School Board Update

Each month the school board is presented with non-action and action items for their consideration. A few noteworthy items that were approved at this month's meeting are included here.

Items Approved by the Board

• Gifts and Donations
  
• FY25 Transportation Diesel Fuel and Gas Bid
  
• Chromebook Purchase for 2024-25
• Revised Designated Time and Place for Regular and Special School Board Meetings/Study Sessions for 2024
• Memorandum of Understanding between C-I Schools and Education Minnesota
• 2023-25 READ Act Training MOU
• Policy 212 - School Board Member Development
• Policy 216 - School Board Recognition and Accomplishment
• Policy 701.1 - Modification of School District Budget
• Policy 702 - Accounting
• Policy 721 - Uniform Grant Guidance Policy Regarding Federal Revenue Sources
• Policy 904 - Distribution of Materials on School District Property by Non-School Persons

It is hard to believe that we are in the final month of the 2023-24 school year. This is a busy time of the year as we celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our students and staff. It’s also a time of reflection and evaluation as we bring closure to our yearly goals, mutual commitments, and plans. In doing so, we learn and grow as an organization. This learning sets the foundation for future planning and future success.

I am happy to report that after the first year of implementation of our new strategic plan, we have made great progress and have accomplished so much! We are beginning to build out plans for year two of implementation.

Also, as a part of our strategic plan, we have been working to assess our facility needs and begun developing a comprehensive plan for the future of our district. Soon, we will reach out to our community to ask for volunteers who can help provide guidance and insight as we move through the next phase of this work.

By: Shawn Kirkeide

Bluejacket Celebration

All nominations are in and the votes have been tabulated! We look forward to celebrating all of the outstanding staff at our annual Bluejacket Celebration on Tuesday, May 21 at 4:30 at the Performing Arts Center. We will also celebrate our retirees and honor staff for years of service. We hope to see many of you there for this fabulous event.

Benefit Enrollments

Benefit enrollment is finishing up this week. We have had a very smooth open enrollment this year, thanks to Lauri McKinnon, our benefit counselors from Aflac, and our multiple in person meetings we have had this year. All changes to benefits go into effect July 1, 2024.

By: Christopher Kampa, CFA

Finance

We would like to revitalize our Citizen’s Finance Committee, which we started prior to passage of the operating referendum. This is a great opportunity to share our financial story with the public and provide transparency to the community. If you have any suggestions for potential committee members, please contact me.

We are closely monitoring the legislative process as the education bill nears completion in St. Paul. While we do not expect this bill to be as financially challenging as last year’s, some provisions may reduce local control and complicate our efforts to balance the budget. We will present the FY2025 preliminary budget at the June School Board meeting.

Transportation

We are making preparations for the end of the school year! Cambridge Bar and Grill will be joining us for the third year in a row to support our drivers with an end-of-year luncheon. Our mechanic technicians are working diligently to prepare the fleet for State Inspections next week. Our routing team is gearing up for summer school. Due to an unusually high number of requests this year, it has become challenging to accommodate all the end-of-year field trips.

Food Service

May 3 is National School Lunch Hero Day! We recognize School Lunch Hero Day to honor and appreciate the invaluable contributions of school nutrition professionals who work tirelessly to ensure that students have access to healthy and nutritious meals during the school day. These individuals play a crucial role in supporting student health, well-being, and academic success. By dedicating a day to celebrate their hard work and dedication, we acknowledge the importance of their role in our school communities and express gratitude for their efforts in providing nourishing meals to students every day. Additionally, School Lunch Hero Day serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the significance of school nutrition programs and the impact they have on students' lives. Thanks to all of our School Lunch Heroes!

Building & Grounds
Summer parking lot work is set to begin on June 10. While there is no permanent schedule yet, we will hold weekly update meetings to communicate any potential interruptions. However, these should be minimal based on current information. The water leak in the east wing of Cambridge Intermediate School is still under investigation, and we are awaiting a few more bids for the necessary repairs. We aim to address this issue early this summer as well. With the water leak in the high school wrestling room now fixed, we will soon schedule cleaning and painting for that area. I am very excited to complete these projects for our staff and students.

Technology

Over the last month and a half, the building technicians updated the classroom technology inventory database. This is extremely important and helpful since we were able to update each classroom's desktop computer at the start of the year. It also provides data for us to use as we look to plan for future needs. A graphic of the results can be found here. The survey provides us with statistics on Make/Model of Projector, Make/Model of Classroom Computer, SmartBoard Inventory, Speaker Inventory, and Doc Cam Inventory.

By: Christina Thayer Anderson

Summer Programming and Summer Outreach Events

We are busy preparing for summer programs for community members of all ages. Enrichment and recreation, Adventure Center, Early Childhood Family Education, driver education, and adult education programs will continue running at buildings, parks, and community locations throughout the summer. This is one of the best times of the year in Community Education!

In addition, we are also preparing for upcoming community events. We are fortunate to live in a community with many vibrant and exciting opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors and spend time with neighbors and friends that are free or low-cost. You will find our teams out and about at the Rodeo Days Parade, Kids Day at the Fair, the farmers markets, and Night to Unite. Whether it is in classes, programs, ECFE in the Park, or an upcoming community event, we hope to see you this summer!

Gearing up for K

For our preK students, the end of this school marks the beginning of a new adventure as they transition to kindergarten in the fall. One of the ways we support our students and families in their transition is our Gearing up for K Program at each of our primary schools in August. Students will spend time in kindergarten classrooms, going to the cafeteria and the media center, playing outside, and meeting the principals. This is an exciting time for incoming kindergarteners!

By: Dr. Brenda Damiani

Teaching and Learning Advisory

The Teaching and Learning Advisory met on May 14 to complete the Teaching and Learning Committee Cycle for the 2023-24 school year. The Advisory reviewed recommendations from committees regarding curriculum and programming. The final recommendations will go to the School Board at the June 20 meeting. We are grateful for our family, community, and staff members who serve on this important Advisory.

The Catalyst Approach

Cambridge-Isanti Schools is partnering with The Catalyst Approach to provide professional learning to staff this spring and during the upcoming 2024-25 school year. The Catalyst Approach equips educators with strategies to maximize student engagement, increase success, and reduce classroom disruptions. Building and district leadership visited schools in Anoka-Hennepin on Friday, May 10 to learn more and see these strategies in action. It was a great day of learning and making connections to how this work can support all of our students in Cambridge-Isanti.

By: Dr. Julie Williams

As we finish out the school year, special ed teams are busy working on transition plans for students. This helps student teams in the next grade level or building know what supports a student needs to ensure a great start for all students in the fall.

In addition, we are finalizing registration for Extended School Year (ESY). Finalizing registration allows for staffing to be completed and time for teams to collaborate on student needs. We are looking forward to a great ESY session in July!