I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Chair moves for approval of the agenda. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All opposed? Motion carries. Announcements. Uh September 17th, facilities committee meeting 7 o'clock a.m. right here. September 18th, um legal women and border school board candidate forum at 700 p.m. in the Gillespie Center. Um October 15th, facilities committee um meeting at 7:00 a.m. right here in this room. October 20th, finance committee meeting at 7:30. and October 20th policy committee meeting at 5:00 pm in the conference room followed by the regular board meeting. Do we have any members of the public that wish to address the board? If not, we'll move on to the student rep report. Um Ed and George, come on up. See it >> take take a minute and introduce yourselves if you would please. Sure. Sure. All right. I'm Edie Hollenstein. Um, you can kind of find me anywhere at the high school. I play lacrosse and soccer. I'm also on the dance team. I'm involved in DECA, NHS. I also spearhead the passion theory project. So, yeah, I just love getting involved. Love being here. >> Yeah. I'm George Pit. I'm not quite as involved. I guess it's kind of hard to call for that. I'm the other co-president, I guess. I'm on the Minnesota Association of Honor Society board. That's the vice president. I'm the president of NHS, I guess. I'm just involved in like science. I guess not quite as boring. I guess I'm running a marathon. >> Doing those sort of things. >> Welcome you guys. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right. Well, like the said, we are the co-presidents of the student body at Waka High School. We lead with vice president Susie Mark, treasurer August Lang, communications officer Vali Mog Malbagi, and secretary I guess secretary's office lang treasure team. Um, right now we are planning homecoming. Really fun. We're push it back a little bit this year. So, the dance is going to be on October 4th instead. We usually have it a little bit earlier, but we're we're excited to have it a little bit later to have more time for the planning this year. The game, the pepfest, the alumni breakfast, and the carnival are all on October 3rd, the following Friday. And then the dance will be on Saturday, October 4th, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. >> Perfect. And then on top of that, student senate is working through the tribute flags for September 11th. We'll be putting them outside normal places working around the construction, which is super nice, being able to give tribute to the people that deserve it. Uh the unified club is also meeting next Wednesday to have their first meeting, just go over all that unified stuff. Another amazing club that we have here. National Honor Society is meeting in the next two days. We have a lot of big things planned planned to elevate the school, I guess. There we go. That's what we're going with. And then Link Crew also worked recently to help introduce the eighth graders into the school like they always do. Helped with orientation, fast start, and then also meet the teacher night. So, always put in the work and helping out get those eighth graders into school. >> Yeah. And moving on to some athletics. Our football team has suffered a couple losses to start off their season unfortunately, but they're looking to come back this Friday here at Hador. Um, girls swimming started the year super strong. They actually did set a new school record at the Tim Dy Invitational. The West Hawk cross country team has kicked off their season with the varsity girls win, which is also awesome. And boys soccer has been off to an amazing start with a solid 4 to1 streak. And they did just beat Southwest Christian this past Thursday, which was really big. >> Unfortunately, girls soccer has not been on as we win streak. Uh, they're still looking for their first win, but tomorrow they play Jordan, so hopefully they can find that. Uh, girls tennis is playing Lichfield tomorrow and they've had a lot of early success. So, good for them. And then volleyball, like every season is just doing amazing. They have a great volleyball volleyball program here. There we go. They're eight and0 right now and they're playing Rockford tomorrow. So, they should be nine and0. So, pretty start to the season. On top of that, we've had a lot of arts going on. Last year, we had a great one act, so we're looking to step it up again this year. Uh on the third they were able to meet to discuss the fall musical the one act and also the springway. Uh they had auditions yesterday for the uh fall musical Chicago. That's what they're calling it this year. And they also have the callbacks tomorrow. >> Yeah. And then for the state fair K through 12 fine arts competition. Hilltop had 25 ribbon winners, four of which were first place. Shirley Hills had 30 ribbon winners of which three were first place. And Grand View had 15 ribbon winners, two of which were first place. And then moving on to some academics, the class of 2025 had a graduation rate of 96% with the class of 26 having an anticipated graduation rate of 97.7. And the class of 2025 also had 50 AP scholars. And the district was recently ranked number one in both both math and >> on top of that, the US News and World Report ranked uh WHS. So we to say that's awesome. 