July 20, 2020 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

1. CALL TO ORDER:  Pledge of Allegiance

2. MEMBERS PRESENT:

3. MEMBERS ABSENT:

4. APPROVE AGENDA:  (ACTION)

5. VISITOR'S COMMENTS:

6. SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AND HONORS:

7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:  (APPENDIX) (ACTION)

7.A. June 15, 2020 Regular Meeting

7.B. July 1, 2020 Special Work Session

8. CONSIDER AND APPROVE CLAIMS, ACCOUNTS, DONATIONS AND GIFTS:  (APPENDIX) (ACTION)

9. INVESTMENT UPDATE: (APPENDIX)

9.A. June FY2020 Investment Schedule

9.B. July FY2021 Investment Schedule

10. FOOD SERVICE UPDATE:

11. CONSENT CALENDAR:  (ACTION)

11.A. New Hires:

11.A.1. Tania Kranzler, 7-12 English Teacher, BS +60 Step 9, effective 9/01/2020 (replacement)

11.A.2. Matthew Meagher, 7-12 Science Teacher, BA Step 5, effective 09/01/2020 (replacement)
 

11.A.3. Alyssa Erickson, Summer Rec Employee, $12.00 per hour/64 total hours, effective 7/6/2020

11.A.4. Douglas Lee, Lead Maintenance, Grade 9 Step 12, effective 7/7/2020

11.B. Resignations:

11.B.1. Tabatha Swenson, 9-12 English Teacher, effective 6/15/2020

11.B.2. Tabatha Swenson, Head Varsity Softball Coach, effective 6/15/2020

11.B.3. Alex King, Secondary Teacher, effective 06/30/2020

11.B.4. Karen Gaebel, Mental Health Practioner, effective 7/14/2020

11.B.5. Maria Huston, Mental Health Practitioner, effective 08/05/2020

11.C. Extended School Year Hires:

11.C.1. Lisa Randt - WIN Academy ESY Teacher, 2 Students, Max 25hrs, effective 06/08/2020

12. PRESENTATION:  MINNEWASKA AREA SOCCER CLUB:

13. PRESENTATION:  2020-2021 PLANNING FOR RETURN TO SCHOOL:  

Superintendent Ellingworth and the School Level Principals/Directors will share background information related to planning that is underway for the "Return to School"

13.A. The MAS administrative team developed and agreed to eleven fundamental "parameters and non-negotiables" that have served as the foundation of the planning we have done.

Beginning July 13 and continuing throughout the entire week, the five building leaders and Superintendent Ellingworth have been meeting together to begin planning for the start of the 2020-2021 school year.  The admin team developed and agreed to eleven fundatmental "parameters and/or non-negotiables" so communication, trust and credibility will develop at high levels with all stakeholders we eventually meet and work with.

Following those initial meetings, building leaders conducted meetings with various leadership teams (Building Leadership Team, the District Leadership Team, the admin Operations team) to develop comprehensive plans around the three scenerios MDE has directed us to prepare for as we prepare to start the school year.  The planning is comprehensive and ongoing and I have been most impressed with the leadership team you have at Minnewaska. 

The "parameters/non-negotiables" the leadership team developed on 7-13-20 are included as an exhibit.

13.B. The Minnesota Department of Education has directed each Minnesota School District to develop plans around three (3) different educational scenerios.The three (3) different educational scenerios include:

1. Students physically are able to return to school for "on site" daily instruction.

2. Students do not physically attend the school setting and  "distance learning" is the instructional delivery system.

3. Students participate in some type of hybrid or blended model which combines some aspects of "distance learning" with traditional "on site" face-to-face instruction.

