All right, we're gonna kick it off. Welcome to the school board study session for December 18th, 2025. Uh before we dive into the agenda, I will acknowledge our student board representative tonight is Soie. Thank you for being here. Um we have a few other board members who might be slightly delayed because of the snowfall, but we're going to get started. First item on our agenda tonight is a literacy update. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, you're well aware that literacy has been one of the primary goals for the school district since I've been here the last four years with the 2023 enactment of the REAct. There's been requirements for school districts, staff development, selective materials, intervention, new assessments. Tonight we're going to get a summary of what has happened from August until tonight for this year and what probably a foreshadowing of what will happen for the rest of the year. This will be led by associate superintendent Amy Leoo and team Dr. Leoo. >> Thank you. Good evening superintendent law, members of the board, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Uh, every member of our teaching and learning team significantly impacts our district's literacy work. And so tonight to provide this update, I do have with me our literacy coordinator, Alyssa Rutherford, our director of research analysis and systemic improvement, Matt Breen, and director of academic programs, Elida Kaine. And we're excited to tell you about the work that's been underway. Superintendent Law did a great job of uh foreshadowing much of what I'm going to say. um our as you know literacy continues to be a high priority goal as superintendent law shared and as you've seen over the past several years. Um, our report tonight is going to highlight areas of our literacy action plan that have been a focus during this first part of the school year, including some updates on our screening and diagnostic tools, our core reading and English language arts instruction, our database decisionmaking processes, and of course, professional learning. The redact legislation, as superintendent law shared, was passed in 2023 and really shifted the statewide goal uh to focus on every student achieving grade level every year and meeting their individualized goals. Um and this really uh was a shift from focusing on that one uh benchmark of third grade to really every teacher thinking about how am I scaffolding and closing those gaps and accelerating learning within the constraints of the year of instruction. Um so with that I'm going to turn it over to Alyssa to talk a little bit more about the Redact professional learning. >> Yeah. So, as you likely know, there's different phases to this professional learning um that's required under the read act. And um phase one uh in Mitaka, we included the required groups that MD and the legislation identified and then also an expanded group um including our fourth grade teachers and our fifth grade teachers knowing that sometimes they shift um their roles throughout, you know, from year to year. Um, I know a third grade teacher who moved to second grade, for example, or a fourth grade teacher who moved to third grade. And we want all of our teachers, especially at the K5 level, to have this um, intensive and excellent professional learning as soon as possible so they can start supporting those students with those grade level goals. Um we completed phase one for the majority of our teachers over the last what is it three years four years um from 2023 to um just this last school year and identified a couple new additional staff um to continue that some teachers who are new to Minnetonka etc. Um and that they're underway with that training as well. Um all phase one educators need to complete their training by July 1st 2026 per the read act. And then um phase two uh mostly includes secondary teachers uh usually like English language arts teachers um anybody who selects literacy instructional materials etc. Um we're still previewing some of the options they were identified by MDE um somewhat recently. Was it the end of October that it came out? Um or the beginning of November? I don't remember. There's a lot of things that have been happening in the last couple months. Um and so we're previewing the options that are available to decide what fits best for um our teachers here in Minnetonka and um registration for that will happen um eventually when we know you know what what our plan is for next school year for professional learning. Um so the phase two will probably occur here in Minnetonka during the next school year on some of the professional learning days and other you know it's too many hours to probably fit in in just the district professional learning days. we have to figure out our plan for how do we support teachers um with that training that's required and that must be completed by July 1st 2027. Um we also want to include um teachers who aren't identified by the read act because of course we know that I mean not necessarily for the full loan phase 2 required training but pieces of what what does it mean to teach adolescent struggling readers? How do I um have robust tier one instruction in disciplinary literacy in in my content area? How do I best support students with accessing reading and writing and discussion um etc. So um you might know that also pair professionals who support literacy instruction are required to have their own training as well. Um this needs to be completed by July 1st, 2026. and the regional literacy network and the Minnesota Department of Education collaborated to create a 8-hour um training for paraprofessionals specifically. And then this summer we did some train the trainer um training to learn how to use that the slides that they made to then deliver the eight hours. And so that is also underway. Sarah White is going to also talk about professional learning more in depth. Um and we have one session left of that literacy training for our paras um in January. Um and of course you know this being a a board goal very important to support our teachers with all things literacy related not just with the required read training um but also ongoing professional learning related to literacy. Um this school year we've been supporting our K5 English classroom teachers with implementation of some new ELA resources arts and letters and functional phonics um as well as our uh teachers of um English for our immersion kids they are getting training in functional phonics and morphology as well um because they're using that and then specific to language teaching and language instruction for our Chinese immersion and Spanish immersion teachers how to best support cross-ling linguistic transfer metal linguistic awareness so thinking about language um and then also specific to Chinese literacy um what's best practice in teaching a lographic language like Mandarin um and then our middle schools offered some literacy sessions that teachers chose to attend one of these four um as well and probably more to come for our secondary folks during that phase two piece that I just mentioned. And now I'm going to switch it over to um Mr. Breen here to talk about assessments. >> Good evening. Uh comprehensively uh looking at our reading assessments here. Beginning on the in the first bullet point, uh assessments that are provided for students in English programming or um in English uh when they get from their immersion programming into ELT or into our English learning pro portion of their immersion programming. So students start in fall of kindergarten. all students take the English uh early reading assessment and that provides some of our readiness data right out of the gate and then um that continues for our students in English programming in the winter and spring and then in the fall of their first grade and then in the winter of first grade they're still taking early reading but they do pick up the CBM reading which is a fluency screener and back to when we uh when I previously presented and we talked about getting the depth of that student data what we're really trying they introduce with that CBM uh piece is not only fluency but also accuracy. So, we're starting to build what um Alyssa will talk about shortly here, what's called a fourbox sort where we actually have some more depth to that data. Uh students continue taking that CBM through fifth grade. Second and third graders do also have what's called a gated screener through the readact uh where certain students who have uh particular data profiles will take an additional subtest, a nonsense word subtest. Um and that happens for students in English programming in second grade or English or immersion in third grade who have certain again um reading at grade level data profiles that we are essentially ensuring or assuring what might be the root of um any reading concerns or literacy concerns for that student. Um students in Spanish immersion again they do take that English early reading in the fall of their kindergarten year but then um continue on in the fastbridge Spanish early reading and move into that CBM reading on in Spanish as well. Again talking about fluency and accuracy. The area that we're really trying to increase in terms of how robust it is in our Chinese immersion benchmark assessments. Um, we've really focused on picture naming and oral reading fluency and Chinese characteral reading fluency. And in that effort to really build again more uh depth and just breth to what we understand about students uh language skills um we are adding right now um in a a pilot phase uh more with high frequency characters which is a K1 assessment and opinion assessment for first through third grade. This was in consultation with department chair in Chinese immersion. Um we really started talking about this last year in terms of how to build this out a little more. And so teachers have been very responsive to this and we have a lot more data from the fall that we're going to also be reflecting upon on our professional development day here in early January to really discuss um kind of understanding all the benefits, what worked well, what can we continue to refine in those areas and to get feedback and even talk about because it's not as formal um in terms of its build as the fast bridge assessments. How do we ensure that administration is consistent, that the data is reliable? And again, how do we respond to that data by building out more of a robust response in terms of that kind of a similar fourbox sort model with our Chinese immersion assessments? Uh new one this year, uh that capy read basic screener. So for our students in grades 4 through 12, we have built out uh flowcharts that are um include comprehensive data reviews for what student data um would suggest that perhaps that student's not reading at grade level. And so this capture read basics is a a diagnostic that allows us to dig a little deeper into that student's um reading profile and provides recommendations that um that we are right now building out at the middle school level and the high school just um is kind of getting ready. They just have finished it. Um, elementary will have another round here in the winter where they'll have a few more students taking this. And so really trying to kind of learn this assessment, um, how to respond to this assessment, what how we can inform staff at buildings to respond um, in a in a very kind of um, intentional manner. The the final piece is progress monitoring. And so this has been um, students have been progress monitored in our district for for years, but really trying to build this out more. Um we had in that in the uh in the fall I talked about being in buildings and working with staff that was um largely