Don't leave your planner in the sun, bro. >> Disappear. >> Okay. No, I won't do Oh, >> hello. Hi, everybody. Welcome um to this uh meeting of the Hopkins School Board for September 1st, 2026. I will call it to order at 7:05 p.m. Thank you for joining us this evening. Our first um item on our agenda is public comment. The Hopkins School Board believes that hearing from our community members is crucial for implementing vision 2031. If you wish to contact the board via email instead of publicly commenting at a meeting, please use the contact the school board link. You can um use the public comment um will be received both in person and through email. If you want to join us here in person, which we always like to see people here with us in the evenings, um you can do that. come and fill out a public comment card before the meeting starts and then you can address the board and you can also leave a voicemail to be played at the meeting. Are there any voicemails that were left for public comment? So, we do not have anyone here in person this evening as well. So, there will be no public comment section um for tonight's board meeting. And that takes us to our reports section in our open agenda. Normally, we would have um student board representative reports, but I don't believe that any of our student board reps are even thinking about our meetings right now. I'm sure they will um appear in in the coming weeks. And uh Director Jiao, if you have an update on that, when you think they might be starting, uh feel free to let us know. >> Yeah, I next time is that when we should encourage him. Okay. Yep. >> Great. >> I can send a reminder. >> Wonderful. And then that takes us to our superintendence report and I will turn it over to Dr. Thomas. >> Thank you, Chair Andre, board directors. Good to see everyone this evening and um yeah, I think our uh board reps are uh transitioning into the new school year and uh >> trying to get acclimated into that space again after a nice long summer break. So, I look forward to uh bringing that student perspective to the board. >> Um big news obviously back to school uh and as uh director Heyman was saying talking with her uh student, it's getting real. School's getting real, right? And uh I love it. I mean, our students, the energy in our classrooms, uh this is what I've been craving all summer long. And uh we've had a really strong start to the school year. Uh a tradition for me is to ride the bus um every uh first day. And that's something that I really enjoy to get out and meet with uh students, families, and um quite frequently a dog or two that tries to get on the bus. Um so you get to do that as well. Uh but so thank you to uh our our I think Jade was our driver uh on bus 109 that I rode with Eisenhower on Monday morning and uh it was it was fantastic and I will tell you uh you know I'll kind of blend a little bit of our um transportation update with this too. So, obviously we have a new per uh partnership with Schmidian Sons and and I and I do want to say I really appreciate uh the buildup to the start of the school year and uh I don't think I've ever been in any district uh the first week of school where there haven't been some hiccups around anything from transportation to classroom to recess to lunches, you name it. We're calibrating a lot of moving parts and um and transportation is is no exception. But I'll talk a little bit more about that in just a moment here. But I do want to say thank you to Schmidy and Suns for the lot of the prep and uh also how we'll work together to ensure we have a great uh ride ride experience for our students. Um we also welcomed kindergarter kindergarten students uh today and we also welcomed grades 7 through 8 and 10 through 12. So we did that phased in approach. So yesterday uh it was a little bit uh quiet in our halls but today they were booming with with uh a lot of student energy and uh this year our theme is believe it and achieve it. really in uh helping our adults and our students understand that mind over matter if you if you will. If if if you believe in something strongly and passionately, um there's nothing other than yourself that will stop that. And that's just a message that we want to continue to send home to all of our our our stakeholders. Um you know, students, families, staff, you name it. Uh let's believe it and achieve it. And we're really excited about that. And to open up a school year, uh there are hundreds of staff, hundreds of hours. Um so I just personally want to say thank you to our teachers, um our paras, our school leaders, transportation, nutrition services. Um I finally got my lunch account set up, too. >> Um and people like, "Well, you're the superintendent." I'm like, "Yeah, but I pay." So, um, uh, our custodial and facilities teams, uh, I'll tell you, working round the clock to beautify our campuses. Thank you so much. Uh, I'm blanking now. We have one of our grounds folks that, uh, was at the high school during our all staff gathering and prep and she started off as a food nutrition services um, staff member and now is uh, doing stuff with grounds. for the past couple of days when we were there. She was putting down mulch, pulling out weeds, picking up trash. I mean, impeccable. And I had to go up to her. I said, "Hey, I just want to say thank you." Um, I've watched you out here. It wasn't uh it was kind of hot. >> So, she was out there doing it in the heat. And so, just that that's the type of commitment. And, uh, you know, and I know that she was just doing what she's expected to do and what she's passionate about doing, but it really makes a difference. and and and it's noticed and and so I just want to let everybody know that again all of our technology that we had to online or on board um with students and staff devices and making sure our systems are going. Thank you to our tech team um all of our enrollment staff uh and working behind the scenes to get kids, you know, where they need to be on day one. So, I can't thank all the staff enough for everything that you've done. It's been a wonderful first couple of days. Um, so thank you. Um, transportation, uh, again, Schmidian Sons is our new partner and, uh, uh, I I can tell you on that first day, um, that was a very well-run day. We've had we had a couple of late buses and some routes that were still getting calibrated, etc. Um and day two a little bit more challenging today and and that's something that I want to um acknowledge and also um offer my apologies to our our our community and our families specifically. U I I just ask for some grace and some patience as we work through um some of these issues. Understand it's not intentional or by design. We they truly are very well prepared and and we are working through some of those issues as they come up. and and tonight, you know, we had a a very late bus uh or a bus that never showed. And so, we're working through some of those understandings as to why that occurred. And so, um know that that's not going to be the norm for the school year. Um that is not a standard that we have and that's not a standard that was promised or committed to us. And but I'm also very confident in Schmidian Sons for them to be responsive uh to meeting the needs and so so thank you um to that team there as well. uh Miss Naisha Williams and her crew uh round the clock um constantly triaging issues um on the bus that day. I can tell you I personally heard um the two-way communication between drivers uh the the transportation base, you know, base to driver, driver to base, constantly working through all these nuances. Hey, I'm at an apartment complex. Um I don't see any students. Am I at the right entrance? just verifying is it this address or is it the other, you know, the north entrance or is it the south entrance? Um, I watched our driver go into I don't know how she was going to back out of this dead end street, but she had skills. Uh, and so again, just really tight spaces. And I heard a driver saying, "Hey, I'm at a bus stop. I don't see any students. What's my ETA? Uh, and how long should I wait? Based upon where you're at, you should wait no more than two minutes." I mean that back and forth triage live in the moment I heard it for myself. Um and and quite