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Cannon Falls board approves unrequested leaves, FMLA and restores licensed nurse to full-time
Summary
The Cannon Falls School Board voted to place two tenured staff on unrequested leave of absence, approved an intermittent FMLA request and restored the licensed school nurse position to 1.0 FTE.
The Cannon Falls School Board on March 10 approved two resolutions placing tenured staff on unrequested leave of absence, granted an intermittent Family and Medical Leave Act request for a staff member and voted to return a licensed school nurse position to full-time.
Board members said the personnel moves were driven by district budget pressures and contract timelines. The board voted unanimously on the formal resolutions placing an assistant-principal-level continuing contract employee on unrequested leave and, in a separate vote, placing teacher Tom Langfield on unrequested leave by acquiescence after he did not request a hearing within the 14-day period stated in notice.
Why it matters: The motions trigger statutorily required notice and hearing rights for continuing-contract employees and change staffing plans for the end of the 2024–25 school year. School leaders said the moves are tied to “financial limitations and discontinuance of a position” and follow the district’s master agreements.
Board action and details • Unrequested leave — assistant principal: The board approved a resolution proposing placement of a continuing-contract tenured employee in an assistant-principal role on unrequested leave of absence effective at the end of the 2024–25 school year, citing “financial limitations and discontinuance of a position.” The motion passed by voice vote after a roll-call-style confirmation in which Clinton, Luke, Jody, Randy, Pete and the chair recorded “yes.”
• Unrequested leave — Tom Langfield: The board approved a second resolution placing teacher Tom Langfield on unrequested leave based on his failure to request a hearing within 14 days of written notice (a statutory acquiescence). The board recorded yes votes from Clinton, Luke, Jody, Rondy, Keith and the chair; the motion carried.
• Intermittent FMLA — Lisa O’Brien: The board approved an intermittent FMLA request for Lisa O’Brien covering March 3, 2025, through the end of the school year; Superintendent-level presenter Jeff recommended approval during the meeting and the motion passed by voice vote.
• Licensed school nurse FTE: The board voted to return the licensed school nurse (LSN) position to 1.0 FTE for the 2025–26 year, reversing a COVID-era reduction. District staff explained the LSN requirement is tied to enrollment thresholds and said the district is at or near the 1,000‑student benchmark that typically triggers a full licensed nurse. The motion passed by voice vote.
What board members emphasized: During the LSN discussion board members asked whether state rules mandate specific nurse-to-student ratios or whether staffing is workload-based; staff replied that 1,000 students is the typical line for requiring a licensed school nurse and that staffing choices reflect local practices and coverage needs.
Next steps and process: The unrequested-leave resolutions include the statutorily required notice and hearing rights; the Langfield placement followed the district’s determination that no hearing request had been received within the 14‑day window. The FMLA approval and nurse FTE change allow human resources to proceed with scheduling and recruitment as appropriate.
Ending: The board handled the personnel votes in the open meeting before taking up facilities and budget items later in the agenda.