10th in public schools. And then uh additionally, we were the 18th best high school. So, great stuff going on there. We're really moving up that ranking. And on top of that, we've had really good AP test scores uh this past year, setting alltime records in four AP courses. Special shout out to AP World History with a 97% pass rate. Uh we were in that one. AP government had a pass rate of 93% and biology had a pass rate of 85% which are all new school records which is amazing. >> Yeah. And obviously moving on to some of the big exciting construction stuff going on. We had a lot of new classrooms open to start off the school year and the spaces have already been receiving super positive feedback from our student body. So that's awesome. And we have new tables and chairs in the classrooms. It might seem a little antilimactic, but it's super exciting because now we can adjust more and it's a lot better for different learning styles, kind of catering to everybody. And I know personally, I really like being able to move tables and chairs to be able to collaborate with my peers a little bit more and the classrooms have just become so much more adaptable, which is awesome. >> They definitely have. Additionally, we've had the new boards up on the walls. I know they were a little bit difficult for the teachers that first day, but like it was cool to see through the day how the teachers were like slowly progressing through those. So the teachers are learning too. >> It's been a very big learning. >> And then on top of that, the flex spaces have also been amazing. I think we're calling them the bays. I haven't really been able to go through them yet. I've been a little busy, but they have monitors and good desks, I guess, to help collaborate. What we heard from students. Yeah. >> The only downside we saw was that it was a little cold downstairs. The first day it was like 30°, >> but it's amazing now. So don't fix anything with that. Awesome. But yeah, that's all we have today. We appreciate you having us. So yeah, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. >> Oh, yeah. >> They're awesome. >> Yeah, they're loving the new logo, too. >> Next, we'll move on to the construction report. You must love your spot in >> I thought they were going to take care of it for me. >> It didn't look quite like that when I pulled in. So, we have time. >> We'll start. Um I think we'll just touch on we updated the phasing plan last time we met. Um, and I think at at this point we're still we're still tracking for sure on that phase one, the science classroom additions. We're working through with our team. Um, we're getting um started on footings and foundations on the administration edition. And so we're just working through some of those a few challenges out of the out of the ground again. It's kind of something we've been running into a bit. Um, but we've got good direction now and um getting things going underway there. some of the updates was talked through on the pictures. Um so some of the things that you see here in that phase one which is the um the science additions. Um you'll see more if you notice more of the exterior walls are getting framed and sheetated. Um the roofers are scheduled to be on site this week to start getting that that part watertight. Um the pre-cast slab that you see here in the top right picture, there's a topping that gets poured across that. Um that's also scheduled to happen to take place. Um so we feel like we're in a good spot here. I know it looks like there's a lot to do before December, but once we get things closed up, um the finishes and we'll start going through that don't see any problems there. Um, as we look at the phase two or some of the areas that turned over, um, the genius bars and the common area and some of the other flexible seating that you can see. Um, I'm glad to hear that the kids enjoy the spaces as they were able to get in. I know when we met last time, we were a couple weeks away from school and there's always a lot that has to happen in those last week, few weeks to get things cleaned up and turned over. Um, here's some more finished areas in the math classrooms, science, social studies area. >> So, there are some math and science classrooms done with interior ones that >> Yeah. Back on the first. Yep. That first section of that interior core. Yeah. >> Um and we'll show some of the what is called phase four on the on the phasing plan. We have some pictures towards the bottom. Um but probably our next big area is that phase three or the administration addition. Um so last time we were here, we were getting stuff excavated for the retaining wall. You can see that foundation is in. They're starting to uh get the rebar in for the actual retaining wall itself. Um, so behind that is where they will start footings and foundations up against the building and work our way out um towards the front of that addition. >> Are those the desks that the kids are talking about? They're all on rollers and everything's on. >> Is the concrete uh drying in the science areas and stuff that we're Yeah. Yep. Did I? Yeah, I guess we have pictures of that that you can kind of see in the science rooms. So, there's a few science rooms in a corridor that just due to some of the moisture content in the concrete. They were unable to get the floors put in before. Um, looks like it's working, but the goal is still that you would do that over MEA break and get those classrooms finished up. Um you can kind of see on the bottom that bottom row of pictures. Again, it's the area behind the temp enclosure. Um which is phase four I believe on the phasing plan. Um there's a lot of areas there. You can see the mechanical electrical rough in the framing up. Um they're starting to sheetrock and tape in that area. Um, so that's another area that we've talked about like internal and and with our group that if we can if there's an opportunity to try to turn some of those spaces over even earlier if it's a classroom or two, we're going to try to get those uh back to the district just to free up some other spaces. Any questions on >> on the high school? exciting. >> Yeah, it's exciting to see the the spaces come together and um start to see some finishes and things turning over. Um we always talk there's the schedule's crazy. We get to have this excitement at the start of school. You're going to get it again in December and February. It kind of just continues to work all all through the year. So, >> how is u how is it going working while class classes are going on? >> Yeah. afterward. I mean, is there is that working well? The coordination? Yeah, I think from our perspective anyway, I think there's been a lot of collaboration with the district and getting things aligned. Um, by default, we tend to do a lot of projects where you're kind of interacting and doing renovations or additions while while school is in place. So >> we try to put the the you know all the pieces and parts in place to make sure it's it's going to be there's some inconvenience to it obviously but we try to minimize that as best we can and just coordinate. It's great communication and dialogue with the district just to make sure that if there are issues that we're trying to get those addressed and rescheduling things as we need to. Great. This one too. We can kind of This one's maybe even so if we walk through just kind of finished spaces. I know there's a there's a few punch list items that they're trying to get wrapped up. Um and so this Yeah, this is just finished spaces to the cafeteria. The exterior um the 26 of September the permanent rails will be here for that ramp. It sounds like it's a couple day install. Um, so they're working with the with the school to coordinate. >> So the pictures on the top are the cafeteria. First I thought those were the gym. That's the cafeteria. Okay. >> And that restroom in there that's got the individual stalls that >> the exterior entry again the temp rails the end of the month. >> Is there signage going up? >> Yeah, it just went up today. Those walls turned out just so >> that looks great. >> Is that that for the office? >> The one in the bottom right. You're looking as you look out at those windows that is looking out at the old So, we have an open house for this on October 1st for the community from 3:30 to 5 and then our ribbon cutting for the tennis courts is at 5. And we're um we're going to be thrilled that the rest of the public will be communicating that out and promoting that those people that haven't seen it. That's great opportunity to see the middle school and see the tennis courts. So yeah, I think as Jason mentioned, we're just going through some of the punch list items now, working through some of the last last details, but all the spaces are turned over to us and we're we're moving ahead. >> It really looks different. >> Yeah. Uh lastly, we have uh bids for uh the stadium and the fields and then the Hilltop Shows maintenance projects are I think the bids for the primaries maintenance goes out the end of this week. >> Yep. And the bid day will be the 30th of September and then October 7th for the athletics. So that'll be coming in uh the October 20th. One change in your agenda is moving uh the October board meeting from October 3rd to the 20th. That is uh to align with our bid opening. And so that's the reason why you're going to see just a change of that. [Music] >> Any other questions? Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Well, I'm gonna try and share some more >> the student reporters not you post it. Well, too well. >> I'll get over it. >> All right. Uh, tonight I just want to start again. Um, this is the time of the year when I come back and share with you results from the state testing on MCAs and another banner year. And you have the document in front of you that I we should never take for granted that we have uh rankings of number one in state in math and reading across the state and and then top 10 in 11 of the state assessments and then you can see number four number one in state and we measure that by at least a 100 students in the grade level combining both MCA and behav special ed results And I I I love sharing this because it doesn't just happen. I share that every year, but it it truly doesn't. It is a representation of our very methodical, our very procedure oriented uh way of looking at student data, looking at our curriculum. U making sure we go back even with results like this that we're analyzing and we're looking at our strengths. looking at our gaps and then we're adjusting every single year. So, this is just one way that for our community to see that kids are getting a fine education and it's just it's wonderful to be able to share this. >> The other thing I always notice in this is that we probably live in the most competitive area of the state. >> Oh, absolutely. And I love sharing this document with you because it shows you who who our neighbors are that we should ever take anything for granted. >> If anything, it makes us stronger to really focus in on on the work that we're doing class. So these are the 2025 results and again starting right away next week I have meetings with building principles and we start digging into the data. Yeah, we love seeing this, but we dig a little deeper. We figure out the kids that we expected to perform high, which ones did, which ones did not, where are the