like to call to order the Shockby School board truth and taxation meeting for uh December 15, 2025. Tiffany, can you please do the role? >> Zedic >> here. >> Valdez >> here. >> Peterson >> here. >> Smith >> here. >> Aldridge >> here. Johnson >> here, >> Roy >> here, >> Brian >> here, >> and Sha >> here. Please join me in the pledge of 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. Uh before we continue with today's agenda, I'd like to share news regarding a student in our school community and observe a moment of silence. Um last weekend, East Middle School received difficult news regarding a current student who previously attended Eagle Creek Elementary and has connections to West Middle School and the greater Shaki community. Early in the week, East Middle School was sad to communicate the unexpected loss of Cooper Kennedy, a sixth grade student in our district. With care and on behalf of Cooper's family, this news was also shared with me West Middle School families and district staff. The gathering in his honor was held before this meeting. As shared in a fundraiser that was organized by close friends and on his family's behalf, Cooper's kindness showed up in a thousand small ways, especially in the way he went out of his way to help the people he cared about. To his friends, he was loyal, steady, and someone they could always count on. This loss of Cooper will continue to raise many emotions for those within our greater middle school community. Our crisis team, which is made up of dedicated professionals trained to help with the needs of students, families, and school personnel, will continue to be present at various district sites as needed. Uh, I'd also u [clears throat] like to share a quote from the memorial tonight. There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone the poet remains. Uh with our fault support, please join me in honoring Cooper Kennedy. Moment of silence. >> Thank you. Next on our agenda is the uh truth and track taxation presentation. Um and here to present is David Daskkovich, our director of finance and operations. Good evening board members. Dr. U here to present the 25 AL 26 truth and taxation. Um before I start my presentation, I just wanted to take a moment um to thank my finance department um for their diligent work and continued support for Shockby of Shockby public schools. As I move on, a little bit of a financial highlight. Um for June 30th of 2024, we received the ASBO certification of excellence. Um we will apply for that. It's due December 31st for the 25 June 30th, 2025 audit. um we will fill out that paperwork, do the review and comment and submit for the certification of excellence and then we shall receive that find out at around June of uh 2026. Another financial highlight I just wanted to bring to the board is the past eight years of unassigned fund balance for the general fund that the school district has seen. Um as you can see in 2017 2018 uh it started at 2.2% in the last two fiscal years we've been around 10% on assigned fund balance in our general fund. Um this just shows the significant uh effort commitment of Shock Public Schools board and also uh their administration. All right, on to the requirements of the truth of taxation. Um with Minnesota state statute 275 065 we are required by that statute to walk through the 25 payable 26 final property tax levy change from prior year specific reasons for those changes from prior year such as funding formula adjustments enrollment changes referendum impacts and also debt service changes distribution. We also need to review the distribution of revenues by revenue source which is our 2526 budget and also spending by program for our 2526 budget. And then there's a section for public comment and questions from the board. An overview before we jump into our 256 truth and taxation. Uh our finances of Minnesota's public school district is made up of four combination of funding sources. One, state aid, which is the majority of most school districts funding, um local generated revenue, property taxes, all of the work uh in federal allocations, all of those work to support educational programs and operations needs of the school district. on to the 25 payable 26 levy information pay 25 versus pay 26 levy comparison. Um I will walk through this um just as the dollar differences. Uh the general fund we are seeing a $9.5 million adjustment from prior fiscal year. This is an increase for our 25 paid 26 taxes. This is due to questions one and two being both passed. Question one was $620, question two 310. Um there also is some additional adjustments in there for prior fiscal year pupil enrollment adjustments. Um during September we have to enter the what we project for student enrollment into MDE system called medium meet. This generates what we are going to receive for those for levy revenues during this uh pay 2526 for previous fiscal year adjustments. The lobby is two years behind. We start to see those adjustments once they're reconciled. And so with us being conservative on the student enrollment, we're starting to see a slight increase in those revenues based on what we put into the ADM system. Community education. Uh this is a reduction of roughly 49,000 um or 7 negative 7.36%. General debt service um as a reduction of 30%. This is due to the 2016A goal refunding bonds falling off for the 26 27 fiscal year. Uh this reduction we did see uh we planned for and that's why we came out with question one which was an opposite of that. Question two for additional general fund. Um this is the general fund breakdown of all the funding sources in the levy. Um the biggest ones I want to talk about is operating referendum. This is due to the successful passage of question one and two um which is a $7.9 million increase. local optional revenue. This increase of 88,000 is an additional this is a $724 per pupil um with an increase on the EDM is 90 students um which shows 88,000 um the equity levy state equalization act that is a reduction of 306,000. This is due because of questions one and two be passing um has increased our operating referendum which then we get less equalization in our levy. Um and also as we move through it, the capital projects technology levy. This is calculated based on net tax capacity. This has risen for the pay 26 2526 which we are seeing a $257,000 adjustment for that increase. Um the other big one I would like to talk about through here is long-term facilities maintenance. Um it this shows an increase of $459,577 from the actuals of pay 2425. Um this is due to part of reduction in debt service with some of that LTFM funding applied towards the final payoff and now it will switch over from being debt levy or debt service funding to general funding. >> [clears throat] [snorts] >> on to community service. This is the funding sources we receive for our levy um for community service. Um the main two I would like to talk about is community education. Um this is a reduction of 13,179. This is due to a basic levy cap reduced by legislation from 00 or 0.003289 to 0.3128. Uh legislation reduced this calculation by that amount which is reducing our aid even though we are seeing higher student count population. Early childhood levy this tax rate decrease from previous fiscal year which is reducing it by $22,61. This is set annually by the commissioner of education. Those are two of the bigger ones. The total proposed levy for community ed is a reduction of 49,204 is what I want to touch base on. Next slide is debt service. This one's relatively easy compared to the other two. Um it's just one line. We are seeing a drop of $5.4 million in the debt service fund and this is due to those bonds falling off. This is a graph of the pay 25 versus 26 levy comparison. Um kind of shows you where the levy is trending um with general educa general fund increasing for the 26 27 fiscal year. Um debt service also decreasing due that debt fall off with community ed staying relatively neutral. Um the total net change is $4,31,96.36 with what we need to do with the truth and taxation. We do need to look at the prelim budget for 20 256. Uh the prelim budget, this is a requirement of Minnesota state statute. This was approved in June. So it's nothing you need to do approve this budget. Again, it was approved during your prelim budgeting. Um, so just a quick overview, you know, our budget for the total funds was 174,6,825 with the general fund being the majority of that budget at 132,254,55. expenditure budget. Same thing as revenues. We just need to look at it and talk through it. So with the true taxation, we'll look at it real quick. So the expenditures, did I screw up the previous slide? I have Okay, let me go back. Revenues were 125,566 527 with total budget of 167,326 and 700,000 sorry expenditures. This total budget of all funds was 174,16,825 with the general fund being the majority of that portion at $132,254,555. Uh we are showing for 2526 the budget the prelim budget reflects deficit spending of 660 sorry $6.6 6 million per budget deficit of expenditures over revenues. Additional information. Um, main variables that may cause property tax increases and decreases. Changes in market values, shift in residential, commercial, agricultural values affecting tax distributions, uh, changes in class rates, property classification, legislation adjustments, or shifts in how properties categorize for taxation. voter approved referendums, which is this one we did for the page 2526. Uh operating levies, capital projects, tech technology, building referendums approved by the voters. Uh total district debt levels and interest rates influence the impact of bonds. Um the last one but not least is state adjustments, changes in state funding, equalization factors, and mandated le. The next slide is the spread levy pay 25 versus 26. Um we had talked about when we were going out for our referendum what houses in values would pay for the next fiscal year. This is just kind of recap again from PTMA. Um I added into this slide. So if you want to take a look at the house, it's $381,000 roughly 400,000 what we talked about. The net change for next year is $114. This doesn't take into effect any growth within the district or the city bounds. So as development is built out that becomes available for taxation. So this in line is not taking that into account. This is the last slide 20 25 P26 levy overview. This is just pursuant to Minnesota state statute. Uh school board independent school district 720 in Shocki Minnesota is authorized to make the following tax levies for general purposes. General fund at 37,479 488.38 committee education fund at 619. 9553 that service at 12,819,71870 total final levy tax uh tax levy at 50,918,4261. The levy to be levied for 25 elected 26 is at 50 million for 15.9 million. Thank you. [snorts] >> Uh next on our agenda is public comment uh specific for the troop and taxation meeting. Uh this is the time where members of the public can participate in the meeting without being part of the meeting agenda. A member of the public may address the board on an agenda topic or on another topic pertaining to schoolboard business. We allocate a total of 15 minutes for public comment at this meeting. Each individual speaker may speak for up to 2.5 minutes. The sign up for public comment has been conducted online and in person prior to the CBS meeting. No one has signed up for public comment prior to the CBS meeting. We will move on to the next item on the agenda. And the next item is to um adjourn the truth and taxation portion of the meeting. So I would entertain. [snorts] >> So moved. >> Motion by Aldridge and second by Peterson. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Truth and taxation meeting is adjourned. With that, we will call to order the regular schoolboard business meeting for December 15, 2025. Tiffany, can you please do the roll? >> Civics >> here. >> Valdez >> here. >> Peterson >> here. >> Smith >> here. >> Wridge >> here. >> Johnson >> here. >> Brian >> here. >> And >> here. >> We have already done the pledge of allegiance earlier. So, we will uh move on to the saber pride portion of our meeting. It's always the favorite part of our meeting. Um, and tonight our saber pride is our student voice edition. We have two students here tonight to present. We have Kaylee Remington and Dona Solarzano Herrera. And uh, accompanying them are Tiffany Olsen and they're supported by Sarah Gillson High School educators. We'll give them an early round of applause. [applause] So, per usual, I am just here to help shine light on our students and the fantastic works our educators do. So, I'll be a little bit of the moderator here, but why don't we go down and make sure we all know who is who, Princ, maybe share what you do with the human services. >> Yeah. Hi, I'm Sarah Gilkerson and I teach in the human services academy. and one of the courses I teach is the advanced course and the teaching and education pathway called multicultural education. >> Um I'm Haley Orington. I'm currently a junior here at Chic High School, also an ambassador for our student services academy and I am a participant in Missultural. >> I'm Donna. Um I'm also a part of the multicultural athletes and I am also a part of the human services. So as with any good saber prize, somebody shares something that's going on in the district and there's thousands of things every day. Uh but this was definitely a savers supporting savers moment that was really great to highlight and hopefully these ladies can share that today. So, uh maybe Donna, you want to share a little bit of the overview of the project and then we'll go to some of these questions that we have for you. >> Um this project was a picture book lesson. We had to create our own lesson for a certain grade. Both of our class focused on those younger kids like kindergarten, first grade, second grade. I was lucky enough to go to two different classes, first and second grade, over at Red Oak and Eagle Creek Elementary. Um, I think this a very special opportunity that we get to have. It's very on hands experience for the student that like that go through multicultur high school. Um, we like learn very like different tactics of how to teach kids how to handle situations. Um, and I feel very fortunate that I am high school because it's definitely super proud and very proud of me. >> All right. So, hopefully everyone got that you had beautiful preparation that you had from a curriculum standoint. Can you go into that a little bit more, Phyllis the assignment [snorts] and then share more about that experience? >> Definitely. Um, I think the thing with the assignment is finding something that you're passionate about that can help eliminate the stigma when it comes to diversity and making our schooling system um, as equal as we possibly can. Um, we have so many different assets that come into our schooling systems. And I think by teaching the young kids with learning with that, I think was something that [snorts] I mostly liked as I was prepping for the lesson was how can I make a difference in, you know, I'm only there for like 30 to 40 minutes to read a book. What is the biggest impact that I can make on a child? And I think that um that was like kind of the main thing with prep with prepping for it is like what is it what is going to be the outcome of it. You know what what is going to be the big takeaway from the lesson. What do I want them to go home telling their parents about? I either like oh yeah we read a book or no we read a book on like how it's okay that I can like the color that I want to like or my hair can be as long as I want it to be whether if I'm a girl or if I'm a boy or you know discovering also selfidentity is I think what helped me be successful by prepping for the lesson. >> Fantastic. And then what was the most rewarding part of what you did? You did all this preparation. You're in the human services academy. Then you got to go like see with my parents. What did you think? >> I think the most rewarding part was like seeing the kids be so amused when you're teaching them. Um like that stuck with me was like like a little girl coming up to me like Miss Donna and I like that just like made my day. Um so that's why like it just made like this is what it's about you know like very about this this opportunity. Um, and it also lets the kids know that they are set up to have a very good system in the future. They could present this. >> What do you have to add? Um the classroom that I went to um assist reading with one of my classmates was I've been doing a lot of um kind of partner work with um my old fourth grade teacher uh Kristen Hangle at uh Jackson Elementary. I have her as a student and went back for a previous course and I was following and taing for her class and then I got to go back and read a picture book lesson and it's really cool because the teachers can see um the growth in a student of like I had you once that age and then you come back but then it's also the kids can learn and like uh Donna pointed out was like they can see where they will end up one day um but also teaching them that um the differences are are okay and um to also help them pursue what they believe in and what they're passionate about. >> Fantastic. And did this change, reinforce or do anything about your education pathway that you're on in your journey or what did you think in general that or do you have a different journey? Um, I am I'm not particularly taking the education pathway, but I took the experience to learn about the differences that make up um, children as they're going through school. Um, I think it also it didn't really change my perspective. It just added more to my belief of believing that everybody is different. Everyone's beautiful. They bring a form of style. And I think that just solidified more information that I learned about people, not with equity, but with learning about um poverty, you know, um the LGBTQA um immigration, like all those different things, it was just solidifying more things of that I can use as a person when I go out into the real world and I have communications with other people. >> Um yeah, this I'm also not taking the education pathway, but this was very changing my experience. I think if I were to not want to do what thinking of doing then I would definitely do education teachers are what the world tell us what you're thinking of doing. [laughter] Um I was hoping to go into a partnerships or just other >> Yeah. Well, certainly these lovely [clears throat] ladies and my students grew a lot in their public speaking and communication skills and their knowledge and lesson planning and how to work with children. Um but we had some great partners. Um Sarah Peterson, our literacy coordinator, came in and modeled what a picture for Pleasant looks like for our students. [clears throat] Excuse me. And then also um our media specialist um Katie Bone, excuse me, um Katie Bone and Sandy Rich came in and talked about how books are windows, mirrors or doors and how um we sometimes can see ourselves within books um and also they're like windows into other people's lives. So we can have empathy for others and have an understanding for all kinds of people. >> Fantastic. Well, we appreciate all of you. You only shared a little snippet of this amazing opportunity, but hopefully everyone got a little bit more of a flavor. And there's any questions. These are the experts here, but this is our saber pride of sabers supporting savers and mentoring our younger students. >> Questions? just inspired just listening to them. >> It's always great to get into the classroom and you just get a different perspective when you're around the students just like what you've described. So, I need to get back and do that again reading to kids. I really enjoy that. >> Well, thank you all very much. >> Thanks for having us. [applause] Next on our agenda is the consideration of the agenda as presented. >> Second motion by Peterson, a second by Johnson. Is there any discussion? See none. All those in favor. Opposed. Motion carries. [clears throat] Next is the public comment portion for our regular business meeting. This is the time where members of the public can participate in the meeting without being part of the meeting agenda. A member of the public may address the board on an agenda topic or on another topic pertaining to schoolboard business. We allocate a total of 15 minutes for public comment at this meeting. Each individual speaker may speak for up to 2.5 minutes. The sign up for public comment has been conducted online and in person prior to this evening's meeting. No one has signed up for public comment prior to this evening's meeting. We will move on to the next item on the agenda. Next in our agenda is item 10, consent items. And Tiffany has those on the screen. We got personnel items and meeting minutes, bills and authorizations, wires, and field trip approval. I entertain a motion. >> So, second motion by Aldrich and a second by Valdez. Any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Next on our agenda is item 11. This is a resolution for donations. Tiffany has those up on the screen. We thank all the our generous donators. Sheriff Smith, I would like to point out on your way out or in today uh when you came in, you'll see a lot of these donations for winter weather here in the welcome center and our school counselors, social workers, CFLs are doing a great job as they always do getting those in the hands of students who need the most. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second motion by Aldridge and second by Brophie. Any discussion? Seeing none, Tiffany, can you do the roll? Zedic, >> yes. >> Belz, >> yes. >> Peterson, >> yes. >> Smith, >> yes. >> Aldridge, >> yes. >> Johnson, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Resolution passes. >> Next in our agenda is uh an action item, item 12.1, our district office lease renewal. And here to present is Corey Whitbeck from Tanka Real Estate Advisors. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, board. Dr. Redmond. Uh, thanks for having me. I'm Corey Whipback to Takar Rosa Advisors. Um, and I've been an advisor consultant to the district for over a dozen years now. I was involved with the the Takata lease um, and moving into this this building, the district office lease from when you moved in, helped you with the sale of central as well. So, we've been around for a while and I've got three kids that have graduated from uh, from the school. So, a thanks to all of you and the efforts you have here. the experience has been great to see the young people speak. It's um it's really a fantastic experience here. Um I'm here because uh the district's lease for the space that we're sitting in today expires next year. Um and so um so the district engaged me to assess the current situation. We have a lease that expires in October. Um, and so we spent some time taking a quick look at the market, trying to determine if there are any better opportunities out there to either purchase, you know, purchase a building to retrofit, move into other lease opportunities, um, and such. And and with that, um, I think we've come to the conclusion that there really aren't any better opportunities that this remains a very economical, uh, solution for you. Um, and so what was in front of us is a, um, a right or ability to renew for another three years. And so we're recommending that um that we do um exercise that right to renew and extend the lease for another three years. Um there's going to be just a slight increase in the net rental rate. We're at 725 a foot today. Um going up to 775 a foot um come November 2026 with some incremental increases each year thereafter. Um, a couple of highlights. Um, you know, to this lease, it's not as exciting as it's been in years past because, um, the last renewal we did, we we really leaned on the landlord to have them do some work to the parking lot, the roof, the HVAC systems. Um, um, and they've done those things. I think everything is going much better than it had been in previous years. Um and and then unfortunately there was a major water incidents uh here where there was a lot of damage to the space. Um and so you know that was not so fun. But the good news is you know you've got brand new carpet, paint, ceiling tile. Um and so this for this most current discussion there just wasn't really the kind of work that has needed to be done in the past which I think is great news. It just means things are going better and the space is is working for you. Um, and so, um, I think, you know, couple of highlights is is that we're really not doing much. So, hopefully that's just less distraction for folks and the space is in good shape and working for you. Um, in addition to this existing three years uh renewal, we were out of options and so we um have discussed with the landlord, they've agreed to give us another three years. And so, this um renewal that we're asking you to approve is from um you know, it's from November of 26 through October of 29. And this would allow us to then go from 29 to 32 or at least have the right to do that. As a reminder for those of you that haven't been paying attention, we've also got the right to terminate in this lease um annually. So it really provides ultimate flexibility. Um so um once a year you have the ability to decide not to um allocate funds to this and you can terminate fully. So again, between shorter term extensions and the right to terminate, it really gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility in particular if you decide you want to do something different. Um, you know, whether it would be find an opportunity or, you know, really inexpensive ability to buy. Um, it's going to be tough to do that just because, you know, the rents are very very reasonable. Um, but again, just ultimate flexibility and we think the space, you know, works well for you. Um, on the next page here, um, we've been doing this for some years as as people challenged and said why you know if we own buildings why are we you know why are we leasing space and um I think this is just you know an interesting tool um first of all we've looked at owning buildings we you know some years ago we looked at retrofitting central um and you know really cost prohibitive when you compare it to how little rent we're paying here and then when we look at the market um there's not a lot of office space we're kind of at the edge of the of the office frontier here in Chaki um but [clears throat] just to give you an idea of how our rent tax. So, we've done this just as a comparison. So, we've taken a typical office building in the in the marketplace um and if you were paying $15 per square foot in in base rent, so it's exclusively your tax operate cost that you still have to pay, you know, you'd be at $382,000 a year in rent. If you were in an industrial building, we built all office space within that industrial building. you know, we've given a rent range and we've said, you know, that that particular building is about 1150 a foot compared to the 775 that we're at. Um, so that'd be $292,000. And then again, just in our sample building, Valley Green there. Um, just pure warehouse space. So just walls, lights, heat, other air conditioning. You know, even at that, you're paying about $6 per square foot for just raw warehouse space. So, we've done this just to give you a sense of how does our rent here compare to what's out in the marketplace. You can see why we've, you know, continue to have reasonable discussions with the landlord because I think this is, you know, really one of the most economic opportunities you you have and, you know, we'll continue to have. Um, and then this is just a a copy of the lease document that we're um looking to approve that as uh get approved, which as I said has these rents, the ability to renew for three years, uh, you know, an additional three years, that right to terminate. Um, and then the landlord is also committed to making some some um improvements and fixes to the front door, which seems to have some problems from some time to time. So, they've agreed to step up for for that piece as well. Otherwise, it's a pretty it's a pretty straightforward document. Um, but you know, I think it's I think it's a good school a good solution for the school district both as a real estate expert and as as a resident of Stockby, I think this is a a good solution for the district. So, with that questions? >> Question. So, I mean to me the warehouse portion it looks much cheaper, but is it because there's not it would be essentially more money is all it is. the warehouse. >> It's just a box. Yeah. Yeah. So, when I say $6 per square foot, that's a concrete floor, four walls, there's a heater in there, but there is an air conditioning or there's lighting, there's a sprinkler system, and that's it. So, where and one of the reasons that office, you know, rents are so much higher than warehouse is because the money that needs to go in to build them out to [clears throat] to look like this. And that's construction costs can have gone up a lot over the last few years. So to take that a box like that and then spend all the money to build it, you know, then you get up closer to that $15 per square foot. You spend that kind of money to build whether whether the district will spend it or if the landlord would spend it on your behalf. Um the other challenge is when you do those scenarios where you get the landlord to give you some money to build the space for them to get reasonable returns, they're going to expect a you know a long-term lease, seven, eight, nine year lease. So, we need some of the flexibility we've had with these shorter terms and information right just a quick question. So, this includes the TCA learning center, is that correct? >> It's not just a district office. >> No, this is this is just a district office. >> It is just a district office. >> Yes. >> Yeah. So the TC [clears throat] >> I just wanted to make sure that this this is just the district office and not >> correct. That's correct. >> Yeah, they're separate and and not at the same time. So I mean hypothetical >> I think we talk about this every time that this comes up but in the event that this space goes away [cough] um [snorts] what what are our options other than the you know facilities that you might have shown here earlier. >> Yeah. Um, I mean, is this would we look at one of our schools to see if there's space there or I mean, what would what would we do? Because obviously this is this really this space works well for for us, but [snorts] I just >> Yeah, we talked a little bit at at finance committee and I talk about it fairly often with Cy. Cy does a really good job of staying a breast of what's available in the community. partly because we know that, you know, we have that annual option to get out if something kind of came up. Um, you know, we we have a contract provided, you know, the building's still standing. And I think, you know, that they the landlord that we work with, and again, there's three parts of this building. They own one of them, you know, one of the three parts. uh they've been able to rent some, you know, some places out and it seems like it's going better than it was just a few years ago. So, I think um you know, in terms of the building going away or a change of course there and never say never, you know, things change, but we would typically have some time if it were through that because of the contract that we have um you know, or the ability to be compensated to help us find a new location. But, you know, I do want to address it. >> Yeah. So that when we talk about the ability to terminate, you know, uh annually, that's that's a one-way street. That that means that the district as the tenant has the right to terminate. The landlord does not. And so so you know, certainly if the building was destroyed, you know, um there's clauses in the lease and that that changes every you know, everything. Um but um you know, outside of something catastrophic, um you know, we really are protected here for another six years, right? So, it's the the three years that we're asking you to approve today, plus we have the right to renew for another three years. Um, and so, we're protected for six years. Um, I mean, there could be, you know, a taking an eminent domain type situation, but, you know, as Mike points out, you know, especially as the mall is doing a little better, they got pick them all, they're doing some leases. That's I think something like that's a long shot anyways. So, this it was probably unlikely that anything like that would or could happen. Um, but if it did, you know, there's there was an option for trying to something as as cheap as what we have now. >> And that's why I think about if something like that would come about because you know that there's a lot of development, right? And there's a lot of >> somebody can come in and offer the property owner a nice >> offer to have this space for developing for something else. >> That's right. since it's close to 169. Um, you know, what would he do? And would there be opportunities within an existing facility to move there, whether it's the high school or I guess that would probably where there might be the most space, but I just again thinking ahead. I think we should be proactive and thinking ahead if that happens even though we have a lease. Um >> yeah and we do we haven't taken a you know I mean I think every year our capacity changes a little bit but we have done some of that and we'll continue to do that in terms of you know there's no quick like oh my gosh it' be really easy just move in here and you'd be shifting and doing some things. Um, and even that's part of when we looked at Saber Fields, you know, we've done that leg work in the past because we had heard, oh yeah, you can build a middle school in an elementary, for example, on that site. We went and verified that with, you know, W and other folks who looked into it. Yes. And and that would be, you know, and again, we have no plans of building. We don't see our student growth at that level. Uh, but certainly, I think always kind of being aware. And then I think the other part that I appreciate, you know, from Corey is what's on the ground, what's out there. And as he'll put it, we're a little bit outside the typical metro realm or office type space, but that doesn't mean that won't change over time and there might be other options. And so doing the best we can. I think that, you know, the key piece of is we would have a runway to do some of that. So we do, you know, I'm not going to call it really detailed planning, but we're it's one of those pieces we're always cognizant of and even I appreciate Cory checking in and you [clears throat] know, we're looking even and again some uses of our buildings pretty simple right now. Yeah. Be just a different whatever group of students using a classroom space. when we're looking at doing other things where we're building out or doing that which is a more permanent investment. We're doing that you know trying to figure out where we are as a district. We haven't done a lot of that because once you build it out it's not very economical or prudent to then shift that and so I think there's a number of things that could be done within all those possibilities. I think I think we're having redevelopment is quite a ways away but I mean just how far west we are you know we got three ownership groups which is that's complicated as well right you have to try to get those I mean it's an odd project to start with you know so there's a family that owns you the section you're in with the exception of the movie theater which is separate owner and then someone else owns the rest that way so um you know just it just doesn't seem like new development you you know, is is coming here quite that quickly. And there's other land that would be cheaper to put, you know, apartment buildings on as opposed to a building where you've got to scrape it and tear up parking lot, you know. So, again, you never know. But, uh, but I don't think that's likely in the foreseeable future. And, um, as Mike said, you know, every year we're checking in and said, "Hey, here's, you know, here's kind of what's out here. Here's some some purchase opportunities." And it just it never really seemed to make sense compared to Well, I just, you know, just thinking again more proactively and I know nothing of zoning if this is even, you know, something that uh manifest itself in a long-term contract uh like a right of refusal. So, you mentioned the multiple parties at home. So having that first right of refusal if the land were to become on the property become available for sale that the district would have an opportunity to make a purchase at market rate uh that that kind of gets you out of that having to go find a new space and and redevelop if if it was just something that you could turn key and again I'm saying that without >> any knowledge of what that would look like from the zoning market perspective and we're not in the real estate business right we're in the education business so >> yeah I we've not approached that with them. Um, again, difficult with multiple owners. Um, and also you would quickly, you know, become a landlord and have to >> you like be a landlord for all the other the lease space. >> I think there's some probably some statutes that we' have >> prevent you from doing some sounds good conceptually, but I just didn't know that something to entertain. >> Yeah. I mean, we looked at potential buying it a number of years ago was in tough shape and was thinking even that just seemed like something should be not the business. >> No. This is an action item. Motion moved. >> Second motion by Brophy and second by Aldrich. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Do you both want to come up together or one at a time? >> Oh, sorry. We'll wait to meet >> but but you're you're listed as separate items, but would you like to come up to the table together? Okay. All right. So, we have two information items. We have item 13.1, our secondary curriculum update for social studies and English language arts with Sarah Wenberg, our assistant director of LTE. And then we have 13.2, our comprehensive literacy framework update with Nica Summer, our other assistant director of LTE. Welcome, ladies. >> Thank you. Apologies. Chair Smith, Dr. Bren, and members of the board. Thank you for having us back up. Um, last spring I came asked for some money and an approval of various curricula for our social studies and ELA departments. And I'm here with an update of what we're seeing and it was great news and I'm excited to talk about it. So, I'm going to give you an update on those content areas and then a brief update on our 68 social studies curriculum which is currently they're in articulation beginning the process. [clears throat] So, you may remember uh 68 ELA 912 ELA both adopted commonly. Our 912 social studies has two different curricula. Human geography is using McGraill. Our US history and world history courses are using TCS. So this fall with our coaches and our principles, we did a variety of implementation walkthroughs for each team and content area. So the teams had already determined what these walkthrough criteria would be for year one. So we worked with our teacher leaders, we worked with our departments to say what is our what is our qualifications of excellence for year one of the implementation. Our middle school team came up with these eight criteria. So utilizing text provided by the curriculum, utilizing vocabulary and during and after reading strategies provided by the curriculum. Incorporating a variety of strategies to engage all students, routines and protocols in place for students to share thinking with peers. An adequate range of examples are used that demonstrate levels of quality. Self assessment and reflection protocols are in place. So those are all things that we would see in the classroom when we're doing an observation. They also said they wanted to be held accountable for certain things within their PLC. And that's that bottom section, those PLC implementation work force. They wanted to be held accountable for following approved scope and sequence for utilizing the text provided by the curriculum and then for analyzing common summitives, rubrics, and exemplary culminating tasks together. So we looked at eight different teachers across the two sites and then we compiled the data. You'll see there's quite a few places that we are at 100% which we are very pleased with for fall. Our teachers have only had months to get to know this curriculum and they're working really hard to understand it and to make improvements to their instructional practices. So, we're all very pleased that the the number of criteria that we're already at 100%. You'll see one at the very bottom where it says PLC's PLC's just started a new structure in middle school mid October. So, they hadn't gotten off the ground long enough by the time we were looking at their PLC agendas to see if they had done that yet. So we'll take another look this winter. Uh there are two places that we want to pay attention to and that's using a variety of strategies to engage all students in learning. Um making sure that we're creating environments that are conducive and engaging and that we're we're watching that metric. 100% of students should be engaged in intellectual work in class. It shouldn't be a you know 60% are engaged and I'm okay with that. It's the teacher's job to create the conditions for all kids are engaged. That second place that we're going to focus on is using an adequate range of examples that demonstrate levels of quality. Uh teachers want to do this, but first year with the curriculum, they're still figuring out what that exemplary work looks like. So they they know that their next time teaching these units, they will be able to um you'll see some additional comments. Some of the things that we are learning is our teachers are adjusting to a faster pace and increased rigor. This is something we're hearing across the board with middle school teachers. Um it is a hard adjustment, but it's also the right adjustment. It is so good for students to have a quicker piece where we're learning more. We're being challenged more and we're expected to do more intellectual work in classroom. Couple other things to note. Our teachers have such a deep commitment to their PLC's learning and growing together. I think is so fun for us to hear when we're trying to set them on a path towards continuous improvement and then to to hear from them the kinds of conversation they're having in their PLC or the additional meetings that they're scheduling with each other so that they can collaborate and solve problems. Uh this group of teachers is going to do their science of reading training next year. So there's a little bit of urgency around developing confidence with the curriculum this year so that next year their brain space can be dedicated elsewhere. Then I also just have to shout out three of our rockstar middle school teachers, Courtney Mainly, Megan Larson, and Karen Saint. Uh they are doing such great work, not just with the curriculum, but also with leading their peers through this change. So they get a lot of credit. Next, we've got 912 ELA. So same curriculum, but the team set four different criteria. The things that they wanted to be held accountable for in year one is using the PLC determined common lit units following the sequence of lessons with units using the common lit novels and texts within the units and having PLC determine summit of assessments and then using the vocabulary lists and vocabulary lessons within the group. So before there was a lot of variety and a lot of autonomy and now we wanted the team wanted to be wanted to be really lock step with how they're teaching. We went in and we observed three English nine teachers, three English 10 teachers, four English 11 teachers. [snorts] We also did a scan of Canvas to make sure that what we were seeing in Canvas with their unit designs met the criteria that they wanted to be held accountable to 100% across the board. So our high school ELA team has got some very strong work happening. Again, a lot of this is a credit to the team working with each other. They all come in for different articulation days with Mara Sunday and myself. They get a little bit of coaching and guidance and leadership there. Uh but again, so passionate and committed to solving problems amongst themselves and figuring out how to make this work. Uh this group will also be doing science of reading next year. So again there's that urgency of really wrapping our brains around it now so that we've got more space next year. And want to shout out Natha Brink, Justin Bertrram, Caroline her hook and Brenda for their leadership with that mental social studies. So this is a two years curriculum. We did the same process again five different look fors that the team wanted. These were all through campus. So, what was really important to the social studies team was that consistency and high quality summitive assessment work. Now, we've looked at 13 teachers Canvas courses and we're pretty good. We've got 100% with PLC's using the same pacing guide, 100% using the common formats, just a little bit of variety with the PLC determined summit of assessments and then waiting minutes equally. Now, again, this team, you give them feedback, you pose a question and the is eager to course correct and work with each other to strengthen their work. Um so wanted to shout out at Loiselle, Jen Tavios and Colleic for their phenomenal efforts, passion and leadership uh through this change. Uh the in progress for summitive assessments, we had a set criteria, but pretty early on the team decided that this wasn't the right set of criteria for the summit of assessments. We didn't want to gather data on that. We're going to work as a team to develop a better set of criteria for the summit of assessments and then we'll do the gauge. All right. Last but not least, 68 social studies. So, this group has met a couple times. They have already finalized their evaluation group for materials. These are the five categories that they want to stick with. These are also the same five categories that the 912 social studies team did. So [snorts] integrating inquiry based instruction really putting that locus of control for learning on students supporting culturally responsive education utilizing standardsbased instruction and assessment connecting to high quality diverse sources and then providing instructional supports. So does a cur provide guidance for teachers on multilingual students on students who might need accommodations and adaptations for um additional scaffolds and extensions for students that might need challenges. So you'll see our timeline up there as well. Um right when we come back from holiday break, we'll have vendor presentations. From those [cough] presentations will determine if any of the curricula are right to pilot. Minnesota has new standards for middle school social studies and it is quite a different sequence than we are used to and then um a lot of states have. So we'll see if the national publishers who make middle school curriculum available resources online. If not, we got some backups. >> Okay. Any questions about and and this may apply um to to both these subjects. uh when you talk about summit of assessment and and the articulation moving through that am I correct in understanding that's how students success will be measured in terms of the result of that assessment or is that more the teachers assessing the curriculum is a measure of success for student >> it is a measure of success from the student >> so that summitative is their that is where it's kind of like a culminating task where we want students to show what they've learned throughout a unit and show proficiency in certain key skills. >> So, and glad because my question if we don't have 100% consistency, right, that would lend itself to slightly different standards to measure said success. And then I guess a part B would how does that align to the um state standards having to do with meeting uh whatever represents uh the teaching standard for the new curriculum? If it's It's not known yet. >> Sorry. >> The last piece. So like the the standard the state standards sound like they might still be in flux. >> No, they they have been released. >> They have their implementation year isn't until next year for middle school. >> So then it's really a question whether the curriculum will support the standard. Not so much that the standard isn't clear. >> Yeah. Yeah. Standards are clear. What's not clear is if we'll have high quality resources that align with the standards in a way that are easy to use for teachers. I've seen some districts about like a science curriculum that doesn't align nicely to the grade level standards and then teachers are swapping books left and right between grade levels which is just a level of chaos that doesn't work well for teachers or students. So it'll it'll depend on when we do our deep dive and checking students resources. >> Yeah, it was really more the consistency in which we're measuring success and having those summitive assessments be clear on what that looks like and then to your point like you don't want mult versions of the truth when it comes to curriculum because you know just complicates it. >> So does the so the states release their standards do they do they provide a compliance grade for these different different options everybody's reviewing or just do the every district have to evaluate that individually? >> They don't. Some states do our state does not. So we come up with our own internal criteria. I think it's what we do when we develop these rubrics is we do a lot of research to see like what are the other exemplar rubrics out there what are other students doing what are the criteria that feel true to the Minnesota state standards and what are the criteria that feel true to our values as a district what we need the best pedoying and then we try to put all of that into >> this one question you had mentioned um 912 social studies on that slide there were some ups and downs with curriculum being flushed out. Maybe you could give us some example of what some of those have been. >> Yeah. Well, we opened up a few books and and chapters were printed upside down. So, we had to return them and get new ones. So, that happened in about 40 of the books that we purchased. It was a surprise. Some of it, a lot of it is pacing. So, trying to figure out like we anticipate this unit I've never taught before. We anticipate it's going to take this long. Um, and then when we get in and we it it ends up taking a lot longer than we think it's going to take and so there's some course correcting that has to happen midstream that um our teachers heard a lot about doing a good job and they're deeply uncomfortable with changing course midstream because it throws out their own flow. So I think that has been the biggest up for the social science. >> Couple comments. For one, I love the the calculation piece of this and articulation team um input. Sounds like passion and a group of people that are really dedicating a lot of time and effort into this. Um, as far as the social studies veter presentations pilots, is there is there a lot of options out there or how many are we going to be vetting at this point in time? >> We are going to bring in four. >> Four of them. >> Yeah. Do you want to know which one? >> No, no. I'm just curious. You know, we've gone through a few curriculum adoptions around here lately, so I'm just curious that whole process. >> Yeah, we usually we cast a wider net. Um, and so we go and we do a lot of research on which ones do we think are going to be worth it and look at our group work as we're pursuing different resources online or talking to people and try to cast a pretty wide net with citations. Um, I I apologize. We cast a wide net and then we sample. So that was our first step is we sampled a bunch of material from I think it was six different vendors and online resources. We compared the material the physical materials to our rubric. We whittle it down for the vendor presentations and then the vendors we we can ask our more specific questions if we couldn't find something when we were pursuing the resources and we couldn't find it and we get to ask the vendors. We also get to learn about some of the online so that [snorts] different and then we we rate it again and then we'll kind of based on if anything rises to the top and makes sense for this group and >> those same articulation teams are going to be a big part of that presentation. >> Yep. And then we expand that group too to make sure that we have somebody from tech, somebody from somebody from special services that everybody all our subject matter experts are getting on. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you for having me back tonight. I am going to give a little update on our comprehensive literacy framework. Um, and tonight, just as a reminder, we have um these [snorts] six buckets that we continuously come back to and talk about, I'm really going to focus on um our arts and letters pilot tonight. We've been talking about foundational skills throughout the fall. So, tonight I'm going to really hone in on that high quality resource. Um, kind of show you how the science is connected to the practice and then also kind of what our teachers are learning through the process. So last spring we came with our recommendation for arts and letters to specifically teach the language comprehension part of our literacy that that scar bro wrote. Um and we're we've been really excited to have that sock with a [clears throat] team at every site that's implementing uh the resources here. So I'm going to go deep tonight with first grade as our example because it gives you that holistic overview of what this is going to look like with kids. So, first grade out of the out of the gate they come and their first unit is why are books important? Um, and this presentation was put together by Abby Parin. She's a first grade teacher at Eagle Creek. She's not able to be here tonight, but I'm presenting on her behalf in behalf of her team. And this is what they have put together for their colleagues so that it helps them next year as they are implementing this resource. So, these are the books. One of our main criteria when we were looking at adopting our our resource was that we had actual physical text that kids could pick up and sit and read and study. And so um this is an example of of the [snorts] text that students will have access to throughout that entire module. One module is about one quarter. So they go very deep into these books. They read them over and over which is part of the science of reading that kids are multiple reading texts multiple times to really get to a deep level of understanding. Not only do they have the text uh but they also have articles, they have poetry, they have videos. So we have this um multi- multi-ext um presentation for students to participate in and they have been loving [snorts] the videos especially and and actually artwork that they're studying in the classroom. In addition uh we have purchased the the geodess. These are our decodable books that also match the content that they're learning about. So it's a really great opportunity for kids to [snorts] practice the foundational skills while also learning about that unit of study. This is just an example of the vocabulary that our first graders are not only learning about but using in the classroom um when they're talking about their text. So very rich language development that is happening every day um in these classrooms. [snorts] And this is just kind of going to show you what it looks like if you were to visit the classroom. Um, you can see the v vocabulary words are over there on the right. They each have a picture with those words. And then the way that the resource works is it develops world knowledge. So kids are learning about science and social studies um and the world around them and also English language arts knowledge. Um so you can kind of see here a little bit what that looks like. So in the world they're learning there are primary colors. uh they read the books and they pull out uh the students pull out what they've learned and the teacher records it on these charts to kind of keep track of their learning over time. [snorts] Um and then you can