[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6086425,"mediaKeyId","2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6","parentId",2896036,"title","Board approves $34.8M in facilities maintenance bonds and $7.035M in technology certificates","audioSeconds",951,"startMs",6801000,"endMs",7752000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6&start=6801&end=7752","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6/thumbnail_6801000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086425/Minnesota/Board-approves-348M-in-facilities-maintenance-bonds-and-7035M-in-technology-certificates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086425-2bca0118807fbd177a6fb35bb7b19d0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773313564&Signature=aDN0dcvuM9sM1fltikSt1ffb~4LXs6BRh2yw~RfHhN6Pxmc~BtfVsYaqe8dJUC9yeIZhwpWwsitRNlu4SShjRK5rnyQG5eP0tJZ3E4iN~IeLBwzpu0Nb6KsszMfLoBapaOl6qcIrG3mtz8lG2GIuHSz5mL7R~6BUsvcRg2TwaH96iAMAJiOYfTRIcoVVLVyJFPY3FzowIzrtsHKR~1eaU7cfM2MLSwCZRsEiygxVBrJsXPf-W0l2UIKOJlxC-bm1OuReGidbAViFXCLBRkJj8qJ2Eu53gyZC8ZTgcWRid7MQ4RcqrD5akE3g5-qNjfQ1~Agk3zKvJ1CvCsI5uozL6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rochester Public Schools","date","2025-04-08T14:38:11.1Z","article","The school board voted March 18 to approve two financing measures to fund summer facilities projects and student technology replacement.

The first resolution authorized intent to issue up to $34,800,000 in general obligation facilities maintenance bonds (series 2025A) to fund health, safety and deferred maintenance projects included in the district’s 10‑year Long Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) plan. District staff listed summer 2025 work at multiple sites, including ALC, Century, John Adams, John Marshall, Kellogg, Mayo High School, Mighty Oaks (formerly Pinewood), Northrop, Sunset Terrace and the Technology Support Services Center. Municipal advisor Aaron Bushberger (Eller) summarized the presale report and estimated a true interest cost around 3.9 percent (market estimate at the time of presentation). The district said it plans a May 20 bond sale, with bond proceeds expected June 12, and will apply to the state credit enhancement program; the district’s underlying rating was cited as AA with the state’s credit enhancement available.

A motion to approve the facilities maintenance resolution was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote; the board did not record a roll‑call tally in the meeting minutes.

The second action authorized the issuance and sale of $7,035,000 in full‑term certificates of participation (Series 2025B) to replace student devices (iPads, Chromebooks), upgrade classroom audio‑visual equipment and refresh network wireless access points. John (district staff) described this as part of the district’s recurring three‑year technology replacement cycle; staff said proceeds are planned to be sold May 20 with funds available after closing. The board moved, seconded and approved the certificates of participation resolution by voice vote.

Key financing details discussed in the presale briefing included a planned term under 17 years for the facilities bonds, a call date of 02/01/2033, the district’s intent to apply for Minnesota’s credit enhancement program and the schedule for sale and closing (sale May 20; receipt of funds June 12). Staff noted updated cost estimates reduced the immediate borrowing need compared with earlier estimates, with most near‑term construction bills anticipated after funds are received.

