The Owatonna school board met per usual for our regular meeting at the city chambers board room. As a reminder, December will have just one school board meeting — a regular meeting to be held on Monday December 8, 2025, and it is the last school board meeting of 2025. At 6pm the same evening, the Truth in Taxation Public Hearing will take place, at which time the school board meeting will be paused. Due to a Carolers concert also on December 8th, we are considering a change in start time for the board meeting, but this has yet to be finalized (if it will change).
MISSION MOMENT theme for the year is “partnerships,” and Dr. Champa introduced Darla Lager, the children’s librarian at the Owatonna Public Library. The library donates several boxes of books monthly to the Owatonna Education Center. Our schools occasionally have authors speak to our students, and most recently Washington Elementary School welcomed an author. I believe she said it was Drew Daywalt, if I heard the name correctly!
PUBLIC FORUM had one Owatonna resident speak about his concern for the possible lack of energy science education.
The ENROLLMENT REPORT is reviewed, noting that our district’s total student enrollment is up to 5120, mainly due to the growing Owatonna Online program currently with 409 students!
COMMITTEE updates were briefly reported. The finance committee met for 2 hours earlier this day. Of note, the annual audit report was reviewed and will be presented to the board for final approval on December 8, 2025. Overall, there were no concerns with our finances for the 2024-25 school year. The annual levy was also reviewed with no major changes since the operating levy failed to pass on November 4th. The main discussion for the finance committee was regarding potential budget reductions and “right sizing,” looking into any and all areas of the district for improved efficiencies, programs or classes that can be “trimmed,” and hearing about various possibilities from our superintendent and finance director. Nothing is finalized, but everything is under consideration, and administration is meeting with each schools’ leadership team to discuss and review budgets. More details to come in the next few months. At this meeting, the board approved a Resolution Directing Administration to Make Recommendations for Reductions (7-0 vote passed).
The administration report is reviewed, previous meeting minutes are approved, as well as the disbursement and personnel reports.
Four votes were taken, and each is approved by 7-0 vote. One vote is noted above. The others included policy review – second reading and approval, the Language Access Plan (reviewed and discussed at the work session earlier this month), and gifts to the district. No discussions, votes were straightforward and/or previously reviewed at prior meetings.
Our student board representatives noted that the OHS musical cast is soon to be announced for Les Miserables. Huskies Give Week was very successful in collecting donations from students at all schools for community members in need. They also met with the OMS student advisory committee who reported less bathroom problems and successful consistency in following the cell phone rule “away for the day.”
With gratitude…
Soli Deo Gloria!
Elizabeth for Owatonna Schools 