strengths, where are the gaps, and then let's get going on adapting, adjusting anything we need to adjust on the gaps for this year. Now, one thing that you did not see in the results will be the science results. And that and that is intentional because the science MCA is a new MCA that was called MC4. Those results will come out sometime in October. The Department of Ed has not shared with us exactly the date, but when they come out, we'll review those. It'll be a brand new assessment and I'd be the first one as the Department of Ed say do not compare to the old NC3. It is a brand new test based on new academic standards. And then coming up this spring, we'll be ushering in the new MCA4 reading test. So again, next year at this time, you'll see math, you'll see science. You will not see reading until probably October. And then in spring of 2028 will be the new map of CA. So the state is ushering in updated assessments with their updated academic standards. we we just keep reporting and we adapt and we embed the zoo standards in our curriculum and we keep moving forward. So good results here. The other thing that was released at the end of October, it's called the Minnesota Northstar accountability system and it's been with us for a number of years. And back when the federal government passed the ESSA, it's down at the bottom, every student succeeds act. It's the federal education act. Every state had to come up with the accountability system. So ours is called Northstar. It has three parts to it. It's st they call it stages but it's really three parts. They look at academic achievement. They look at academic progress which means if a certain percentage of students are proficient on an MCA test, do they continue to be that same percentage or more the next? And then we talk about graduation rates and then we talk about consistent attendance. And for West Tanka this year uh again with academic achievement as you can see the results were a top performer in the state. So no problems there. Uh we have made some really nice gains with graduation rates and and 97.4% was the full year graduation rate for nurser accountability. 96 96.8% seven year graduation rate. This is based on 232 24 data. That's the most recent data that we have. The big one that a lot of people focus on is that consistent attendance uh number. And what that represents is the percentage of kids that are attending school at least 90% of school. And that number is at 82.6%. That's slowly going up every year. And they put that one in there uh partly to measure what h what happened after CO what was going on during CO and and that 82 uh 82.1% that's pretty typical around our neighborhood. But there are still students that we need to get after and support families to say, "You need to be here. You you're not going to do as well if you're not here in these 10 years." So, we know who those students are. We have plans in place. You hear me talk about our MTSS framework that a lot of the trigger that we use to support those kids and figure out why they're not showing up. But uh for this measurement that's 23 24 data I expect that to be even higher with the 2425. Do >> you have a number of what's in terms of school? >> Well we have 168 school%. >> Yeah. >> And it makes sense but you need to be here to learn. So that is the nurser accountability uh results for the year and then again I just as students do better than I do but I'll say my piece on this again uh wonderful ratings that we get from outside um institutions and organizations. So the 2025 school bigger ranking rank West Public Schools number one traditional high school across Minnesota number four overall for I mean that that is really something that is really something that if anything I hope for our community and for people that are looking for places to make it their home that would build some confidence for them that this is a fine place uh to go to school. And then as you heard from our student reps the 2025 US News World Report uh brings high schools um number 10 traditional home Innesota number 18 best high school overall in the state. And again that's just a reflection of what's happening in our classrooms. It's a reflection of how we approach learning. It's a reflection of how we do our business in the district and just find results. Okay. Last thing I have I just want to touch briefly with you. um you know, part of the the regular work that we do um comes through tactics that we use in the district and and as you're working with Kevin on new processes with the board. We currently have our tactics that we focus on. I just want to run through these that every year I I set these with Kevin and these are the major focuses across our buildings. This drives what we do in our buildings at building level. But we're focusing in student achievement again as we always do every year. We continue to implement our multi-tiered systems of support framework. That is the framework to support kids that are struggling in school. We are we are heavy heavy into new high school career tech education programming. I'll be coming in the next couple months. We do more updates about that. And we're launching launch we launched construction one year last week >> and we'll be launching all the other programs in a year from now. So a lot of work going on in that area. And then uh I call the traditional work curricular review cycle work. Uh we are busy starting informal review of our math curriculum because there's new academic standards coming up for the math. And then in K12 social studies, we're embedding it is the new