary. It is one of three elementary schools serving the east side of the school district. Lake View Elementary School students can be sufficiently consolidated with other elementary schools and maintain service to the east side of the district. Consolidation of Lake View Elementary with other elementary schools will create efficiencies in staffing costs, programming costs, building operational costs, and potential transportation costs. According to the latest facilities condition assessment, Lake View Elementary School has lower short and long-term facility needs, which makes it a good choice to repurpose for other programming. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing Lake View Elementary School. Neil Elementary School had an October 1, 2025 enrollment of 280 students. Its current programmatic capacity is 756 students, resulting in a utilization rate of 37%. Due to intra district transfers, Neil Elementary School captures 208 of 603 resident students assigned to its boundary. It is one of two non-magnet elementary schools serving the south central portion of the school district. Neil Elementary School can sufficiently be consolidated with other elementary schools and maintain service to the south central portion of the district. Consolidation of Neil Elementary with other elementary schools will create efficiencies in staffing costs, programming costs, building operational costs, and potential transportation costs. According to the latest facilities condition assessment, Neil Elementary School has less long-term facility need than Sonos Elementary School. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing Neil Elementary School. Noble Elementary School had an October 1, 2025 enrollment of 228 students. Its current programmatic capacity is 542 students resulting in utilization rate of 42%. Due to intra district transfers, Noble Elementary School captures 139 of 369 resident students assigned to its boundary. It is one of three elementary schools serving the east side of the school district. Noble or Noble Elementary School can sufficiently be consolidated with with other elementary schools and maintain service to the east side of the district. Consolidation of Noble Elementary School with other elementary schools will create efficiencies in staffing costs, programming costs, building operational costs, and potential transportation costs. According to the latest facility condition study, Noble Elementary has more long-term facility needs than other eastern schools, but fewer long-term facility needs than South Central Schools. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing Noble Elementary School. Son Elementary School had an October 1, 2025 enrollment of 250 students. Its current programmatic capacity is 724 students, resulting in utilization rate of 34.5%. Due to intra district transfers, Sonos captures 161 of 479 resident students assigned to its boundary. It is one of two non-magnet elementary schools serving the south central portion of the district. Son Elementary School can be sufficiently consolidated with other elementary schools and maintain service to the south central portion of the district. Consolidation of Sonos Elementary School with other elementary schools will create efficiencies in staffing costs, programming costs, building operational costs, and potential transportation costs. According to the latest facility condition assessment, Son Elementary School has a higher long-term maintenance need than Enil Elementary. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing Sonos Elementary School. The education services building services as serves as a district's enrollment center, functions as the schoolboard meeting space, and houses approximately 108 district employees. According to the latest facility condition assessment, the ESC has approximately 11 million to$13 million of facility needs, which makes it a good choice to relocate into other existing buildings. The ESC departments can be consolidated with other programming at an alternate location or locations. Fully closing the ESC will save the district building operational cost. The administration believes the information shared with the school board addresses the necessity and practicability for closing the education services center building. >> Thank you, Dr. McDow. We will now begin public testimony. Executive Director O'Harn, please begin announcing speakers. I will be announcing speakers in order of signup which clo which will close at 6:30 p.m. in 3 minutes. At the conclusion of each testimony, I will announce the next three speakers. You will have three minutes to provide testimony. I will notify you when your time starts. I will signal to you when you have one minute left. I will signal to you when you have 30 seconds left. I will sign signal to you visually and verbally when you when your time has expired. To ensure fairness to all speakers, you [clears throat] must stop your testimony immediately once time has expired. I will now announce the first three speakers. Nikki Hayes, Becky Gu, and Jordie Hansen. Please come to the podium. Nikki Hayes is our first speaker. [clears throat] >> Good evening. My name is Nikki. >> One moment, please. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. Good evening, chair and members of the board. My name is Nikki Hayes and I am a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Saison Elementary. And I'm here tonight because the proposal before you is not neutral. It is not equitable. It is a choice and it is a choice that places the greatest harm on the students with the least power. Sonison serves an overwhelmingly vulnerable population. 85% of our students qualify for free and reduced lunch. We serve students experiencing homelessness, high mobility, immigration related instability, and deep poverty. Over 30% of our students receive special education services. At the center of our school is the STARS program, a highly specialized program for students for students with emotional and behavioral disorders that Sonos has spent 16 years building intentionally. This program does not exist anywhere else at the elementary level in our district. These students require stability, trust, and adults with specialized training. Repeated disruption is not an inconvenience for them. It is harmful. Closing Sonos dismantles systems that took years to build and places students with the highest needs into environments that are neither designed nor staff to support them. What is especially troubling is who this proposal protects and who it does not. District administration has central has centered decisions around families with the most privilege and the greatest ability to leave the district. magnet schools, for example, or even Zachary Lane who haven't even been considered for closure. Meanwhile, families at Sonos are largely absent from these conversations, not because they do not care, but because they face real barriers to advocacy. Many work evenings or multiple jobs, face language and transportation barriers, or lack the educational privilege required to navigate board processes processes or speak publicly. Their silence should not be mistaken for consent. It is the predictable result of systemic inequities. And this proposal exploits that silence rather than protecting those families. Let us be clear. This proposal prioritizes the threat of families with privilege leaving over the leaving over the certainty of harm to students who cannot leave, cannot advocate, and cannot absorb disruption. Sonic is not a failing school and we will enthusiastically embrace any new families who join us through consolidation efforts. We are a catalyst demonstration school for inclusive equitable practices. Our students I urge you to reject a proposal that sacrifices our most vulnerable students to appease those with the most leverage. Son is not expendable. Our students are not collateral damage. Your decision tonight will determine whether this board upholds its duty or becomes complicit in dismantling the supports our highest need students rely on. Which legacy will you choose? Thank you. Next up is Becky Gomes, Jordy Hansen, and Jennifer Hill. Good evening. My name is Becky Gums. I am speaking on the behalf of Sonosen. I'm here today to present undeniable datadriven evidence that Sonic Elementary is not just a school, but a high-erforming model that must be preserved. We urge you not we urge you to keep Sonison open. In the fall of 2022, Sonosan piloted the Bridgetore program in third grade. Our commitment to this curriculum was absolute. by the spring of 2025 where you achieved 100% fidelity in implementation. Our rigorous commitment ensured that the program was and is executed exactly as it was designed to maximize student learning. This results yielded truly remarkable districtleading outcomes. Two and a half years later, in the spring of 2025, our MCA scores across nearly all grade levels increased by 10% with some rising as much as 16%. The growth is extraordinary. This level of growth is not accidental. It is the direct result of dedicated implementation and a successful curriculum. The data just from this year in November 2025 shows a standard in foundational literacy while the district average for high phmic awareness is 85.3% 100 sess achieved 100%. In word study the district is at 64.4% but sonnison is at 77.8%. This data confirms that Sonosan is not just succeeding but is setting the the standard for foundational literacy within the district. Achieving 100% proficiency in phmic awareness is an indicator that future reading success and demonstrates the environment where the academic gap is active being actively being closed. We have the proof, the highfidelity implementation and the me the momentum to close susan now would be to deliberately disrupt the structure that is yielding unprecedented results for our students and setting the model for entire district. We ask you do not interrupt this progress. Keep Sonos open so we can continue to deliver this high level of academic achievement. Thank you for your time and the and serious consideration of this urgent matter. Christy Lee. >> Oops. >> This is Jordie Hansen. Jennifer Hill. Christy Lee. Good evening. My name is Jordie Hansen and I am a parent of a first grader at Sonison Elementary. My family has lived in New Hope for 9 years. And the past three years, Sonison has been our school. It has become our perfect neighborhood school. Quiet, quaint, and just a short drive from our home. More importantly, it has become our safe place. Over these three years, we have experienced exceptional staff who have built meaningful, lasting bonds, not only with my child, but with every student they serve. Sonison's small class sizes are not a weakness. They are a strength. They are intentional, effective, and one of the main reasons families choose and love Sonos. Our staff consistently goes above and be above and beyond the results, and the results speak for themselves. In just three years, my child's academic growth has been incredible. His reading is beyond first grade level. He's excelling in math, and that success is not accidental. It is a direct result of a strong, collaborative, and dedicated staff working together every single day. This is not This is what is at stake. We entered the school year fully aware that our district was facing a serious financial crisis. We understood that at some point, school closures could be a possibility. What we did not understand and were never clearly told was the closure that was being that a closure was being planned for next year. Now here we are pleading with this board to keep our school open and explain why it matters to us. Throughout this process, there has been a clear lack of empathy, transparency, and honesty from the administration. We are repeatedly told in meetings and email to email questions and ask for clarity. Yet those emails go unanswered. There's no replies, there's no explanations, and there's no transparency. As parents and taxpayers, we did not create this financial crisis. So why are our families, our children, and our dedicated staff being forced to pay the price? This entire process feels rushed and backward. School closures should not be or should be a last resort when addressing cost savings. In any organization facing financial distress, distress, leadership streamlines from the top down. That should have been the first step, not creating additional positions we cannot afford. From the many emails I have sent over the past three months, it should be clear how deeply I care about this school and well and how well it functions. Sonic Center is our home. It's our safe space. It is a place we built with intention and entrusted staff to teach, support, and care for our children each and every day. Our children deserve consistency, and I don't want to tear them away from the only school environment they know as their home. Our staff res deserves respect. This community deserves to have its work recognized and protected. Our staff are boots on the ground in the trenches every single day, building successful, respectful, and responsible students. Their commitment and their stability they provide matters. It is deeply disappointing that this is where our district stands and that the administration appears disconnected from what is truly happening inside our schools. Please remember you serve this community [snorts] and we expect transparency, accountability, and the most importantly to be heard. Thank you. Jennifer Hill, Christy Lee, Marcy Stein. Okay. Good evening. [clears throat] My name is Jennifer Hill. In my nine years as a Lake View parent, I have worn many hats, including PTL member, grant writer, volunteer coordinator, garden lady, playground monitor, pedagogical leadership team member, substitute teacher, and sporadic nanny for staff. In 2018, I identified and developed a successful Minnesota Department of Agriculture urban agriculture grant application for just under $10,000 to expand our school garden and add a greenhouse. I did this in spite of the district administration, not with assistance from them. After receiving the grant, all we needed was one district signature and almost did not get that by the deadline because my contact at the district had left and no one was answering my repeated calls and emails regarding getting that signature. I didn't even get my emails returned to sender telling me that person no longer worked at the district. In 2023, the district acquired a grant to create an indigenous medicine garden at Lake View to be overseen by Laura Tolson, our school's nutrition manager, who spoke with you last Monday. That opportunity was voided when the district's buildings and ground staff unknowingly sprayed the site with pesticides, deeming that site unusable for that purpose for at least two years. Why am I telling you this? Because the people making recommendations about our future do not have the knowledge of all the past mishaps and harms that have resulted in the animosity, frustration, and distrust. You see, when our building is recommended for declo foreclosure, despite long-term the long-term plan being moving away from a magnet school model and focusing again on all of our schools, you can't possibly know all the ways the high turnover of district leadership has harmed our building, staff, and scholars. You can't possibly know all of the amazing things happening at Lake View or the relationships and connections that exist. Did you know the University of Minnesota College of Curriculum and Instruction sends 30 elementary education practicum students to Lake View each school year? [snorts] [clears throat and sighs] In 2018, Lake View raised over $40,000 to cancel our school lunch debt. And we put that surplus back to the district to cover others school lunch debt. I am here to urge you to really take a step back and see the forest through the trees. Does closing neighborhood schools next year really make sense if the long-term plan is to move away from magnet programming and integrate steam throughout the district? Will closing neighborhood schools now and reconfiguring their boundaries only result in the need for that again when magnet schools are dissolved? Why are you breaking up the communities of families who truly value going to school with their neighbors? Is it because we are less likely to cut and run when we don't get what we want? Finally, I would like to make something very clear. As a well-educated two parent household with very smart kids, we very deliberately chose to send our kids to Lake View and they are so much better for it. Thank you. Your time is up. Thank you, >> Christy Lee. Marcy Stein, Penelopey Stein. Hi. Um, I am a Robinale citizen for the past 20 years as well as a teacher at Noble Elementary for the past 11 years. I love working for the community where I live. Our Noble community is a beautiful multigenerational one built on trust and acceptance. But that being said, every school community is special and leaders need to think into the future about what is best for Robindale community as a whole, focusing on infrastructure and less on emotion. The Robbinsdale City Council has been fighting for the community by insisting that Lake View buildings stay open, and I feel the passion is respected, but short-sighted. A multi-ity school district can include a city that has no schools because school district boundaries don't have to match city boundaries. A city doesn't need to have a school to be part of a school district, and the district's job is to educate students, not to place a school in every city. When administration first made the recommendations to close Lake View, I recognized the sadness about losing a school in the community in which I live. But at the same time, I felt some hope that this was a chance to further strengthen our Robbinsdale community by having the majority of Robindale Elementary students in one school. I know it feels like communities are being destroyed, but I actually am beginning to see it as having a chance to have a Robin City school where most of our city gets to grow up together and families across the city are more connected. That being said, populations change and Robindale students deserve a building that has the ability to expand with that population [snorts] as the pop um which studies show have unpop overpop populated schools studies show has caused decreased academic performance, stress, and increased behavioral issues. If we choose a building that does not have the acreage to expand and contribute to the future vision of the district, this will hurt the city and cause more people to find housing elsewhere. Whether Robinsdale students go to a school in the northern part of Robbinsdale or a school a few blocks west of