November 16, 2020 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

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

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

Description:  We want to add to the Special Recognition and Honors item on the school board by presenting those who are held up with a Certificate of Recognition from our School Board.  We will begin with the following:

• Betsy Rode and Sam Kalina helped our 4th grade student that was choking at lunch today. They performed the Heimlich maneuver and dislodged the food.
• Karna Palmer--Created and assembled an amazing Veteran's Day Program that was shared with our entire community (virtually) on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
• Annika Stensrud--Created a fantastic interview piece for the Veterans day program. She did a wonder full job of capturing the veterans story.

Description:  Brian Koehn, CPA has conducted the audit of the 2019-2020 school district. Brian will be in attendance to present part of the audit (Fund Balances) and draw attention to any recommendations he has determined will be in the audit report.

The complete audit is almost done but has not yet been assembled in booklet form. We have publication deadlines and MDE submissions to conduct and so we encouraged Mr. Koehn to attend our meeting tonight to present the most important information. Once they have assembled the booklets with the complete report, it will be forwarded to each of you for your review.

Following Mr. Koehn's presentation, a motion accepting the report is requested.

Description:  The auditors were here in October and infomed the district that: each governmental entity shall in acceptance of any donation be by resolution of the governing body. Moving forward all donations will be received by resolution of the governing school board.

Description:  Annually a resolution will need to be reviewed by the school board when there is a conflict of interest. Justin Zavadli being the president of American Solutions for Business (ASB) and the MAS School District purchasing a variety of items from ASB. Items being purchased from ASB are at their standard rates and normal or advertised retail price.

Description:  Finance Director, Vicki Moen will review this months claims, accounts,  donations/gifts and investment reports. 

Following her presentation and any school board discussion, a motion approving the items is appropriate.

Description:  The November 11 Enrollment Report is posted as an exhibit for your review.

Description:  Minnewaska Teacher Association (MTA) President, Chris Bennes will make a virtual presentation introducing the Caring During COVID Progam the MTA will be implementing. 

Following the presentation and school board questions, the administration intends to request a budget be set aside to blend with the CDC program recognizing support for all district staff directly impacted by COVID.

School Board action approving a budget amount may be appropriate.

Description:  The MAS Facilities Committee (Reichmann, Barsness and Holtberg) will provide the entire school board with an update on what is happening with Ideal Energies Solar Field project.

Background:   
October 19, 2020, the MAS School Board heard a solar field presentation from Ideal Energy Representatives Rich Ragutz and Chris Psihos. At the conclusion of the presentation, the school board directed the administration to arrange for the presentation to continue at the workshop scheduled for November 4.

November 4, 2020,  Rich Ragutz and Chris Psihos were in attendance to share information they have developed to address school board questions, as well as reengage with school board members.

November 16, (5:30 to 7:00), the facilities committee met to discuss the following and will report out on each topic at this time:

     --Solar lease/purchase agreement
     --Solar Field Location Preferred Location
     --Solar References
     --Planned Public Hearing on Wed., November 18 from 5:00 to :00 pm.

Following the presentation, the administration requests school board direction on next steps it wants the administration to follow.

Description: 

There will be no change in Kindergarten-6th grade Learning Scenario.

Effective Monday, November 16, 2020 MAS 7th-12th grades will transition from hybrid to Distance Learning.

The decision to change the learning scenario was made late Tuesday, November 10, 2020.  The following factors are guiding the most recent decision.

      1. The numbers of staff and students under quarantine due to close contact with confirmed COVID cases continues to follwo the trend lind of our county case rate data. Recently, we had approvimateley 200 students and as many as 25 staff members quarantined. (This means these students and staff have to be out of school for as long as 14 days.)
     2. The district is experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers and staff. This means the district does not have enough substitutes to cover staff absences mostly due to quarantine. This makes it very difficult ot conduct business.

If the MAS School Board formally approves this change, the action will be posted in the MDE Learning Portal effective November 16, 2020.

Following school board discussion, the administration requests formal school board approval adopting this Learning Scenario Change.

 

Description:  The MAS School Board initally adopted the 2020-2021 School Calendar on Feb. 24, 2020, prior to COVID.  The calendar was revised on Oct.19, 2020 to accommodate flexibility and is presented this evening, Nov. 16 to clarify the number of student days (169) and staff days (182).

The exhibit accompanying this agenda item will be referenced in the presentation.

