The Independent School District 834 School Board elected new leadership and approved a construction contract during its organizational meeting Tuesday evening.

Ellison Sherman was elected board chair, with Andrew Theander as vice chair, Katie Hawker as clerk, and Pete Kellenberg as treasurer. All positions were filled unanimously by the seven-member board, which also swore in three members including two newcomers Sarah Gersich and an unnamed director Parker.

The board approved a $2.9 million earthwork contract to Park Construction Company of Minneapolis for the new Lake Elmo Elementary School project. Facilities director Mark said the contractor was selected as the lowest responsible bidder among nine submissions and will begin site work in early February. The remaining 38 work scopes for the project will be presented at the board's next meeting January 21.

Lake Elmo Elementary Principal Katie Pong-Toa presented an overview of the school's programs and challenges. The school serves 719 students in both English and Spanish immersion programs, making it the district's largest elementary school and operating above capacity. Pong-Toa highlighted staffing shortages, particularly in paraprofessional positions, as a significant challenge requiring administrative staff to fill gaps in specialized programs.

The board also reviewed its legislative platform for the upcoming session, focusing on education funding requests including full funding for literacy initiatives and addressing unfunded state mandates. The platform will be finalized at the next meeting and presented to area legislators at a breakfast meeting January 31.