There we go. Uh, good evening. I'm uh calling the January 27th, 2026 regular business meeting to session or uh to order. Before I do that, uh the time is 6:31. Uh I will read the land acknowledgement. We are gathered on the land of the Dakota and Ajiway people. I ask that you I ask you to join me in acknowledging the Dakota and Oji way community, their elders, both past and present, as well as future generations. St. Louis Park Schools also acknowledges that it was founded upon the exclusions and erasers of many indigenous peoples, including those on whose lands this district is located. This acknowledgement demonstrates a commitment to dismantling the ongoing legacies of colonial power and the district's desire to support the ongoing work of local indigenous communities to thrive in our schools. And with that, um, it is recommended that the school board approve the agenda for January 26, 2026 as presented. Do I have a motion? >> Okay. Thank you, Director Cox. Second. Thank you, Director Cuffman. >> I'd like to make a motion. >> Okay. >> I'd like to move to remove action agenda item 8A from the agenda. >> Okay. Um so the recommendation is to remove 8A from the um agenda. Moved by Director Williams. I'll second that. Um we need to remove it. because there has been we're not we need to go back to some discussion. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. Great. Passes 70. Um as amended passes 70. Um the So now we're open for public comment. Do we have any public comment? Uh no public comment today. Just reminder that if you have public comment, you can certainly come and share your thoughts at regular business meetings. All right. So now we are on to the superintendence report. Dr. Nines, thank you chair Mancini. Today I'd like to um bring forth PSI to share their student learning. So principal Dr. Mlowski is here to present on behalf of PSI noes Dr. Hines chair Mancini and members of the school board. My name is Corey Mlowski and I have the privilege of being the proud principal of Park Immersion Elementary School. Thank you for inviting me to share some of the great things that are happening at our school. So this is actually Park Spanish immersion's 30th year of Spanish immersion education in St. Louis Park public schools. What started as 60 students in three uh in three different classes. There were half-day classes back then in two classrooms right down here um has grown into a tremendous partnership between families and the school district. Uh, and it's going to a full K5 school with 543 brilliant kindergarten through fifth grade students. Uh, taught by our incredible staff members who have lived and traveled across the globe. Each day, their hard work and passion inspire our students as we work to achieve our school district mission and our core values. At PSI, we are an academic bilingual community fostering global citizenship. This tagline was created about 10 years ago with input from families, staff members, and students. Language immersion programs like ours fall under um the umbrella of dual language programs set forth by the government and the center for applied linguistics. The three pillars of dual language immersion are um bilingualism biiteracy, high academic achievement and socioultural competence, which coincidentally mirrors our tagline being an academic bilingual community fostering global citizenship. And for me, what that means is those three pillars we live out each and every day on behalf of each child, right? So whether a child is acquiring English, whether a child is acquiring Spanish, or whether they're acquiring both languages, um that it's our responsibility to ensure that we're holding high academic achievement and they walk out being functionally bilingual in both languages. Um now, I'd like to take a moment to share how that we're living this out in St. Louis Park public schools. So based on best practices from research, our current initiatives include and based on where we currently are as a school. Um we are currently in our second year of introducing English phonics in kindergarten and our third year in first grade. Previously we didn't start teaching English formally um until second grade. And so based on based on research and what we know about connections between languages today, which we didn't know when the school began or even 10 years ago, um that we're really focusing on that from an early age. also intentional bridging between English and Spanish, which I'll explain more in just a moment. Pacing guides for language arts and math to ensure that we that all students are getting the academic content that they need in order to uh move on to the next grade level. Um so that all of our classrooms are and all the students in those classrooms are getting what they need. Also making connections between science and social studies and our literacy program. um Seesaw um doing some additional professional development uh around that as well as professional development around the topics above. So we do we do it in um so my next slide Q slide here um I'd like to just share an example of math so you can see an example of student assessment. So obviously we teach it in Spanish. Um and you can see that the student has highlighted some specific words. Um they're demonstrating their understanding of decimals. So when I mentioned bridging earlier, um it's making the connections between uh between the language taught and the partner language. So it could be English Spanish or Spanish English, but for students to be able to grab onto the content. So they might know the content or the vocabulary in one language, but being able to bridge between the two languages. And we're being really intentional about doing that either during a unit or at the end of a unit and saying, "Okay, so we learned all these new words on the life cycle in Spanish. How might we say that in English?" Right? And making those connections overt so that students can then um regardless of the language that the student regardless of the language that the student is acquiring or the languages students are acquiring that they can grab onto it. So for example here uh we might say Sentenna, right? So how what's the word for centenna in English? Okay. What what does it sound like? Sense hundred, right? So in Spanish, uh centenna is the hundredth's place. Um al also here we have a student uh a partner demonstrating their knowledge of decimals. Um and uh that was that was a game um that they played. Now I'd like to share language. So on the left we have one of our amazing students who was sharing some learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact um that that he had had um on not only our our larger global community but also on the people with whom he worked and then we have another student who is sharing about the flooding in Fargo and I will let her share. So this is an example of a student doing a reading um so that the teacher could hear and then also we share that with the family. Um and and so because we are teaching in both English and Spanish, it's important that we have um that we've connected those languages um and within our curriculum um being adilante. So we use benchmark adilante in advance and we are looking at the scope and sequences for language arts that the state of Minnesota asked us to teach and some of it we teach in English, some of it we teach in Spanish and some of it we teach in both with connections moving back and forth. Um here on our next slide uh we have a student uh being creative and sharing um their combination of a dolphin and a dog um and what what uh that creature might um uh what that creature might u need or look look at. Um and we also have a parent or we have a student giving feedback. Teacher asks for feedback on an annual celebration that we do called um La Carterona. And I think there's a picture in here maybe might be coming up. Um but every year every child in the school creates a book because we're all authors, right? And so then we invite the community together. It's one of my favorite days of the year. Everybody comes