April 17, 2023 at 7:30 PM - April 17, 2023 Regular Board Meeting (Preliminary Agenda)
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1. Call to Order at 7:30 P.M.
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2. Roll Call
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3. Listening Session
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. Members of the public may wish to email Board [listening session] communication(s) to <info@greenbush.k12.mn.us> |
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4. Recommendation to add items to the agenda from Board members or School Administrators
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5. Approval of Agenda
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5.1. A motion was made by ____________________, seconded by ____________________ to approve the agenda of the April 17, 2023 Regular Board Meeting as presented/amended.
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6. Minutes
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6.1. A motion was made by ____________________, seconded by ____________________ to approve the minutes of the preceding regular meeting of March 20, 2023.
Attachments:
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7. Business Services
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7.1. A motion was made by ____________________, seconded by ____________________ to approve the payment of bills check #40150 through #40231 for a total of $160,539.07 and Purchasing Card electronic payments dated March 7, 2023 and Electronic Funds Transfers as submitted.
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7.2. Treasurer's Report
Description:
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7.3. Greenbush Middle River School District Budget to Actual Expenditure Report
Description:
01 General Fund
- 02 Food Service - 04 Community Services - 07 Debt Redemption - 08 Scholarships - 09 Student Activities •- see attached
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8. Significant School Events and Communication:
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8.1. Family, Career and Community Leaders of America - National Competition
Description:
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Competition was held in the Twin Cities March 26-28.
Qualifying for National Competition in Denver, CO in July are: Chance Christian Meagan Otto McKenna Bennett Elizabeth Gust |
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8.2. Knowledge Bowl in State Competition
Description:
The GMR High School Knowledge Bowl Team placed 2nd in State Class A Competition on April 14.
State Knowledge Bowl Team Members are: Chance Christian Vincint Stenberg Honna Westlund Tye Christian Elizabeth Gust Mrs. Mara Gust is the Advisor. |
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8.3. Accept donation(s) to the School
Description:
- $100.00 donation to First Robotics from Tom & Leatrice Kujava
- $500.00 donation to First Robotics from NW MN Manufacturing Association - $500.00 donation to First Robotics from Titan Machinery - $250.00 donation to First Robotics from Agassiz Insurance Group - $50.00 donation to Restroom Project In Honor of Dale & Shellie Mekash from Carrie Jo Howard - $10.00 donation to Baseball from Chad Billberg - $500.00 donation to First Robotics from Karl Manufacturing Solutions - $5,000.00 donation to First Robotics from Mike & Shellie Gust(Fidelity Charitable) Motion by Board member ____________________ and seconded by ________________ to accept April 2023 donations to the GMR School. |
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9. Old Business
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9.1. Staffing: 2023-2024 School Year
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9.1.a. Principal / Activities Director Recruitment
Description:
Board Discussion
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9.1.b. Licensed Teacher Vacancy(ies)
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9.1.b.a. Music Teacher
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9.1.b.b. Art Teacher
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9.1.b.c. School Social Worker
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10. New Business:
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10.1. Selection of Group Health & Hospitalization Insurance Carrier
Description:
Bid opening for renewal of group Health & Hospitalization insurance for eligible employees took place in late March.
For Teachers, only the current group H & H insurance carrier (Public Employee Insurance Program (PEIP) bid. The rate increase will be 6.5%. This is below the general group H & H insurance industry rate increase of 10%.
The NW Service Cooperative [NW SC] declined to bid on the Teacher group for reasons which include: (1) past experience of the Teacher group indicated high claims such that usage far exceeded premium revenue; and (2) the Teacher Master Agreement has cash-in-lieu of language which according to NWSC insurance underwriting criteria promotes the healthy employees to NOT participate in group H & H insurance.
The NW SC did bid on eligible Administrator, Supervisor, and 12 month employee small group H & H insurance. The rate increase for this employee group was approx. 5.5%. Motion by Board member ______________________ and seconded by __________________ to approve Public Employee Insurance Program as the vendor for group health and hospitalization insurance for eligible teachers and the NW Service Cooperative as the vendor for group health & hospitalization insurance as the vendor for eligible Administrator, Supervisor, and 12 month employee small group H & H insurance. |
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10.2. School Board Training facilitated by MN School Boards Association (MSBA)
Description:
The Greenbush Middle River School Board along with the Tri-County School Board will be sharing a School Superintendent effective July 1, 2023. The two Boards formalized this sharing arrangement with the creation of a Joint Powers Board.