honestly that is another thing of why I like to ride that first day just to get that experience to see how things are rolling no pun intended on uh for transportation. Um so so again uh generally successful uh and some early challenges that we're going to work through late routes um uh sometimes that was uh unintentional. Sometimes uh there was a driver route error. Um we had a vehicle inspection issue that you know something wasn't right and so they didn't want to put that bus on the road so that delayed getting another bus. Um and then also just we're we're emphasizing you know with our community and our promise is to uh improve our communication and expectations you know with Schmidy and Suns and make sure that we have a very successful uh partnership moving uh moving forward. uh Miss Williams and team outline plans um for uh the next days based upon kind of uh working through the challenges of the day um so that uh we can ensure that we are addressing some of those challenges that we um experienced. So a lot of tight monitoring of routes um addressing delays in real times like I talked about uh and supporting drivers to get more familiar with routes. You know, something I've seen for the past two days at Eisenhower Elementary, um, is buses are turning into the parent drop lane, uh, versus taking that first left and going around to the side for the bus drop lane. And again, watching those negotiations of a bus trying to fit through a car lane. Um, you know, those are some of the things that we want to make sure that we uh remind folks, look, you got to take that first left, you know, don't come down the the parent drop line. Um so again uh traffic construction uh or tracking construction and traffic impacts. We were so great that the road construction in front of North and the high school was uh completed on time. So thank you to the city for um your hard work and dedication and working round the clock to ensure that road was open, fully striped, lights were operable. Um, and now we have to just continually ensure that our public utilities uh stay uh intact. And um I will say that we experienced two situations. One with uh a gas issue at Alice Smith just hours before open house. And this morning and this afternoon, we had some brief interruptions with uh electricity at I believe the high school north in Tangland, which are all seemingly on that same trunk line. Um, in both situations, the gas and the electricity, um, through Gome team and others, we had those triage quickly and within an hour, um, or less with the gas. Uh, we had things addressed and we were still able to continue. Um, thank you to the school staff for your patience, making modifications to uh still continue with instruction, just finding ways to do it in more uh lit areas of the building versus maybe an interior classroom that you might have to move to a bigger window space or a shared hall space. Um, I know it was not ideal, but we never had to send students home, and we were able to get back on track. So, again, we're working through some of that. Um, let's see. I think we'll also uh we are working with our building principles and families including uh district-wide messaging about longer than usual bus travel times uh and we are using this new feature of the late bus log um so that we can see if there's patterns being established um director Z you talked about that during our workshop of some this is you're right this is a very uh datadriven process that we can track and monitor closely to ensure that we are in uh getting the best service for our students and our families. Um I also want to thank Dr. Lightfoot uh uh and and and his support uh with all the transportation efforts and um uh working through even uh our pay to ride implementation uh also um the here comes the bus app and getting that coordinated uh with all the tech support and everything that we would need uh director uh wetter and team as well. So again, those are some of the things that we're continu continuing to focus on to ensure that we have a positive experience. And I think lastly, um our ongoing focus remains on stabilizing our route performance during the first week of school. Um uh improving driver familiarity with routes and maintaining rapid communication during the delays so that there's not this long space of wondering happening like where's my student etc. So, I can imagine what that feels like and can empathize with our families that. So, um more to come on that and we'll continue to brief uh you all as a board um should any significant um things occur. Uh we had a great back- toschool kickoff with all of the Hopkins staff uh with a variety of uh employee groups present and uh we welcomed them uh on August 25th. We had a phenomenal keynote speaker, the 2025 Minnesota teacher of the year, Miss Linda Wallally Wallenburgg. And also want to, you know, I heard a lot of hype about the nutrition services team's lunch. Well, they delivered on the hype. Well, I'll just say that. And so, thank you food nutrition services folks. You put on an amazing um spread for staff and uh lots of positive comments. Um I I can't tell you how appreciative um staff were for that. Uh just a couple of other logistical pieces. At our last board meeting, we were talking about school board director school assignments. Um the uh I understand that those assignments were um decided uh um last Januaryish or so or last spring. They are on the primary agenda landing page. So, when you go to that, you'll see the schools that you're assigned. And today, we uploaded just a a reminder kind of similar to what MSBA did of the dos and don'ts or whatever of of going into schools. Generally speaking, I really appreciate you all having facetime in our schools. Uh my simple request is just notify building administration in advance just to make sure that there's something that you would like to see that they can say yes this would be a great day to see that or you might want to come on this Friday to see that and or if they have like a pretty tight testing regiment going on that day external distractions might compromise some of that so they might say hey today wouldn't be the best day because we're doing all school testing so can we do this on Wednesday versus Tuesday stuff like that so just make sure you're giving them a heads up. That's what I just ask. Um otherwise, enjoy and and engage. Uh I think our staff love to see you in our schools and being connected to what's happening in the classrooms. And then lastly, just looking ahead, we are going to welcome our littlest of learners September 8th, first day of preschool. Uh so if you want to, you know, see a uh a lot of boxes of tissues, Um, come on out to uh Harley in Insights to see our preschool programming September 8th. Uh, it's it's always fun and it's it is bittersweet. It it tugs at your heart because you see that separation and uh but usually that lasts for just a little bit of time in the morning and those students are fully immersed in learning. Um, I've met so many staff, students, and families and community members at so many different events since I've been here for the first couple of months. And uh again just want to say thank you to the community for the warm welcome. Um and uh many of you are following the social media and in and tonight a board director as well as some community members were asking about wow you've been pretty busy out there. And just to be clear though those are my those are Michael's words. Those are not um a bot. Those are not a a different person um sending those on my behalf. Those are just from my heart to the community of what I get to see every single day as a superintendent. And uh it's amazing. It's just absolutely amazing stuff. So, um I think staff really appreciate capturing those moments of excellence and magic that are happening in our schools and that's really why I do it so that our community can see the beauty that's happening um within our buildings every single day. Um on that engagement note coming up uh we have a lot of sessions. Uh, I think there are six sessions scheduled for the listening and learning tour that begins Monday, September 14th, right here at Eisenhower from 6:30 to 8. Um, and you can view all the dates if