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Wayzata board elects officers, approves superintendent contract and organizational items; votes summarized
Summary
At its Jan. 13 organizational meeting the Wayzata Public Schools Board of Education elected officers, approved a one-year superintendent contract with a 2% salary increase, adopted committee assignments and compensation for 2025, and postponed a decision to begin reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at regular meetings.
The Wayzata Public Schools Board of Education on Jan. 13 completed its yearly organizational business, electing officers for 2025, approving a one-year superintendent contract and formally adopting committee assignments, appointments and board compensation for the year. The board also voted 4–3 to postpone a motion to begin reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at regular meetings until its Feb. 10 meeting.
Board officers elected for 2025 included Milan Sahoney as chair, Heidi Kader as vice chair, Sarah Johansen as treasurer and Sheila Pryor as clerk. The board approved the meeting agenda and the consent agenda by roll call at the start of the meeting.
As part of other board actions the body approved a one-year renewal of the superintendent’s contract running through 2025–26 that includes a 2% salary increase and added ESST language, and moved the document forward by unanimous roll call.
The board reviewed and approved a slate of standing committees and ad-hoc assignments for 2025 — including facilities development and long-range planning, finance and operations, human resources, policy review, community relations, teaching and learning, and an ad-hoc diversity, equity and inclusion group — and approved named committee chairs and alternates as presented. The board also approved the district’s list of external appointments and liaisons, including representatives to AMSD, CFAC, SciTech, ISD 287, BrightWorks, MSBA and others.
Board compensation for 2025 was approved without change: $4,700 annual pay for board directors and $5,500 for the chair, with $50 for special meetings held on days other than regular meeting or work session dates.
On a separate, contested item, Director Valentina Ayers had requested that the board recite the Pledge of Allegiance at regular meetings. After discussion the board considered a motion to approve recital at every regular meeting, but then approved an amendment to postpone that decision so the board and its committees could develop an approach aligned with district values and stakeholder input; the amendment passed 4–3, moving the question to the Feb. 10 meeting.
Votes at a glance (official actions recorded at the Jan. 13 meeting): - Approve agenda and consent items — approved by roll call (all members recorded as voting yes). - Elect Milan Sahoney, board chair for 2025 — approved by voice vote. - Elect Heidi Kader, vice chair for 2025 — approved by voice vote. - Elect Sarah Johansen, treasurer for 2025 — approved by voice vote. - Elect Sheila Pryor, clerk for 2025 — approved by voice vote. - Approve 2025–26 superintendent contract (one-year term; 2% salary increase; ESST language added) — approved by roll call, unanimous. - Approve 2025 board committee structure and chairs — approved by voice vote. - Approve 2025 external board appointments and liaisons — approved by voice vote. - Approve 2025 board compensation schedule (no change) — approved by roll call, unanimous. - Motion to add recital of the Pledge of Allegiance at regular meetings — motion made and seconded; an amendment to postpone the decision until Feb. 10 in order to consider committee input and alignment with district priorities passed 4–3; final decision deferred to Feb. 10.
Why it matters: These routine organizational actions set the board’s leadership, committee structure and external liaisons for the year and finalize compensation and the superintendent’s contract. The board’s decision to postpone the pledge question indicates a desire among a majority of members to develop an approach that includes committee and stakeholder input rather than immediately changing meeting practice.
What happened next: The board completed the remainder of the agenda after the organizational items, including presentations from Birchview Elementary on literacy rotations, a financial update and recognitions. The postponed pledge item will return to the board on Feb. 10 for further consideration.