Robbinsdale, citizens want a safe and high performing school. That is what will keep families here. I have concern that the Lake View property is not set up for future expansion due to its small acreage. Noble has ample space to grow if need be. Noble has applications put on hold until district decisions are made for a new playground and a registered school forest with active wildlife. Please think of it as an opportunity to build a strong Robbinsdale community, no matter the address. Whether Noble or Lake View has chosen to close, the same amount of families will be affected and the remaining school will work together to build a new thriving community. Please take the time to consider all the implications for our future Robinsdale families. Thank you. >> Marcy Stein, Penelopey Stein, Samantha Melum. First, I'd like to say that Penelopeystein is not here. So, thank you. After Samantha Melum, we'll have Gmetu Defy. >> Hi, my name is Marcy Stein and I'm here to speak on behalf of all of the schools in our district. I believe that closing any of our schools at this time does not make sense. It feels like a very rushed decision and it feels like we don't have all of the information. Uh closing elementary schools have been proven to decrease enrollments and revenue over long term. When board members and the public bring up costs to move students from schools to schools and retrofit schools, administration must pay attention and answer questions thoroughly and accurately, paying attention to nuance. Um, here are some times in real life when this led to disasters. In Washington DC, public schools closed 23 schools and expected to save $9 million. But it actually it its actual expenditures for moves came into $40 million. And that source is from the Washington DC public schools report. Stillwater closed three elementaryaries at the end of 2017 and 2018 despite enrollment positives and drove enrollment down even further. And the source for that is um I have a link here but um it's the um something.org Stillwater schoolboard. Um, so I am urging you all to think about this and vote no about closing any of our schools at this time until further investigation of what would make more sense for our district. I understand that we're facing a really tough decision and I understand that there's a lot on the table, but instead of pitting our schools against each other on who should stay and who should leave, how about if we bring our community together and stop rushing our decisions? Thank you. Next up, Samantha Mullum Mullum Gmetu Defy and Enacal Beexana. >> My name is Sam Melum and I'm the PTO president at Sison. I'm also a mom of two kids who attend Sison. I [snorts] can do this. I could stand up here for three minutes and list everything that PTSO does, but honestly, I wouldn't even get through the last month of events. And you should already know that. You should have read my emails. You should be following our Facebook pages. You should have visited our schools. You should know all of these five schools by heart by now. If you don't, that's a serious problem. Throughout this entire process, our PTSO has received not a single response or guidance from the district leadership of how to navigate this or what to tell our families. That silence has made us feel like our work doesn't matter, like we are fighting for our school and our voices aren't being heard. [snorts] I truly hope the superintendent's office has seen and read our emails. Even though I've not received a single reply, I am standing here today not as a volunt not just as a volunteer, but as a parent whose lives have been changed by Stonison. When my son started this district, he relied heavily on an iPad to communicate. Today, he is a thriving first grader who fully is understood and no longer needs reading support. That process or that progress is because of the help, expertise, dedication, and advocacy of the staff at Sonic. I also have a daughter with serious food allergies. Recently, more than 20 staff members sat down with me and my family to make sure they understood her needs and how to keep her safe. Staff members also gently walked me through the IP process when I didn't quite fully understand she might have dyslexia. That is not ordinary care. That is a school community that truly sees our children. Sonison does more than just teach. It provides consistency, trust, and belonging for families. Just [snorts] last week, we had 22 high schoolers along with parents and grandparents who volunteered at winter classroom parties. High schoolers came up to me and said they loved being in our building. That doesn't just happen by accident. It's because we have a culture that exists at Samson. That's so amazing. And now we are being asked to live with this ongoing uncertainty. Why would I bus or drive my kid 10 minutes to a school in this district when there's no guarantee he's going to be there for his entire elementary experience when I could drive that same distance to another district that offers stability and a clear plan. [snorts] I cannot live with the whatifs. Families in this district deserve better. Our children deserve better. There have been no clear path forward, only uncertainty. I cannot watch the children go through this anymore. or my friends at other schools go through this. If families continue to be uprooted, [snorts] but may the only safe place, Sonos is not just a building. It's stability, it's safety, it's our community. Thank you. [snorts] How busy. Next up, Kmetu Defi, Anelica Maxia, Amanda Delquist, any andy. We are going to wait one minute for anyone. I think the basement. >> Oh, they're in the basement. and then bring them in. >> I think we've got people down there listening. That's kind of what our plan was. >> Thanks for the offer though. We we are going to move on and we're going to come back. Does that >> Okay, we are going to go to Katherine Mayfield or John Hardy. >> Thank you. Can you tell me your name, please? >> Amanda Dquist. >> Thank you, Amanda. >> I'm a fifth grade teacher at Sonison, and I have two bees, a nine-year-old and a six-year-old there, and a 10-month-old, hopefully, who's going to go there. Um, I was thinking of a way to stand out. Um, and so I thought I'd try something a little different. And I can talk to children. I hate talking to adults. And so, I'm going to sing to you. I don't like that either. >> [sighs and gasps] >> We've got two gyms, an outdoor classroom and green space. Multi-purpose room for adventure club, play place, a cafeteria that doesn't share its area with the other gym. [snorts] Sonis in our own sweet beehive has almost 3,000 extra square feet. And if you ever saw it, you'd love the way our halls low breathe. We started bridge read for the district par and I the lucky too. Our data shows fast improvement worth 50,000 buckaroos. We used to pay for catalyst through our own compens compensatory funds. But because we've led the way for years, Robin now pays for us. Sonis in our own sweet beehive welcomes all kinds of kids. We've created a working structure where stars and wave can live. So if you close our classrooms down, our experienced staff must move. The progress we have built from scratch would topple. Kids would lose their sauna in their beehive, their safe place, their loving home. We love the kids who need the most. Please don't send our bees to Rome. At Sonison, we have some of the neediest kids in the district. And we have created a place that is full of love. We know what neurode divergence is like. We know what special education is like. My own son is diagnosed with ADHD and is brilliant, but will not stop talking about airplanes. I choose to send my kids to this school. We chose to buy a house in the district so that our children could go to Sonison. It is the bigger school. It has more amenities. We are the perfect place to gather more kids and we have had twice the amount of kids in the school before. So, we have the ability to do so now. So, when you're looking at it, please keep those things in mind and happy holidays. And I'm going to go put my head in the sand. >> Can you tell me your name, please? >> Uh, good evening. My name is Annie. >> Thank you. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Annie Anusi. I'm a teacher at Sans Elementary. I can't speak on what I don't know, but I can speak on what I do know. And I do know that Sansen is not just another building. It's a school with a distinct purpose, identity, and impact that can't be replicated anywhere else. One of the most important reasons sinus must remain open is its role as the home of the stars program that serves students with emotional behavioral needs. STARS is not an extra. It is a necessary educational pathway for students who may learn, think or fail differently. STAR students have a higher probability of struggling in a traditional setting. Sonisan offers them a place where their curiosity is celebrated, their differences are respected, and learning is joyful rather than stressful. I have worked sidebyside with amazing teachers and staff who work tirelessly to support our star students so they can reintegrate back into the classroom. This is an attribute that makes me proud to call myself a Robin educator because I know that all our staff and Robin cell across the district have a bleeding heart and put the children first. If we rewind to about this time last year, there is a young girl in my class who has experienced difficulty difficulty not just in school but life in general. And I'll be honest, it was not dandelions and daisies to begin with. There's a lot of adversity faced to help this young lady try and be successful. And I definitely had to take myself on. This was not something I could ever have hoped to achieve alone. But our school is so well equipped to deal with such unique circumstances that we can turn bleak situations into success stories. This young lady is now thriving as a part of our stores stars program and most importantly is happy. It always warms my heart to exchange greetings or a hug with her when we cross paths and that's what keeps me grounded as an educator. The cheaters and SARS staffs are not only experienced but uniquely trained to meet the unique academic, social and emotional needs of our students. I would like to highlight the word are because they are all of our students regardless of what class or program they are in. This expertise has been built over years and closing silencing would scatter that knowledge, disrupt continuity and weaken a program that that depends on stability and collaboration. For many kids, stars is the first place they feel truly understood as learners. I understand the district faces difficult financial decisions ahead, but closing suses is not a solution. It is a loss. A loss of a proven program, a loss of experienced educators and a loss of school that serves students who cannot easily be served elsewhere. I urge the board to reconsider and instead explore solutions that preserves honest stars program for the students who depend on it today and who will need it in the future. Thank you for your time. >> Next up, John Hardy, Alejandra Bustista De Laaz, and Rory Anorato. >> First off, what's up, Robinsdale family? >> I see y'all in here. Is that out of the quorum? Yes, it is. >> I'm off to a bad start. I I'll start over. Okay, >> let's start fresh. What's your name? >> Hi, I'm John Hardy. [snorts] >> I want to begin by thanking those of you in the room who are carrying the weight of this work and who will ultimately be asked to make or live with these hard decisions. I'll start by saying that I'm aligned around the idea that we shouldn't close any of our schools. It's a loss for all of us. I'm disheartened to hear about the lack of responsiveness to the folks in the room and my true hope is that this community is fully heard before rushing into a decisive and irreversible decision. That said, I'm here to speak in strong support of Noble Elementary and its extraordinary staff. My youngest son is a kindergarter at Noble and my oldest attends Fair Crystal. My wife is a Robbinsdale School graduate and both of us grew up within 10 minutes of the schools being considered in our conversation today. This district isn't abstract to us. It is home. As you've heard multiple times, since my youngest began prek3, we've been deeply intentional about this educational experience he's having as we navigate his neurode divergence. Like many families, we're not just looking for a building or a program. We're looking for an environment where our child is understood, supported, and allowed to thrive as his full self. In my nearly 20 years as a scholar and practitioner focused on inclusion, culture, leadership, belonging, I've learned that people and especially children don't thrive because of policies, financial decisions alone. [snorts] They thrive because of the people, because of the leadership, because of trust. You need high trust environments to have successful people in any room, including this one. That's exactly what Noble provides to my family. Our experience at Noble has been nothing short of exceptional. It starts with Principal Reichenberg. Whether he's directing pickup traffic, DJing school dances, or showing up for community events, he leads with presence and humility. He models servant leadership, and that leadership sets the tone for the entire building. You can feel it the moment you walk through the doors. Every morning and afternoon at drop off and pickup, we're greeted by Mr. B, Mr. S, and Mr. Jonas. [snorts] And I can't overstate how much that matters to us. My son is welcomed with smiles and kind words by men who look like they could be a part of his family. Adults who see him, handle him with care, and help him begin and end his day with dignity and safety. For neurodeivergent children, that consistency and kindness isn't a bonus. It's foundational. What's more, every adult I've interacted with Noble knows my son by name. That might sound small, but it's not. That's what belonging looks like in practice. I know I'm preaching to the choir when I say that your own uh you know your analysis demonstrated that we know we have an exceptional talent pool in our schools. I see that impact every day. My son comes home happy. He's regulated. He's growing his social skills, problem solving, confidence, and more. I understand that this isn't about my individual experience, though. It's a budget shortfall, declining enrollment, aging buildings, difficult trade-offs. I don't envy the position any of us are in. But I ask you to remember this. When you close a school, you don't just close the building. You disrupt relationships. You fracture trust and dismantle ecosystems. >> Your time is up. Thank you >> much. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> Alejandra Bautista de laaz Rory Orurato and Heath Luben. I've been informed there's a 30 second delay in the basement. So, they're getting this 30 seconds later than we were announcing it. >> [clears throat] >> one's Katherine Mayfield, if you are in the basement, please come up. Christopher. Gordon, are you in here? Brad Sutton, Stacy Swinsson, Stacy Swinson, you are up. I'd like to ask the audience to refrain from silent language sign language applause. >> Hi. >> Hi. It looks so different in here than on the webcast that we've all been tuning into. My name is Stacy Swenson. I have been a taxpayer in Crystal for 22 years. I have been a parent in the district for 16 years. And if you're doing the math, you might be a little confused. I've got a kid who is going to PSO right now. So we have done a full lab starting with ECF. So when I say that I have um spent lots of time um thinking about school, looking at schools and being in schools that is not a lie. We've been in five. Some of them are magnets, some of them aren't. My kids have learned a lot and so have I. So today was a big learning for me. So I uh reached out to find out a perspective we haven't heard much about which is the department of education's expectations of what you all in this room need to be doing. Okay. Um and the reason I wanted to find that out is that we have been feeling as parents very rushed. Okay. Um and that is because I think that this is self-imposed. So in talking to our contacts who are leaders in the finance department at the department of education, I found out from them that the um expectations here are important to know. So I know you all know that we are looking at multi-year plans and those have been brought up several times, but in reality the state requires school boards to vote every single year on the plan. Right? So that is important because looking to close schools as a first step is so shortsighted. I don't care which schools they are. It is so shortsighted. The second thing I want to address is that Robbinsdale Area Schools is not technically in SOD yet according to this person I chatted with because we haven't engaged yet with M uh Department of Education. The vote that happens at the end of January kicks off that process. So, it is pretty important to remind ourselves that we can and we should resist the obvious pressure that we're putting on ourselves with these deadlines. Um, what I am asking and urging and hoping, praying is that we can take the logical steps here to vote no fail this vote. Okay. The steps after that is that we hit pause for our kids. We chat with the community and all the other stakeholders out there who have great ideas. I want to point out that there are publicly available reports of the spending of this district. I can point you to where to look for solutions of contracts and other things that could help us save money to the tune of similar cuts, similar amounts as closing schools. So, I urge you to not rush this community because if the decision is ultimately to close schools, which we all kind of realistically suspect it is, at least this >> Thank you. Your time is up. >> approach will help you earn back some trust. [snorts] >> Please come forward. >> Am I next? >> Yes. What's your name, please? >> Christopher Gordon. >> Thank you. >> Hi. Thank you school board members for the opportunity to speak this evening. I'm a proud 1991 Robbinsdale Cooper High School graduate. I give credit to Robbinsdale schools for helping me grow academically and build towards a successful career. So when we are looking [sighs] at schools for our class of 2031 son, we expect the same or better academic opportunities of the school district we chose. We chose Robbinsdale schools over three non-district schools for its IB program. Lake View did an excellent job filling all of the IB program tenants and I believe their teachers and staff set my son's academic trajectory in the direction we wanted. Likewise, the programs at RMS have continued him in the same