Alyssa and I together working with um general education teachers on building out progress monitoring for students who are not seeing a reading interventionist or on a um a special education teacher for reading. um where uh one how to build this progress monitoring, how to administer, how to look at the graphs and that's an ongoing process in terms of building that collective efficacy on how we respond to that progress monitoring. And so that piece is really um is is growing through all of our programming and we'll continue to do so as we as we work to just be uh um more intentional about the work that's done in building that and how we respond to the student data in a in a proactive way. >> Going to pass it over to Alyssa to talk a little more specifically about the tools that we're utilizing in this work. >> Yeah. And so um as Matt mentioned, we were supporting our K5 teachers with what we call data response planning meetings. So once the screening data comes in, um teachers then look at the data with along with us and determine what their instructional response will be. Um there we kind of call this that first layer of our MTSS process. We call it early tier 2 because it's still in the classroom with their classroom teacher, but it's very targeted based off of their literacy screening data rather than, you know, it's it's add on to that tier one universal grade level instruction. Um, and so there are some interventions in the FastBridge system that for our kindergarten and first grade teachers, they actually can they get a recommendation just based off of the students composite score and then they can use those tools, those interventions that are directly embedded um with students. So you can see in the picture a teacher who kind of had printed out and had that lesson plan ready to go for students. Um, and then Matt taught them this year how to take our FastBridge progress monitoring tools and have it talk to Edge of Climber so that they can get a um graph of all of their students in one place to look at and see, okay, who's making progress, who's maybe not making progress. We talked about rate of improvement and goal setting for students so that we can see if our interventions are effective and if they're not, what maybe we could do differently to support students. um in grades two through five. It's this fourbox sort protocol that um the center for applied research and educational improvement um introduced us to using this fourbox sort and determining if a student is fluent and accurate and if if they're not then it kind of indicates what their needs might be. So again we're we're using our tools in Fastbridge and Educ. our teachers sort of had to do it by hand a little bit last year and that was kind of good because then they got to understand what that data meant. Um, but now that piece of the process is sort of lifted off of them with our tech tools and our data team over here, Matt and Mandy Stillman. And then our teachers when once they kind of know where kids are with their accuracy and fluency, then they can start thinking about that earliest area of need for literacy support. So students who for example are very slow readers and not very accurate likely have a decoding need. And so then that informs the teacher's instructional response. Um and they can then use some of those tools that they had from the core training to either continue to diagnose like what's the actual decoding difficulty that the student might have and or use the teaching reading source book for model lessons to help intervene or or respond even just like at a tier one level um with all students. Um, another piece of Did you want to add anything about data response planning meetings? >> No, that's good. >> Okay. Because that really was a very much a group effort and also our tier one coaches joined us for that too. Um, and and they were able to support teachers um with making additional plans later. So, kind of kind of helped them get those um coaching conversations uh started. It's like a little plant the seed and then um and then launch additional support for teachers. Um another piece of our MTSS is um expanding reading core this year. Last year we had a partnership with Americanore and impact at Minashan Excelsier. Um we were able to expand to having a tutor at Deep Haven as well. This year, um, we applied for all of our six elementary schools, but with federal funding and Reading Corps getting 60% of their funding from federal funding, they weren't able to offer us um more expansion of our sites. So, we are very happy to have um additional programming at Deep Haven with Reading Corps and next year we're going to apply again and um hoping to expand to have it at all six elementary schools. So this is um a tutoring program that is one-on-one or in pairs um providing evidence-based very scripted high dosage tutoring 20 minutes a day with students and then um targeting those earliest areas of need. So one of one of the things we're using our reading core tutors for is when we have our immersion students in kindergarten are flagged on the English um fastbridge screener. We want to say, okay, you know, it's great to have immersion programming for accessible for all students and we want to make sure that we understand where the student is coming from so we can provide the right levels of support and the right support early and not just assume it's because they're in immersion programming that we're seeing struggles and it's a language thing. We want to make sure that they have a good home base of their of their home language. So for students whose home language is English, getting that little extra dose of of support to build their skills. Um, and then if if they're making progress, what they do is they work on letter letter sounds and letter names. And then if they're making progress, we know, okay, it's not like a it won't be a language acquisition thing. It's going to be um that, you know, over time they'll they should be okay. But we didn't want to we don't want to wait to see you know and and and we want to make sure we can intervene early. So um yeah so then the next thing is there are um literacy resources uh continually being identified um from Kerry and MDE. The most recent um that came out was the uh list of evidence-based interventions on December 11th. Um, the ReadAct does require us to progress monitor and provide evidence-based reading interventions for students not reading at grade level. That's also part of our goal with our MTSS U multi-tered system of support, right? Using that data-driven tiered instruction to provide the right supports for kids at the right time so that they can make progress. Um and so to guide districts like the readact required uh Carrie at the University of Minnesota and MDE to collaborate on um this review. Carrie used um peer-reviewed studies like over a thou 1,700 to be exact um studies and rated interventions according to their rigor, usability, and alignment to structure literacy. Um and the review was posted on MDE's website on December 11th. So much it was we've been waiting for it for like since last November, maybe even before then. And so, um, there was lots of, uh, harass on my email from other literacy leads across the state, um, when it came out. Um, and so we'll use this as a guide, um, to help continue to refine our MTSS framework and like what are going to be our district reading intervention responses and supports. Um and then of course you the read act does require us to implement all like the literacy interventions we implement need to be evidence-based um in the year 2026. And so um obviously that's we want to continue to refine what we offer to students and and anything we introduce new to our system um ensure that it does have that evidence base and evidence-based practices embedded in the resources we're using. So, yep. And now I'm going to pass it over to Elida Kane. >> All right. Along with everything that we've already mentioned, we also have several new curricular resources that are being implemented across the district to supports the um English language arts updates. So, all K5 English teachers are implementing arts and letters as well as functional phonics and morphology. Additionally, our during our English literacy time, those educators are implementing implementing functional phonics and morphology as well to support explicit um instruction and word recognition. Parallel to that, um both our Spanish and immersion teachers are engaging right now in a curriculum review process and they are analyzing the standards um in the same way that our K5 English teachers did with their attention being put on by literacy outcomes um for alignment across uh those two languages. Thanks. So implementation um of our work moving forward, we are going to continue to support the professional learning of all of our educators aligned to the ReadAct requirements um and our district priorities. Teachers will continue to receive uh PD and deepen implementation of the new ELA curriculum that's ongoing this year and will probably continue for a few more. Um, our district will continue to deepen and strengthen and align our MTSS for literacy with an emp emphasis on strengthening data literacy, responsive tier one instruction, including intervention and extension with clear evidence-based tier 2 and tier three literacy practices and progress monitoring moving forward. Um, this work reflects Minnetonka's commitment to enacting urgently with care to ensure all students develop strong literacy skills and receive the support that they need to be successful readers and writers. >> Open for questions or comments. >> Thank you very much. Board members, questions for our presenters. Sally, >> I have a couple of questions. So, thank you for this update. Appreciate it. regarding the um data. Oh. Oh, I didn't write my handwriting is not very good. The data response the planning meetings. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, can you just give me a flavor of what that what that looks like for the educator? So, and this would I imagine vary by grade level etc. But like how much of an investment in time is it? How is that expected to evolve over time? >> Yeah. Um so we meet with every grade level team. It's a little bit different at different buildings just depending on how the administrator um schedules it and things like that. Oftentimes we meet with English separate from immersion just because it's a totally different conversation based on the assessments that are are administered and or the resources that they have um at play. Um and I mean even like for example in Spanish most of the most of the time there's a lot of kids in the error monitoring group but we don't see that as often in English. And so those conversations just are different. Um, and Matt and I are there and we meet in a conference room or sometimes in a principal's office because there is no conference room in that building. Um, and just go over the data with the teachers um, and talk about what their um, thoughts are for implementing supports for the students who need it the most uh, based on that data. So, >> and it is it's evolving in in a sense where last year, as Lisa was saying, they were using the student data in paper and and trying to build those forbox sorts where now we've kind of moved into we'll bring you the fourbox sort data or now we have it in on an edge climber as well. And so, it transitioned this fall then to utilization of resources a little more. So a portion of the meeting was Alyssa going over some of the literacy response pieces around the fourbox sort and then we spent time in fast bridge and in edge of climber to build that progress monitoring and to pin these graphs and so