Mr. Genlinau then shared the 3 goals for the upcoming year which included: Recommitting, expanding and revitalizing the “Culture of PRIDE” teaching. Staff will be studying and exploring the concept of a Middle School Homeroom for the following academic year. Lastly, They will be implementing a new Teacher Development and Evaluation rubric which they believe will result in a shift in teaching and creating a positive impact on studINDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 659 REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING Monday, September 14, 2026 ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Regular Board Meeting Northfield District Office Boardroom
AGENDA
1. Call to Order: Board Chair Conzalez-George called the meeting to order. All current members of the board were present, and Ms. Goerwitz joined virtually.
2. Agenda Approval/Table File: Dr. Anderson brought forth some additional items for the table file which were then added and accepted unanimously.
3. Public Comment: There were no public comments
4. Announcements and Recognitions:
Dr. Anderson shared several announcements which included congratulating Micaia Petrika for being one of ten Minnesota Cross-country runners to watch in the upcoming year. The Clean River Partners and Health Finders Collaborative are hosting a family friendly event on Oct. 3rd from 2-5 PM. Governor Tim Walz greeted students at Greenvale Park on the first day of school and the students enjoyed hearing him give the announcements. September is Minnesota School Board Recognition Month and Dr. Anderson thanked the members for their hard work and leadership in the Northfield District. Mary Lou Street was recognized for her art entries and many awards at the Minnesota State Fair. Lastly he announced the many scores and achievements of all the fall sports that have taken place in recent weeks.
5. Items for Discussion and Reports
a. Northfield Middle School Improvement Showcase: Mr. Greg Genlinau shared the plan which included the vision, strategic commitments and benchmarks. For more detail see the following link https://www.youtube.com/live/z2Vlr-8y1-I He shared progress and highlights from the previous goals, with a focus on SELBH (Social Emotional Learning Behavior Health). Eighty Nine percent of students report they have competent or advanced social skills, with the goal being 90%. The Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) have created lessons for students twice per month to enhance progress in the SELBH area. Sunday messages have been tweaked based on family and staff feedback and on the September 6th message, 733 families read the message, 200 more than last year. Lastly the Middle School has changed the format for the fall open house to more grade level presentations and it has been a huge success based on the number of families attending.
ent achievement.
Board members asked several follow up questions including Mr. Miller who inquired about ways to measure academic achievement. Mr. Butler who asked what the plan was to elevate the use of PRIDE. He also inquired about the implementation of homeroom in the future. Mr Quinnell also commented on the homeroom concept and asked how to get students more comfortable with the transition to high school. Ms Nelson was curious about more detail surrounding the Family Engagement Day, progress monitoring of SEL, and training sessions for TD & E. Lastly, Ms. Goerwitz wanted to learn more about the percentage of families who read the Sunday messages, and more clarification on the improvement in instruction.
b. Northfield High School Improvement Showcase: Interim Principle Shane Baier, was accompanied by Dr. Sean DuBe and Rico Bohren. They followed a similar format as the Middle School process listed above. For more detail, see the following link https://www.youtube.com/live/z2Vlr-8y1-I. Highlights share include; Attendance rate increased from 80% to 89.5% through a variety of adult actions supporting students and families. Academic Achievement of students was measured at 91% at or above benchmark for earned credits. This growth was contributed to multiple layers of support at the High School. The third highlight included a rise in Parent/Caregiver Experience and Engagement to 83.5% of parents agreeing or strongly agreeing with a positive experience. Engagement on the survey used increased 56% since 2023.
New goals for the next year include; Increasing attendance to 92%, Increasing credit attainment towards graduation from 91% to 95%, and using a SEL survey, getting 80% or more on all 4 questions asked.
Board member questions: Ms. Epstein asked about how the Super Flex team works and how touch points are tracked for students. Mr. Miller asked each of the administrators if they had a magic wand for the next year, what would they wish for? Mr. Butler asked each of the administrators to share a personal goal they would have for the next 14 weeks. Ms. Nelson asked 4 different questions around a goal and what “priority” meant, what are some examples of strategies used within the HITS program, data around the percentage of parent participation and access to academic support during study halls. Mr. Quinnell commented on the great experience of participating in the graduation ceremony as an example of using a team approach. Ms. Goerwitz asked about why there was not an academic goal specifically or what goal it might be embedded in. She also asked Mr. Bohren about the ALC and how that is impacted by the goals.
c. Policy Committee Recommendations: Chair Gonzales-George asked Dr. Anderson to summarize 8 policies for review. He outlined some changes and adjustments in the packets. Some of the changes (⅞) are substantive in nature and make sure that the school remains in full compliance with newly adopted state laws. See link https://www.youtube.com/live/z2Vlr-8y1-I or board packet for more detail.
6. Consent Agenda – all were approved for acceptance.
a. Minutes
b. Gift Agreements
c. Personnel Items
7. Items for Individual Action
a. Superintendent’s 2026-2027 Focus Areas Motion to approve, no questions/discussion. The vote was unanimous.
8. Items for Information
a. Permanent School Fund- Dr. Anderson explained the reminders for information regarding the Permanent School Fund. The district only provides information and answers community questions. He then summarized the history and management of the fund. The proposed amendment transitions payouts to 4.5 %. There are no tax increases for the public. It requires a vote and leaving the question not voted on, is the same as a no vote.
b. Construction Update No. 31- updates are on the reimagine website found here. https://northfieldschools.org/reimagine/
c. Hasse Ryt-Way Arena Grand Opening- Sept. 16th from 5-8
9. Future Meetings
a. Monday, September 28, 2026, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO Boardroom
b. Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO
Boardroom *Note that Monday, October 12, 2026 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day
c. Monday, October 26, 2026, 6:00 p.m., Regular Board Meeting, Northfield DO Boardroom
10. Adjournment:
