Hopkins Public Schools — Transcript
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
School Year Start and Operations
Student Transportation Services and Initial Challenges
District Facilities and Utilities Resilience
Annual Policy Review and New Disability Non-Discrimination Policy
Treasurer's Report Format Changes
Community Engagement and Outreach Initiatives
Votes (1)
Policies in First Read
Dissent: None
Moved by Clerk WG [28:16] · Seconded by Director Thompson [28:17]
The board discussed several policies during their first read. Policies 208 (on policies), 214 (out-of-state travel), and 531 (Pledge of Allegiance) were annual reviews with minor or no recommended changes, primarily nomenclature edits for 208. The main discussion revolved around the new Policy 402, 'Disability Non-Discrimination in Employment,' which codifies existing practices and is now required by state statute. The Assistant Superintendent clarified the district's interactive approach to reasonable accommodations and confirmed that changes to the designated coordinator's name would be ministerial updates, not requiring full board action.
Notable Quotes (4)
it is included in other um policies already which I think is probably why we didn't have this. Um at least that was my understanding because it is it it's pretty it's covered in a lot of other policies. So it's not that we were discriminating before it's just clarifying.
part of the um the reason is because with the new state statute, we are required to have a policy that specifically details this. So it's it's a state statute that if I'm understanding from our monitoring committee meeting and just looking at the MSBA, that was my understanding.
we always really begin with that interactive dialogue. Um because obviously as an employer, we want to look at and learn what may be needed in order to meet those general expectations of the work that we know is here to serve and to deliver.
I just want to say again that part of vision 2031, right, is having staff members that reflect our student population and there is something like depending on what your definition of a disability is, something between like 10 and 25% of the population has some form of disability and so commend this addition to our policies.
Ordinances & Resolutions (13)
The Hopkins School Board's strategic vision, emphasized as crucial for community input.
Student Code of Conduct, referenced for universal progressive discipline practices across the district, including buses.
Student Transportation Services policy, specifically detailing conduct on school buses and consequences for misbehavior.
Policy on policies, reviewed annually; contained nomenclature edits in this read.
Policy on out-of-state travel by school board members, reviewed annually with no recommended changes.
New policy on Disability Non-Discrimination in Employment, adopted in response to state statute; outlines procedures for reasonable accommodations.
Existing policy where some information related to disability non-discrimination was previously contained.
Policy on the Pledge of Allegiance, an annual review where the board typically waives the weekly recitation requirement.
Minnesota statute regarding the Pledge of Allegiance, which allows for an annual waiver by the school board.
Resource used by the district in reviewing and developing policies.
Video promoting public schools' role in student development, shown to the board and community.
New feature implemented to track and monitor patterns in bus delays for data-driven improvement.
Platform used to share school board director school assignments and related protocols.