District operations teams outline safety, facilities and nutrition work; transportation serves 18 schools

Matthew Boucher, the district's executive director of operations, opened the board's operations briefing by saying the presentations were intended to "celebrate the people who create the conditions for the learning to happen" and introduced departmental leaders.

Natalie Ratha, transportation supervisor, told the board the district currently provides bus service for 18 public schools, nine nonpublic schools and one charter this year, using a daily fleet of 144 vehicles that includes 85 full‑size buses, 32 short buses for special education routes and 26 vans. "Safety first is very important in transportation," Ratha said, describing background checks, annual eight‑hour safety training, driving evaluations and random drug and alcohol testing. She said the district works with six transportation contractors and that state patrol inspects vehicles and issues stickers only when buses pass the commercial inspection.

Marcus Lewis, supervisor of building and grounds, framed the facilities workload in concrete terms: "Our facilities equate to a little over 2,000,000 square feet," he said, noting 66 custodians, 12 engineers and 18 buildings across the district. Lewis said his priorities include shifting from reactive to preventative maintenance, streamlining procedures and investing in staff development to maintain reliability across 37 boilers and extensive grounds.

Sarah Model, nutrition services supervisor and a registered dietitian, reported that the district served more than 1,800,000 meals in the 2024–25 school year (about 680,000 breakfasts and 1,140,000 lunches). She described recent equipment upgrades (combi ovens and new serving lines at elementary schools), student taste‑testing and a pilot with the Minnesota Department of Education on a "global flavors" handbook. Model said the district will take on summer feeding at school sites this year; she noted funding is primarily federal reimbursement tied to meals served and cited current reimbursement rates of $2.94 per breakfast and $4.83 per lunch.

Matt Sherry, the district's security coordinator, outlined implementation of CrisisGo and reunification procedures, active‑threat and reunification training with law enforcement partners, and security upgrades planned as part of the Apollo High School remodel. Sherry said the security position began in June 2025 with Department of Justice grant support and emphasized coordination with local police for training and response.

Board members asked about contractor oversight, state patrol inspection procedures, camera access and privacy, food allergy accommodations, and how services will work during school construction projects. Presenters described off‑site inspections by the state patrol, on‑site meal production at 13 schools (McKinley supplies two satellite sites), documentation required for special‑diet accommodations and remote camera access controlled by district staff.

The operations update concluded with board appreciation for department staff and several planned next steps, including continued safety training, alignment of contractor behavior frameworks and transition to more preventative facilities maintenance.