the most recent 2021 academic experience social studies into our courses in social studies. Then the read act continues this year and the main focus is that we're training our pair of professionals and they're required to complete eight hours of training. >> The goal of the read is that every student is reading at grade level third grade. Correct. Correct. Correct. So that will continue on. And then this one, you know, you know, it's kind of came out of the blue like a year and a half ago and here we are that we are we are studying the impact. We're studying and researching how best to embrace artificial intelligence into our teaching, into our instruction. uh thinking about parameters and thinking about guidelines for both students and teachers and that's ongoing work and but we take it again very methodically very thoughtfully and and we'll be updating and coming up with guidance on that later this just want you to know that we are tackling that so a lot of things happening a lot of exciting things happening uh here in the district and I'll keep updating Thanks for all you do. >> So, I wanted It's always fun on this day. We had uh first day of school and for some of us that seems very close by with our kids and some of us it's a reflection point of where our kids were and you think of those memories but um it's you know you get over the summer and you're doing a lot of work of planning for the next school year and when August starts turning around you just want to back I mean you're you're put planning into action and you just want to see those faces. is back in the building and the energy. And when we look at it, um, we just wanted to give you some of these pictures because I think all of what our student reporter or what Mark's report comes, these are the sites and you can hear the sounds almost through the pictures of of just learning in action. And so our early learning teachers are getting to know their new new students. And you go to Shirley Hills and if you remember the first day on Tuesday, that rain came absolutely at one of the worst times. >> And it wasn't it wasn't just a little bit. I mean, it decided to really come. And so when we were thinking about the bus stop and the only good thing it was the first day of school so a lot of parents were there with their kids and but there were some wet ones and you can just look at how we're greeting the bus line there in the middle of the downpour but again nothing could really rain on that day and welcome them in. And over at Hilltop, you can just see different pictures of our staff coming together and some kids seeing friends that maybe they didn't see over the school year and getting back into the routine of classroom. You get into the middle school and you start seeing some of these students in the middle picture there. You can see them uh already using the media center space and um excited about that. And then finally at the high school, uh, you know, I I just feel I feel really blessed that our staff and our students of how how they are one really excited about the future of this building and how they're working through the change that our building's going through and how they work together in that process. Uh, I just am I couldn't be more proud of everyone's effort in that pursuit. And so it's uh it's a start of another year and we're excited for the programming to begin. We're excited about the energy that begins early in the morning and then late at night in the weekends and you try to find an empty parking spot up at this place right now and it is packed and there's a lot going on. And I want to just say to you as a board um thanks for representing our community of allowing us to be that engaging source where it's activities and it's these spaces that are coming in and there's that joy and also some of those challenges that we have the opportunity to take on and be able to help the families and the community and educating our kids. And so I um I feel like it's one of the greatest blessings of our work is these faces and these stories and that responsibility of bringing that forward and so thank you for that. Uh you heard an update about academics, you heard an update about construction. Uh we just got done with our field audit and that will be scheduled to come before you October 20th. And so we'll look forward to bringing that forward. Uh today you take an action on the preliminary levy. Uh the state is working on getting those preliminary results to us yet. Uh part of that reason we'll ask you again like you do every year to approve that at maximum and then you'll set that rate at the December meeting. And so we will get those numbers shortly from the state. That allows us to continue to engage with our finance committee and that'll allow us to engage with the board as a whole of how we go forward with that. You see in your action items a couple items having to do with staffing. Uh really nice uh beginning enrollment numbers in the district. And so kindergarten numbers are well above what the projection would be. And I would say grades in general look really solid. And so I think um we settle in that more when we get to October uh to give you an accurate number. There's some students that uh have changed other districts. There's new students here and so when that flow is but uh we have a good feeling of just where we were the first week of some really good numbers uh for the board there. So some of the staffing changes that you see are related to that. you have a kitchen position. Uh, one action item you have is on obsolete equipment. It's just a continued reminder that when technology or other things uh have served their purpose here, we try to find the best value that we can and we put that up and in that process, we have you approve that list and then we we make those sales. Uh, lastly, I would say with the board election, part of that process is for you to approve the election judges. So that election process will occur and so you have an action item above that. One other item was food service program fees and there's the fees for the lunch this year. So again the state is offering uh free breakfast free lunch for our students but adults obviously have to pay and then if you get a second lunch it could be a fee etc. And so that's how those fees apply. Uh, one thing that was really nice, you you heard about the cold temps. Uh, we we were blessed as we were working with some of uh, connecting with our air conditioning at the high school that it was cooler that we could bring in natural air. Who would think that it was really cold natural air that we we uh we we didn't we were worried they were going to be really hot that first week and instead we're bringing in a lot of nighttime air only to say it can get quite cool with just nighttime air. Uh so we're working through some of those processes with heating and cooling etc. Uh last statement I would make is you've I've sent out communication to our community about the safety and the well-being of our students and that is a responsibility that we share with our parents and make sure that we can do the processes of training and securing our building and make sure that we're good at communicating and when we see kids in need of help that we work together and how we can help our kids. But obviously u that's a time of sorrow when you see such uh tragedy impact a community and you just wrap your arms around and everyone feels vulnerable in those times and there's a lot of sensitivity to it and the way that we try to move forward is really center on what are your commitments and our commitments are that we have a plan we have strong operations systems we value our relationships We try to give help with those that we need help and we really really promote excellent communication from our students, from our parents and from our staff so that we can collaborate the best that we can and as danger will always be a concern for us as it is in any community. We have to um we have to really invest in those systems and you have to show that care for one another. And so can't get through this report without at least acknowledging. But bringing it back full circle, uh it is uh as you talk about heavy topics, nothing lifts you up more than the energy that the students bring again that day. And one thing that we feel very blessed for our staff is our students feel safe in our schools when we survey them. That is something that they feel this is a place that they want to be. You see that in attendance numbers. You see that in academic performance. You see that in survey. And I would just say to you, thank you for leading a district that allows those kind of results. So, it was a it was a great school start. It was different with construction, but otherwise there was a lot of familiarity with it and we're off to another good year. So, thank you. >> Thanks, Kevin. Chair moves for approval of the consent agenda. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Motion carries. Move on to our discussion items. Chair moves for approval of action item 8A, approval of certification of the 2025 payable 2026 preliminary property tax levy. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All oppose? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8B, approval of the obsol equipment to be sold and recycled. Is there a second? >> Second. All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item HC, approval of election judges for November 4th, 2025 general election. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8D, approval of adult staff food service program fees for 2526 school year. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8E, approval of additional two.56 FTE educational paraprofessional kindergarten positions at Hilltop Primary School. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. >> Chair moves for approval of action item 8F, approval to update AR of 4231. Um, is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. The chair moves for approval of action item 8G, approval of additional 0.53 FT kitchen assistant position and elimination of a 0.53 FD kitchen assistant 2 position. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Um, is there anything anybody else needs to bring up at this time? >> I'm just going to invite everybody. So, my fifth year reunion is this weekend. and we are beginning at 3:30 Friday with a tour of the high school and I believe so if you want to come to a tour of the high school um 3:30 we'll start in the performing arts center and get an overview of what has happened in the school district which you already know and then we'll take you on a tour so I hope it's okay that I invite course >> yeah we're talking about bringing eggs and tomatoes to throw at the superintendent board for changing the name but otherwise should be a calm as long as they're green to >> however we can lead them through that process. >> Sounds like a good party. >> Yeah. Well, it's exciting. >> Please know that you're invited to school. >> Thank you. >> Um if nothing else, uh the chair moves for adjournment. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Have a good week everybody.