For the second time in three meetings, the ISD 166 school board meeting was held on an evening prior to a snowstorm. The announcement was made at the meeting that there will be school on the pre-scheduled makeup day of Friday, April 25 if school is closed the next day. Again, as expected, school was closed the following day and the makeup day will be used.
Community comment was notably absent from the April 3, 2014 meeting. The discussion of whether to close the campus during lunch period was again discussed. The board will be making a decision at their next meeting April 17. Board Member Ed Bolstad reiterated that he would like to see the school board take action to provide a safe environment for the students as well as lessen possible liabilities to the school.
Board member Ann Sullivan reviewed several pros and cons of open lunch, as well as a few different options available. The options ranged from leaving the policy as is, using open lunch as an incentive, to closing the campus for lunch altogether. She cited a national study by the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University School of Law in Boston that shows an increase in fighting, fatal car wrecks, mugging, substance abuse, arrests and sexual assaults occurring off campus during lunch periods.
Student driving behavior is also an issue being considered in the debate. Board Member Sissy Lunde spoke of witnessing poor judgment on the part of student drivers including a rear end accident in the school parking lot. Board member Deb White suggested a possible alternative could be to keep open lunch but not allow students to drive during the lunch period.
Chair Jeanne Anderson commented that it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision. Many parents in the area she represents would like to see the privilege continue. She also pointed out that not more than three states have a policy on open campus during lunch, nor does the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA).
A better place for students to spend time if confined to campus over the lunch period would need to be created, added White. It was noted that Duluth voted not to close their campus, as it would be too costly to create such a place in their school. Superintendent Beth Schwarz stated that there is enough seating in the cafeteria for every student in grades 9 through 12. White continued with an appeal to the students of Cook County High School, urging them to come to the next meeting and represent themselves and it will make a difference. She referred to Sean MacDonell, a sophomore, who spoke at an earlier meeting on the subject and commended him on presenting himself well.
Legislative decisions could impact schools
Schwarz reported on school related subjects being dealt with in the current Minnesota legislative session. The state is currently dealing with a bullying bill that, if approved, would expand upon the existing statute requiring schools to have a bullying policy in place. The legislature is also considering a change that would allow schools to open before Labor Day in 2015. Labor Day, the first Monday in September, will fall on September 7 in 2015.
The state has made changes in the way school levies are calculated. The legislation does allow for relief to districts that would have been negatively affected by the new formula. ISD 166 was among those districts that would have had a negative impact because of the calculation change. A levy approved by local district voters in 2011 amounted to $650 per student which translates to $802 per adjusted pupil unit. The levy was specifically earmarked to fund items such as smaller class sizes for kindergarten through second grade, $60,000 for early childhood education, keeping a full time industrial arts position, and $100,000 towards capital projects. This levy will expire in 2016. At that point, if the school board deems that a further levy is necessary, they will have the choice of asking voters to approve a new levy or they will be allowed to approve a levy of up to $724 per pupil unit without voter approval.
In other news
. The MSBA has several essential policies that it recommends should be in place in all Minnesota schools. Over the course of the next few meetings the board will be reviewing policies and adapting them for use at ISD 166. Each policy will be presented for at least one reading before being reviewed at a subsequent meeting for final approval. Policies chosen for review at this meeting include the subjects of equal opportunities, nondiscrimination, family and medical leave, public and private personnel data, out of state travel by board members, a tobacco-free environment, the search of student lockers etcetera, and the school weapons policy.
The board asserted that it is notable to be aware that there is a zero tolerance policy against the carrying of firearms, including hunting firearms on school property. This includes the parking lot outside of the YMCA, which is school property. This policy applies to firearms inside of a vehicle as well. An exception does exist for a non-student, permit-holder, authorized under Minnesota statute to carry a pistol in the interior of a vehicle.
. Schwarz introduced Cara Price, the new District Office administrative assistant to the board. Price, originally from Duluth, had previously worked in California for the last six years.
. The architects for the new industrial arts expansion have been informed that a review by the Minnesota Department of Education will not be required for the project. The review could have slowed the construction down by up to 60 to 90 days. When asked by Bolstad if that means the shop would be up and running by the start of school Schwarz replied, “It’s going to be tight.”
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