out on the lawn. Um and we read books and we give uh people feedback. But it's important for kids to see themselves as as writers from an early age. Um here uh students are uh working on an activity together in English and as I mentioned we do um make sure that students are we have tracking we have assessments we have activities going on in both English and Spanish. So in science class um the beauty of our literacy curriculum is that it's based on each unit is based on either a science or social studies topic. Um and so one of the things that we're continuing to do is to explore science and social studies um and the connections that it has with literacy. So it's not a standalone. And so here we have a student who will be actually moving So she's now inferring that was raining. So, um that's an example of an activity that we do in the classroom. And then in physical education, as you're aware, we switched the model this year to single classes uh longer um so so that we also have more time to do skills development. and want to share an activity that uh Senator Chris Watkins, one of our longtime um teachers. Uh he's been with us almost since the beginning of the school uh was doing with kids a few weeks ago. >> So we have fun too in school. If I say something, right? >> All clear. >> So, so in our specialist classrooms, um being uh physical education, music, and talent development, um we're also cognizant of what language we're teaching in, how we're making those connections, um and uh to support our biiteracy. Um here we can see up in the upper right hand corner um we have Hispanic Heritage Month. Um we have kids playing outside and then here just want to share our end of the year assembly when we came together. So within our student body and within our school culture, we we have such a a beautiful myriad of of people that come together every day um supporting our overall mission. Um here we have an ofrena um that sharandez and some of our somosuno students uh created and in in um some Spanish uh speaking countries an offendrena is an offering to those that have gone before us and things that were that were important to those people. Um and so we have some of our local community members who were a part of our frienda this year. Um, additionally, um, one of the things that we've been doing the last couple years, thanks to Principal Paddock at the high school, is having the high schoolers come back and spend time at their elementary school. And so, u, they're coming back to visit their kindergarten teacher. Um it I just wanted to take a moment um and and express my sincere gratitude um to everyone in our community in particular uh um the people who show up each and every day um that entrust us with their children. Um we have a very very important job um as we work together and our parent teacher organization um continues to offer um support um continues to offer um services for for our families for our larger community um as well as activities uh throughout uh the year uh about every month. Um, so we're extremely grateful for the support that everyone in our community provides and also thankful to all of you um for the support that you provide as we work together on behalf of our 543 brilliant children um so they become functionally bilingual, bicultural, biiterate um and English and Spanish um and so that they can live their own brilliance um in our academic bilingual community fostering global citizenship. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. All right. Forgot my m my mic. All right. I was like caught up in the I don't know the moment. Um so we have next uh some discussion items or do do I take questions? Does anybody have any questions? >> Go ahead. >> I just first of all want to thank you for coming out and for all of your work um leading our parks immersion community. [cough and laughter] U it is really a special community that does bring together a lot of different folks. Um I wonder if you could talk just a little bit about because sometimes at the board table I try and talk a little bit about the shift in recent years to more of this by literacy focus and what that has looked like in the building and what you've seen as a result. >> Yeah. So I'm just going to go back a couple slides. So in Minnesota um many of our programs were we were we were I think the fifth immersion school in the state. Um and right down the road we had u the University of Minnesota and we had some experts uh there who trained many of our staff members. And so the model uh initially um like for most programs in the state of Minnesota it was what we call the Canadian model um and that is to uh offer additional language rather than um supporting first language development. Um I believe um that PSI is the a great option for families that speak English as well as many other languages including Spanish. And so, um, what we know is that in order to for kids to become functionally bilingual, being that the world around us is primarily in English, um, that it's important that we're making those connections earlier, um, thus the reason that we started with English, phonics, and kindergarten, um, and that we're making those connections. And so just this afternoon, one of our kindergarten teachers was sharing how during the English portion when she's making the connections and the kids are making connections about the how the C sounds in English, how it sounds in Spanish when it's next to a vowel. And so we're making some of those connections early on. Um in addition for students that are acquiring English that it's important that we're that we're making those connections early when it comes to vocabulary development. Thus the reason that we're pausing, we're intentionally asking kids like, "Do you know know another word like that in English?" Um, and so as our current first graders, so uh metriculate through, we're increasing the amount of time in English um so that by the time they hit they are in fifth grade, we'll have about 60% of the day will be in um Spanish and 40% of the day will be in English. but being really intentional um as we get ready all throughout our program, but as we're moving the kids onto the middle school, um that they have the skills to be functionally bilingual, um regardless, um of their first language. Um and so, uh year by year, we're kind of building the building the plan. We have the long-term plan, um but then making those connections early on, which used to be a no no in programs like ours. was you kept English here, you kept Spanish there and really what how I view it as um looking at the whole child and the brilliance of the whole child and making those connections. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you for that. Um [clears throat] you speak much more eloquently to it than I do when I'm at the board table. I was the board liaison for a couple of years to PSI and I would often try and talk about it. Um so thank you for that. The other thing I just wanted to ask if you could talk a little bit about in the in recent years we've made changes here at the board to the um policies related to admission and priority admission for park Spanish immersion [clears throat] and you know that's always something we can revisit and just wondering if you have anything you want to share about how that has shifted um shifted things at PSI or not. Yeah. Um yeah, I believe that it has right um that by uh as I mentioned, I believe PSI is the best place for students who who speak Spanish uh and other languages. And so um it's it's been um it's been a um a great opportunity for us to continue to meet with families um for them to be able to see the school and the program. And we are seeing more and more students in kindergarten, first grade that speak other languages. It's very exciting. It's very exciting. >> Does anybody else have any questions? Awesome. Well, thank you again for coming and sharing all of these great things. >> Thank you. >> Um, next on the agenda is an overview of our community education youth programs. I think we have some special guests. Yay. Director