see they're learning in English that text uh you can learn about text through the words and the pictures and the message is the central idea. Um so really kind of a powerful way. I think what also this shows you see the language notice and wonder that's the exact same language we use in our math curriculum. So, they're seeing a nice tie there. Um, and the consistent use of those skills for students in math and in our ELA. This just kind of goes a little more deep into those world knowledge charts that they're developing with the students and then the ELA knowledge charts. And then, um, our summitive assessments are really assessing student writing. So, the way that the curriculum works is there's kind of these scaffolded tasks throughout. So, they'll read a bunch of books and then they'll have a challenge or or a question, write a story in which a character visits a library. So, they've read these books where characters go and visit libraries and then they write a response to that. So, you can see here this little student is saying, "Ral and her friends sing for the golden book. First, she drives to the library. Next, she sings for the golden book. Last she has the golden book." Um, so this would be the first assessment for first graders, which is pretty impressive that they're writing, you know, three to five sentences right away, really early in the year. And then the second one adds um a story where the character learns something from a book and then it progresses through an end of module task. And I included the task here. So you can see that they're assessing the students understanding of the story, the elements, the transition words, and that um they get that concept of a beginning, middle, and end. They're also looking at the mechanics, so upper lowercase letters. They're using the phonics and applying it in their writing. They're getting that idea of capital, and period. And the cool part, we talk a lot about AFL and assessment for learning. For our youngest learners, they [snorts] have student samples so they can see what is a strong example of the writing task. Um, and they can really strive for that excellence. So, I thought it'd be fun to kind of showcase how this all comes together. Aurora likes smoothies, but she doesn't know how to make them. First, she goes to the library. Next, she reads the story of Side Under the Tree, and finally, she makes a smoothie. She shares it with her friends. So, you can see uh very early um the beginning, the middle, the end. They've got the character of the problem. They've got that resolution. There's a setting in there outside under the tree. Um the drawing matches. There's so much going on here um in a really powerful way for student experience. Of course, I had to share the Vikings one. [laughter] Justin Jefferson likes to watch tackle football. He wants to play tackle football, but he doesn't know how. First he goes to the library, then gets a book. All next he reads the book, finally he plays football. So thought that was a really fun one to share. So I think our teachers are learning a lot through this process. We have never talked about a central message or theme in first grade. They are already identifying that um as their focus in these texts over time. And we're just [snorts] really good application through writing um with our youngest learners. So I am grateful to these teams of teachers that are putting all the work into these soft starts here. Um and I'm going to open Oh, what's next? So [clears throat] um as we go through this process, they are going to be creating curriculum maps and pacing guides for their peers. You can see this whole PowerPoint is intended to be given to all the first grade teachers next year to really guide them through that planning process and give them examples of what [clears throat] they can expect to see with their students in the classroom. Um, they are going to continue to think through those assessments and develop uh report cards and rubrics so we can share the information uh in a parentfriendly way. Um, and then really helping us develop those key look fors like what Sarah showed her team's developing what do we want to be held accountable for. So they will help us develop that. Um, and that will help us determine how we use the curriculum, the critical instructional practices to focus on and then what they want feedback and coaching around for next year. Um and they will also help us determine our training plan for supports for staff. >> And that is what I have for you tonight. >> So you have first grade. >> Yes. [clears throat and cough] >> Um quick comment more than anything. I guess I I did see this topic coming up. talk to me of the articulation team that's at my school. I have first graders, so this stuff, all this writing, everything feels right at home. It's on my first grader right now. Um, but uh yeah, they they in general seem to love this this uh new curriculum that it does build on itself. It sounds like quite a bit from 11th grade to grade. And so some of the early challenges they predict will be the pacing of this because it's new to third graders to fourth graders and also that it's quite different. than anything we've done before and that it's going to take a lot of teachership, mind shift, and training on this. So, I'll be interested and hopeful that we have a really good training strategy and all these things that that we can do to make this really successful because it sounds like important everything I've heard it's heading that direction. >> Yeah, thank you for saying that. And and I again, this is where I think the teachers that are piloting or soft starting it [snorts] are really thinking intentionally about how do I support my colleagues in this process? Um, you know, one thing that we're trying a little bit this year is popup PD for the youth line and the 95 phonics with Sarah and Steph and um, we've had a a pretty good turnup. So, we're trying to think about what what does everybody get guaranteed and what are additional offerings that we can continue to provide because it is a big shift in practice. Absolutely. Does it um just to shift the both presentations, does it make sense to do some data compilation kind of like we did with the middle school and the high school on some of these? Does it correlate for? >> Yes. Yeah. The critical instructional practices. Yeah. And I I I'm hoping to come back after the new year and kind of share some of the data pieces around you flying and biponics. [snorts] Um we've been collecting observational data and we will also have um some initial student data after we do our screen in January. So I will share some of that and we will do the same for this implementation. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Just a quick followup and you know I I agree like that it seems that the reading comprehension is manifesting itself. I was going to ask about the book report. Well, we we just saw it and then the imagination illustration kind of coming out of the creativity as you get into like the the fourth and fifth grade. Uh, and we heard it from our student presenters earlier tonight. Just the the ability to have that confidence to be able to present that information back. I'm flashing back to fifth grade. I think we had a group project to do commercials, you know, where it's recorded, kind of getting into videography. Does some of that play into this to be able to do like presentations to the class? Um, >> absolutely it could. Yeah. >> And I know that it's still kind of a blank slate in that regard. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> but I think that's such an important skill set, but also reinforces everything we just saw. If you're putting on a paper in theory, I should be able to present it as well. >> So, one of the shifts actually is a Socratic seminar, which even starts in kindergarten. So, that routine of teaching kids how to have conversations and dialogue and learn from each other. You listen with with intent. Um, you respond. Absolutely. That's a key piece of this resource. So you're just kind of seeing some of the writing, but those practices are built within. So they will start right away in kindergarten with those those whole group conversations, small group conversations, like really learning from each other, building that knowledge together, debating. I mean, yeah, it's active. It's exciting. >> Well, and I, you know, goes back to what my colleague Mrs. said. That's the foundation, right? And it builds upon itself. And if you start, you know, in kindergarten, it seems pretty early to be writing stories about going to the library, but uh it's just it's interesting what see >> next item 14, uh second reading of policy 701 and uh Chad Johnson. >> Yeah. So, policy 701, you might remember, is um just adding some uh additional purchasing protocols with more specific um outlining. See if I can summarize them quickly. Uh anything between uh 25,000 and 50,000, we need two quotes. For uh between 50 and 175, we need sealed bids with two [clears throat] or more quotes. a formal contract signed by the superintendent and finance director and operations director and then anything over 175,000 requires seal bids approval for contract. So this is a formality that everyone has this already our time if we have any questions or further discussion >> it's a small item but I mean for the one of the one spot where it says they would require two or more written quotations do we need to add one available if we had something really unique where there's literally only one company of some sort that knows that that become a problem in the future. >> I can address that then we're mirroring exactly what's in state law and there are some rare occasions and if that's [snorts] the case we would bring that into that conversation for approval. >> You hit it perfect. See no further discussion, we will move on. Thank you, Chad. All right. Now, we have several action items. Uh, starting with 15.1, Student Activity Edition, flag football. And here to present is our activities director, Andy Brown. Welcome, Andy. >> All right. Good to see everyone. Again, a little quicker turnaround since last time. Um we so last time I was here I talked about that we had a grant application in um with the Minnesota Vikings for the girls flag football league. Um and then since uh we met um we got approval of that grant uh in the total of $10,000 um and then they let us know that we had to um accept the grant and um commit to participation in the league by next Monday the 22nd of December. So uh I didn't those were deadlines that I didn't see anywhere else. So I said, "Okay, we got to get back in front of the board as quickly as we can here." So, um, so basically just with that, um, we have kind of run up a budget, um, to try to figure out, uh, where kind of roughly where we think things are going to be at and what that's going to look like. Um, we think that that budget number, um, we kind of line item it out to, um, $22,280. putting a little bit of cushion in there for just you don't know everything that's going to come up gets us to about we were thinking $24,000. Um so with the $10,000 grant um and then we would propose charging $150 activity fee that's in line with what we do for ultimate frisbee which is the closest comparison for um a sport that participates in an independent league that kind of then exists under my purview as opposed to the athletic director because it's not a high school league sport. Um, so the ultimate roster, um, we haven't received all the information about it, but the way they did it last year was there are three teams that can each roster 15 people. So we figure 45 girls, um, that $150 activity fee gets us to 6750. Um, so between the grant and um, those activity fees, then we just need a little bit more [clears throat] um, budget allocated to get us to that um, 24,000 total. So um, I don't want to try to do the math in my head. I thought I had it on the document, but I believe it's $7,250, I think, to get us the rest of the way um from the 10,000 plus the um 6750 there. So, um so that's kind of where that sits. Um you can kind of see the the stuff there. Obviously, like in most things, staffing is, you know, about um about half of it. Um the general schedule for this um we would take place, the intent would be to kind of start um practice and try out process as early as March if we can. um and be able to to hit the ground um with practice twice a week um and games uh starting in May. The games are uh kind of run like four or five consecutive weekends. Um and we rotate. So we'll host like three teams and then travel to other events where there are three other teams there as well. So that's all the way they've done it last year. We don't know if there will be any changes to come down on you know in the league organization. They might do things differently if there are more programs um and so on. So, we're just kind of going after the best information we have based on how they did it last year. Um, one other thing that I had mentioned last time is that we weren't sure what the Vikings were were going to provide in terms of starter equipment. They're only going to provide this year um a set of um 25 like belt packs, the flag packs for that. So, um last year they provided some training equipment and balls and things like that. So, um that's a that's our budget there. So, that's kind of the deal. So, we're just looking for approval for um you know that uh to get that budget allocated knowing that we have you know the large um portion of it coming in um and to uh start the process of finding some staff um and kind of working our way from there. So, that's what we need. >> Oh, I should mention also that the grant is um with the approval it it um includes it's 5,000 next year and then 2500 the year after and then gone. So, that's kind of their their startup decreasing grant. something for that. >> Um any again kind of the itemized list of the $24,000 budget of that. How much of that is like a onetime investment? You mentioned some of the equipment. >> Oh, sure. >> Um so it seems as though the budget in the subsequent year would be less than the 24,000 as a result of >> Yeah, likely. Yep. Yeah, we've got about 6,000 there that um is is kind of the equipment purchases. That's most of that is startup and then it's kind of what did you um hang on to didn't break etc etc some of that but yeah and uniforms you know the first time through and uniforms are that not typically not an every year expense right so you try to get yourself on every three years or you know however that how that works out so >> so I'm just thinking more in the context as the grant rolls off so so do some of those some of the budget just having to do >> you've already had the one time set up. Correct. >> I can just add a couple of things I know about it. Um I think there's 100 teams for the spring. It's the last number that I heard. Did you say it only ran for a month? >> Um the the games go really they run every weekend in May. So we would start practicing before that. And then I think typically I mean it's they might change it again of course, but it has been like four games or four consecutive weekends. So May and then with a state tournament after that as well. >> The one thing that [snorts] um obviously this is fasttracking the state high school league uh sanctioned sport. Um the league has had many discussions about this and how we're going to handle it moving forward. Um there are some challenges with it. um with the Vikings running this program. Um the National Federation of High Schools, which kind of oversees and sets the rules for like state high school that we adopt or modify, um is different than what the Vikings are doing. Um and so I see that to be a little bit of a challenge. The equipment requirements are different than what the require. So looking out, it's probably three or four years before state high school sport because it has to go through the process. Um there will be some additional equipment that will have to be purchased. The number of people on the field at a time from what I understand is different between the two leads as well. So um that's unfortunate ahead and the NFL went ahead and did this and not try to conform with the other rules that are out there. other states already have this. >> That was going to be kind of my follow question. What other states have a similar program? And then if we're kind of misaligned, that would imply that there wouldn't be more of a national kind of scale tournament unless you're abiding by more of those rules and regulations. >> Sure. Yeah. I think I mean once something's under high school league purview then there's no national anything attached to it or would be here. I haven't really dug into what other states are doing and that sort of thing. I I did take a glance at the an FHS rule just as when we were thinking about some things about what they had to do. We want to kind of see what that says. [snorts] That's a good call out because it does does suggest there'll be additional equipment purchases in the future with whatever those guidelines would be. >> And the other difference too is that right now it's a weekend. So Saturday, Sunday mostly I think Sundays from what I understand from other districts when it becomes a state high school activity in a few years it will not be able to be on the Sunday. >> Yeah. And part of the design of it is that they didn't want to be pulling students away from the spring sports that they're already participating in. But obviously you become high school league and some some students. >> Yeah. at that. So >> or things will have to be moved around to the next school level when sports are offered to accommodate the growth. I mean this is this is running kind of a similar path to girls wrestling in a lot of ways with the growth and how fast that has taken off. Um the numbers for flag football are very very comfortable. >> I was going to say I'm guessing that um the Vikings asked you to make a quick decision on this because they realize free time they'd have in January. >> I'm a lifelong Vikings fan, by the way. No, so >> that's how we cope, right? >> That's how we cope. Exactly. Uh the activity or the the fee, the set of fee, do you think is that more of an attractive fee to get people involved in this or as our grant warers, you know, grant dollars drop down? Do you think maybe we need to look at an increasing that fee is after we get participation? Well, that that fee is just set with it's in line with my more expensive activities as well as the other athletics. So, um you know, we're not going to exceed what what they're doing at all. That would be a much bigger we've had that conversation a couple times um you know, with with the board along the way. And so that that's not something we're interested in doing. That's but that's the ultimately kind of the job of the board. If we get to a point financially where say want to charge more, I know we try to keep everything really affordable here. um as well as providing a few waiverss as much as possible for kids with financial hardship. So we want we just want everybody to play who wants >> I will make a motion to approve football as a student motion by Peterson, second by Johnson. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Okay, thank you so much. True to form, I'll go straight from here to the choir concert. That's seems to happen almost every time. [snorts] >> Thanks. >> Next is another information item, item 15.2, Memorandum of Understanding, Pearson Early Learning Center, 2627 calendar and 2026 work group. And here to present are Keith Gray, our director of human resources, and Dale Anderson, our SCA president. Welcome, gentlemen. Good evening. So, um just giving you some broad understanding. Um Pearson Early Learning Center operates similar to our regular schools, but yet there's some pretty significant differences. So when we got um when we were negotiating our contract and we were negotiating calendar issues and some um school day issues, we worked a great deal on that plan, but we didn't have a full understanding and of the differences uh that would happen with that calendar and with that approach with um with Pearson Early Learning Center didn't really I mean in a sense is just didn't quite mesh up but that's true of much of the contract. So thisou is an attempt to um kind of look at the next year and try to figure out how do we do a better job of integrating it. I think the door I'll let Dale talk about because he's done a lot of work with the teachers on that and we've met with administrators and had a lot of involvement but we have still yet a lot of work to do. >> Yeah. So I mean the prim the primary issue is just that [clears throat] you know K12 is funded primarily by the state whereas um finance director was that David was was talking about earlier you got those four funding streams that basically so are you providing free public education to those K12 students but at Pearson it's a it's a fee based program and so that program needs to kind of pay for itself to a large extent and um that money tends to come by um the number of days that you have as student contact. And so as we looked at the the number of days in the calendar, it wasn't matching up very well. And so the calendar issue is is one element that needs to be done. But then as we began looking at the calendar issue, uh there's a variety of other things about how Pearson functions because they're on a K12, they're also on a K, you know, with us in this K12 uh contract. uh that doesn't align particularly well. There's actually a subset section in the in the contract that addresses early childhood. Uh and there's some conflicting language as a result of that. You know, one part of the contract that says the [snorts] teacher duty year will be 180 days and another part of the contract it says that the district uh due to the unique nature of the Pearson programming, the district has the right to set what that duty year is for Pearson. So, it creates kind of this uh this conflict. So, one of the the things that we're seeking to do here is we did a short kind of a short-term um solution on the calendar adjustment because of the fact that the their funding again is driven by the number of days that they have students student contact. Um and so there's kind of a short-term fix on the Pearson calendar for one year. And then the whole idea was to pull a group of um teachers and district leaders together to kind of take a look at the Pearson programming [snorts] in general and say how can we do a better job of helping that kind of um align dove is the word I use but align with what's happening at K12 so that we're treating if they're being paid similarly being treated similarly they're having similar working conditions etc. So that's really what the purpose is. We're the the first part of the the of the memorandum is asking for or is basically setting up hey here are the days that Pearson will be in session with students that K12 is not necessarily going to have student contact. They might have they might have a PD day or they might have a work day something along those lines whereas Pearson will be in with students because of the funding issues. Um, the second part of the memorandum is really saying, hey, we need to do a better job of kind of aligning uh what's going on between Pearson and K12. So, we want to put together a work group that includes district leaders and um teachers from those programs to uh help kind of brainstorm how can we do a better job of getting the the Pearson programming kind of aligned better with the K12 C since they're all in the same contract. um and address the calendar the the uh forwardgoing calendar issue as part of that um as well. So that would involve looking at you know kind of research what's best practice for early childhood education that would involve um doing comparisons across districts you know what's what are the surrounding communities doing in terms of early childhood uh and you know in terms of what do they do for a calendar what do they do in terms of what they what they charge what what programming do they use uh and how do we stack up you know in terms of those sorts of things. And then again trying to to figure out ways that um we can make sure that we're uh treating those teachers as similarly as as we are the K12 teachers. So that's the the big push here. So that group would work basically we're setting up from January to December of 2026 that that work group would function during that time period with the whole idea they would be bringing back some recommendations to the negotiations process for the 2729 uh negotiations and if I could add one piece to that I did add it to the uh our organizational meeting the school boards on January 5th. you know, we always have kind of ad hoc committees on occasion. This seems to fit that one of those spaces on this workg group uh really seems to align well and be a good fit for a member of the schoolboard personnel committee who will also then most likely be a member of that negotiations team in the following year. So, not something we're going to take care of tonight, but on January 5th, [snorts] uh it is on that evening. as well provided the MO is approved this evening. It sounds to me like [clears throat] in all reality what needs to happen and this is very surface level obviously nothing's really been decided but the programming has to fit our calendar in the future more more than likely like we're not going to change our K through2 calendar just for the pre [snorts] group right so they're trying to negotiate or find a good chunk of programming slots and time frames to fit our calendar and it's not doing that now is that >> I think it's you know some of it is that there's um it's kind of a a history of how the the program has functioned in the district over time. And so if you look back, you know, previous to the current uh leadership administration, you know, there was a time time period where essentially kind of the um the teachers who were in that program were kind of running themselves. there was a a supervisor who was overseeing it. But in all, you know, in all honesty, it was the teachers kind of operating this program by itself. And that creates some some real challenges because then what happens is you don't get the communication all the way through the system in terms of how this aligns with what else is happening uh at the K12 level. And so now that we have um some federal oversight, we actually have a a principal who's in charge or an administrator who's in charge of the Pearson program who's directly overseeing that and um trying to u make sure that it actually aligns with with what's in the contract and um finding some anomalies in terms of just you could argue bad past past practice. Yeah, I mean not there's nothing here that's egregious, but there are things just that need to be addressed because either there's a significant advantage given to those teachers, maybe additional prep time or something like that that that can create, you know, a sense of hey uh again it's almost impossible to have things be totally equal, but you are trying to make a sense of fairness kind of exist across these programs. So the whole idea here is to say we haven't really done a deep dive, you know, in terms of how this stacks up from a contractual uh standpoint in a long long time. Um and there's been more pressure across the straight the state uh across the state for for a long time. Early childhood was not um on the the full teacher contract in terms of pay and benefits and those sorts of things. Um there's been a real real strong push in the last 10 years to give because they're licensed. Most in this district they're all licensed. Uh in some districts they're not licensed which might might make a difference but in this district they're all licensed. So such a strong strong push across the street in those cases where there are licensed teachers doing early childhood to bring them into the the teacher contract because everybody else who's got a license like that is is on that contract. Um but again when when there hasn't been that vetting to make sure that everything that's happening there kind of aligns well with that you know there's some anomalies that exist in terms of how they function that don't fit very well and so it's a really good timing in terms of taking a look at what are they actually doing how does that how does that align there are again the key challenge I think is the funding side of it because the funding again they're having to pay for themselves and uh when you have to do that and it's again, not based on minutes, it's based on the actual days you offer program. That creates some problems when we're looking at calendar changes and that sort of thing, having to account for that. Um, and so part of it is looking at all those different that's what the purpose of this group is [snorts] kind of, hey, we need to take a good close look at this and try and see if we can't do a better job of making sure that this align. >> That's a long answer. >> That's a good answer. Yeah. And you know, we just we just approved a prek curriculum not too long ago. So I imagine that that adoption and this whole process aligned well for timing of of figuring this out as a whole group and the whole department. >> Well, if I just to expand on what Mr. Zig said, I I would presume that early childhood is not measured by contact base in the same way that K12 is, right? Just because of the nature I might [snorts] have come on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning, right? opposed to a full full week of programming. So that in of itself creates a it's a just a different forgive the expression business model. Um and it's the number of days the business is open that translates to the revenue that you just alluded to. So I this makes sense that early childhood and the countering around that is going to differ slightly than K12, but you also want to be equitable and fair in terms of compensation for the license staff. So probably more of a statement than a question, but it does seem that it's unique and that it's not really contact days that move drives some of those hours open. Is that a fair statement? >> Yeah. No, I I think that's uh that's true. You know, some some kids, you know, are attending Tuesday, Thursday, Monday, Wednesday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Monday through Friday. I mean, so they have a wide variety of different and that does create a challenge when you're looking at what's the teacher FTE for those various pieces of it. And then you have the special ed piece of it and then you have the parented, which is another. So there's four different kinds of programs [snorts] that occur at at Pearson and that's that's a challenge in and of itself because each one of those programming pieces has has different elements of calendar in it as well. The the big systemic thing is if you look at the history of early childhood and regular ed teachers that's like Dale said before it's only been within the last 10 years that teachers have been on the teacher contract who worked in early childhood. So we're everybody's sort of creating this what's the right way to blend these things because they are such different programs even the length of time that that students can tolerate being in school you know so I mean there's all those kind of things so it everybody has to I mean statewide it's been how do you blend it to have people be on a teacher contract quite a bit different >> so we're going to try to see if we can do a way better job of than it has. But that's part of why that those things exist because it's sort of new to the game. >> See, it's common sense that we would assess that. >> And if I might just to hopefully provide a little bit of clarity, there's two agenda items. The first is approval of thisou and the second is approval of a one-year contract and a one-year contract. A one-year calendar. Let's not approve one calendar. And that one-year calendar was kind of a as you went, "Oh, [cough] got this idea for the calendar." And then we kind of went, "Oh, there are a lot of things that we really need to talk through, learn about, and plan better at Pearson." And so the one-year calendar was really meant to give us the time to have really good conversations um from January to December of 2026 to really work and have solid long-term solutions. And so that's why that's the second item on that agenda. It's not the perfect calendar. It kind of buys us a a year, sort of a compromise, if you will, to really have these discussions and then have hopefully a much better plan next December when we're here. >> Some of the staff can be part of this group. >> Yeah. >> So, a goal um the way the is written, there'd be six uh district people because we we probably need somebody from community because they oversee it. be the administrator from Pearson, probably one, a couple of other district uh individuals, perhaps a board member. Uh and then we'll have one from one teacher from each of the programs. So, we have um early childhood special education, birth to three, early childhood special education 3 to five, ages 3 to five. You have what they call stepping stone, which is kind of the primary learning, early learning program. [snorts] And then you have the parent ed early childhood family education. So those are the four. So we want a rep from each of those four groups to sit on the committee to help bring expertise to those different pieces. How does it affect the you know what you know how does it affect the teacher group in that particular area? Um just just as an example, some of the uniqueness um in the the early childhood special education birth to three, they're on a stretch calendar where they work, you know, 180 days spread throughout the whole year, not not the typical 180day calendar, 184 days right now. Um and so you know that is a different kind of a challenge to you know to those particular pieces but we want representatives for each of those groups and then they'll be um a negotiator and I'll serve on that committee as well. So we have two reps from the association as part of that as well. Motion to approve the LO and the for Pearson Early Warning Center and group. >> Second motion by Peterson and second by Brophie. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor? [snorts] >> I opposed. Motion carries. And then you've got another action item, both of you. Uh the actual calendar, one-year calendar. So the again the challenge here was um we needed to keep uh Pearson's number of student contact days uh the same as as the current year and currently is 170 days. Um and so we had come up with some kind of creative ways to think through that. Uh because we had taken the overall teacher calendar from 184 next year going to 180 days from 171 student contact to 167 student contact with an extension of 10 [clears throat] additional minutes on each of those 167 days. So that the instruction minute stays the same. And the unfortunate thing is if your funding comes based on the number of days you cut days out. So you're cutting funding. Additionally, um just from an educational standpoint, lengthening this the length of the learning period for um prek kids was not considered best practice. Uh and that's part of what the workers will take a little a little bit more. So making that swap, you know, where we're kind of saving the same amount of instruction time um doesn't work particularly well at the at least from what we understand at this particular point. So we needed to look within how do we stay within [clears throat] 180 days but um you know keep 170 days rather than 167 days of student contact. We started by just saying hey what if you just maintain to the current con uh current number of days 184 with 171 student contact days and reduce the length of the workday and um the teachers were like well the contract says 180 days. Uh and so See, it is one of those things where you're trying to treat people fairly. And so then obviously if there's 171 days and there's 184 total days, 171 student contact, 184 total days or 167 and 180, there's a, you know, a group of 13 days, additional days that are being used for other purposes. So the short-term solution is to take some days from those other purposes. So that might be professional development or teacher work days at the end of a quarter where they turn grades around or those sorts of things. Swap those into student contact days for the purpose of allowing them to earn the the same amount of money. They've done the best. So, if you look at the calendar on your screen, you'll see um there are um if you were to compare it, I guess might not show exactly on this in the in the way that you would like, but just for example, I think I listed on theou if you look at a copy of the the four days where they will be in having student contact. um you'll see four days that the other teachers [clears throat] would either be in a PD day or would having an end of quarter workday and the Pearson teachers will actually have students on those on those days. So they're not working a longer calendar but they are having more of more of their calendar and student contact. Um the district really didn't want to lose the PD time. So, as another part of the agreement was to take those 14 hours of professional development and turn those into one-hour uh professional developments one time a week, 14 different weeks over the course of the school year. That actually dubtales pretty well with the the curriculum implementation that they're doing um because it's going to give them ongoing time, you know, an hour here, an hour there over the course of the year to kind of look at how is that implementation going. So, that's the other part. That's where you see all these little you go back to the calendar just for a second. Uh you'll see a whole bunch of pink boxes around and those are all the dates that they've picked to do these 1hour trainings on there. So um so those are the essential pieces. You've got those those four dates that are going to be student contact that are not on the K12 um that are being used for PD and end of quarter days on K12. And then you have these 14 pink boxes that just they're all Thursdays you can see on there um where going to be doing these onehour trainings uh to make up the PD time being second. >> I'll make a motion to approve the calendar as presented for the early learning center. Second >> motion by Peterson, second by Brophie. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> Post. Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, gentlemen. >> Thanks. Uh, next is another action item, item 15.4, acceptance of the audit report. And here to present is our director of finance and operations, David Daskkovich, and uh Jackie Nolles, the director of creative planning at Burton KD. Welcome, Dr. Thank you for having me. I'm going to be going over a summary of the audit results for 2024 2025 and then a summary of general fund operating results for the year. Uh so the main purpose of our audit is to provide our independent auditor's report. In this report, we are providing an unmodified or clean opinion on the district's financial statements. It's the best that we can offer. We're saying that the district has been receiving. It provides assurance that the financial statements are presented fairly. of the net position or the financial position of the district as of June 30th, 2025 and all of the activity that occurred within the year. Uh we also are required to provide three additional reports. Uh the first listed here is the report on the results of an audit performed in accordance with government auditing standards or GAS. We take a closer look at the district's controls [cough and clears throat] and we also look for compliance with laws, grants, grants, contracts, and other regulations. We did not have any compliance findings, but we had one repeat internal control finding that I'm sure will sound familiar. The lack of segregation of accounting duties um that the district has been receiving and is very common for districts to receive. >> Um >> Jackie, can you touch what would be one way we get around that final? Um, basically [clears throat] to eliminate that finding, it would take additional FTEES in the accounting department, including having your main director of finance not having access to make any changes to the system, just strictly read and review um, access, which does pose a challenge, but just of course, you know, getting things done. Um, and then also the cost of adding those FTEs. Um the second additional report listed here is the report on the results of a single audit performed under the uniform guidance. So this is a federal requirement um where we tested compliance with the title one and child nutrition programs for this year and we didn't have any findings related to either of those programs. And then the last report is the report on the results of our testing on Minnesota legal compliance of the office of the state auditor asks us to test for compliance with certain statutes applicable to Minnesota school districts and we did not have any findings there. Um so clean reports all around um with just the one repeat finding. So with that, we'll move on to some of [snorts] the financial results for the year. Um, and we'll start off looking at the basic formula allowance. Um, the basic amount that the state gives to all districts and that amount per pupil unit was 72.81 for 2025 and that is a 2% increase. Um, so we'll see how that factors into revenues in a few slides here. But then of course the other uh main factor on the general the basic general education aid is going to be those student counts. So first off we have the resident students which are the public school um students residing in the district boundaries regardless of where they are attending. Um and this number has been overall going down over the last five years although there was a slight increase in 2025 from the previous year. Um, and then this next slide takes those resident ADMs and does also factor in the effects of open enrollment and then also convert converts those numbers to what's called a PUN or a pupil unit number served. Um, basically um preschool through grade six are weighted at 1.0 and then grades 7 through 12 are weighted at 1.2. Um so that's how we arrive at this pupil unit number and again this number um has trended overall downward over the last five years um but more stable from 2024 to 2025 and then here you can see the change in those amounts from the prior year. So from 2021 to 2024 is is where the larger decreases were seen and then as I mentioned more stable in 2025. Um so with that we'll move on to looking at revenue in the general fund. And as you can see revenue has overall increased over the last five years um with about a 3.4% increase in 2025. Um that was increase was seen across taxes of about 2.2 2 million with an increase in the general funds share of the levy and then also revenue from the state of about 4.6 million and that was primarily across special education aid and some in general education aid as well. Um special education aid being up with increasing expenditures and then also the district did use $800,000 um of federal funds for towards tuition billing. So that impacted state special education aid in that same amount. Um and then of course general education aid um going up because of that 2% increase with student counts being very stable. And then other revenue was down about 2 and a.5 million and that includes federal revenues and as you may recall those pandemic related funds needed to be spent by September 30th of 2024. Um so most of those funds were spent in 2023 and 2024. Um moving on to the budget to actual results for the general fund. Um the far right column is the variance column and you'll see total revenues came in over budget by about $5 million. Revenue from the state was over budget about 2.3 million. Um, a couple things going on there. First of all, student counts exceeded expectations and then just overall conservative budgeting for general education and special education aid and some new aids that were received under the read Act were not budgeted. Other and lo other local and county revenues over budget almost $1.5 million. there was a positive change in the fair market value of the investments of the district and that exceeded the budget for interest earnings and then also just some of the various fees and and other items that come into that category can vary from year to year. So just being conservative with the budget for those. And then on the federal side, over budget about a million dollars. And again, that has to do with the $800,000 of federal funding um applied towards special ed tuition billing. So that impacted the federal revenue as well by $800,000. So the main reason for that coming over budget on the expenditure side over budget in total almost 1.4 4 million. That's a 1.1% variance. Um the biggest variance is in people support services. You'll see that was over budget almost 3.3 million and that was primarily due to the district changing the coding of dean salaries um to pupil support services in fiscal 2025 and it was budgeted in the administration line item. So that's the the big reason why you see administration coming in under budget almost 2.5 million >> and when I came in so deans are really to [cough] be part of compensatory funding um and so where we had them didn't align with compensatory funding how we use bars for financial accounting standards that's what every uses they have a set permitted amount of codes of what codes can go together so we needed to move those counselors student support personnel to make them part of that compensatory aid, which is that's what they're doing. That's what their jobs are. There was nothing in the wrong of how we were coding them. Just to make sure that they were part of that funding source >> and that's how that'll be done. >> Yet shift and budget variances. And then another reason why you see the pupil support services being further over budget than administration is under budget is transportation is also in people support services and that was over budget as well. It's cost um sites and buildings over budget about 1.2 million just the timing of projects over the summer the amount of work completed by June 30th as opposed to after year end varying a bit with what was budgeted. And [snorts] then another larger item um instructional support services under budget about 1.3 million and that was across equipment and computer hardware purchases. Uh so looking at the bottom line um initially budgeted for fund balance to to decrease about 1.9 million. The adjusted or amended budget anticipated fund balance would go down about 694,000. uh fund balance actually increased about almost 3.5 million in total for the year. And we'll see um in a few slides the components of fund balance in in where that all fell. Um so then we'll look at expenditures uh by program next. Um as I had touched on earlier there was that shift um between administration and pupil support services. So you can see that here um with administration going down and people support services going up with the deans. Um you'll see some other increases in the largest spending categories, regular instruction and special education instruction primarily due to salary and benefit increases uh related to contractual increases, step and lane movement and other inflationary cost increases. uh but total expenditures of about 7.9 million from 2024 to 2025. Then we have the spending allocation over the the last two years. So as I mentioned um expenditures up about 7.9 million but when you look at that allocation it was spread out very evenly across the various programs of the district which is what we um look to see is as spending goes up it it should be spread out evenly across the different programs. Um so there was a two percentage point shift from um administration to pupil support again because of that dean coding change um but otherwise very consistent. So here is a look a lot of numbers on this slide but a look at the general fund has been for the last five years. Um, so looking at 2025, as I mentioned earlier, fund balance in total was up almost $3 and a half million dollars. The components of fund balance are in the middle part of this table. And you'll see the majority of that increase are actually more than the $3.5 million increase landed in the assigned category. Um, that ended at almost 9.4 million at the end of the year. I believe that's about the fifth number from the bottom if you're you're looking for it. Um and that that serves as the district set aside um based on its long-term financial plan and the parameters that in the district's fund balance policy. >> Yeah. And I I'd like to touch on this one. So when I came in, if you look at 24, just to draw your attention that we had fund balances kind of mixed through all our restricted and assigned fund balances. Um really a district spends those every year. Those should be drawn down. Those expenditures should have have either lived in the general fund and should have been moved and then reconciled. I came in and cleaned up the fund balances [snorts] into our assigned I looked at the expenditures and I moved them the correct funding what is you know legal what you can move. Um I brought that into assigned fund balance. That's where you have that 9.3 really next fiscal year. This current fiscal year 2526 we're projected at a $6.7 million deficit. So that 9.3 million in the sign fund bounc window very quickly. You know if these projections are correct as we move forward. >> Um and then one other number I wanted to touch on is the unassigned fund balance. So that's what's available for spending on any purpose. Um line from the bottom ended at almost $13 million and that number is equal to 10% of expenditures based on what was spent in 2025. And that number is important because that is what is addressed in the district's fund balance policy. Um that policy states that the district will strive to maintain a minimum unassigned general fund balance of 8 to 12% of the annual budget. So the 10% being right in the middle of that range set in policy. And then here's another look at the unassigned fund balance in blue. So you can see how that's grown quite a bit over the last five years from that low point in 2021. um to come in compliance with policy. Um and then the total cash and investment balance in green that's going to mirror more closely to the total fund balance of the general fund which has also gone up over the last five years. Um and then we'll move on to the food service fund where revenues were very stable from 2024 to 2025 while expenditures increased a about $200,000 and that was primarily due to charging additional overhead costs to this fund in 2025 rather than um keeping them in the general fund because as you can see this fund um has significant fund balance and is able to cover those overhead costs in 2025. And then the community service fund uh revenues were up about 2% from 2024 to 2025 with increases in tuition and fees while expenditures were up about 0.4% u primarily in salary and benefits increases. Um but still um second consecutive year of expenditures exceeding revenue. So fund balance did decreased to a negative uh position in total at the end of the year. And when you look at the components of fund balance on there are some significant deficits in community education and school readiness or for preschool. Um so my understanding is the district does have some plans in place for this fund um to work on for for future fiscal years to kind of turn the the financial position around. I'll touch base on it. I mean me and Dr. Lisa, we've kind of known this is going to go negative as this fiscal year. Our plan is to meet and kind of rightsize those programs along with school age care coming into play um for the pre for the next fiscal year. So we plan to rightsize this and make sure that it's operating within a positive window as we move forward. And this will be a big thing when we come to revised budget when I bring it in February. Quick follow question. Are any of the rental revenues or expenses incorporated into this or is that >> they have been moved into the general? They have a committed fund balance that we have moved those those revenues into. >> Okay. This is just the program for >> uh and that was it for the prepared presentation. Happy to take any questions. >> I I know Jo this is the most excited I've seen you in like months [laughter] time. So just the the one well this follow albeit we've seen this bill before having to do with the segregation of duties. Um to your earlier point, you have to bring in additional FTE and then process through that to call meet the compliance standard, but are there compensating controls or other things that are deemed acceptable? >> Yeah, good question. Um and actually I had touched on this in the finance committee meeting but this um level of finding was actually reduced one level this year because of some of those compensating controls having um you know all members of the accounting staff being actual district staff and on-site for the full year under audit um and having um clear documentation of the segregation of duties and and the signoffs and the reviews and that type of thing. better documents if we were able to drop that finding down one level. >> Joe, it's all yours. >> Thank you. Um, the food service fund, we talked about that in committee. >> I guess my confusion on that is isn't the state paying for this? >> The state is. So, every school district is I mean, I'm glad you brought this up because I was going to jump back to it if we didn't face on it. The state is reimbursing us for every meal we serve. Every school district is encountering this issue that their fund balance and food services expand. I mean, we saw it at my previous district. It was just exploding and you could hire more staff when you really didn't need more staff. But what MDE did was they opened up food service to allow for other expenditures. Now you can purchase additional furniture within the lunchrooms. You can replace equipment. You can use it for construction projects that are to do with with service. So, they've opened it up that way to help districts spend it, but really I see where your argument they could have just >> Well, I guess my argument is are we overcharging the state? >> No, it's it's a flat rate. They give us a flat rate on it. So, they're >> So, why are we not serving like Prime Rivers? >> Good question. >> We could look into it for you. >> Well, I'm not sure. Um, and I think the big thing is is I started doing a chargeback this year. So, we did above and beyond what we had been doing. We were coding custodians into it. Actually had removed them and did did an MTE calculation which allowed for a $300,000 charge back instead of 150 which brought those funds over to the general fund. >> Okay. We're not overcharging the state. State just giving us too much money. So, stop. >> Don't say now on that. Did I just do that? >> You did. >> Okay, that's fine. I'm your boss. Um, as a group, >> it just it just seems like it should be much closer to um my other question. Oh, can we go to slide 21 once? Sorry, >> 21. >> This is a slightly differentation. >> The one with the bar graphs. Did you Is that on this one or No. Oh, the the >> the meal served. >> No, it's not. >> Because that in 2022, we ended up federal government gave money, >> but we're actually serving 200,000 more meals than in 25 than we did in 23. >> Wow. >> And so that, you know, even at a, you know, your cost, you you're exceeding your cost. So that is I think partly why that's happened across the state is more meals slight you know margin of what do you call that you know where are you profit if you will >> um is leading to that which then it's a subjective question then of you know maybe you look at reimbursement rates which I think is your >> pretty much and and my other question is I ask this every year of of the uh auditor um how How much do you audit the procedures versus how much do you audit the numbers? >> Yep. Yeah. So the procedures or the internal controls I would say around 20% you know we we are required to consider them as part of designing our auditing procedures and assessing the risk of the district. So we do that. Um and then also I talked earlier about the two federal audits the child nutrition and the title one. those we are also required to look at the controls for those two programs too. So that's part of the the control process in testing and then 80% I would say is on the numbers because it ultimately comes down to the n these numbers being correct >> in order to get that clean opinion on the independent auditor's report the very first bullet presentation >> sounds good thank you >> back to the service I know there's been an effort the last couple years of the legislature to try to get them to open strings a little bit more with the food service um because of the issue of the excess that districts have and you can only buy so many tables or new K or new stoves or or what have you. So, um I I think that'll continue because it's it's an opportunity for districts that are making significant cuts to have a little bit of revenue that's just sitting there doing nothing um to help them out just with some expenses. So I think there the push has been there for a one time transfer out of that fund into the general fund but keep pushing for it. [snorts] >> This is an action item. So we entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the audit for 2425. >> Second motion by all second by Is there any further discussion? >> Sorry. Um full audit. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. I have the full electronic. I'll send it out to you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Thank you, Jackie. David, you're staying right. You're here for another one. >> Not off the You have another one in two two more. Well, welcome Ed Vimett, our uh director of uh facilities and what is your official titles? Grounds and facilities. >> Buildings and grounds. Super. >> Buildings and grounds. Super. Thank you. Thank you. >> And the topic is uh elevator improvements for West Middle School. >> Yeah, perfect. Since 701 policy policy 701 isn't approved yet, we're bringing this to board because it hits that [snorts and clears throat] threshold of where we're looking for board approval. It's a West Middle School project. Our our West Middle School elevator is getting rather old. Um getting parts for it is getting harder and harder as it comes time. It's the [cough] only elevator at West Middle School, so it's used quite often by our special education services. Um so this project would start in June at the end of June when school year is done and then it would be kind of a revamp of that model and you can go a little bit further in depth with it. Yeah, we did something very similar or pretty much the exact same thing at Sweeney this last Christmas break of 2024 [clears throat] 25. Um, we're just bring they're the elevator itself is not changing. It's changing the controls, the pumps and all that stuff so that you know we're bringing everything up to more modern equipment. So that way if something if we do have breakdowns or something like that in the future, parts will be easier to get and less likely to have a long-term shutdown of an elevator, which we could have now. Something went down. Um can't find a part. It may take us a couple weeks to get that part shipped in from somewhere else, made something like that. So this is just going to help prevent breakdowns because we're getting motorized equipment. And then it's going to help out also with maintenance, having more parts easily accessible. >> And then we had a company, Northstar Elevator Consulting, do this RFP for us and they received multiple quotes for this elevator. Um I think I might have touched on it, but I don't recall. It is was part of our LTFM, long-term facility maintenance plan. So it's just kind of following up once we got the quote number for the board to see, you know, for yourselves. Um the quote was the winning kind of quote was $119,450. Um and that's what the project would cost. >> Just a followup question if I may. So uh it seems if we're using LTFM that it has to uh replace call existing functionality. That is you couldn't just go add a brand new elevator if it didn't exist using LTFM. Is that correct? That is correct. >> U part of my question was there any al alternative to you know meeting compliance? I presume we've got to have an elevator for those students that require the specialized services >> versus having a ramp or an alternative method to get to I'll call the the classroom environment. Um, it's it makes sense that we've got to keep the elevator functioning. If it were to malfunction and be out of service for any time, are we at risk of meeting some state requirement to have an elevator at that building? >> Yeah. Um, I don't know how that works. I mean, we're meeting state requirements by having an elevator. I don't know how that works if the elevator breaks down, >> right? But yes, I mean we do we are required to have an elevator in that space for handicapped accessibility and stuff like that. Like I said, we are meeting that right now. We are code compliant. I don't know how that works if we have a breakdown. I don't know if that's a little bit different or not, but >> yeah. And I was thinking that in terms of redundancy, too. Do you need to at some point consider a second elevator, but that would require a different funding mechanism outside of LTFM? >> Okay. just point out that uh policy 701 which we reviewed tonight that was in effect on this right. >> Yes. >> So it's just the amount is too high for our current housing. >> Sorry, how how long are the elevators last? And and [snorts] where are we at with any other buildings on like you know how long they're coming up on new ones? All of our elevators in our building [clears throat] are original elevators. Um, we've done this, we did this modernization at East Middle School back in 2019, I believe it was. >> Yes. >> And then we did Sweeney um and uh like I said last last winter break of last year. And then now West and they're telling me those the the Sweeney and the West ones are the only two right now that we really have to focus on bringing up to modernization. and all of our other ones. I mean, you can always upgrade them if you want, but they're saying there's no concerns at this time. Our elevator company is saying after we get this one upgraded that there's no other ones out there that a beacon saying, "Hey, we're next. We're next." So, >> so be here before. >> Yes. >> Have this discussion. >> Yes. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> No further discussion. I'll make a motion to approve as presented. >> Second. >> A motion by Brophy and a second by Johnson. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> Up here. >> Well, you're next. We have a budget adjustment with Dr. Rev. I don't know if you're contributing to that, but then you're immediately after that. >> I can stay [laughter] hard questions. I'm turning them over to you. All right. >> So, next is item 15.6. This is another action item, budget adjustments for fiscal year 27. Dr. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um [clears throat] I think the board's well aware, but just kind of that, you know, kind of a brief summary of, you know, how did we get here? This has been part of when we've been looking at our budget deficits for next school year and the year following. we've always laid out as part of the solution. Uh permanent budget cuts, 3 million for next school year, 500,000 for the year that follows. Uh work has been, you know, has has been happening uh on this topic for, you know, literally six to eight months now. and lots of really good work. Um, in terms of planning, preparation, uh, nearly everything on this list, I would take, you know, the schooly Mitchell. So, yep. We're saving costs and we're keeping the same product. So, you know, that that makes sense. nearly everything else on this list that is a proposed budget cut is providing or would have you know we did some non-hiring before you know we said hey we're going to have to make budget cuts fairly soon let's not hire just to lay somebody off but you know the vast vast majority of things I do want to point out they've been providing value and service you know and we're talking about people in these roles uh to our students and and to for our school district and that is a really important thing uh to understand. So there's nothing easy about the process in any way, shape or form. Uh there's been analysis you know we have finite resources. How do we you know best spend those finite resources? We've looked within departments, within areas of spending, and then across departments, and across areas of spending. Understanding that, you know, there's a zero sum nature to this. You know, if you take something off the list, well, you have to replace it with something else. There's no way around the math. you know, we've laid out at least three million in budget cuts, you know, so to get there, uh, you know, you have to, uh, have a list and you have to, you know, kind of measure that value and draw a line in different places and that analysis has been done. This analysis, this, uh, you know, along the way, this is the final document. Uh this has been shared with principles um and it's been shared with our district leadership uh multiple times and I would say uh our our leadership across the district very very appreciative. Uh I would say they've done high quality and very thoughtful work uh in terms of this effort and so u I certainly would would recommend uh what's proposed here for board approval and also happy uh to uh attempt to answer any questions that that you may have. >> Yes, sir. That's really your job. Sorry. The reduction in positions during enrollment decreases $684,000. That would have happened anyway, correct? >> Yeah. Anytime. Yeah. Yeah, what we did, it's not the entire amount, but it's the part of funding that we get that we would automatically adjust. You know, we're not changing class size targets, but we would change that staffing. Correct. >> But and that contributed to the to the $3 million, >> right? To me, that was going to happen even if we would have had a large surplus. Correct. because we're reducing students. >> Yes. But it's still you're cutting the expenditures or not hiring the expenditures for that [clears throat and cough] which is part of the budget projection. So part of this way >> I know what you're saying. >> Yeah. I not exactly sure that should have been part of the 3 million but >> or you change the 3 million 2.3. >> That's a good way to say this is really a revision of the budget projection to some degree of how you're going to staff andor that being a part of it, right? I mean, it was clear that there's sophisticated intent to get to this $3 million number. >> Yep. And we could go back I mean even on our I know on our financial presentations where we've laid that out kind of that whole process that this has been you know we've had budget adjustments due to enrollment and transportation cuts due to enrollment going back in early summer. I'm really grateful that that the the levy did pass because we'd probably be looking at like two or three pages of this had it been had it not passed. You know what? This is obviously a very difficult thing to do. I don't envy you or anybody else that had to go into these decisions because we are truly losing some people that we need at our schools, some positions and literacy coaches. I mean, we're rolled out what, three, four different curriculums. That would be a really nice thing to have. But is there any other alternatives about naming specific people of course or departments or things that were considered that or what went into the thought process how we landed on these departments? necessarily >> there were I know I sent to the board at one time there were kind of the things that were in the margins that's probably about a month ago um you know and again I think at this point yeah I don't want to share that publicly um but there were you know what I will share is part of you know where we landed like with ML teachers um we did add you know 2 million from the district expenditure of compensatory revenue In addition, you know, to our ML funding to get to that number, we thought that was appropriate. We had, you know, at one time looked at slight, you know, about 200,000 more in cuts and decided that was that changed the value tradeoff, if you will. And then a lot of other pieces, you know, we looked across, you know, district office some of the different things support there um and other places and ended with this in terms of that tradeoff that appeared to be the the best way to navigate forward. >> Dr. I I do see reference to reduction in the transportation routes, but we didn't evaluate changing any of the called walking distance. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah. And that again that said if you have fewer kids, you're going to have >> right >> less happens organically. >> Yeah. And I think that's the automatic part of, you know, what was [clears throat] would have been used no matter what to to Joe's point to tackle that part of that budget deficit. But I don't think I'll get those projections. I think a couple things that stand out to me is the literacy coaches when we're implementing some new curriculum that's state driven. [clears throat] Um, I know it says not hiring any positions and budgeted, but I'm hoping that with that reduction, we're still covering what's required by that new mandate for the read act of what you have to have for literacy coaches to make sure that we are meeting that requirement as well as we also need to make sure we're meeting the needs of our of our staff as well. Um, because ultimately that's our student success is dependent on making sure that our teachers are getting what they need to successfully implement that. So that that one stuck out to me. The other one that stuck out to me is well I mean this isn't the first time that I've been through this on this board. So and it seems like there's a lot of similar positions um from previous cuts which is a little troubling. you know, some of them came back, but HP, for example, is one that that has always been near and dear to me. Um, that was something that came out in the elementary structures presentation that we were going to put more focus on HP and now I'm seeing that there's HP on the list and I shared this previously before. Um, this is a program that I think is really, really important in our district K to 12 because when my son was in school, he qualified for those services but was told he couldn't have them because there weren't enough staff. And now we're cutting and that really I hope we're not giving our [clears throat] students disservice by by reducing these positions and meaning that we will not have staff available for the kids that qualify for those services. That's to me that's a really important program as a precursor especially in the elementary to advanced courses getting people into those APCIS courses at the higher levels. Um it's those kids that typically are the ones that are on that trajectory and the more that we can get in those programs I think the better off we'll be with those numbers. So those are frustrating Well, let me because you did share that one with me and I did confirm right before the meeting again just so I was 100% sure in the HP that is a coordinator part of that. So it's a leadership it's not the staff necessarily delivering services and again there's you know some of this we've got decreasing enrollment and so you know there there's nothing easy about any of this. um the you know folks at at the kind of the center of it uh and I may talk a little bit you talked about the literacy coaches that was always an expected part. Uh I know that our leaders of our learning teaching and equity department looked at repurposing is the word that pops in but how do we have staff that are currently there? uh our our comprehensive literacy framework is a huge priority, but that shows the difficult nature of these tradeoffs. Um I have complete confidence because I've asked them some of those same questions probably 20 times u about those things. It's, you know, again, if somebody wanted to donate another $12 million to our school district, we would find really valuable things to to put it forwards that would provide value and better service. We're trying to to maximize the resources that we have uh and continue with our services at a high level. And you know what you mentioned about legacy, that is absolutely a priority. And um we're going to do the absolute best we can and believe that we have you know in light of all those tradeoffs like we said within and across departments that that was the best best way to do that you know and so we did that for this school year. uh if there's anything I don't want to put you on the spot, but Nick, if there's anything top of mind or that I'm [snorts] missing with that, [clears throat] >> the word we use in this of permanent budget cuts is curious to me because I mean we review and set budgets and every year come up multiple times a year, monthly in some of our meetings. I mean this is all obviously still based on projections of student enrollment and the trend that's gone in the right direction lately. Um you know what obligation we have two years from now if there is better than expected enrollment and some of these services are needed. >> Um well I think Nick we're always going to look at doing things the word I'm going to go back a step and then I might miss the last part so bring that back please. We use permanent budget cuts because one of the things when I first arrived in the district was I was told we had made budget cuts and the reality was I think that group thought they had made budget cuts and they didn't stick. They went through a lot of work and so we will do the accounting for these things and if something changes in terms of pame parameters enrollment growth that person who you know when I just talked about this shows up with 12 million we'll figure that out but the expectation is to be really clear that we will make sure these things stick within our budgets and and folks that have been on the board or been around our district leadership We went through this for the what would it have been the 2122 school year and we saw the math after that those cuts stuck. They were permanent and then we purposely brought some of them back and were really careful with that math and you could see that and you could see that the parts that were supposed to come back where they've come back places like regular instruction it has stayed there. It's exact we did exactly what we said we were going to do and the places where we said they wouldn't come back. So that's that's you know and maybe putting the word permanent is over overemphasizing. I think that's a fair criticism but it's the intent of this is serious business. We should be able to show you and I have complete confidence that, you know, if