Chisago Lakes board approves achievement goals, calendar adjustments, roofing contracts and dental-insurance change

At its regular meeting, the Chisago Lakes School District Board of Education approved a package of policy and operational items: the district's five required comprehensive achievement and civic-readiness (EACR) goals, revised school-year calendars for 2026'27 and 2027'28 under recently enacted state authority, bids for roofing projects across three schools, a change to the dental-insurance daily maximum, and a $765 donation from the Chisago City Fire Department for a primary-school field trip.

EACR goals: District staff presented five state-required goals covering kindergarten readiness, closing achievement gaps, college-and-career planning, graduation targets and a "lifelong learner" growth-mindset measure. Staff reported preschool screening rose from 62% to 81% in the most recent year and set a new kindergarten-screening target of 83%. Board members asked about measurement; staff said a committee of parents, teachers, students and principals chose the measures. The board voted to adopt the EACR goals.

Calendar changes: Staff explained a temporary provision in recent biennial legislation allowing districts to shift start dates and professional-development days for two years to accommodate later Labor Day dates. The board approved calendars that begin earlier in August and end earlier the following June for the 2026'27 and 2027'28 school years and noted a shift of some PD days from Mondays to Fridays for monitoring.

Capital projects: Business services staff reported six bidders submitted proposals for three roofing projects and a combo bid. The low-cost base bids for the full scope totaled $4,506,184; with a 5% contingency staff recommended an authorization near $4.7 million, which remains under the $4.8'$5.0 million budget envelope previously outlined. The board approved accepting the recommended bids and authorized staff to pursue financing as needed.

Employee benefits: Benefits staff said market quotes required lowering the dental-plan daily maximum to $1,500 (staff had solicited $2,000 and $1,500 quotes); the board approved the $1,500 maximum for the current open-enrollment package.

Donation: The board accepted a $765 donation from the Chisago City Fire Department to support a primary-school field trip and approved the gift by voice vote.

Votes and procedure: Each motion reported in the meeting was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Where the meeting recorded an "aye" response from members, the board confirmed the actions in sequence and adjourned. Next steps noted by staff include finalizing financing for the roofing projects and presenting the completed audit at the December meeting.