academic trajectory. But we have serious concerns that the same ac successful academic trajectory Robinsdale schools started for some are going to be neglected. First, you're planning to cram all those kids into Sandberg. With RMS and now possibly Fair Crystal kids shifting to Sandberg, it's dumbly doubling the number of kids at the school to well over a thousand. That's going to be very disruptive for a lot of students and is a recipe for lots of problems. Who's going to address all of the challenges of this transition? How are they not going to increase class sizes? This doesn't seem possible. is all going to be is it all going to be thrown back to the teachers to solve those issues? Um, next, you're dropping IB and fair art magnet programs abruptly. So, what's going to replace those programs? According to what I saw with the SOD plan, it says you're not supposed to disrupt programming. So, how can we meet those that parameter if you're discontinuing the whole IB and fair arts programs? >> Sir, we're not put not talking about programs though. We're just only talking about schools. >> Yeah. Okay, thanks. >> I'll finish with that, too. Um, next, how can you choose a $1.7 million special magnet school transportation over established programming and schools for our kids? We have the means to drive our school, our son to Lake View for IB programming because we really wanted him to attend that school. I'm quite sure there are large numbers of those magnetic school parents who could make that same sacrifice and enough at least to cover the cost of the Ivy and Magnet Arch programs to continue. Let's remember how we got here. The kids, families, teachers, staff who are affected by these changes did not cause the accounting and budgeting errors. So, where's your accountability? What specific objective measures will the board and district use to verify that our kids are not negatively affected by your decisions? Even the planning phases that were presented don't start addressing programming until late 2026 from what I saw. We appreciate the superintendent's promise to do better. We were excited to see the reimagine Ardale vision as it was presented. Our son would potentially be a part of that exciting transition. But without specific plans in place to protect the success of our kids academic future. >> Thank you. Your time is up. >> She interrupted me. I'm sorry. >> Your time is up. Thank you. difficult to support any large indust. >> Thank you, >> Brad Sutton. >> Hello. Thank you for your time this evening. My name is Brad Sutton. I am the mayor of Robbinsdale and I am here to speak on behalf of my city and the many residents that I've heard from over this matter. First, I understand you're facing an impossible decision. Many of us do understand that. But I'm here to tell you tonight what you're about to do to Robbinsdale isn't just another difficult budget decision. It's the final chapter in a decad's long story of our city feeling expendable. As I stated in our council meeting, which you attended, thank you for joining. Not everything of value can be measured by facts and figures. Reputation, belonging, community identity. These are things that aren't going to show up in spreadsheets, but they are what hold a city together. We have a history, and I want to thank former mayor Blanigan for his letter to the Sun Post for reminding me of that history. In 1982, the board was deadlocked three to three on whether to close Armstrong or Cooper and the compromise was to close Robinsdale High School. Then sometime later, it was Lee Elementary School. Then the old Robbinsdale High School building on 42nd was demolished and now Robbinsdale Middle School in Lake View Elementary face the same fate. It feels like a pattern. When when tough decisions need to be made, Robbinsdale pays the price. When resources need to be consolidated, it is our schools that close. We're looking at Robbinsdale being the only school probably in the entire Twin Cities metro area without a public school. Our children will get on buses every morning. They will leave. They'll be divided up, go to other communities, further fracturing an already fragile bond that holds our neighborhoods together. We'll become a city that children leave, not a city where they learn and grow and build memories together. And what kind of message does that send to our young families? What kind of future are we building for them? When we look at telling a city that you're not worth having a school, you're not closing a school. You're putting the final nail in a coffin that buries the history of education in Robbinsdale. I know you're good people. I know you work impossible hours because you care about our kids. I know this decision is tearing some of you apart. I know that High View seems like a compromise to you, but it's not. It's not a school that Robdale kids can elect to join. I'm begging you to step back and see this for what it looks like for Robbinsdale residents and the families within our community. We have a strong community in Robbinsdale, one that mayors tell me they envy, but this pulls us apart. Don't do this to us. You have the power to break this pattern. You have the power to say, "Not this time. Not again. Robinsdale deserves better. Please consider leaving us with just one school." >> Thank you. Your time is up. >> School. I appreciate your time. Thank you, >> Nancy Rosenek, Angela Karpio, Ryan, and Marin Peterson. >> [cough] [clears throat] >> Good evening, Nancy Reszitech. My name is Nancy Reszitech and I am proudly worked for Adventure Club as an inclusion specialist for 23 years. My journey has taken me to all four of the elementary schools that we are talking about closing today. All these schools have speak have great things about them. There should be no reason we have to close any of them. But tonight I hear speak here for Neil because Neil has a unique thing that we don't talk about. [snorts] If the decision is made to close Neil, you won't be just closing a building. You will be actively undermining the district's own mission for our learners to positively contribute to their community. No other elementary school in our district has as many accessible opportunities for our learners to interact, engage, and contribute to the community, mostly all within walking distance. Neil fosters a special connection that money can't buy. The essential bond between our youngest citizens and our wisest. The closure of Neil would instantly sever a crucial intergenerational thread in our community social fabric. Our students have a vibrant walking relationship with the Heathers Manor Manor Senior Living. It's not a one-off field trip. It's a routine of kindness. Our groups like Adventure Club, Girls on the Run, and some of our classrooms have walked over to the Manor to deliver handmade holiday cards, to play games with the residents, and to perform talent shows for them. And this partnership is reciprocal because the Manor donates school supplies every fall. These visits are a highlight for the residents. They put smiles on faces that might not otherwise see that day. And for the student, it teaches empathy, respect, and the importance of community service in tangible, deep, meaningful ways. If Neo closed, these trips will be logistically impossible. They will be taking away the joy of those regular visits from our seniors and taking away a vital walking lesson of humanity from our children. The connections extends beyond the manner. At Neil, our students constantly are learning empathy and understanding simply by being here. We have a resident from a nearby group who tries to come at least once a week in his wheelchair depending on the weather just to be our official door greeter. He is a treasured member of our NEO community. This is not a lesson that is taught in the textbook. It is a profound lesson that is about accessibility and inclusion and our ch children learn naturally that everyone contributes regardless of their physical abilities. Neil's location is also a hub that connects to our local businesses and other educational levels. Adventure Club interacts with the local comers simply by taking walking trips to the Dairy Queen, the doughnut shop, Cinema Grill, Pizza Man, Crystal Cafe when it was open. Our Wave program walks to the Dairy Queen every day, every year at the last day of school. They use this as a vital social skill lesson and learning how to order and advocate for themselves. We've had an organic relationship with Sandberg. A venture club walks the Sandberg for sledding in the winter, kickball in the swimming swimming lessons in the summer. And a couple years ago, middle schoolers walked over to Neil to read to a couple of our classrooms. True cost of closing Neil's >> Thank you. Your time is up. [clears throat] >> We are not We are not Your time is up. >> Your time is up. Angela Karpio, Ryan and Marin Peterson, and Rosalinda Sitler. >> Hi, my name is Angela Carpio and I'm speaking on behalf of Lake View. Thank you for the opportunity. I'm asking the board to keep Lake View open as an elementary school. I'm a ro a Robbinsdale res resident and a parent of two children in Lake View. Two of the five schools tonight propo on uh tonight's proposal reside in Robinsdale. Due to budget constraints, I understand that some schools will close. However, eliminating all the neighborhood schools in city of Robbinsdale not only harms the students but the the city. Robbinsdale will be the only city in the area that doesn't have any neighborhood schools. Closing all the neighborhood schools in city of Robinsonville will likely have a negative impact on our property values, making future schools or future school levies challenging to even pass in our city. The closures can deter future families from moving into the city of Robbinsdale. A portion of Brooklyn Park and Golden Valley are in the Robbinsdale district, but both also have elementarymentaries in other schools or other districts. Golden Valley will have a district 281 middle school. Unlike Robbinsdale, repurposing Lakefield would have a large impact on the city as we don't have any other neighborhood schools. It would mean losing a playground that is located near our subsidized housing options that many rely on. All the um all the schools tonight on propo on tonight's proposal are title one schools. Majority of the students that attend these four schools are from marginalized communities. Last year, 78% of the like view students were on a free or reduced lunch. that is the third largest percentage of schools in the in that district. Research consistently shows that schools in high poverty uh [sighs and gasps] sorry shows that students in high poverty schools tend to score score lower on academics and like standard testing and graduation lower graduation rates. Students in high poverty schools have a greater needs which makes funding and resource gaps even more important or impactful. One of often title one funds is not enough. All our schools that have been cut are um all the schools in Robbinsdale have IB programs are title one. My children are Latino and multiracial. They both are on IP. My oldest has thrived in Lake View. Lake View is close enough to our home where we can drive him to school without actually having special ed busing. The schools are a smaller footprint which has allowed my son to be safe as he gets easily lost and confused and is incredibly slow. You know, doing any physical motor movements. Change is hard on my kids. They're losing their IB program, their middle school, and possibly their elementary in one decision. That is a lot for any child. I plan to remain in the district regardless of the decision because I love my community. But if I was a new home buyer, I would that lacked neighborhood schools, that would heavily impact my decision on whether I would relocate to Robbinsdale. I believe in our district, our students, and our teachers. And I ask the board to please make a final decision tonight on which schools will close. Not knowing if our school will be closed is stressful. We need to have a plan to make know what it looks like next year. We have to prepare social stories, plan with teachers, mourn the losses, and celebrate the wins. I appreciate your time. Thank you. >> Ryan and Marin Peterson, Rosinda Sitler, and Jason Greenberg. >> Hi, my name is Marin Peterson and I'm in >> I'm sorry, one moment please. Ryan and Marin, you're signed up together. Yeah, but we sign up again separately later. >> So, are you you're speaking twice? >> I signed up. I realized I made my mistake, so I signed up later separately. >> So, you're each going to speak once? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Marin Peterson and I'm in seventh grade at Plymouth Middle School. I'm here to talk about the RMS auditorium. I'm honestly really nervous to be up here right now because I'm pretty shy. But theater has taught me that sometimes you have to do scary things anyway. So, here I am. [snorts] Why the auditorium the RMS auditorium matters is because it's where we do our shows. I've been in the PMS theater program for 2 years and I've and every time we perform it's on that stage. It's also where SMS does their shows and fair and where orchestra rehearses and where choir concerts happen. A lot of kids depend on that space. The high school auditoriums are really busy almost every night. If RMS closes, I don't know where we're supposed to go. Middle school kids need a stage, too. Uh, here's something I've noticed. The kids in theaters, we're the kind of glue. We're the ones who talk to everyone. We're friends with kids from different grades, different friend groups. We help out at school events. We're the ones who show up. I also want you to know that we work really hard and we're proud of what we do. Our shows are actually really good. People come and are surprised like, "Wait, middle schoolers did this?" And yeah, we did on that stage. And the money we raised doesn't just go to theater. It goes to the whole school. We help pay for dra uniforms, stuff for the nurse's office, arts, and art supplies. I think that's pretty cool that what we do on stage helps other kids, too. I know you have to make hard decisions about money and buildings. I don't really understand all of it, but I do understand that without RMS auditorium, over 80 kids just from PMS, plus all the kids from other schools won't have a place to perform. Theater gave me friends. It gave me skills. It gave me something to be proud of. It made me braver. I mean, I'm standing here talking to all of you and two year go two years ago, I would never have done this. Please keep the RMS auditorium open. Please don't take that stage away from the kids who come after me. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Ryan Peterson, Rosalinda Sitler, and Jason Greenberg. [clears throat] >> Hi, I'm Ryan Peterson. I'm Marin Peterson's dad and very proud of her. Uh, good evening. I understand you all have impossible choices tonight and I don't envy your position, but I want to make sure one asset doesn't get lost in the spreadsheets. It's the Robinsville Middle School auditorium. Not the building, the auditorium and what it makes possible for students across the district. It RMS houses the only auditorium in the districts that's viable for middle and elementary school programming. Cooper and Armstrong's auditoriums are booked nearly every night by their own students and outside agency agencies paying rental fees. If RMS closes, where does PMS go, SMS go? Where does the Ferris program go? Where does the orchestra go? Where do elementary concerts go when they've outgrown their gyms? Has a genuine utilization study be done of this space where because from where families sit, this auditorium isn't underused. It's a lynch pin for arts programming across multiple schools. At PMS alone, 80 plus students participate in theater every year. But this isn't just about the kids on stage. Over four years, that program has raised $40,000 in ticket sales that go directly back to the district through concessions, fundraising, community relationships. Another $15,000 has gone directly to PMS, funding tennis nets, track uniforms, wrestling gear, quiz bowl registration, supplies for nurses and social workers, art supplies, materials for gym, gym class, and the science dissection unit. How do these things get paid for? The theater program secured $15,000 for acoustic shells for the music department and paid for for the truck to haul them for Marshall. This is a program run by someone paid $3,000 who puts half of back into the shows and is subsidizing programs across the schools. That would go that would otherwise go without this. Teachers say this program lifts the energy of the entire school. It gives students something to be proud of. It's a reason families are choosing PMS over other options and RMS over other options. These and and the reasons they're staying in the district instead of leaving from our director Nina, this is there is no there is almost no time in a person's life harder than middle school and the theater program at PMS and the other schools uh is nothing short of lifech changing for quite a few young people. More than one parent shared that being a part of PMS has literally ch saved their child's life or a part of the theater program has saved their child's life. Being their child being their child giving their child a reason to exist and a purpose in life. If that isn't a powerful statement as to why programs and this space matters, I don't know what is. I'm not asking you to ignore the financial reality. This is not about cutting the cost of an of operating a building. This is about ending access to an asset that has saved kids lives, has covered the co [snorts] the cost of other programs, and contributes to the culture of every school who gets time there. I'm asking you to keep the RMS auditorium open and useful. Thank you, >> Rosalinda Sitler, Jason Greenberg, and Nicole Armstrong. Good evening. My name is Rosalinda Sitler. I live in Brooklyn Center. My three children all attended, my three adult children all attended Robbinsdale Schools. And just so that you know, public speaking is not something that I'm comfortable with, but I felt I had to say something in support of Neil Elementary. For the previous four years, I was a reading core tutor at Neil. I was welcomed there with open arms by all the staff. With their support, I went from someone who starting out didn't even know phonics. It skipped my gem narration to someone who is now good at their job and is making a difference in my students lives. Since Reading Corps only allows tutors to work for four years, and I couldn't bear to leave my students in this loving school, I am now a volunteer tutor four days a week with almost as