Following the presentation and school board discussion, the administration recommends a motion approving the revised calendar.

Description:  Interim Superintendent, Rick Ellingworth will present a request for school board direction on moving forward to install high quality cameras on sixteen (16) school buses operated within the Minnewaska School District.

A presentation was made to School Board members at the Board Workshop held on November 5.  The presentation included the following:
     1.The camera system being considered is an REI-3 camera system. This includes 2 inside cameras and 1 stop arm camera. The prices include installation of the systems on 16 -- 77 passenger buses. (Specifications were sent to all school board members for their review as requested at the workshop).
     2.  Mark Meyer, District Tech Coordinator, has had the opportunity to review the items specified in the proposal and is in concurrence with the recommendation (As requested by school board members at workshop).

     3. If school board authorization is given, the total of all installed cameras will be $33,274.56. MAS would purchase the cameras and Palmer Bus would agree to reimburse the district for $11,091.52 (1/3).  2/3 of the cameras would be owned by the school district and 1/3 by Palmer Bus. (Clarified as requested at the School Board workshop).

    4.  MAS costs will be taken from CARES COVID-19 funding.

The administration believes the cameras are needed. The cameras are especially valued in these COVID times to ensure students are wearing masks and are socially distancing. In normal times, the cameras are valued for providing video of everyone on the buses to help manage behavior and verify any concerns as they arise.

Following School Board discussion, a motion approving the expenditures is requested.

Description:  Corey Curry, Director of Building and Grounds will be in attendance to request school board support for the development of an annual First Class Boiler License Stipend and the adjustments in hourly compensation for those employees the district requests to pursue various boiller license certifications. (See exhibit)

Recently, the school district has been contracting at the rate of approximately $400 per month to have all district boilers inspected. Prior to that, boiler inspection was part of a previous employee's responsibilities. District leadership has encouraged maintenance employees to take the training needed to earn the appropriate boiler licenses.

Mr. Curry will present a plan to create a Stipend of $1500 per year to compensate someone to provide and then maintain the First Class Boiler License and oversee all boilers in all three of our school facilities. In addition, Mr. Curry will explain a system of adjusted compensation for those employees the district requests move toward various boiler license certifications.

Following the presentation and board discussion, the administration is requesting school board action approving the plan.

Description:  Building and Grounds Director, Corey Curry will be in attendance to request school board authority to move forward with a plan to install new lighting in two MS/HS locker bays. If the school board is in agreement, plans will be developed to install the lights in the lockerbays on the north and south side of the media center.

Anticipated costs for the installed lighting project will be approximately $3,500. The projected (minus any energy rebates) will be funded with Long Term Facility Maintenance revenue.

Following the presentation and school board questions, school board approval of the plan is requested.

 

Description:  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. 

Finally, attached is a Resolution the MAS School Board may consider adopting if it isn't comfortable paying the fees as requested.

The MSHSL Finance Committee was to meet the week of Nov 9.  If there are any proceeds from that meeting that can be shared, Superintendent Ellingworth will share as soon as it becomes available.

The action on this item was previously tabled at the Sept. 21 board meeing. After discussion, a motion approving MSHSL  dues for the 2020-2021 school year may be appropriate, OR, adoption of the Resolution attached to this document may be an option the school board considers.

Description:  School Board approval of the Annual Assurance of Compliance statement is requested.
This request to approve should be an annual  board action acknowledging the school district is in compliance with all federal mandates which is required for all federal program entitlements and programming.

Following school board questions, a motion approving the compliance statement is appropriate.

Description:  The seniority list was approved previously on Monday, October 19, 2020. After careful review on a teacher was still on the probation list that should have been placed on the tenured list. Correction was made on Kristal Wendt due to her being tenured in her previous district. Looking for approval of corrected seniority list.

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description:  3 year cycle review, no new revisions from MSBA

Description: 

The paraprofessionals settled on a contract on April 6, 2015. In this contract they agreed to 13 days of sick leave which includes three personal days.  I have researched and from what I can see is on July 1, 2015 the 12 month employees were given 120 hours of sick leave. Anyone who worked less than full-time got a prorated amount.  In looking back at all the handbooks for support staff this was never updated.  The Support Staff have had 2 personal days and on the last round of discussion with the Superintendent it was changed to 3 personal days.  These days are to come off of the 120 hours and if you don’t use them they stay in the sick leave bank. My recommendation is to correct the handbook that was approved early this year and adopt the new handbook with this change.