Howard from community ed with others >> with others. Yep. Um they will introduce themselves uh shortly here. Uh good evening. I'm Patrice Howard, executive director of community education. Uh I'll backtrack a little bit. Good evening, Chair Mancini, Dr. Superintendent Superintendent Dr. Hines, members of the board. Uh we're here today with an update. This is um presentation two of three. unless you guys want us back and you want to hear more all the great things we're doing in community education. But this evening is about our youth program. So you'll hear about youth enrichment um which uh entails a number of really unique programming and Kellen O'Brien our manager for youth enrichment will introduce herself as well as I'm sorry I think you're going first right Vicki? I am going first. >> So Vicki is going first and this is Kids Play School Age Care. >> Good evening. >> Oh okay. Sorry. >> Is the presentation? >> Oh, okay. Just kidding. This is just a practice round. Do you want to just share with this user? >> Let's just do this. I'll unplug this. Okay. How do I do the How do I do Too much glare. >> Oh, it's privacy screen. >> Oh, where's the present button? >> Okay, there you go. Good evening. I'm Victoria Daughter. I'm the proud supervisor of the Kids Place School Age program and we are bigger and better than ever. Every year we're growing and having more kids in our program. Um I have the numbers kind of up there. 33% of the children in our elementary schools come to Kids Place after school. Um especially uh PSI has a giant number of kids. We have almost 50% of those kids coming to us after school and they have a great time. Um, I kind of want to put an emphasis on our staff this year. We have worked really hard to [clears throat] recruit staff and our staff are from all over the world. We have people from China. We have people from Africa, the Middle East, and of course a whole bunch of people from states around the country. All right. We had a fantastic summer program this year. We were at Peter Hobart this year. We had a lot of fun and we are looking forward to this summer being back at Aquilla. We are loving that new space over there and we even have a room and I want to thank Peter Hobart for finding some space for us to have a room over there this year. It's great to have that space because we're usually mainly out of the cafeteria and gym and PSI. Thank you for sharing so many of your spaces with us because it's a lot of it's a lot of commotion after school and we have a great time. and we I'm going to hand it off to Kellen. [cough and clears throat] >> Hello everyone. Good evening. Um my name is Kellen O'Brien and I am the manager for youth enrichment programs. Um we oversee the out of school time enrichment in the K12 space. So I'm just going to go over some of the programming that we do um across the district. So our first is for the K5 um we provide after school programs, evening and weekend programs and school release day programs. Um after school last year 2425 we provided 28 after school programs at all four elementaryaries. On average we have about four to six programs at each school happening each week. Um, so we're we're busy in the afterchool time alongside Kids Place. Um, in the evening and weekend, we provided 20 evening weekend classes last year for K5 students. Karate, piano lessons, Zumba, cooking classes. Um, Safe at Home Alone is in partnership with the police department. Um, so we we keep them busy all day. And then our school release day programs, um, we had six of those last year. Our biggest one has been open gym during winter break. Um, just this, you know, a couple weeks ago, we had like probably about 50 people at the middle school during those days we were open for um, open gym. Um, so the K5 space is definitely our biggest area for students and you can see the registration numbers for our different programs that we offer. Um the middle school, we have been doing more and more and more programming at the middle school. So last year we provided over 20 after school programs at the middle school. This includes urban debate league, debate and espanol, chess club, D&D club, newspaper club, um gaming club, microc club. Um we have a picture of my newspaper club. That's my club. So I'm a little portion for them. Um, and then we have our students in uh, Date and Espanol. And I want to give a shout out to our students last year, RA in Anuinet. They won first place the whole championship last year um, in the city championship. Our debate team this year had their first debate today. So, um, we look forward to seeing what their the results were for that. Um, we also have another group called YDC. Um, last year we had students who wanted to plan a year-end event, so we did that with them. And then this year, um, we teamed up with a student advisory board. Um, and our main focus is on student mental health. So, we're helping them out and they're helping us out. Um, in the high school, the big programs that we oversee at the high school are driver's education and ACT prep. Um we switched over to A+ driving school this year for our driver's education. Um on average we have about 200 students who do driver's ed through us and then about 30 who do the ACT prep course summer. Um last summer we were over at PSI and we offered over 65 summer camps um for students in g grades K through eight with 556 total registrations. And then we also partnered with the Sana Foundation to provide a free soccer camp for the students who attended uh summer learning academy and we had over 85 students that participated in that. Um and then one of our big programs last year too was called fishing Fridays. We got a DNR grant of about $25,000 um to give off to do fishing programming. Um, so some of the things we did last summer, we brought in a professional fisherman and he taught the kids how to put their fish fishing pole together and they got to keep those fishing poles. Um, we taught the students about fish in Minnesota and we got to borrow some exhibits from the Minihaha watershed district to teach the students how to keep our waters clean for the fish. Um, we brought students over to Lamplighter Pond multiple times. We caught some good fish over there. Um, we also went on some field trips to Highland Park and um, we had a family fishing event during the SLP art fair um, at Wolf Wolf Park which was fun and we are going ice fishing on February 6th on Lake Minnetonka. So, we're looking forward to that. I think we have um 30 kids signed up for the ice fishing trip. So, we're super excited for that. Um, so we want to make sure our enrichment programs are accessible for anybody who wants to participate. So these are just some of the ways we um make sure anybody that wants to participate can. We have grants from the DNR, Henipin County, the Family Services Collaborative. With that grant money, we are able to offer scholarships um for our students. So, in 2425, including the summer, we gave over 65 scholarships totaling $7,000. Um, we do sliding scale when we're able to. So, we have a wide variety of programs that are on a sliding scale. And then we're always looking for partnerships. So some of our notable partnerships that are we're able to offer free programming for students is the Sana Foundation, Move Forward and Centro Tyrone Guzman. Aquatics. Aquatics is another program that we oversee that I oversee. Um we have a big uh program here mostly at Central. Um we do swim lessons at four different levels. We have daily adult lap swim Monday through Friday here at Central. Um, open family swim. We have a new offering this fall, Aquazumba. Um, it's on Thursdays, 7:15 to 8 for 13 plus. Um, and then we do Aquafins synchro for our middle and high school students. So, we get lots of people registered for that. Um, and then targeted services. So, targeted services is also overseen by youth enrichment. Um, targeted services is a state funed academic intervention program intended to keep students on grade level progression with non-traditional academic experiences. So during the school