[{"_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",6493098,"mediaKeyId","5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe","parentId",5732841,"title","South Washington County Schools introduces new executive director for student support services","audioSeconds",238,"startMs",427000,"endMs",665000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe&start=427&end=665","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe/thumbnail_427000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493098/Minnesota/South-Washington-County-Schools-introduces-new-executive-director-for-student-support-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493098-5a3fba5756abd0aec0325dccf140b250/orig.mp4?Expires=1770528731&Signature=fhlfCmbiw3j5u110P-ktGmJ0yT9x5PKxnHRdLGuQgzc0UunRCtrTmeGIyObSaeIeGjvnipvpeTltv2~gu2d-kSrAw2KPCkhhw0AhiiWDVF5-P74ZD7gs55SflXDE0BXjp2itSIC~qITxc3SS1DC~I6H08xzBXXdGOnFmHyjD8roPJ7AGTQtKVJ65RdDwWR6iJu6V7hJdDJ8PUiqjpSkj47Xptp8~~mhy3Bcm7HzeGme-XMTloxKyQ7BjzH-gPBpHG77o8rb9tOxr3JoD5neM6~U0~0oayZNHcLy99Oj6zxxUgZYM~FH~hkZH6Vse1Rjr1KE2wAQigfKhfEmECKaBJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","SoWashCo Schools","date","2025-08-08T11:41:34Z","article","South Washington County Schools introduced Dr. Megan Hickey as the district's new executive director of student support services during the Aug. 7 board workshop. District Superintendent Julie Nielsen opened the item and asked Hickey to share initial observations after beginning in mid-July.

Dr. Hickey said she began July 16 and was \"finishing up here my third week in South Washington County Schools, and it's just absolutely fantastic to be a part of this community.\" She described her role as overseeing early childhood special education, special education, multilingual services, behavioral and mental-health supports, health services, nursing, counselors, school psychologists and social workers, the McKinney-Vento program for students experiencing homelessness, and Title I programming.

Hickey said she brings more than 20 years of experience in K'2 education and has worked in Robbinsdale, the Osseo Area Schools and, most recently, Minneapolis Public Schools. She described her academic background as including a doctorate in educational psychology, a master's degree in educational psychology and a bachelor's degree in child psychology from the University of Minnesota, together with administrative licensure in special education, principalship and superintendent licensure.

On priorities, Hickey said she is focused on multi-tiered systems of support, ensuring equitable access for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, centering student well-being, and providing high-quality professional learning for educators. She also said she is \"deeply passionate about being a good steward of public resources and ensuring that we use all of our resources effectively and efficiently.\"

Nielsen said Hickey had been meeting staff across the district since her July start date and that the board and community should expect to see her engaged in work supporting students and families.

The board did not take a formal vote on the hire at the workshop; the item was an introduction and an opportunity for Hickey to outline early priorities and experience.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop - August 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board was introduced to Dr. Megan Hickey, who started July 16 as executive director of student support services and outlined priorities including multi-tiered systems of support, multilingual services and stewardship of resources.","taxTitle","South Washington County Schools, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",13238,"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},6493103,"Board takes first reading of nine policy updates; committee recommends moving some items into procedures",420,1513000,1933000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe&start=1513&end=1933","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe/thumbnail_1513000.jpg","/articles/6493103/Minnesota/Board-takes-first-reading-of-nine-policy-updates-committee-recommends-moving-some-items-into-procedures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493103-44e46dbf9f07e169822a3cbf0adfb4a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770528731&Signature=YV9bzSwd5iGSZtsSyiiLzjMt0RtvYyad7qgnkjP5XNnlxIBth3mHvt-xTFQzsI31oTo6jlHjs-gkBZuCumqVDkwcO-FZhq40lqSoqtcLYq6Go6VyEb6-inJXHM1ORCJzopZinYa6Y5r7pQeQq90GUZH2pmJajo~JXgEy2QvOI0Sm~TSra5dB0mrQ-FcHuU2q04JEKv5S7fK5civiAO1cq0OQlI1L1Br5LMOEbUPH4CRngrbZdi6liLR43d9H7k4r1nU9soMptdonQ-c9eDBPr8hbI~BHKYSqvZvkjSYmbGr8rBIYJmsv2-8MEhp3xD22wyN7I25kJ5OtuUyUpjVFWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Julie Nielsen, superintendent, presented nine proposed policy updates to the South Washington County Schools Board of Education during a workshop on Aug. 7 and said the board policy committee had reviewed the changes and recommended moving portions of several policies into procedural documents.

Nielsen identified Policy 203 as having updated legal references and the removal of a section on board meetings. She said two items currently listed as policy — identified in the presentation as part of the 203 series — are better suited as procedures and that the committee recommended consolidating those items into a procedural form the board would later discuss. Nielsen also said Policy 205 (open meetings and closed meetings), Policy 206, Policy 207 (public hearings), Policy 208 and Policy 209 (code of ethics) were being updated for grammar, formatting and legal references.

