Menu

Duluth Public School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

1 h 41 min · 2 videos

Playing part 2 of 2. Back to part 1

What happened

What happened at this meeting

Duluth school board approves achievement and integration plan, land conveyance to city 1:21:06

  • The superintendent reported a drop in the district's Moody's rating from an A3 to a Baa2 and described past budget reductions, and board members discussed past and upcoming cuts. 2:15
  • The board passed the consent agenda and a resolution approving conveyance of a parcel to the city of Duluth. 1:20:51
  • The board also approved board member workshop costs, a contract for a community education director, and the achievement and integration plan and budget. ~1:26:37
Item by item (13)
  1. Opening and agenda approval 0:24
    • The clerk took roll call, and the board recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 0:24
    • Kelly Durick Eder said there was no school and community recognition this month. 1:58
    • The board approved the agenda. ~1:58
  2. Superintendent report on district finances 2:15
    • The superintendent reported the district's Moody's rating dropped from an A3 to a Baa2, citing the use of reserve funds, and said the district would reduce another $5 million next year and $7 million the year after. 2:15
    • Kelly Durick Eder said healthcare premiums rose about 15% this year and that Moody's acknowledged the downgrade was not due to poor financial practices. 22:43
  3. CAL committee meeting report 38:26
    • The assistant superintendent said the district will not provide Gemini to high school students this year and will form a committee to develop guidance on artificial intelligence and screen time. 38:43
    • The assistant superintendent said the district receives close to $1.7 million in achievement and integration funds. 39:15
    • Jill Lofald encouraged the community to attend listening sessions. 46:54
  4. Human resources and business services report 47:07
    • Amber Sadowski said the Duluth Central Education Services building is on time and on budget, and that some lead in water retest results were higher and will require remediation. 48:31
    • A district staff member said the district bought the building for what the staff member believed was $600,000 and is paying over $600,000 a year in leases for space that will no longer be needed. 51:02
    • A staff member said middle and high school students will have access to the DTA starting this fall for this year. 1:02:13
  5. Policy Committee report 1:08:23
    • Rosie Loeffler-Kemp presented three policies for second reading: Policy 533 on wellness, Policy 721 on procurement and Policy 903 on visitors to school district buildings and sites. 1:08:33
    • Rosie Loeffler-Kemp said the board passed 47 policies and deleted 83 this past year. 1:15:27
  6. Consent agenda 1:20:07
    • Kelly Durick Eder called for a motion and a voice vote on the consent agenda. 1:20:07
    • The board passed the consent agenda. 1:20:51
  7. Land conveyance to the city 1:21:06
    • Jill Lofald moved a resolution to convey a small retained parcel at the former Franklin Elementary School property, now Hillside Sport Court Park, to the City of Duluth by quitclaim deed for the nominal sum of $1. 1:21:06
    • The board passed the resolution. ~1:22:46
  8. Acceptance of donations 1:22:54
    • Sarah Mikesell moved a resolution accepting donations, including money for the debate team and a Denfeld classroom and over 480 N95 masks from St. Louis County Public Health. 1:22:54
    • The board passed the resolution. ~1:24:16
  9. Head Start official designation 1:24:26
    • Rosie Loeffler-Kemp moved a resolution designating the new Head Start director as the identified official with authority for the Head Start organization. 1:24:26
    • The board passed the resolution. ~1:25:59
  10. Board member workshop attendance 1:26:03
    • A resolution was moved to pay costs for board members to attend the MSBA Learning to Lead Workshop Series and Officers Workshop. 1:26:03
    • The board passed the motion. ~1:26:37
  11. Achievement and integration plan 1:28:24
    • Kelly Durick Eder moved approval of the achievement and integration plan and budget introduced at the August Committee of the Whole meeting. 1:28:24
    • The board passed the achievement and integration plan. 1:28:24
  12. Announcements 1:29:16
    • Jill Lofald noted a virtual MSBA session on the permanent school fund on Thursday from 1:00 to 2:00. 1:29:16
    • Rosie Loeffler-Kemp noted the Unity in the Community event next Monday from 4 to 7, and a staff member said transportation will be provided for those who need it. 1:30:10
  13. Adjournment 1:33:02
    • Kelly Durick Eder called for a motion to adjourn. 1:33:02
    • The meeting was adjourned. ~1:33:10

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Who spoke

Who spoke

Kelly Durick EderChairFirst speaks at 0:24
Sarah MikesellClerkFirst speaks at 0:50
Rosie Loeffler-KempBoard memberFirst speaks at 15:36
Amber SadowskiTreasurerFirst speaks at 19:43
Stephanie WilliamsBoard memberFirst speaks at 21:54
Henry BanksBoard memberFirst speaks at 27:45
Jill LofaldVice ChairFirst speaks at 35:15