All speakers are asked to complete the Listening Session Sign-in Form including as much detail as possible and including a printed / written copy of your presentation if one is available.

This is an opportunity for the Board to listen, the Board will not engage in dialogue.  As a general rule, the Board will not comment on or respond to any comments made by speakers.  Please do not include names of Greenbush Middle River employees or representatives, their title, or location in your remarks for your own legal protection and the legal rights of staff.

Each speaker will have five (5) minutes to speak:  speakers may not roll their time to another speaker.  Speakers will be timed and are asked to complete their comments in this time frame.

Board members may ask questions if needed.

Please begin your presentation by stating your name and topic only.

In the spirit of fairness to all participants, we request that you respect the format above.  Thank you for taking the time today to attend this meeting and share your concerns and suggestions.

A motion was made by  ____________________, seconded by ____________________ to approve the payment of bills check #36663 through check #36756 for a total of $197,255.58 and Purchasing Card electronic payments of $920.06 dated October 7, 2019 and Electronic Funds Transfers as submitted.

A motion was made by ______________, seconded by _________________, to accept the following donation(s).  

Arlys Graff Trust Fund to GMR School for GMR Instrumental Music Department     
$22,068.00

Keith Kapphahn to GMR School for un-paid meal balances                                       
$500.00

Roseau Electric Coop Trust (Operation Round-up) for Softball Scoreboard               
$1, 500.00

Altru Clinic to GMR School for Sports Physicals                                                         
$560.00

Butler [CAT] of Fargo to Industrial Arts program                                                       
$250.00

Greenbush Area Community Fund to GMR School (Tech. Dept.)                               
$1,800.00

The ExCEL award is a Minnesota State High School League sponsored award that recognizes and honors excellence in Education, Community and Leadership.Students must:

Be a High School Junior;
Making satisfactory progress toward graduation;
Participate in MSHSL fine arts and/or athletic activities;
Hold a leadership position in school; and
Work voluntarily in their community.

Greenbush Middle River School District ExCEL Award winners for the 2019 - 2020 Academic year are: Ashley Benki and Ryan Hlucny.

The AAA award is a Minnesota State High School League award.

Purpose of the award is to: Recognize and honor High School Seniors who have excelled in the areas of Academics, Athletics and Fine Arts

Students must have a minimum GPA of cumulative 3.0
Students will be honored at Region 8 banquet in Mahnomen in February 2020

Greenbush Middle River School District Triple A award winners for 2019 - 2020:
Andy Dostal and Ella Koebernick

Candidates will be inducted into the National Honor Society on November 22nd at 2:00 p.m. in the Gym.

The National Honor Society is a prestigious group of students who excel in academics in an organization that was originally founded in 1921. Chapters of the National Honor Society can be found in all 50 states. The Greenbush Middle River School District National Honor Society Advisor is Mrs. Susan Lieberg.  Two new members will be inducted into the NHS joining the six inducted previously.  A minimum GPA of 3.65 (on a 4.0 scale) is required to be considered as a part of the application process for NHS.

• MSBA recommended Policies have been posted on the School's website
• There are a few (three) policies previously posted in the School's website which needed to be compared to the MSBA model policies
• Legal Council has not fully reviewed policies posted by the current Supt. of Schools.
  
  excerpt from August 19, 2019 School Board meeting.
  
  School Board consideration towards up-dating School Board Policies as recommended by Minnesota  School Boards Association (MSBA)         
  
  A policy manual is recognized as the primary and most efficient way for the School Board to provide administrators, employees, students, parents, taxpayers and members of the entire school district
  community notice of the School Board’s beliefs and goals and methods of achieving those beliefs and goals.  
  
  The impetus for school board policy development or change may come from a variety of sources.  It may be triggered because of a change in the law, a change in school district practice, or a change in school board philosophy.  
  
  School Board policies can be specific to each school district and a number of school board policies are mandatory and are necessary to meet the requirements of state or federal law.   
  
