March 27, 2017 at 6:30 PM - Regular

Description:  Demuth, Habben, Hesse, Humbert, Schurman, and Wesenberg. 

Student Members:  Lisa Volkers, Taylor Dingmann, and Nick Warne.

Description:  The School Board Chair will lead the board and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Description:  Board action to approve the agenda for the meeting is expected.

Description:  The agenda is open to visitors of the meeting to offer comments to and/or requests of the school board. The comments and requests should follow the adopted district guidelines which are printed and available at the meeting.  As a general rule, items introduced in the opportunity for comments and requests do not receive action from the School Board, but are taken under advisement or consideration for future action.

Description:  Student board members have opportunity to share information about the activities of the Student Senate or other comments as they desire.

Description:  Brad Lundell, Executive Director of Schools for Equity in Education, is expected to be present for the board meeting.  Brad extends an invitation to each member district that he is willing to attend School Board meetings to provide an overview of SEE, to share the goals and direction of the organization, and to help districts understand the value of membership.  In addition, he is able to offer insight  and reflections on the legislative process.  No action is required on the presentation; it is informative in nature.

Desired Outcome:  Understanding of ROCORI membership in SEE.  Update on legislative issues.

Recommendation:  No action is required.

Description:  This agenda item is intended to be a formal opportunity for the School Board and its members to recognize and celebrate success within the ROCORI School District.  Most of the recognition comes in the form of ROCORI Proud presentations although the recognition is not limited to that format.

Description:  This ROCORI Proud recognition is intended to represent exemplary performance that is completed or accomplished at a high standard. The ROCORI District expects to be central Minnesota's public education standard of excellence. Behaviors, effort, and performance demonstrating that high standard is worthy of recognition.

Description:  The CSE Literacy Task Force is being recognized for their outstanding job of supporting and creating a culture of literacy.  The Literacy Task Force consists of Sharon Posch, Doris Minnerath, Aaron Schneider, Jan Clements, Kayelee Freeman, Karen Brettingen, and Belinda Walsh.

Description:  Lea' Frank is being recognized as the MADT AA State Coach of the year.  This is a statewide recognition that is determined by her peers (other dance coaches across Minnesota).  

Description:  This recognition is intended to represent actions and behaviors that improve conditions, have significant impact on others, or dramatically affect the school district, individuals or organizations within the school system.

Description:  Nancy Nysteun has been doing repairs to the ROCORI graduation gowns at no cost to the district for the last few years.

Description:  This award is intended to recognize actions and behaviors which provide a foundation for the future of individuals or organizations within the district. Long-lasting changes, major innovations, or significant work on the direction of the school district are appropriate elements for recognition. Elements of district vision, anticipation of issues in the future or other improvements which "create a better tomorrow" would be eligible for recognition.

Description:  Stefanie Rothstein and Matthew Zurbriggen are being recognized for their leadership at the New Teacher Workshop through St Cloud State University.  The New Teacher workshop has been developed as part of the Teacher Preparation Initiative and the Ignite Center to serve SCSU graduates and new teachers (regardless of their teacher preparation) among the Ignite Center partner districts.  Stef and Matt have served as facilitators of some of the activities of the workshops.

Description:  Ken Salchow is being recognized for his efforts in securing donations of money to acquire the permanent sound system for the Fastpitch/Softball Field.

Description:  Action is requested on the following items of the consent agenda. Consent agenda items are typically adopted without discussion of the individual items because they are routine or ordinary in action.  Any consent agenda item may be removed for further discussion and deliberation by any member of the board.

Description:  The minutes from the Regular and Work Session meetings of March 13, 2017 are included in the exhibits.

Recommendation: Approve the minutes from the meetings.

Description:  Deb Jenderseck, Reading Teacher at the Secondary Schools, has submitted her letter of resignation effective at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.  Deb started with the district in 1987.

Recommendation:  Accept the resignation.

