Richfield board reviews draft member goals and creates localized handbook for incoming trustees

Superintendent Steve Unowski on Monday presented a first draft of school board member goals and a district-specific board member handbook to the Richfield School Board, saying the materials are intended to help orient new trustees and guide the district’s governance work ahead of a planned strategic-plan update. “We are suggesting that board members set a goal to effectively orient new board members to become a cohesive group, and to partner, as an overall team,” Unowski said.

The draft goals are organized around three annual governance-reflection areas: partnership with the superintendent, connections with students, staff and community, and orientation to policy and the district strategic plan. The nut graf: the board will use the goals and handbook to prepare for a full strategic-planning process the district aims to complete before the 2026–27 school year.

Board members pressed for concrete measures to track progress. Board Chair Eric Carter and several directors suggested converting the broad goals into specific, measurable activities — for example, committing board members to attending a certain number of school or community events or staffing open-house tables. “Maybe it’s…we commit to visiting three times, four times a year,” said a board member during the discussion, offering a sample metric for student- and family-engagement goals.

Unowski outlined a tentative timetable for the strategic-plan update that he said he will present in September: internal review in October–November, community input January–March, and drafting and publication over the subsequent months so the updated plan is in place before the 2026–27 school year. He also said the draft handbook — described in the packet as an MSBA (Minnesota School Boards Association) handbook adapted for Richfield — would be made available to candidates and new trustees. “Once we have reviewed to see if there are any other areas to be edited, updated, or revised, we would then have part of this as our orientation,” Unowski said.

Board members agreed to follow up individually with the superintendent’s office about scheduling a study session (or sessions) to translate the goal areas into measurable steps and to finalize the handbook for public posting. The district indicated it would share the draft with potential candidates during the filing period and intends to make the handbook publicly available on the district website.

Less urgent details: board members discussed formats (electronic and paper) and outreach options such as a “meet the board” event, while noting open-meeting-law limits on how trustees can gather. The board did not take formal action on the goals or handbook; members asked administration to return with an updated draft and a proposed schedule for study sessions.