The Spring Grove Public School Board met in person on Monday, September 21, 2020, at 7 p.m. in the media center while adhering to the Governor’s guidelines for capacity (10 people total). The public and media attended remotely through Google Meet.
Board members present included President Aaron Solum, Stephanie Jaster, Christian Myrah, Kelly Rohland, Jenny Stender, and Rhan Flatin.
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, including employment contracts for Laura Eglinton, High School Special Education; Stuart Sherry, custodian; Mark Figueroa, custodian; and the 2020-21 athletic coaching staff. It authorized Rachel Udstuen as the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Identified Official with Authority for the Spring Grove School District.
On behalf of Police Chief Folz, city employee and school board member Stephanie Jaster informed the board that the police would have a presence at the school intersection at the beginning and end of day whenever possible.
Principal’s report
Hearing Principal Luke Kjelland’s report, it is clear that he hit the floor running and that the start of school has been smooth.
Kjelland informed the board that the Back to School Conferences went well. The first day was raining, causing the conferences to move indoors. There were also internet issues on day one that caused delays in testing. The internet issues were resolved by day two.
COVID-19 is responsible for many of the changes made to the school’s handbook. After reviewing the changes with the board, Principal Kjelland expects that they will have to come back next year and change all the changes they made this year back again.
The design team met this summer and came up with COVID-19 vocabulary. The staff is using the same terminology to describe physical distancing, quarantine, or isolation. The language used by staff will be the same no matter which employees are in the classroom. Everyone received it in their staff handbook.
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center offered the school the option to reschedule the seventh grade fall visits to the center. Since the waitlist for spring 2021 is long, the school opted to take the students to the center on September 22 and 23. Students will be bringing their own lunches and will not be spending the night. The two seventh grade cohorts will travel in separate busses and be outside. Kjelland mentioned that “It will probably be more effective than being in a classroom.”
The school is utilizing the social media tool, Tik Tok, to establish relationships between cohorts. Each group will produce a short video and share it with the entire school. The administration’s cohort video can be viewed on the school’s Facebook page.
Kjelland continued on to update the board on plans for the English Language Learners, serving meals, school release time, and the plans for the module 2 – prevalence and impact and module 3 – neuroscience of the trauma informed care work.
Assistant superintendent’s report
Assistant Superintendent Gina Meinertz first updated the board on the Spring Grove Virtual Academy. During the first two weeks of school, students have been learning how to set up a learning space at home and build relationships in a virtual environment. The learning platform, Edgenuity, is difficult and can be frustrating for students and parents to use. It has taken a while to get all students added to Edgenuity. Meinertz informed the board that all students would be added by Tuesday, September 22.
Two students from Winona State University (WSU) are student teaching this semester in K/1 outdoor and indoor classrooms. Meinertz supervises the student teachers and meets with them once a week. The board had a chance to review the recruiting video produced by Meinertz that will be shared with next semester’s WSU student teachers.
Last year the school received a grant to fund the Business Experience challenge. The challenge will bring students from Mabel-Canton, Spring Grove, and Caledonia schools and businesses from the three communities together. Students will learn how to communicate and solve a problem remotely, create a social media presence for an organization, and work with a Chamber of Commerce.
Tenth and 12th graders will be working with the Career Navigators to develop resumes and cover letters. The students will also research jobs that they are interested in and work with the Career Navigators to connect with businesses.
“The kids are loving the outdoor classrooms and asking questions,” shared the assistant superintendent.
Superintendent’s report
Superintendent, Rachel Udstuen shared with the board that everything is new and different this year. She went on and explained “how amazing it is to have our kids back and that they are smiling and happy.”
Udstuen emphasized how incredibly supportive the staff has been. Udstuen could not say enough about the school’s amazing team, stressing their creativity and problem solving skills on a daily basis.
Minnesota reversed their decision regarding the fall sports season. Early this summer the schools were notified that there would not be any football and volleyball this fall but now both football and volleyball games will start September 28 with the first games scheduled in October. The maximum number of spectators at football games is 250 and there will not be any spectators at volleyball games.
Fiscal
After two months of gathering information from the Caledonia Argus and the Fillmore County Journal regarding advertising rates, the subscription numbers, a monthly school page, and the cost to print the school’s newsletter the board approved the Fillmore County Journal as the 2020-21 Official School Newspaper.
The board unanimously approved the proposed 2020 payable 2021 property tax levy certification. The proposed increase is 9.65%. The school levy is determined by a number of factors: foundation formula, enrollment, operating referendum, and allocations for Health and Safety, Community Education, and Q Comp.
The board approved the second reading of Policy 522 Title IX Sex Nondiscrimination Policy, Grievance Procedure and Process reflecting federal changes.
The next regular meeting of the Spring Grove Public School Board of Directors is scheduled on October 19, 2020, at 7 p.m. The school board, administration, and business manager will meet in person (10 max). The school will continue to offer the board meetings on Google Meet for anyone else who would like to attend. For assistance monitoring the meeting, contact the district office at (507) 498-3221 or email rachel.udstuen@springgrove.k12.mn.us.
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