September 21, 2020 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Barsness, Christianson, Gugisberg, Holtberg, Meyer, Reichmann, Zavadil

Description:  Barsness, Christianson, Gugisberg, Holtberg, Meyer, Reichmann, Zavadil

Description:  1.  The following individuals are recognized for their willingness to engage beyond their normal work responsibilities to make phone calls to MAS families encouraging them to return the Free/Reduced Meal Applications prior to October 1.  Their efforts increased the number of completed applications the district receives.  The completed applications generate over $965 each and provide "Compensatory" funds for the district. Last year, approximately $361,000 was generated.  Much appreciation is given to the following for responding to the request for help:

  Deb Nelson, Amy Johnson,  Heidi Weller, Kristen Quade, Angie VanZee

2.  Outstanding Service Provided by Megan Boutain, MAS School Nurse.  Megan has provided outstanding leadership in guiding MAS safely through the early days of the school year. She has accepted the role of Co-Covid Coordinator and interacts with MDH and CDC on a regular basis. She has been highly efficient in responding to phone calls and emails from families asking health related questions.

Description:  MAS Food Service Directors, Janeen Peterson and Paulette Noel will be in attendance to provide school board members with an update on changes to the MAS Food Servicee Program

1. Shift to Free Meals (Breakfast and Lunch) for ALL MAS students.  

The Minnesota Department of Education and the USDA made a change in the extension of the summer food program. The change results in Minnewaska Area Schools being able to offer FREE meals to ALL of our students beginning Monday, September 28, 2020! This includes breakfasts and lunches for ALL students choosing "on-site learning" as well as students who have chosen "distance learning". This program will end by Dec. 31, 2020 or sooner if USDA funding is depleted. 

2.  New Program is Retroactive to September 1.  

The new meal program described above will be retroactive to MAS first day of school.  Any families who have deposited funds in their student(s) lunch accounts will receive a credit to the account for meals purchases through September 25.

3.  New Barcode Scan for Meals.

All students have a barcode to scan for their meals. Food Service is implementing a $5.00 surcharge for any cards that need to be replaced.

Description:  Certification of Proposed 2020 (Payable 2021) Levy

Each school district is required to certify the proposed 2020, payable 2021, property tax levy to the county auditor and to the Department of Education by October 1, 2020. The proposed property tax levy is the school district’s proposed property tax levy for all purposes, including debt service.

The law provides the school district may certify the proposed levy as:

a. A specific dollar amount, or
b. An amount equal to the maximum levy limitation certified by the Commissioner of Education to the county auditor according to Minn. Stat. 126C.48, Subd 1.

Superintendent Rankin, will make a brief presentation and answer questions board members may have regarding the proposed levy and the levy process.

Following the presentation, the following motion is recommended:

"Motion to certify the 2020, payable 2021, proposed levy to the Pope County Auditor in an amount equal to the maximum levy limitation certified by the Commissioner of Education to the County Auditor according to Minn. Stat. 126C.48, Subd. 1."



 

Description: 

At the beginning of this school year, the Minnewaska Area School Board (MAS) approved a 13 member COVID Command Team. That team was charged with the responsibility to work together to determine the various "Learning Scenarios" our students can be in throughout the year.  That team has been meeting weekly since the beginning of the year to review relevant COVID data and other information related to the Learning Scenarios we currently have in place for our students.

Monday, September 14 in the regularly scheduled weekly meeting, after careful review of all of the data and a healthy discussion among team members, the COVID Command Team determined, by consensus, to move forward with a learning scenario change for our 7th & 8th grade students beginning Thursday, September 24, 2020.

Notification of this change was submitted to MDE and pending school board approval, will become effective Thursday, September 24, 2020. 

The MAS Command Team recommends effective Thursday, September 24th, 2020, all 7th & 8th graders at MAS middle school and at WIN will transition from HYBRID to IN PERSON learning.  There will be NO CHANGE in the K-6 plan (currently "In Person") nor the 9-12 high school plan (currently "Hybrid") until further notice. There is also NO CHANGE to the "Distance Learning Choice" option for families that make that choice.

Earlier today, the Command Team met and based upon the most recent information available to it, may have decided to withdraw the recommendation shown above.

School Board action approving this recommendation may be requested.

