School Board

The School Board operates under a policy governance structure in which the School Board's primary duty is to set policy and the Superintendent's duties focus on managing the implementation of these policies.

The Board has five primary responsibilities: district governance and policy development, operational oversight, governance policy implementation, superintendent relations, and public engagement. The Board develops policies that support continuous improvement and student achievement. Once the policies are identified, it is the Superintendent's responsibility to effectively implement the policies and manage the everyday operations that provide a quality educational experience for every student.

Parents and community members frequently ask School Board members to answer questions and to help solve problems. Since one of the Board's responsibilities is public engagement, these contacts and questions are important. The difficulty with such contacts can be that the question or problem usually is a management issue and not a policy issue. When those questions arise, the Board member will direct the person to speak with the Superintendent or the appropriate district staff member so they can follow up on the concern.

If you wish to address the Board during a school board meeting, you will be asked to come forward during the “Comments to the Board” portion of the regular school board meeting.

To encourage community participation and to conduct these meetings properly and efficiently, the following processes have been established for people who wish to address the School Board:

• Three (3) minutes per individual. Individuals may not merge allocated speaking minutes or defer allocated speaking minutes to other speakers.
• Individuals presenting to the School Board must identify themselves and/or any group they are representing. Individuals may offer comments on their own behalf and do not need to be affiliated with a larger group.
• Present comments in a respectful and professional manner. Vulgarity, character abuse or specific complaints identifying staff, students or task force members will not be permitted.
• Electronic presentations will not be permitted, however written summaries are accepted.
• Comments to the board are limited to 30 minutes.
• Individuals must sign up for comments to the board ahead of time and by 3 p.m. on the day of the regular board meeting.

The School Board will not respond to or discuss comments. The Superintendent may be asked to prepare a future response to specific questions. The Board Chair or designee will terminate the remarks of any individual that does not adhere to the established guidelines.

View Procedures

2024 School Board committee Assignments

A general election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.  At that election, three individuals will be elected to fill vacancies for terms beginning in January of 2024 and expiring at the end of December 2027.

The period for filing affidavits of candidacy for the office of school board member of Independent School District No. 833 (SoWashCo Schools) will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, and will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.  During these dates, the District Office will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office will be open until 5 p.m. on the last day of filing, Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

Affidavits of Candidacy will be available at the District Office, 7362 E. Point Douglas Road South in Cottage Grove.  The filing fee for this office is $2 (cash or check). 

A candidate for this office:

• Must be an eligible voter;
• Must be 21 years of age or more on assuming office;
• Must have been a resident of the school district from which the candidate seeks election for thirty (30) days before the general election; and
• Must have no other affidavit on file for any other office at the same election.

Candidates must also confirm that they have not been convicted of an offense for which they are required to register as a predatory offender under Minnesota Statutes, Section 243.166 (Registration of Predatory Offenders).

Additional information regarding election can be located on the Secretary of State’s website:  https://www.sos.state.mn.us/election-administration-campaigns/ and on the Minnesota School Board Associations website: https://mnmsba.org/resource-library/#board-development

School Board Candidate Filing Information Packet

If you have questions about serving on the school board, please contact Dayna Pottratz, 651-425-6201 or dpottrat@sowashco.org