1/06/2025 Organizational Meeting and Work Session

The first meeting of 2025 began at 5:30pm with the annual organizational meeting. However, the most important announcement was given at the end of the evening work session with Superintendent Elstad’s announcement of his retirement at the close of the school year in June 2025. The announcement was heartfelt. Thank you Mr. Elstad for pouring your heart and soul into your work for our schools, staff, students, and community. Your hours of hard work are recognized and appreciated, and you will be missed. The school board will have a special meeting in the next few weeks to discuss a plan for moving forward to hire a new superintendent.

Welcome to our new board members recently elected: Ron Kubicek and Andrea VanGelder!

The annual organization includes several votes as outlined. More detailed notes and attachments can be found through the district website – School Board – Meetings – Agenda-with links.

1. Election of Officers
   • Mark Sebring was nominated and voted to continue as board chair.
   • Lori Weisenburger was nominated and voted to continue as vice chair.
   • Tim Jensen was nominated for clerk, and I nominated myself for clerk; Mr. Jensen achieved the majority vote and is the board clerk for 2025.
   • Jolayne Mohs was nominated and voted to continue as treasurer.
2. School board committee assignments are made by Chair Sebring and presented for vote, approved 7-0.
3. Julie Sullivan, director of Teaching and Learning, is authorized as the district’s Title I contact person for funding, 7-0 vote.
4. The Owatonna People’s Press is voted to continue as the district’s official newspaper, 7-0.
5. The 2025 school board meeting schedule is approved with the decision to have work sessions (second Monday of each month) at the district office meeting room which is more conducive for roundtable discussions, while the regular recorded meetings (fourth Monday of each month) will continue in the chambers room at the Charles S Crandall Center. The exceptions are July and December when only one regular meeting is held each month. Vote approved 7-0.
6. Legal counsel for the district is approved to continue through Dorsey and Whitney, and also Ratwik, Roszak, & Maloney. Legal counsel is used only by district administration after superintendent approval. Vote approved 7-0.
7. District depositories for school district revenue is approved to continue with Bremer Bank and PMA Financial Network, Inc. Approved 7-0.
8. Financial Institutions designated to oversee investment of assets will continue to include Wells Fargo Bank NA, US Bank, Wells Fargo Investment Service, Inc., PMA Financial Network, Inc., and Bremer Bank, vote approved 7-0.
9. The district designates the director of finance and operations to deposit and withdraw money on behalf of the district. Currently this position is posted for hire since Lori Volz resigned last month. The Superintendent oversees this also.
10. The district designates the use of a check signing machine and cosigners to be the board chair, clerk, and treasurer, vote approved 7-0.
11. The annual board allowance was established last year at $3700/year per board member with additional $600/year for the chair. The proposal is for a 4% increase consistent with average increase in salaries, raising this to $3850/year, and the additional $600/year for the chair. Mr. Sebring also proposed that our vice chair be considered for an additional $450/year due to the added workload of vice chair designated tasks. I suggested that in light of the $1 million budget deficit in the coming year, the board consider foregoing any increase in allowance. Vote was taken to approve the increased allowance, passed 6-1, as I voted no.
12. The district appoints the superintendent as the deputy treasurer as a means to provide an “internal check” on the district’s finances.

The organizational meeting adjourned and the work session began just before 6pm.

Presentation was given by Justin Kiel and a few of his staff/teachers at McKinley Elementary School with a yearly update. The school theme this year is Be you, be her, belong. They integrate various programs such as co-teaching, positive referrals, “good news” calls to parents, “toot your own horn” as a way to recognize teachers, and student connection days. They are working to increase family engagement by providing a home activity night.

Maggie Goldade with teacher AJ, presented an annual update for our preschool program, Little Learners and Bright Beginnings. They have worked to increase preschool enrollment and to increase early childhood screenings which help to identify and meet developmental needs prior to starting kindergarten. With recent legislative changes, this voluntary pre-kindergarten program will no longer be free of charge unless children or families meet certain guidelines. A preschool open house is scheduled for 1/28/2025, anyone can attend!

Two members of Steele County Public Health presented information regarding the Minnesota Student Survey. This is a voluntary survey given to students in grades 5, 8, 9, and 11. Schools can choose to opt-out, as well as parents or students can choose to opt-out if desired. The survey is given every 3 years. The survey addresses demographics, school attendance, but mainly health behaviors and risks. Past survey results can be viewed on the MN Department of Health site: https://www.health.state.mn.us/data/mchs/surveys/mss/datatables.html#educationalsetting

Please check out the district website as noted above for the meeting video and agenda attachments.

Stay safe and warm. Soli Deo Gloria!