you go to uh www.hopkinschools.orglearn and you'll see the full schedule. um board members. Uh Miss Natalyia has put out a calendar invite or scheduler invite to ensure that we can get cross representation of board members at each of these events and to not have any um quorum at any of the events. So she'll try to balance that um as well. So she just was doing that today. So please take a look at that. Um and I think that is all chair Andre in terms of Oh no, that is not all. I've got one more um and that is um our Minnesota kids rise video that I would like to play for the board and the community. And again, tomorrow at the state fair from I think 7:30 in the morning until about 9:00 at night, there will be a massive uh Minnesota kids rise tent um that you can attend. And there's a variety of stations that you can go through. Um, if you want to engage with me community, I'll be down there. I think at 3:00 is starting my shift um to say hello and meet folks from our community and throughout the state of Minnesota. So, with that, I will uh ask Natalia to play the video on my computer instead of out there. So, Minnesota. >> Um, could we take this time to maybe ask a followup question? I'm wondering you said that the um protocol calls for our school assign assignments are um uploaded were uploaded. Where would they be? >> They were shared with you. >> Where in Google Docs? >> In Google Docs. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> It was just this afternoon. So, >> so it would be a document that we received a notification that was shared with us. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you for that. Um, just so that we all know how to access that. And then I'm wondering um because you said that you rode the school bus to work on the first day. >> Yes. >> Did you get here on time? >> Yes. >> All right. That's all. >> Across Minnesota, public schools help kids rise. Every day in classrooms, hallways, buses, labs, gyms, cafeterias, and schoolyards, students are learning who they are and what they can become. Minnesota kids are learning to solve problems, develop foundational skills, create, ask questions, and work together. They are building the knowledge, skills, relationships, and confidence that prepare them for the future. >> From early learners to graduating seniors, Minnesota public schools are helping students find their strengths, discover new opportunities, and see a future full of possibility. Because when Minnesota kids rise, Minnesota families and communities rise, too. That impact reaches far beyond the classroom. It shows up in our neighborhoods and small towns, >> in our cities and suburbs, on farms, main streets, playgrounds, lake shores, and community gathering places. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. I'm a Minnesota kid. I'm a Minnesota kid. I'm a Minnesota kid. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. I'm a Minnesota kid. I'm a Minnesota kid. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. >> I'm a Minnesota kid. >> We're all Minnesota kids. >> Minnesota Kids Rise is a statewide effort to lift up the promise of every Minnesota kid and the public schools that help them rise. Very cute video. And at the state fair, there will be a station under the tent that you can give your Minnesota kids story and what public education has done for you. And uh and then there will also be some very notable and recognizable um folks that may be visiting the tent as well as videos that you'll start to see um as well. So I think it's important for folks to understand that public education truly is the bedrock in this country of everything possible for us. Um, and uh, and so I just welcome everybody from our community to go out there and uh, put our Hopkins story out there and uh, talk about how proud we are of what Hopkins has done for us um, in terms of preparing us for our future. So, thank you, Jared Andre. Oh, uh, if you go to schoolboard pairings under the Google Drive, you'll find the document that uh, was uploaded for you all in terms of like protocols and you've seen it before. It's just something that had already existed. We just kind of resurrected it for you. Great. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Um, any questions, feedback for Dr. Thomas? >> Chair Andre. >> Yes. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Thomas. Uh, since I was not at the first board meeting of this school year, just again a hearty welcome. We're so grateful to have you here. and I've loved following your social media handle as the Hopkins superintendent and it's been just a delight and joy to see the way that you have just leaned in so fully into the Hopkins school district and your leadership work here. So, thank you for that. And I my comment uh that I wanted to name thanks for the transportation update. uh as I'm sure many of us have heard from parents who have been in in the space where there was a late bus. I appreciate both how um you've invited us uh a you've said hey we acknowledge that that's we're working on that we apologize for that also thanks for the grace uh as we're working some things out and I would just say what's helpful also as a reminder for me as a person who's not uh tasked with all of the pieces that go into making school buses come on time is to hear a little bit about what's happening in the triage and the communication because when you're at the bus stop waiting you don't think about oh my goodness, maybe two stops ago, they were waiting for kids and trying to figure out all these elements that um you just wouldn't necessarily think about. So, just thanks for naming all of that and we're grateful for the partnership with Schmidian Suns and just again a shout out though to the transportation department and to Dr. Lightfoot. Uh us uh having everything come out on time like we said it would was a a really significant win and we're looking forward to just the continuous improvement. Thank you. >> Welcome. Chair Andre. >> Yes. >> Um thank you so much Dr. Thomas for the update um in your board report or your superintendent report um for transportation that I do have um a question. So I know that every school is receiving like different directions for like um I will say they're receiving like different directions for like parking and things and so I understand like there's a difference in that. But as far as like student behavior on buses, I know that we received something from our school yesterday about like student discipline. So like if there's behavior on the bus, you only get a certain amount of times before you're sus like you get a suspension off the bus. Is that um is that coordinated across the school district like the same for every school or is each school kind of making up their own rules around that? >> Yeah, thank you uh vice chair Roer. um that that is actually a consistent practice that we have in in the district. Um we have like a a guide or a rubric if you will for various be behavior infractions. And so we want to make sure that we are universally uh applying consistent progressive discipline. Um and so whether it's in our classrooms or if it's on our buses which are essentially extensions of our classroom um those same rubrics would apply. So our student support staff, you know, APS, deans, counselors, social workers, they would be the ones that are working with those students based upon what infractions occur on the bus and what type of progressive approach we would take to addressing that behavior. Obviously, lowest level reminders, coaching, etc. But yes, if we have a repeated or a significant issue, um there would be um a suspension and or removal from um bus privileges. >> And is that for every grade level? correct. Uh yeah, we we we universally apply uh progressive discipline practices um across every grade level in the district and obviously age developmentally appropriate as well. >> And do Schmidy and Sons have their own um kind of policies or protocols around student behavior? Like if like for example like their bus drivers like do they have like their own standard procedure on how their bus drivers are supposed to report incidents? >> Uh t twofold. Um yes there are standard procedures in terms of how incidents are to be