The MAS Principals/Building Leaders have been asked to attend the board meeting to share plans that are underway at all four sites. Their presentations will follow:

13.C. School Level Presentations

13.C.1. W.I.N. Academy Presentation--Leah Oelthen and Kelly Quade (Building Leaders)

13.C.2. Minnewaska Area Elementary School Grades K-3 Presentation (Elementary Principal Scott Lempka)

13.C.3. Minnewaska Middle School-Grades 4-8 Presentation (Middle School Principal, Sarah Suchy)

13.C.4. Minnewaska Area High School Grades 9-12 Presentation (High School Principal, Nate Meissner)

13.D. Request to consider amending the previously approved school calendar-- professional development days for staff--to accommodate instructional planning and communication in 2020-2021

During building level meetings, the administrators and staff have discussed the need for flexibility, communication and planning time in preparation for the 2020-2021 school year.  We have also discussed the importance of high quality communication within the staff so we empower them to build confidence with our students, parents and community as we approach the upcoming school year. We have discussed that proper planning, high level communication, and any personal touches our staff can add in reaching out to families will help mitigate family and community concerns going forward.

In that regard, the administration respectfully requests that the school board consider authorizing us to amend our 2020-2021 school calendar.  Our staff needs as much times as possible to plan for instruction and to personally communicate our families and students.  

The request is to move one professional development day (November 9)  from the current school calendar to early August (possibly August 3) to be used by staff prior to the beginning of this school year.  That day will be officially scheduled early in August (after the Governor informs us of his decision on how we start school).

That day will include four (4) hours to meet as a group to be brought up to speed in understanding how we will plan to begin the year. We will alsouse that time to train staff to reach out to each of our families (one teacher-one family) via telephone to personally explain our back to school plans and to listen to any concerns families may have. 

The other four (4) hours that day will be used to actually reach out to make the calls.  We will be collecting information to insure every single family is contacted and to record their concerns so we can plan for them.

We are also committed to using as many of our staff days in August in support of staff focusing on planning to re-engage with our students in whatever scenerio we begin the years.

Following school board questions and discussion, board action is requested authorizing the calendar change.
 

13.E. Request to consider increasing substitute teacher pay effective at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year

Finding substitute teachers has been getting more and more difficult in recent years. As we move forward with planning during these COVID times, the admin leadership has discussed the importance of being able to attract short and long term substitutes when they are needed because of teacher absence for whatever reasons that may arise.

A comparison of substitute teacher compensation rates in our geographic area was requested and HR Specialist, Tara Nelson was able to gather information from the identified schools shown in the exhibit.

Many things go into attracting substitute teachers when they are needed. How the school operates; how the substitutes are treated by students and adults; how organized the absent teacher is;  and daily compensation all play a role in where substitute teachers choose to work.  Our building level leadership teams and administration have discussed we would like to be highly competitive in all of these areas and will be working to that end.

The Administration recommends the school board consider increasing the daily rate of substitute teacher pay from $110 per day to $120 per day.  Following School Board discussion, a motion may be appropriate.

14. PRESENTATION:  EHLERS PUBLIC FINANCE ADVISORS--LEASE/LEVY 

Ehlers Public Finance Advisors has advised the Minnewaska School District  on matters related to  bonding and levies for many years.  Joel Sutter, Senior Advisor is scheduled to join the meeting at 8:15 pm (virtually) to share information with the school board about how the "Lease Levy Program" works in Minnesota.

The School Board currently has a discretionary levy of $212 per resident pupil unit available to it for purposes related to leases of facilities for educational purposes.

This presentation is for informational purposes only. No action is requested at this time. 

15. VERIZON TOWER REQUEST TO LEASE LAND ON STARBUCK CAMPUS: (ACTION)

Tuesday, July 14, Brian Kabat, BUELL Site Acquisition Consultant requested to meet me at the WIN school site in Starbuck to review the property for the purpose of possibly erecting a 90' tower which used to support Verizon Cellular equipment.

Mr. Kabat wants the school board to be aware that his firm is interested in possibly leasing land north of the shed behind the school (see attached exhibit) to locate the tower. If that sight is not acceptable to the school board, they are also interested in the sight just south of the shed as long as the tower can be be placed on higher ground. The tower requires a set back distance equal to or greater than its height from all property lines.
 