year we do after school programs. Last year we ran after school programming at Aquilla, Peter Hobart, Susan Lingren and the middle school. Um we had about 325 students in those afterchool programs and then that also encompasses summer learning academy. So last year we had 200 at the elementary level and 100 at the middle school level and we are um going to be launching the this summer's registration soon. So thank you for your time. Any questions? No. >> Sure. Let's u does does anyone have any questions or comments? >> Dr. [clears throat] mostly comments, but uh one is I think the programs at the middle school you said we've kind of grow I think they've exploded since I think I started on the board. I think there were like two programs or something just a few years ago. So I really that's really great. I love how we're supporting students like not just you know through that just school day but then afterwards and more than like you know these enrichment opportunities as they're called. It's very um appropriate to be calling them that because like chess or debate or I think newspaper like you said or whatever. So that's just really great to see. I I had one question but it's not like I have to get an answer to it right now. I think I I've I've asked it before and I didn't remember why but is there at some point if somebody could explain why there's we think there's such a discrepancy like Hobart having such a low number and some of those things um in terms of you know the student enrollment there. I'd be interested in hearing more about that but I don't I don't have to hear about that right now or anything. Absolutely. Thank you. >> I think I've said it before and I'll say it again that my child all the way through ECF all the way through went to all of your youth programs both after school for kids place and the summer programs and now she has become a teacher. So she's still involved because she's teaching um with you. So I love our programming. I love our youth program. I think it's amazing and it really does build community among um it's how it's a great place for kids to meet kids at other elementary schools otherwise they don't really get that opportunity. So thank you so much. >> I actually will speak to Peter Hobart. >> Oh okay. >> So really quickly just so because we're all here all youth program and so the 84 that you saw for uh Peter Hobart that was kids place alone. the majority of uh kids place, excuse me, the majority of Peter Hobart students do participate in our targeted services program as well as our youth enrichment program. So there are a lot of students engaged in num a number of ways. >> I think I recall that that Peter Hobart in particular has a very rob that's now all clicking with me. I think I just wanted for the public to understand it wasn't about a lack of resources or lack of they are engaged but that there are there are people there that are doing a number of things too. Correct. >> Numerically, it looked like it was less. Yes. But activity-wise, we're saying it's just it's the same if not more. So, >> yes, we didn't demonstrate the numbers of our targeted services program. This great >> which is Junior's Oreos Nest and >> really helpful. Thank you. >> Thank you. Have a good night. >> Thank you so much again. All right. Um, moving right along. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. It is recommended that the school board approve the consent agenda with the following business and personnel items for January 27th, 2026 schoolboard meeting as presented. Do I have a motion? >> Uh, thank you, Director Baldman. I just like had a brain fart there in a sec. Can I get a second? >> Thank you. Um, and again, business items are just sort of there for um normal operations. So all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose say no. Motion carries. 70. Um so that moves us on to 8B. Madam Chair, um [clears throat] if I may, I'm going to recuse myself for this discussion and I'll step out and if someone would just come let me know when we are on to the next. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Thank you. Um, is that a motion? Is it It is recommended that the board approve the resolution. Okay. So, I'm gonna wing it. Here we go. So, it is recommended that the board approve uh the resolution. Yep. Resolution. I think that in support of immigrant families. Right. So, it is recommended that the school board approve the resolution in support of immigrant families. I will move it. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Director Williams. Um, before we move on to discussion, the clerk, when we have moments like this, when we have a resolution, the clerk reads the entire resolution. It's rather long, so >> Yep. We're not I'm not as a speech coach, I'm totally judging, but Go ahead. >> Okay. Uh the resolution uh declaring St. Louis Park Public Schools as a welcoming, safe, and inclusive school district committed to providing a secure environment for all students, education, education personnel, and families. Whereas the US Supreme Court held in Plyer versus DO that under the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment, no public school district can deny children access to free public education based on their immigration status or the immigration status of their parents. And whereas it is the right of every child in Minnesota to access a free public K through2 education free from discrimination and St. Louis Park Public Schools affirms its position as a district that welcomes and supports all students regardless of immigration status, race, color, religion, gender, or country of origin. And whereas St. Louis Park Public Schools is a district with a large immigrant and foreign born population, including mixed status families. And whereas the Department of Homeland Security's January 20, 2025 memo rescending the protected areas enforcement policy and thus allowing immigration enforcement actions in schools, college campuses, playgrounds, hospitals, places of worship, and other social services, facilities is causing concern among educators, students, and families served by the school district. And whereas federal immigration law enforcement activities and raids around district property and transportation routes, whether by surveillance, interview, demand for information, arrest, detention, or any other means, harmfully disrupt the learning environment and undermine access to free public K- through2 education. And whereas through its policies and practices, St. St. Louis Park public schools has made a commitment to quality education for all students which includes a safe and stable learning environment, means of transportation to and from school sites, the preservation of classroom hours for educational instruction, screenings of who may enter the school and the requirement of school attendance. And whereas educ educational personnel are often the primary sources of resources and information to assist students and support their emotional and physical health, which puts additional strain on their own personal health. Be it resolved that the St. Louis Park Public Schools declares the district to be a safe haven for its students and staff regardless of immigration status, meaning that the district is a place free from discrimination, harassment, bullying. And be it resolved that the district prohibits im immigration enforcement agents or other federal or state or local law enforcement agencies acting on behalf of ICE from being on school grounds without a judicial warrant and approval of the superintendent's office. Given the likelihood of a substantial disruption posed by the presence of ICE or other federal or state or local law enforcement agencies acting on behalf of ICE, any request by ICE or other agencies to visit the school site should be presented to the superintendent's office for review as to whether access to the site is permitted by law and be it resolved that should ICE or other law enforcement agents request any student information, the request should be referred to the superintendent's office