July 23, 2018 at 6:30 PM - Executive

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

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:  There are several consent items related to the start of a new fiscal year for organizational purposes.  Because of the particular nature of items, most of the issues can be addressed through the consent agenda.  The items for which separate action should be taken are identified individually.

Description:  There are several consent items related to the start of a new fiscal year for organizational purposes.  As with the regular consent agenda,the organizational consent status indicates that they are fairly routine in nature, but any individual item may be removed from the organizational consent agenda by individual board members for further discussion if desired.

Description:  As a practice, the ROCORI School Board has expected the Superintendent and Director of Business Services to conduct district business within the parameters of the budget that has been approved and authorized.  It would be appropriate, however, for the school board to formalize the practice with specific action to authorize the Superintendent and Director of Business Services to make expenditures within the budget parameters.  

Recommendation:   Motion to authorize the Superintendent and Director of Business Services to make expenditures for the ROCORI School District within the budget parameters.

Description:  For a considerable time, the district has recognized senior high student representatives to the school board.  The Student Senate would like to continue to place students representatives to the school board.  Previous approach to this relationship has been that the Student Senate could place up to four students as representatives to the board with the expectation that the younger representatives would continue in their "term" throughout their high school experience. 

Recommendation:  Motion that the School Board authorizes up to four student senate representatives to serve as student board members.

Description:  The Cold Spring Record has been the official publication for the school district.  The Record meets the requirements of school districts in regard to public reporting processes. 

Recommendation: Motion to name the Cold Spring Record as the official publication for district records.

Description:  In order to provide consistency and uniformity on an annual basis, the district has traditionally adopted an overall annual agenda calendar.   The information in the calendar provides a guide to monthly activities and board agenda items.  

Recommendation: Adopt the administrative calendar as presented.

Description:  The district has established compensation for school board members at the organizational meeting at the start of the fiscal year.  The current rates were set in July of 2014 at $250 per month per board member, $300 for the chair, and $1,350 per board negotiator.  These figures have been used in the development of the FY19 preliminary budget.

Recommendation:  Adopt Board Member compensation rates as outlined.

Description:  The school board has traditionally delegated the authority to make electronic transfers to officials within the district office.  In the past, the School Board has authorized the Superintendent, Director of Business Services, and the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent to make electronic transfers for the district.

Recommendation:  Motion to authorize the Superintendent, Director of Business Services, and Executive Assistant to make electronic transfers for fiscal year 2019.

Description:  The Granite Community Bank of Cold Spring, PMA/MN Trust,  and the Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund have served as the official depositories for the district and it is recommended to continue with these agencies for fiscal year 2019.

Recommendation:  Motion to designate Granite Community Bank, PMA/MN Trust, and Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund as official depositories for the ROCORI School District.

Description:  The ROCORI School District has, historically, used a variety of legal firms as legal counsel.  The nature of the particular issue requiring attention has dictated the legal firm consulted for advice and direction.  The school district has used the legal firms of Ratwik, Rozak and Maloney, P.A., and Kennedy and Graven Law Firm as legal counsel for educational issues and concerns.  The firm of Knutson, Flynn & Deans has been secured as legal counsel for election issues.  Willenbring, Dahl, Wocken and Zimmermann has been used for issues that are more local or property legal issues.  Because of the relationships with these firms and the particular attorneys within these firms, it is recommended that these firms be named as legal counsel for fiscal year 2019.

Recommendation:  Motion to designate Ratwik, Rozak and Maloney, P.A.; Kenndey and Graven Law Firm, Knutson, Flynn and Deans; and Willenbring, Dahl, Wocken, and Zimmerman as legal counsel for the ROCORI School District.

Description:  The school district has typically conducted school and business operations on Columbus Day and Veterans Day.  Veterans Day, November 11, falls on Saturday this year but is recognized on Monday, November 12 which is the second Monday of the month.  The school calendar includes regular operations on that date.  The resolution included in the exhibits has authorized the conduct of business on these dates and is recommended for adoption.