Both resolutions were approved by motion and voice vote; the meeting record does not list a roll‑call tally or names for the motions and seconds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting - March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The school board approved two financing resolutions: authorization to issue $34.8 million in general obligation facilities maintenance bonds (Series 2025A) and $7.035 million in full‑term certificates of participation to replace student devices and upgrade network infrastructure (Series 2025B); both approvals were by motion and voice vote.","taxTitle","Rochester Public School District, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",13554,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086430,"Board drafts response to American Indian Parent Advisory Committee; commits to elder‑in‑residence pilot and course offering",889,5986000,6875000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6&start=5986&end=6875","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6/thumbnail_5986000.jpg","/articles/6086430/Minnesota/Board-drafts-response-to-American-Indian-Parent-Advisory-Committee-commits-to-elderinresidence-pilot-and-course-offering","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086430-b12ae7d2e45c1d4e2bc0491ee8c8eb3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773313564&Signature=K4rYx4H1MDxGXUcxfKdFSfIq1Uz50BdpyS1zBSXleak5WBUr6LM9zV1fvBM5Z1XGWN5SeyVEl8fembuoAj4qekxcFJTZCcH1IzCg-Xt0cu7QrarBALSfYm-uSk42IKmbas-s7UK0-3XvmZEr3zV1Z-~nHVLtANhUFdi2LmBoXiWwNPwzzmRDWdYkHbtIkuQEFH-i7dFKqrPxiqG96YgUme7xrOs29OKuLKYUBN-~WQKwy4V0-eOqlILvE1D75lD0UFy0Ut~prWyg5SDOyLbt3KR90Oc0Z6ZdJPj98iLw5RjyZKN3Fwiwuu5i4KmwEBxrw-eQ5Z5A7iksG6SG8lDA-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The school board reviewed a draft response to a February 10 non‑concurrence letter from the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) and discussed steps the district will take to address APAC's concerns.

The draft response, read aloud to the board, acknowledged statutory advisory roles and federal grant programs and thanked APAC for its advocacy. The letter cites Minnesota Department of Education statute 124D.78 and the U.S. Department of Education Title VI Indian Education Formula Grant Program when explaining the district's advisory relationship and included these commitments:

• Recruiting and retaining American Indian staff: the district said Human Resources will continue outreach at tribal hiring events and build relationships with tribal education departments; the letter also proposed implementing exit interviews to learn from departing American Indian staff.

• Staffing: the district noted current American Indian Education program staffing is 1.5 full‑time equivalent (FTE) serving \"over 50 students across 27 school buildings\" and said it will investigate additional staffing in the 2025‑26 budget process.

• Professional development and curriculum: the district committed to ongoing professional development on indigenous history and ways of learning and announced an indigenous language and culture course planned for the 2025‑26 school year.

• Elder‑in‑residence pilot: the board letter pledged to include funding to pilot an elder‑in‑residence position in the 2025‑26 budget.

• Conferences and transitions: the district said it will work to support staff, APAC members and students to attend relevant conferences and to develop culturally specific transition plans for students entering the district and for key transition grades (sixth and ninth grade).

Board members commended work to date and urged further action. Doctor Barlow (school board member) said the draft reflects progress and called the elder‑in‑residence and course offerings positive steps. Director McLaughlin (school board member) again urged that the 1.5 FTE position and the distribution of work across 27 buildings be considered a distinct staffing challenge and said she supports increasing staffing if the budget allows. Director Whitehorn (school board member) asked that exit interviews be substantive and that findings be shared with the board to inform retention efforts.

No formal action was taken; board members asked staff to continue revising the letter and to return with a version for possible approval at a future meeting.","At its March 18 meeting the board reviewed a draft response to a non‑concurrence letter from the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC), outlining commitments on recruitment, staffing review, an indigenous language and culture course for 2025‑26, support for conferences, and a pilot elder‑in‑residence program.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086435,"District outlines phased move of Spanish immersion middle grades to Riverside; staff describe bilingual program details",693,4343000,5036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6&start=4343&end=5036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6/thumbnail_4343000.jpg","/articles/6086435/Minnesota/District-outlines-phased-move-of-Spanish-immersion-middle-grades-to-Riverside-staff-describe-bilingual-program-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086435-c81c65d0ff287364615a06dd973d73c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773313564&Signature=MPGxaPN5fZgDYS3rXNNwbrkLDGuABTsr25h6xtz0nUb8Yc7hVVSCSjCKJa3DstPafOGCq3nfckugBc~0xWk7hmq6aswmCqdMUPb3teoX2QM9KHjJrbv1cWwD5D~daco70gesiepeMZOzBBoyoVef38M6UccpkxyQ6Q1SrXvprUwEli-XOZwE5mtE-wnrdNqTJVkNHAMCPrLISVcfe0xgeTuXHGc7~J-eX~fALFFgkfUTf~Ax0s4DKC53ZYKcO-6lheDjO7PY7ILnMBDFoaX8fyv3BnZ2vOY5AF7qIKLb4xlbkMZoK9hqajkTofCSO8GVldwL9TmHRCjRM7nP6zgXAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff presented an implementation update on the Spanish immersion program on March 18, describing a phased move of the middle school grades from Willow Creek to Riverside and a program model intended to sustain bilingual instruction through middle school.