that they're all in one spot and so try to build that piece and then in this winter we'll circle back around again two days in each building and we'll we'll start out a little bit with that fast bridge and edge climber side and then try and kind of release to a little more of the professional development team meeting time depending on how it's built in that space. So, we're kind of trying to get to that, you know, we have the systems now and now it's about how are we ensuring that there is unified action on on teams and um and again that that collective efficacy around reading that progress monitoring data and being responsive and what next steps may be in that MTSS process. And they do this after each of the benchmark assessments fall and winter and principles and APS work to join these groups so that they also can be a support within the building. >> Okay, I think that got to kind of my next question which was does is this envisioned to become more of an independent exercise where teachers will be getting fed data more frequently and will now know how to interpret what they're seeing. Yes, >> it really is like the work of the PLC to a certain extent. And so, um, that's actually a tweak to to the one-stop shop PLC, um, documentation that we do. I don't know how familiar you guys are with with that. Um, but that's even been part of kind of the steps for our K5 educators to think about the fourbox sort periodically in that process. I do think there will always be a need though for those teams to come together and to have that dedicated time after each major assessment window. They just won't need the layers of support on an ongoing basis. There may be times that they're looking for more support, but it would be, you know, dependent on maybe the group of kids they have or they have new team members or different changing dynamics. >> Yeah. And would it be true that as they become more familiar with the data and the tools that this won't be a huge time consumer to you know you can scan the data and say oh that's that stands out. >> Yeah. Yep. And building that cadence with interventionists who have lot have been in many of those meetings where they all of a sudden have their own dialogue about how would you respond here? What um you know maybe having a student who's working with an interventionist transition back to a classroom or vice versa. So they they I think they're building that connection as well in that process. >> Okay. >> And then with their work that they've been doing with Matt with the progress monitoring that also they'll gain fluidity to that where you know they're looking at graphs and being able to tell this is working, this is accelerating, this isn't. And our reading interventionist team is wellversed in being thought partners for our teachers. So, it's a work in progress, but we're making good progress. >> All right. Thank you. And another question I have, you mentioned about having to um fold in teachers who are new to the district, right? Coming in, maybe new new educators. Where is our um our degree programs? Where are they at with getting into alignment with the read act so that we don't at some point prep? Yeah. um that that is I haven't um analyzed that section of the read act as much since it doesn't apply to me as an as and I don't work in higher education obviously um but there there's asks from them from teacher preparation programs in the read act that specify like making sure that our teachers who are um newly uh licensed in Minnesota come with that >> time will tell you >> hit the deadline hopefully as people move between districts they'll come with Yeah, we had several new teachers who they were like, "Here's my certificate." So, they didn't have to get signed up. Yes. >> Thank you. All right. >> Camry. >> Oh, you that answered a few of mine. So, thank you. I came a little more prepared because I this is always detailed. So, thank you for all the info uh prior to this. Um the CAPD read basics. Can you help me understand a little bit of the difference between I know you said it's kind of between that level of diagnostics and then the other ones that you currently have and the two-part question that's new from the redact so we didn't have that previously and I don't know why that became important from the redact like was something missing or >> can you help me understand that? >> Yeah. Do you want to talk about the reading side of it or first? Um yeah so well I don't know it this is like a lot to like think to how do I communicate this succinctly. Um so the fluency assessment is is more of a broad measure of like are we make are we accurate and able to read fluently which correlates significantly to comprehension. Um, sometimes if a student is kind of stuck at a certain level of fluency and they're not really at grade level, it's because they have maybe decoding or word recognition needs. And so the CAPD is a is a diagnostic screener is what I like to call it because it it pinpoints a specific area um in like literacy skills uh which means it's sort of diagnoses like what's the area of need. Um, and and so that would be like a word recognition, u multi-elabic word decoding, um, morphology. Thank you. I'm like, what am I missing here? Um, versus versus just saying, oh, they're they're not yet meeting grade level on their fluency, right? It tells you kind of why they might not be. Um it doesn't go into like oh they're missing their vowel teams or they're missing their uh diagraphs like the like the specific phonics skills but it does say oh they might need phonics >> but we have that in already >> the the way I view it almost is that early reading is a composite of subtests where you can actually you do get a little more of that specific information >> whereas the CBM is more fluency based and an NWA is more comprehensionbased. And >> so it's almost a like the CAPY is a grades 4 through 12 version of that early reading where it does have those subtest pieces. And there's still a lot to learn about kind of different data profiles that come out of the CAPY in terms of um we are required to take four subtests out of the six this year and then all six next year. And what we're seeing are just, you know, areas where a student has what they define as weak in one area and then high average and strong in other areas. And and so I think there's some pieces where we're even having some students look um for instance in a case where we had a student retake one part of the assessment because it took one minute and the score just didn't seem and and that score changed pretty drastically on that second round. And so there's some pieces I think about learning about the assessment. They provide a video but not a lot of other lead in terms of like proctoring it. And so um but it is I almost think of it as the early reading for 412. >> That's a really good way to put it. >> Okay. >> Um and so like that's one of the reasons why it's required for 4 through 12 and not for K3. Um the the read act specifies like that we need to continue screening students in grades 4 through 12 for characteristics of dyslexia and reading difficulties um if they're not yet on grade level. So that is so CAPI is the tool that MDE um approved for that purpose um the continuation of screening for characteristics of dyslexia and reading difficulties in grades 4 through 12. Okay. So beyond whatever measure we used like NWA or FastBridge or other types of measures to determine grade level, that one's the one that's the the next step in the process. >> And even though this has a diagnostic component, it gives you the strand or area. We're finding that there's a need to still drill down, okay, in some of those areas so we can find the most efficient way to provide instruction because anytime a student needs intervention, it comes at a cost. They're missing something else or it's replacing some other choice or option. And so we want to find, you know, the quickest way to catch kids up to grade level. >> Okay. Um, thank you. And then my other question is the level of kind of fast bridge and edge of climber talking to one another. I mean is there still quite a bit of manual data going back and forth >> that the fast bridge is is actually coming through very cleanly now. Um, in fact, one of our our biggest concerns this year is there's a section of one assessment that some of our students take called auto reading where there's a warm-up section that's not really a a a kind of taken seriously scored section. And because there's a marriage between the two under the Renaissance umbrella between Fastbridge and Edge of Climber, it does have to come into edge of Climber. So, there's some instruction to be had around that. um again with a relatively small student group about that score. You know, if it's highlighted red, that's not one that's an actionable um measure. But the the remainder of the pieces between Fastbridge and Edge Climber do seem to be working smoothly. Um the kind of the next step of that is like around progress monitoring, setting goals and kind of what that cadence is going to be because there's that some abilities to change goals based on rate of improvement or is it based on like an exit criteria. So there's some kind of specifics about how we want to make sure that we're kind of maximizing the benefit of that relationship. But it is it's been pretty smooth. >> Yeah. and Matt's done a lot of work to help improve that. >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Uh Megan, >> um sorry I missed the beginning. Uh I don't have a question, but I have a comment. So I have a fourth grader and I have an eighth grader. So I have a pre-ereadact postreadact comparison. Um and they're both in immersion. And it's been really interesting to watch because well, first of all, when the first Marphology sheets came home, I was like, I don't even understand this. How is my 10-year-old going to understand this? I don't know what to do with this. Hopefully, he does. And he's been able to kind of explain it to me as we've like looked at them together, and I'm like, "Oh, that's that's actually really interesting." You know, and the patterns and whatnot. And then it's been fascinating because he, my 10-year-old, has explained things to my eighth grader multiple times, like, oh, no, no, because there's a consonant before it, it means that it does this, and when it's a vowel, it does that. And I was like, wait a minute, for real? Like, I didn't ever learn that. And so, it's been really interesting. like there there have been many times where I was like, "Huh, >> I that would have been good to know like 30 years ago, you know, like and I think that it's just a very different way of instructing and it's been just very it's been fascinating to watch as like somebody who has like a toe in each >> like a comparison piece and I you know my eighth grader's spelling very strong his spelling is fairly atrocious because he didn't learn these things explicitly and he uses predictive next, you know, and so I'm really optimistic that this is going to make a difference for a lot of kids because even with kids that are already reading well, >> he's been learning from his little brother. So, like I think it's it's been really pretty cool to see it in practice. And I'm excited to see what happens in the next few years because this is only um you know, really his first year using it full-time as a fourth grader and is already able to articulate some of those patterns and stuff which I think is fantastic. So kudos to you guys and the teachers. I know it's been a lot of work. >> Thank you. >> And in such limited time for English instruction, um you know, our our English uh learn our English language teachers for immersion kiddos really have their