many students as I had before. Neil has also allowed me to share my creative side with the school through its main display case. I get to tweak the students imagination and curiosity. For example, right now an EA and I have an I spy case with weekly changes in what the students are looking for. It makes me feel honored that I'm allowed to do that for the students. There is a feel at Neil that runs through the school that just can't be explained. It [snorts] is with this sincerest hope that Neil is one of the schools that is allowed to survive these tough times. Thank you. Jason Greenberg, Nicole Armstrong, Rachel Doherty. Hi, thank you for listening to everyone tonight. Uh my name is Jason Greenberg and I'm the War 2 council member for the city of Robbinsdale. We're collectively at a place that is painful and heartbreaking. As a council member, I know what it's like to make tough calls. We just did our budget and people have lots to say about those things. Um, but none of the decisions that I've had to make compares to closing schools. I want to acknowledge that I appreciate how difficult this process is, but as someone who represents the city of Robinville, I want to talk about the potential of leaving our city without a community public school. Now, much has been said and will be said tonight about all of the terrific attributes of the program, staff, history, and teachers at all of these schools. We have great educators who care about our kids and do amazing jobs. And I understand why staff, families, and community members are defending their schools. They're all correct. Each school is special, and no one wants their kids or neighbors to be impacted. From a city official perspective, if RMS and Lake View are both closed, it'll leave the city of Robbinsdale without a community public school. I recognize that this district does not have any schools in Brooklyn Park, but the city of Brooklyn Park does have community public schools. I would like to focus on how this would impact the entire city of Robbinsdale. I've received countless emails and messages on social media from Robsdale residents in support of our schools. I heard from a family with a 2-year-old that said they will leave Robbinsdale if Lake View closes. More generally, people looking to buy a house want to know that their city has a community public school. If all of the schools in Robbinsdale are closed, we will be the only city in the district without a community public school. No matter what decision is made about the other schools, no city will experience such a complete loss. that will impact not only our school community, but who stays in Robbinsdale and who moves to our city in the future. And that affects our residents, homeowners, renters, landlord landlords, businesses, and on and on. I'm not saying that other uh other schools aren't excellent. They definitely are. But who's to say one program is better than another or that one marginalized population is more important than another? If you take all that out though, one fact remains, and that is that Lake View Elementary and Robbinsville Middle School, if they're both closed, Robbinsville will be the only city in the district without a community public school. A cost that will dearly impact our entire city, and I hope one that you consider as you deliberate tonight. Thanks so much, Nicole Armstrong, Rachel Dohy, Jesse Swinson. Good evening. I've spoken to this board many times. This is probably my last time. I'm a neighbor. My name is Nicole Armstrong and I'm a neighbor to Lake View Elementary. I want to correct a statement made just moments ago from a school board member saying that this isn't about programming right now because if you close Lake View Elementary, it's definitely about programming because it is the only IB elementary. [snorts] Since the recommendations were closed buildings, specifically high repair needs facilities, I ask you to consider having current students remain at Lake View Elementary until a thorough grounds assessment is completed, not just the building. Why are you closing an elementary school with 200 students to repurpose for 200 high school students, RVA, and ESC administration? Many Lake View students, like so many elementary schools in the district, serve a community. But this elementary school will be the last of two schools in the city of Robbinsdale. Remember, all of the city of Robbinsdale is in the Robbinsdale area school districts. Further, with the vision of one high school, why repurpose for high school students where all of our secondary education facilities could fit the High View program within either Armstrong or Cooper? As a neighbor of Lake View, it is evident that the campus does not have the capacity to support the repurposing. What is the plan for the outdoor space? Are you destroying the playground green space field by adding parking spaces? RVA is open has open office hours throughout the week. High school students drive. Buses for a district school will increase in number resulting in an increase in transportation costs due to decentralization. ESC staff drive and have meetings that add more persons to the facility throughout day, especially large events like this event. Have you done an environmental impact study on the external changes to a building? Is there an environmental impact study on on how what will happen to the nearby lake with the water in the playground and the water levels uh below the ground levels not soaking in water and how that impacts the neighbors? If so, please provide those to us. What about the outdoor greenhouse and the garden that was mentioned earlier? What about the underground water plane that I just mentioned? I appreciate appreciate the hard decisions that the six school boards soon to be seven by the end of January 2026, but I want you to consider to in your vote by contemplating who is Rob area schools. How is my vote equitable to the voices that can't be present or the loudest even possibly here this evening? as I watch families send their kids across the street from the apartment complexes were recommended by two dots on your heat maps walking down or across 42nd Street or the very short pickup and drop off lines. We are all keep a watch on our local elementary school as part of our community. 191 students, four buses, numerous smiles, new friends and keeping friends, compassionate teachers and staff all Thank you. Rachel Dhy, Jesse Swinson, Ally Duna, Jesse Swinsson. Hi there. My name is Jesse Swenson and I'm the parent of a parent of two kids who currently attend Noble Elementary. We've been at Noble since my oldest was in kindergarten and have had the most wonderful amazing experience that I will forever be grateful for. My oldest, who is a neurode divergent kiddo, did not make it into the C lottery in kindergarten, and I was worried about how a traditional neighborhood school would go for him. Turns out sending him to Noble was one of the best decisions we could have made. The teachers and support staff at Noble have changed our lives for the better. Our teachers show deep empathy, kindness, and skill for educating and supporting our students who have additional learning needs. Not to mention kids who are part of our center-based classrooms who would experience relocation and disruption in their homeschool, which would not be the first time in years past. Noble's located on a beautiful 10 acre plot of land surrounded by trees with a generous yard and playground structure. We've been in the process of working toward becoming a forest school destination through the state of Minnesota and brainstorming ways to make it easier for teachers to move learn learning outdoors more often, which many of them already do. This also gives students who may not otherwise have the opportunity a chance to experience nature and free play outdoors. Additionally, we're on a quiet neighborhood road where drop off and pickup do not obstruct local traffic and lend to the ease of walkers and bikers in the neighborhood. The southeast corner of Golden Valley where Noble is located has a ton of young families and potential students. We have already seen many families move their kids to Metobrook, a Hopkins Elementary School in Golden Valley, just south of Highway 55. The closure of Noble will only exacerbate this issue and eliminate the possibility of a neighborhood school in the farthest southeast corner of the district. The proposal to close Noble would leave our children to be relocated to two or more schools, something which the board previously said they prioritize. Noble serves a large population of low-income and underprivileged families. Parents who may be working multiple jobs, are non-English-speaking, or otherwise have time, financial, or other constraints are labeled as uninvolved and therefore not useful or helpful to our community. This couldn't be further from the truth. If we truly value rich diversity and community in this school district, then we need to take into consideration those who have the smallest voices, specifically title one schools with educational disparities that can be tr that can be traced back to redlinining and systemic inequalities. I ask the school board to do what's best for all of our students now and in the future. Knee-jerk reactionary decisions and a lack of costbenefit analysis are hurting some of our most vulnerable communities. Please look at the data. make the best decision for our families. Division amongst the schools and communities is tearing us apart. We have met so many wonderful families and we'd be delighted to combine with and create an even stronger community. Please look at the data, the numbers, and consider what makes the most sense as this is a problem of our statutory operating debt. Stop pitting schools against one another, making this a popularity contest and changing your mind. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Alli Duna, Marie Isis, and Dak Flaggel, Nicole Flaggel, and then Suzanne Coleman. Rachel Ah, bath wise. Good evening, Chair Evans Becker, directors Long Bowman, Hillid Brand, Facet, and Dr. Wuto. My name is Beth. I'm an Ardell parent and community member. And tonight, I will be speaking against the closures of all schools, Sonos, Lake View, Neil, Noble, and RMS. My request tonight is singular and simple. Please vote no on closing any school tonight. You have been rushed. Administration knew schools needed to close for over a year, but provided specific recommendations barely three months before the SOD deadline. This pressure is unfair to you and is not a mandate for immediate action. The law requires an SOD plan by the end of January 2026. It does not require an $8 million cut next year. Closing Lake View Sonis and Neil Noble and RMS now based on limited data and under illusurary pressure is a foundational error. An action impacting 1700 students and staff and valued at $2.5 million demands more than two months of rust rushed discussion. If this fractured start defines our district's foundation, I am deeply worried about what 2030 and beyond will bring. Before you make a permanent heartbreaking decision, I ask you to direct administration to provide two things for full transparency. Complete comparable school data, including a clear matrix for every Ardell school detailing capacity, utilization rates, 10-year capital needs, operating costs per student, and demographics. I also ask you to provide a side-by-side comparison of central office staffing, and total salary benefits before and after the claimed 4.83 83 million in cuts, including any new or reconfigured positions to prove the savings are permanent and structured. Board directors, you were elected to listen to the community, not just trust the experts. My final plea is this. Vote no on the school closures tonight. Do not be part of what further divides and destabilizes this district. instead direct administration to provide the full data scope requested above and be the foundation that begins to build Ardale back up. Thank you. Can you tell us your name, please? >> I'm Suzanne Coleman. >> Thank you, Suzanne. >> Hello. My name is Suzanne Coleman and I have been a resident of Robbinsdale uh for nearly four years alongside my husband Michael. We are at a point in our life where we are considering having children and I was severely disheartened when I heard of the current fiscal struggles in Robinsdale area schools. I personally grew up in a school district in central Minnesota that went through budget cuts throughout my high school years. I truly understand that budget cuts sting no matter where they happen. And I hate that the students in our district are the ones who have to carry the largest amount of that burden. I hate that closing schools is even a discussion. And I am truly sorry to the students who will be impacted by this, no matter what the final decision is. Currently, if I were to have an elementary age child, I would wish to send them to Lake View Elementary. I will admit I live very close to Lake View Elementary and it would take 2 minutes for me to get my child to school by car. We could easily walk. If Lake View Elementary closes, our next closest alternative in Robinsdale Area Public Schools becomes Northport Elementary, five times as far away in distance, necessitating a vehicle for transportation every day. I understand there are no easy decisions to be made here. However, I oppose the closing of both Lake View Elementary School and Robinsdale Middle School. Declining enrollment is being used as as [clears throat] additional justification aside from the budget shortfall for closing buildings, which I understand, but closing either Lake View Elementary School or Robbinsdale Middle School will further exacerbate the current enrollment issue. If the Robbinsdale School District closes all schools in Robbinsdale City Limits, there becomes limited incentive for families to move into Robbinsdale. If families don't move to Robbinsdale, enrollment will continue to decline, exacerbating our district's funding issues due to enrollment. If our goal is to stabilize our school district, closing Lake View Elementary and Robbinsdale Middle School seems counterintuitive to me. Thank you for your time. Shitikica Harris, Katherine Mesaloney, and Gregory Welner. [clears throat] >> [cough] >> Nicole Rasmmanson. >> [clears throat] >> Katie Wood. >> Can you tell me your name, please? >> Nicole Rasmmanson. >> Thank you. Good evening. My name is Nicole Rasmmanson. I am the parent of two Sonisan students and a current school administrator in Minnesota. It is essential that the board fully consider the voices of this community and the real impact these decisions will have on students, families, and staff. As a governing body of the district, you play a critical role in ensuring the information you receive reflects not only enrollment and facilities, but also the programs and the people who will be affected. You have heard from many people. They are here because they care deeply about their students and believe in the programs. >> [clears throat] >> Many are the people working every day with the students who will be most affected and their perspective should be central to this process. Sonison truly serves the students of Robbinsdale. 75% free and reduced lunch, 75% students of color, 19% English learners, and 27.8% special education, the highest percentage in the district. Son has built a strong inclusive culture where students are known, supported, and believed in. The school provides STEM programming to all students, aligning with district goals. The English learner program exceeds state and district averages. Son is also home to the stars program serving students with emotional and behavioral needs. These students have thrived because of the environment. Sonos like others have faced academic challenges. What matters is how those challenges were addressed. Since 2022, third grade math proficiency has nearly doubled and reading proficiency has tripled. Students in grades [clears throat] third three and five demonstrated nearly doubledigit growth in reading last year. This progress reflects intentional data-driven changes that has been rewarded. These gains did not happen overnight. They happen because of stability, trust, and a dedicated student- centered community of educators focused on continuous improvement. The school's culture of perseverance, collaboration, and high expectations for every student makes the difference. The financial challenges facing the district did not begin in classrooms. They occurred at the district level. They should not be solved on the backs of students who required the most support. I [clears throat] understand that hard decisions must be made, but how they are made matters just as much as the decisions themselves. As you weigh these choices, please ensure they do not disproportionately impact students who face the greatest barriers. When large populations of students and protected classes are most affected, the outcome cannot be brushed aside. It calls for deeper reflection and stronger governance. As the elected board, you have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure transparency to request comprehensive plans for programs, not just buildings, and to confirm that every action aligns with the district's commitment to equity and student well-being. Closing a school is not a plan if there is no clear sustainable path forward for the programs and the students it serves. Closing of schools or relocating programs without a plan for programming is not a long-term solution. It is a significant risk. Please look at the full picture. Academic growth, program effectiveness, community stability, and long-term impact alongside enrollment and facility costs. Transportation for manga programs, which are based on family choice should not outweigh the need for stable, effective programs for our most vulnerable students. Protecting choice while destabilizing programs does not ultimately serve the district well. Moving programs or closing schools is not simply a logistical decision. It affects relationships, trust, and student success. Every student deserves a school that is stable, supportive, and focused on equity. Please keep Sonic open and allow its proven growth, strong programming, and commitment to equity to continue benefiting students and families across the district. Thank you for your time, attention, and thoughtful consideration. [clears throat and cough] >> Reading off my phone, excuse me. Um, I live in Robbinsdale and I have a sixth grader and an eighth grader who both participated in ECF, went to Fair Pilgrim Lane and are now at Fair Crystal. I help coach uh youth travel basketball for Armstrong and our team is made up of kids from each middle school in the district. I'm supposed to be at