Monday, December 16, 2024 6:30 pm - Regular Meeting

1. CALL TO ORDER
Bohnsack, Hesse, Nierenhausen, Schurman, Thompson

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The School Board Chair will lead the school board and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.

3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Board action to approve the agenda for the meeting is expected.

4. CONSENT ITEMS
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.

4.A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes from the Regular Board Meeting held on November 18, 2024. Recommendation to approve the minutes from the meeting.

4.B. APPROVAL OF BILLS
Treasurer Thompson will have been at the school site to review bills, ask questions, and confirm information prior to the meeting. Recommendation is to approve the bill payment of $3,109,751.18 subject to any adjustments or direction offered by the Treasurer.

4.C. TREASURER REPORT
Treasurer Thompson will have reviewed financial information for the board. This information is included in the Treasurer's Report.

4.D. EMPLOYMENT
Recommend approval of the assignment as outlined.

4.D.1. Cold Spring Elementary Special Education Paraprofessional - Kimberly Hulsebus

4.D.2. ROCORI Middle School Social Studies Long Term Substitute - Kari Dombrovski

4.D.3. Cold Spring Elementary Childcare Assistant - Macy Welle

4.D.4. District Education Facility Childcare Assistant for Kid Care - Brooke Fleck

4.D.5. Richmond Elementary Special Education Paraprofessional Long Term Sub - Taylor Dockendorf

4.E. LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUEST

4.E.1. ROCORI Secondary School Cook Carrie Olmscheid is requesting a leave of absence from December 16, 2024 until February 10, 2025. 

4.F. RETIREMENTS-RESIGNATIONS
Recommend approval of the following resignations and/or retirements.

4.F.1. ROCORI High School Special Education Paraprofessional - Lisa Zabinski.  Retirement effective January 1, 2025. 

4.F.2. ROCORI Secondary School Cleaner - Kevin Guggenberger.  Resignation effective December 6, 2024.

4.F.3. ROCORI Spartan Spot Childcare Assistant - Ava Hirschfeld.  

4.F.4. District Education Facility Childcare Site Lead - Annie Hoepner.  Resignation effective December 26, 2024. 

4.G. POLICIES
The following policy has been discussed in the policy committee. They are being presented for a third and final reading. Recommendation: Approve the policies as presented.

4.G.1. Policy 431 - Preparation Time 

4.G.2. Policy 432 Certified Staff Evaluation 

4.G.3. Policy 503 Student Attendance

4.G.4. Policy 543 Governing International Studies

4.G.5. Policy 713 Student Activity Accounting

4.H. SENIORITY LISTS
The master agreements with some of the ROCORI employee groups require posting of seniority lists before the first of the year.  The seniority lists have been distributed and had preliminary postings to allow time for staff to request any corrections.  At this point, it is appropriate for the School Board to approve the seniority lists in a formal manner in order to allow them to be used for personnel decisions and direction.
Recommend approval of the seniority lists among the employee groups in the district.

4.I. COLD SPRING STREET MACHINES USE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY
The Cold Spring Street Machines, the local car club, has requested the use of school property at the DEF on the north and south side for their car show scheduled for Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Recommendation: Approve the request for the use of school district property on July 26, 2025.

4.J. LANE CHANGES
The Master Agreement with our teaching staff allows our teachers to request a lane change in September, December and March of each school year. A report of the requested lane changes is included in your documents for approval. Once approved, the change becomes part of their pay the following month.
Recommendation: Approve the lane changes as presented. 

5. PRESENTATION

5.A. AUDIT REPORT
The auditing firm engaged by the ROCORI School District has conducted the annual financial audit of the district. Creative Planning (fka BerganKDV) is expected to be present to guide the School Board in the review of the financial audit.

5.B. TRUTH IN TAXATION PRESENTATION
Kevin Enerson will present the annual Truth in Taxation presentation regarding the district financial operations. The opportunity to share this information with the general public is part of the purpose of the public hearing.
No formal action is required.

5.C. TRUTH IN TAXATION COMMENTS OR REQUESTS FROM VISITORS
This is the opportunity for community members to come forward with questions regarding Truth in Taxation. 

6. ACTION
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.

6.A. ACCEPTANCE OF AUDIT REPORT
The audit report was presented at this meeting for formal acceptance. Recommendation: Accept the audit as presented.

6.B. WORLD LANGUAGE FIELD TRIP REQUEST
Kim Horning and Brian Herrig are requesting approval for a World Language field trip to the Dominican Republic in June 2026. Recommendation to approve the trip as presented. 

6.C. CERTIFICATION OF SCHOOL TAX LEVY
In September, the preliminary tax levy certification was approved with the action to set the maximum levy.  As noted in the tax statements distributed by Stearns County, the district revenues include voter-approved levy authority and levy authority established by the School Board.  Ultimately, the decision to implement any or all of the local tax efforts is determined in action to certify the school tax levy. Information related to the final tax levy for the ROCORI School District is included in the exhibits.  Recommendation: It is recommended the full levy authority of the School District be assessed.  

6.D. LONG TERM FACILITIES MAINTENANCE PLAN
The Facilities/Buildings and Grounds Committee met and has recommendations for repairs.  Recommendation to approve the LTFM Summer Project

6.E. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE EDUCATION MN ROCORI AND ISD 750 REGARDING MS/HS PD HOURS FOR 24-25.
Recommendation to approve the MOU as presented. 

7. DISCUSSION ITEMS
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.  

7.A. WASHINGTON, DC SCHOOL TRIP
Derek Sauer and Levi Peterson will be recapping the trip 

7.B. POLICIES - 1ST READING
The following policies have been discussed in the policy committee. They are being presented for a first reading and call for public comment.  No formal action is expected.

7.B.1. Policy 706 Acceptance of Gifts

7.B.2. Policy 103 Complaints - Students, Employees, Parents, and Other Persons

7.B.3. Policy 714 Operating Fund Balance Policy

7.B.4. Policy 510 School Activities
Policy 510 is recommended to include policies 734, 735, and 736 to make one policy.  Once new policy 510 is approved, policies 734, 735, and 736 (all ROCORI policies) will be retired.  

7.B.5. Policy 629 Review of Curriculum Content and Individiual Student Alternative Instruction

7.B.6. Policy 628 Technology Committee
The policy committee is recommending this policy is retired. 

8. ADMINISTRATIVE AND BOARD REPORTS

8.A. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
The Superintendent will make his report about ROCORI Public Schools.

8.A.1. Enrollment Update as of December 1, 2024

8.B. BUDGET COMPARISON REPORT NOVEMBER 2024
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. This report does not require formal action but is provided as an informational item.

8.C. BOARD COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
Board members will report on activities within their portfolio of committee and representative assignments.

9. COMMENTS AND REQUESTS FROM VISITORS
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.

10. UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
A calendar of upcoming issues of concern to the school board is included as part of the agenda.

11. ADJOURN