Also attached is a "Right of Entry" agreement.  Mr. Kabat is requesting the school board authorize me the Superintendent to sign and return the agreement to Mr. Kabat. The Right of Entry acts as a "permission slip" to allow Verizon on site (after a site sketch is approved) to conduct some basic design and environmental due diligence. 

Particularly since the tower may be located on school property, having the "Right of Entry" signed will let anyone know that Verizon has permission to be on site.  Critically, the Right of Entry also waives the District from any responsibility for Verizon’s contractors to be on site (i.e., Verizon is responsible if their crew should get hurt or inadvertently damage anything). 

August of 2018, the school board entered a similar agreement to locate a tower on the MAS MS/HS site near the softball field. A 25 year lease agreement was entered and generates approximately $10,200 annually.

Following board questions and discussion, a motion may be appropriate.

16. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A PURCHASE OF A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY: (APPENDIX) (ACTION)

Property located adjacent to the MA Elementary School (to the west) recently was listed "for sale". Previously, Superintendent Rankin and the School Board's Facility Committee (Barsness, Christianson, Holtberg)  had discussed the importance of acquiring the property if it ever became available.

When it did become available, Supt. Rankin entered a bid on the property, on behalf of the school district, and that bid was accepted. A purchase agreement was signed and a closing date has been set for August 7.

Adoption of the Resolution(s) included in this agenda is required to properly authorize and excecute conveyance of the property to the Minnewaska Area School District.

17. REQUEST FOR SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM FACILITY MAINTENANCE TEN YEAR PLAN: (APPENDIX)(ACTION)

Annually, MDE requires all Minnesota School Districts to review and update Long Term (10 years) Facility Maintenance Plans addressing maintenance needs within the school districts.  

Vicki Moen, (Business/Finance Director), Corey Curry (Building/Grounds) and Chip Rankin (Superintendent) have been in communication to develop MAS's LTFM plan. 

Vicki will present details in how the plan was developed and will prepare  it to be presented to the school board for action Monday evening. 

If approved, the LFTM plan will be submitted to MDE by July 31, 2020.

The administration requests school board action approving the plan to be submitted to MDE prior to July 31, 2020.

18. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A.10¢ MEAL PRICE INCREASE FOR GRADES K-12: (APPENDIX) (ACTION)
 

Food Service leaders recommend the following meal price adjustments be made for the 2020-2021 school year:

Grades K-5 change from $3.00 to $3.10

Grades 6-12 change from $3.10 to $3.20

19. CONSIDER RESOLUTION RELATING TO ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND CALLING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL ELECTION: (ACTION) (APPENDIX)

Adoption of this resolution calling for the general election of school board members must be adopted at least seventy-four (74) days prior to the date of the general election.

Board action is requested at this time.

20. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT COMMENCING ON JULY 1, 2021, AND ENDING ON JUNE 30, 2024: (APPENDIX) (ACTION)

21. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING HANDBOOKS:

21.A. 2020-2021 SY Coaches/Advisors Handbook

21.B. 2020-2021 SY Parent/Student Activities Handbook

21.C. MAHS 2020-2021 SY Parent/Student Handbook

21.D. National Honor Society By-Laws

22. POLICY COMMITTEE UPDATE:

22.A. 403-Discipline, Suspension and Dismissal of School District Employees

22.B. 408-Subpoena of a School District Employee

22.C. 409-Employee Publications, Instructional Materials, Inventions, and Creations

22.D. 417-Chemical Use and Abuse

23. OTHER:

24. ANNOUNCEMENTS:  

24.A. District Advisory Council, Tuesday, July 21, 2020, 6pm at Vetereans Field.

24.B. Special Work Session, Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 6:15pm in the MAS Media Center

24.C. August Regular Board Meeting, Monday, August 17, 2020 at 7pm in the MAS District office Board Room.

25. ADJOURN:  (ACTION)