Faribault school board approves policy updates, personnel nonrenewals and benefits renewal

The Faribault Public School District School Board on March 17 approved a set of policy updates, personnel nonrenewals and contractual renewals during its business meeting, taking a mix of roll-call votes and voice votes on items reviewed by the policy and finance committees.

The board approved the second reading of three policies — interviews of students by outside agencies (Policy 519), a Title IX nondiscrimination policy (Policy 522) and the district testing plan (Policy 614) — by voice vote. The board then approved Policy 418 (Drug-Free Workplace; Drug-Free School) on second reading after rejecting two member-proposed amendments that would have required parental consent for certain referrals. Board members cited legal advice that the proposed changes would impose obligations beyond state law. The final Policy 418 passed on a roll-call vote, 5-1.

The board also approved Policy 721 (Uniform Grant Guidance) as revised to reflect federal guidance (roll-call: passed with one abstention), rescinded Policy 537 (Positive School Expectations) (6-0), and referred a proposed amendment to Policy 515 (Protection and Privacy of Pupil Records) back to the policy committee for legal review (motion to refer passed 5-1). The board accepted several gifts and donations and approved the MetLife dental coverage renewal for fiscal 2026…