Mounds View Public Schools — Transcript
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Mountains View High School Student Report
Irondale High School Student Report
Acceptance of Gifts
Superintendent's Report
Community Survey Results Presentation
Community Resource Center Development Update
Technology Audit Recommendations Implementation Update
AMSD and Legislative Updates
School Board Member Reports and Staff Appreciation
Votes (4)
Acceptance of Gifts
Dissent: None
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Jim Galvin reported that the district received six gifts for schools and programs totaling $10,950, and 21 gifts for the Ralph Freeder Food Shelf totaling $39,869. The administration recommended that the board accept these gifts and extend thanks to the generous donors.
Community Survey Results Presentation by Morris Leatherman Company
Dissent: None
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Peter Leatherman presented an in-depth analysis of a community survey, emphasizing high ratings for district education quality (93%), teacher appreciation, and effective use of taxpayer money. The report highlighted residents' general willingness to discuss property tax increases for vital investments, particularly safety and security, noting 67% support for a hypothetical $10 million capital projects levy. The macroeconomic situation and property tax hostility were acknowledged as factors, though concern was less focused on school taxes.
DOP Goal Update: Community Resource Center
Dissent: None
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
Jen Lodin and Carl Brown presented on the evolving strategy for the Community Resource Center, moving from a single physical location to a coordinated network of support. They detailed the significant and growing needs within the community, as evidenced by increased Food Shelf and snack program utilization. The new model emphasizes leveraging existing partnerships, streamlined access, and utilizing current community spaces to meet families' needs, with future work focusing on formalized referral networks, shared needs assessment, and securing sustained funding.
DOP Goal Update: Implement Technology Audit Recommendations
Dissent: None
Moved by N/A · Seconded by N/A
John Perry presented the significant progress made in implementing technology audit recommendations. The district dramatically improved its cyber security score from 689 to 734, achieved through enhancements like multi-factor authentication, event log monitoring, and robust patch management. The update also outlined the department's mission and core principles, focusing on providing reliable, secure, and user-friendly technology, and detailed future plans for systematic technology planning, budgetary foresight, and continuous security improvements, emphasizing the district's thoughtful integration of technology in learning.
Notable Quotes (9)
The 93% is among the highest. You do have a bit of a drop in the excellent the enthusiastic rating... But what we have seen now with the excellent rating, as I mentioned, we're at 80%, the norm excellent rating is about 11%. So you're still almost 4x on that enthusiastic evaluation of the quality of education.
The key on this is the no because as the question is framed, it doesn't talk about operating bond capital projects. That fleshes out the core no and we always want the the disagreement to be less than 30% at the outset. The lower that number is does not guarantee success. It just shows a willingness for a discussion in the community for a property tax increase.
You're one of the few school districts in the past 18 months looking at funding requests where I can say what we tested has a high probability of success.
Rather than pursuing a single physical location for a community resource center, we are really shifting towards strengthening our coordinated network of support that leverages our strong existing partnership and focuses on streamlined access.
The need is definitely growing in our community. I would say that we're probably have slight growth right now in 2025, but really it's you're seeing a lot of it where higher food costs are contributing to new people coming in.
Why schools? Because the kids are here. I mean, they all come here. And so, if we're going to remove barriers for them and their families, then they can re-engage in the learning that we're here. That really is our mission.
The Mounds View information technology department exists to support the education and business operations of district 621 by providing secure and effective management of the district's technology systems providing staff students and parents with help resolving technology related issues and by bringing forward innovative solutions that foster improvements across the organization.
Last year FR secure did the assessment. They gave us a score... of 689. This year we redid the assessment... and they gave us a score of 734. That's a huge improvement in terms of cyber security.
You don't see a whole lot of kids on computers for the sake of kids being on computers. I think the district, I don't know if I think maybe Mountains View never fell into the trap of, well, technology is more engaging. Just do it on technology and everything will be better.
Ordinances & Resolutions (12)
Award recognizing outstanding educators in Minnesota.
Scholarships distributed to seniors.
Results of a community resident survey regarding the school district.
Proposed funding request for safety, security, and technology.
District's objective to explore and develop a community resource center.
District Operating Plan goals for the 2023-2024 academic year, relevant to technology audit recommendations.
Cyber security assessment that provided recommendations and a security score.
Technology assessment used for recommendations.
Department's framework for technology development, including goals and benchmarks.
Industry best practices standard for security programs.
Legislative bills related to education.
Legislative bills related to health and human services.