work cut out for them. So >> all right, anything else? Thank you. Great report. Thorough. Appreciate all your work. >> A lot of work. >> All right. I've been reminded that I blew right by the time for citizen input which was 6 o'clock. So, um I don't believe anyone was here who wanted to provide any citizen input. Is that still true? >> Okay. No one here for citizen input. So, I can knock that off my list. All right. Uh that brings us to the second item on our agenda, which is a professional learning update. Superintendent Law. >> Mr. Chair, members of the board, one of the conversations the board has had and it actually is going to surface in the 2026 board goals is what's happening in professional learning throughout the district. And so we have actually provided this in a variety of formats, but this year we're going to kick it off with a board presentation on what professional learning looks like, how we determine what we're working with all of our employees on, how we ask them what they want to learn about, and what we're delivering. Also presented by Associate Superintendent Dr. Leoo and director of staff learning Sarah White. >> Thank you, Superintendent Law, Mr. Chair, members of the board. Uh we appreciate the opportunity to share an update with you tonight on our district-led professional learning for both teachers and paraprofessionals during the current school year, as well as to foreshadow some of the things we think might be coming next school year. So about three years ago, we began discussing that as a learning organization, dedicated job embedded adult learning time align to both best practices for what we know about how people learn and uh district priorities was critical to our success. Our goal is to really fully live into the beliefs that you see here on the screen that we have for professional learning. And when we create professional learning um among our teams and with our administrators, these practices or these beliefs really guide our offerings and our practice. At the final professional learning day last January, we asked our teachers and our administrators to identify needs that were coming up, needs that they anticipated or would like to see us address for the 2526 school year. um and why while not every staff member will experience learning in every area, all of the needs that were identified have been addressed in our district professional learning days this year. Those needs are really encompassed in these key priorities that you see on the screen and aligned to both legislative asks as well as of course our schoolboard goals and priorities. I'll turn it over to Sarah. So identifying the needs is really just the first step in planning for professional learning. Uh we are constantly networking with colleagues around the metro and nationally to determine which organization might align with our vision for this learning. Before we even engage in a conversation with a presenter or an organization, we participate in a workshop that they're leading. We're we're constantly vetting them to make sure that they're a good fit um and that they can deliver what they are promising to deliver. Ideally, if they're local, they meet with um our administrative team um either at a principal meeting or at an admin council meeting so that administrators are familiar with their approach and what their content is before it's rolled out to teachers. Finally, site administrators. Once we've identified who the vendor will be or who the speaker or organization might be, site administrators, teaching and learning directors, um student support services directors, we all collaborate with the speaker to ensure that the key learning outcomes for the session are in alignment with our plans and to develop the agenda. As I mentioned, the teaching and learning department works closely with the student support services team to address these priorities in ways that are relevant and meaningful to the many different roles that we have in the district and the different levels. The result is complex schedules with teachers and buildings throughout the district. Um, in August there were 21 schedules for elementary educators alone. Um, in November we had 40 schedules for our E12 plus educators taking place in seven district buildings. And on the day we return from winter break on January 5th, there will be 34 schedules in six buildings. So in essence, we're running a conference for a thousand educators three times in a semester really without access to a conference center that has all the size spaces and and setup that you need. Although I will say uh the Vantage Momentum building has uh provided us with a great new venue that has helped support this. So the first area of professional development that we're going to talk about is literacy. Um while we've completed phase one learning, we still have been doing much literacy learning and Alyssa foreshadowed this in our literacy presentation, but we have a little more depth that uh Sarah will provide uh just to give you a little more context for the learning that's been happening. I'll tighten this up a little bit since you've heard much of this already. Um, elementary classroom teachers are continuing their literacy journey this year. Uh, the English classroom teachers um have had professional learning on the two resources that um Alyssa already mentioned. Um, in August, the focus was on arts and letters and a follow-up session um on arts and letters is planned for January 5th. In November, teachers engaged with functional phonics and the functional morphology resource. >> And although functional phonics and morphology is a core part of our tier one or our classroom instruction, it's also designed to be um or can be designed and used to be a tier 2 or a tier three intervention for students who might need a double dose or additional uh time um an intensity. And so although our focus for the training this year has been our tier one or English classroom teachers, we've also provided training to our reading interventionists, our uh multilingual learner teachers as well as our special educator special education uh teachers. Um elementary teachers in both of our immersion programs also deepened their literacy learning in August. They participated in the workshop strategies for success, the common roots and soil of effective dual language instruction. Uh in November, the two languages diverged and our K5 Spanish teachers worked with consultants from the dual language connections while our K5H Chinese teachers spent the day learning about the science of reading in Mandarin. And again, as Alyssa already mentioned, all of our middle school educators were empowered to choose a lit literacy session that best aligned with their specific role. Ensuring that each of our students has that strong feeling of positive connection, acceptance, and importance as a member of our school community continues to be a priority and an area that we support as a part of a board goal through professional learning. In August, all of our elementary educators were introduced to the updated SEAL curricular resources from social thinking. Uh, our K1 teachers learned about we thinkers. Our second grade teachers learned about the social detective. In third grade, they have superflex. And our fourth and fifth grade teachers use the resource check-in. Check it out. Choose. And I just thought it would be interesting for you to see. This is just an example of a poster from the superflex curriculum with the unthinkables, the worry wall that makes people worry too much and the thinkables which is positina helps people stay calm, positive and in control. So this is just a sample for you to see. Uh by the end of our January 5th professional learning day, every Minnotonka educator will have learned from Dr. Cook, chief development officer of Character Strong at least once. He provided foundational learning for our secondary teachers in August and will reinforce that learning with high school teachers on January 5th. Elementary teachers will also have the opportunity to learn from him on January 5th. The title of his uh presentation on January 5th is behavior is the plate supporting academic engagement. Um our secondary educators both middle school and high school began their journey with Dr. Cook in August. Um his workshop was tier one as the foundation setting the conditions for student success and he introduced them to uh the acronym of the serve guide start engage respond value and exit. Um he reminded educators that the adolescent experience is defined by profound developmental changes in the brain and this is how we respond to those changes. He will reinforce those message messages again when he works with high school educators on January 5th. Um, all culturally responsive practices are grounded in knowing your students as individuals and relationships are the foundation of knowing students, something we've been focused on through the developmental relationships for the last five years. To support educators in developing culturally responsive practices, the district has been working with Dan Byer, chief learning officer and service learning director at Impact Lives. In the spring of 2025, Mr. Byer conducted residency training at Scenic Heights. I had a chance to participate in that, so I could really see what his work was and how it fit within um our district. Um from that, he has uh come and worked with educators and pair professionals. I'll highlight that momentarily. um at at virtually all of our uh professional learning days. Um in November, he led educators at the middle school and high school in creating self-disciplined learning through connection, choice, and enjoyment. And on January 5th, he will work with additional educator teams, immersion teachers, um advanced learning teachers, special education teachers, K5 educators, and student support services, nurses, uh Minnetonka preschool teachers, u many different uh roles. and his session, the power of a question, creating lasting behavioral change will focus on addressing students needs for freedom, fun, belonging, and success to create positive lasting behavioral change. His work directly connects to the search institute's developmental relationship found framework. Speaking of the developmental relationship framework, um to kick off the school year, Minnitanka High School principal Jeff Ericson and his team led teachers in the session ensuring readiness, belonging through strong relationships. Uh in this workshop, uh he asked them to review their personal data from the year before and make a commitment for the 2526 school year. They celebrated the work they did uh the last couple of years on the express care and challenge growth elements. Um you might be familiar with the concept of the warm demander, the concept of high expectations and high supports. Uh that's the warm demander uh that's comes through with express care and challenge growth. They're shifting their focus this year to sharing power which is one of the other elements in the developmental relationship framework. Um, and they are continuing to focus on the district's mission around academic excellence and belonging. In November, they followed up on this topic by refining what does it mean to express care, challenge growth, and share power with students in a way that builds trust and engagement. They analyzed their own individual student data by creating pivot tables. I was looking at their slide deck and I'm like, I don't know how to do that. I would need to go to their workshop um so that they could observe the trend, reflect on it and then create an action plan specific to their focus on sharing power. The next area is uh middle school programming. As a part of implementation of