[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6584808,"mediaKeyId","5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42","parentId",5529745,"title","Board tables special-education coordinators agreement; holds first readings of multiple policies and summarizes superintendent evaluation","audioSeconds",149,"startMs",2050965,"endMs",2200464,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42&start=2050&end=2200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42/thumbnail_2050965.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6584808/Minnesota/Board-tables-special-education-coordinators-agreement-holds-first-readings-of-multiple-policies-and-summarizes-superintendent-evaluation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584808-38e6b24a2b180603b8b3f3688461cd7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142969&Signature=V43j5cjlsJK2gy4uKF5R61bKv9CRnG84JI8taf-jIzJNRRP-X2K8lXlM8-b67P4ptSEZbsHhR7vNrM1tCZM93aYF1GCQ-KkBrZ-rtZYWXDilpfbYGBjtZC~JGoj-3q1bn3z-zsbJMZCvERXsqwpY-6JCUDkcFJhcp6ms7GNAhSisYYdfhhT5iRLdxUX7vMOxOvEITkaM6ENS1iKIVUitU5OeGQfr73YFrkHxlVPK36X6tYbMSJMbkc68CxyAMpIKQH8lUoDRifnM0tHOYlXcitrFDkI6h9zWzBs4EhpdLrKcKpfxuIo0uD-9RuX7tRpTJrin4zMSWKISKmmoz8eRgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Monticello Public Schools","date","2025-08-04T22:48:03.773Z","article","The Monticello Public School District board on Monday voted to table a tentative master agreement with special education coordinators after staff said a single sentence in the draft still required mutual understanding.

Rob Daneker, the district director of human resources, told the board he had expected to present a tentative agreement but that \"there is one sentence of the draft agreement that we're still trying to gain mutual agreement on intent and understanding,\" and recommended laying the approval over to the next meeting. Board member Maggie Bartell moved to table the action; board member Casey Root seconded the motion. The board approved the tabling motion by a 6'00 vote.

Earlier in the meeting the board approved the night's agenda and the consent agenda; both motions were moved by Board member Melissa Curtis, seconded by Casey Root, and passed 6'00.

The board also provided a public summary of a July 21, 2025 closed work session in which it conducted its annual evaluation of Superintendent Olsen at the superintendent's request. The board rated Superintendent Olsen's overall performance as \"highly effective,\" citing strategic leadership, transparency and community engagement. Recommended focus areas for 2025'26 included district finances, communication, governance and continued school improvement. The full closed-session summary is linked to the meeting agenda.

On policy work, the board conducted first readings of multiple items. Laura Stebner, director of teaching and learning, contributed edits to Policy 64614 (school district testing plan and procedure) recommending explicit language about testing accommodations for students with 504 plans and IEPs. The policy committee also brought forward Policy 615 (testing accommodations and exemptions for students with IEPs, 504 plans and English learner needs), Policy 707 (transportation of public school students), Policy 708 (transportation of nonpublic students), Policy 722 (public data and data subject requests) and Policy 802 (disposition of obsolete equipment and material) for first reading.

On Policy 722 and its companion form, staff explained they recommended clarifying whether a requester is the subject of a data request (which creates a 10-business-day response timeline) and made explicit that electronic dissemination may be subject to the same copying charges as physical copies under Minnesota statute 13.03. Director of IT Jason Borks and Daneker said the district has previously charged for some large, time-consuming requests after consultation with the district attorney, and the draft form is intended to increase transparency about potential charges and identify the district's responsible authority for public data requests.

Regarding obsolete equipment, Daneker said statutory limitations often preclude sale of surplus district computers; the typical practice is to use devices until they are no longer supported by vendors (Google/Apple) and then dispose of them securely.

No policies were adopted; the items were brought forward for first reading and will return for further consideration at later meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting - Monday, August 4th, 2025 I 5:00 pm","oneSentenceSummary","The Monticello school board voted 6-0 to table a tentative special education coordinators master agreement and reviewed several policies on first reading, including testing, transportation and public data procedures; the board also summarized a closed-session superintendent evaluation.","taxTitle","MONTICELLO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",57342,"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},6584812,"District contractor reports routing gains, cleaner start times and new alternative vehicles; utility limits slow electric bus use",900,660170,1560345,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42&start=660&end=1560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42/thumbnail_660170.jpg","/articles/6584812/Minnesota/District-contractor-reports-routing-gains-cleaner-start-times-and-new-alternative-vehicles-utility-limits-slow-electric-bus-use","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584812-d558106c65b935c8dd49d8535dfd0e7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142969&Signature=JLaMb2DI4ufBgCsxPquMKHz7lyKWiiP3Usc6J4qbO5YQMsInMYY76f26hv5T~d~kwKguU0zDMNDA6-Hvr3eOey9wuUcfD1UkuZsf1s1Vf7sjHuqAa52vPjX93WHDtWlG1mH3j~DYFctS9j6RYV4s9s2vQ~Zfo97uXq1iiOK0NgqaF5lJX2Fieop9z6C6o~8Bt8ZRs3gIzwNKV45Zt7mP6oDp0RhCgRJYP6m8yPb1mlGQVYnM1IQZgGv1VsdZkSnmI9J6V5UmQmw-opBesc8umQoIlfphl7UmJjQgqnpK14ae0R1EBjKf2L354ZNymcuQyZ27ii6YLdY0Gv1Lgt1IoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joe Kunkel, head of the district's contracted transportation provider, presented an end-of-year report and plans for 2025'26 Monday to the Monticello Public School District board.

Kunkel said the contractor received workplace and industry recognition last year and highlighted operational changes implemented with the district, including revised start times and consolidated routing that reduced total miles driven by approximately 115,000 miles year-over-year. \"The average time riding on a bus is less,\" he said, and he credited changes in routing and start times with a noticeable decline in discipline referrals on some campuses.

