The meeting began with the recognition of South View Elementary’s achievement, introduced by Jeremy Sorenson, Director of Elementary Education. Christine Evans, the principal of South View Elementary, accepted the award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principal Association (MESPA). Sorenson highlighted the rigorous criteria for this recognition, which included engaging parents as equal partners in student learning and inclusive decision-making. Principal Evans expressed pride in the school’s accomplishment, noting that South View Elementary is one of only six schools in Minnesota to receive this honor this year. She detailed the school’s reflective process, which involved input from staff, students, and families to celebrate strengths and identify areas for growth. Evans also announced an upcoming celebration at the MESPA Institute in February, followed by a school-wide event in the spring.

The board then moved to the consent agenda, which included 22 items such as meeting minutes, personnel agreements, and policy resolutions. The consent agenda was approved unanimously without any discussion.

The meeting continued with updates on the district’s summer programs. Jeremy Sorenson, along with Eric Hansen, Ka Bruce, and Janet Finman, presented on various summer initiatives, starting with the summer meals program. The program aimed to address food insecurity and served a total of 5,433 meals over the summer. Partnerships with local nonprofits, like Open Door, played a role in delivering meals to families unable to travel to designated sites.

The elementary summer programs included Camp Propel, which served over 2,000 students in grades 1 through 5. This program focused on academic and social-emotional support and was held earlier in the summer due to changes in unemployment laws and the lack of access to ESSER funds. Despite the adjustments, attendance and staffing remained consistent with previous years.

Additionally, the district organized Camp Invention STEM at the Silverbell Learning Center, focusing on collaboration and confidence-building through real-world problem-solving activities.

At the secondary level, over 800 middle school students participated in summer programs, with 60% of them being incoming sixth graders. These students engaged in social-emotional learning sessions to help them transition to middle school, covering topics such as digital distractions, social skills, managing stress, and respectful disagreement. The program also included practical experiences like learning to open lockers.

The high school summer program had approximately 1,200 students who earned nearly 1,884 credits through credit recovery and subject acceleration, particularly in mathematics. Incoming ninth graders received additional support through the Freshman Academy, which offered activities like tie-dye shirt making, ice cream socials, scavenger hunts, and field trips to foster a sense of community.

Community Education reported a 20% increase in participation compared to the previous summer, with significant engagement in sports camps and adult enrichment programs. Early Childhood Family Education classes saw participation from 182 families, while over 12,000 students took part in various youth enrichment programs, with sports and theater camps being notably popular. The adult basic education program also showed growth, with hundreds of students learning English or working toward their GEDs. The River Valley Project Explorer served over 1,700 adults with disabilities, offering activities that included day trips and social events.

The meeting also included a moment to acknowledge Art Coulson, who resigned from the board after 16 years of service. His contributions were recognized, and the process for appointing a replacement was mentioned as forthcoming.

Superintendent Michael Bolsoni emphasized the importance of updating family information through the district’s online portal to ensure accurate records for emergency notifications and communication regarding school schedules.