Edina School Board Approves Health Associates Contract, Reviews Academic Progress
The Edina Public Schools Board approved a two-year collective bargaining agreement for Health Service Associates and reviewed comprehensive academic performance data during its November 10 meeting.
The board unanimously approved the 2025-2027 contract for Health Service Associates, which includes step advancement for eligible employees, wage increases ranging from 2% to 3%, and the addition of five paid holidays beginning in the second year. The agreement, ratified by the HSA group, represents a total package increase of $96,181 over two years.
Board members also received detailed reports on curriculum implementation and academic performance metrics. Director of Teaching and Learning Jody Duc St. Hubert presented updates on science, English language arts, and mathematics curriculum reviews, highlighting positive results across all subject areas. The district's data metrics plan showed steady increases in academic performance, particularly in ELA and math MCA proficiency over the past four years.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Dan Bitman provided an update on middle school placement for the Spanish Dual Language program, noting that stakeholder feedback strongly favored placing the program at Valley View Middle School to maintain continuity for families. The administration will bring a formal recommendation to the board later this year.
The meeting also featured student presentations from Edina High School's student council, who shared research on marketing strategies to retain incoming freshmen. Students identified misconceptions about the school's academic rigor and opportunities as key factors in enrollment decisions. The board approved multiple policies and authorized potential bond refunding that could save taxpayers up to $250,000, pending favorable market conditions.
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Student Marketing Initiative for High School Recruitment
Edina High School student council members presented their human-centered design project aimed at creating marketing opportunities to retain and recruit incoming freshmen. They identified key misconceptions about EHS including beliefs about academic rigor, class sizes, and college acceptance rates compared to private schools.
Curriculum Implementation Progress Report
Director Jody Duc St. Hubert presented updates on curriculum implementation across science, ELA, and mathematics, highlighting the collaborative design team approach and implementation science methodology. The report showed progress over four years with nearly 100 educators involved in the process.
Data Metrics Plan 2023-2025 Results and 2025-2027 Goals
The district presented comprehensive data on student achievement across multiple areas including ELA, math, science, and social-emotional learning. The report showed steady increases in academic performance while identifying ongoing challenges with achievement gaps and students below grade level.
Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness Report
The district presented its new CACR plan (formerly World's Best Workforce) with five goal areas including school readiness, closing achievement gaps, college and career readiness, graduation rates, and preparing lifelong learners. The report showed mixed results on 2023-2025 goals with one of five goals met.
Spanish Dual Language Program Middle School Placement
Superintendent Bitman provided an update on community feedback regarding placement of the Spanish dual language program at middle school level. Families strongly favored placement at Valley View for continuity and logistics, while staff raised questions about programming and scheduling challenges.
Health Service Associates Collective Bargaining Agreement
The board approved a new 2-year collective bargaining agreement for Health Service Associates (HSAs) covering July 2025 through June 2027. The agreement includes wage increases, additional paid holidays, and professional development provisions.
Bond Refinancing Authorization
The board authorized the district to issue general obligation refunding bonds to refinance 2017A bonds at lower interest rates. However, market conditions and federal government uncertainty have reduced expected savings from $250,000 to $178,000, prompting a delay in execution.
Policy Reviews and Approvals
The board reviewed and approved multiple policies including District Volunteers Policy 911 and several policies under quick review process. Policy 911 clarifies volunteer management procedures and background check requirements based on level of student interaction.
Also from this meeting
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