School Board Update
November 2024
Administrative Services & Human Resources
By: Shawn Kirkeide
STAR Report
Each year, Minnesota public school districts and charter schools are required to submit a report detailing employment information and work assignments of district employees working in positions that require licensure. This information is then cross-referenced with licensure data to ensure that educators are working or providing services only in those areas for which they are licensed or for which they hold proper permission. This process is carried out through the STAR (Staff Automated Reporting) annual report, which is submitted to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) for review.
I am pleased to report that our district had no licensing violations this year. This is a significant achievement, and I would like to thank Lauri McKinnon for her work in coordinating this effort. Lauri worked closely with principals and administrative assistants to gather the most accurate and up-to-date information for the report. She developed a streamlined, efficient process that ensured the highest level of accuracy in our submission.
Insurance
The Insurance Committee convened for its first meeting of the year on November 4. At the meeting, George Vander Weit from OneDigital provided an overview of medical claims from July through September, which aligns with trends observed in previous years.
As part of the District's planning for the 2025-2026 school year, proposals for a Medical Insurance Provider will be solicited. The Insurance Committee will thoroughly review all bids, with a final decision on the District’s Medical Insurance Provider to be made by April 2025.
Finance & Operations
Finance
One of our key responsibilities is to ensure transparency in managing the financial resources the community has entrusted to us. We take this responsibility seriously, and we are pleased to announce that most property owners will experience a modest decrease in school district taxes next year. We will hold our public Truth in Taxation meeting at the school board meeting in December. We will then ask the board to approve the final tax levy for 2025.
Transportation
Our Halloween Chili Cook-off was a great success, with nine entries and a wide array of desserts and accompaniments. Congratulations to Deb Andrews for winning first place, with Steve Lindgren coming in a close second! Additionally, our "Keep Up the Great Work" initiative, part of the transportation version of the Blue Jacket Brag award program and aligned with our Mutual Commitments employee appreciation goals, is off to a strong start. This month, Jeremy Bullford will be recognized for his outstanding contributions. This month, we initiated the purchase contract for two new special education buses. We were able to secure last year’s prices, which helps the budget. However, we are looking at an 18-month window before those buses will be delivered.
Food Service
October was a strong month for our Food Service department, with significant progress made in staffing and service levels. We continued hiring and welcomed several new team members, leaving us with just two open positions. We are grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm of these new colleagues, whose contributions are already making a positive impact. The department saw a notable increase in meal service, with daily totals rising from 4,859 in September to 5,941 in October—an impressive 22% increase that aligns with seasonal trends as students and families become more engaged with our program. Breakfast participation remains particularly robust, and lunch numbers are showing steady growth as well.
Building & Grounds
We are currently working on replacing several problematic doors across the district, prioritizing exterior doors to ensure they are secured before winter. At the high school, we are addressing ongoing hot water issues, with valve work scheduled in the old locker rooms over the holiday break; this will enable us to isolate cold water lines to assist in diagnosing the problem. Additionally, the final items on the parking lot project punch list are on track for completion this week.
Technology
In the past month, the Technology Team has focused on delivering high-quality support to our district’s teachers and students by efficiently managing help desk requests. We continue to optimize the WiFi network, promptly addressing connectivity issues, and fine-tuning access point updates to ensure reliable performance. Additionally, we are preparing for the upcoming ERATE cycle by assessing district needs for infrastructure upgrades, with particular attention to replacing network switches that are approaching their 10-year lifecycle. Through these efforts, we are dedicated to maintaining a robust and responsive technology environment for the entire district.
Community Education
By: Christina Thayer Anderson
National Community Education Day
National Community Education Day is November 14. This day is dedicated to recognizing the impact of lifelong learning and the programs that help bring communities closer together. Community education offers opportunities for everyone—children, teens, adults, and seniors—to engage in learning, enrichment, and growth. From early childhood classes, after school programs, and youth sports to adult enrichment, volunteering, and community events, we believe there is something for everyone.
We are so proud to serve Cambridge-Isanti and promote education beyond the classroom, prioritize health and well-being for all, and create opportunities that foster a sense of belonging and connectedness. Lifelong learning and building community is our passion, and we are so grateful to share that with all of our participants. Thank you to our educators, staff, leaders, and volunteers who create incredible opportunities for learners of all ages.
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Celebrates its 50th Birthday
Since 1974, ECFE has been a cornerstone of parent education programs, offering invaluable support to families with children from birth to kindergarten. ECFE provides a wide variety of learning opportunities, including classes, home visits, family events, and resources for any and all families in our community. Committed to innovation and excellence in early childhood education, our ECFE educators focus on building relationships within the family, creating a community amongst caregivers, and providing educational experiences for children and their caregivers alike. #BluejacketsBeginHere
Indoor Walking
We are excited to announce we have indoor walking available for all community members at Cambridge-Isanti High School again this year. The building will be open Monday-Friday, 4pm-8pm. This provides community members with a warm, safe place to walk during the winter. To participate in this FREE activity, register online or in person at the Education Services Center. Please remember to pick up your Walking Badge at the Education Services Center, as it grants you access to the building.
Teaching & Learning
On October 14, we celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Minnesota. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday that celebrates and honors Native American peoples by focusing on building knowledge and awareness about Native American culture, history, and their continuing contributions to our world and communities.
As part of an effort to strengthen American Indian education, the Minnesota State Legislature passed a bill in 2023 that required schools to dedicate at least one hour of instructional time on Indigenous Peoples’ Day to content related to Native American culture and history.
We wanted to recognize the ongoing work that all teachers did to develop curriculum that made important knowledge about Native American culture, history, and people a part of student learning not only on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but throughout the school year. At the elementary level, teachers and teams implemented lessons that focused on building cultural knowledge and awareness related to Native American culture and history. At the secondary level, social studies teachers focused on how modern Native American communities and individuals used history, culture, innovation, and resilience to contribute to contemporary communities at multiple levels. All teachers were encouraged to highlight any standards related to indigenous or Native American cultures, or intentionally tie learning to indigenous culture or ways of knowing, on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and throughout the week.