Recommendation:  Authorize school business to be conducted on Columbus Day and Veterans Day by approval of the resolution.

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 meeting of June 25, 2018, and special meetings of July 9, 2018, July 10, 2018, and July 13, 2018 are included in the exhibits. Recommend approval of the minutes from the meetings.

Description:  Board Treasurer Jason Wesenberg will have reviewed financial information for the members of the School Board.  Approval of Treasurer’s Report is recommended.

Description:  Treasurer Wesenberg will have reviewed the monthly bills prior to the meeting. The Treasurer has typically been at the school site to review bills, ask questions, and confirm information prior to the meeting.  Recommendation is to offer approval of bill payment as directed by the Treasurer.

Description:  Community Education Director Hillmann is recommending the employment of Denin Knapp-Baykham as an Early Childhood Teacher for the 2018-2019 school year.  This is due to the increase in sections added to the preschool program

Recommendation:  Authorize the employment of Denin Knapp-Baykham as and Early Childhood teacher for the 2018-2019 school year.

Description:  The Boni Fest Committee has submitted a request to use the grounds near the District Education Facility for their festival and fireworks display.  The request is for August 18, 2018 and August 19, 2018.

Recommendation:  Approve the request for use of school grounds for the St. Boniface Parish Festival with property use expectations outlined.

Description:  At Richmond Elementary, the position of the cook's helper has been a shared position with the understanding that the person who originally held the position wanted to share it.  Janice Nohner, who is the person that originally held the position, has submitted a letter of resignation.  The position is being posted and the person that has shared it will be able to apply for the whole position if they are interested.

James Kulla, Third grade teacher at Richmond Elementary, has submitted a letter of resignation effective immediately from his position. 

Recommend:  Acceptance of the resignation letter from Janice Nohner, Cook's Helper and James Kulla, Teacher, at the Richmond Elementary School.

Description:  Cold Spring (formerly Cold Spring Granite) has made a donation of three used Dell laptops to the VEX Robotics Club.

Recommend acceptance of the donation of the three Dell laptops for the VEX Robotics club.

Description:  The District has had a School Resource Officer since 1999 and has contracted with the City of Cold Spring for that officer.  The agreement is included in the packet with some minor updates.

Recommend approval of the School Resource Officer Agreement.

Description:  Christine Olson, Paraprofessional at Richmond Elementary, has submitted a request for a leave of absence beginning September 2, 2018 and continuing through approximately November 9, 2018.

Recommend approval of the leave of absence request from Christine Olson.

Description:  Food Service Director Barker is recommending that we increase the lunch prices for the 2018-2019 school year by .05 for student lunches.  The increase is to bring us more in line with the recommended prices we receive from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

Recommend the price increase of .05 for student lunches for the 2018-2019 school year.

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 School Board has conducted interviews of candidates and has chosen Brad Kelvington as the new Superintendent for the ROCORI District.

Recommend approval of Brad Kelvington as the new Superintendent for ROCORI Schools.

Description:  Check #99042 in the amount of $13,382.93.

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:  The District has hired a new Superintendent and should have discussion on how to welcome him and his family.

No formal action is required.

Description:  The district has been monitoring anticipated enrollment throughout the summer.  This agenda item is intended to provide some additional background related to the enrollment at the elementary level of the district.  

Although it is certainly not final, at this point in the summer, enrollment at the first and third grade levels are at or very near the maximum.

Desired Outcome:  Understanding of student enrollment as known in the district.

Recommendation:  No formal action is recommended.  Continued monitoring of the enrollment patterns is encouraged.

Description:  The elementary and secondary schools are bringing their student handbooks for a first reading.  The Board will choose to do two or three readings on the handbooks based on getting them approved and printed before open houses are held.

No formal action is required at this time.

Description:  The Superintendent 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.