the school board meeting to order. Would you please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which 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? >> Aye. >> All opposed? Motion carries. Announcements: Facilities Committee meeting, August 19th, right here in this room. >> [snorts] >> Finance Committee meeting, September 10th at 7:30. Policy Committee meeting, September 14th, um up here in our regular board meeting following at 6:00 p.m. Um the next night item on our agenda is a public hearing on proposed student fees for nursing assistant registered program. Um Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Mark Van Wright, will provide a brief overview of the program, review the proposed fees, and then invite members of the public to ask questions or provide comments. >> Okay, thank you. The the public hearing tonight is a requirement for school boards when there are fees that are not covered by the Minnesota public school law that governs student fees. So, I'll give you a a review of our nursing assistant registered program. I'll talk about the fees that are involved. There'll be time for our public comment for you to comment. And then we'll we'll close the hearing. So, I just want to start tonight that excited that this coming fall, this fall, we're launching our nursing assistant registered program. It's going to be a program for students that can learn about the field. There'll be 132 hours of instruction and there'll be 16 hours of clinical experiences at a local nursing home facility. And students that are successful will have an opportunity to take the nursing assistant certification test and earn certification as a nursing assistant. And that provides employment for nursing homes, it provides jobs for high school students, and we're excited to add that to our student body. The the the the main core learning that'll be happening is really around patient care. And patient care involves many different facets and by ending by the time they end the program, they'll be ready to take a certification test. They'll be ready. The the partnership that we'll go into will be with Monarch HealthCare. And they have nursing home facilities near Delano, Excelsior. And and they are been a great partner so far with us and we'll be working to provide a registered nurse to work alongside our medical careers teacher, Gatlin Peglow, and then they'll provide the clinical site for the students for testing and they'll be supporting us all along the way and at no cost to the district. So, it's going to be a great partnership. When it comes to fees, there are four different fees that are involved with this with this program. There there'll be at the end of the semester course, a skills testing fee. It's $100. There's a knowledge testing fee, $60. There's a background check fee, $49.20. And a fingerprint fee of $13.50. So, you You see these fees add up to over $200. I'm happy to report that through grants that the district has been awarded, we're going to bring that fee down to a $25 flat fee to our students in the program. >> Well, that's awesome. >> And we have funding for 2 years to do that. And I think that's wonderful that we can say that we will offer that to our students. Now, within those fees, the skills and the knowledge test fees, we cannot authorize those as a school district because they're optional. It's something that you could take the class and choose not to take the test. Where we need to have a public hearing tonight is around the background check and the fingerprinting fees [clears throat] because they're required for taking the course, but they're not explicitly covered by the Minnesota public school fee law. And in order to participate in the clinicals at the nursing home facilities, you have to complete a background check and then you have to be fingerprinted. So, that is the purpose tonight that in order to complete this course, you have to offer and you have to pay the background check and the fingerprinting fees along with the skills and knowledge test fees. Again, we're going to offer a flat fee of $25 through our grants and provide that. So, these are the required fees to complete the required 16 hours of clinical time at nursing home facilities to successfully complete the NA course. So, that is just an overview of what the course is. I've shared with you the cost of the fees and we're going to be charging a $25 flat fee to cover all four of them. This is a delineation of what's required, what's optional, what the fees. And I will stop and ask if there's any comments or questions. >> So, we received some grants for 2 years, and that's regardless of how many students. >> Yes. >> Great. >> Yes. >> So, we're here tonight to um to have a public hearing about the fees, even though like notwithstanding the grants that are going to be offsetting the fees. >> Correct. Cuz we still have to cuz beyond the 2 years, the fees will still exist. >> Yes. Yes. >> And so forth. So, these fees and these services, the background, the fingerprinting, that's something that actually is like setting aside the grants, that's collected by the school and then paid to a third party, or does the does do the students pay these third parties directly? And And second question is if what happens when the third party change their fees? >> Sure, very two very good questions. The way that we're starting is that the fees will be charged by Monarch for the background check and for the fingerprinting. Because we'll be working our students will be working within their nursing facilities. So, they will invoice the school district for X number of students that are completing a background check and completing the fingerprinting. >> Okay. >> So, that's how that will work. If those fees change in the future, we certainly have to look at our funding and what that looks like. We will always pursue um different grants and fundings to always try to bring the costs down. >> So, it sounds like Monarch is really in control of the setting the fees anyways. >> Those two fees, right? >> Yeah, those two fees. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yes. Now, the skills testing that which is the there's the written test and the hands-on testing. That is more regulated by the State Department of Health. Monarch will be the facilitator of the So, you know, as anything, fees can change and what is I think most important tonight is that as a school system, as a school board, we already we already have authorizations to charge students the skills and knowledge test fees. And we can choose what we want that dollar to be. Until you have an action item which you'll have tonight to consider and consider voting on approving as a board the background check and fingerprint fees. At this point, we're not allowed to charge those fees until the board takes formal action. And that's an agenda item for you tonight to consider all four of the fees, approving them And once we have that motion and if the board approves the fees, then we can go ahead and offer and apply those fees to the course and communicate to our families that there are four fees and we'll be working through grants to bring that fees down to a flat fee of $25. >> I think the This is obviously a very unique class where it makes sense that if they're going to participate in these kind of facilities, which to get licensed you need to participate in these facilities, they need to ensure that it's safe. And so, fingerprinting, background checks, it's unique class, that's why it comes to you. When it comes to the assessment piece, there's a number of things that our students choose to to an assessment. If it's the ACT test or other tests. There's you take that as an option. There's an expense to families as you go. We obviously offer through the school one, but when you go for multiple there's that expense. And so, I don't think that's uncommon in education when you try to get different certifications. Uh a lot of different certifications out there or if you're taking assessments I what we want to really ensure is that the class is not cost prohibitive. And I think we have ways with activities and other things that we monitor in the future or currently of how can we make that possible for all of our students. That really needs to be managed year by year. And so, to rather than make a promise this is how it's going to work, I really commend Mark as I know everyone here does of finding a grant to start this out. And then we just have to stay up with what our fees currently and are there ways to offset that through other grants? If not, is there a way to scholarship or how can we ensure those students that want to take the class can take the class? And so, I think that's how we pursue going forward. [clears throat] Um I uh with this unique relationship with Monarch um really compliment Mark. We're not We're not the first to do this. And so, there's a there's a number of districts, but depending on where you are, what region you are, you might have a different partner. And so, Mark has done a quite a bit of research on different groups trying to find this partner so our kids can have that opportunity. If we didn't have Monarch, they wouldn't have that site-based, skill-based. Wouldn't be possible. And so, it's a it's not an option. It's really needed. And we're thankful that we have someone that's here in this area and someone of their caliber. So, >> And how long is the partnership with for? >> With with Monarch? >> Yeah. >> It's a It's a Right now, it's a 1-year partnership. We'll be meeting in January for just a a midway just discussion how things are going with both parties. But, uh I think their plan and our plan would be to continue to renew. But, it's a 1-year contract. >> Okay. >> And then we go from there. >> If If they partner with other school districts? Yes. >> Well, there's no um 6:13 and uh hearing no further comments, I declare the public hearing closed at this time. And Mark, thank you. >> Thank you for coming in. >> Um >> Just a clarification, sorry. Is This is what we're voting on today is is for these fees for a year period. Do we Do we have to do this every year? >> No. I think this allows us to charge fees for this reason. And so that gives you this >> Indefinitely. >> for this purpose. >> Oh, okay. Great. That's good. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Are there any members of the public that wish to come before the board to speak tonight? Don't see anybody, so we'll move on to the reports. Uh we'll start out with the construction report, Eric. >> Um I'll start. >> You want to start with the primary schools? >> Um Just go through a couple of quick pictures. Kind of what we've been doing. Um you know, obviously we're in the last month, so we're into the finishes portion of it. Um everything's looking good there. We're we're punching out later this week. They're starting to do punch list, so that's that's obviously a good sign when they're when we're at that phase of it. Um Get you a couple photos here. So, this is of at Hilltop. Again, just nothing. >> [clears throat] >> Some mechanical room spaces. You can see the finishes starting to go in, new carpet, um paint going on, so it's it's we're really fortunate at Hilltop to this bond really supported a lot of mechanical improvements, so some of those pictures aren't going to probably There's certain people that are very interesting, but it's not the selling point pictures, although you do feel the air, etc. Uh both media centers are being done at both buildings, and some of their outside play areas are going to be two of the things that parents and students really notice. But, uh some of the carpet in the areas, doors, so there will be touch points where people definitely notice, but probably more mechanical. >> of this was infrastructure. >> Yeah, piping. Boilers. Air handlers. >> And just a couple pictures at Cherry Hills. Again. >> In your bottom left-hand corner, you see in the cafeteria the the windows. And then you can see they're going to be much larger coming up, and so we're excited for if you've been in that cafeteria, you're going to notice that's kind of an For a kids, they're probably perfect, but when you're an adult, it's kind of like you're looking down trying to look through that window, and now everyone will be able to see better. So, more photos, so >> Yeah, it's like I said, we're we're in a good we're in a good place. We're we're happy where we're at. We're I said, we're we're in the final stages and >> So, zero lost time days for weather? >> That's amazing. >> Yeah. >> That's pretty good. >> Something like it so far with being inside. >> [laughter] >> That's it. Okay. >> So, uh once the school uh year starts, >> Mhm. >> what will happen those at the both elementary schools? What will the uh students see that is incomplete? >> What will be done? Yeah, where we feel I I don't I can't think of anything right now that's that's great. Those are Yeah, those are really good really good shape. >> Usually in September we're working on some of the some of the automation with our and our heating cooling. So, that's something that's being fine-tuned. There's some punch list items. You have Oh, this door was ordered wrong or you might have some of those one-off things. >> Yeah, we always like always like endeavor to get the punch list done immediately, but there might be items on that list that we got to reorder something. >> Exactly. >> Okay, good. Sounds like turf at the turf at Shirley Hills will start going in this week