Observer REport: Northfield School Board, 6.9.25

Meeting Video Recording

1. Call to Order by Claudia Gonzalez-George at 6:00 pm. Ben Miller was absent; all other board members present.
   
2. Agenda Approval/Table File approved unanimously (see Board Packet and Table File)
   
3. Public Comment
   1. A district parent and grandparent spoke about the public health epidemic of gun violence.The community member advocated for combining the Be Smart initiative and a gun violence pledge and for a coordinated community effort. They brought a copy of a related book for each school board member. 
      
4. Announcements and Recognitions
   1. Many students were recognized for qualifying for state high school golf tournament.
   2. 26 HS track and field athletes recognized for qualifying for the state meet.
   3. Tiffany Kortbein was awarded a competitive scholarship to attend a nationwide agriculture conference in Minneapolis this summer.
   4. NHS Yearbook program was recognized for their Josten Yearbook Excellence award at Gold level.
   5. NHS Bleacher Captains recognized for winning MN “promising practice” award.
   6. Reminder that District is hosting the 2nd annual Juneteenth event on June 19 during lunch hour. First 100 people get free food!
   7. Amy Goerwitz thanked Sony Pictures and Carleton College for donations made to support the film screening of Karate Kid featuring 2016 alum Ben Wang. Ms. Gonzalez George and Jeff Quinnell thanked Ms. Goerwitz for her leadership and organization of that event.
      

5. Items for Discussion and Reports 

a. Superintendent Focus Areas End of Year Report 

Dr. Hillman highlighted overviews from the end of year report (see pages 7-13 of the Board Packet)

Questions –
Ms. Goerwitz commented how impressed she is by the amount accomplished this year (referendum and budget prioritization project were both huge projects), plus the additional items noted in the report, and thanked Dr. Hillman! Ms. Goerwitz shared that she has been listening to the podcast, but after a time notices that they roll off the KYMN website. Is there a spot on NPS website to list them all, and does KYMN ever unlink podcasts and get unusable? Dr. Hillman: doesn’t believe the KYMN files roll off, but NPS does have a shared Google Drive folder with KYMN. The podcasts are currently shared in district family updates and could see about posting elsewhere on the website.

Jenny Nelson: In focus area #2 (school-to-work), can you describe the action steps that would be needed to get the work-based learning course up and running? Dr. Hillman: first step is that the High School needs a licensed teacher (close to getting that!); second, the district needs to gauge the interest among two different groups: students (anticipate they’ll be eager!) and the employers in the community, including what their unique and often fluctuating needs might be; and finally getting the course in the course catalog for them to register. Acknowledge that the district didn’t make traction on this that he hoped for, but laid groundwork. Ms. Nelson: To help with traction–is there a task force for this yet? Dr. Hillman: no formally appointed task force, but a more informal group comprised of High School principal, High School counselor, Chamber, Workforce Development Center, and others, who have met a few times this past year. Ms. Nelson: Didn’t know that this group has met. Is that info shared anywhere on websites many in the community might like to see that these groups are working together? Dr. Hillman: Events have been shared but nothing else specifically on the website and will add to the website update list for over the summer.

Maggie Epstein thanked Dr. Hillman for work and noted that feedback was positive on the leadership development academy. How might that group continue to learn and work together? Dr. Hillman: No formal plans for continuing to interact, although that was an intention behind the cohort to get a cross-section of people from all employment groups and across the district. Many who participated also signed up on district-wide work teams. Future opportunities might include having work teams facilitated by people who have completed the leadership academy. Plan is to do another cohort next year, then move to every other year due to the high amount of effort and desire to keep the cohort large enough (30-40) each time. 

b. Legislative Update

Dr. Hillman reviewed the latest special session policy (see pages 21-22 in the Board Packet). He noted what is NOT in here (dialing back of inflationary index for general formula and exhaustion of the fund for summer unemployment insurance), as well as what is in the bill, including: 1) establishment of Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education to find $250 million in savings (or will have to make equivalent cuts), 2) drop in special education transportation reimbursement, 3) student support personnel aid and library aid reductions, 4) reduction of lunch reimbursement in FY 2028, 5) not many unfunded mandates, but one that is included–screen students in dual language immersion program’s partner language (for NPS, this would be Spanish). Will need to wait until the final bill passes to be certain of changes! Dr. Hillman also thanked the Legislative Action Committee for their work this year.