to ensure compliance with the family educational rights Privacy Act, student constitutional privacy, standards for a judicial warrant, state and local privacy or confidential confidentiality laws, and any other limitation on disclosure. This review should be conducted expeditiously, but before any production of information is made, and be it resolved that the district shall continue to protect student education records in accordance with federal and state laws, and does not disclose a student or family's information unless required by law. Any requests will be reviewed and handled by the district council. And be it resolved that St. Louis Park public schools shall post this resolution at every school site and distribute it through the usual means of communication, including on the district website, and that the resolution will be translated into all languages spoken by students and at home. And be it resolved that the St. L Park Public Schools shall provide teachers, administrators, school counselors, and other school personnel, with resources on how to support the educational success and mental health of immigrant students, including undocumented students, refugee students, documented students, and students with temporary protected status, and on their rights and responsibilities in the event of ICE presence on or near near schools. And be it resolved that the board of directors affirms that certified district employees have the academic freedom to discuss this res resolution during class time provided is it is age appropriate and that students are to be made aware that district counselors are available to discuss the subjects contained in this resolution. And be it resolved that the board of directors commits to reviewing and revising board meeting topics of the duration of the school year to ensure the safety of our school community. And be it resolved that the board of directors commits to holding these resolutions at the center when reviewing and approving the district budget to ensure adequate funding to support this work. And be it resolved that after school providers and other vendors and service providers that contract with the district shall be notified of this resolution within 30 days and required to abide by it. >> Thank you, Director Williams. Before I open it up to discussion, I just want to say a couple things. Number one, um, as I mentioned in our, um, study session on January 13th, it is really important as a school board that we make collective decisions together and that the point of the board is that we are a a governing body. We are not one individual person. As chair, I don't get to have my way because I'm chair. That we have to work together and we are obligated and bound to obey open meeting laws. So for us to engage in conversation, it must happen at the board level. Um at the study session, I was given permission to have a small committee um chair or uh former chair Cox and I um worked with staff to begin this resolution. And I need to I want the community to understand that this is an enormous undertaking. Sometimes a statement is just a statement and it has no teeth. We wanted to make sure that if we were going to pass a resolution that the resolution had merit to it and it gave staff clear direction on what we need them to do and what we want them to do regarding resources that need to be allocated, budgets that need to be spent, direction to staff. This wasn't just a statement that we support our families because we absolutely support our families and I think it's evident not only in our staff but also in our own individual um personal statements that we've made to the public. But in order for the board, this collective body to make a difference and make sure our families and our staff are safe, we had to work together and we had to work within the statutes. And I believe that this particular resolution has done that. Um we uh just out of sheer the ability to meet director Williams joined um direct uh director Cox and I and working to put this together. I think it's important to note that um resources right now are already tight and again if you have watched the study session what you would understand is that the um making sure that our staff and our students are supported in their learning demands a lot of resources but also just the security and the things that we need to put into place for that also demands more resources. So um We need to advocate for certainly at the state and I need everybody I need everybody to advocate at the state level for additional funding from our state legislature so that we can continue to protect our students, families and staff. I am committed to that and I know every board member at the table is. But I also need all of our public I need my teachers union. I need my clerical staff union. I need everybody all hands on deck to tell our state legislators that in order for us to do right by our families, they need to back us up with some money and some um resources to help us in that. Now, I will open it up for discussion. >> I have a very academic suggestion. Uh I won't move it yet. I just think um reading some guidance from the Minnesota Attorney General the the second whereas here uh the first whereas we cite Pyl I think the if we just say whereas it is the right of every child in Minnesota. Um I I think we should cite the Minnesota Human Rights Act. So my my suggestion would be that we say whereas comma the Minnesota Human Rights Act guarantees every child in Minnesota access to and then keep the rest of the language. Um because when I when I first read it, I kind of thought of it as uh kind of social media. It's a vague right, right? Like there needs we we should back it up because it is >> a legal right. Yes, you are have you I mean you are absolutely allowed to make a motion to amend the second whereas >> just trying to follow a procedure. >> Do you want to make >> I will move that amendment if everyone understood what that was. I wrote it down to >> No, I'll second it. >> Great. So it was moved by Patrick, second by Colin. And then did you write down word for word? Because I wrote down um whereas The Minnesota Human Rights Act guarantees access to free and then everything else after after access. Do I get it? >> Not quite. >> Okay, why don't you tell me? >> Okay. It reads, "Whereas, >> comma, >> the Minnesota Humans, right? The Minnesota Human Rights Act guarantees every child in Minnesota access to a free public K12 education and the rest of it as it was." >> Every child access to access to a free public K12 education. So it's the rest of it's the same. I'm just sort of >> okay >> just have syntactically I had to move the two around. >> Yep. >> So I have whereas human rights guarantees access. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Perfect. >> Awesome. So uh we need to we need to vote on that first unless director Kauman did you have a comment about his amendment? Okay. So, all those in favor to the amendment as just read by [laughter] Director Williams, those in favor say I. I. Those opposed say no. >> Passes 6. Director Koffman, >> thanks. Um, I appreciate your work on this and um I just had a question about the um um h how you chose like um to phrase support for teachers like how you thought about it and what um like where you just want to hear where that I don't know tell me more. >> Sure. That was um predominantly from me but we also I mean I think all of us supported it. We there was um it was getting long and wordy and we didn't know exactly how to put in um so we wanted to recognize that the the people who are directly dealing with most of our issues right now are teachers. Um I don't like to use war metaphors so I don't want to say front lines but that's kind of what it feels like. Um and so the primary resource and most people trust their teacher more than anyone. I think I shared that at this um study session that the most stabilizing force in a classroom is the teacher. Uh so it takes a toll on their emotional and physical um health and we need to acknowledge that as a board and