the new model, including uh the shift in schedule, we've really prioritized how do we support both the instructional component as well as the curriculum and assessment development components of that >> and we have uh worked with both local and national experts. Um we've already highlighted the work that Dr. Cook and Mr. Byer have done at the middle school. We're very excited to have Rick Wormley with us in January. He brings decades of middle level experience and is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and coach. Rick also worked with our middle school staff last spring virtually when we once the board had approved the new model. Um we connected with him and he did some virtual short shots just to start setting the stage. He will be following up with that again um in just two and a half weeks. Uh we also leveraged our in-house expertise to support middle level educators on each of these days as well. In August, building principles reviewed the instructional structures and strategies that were shared with middle school teachers in 2024 25 in anticipation of a modification to the schedule. On November 6th and January 5th, educators were provided structured time to make curricular adjustments. Also on uh November 6th, our own Minnitanka Middle School teachers were leading those literacy sessions. And uh while the report shared with you summarizes the professional learning at the district level, additional learning has taken place both at the teaching and learning academy um kind of opt in in the summer and fall and at sites. Building administrators leverage their staff meetings to provide professional development to their teachers embedded in the workday. Several elementary sites will be doing residency follow-up with Mr. Bayer Byer this spring. Some examples of um courses that have taken place at the site through TNL Academy or to meet licensed renewal requirements include uh the seven essentials of American Indians for non-native educators parts A and B. Um instructional technology workshops on tools like class kick, Seessaw, Ed Puzzle, Rally Reader. um interventions in educ low burden high impact instructional practices, tier one literacy extensions and understanding warning signs of early onset mental illness in children of adolescence just to name a few. In addition to directing districtwide professional learning for certified staff, this year Sarah has taken over the leadership to provide uh like learning for our pair of professionals. Really following a very similar process in order to make sure that we're meeting both their needs as well as addressing goals and priorities that we've set for their their learning. Alyssa stole my thunder a little on this one, too. Um, by state statute and the read act, pair of professionals who support literacy are required to complete an eight-hour science of reading course. Uh, these pairs include a wide range of responsibilities, academic support, advanced learning, investigations, and project link, special education support, um, English language support, media paras, uh, preschool just to name a few. Uh as Alyssa mentioned, a cohort of Minnotonka teachers and lead teacher leaders who had been certified by core last year uh led this work. They leveraged the district professional learning days for paired professionals um in August on August 27th on October 10th on um a day of uh it's conference day so teachers are occupied but they were available and then we'll conclude that on the final transition day between semesters on January 26th because this learning is mandated by state statute. Uh this teacher leader team also developed a series of asynchronous video modules for pair for pair professionals who were absent or who were hired after the workshops. All pair professionals participated in the keynote um with Willow Sweeney of top 20 um in August called staying on track giving and getting feedback. The pair is not involved in literacy. Um, if you can think of like our hall monitors, uh, bus pairs, class, uh, playground pairs, uh, they had a follow-up with, uh, Miss Sweeney in August on resolving conflict heart-to-heart, and they also had a workshop with Mr. Byer in October, creating lasting behavioral change by addressing the need behind the behavior. in uh January, they will have an opportunity to do some self-directed asynchronous learning through a platform called Master Teacher. Finally, administrators have also engaged in significant professional learning this year. In addition to actively engaging in the professional learning days with their teachers, uh some leading at the middle level in high school and our elementary principles learning right alongside of their teachers. Uh they have had numerous learning opportunities specific to them. Um in uh August, Dr. Christine Breen um organized the fierce foundations um and introduced the seven principles of fierce conversations which are especially valuable in helping teams break from compliance driven dialogue and lean into courageous intentional communication. Kelvin Oliver of Leaving the Village worked with administrators for two days this fall on rethinking traditional consequences for challenging behavior. And Mr. Oliver will work again uh with our administrators later this spring. Um and finally with arts and letters um two different learning opportunities for our elementary principles. Um arts and letters lead was in August prior to the initial training for teachers. Um establishing a vision for success um familiarizing them with the instructional practices and approaches within the curricular resource and supporting uh effective implementation. Um they also had these guided observations for leaders. I had an opportunity to participate in it. Uh it's really exciting uh to be in the classroom collaboratively. A group of administrators comes together. Uh think of it like uh uh rounds for uh a medical professional where they're all coming together seeing the same thing and then debriefing. What did you see? What how might you coach a teacher um in this position? So, as we look ahead to 2627, uh we'll complete that final professional development day on January 5th. And again, we'll ask all of our teachers to complete a Google form that includes the opportunity for both input and feedback related to what are the professional learning needs that they have and that they would like to see us address and respond to in the coming school year. This will help guide the work of the administrative team as we determine priorities and align our work. Um based on our current board goals and district pri priorities on the screen are some of the anticipated areas of need um that that we're expecting teachers to identify and help prioritize um as well as they may identify some additional areas. Um but like we said, we'll be seeking that feedback. Um and then we bring that to our administrators who help look at that collectively. >> I should point out we in this survey that we do at the end of the um professional learning on January 5th, we'll have a list for them to select as many as apply and then there's also an openended portion so that if they have something that they feel is necessary that's not listed, they can share that with us as well. or if they would like to give more specifics related to one of the topics that is listed, they have that opportunity as well. And that really has been very helpful to us as we're looking to plan forward. So with that, we'd be happy to take any questions. >> Thank you very much. Board members, questions for our presenters. Megan, >> I always have one. Um, it's great. Uh for the instructional technology piece, um you kind of talked about the the professional develop of how to use apps or how to use tools. Is there also conversation about when to use technology and when not to use technology? I think we're hearing more and more from the community a concern about, you know, um screen time and, you know, kids being on iPads more or less than they need to be. So is there actually um professional learning around how and when to use the tools and when to set them aside or is that something coming up or can you touch on that? there has been, you know, professional learning in those areas. But, ironically, I just worked with our tier one coaches today, um, as we were talking about planning both, you know, they do offerings that are optional as well as what might be required and some of the areas that we might want to revisit around that intentional use and those best practices. So, I expect we'll have some followup yet this spring and then we'll work with our principles to see what we want all teachers to have as we head into next school year versus where do we want to provide those opportunities. And again, it's, you know, when what's the best tool, you know, for what we're trying to accomplish as well as new tools that are being introduced that uh provide or value or increase effectiveness in their instructional practice. Thank you. Who else? Oh, we have a one from our student rep in the back. Sully, >> for the belonging initiatives, are those like strategies for creating those connections built for more like momentto- moment connections with the students or like to set aside time where they can build those connections with the individual students? >> That's a great question. Thank you. Um, so I think it's a it's a both end. uh we uh we talk about there are either strategies or there are just behaviors and like the behaviors those are the things that happen every day. Those are the actions um where they're greeting you at the door. They're asking you how was your weekend finding those um moments and then there are actually activities that can be used to create connections. Um, my caution always is if if the activity is done in isolation and it's never revisited, it it might feel good for for a day, but it's not going to necessarily move the needle on the relationships. So, it's it's a combination of um it's always about being intentional. It's always about um deciding that this is a pri that it's a priority and given the um high expectations that we have for academics, sometimes it really does become I have to make sure I'm taking the time to get to know my students. Thank you. >> Dan, >> um thank you both. uh regarding the the survey that you do with the the teachers after that final day of professional development. I don't know about anybody else, but the way we see like snapshots of surveys from the community and everything, I'd be interested in seeing a snapshot of our teachers responses and what they're clamoring for as far as professional development goes. I think that could be >> really interesting and informative >> question. you're looking at these these main buckets of identified needs, structured literacy, curriculum implementation, culturally responsive practices, etc. like as as someone who's a student himself and does like a significant amount of learning online but then also has classroom experience. You know, there's a there's a it's very different how you learn and how that learning can be internalized when you're just interacting with the screen versus when you're interacting with your peers and able to talk things over. And I'm just wondering like regarding those buckets, do we sort of rotate them to make sure that we prioritize some in-person instruction for each of those areas? >> I would say the the areas that we've highlighted today were all done in person. There are there are some um over the course of the last couple of years, we've developed some asynchronous learning options u for teachers, particularly around license renewal areas. so that they can do them in their pajamas on a Saturday morning if they want to. Um, and the we do know that learning