practice tonight, but this is more important. So, I'm here to talk about all of the schools up for closure. Um, I chose to move to Robbinsdale to start a family. As a parent, I'm very concerned about the state of our district and the plans to close schools. Closing schools will only further hurt our students and our communities. It cannot be the only option. I understand some of the immediate cost-saving benefits, but closing schools, increasing class sizes, losing teachers, and cutting the programming that drew families to the district in the first place will only push more families to leave. Our financial problems will only get worse. As my kids finish middle school and transition into high school, I'm also very concerned that the state of our district will only continue to decline. At this time, it seems inevitable that we will see more cuts, more changes, and more families leaving. There is already a lack of faith and trust in this district throughout the community. And there is a real concern about what will happen next. The long-term impact of closing schools far outweighs the immediate savings. Please vote no to closing our schools and look for other cost-saving measures. Please request an extension to the state's SOD deadline so that we can look further into other cuts that don't hurt our kids and our communities. Please don't rush these incredibly important decisions. Please pause the decision to close schools. Thank you. [clears throat] Julie Bourke, Sam Sant, Violet Brook. >> Can you tell us your name, please? >> I'm Gregory Vner. >> Good evening and thank you all. Um, I'm a product of Tup district 281. I began my academic career as a snotty four-year-old at Forest Elementary in 1959 and I graduated from Cooper 1972. Man, am I old. Uh I'm advocating in behalf of Sonison. Um I I don't live in the district anymore, but I I attend a church that is four blocks west of the school, and we've adopted the school as kind of a part of our community service project. Um we have a really really good relationship with the teachers and the staff there. Um and our members our members regularly um volunteer at school sponsored functions and events. Every uh fall we uh have have a school supply drive where we um buy school supplies for the teachers who request them so they don't have to pay for them out of their own pocket. about this time of year. Uh the social worker at Sonison contacts our pastor and informs us about needy families in the in the school so that we can buy Christmas gifts and meals for them. And then during the summer, we we've done various um service project at the school. Last [clears throat] this last summer, I I was privileged to help to repair and stain some of the benches they use for their outdoor classroom. Um, like I said before, we have a great relationship with the students, staff, and the teachers there. Um, we love them. We take great delight in serving them. Um, I think it's a we we can be a model for what can what can possibly happen when churches and other places of worship partner with schools. Um, I think we need more of those kinds of relationships, not less. And I think I can speak for the my church and for Sonis and that I would like this relationship to continue. Thanks so much. [snorts] Julie Bourke, Sam Sant, Violent Brick. Hello again. My name is Julie Burke. Um, I've lived in the district for the last 16 years. I also support and have supported a number of families in the district for the last 15 years as well as a children's mental health case manager. I'm also the parent of a sixth grader. I had something else planned to talk about and I'm going to own that right now. And as I sat here, I realized there was something else that I felt needed to be said that I that I don't know that it's been spoken on fully. I've done a lot of work in Brooklyn Center around increasing equity and addressing racial disparities in our city. And one thing that I learned through that work that has guided my decisions since um was that no matter what we do, no matter how intentional we are, impact matters over intent. Impact matters over intent. I think there's been some well-intentioned processes engaged. Um and I think unfortunately some of them have been a little short-sighted. Um some plans haven't been accessible. rules [clears throat] are long and verbose. Even for tonight, spaces where decisions are being made are not accessible to everybody in our community. Even tonight, there was a very clear reaction to a gentleman doing something that he apparently didn't know was a rule. And I think the facial expressions alone that I saw in some people's faces would have made me leave the room and be afraid to to continue. But thankfully, he did. um the this process in itself is inequitable and that only the people who can be here in this space get to have voice in this hearing. Um only a handful of voices get to be heard out of thousands who are in our district and that's because the people in this room carry privileges that the people who can't be here don't. And I own that myself that I carry privilege to be here as well. I would like to ask today that the board pause on any decisions regarding closing any schools. Um, I don't have a bunch of numbers for you because I work in relationships. Um, and I'm going to be the one cleaning up after all these decisions are made as I have been for the last 15 years, cleaning up harm that has happened to a number of my families in this district. Um, I work with some of the most vulnerable families in this district and [clears throat] they have been harmed enough. I I would like to ask that if possible the board pause on any decision-making in regards to closing any schools tonight because the impact is going to matter over any intent that anybody sitting at this table has. And our kids deserve that time and intentionality behind the decisions that are being made tonight. Um, thank you for your time this evening. Um, I might need help getting out of here. Um, I apologize. I have a medical condition that makes it hard for me to stand and my leg is locking on me. I just need to get to a chair so I can sit. Yeah, if I can just get it. >> Sorry. >> I think we'll take our recess now. >> We're planning on an 8:00 recess. We're going to take a brief recess now. Uh we'll be back. >> 802. >> Thank you. We're in recess. >> Good to see you. I feel like it's paparazzi back. >> Okie dokie everybody. Let's get started or let's resume. Please settle in. Find a place to sit. >> I can't believe you're not banging that thing. >> Thank you everybody. We're back and uh Miss O'Harn. Next up we have Sam Sant, Violet Broke, Penny Kissinger. >> Good evening board. Uh my name is Sam Sant. I come uh before you today as a concerned citizen, a former Robbinsdale 281 school board member, and most importantly, a parent uh looking at at what's uh upon you tonight, uh all of these elementary schools are title one. I'm sure you're aware of uh Neil Noble, Lake View, and Sonos. Uh they're very diverse schools. Uh Lake View is the only IB program in the district. Uh I want to speak particularly to Lake View. uh being a former parent of Lake View students uh and being in my community in Robbinsdale uh I am concerned of both of our schools closing in Robbinsdale hence also being the Robbinsdale school district and not having a school in Robbinsdale. I think it says a lot out to our community out to the state what kind of district this is. We can't lose Lake View. Uh if we were to young families wouldn't want to come into our city. Uh who's going to want to come without a neighborhood community school? It's going to affect property values and if forever render it was ever to come about uh in our in our district, which I'm sure it will at some point, it wouldn't pass in Robbinsdale if no both our schools were to close. I think the board needs to take a step back and review uh other expenses that are happening in the in the district at large. I think particularly there was an increase in pay administrative staff. The things like this, a few hundred thousand here, a few hundred thousand there, all adds up. I I don't believe that closing schools right now is the right answer. I'd like to also mention that to not cut our curriculum. Our curriculum is very robust in our district and it brings a lot of families in and if we were to lose that th those families would leave our district and that would concern me because then it's sort of domino effect where our families are going to leave and we're going to have more and more decreased enrollment. I also like to say not to close our education service building. Uh, I think it would be very expensive to try to um to uh reform a school district or a school in our district to be able to house what we have here to have board meetings. I think it would cost hundreds of thousand dollars and I think it would be ineffective uh with the money that we have and to do something like that when we already have this building here. So, I'd like to see us keep this building and to have our board meeting administrative staff here. Lastly, I'd like to propose that uh the the district uh signed for a 90-day extension with the with the Department of Education. I think we're moving way too fast and that they need to more uh thoughtful process and community input and to make sure that the decisions they're making are the right ones. So, I think the wrong ones that we make today are going to affect our community for years to come. Thank you. Violet Brake, Penny Kissinger, Frank Merchelowitz. Hello, I'm Violet Brake and I'm in seventh grade at Plymouth Middle School. Tonight, I want to talk about theater. Number one, if you close RMS, there's a real possibility that PMS won't be able to have a theater program next year because there wouldn't be a place to perform. Robbinsdale Middle School is the has the only theater that middle school drama programs can realistically use. Plymouth Middle School doesn't have one and Sandberg currently partners with Aras and performs there too. There isn't enough space or time at the high schools for all of our our shows. If that theater goes away, our drama programs may go away, too. Just this week, we already had a double book booking for PMS theater, leading to the loss of two set building days. The RMS theater would go over to Sandberg next year, and they have been using the RMS theater, too. So, they wouldn't have one either. If Fair Crystal was to be split between PMS and Sandberg, that mean that we lose their amazing middle school theater program as well. Robinsdale Area Schools has a long tradition of excellence in the arts, from performance and music to visual and applied arts. In 2030 community survey, students ranked the arts among the most important areas they want to learn participate in. In the vision 2030 recommendations presentation to the school board in September, the arts are foundational to the district was listed as number two in key findings and considerations. Second only to our exceptional staff and instruction. I'm worried that closing Robbinsdale Middle School won't just close a building. It could end middle school theaters programs across the district. And I have a younger sister. We have shared every song and made choreography from scratch even before my parents have seen the shows. We're talking hours. What will she do when she can't build the connections that I got to through Theo? She'll lose the eighth grade friends that give her high school advice, dating advice, and the administrative administr administration relationships that get her the college letters. She has something she wanted me to say tonight. Hi, I'm Lucy and my favorite part of PMS is the theater program. I would be bummed if it closed, so that's why I'm speaking. It's such a big part of our family and I can't wait to be a part of this, but I can't if we don't find another solution for performing theater. So, I'm asking you to please look for a solution that keeps middle school theater programs in our district and consi continues the Robbinsdale Area Schools tradition of excellence in the arts. Thank you for doing all that you do and know that I appreciate it. >> Penny Kissinger, Frank Merchelowitz, Petra Hempin. >> Hi, my name is Penny Kissinger. My daughter is a seventh grader at RMS. I and most people in this room are aware that difficult decisions need to be made. I know you take no pleasure in making those decisions. I've read the materials, watched the board meeting recordings, as have many in this room. We've seen alternative courses of action proposed by both members of the board and members of our community. Many of those alternatives seem viable. Many of us have also seen members of the board discount those alternatives immediately, seemingly without much thought, and passing them off as the emotional responses that the vision 23 team warned you about. However, Director Basset's point that a capital budget is different from an operating budget isn't emotional. I don't think individuals pointing out the possible financial repercussions to closing both Robinsdale schools are emotional. When individuals at RMS and other schools relay that it doesn't make financial sense to replace the amenities their campuses already have, amenities included in the vision 2030 plan. That is not an emotional response. Those are legitimate concerns regarding future spending in the district. Concerns that are not addressed by the vision 2030 plan, at least not what has been presented to the public. Did the committee look at how much it would cost to build a new auditorium like the one at RMS versus upgrading it? Did the committee look at how much it cost to create outdoor learning spaces like the ones at Sonic and other elementary schools? Will those costs be less than the deferred maintenance in the capital budget today? Was there a study done on what impact will be if Robbinsdale residents vote no to the referendum? The answer to all these questions may be yes, but that isn't addressed in the materials. We haven't seen any plan to support students through these changes. Some, like mine, are looking at switching schools in their last year of middle school and again in their senior year of high school. Others are looking at possibly more moves than that. How will they be supported? And how much will that support cost? Unfortunately, all these unressed questions as well as others brought up today give the public a perception that the board is trusting the vision 2030 team to have looked at this from every angle without thoroughly vetting their proposal or determining if its long-term plans are realistic. That thorough vetting is what our kids deserve. Before you vote tonight, I beg you to ask yourselves if you can honestly say that you have looked at every possibly viable alternative. If you can't say that, please vote accordingly. Thank you. >> Frank Merchowitz, Petra Hempin, Melissa Scott. >> Hello, I'm Frank Merkowitz. I live in Robbinsdale. My wife uh went to Sonos, graduated from Armstrong, as did her parents. Uh her grandfather was principal of the now defunct Robbinsdale High School. The house where we live now is across the street from the now closed, demolished, turned into a water plant, Lee Elementary. Uh, and I'm rising today to speak in favor of uh all of our schools in the district, all the schools that are facing this decision tonight. Um, as a resident of Robbinsdale, particularly passionate about the points raised by, well, raised better by basically everybody else that went before me of closing Robin closing uh, Lake View and RMS would leave us without a core school within the district. Uh, and how that presents a unique problem to our community. Um, I urge you all to really consider the people who have come and spoken before you tonight. Urging a moment to just press pause and really challenge ourselves to think creatively about how we can account for this while minimizing the impact to all of the schools and all of the people that are here before you that are frankly losing their minds, having to contemplate the idea of losing the schools that they uh that they know and love. Um, I don't have much more to add that hasn't been said more articulately by others, so I will stop there. Thank you very much. >> Petra Hempin, Melissa Scott, Sarah Edmund. >> I'm here today to express my concern about the process the board has gone through in making decisions and the apparent lack of transparency. Robins schools are public schools and they're funded by public money and the decisions about how that money should be spent should be publicly fully understood at each meeting. Prior to the prior to that meeting, the agenda is published online. However, while other items are fully disclosed prior to the meeting, the SOD or vision PowerPoint is not added to the website until the very start of the session. This does not give the public the ability to understand what is being discussed or debated. This lacks transparency. at board meetings. The superintendent >> Which school are you? Which school are you? >> I am I my point of all this is to wait until you actually have the ability to vote on the whole plan. At the board meetings, the superintendent has asked what other information the board needs in order to make a decision. However, in large part, it appears that they receive private and confidential responses to public questions. For example, m multiple school board members have asked for information about why the district administrators have not cut their budget by only a half a million dollars or the budgets affecting the students were cut by 7.5. One board member attempted to raise this [clears throat] point to the public to make a better understanding. The superintendent, however, responded that that email was actually marked confidential and stifled any conversation on that topic. While there may be very good reasons for why the school board has chosen not to cut its own budget as substantially, not sharing that information with the public appears nefarious, it is a lack of transparency and creates doubt in questions raised across the Robbinsdale school community. Three weeks ago, again with no notice, the administration suggested they should cut magnet school busing. This was debated and no decision was made because rightfully so. They recognized that it rem it would disenfranchise a large portion of magnet school families. Last week they assumed to seem to solve the problem with absolutely no input from the public. That solve was that they would just get rid of the magnet middle schools. It appears that last week that decision was made with absolutely no concern for the fair community that would be split up or for the art or for the Spanish emerging community that would also be split up. That concept was debated