making sure that when we talk about resources, we're also making sure that we're taking care of our staff. >> Thank you. I guess I just um wanted to know if we should say that specifically. Um I know there's resources for how to support the educational success and mental health. It's providing teachers that um and I I just didn't know if we wanted to be more explicit in also supporting the teachers mental health. >> We said personal health because um we wanted to acknowledge that there's physical and mental health. So we just said personal But we can be more if I mean I don't really I'm not married to personal. We can say physical and mental health. >> Sure. >> So you have >> No, I just I was going to say I mean I think we're open to that. I think you know whatever we were drafting this as best as we could. So like if if we want to be more explicit there that seems like an appropriate choice to make. >> Do we have to make a motion for that? >> We do. Okay. Yeah. I mean, we should because unless we misspelled it or something. Go ahead, >> director Kaufman. What is your motion? >> I make a motion that we >> uh are more explicit in the language about how we are supporting teachers. >> I think I would like to replace personal health with personal and or physical and mental health. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> I'll second that as well. >> Okay. Um I don't think we need any more discussion. >> I don't Does anybody need any more discussion? Makes sense to resolution >> you are. No, it's the whereas it's the last whereas >> I mean I I just appreciate that we are you know that we put some effort into this. is about supporting families and all the people and we're trying to recognize to the best ability all the people who are involved and board member you know and and tolls and other people that you know everybody that a lot of people who are facing this sort of pressure and so this a lot of the work here I will say is based on what we've seen other districts do too um and so a lot of the things that we've borrowed have brought have brought from there and so we've been learning through this process as well too so >> and it says educational personnel because Um, it's there's our support. It's everyone in our buildings. It's not just a classroom teacher. >> So, we said educational. >> Oh, I'm sorry. All those in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed say no. >> Passes 6. Awesome. Thank you for keeping me on track. Any other discussion items? Did you want to do it before we do it? I guess I was sure. >> Okay. >> I think it's best place. >> Okay. >> That's okay. Okay, we will talk more after we vote. [laughter] So, is there any further discussion on the resolution as it's read with the two amendments? Oh u no I just I just wanted to comment just appreciate us taking this word taking this time as um I mentioned at the study session I'm just indulge me for a minute or two to say that I've seen our history as I've kind of been on the board for a few years as I look back at our resolutions that there have been only a handful of times that we've tried to take you know measures like this and to see um this joining that seemed like an important time to be doing this. seems consistent with sort of the tone of this board and you know we looked at also past resolutions that we've drafted and try to make sure that they match that and to me this a lot of this feels really consistent with what St. Louis Park has always valued and continues to value and seems like this is an important step for us to be moving forward. So I just wanted to just note my appreciation for that and just speak to a little bit of that history. So thank you for indulging me. >> Um and I appreciate the the quick the staff that put this together. I'm not entirely sure exactly who all of the eyes is that did, but Dr. Hines, I appreciate you giving us the the information that we needed to move forward. So, I really really appreciate that. I appreciate um other staff members who were involved. I don't exactly know. Oh, thank you, directors, for all of your help and your word smithing. I appreciate it. Um all So, are we ready to vote? Any more discussion? Right. All those in favor for passing the resolution in support of our immigrant families as amended say I. >> I. Those opposed say no. Uh passes 6. And now the advocacy of the resolution. I think director Williams wants to speak to that. >> Yeah. Yeah, I guess I I had some uh language that I guess I'm I am proposing that we as a board um direct action uh around uh advocacy uh specifically uh members on this table who have advocacy orgs with which uh to push this type of advocacy. So, so the language or I guess the the specific advocacy I am uh proposing and recommending is the following. Is it okay for me to read it? Okay. Uh the St. St. Louis Park School's board of directors uh calls upon the state of Minnesota and Minnesota Governor Walls uh to enact an eviction moratorum throughout the duration of operation metro surge or future deployments of federal enforcement agents to protect the housing stabil stability of our at risk students. Uh the St. St. Louis Park Public School Board of Directors calls upon the Minnesota state legislature and Minnesota Governor Walls to release emergency funding for school districts financially impacted by the federal actions taken during Operations Metro Surge. And finally, the St. L Park School's board of directors calls upon Minnesota state and federal officials to support and enact policies that ensure immigration enforcement activities are prohibited from taking place on school grounds, at school events, or near bus stops as buses are in transit. >> So, I think if I'm understanding Dr. correctly is that the resolution gives our staff direction on how to operate in this moment. And what um Director Williams is advocating for is us to do some work and go out and advocate. Um so the MSBA is the Minnesota State School Board Association. AMSD is the um Association of Metro School Districts and then the Superintendent Association. But I um here's my question. So when we advocate when the staff when our St. Louis Park staff advocates at the capital, how do we make this do we have to vote on it to say this is what you should advocate or do I just tell you? Do we just tell you the superintendent please advocate for these things? Like how does this work? >> Sure. um you would just request that we add it to our list of um areas that we will talk to legislators about when we go to the capital to do our advocacy. Um we can also um lean on each of our associations to uh write letters of support in order to advocate for these areas of topics. I know we have Maspo, we have N Menspra, we have I'm looking over there. Masa, we have um MS M um MSPA. So, we have all of our associations that we can also lean into to um be a support and advocate for this as well. >> Does that take a vote or do we just say please do this? >> We say please do this. >> Okay. Um I think it's also important we have a joint meeting with our um city council uh Jan uh excuse me February 9th and so that would also be a place where we can advocate particularly for the eviction moratorum because we can't control that but we can certainly advocate for it and particularly um because we're advocating for our families. I'm back to kind of that original point of some of the advocacy stuff and everything. I think eventually if we do set up a legislative advocacy committee, if it's a standing committee or some things like that, we might have some things that we do out of that committee, which is, you know, it's a passion project of mine that I'm hoping to work on. um at least start some of the work this year and keep some of that stuff moving and then we will be better situated to kind of direct and help people identify and have board participation and as we were saying earlier community participation in this because that will be really instrumental too is making sure that you know we are we are part of that but just making sure that we're getting the community