is um relational and that when you are having a conversation with a peer and you're talking about how what are we going to do with this, it's much more likely to change practice than if I just heard it. So we build intentionally into each of these learning days, we build extensive collaboration time to process, to reflect on, and to get to that application. >> I would just add to it that that was part of the reason that we moved from doing just the late start was so that they would have the full day so that they could learn and then collaborate and apply and walk away with something like ready to use immediately. So I'm glad to hear that's happening >> across the district. in your own book. >> Yeah. >> And has that I'm sorry, >> you go ahead. >> Has that have they have the teachers found that to be um a lot better >> having those full days? >> Yes. a year ago when we um before we came back to the board last year to uh try to formalize getting rid of the early release late starts and moving to this as a permanent structure. We surveyed the teachers, you know, which do you prefer on a on a likered scale and >> I believe that it was like 90% or higher said um at the highest level that they preferred the full learning days. Um yeah. >> Okay. Sell. >> So in in light particularly of kind of current environment um I have heard from people this week who who looked ahead at the agenda asking questions about are our teachers prepared for um responding to students who may be feeling particularly high level of anxiety. Um and there's a number of student groups that may be feeling that way. So I wonder if you might give a little more specificity around any kind of training that is helping our teachers understand how to identify and then if they don't know personally how to respond to a specific student demographic for example >> how do they know what to do >> is there I'm not asking you to tell me what they're what they're doing but how are we addressing that need anything you want to >> yeah I think that um we have provided some resources to teachers directly for specific needs. Um, you know, in terms of both resources that they can share with families, but resources for them around questions they might have or needs they might have. Um, additionally, I think as we've worked through our belonging work, as we've continued to work on mental health needs, I think we are always trying to build the capacity of various staff in recognizing those early war warning signs and in um knowing who and where to turn for help. I think our counselors have done extensive work with both Dr. Christine Breen and Annie Lumbar Benson on uh responding to different types of crisis situations as well as student um needs. >> Anything additional >> to add? No. >> Would just as they're timely, our principles typically send out a reminder of the list of resources. So if a teacher has a student approach them and say, "Hey, I'm I'm really worried about something." And then that that cycles us back to give principles something to communicate to all of their staff. And then on those resources, two things can happen. Some staff just want to be able to read it and say, "Okay, I can respond on my own." And some staff want to talk with someone and that's an open and invitation for building leaders. And we our goal is to give principles enough confidence that they have resources. And I see the emails that come in. Sometimes the principal say, "Hey, I got this question. I want to be able to support staff." And typically general counsel and I will work to respond to that. What can a principal say to a a staff member to support a community member? But we have a list of resources that whether it be related to immigration or supporting our uh Central American students or Somali students. We we have a cycle of information that we can pull back quickly and reshare with staff or with principles to share with parents and staff so that we address that need. Um, often times teachers have to go back and say, "Oh, I I have to find it." Because as we all know, just because you heard it once doesn't mean you've mastered it. So, we try to keep it in the forefront. >> Yeah. Thank you for that perspective because this was kind of I I get the sense that it is there is a current of this running through and so people maybe are more aware to identify something and say, "I remember something or I know who to go to." So, I just wanted to know what the kind of the theme was there. Thank you. That was helpful. >> Thank you. Mhm. >> Great. Any other questions? I'll just add a thank you for the substantive report. As you can tell from the questions, this has been on the board's mind for a number of cycles of working on our goals and to hear more about the substance of how we choose our professional learning and what what that's uh what that's doing for us. So, I appreciate the deeper dive. >> Thank you. Great. Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay, that brings us to our last item on the agenda today, which is a review of board meeting study session dates, >> board leadership positions, and committee assignments for 2026. Before I turn it over to David to see if he has any comments, this time is traditionally the time where we have invited our incoming board members to grab a chair and pull it up to the table. Um, we might be short a chair, but if you can find one, come and maybe just enough empty so it'll be refined. >> No, he he's not here. >> Come here. >> So, um, the and so like I said, traditionally we've invited you. So, here you are. And, uh, uh, it's a discussion. uh this was these uh decisions will be formalized in the first board meeting next year. So this is a time for us as a group to talk out these two topics which again is what's the structure of our board leadership going to look like and what are the committee assignments. Uh generally speaking, it's a little easier to start with the leadership because that has an impact on some of the committees because like the treasurer c uh traditionally participates in finance advisory and oped advisory and so that has a that has a consequence. Um, and I thought a good way to do it since uh I don't have a horse in this race is just to talk a little bit about the roles at first generally what's expected just so we kind of level set for everybody and then uh sort of survey interest and thoughts about what uh the right person for those roles might be or who the right person might be. So um so uh as the chair I'll just start talking about the chair. Uh you know that's the the leadership structure is really chair, vice chair, treasurer and clerk. Uh chair's role is pretty obvious. We get to run the meetings. Uh the chair and the vice chair participate in agenda setting with the superintendent. uh we meet uh on a regular basis uh usually about 10 days or more before the next meeting so that we can go over what's going to be included. Um and then the chair gets the uh luxurious position of responding to as many of the emails from the community as possible. So um always always a high point. Um and uh I don't know if you have any more comments about vice chairing. We have a couple of vice chairs who have done the job at the table and they want to weigh in. >> Um being part of the leadership planning >> sometimes helping those responses. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, I guess jumping in if the chair >> the chair suddenly decides not to show up to an event and the vice chair happens to be there, uh, the vice chair gets to speak. >> In that event, do you get to use the gavl? >> That's right. >> And and the gavl always a high point, too. >> Um, uh, so that and it is a chance I'd say there everybody on the board has a voice first of all, but it is a chance. leadership is a chance to sort of help uh sort of guide and have have an impact on what the what the approach of the board is going to be, but we all do that through the goals uh several times a year. Anyway, um uh treasurer Dan is the probably most decorated treasurer among us and you've done it two years in a row now. If you want to weigh in a little bit on that. Um uh the the majority of the obligation is is just regularly attending your finance committee meetings and your other postmployment benefits trust committee meetings to understand how the district uh receives its money, spends its money, invests its money, being able to speak to um all of those issues. I believe you also have to sign something and your name maybe gets printed on checks or something. I'm I'm not entirely sure. But um it it's it's really an opportunity to dive as deeply into the finances as you want to because it's my it's my personal belief that the the the budget is everything. Like the budget is what we have and it's how we implement all of our values and align ourselves and and take action to further our goals and everything like that. So having an understanding of the the opportunities and challenges pre presented by the budget is great perspective on on how the the machine that is a public school district works. >> I would agree with that. I would say from my my year at treasurer I would add that it doesn't necessarily require you to be a financial wizard. Nobody would confuse me with that. But um I I think it it does help that you are at finance advisory and you are at OPED trust with people. We have community members who volunteer their time to share their expertise in those areas. And so it's a great way to get some insights that occur and it's again it is just the chance to sort of deepen your understanding from a board members level of what you know what are the buckets. I mean, the the first time I remember the first time I looked at a budget presentation, it was a little bit Greek and, you know, it still is sometimes a little bit Greek because of the the arcane system of education finance, but um but you know, that's not a that's not a barrier to being the treasure. I think being the treasure is an real opportunity to dive in and learn. Um so I appreciate it from that perspective when I was in that spot, too. >> Second. Um and then uh clerks, >> yeah, we don't have our sitting clerk couldn't make it. He's unfortunately in Germany. So, uh well done, Chris. Um the the clerk is really sort of the person who has to make sure we have the right number of signatures on the documents. And a lot of that job is doing what Carrie tells you and and which is actually a lot of being a board member. Just do what Carrie tells you. you'll you'll be fine. Um but um but you know, you do get your uh your name on the diplomas, I believe, if you're the clerk. So, uh for people with seniors, sometimes that becomes a coveted spot if you have somebody who's going to be graduating. >> Um so, uh any considerations I'm missing or fair descriptions I haven't added? Yeah. Um I would just add out for the chair, vice chair, I think the other important piece of that is that you are able to talk to the entire board versus um if you're a board member not in leadership, you are subject to the serial conversation and open meeting laws and the leadership can really talk to everybody. Oh. >> So, sometimes it's a matter of um going and talking to each individual board member to find out if there's interest in in moving something forward or to get people's pulse on something that's going on in the community. And so, I do think that there is a piece of that also um because you're kind of the the direct liaison between what the board is talking about and the administration at the district. Um, and so that's sometimes it comes into play more than other times, but um, that's a piece of it for sure. >> All right, any questions? I'll look at you two because you haven't had that speech before, but