May 10, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Independent School District 507 Regular School Board Meeting

Description:  The school board meeting is a meeting in the public, not a public meeting.  Nicollet School Board Policy provides that persons who wish to have a subject discussed at a public school board meeting are encouraged to notify the superintendent’s office in advance of the school board meeting.  The school board chair will recognize one speaker at a time and will rule out of order other speakers who are not recognized, violations of data privacy, or inappropriate comments.

Description: 
We were awarded $60,000 from the MN Department of Agriculture for the Meat Education and Training Grant.  Thanks to Pat Pehrson (Ag Instructor) for making this opportunity available for NPS students.  We are developing plans to remodel the home ec room and for the purchase of butchery education equipment.  

The butchery program will make sharing the space with the school readiness classroom more challenging.  Traffic through the SR room will increase, and the operation of the butchery program could be disruptive. 

The school readiness teachers and I are discussing how to mitigate the situation.  The school board facilities committee (Mike, Scot) and I are exploring options for moving that SR classroom to another location near the NECC.
 

1.  

ABDO Solutions is unable to conduct our financial audit.  They cited lack of staffing as the reason for discontinuing their service to NPS.  I contacted six firms with experience conducting public school district audits.  Two agreed to provide proposals.

1.  

The preliminary 2023-24 budgets proposed by MVED to the superintendents’ advisory council this spring increase costs to Nicollet: March $39,000, April $78,000, May $53,000.   The services provided to Nicollet will be similar to last year.  I informed the MVED director and the superintendents that the budget scenarios are problematic for Nicollet.  The budget will be submitted to the MVED board for consideration in June. Ashley Black represents Nicollet on the MVED board.
 

1.  

Major summer projects in addition to cleaning.
 

Description:  MS 123B.02, Subd. 6 permits the school board to accept donations or gifts for the benefit of the district.  The Superintendent recommends approving the donations received.

Description:  The superintendent recommends approving the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Calendar.  The calendar committee met on February 16, March 22, and April 19 to develop calendars for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school year.  The committee this year included Naomi Paulson-Michael (Teacher), Jodi Murphy (Teacher), Vicky Erickson (Parent), Olivia Lanz, (HS Student), Becky McKinley (Non-Certified Staff), Robin Courrier (Principal), and Dr. Malone, Superintendent.  The calendars are similar to previous calendars.

2023-24

• The calendar includes 167 student contact days for elementary and 169 for secondary.  The number of teacher days total 182, pursuant to the NEA contract. 
• The calendar includes 5 early dismissal days for staff professional development. 
• The 2024 graduation will be Friday, May 31.

2024-25

• The calendar includes 168 student contact days for elementary and 170 for secondary.  The number of teacher days total 182, pursuant to the NEA contract. 
• The calendar includes 5 early dismissal days for staff professional development. 
• The 2025 graduation will be Friday, May 30.

Description:  The superintendent recommends approving the Revised FY 23 Budgets.

Enrollment decreased by 14 students from FY 22 to FY 23 and is projected to decrease by 7 students from FY 23 to FY 24.

 

1.  

General Fund: the unassigned fund balance will decrease from $492,117 to $405,565.  The decrease is attributable to the enrollment decline being greater  than was projected. 

The Food Service fund balance will decrease to $169,639 due to equipment purchases.
Community Education Funds:

• "The Restricted For Community Education" and "Restricted For School Readiness" accounts include the school readiness program.  The tuition increase did move the funds toward solvency.  
• The Fitness Center and Latchkey funds are stable for FY 23.
• The discontinuation of federal COVID grants reduced the daycare fund balance. 

The construction fund will be closed as the project has been completed.





 

Description:  The superintendent recommends approving the Preliminary FY 24 General Fund, Food Service, Building Construction, Debt Service.  
The General Fund: unassigned balance will decrease by $228,000 to $176,895.

FY 24 Fund Balance Deficit Analysis	Expense/Revenue
FY 23 Deficit carries over		-86,000
Grants utilized in FY 23 and no longer available for FY 24: ESSER, ESSER II, ESSER III, Pandemic Enrollment Loss	R	-$185,000
Enrollment decrease of 7	R	-$70,000
SPED cross subsidy revenue increase	R	$100,000
Gen Ed Formula Increase 4%	R	$100,000
Basic Skills Revenue Increase	R	$68,000
Salary and benefits increase	E	-$160,000
	Total	-$228,000

 
Community Education Funds:

• "The Restricted For Community Education" and "Restricted For School Readiness" accounts include the school readiness program.  The tuition increase scheduled for next year should eliminate the deficit for school readiness (+$22,477 -$17,534 = $4,943).
  • School Readiness Tuition for next year will increase from $160 to $185 per week for the 3/4-year-old program and from $185 to $205 for 4/5-year-old program.  The tuition increase will generate about $5,000 in additional revenue.  
• The Fitness Center and Latchkey funds are stable for FY 23.
• The Daycare Fund deficit is projected improve by $30,736.
  • The daycare rates increase for next year will generate an additional $30,000 of revenue.
    1. Infant/Toddler from $215 to $230 per month.
    2. Preschool from $5.00 per hour to $5.50 per hour.

Description:  The superintendent's contract expires June 30, 2023.  Scot and Ashley were designated by the board to meet with the superintendent and agree to terms.  The parties agreed to a daily rate of $538.46.  The contract is for 130 days and does not include benefits.  The new contract will expire June 30, 2024.