November 15, 2021 at 7:30 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  All speakers are asked to complete the Listening Session Sign-in Form including as much detail as possible and including a printed / written copy of your presentation if one is available. This is an opportunity for the Board to listen, the Board will not engage in dialogue. As a general rule, the Board will not comment on or respond to any comments made by speakers. Please do not include names of Greenbush Middle River employees or representatives, their title, or location in your remarks for your own legal protection and the legal rights of staff.

Each speaker will have five (5) minutes to speak: speakers may not roll their time to another speaker. Speakers will be timed and are asked to complete their comments in this time frame. Board members may ask questions if needed.  Please begin your presentation by stating your name and topic only.
In the spirit of fairness to all participants, we request that you respect the format above. Thank you for taking the time today to attend this meeting and share your concerns and suggestions.

Description:  see attached

Description:  Budget consists of 6 fund balances:

o  01 General Fund
o  02 Food Service
o  04 Community Services
o  07 Debt Redemption
o  08 Scholarships
o  09 Student Activities
• *see attached
Attachments: (1)

Description:  The BGMR Girls Volleyball team advanced to the State Tournament for the first time in program history.  Congratulations to the girls volleyball program and Head Coach Mrs. Stacy Dahl.

Description:  The intent of American Education Week (November 15-19) is to celebrate public education and recognize the individuals working to ensure that every student receives a quality education.

We honor and THANK the team of people who work in the GMR School.  There are 50 school employees including:  Teachers, Para Professionals, Custodians, Transportation, Food Service, Technology, Preschool, Office Support and Administration that provide public service to 225 K-12 students as well as an additional number of pre-school children.  

Description:  Regarding GMR Art Teacher Mrs. Debra Aune:

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) is pleased to announce their latest exhibit - Artists of Northwest Minnesota at their gallery at Northland Community and Technical College, 1101 Highway 1 East in Thief River Falls. This exhibit will run from October 7 through Wednesday, December 1. There are approximately 95 pieces of artwork in this exhibit, many of which are for sale, including metal art, photography, watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, pen and ink, mixed media, pottery, glass work, stone, poetry, children’s books, fiction and nonfiction, greeting cards, music, and mosaics created by regional artists. 

Description:  Border Bank to GMR Concession Stand ....................$800.00
Troy & Mary Stauffenecker to GATOR GAP ...............$50.00


Motion by Board Member _____________________ and seconded by ________________ to approve donations described as described above.

Description:  Excerpt from October 18, 2021 School Board meeting:

School Board Policies are on the GMR website.  Policies provide a guidepost or a comprehensive legal guide to be used in the efficient management of all aspects of a school system.  Past, present and future school board policies are a joint product of the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA).
All model policies have been carefully examined by the law firm Ratwik, Rozak, and Maloney to insure compliance with federal and Minnesota laws.
MSBA provides a Policy Service to its member districts.  Most school districts do not have the time and personnel to develop a comprehensive policy manual that includes policies, administrative regulations, and forms organized into helpful categories.  In addition, school districts would require substantial legal assistance to develop policies on their own.
School District Policies by category

• Series 100 School District
• Series 200 School Board
• Series 300 Administration
• Series 400 Employees / Personnel
• Series 500 Students
• Series 600 Education Programs
• Series 700 Non-Instructional
• Series 800 Buildings & Sites
• Series 900 Community Relations

A number of policies are required to be reviewed annually by the school board. They include: 
Policy #           Description:
410                  Family and Medical Leave Act;
413                  Harassment and Violence;
414                  Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse;
415                  Mandated Reporting of Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults;
506                  Student Discipline;
514                  Bullying Prohibition Policy;
522                  Student Sex Nondiscrimination;
524                  Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy;
616                  School District System Accountability;
806                  Crisis Management Policy.

Motion by Board member _________________ and seconded by _______________________ to adopt "en masse" the revised annual (2021-2022) model school board policies as recommended by the MN School Boards Association.

Description:  A representative of the accounting firm of Eide Bailly (Fargo, N.D.) will provide the Independent Audit Report of the Greenbush Middle River School District Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

School Districts are required, by statute, to have an annual independent audit of their financial affairs.  A representative of the accounting firm of Eide Bailly will present the GMR financial audit for the 2020-2021 school year.

attachments 

A motion was made by ______________, seconded by _____________, to approve the Greenbush Middle River School District 2020-2021 Financial Audit as presented by Eide Bailly. 

Description:  The coronavirus pandemic began in December 2019.  The 2020 MN Legislature recognized the costs to contend with the pandemic can put a strain on school finances.  The legislature passed a law permitting School Board's to make one-time financial transfers for FY 20 and FY 21.  The recommendation is to approve a transfer of $25,000 of the school district's Community Education / Early Childhood Family Education fund to the unrestricted General Fund.   see attached Request for Fund Transfer

Suggested Resolution:  Member ____________________ introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption.