involved with these kinds of activities as well and aware because it takes more than just us so >> I think it's important And I'm sorry, did you want to say one other thing? >> Um, I am big about the advocacy and people expressing their voices. So I encourage all eligible voters to get in touch with their legislators, all elected officials in order to advocate for this because the more they hear from their constituents, it moves the support for them to go and move our issues forward. So, even our students who are um turning 18 and will be 18 by August for our primaries, we want them to start expressing their voice and using their their vote because your voice, your vote is your voice. I think uh I I am not entirely sure when uh director Magnus Magnuson is going to present again with the budget but I think I can't underemphasize that um the cost that it will take to pivot is enormous and the resources that it will take both in financial resources but also our staff is enormous and so that's why the advocacy is so important. Um I it was and I'm sure I am I am not I don't want to speak for anybody but I think that there is some empathy in the audience as an educator. These last um since January have felt like COVID going into COVID with the fear and having absolutely no idea what you were going to do with your students, how to help your students, how to help your family, how to stay mentally and physically well yourself. Um, so the pressure and the stress has been enormous. And I I have I met with Oh, I did want to ask one other question. Shoot. Um, I met with both uh, Representative Craft as well as Representative UI on Friday um to talk to them about the what we are feeling in um, as a district. Um, I'm not going to bring that up, but it's a question for you after. Um, so we are I just I need um I am asking our public to and our staff to understand that we are with you that the board is trying as best as they can to advocate for the things that we know you need to keep our students safe as well as to keep them learning and um take care of their social and emotional health as well. So yep. Oh, both of you. >> I just I was just wondering if we were going to encourage people to advocate which I I love um is there a script that we can create for people um that includes all of those things that you listed so that we could spread it more easily among our community >> and Collins new um newly formed political action committee. I think that would be a great first task. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean and sure I can I can help with some things related to that as well. But I did want to check on one thing. Is this something that we're bringing to the board for a vote or we just we're just talking about it right now. Right. Okay. Great. I just want to make sure like uh officially as part of this we were just saying that but you had put it into some language that was to make it clear and now what director Kaufman's asking for is can we now take that and to make it even simpler and the script that we could use or if community members wanted to come to us and say can we and we can make ourselves available for that we can make that and I might I might look to like director Suku executive director Suku to maybe help with some of this stuff as well too and others but yep I'm I'm willing to to help I think that you also have a new advocacy like look at your you have a committee as well officially established I don't know how >> is it a standing committee it doesn't appear it's a standing comm >> I guess can I just clarify is is it possible to get something sooner than waiting for that committee to to be established perfect >> yes we'll get it for we'll get it soon by the end of the Sure. We'll aim to do something like that by the end of this week. We'll that will be all right. >> So, is there any other discussion about this the resolution in support of immigrant families? No more discussion then I we can now call director um Davis back in. Right. Okay. So, we'll do that before we go to um board member updates. >> She's been in Sure. Right. Um, we are now to board member updates, transmitts. Sorry. >> I But I'm opening up to whomever wants to speak. I think a number of us haven't really we're sort of in a process of establishing ourselves with some of the committees and groups that we meet with. I will say that um to my fellow board members AMSD or M yeah AMSD that on February 9th is it is the legislative meeting. There are two things to know about that meeting. one, it's legislators coming to speak and talk to um members of AMSD about the um about what we're hoping for for a legislative agenda. Um and uh what we're hoping to see out of legislators and they typically get they have two Democrats and two Republicans that will be there. Um, and so it's nice because we tend to get some balanced discussion um, in terms of where people are coming from, which I think sometimes makes us understand what the tone is or what the challenges are. Um, so if you cannot if you can attend in person, it would be good for us to know that because they like to know how many people are going to show up. It tends to be a very popular event. Um, and um, they encourage legislators to come to it from the member districts. They encourage us to invite our legislators. Most of both of our legislators, I think, have it on their list, but if you want to nudge them a little bit more, but it's usually a good one to attend. Otherwise, to watch virtual is just fine, too, because you get to hear the conversation. I just encourage you to think about that. And then afterwards at 9:00, right, is the next meeting, which is um I'm looking looking to Dr. Hines because she knows a little bit more about it, but the dignity index and and you have been talking a little bit about that. Was there anything more that anybody need to know or if you want to just briefly talk about that. >> So the dignity I index is an organization that really centers um people embracing individuals humanity and being conscious of the tones and the language that is used when talking about individuals. So, it puts the the realization of where we currently are. To me, it's like it was spot on time for the dignity index to come and present to school school boards members and superintendent and um district level staff because we are in the thick of this right now. So the more we can continue to practice um with ourselves about seeing the humanity of each individual, the better we can come together as an entire community. >> And so I the one thing I'll add to that is they're offering both um in person they're they're going to they reserve that room so you can just stick around and they do usually have some breakfast and light treats for people. Um, but the other thing is that the indignity index will have a virtual option as well too. So again, if you can't make it or commit to the whole time or can only commit to part of it, then just wanted to make sure that that was clear. But if you are going to be there in person, again, I think if we can know that, if you can let me or director Mancini, you know, know that would just be helpful because then we'll pass that along to ASD. >> I think they can RSVP on the in the link. I can't make that day because I have to take off work on the night for our board retreat. >> February. >> So, February 6 is the AMS. >> February 6. Okay. I flipped the numbers upside down. >> Okay. February 6. Yes. >> I can't miss that much. School. >> Thank you. >> It's okay. No, it's just an RSVP. It's not really a registration. [clears throat] >> Do any other board updates? >> Sure. We have a few. >> Okay. Good evening everyone. Um, so a couple of things I wanted to mention. Um I'll start with the MSBA. So I went to MSBA um the conference. Some of the some of my learnings were around um schoolboard evaluation. I felt like that might be something we want to look into with doing self-evaluations for ourselves. Um so I have some literature here I picked up that I can share with whoever wants to see. Uh also um Yellow Medicine