and then this field will also be going in. So, that should be in time for school start, which will be nice for those kids. >> All right, then the stadium project. I was We were hoping to get the drone in here. They flew it I think this morning. I just couldn't get in time, but so the drone photos from last week. So, I'll just hit hit on hit on a couple of photos. You can't quite see it from the road cuz they got the huge pile of dirt there, but the turf is down. >> It's beautiful. >> Yeah, the turf is down. Um we're working on this photo here is uh the foundation system for the for the bleachers for the home side bleachers. Um you can see there's a retaining wall on the um the north side right the north side of the of the track. See the new um entrance. Um >> It was interesting watching them put in those retaining walls. >> Yeah. >> Stuff is really cool. >> Legos. Um >> See if we have a picture of the >> Well, the concession stands are are uh um in progress. All the structures are up. Um I feel the multi-purpose fields. That turf is going to be starting I think this that's starting this week as well. Um Basically, if you've been out there all all the the fencing posts are up. The fence The fence will come after the turf is is down. Um So again, that that turf is going to be installed by by start of school. We'll still have all the fencing and stuff to go up after that. Um but yeah, we're we're feeling feeling really good about the progress up there. >> When does the garage go up on that on that >> So the slab is the end. I honestly don't I don't know on that one. That's getting >> It's being delivered. Uh it's delivered this week and it should be going up in the next couple weeks. >> Yeah. So yeah, this is the slab it sits on here. >> Is that for storage for the for well, for football in the fall and baseball and stuff in spring? >> And the Ospreys have been checking out the new light poles already. >> Here's a couple photos of just the buildings around the stadium site. So that's this is the the storage building out fields and then these are the concessions. Um it's more concessions. >> Yeah, you know that the stadium still the plan is that won't be done till late October. I mean it's laying the track and stuff. >> Yeah, it's it's kind of like a We're kind of have a little It's the logistics of Where where you see the the bleacher the new home side bleachers, you know, that's a that's a huge structure with all footings and foundations. And then on top of that goes the press box. Well, the press box gets set by crane. You're so close to Taylor that you can't fit the crane in to set it from the back side. So you got to set it from the front side and the front side is the track. So we're we're holding off the track until we get the the press box set and then we pour it or put the asphalt down at the end of August, let it sit for the 30 days, then we put the track surface on at the end of September. >> And that has to sit for 30 days as well or something like that? >> Yeah, I mean it wants to Yeah, but but yeah, basically we just weather weather permitting, you know, you put that track surface down. We don't anticipate a problem. You know, it's always It's got to be 50° or warmer and the end of September is usually not an issue with that. Um so then that track surface goes down and then we're So it's basically it's that press box that is causing, you know, us a little bit of a pinch point, but we I mean it's it's in the schedule. It's just the logistics of it. Yeah. Um But yeah, I mean you walk around the on the on the turf and it's it's it's ready. So >> Let's see. Photos of the >> high school um Again, I know I always say I always say this, but when we uh even today when you walk through you're like this is there's a lot of stuff to do, but trust me trust me. We're I mean we're in a good again, a good a good place. Um just on the site, you know, they're they're pouring concrete out there as we speak. They got a little bit left. They'll be wrapped up this week. Um the new entrance, all that concrete is now poured. Um they're starting to starting to spread black dirt around the curb lines and sidewalks. Um asphalt's going on in the next week or two just to do the final the final lift on areas. So, again, we're feeling really good about where we're at where we're at in the on the site. In the gym, gym box here. All right, the gym box. Um So, the floor's in. If you walk in there right now, there there's all this the lines have been striped. So, everything is striped. The center court the center court has been um whitewashed. So, it's it's a little bit of a of a lighter color. Um So, then they they put on the final cover coat um this on Friday. And then again, that has to sit for a week and then and then we get the bleachers in there. Go on. So, that's that's where we're at in the progress. The rest of it is we're kind of in that that tile going up everywhere. There's carpet going down. Um ceilings going in. Um you know, the tile on all the corridors, I mean, that's in in process now. Yeah, it's it's uh push pushing on people to to get to get there and get done, but we're feeling feeling good about where we're at. Um Again, like we'll be we'll be working on, you know, the storm shelter area, um, little theater once school starts, but kind of going to be somewhat isolated, a little bit less of a pain this next next year than than before. >> Uh, some You You get into days where you're hoping things move, [clears throat] and then you have days where you feel like you're really moving, and that's kind of this stage. One thing that was nice to see happen today is they got the ramp. They took those awkward stairs by the little theater, and today the ramp got poured. And so, it was nice to see that passageway be complete. Um, carpet is now in the music wing, and flooring is in there, and they just have to circle the different areas. Um, I'm talking to the crew about our nursing area and our engineering area. They say that we're we're on schedule to have those completed. And so, there's a lot of work, but they know the schedule, and so you say I'm I'm glad you're saying that because um, not everyone would, but it's you feel like that stacks up, so >> Have they started excavating the courtyard? >> Beginning to. In fact, we're beginning to take the the wall out down there. Um, and so, that process has uh begun and will continue um, for over a month of just taking out stuff, and then gradually start building back up. >> Server area, bathrooms, like I said, the bathrooms are being tiled. Little theater, so that walk in there now, like Kevin was saying, the ramp The ramps are in, so This This is an incredibly ambitious project. And it's just There's just so much to it, and I I'm so thankful