 

 

Description:  MAS bills,claims, donations and gifts are presented for school board review and approval.

Description:  Vicki Moen, Finance Specialist and Superintendent Ellingworth will provide the school board with 2020-2021 Revenue and Expenditure Projections & Enrollment Updates and answer school board member questions.     

 

Description:  Vicki and  Rick will provide an update on the budgets leading to a request for approval to submit CARES 154 budget to MDE

Description:  Interim Superintendent Ellingworth met with members of the Central Square leadership team about entering a contract for use of the gymnasium at Central Square during the 2020-2021 school year.  The contract shown in the appendix is recommended for board approval.

Description:  The MSHSL has held a number of meetings to discuss the current COVID environment and possibilities related to rescheduling football and volleyball activities yet this fall.

Activities Director, Bill Mills and Interim Supt. Ellingworth met with the Activities Committee on Thursday, September 17.  An update was provided and will be shared with the entire school board tonight. 

Description:  The MSHSL has notified all member school districts of the reasons it is requesting additional increases in membership dues for the 2020-2021. The notification the district has received from the league is attached for the school board member review. For comparison purposes, the membership fees MAS has paid in the last two years are provided.

2018-2019 $2,530
2019-2020 $4,315
2020-2021 $11,315 (proposed)

In addition, the second exhibit attacted is a letter sent to the MSHSL Board of Directors pointing out the inequality of the proposed fee schedule. 

Both of these items are lengthy so it will be important to read them thoroughly prior to the school board meeting.

After discussion, a motion approving MSHSL amended/additional dues for the 2020-2021 school year is recommended.

Description:  Discussion will revolve around School Start & End Times, School Calendar and possible late start or early dismissal & Parent Teacher Conferences:
 
A.  Dialogue with Palmer Bus Co. to consider length of school bus routes and shuttle times.This work may require school district action amending school start and end times.

B. Dialogue with educators related to the blending of :
     --"in person" and "distance learning" work load 
     --hybrid student supervision requirements;
     --need for planning and collaborating for rigorous high quality instruction;    create the need for planning and collaboration time currently unavailble because of COVID system demands.

C.  Respect for Community Day Care-Employment Concerns--mportance of recognizing need and committment to help families with  provision of daycare when needed.

D.  Parent Teacher Conference Redesign--Two days of in person parent teacher conferences are planned in calendar.  Can we have authority to make them virtual or in person and spread from two nights over two-three weeks, with school levels making the determination? 

E.  Notification of Need to Repurpose Paraprofessionals to provide daycare at times of possible early release and workshop days.  Appreciation to all paraprofessionals being repurposed is very appropriated.


Following discussion, it may be appropriate to provide administration with authority to make "time" and "calendar" adjustments as we proceed through the school year with proper notice to families and and staff.

Description:  Federal CARES Update:  Available $316,000   Requests nearing $300,000
Used for Safety devices, technology, employment (teacher, cleaning, etc), MSHSL, etc.

Pope County Update:       Available $10,000-$15,000.  Requests  $73,000
September 1, 2020 the Pope County Board of Commissioners  approved a program to distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding to Pope County businesses and non-profit entities.  This funding is intended to reimburse local businesses and non-profits for expenses attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and response. For schools, $10,000 with a possiblity of more can be submitted through a grant process.  MAS grant request for $73,000 is itemized in the attached exhibit.

No board action required with this agenda item. This is informational only.

Description:  The MAS school board needs to schedule a special school board meeting to canvass the results of the general election scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

Pope County officials have requested the school board set the special meeting  either November 12 or November 13, 2020. Most counties appreciate school boards scheduling the special meeting on one of the latter dates after the election so ample time is available to them to count ballots. 

Board action is requested scheduling the special meeting to canvass election results for Friday, November 13 at 7:30 am in the MAS board room. 

Description:  MREA will host this conference virtually and is making it possible for all employees and school board members to benefit from it. This 2020 pricing is based on organization size:

• Small — $400 (1-49 FTE employees)
• Medium — $500 (50-149 FTEs)
• Large — $650 (150+ FTEs)

Are any MAS Board Members interested in attending?

Description:  Work Session would be on Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Description:  Prorated salary based on a 58 day season and a start date of September 11, 2020. Proration based on $62.72 per day at 40 days. Total salary based on proration of $2,510.40