I think it's pretty self-evident. So, um, I have many questions about what I've been doing here for the last year. But, um, >> so yeah. Well, fair. That's totally fair. All right. Um, so I guess then the next question will be, uh, how do we want to proceed? We want to just go down the list and see who's got interest and have a conversation about that. I guess that'd be my suggestion. If anyone has a different plan, I mean, uh, >> I have an interest in being chair just because I was vice currently vice chair and it's for me, I've really enjoyed working more directly with superintendent law. it. I've learned a lot from him about how the board works and I've enjoyed working close closer with the chair. So, that's been kind of as the vice chair. So, I I like the I like being able to do that. And I do like Megan's I um statement about having to communicate more directly because that you get to know the board members more that that way. Um so, I I've I'm interested if anybody would be interested in working more with me directly. Anyone else feel like Yes. Go ahead. >> Do are you wanting us to go around the table and say what or like on each role? >> Um I was Well, I could do either. I was I just I just started with chair. >> We go around the chair. Go around the go around the room, but yeah. >> Um I I'd love to do voice vice chair. Um you know, depending what other folks at the table want to do. Um I really enjoy working with Kenry. I think we get along really well. I think David has got a great cabinet and a great team and uh I think it would be a just a fantastic learning opportunity to to pull back that curtain a little bit um and go beyond the budget and and see some of some of that stuff. Uh yeah, >> fair enough. Um, as somebody who uh at least started their medical training uh on paper charts, I am really good at signing my name. Uh, so I would be happy to be a clerk. Actually, I really also like the uh the the organizational aspect. I sit on the uh the policy committee at at um 287 and one of part of that in is involved with you know seeing how all these pieces of paper work and how they all fit into the the overall structure and I really enjoyed that. So I' I'd be really interested in being a clerk. >> Fantastic. >> Um I would be open to basically any of the roles. Um, I would like to stick step back into leadership at some point, but I don't feel like I need to do it urgently right now. Um, I haven't been quick, so I'd do that at some point. I would say treasure is not my personal interest. Could probably learn from it a little bit. I feel like I've gotten a handle on it pretty well now. Um, so I would lean more toward the other three. Um but yeah, I'm flexible and I have expressed interest in being the vice chair. However, um I also am interested in treasurer from the perspective that I think it will be a really good complement to my role. I'm in the final um half a year or so, a little more than that of being uh appointed to the legislative committee of AMSD. And that's a really nice complement to that as well as my ongoing interest with case. And so that would be something I'm I that's where my interest lands. >> Excellent. Tanya, have you given any thought? >> I'm happy to uh be an observer and listener this first time around and give the people who have been here longer than me opportunity to be in leadership roles. So >> good. Hopefully you'll be back. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> You got to push the button. There you go. >> Push the button. Okay. All right. >> You're learning. >> Um I'm learning. Well, I have sat through a few meetings. So I um I would be interested. I could also sit back and watch. Um the other things I would be interested in would be clerk um or treasurer. I I'm on the finance committee right now. I for sure want to stay on that because I I agree with Dan that the budget and the finance is everything. It's key to what we do. It's key to making sure that we have the programs that we all love in this district. Um so yeah, I would be interested in those or, you know, let someone else do it. U just want to continue to get to know the group and I'm excited to be here and um also want to be on case though for sure. Um, I think that's a a big one. Um, advocating for for what we need at the legislature. So, I guess that's where we're at. >> Wonderful. So, we're all decided then. No, >> what are we doing? I mean, >> I forgot how >> I mean, we we sort of have to talk about it and figure out how if we want to reach a consensus. So, Megan's hand is up. Um, I just wanted to throw out I think that um I just want to make sure that everybody's aware that there's not like a sequence that has to be followed. Like just because Key is vice chair for right now, she could totally have said, "I don't want to be chair. I was happy being vice chair. I'd like to shift somewhere else." And uh sometimes people go into vice chair without having done any other leadership roles and that's their first one like I did. Um, and so just so that everybody is on the same page with that that there's no like prescribed um when I was vice chair, Lisa came back on as chair and she hadn't done it for a number of years. So just that there is flexibility around this like going into one role doesn't necessarily mean a different role the next year it's prescribed. >> Yeah. No, I I I think it's a fair point. Um, and we've seen in in our four years on the board, uh, we've seen all sorts of iterations like, uh, you know, Chris was chair, he went completely off leadership, he came back as clerk, you know, we had, uh, we had somebody, uh, who was treasure two years in a row, you know, and, uh, you know, anything. it's it's your board to pick your leadership of. So, um I think that's key and you know I uh I kind of defer to th those of you who will make the decision, but um it sounds like we have interest in every role. Um I do think there's some value to sitting and learning as a new person. I I had that opportunity and I felt uh a lot more prepared uh for my second year than I did for my first. But um I also say I also think it's important to remember that you will have a voice whatever role you're on. Like whether you're a board member on a committee um you know we can't all do all the committees. It's impossible. And uh so hearing from Dan about the OPED trust meeting maybe won't excite everyone but it was valuable when he had the reports for me. So um so so I think we have uh a few people I think both of you Megan and and Camry had expressed some interest in chair. Camry was sort of only in chair. Uh Dan was mostly vice chair. I heard one clerk, so I feel like you're a shoe in there. Um or anyone else, I suppose. Um uh so uh I guess my suggestion would be do we have any consensus developing around chair to start and we can >> Yeah, >> I thought perhaps we might start with clerk and I was going to express that I would be honored to have Mike's name on my child's diploma. Well, and we don't like what what the end of this meeting will just sort of be we either have a sort of consensus going into the next meeting or we don't >> and then uh once we have a that idea uh uh we'll figure out an order of operations sometime after today like who's going to nominate whom and how that's going to work. So, um, we don't need to be too terribly formal about it, but, um, I don't see any shaking of heads to that idea. Um, so, anyone else want to weigh in? We're all staring at each other. Okay, Megan, can >> I would just add that um I think that it's important. I I was just I felt very strongly that everybody felt like they had the ability to express their interest in anything and that it wasn't a done deal before we came to the room tonight and that there weren't decisions made, you know, outside of this room. Like, I really want us to be having these conversations as a group and thinking about what's best for the board and the district as a whole. Um, so I'm glad that we had this opportunity to kind of go around and say what we're interested in. Um, and I would just re reiterate that I wasn't like expressing interest in any particular I like I'm super flexible right now. I want to serve the board in the best capacity that I can and um, you know, happy to also sit back for another year and be in an advisory capacity. So um, yeah, I I also think I did hear interest for vice from two people too though. So, I don't know if we want to talk more through some of that. >> Sure. >> So, that puts Dan and Sally in the in the crosshairs. Yeah. or were you more interested in treasur or >> I think given that Dan has served as treasurer for two years um and >> I mean I I can stay indefinitely >> or inde indefinitely is is fact and it is something that would be a nice um again complement to things that I'm interested in and an opportunity for me to learn some of that wealth of knowledge that you've picked up. I would be willing to say that my greater interest at this point would be in treasure and support you as vice chair. >> And I like I I would as sh expressing interest in chair, I would probably lean on Megan to sort of help me through that just because you've done that unless you were expressing interest in chair. Um because it is something that I haven't done. I mean, I've only sat in on on, you know, helped him out before, but >> I, you know, I would appreciate you helping me through some questions along the way. I think that would be really valuable. >> And I would support Dan as vice chair. >> I'd be happy to be vice chair. I'd love that. Okay. >> I support all these ideas. I think that's great. I mean, it sounds like we're we're sort of uh nudging ourselves toward a consensus. It sounds like maybe uh No, we're we're all being very motan about it, but I'm sort of hearing I'm sort of hearing uh sort of hearing Camarie uh chair uh Dan vice chair Sally, treasurer Mike Clerk with lots of helping hands for anything else that's needed. Does that seem like a an approach? We could do what we did during the superintendent hiring and do a fist of five. >> All right. >> Just for a consensus. >> Yeah. Do you want to describe? Does everyone familiar with >> Does everybody know fist of five? So five would mean I'm all on board. I would go and I would advocate for this anywhere. Three is I'm good with it. I don't feel strongly. Fist is no way. I will fight against this and I will throw a fit at the first board meeting in January. >> I just that part was added for embellishment. That's not either. So you might need that down in 26. >> That's right. Yeah, that's a good idea. So, uh, just give us a fist of five to that proposed consensus. See how you're feeling. >> All right. So, we got everything from three to fives. And I don't see any fists or or or ones or twos. So it sounds like about as good as we can do for for now. So so thanks for that. Um all right. So now we can look at committees. So that puts um so that sort of takes finance advisory would be a sally uh spot. We've we can talk more about this. I just want to underscore the ones that sort of the the roles that traditionally follow the the leadership roles. >> Can I add something here? Yes, please. >> So, traditionally the chair doesn't usually set sit on committees because of the time required for the chair role. >> So, that's why we wouldn't have the chair's name on there beyond the MTA liaison. Um, and I will also add that when I emailed, the reason my name's not on here is because I said I was super flexible because I've done a lot of them and so I don't have strong strong feelings. Um, so just throwing that out there. >> Okay. So, and then uh OPED advisory uh is that have we been has that been doing the treasurer for that as well? I can't recall. Yeah. So, that >> what's