Description:  The Master Agreement with Education Minnesota--ROCORI permits teachers who have completed the appropriate documentation to receive lane change approval at three junctures in the school year.  This is the final opportunity for the 2016-17 year for teachers to change salary schedule lanes.  The list of teachers who have completed the process and have had the credits verified are included in the exhibits with a recommendation for approval of the lane change.

Recommendation:  Approval of lane changes as submitted in the exhibits.

Description:  The following polices are presented for their third and final reading:

#2-3 School Board Meeting Guidelines
#7-2 Wellness Policy

Approval of the policies with the third reading makes them the official policies of the ROCORI School District.

Recommendation:  Adoption of policy 2-3 and 7-2 as submitted.

Description:  There are several standing items of business related to financial reports in the district. The standard agenda items are included at this time.

Description:  Board Treasurer Jason Wesenberg will review financial information for the board. 

Recommendation:  Approval of Treasurer’s Report.

Description:  Treasurer Wesenberg will review the monthly bills and offer recommendation regarding payment. The Treasurer has typically been at the school site to review bills, ask questions, and confirm information prior to the meeting. 

Recommendation: Approve bill payment as directed by the Treasurer.

Description:  The business office provides an update of district expenditures and revenues through the Budget Comparison Report.The report is intended to provide a financial picture of the district in a couple ways.One is to compare current year expenditures to the previous year.The second is to simply give a report on the current financial status.In addition to the report, special items of note are highlighted in the explanations offered.

Desired Outcome:  This report is provided as an informational item.

Recommendation:  No formal action is required.

Description:  Action items receive individual attention because of the nature of the issues, the need to discuss or review the information prior to taking action, or the specific kind of action required for the item.

Description:  The District Financial Advisors, Greg Crowe and Gary Olsen at Ehler's, have contacted the district as they monitor financial conditions about an opportunity to refinance the bonds used for the construction project of 2011.  Conditions appear to be optimal for the district to refinance the bonds and secure savings for the community.  The savings would be translated into changes in property taxes.

Information about the refinancing opportunity is included in the exhibits.  The Finance Committee met, recently, with the Ehlers' representatives to talk through the background, issues, and implications of the process.  The Committee is recommending that the refinance process move forward.

At this time, the request is for the full board to authorize the district to seek bonds through the refinancing mechanisms.  The conditions will continue to be monitored as the bid process unfolds.  The actual sale of the bonds would occur on Monday, April 24.  The results of the bid process will be brought to the school board at the meeting that evening.

Desired Outcomes:  Understanding of the financial conditions; understanding of the window of opportunity; opportunity to discuss issues; action to authorize the refinancing.

Recommendation:  Authorize the refinancing of the district building bonds from 2009.

Description:  The ROCORI District has been reviewing budget plans for FY18.  As part of the process, action on teaching contracts is required prior to April 1 under the terms of the Master Agreement with Education Minnesota--ROCORI.  A specific list of recommended actions will be provided at the meeting on Monday.  
Generally, the process identifies the specific positions being reduced followed by identification of any individuals affected by the changes.  Action should be taken by motion to reduce positions.  Action should be taken by resolution to identify the individuals.

Desired Outcome:  Address budget and master agreement conditions.

Recommendation:  Termination of employment as presented.

Description:  The District has received two requests for consideration of leaves of absence.  Traci Eskew, paraprofessional at Cold Spring Elementary, and Jen Lessinger, Assessment Coordinator, have submitted letters for one year leaves of absence.

Traci's request is governed by the paraprofessional agreement and the district policy on leaves of absence.  Jen's employment agreement, with Program Managers, does not have language related to leaves of absence and so the district policy governs her request.

Traci is requesting a leave of absence from April 10, 2017, to April 9, 2018.  Jen is requesting a leave of absence for the 2017-2018 school year.  Both employees started in the ROCORI School District in 2014.  Neither employee has been employed for a period of five years.

The district policy on leaves of absence indicates that in all cases, the School Board makes the determination to grant or deny a requested leave.  Although both are valued employees, the recommendation for action is based on the expectation that individuals be employed for five years.  Because neither meets that criteria, the recommendation is to deny the request for leave of absence.

