More than 50 people attended the January 28, 2026 meeting of the Big Lake School Board. When asked, many identified themselves as teachers. A few were students. One gentleman, when asked why he was there, said, “Solidarity.”

The board had scheduled a closed session for negotiation strategy to immediately follow the regular meeting. Big Lake Education Minnesota Representative Chris Olson, who was present in the hallway after the meeting, declined to comment on ongoing negotiations.

Information found on the Big Lake Schools webpage under the heading, “Contract Negotiations”, states the following: “Since May, the District and Big Lake Education Association have met nine times to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.  These meetings have included discussions on compensation, working conditions, and long-term sustainability for both our staff and the District.  While progress has been made, the process has taken longer than we had hoped, and the teachers’ union has requested to move the discussions to mediation, which is a standard step in public sector bargaining when agreements are not yet reached.”

Budget Shortfalls

Amber Sixberry, reported that the Finance Committee had a goal to cut $1.5 million from the budget before it is finalized in March of this year. Earlier, the board unanimously passed a resolution that directed the Superintendent to “consider the discontinuance of programs or positions to effectuate economics in the school district and reduce expenditures and make recommendations to the Board of Education.”

When addressing the Board, Superintendent Tim Truebenbach said it was a standard resolution given the current budget situation. 

The board also adjusted class size guidelines. It replaced the term variable with a specific range of 26-30 students for non-core programs in Middle and High School classrooms. 

Manuel Retiring in 2027

Director of Business Services Angie Manuel announced that she is hoping to retire in July 2027. She expressed a desire to give the board enough time for succession planning. She mentioned that the district has a strong internal candidate to replace her, but that would leave other staffing gaps in the department to be considered. 

Enrollment

The district continued to gain enrollment for the school year, adding another three students to online classes; however, a shortfall of five remains for the year. Manuel was optimistic, stating that she anticipates enrollment will continue to rise. As of January 5, the seated Average Daily Membership, the metric for enrollment, was at 3,039.

Cost Overruns

The Indoor Air Quality Project has exceeded its projected cost estimate by a little over $1 million. Director of Buildings & Grounds TJ Zerwas explained that several factors contributed to the overage: replacement of lights, piping, and more expensive parts and materials that will be more durable and longer lasting. 

Donations

Big Lake Spud Fest continues to be a strong supporter of Big Lake Schools, having donated $43,000 for field trip expenditures and another $3,000 in NWTA Scholarships.