April 9, 2026 Workshop Meeting
April 9, 2026 Workshop Meeting
1 hour 55 minutes
Agenda and Minutes
1.0 Call to Order; Roll Call: Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a meeting of the School Board of Independent School District 833, South Washington County, was held on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The meeting was called to order by Chair Katie Schwartz, at 6:00pm at the District Service Center, 7362 East Point Douglas Road South, Cottage Grove, MN 55016. School Board Members present: Elizabeth Bockman Eckberg, Ryan Clarke, Melinda Dols, Louise Hinz, Simi Patnaik, Katie Schwartz, and Sharon Van Leer. Student Board Representatives Téa Alvarenga and Matilda Samuel were present. Andrew Chasteen was absent. Superintendent Julie Nielsen was present.
2.0 Pledge of Allegiance
3.0 Approval of Agenda: It was moved by Sharon Van Leer, seconded by Melinda Dols. All in favor, none opposed, motion carried.
4.0 Student Board Representative Reports:Téa Alvarenga, Park High School, shared she is currently taking an online psychology class and previously took an online creative writing class. She shared the reasons she enjoys the classes are that she can work anywhere, the assignments are to be completed by end of week, which allows her to control when she completes her homework, which allows her to manage her busy schedule.
Téa also shared that it is a busy testing time of year with ACT, SAT, IB, AP and recently held MCA testing. This year MCA testing was embedded into the schedule instead of having it all on one day, which allowed for more participation. She also highlighted they are holding a student blood drive tomorrow.
Matilda Samuel, Woodbury High School, shared she has been taking PSEO classes for the past two years, taking a total of 8 classes. She noted it has been a great experience, and she appreciated having the opportunity to experience the coursework and being with college students.
Matilda also shared April 29th is when students will wear sweatshirts to colleges and universities they have committed to. She shared her plans to go into humanities and social sciences after high school.
5.0 Workshop Items:
Ms. Julie Nielsen, Superintendent
Peter Leatherman, CEO of the Morris Leatherman Company shared the results of the survey.
Ms. Julie Nielsen, Superintendent
Bobbi Jo Grummons, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services and Kari Botnen, Nutrition Services Supervisor shared the current and proposed budget.
6.0 Information Items:
6.1 Naming of Transition Program
Dr. Meghan Hickey, Executive Director of Student Support Services
Dr. Meghan Hickey, Executive Director of Student Support Services and Nicky Loch, Student Support Services Supervisor shared the name of the new space and the process to develop that name. This will return at the April 23, 2026 meeting for approval.
6.2 First Reading of Proposed Policy Changes
Ms. Julie Nielsen, Superintendent
509 510.1 510.2 510.3 510.4 512
There was no request for changes or public comment. These policies will return for approval at the April 23, 2026 business meeting.
7.0 Reports and Comments: Superintendent Nielsen reported using info from survey moving forward with upcoming budget adjustments and enhancements over the next 5 years. She also highlighted the multi-cultural event at WHS tomorrow and the Cottage Grove Community Showcase at Park High School on April 25th.
Louise Hinz wrote:
Association of Metro School Districts (AMSD):
MDE School Finance Director Cathy Erickson provided an overview of Compensatory Revenue for FY27, the CPI inflation increase for the basic allowance, enrollment issues focused on the mandatory 15 day drop law, and budget tools available on the MDE website.
Professional Educator Standards and Licensing Board (PELSB) Chair Dr. Lucy Payne and Executive Director Dr. Yelena Bailey shared an update on PELSB’s rulemaking, licensure, and legislative initiatives. We also heard an overview of the Educator Identification Clearinghouse from Jimmy Adams, the executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.
Advisory Staff Development Committee:
Feedback regarding the March 20 professional development day was collected and preliminary agendas for the May 1 PD Day and 2026 SoWashCo Academy were reviewed, as well as the structure for the 2026-2027 PD days.
Melinda Dols wrote:
Presentation: From Pilot to Practice: The Implementation of Ukeru at 916
Jenna French-Greff, behavior analyst at 916, shared the basics of Ukeru, pad blocking intending to create space while being grounded in trauma-informed practices, and the timeline of the initial pilot. She highlighted some of the data and feedback that has been collected through debriefs during the pilot including reduction in restrictive procedures, enhanced staff safety and confidence, and effective de-escalation and redirection.
Approval of Karner Blue Play Area Project: Expansions to the Karner Blue play area were approved. These expansions include installation of a rubberized safety surface and addition of accessible, inclusive play equipment, that will support the accessibility and developmental needs of the students. This project is being funded through medical assistance revenue.
Approval of the 2026-27 School Calendars: The School Board approved the 2026-27 Staff and Student calendar for 916 sites. Additionally, stretch calendars for 916 Mahtomedi Academy and Bellaire Education Center were also approved.
SEAC Update: SEAC met on Tuesday, March 17th. Dispute resolutions in special education were discussed, and the Team worked on developing solutions that can be shared with caregivers.
8.0 Future Meeting Dates:
April 23, 2026 – School Board Business Meeting (DSC/6:00 p.m.)
May 7, 2026 - School Board Workshop Meeting (DSC/6:00 p.m.)
9.0 Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:55pm.