[{"_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",6476594,"mediaKeyId","5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd","parentId",5718739,"title","Votes at a glance: board approves agenda, consent items and gifts on Sept. 2","audioSeconds",58,"startMs",4186190,"endMs",4244210,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd&start=4186&end=4244","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd/thumbnail_4186190.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6476594/Minnesota/Votes-at-a-glance-board-approves-agenda-consent-items-and-gifts-on-Sept-2","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476594-1353e1f0ff72662d6793f625fc3c7584/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939645&Signature=E4zUYhtVq7mejb4lpH1PKMV1ryWmKmVh9TBKjQNaZzTDlFBHeBv90SW~ci4K4s94l7qZmAZozoO10gdCBbRfvx~~imPD7ff4al0it~tTv-QqzvC1rX45vi6O7cXwyvtPs5a14WX9jtpAu~qqGGc-Tdak41F3z4TDHnUJ6rNS8BKqLUmOqQlV8tcG3NGEH22ncCijNqa3UceKGwCeyrEFn0T8JIuVHVTdpwJiPOKmMDGLV6b6dK~PXdzCzys7ep1vAkfAzvrXArZfBEcH2cWx-9Gg15MYAmndxT9VGxUiCXKf~uMJg3aFA38cZJjdLbPuHYIEecE3rd1TG9kgzREdCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mankato Area Public Schools","date","2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","article","At the Sept. 2 meeting the Mankato Area Public Schools Board of Education took routine procedural votes.

- Approval of the agenda (with personnel addendum): A board member moved to approve the agenda with the addendum; the motion passed by voice vote.

- Consent agenda (with personnel addendum): The board moved and seconded approval of the consent agenda, including personnel items listed on the addendum; the motion passed on a roll call.

- Acceptance of gifts and grants: The board approved acceptance of three donations read into the record: Amcor donated school supplies valued at $400 to Mankato Area Public Schools; Jones Bridal donated scrap metal valued at $300 to the district welding program; Crossview Covenant Church donated $2,000 for the adult basic education program. The gifts were accepted by motion and recorded as approved.

- Adjournment: The board adjourned the meeting by voice vote.

No substantive policy votes or ordinance adoptions occurred during the meeting; the policy revisions were presented for first reading and will return Oct. 6 for possible action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mankato School Board\tSep 02, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Mankato Area Public Schools board approved the meeting agenda (with a personnel addendum), the consent agenda (with addendum), and accepted three gifts and grants. Meeting adjourned by voice vote.","taxTitle","MANKATO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",60466,"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},6476599,"Policy committee presents 12 MSBA-recommended policy revisions for first reading",449,2973560,3422900,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd&start=2973&end=3422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd/thumbnail_2973560.jpg","/articles/6476599/Minnesota/Policy-committee-presents-12-MSBA-recommended-policy-revisions-for-first-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476599-b69cf1230a8f2dcecc3436ed840f2f5a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939645&Signature=iTEPOS3z77FzLLycruNrSSfCKVbo5IWTyTN89gueMg8RgSUD~iYhtAZeQ4Upiw5hLFLikwipYYYkJz4BjX49AlrTIV1TfB3Mh937oFegCgko15Ki7h~r5S1~0UI070Z0znMTJprEfc3ziFV92JD-lHZ5ARaWeY5cP3WB5umbkcpC-3ZS~2gvDttTU-9TqEEQWNg00omfWD9gDSsP3GkrNNZZ25uKy5Jc9E-ktx52~Um4N94UgT-WSlqrAC-BKwhGOCIvitr48Gcfb6UP6rm6rmbULvI3DrzuTN0lS8kWZ7N69vqSxyDaYK32cJnZOXfx-jrhDBVCmjnEfpe-SdSHQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mankato Area Public Schools policy committee presented 12 policy revisions to the school board on Sept. 2 for first reading, saying the changes align district policy with recent legislative updates and MSBA model recommendations.

The presentation matters because several of the updates revise how the district handles student privacy, weapons reporting and overdose response — topics that affect student safety and federal/state reporting obligations.