  After recent review of the current Board Policy manual available, it appears the District’s Policy manual is in need of up-dating.   The MN School Boards Association provides a policy service to school districts and recommends adoption of policies that are changed due to eg:  Legislative changes, new rules or regulations, case law or best practice.  Policies may be:  (1) new; (2) Legislative and recommended changes; or (3) non-substantive changes or minor corrections.
  -----------------------------------------------
  MSBA Policy Services is a joint effort of the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) and the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA). The Policy Service is a comprehensive legal guide to be used in the efficient management of all aspects of the school system. The law firm of Knutson, Flynn & Deans did the legal work for this service. All model policies have been carefully examined by the law firm to insure compliance with federal and Minnesota laws.
  
  MSBA Policy Services began in 1995 and currently has more than 370 members. Each year subscribers will receive policy newsletter(s) and additional new or revised policies. All policies, administrative regulations, exhibits, and forms are numbered and organized by general categories.  Every year the model policies will be reviewed and updated to reflect any changes by legislation or court decisions. Whenever a policy is updated, those changes will be part of the District's Policy Manual. 
  
  Most school districts do not have the time and personnel to develop a comprehensive policy manual. In addition, school districts would require substantial legal assistance to develop policies on their own. MSBA believes school district’s enrolling in their Policy Services program is much more cost effective for school districts than policies developed and revised by their own legal counsel.
  
  
  - Legal Counsel has yet to review Mandated Policies which require alteration based on the size of GMR (Administrative) staffing
  - In the near future, Board approval (en masse, Board member review Annual Policies as per MSBA) 
  
  

School Districts are required, by statute, to have an annual independent audit of their financial affairs.  A representative of the accounting firm of Eide Bailly will present the GMR financial audit for the 2018-2019 school year.

A motion was made by ______________, seconded by, to approve the Greenbush Middle River School District 2018-2019 Financial Audit as presented by Eide Bailly. 

A motion was made by ______________, seconded by ______________, to approve Ms. Becky Solberg as a part time Food Service staff member.

For better than two decades, the MN Dept. of Education required reporting of student achievement to local school boards and local district residents.  Years ago the report was called Planning and Evaluating Report (PER), approximately a decade ago the report was called the Annual Report on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Achievement.   Effective with the 2014-2015 school year, a school district’s student achievement report is called the World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) Report.

 
Principal Schultz will provide the required student achievement report to the Board.   In accordance with MN Statute, the 2018-19 Combined WBWF Summary and Achievement and Integration Progress Report will be posted on the school’s website. 

<https://www.middleriver.k12.mn.us/Domain/178>


Suggested Board Action:  Moved by _______________ and seconded by ____________ to approve the Greenbush Middle River School District’s World’s Best Workforce Report.    

Principal Schultz to report on Nov. 12th Para Professional Training provided by staff from the NW Service Cooperative.  "Intersection of Mental Health and Student Behavior" 

The process of holding an School District Election is costly. Without passing the suggested resolution, districts may end up having to pay thousands of dollars for election equipment and election judges for dozens of polling places, instead of just one or two combined polling places.   Source: MN School Boards Association (MSBA)


Board Member _______________ introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING COMBINED POLLING PLACES FOR MULTIPLE PRECINCTS AND DESIGNATING HOURS DURING WHICH THE POLLING PLACES WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR VOTING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTIONS NOT HELD ON THE DAY OF A STATEWIDE ELECTION      

BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Independent School District No.2683, State of Minnesota, as follows:      
 
1. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.11, the precincts and polling places for school district elections are those precincts or parts of precincts located within the boundaries of the school district which have been established by the cities or towns located in whole or in part within the school district. The board hereby confirms those precincts and polling places so established by those municipalities.      

 2. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.11, the board may establish a combined polling place for several precincts for school district elections not held on the day of a statewide election. Each combined polling place must be a polling place that has been designated for use as a polling place by a county or municipality.The following combined polling places are established to serve the precincts specified for all school district special and general elections not held on the same day as a statewide election in the calendar year following the adoption of this resolution: (Set forth each combined polling place explaining which precincts are being served, such as:)  
     
Combined Polling Place:                                                                                                      
Greenbush Community Center           Middle River Community Center                     
244 Main St N                                     250 Hill Ave
Greenbush, MN  56726                       Middle River, MN  56737

Greenbush Community Center
244 Main St N
Greenbush, MN  56726

This combined polling place shall serve all territory in Independent School District #2683 located in the following Precincts within Roseau and Kittson Counties: 

·    Kittson: CARIBOU TWP
·    Kittson: KLONDIKE UNORG
·    Kittson: PEATLAND UNORG
·    Kittson: PELAN TWP
·    Roseau: BARNETT TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: BARTO TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: DEER TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: DEWEY TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: GREENBUSH
·    Roseau: HEREIM TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: HUSS TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: LIND TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: MOOSE TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: JUNEBERRY/BLOOMING VALLEY UNORG 
·    Roseau: PALMVILLE TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: POHLITZ TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: POLONIA TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: POPLAR GROVE TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: SKAGEN TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: SOLER TOWNSHIP
·    Roseau: STRATHCONA 
located in Roseau County, Minnesota.