Additionally, both the Greenbush Middle River School District along with the Tri-County School District are seeking a K-12 Principal for their school. To assist with a successful transition to new school administration, both the Greenbush Middle River School Board and the Tri-County School Board will separately participate in a School Board training session facilitated by the MN School Boards Association. Greenbush School Board will participate in this training on April 19 in Greenbush. The Tri-County School Board will participate in this training on April 20. in Karlstad. Developing Mutual Expectations Conducted in a retreat setting, this activity allows board members and administrators to develop ground rules or clear the air concerning the unwritten norms, behavior, responsibilities, etc., they have concerning how they work together as a team. This is an excellent activity for boards who are just beginning to work together, is in a pairing arrangement, or for boards who are undergoing some stress in their relationships. This is essentially a process led by a facilitator rather than a content presentation. After establishing some minimal ground rules, members brainstorm all their ideas/expectations in a round-robin fashion. The facilitator then leads a discussion of each item. The expectations to be explored can include any or all of the following:
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10.3. Resolution affirming authorizing sale of "old" Strathcona School Site
Description:
At one time, there were numerous schools in Roseau County. (See attached History of Roseau County Schools.)
Many small rural schools dissolved and were consolidated. The old school sites per se may have been sold, converted into a Town Hall, removed or even absorbed into adjacent farmland. For purposes of recording a good or clean state of title of "old" school property, the GMR School Board is confirming the sale of the "old" Strathcona School property by a previous school board in 1962. Resolution Attached.
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11. Reports:
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11.1. Superintendent
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11.1.a. Report on MN Legislative and its impact on PreK-12 Public Education
Description:
With DFL legislative majorities in the Minnesota House and Senate committing to $2.2 billion in additional school funding over the next two years and billions more beyond that, school leaders hope their budgets are about to stabilize. But even as school districts update their budget estimates to include additional revenue, many are still looking to make reductions. From rising inflation to declining enrollment to unfunded mandates, the issues straining school district budgets have not subsided. Unemployment Insurance & Bargaining ExpansionSchool districts will need every penny of the new spending target to meet the mandated demands the DFL trifecta leadership appears locked into passing, including a plan to expand Unemployment Insurance to hourly staff who aren’t offered similar positions over the summer months. The Governor initially proposed direct payments to schools in his budget plan to pay the estimated $135 million per year cost of this expanded benefit. However, as the session progressed, the House and Senate budget plans dropped direct payments and instead simply mandated that schools pay for this out of their general funds. Additionally, the budget plans prohibit school boards from using the unemployment levy, as the legislature doesn’t want to be accused of increasing property taxes. Other mandated employee benefits are found in the Paid Family & Medical Leave and the Earned Safe & Sick legislation, both of which would also come off the top of education dollars and increased employee contributions. Labor leaders contend the $5.5 billion spending plan will easily cover these costs, but district officials have noted existing steps and lanes or "roll-up" costs from current contracts and assumptions of salary and wage cost of living adjustments have yet to be factored into the mix, let alone health insurance premium increases. Perhaps most concerning to school district officials is legislation that would require the ‘terms and conditions’ of local bargaining to include class sizes, student to staff ratios and student testing requirements. New staffing resulting from these bargaining changes, while perhaps needed to address educator fatigue, could drive district budgets close to the edge, if not over. With all that’s possible, it’s an exciting time at the Capitol. While we see truly historic levels of funding on the table, anxiety levels are high as education leaders try to balance the many competing interests. And, this doesn’t even factor in desired changes to TRA. Information Source: MN Rural Education Association, MSBA & Newspaper Article
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11.1.b. Proposed signage at entrance / exit area of school parking lot
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11.2. Principal / Activities Director
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11.2.a. e-Learning Plan - first implementation April 5 and April 6
Description:
High level of student engagement; a few high school students and a handful of young children did not complete their assignments. (Young children had folders with familiar activities and did not use electronic devices or platforms.)
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11.2.b. Up-date on Wrestling Cooperative between GMR, Badger and Tri-County
Description:
All three (3) of the potential participating school districts have completed the necessary documentation. Last week we heard from the Region 8A Secretary that their committee approved the BGMR-TC wrestling cooperative starting 2023-24. The final step was submitting documentation to MSHSL for Executive Committee approval in early June. Thank you to Badger & Tri-County A.D.s for assisting with this effort. |
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11.2.c. Spring Sports start-up
Description:
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11.2.d. First Robotics
Description:
GMR 1st Robotics Team advanced to World Competition in Houston, Tx. Team members and mentors left today. Follow the Blue Alliance, "Newton Division."
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11.2.e. Envirothon
Description:
Three (3) GMR teams will be attending Enviorthan at Lake Bronson State Park on April 26. Mrs. Burkel is the Advisor.
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11.2.f. MSHSL Section 8 Art Show
Description:
MSHSL Section 8 Art Show in Warroad April 14
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11.2.g. Statewide Testing MN Comprehensive Assessments
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11.2.h. College in the High School
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11.2.i. Community partnerships
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12. Adjournment
Description:
Motion by__________________ Second by ____________________ to ADJOURN |
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13. Communications
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