Author Archives: ElizabethHedlund

Coffee and Conversation with the Superintendent is a great opportunity to get to know Dr. Tammy Champa and also discuss questions or concerns. The first coffee date is this Friday, August 22, 2025 at the district office on the corner of Grove and School streets, 8-9am. There will be future dates as well! If youContinue reading “Coffee”

We began with a brief Special Session to approve the most recent personnel report and immediately followed with the work session. HIGHLIGHTS: Rose street proposal recap Superintendent Champa: back to school and levy updates Two city/chamber representatives returned to the board to informally recap and answer questions in follow up to the formal presentation givenContinue reading “8/11/2025 Special & Work Sessions”

Before giving board meeting updates, here are just a few highlights from the most recent Owatonna Public Schools Newsletter, July 2025. Welcome Dr. Tamara Champa, our new superintendent!  Levy information for the upcoming vote in the November 2025 election, including a calculator for determining the estimated amount each household may pay in taxes, is availableContinue reading “Extra Info and 7/9/2025 Regular Meeting”

Our regular meeting of the month was held a week earlier than the usual fourth Monday of the month. Also, note that July only has one school board meeting and this year it will be Wednesday July 9, 2025, 5:30pm at the West Hills campus, chamber board room. This week’s meeting was most memorable asContinue reading “6/16/2025 Regular Meeting”

School is out, and the OHS graduation ceremony is completed, congrats graduates! We held our June work session per usual at the district office and as a reminder, our next Regular Meeting is next week June 16, 2025 at the chamber board room. This week’s work session was packed with lots of updates, maybe ourContinue reading “6/9/2025 Work Session”

Before I write the usual update on last night’s board meeting, I wanted to write specifically about the vote for the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) membership. This vote occurs annually for every district in Minnesota that desires to have its district participate in the MSHSL. As I understand it, this organization is theContinue reading “I Voted No”

Our work session took place at 530pm per usual at the district office. Highlights from the work session include a presentation by OHS principal Kory Kath and select staff regarding attendance interventions and new course offerings. Secondly, the results and discussion of the recent community survey as reported by Peter Leatherman from the Morris LeathermanContinue reading “5/15/2025 Work Session”

This week, some of our Owatonna students participated in the MN Student Survey. I wrote about this survey previously on 1/6/2025 after members from Steele County Public Health came to talk to the board. This is what I wrote at that time: “Two members of Steele County Public Health presented information regarding the Minnesota StudentContinue reading “MN Student Survey”

Highlights from our regular meeting…also note that because of the tornado warning, everyone in attendance had to step down into the basement from 5:42pm until 6pm. Incoming Superintendent, Dr. Champa, was also in attendance with us. She has been communicating regularly with Superintendent Elstad and is planning to attend our meetings as much as possible.Continue reading “4/28/2025 Regular Meeting”

Work Session highlights: For Wilson Elementary, Mrs. Cassie Mitchell, principal of Wilson school, gave the presentation with a few Wilson staff members. They focused on Wilson’s community, culture, and curriculum, highlighting the importance of the Teaching and Learning Coach and the school counselor in their respective roles. Also noted was the work toward the alignmentContinue reading “4/14/2025 Work Session & Survey”