Mahtomedi Public Schools — Transcript
Monday, May 11, 2026
Learning Showcase & Educational Programs Overview
Student Representative Matt Sudinski's Contributions
Student Representative Update & School Events
Superintendent's Report on District News & Events
Preliminary Budget for Next Year (2027-2028)
First Reading of Legislative Policy Changes
Proposed Middle/High School First Day Orientation Schedule
2027-2028 Academic Calendar Approval
School Board Committee Reports
Votes (3)
Approval of Proposed Middle School and High School First Day of School Schedule
Dissent: Ryan expressed a desire for more community feedback and additional time to decide.
The board discussed a proposal to designate the first day of school as an orientation day for 6th and 9th graders, moving the current pre-school orientation into the regular calendar. Arguments for included improved transportation and teacher presence. Concerns were raised about potential family frustration, drawing parallels to elementary delayed starts, and the perceived difficulty of reversing such a policy. The board decided to table the decision to gather more community feedback.
Approval of the 2728 Academic Calendar
Dissent: Director Donna reiterated support for the early start based on academic reasons and calendar committee recommendation.
Moved by Unknown [00:36:58] · Seconded by Unknown [00:37:04]
The board debated the 2027-2028 academic calendar, considering the calendar committee's recommendation for an early start (before Labor Day) for academic benefits, versus a later start (after Labor Day) to accommodate extensive summer 2027 construction projects. A motion was made to start after Labor Day. However, the discussion shifted to tabling the decision to allow assessment of construction progress and community feedback from the 2026 early start calendar.
Approval of the Annual Policies
Moved by Unknown [00:40:53] · Seconded by Unknown [00:40:53]
The board proceeded with a standard approval of annual policies, which are policies that require reaffirmation each year without any proposed changes.
Notable Quotes (7)
I like it. It's my gut response to that. I think it's hard to ask kids to go to school for the day the week before school starts due to some of the reasons Barb said and also the transportation because this would be a busing day.
Second comment, and I don't I don't have my mind made up one way or the other, but I do get a lot of feedback on the elementary delayed start, and a lot of families get frustrated with that, or at least I hear from a lot of families that are frustrated. Probably um so I I guess I would just like to get some more feedback from the community around this.
But if you are summer mentality for students, it's easier for it to be associated with the school year.
calendar committee recommended an early start for all the reasons we talked about before in terms of um being having more time before all the spring testing comes up. Um also as uh some teachers would tell you once AP tests are done um there's maybe less investment in paying attention in school.
he can't predict that far in advance how you know they they put a bid on this saying that yes we can get these this work done during the summer with 12 weeks but they um also know um are recommending that um if we can start uh Labor Day that would benefit the construction.
Personally, I'm going to stick with my decision that I made to go with the early start for 2026 based on the same considerations that we had in the discussion last time. Um, plus the calendar committee, this is something that they've studied a lot more than I have. And so, I would go with the recommendation of the calendar committee.
Um I personally don't like the precedent of starting school earlier than Labor Day. Kind of why I made the vote that I did in October. Um and I'd like to see this play out a little bit um personally. So, I'd like to um we're going to vote now that's fine, but if we can push it out until September, October again to see how construction is progressing and what the feedback from the community is around the early start, that will give me more confidence in making decision.
Ordinances & Resolutions (5)
District newsletter recently mailed out
Local publication that reported on the district's AI event
Policies requiring annual approval without changes
Policy regarding minimum unassigned fund balance percentage
Legal requirement for instructional hours and days of school