The committee chair (name not specified in the transcript) summarized the packet as “12 of 21 policies” the district is reviewing after recent legislative action. Key changes the committee highlighted include:

- Policy 414 (mandated reporting): adds references to specific statute sections in the definition of a threatened injury.
- Policy 418 (drug-free workplace/school): adds protections for students participating in a tribal medical cannabis program, clarifying anti-retaliation language.
- Policy 501 (school weapons): adds language to align the district with required reporting to state education authorities and describes after-action review coordination with the Minnesota Fusion Center for active-shooter incidents.
- Policy 515 (student data privacy): updates reflect state restrictions that classify certain directory information — including parent contact information and addresses — as private under Minnesota law.
- Policy 516.5 (overdose medication): incorporates state clarifications allowing students in grades 9–12 to possess and, if necessary, administer naloxone/Narcan at school and confirms immunity protections under state law.
- Policy 631 (literacy/Read Act): clarifies family notification and screening guidance for dual-language immersion and screeners/assessments tied to the Read Act.
- Policy 535 (online instruction): broadens the supplemental online course-provider definition to include state-sponsored schools.
- Policies 707 and 709 (transportation): clarify special-education placement transportation and remove a now-repealed training deadline while reiterating prohibitions on handheld phone use while driving district vehicles.
- Policy 802 (disposition of obsolete equipment): adds language allowing donation of surplus books without a competitive bid process.
- Policy 809 (crisis management): expands violence-prevention training requirements and includes steps to report dangerous activity to anonymous threat-reporting systems.

Policy committee members said most edits are non-substantive clarifications, but they flagged two policies for minor typo correction. The committee intends to return the 12 policies for a second reading and board action at the Oct. 6 meeting.

Board member Miss Henke asked about language in the Internet-use policy addressing regulation of off-campus student speech. “Was that added in 2020? Or where does this language come from? Can you give me a little bit more history?” she asked. Committee members responded that student free-speech jurisprudence and the rise of social media have expanded the contexts in which schools address off-campus speech and that the committee did not recommend changes to that section at this time.

No formal votes were taken on the policy revisions at this meeting; the committee presented the changes for first reading and recommended bringing them back in October.","The policy committee presented 12 policy updates recommended by the Minnesota School Boards Association; changes reflect legislative updates on student data privacy, overdose medication, weapons reporting, the Read Act, and transportation. The board did not vote; the items will return Oct. 6 for second reading.",{"_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},6476604,"Mankato Area Public Schools previews staffing, enrollment and construction in back-to-school report",1786,66761,1853030,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd&start=66&end=1853","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5718739-c09d4b023875907429a2f3b210e656dd/thumbnail_66761.jpg","/articles/6476604/Minnesota/Mankato-Area-Public-Schools-previews-staffing-enrollment-and-construction-in-back-to-school-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476604-c102ec1336339df6b36e28bb412592bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770939645&Signature=HIc48xNtfDK32uABJKzNw3bNXZV3ldbYQPavMxV62WI~NIddaBX1TFDl3l8W-p1fEwjMM8vEWfMdppk3VG61DD1tWnW~l~mOgkjwQqFk-U1ucjtOxMELwjF1ftKgstAhwC1ZKIcxmhMksaep4bJ-yMjOdnEBN8SQbdl2ILPCShSvsnP9HJUcYLVNODecj3ys-lNU8qZEE1P8oEH46GS5AH99LkUuowWqBcQVQsBxXvUk~cyB5WfexCFp0myS-TDDXCAJNQzUPWWL-c4K0FNF1yKce982F7T8NGm~sMrT8STulQHpXubGHmYHWl0a~l4JssLXrQhShA3lZ5C2Tv7Qhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mankato Area Public Schools officials told the school board on Sept. 2 that the district started the 2025–26 school year with stronger-than-expected enrollment, continued hiring needs for paraeducators and an extended construction timeline at West High School.

The district projected about 7,650 students for the year and reported an enrollment of 7,819, the superintendent’s cabinet told the board in the annual “back-to-school” presentation. The presentation included updates from Teaching and Learning, Human Resources/Administrative Services, Business Services, Student Support Services, Community Education and Communications.

The report matters because the numbers and staffing described by cabinet members affect class sizes, transportation logistics, special education services and near-term construction timelines for major capital projects.

