Middle Matters: Exploring Electives and BMS Schedule

1.  MCA's will go from March 14th through May 11th.  We will also have the final Fastrbridge assessments that have been ongoing throughout the year and will end around May 19th. 

2.  March 18th is Region VI Day at the Capitol.  

3.  Bills of particular interest that have been discussed the last couple of weeks include the following:

**This is not intended to be a complete list of all bills introduced each week but rather a list of bills that are aligned with priorities or include significant policy changes.

HF3363,  Modifying hours of instruction requirements.

HF3401 and HF3803 Providing for student teaching grants; appropriating money. Requiring stipends to be paid to student teachers. Appropriating money. SF3804: Waiving the per-credit cost of tuition for student teachers; appropriating money.

HF3424, Requiring schools to adopt a major food allergen policy.

HF3472, Authorizing free school milk during the lunch meal for students who bring a lunch from home on that day. HF3863, Requiring schools participating in the state school milk program to provide daily milk to students in kindergarten through grade 12; prohibiting fees for school milk.

HF3544, Increasing the general education basic formula allowance.

HF3635, Increasing special education and English learner cross subsidy aid by the increase in the Consumer Price Index.

HF3742, Requiring mental health screening for students; creating student mental health support revenue; appropriating money.

HF3744/SF3698 Amending the Read Act; requiring a report; appropriating money.

HF3882, Modifying earned sick and safe time; authorizing rulemaking.

HF3983, Modifying uses of the special education teacher pipeline grant.

HF4117, Modifying local optional revenue; including revenue for unemployment costs and family paid medical leave in local optional revenue; simplifying referendum revenue; increasing equalization aid; appropriating money.
Dates to Remember 
Committee Deadlines 
The House and Senate have adopted two committee deadlines for the 2024 session:
Friday, March 22: Committees in both bodies must act favorably on bills that are not major appropriation or finance bills. 
Friday, April 19: Committees in both bodies must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills. 
Legislative Recesses
Easter recess: Begins on Wednesday, March 27 at 5:00 pm through Tuesday, April 2 at 12:00 noon 
Eid recess: Begins on Tuesday, April 9 at 5:00 pm through Thursday, April 11 at 12:00 noon 
Passover recess: Monday, April 22 through Wednesday, April 24 at 12:00 noon 
Adjournment:
Monday, May 20

Other topics of interest may include SRO, Lunchtime requirement, 

 
4.  MASA/MASE Spring Conference is on March 14-15 in person.  Carla and I are registered and plan to attend the conference.  

5.  The school district in collaboration with the city is participating in the Rural Child Care Innovation Program to assist in supporting current childcare providers, as well as explore and implement local and right-sized solutions to address child care shortages, and support workforce development, with the goal of positively impacting economic growth. Sue Hiltner and Michelle Peacock are on the committee representing the school district. The city is looking to identify the scope and size of our childcare challenges. By completing the survey, you will assist in our efforts to identify trends and solutions.
For more information, please see the attachments.

6. Attached is the latest facility update information.

7. If you are planning on attending graduation on May 31 in the evening, please let Angel know.

I recommend approving the personnel items as presented.

Policy 706 Acceptance of Gifts permits the school board to accept donations or gifts under the terms of the policy.  I recommend accepting the gifts as described in the enclosure.  Thank you to those who have donated to our schools and students. 

Policy 208, Development, Adoption, and Implementation of Policies Article IV, Subd. D allows for minor changes that do not affect the substance of policy or because of a legal change over which the school board has no control, may be approved at one meeting.  In addition, Article V, Subd. D states the school board shall review policies at least once every three years.

Changes to the attached policies may include formatting or legal references.

All policies below were revised in 2022 (with the exception of 727 which has no MSBA model policy). 

Our current policy versions as well as the latest MSBA redlined versions are attached.

Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subd. 1(b)
The governing body of a public employer may by a majority vote in a public meeting decide to hold a closed meeting to consider strategy for labor negotiations, including negotiation strategies or developments or discussion and review of labor negotiation proposals, conducted pursuant to sections 179A.01 to 179A.25.