Ms. Goerwitz: Loves idea of universal meals, but since the state pays for the meals, it means we have less control of revenue from meals. Are we concerned that in future we won’t receive enough money to cover costs of making meals? Finance Director Valori Mertesdorf:–yes!

c. Policy Committee Recommendations 

Dr. Hillman reminded the board that a few years ago they switched from building specific paper handbooks to an online handbook and because the board is no longer approving every year, when making substantive changes, decided that we would take these changes to board for approval. This year there are significant proposed changes to the attendance policy for the 2025-26 school year district wide handbook both in content and flow which were drafted by the attendance team, including attendance leads, teachers, counselors, etc. The attendance team wanted to tighten up and be consistent in ambiguous language, align procedures across schools and with best practices, and intervene to help support students and families, even for excused absences.Would normally do strike out version to denote changes, but due to extent of changes is instead sharing side by side versions (2025-26 version: see pages -48 in Board Packet; for 2024-25 version, see pages 39-50 in Board Packet)

Questions – 

Ms. Nelson: Is attendance the only proposed changes to the ? Dr. Hillman: yes. Ms. Nelson: Are there other areas of the handbook that need updating? Dr. Hillman: Every building is asked if they want to make any changes and invited Ms. Nelson to a further conversation. Ms. Nelson: For the elementary level: “a follow up by the District Truancy Coordinator will take place. If appropriate, an educational neglect report will be filed with the County Social Services,” after how many absences will it take place? Dr. Hillman: will check and get back. Ms. Nelson: Is the district required by state statute to file a county report? Dr. Hillman: there is a statutory requirement, but not sure if this is the only time we need to do it. Ms. Nelson: under middle school portion, can you describe what lunch detention means? Dr. Hillman: lunch detention means eating lunch in the office, not with friends. Ms. Nelson: in middle school section, is there a number that constitutes excessive absences in section six? Dr. Hillman: is Ms. Nelson was reviewing the 2024-25 or 2025-26 version? Took time to clarify and noted that Ms. Nelson was looking at the old version of the attendance policies. Clarified that under new proposed policy it is 7 unexcused absences before a truancy report is filed.

Ms. Goerwitz: Appreciates systematizing and wonders if we looked beyond our district to try and get a sense of some standards? Dr. Hillman: yes, and district’s participation in the state pilot program this year was for this reason. NPS seems ahead of the curve in trying to standardize policies and language across schools.

Ms. Epstein: attendance policies seem clearer and appreciates the work. Might it be possible to distill info into something like bookmark with helpful reminders? Dr. Hillman: not sure about that but is confident attendance group can come up with something useful. Ms. Epstein also pointed out a typo in the student citizenship handbook on p. 36 (repetition of state statute). 

Ms. Gonzalez George: questioned use of word “allowed” in K-5 policy, #2. Almost makes it seem like students get 10 free days. Dr. Hillman: Uncertain but suspected it might be because they wanted to lay out what might be deemed a reasonable absence. Ms. Gonzalez George: How could message be “we want them in school,” and then “when you have to be absent”? Dr. Hillman: appreciate feedback. Ms. Gonzalez George: For the personal absence, item #4 and the stated google form. Is that new? Dr. Hillman: Uncertain. Ms. Gonzalez George: Use of “personal” absences and wondered again about using something else such as “other” absences and using the Google form from the beginning to collect absence information instead of using it only when they’ve reached a certain limit. Dr. Hillman: Uncertain but board will have a presentation from the attendance group soon. Reiterated that absences can accumulate and it sometimes doesn’t take long to get to a chronic absentee rate. Need to help educate parents more about this, but acknowledged that “allowed” and “personal” might not send the right message. 