reported. Um so whether that's a student issue or if it's a bus accident issue there are standards for for that reporting. Um they also have standards for their employees and within our contract with Schmidian Suns we have standards of expectations for drivers as well. think we might have talked about that a couple of weeks ago um at our last board meeting or referenced that. So yes, those standards do exist both internally with us with regards to the uh bus protocols uh with drivers and they also have standards as a company. >> Okay, thank you so much. And just lastly, is there a place on our website where if a family want to review our universal policy around behaviors that they could see it like that's not within our >> um I would say that they should check with their school administrators uh administration and then they can get their guidance there that applies to both classrooms as well as any kind of bus infractions. It's also part of our student um code of >> conduct. >> Code of conduct which is I think policy 505. >> Um but you would go on to our policies on our website and there is um it's organized by section as to which it applies and it would be under the students section where parents could access that. and because of changes in state statute um it is fairly comp comprehensive. Thank you so much, >> Chair Andre. Yes. I just also want to note um Vice Chair Roer and our community policy 707 is the student transportation services policy which I believe we reviewed uh at the last meeting and there is a section specifically on conduct on conduct on school buses and consequences for misbehavior um that lists rules at the bus stop, rules on the bus so and consequences including first offense, second offense, third offense, and other discipline. So, anyone that wants to view, you know, the expectations per per the specific transportation policy, it's policy 707. >> Thank you, Director Heyman. >> And to Chair Andre's point, I believe it's uh policy 506. >> Oh, thank you. Um that is the student uh code of conduct. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or feedback? >> Great. Well, I just want to say I'm um really grateful that you were part of the first day um at each of our school sites. Um, and also that, um, I'm also grateful to Schmidian and Sons. Um, I know we had a couple late buses, but I don't think it was nearly. Um, and this is speaking from a a special education standpoint, nearly as as many as it usually is at this point in the year. Um, there's still a lot of kinks being worked out in transportation, um, specifically those very particular routes. So, um I'm grateful that it was a a relatively smooth start to the year and just lots of really big excitement, especially today. Um when those kindergarteners come in, it's just a whole different energy in the building and it's it's just um really a lot of fun. So, um, thank you. And, um, I'm really excited about the Minnesota Kids Rise. I think it's a great, um, initiative. I'm really happy that you, um, are bringing the Hopkins story to that part of, um, the initiative and elevating what it means to be a Hopkins Royal. I think um you can't spend much time in this community without running into someone whose um grandparents went to Hopkins and um they want to talk about how great it is and how much um like I've even talked to people who come back here specifically um because they want their kids to be a Hopkins grad. So, I think that's a great story and I'm really glad that we get to be a part of that on a a national level um a state and national level. So, with that um I would look for a motion to approve tonight's agenda. >> So moved. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The chair votes I. And tonight's agenda is approved. And that takes us to our consent calendar. These are items that provide the board with information considered to be more routine in nature. If the board deems an item to be necessary for additional discussion, a motion will be made to move the item to new business. I would look for a motion to approve the consent calendar. >> So moved. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The chair votes I and tonight's consent calendar is approved. I did want to briefly mention for our community who I know tune in every two weeks to watch our board meetings um and are expecting to hear an excellent and thorough and sometimes entertaining treasures report um that we um that Treasurer Hartland has um reformatted the report and so we're going to be doing it once a month instead of bi-weekly. at every board meeting. So, I wanted you to know that you if you're tuning in for that tonight, now would be the time, but you will be disappointed. >> And yes, >> I do have like one minute's worth of um to kind of talk about the format of that and ask I have one ask of the board. Is that okay? >> Yes, please do. >> Um as chair Andre mentioned, it's not exactly what um the community is typically used to. Tonight we are going to implement some changes to the treasures report in pursuit of a few goals and one is sharing more and more transparent information with the this board and the community. Um two would be an increased understanding of the district's budget process and standing. Third would be reduced report preparation time for the business services team. And then fourth would be a more efficient meeting prep for board members. So to that end, business services leadership met with me, has met with me a couple times now and provided me with a lot of information to make some informed decisions regarding what data to include in our reports and how to format that. So my current thoughts are that we will have a treasures report in the last meeting of the month. It's rare that we have three in September. We happen to. So it will be the final. It'll be on the 29th. And so that report will look at the treasures report at the end of the month. We'll look at the previous month's financial data and it will contain a reformatted check register sorted by our top expenses and all the expenses. We'll have dates, vendors, invoice descriptions and from which fund those dollars originated. We'll also see a summary page. It shows total dollars spent um in the previous month from each fund and then even a higher level summary that shows what we send spent on say salary and benefits um and other large expenses. And then finally we will also get to see the financial gifts that the district received in the previous months. So as mentioned you'll see this format for the first time during our September 29th meeting and then again on the October 27th meeting. And so my ask for you is that you spend a little extra time um in your prep ahead of those two meetings to look at this new format and to send me any questions, especially ahead of time if possible. And do let me know afterwards if there's something that we should consider adjusting because this is our report and so we can we can make adjustments if we need to. So thank you. I look forward to bringing this to you guys soon. Great. >> Thank you so much, Treasure Hartland. And that takes us to new business um which is our first item, first and only item is uh policies in first read. So I'd invite Assistant Superintendent Lightfoot up to the table to help us talk through these changes and turn it over to Vice Chair Roer. >> Hello everyone. Thank you for um attending our board member I mean our board meeting tonight if you are listening um virtually. And so tonight we will be going over a few policies that we went over last on Monday's excuse me yesterday in our policy uh committee meeting and we will start with our first policy which is Hopkins policy 208 and that policy reads um um development adoption implementation and communication of policies and I will let Dr. Lightfoot take it from here. >> Good evening good to be with you. Um as mentioned usually right now with the monitoring committee our first priority is to look at those annual policies. So uh not only this evening but in subsequent meetings you will be seeing those policies that we look at annually. It's part of the policy either in statute or identified within the policy itself that we look at it as an annual policy. Uh so I'll go ahead and start with 208 which is the policy on policies. that policy is in front of you this evening has some specific changes. Most of those are really just edits to make sure that the nomenclature is correct. Um and with that um if there are questions on 208 I'm happy to entertain questions on that. Uh if there are anything in particular that would be helpful to members regarding 208. All right. The next one, policy 214, which is the outofstate uh travel um outofstate travel by schoolboard members. Um there are no recommended changes for this policy. Again, it is an annual review. Uh so we just identified that the monitoring committee had looked through it, not recommending any changes at the present time and would entertain questions to 214 as well. All right. 