and it seemed to be approved by the very end of the session. Unlike other schools that had few listening sessions and a public hearing to debate it, the middle school closure magnet middle school closures appeared to have none. There is another public hearing set for no for January 5th. And while that agenda is largely on the closing of Fair Pilgrim Lane School, I would ask the board to wait until after that meeting to make any any decisions. Take the three weeks between now and then to consider all of the options. You owe to Robbinsdale to do it proud by not making peace meal cuts and allowing for transparency and for public comment. Thank you. >> She's Petra Hempin. >> Thank you. Melissa Scott, Sarah Edmund, Grace Needham. >> Hi. Um, my name is Melissa Scott. I'm an ESL teacher. I've worked in the district for over 25 years. Um, I've been lucky to be at the schools that are closing or represented tonight at in some capacity. And I have to tell you that they're all great schools. I've walked into each one of the schools and thought, "Wow, this is really special about this school and this is really special about that school." Um, so that's not what we're talking about here. We're not talking about programs at the school or what's important about each particular school. We're talking about the facilities. We're talking about the statue statutory operating debt that we need to take care of. Now, those are the things we're talking about. Um it's important that we make a decision from the teachers point of view. This has been dragged on a long time. We've known about it since last year. We've known, you know, the first time it's been brought up has been in September. I think end of September. It's been a long time. um staff. It feels as if we're pitted against each other that we've been asked to come up here and to talk to you guys to show what's special about our school when they're all important. They're all special. So, please, if you could make the decision tonight, that would be great. Um I can't say which program is the best to cut, which school is the best to cut, because they're all great and it's going to be painful for everybody. Everybody's going to grieve over this. All the schools are going to change whether they're open or not. Um I do ask that however you make your decision, I hope it's based on the facts that have been presented, um what where the location of the school is, how much it costs to repair, what's special special about that particular facility, and uh that you're transparent with that when you make your vote. So, we know that that is why Wow, I can't believe I've spoken that long. Um, so we know why you're making the decision and we know that that decision decision is being made because of the facts and not because of the emotions that are running high. Thank you. >> Sarah Edmund, Grace Nehem, Brianna Burgeman, Bergman, Josh Holtz, Noah Kman. By any chance, can I have my daughter go first? Cuz >> Elena Kochman. Hello, my name's Elena and today I'm going to discuss about the budget cuts that you guys are deciding today. I don't think it's fair to the young kids that are deciding to go to the elementary schools that you're going to cut today and the older kids if you're going to discharge the Robbinsdale middle school then where are Plymouth going to have their place and where is fair going to we where are where is everything? So everything's going to be bulge up and mixed up. We need a good reason. And why? >> Okay, your turn. >> Noah Kman. >> Hi, my name is Noah Koman. I have have three st uh students, two currently in the district. One that actually left the district because she wanted to go to high school somewhere else because of how dysfunctional our district is. um these closing of schools is not good at all. And unfortunately, you guys probably have already made the decisions and unfortunately we can try to tell you what we would like to do and what we would like to happen, but what it comes down to is you guys have put us in this position. You put the district in this positions. It might not be just you. It might be the people before you, but you're the ones making the decisions. So, it is really up to you. You are welcome to pause this. You are welcome to make the decisions. You're welcome to say no. But this really comes down to you as a district. You know, if you close all the schools in Robbinsdale, it's not Robbinsdale school area. It's district 281. It's not Robbinsdale. So that's all I have to say. Thank you. Wlette Witted, Carice Roach, Doug Weber, Wlette Whitted, parents, uh, two identical twin boys in the district. And good evening, members of the school board. I'm speaking tonight as both a parent of a child that receives special education services and as a member of the vision 2030 team. I am deeply concerned that the data guiding the current school closure recommendations is incomplete. And because of that, I'm asking that the board to pause any closure decisions immediately. The capacity numbers being used to justify these closures do not fully include special education programming, specifically the wave, rise and star programs are not reflected in the capacity data that has been presented to the community or to this board. These programs serve students who require specialized classrooms, staffing ratios, and physical spaces. When those numbers and programs are excluded, the capacity numbers are fundamentally incorrect. Those numbers were a primary driver for the recommendations we are discussing today. If the data is flawed, the conclusions drawn from it cannot be valid. In Robbinsdale, special education students make up a significant portion of our district population. Capacity cannot be measured solely by desks and square footage. It must account for instructional needs, mandated services, and legally required accommodations. Ignoring these realities creates a misleading picture of available space that does not actually exist for many students. What is especially troubling is that the discussion for school closures that has been there has been no clear presented way for where special education programs will be relocated. No data has been shared on whether receiving buildings can support these programs, whether appropriate spaces exist, or whether staffing models will remain compliant with state and federal requirements. The omission is not minor. It's critical. Special education cannot be an afterthought. Yet, historically in this district, it too often has been. Robbinsdale has dropped the ball too many times when it comes to special education and moving forward with closures will without fully accounting for these students risks repeating the pattern on a much larger scale. If the stated goal of vision 2030 is transparency then the current capacity numbers fail to meet the standard. As a vision 2030 team me member, I believe the community deserves a complete accurate data. Data that includes all students, all programs and all in instructional realities before irreversibly irreversible decisions are made. I ask the board to pause student closure decisions require re revised capacity data that includes special education programs and clearly articulates a plan for how these students will be served. We cannot make permanent decisions based on incomplete information, especially when our most vulnerable. >> Thank you. >> Carice Rotach, Doug >> Rot. >> Rot. >> Yeah, it's silent. >> Doug Weber and Hans Golstrand. >> All right. Um, I'm Karice Rot. Thank you so much for letting me come up here. Um, I am a citizen, a concerned citizen and a mother speaking on behalf of all schools being considered for closure. I am both a licensed psychotherapist and an HR director. I speak emotions and I speak corporate and business. Emotions run high tonight, rightfully so. But there's also a lot of business considerations that must be considered tonight alongside emotions. Two things cannot be overstated in this discussion. Firstly, business. You heard Stacy and Beth and others. You can still vote no to all of these school closures. It is the right choice. The rush is self-imposed and unnecessary. You should hit pause and talk more. Schools should be the very last thing to be cut, especially since we can clearly see other opportunities that are less disruptive and more easily reversed if they're a bad idea. Second, the impact of closing schools on students mental health. These children are just now recovering from the impact of the pandemic lockdown closures. I work in eating disorder care and the rate of pediatric eating disorders tripled as a result of the elimination of their social networks and safe communities in 2020. Making decisions to close schools and disrupt freshly rebuilt communities will have a lasting psychological impact for years to come, even if they can rebuild. My own child has been following this story and expressed through tears the other day that it doesn't feel like the people making decisions care about the kids' futures. What I also know is that it's sometimes there is business decision decisions that need to be made and it's not personal even though it feels incredibly personal. That part I learned in my work in corporate HR. Therefore, the second point that cannot be overstated is that we need to be very certain that we have checked thoroughly into all other options for making a dec before making a decision that could have this impact on our students. Before causing additional stress and social trauma to children at a time when there is already social trauma and unrest, we implore you to vote no to close schools. hit pause and consider many other alternative options before school closure. There are many other reasonable options worthy of spending time investigating before acting on what we assume is the answer. Closing schools creates more problems than it solves. Thank you. >> Doug Weber, Hans Gstrand, Bascaran Barath. >> Good evening. My name is Doug Weber. I live in Plymouth and I'm the proud parent of a preschooler and a second grader here in the district who have attended a number of different buildings during our short time in the district. My reason for speaking tonight was sparked just last Tuesday when I received notice from our school about the amended proposal for school closures. My children's my children attend the fair school on Pilgrim Lane, a school I will return to speak about specifically and vigorously defend. But tonight, I am here in solidarity with the parents, teachers, students, aids, and every person affected by these proposed closures, many of whom are not yet aware of the full specifics and who may not be able to attend tonight. Since receiving that notice, I've put most of my other commitments on hold to focus my time and energy on understanding what's happening and acting because the more I learn, the clearer it becomes that this issue is like an onion. Each layer peeled back reveals even more complexity. I want to be very clear. I recognize that the district's financial situation is beyond dire. I understand that within the SOD process, school closures may be a very real and painfully painful possibility. And I stand here tonight grateful for the work you do and the dedication you've shown [snorts] to this district under extremely difficult circumstances. At the same time, I respectfully ask you to support the request for a 90-day extension to the state on the SOD deadline. You have all received the petition, though not all have yet responded. We are asking for time. Time for more community involvement. Time for greater transparency. Time for meaningful input and accountability. These decisions will shape the daily lives of our children, not just this year, but for years to come. We owe it to them to slow this process down just enough to get it right. As you begin your meetings by honoring the land on which we stand, I urge you to also consider the seventh generation principle of the Dakota people and the impact your decisions will have seven generations into the future. Earlier today, while listening to my favorite podcast, I was reminded of a quote by Margaret me and it feels especially relevant tonight. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. We are who you see in this room tonight. We are counting on you to do the right thing to give our community the time it needs and our children the future they deserve. Help unite us, not divide us. Please vote no on any of the school closures tonight and give us more time. Thank you. Hans Golstrand, Bascaratha Nathan Barath, and Dan Larson. >> Hans Golstrand, Sonos. Um, our daughter is a first grader at RSI. Our son is currently in fourth grade at Sonos. We transferred our son from RSI to Sonos in November of 2024. The teachers and staff at RSI were supportive and communicative, but our son continued to underperform despite their efforts. Our daughter is currently thriving at RSI, but it wasn't a good fit for our son. While exploring our other options within the district, we toured Sonos and another Robbinsdale school. The other school principal told us they lacked the resources to support our son. He's on an IEP and a setting one and that they would not participate in certain mandated programs such as Bridge to Read due to funding issues. Uh well, we can appreciate this honesty. It was unexpected and really disappointing for us. Our experience touring Sonos was the complete opposite. The staff and students from top to bottom were inclusive, welcoming, and deeply invested in building a sense of community. We immediately knew that Sonosen was the place for our son. Um, in our short time there, we've seen exceptional leadership and collaboration from administration, teachers, and the PTSO. The school offers countless enrichment opportunities, partnerships with the works, heart of the beast puppetry, Bell Museum, many more. Um, Sonos consistently uses evidence-based practices and their success is notable not only to us as families, but also for their state recognition for literacy excellence. Our son is not only happy and fitting in, but he made major improvements academically, and he's now a top performer um in the school in both reading and math. Closing Sonison would likely lead us to withdraw our son from the district next year for fifth grade. He's already experienced one transition in elementary school um followed by another move to middle school would be incredibly disruptive for him. We recognize our unique privilege in having the flexibility to explore other options, but many Sonosan families do not, especially those with students on an IEP and those without our same privileges that our our family experiences. Um closing Sonison would devastate a community that has worked tirelessly to create something truly special. Both my wife and I have professional experience, worked in many school districts, Wisetta, Lakeville, multiple charter schools, and we can both confidently say that what's happening at Sonison is exceptional. It's a model of what strong leadership, dedicated teachers, and community engagement can achieve. It would be an absolute shame to overlook all that Sonos has built and to dismantle such a strong, thriving school community. So, please reconsider closing Sonos Elementary. Bascar Nathan Bara, Dan Larson, Tyler Brake, Dan Larson's, right? >> [clears throat] >> Good evening. Uh, thank you for this opportunity to speak for the board and hopefully for all of us to hear about a lot of good things going on our school district. [clears throat] Uh, my name is Dan Larson. I am a retired science teacher. U spent most of my time at Anoka High School, but my first teaching job was in 1978 at Austrian Junior High. May bring back some memories for a few folks. Uh, my wife and I moved into the district in 281 in the early 80s. We raised and graduated seven children um from Robbend Hill schools, four from Cooper and three from Armstrong. Um my wife and daughter still work in the preschool program in the district. Um in my time here, I've seen numerous schools close, a few reopen, and one even rebuilt. Um to know where we've where we're going, we should really know where we've been. And so here's a little story from the last century. A longgo superintendent made a detailed plan that would sell Robins Hill High School site to commercial interests for redevelopment. He used example of uh highway 169 and 55 intersection where General Mills built the headquarters. Robinsdale's tax base would improve. Um 281 would rid itself of extra space. The prop proposal needed city approval to reszone the site because it was zoned residential. The city council listened attentively to the professional proposal. The first city council member to respond to the proposal statement included um we will reszone that over my dead body. the city the uh the other comment other council members uh clapped even a few cheers and that proposal died. Uh that's what superintendent thought he knew more he knew something he didn't um and might be a lesson for all of us. On the other hand, several years later, Robbinsdale city leaders were so pleased when that site opened as Robbinsdale Spanish immersion um after it moved over from Olsson Elementary. Um eventually moved out all 17 programs there. Thank you. Um that had rented space and as RSI and Robinsville Middle School both occupied the space. Um I've attended lots of meetings recently. um some plans to the district. I've read all of the over three dozen pages of the uh recommendations um and seen the observations. Um and I think one of the things that we should keep in mind all all people in school communities need to feel val feel valued. Um I guess I would speak mostly for Robbinsdale Middle School. Um there's a lot of space there and a lot of room it cost to re redo this lot. Um, but I think we need you need a little more time to make a plan going forward that's we're not going to regret. So, um, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Tyler B. Good evening and thank you. My name is Tyler Brake. I'm delighted to have two daughters in the Ardell School District. Lucy's in third grade and Violet who you met tonight already. I'm well aware that these schools are not under consideration tonight and my heart goes out to all the families and staff that are worried about their schools. I'm here mostly to talk about an effect that consolidating Robbinsdale Middle School will have. I'm here to speak for theater. My daughter Violet has been heavily involved in the Plymouth Middle School theater program. The program is very successful with 10% of the student body participating. That is a remarkable number. Additionally, the donations that are collected at performances are shared with other extracurriculars in the school. As you've heard, the Artdale District has strong theater programs among the middle schools. Last weekend, we attended How to Survive a Shakespeare Play at RMS and a Midsummer's Night Dream at Fair Crystal. Plymouth Middle is presenting Beauty and the Beast Junior in February. These are wonderful opportunities for students to learn and grow throughout the arts and the kids always do a wonderful job thanks to the hard work of staffers and volunteers. I think we can all agree that theater is a healthy way for students to explore ranges of emotion and artistic expression and an important program to keep alive among the schools. Plymouth Middle School does not have an auditorium. We rely on the theater at Robbinsdale Middle School. When RMS closes, there will be two middle schools without a dedicated theater space. The stages at both high schools are obviously booked solid. I'm not asking to keep RMS open, but I am asking the school board and administration to please make middle school theater logistics a priority as schools are consolidated. Additionally, as a parent that open enrolls and has a wider view of the district, I strongly urge you to follow the experts you hired in this administration regarding these building consolidations and their databased suggestions. The good of the whole district is your obligation, not just individual schools or programs. While these changes are painful, not taking action tonight jeopardizes the education of every student in the district. I would like to remind you that tonight is a crucial financial and operational decision, not a city border or programmatic decision. Those choices come next. Thank you for your deliberation. Board Chair Evans Becker, that was our final speaker this evening. Thank you. Thank you everyone. We've reached the end of the public testimony part of our meeting. Uh that allow which allows for the people to speak for against the proposed school closures. Is now time for board discussion and deliberation. I'd like to ask the board, do you need a break before we do this or you want to dive right in? >> Dive right. You break. Okay, let's take a five minute. Let's take a five minute break before we come back and start discussing and deliberating. Thank you. 8:50. Okay, we're back. >> Please be seated. >> Board members, [applause] >> I'm calling us back to order. It's 8:55 and we are back in order. This is the discuss and deliberate portion of our meeting and the order that we're going to discuss and deliberate is Robin Middle and then alphabetical order for the elementary. So that would be Lake View, Neil, Noble, Sonison, and then ESC. So, I am going to kick it off in order to open up discussion on Robbinsdale Middle. I am going to move the resolution to close Robinsdale Middle School. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. It's been moved and seconded to move the resolution. I'm going to wave the reading because the resolution is six pages. So, I'm not going to read the resolution. Basically, it's voting. It's moving to close Robin Still Middle School. Is there um discussion? Director Basset. Well, I have to say that um I do believe that uh since we're going to talk about the actual utilization of any property that we close and if Robinsdale Middle School is was to close that when we come into the conversation, there's some things that make me want to vote against that. And those things that rise up for me that make me want to vote against this is the fact that it is one of our largest facilities. I think it is worth the investment. If we are closing other buildings that provides us with revenue and the revenue [snorts] can go in a couple of different ways. uh the revenue can be used to help buy debt. Not not just that property alone because the process has really um segregated some of the data and some of the information that really helps make a decision robust for me. Um you know kind of some indicators or frameworks for the future they're not present. So that's why I feel compelled to say, you know, to to share openly that I have some reservations about Robinsdale Middle School. Um, uh, because the caveats, things like the theater, but more than that, the capacity of that building to house multiple programs really, really gives me pause. And I know we're going to talk about the dispatch of facilities on the on the whole, all of them, once we make decisions. Um I I just wanted to be clear. I'm going to come back to this conversation because I think it's an important and it's a big one [clears throat] about what we're going to do. Um so those are concerns that I have about Robinsdale Middle School and I I've kind of talked about them a little bit before but but not so much now. Uh I think that um well I think that's that's kind of it for the moment about what I want to say about that. Thank you. >> And director Hillbrand. >> Um, I just wanted to say that I heard loud and clear the concern about middle school theater and I think that's an issue that can be resolved and that the dis that the administration I'm sure they've heard it loud and clear as well and that we'll put their heads together to find that solution because I think we can all agree that's really important. Um, and uh, I look forward to hearing what that solution is. But in the meantime, um I I just want to be clear that we've heard I I've heard that anyway, and I'm sure we all have. Um and that we um that that's on the plate to be resolved. >> That's not being ignored. >> Director Bowman. >> Yeah. Uh thank you, Director Hillbrand. I echo the same sentiment that, you know, the one caveat is is can we do something with the stage? How will we do something with the stage? Uh, and I look I as director Hilligrand look forward to hearing the resolve on how that can be managed as time goes on. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Director Long. >> Yeah, I, you know, feel like there was still more conversation to be had around what if we're going to close Robinson Middle School, what needed to happen with that. Um, and even looking at the numbers that are in this uh resolution, it still doesn't sit for me. um that this is the decision I need to be ma making right now. There's still a lot of unknown answers for me around Robbinsdale Middle School. And it's not just the theater. There are other things in there. There's a gym in there. It's it's got lots of capacity. It's got lots of land space to it, too. Um, so I mean if if maybe it was amended to talk about maybe repurposing it for some, maybe I would be amanable to it, but at this point in time, I'm not. >> Thank you. I do not see any other hands up. And so before we vote, I just want to say nobody wants to be closing schools. This is a hard hard thing to do and it's work that we just need to do. So, yes. Did you >> call on me? Yes, I do. >> Pardon me. >> Are you calling on me? >> I was going to call for a vote to Are you going to be saying something? >> Well, well, I just wanted to speak to this resolution. >> Okay. >> Okay. And I guess what I want to say about it is that um buildings have been closed in the district before. That doesn't mean that they can't be reopened. >> Thank you. All right, it is time to vote on the resolution uh to close Robinsdale Middle School. This will be a voice, not a voice. This will be a roll call vote. Clerk, when you are ready, please do this. >> I am ready. Thank you very much. Director Basset, >> I'm going to vote yes. Director Bowman votes yes. Chair Evans Becker, >> yes. >> Director Hillenbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> 51. >> Okay. So, the resolution to close Robinsdale Middle School passes. Um, it's duly passed. Do we have to do any instruction to the administration? >> Nope. The resolution contains the instruction which I think is to >> Thank you. >> administrative process. >> Thank you. All right. The next building we're going to be talking about is the first of the elementary schools alphabetical order. It is Lake View Elementary School. Does someone want to make the resolution to close Lake View Elementary School? I'll make the motion to close the Lake View Elementary School. Hey, >> is there someone want to second it? >> I'll second it. Okay, >> we have a motion and a second to close Lake View Elementary School. >> Director Bowman, >> we're in discussion. >> We are in discussion. >> Thank you. Um, I'm not going to be supporting the resolution because I think that uh the testimony that I've seen so far really does indicate that we need to leave an open building in the city of Robbinsdale and that's why I will not be uh supporting the resolution to close Lake View. >> Thank you, Director Hillbrand. You know, I I think this is this is really difficult and I I I just want to say that I do agree that all of our schools are doing wonderful things. We are um and our job is to think systemically. I mean, my kids go to schools and go to well, they go to the same school, but a school in this district, and I'd hate to see that school closed. Um, but by by closing schools, what we're going to be able to do is is we're going to maximize resources and we're going to be able to provide better resources for our kids. And that's what I'm I'm looking for because we're going to have fully resourced schools. We're going to have more supports in those schools. And frankly, regardless of what schools we close, it the remaining schools aren't going to be the same as they were before. They'll have the same name, but they won't have the same teachers. They won't necessarily have the same principles. They're not going to have the same kids in them. They're going to be different schools. So, we can say we're closing building A, we're closing building B, but it's not going to be the same Sonos or the same Neil or the same Lake View or the same Noble. So, I think we have to remember that um when when we're making this decision. So, it doesn't in the end we can we can say we're closing a building, but it's you can fight to [clears throat] have that building named A or B, not closed, but it's not going to be the same next year at all. Um and the other thing that's clear is that dragging this out is doing more harm than good. And so, I I'm really glad we're going ahead and voting tonight. Um and I think that because of all that um we can close I the other thing is the pressure from the city and I understand but the city wouldn't turn around and let us tell them where to build a playground or where to build a park or where to build a municipal building and and rightly so. And I think that we need to do what's best for our students for our district. And when we look at the numbers, I think you could go either way. But um so I don't know that there's a right choice or a wrong choice is my point because it all kind of in the end will like I said, it's not going to be the same lake view. It's not going to be the same noble. It's not going to be the same whatever. So I don't know. I I'm just saying that like I don't I think that all of this I feel all of the emotions. I feel all of the the heartache and the heartbreak and I feel really [sighs] I feel the burden and the weight of it. But I just want to be clear that even if we say school A is closing or school B, it's not going to change the end result which is going to be it's not the same school. >> Director Long, Director Wuto and then Director Basset. >> Okay. Well, I kind of prepared a statement for all of this coming forward. So, I'm just going to read my statement. It kind of applies to all of it. I'll not be supporting um administration's recommendation around SOD for numerous reasons, including a rush timeline, which has perpetuated hostility discussions amongst not only board members, but also between stakeholders in the district, which in effect pins schools against one another. This is not leadership. Despite the district's dire financial situation being publicly outlined for over a year, conversations around district visioning amongst the board has been missed. As a result, stakeholders are pushing back in frustration, anger, and sadness are presented in listening hours, our emails, LTE, in local papers, poster signs during meetings, and student walkouts in their schools. Ignoring or minimizing these effects is not leadership. Sorry, nervous. While it is true that most conversations around school consolid consolidations and closing or other cost cutting measures would cause push back, it is also true that effective communication, measured and detailed deliberation allows for processing and reasoning to prevail going forward. I cannot support recommendations made by administration who though who when those same individuals gave themselves and accepted market rate pay increases for themselves and other positions while demanding our students face student facing employees to do more with less. I will continue to advocate for, as I have since February, discussions focused on prioritizing the needs of our students, including small class sizes, student supports, and building upon programming that works in 281. Breaking the entitled attitude and poor financial management that has plagued this district has too long was required partner requires partnership with families and true board collaboration and oversight. and then and only then can we begin to reimagine 281. I ask the board to focus on collaborating with families and focus on improving the district cap capture rate. Going forward, I expect timely, detailed conversations, reflection, and consideration around community input and student centered budgetary decisions. This is what stakeholders of 281 deserve. And as the board votes on this, I want long lasting, impactful decisions that are going to be made with students in mind. >> Thank you, Director Hire. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh this is a tough decision and I think the public and everybody that has spoken here today has echoed the same. If we had our way as a district, I'm sure we will hold a pause, but I don't think we have the privilege or the time to do that right now. Um, concerning Lake View in particular, I I think I brought up my initial concern and it still holds today that I I don't think uprooting all our schools from one community in the same year will save us. Well, we we all will agree that systemic issues probably in the past, not by anybody sitting here today will or is impacting decisions that we are making today concerning one or two of our schools. So to make sure that those systemic issues are not continuing to do the same thing to communities, I will not be supporting closing Lake View. >> Dr. Basset. Well, I'm not going to vote too closely. So, uh, so my vote is no for that. Uh, I will further say that, uh, one of the things that I've really kind of pondered tonight is, uh, I, it really fell, it didn't fall on deaf ears, this whole notion of we've got another hearing with another couple of buildings coming and that's coming in one week. I really am feeling uh a need for us to get it all on the table and then vote for the balance of the schools. Um that's how I'm feeling. And uh I I do believe that the the the dates that we have and the dates that we're facing appear somewhat problematic and that it's a little vague to me. We hear about the SOD, we've got to do it. We don't have till January, but we've got to do this. we have to publish and all of that. So, I appreciate the latitude to actually add some some additional things on the table and have this hearing that's coming up. I think we can benefit from waiting to do some of the balance of this because I myself am conflicted between there three schools that I'm conflicted with and I really am not clear about the special education resources and those buildings that has to do with Sonos Neil and Noble. those buildings collectively. Uh I would like to see side by side with how what kind of programs are in those buildings, who are they serving, those kinds of things. The square footage, I've seen numbers that have changed. Uh I mean, everybody kind of talking about what's on their mind. I'm I'm doing the same thing. >> Just want to keep our remarks about Lake View right now, though. >> I'm talking about Lake View. I just didn't give my preamble first. Others did, quite frankly. So, um, and so I think that this is an issue for me and I'm just being transparent like I was with Robinsdale Middle School, you know, and if we have another hearing that's coming up in a couple in a week. Thank you for coming. >> It's it's a list in a week. >> Well, uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> I just wanted to clarify. >> I understand. I've spoke I'm I'm very clear about what I'm saying. I'm saying to you I'm voting no for Lake View and I'm further sharing that I have some concerns about several other of the proposals that are coming forward tonight. That's what I'm saying and and I'm talking about the reasons why and I'm talking about the additional information I think would that I need to be able to move move forward. I'm doing the same thing. I I really respected what Director Hillbrand did. She talked about a scope of issues. I respected what Director Long talked about. She talked about a scope of issues. I'm doing the same thing. And so, uh, and I'm being transparent about it because I think we've heard a lot of stuff tonight. I'm not okay with us dragging this out forever and ever and ever. I think we have some other date certain that are coming up where we can we can talk about what we do in those meetings. And one of those things, we have a hearing, we can decide to have some votes there. We did all the publishing we need to do. So, I I will pause there because I don't want to go on and on and on. I appreciate what you said, but I I just am, you know, advocating for myself for the same latitude everybody else got at this table. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> And to be clear, next week is a listening time. The hearing is for the closure of Fair Pilgrim on January 5th. There is a listening time then also, but it's a listening time next week, not a hearing, just so people are clear. All right. So, we have a resolution on the floor and um you did want to wave the reading, didn't you? >> Please. >> Thank you. >> Please. >> Because it is also five pages. Okay. So, we have a resolution and uh the resolution is to uh resolution closing Lake View Elementary. Can we have a roll call vote, please? >> Thank you, Director Evans Becker. Helen Basset, >> no. >> Director Bowman votes no. Chair Evans Becker, >> no. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Uh, Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> no. >> Motion uh does not prevail. >> The school remains open. >> Lake View will remain open. Um, the next school that we are going to be discussing is um Neil Elementary School. I'll move approval to close Neil Elementary School >> and >> and wave the reading of the resolution. >> Thank you. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> And moved and seconded to close Neil Elementary. That was Bowman and WO. >> Um Director Bowman. >> Um I'm going to support I am not going to support the closing of Neil Elementary School. Um I think um having done sideby-side comparisons of people say that do not exist. Uh we've had a lot of sideby-side comparisons that are uh data, number of students, breakdown of ethnic ethnicity, um square footage, um every kind of piece of data imaginable. Um I have never seen a more comprehensive plan put a comprehensive analysis of the of the facilities owned by this building in the past 40 years. We've never had the type of compreh comprehensive um uh uh analysis of what these buildings are. So, uh I view the Neil site to be a great site because it's a huge site. It's lots of underdeveloped. There's lots of room for doing new and wonderful things. Um, I do know that every single one of these buildings is going to have to have the capacity to have uh uh special education programs that are as dynamic as they are in their own buildings. And to what um Director Helen said earlier, uh, every one of these buildings is going to go through a lot of changes. Whether Neil goes to Sonison or Sonics goes to Neil, every single one of those students in each one of these buildings needs to be accounted for for their needs. And I have every bit of confidence in uh not only the staff but the administration leading our district uh to ma to make sure that none of our students fall through the cracks. So, um the uh property itself at Neil, the central location in our district serves neighborhood schools in the long run. uh and the safety of things like the cafeteria were highly important to me as I looked through all of the data and I have read the data um and and I and um whether we agree with what I have to with the conclusions I've come to as a result of studying this and listening to people and talking with people in the neighborhood. This decision was was not made due to a lack of data. Um, so, uh, I will be not supporting this, uh, and hoping that we can keep Neil's school open. >> Okay. I don't see any other hands up, so I'm I'm assuming that we are ready to vote on this. Great. This is the the resolution closing Neil Elementary School and it is a roll call vote. >> Thank you, Chair Evans Becker. Uh, Director Basset. >> Hello to close. Neil, >> pardon. >> You are a Yes. >> See that? >> Yes. I'm I'm uh standing for the moment. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. So, Director Bowman is voting no on this, which is to keep Neil School open. >> Yes. >> Uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> I'm voting no. >> Director Hillbrand, >> no. Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> no. >> Uh, Director uh, Basset, you want to stay and abstain? >> Yeah, you can leave me. >> Great. >> Okay. Motion is prevail. >> Five. >> Yeah. >> Five. Yes. One of five. No. >> Yeah. Five. No. >> One abstain. The resolution to close Neil Elementary School has failed. Next resolution is a resolution closing Noble Elementary School. >> I'll move approval of the closure of Noble Elementary School. >> Hey, do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Woman and Hill and Brand. >> Oh, and I I will I made the motion with the waving of the reading. >> Thank you. >> So, >> okay. Waving the reading. I don't see any hands. Let's go right to the vote then. This is difficult. >> Ready for the vote. [clears throat] >> As difficult as it is, yes, we are ready. >> Thank you. Um, Director Basset, >> no for closure. >> So, you're supporting the resolution? >> Wait, no for she's not. Okay. I just want to be very clear. Um, Director Bowman votes yes to close. Uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> vote yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Vote is 4 to2 in favor of the resolution to close Noble Elementary School. The next resolution is a resolution closing Sison Elementary School. >> I'll move approval of closing Sonos Elementary School with a uh wave the reading of the resolution. >> A second. >> Seconded by Director Basset. Seeing no hands and sad faces. Um can we take the roll call vote, please? This is on the resolution closing Son Elementary School. >> Correct. Um and a vote yes on the resolution would be a vote for closure. >> Yes, that is correct. >> Correct. Okay. So, Director Basset, >> I vote uh no for closure. >> Okay. Um Director Bowman votes no for closure, which is a yes to keep open, right? It's >> a minute >> because the resolution is to close this. >> The resolution is to close on us and and remembering >> that the resolution for Neil failed. So Neil is staying open. >> Right. Okay. >> Her answer. >> Okay. Let's start over. Director Basset. >> I'm voting no to close. >> Okay. Director Bowman votes yes. Director I mean Chair Evans Becker. I vote yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Motion prevails. >> In a five to Whoops. In a 4 to2 vote, resolution to close Sonos Elementary School has passed. Next resolution we need to consider is the resolution closing the education service center. I'll move approval of the closing of the EV uh education service center and uh wave the reading of the resolution. >> Thank you. And then um >> is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Ellen Brand is a second. >> Are we open for discussion then? >> Then we have a mo a motion and a second which opens it up for discussion. When I see a hand, I'll call on someone. Director Ruto. >> Yeah. Um, I'm struggling with this one also a little bit because I think we've talked about saving dollars, right? And so if we are moving staff from this building to a new building in the next few years, is there a possibility for another shift of those of staff to another location? Right. And so if we are spending half a million to be able to put them in one building right now and then in two years decide or say a referendum passes and we have a better location for them, it seems to me like a waste of resources no matter what bucket uh those dollars are coming from. Uh that's one of my concerns. However, I also see the the need that if we do decide to leave the location vacant, then what we do with it in the future may become a possibility. Um, so I'm I'm a little torn on what really to do, but the the dollar savings that they are moving with, it doesn't really seem to make sense to me why they should move, but I'll make my final decision when it stand for a vote. >> Are we voting now? >> Your best. We're not voting. We're we're discussing. >> Oh, I know, but I mean, we're in the in the midst of that vote. >> And you had your hand. >> Yeah. Uh so um I I just uh believe that right now is not the time. Uh if we're talking about moving all of these buildings and closing various schools, I think it's really important for our administrative brain. Um, sorry for that nickname, but uh I really think it's important for the administrative brain to be stable and put because uh some of the all the systems that are tied to these moves of these buildings are tied with the administrative leadership from this building. There's no rush for this building to close and it's going to cost us money to move it and retrofit it and do all the things. So I think that uh placing uh the the closure of ESC into maybe the phase two and all of that when we're talking about all the buildings I mean if there's one thing we are going to have it's going to be a lot of excess space you know and we have a whole discussion to have about facilities and so I don't think that we need to take this facility out of that discussion I think it needs to be in that discussion and so I'm going to be voting um not to close the ESC at this Dr. Long. >> Yeah. I guess during the hearing, a good point that somebody brought up was zoning and the city councils, they're the ones that determine what each land will be zoned for. We've already had an issue with New Hope and us purchasing a warehouse to use for students that they say, "No, we can't use it for." And so I would hate to get ourselves in a situation where we're closing these buildings and now city councils are saying no, we can't reszone them to sell them for something else. And we don't have information on whether or not city councils would be willing to go [clears throat] along with that. Um, that was another thing that was brought up that I mean, we should have had information on that before we started making some of these decisions about what can happen with these properties now that we close them and if we're going to close them for good, then will the city councils be willing willing to reszone those areas so that we can sell them? >> Director. >> Yeah, I just have a question. Can somebody remind me what the utilities annual utility cost is in the building? That's a ball pack. Doesn't have to be exact. Excuse me. Best estimate would be uh 30 to 30 to $50,000 a year. Best estimate. And that would be water, heat, electricity, garbage, that sort of thing is what we're looking for. And then there would be custodial costs and other maintenance costs for this building as well. >> So that total cost will be about what? The total the total range runs between about 130 to 160,000 a year. >> So if if we do move, it takes about four to five years and that cost will write itself off the cost of fixing a new location. >> Yeah. >> Kind of. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean again, I know you had mentioned it doesn't matter the buckets. So if I'm taking that statement when you said it doesn't matter the buckets. Uh that is true as well. Um one consideration that I would pose to the board is with the moving of high view. So with um RMS closing and going to Sanberg, High View is out and they need a home. And unless you are going to put or H High View is going to get relocated to an existing building, if they were to take over a space that was just closed, then you don't recognize that savings because you technically then didn't close that space and we would need to we would go to be paired with them. Otherwise, you haven't reduced what was proposed that we reduce. So there's just a consideration um as it relates to this building and and what might happen. >> That makes sense. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Um Director Bowman. >> Yeah. Um this building is is its own beast in my mind. Um I have particularly loved watching all the stones fall off this building for the last 50ome years. But that aside, um I think it really is time for a consolidation to take effect at this point because of I'm concerned about the enrollment center downstairs which every year gets to be just a nightmare when it's time to enroll students into the district. Um the staff here, the administration here has done an incredible job of setting tables up outside and squishing people into that little room. Um, I'm concerned is that the welcoming sense that we want to be able to give and can we do something better quicker uh by moving our administration into a a better building with like the uh high view program. Uh so that's my concern. Uh I just I just think it prevents presents a better face uh for the administration and the other side of it is things of people have talked about either selling this space or what to do with this space. Uh a couple years ago when we were before we had Dr. Stello here we had talked about uh transportation and this board had done some work yet it was long before we had all the information we have now but talking about the possibilities of what we want our bus service to look like and I know we're not at the point of dreaming but uh one of the the important things uh that I want to put to the conversation is that this is a piece of property that I'm not as concerned about selling to the city of Robbinsdale I mean not New Hope but keeping it so that if we can move into smaller electronic buses or electric buses, it would allow us the opportunity to have some pa space for expanding the bus fleet buildings to include uh plugins for electric buses, which um I think is is the cheapest way for us to really look far forward on this. We know that our bus barn is insufficient as it is. It's very insufficient for electric buses. We also know that we have seen in the past uh money uh trying to come forward uh uh there's been money given away prior to the uh last presidential election. There was a lot of money being given away for districts to invest in electric buses. I don't that may be off the table for now but I don't think it's off the table in the long term in our society. So that would be why I would vote to close education service center. >> Director Basset. Well, um, you know, I I I really appreciate the comments about the the um electric and all of those things in the future. I I agree and we've kind of talked a little bit about that in our facility committee before it got shut down. So, um, I think that's a real thing. Uh my concern is that I believe that in the last se work session that we had when we talked about the cost of just moving this facility no matter where it goes was in the $500,000 to $900,000 range. That's what I heard. So if we're spending 95$500 to $900,000 to move this facility at this moment, that just doesn't make sense to me. and and really my and even equally to that because the money is important, but if we're making all of these closures to various buildings and we do get um some feedback about the operations, the everyday day-to-day operations of the system. We get a fair amount of emails about things that aren't going well or aren't working. I think we're moving in a good direction, but that's the reality. If everybody's moving and our administrative team is, that doesn't mean they can't. I'm I'm not saying forever. I think right now until we close these buildings and until we identify what spaces are going to be open, I'm not convinced that HY and all that, we've got plenty of space. So, moving them in a place that makes sense, I think it's possible. I don't think that's the overriding fact for me when I think about the administration being in a position to give the best customer service to our families and our staff as they are trying to make all these moves supersedes that because we can move and take care of some of those things I think in the future. This that doesn't mean never. It just means I'm just saying I don't think right now is a time and and we've been parsing out everything else. phase one, phase two, phase two is right around the corner, but we'll have made decisions about all the buildings we're closing. We'll know where we have the capacity for space. So, I just think it makes sense to go one, two, three, and and do it like that. It just makes more sense to me. And for the cost and for those reasons, that's kind of where I'm at. >> I have director Hillbrand next. Is there anybody wants to be up after that? >> Okay, Director Hillbrand. Yeah, I was just gonna say that and I hear what you're what everybody's saying for me. You know, this building the other day I came in here I don't know it was a few weeks ago but the elevator wasn't working right. Um and it got fixed I think within the time frame I was in the building but that's that's a problem. This is a three-story building. It's not very handicap friendly. Um this is a building that this this boardroom isn't an adequate size. you know, if we moved into another space, we could have I don't know what building would be, but there'd be media centers, there'd be cafeteria, there'd be other spaces that we could turn into boardroom, for example. So, there's there are a lot of other benefits. So, I I I hear what you're saying, but I also think that um and you don't have to do a tremendous amount. Like I said, I last meeting I was at Stillwaters, I think their teaching and learning building, and they're using elementary school building. They're using elementary classrooms as meeting rooms. It's clearly was an elementary classroom, right? And it works. They have the screen, the Prometheium boards. They have the, you know, and and they're meeting in there. Um, they didn't even change a thing in the bathroom and and and it all works. So, I think that, you know, I think we're we're projecting a lot into it. I think it could work either way. I I also think that if we can save money and it does make a difference what buckets they're from because capital money can can be spent on on building pro you know on things like putting up the the cubicle walls and it doesn't take anything out of the classroom but operational money so the money that we're spending paying the custodian pay you know that does come that is money that is then not spent in the classroom because we're paying for the custodian here. So it actually does make a difference what buckets these things come from in our day-today operational lives of what's happening in our school district. And so I think for me that's why am I so like married to this if it doesn't pass I'm not it's not the end of the world but I do think we should let go of this building now does the timing in terms of how it flips with everything else. Of course, that's important, but I think I I just don't know why we need to hold on to it so much when it will literally save money. Even if even if it's just $160,000, that's that's a couple salaries, right? A couple of EAs in classrooms. That's important. So, that's just my two cents on why I I will vote for it. >> Well, and not only that, it has 11 to$13 million in needs. Well, on top of that, yes, >> and that we don't really want to spend on it, but I don't. All right. I don't see any more hands. So, >> it is time to vote on the resolution to close the education service center. It's a a roll call vote when you are ready, clerk. >> I am. So, to vote in support of the motion that's on the table will be a vote to close the education service center. >> A yes vote is a vote to close the education service center. Director Basset, >> no. >> Uh, Director Bowman votes votes yes. Uh, Chair Evans Becker, >> I vote yes. >> Director Hillbrand, >> yes. >> Director Long, >> no. >> Director Wuto, >> yes. >> Motion prevails. >> It is two. You're right. The motion prevails. We will be closing the education service center. Okay. I don't know where my agenda is, but I think that we have uh finished, right? >> Yes. >> Oh, thank you. >> You need a motion to adjurnn. >> Uh let's just see here. Uh board action. >> Future events. >> Yes. I need a motion to adjurnn. >> To adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor of adjourning, please say I. >> I. Oppose say nay. We'rejourned. >> Good job. Thank you very much everyone. >> Thank you.