Kunkel provided specific referral counts: at Eastview referrals fell from 112 (59 repeat offenders) in 2024 to 33 (9 repeat offenders) in 2025; the middle school declined from 169 (68 repeat offenders) to 102 (36 repeat offenders). He said older students assisting younger riders on consolidated k'12 routes contributed to improved behavior.

On fleet changes, Kunkel said the contractor added one electric van (about an 80-mile range per charge), one electric bus and one propane bus. He reported a utility-level obstacle for charging the electric bus: the local power provider would not supply the higher-capacity service needed to charge it at the contractor's site, so the vehicle will be used as a spare until charging infrastructure is arranged. \"We are still struggling with Excel to get power to charge it,\" he said, referring to the utility. Kunkel also noted propane fueling logistics require driving to off-site suppliers.

Kunkel described an initiative to remove all students from the transportation database and require re-registration; of roughly 4,200 students the contractor expects to be eligible for service, 2,213 had registered at the time of the presentation. He said the registration cleanup will allow the contractor to optimize routing and eliminate unnecessary vehicles.

Kunkel also introduced a new 15-passenger-style activity vehicle the contractor bought under a provision that allows district employees to operate such vehicles with a class C license if they have a DOT physical; the contractor suggested the bus could be used for small athletic or activity trips instead of hiring a full-size yellow bus.

Kunkel warned that state patrol vehicle inspections moved to a pass/fail standard in 2025 and that some vehicles failed for relatively minor items under the new procedures. He said his team will send mechanics to state patrol training to better understand the updated inspection standards.

Board members asked questions about routing refinements and special-needs routing coordination; Kunkel said ongoing collaboration between the contractor, special education coordinators and school staff has improved efficiency and reuse of vehicles. There was no board action associated with the presentation.

The presentation also noted career-exploration and internship activities run by the contractor, a lifetime achievement award for company owner Gordy Hoglund and a profile of a female mechanic, Megan, who was featured in industry press.","Hoglund (Hogan/Hoglund) Transportation presented year-end routing results showing fewer miles driven, lower discipline referrals on buses and pilot vehicles including one electric van, one electric bus awaiting charging upgrades and a propane bus.",{"_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},6584817,"Parent urges district to keep nature-based students at Bertram, not bus them daily to Eastview",267,436980,704214,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42&start=436&end=704","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5529745-1aee6a89634659235f08852a56822b42/thumbnail_436980.jpg","/articles/6584817/Minnesota/Parent-urges-district-to-keep-nature-based-students-at-Bertram-not-bus-them-daily-to-Eastview","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6584817-a594707211cf309b97600731318c66c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142969&Signature=h3QCnCWOqZmYD-GYk3os0rZWOE63J5lLU5EGJK8WdYJ5rX28OUNwQ0UUkoY72Q36V3F5euTwlUcfHQvPvCuiK5dpnC9iEios5WDOUCbdAkm97D7HXGT8R1pkmiyTJJfeXrzLTsI8O9HuMVsQ20tF~ylzKVN~CvS0ZDRkrpkPFmqavHXp1MsVkjC4SaOMERaynmOFYPC7gqjVtYzEnOxWCiWaqahVouCrKd3-N7N5~~yVXc0JqGDWY8hIeWTGwk4bVLw5fGp~3zMETo-XZxDECQgCMXu1b4V30GjXIMaYvdmlOif50aAmcFgGYu0kuqoisNFAC1qkbGm1wby3VcU~Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Amy Spry, a Monticello parent and member of the public comment period, urged the Monticello Public School District board Monday to preserve the nature-based program's on-site learning at Bertram Elementary.

Spry told the board the district's move to have nature-based students attend \"specials\" classes at Eastview then be bused back to Bertram will be disruptive for young students, particularly kindergarteners and children with ADHD and anxiety. \"This added transition isn't easy on the 5 and 6 year olds,\" Spry said. \"Please consider busing the teachers to Bertram for the lessons. Keep the nature based kids at Bertram.\"

Spry said the district eliminated the nature-based specials teacher this year as part of budget reductions; specials are now scheduled to take place at Eastview before students are bussed back to Bertram for the remainder of the day. She said nature-based students typically arrive dressed for outdoor learning and that parents worry about keeping layered outdoor gear together during the midday transfer. Spry also said she was told parents could not pick up their child after specials to avoid daily bus rides, and that if her child missed specials she would be marked truant.

In her remarks Spry suggested an operational alternative: instead of bus transfers for roughly 60 students, bus the three specials teachers to Bertram so students can remain in the nature-based environment. She said that would not increase mileage reimbursement costs and would reduce transitions for younger students.

The board did not take action on the matter during the meeting. Spry spoke during the citizens' comment portion; board policy 206 and Minnesota open meeting law were cited by meeting staff when explaining the limits of in-meeting discussion and follow-up procedures for citizen comments.

The district superintendent and other administrators were not recorded responding to the specific operational request during the public comments segment. Spry said follow-up contact before or after the meeting is the usual avenue to continue the issue, as the board does not engage in back-and-forth during the public comment period.

Spry concluded by asking the board to \"Keep all nature based learning curriculum just that, nature based.\"","A Monticello parent told the school board the district's plan to send nature-based students to Eastview for specials will disrupt young students and recommended busing teachers to Bertram instead.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board tables special-education coordinators agreement; holds first readings of multiple policies and summarizes superintendent evaluation

District contractor reports routing gains, cleaner start times and new alternative vehicles; utility limits slow electric bus use

Parent urges district to keep nature-based students at Bertram, not bus them daily to Eastview