Caledonia School Board members met in Caledonia Elementary School’s music room #162 on Thursday, January 26, from 5:32-7:20 p.m for a special meeting. Board members present include dMike Peterson, Spencer Yohe, Melissa Marschall, Derek Adamson, Tim Gunn, and Daniel Small. Board member Leigh King was absent. In addition, Super-intendent Craig Ihrke and elementary principal Sue Link attended. Middle/high school principal Nathan Boler was absent.
The board unan-imously approved the consent agenda. The following three goals were to be addressed at this special meeting: 1) Reword and distribution plan of Mission, Vision, and Values Statement. 2) Board introductory letter addressed to faculty, staff, and community. 3) Strategic plan to gain teacher and community input.
At the January 17 regular school board meeting, Board member Peterson brought to attention that Caledonia Area Public School’s Mission, Vision, and Values Statement had not been updated since 2013, and he recommended the Statement be updated. Board members Peterson, Gunn, and Yohe each created a new updated Mission, Vision, and Values Statement then combined such to form one new updated version. Peterson shared the new updated version with the board. The board compared the outdated 2013 version to the recommended updated 2023 version of the Mission, Vision, and Values Statement.
The 2013 Mission Statement stated “To Provide the best education to empower all learners to thrive in our changing world.” The 2023 updated Mission Statement states, “Our mission is to inspire in every student a love of learning by: igniting curiosity, nurturing potential, seeking knowledge, and embracing the future.”
The 2013 version lacked a Vision Statement. Gunn stated the new Vision Statement should “include teachers and all, not just students. Anyone that comes into the school should feel safe.” The 2023 Vision Statement states, “To foster a safe environment that values everyone prioritizing their well-being and preparing them to graduate inspired, ready to succeed, with the tools for lifelong learning.” Super-intendent Ihrke responded to the new Vision Statement with, “I love the lifelong learning part!”
The 2013 version’s Core Values include: learning, respect, integrity, health & safety, service, adaptability, collaboration, and accountability. The 2023 updated version’s Core Values include: respect, integrity, excellence, parental/guardian involvement, freedom & innovation, partnerships, equal opportunity, and stewardship. Responses in regards to the recommended new updated Core Values include:
“I love the integrity one! Parent/guardian involvement is key!” stated Yohe.
“Integrity is very important!” Principal Link agreed with Yohe on his view in regards to integrity.
“We should always be open and transparent with parents,” noted Peterson.
“Right now with parents volunteering, we can teach our children the importance of volunteering with their comm-unity,” Marschall shared.
“We can teach children to give back after they graduate,” Yohe added in response to Marschall’s comment.
The 2013 version lacks a Core Values Statement. The 2023 updated Core Values Statement includes “Our core values guide our decisions, actions, and choices to meet the needs of our students and maintain excellence across our system.”
At the January 17 regular school board meeting, the topic of the public’s awareness in who the local school district’s board members consist of was brought up. Peterson recommended a friendly letter be mailed out acknowledging the current members and their positions on the board. At the special board meeting, Peterson presented a rough draft briefly acknowledging the role of the school board/administration, the board member’s oath, a few goals in place, and who the current board members consist of along with their board positions. Principal Link commented, “It’s very inviting!” The board reviewed Peterson’s rough draft and discussed options in making the letter available to the public. One idea included displaying the letter in both The Caledonia Argus and Fillmore County Journal.
Towards the end of the meeting, the board discussed the implementation of a strategy to gain community input such as through use of surveys, teacher forms, community forms, etc. The board leaned towards using a third party to conduct the surveying. The surveying conducted through a third party will align similarly to Lanesboro Public School District’s surveying process. The board briefly looked into Lanesboro Public School District’s history with using a third party in this manner.
Due to Monday, February 20 being Presidents’ Day, the next regular board meeting of the Caledonia Public School board is scheduled for Tuesday, February 21. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Caledonia Elementary in the music room #162. The public is invited to attend.
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