Board members asked clarifying questions. One asked whether the district suspends Robert's Rules of Order during workshop meetings; a board member and staff described workshop practice as less formal and said the difference is one of formality rather than a formal suspension of standing rules. Another board member asked whether moving items from policy into procedure would diminish the board's governance role; Nielsen said the items in question are already procedural in practice and that moving them would not change the substantive governance authority.

Board members also raised whether public comments given at meetings should be made available during the meeting (for example, to viewers). Nielsen said the specific guidance about making public comments available would be considered when the consolidated procedures return for board review; she noted that the time, place and manner procedure was historically attached to Policy 206 and referenced in Policy 207.

The presentation did not include a formal vote on any of the policy changes; Nielsen said the items are being presented as first readings and would return to the board with recommended procedures and any necessary formal actions.","Superintendent presented nine policy updates including revisions to policies 203, 205, 206, 207, 208 and 209; the policy committee recommended moving portions of several 203-series policies into procedures and the board discussed formality of workshops and public-comment availability.",{"_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},6493110,"South Washington County Schools outlines language-access plan to meet new state requirement",814,685000,1499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe&start=685&end=1499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732841-c425d2b87a01805701c23548f653a4fe/thumbnail_685000.jpg","/articles/6493110/Minnesota/South-Washington-County-Schools-outlines-language-access-plan-to-meet-new-state-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493110-5440190fe0b01f05fa390ce021248a7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770528731&Signature=egz-AerjZ3ohbEW2l7d-uns5D15Eo0n7xCFYJ71vmRuNrTAWxjKTplE7SaFiTitmkLHoWg5qYwUSQujuA5DE6TMEEdUKRjURh84l-CuqYntZYvFJm6z4Yg47qm-zv90ao6dlqVt69IffjvUb2tKHf3QdQKMSBYI~NJuA2bQwmIjIrCKqJ9aVUJco0RFRPa0Dq7IB8cYR1chBVsjrKwOftqoIzxDY3slKDzNRpWbo7WRt-r2f8ciRYIn0TgTlrqsbE1sOyfrPHzRqhQtmTkjL8wF-etjQV7bufQUqEYV6lXyC9SwkBWGlI1RGLXk1X~BisOCRIWoM9UkucUW7wVXMxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South Washington County Schools officials told the school board on Aug. 7 that the district is finalizing a language-access plan required by recent state legislation and federal civil-rights law and expects to present a complete plan for board approval this fall.

Sean Hogendorf, director of communications, told the board the plan is “in the final stages” and will follow Minnesota Statute 123B.032 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He said the board must approve the plan and that, after the first approval, the board will reconsider it every two years.

“The purpose of the plan is to document the language access tools, our processes, our procedures, our tools,” Hogendorf said. He described the plan as largely documenting practices the district already uses and said it will be posted on the district website and included in a handbook for families.

The presentation said the district’s website currently offers machine translation in eight languages for mass communications, while important documents such as individualized education programs, legal notices and placement information would use trained, certified interpreters and professional translation vendors. Hogendorf and Dr. Megan Hickey, executive director of student support services, named vendors the district uses: LanguageLine, Inco International and university-based language services.

Board members asked how the district serves families who speak languages not covered by the eight supported website languages. One board member noted the district’s higher language diversity and asked what happens for “the other, like, 77 languages.” Hogendorf and Dr. Hickey said mass communications rely on the top languages, and the district relies on contracted vendors for less-common languages and for written translations when requested.

Dr. Hickey described the district’s approach to interpreter use and said certified interpreters are used instead of relying on children as ad hoc interpreters. “LanguageLine honestly has I’ve never come across a language that LanguageLine did not have,” she said, describing that vendor as a broad resource. She also said the district intends to prioritize in-person interpretation when possible.

Hogendorf and staff described several operational details the board asked about: an on-demand iPad interpreter pilot that will be available in each school next week to provide remote, face-to-face interpretation; cost structures (LanguageLine billed by the minute, in-person interpreters by the hour and translations by document/word count); and staff guidance the plan will include on using digital translation tools and on when not to use machine translations for legal or special-education documents.

Hogendorf said the plan will include guidance on (1) when to use professional interpreters versus translators, (2) how to work with families whose preferred language is oral rather than written (for example, Hmong or Somali), and (3) staff training and best-practice guidance. He said the district hopes to present the finished plan in October or November and that the board will formally approve it for the 2025–26 school year.

Board members and staff emphasized that the plan’s aim is to document existing practice, reduce delays in services and ensure families can access information and meetings in a language they understand.

The board did not take a formal vote on the plan at the meeting; staff said the draft will return to the board later this fall for approval.","District staff presented a draft language-access plan tied to a 2025 special-session law and Title VI requirements, saying the plan will document existing tools and procedures, be posted online, and return to the board for approval this fall.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

South Washington County Schools introduces new executive director for student support services

Board takes first reading of nine policy updates; committee recommends moving some items into procedures

South Washington County Schools outlines language-access plan to meet new state requirement