East public schools did a bond referendum and um it was for a population of 600 students from 12 from preK to 12th grade. They were able to get 74 million. So they went over the tactics they used and how they were able to success successfully get that. Um some of it I can share at a later time um because I have notes that I didn't bring, but here's a little flyer too that I picked up that kind of explains some of it. Um and then peak uh I did a peak meeting um with the high school and there was a lot of information, a lot of things they're doing in support um of our staff right now. Um they're still in need of like collections. If you want to [snorts] donate any perishable to the staff, coffee, whatever, bless you. Um uh they're really excited about the writing center. So far they've coached over 50 students. They are in need of more funding. We have 1500 covered by SLP community um a fundraiser fun foundation grant but we're running out of that. So in order to keep this writing center open for our kids we are asking for more funding and um more student coaches are needed. Um as you can see we had over 50 students participate. So I'm sure um one other thing that excited me is that we are now partnering with a new college um Henipin Tech. So, and um we have more courses that we're opening up to. One of them being um a communications course which um has journalism, podcast, audio, video, things of that nature. So, I was kind of excited about those things. And that that's my update. They uh they have been partnering with Henante for a long time, but that is a new one. They've been a They've been awesome. >> Director Bowman, Director Williams, >> twist my arm. Um, it's been a busy week. Uh, let's see. Started out I I want to thank the site council and assorted organization at the middle school for helping our students. is very inspiring, helping the middle school students exercise their voices. Uh last week we had uh I watched 450 middle schoolers walk out and do a few laps around the school. It was very inspiring, but it didn't happen without the help of a lot of parents making sure that things were uh safe. So I wanted to uh and those people know who they are. Um I also was fortunate enough to participate in a drive at Aquilla organized by Aquilla PTO. Um I carloads and car loads full of stuff for STEP. It was great and the bird feeder. Um I was quickly taking notes here. I'm already forgetting all the things that happened over the last week. >> Um oh, I was able to I was invited to act as a community judge at the PSI science and imagination fair. Some great projects there. Uh and uh those are always fun. Um and there's something elseing. I wanted to thank Director Magnus. I attended my first uh financial advisory committee meeting last night. Um I know this much about school finance thanks to the uh the school board's association training I did the week before. So yeah, it's all twisted up in my head, but those are my updates. Thank you. Um, I mean, I I'll just essentially echo uh a lot of what Director Baldwin said. I also had a chance to to be a community judge at the the PSI science and imagination fair. Uh, what an incredible event. Um, some of the very cool things I I saw that I noted. Uh, I saw some milk turned into plastic. Extremely impressive. Uh, homemade uh geodess, I think, is what what you call them. >> That was fun. >> Uh, eggs turned into what like a bouncing rubber ball. Uh felt incredible. Uh that just um an amazing event and to to get a chance to see so many students uh passionate about science was just um really really great uh at a time in a time like this. And I I guess I would again echo uh what director Baldwin said. I'm just uh so thankful of of seeing our community um pull together um in in this time like this. And I I just want our community and our immigrant families to know that it is because of you that that makes our our community so so beautiful, so vibrant, and and really am proud to to call it home. So, thank you. And also look out for um uh step donations and for any drives that that your local PTO is putting on in this time. I was gonna when director Baldwin talked about the the dollars um I did discover that there's a resource and I shared it with our two new board members and I can share it with the other board members as well. The House research has put together a nice simpleish guide and I don't know if director executive director Magnuson has seen this too that talks about some of the different funding streams and they give the example of I don't know school or something like that as an example. So you can see how this stuff works and it's everything from some of the things that we don't ever really have to deal with the the sparsity um funds and stuff like that. But there are some other nuances to it and if people are interested I can point you to it. Otherwise it's in house research and they do it every year but I just saw it this year and I was like and I have a copy actually I can show you if you want to but um it's a good resource if you're just trying to understand it better. I mean executive director Magnus does a nice job but sometimes it's a lot coming at us and she uses it herself. >> [clears throat] >> So there you go. >> I I also attended the middle school walk out and um it was really amazing um to see so many staff also out supporting our students and I just want to put a big shout out to all of the staff, the district staff who are here, the teachers who are everywhere. I know that you are working really hard every day and it is emotional and trying and um I've seen like five teachers cry in the past week. Um and it is really sad and um I just I don't we see you and uh feel for you. So thank you. >> Um yeah I I too attended the science the imagination u fair because those are my favorite things. So thank you for inviting me. I think I missed one out there because of another prior obligation, but it was great. Um, I also attended the um, National Day of Racial Healing and Director Williams was there and so was Dr. Hines with community members and I think um, I think we all just needed that. It was it was really powerful. Um, thank you so much to community ed. I forgot I should have directly to directed my gratitude to director Howard for all of the work that her staff put into it as well as the city staff. It was really um it was really beautiful and I I have gone every I didn't go last year because I was sick. But every um all of the previous years I was able to go and I'm always just so amazed at our students. Um the singing was incredible. but also just um afterwards they opened it up to community members to speak and it was really um I don't know it was a moment where I think we all I'm going to start crying right now. It was just a moment when we needed to be together and find some just some respit from everything. I also was able to meet with Mayor Muhammad to talk about um our joint meeting that's coming up February 9th and that was a good conversation and I think um I think that there are some tangible ways that the district can help the city and the city can help the the district and hoping to move that partnership forward. Um the I've been in and out of Aquilla several times and I thank the staff at Aquilla for putting up with me and inviting me in. But uh doing a morning greeting to uh elementary school is so different than middle school. And it was such a joy and it was a lot of fun. And um director Williams said that I must have a teacher vibe because I got a lot of high fives. I got a lot of knuckles. I got a lot of hugs. and I'm like, I think you're confusing me with another person, but I'll take it. [laughter] Um, so it was it was an awesome opportunity and again, the PTO at Aquilla has really stepped up um to do some really supportive things for the for the family and staff. So, um, our PTO's are really stepping up in this moment. I really appreciate that. So, awesome. So with that, unless there's anything else, I'm going to adjourn this meeting at uh 7:49. Um now we are going to move to a close session. Um,