Natalia Benjamin, director of multilingual learning, introduced the team — including Riverside Principal Erin Raymond and Spanish immersion instructional coach Katie Miller — and said the district conducted eight focused stakeholder meetings, consulted curriculum specialists and held community input sessions open to Spanish and Persian families.

Benjamin said the district will phase the kindergarten‑8 model into Riverside so that current middle‑school students at Willow Creek can finish their middle school experience without an immediate move. \"Right now we have about 520 or 530 students at Riverside. About 200 of those are part of the Spanish Immersion program,\" Benjamin said when board members asked about enrollment. The district said the phased approach reduces multiple short‑term building transitions for students.

Program details presented include a Spanish language arts and Latin American studies period intended to use authentic Spanish‑language materials; a dedicated English language arts and social studies period to ensure alignment with Minnesota standards; bilingual math (continuing math instruction in Spanish into middle school to support transition to high school); and a plan to offer students the opportunity to earn high‑school Spanish credit while still in middle school. Staff said electives will include music (with access to strings, winds and percussion in a consolidated model) and a combined health/PE component; they also proposed an \"Ignite\" elective that would provide project‑based STEM and student‑choice learning and would draw on curriculum lessons being developed in Xello.

The presentation addressed assessments and outcomes: administrators said students take Minnesota assessments (MCAs) and FastBridge screening; staff noted dual‑language programs sometimes show lower English assessment scores early in elementary years while Spanish literacy is developing, followed by gains later. Staff said bilingual formative assessments in Spanish are used to track student learning where Spanish instruction is primary.

On staffing and costs, the district said the general fund will cover teacher staffing for the program; educational support professionals (ESPs) will be funded from building flexible funds. Staff said modest duplication of FTEs is expected during the transition until the program is fully K–8 and self‑sustaining. Next steps listed by staff include finalizing staffing, summer curriculum writing for the Ignite elective, refining elective scheduling for a smaller cohort, and expanded community communication and outreach.

Board members asked about licensure: staff said Minnesota requires content‑area licensure for teachers and the district assesses Spanish language skills during hiring; they noted teacher availability can be a challenge. Enrollment and class‑size data presented show Riverside currently enrolls about 520–530 students and the immersion program comprises roughly 200 of those students; staff said immersion class sizes are approximately consistent with district averages.

