Reports were presented by: 

• Kirby Anderson – 544 Education Foundation, Finance

• Jeney Christensen – Buildings & Grounds

• Melanie Cole – Region I

• Kelli Graff – Staff Development, Wellness

• Missy Hermes – Curriculum Review, Policy

• Stephen Vigesaa – Activities, Meet & Confer

• Jeff Drake – Superintendent

General Consent Items

The following consent agenda was presented for approval: 

1. Minutes from the July 27, 2026 regular school board meeting

2. Bills and Treasurer’s Report - reviewed by Stephen Vigesaa and Melanie Cole:

1. Personnel

Certified Staff Hire:

• Sarah Stadum, occupational therapist registered @ district wide, effective 08/24/2026

• Anne Hintz, music teacher @ Kennedy/MS .3333, effective 08/24/2026

• Bailey McKinney, english language arts teacher 1 FTE @ Kennedy/MS effective 08/24/2026

• Katherine McNelly, CNA teacher 1 FTE @ Kennedy/HS effective 08/24/2026

Support Staff Hire: 

• Kachelle Bucknum, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/MS, effective 08/26/2026

• Kaydence Knutson, special education paraprofessional @ Adams, effective 08/26/206

• Megan Rostad, para educator @ Area Learning Center, effective 08/26/2026

• Destiny Erickson, special education paraprofessional @ McKinley, effective 08/26/2026

• Carlie Noorda, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/HS, effective 08/26/2026

• Rachel Nelson, special education paraprofessional @ Adams, effective 08/26/2026

• Angela Walters, special education paraprofessional @ Cleveland, effective 08/26/2026

• Kaylee Grant, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/MS, effective 08/26/2026

Support Staff Transfers: 

• Alisa Rustand, transfer from special education paraprofessional to food service lunch computer operator @ Kennedy, effective 08/25/2026

• Keith Myrvold, transfer from production assistant to dishwasher in food service @ Kennedy, effective 08/25/2026

• Taylor Koopman, transfer from dishwasher to production assistant in food service @ Kennedy, effective 08/25/2026

• Lindsey Hauck, transfer from assistant cook server to food service computer operator / asst cook @ Kennedy, effective 08/25/2026

• Linda Dudgeon, transfer from food service computer operator to cook/server @ Kennedy, effective 08/25/2026

Support Staff Separations: 

• Lance Dudden, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/MS, last day worked 06/04/2026

• Mavis Samuelson, noon hour supervisor @ McKinley, last day worked 06/04/2026

• Amari Schroeder, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/MS, last day worked  05/19/2026

• Cheryl Petersen, evening custodian @ Lincoln, last day worked 08/19/2026

• Jonah Knick, special education paraprofessional @ Kennedy/MS, last day worked 06/04/2026

1. Grade level increase for Community Education Secretary - Job Description #211, increase from grade 5 to 6, effective 08/15/2026

Kirby Anderson moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously. 

Unfinished Business: 

1. Missy Hermes moved to approve the School Resource Officer Services Agreement; effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The motion was seconded by Kelli Graff and carried unanimously.

New Business: 

1. Jeney Christensen moved to approve the 2026-2027 Fergus Falls Public Schools’ K-12 Student Handbook. The motion was seconded by Kelli Graff and carried unanimously.

2. Kelli Graff moved to approve the 2026-2027 iQ Academy (Fergus Falls) Student/Parent Handbook. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.

1. Missy Hermes moved to approve the Child and Adult Care Food Program Contract for Vended Meals to Lakes Country Service Coop (Level 4 Program); effective 9/1/2026-7/9/2027. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously.

1. Kelli Graff moved to approve the Child and Adult Care Food Program Renewal of Vended Meal Contract for Vended Meals to West Central MN Communities Action (Head Start); effective 10/1/2026-9/30/2027. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously.

