Jeremy Schmidt, new superintendent for Becker schools, attended his first board assembly July 1 for a 45-minute meeting.
Schmidt, former super at Lester Prairie since 2015, stepped into Dr. Stephen Malone’s shoes this month after Malone announced his resignation last October.
Supt. Report
Supt. Schmidt reminded members of the MSBA summer seminar Aug. 5 at the Minneapolis Marriott in Brooklyn Park. He also pointed out the MDE annual superintendent conference is at the same location Aug. 6-7.
Schmidt said he recommended approving the following personnel items:
• Policy 706, acceptance of gifts permits the school board to accept donations or gifts under the terms of the policy;
• Policy 533, wellness requires that the school board be provided an annual report for the district’s compliance.
The following changes to the fee schedule was also voted on and approved:
• The federal healthy, hunger-free kids act was enacted in 2010. The legislation authorizes funding and sets policy for the USDA national school lunch program. Additional federal funding helps to offset the cost of additional nutritional requirements. However, a minimum local share is also required. Public schools are required to calculate the weighted average meal price annually, and increase by 15¢ per meal until reaching the federal requirement, which is currently $3 per meal;
• Graduation-related expenses continue to increase including decorations, programs, flowers, caps/gowns, and the senior picnic. Increasing the fee by $5 should be sufficient to cover the expenses for next year;
• Admission and activities fees have been adjusted as recommended by the activities committee.
Schmidt said the student handbooks for 2019-20 have no substantial changes this year.
Schmidt recommended approving a resolution relating to increasing the general education revenue of the school district, approving a new referendum revenue authorization, renewing the expiring capital project levy authorization for technology and calling for an election.
Strategic Planning
The school board’s annual agenda schedules school board governance education in July or August. Possible presentations/topics include a futurist, demographer, technology, advocacy groups, staff, MSBA, etc.
Schmidt says it would be appropriate for the board to select a topic so that arrangements can be made for the August or September meeting.
Topics in the past have been: policy governance (twice), goal setting, high school electives/scheduling, a discussion of board-superintendent responsibilities based on a survey completed by the board and superintendent, a review of when various debt levies expire, an overview of the high school redesign process, and an overview of the districts’ social and emotional programming /intervention.
Other Discussion
The board spent a significant amount of time talking about making efforts to create pathways for students to seek journeyman jobs and trade jobs at tech schools. They expressed their desire to offer opportunities for tech schools and trade organizations to come in with their offerings and help with other career development plans.
Local businesses offering apprenticeships and interning was deliberated to try and keep the younger people local and not lose them to the bigger cities like St. Cloud or the Twin Cities.
Up Next
The next school board meeting is Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