for so many people, starting with our students of how they worked with us, obviously the community support, our staff, uh the K and our contractors uh putting this together, but it's uh it's it's really, really extensive, and the nice thing about being really extensive is there's going to be an extensive change. And we just just have to push through, and where things um Our students and staff have been great, where some things it's like a week later than what you wanted, they've been really good working with us and finding different ways. I mean, this summer our staff and students, we did all of our summer programming out of the middle school. Never have we tackled that before, and we used space with Our Lady, and they're great working with us. Uh and they did a great job with it. >> And you were over had space at Orono? >> Orono and in the pond, and doing it different. And I'm not going to say that was as good of space, but people got some of the core essentials done with it, and they pushed through, and just really thankful for everyone's cooperation. We have We have uh one more school year to to go, but this school year is going to feel very different than last school year, cuz more of the spaces are done. And so, that's going to be be exciting for our kids, and then next school year, when we start up, we're going to be really in the where Hilltop, Shirley Hills is is we're going to be finishing up some punch list items, but it's going to be in a much better much better spot. >> So, the PAC is open, accessible, operational? >> It will be all school year, but it's not We did not run anything over there summer because of the construction around here. >> Yeah, but it will be open and we're able to I mean the public's able to to access it. >> So, we've worked out for those that need handicap entrance versus other entrance. I mean, you're going to your walk-in is different cuz the courtyard's not in there. So, people will be entering in the north side of the building, but we're going to work with people that need handicap entrance so that they don't have to walk that full length and try to get them in. And so, we'll work through the logistics of how do you take them backstage, you know, back that other way from the whack and we'll we'll figure it out. >> We have this little this little area right up front here that will consolidate down to. [clears throat] So, during the school year we'll be we'll be in this area. >> Okay. >> And then the rest of the site opens up and so, we kind of so, the area of construction is we keep getting to a smaller spot. So, it's good. >> Okay. >> And then the students might even see that get completed before the end of the school year, right? >> Oh, yes. >> Oh, yes. >> Yes. >> That's exciting for them, too. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Yeah. Well, there once we get that portion done, there will be one last stage of of how we deal with the old fitness room, which is going to become concessions. And so, we have to >> Yeah, yeah. >> that'll kind of trickle into the end of spring and into part of summer. Um you know, you go into the north and now there's a concrete there and you're going to notice that the center center part of the concrete is brown. And it fits that you're you're walking across the dock or the pier into it. And we've used this theme of lake, sky, land. And you're going to walk in and you're going to see the learning bays. And as you go in, you're going to see this wood structure that really resembles a Crestliner boat. And so, we really tried to utilize Minnetrista, Mound, Wauwatosa, what [snorts] we like, which is our open spaces, but also the lake. And there's symbols of that as you go through, and you look at the ceiling line, and you're going to see movement in the tiles of how it waves through, and so, it's really meant to bring in a sky, a sky, a water, and a land perspective, and I think we'll do a really good job with that theme. But, someone that doesn't get the theme right away, they're I wonder why they chose to do this that way, and you're trying to pull that all together. >> You know, like, we're like a month away from this picture. >> I'm getting so close to this picture, right? It's going to look just >> I have a quite a I have a question. >> Yep. >> And uh can you I don't know if you have one. Can you uh you get a fairly decent blow up of the entrance in front of Taylor and the football the stadium there? >> Mhm. >> And just the general parking and overhead of that. >> Yep. >> Cuz I've had several uh constituents call on that, and they had some concerns. So, I just wanted to >> Sure. >> Uh just like a a PDF just a blow up. >> Yeah, just >> Yeah, just a blow up of that area. And and the reason being, I just wanted to point out what there is, and I'm not saying we have to hand hash this out tonight or anything like this, but I would like to see a little bit of a gut check just in case. >> So, the entrance of that lot is going to widen. >> Yeah, so that's that was And I'm not saying they're right, I'm not saying they're wrong, or that we haven't done our due diligence here. But, here is where we're coming into This will be the only entrance here, at least to get throughout through here. So, we come in here, we come around, and some side parking here. And then we move along to this point here where we're actually doing the drop-off. And we we do have two lanes. >> Yeah. >> There is some concern that those two lanes that they might they might be perfectly legitimate for what they are doing as far as width cuz I actually brought my truck in there and opened both the doors and I didn't see any real issues. >> Yeah. >> But there was some concern about maybe being a little bit too narrow. Now, maybe they're perfectly legal and I can go back to that and say, "No, these are actually calculated in the proper width for what they're doing." >> Sure. >> The other item is is we then have two options here. We can go back here and have we have three or four areas we can go actually park into that area. You know what, right? But the problem is when you're going to leave, say you came in and parked in this area, right? You now have to go back down into the traffic, go all the way back out as far as I understand it. And then if you want to come back in to pick somebody up, say you're you watched them for an hour. >> Yeah. >> Right? You have to then get back into there and move on there. They're asking, "Why can't we have one or two open spaces?" Again, might be perfectly legitimate that in-flowing traffic coming here might interfere with traffic that's already moving through. >> Yeah. >> So, I just need to, like you say, examine and do a gut check on this area here >> Yeah. >> and how the flow is because obviously