402. 402 is a new policy for us in Hopkins. Part of the work that we do is we go through policies and what we do is review uh model schoolboard policy recommendations from the Minnesota School Board Association. Part of the work in 402 is in 402. Uh we are pulling this out specifically as it calls out um disability nondiscrimination in employment. Part of the work that we do is look to see if there is more specific information that we could utilize within a particular policy for ease of access to information. Uh some of this information is contained uh as referenced in policy 413. some of the other policies we have. Uh in particular, uh we wanted to make sure that we were intentionally making sure that we had this policy as we look at federal grants, as we look at other reporting agencies, um to be able to identify that we have a specific title and a specific policy, especially if there is deeper level of audit or compliance. That is the reason for um adopting 402 with this specific information um contact information and uh additional inclusion in our policy lineup. >> Questions on 402. >> Chair Andre. >> Yes. Yes. Director John. >> Hi. Hi Dr. Lightoot. Um, I guess when when I saw this, I was surprised it wasn't already a thing or that it wasn't covered in some sort of like EEO type thing where because isn't disability a protected class? Like we we're not >> discriminating on race and other things, right? Like correct? Why why are we calling this out? it it is included in other um policies already which I think is probably why we didn't have this. >> Okay. >> 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. Right. I mean I would have been shocked if like you were like yeah we >> Jar Andre. Yes. Uh just just to note if it's helpful. Uh 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. Okay. >> Is it's um it is detailed other places, but this is now a specifically called out statute. >> Chair Andre. Yes. Um, thank you um, both the district leadership and the monitoring committee for authoring this and and making this explicit. I uh, my former professional life was as an American Sign Language interpreter and so my work there was a a reasonable accommodation and have witnessed firsthand the extremely valuable work that uh, humans can do with just the slightest bit of accommodation. And I particularly appreciate um that applicants and employees here um are given instruction on what to do should they need such an accommodation. And my question for you, Dr. Lightfoot, given that you are the person to whom this policy refers questions to, um what kinds of things do you do? What kind of support do you have if someone asks for such an accommodation? How do you, this is possibly a little bit generic, but it's illustrative mostly. What would you do um in order to accommodate a person's request? >> Yeah, 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. And I think what's um I think what is helpful is that there are a lot of other resources and connection points that really help look at what the possible options can be. And we always look at the individual sets of circumstances that people come to a space with. For some individuals, it may be a brief period of time. Um, for others it may be a more long-term series of adjustments that may be necessary that we need to look at as an employer. What options do we have and and what's the range of opportunity and then having that conversation with the individual based on whatever medical information they might have um based on any needs that we may be able to address. There are also lots of other kinds of networks, job accommodation networks, other spaces that we can look to for some suggestions that we may not have thought of internally but are good resources locally, nationally as well. Um, so we try to utilize all of that. Um, and then we try to make sure that as we do that, we do that in partnership and collaboration with where the individuals working, um, what they have as their own needs and then making sure that we have a plan moving forward. Um, thank you for that. And I as a followup, 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. >> Thank you, Treasure Hartland. I did just have um one question for um for you Nick is in section D it does list you um as an individual and I'm wondering um not that I'm imagining a day but um I'm wondering if um it would require board action to change this information if you were ever not the um district's appointed ADA section 504 coordinator. >> No, appreciate that greatly. Um we'll go back to 208 which is your policy on policies. 208 allows you to make those ministerial changes so that if you were looking at just these edits for the individual, it is tied to the position and part of even when you look at this policy and you look at the Title 9 policy, um, individuals do need to be called out by name and by specific contact information just as a general requirement of the policy itself. So that's why you'll see this information here. You'll see that in the title N policies just because there again part of the purpose of this is ease of accessible information so that someone can pull that out and get to that more quickly rather than potentially having to go to multiple spaces. >> And so it would be then just standard practice that um if if that change were to happen >> that could be something that could be done by staff and wouldn't require the board to have a me reading and a second reading. Yep. Just the general update. >> Just wanted to clarify that so we weren't um >> running into a situation >> and then I think our last one. >> All right, last one is 531. Um 531 is the pledge of allegiance. Uh the pledge of allegiance policy is an annual policy. Part of the board's practice is that uh when we look at this um and do any approval, the board in the past has waved the weekly recitation at every building and every location. Um and as a matter of practice, schools will look at uh when they do the recitations. Uh but the waiver does allow for not every week at every building. Um so with that, that is policy 531. No other change at this point for 531. Andre. >> Yes. Chair Andre. >> Director Heyman, >> can you um Dr. Lightfoot just explain this waiver concept again? >> Um uh and if it is in the policy where it's located. >> Sure. Um the actual pledge of allegiance is 121A.11. Um that work is part of the uh pledge itself. Uh subdivision 3 requires all schools to recite the pledge of allegiance on a weekly basis. It does also allow that for an annual vote uh which the school board does uh when it looks at this policy. Um through that annual vote, it does allow that the waiver uh of the requirement for the recitation of the pledge uh can be done through board action. >> I see that now it's section three. Thank you. >> And that is your slate of policies for this evening. >> Thank you. Thank you. if you'd like to. So, just a quick um update on weighted grades. We did receive a proposal from the uh high school that we will be reviewing in our monitoring committee and um we'll be providing an update in uh to the board on the 20 September 29th. >> Thank you. Mhm. >> With that, I would look for a motion that the board approves the above policies in first read and further the board directs the administration to prepare the policies with suggested revisions for approval in second reading at the next meeting as part of consent. >> So moved. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any opposed? The chair votes I. And policies are approved. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. And that takes us to our board member reports. Okay. Um, that takes us to our board member reports and um I will ask clerk WG to get started since you didn't have the opportunity last time. >> Well, thank you. Uh, in view of not having been here, I wrote out my comments. My name is Dr. Sarah Wilhelm Garber's pronouns are she, they, and I'm grateful to be serving uh, as clerk of the school board for Hopkins Schools and beginning my first full academic year serving on the board. In addition to being a member of the board, I'm a resident of Hopkins in Senate District 46 and a proud parent of a prek human. And I want to affirm um that my heart and care is with all within our community as it's back to school week and then obviously knowing we'll also have preschool starting next week as uh was named in the superintendent's report. I just want to acknowledge that there is a myriad of feelings and emotions that people have. to quote my four and a halfyear-old who when I asked them about their feelings regarding their first day of school they said I was excited and nervous mama. So here is to the both and that a year often brings. Over the summer I had the opportunity to connect with the community including reading at freedom school which I heard many of you give an account for. Though I was not here I did listen to the entire board meeting on two times speed. >> Uh you can do that. Yep. ongoing uh also uh was able to participate in the ongoing monitoring committee work and was able to learn more about our special education and other supportive services as a part of mine and director Heyman's final onboarding which we then had the opportunity to do some touring around the district including the ECSSE um early childhood special education services at Harley Hopkins along with Dr. Contrarus and Dr. Thomas uh as we were welcomed by Jackie Hunky. I look forward to diving into more of this work this fall. And while I was saddened to miss the initial board meeting with you all due to a scheduling conflict, I wanted to highlight my absence was on account of our family's annual attempt to visit all of the national parks. And this one we went to the Smoky Mountains and while there we visited Dollywood on a Thursday before Dolly Parton's death >> and we saw one of the books in Dolly's infamous Imagination Library, which was my childhood favorite, The Little Engine That Could, >> as it was brought to life in the Imagination Library Playhouse. For those of you who don't know, Dolly's legacy is carried on through the Imagination Library, which has donated over 350 million books to date. And why is this relevant to this work? Well, because I think books and learning is something that we care a lot about. And as we begin this new year, I just wanted to name that I was so struck in that experience by the importance of our work and the importance of public education in cultivating a culture of civic, personal, and moral imagination and the way that books do that for our young people and our educational experiences. So, as we begin this new year, I just want to extend profound gratitude to all of our educators, to all of our administrators, and everyone for all of the work you do to not just support our students, but fundamentally to uplift democracy by investing in our learners. And it is my hope that indeed we might lean in together to foster a district and communities where, to quote Dr. Thomas for one of two of my quotes of you in my soontobe done comments uh that each and every student might now quoting me flourish and once again quoting you where we both might believe it and achieve it building on this proud tradition of Hopkins and continuing onward together because we can only do this work and have a flourishing district if we do it together. So, I'm grateful to serve. Look forward to the year ahead. And also, I would like to conclude my comments by noting I am a Minnesota kid. Thank you. Coming this way. Okay. Hello. I'm Kai Thompson, um, director on the board. I'm in my third year here. um kids in the district who started 11th grade, 10th grade today um and started sixth grade um yesterday. Um so really activities in our house have been around back to school. Um I would say just you know personal experience I've been very impressed with how this year has started. Um, I felt like communication was great, uh, for a first school, um, experience for the sixth grader. Um, getting to go there several times for pictures, the open house. Um, you know, we're walking out of the open house and he goes, "Dad, I I I think I understand this school now." And so, like, it was just great that he felt like he could get to his classes and whatnot. So just the support around it, the the eighth grade ambassadors at the school on the first day, like that is so cool that they would give their time to do that. Like that just it made me feel good as a parent knowing that they were there, too. So um yeah, shout out to them. Um busing has seemed to go okay um where I'm at. And the thing that I've noticed is, you know, the fresh paint job on the buses, like it just looks so sharp. and um hearing that the drivers were talking to the kids um that all seemed really positive. So um and then very busy with sports as well that have started up um and that's been exciting. I'm looking forward to the seasons getting going a little more. So um with that that concludes my board report. Thank you. >> Um good evening. I am Rachel Hartland serving as the treasurer. And I am grateful to all of our staff and teachers and students and families who have lent their efforts and their time and their love to a pretty successful kickoff to the 2627 school year which is my sixth academic year on this board and I've attended a great many events in our community and in service of that though truthfully most of those have been trailing behind my own children who are entering their their seventh nth and 11th grades. Um, one of the events I attended was North Middle School's open house and I served pizza there as a member of that PTO and helped to raise money and support of students and staff there. Um, we attended events, many at North Middle School and Hopkins High School and want to commend the staff there in particular for just like um, Director Thompson mentioned just how kind of welcoming and how they how many people went out of their way to make sure that students and families were comfortable with the place where their children will be spending so many hours um, and doing so much learning and so socializing and so much growing in this the coming year and um I have seen firsthand the city of Minnotonka and all of their work. I live right near the all of that stretch and have been sweating it on my evening walks seeing how much concrete was laid and how many lines were painted if they were going to get done with that work on time and was very grateful that they did. I attended, you know, as part of the um community went on the first day with uh chair and directed traffic at North Middle School um to make sure that the bus line keeps or the drop off line, excuse me, the drop off line keeps moving. Um and I have appreciated the social media updates about what's happening at other schools since I cannot be at all of them, though you managed to do it and I I commend you for that. And I um another thing I all of my children decided in August to join a sport. We have never been a sports family. And so this is a new world for me. So, everyone who's already been a sports family and waking up at the crack of dawn constantly to go to one sporting event or another, I I commend you and I'm really grateful to the coaches and all of the coaches that I have seen care so much about their activity and their students and have just gone out of their way. I cannot imagine how many emails and how many documents these people must prepare to try to communicate with um with all of the people and all of their questions. I I know that my family has benefited from it greatly and I think that is the end of my report. >> Thank you. Um hi everybody. My name is Shannon Andre. Uh I this is my seventh year on the board and um I this is my first year that I did not