Saint Louis Park schools schedule affinity listening sessions; superintendent outlines outreach methods
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Summary
District leaders announced a schedule of in-person and virtual listening sessions for families and staff, including targeted sessions for Latino, Somali and African American families, and said the district will use texts, newsletters and calendar posting to reach community members who don't use social media or email.
Superintendent Kynes and board members announced a schedule of listening sessions intended to gather family and community feedback on Sept. 30 and described multiple outreach channels to reach families who do not use email or social media.
Why it matters: The sessions are part of the district’s stated plan to expand engagement with affinity groups and the broader public, providing opportunities for two-way conversation beyond the formal public-comment period.
Session schedule and format - Selected dates included an in-person board listening session on Oct. 21 from 5 to 6 p.m., a virtual session on Jan. 20 from 5 to 6 p.m., and another in-person session on April 21 from 5 to 6 p.m. Superintendent Kynes also announced targeted listening sessions for Latino, Somali and African American families, plus general Q&A dates and advisory-council meetings. - Board participation: Board protocol was clarified: the district will aim to have two board members, ideally three but no more than three, attend each listening session to avoid creating a quorum for the full board.
Outreach methods and accessibility - District staff said they will reach families not using email or social media through the district’s communication platform, which can send texts, post to site newsletters and appear on the district calendar; Jasmine was named as a contact for board members to sign up. - The superintendent emphasized intentional outreach for affinity groups and an advisory council input process. She said, “This year, we are being very intentional about creating space to listen to families and community members about their experiences here in Saint Louis Park.”
Related operational notes - Voting sites: The superintendent noted that several school sites and the Lenox Community Center will serve as polling places for upcoming elections and asked community members to use designated doors and follow posted signage to keep student drop-off and bus areas clear. - Board member participation: Directors asked for mechanisms to receive summaries of listening-session feedback; staff indicated summaries and advisory-council input will be provided to the board.
Next steps District staff will publish session dates and sign-up details on the district calendar and promote sessions via text, site newsletters and other district communications. Board members were asked to coordinate attendance with district staff to avoid quorum issues and to receive summaries of feedback.