what's the cadence of those meetings? >> It's quarterly. >> Yeah, it's basically quarterly. frequently this year. >> No, you're you're just meeting with your Wells Fargo adviser and it's usually a quarterly basis just going over the performance of the funds and updates on projected liabilities and things like that. >> Yeah, it's it's kind of a preview of some information that sometimes filters up to the board and often doesn't. I mean, it's it's really um I think however many years ago, four and a half to five years ago when there was a decision to use some surplus out of that fund, that was a much more crucial position. Now we're sort of in that uh on a pace to continue earning on that fund and it's probably not a real big uh commitment. Um what am I missing that traditionally follows? I think anything else really necessarily follows the leadership structure other than as you mentioned the MTA liaison which are already written in there >> and the 287 will be Mike. >> Yes. Because that's already happening. Um, okay. So, uh, I see we can just go down top to bottom. Was it Well, you said you didn't put your name on any. We have several open committees. Do we want to slot you in for some of those or you want to express interest in one of the others? Um, >> so I would just add materials review committee hasn't met in years. Um, that's kind of on an as needed basis. So I think that one's a very low commitment generally speaking unless knock on wood we don't get a hold. Yeah. >> Um >> so >> and >> so we might name somebody for that or then maybe if it happens we need to >> Yeah. >> change. >> Can you say what that committee even does? What materials >> it is literally um I I'm looking at Angie Flowers. I think it's uh physical materials like >> yeah it's >> it's like OSHA kinds of the things that we're using and uh having to meet and determine if they're appropriate. >> Um I think it can also be curriculum related, right? Like if there's a a concern about curriculum that that's what they would >> the back of the room is saying curriculum. >> Yeah. Okay. So that's >> Oh, it's okay. Sorry. >> Teaching and learning material is there's a challenge to materials. >> Yeah. when there's if somebody were to bring a concern to >> so it could be your teaching and learning person overlay or Megan either one of you. >> Okay, we're we're cross talking each other but just to to to make sure everyone got that it's tends to be challenges to curriculum require a material review and then that person would be in that spot. Okay. >> And I will say it's never met in the time I've been on the board. >> I don't recall it ever being >> hopefully it will not hope will keep going that way. Um, I I guess I would I mean I haven't done the foundation yet, so I'd be interested in perhaps doing that. >> Um, the daytime ones are always easier for me. So, um, if I've done PTO, PTA a few times, I'm happy to keep doing it. Um, that one's easy for me to get to, but if somebody else wants to grab it, go for it. Um, same, I can keep doing Tonka Cares if Mike wants to cycle off of that. Um, >> foundation is evening and it's long. Yes, >> I want to knock off maybe an easy one. Well, let me got four people on case. I thought we would have quick consensus on case, but maybe not if there's four people who have expressed >> you. You can take my name off and I'll attend as an unofficial member. >> Okay. >> And I think Sally as treasurer, it makes sense to keep going. >> Um, >> meaning to keep going to case. Yeah, >> that's sort of been in my opinion. >> Has that been a traditional like two person? >> I think I think people's been pretty consistent. Yeah, we have a big group. >> The only challenge we'll have with the only challenge we'll have with three people is coordinating calendars. But >> my my thought would be I know because Karen has been on that committee for so many years. I think that would that's a natural one and I understand your interest is there and you've already been I know you've already been thinking and planning what to try and do the legislature yourself. Yeah, I can be off that. You can take my name off case. >> Okay, I think that makes sense. >> So, are we just going are we just going down through each one of them and saying what we want to do? I mean, >> I was kind of cherry picking some ones that I thought would be easy, but you know, I'm trying to pick uh we're we want to make sure we have a name for every slot here. So, that's the that's the goal. So, um you know, we can go AMSD. So Sally is on the legislative uh action committee for AMSD. >> Yeah, that makes sense for her to stay doing that. >> Yeah. >> And then um and then we probably should stop you putting your name down, Sally, because it's already in a bunch of spots. >> As as much as we love you, >> I concur. >> Uh MTA lays on set as chair and vice chair. Uh finance advisory. Uh Sally would attend that. Karen also expressed interest. >> Yeah. And I'm I'm on that committee and I would I would like to stay on it. >> Yeah. So I >> as well I don't know if we can have two people. I mean as the >> we we could we have in the past done an alternate and then you could show up. Um I would also offer up that uh Karen could go to OPE and S could go to finance as the official board appointees and then you could alternate on those meetings as needed. >> I think that makes that makes good sense for those. I mean, if we don't have other people interested in that one, and I think having both of you with your ear to that committee is valuable. Um, okay. Uh, materials review. And then we have teaching and learning. Uh, Tanya put her name down for that. Um, do we want to say Tanya is in both of those in case one comes up, she will have already been in teaching and learning? >> That's okay with me. if that's okay with you guys. Okay. >> And then, okay, we're just talking about foundation. >> I would be interested in foundation. >> Okay. >> If Camry would be willing to attend a meeting and introduce me to everyone, >> definitely. >> Yeah, I know everybody. >> You'll like it. That's a great one. >> I really don't have my not working. There we go. Um, I don't have strong feelings. So, if you want to do foundation, I'm happy to keep doing doing uh PTO PTA. Okay. >> And I'm I'm basically in the same boat. If people want to use my need to move my name around to make room for somebody who's really interested, please do. >> All right. Well, let's uh PTO PTA seems like a good fit for your schedule, so that makes sense to me. Um Mike, special education advisory. That seems to fit with the 287 pretty well. And you've done it. Um, and no one else expressed interest. >> Although I would like just to make a comment that it has been a great pleasure to serve on that committee and I will be back around. >> You're here. Um, and I'm sort of leading because nobody else is talking, but feel free to chime in if you if you have an opinion that I'm not getting to. Mental health advisory. We have both Mike and Tanya. >> I didn't know when that one met. I wasn't sure um because that's one I'd be interested in doing at some point, but I it doesn't have a schedule as far as I can tell. >> I'm hearing from the back of the room is the mornings. >> Oh, yeah. >> It's in the evenings. >> Usually on a Wednesday. >> A Wednesday evening. >> It's rotated around. >> We have a quarter. >> I'm on it as a parent. So, I can you can I stay on as a parent or is that not allowed? Okay. >> Yeah. I think you I mean they're they're public meetings so we couldn't really stop you from going but it's it's >> it becomes weird because then they look at you as a board member in that meeting. So >> we kind of talked about that one day. Gotcha. >> Mike, if you want to stay on that's great because I think there might be some overlap too with >> Yeah. And we're actually uh the Jed Foundation is we're kind of in the last year of that. We're in the implementation phase this coming year. So uh and since I've been part of that um y >> it feels like I need to be need to stay on. >> That makes sense. >> And until that's finished. So I hope to have another year of that before I'm done. >> Sounds good. Now >> Mike and I did both serve on uh special education advisory though if that might be a spot of interest. I've done special ed in the past also and I'd be happy to do that if we wanted a second. >> Yeah, I'm happy to support that too. >> All right. Uh Taka Cares Mike parenthesis or someone else? Uh, >> Mike, do you want me to take that over since you've have a bunch of commitments here? >> Sure. >> Okay, I'll take that. >> Okay. Is that working for everybody? >> I'm I tend to just keep moving until I hear objections, but um case we've gotten uh community education advisory. I see Dan's name. Anyone else uh raising their hand? Going once, going twice? Dan Olsen. Okay. Um, too late. Yeah. Preschool ECF advisory. >> Got Tanya's name on that. Um, >> I would just throw out that that one's pretty fun, too. Um, for people to kind of get an idea of what's going on in the community. And that's one that we've split sometimes, too. Like, there was one year that Chris wanted to do it, but he couldn't go in the daytime. So, I took the daytime meetings and he took the evening ones. So, if there's interest, you know, whatever. Um, but it's kind of a fun one to do. >> Uh, seems like Tanya, >> I'm excited about that one. Yes. >> Fired up. Let's go. All right. Uh, OPE advisory. I think we are circling around K um uh doing sorry sort of a tag team of the two of you. Um, Sally >> Karen would do OPED as a primary. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Or either way. I mean, Whatever makes the most sense. Yeah, I mean I'm flexible. I'd like to attend, but >> I think >> we can probably figure that out, Sally. If it makes >> I think we we'll have to have a have a name in there that so that there can be a motion and a vote. So, I'd say we put you as the primary and then the two of you can kind of >> back each other up, make maybe call that a Karen plus a Sally alternate. >> Um, >> and the opposite on the finance advisory. >> Yeah, exactly. And then Mike is 287. uh any of that conversation leave anybody without enough to do or change anyone's mind now that we walked all the way through it? >> Can you read down the whole list of everything? >> Can you start at the top? >> Yeah, we'll see. We'll see if I did a good job of taking notes. So, AMSD, we have Sally. MTA leaison or chair and vice chair. So that's uh Camarie and Dan uh finance advisory. We have Sally with Karen as an alternate materials review committee hopefully not needed but if so Tanya teaching and learning Tanya Minnetonka Foundation Karen PTO PTA Megan special ed advisory was that Megan or >> Mike >> Mike that was Mike that that was Mike okay sorry I I said my notes were not reliable Um, mental health advisory is Mike, Tonka Cares is Megan, case is Karen and Sally with Dan participating from time to time as well. Uh, community education advisory is Dan. Preschool ECF advisory is Tanya. Op advisory is Karen with Sally as alternate and Mike is district 287 board. >> All right. All good. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. >> I'm on there. I see my name only twice. So if someone's feeling overloaded, I can probably >> Well, and the other thing to remember in and for new people especially from time to time life happens and you cannot attend a committee, you can ask the entire board, hey, I've got a conflict. Does anyone want to go to this meeting for me? And and that is also a good way to get to know committees. So So reminded everyone to do that. If you have a conflict, make sure you throw it out to everyone. So, all right, that's a wrap. >> That's why I made sure to do it last.