Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.
Reports were presented by:
Scott Colbeck - Elementary Principal (Adams/McKinley)
Tindy Rund - Elementary Principal (Cleveland)
Ivan Hirst – Middle School Principal
Mark Anderson - Secondary School Principal
Jeff Drake - Superintendent
General Consent Items
The following consent agenda was presented for approval:
Minutes from the regular School Board meeting held on April 11, 2023
Personnel
Certified Staff Hires for the 2023-24 school year:
Joy Miller, elementary teacher @ Cleveland; effective 8/28/2023
Dallas McBride, math teacher @ KSS; effective 8/28/2023
Meghan Rettke, special education teacher @ KSS; effective 8/28/2023
Rebecca (Becca) Krueger, REACH teacher @ KSS; effective 8/28/2023
Kaleb Kosak, science teacher @ KSS; effective 8/28/2023
Certified Staff Resignations:
Kari Flatau, science teacher @ KSS; effective end of the 2022-23 school year
Sarah Steinbrenner, special education teacher @ iQ; effective end of the 2022-23 school year
Shelly Streich-Simondet, work-based learning teacher @ iQ; effective end of the 2022-23 school year
Certified Staff 2023-24 Contract Requests:
Matthew Dahmen, iQ Academy science teacher; request to rescind rights of .6667 FTE; effective 2023-24 school year
Vanessa Jacobson, iQ Academy elementary teacher; request to rescind rights of .2158 FTE; effective 2023-24 school year
Laurie McNallie, iQ Academy FCS teacher; request to rescind rights of .5 FTE; effective 2023-24 school year
Jennifer Smith, iQ Academy special education teacher; request to rescind rights of .2604 FTE; effective 2023-24 school year
Support Staff Resignations:
Marcy Clausen, accounts payable secretary @ District office; effective 6/30/2023
Alyssa (Lisa) Manteufel, para educator @ Cleveland; effective end of the 2022-23 school year
Tara Price, para educator @ Cleveland; Last work day-5/23/2023
Chelsea Hilbrand, para educator @ Cleveland; Last work day-5/5/2023
Ashley Connell, para educator @ ALC; Last work day-5/5/2023
Natasha Baker, special education paraprofessional @ Adams; Last work day-4/17/2023
Support Staff Hire:
Marcy Clausen, finance officer (.6 FTE); effective 7/1/2023
Kirby Anderson moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Old Business:
None
New Business:
Melanie Cole offered the following resolution and moved for its adoption:
RESOLUTION NONRENEWING A PROBATIONARY TEACHER
WHEREAS, (TEACHER NAME) is a probationary teacher in Independent District No. 544.
BE IT RESOLVED, by the School Board of Independent District No. 544, that pursuant to Minn. Stat. 122A.40, subd. 5.¹ and the District Master Agreement, the teaching contract of (TEACHER NAME), a probationary teacher in Independent District No. 544, shall be nonrenewed at the end of the 2022 - 2023 school year effective June 30, 2023.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that written notice be sent to said teacher regarding the nonrenewal of the teacher’s teaching contract.
NOTICE OF NONRENEWAL FOR A PROBATIONARY TEACHER
Dear (TEACHER NAME):
You are hereby notified that at the meeting of the School Board of Independent District No. 544 held on April 24, 2023, a resolution was adopted by a majority roll call vote to not renew your teaching contract for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Your employment will terminate at the end of the 2022 - 2023 school year effective June 30, 2023. Said action of the School Board is taken pursuant to Minn. Stat. 122A.40, subd. 5.² and the District Master Agreement.
You may officially request the School Board give its reasons for the nonrenewal of your teaching contract. For your information, however, this action is being taken because of financial limitations.
Sincerely,
Melissa Hermes, Clerk
School Board of Independent School District No. 544
Jennifer Carlson (.6211 FTE)
Heather Miller (.6166 FTE)
Kyle Owings (.25 FTE)
The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa;
and the following voted against same:
None.
Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.
Kirby Anderson offered the following resolution and moved for its adoption:
RESOLUTION PROPOSING PLACEMENT OF A CONTINUING CONTRACT/TENURED TEACHER ON UNREQUESTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE
BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent District No. 544, as follows:
That it is proposed that (TEACHER NAME), a continuing contract/tenured teacher of said District, be placed on unrequested leave of absence without pay or fringe benefits, at the end of the 2022-23 school year; effective 6/30/2023. Said action is taken in accordance with the District Master Agreement and pursuant to Minn. Stat. 122A.40, subd. 10.2 upon the grounds described in said statute and which are specifically financial limitations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a notice of proposed placement on unrequested leave, together with a copy of this resolution be forwarded to said teacher and that an affidavit of the same be placed in (his/her) personnel file with a copy of the notice and resolution.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED PLACEMENT ON UNREQUESTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR A CONTINUING CONTRACT/TENURED TEACHER AND NOTICE OF HEARING DATE, IF REQUESTED
Dear Ms./Mr.,
You are hereby notified that at the regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 held on April 24, 2023, a resolution was adopted by a majority vote of the School Board, proposing your placement on unrequested leave of absence, without pay or fringe benefits, as a teacher of Independent School Dist. 544 at the end of the 2022-23 school year effective June 30, 2023, Said action of the School Board is taken pursuant to the District Master Agreement and Minnesota Stat. 122A.40, subdivision 10.2 upon the grounds described in said statute and which are specifically as follows:
Financial Limitations
Under the provisions of the law, you are entitled to a hearing before the School Board provided that you make a request in writing within fourteen days after receipt of this notice. If no hearing is requested within such a period, it shall be deemed acquiescence by you to the School Board’s proposed action.
If you desire a hearing, it will be held on Monday, May 15, 2023, at 10:00 o'clock a.m. in the Otter Community Room at Kennedy Secondary School or as soon thereafter as you can be heard. Please advise if such a hearing is requested.
Sincerely,
Melissa Hermes, Clerk
School Board of Independent School District No. 544
That each and all of the foregoing grounds of said notice are within the grounds for unrequested leave placement as set forth in M.S. 122A.40, subdivision 10 and Article 15, Section 2 of the current Master Agreement between the School District and the exclusive representative and are hereby adopted as fully and though separately set forth and resolved therein.
Michael Bare - .1667 FTE
Regina Busch - .1667 FTE
Kailey Glebe - .1667 FTE
Mariah Minkkinen - .3333 FTE
Heather Schreder - .1667 FTE
Ann Skoe - .1667 FTE
Deb Sutor - .1667 FTE
Lisa Theisen - .3333 FTE
The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa;
and the following voted against same:
None.
Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.
Stephen Vigesaa moved to approve the request for additional certified staffing for the 2023-2024 school year: social studies .22 FTE; and special education administrator .6 FTE. The motion was seconded by Missy Hermes and carried unanimously.
Kirby Anderson moved to approve Policy 206.A Public Participation in School Board Meetings, Complaints About Persons At School Board Meetings And Data Privacy/Public Participation & Engagement Rules. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Missy Hermes moved to go into a closed session at 6:07 pm permitted by Minnesota Statute §13D.05; Subd.3 to discuss developing offers or counteroffers for the purchase or sale of real or personal property - Parcel: 71001500055000. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously.
Melanie Cole moved to re-open the school board meeting at 6:33 pm. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.
The next regular School Board meeting will be held at 5:15 pm Monday, May 8, 2023 in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School.
Kirby Anderson made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:36 pm. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously.
A work session followed the regular board meeting.
Melissa Hermes, Clerk