Middle River Community Center
250 Hill Ave
Middle River, MN  56737

This combined polling place shall serve all territory in Independent School District #2683 located in the following Precincts within Marshall County:
·    Marshall: CEDAR TWP
·    Marshall: COMO TWP
·    Marshall: EAST PARK TWP
·    Marshall: EAST VALLEY TWP
·    Marshall: HOLT TWP
·    Marshall: HUNTLY TWP
·    Marshall: MIDDLE RIVER 
·    Marshall: MOOSE RIVER TWP
·    Marshall: ROLLIS TWP
·    Marshall: SPRUCE VALLEY TWP
·    Marshall: THIEF LAKE TWP
·    Marshall: WHITEFORD TWP
located in Marshall County, Minnesota.


Note: See Section 2.3.2 of the Election Manual regarding changing polling places in the case of an emergency or if the polling place is no longer available.     
  
*3. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 205A.09, the polling places will remain open for voting for school district elections not held on the same day as a statewide election between the hours of 7:00 o'clock a.m. and 8:00 o'clock p.m.       
Note: See Section 3.6 of the Election Manual regarding certain restrictions on voting hours.  
     
4. The clerk is directed to file a certified copy of this resolution with the county auditors of each of the counties in which the school district is located, in whole or in part, within thirty (30) days after its adoption.     
 
5. As required by Minnesota Statutes, Section 204B.16, Subdivision 1a, the clerk is hereby authorized and directed to give written notice of new polling place locations to each affected household with at least one registered voter in the school district whose school district polling place location has been changed.  The notice must be a nonforwardable notice mailed at least twenty-five (25) days before the date of the first election to which it will apply. A notice that is returned as undeliverable must be forwarded immediately to the appropriate county auditor, who shall change the registrant’s status to “challenged” in the statewide registration system. (If a combined polling place is changed, the change must be adopted at least ninety (90) days prior to the first election where it will be used unless that polling place has become unavailable for use.)  This date is November 14, 2019, for an election on February 12, 2020. 

Note: A resolution similar to this model resolution must be adopted by December 31 of each year, and the combined polling places specified shall be the combined polling places for the following calendar year. 

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Board Member _____________ and upon vote being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof:
        

and the following voted against the same: 

whereupon said resolution was declared duly Passed and Adopted / or Failed.

To-date, three (3) meetings have been held between Teacher and Board Negotiations representatives.  The next negotiation session is scheduled for Nov. 20..

The Greenbush Middle River School District [defined as "Respondent"] Attorney and the Middle River Annexation Group [defined as Petitioners] Attorney are seeking and exchanging information  (also known as "discovery") back and forth.

excerpt from September 16, 2019 regular school board meeting Agenda item....On September 12, the Judge, plaintiff and defendant attorneys held a conference call.  The Judge is seeking additional information (also known as "discovery") and provided a general timeline to attain discovery information.   The timeline for additional discovery information will be February 1, 2020.  A scheduling conference is scheduled for April 6, 2020.  Full discovery must be completed by May 1, 2020.  Motion(s) to dismiss the lawsuit are due by June 5, 2020.

-    After that, we wait for a decision from the Court.  If the motion to dismiss the lawsuit is not granted a court date will take place in early October 2020.

Board Motion: Moved by ___________ and seconded by ___________to adjourn the meeting.  

Minnesota Rural Education Annual State Conference - November 17-19  (First Robotics presenting on November 17)

GMR Target Team annual Blood Drive - November 20

Fall Sports Banquet celebrating Fall sports will be on Nov. 21 in Badger

GMR National Honor Society Induction ceremony - November 22

Regular School Board Meeting - December 16th, 6:00 p.m. 

MN School Boards Association State Conference January 16-17, 2020