November 27 Meeting Highlights
November 27 Special Meeting Highlights
The minutes from the November 27, 2023 meeting will be reviewed and approved by the School District 197 School Board at the Monday, December 11, 2023 meeting. For more information about meeting agendas and minutes, please CLICK HERE.
Action Item - Approval of the Agenda
The motion carried (7-0).
Action Item - Approval of the Agenda as Presented
The motion carried (7-0).
Comments to the School Board
Staff member Brian McCarthy addressed the board regarding teacher salaries and insurance.
American Indian Education Program Update
Peter Mau, Assistant Superintendent; Kevin Sheridan, Educational Equity Coordinator; and Nell Barri, American Indian Cultural Liaison, presented an update on the American Indian Education Program. The goals of this program are to increase educational access and opportunity for the district’s American Indian students in order to increase their academic achievement and graduation rates and to improve the school climate for PreK-12 American Indian students through intra and intercultural awareness and the cultural relevance of materials, programs and activities.
Minnesota Statute requires all Minnesota school districts with 10 or more American Indian students to have an American Indian Parent Advisory Committee. A school district enrolling at least 20 American Indian students on October 1 of the previous school year is eligible for Indian Education Aid from the state. The 2023-2024 student count is 91 which qualifies the school district for $75,500 in aid from the state.
Some recent accomplishments of the program include:
- An Indigenous family event
- A Backpack distribution event to American Indian students
- A traditional Dakota and Ojibwe event held at Garlough
- Cultural lessons in classrooms at Moreland and Mendota
- A Native American Heritage Month event held at Moreland
Specific goals of the program include:
- Support postsecondary preparation for American Indian pupils with a goal of 80% of students in grades 11 and 12 participating in at least one college readiness activity
- Support the academic achievement of American Indian pupils with a partnership between high school counselors and the American Indian Cultural Liaison
- Make curriculum relevant to the needs, interests and cultural heritage of American Indian pupils by increasing the scores on the FASTbridge aReading assessment
- Provide positive reinforcement of the self-image of American Indian pupils by increasing the number of community outreach events from one to four times per year
- Develop intercultural awareness among pupils, parents and staff
Action Item – Approval of Resolution for the ISD 197 Combined Polling Locations for 2024
Superintendent Olson-Skog presented a resolution for the ISD 197 combined polling locations for 2024. By December 31 of each year, Minnesota school districts must designate their combined polling locations for the following calendar year. There are no changes from the locations used in 2023. Combined polling locations include Heritage E-STEM Middle School; St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church; Two Rivers High School; Friendly Hills Middle School; and the Eagan Community Center.
The motion carried (7-0).
End of Year Report on 2023 School Board Goals
Members of the Board Planning Committee presented an end-of-year report on the attainment of the 2023School Board goals that were approved in J January of 2023. This is the second year since the transition of board goals to the calendar year from the fiscal year. Of the seven goals, most were reported as complete or in progress. One was listed as incomplete and will be reviewed for continuation into 2024. Both last year’s and this year’s goals were intended to advance the district’s strategic framework, paying particular attention to the three focus areas along with community engagement. The proposed 2024 School Board goals will be brought back in January or February of 2024 to allow the new board members to provide input on the goals.
Adjournment
The motion carried (7-0).