No formal board action was taken; staff will continue outreach and return with further implementation details and staffing plans.","Rochester Public Schools staff outlined a phased move of Spanish immersion middle grades from Willow Creek to Riverside, described bilingual course plans, electives and staffing, and reported enrollment figures and next steps.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6086440,"Rochester schools present draft 'Profile of a Graduate' to board, ask for feedback",3600,710000,4310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6&start=710&end=4310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896036-ca96593a7ed36cff77cd31209d3d80a6/thumbnail_710000.jpg","/articles/6086440/Minnesota/Rochester-schools-present-draft-Profile-of-a-Graduate-to-board-ask-for-feedback","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086440-dc041a31a9111011e0f84890423fe191/orig.mp4?Expires=1773313564&Signature=j3y9AKeMr0F~lQsgDsNHycGh~16jkuUlGFuMXL6TQrI2t0pb7ixZ1~X4Fc4s7lby2K2J4xhjbQ9cm5I8QP7mV3pAh9H8NbtJG2A2KynOcX4AVnrIEhovN0qMIFQuzqeWxlZL4kIZXcmlW3rlYAqlQYSc8RESSFvGRCXVRD6jS1x5ESrUh9m7HhqBKOuLrcPu0taQTw5qJ0D6Bz9-EeyfM7225Cs2bvm~l1CnnD8Vcfe0tP1cFFUf3AtSDy6eOnkNx4AozQGKl2fIY-btm20D5d5d7kI~q5nfBudlARWyyz7TwR~MVx4V9GWWZtqyNBs9-gkWgR8jD7T7E9wz9wGKeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rochester Public Schools staff presented a draft framework called the RPS Mindsets, Behaviors and Experiences for Student Success — described as a local \"Profile of a Graduate\" — during the March 18 school board meeting, asking the board to review the proposal and send community feedback ahead of a May 6 update.

District leaders said the framework bundles social-emotional mindsets, learning strategies, self-management and grade-by-grade experiences intended to ensure every student leaves high school with a plan for next steps, whether that is college, a career, military or industry certification. Heather Hogan, director of post‑secondary readiness, told the board the working group began in August, met roughly twice a month and reviewed existing frameworks including the Connolly framework and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) mindsets and behaviors.

The district said it revised those models to emphasize non‑college pathways and relational supports. Hogan said the proposal ties into the Xello college‑and‑career platform the district already uses and would include artifacts in a student portfolio, self-assessment prompts and grade‑level “experiences” beginning in kindergarten.

Board members broadly endorsed the direction but used the discussion to press for clarifications. Director Marvin (school board member) praised the focus on creativity, resilience and collaboration, saying, \"We need students who can think, who can create, who can collaborate,\" and urged attention to helping students recover from failure. Director Raederin (school board member) and others asked the presenters to make sure vocational and trade pathways are clearly represented so students who plan to enter the workforce directly feel included.

District staff described three main components: six mindsets (for example, belonging and a positive attitude toward learning), learning strategies (problem solving, time management), and self‑management and social skills (self‑discipline, teamwork, empathy). The presentation cited district research linking extracurricular participation in ninth grade to higher graduation likelihood and offered one striking figure the presenters used in discussion — \"a 139% increase in graduating\" associated with ninth‑grade extracurricular participation — which staff said came from Research & Assessment findings.

On monitoring and implementation, staff said they will work with the Research and Assessment office to gather internal and external feedback around three questions: what excites people about the proposal, what concerns they have, and how the framework could be used at home. The district plans to return to the board with a summary on May 6 and later present a version for formal endorsement.

Questions from board members covered assessment (teachers and counselors discussed using student self‑assessment and portfolio artifacts rather than exhaustive checklists), alignment with Xello (Hogan said Xello supports portfolios and tracking), counselor readiness (a multi‑year ASCA alignment effort is underway), and family engagement. Several board members urged explicit plans for reaching parents who do not typically attend school events and for ensuring the language of the materials is accessible to families.

District presenters and board members agreed the draft is a starting point. Staff asked the board to encourage community feedback; the board directed staff to return with revisions informed by community and internal input.

The board did not take a formal vote on this item; staff said next steps include community engagement, curriculum alignment, and a May 6 progress report to the board.","District staff presented a draft framework of mindsets, behaviors and grade-level experiences designed to prepare Rochester Public Schools students for life after high school; board members praised the emphasis on social skills and urged clearer inclusion of vocational paths and family engagement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves $34.8M in facilities maintenance bonds and $7.035M in technology certificates

Board drafts response to American Indian Parent Advisory Committee; commits to elder‑in‑residence pilot and course offering

District outlines phased move of Spanish immersion middle grades to Riverside; staff describe bilingual program details

Rochester schools present draft 'Profile of a Graduate' to board, ask for feedback