Desired Outcome:  Employees have requested individual consideration of leave of absence request.  Understanding of their situations with a decision regarding the request.

Recommendation:  Denial of the leaves of absence based on length of tenure in the district.

Description:  Discussion items receive individual attention because of the nature of the issues and the need for introductory or other discussion in order to review the information prior to taking action.  This is also the agenda location for items which simply need school board review, but no formal action on the item is required.  Discussion items will typically return to the agenda at a future point for more specific action.

Description:  Brian Herrig, Spanish instructor at RHS, has submitted information related to a planned Spanish trip for 2017-18.  The trip has been reviewed with RHS administration and has support to move forward.  The Spanish advisers are seeking authorization early in the process so that students have adequate time and opportunity to raise funds for the trip.  

Desired Outcome:  Review of proposed trip to understand the request.  Opportunity to ask questions and seek information.

Recommendation:  No action at this meeting; return item to agenda at next meeting for approval.

Description:  The Policy Committee has been working through various policies as part of the process to review and update district policy.  Several policies are presented for first reading by the School Board.  If the policies are appropriate as they are presented, they would be offered for as items under review.  If the policies need additional work, they could be referred back to the Committee or other direction for update.

The Policy Committee has completed work on several policies and is recommending the full board give consideration on the policies as second readings.  Policy 8-2 Balancing Class Sections, 8-3 Class Size Policy, 8-4 School District Curriculum and Instruction Goals, and 2-11 Superintendent Evaluation Policy are presented for second reading.

The Committee is suggesting that policies 7-3 Bullying Prevention, 7-4 Harassment and Violence, 8-9 Multicultural Gender Fair Curriculum, 8-10 Review of Curriculum Content and Alternative Instruction,  8-11 Schools and Religious Diversity, and 8-12 Policies for Implementation of the Profile of Learning, be given a first review at this meeting.  It is recommended that these policies be referred back to Committee for additional modification.

Desired Outcomes:  Review of the changes or adjustments to policies returned for second reading.  First review of additional policies with recommendations or feedback to the Policy Committee.

Recommendation:  Policies with second reading would return on the next agenda for final approval in the consent agenda.  Policies with first reading be returned to Committee.

Description:  As the district continues to develop the budget for FY2018, expectations indicate that the district will need to make budget adjustments of approximately $213,000 in order to have a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

District Administrators have engaged in conversations related to the budget adjustments and have developed a list of ideas, options and information as to how the district might balance the budget.  The Business Office and Superintendent have been working to translate ideas from budget discussions
into financial options.

The Board Negotiations Committee, which also serves as personnel committee, met recently to review ideas and options for leadership roles.  The restructuring of the Academic program was discussed with four potential options for the department.  The Committee members are recommending that a teacher leadership model be pursued for the Academic program.

In addition, the Negotiations Committee discussed the vacancy resulting from Shelly Muth's accepted retirement.  The Committee reviewed a number of options for this role and is recommending a single elementary principal across the district with an assistant principal to assist in covering all three sites.  The model is similar to the approach currently used in the secondary setting with the exception that there are three school sites involved.

Discussion during this session is expected to continue to review the budget parameters, introduce the ideas and options that have been considered, and encourage conversation about specific budget directions.



Desired Outcomes: Review of the budget adjustment ideas and concepts. Set direction that the School Board seeks to pursue. .Although much of the discussion is informational in nature and no formal action is expected on the budget at this time, consensus of the board regarding the Academic structure and Principal role is desired.

Recommendation:  Endorsement, but not formal vote, of the Academic and Principal approaches.

Description:  Administrative reports are requested of each administrator for update purposes. For the second meeting, the reports are offered by the Business Cabinet members. 

Description:  Superintendent Staska is expected to have a report for the board regarding district activities and information.

Description:  Board members will report on activities within their portfolio of committee and representative assignments.

Description:  A calendar of upcoming issues of concern to the school board is included as part of the agenda.