Ms. Goerwitz: Could there be something at the beginning of the document that is more general philosophy instead of jumping right into logistics? Dr. Hillman: policy might be doing this under “Attendance Guidelines” at bottom of third page, but acknowledged that “attendance guidelines” doesn’t grab attention. Ms. Goerwitz: Have phone numbers right at top, then go immediately into the philosophy. 

Mr. Quinnell: hypothetically if a student misses 17 days, are they expelled? How do they get caught up? What’s the process? Dr. Hillman: it’s 17 unexcused absences–there are a number of interventions that already exist and clear guidelines. If 17 total absences (around 10% of school year) is a result from a combination of different reasons new guidelines are meant to provide some additional interventions to support students better because they might not have reached threshold for any one particular absence types. If students aren’t keeping up, that’s where the credit recovery and the Area Learning Center (ALC) comes in. Across states absence procedures differ, but absences typically start over if a student moves from state to state. 

6. Consent Agenda passed unanimously. See table file for additions. 

1. Minutes
2. Gift Agreements
3. Financial Report – November 2024 Revised
4. Overnight Field Trip Request
5. Personnel Items

7. Items for Individual Action 

a. Proposed 2024-25 Construction Budget (see pages 125-132 in Board Packet)
Ms. Mertesdorf presented that there was no changes from previous presentation and clarified a question from previous presentation. – passed unanimously

b. Proposed 2025-26 Budgets – All Funds (see pages 133-151 in Board Packet)
Ms. Mertesdorf shared that no major changes from previous presentation. Noted that there was a formula error on general fund so that the % change of beginning was different. – passed unanimously.

c. Sale of District Property Contract Extension
Dr. Hillman reminded that they discussed at last meeting so has already been considered. Developer just needed additional time to work with City of Dundas and updated appraisal. – passed unanimously.

d. Benjamin Bus Contract One-Year Extension (see pages 152-156 in Board Packet)
Ms. Mertesdorf shared no changes from what was presented. All contract language the same, just includes 2% increase. – passed unanimously.

8. Items for Information 

a. Construction Update No. 11 (see page 157 in Board Packet)
Dr. Hillman reviewed highlights and thanked City of Northfield for their $25,000 contribution to the geothermal wells.

Questions – 

Ms. Goerwitz: With respect to energy efficiency, does Xcel comment on every part of it? Dr. Hillman: Need to wait until the Xcel report comes back.

b. End of Year Enrollment Report (see table file)
Dr. Hillman shared key takeaways from report, including that on the last day of school had full time enrollment of 3691 students, which was lower than projection but with weight will be closer to projection and pointed out information on class sizes and data on Big 9 Online (partnership with Owatonna for online instruction). Dr. Hillman gave explanation for why ALC enrollment increases throughout the year due to three different programs at ALC: 1) seat program, where students can graduate at eight different points throughout the year, 2) independent study, which students can do from a small amount of time to full time equivalency. There were 40-some students at NHS who are doing some type of independent study and who are also counted at ALC. 3). “Night Class” (now all online) and in partnership with Randolph. 

Ms. Goerwitz: are students who do Ingenuity counted at ALC, but could also be counted at NHS? Dr. Hillman: yes and no.If student was completing an ingenuity course for something not offered, then likely not. The “night class” is for those required classes. Will check on that with Darryl. Ms. Goerwitz: what about students who wanted to take additional classes we don’t offer? Dr. Hillman: Do some of that through online PSEO classes. Ms. Goerwitz: Do  we lose “half” a student if they take an online course? Dr. Hillman: sometimes. Ms. Goerwitz: What about the change in sophomores who moved from HS to online school? Dr. Hillman: Will look into further as data was just received that afternoon.

9. Future Meetings
a. Monday, July 14, 2025, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO Boardroom 

b. Monday, August 11, 2025, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO Boardroom 

c. Monday, August 25, 2025, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO

Boardroom 

10. Adjournment at 7:29 p.m.

Submitted by Alyssa Melby, Observer, League of Women Voters