they have options of moving on this way and then coming around, but they're saying it's kind of a pain if you've actually parked yourself parked it and everything else and now you have to come out and you have to pick up your kid for whatever reason you have and have to go all the way back out here to move again. >> Yeah. >> It was also concern on some of the radiuses. Now, I took my truck in there. I didn't have any problem all negotiating the radiuses. Even this one that seems a little tight. I I think we had to do some adjusting. >> Yeah. >> So, all I'm asking for is a a gut check on on how this is going to flow or how we anticipate it's going to flow that I can go back and say, "Well, we did for this, this, and this." >> Yep. I'll check I will check with with the civil engineers cuz I there's a reason for it. Or there's or if if a what if we did add a an access point that's somewhere along this road? >> Right. And it might be that there's a like you say a very good safety reason for that. I just need to be able to go back to them and say, "Well, there's a safety reason that we don't want to enter that traffic and traffic is already flowing." >> Yep. >> One other item is if there's a lot of people trying to get in for an event at this point here and there's a lot of people trying to get out here, you know, in other words, uh games took here game took in failure. These people are leaving. They have people coming in for the next game and things like that. There is going to be maybe a little bit of a choke point here with cars coming in trying to get to the next event and cars trying to go out, but they would like to get back in to pick up their kids. >> Sure. >> So, >> Yep. >> that was I think that my cursory explanation kind of got everything that I think you have to look at. So, >> Yep. >> All right. >> No, good point. >> And like I say, not a big epistle, but just something I can say, you know, we we did an analysis a little bit of it and we think this is the correct point. >> Yep. Okay, we'll do. We'll do. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> See you next month. >> All right. >> Good. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Move on to the treasurer's report, Heidi. >> Okay. Blackbaud Giving Fund, Westonka High School, $20. Northwest Tonka Lions, Westonka Community Theater, $5,000. Northwest Tonka Lions, Northwest Tonka Lions Scholarship, $6,000. G. Roberts, Mound Westonka Class of '75 Scholarship, $1,000. Shirley Hills PTA, Shirley Hills Primary School, $10,160.83. [clears throat] American Online Giving Foundation, Westonka School District, $82.50. Year-to-date total, $22,263.33. >> Thank you, Heidi. Um now we'll move on to teaching and learning, Mark. >> So, I have three items tonight for the board meeting, and always fun to come. Got a lot of great news to share with you tonight. There we go. So, tonight, uh we have the start of a I'll be coming to the board meetings tonight, uh September, October, with all the standardized test scores that always first off the bat is the AP results. And for the 25-26 school year, uh just as a reminder, we launched a new AP course called Seminar, AP Seminar. And as I have spoken and shared a little bit about this course, what an excellent course to prepare students that want to further their education after high school. The course focused was through our English department, and focused on research, analysis, communicating thoughts and ideas. Uh kids had to investigate real-world problems, and then come up with opinions through a written essay, uh team projects, multimedia presentations. And then of course there's always an end-of-year course exam. All kinds of skills and experiences that, you know, colleges, universities expect their freshman to be able to do. So, I'm so pleased that we're offering this this course. We had offered two sections last year. We'll offer another two sections this coming school year. So, in the first year we had a 100% passing rate as you define a passing of three or higher on the AP exam with an average score of 3.48 out of five. I'd say that was success of that first year. Plus, Shirosh was for the U.S. government was the teacher and she's just passionate and excited about this course and now, one year under her belt, now just watch for this coming year. So, that was that was great news. And then, when we look at kind of a recap of the results of our AP scores, truly amazing. And no excuses. We started this school year a little bit in turmoil with classrooms not being done. We're shifting around. I mean, staff can make a lot of reasons why, you know, guys, you know, it's kind of a year of construction and that. But, the staff really really focused on the academics. So, this first slide here, we had a record number of exams in school's history, 447 exams. A record number of AP students, 241 students that took AP courses this year. >> So, do you think we should keep this construction chaos setting up? >> [laughter] >> Well, I guess we'll have one more year of >> [laughter] >> We'll see. The other The other thing that came through, we had a school record of the percent of students earning a three or higher. And that was the highest it's ever been at 84.34% and you it it was fun to see is that from 2022 the 5-year trend just keeps going up and up and up. And you know, remember, we're getting to 100% now. So, you know, you're the buyers are going to get, you know, you know, they're going to be more and more about the same, but it's fun to see that that trend. That also then is reflected in the number of AP Scholars. So, for the 25-26 school year, we had 74 AP Scholars. That was up from 50 in 24-25. And And you can read for yourself the different distinctions of what it means to be an AP Scholar. We had 32 of them. That was a school record. We had 21 AP Scholar with honors. That was a school record. And we had 21 AP Scholars with distinction. Uh that was a school record. If you look at all the different levels, that that's effort. That is kids that are goal-oriented, focused, and committed to their academics. And it is it again, it it it is fun to see the fruits of the labor and the efforts that as a whole the faculty, the students together what they did this last year. You say something. And >> I have a question. >> Yes. >> When uh you're designated an AP Scholar, three or more AP courses, that's in a single year, right? >> No, that that that would be um that is over >> Cumulative. >> over the course of their their high school career. >> Okay. >> Grades Technically for us, grades 10 through 12. >> Okay. >> And then, just Just where [clears throat] we had all-time school passing rates, we saw that we had AP English Lit, AP Physics, AP US Government, AP US History, AP Seminar. So, it's