we take a look for these things and that, you know, moving forward, we'll be able to show you the evidence that that that budget cuts have been carried out. And also, you know, we're if we air, you know, we'll call some things up, but if we air, we're trying to air on being conservative um and do it. It sounds really weird because it's totally unpleasant, but I think it's an important part of leadership that if you're doing this, you have to do it well and you have to be accountable for it. So, >> and and and really if we start going up by two $300 two [clears throat] 300 students every year, more than we expect, not only would these come back, we'd have to hire more teachers just just for everything. You know, that would wouldn't that be wouldn't that be great? So, uh, hey everybody, start having three four kids at once and have them like be five in a year. Well, I think I think we all know that the the ballot questions passed um is not setting us financially stable for years and years and years and years. Um and that we all know every school district in the state is facing financial headwinds not knowing what's going to happen the legislature. Um, so I have concerns moving forward even outside of this of what potentially is going to happen because that levy is only going to take us so far and every school district's got the same problem. But I I think moving forward any future cuts that we might have to make, we need to look in other areas outside of what's here because This was hit the last time we did budget cuts. A lot of these are looking very, very similar and there are other areas that didn't get touched and they need to be touched. We can't continue to cut in some of these areas um where some of these are our students need um and our staff need the support. And there are areas in our district that I know that didn't get hit with cuts previously that probably need to be cut somewhat moving forward. >> I mean that that's always the issue when you have budget cuts is what are you going to cut? Because let's just say you do all this stuff in high potential. You're going to take your high potential students. they're going to go to a district that has more high potential [clears throat] teachers and all once we're starting to lose more students which means we're losing more revenue and you know but yeah every every school district is going to have the same issue we do when we have 2% of revenue from the state 3% increase in in expenses and that match does not work without having permanent budget cuts on a yearly basis >> tally would you scroll down just just a little bit and I'm you know I'm trying to frame this because it's a both and it's not a it's not an eitheror. Um, we looked, you know, we purposely kept some things out of the mix with class- size targets and busing distances, which are huge, like just [clears throat] in terms of the quantity or proportion of budget are are very large. We also kept programmatic things. Some of those, you know, like college and the schools we didn't put on here this time. some of those other pieces. And again, you know, there's partly what Joe said, there's some things you've got to be careful because and you know, and again, you know, I think it there's a difference if we were cutting sections of high potential and that is absolutely not what's happening. You know, we want to accommodate for each and every kid and and do that efficiently. Um, we really looked and actually I failed. I I meant to share this at the beginning, but you know, some parts of our our budget kind of adjust automatically [snorts] and some don't. And we really did try to look at places, you know, where it it, you know, things didn't get adjusted, but yet we've got fewer students, we've got fewer employees to serve where we could. Um, and I'm going to say there's some places, and I'm going to look, you know, I'm kind of going to look at David in terms of our finance department. Whether we have 8,000 kids or 7,000 kids, 1,200 employees, or 10,50, their workload doesn't change much. You know, there there's some parts that probably do. um and you run the risk of you know we could be saving x amount of dollars but we can't provide some really really important services. So we we tried to look at things that were more driven by number of students being you know being less number of staff being less um and again imperfect and we could you know and I think try to you know bring bring it forward and um you know knowing There's, you know, there's nothing easy on the list other than the school Mitchell stuff to be quite quite frank. So, correct me if I'm wrong. I believe at one point in time I heard those that are losing positions will have the ability to apply for other openings within the district. Yeah, I'm not gonna I'm not going to say that's universally [clears throat] or guaranteed, but in certain situations and um I'm okay talking about ML, right, Jim? Yeah, >> we've, you know, I should probably look there have been conversations. There's four four teaching positions there and we've looked in terms of seniority. Um most of the folks who do that work and definitely the ones that you know near the you know in terms of seniority the least senior also have other licenses and they are doing some really good work and so there's a very high likelihood that other positions exist and also then over time it you know certainly could be possible to come back if they really wanted to come back into that ML area. not going to guarantee that everywhere, but we we've looked at that. We have enough, you know, annual turnover to do that unless you have and we looked at those particular licenses and I think it was two elementary and um >> special education. >> What's it? Yeah. Special Oh, yeah. EBD special education and then high school English, I think, or secondary English maybe. Yeah, we tend to have turnover there. they're doing a nice job. If that's something they were interested in, we would certainly give them every opportunity to apply and there's a high likelihood that they'd be retained. Now, if you had a second license and it was in an area where we don't have turnover, then maybe not. But, uh, and I think that's kind of true throughout most of this. So, to put it in perspective, Nick, we hired 45 teachers this year. And obviously we weren't hiring [clears throat] new teachers because of ex, you know, wild growth. It was routine turnover, um, retirements, those types of things. >> Yeah. And we've had presentations from Keith Gray about trying to attract teachers to the district and things of challenges of that nature. So I realize it's needed small. >> And just a quick comment kind of allude to it. I know at one point unfortunately we've seen this uh before Christie. Uh we at one point there was an incentive for early retirement if I recall is probably a better position to speak to it. But there wasn't enough interest or participation to to make that viable. But conceptually would that be another tool in the toolbox to >> We looked at that and had discussion six months ago and if let's say levy questions one and two didn't Yeah, we would have brought that forward [snorts] because we would have been making [clears throat] substantial teaching cuts where in order to make that work, >> you have to have and I can't remember what our minimum number was when we tried. >> We didn't get it 10 or 12. >> It was a sign. >> I thought it was more than that, but I don't think >> I don't think so. >> Yeah, four. >> But we would have needed it really works better if there were larger cuts and >> more classroom oriented. And yeah and you know again this is just what other tools are in the tool box which is you know you want to provide that quality course core instruction this obviously impacts the you know the classroom to the extent these are the names behind the numbers and these are educators that provided great services. Are there just other programming areas where you could you know kind of spread out a little bit more you know This is figurative. So I hope this doesn't hit the public but at one point we had to eliminate fifth grade band because of the cuts [cough] just some of those specials and then you don't want to get too deep into that conversation because that's part of what makes shock a piece of great is to have these additional programs. And so I I just don't know where the trade-off is. So I'll I'll reiterate what Mr. Zitic said. Uh don't envy the decisions that the district leaders had to make. I know that this was done thoughtfully um to minimize impact but it's how do we continue to look for opportunities any further discussion I'll make a motion [cough] >> motion byth and a second by Johnson uh to approve the budget adjustments for fiscal year 27. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Next is another action item, item 15.7, the final levy taxes payable to 2026 funding for 202627 school year. And David is here to present. Turning on my brightness real quick so I can see my screen. [clears throat] Uh, as we sat through the presentation previously, this is to bring the that 25 26 uh levy numbers for the payables to the board to approve. um general fund at $37,479,488.38 education [clears throat] or community service fund um $619,0001 1953 and then debt service at 12 billion819,7818.7 for a total of 50,918,4261 sense. >> I have a question. >> Everybody should be able to say this one by the >> So, what exactly would happen if we vote no on this? >> If we voted no, we'd go into statuto operating debt by 2627. >> I would like to make a motion to approve the uh the pay 26 levy. >> I'll second motion by Alder and a second by Brophy. Any discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? I opposed. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you, David. >> That's a roll. >> Thank you. All right, >> Tiffany. >> Tiffany, can you please do the roll? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Valdez? >> Yes. >> Peterson? >> Yes. >> Smith? >> Yes. Aldridge. >> Yes. >> Johnson. >> Yes. >> Yes. Resolution passes. >> Next is uh Oh, David is still here. >> Next is information item 16.1 monthly budget update. >> It's never ending for you. >> This is your last your last item. >> This is my last item. Okay, so this is the general fund um November 30th, 2025. This is actuals all the way through November. Um this is kind of give you a comparison where we're sitting financial year compared to adopted budget. So if you look at the 25 26 received yearto date, uh state aid to revenues were right [snorts] on par with previous fiscal years um at 19.94%. Um, federal revenues, we've received $11,846. If you remember last time I was here, we were negative. And Joe, you asked how can we be negative? Well, we had a receivable. We received that receivable. [cough] It was uh Indian education federal aid. So, now we are almost right on par with what we have been previous fiscal years. uh property taxes. We did receive our October and November payments, which puts us in right in line with previous fiscal years at 69.35%. Um and then also local um revenues, which is interest earned, donations, miscellaneous revenues. This is performing better [snorts] than budgeted at a current right now. We will revise this and bring this back to the board in February, which is fantastic. Um salary and wages uh were right on par with previous fiscal year at 34.09% um which is fantastic. Employee benefits also right in line with previous fiscal years at 32.3 53%. Purchase services are slightly under previous fiscal years which is you know just time when things are being purchased when federal purchases are happening districtwide. um supplies are seeing an uptick compre compared to previous fiscal years, but also within line with donations and miscellaneous revenants. As those donations come in, it's very hard to budget that. So, it's very hard to budget the supply you're going to spend on those donations. Um and then other expenditures um just right on par with previous fiscal years. Uh 25 was rather low, but third, uh 24 was right on par with third 34.47% 47% compared to our 32.55%. Any questions on finance number for November? >> What type of what time of year what month of the year do we get the rest of the federal dollars? >> Uh federal dollars you can draw those down as expenditures happen. Yeah, usually most districts do quarterly. I was talking to um Allison. We'll start making those draws within the next month. So, >> and we'll get the revised budget in February. >> That's what I was planning on. >> Okay, sounds good. >> I mean, this ties in our other topic like we approved a $7 million budget deficit that's on here. So, that's it'll be nice to see like more emphasis that those cuts needed to be made as much as we didn't enjoy doing that. Thank you, David. >> No, no problem. >> Next, another information item 16.2 district update year and review snapshot video. Well, I've been working hard on a video along with my colleagues in communications department uh [snorts] who've done 99.99 maybe a little higher than that of the work. But uh no, Tiffany and Amber uh we did something like this last year. I think it's just nice to reflect upon the year a little bit and so uh Tiffany and Amber did did just great work with this and and lots of other things. So yeah, please please share on my behalf. >> And a quick note, when uh Dr. Redmond created this, it was created [snorts] in a vertical format because it'll go on social media. So it's intentional. It's a little different on how you're viewing it here. >> Yeah, that I was supposed to remember to say that, too. It failed. So, thank you. [snorts] [music] >> [music] [music] >> No, you're okay. [music] >> [music] >> Inclusion means to work working together as a team. >> Inclusion is adding someone to an active. [cough] >> Inclusion is more than everyone deserves to be included. For us, it looks like hanging out with friends. >> It also means being made to feel important, being made to feel a part of this school, and that you were valued and welcome here. Darling. [music] >> [music] [music] [music] >> That's the I'm not [music] Come on. You Oh, we know what we want. Stay down here. and Tiffany, thank you. And I don't know if we got it [cough] four minutes, but we were pretty close. You literally could do 4,444 minutes. It truly is a snapshot of the There's just thousands of amazing things happening each and every day. >> Well, Dr. Edward, you've outdone yourself. Well done. [clears throat] >> Thanks. >> That was excellent. Thank you. Uh next is committee reports and other information. Let's uh start with Nick today. Um we had the [clears throat] finance and facilities committee prior to this a couple or seed some of these presentations twice and get in greater detail on them. They're obviously finance heavy agenda tonight. Um I don't have any other items. Thank you, Caroline. >> Um, community engagement, uh, we just really talked about how to utilize the, um, student [snorts] school board members more, um, and different activities. That was kind of big. >> Thank you, Christie. >> Um, the delegate assembly last weekend. Um, so that was good. Um, everything went really well. 37 resolutions were read and discussed and debated in a little over four and a half hours. So to lunch um had a board meeting before that on Friday as well. Um, Friday [snorts] we have Southwest Metro's board meeting. Um, and then on Wednesday I am part of the achievement integration three-year plan kickoff committee will be starting. >> Thank you. Um, yeah, finance facilities committee tonight. Um I was at the delegate assembly as well and uh that was that was an experience I had to I I had to present one that required an amendment and it was it was really an exercise in Robert's rules um which was entertaining except that it was really doomed to fail from the start and it was just kind of an exercise leading to an ultimate no vote that everybody knew was going to [cough] uh anyway it was it was an experience. Um, uh, I will be, uh, calling each of you, um, individually, uh, between now and the end of the year to talk about your interest in committee assignments and potential officer positions. So, just be forewarned. Hopefully, everybody's got my phone number so I don't look like a strange stalker reaching out to you, but I'll text you first. And [laughter] >> only the strangest stalkers do that. Texas first, so we know to avoid the call. >> Yes, exactly. That's all I have. Thanks, Joe. >> Um, yeah, finance and facilities. We basically covered everything in the meeting today. We had a little bit more detail on the audit. Um, but yeah, and that's [snorts] it. >> Yeah. Uh, policy, the only thing is that 701 and community engagement. I don't think I have your reports since last night. >> Tim, >> two words, legally blonde. >> That was excellent. That was excellent. >> You know, and it's hard to say which was your feel like to say your favorite's irresponsible, but I I can't say I laughed any harder than that. They just exceptional job. Such a great talent. Really sweet. Uh and then as far as committee, we've got uh our district advisory uh is coming up and then another Pearson. So a DACA and a pack meeting are on the horizon. >> Jim, yeah. Uh snowiest night of the year last week. We had a and we still had our best uh turnout for kindergarten roundup. It's the the first of many engagement nights, but a lot of work went into that by uh communications and our principles and um yeah, it was amazing to have four or five inches of snow and still have over a hundred people show up. And um I think each year we get our kindergarteners registered earlier and give our parents um you know, just some really good reasons why they want to want to be Shakip families. >> Tiffany, >> I'll just echo that. You want to see Mr. Leonard at South Path do a great dance too. He never disappoints at the kindergarten info session. He had all those kiddos up and moving as did the other principles. Uh and then education for as you know our printed mail to home newsletter will be launching digitally tomorrow. Uh just to share some resources and things going on before winter break and then it'll hit homes the week of January 6, which is the first school week of January. I think I've spoken this. >> David, you want to talk some more, don't you? [laughter] >> I'm ready for budget. >> Uh, next up is uh item 18, upcoming meetings and important dates. Uh, anything you want to bring attention to? >> Uh, no. I think um most of these events we'll keep you updated in residence w and I'll send any emails or things of that nature to make sure we're staying in tune between now and organizational meeting. >> Thank you. With that I would entertain a motion to adjourn. >> So second motion by Peterson and a second by Brophy. Any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor I opposed.