attend any opening houses or have a first day of school for one of my kids um in quite some time. So but I do have a first day of um welcome week coming up tomorrow. So, that will be happening at the U of M um move in day and I will not be crying. Um, I uh did get to do um a really fun thing um on the first day of school besides being at Gatewood to welcome all the kiddos back um which was helping to guide new families to North Middle School um out in the drop off lane. And um thank you to Jen Cameron who made it so much fun by having us all in inflatable costumes. Um including our former treasurer Steve Adams was out there um as a T-Rex and kids were amazing. I heard at least three of them come up to him and say, "Are you really a dinosaur?" And just everyone was thrilled. There were smiles and laughing the entire time as we're telling them to keep moving. Um so thank you for organizing that really fun event for us and also for um for new families at North. Um I too went to the kickoff. It was a great event. I felt really inspired um by our our message for the year and also really grateful to be there um as a board member and also um as a staff member and just feeling um like there's a lot of energy and positivity going into this year and um excited about it and also appreciate being able to serve um beverages to every all of our staff that come through which is a nice tradition. Um I want I also attended a training with MSBA um a couple weeks ago all about how um uh all about the upcoming amendment to um the constitution of um the state of Minnesota to increase school funding. Um uh the plans are to they've created a really nice resource packet for um advocates for this to increase school funding. It is a permanent um uh uh school fund that was trust fund that was put into place um and really needs an update so that we can um maximize the funding for each student across the state. So, one of the things that we will be doing is um they've created a video that we can share out via I'm assuming our LACE will take it and run with it um um through social media. But the most important thing for our public to know is that you are going to see this amendment uh the language on your ballot in the fall. And the most important thing for you to know is that if you leave it blank, it is a no vote. So please, whatever you do, vote. Um because if you don't, you will be saying no. So I just wanted to make that clear to everybody. Um because often times I think we think if you don't vote, um I know a lot of people if they don't feel informed, they don't vote. So on this one, it's really important that you um that you get informed and that you make a vote. And uh I was at the state fair yesterday um and came across one of my favorite booths which is um the uh senate the state senate and the state representatives. They do a poll every year. So you get to go and make sure that you are having your voice heard on um significant legislation that might be coming up. And that amendment is in there. I think it is the Senate um in their poll. So, you can go and have your voice heard even before you vote. And the other thing that I came across that I think is is really important and I signed up to get um information on it so I can forward it is um we have really great youth and government um councils and also ways that youth can have a really big impact. We we know that at Hopkins we have great um students who are coming to the ele uh legislature with us and then um I'll be shifting all that communication to our uh student board reps so that they can take advantage but there also is a legislative internship coming up. So, um, deadlines are, I think, in October for becoming part of both of those programs. So, I will share information. And then I wanted to make sure that everybody was aware it's in front of us here that um we just got a really great uh final um workshop for our transition for our new superintendent here at the our board retreat, but also um MSBA provides um uh training for board members that we have to attend so that we are in compliance with state law and I just want to remind this board that we need to get into compliance. So, please complete your trainings. The information is here on that. And then there's also uh an exciting opportunity for student board reps. They're having the u Minnesota school board's amplifying student voice summit is on October 28th. Um I plan on attending that with our student board reps. Um the last one we went to was fantastic and we actually came away with um some board retreat work that we could do together. On a more personal Oh, and I wanted to then say that uh direct all board members to um take what we learned at our transition meeting and bring it into our goals discussion that we will be having at our next workshop. So think about um our current goals, review them, think about what we learned um collectively and um what kind of um conversation you want to have around our board goals at our next workshop. And then the other question that I keep forgetting to do and I want to make sure it's top of mind, it can be part of our goals discussion is it has been historical practice of this board to have mentors So, new board members um can have a mentor on the board of a more seasoned board member that will answer questions for you um and help you guide you through your first year on the board. So, I'd like to wrap that into our board goal conversation as well. And then um the two other things that I've got done in the community was I went to a book signing at Cream and Amber for a really fantastic local resource um book that is creating self safe and welcoming classrooms for LGBTQ plus students. So, I um I have that book in hand um and am really thankful that we have um have a really great resource locally um for us to do that for our students. And finally, I also serve on the board for Resource West, which is a really strong uh community partner providing resources of all kinds to families in uh the West Metro. And we just concluded our back to school event where our kiddos get um backpacks full of all the supplies they're going to need to be successful and to thrive in the coming school year. And um the numbers were huge this year. We hosted it as a one-day event which is new. Um the kids get to come in. We also had um local resources. is Henipin County Library was there and all the kids who showed up got a free book um to go in their backpack and to take to school and it was a really fun event. Um I think we we handed out um more than,00 backpacks >> um and served uh over 500 families. Um so it was a it was a really great event and we continue to host events like that for youth and families. um also provide scholarships for early childhood. So that is the end of a very long board report and um thank you all for sitting through it. >> Thank you Chair and Dre. Um hello, my name is Brook Roer and I have two incredible uh students in the district who just entered third and fourth grade. So very exciting times. Um, I would just like to first start off my board report just kind of acknowledging kind of like the the pain that has been in our community just for like the past few weeks. Um, just want to just give a um a heartfelt condolences to the the family of Kenneth Green um of the male who you know was um unfortunately killed by the utility pole that fell on his car. And so I know that a lot of our community members have been grieving that um they may be well as families in our district who may have known him. So, I just wanted to give him the same respect and um just to say, you know, uh community, I'm with you as we continue to navigate these things that have happened in our city over the past few weeks. And so, um holding his family and him um close to my heart. And then I also want to say thank you to Jordan um from the executive director of Mad Dads and Nissa, the executive director of Youth Matters who um donates backpacks to our district for the third year in a row. Um they had a back to school event and um they and they um they hire my family's ice cream truck every year and so um they give us backpacks to give. I haven't got a chance to drop them off the resource bus just yet cuz every time I go there they're