really it's really just some wonderful results. Again, it's one lens to look at how our student body is performing, but it's an important lens. And and I'll be back with other lenses when it comes to to our how our students are performing, but it was it was it was really great in July when I was pulling the reports. I thought, "Wow, this this is really really amazing results that are are going on." Okay, just a just a couple other updates. Um you've heard about the READ Act. The READ Act is alive and well. We continue with the READ Act uh here in the state, and for the 2026-2027 school year, there is continued literacy training. And they call it phase two training, and basically it is our English department and some special ed teachers that were hired last year or the year before, and now they're catching up with their training. The And the reason why it is the high school English teachers that the legislation defines those high school teachers that instruct in reading. You could argue that, "Well, I don't know who teaches reading," but it's really the core teachers that are instructing in reading. So, that is our high school English teachers. And so, they started uh they started in June. They'll continue through January, and they're working through their literacy training. We also have paraprofessionals. They also are required to take READ Act training, and right now we're more in a I'll call it a makeup uh mode where not all the parents finished their training or for whatever reason, and we invite them in on their non-work days, so they've had other commitments last year and they couldn't make the training. We track that and we offer training. So, Bright Works, which is our XU or Metro XU, they're offering virtual training this year. So, right now we have we have oh, about a half dozen paras that have signed up for training with them the month of August. We'll continue to work with Bright Works with offering more virtual training. But, we also are set up to do in-person training with our paraprofessionals with our Natalie Bulo and Robert Beckles. And and again, we're going to see first how this Bright Works training goes. It'd be a great It's a great thing that we can do off off the virtual. We just want to be careful not to pull paras out of the classroom to do the training. That's why we offer in August. We really pushed that hard and we'll just see what Bright Works does now this school year and what that will look like. And then, I maybe mentioned to you there's a new requirement for screening for dyslexia. Uh the assess- assessment is called CAPT Read Basic. And basically, through our Fast FastBridge assessment, we identify kids that are that are reading at very low levels. And then, they are required, grades 4 through 12, to take the CAPT Read Basic assessment. It is to provide us more information, more detail about the specific gaps the students um are exhibiting. It does not mean that they are dyslexic, but it does mean you might have a tendency. And it's our job to address those gaps, not to diagnose. So, we'll be now implementing this uh this assessment here starting this fall. And we have a we have a whole plan ready to go for all the buildings and data review each time. We like to see this assessment done three times a year, but it has to be hinged with a thoughtful data review of the of the results. That makes sense. And then just just to give you just a very quick high-level update where we're going here in a few weeks. It's hard to believe all the planning that's been done with the nursing assistant program and then the emergency medical responder program, but Caitlin Peglow has been working very hard. She came on board June 15th working full-time and I'm thankful to Kevin and the board for approving the additional time for her because there is no way if she started with all the new teachers in a couple weeks all the work that's been done to get this up and running is is been critical. So these programs are launching. I'm also working with Dale Kimball with the machining program and we're actively looking at pricing of all this expensive machining this equipment and I'm just waiting to hear from our Carl Perkins liaison about what kind of funding we think we're [clears throat] going to get. So we want to start there with Carl Perkins dollars before we spend our own money. >> The machining starts second semester? >> Second semester. >> The construction trades two is that first >> That's yep first semester. >> And then construction trades one was last last year. >> Yes yes yes yes yeah. So everything's in motion and I tell you there's been moments when you think I don't know how we're going to get this all done and figured out, but it it it's really been a labor of love where people just want to pitch in whether it's other colleges in the district to outside businesses and organizations, that it's all coming together. How exciting for our students that they're going to experience these new programs. And Dale's excited Dale went to welding camp in Alexandria in June and had a great time just refreshing his memory of that. And then we made a partnership with Dunwoody that he is willing to attend Monday nights at Dunwoody their machining class. So he can learn first hand how these manual mills are going to work and everything that he's going to be doing. Um so he is in. He's all in. And the same with Kathleen. She is all in. So we have some really motivated staff ready to lead these programs. So >> good numbers for registration of students and all. That's fantastic. >> Yes. Um beyond capacity. >> Okay. >> Beyond capacity. We had to make some choices. >> Okay. >> Um so it's all good. So that's my report. >> Thank you. >> Mark, is there a reason why it's nursing assistant registered versus registered nursing assistant? >> Isn't that just the greatest question? It was, you know, it was certified nursing assistant, you know, CNA. I do not have a good answer for you. >> Okay. It's just an awkward Yeah. >> It does. It sort of factors in. >> All right. CNA rolled up tongue nar. >> Yes. Exactly. >> [laughter] >> No, that's not nar. It's not ar. >> Or RNA would also >> Okay. >> Well, um good evening, board. Um I will be um giving um an updated um snapshot of our June 30th, 2026 um expend- expenditures and revenue. I mentioned that at the last board meeting. We really won't roll the year until our audit data data is final. So this is kind of a refresh to look at where we're at. The large majority of our entries are done. We have um a couple weeks to go yet. So there's and we're getting continued updated student reports. And so any changes obviously we make expenses that roll in or updated student counts will affect our numbers. But as of this point in time our revenues