Travis Olsen, director of teaching and learning, told the board that staff were active over the summer on literacy training, curriculum writing and leadership work. “We had teachers involved in LETRS training, UFLI training … to continue with our K–5 teachers in developing their skill in reading,” Olsen said, summarizing professional development tied to the Read Act and the district literacy agenda.

Human resources and administrative services reported heavy hiring over the summer. The district has asked the board to approve more than 150 new employees since Aug. 1, and staff said the district welcomed 72 new teachers at a two-day new-teacher workshop. Administrators said they also hired 35 paraeducators this summer but still estimate an unmet need for additional paraeducator positions. The district referenced a Minnesota law that requires at least six hours of orientation for paraeducators before students’ first day; staff said that requirement shaped this year’s onboarding.

Business services reported enrollment that exceeded projections: a preliminary projection of about 7,650 students versus a current registration of 7,819. The office also said about 3,200 students ride district buses and that transportation schedules — particularly for transfer routes tied to the district’s focus schools — required day-to-day adjustments during the first week of school.

Construction updates: West High School is “about a month behind” because of rain and piling/footing issues, the business office said. Mechanical and electrical work continues and the crane will shift to begin additional piling and steel work; administrators said they are working with construction managers to recover schedule where possible. Secure-entrance work at Franklin, Monroe and Jefferson is substantially complete, officials said, and indoor-air-quality projects at Kennedy, Hoover and Eagle Lake are planned for next summer and tied to an upcoming bond sale.

Student support services reported the district serves roughly 1,688 students with individualized education programs. Director Sam Steinman said the district trained staff in crisis prevention and verbal intervention and highlighted new classroom and program investments, including a full kitchen at Dakota Meadows intended for life‑skills instruction and the purchase of new vehicles to support off-site learning.

Community education and early-learning updates included expansion of the district’s full-service community-school model at the Center for Learning and Lincoln Community Center. Audrina Boyer, director of community education, said health navigation and family-facing services will begin Oct. 1 through partners such as WellShare International and Open Door Health Center while construction of dedicated school-based health centers — funded by a Department of Education capital project grant — is expected to be complete by December 2026 with the goal of opening clinics in fall 2026.

Boyer also outlined an “early learning career lattice” that creates a non‑licensed career pathway for early‑care staff (roles described as certified instructor, assistant certified instructor and paraprofessional) and expands opportunities for high‑school students to work in early‑learning settings. The approach aims to align with state early-care-and-education funding streams and to grow the local workforce for preschool and early-childhood programs.

Melanie Helling, director of communications, described outreach efforts including an ambassador program, a districtwide communications cadence and a “one-stop-shop” enrollment event that served 85 families in August. Helling said the district is coordinating messaging so families receive consistent, plain-language information across district and school channels.

Adult basic education funding: Boyer outlined a rapid federal funding reversal this summer. In May the district expected a federal allotment; on June 30 the allotment was said to be unavailable, forcing layoffs and program reductions to address a roughly $200,000 shortfall. On Aug. 12 federal funding was restored and, two days later, the district’s consortia received notice of a competitive federal grant the district had sought; staff said they reinstated teachers and the full slate of programming immediately.

Board members asked detailed questions about paraeducator distribution and hiring flexibility, class-size “hot spots” at elementary grade levels and parking logistics during West High School construction. The board chair and several members thanked cabinet members for the breadth of work and the focus on classroom impact.

The presentation will inform upcoming work sessions and budgeting decisions as the district finalizes preliminary levy certification and prepares for the September audit and fall bond sale process.

The cabinet presenters identified themselves on the record: Superintendent Peterson (full name not specified in this transcript), Chair Senning, Travis Olsen (director of teaching and learning), Sam Steinman (director of student support services), Audrina Boyer (director of community education) and Melanie Helling (director of communications). Business services and human resources presenters summarized their areas but did not give full names in the meeting transcript.","District cabinet presented the annual back-to-school report on Sept. 2, saying enrollment is above projections, hiring continued over the summer, construction at West High is behind schedule and several program expansions — including school-based health centers and early-learning career pathways — are underway.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: board approves agenda, consent items and gifts on Sept. 2

Policy committee presents 12 MSBA-recommended policy revisions for first reading

Mankato Area Public Schools previews staffing, enrollment and construction in back-to-school report