closed. I'm like oh my gosh. So I'm like I need to drop them off. But they have donated two boxes of backpacks. So I'm so grateful for them. Um thank you all so much Jordan and if you all are listening um for donating the backpacks to our uh school community. And then also um in that on that same day I went to a gun violence prevention walk in North Minneapolis with a mother's love initiative that um focus on reducing gun violence across our Twin Cities. And um a lot it was youthled. A lot of youth were you know holding up victims who have been um of gun violence and just talking about ways that we can reduce gun violence. They were giving out free gun locks. They were giving out Narcan at the event and just other resources uh for families to take advantage of. And so uh thank you again to Miss Lisa Clemens and Monnique Flowers for all the work that you do um in our community to help promote um gun violence awareness. And then I also went to the Children's Defense Fund um celebration of joy and it was a really great event. They had a youthled um play just about all the things inside the schools. They talked about operation metro surge and just voting and um the children's defense fund plays a bit a really big role in um making sure that freedom schools go smooth every summer. So thank you to all the staff in Paris Timmans for all of your hard work around um the work that you do with the children's defense fund. And then um yes, of course it was the beginning of the school year and I started a new tradition at home. Do not judge me, please. But I baked cookies for my kids the first day of school. And I don't know why, but I just felt like doing it the other day cuz I wanted a cookie. And so we just started a tradition. And so now my kids are looking forward to baking cookies the first day of school. And we celebrate and we say happy school year. So it's just how we say happy new year's. We celebrate and say happy school year with baked cookies. So um I suggest you all try it. The kids may just love it. Okay. Um, it's here tonight. >> Yeah. I was like, "Come on, bring the cookies." >> You know what? I didn't bring cookies. But guess what? I did bring stickers from the state fair. Okay. So, I got you all some some stickers from the state fair. They're circles sight cookies. That's why I was absent today for a little bit. Um, because I was doing a presentation at the state fair on electric school buses and asthma awareness. And so, um, of course you all know that I'm a really big advocate for health equity and asthma. My son has asthma and for like your school buses. And so, if you all want a sticker, I made sure there was enough for everyone that you can get a sticker to put on your shirt or your computer because, as you all know, well, you may not know, I read our our nurses report, we have 48% of students who have documented medical um uh issues. And so imagine if like how impactful electric school buses can be to help reduce some of those instances. And so um and 545 students in our district also have asthma. So I want to just make sure that we are doing our part to first and foremost reduce our carbon footprint because we seen the flood that happened in Nepal. And I want to just also say my like give my love across the world to all the things that are happening with climate. Um, and so that's one thing, but also to protect our students health. Like that is just really important. So we have a lot of students who can really benefit from electric school buses. So I'm going to continue to advocate for it. I know you all may just be getting a little bit tired of my advocacy, but I want to just say come and get your sticker from me. It's right here. And also, yes, just like cheer said, and thank you all. I went to the Hopkins kickoff. It was amazing. Dr. Thomas, you did an incredible job with your presentation. Um, I love listening to the the teacher of the year 2024 teacher 25 >> 2025 teacher of the year. She gave an amazing speech um just on her service in public education. Um, and I did enjoy serving drinks to everyone. Um, the popular drink was the iced tea and the lemonade to together. I just learned what is I forgot what the name of it is called. >> Arie Palmer. >> A what? Arie Palmer. >> I just learned that. So I didn't know. People were asking what an Arie Palmer is. I'm like I don't know. I felt like a bartender like I don't know what an Arie Hmer Palmer is. And so they had to tell me what it was. So now I think I'm going to try one at home. I didn't get a chance to try one. But um it was fun and I just appreciate Hopkins and what we are doing to improve our uh community and just like the joy that we are going to be celebrating this year. I'm looking forward to it. So um thank you. >> Yes. >> Hi. This is uh Jiming Jao. Uh this is my third year on the school board. Um I've got two kids. One's now in West Middle School, middle schooler, and one's in the uh third grade at Chingqing in Eisenhower. Um so I I think uh yeah, I did back to or the the kickoff event uh and my colleagues have went over a lot of what. One of the really uh it's my favorite part of uh the activity is recognizing all of our teachers that are um that are uh teachers of the year nominees and we had a lot of them last you know we we we punch above our weight for sure in that and so it's really nice to recognize those teachers uh shake their hands uh and uh I think it's really um you know they're not not every teacher is recognized and and so I I think overall we have really really good teachers in the district. So thanks for all you do and uh just wanted to finally share my experience with transportation. Um so I'm actually in a no bus zone uh for West Middle School and um our experience has been quite good. Um especially compared to previous years um I think you know we've had just a few minutes wait while they're working out the kinks. And so I know everybody's experience is different uh but I thought I'd share mine and uh I do want to note the marked improvement from last year. So thank you everybody. >> My name is Johanna Hyman and this is my first full academic year also on the board. I have two children. Um, one is just started first grade and the other just started fourth grade yesterday and they came home very hyped up from school, lots of energy, really excited to talk all about all the new kids and faces and friends and that they loved their teachers. >> So, it was just a very positive first day. We didn't have anyone come home in tears or say, "I don't want to go back to school." So, that's always a good thing. Um, I was also at the kickoff which was incredible. It was just >> very um impactful to see all of our teachers and staff and admin gathered together um the collective energy was palpable and I feel that people are very excited um for this coming school year and where Hopkins is going. Uh, I did receive an email from um an individual who uh has requested uh who's requested anyone interested in um becoming a board member of my health. um they are looking for board members and so my health for teens and young adults is the health care clinic that um provides services to teens and young adults 12 to 29 within the district. They're specifically looking for folks with development experience or lawyers and I don't have time to do that too. So, um, if you're a lawyer or you have development experience, let me know and I can put you in touch with the executive director of my health. Very excited for football season to kick off and between now and our next board meeting, there are two football games on two two nights from now. Uh the varsity team will be playing at Edina and on September 10th they will be here playing at home against East Ridge and that is also youth night. So everyone come out, bring your little ones, have them enjoy school spirit and see, you know, how the big kids get it done on the field. Um I that concludes my board report. Thank you. We appreciate um everyone having a report and also um for having time to get to them. So um thank you all. And with that I would look for a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? The chair votes I. And this meeting of the Hopkins School Board is adjourned at 8:25 p.m. That's a record. >> That is a