that we're planning on in general fund is 44,751,000 and at this point we're landing at 99.6%. Again, as student counts come in higher and I'm hoping that will that will elevate. Expenses we are at 44,456 or 99.9. So again, I hope the bills are are not going to roll in that we'll hit it that close. But again, this is just kind of a updated mid-progress report and there'll be more to come. Okay. As I mentioned it's a heavy audit season for us now and we'll be starting the audit exactly 2 weeks from today. We anticipate another smooth audit and um and they will be present at our October meeting for the formal report. Um other things going on is we're starting into the levy season. That's probably second my second favorite after the audit. And we have initial data to submit by the end of August and then at your September meeting keep in mind that we'll be also bringing a proposed levy and we typically will approve that at maximum as again as we work through those adjustments and edits from the state as well. And then lastly all of that we'll be meeting with our school board finance committee on October 10th. We'll be reviewing the levy, giving a sneak peek of that ahead of time. We'll be looking at our first day of school enrollment and construction update and and again closing up on the audit for the 25 26 school year. Any questions tonight? Okay. All right, thank you. >> Thank you. Superintendent's report, Kevin? >> Yes, so a lot of it is construction right now. It's also the start up of the school year. We're excited. Next Monday fall sports start up and shortly after that we have uh we start doing our new teacher orientations, starting bringing our substitutes, starting to just start ramping into the school year. There's some districts that start this year a little bit early before Labor Day. You had your option this year before Labor Day or after Labor Day. That wasn't a discussion in our district because we wanted as many weeks as we could have this summer to get the projects done. So, when we knew we could start later, yes, that's what we want to do. >> the 8th? >> Yep. We start on the 8th. So, it it starts a little bit later. You'll notice some schools chose earlier. That would have been a discussion here if it wasn't for construction. Uh as far as action items before you, uh the first one with the student fees you heard about, policy changes is pretty standard. There's approval of the cardiac emergency response plan. This is by statute that we need to adopt such a plan and so, if there's a cardiac issue, how would we respond to it and it organizes our buildings and what are the procedures of how to do that. So, each building has their their plan. Uh we are asking you to add mock trial. One thing that uh love about our district is we offer almost everything and if there's a group of kids that show that they're interested in it. We're open to letting them try, and so we have some students that are interested, and we have some coaches that are willing to volunteer their time, and that's usually how these programs start. And then sometimes where you think, are we offering too many? It's amazing how that fills up, and you can support multiple different things. And so for a while there DECA had a lot of kids, and you wondered could you run a speech team, and then all of a sudden they won the conference. And so speech is definitely alive and well, and if you get the right advisors. So I would recommend that for your approval. Uh there's a little bit of an adjustment to food service program fees. It's by a nickel, and so just keeping up with some of the inflationary increases. Uh staffing adjustments, we will have some new lines at the high school, and so that's really acknowledging how we have to move around or add a little bit, but our director of food service has done a great job with this program, and she really manages that staffing closely, and feel good about that. Um Uh you have an addition of a 1.0 head custodian, and what that also has is the elimination of a 1.0 maintenance custodian position. Um we had a maintenance position at our high school that passed away, and uh uh very very sad, and uh his name was Mike Nelson, and so we will miss Mike. Uh in that we are changing this position from a maintenance position to a head custodian, just how that role really fulfills itself. That's consistent with our other buildings, and so Mike has been here was here for a long time. And in that he came in as a maintenance, wanted to continue it. But, um unfortunately, we're at the position of reconsidering how that would be posted, and this makes more sense for it. >> There was a return off for stream, and I went to it over and I considered a lot of people that are parked, which is fantastic to see these are going. >> Uh finally, uh Cathy does a really good job with those that are seeking PSEO. You can have a agreement with the college, and that's just working out the finances to our best advantage, and it also works well for >> [cough] [clears throat] >> every time we see some students, there's not many that would go to Richwater, but when we see that there might be one or two, we always make those agreements, and so >> [clears throat] >> that is our action items. Our next meeting is in September, and when we get to that September meeting, we're going to have our school start. Uh we're going to be really winding up a lot of a lot of construction, and I just would share so many plans right now are being put in place of how is transportation going to work? You look around Mound, and there's going to be roads that close again, and how do those bus routes work, too? How do they work in our own parking lots, too? Uh getting buildings, the movers moving things in, getting people set up, and all the things, and so we have an action-packed August ahead of us. Thrilled to always brings good energy when this kind of ramps up, and we have student athletes, and then new teachers, and then all staff. It's just a nice crescendo that we follow here until the start of school. But, got a great team in place. Our hires are in place, and that's a good place to be right now. >> Thank you, Kevin. Yeah, Kevin. Rest of August, to and then we're back at her again, we're done with school, so it's coming up quick. Um chair moves for approval of the consent agenda. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? We'll move on to discussion items. Chair moves for approval of action item 8A, approval of required student fees for the nursing assistant um registered program. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8B, approval of policy changes. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8C, approval of cardiac emergency response plans for the high school, um Waconia Middle School, Hilltop, and Shirley Hills. Is there a second? >> I I should second that one. >> You get the honorary second. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Thank you, Laura. >> Yeah, yeah. >> All right. Um All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8D, approval to add mock trial as a Waconia activities program. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8E, approval of adult staff food service program fees for 2026-2027. Is there uh a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Motion carries. Chair moves for approval of action item 8 F, approval of staffing adjustments for Waconia food services. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Aye. All opposed? Chair moves for approval of action item 8G, approve addition of a 1.0 FTE head custodian position and the elimination of a 1.0 maintenance custodial position at West Seneca High School. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> All opposed? Motion carries. The chair moves for approval of action item 8 H, approval of PSCO by contract agreement with Bridgewater College. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> All opposed? That's it for discussion items. Um I have one quick question. You know, you had brought up about that parking area and driving through there. Have you had a lot of people >> I I I have a >> I wouldn't say a lot. Um and I always make a point of saying, you know, if you really have a concern I'd I'd appreciate it, you know, if you put it in writing just so I can have it. But sev- several people have called. >> Okay. >> And they like I say they're It may It may be something I like I say more or less of a gut check. In other words, if I go back and say, "Well, we've examined this and this this and this is the reasons." You know, but you know, I like I say I I was um took the day off on a hot day and rode up here just kind of looked around the thing and then I drove through it with my truck and there was some legitimate areas. Um They actually had one or two was kind of funny. One of the one of the work trucks came through and he kind of ran over it and boom he comes right up on the curb, right? And he says, "Oh Jesus, am I imagining these curves really tight?" And I'm sitting here, you know, kind of uh so it may be that like I say there are some legitimate It we're going to find out when the flow actually starts. You know, that's going to be a big flow area especially for like games in the plaza area and stuff like that. >> It may be that we may have to make some minor adjustments to that, or it may be that there's perfectly legitimate reasons why you can't enter that flow of traffic from the other side of the general parking area. So, it's one of those things that I just thought >> It's a good question. I'd rather know now. >> Yes, and that's that's actually true. >> I think a quick answer on this is there's some the entrance curves need to be changed and they will be changed. And with the flow of it I think you're serving stadiums, you're serving additional parking, you have before and after school lineup of cars that's in consideration, you have movement of cars of how they get into a turning lane. So, there's a there's a lot of factors, so I think flow flow is has a lot of legitimate purpose. I think the entrance of that is tighter than it it it's it needs to be widened and it that'll be corrected before school starts. >> Right. So, if it's if we can just go back and say, you know, we've examined it and this and this, then >> That was already on your radar. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, the entrance is narrow, but I think he's talking about additional drive-through from the main parking area. But I what I would just say is I think we should open it up first and learn from what what happens with all the traffic before we start deciding to make changes and extra cost to change things. So >> Right. And as far as like like you say, the space between like I say, I drove in both lanes, opened up both my doors and just kind of walked around and imagined myself or actually got out and walked down on the line. I did not step on the median line in any way, shape, or form as an adult. So, that it might be a perfectly legitimate reason why state law says it has to be this wide for a drop-off. And I'll be the first to admit, I've been in many, many school parking lots. There are a lot of horrible designs out there. And it's just not us, you know, I'm not and I'm not saying ours is a horrible design, but I'm saying you'd be surprised at how many problems they have in some of these egress and entrance points. >> We have We have a facilities committee meeting coming up. >> Right. That's a good point, too. >> Time to talk to the architects. >> But right right right now, they've taken they've already laid the the curbing and stuff for a lot of the parking lots. >> Again, the the front of it the beginning of it, those curbs are too tight and that needs to be adjusted. I think the rest of it carries the flow. We can talk about it at facilities committee. Happy to do that on the table. I'm happy to bring that to a board meeting, too. >> Right. It's It's just a gut check. I'm not saying a big long study, but I am saying okay, you know, this is our reason why we did not put an exit in the middle of the parking lot on the west side, you know, because there might be some dangers of entering that traffic flow if there's a long line of cars trying to get in there. That kind of thing. So, it might be certain legitimate safety issues that have to be applied and it might be a little inconvenient, but it's I'd rather have a safe parking lot than >> Absolutely. How the traffic flow is something I assume they looked at, but maybe not, yeah. >> Right. So, it's just coming all and there was a legitimate point having to go all the way back out and then coming back around to, you know, yeah, you're in at the game, you're going out uh you know, getting in your car and then going to pick up your kid. And then there's the next group coming in. You know, that's going all the way out to the street, which may already have a group of bunch of traffics trying into that single lane. >> You can turn left. >> You can go up in the tennis courts and come back around. I mean, it's not ideal, but you don't have to go out to the street. >> So, it might be one of those things that we simply have to live with because it's more of a safety issue than not. So. >> Okay. We'll take a look at it. >> Anybody else have anything? If not, chair moves for adjournment. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> All opposed? Have a good rest of the summer. >> Thank you, everybody. >> Enjoy the time off. Get back to work. >> I'm my own boss. >> I'm your boss from now on.