Resolution Relating to the Transfer of Funds in Fiscal Year 2020-2021

BE IT RESOLVED, by the School Board of Independent School District No. 2683, as follows: 
         
         WHEREAS, addressing the corona virus in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 placed an unprecedented strain on school budgets; and
         WHEREAS, in accordance with Minnesota Laws 2020, Chapter 116/House File 4415, Article 3 Section 8, subd. 1, the school board deems it necessary to transfer funds for fiscal year 2021; and
         WHEREAS, the transfer of funds request was reviewed by the District’s Independent Financial Auditor; and
WHEREAS, the transfer will not interfere with the equitable delivery of distance learning or social distancing models; and
        WHEREAS, the transfer will not increase state aid obligations to the school district or result in additional property tax authority for the school district.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the School Board of Independent School District No. 2683 to transfer $25,000 from the District’s 04 (ECFE) Fund to its 01 Unrestricted General Fund in accordance with Minnesota Laws 2020, Chapter 116/House File 4415, Article 3 Section 8.

 The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Member
__________________________________ and upon vote being taken thereon, the following

voted in favor thereof:

and the following voted against the same:

whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted / failed.

 
Attachments: (1)

Description:  Motion by Board member _____________________ and seconded by ________________ to approve the resignation of Robert Bridges as a school custodian.

Description:  The primary goal of the State High School League Foundation is to award grants that assist, recognize, promote, and fund extra-curricular participation.

Grants are awarded based upon gender balance, school size and geographic location to the extent possible.  Suggested Board Action:  Attached [FORM A] Resolution as provided by the MN State High School League.

Description:  One result of mitigation efforts from a fuel oil spill in early Sept. requires the district to up-grade its 2,000 fuel storage tank (used for back-up heating unit) to a new fuel storage tank meeting certain criteria (eg:  double-walled).  The "old" fuel tank has been removed from service and replaced with a new fuel storage tank.  There is no need for the school to keep the "old" fuel storage tank.

Effective use of school building space (eg:  storage availability) will at times require disposal of obsolete equipment and material(s).  In FY 20, the GMR School District went thru a disposal process to eliminate its inventory of used or unwanted equipment and supplies..  

Protocol for disposal of obsolete equipment and materials will largely follow the model MSBA Policy [802] for disposal of obsolete equipment and materials. 

Motion by Board member __________________ and seconded by ______________ to put up for public bid a 2,000 gallon fuel tank no longer needed by the District.

 

Description: 



 

Description:  Student Activities: 

Sucess of BGMR Football Team

Participation in State Volleyball Tournament

      Cassie Dahl was named to the All-State Volleyball Team

Success of GMR musical "Annie"

Winter Sports Practice begins:
       Girls BB
       Wrestling
       Boys BBB

Description:  see attached Veterans Day Program

Description:  The Center for Disease Control, MN Dept. of Health, American Medical Association and other State and Federal Agencies recommend Americans get vaccinated against Coronavirus.

As per webex with Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director & Roseau County Public Health on Nov. 15, 2021 @ 10:00 am

The COVID-19 vaccination was not designed to cure Coronavirus.

COVID vaccination was pretty much designed to reduce transmission or protection against not getting Coronavirus.

If a person has been vaccinated, they are less apt to get Coronavirus.  With that being said,  there are breakthrough cases (people are vaccinated but still get Coronavirus).   Breakthrough cases tend to have symptoms which are less severe than those people contracting the coronavirus who have NOT been vaccinated.    About 2% that are vaccinated get the virus.  The overwhelming number of hospitalized cases with severe Covid are those who are not vaccinated.

The Covid vaccination was designed to manage the virus by reducing transmission or protection against not getting Coronavirus and to reduce hospitalization and / or symptoms in breakthrough cases.  This is important so that medical facilities have space to care for patients for surgeries, heart disease, accident victims, etc.

People who were eligible for the Covid vaccination were age 12 and over.  
On October 29, 2021, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved using the Pfizer vaccination for children 5-11.
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LifeCare Public Health 5-11 year old COVID Vaccinations

From Life Care Public Health:   LifeCare Public Health is planning to start 5-11 year old COVID vaccinations on Friday Nov. 19th at our public health office. Thereafter, they will be administering Covid-19 vaccinations to anyone 5+ years old on regularly scheduled LifeCare Public Health COVID Vaccination dates and times that are held at the public health office.
These will be listed on LifeCare Medical Center’s website and advertised on radio and social media.
A parent or guardian must accompany all children 5-11 years old in order for the child to have a COVID vaccination.

Written, parental consent is required for all children 5-17 years old to receive a COVID vaccination and parents are encouraged to accompany any child 11-18 years old

Altru Clinic 5-11 year old COVID Vaccinations

Altru Clinics in Warroad and Roseau will also be able to schedule children 5-11 and all others 12+ years old for COVID vaccinations.
 

Description: 
Motion by__________________        Second by ____________________ to ADJOURN

Description: 

• AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK Nov. 15-19    American Education Week presents everyone with an opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every student receives a quality education.  
• Regular December School Board Meeting - December 20, 2021 @ 7:30 p.m. in GMR School Cafeteria
• State MSBA Conference January 13-14, 2022.  As of today's date the conference will be held at the Mpls. Convention Center, however, depending on the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference may be held in a VIRTUALLY.