1. Kelli Graff moved to approve the Contract with Julia Lakoduk of Otter Speech Therapy, LLC for Speech Language Pathology Services for Approximately 10 Hours/Week, August through November 2026. The motion was seconded by Jeney Christensen and carried unanimously.

1. Kelli Graff offered the following resolution and moved for its adoption: 

Resolution Relating to the Election of School Board Members and Calling the School District General Election

BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent School District No. 544, State of Minnesota as follows: 

It is necessary for the school district to hold its general election for the purpose of electing three (3) school board members for terms of four (4) years each. 

The clerk shall include on the ballot the names of the individuals who file or have filed affidavits of candidacy during the period established for filing such affidavits, as though they had been included by name in this resolution. The clerk shall not include on the ballot the names of individuals who file timely affidavits of withdrawal in the manner specified by law.

The general election is hereby called and elected to be held in conjunction with the state general election on Tuesday, the 3rd day of November, 2026. 

Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.11, the precincts and polling places for this general election are those polling places and precincts or parts of precincts located within the boundaries of the school district and which have been established by the cities or towns located in whole or in part within the school district. The voting hours at those polling places shall be the same as for the state general election.

The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause written notice of said general election to be provided to the county auditor of each county in which the school district is located, in whole or in part, at least eighty-four (84) days before the date of said election. The notice shall include the date of said general election and the office or offices to be voted on at said general election. Any notice given prior to the date of the adoption of this resolution is ratified and confirmed in all respects.

The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said general election to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least ten (10) days before the date of said general election 

The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a sample ballot to be posted at the administrative offices of the school district at least four (4) days before the date of said general election and to cause two sample ballots to be posted in each polling place on Election Day. The sample ballot shall not be printed on the same color paper as the official ballot. The sample ballot for a polling place must reflect the offices, candidates and rotation sequence on the ballots used in that polling place.

The clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause notice of said general election to be published in the official newspaper of the school district for two (2) consecutive weeks with the last publication being at least one (1) week before the date of said election.

The notice of election so posted and published shall state the offices to be filled set forth in the form of ballot below and shall include information concerning each established precinct and polling place.

The clerk is authorized and directed to cause the rules and instructions for use of the optical scan voting system to be posted in each polling place on Election Day.

The clerk is authorized and directed to acquire and distribute such election materials as may be necessary for the proper conduct of this election, and generally to cooperate with election authorities conducting other elections on that date. The clerk and members of the administration are authorized and directed to take such actions as may be necessary to coordinate this election with those other elections, including entering into agreements or understandings with appropriate election officials regarding preparation and distribution of ballots, election administration and cost sharing.

The clerk is further authorized and directed to cause or to cooperate with the proper election officials to cause ballots to be prepared for use at said election in substantially the form below, with such changes in form, color and instructions as may be necessary to accommodate an optical scan voting system.

STATE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT

OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINNESOTA

NOVEMBER 3, 2026

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS 

To vote, completely fill in the ovals(s) next to your choice(s) like this:

School District Offices 

School Board Member 

Independent School District No. 544 (Fergus Falls Public Schools)

Vote For Up To Three 

Name 

Name 

Name

Name

Name

_________________ 

write-in, if any 

_________________ 

write-in, if any

_________________ 

write-in, if any

The motion was seconded by Jeney Christensen and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Jeney Christensen, Melanie Cole, Kelli Graff, Missy Hermes, and Stephen Vigesaa;

and the following voted against same: 

None. 

Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.

1. Missy Hermes moved to approve the Memorandum Of Understanding between Fergus Falls Public School District And Fergus Falls Education Association regarding ECSE Staff Flex Scheduling. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.

1. Stephen Vigesaa moved to approve the 2026-28 Agreement between ISD #544 and the Minnesota School Employees Association Custodial/Secretarial Personnel. The motion was seconded by Kelli Graff and carried unanimously.

The next regular School Board meeting will be held at 7:15 am Monday, August 24, 2026 in the Otter Community Room at Kennedy School. 

Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 am. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously. 

A work session followed the regular board meeting to discuss back to school updates.