Marshall board approves teacher apprenticeship MOUs and calls general election

At its regular meeting the Marshall Public School District board approved memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with district support staff and the Education Association to participate in a teacher apprenticeship program designed to let paraprofessionals earn teaching degrees while working.

Board members said the district is partnering with SMSU for a three-year apprenticeship that will enable selected paraprofessionals to earn a teaching degree and be eligible for special-education/ASD licensure. The program will assign a journey teacher to mentor each apprentice; in the third year the apprentice spends extended time teaching in the mentor's classroom as a student-teaching experience.

According to the transcript, four apprentices have been selected for next year. Board members said the grant that supports the program (described in the meeting as coming through the Department of Labor or a Teacher Minnesota grant-holding organization) covers stipends and extra hours so the district expects no direct cost. The MOUs were presented as having been approved on the labor side as well: the support staff group and the EA/MEA had approved the terms on their side before the board vote.

Motions and votes recorded in the transcript: the memorandum with support staff was moved by Sarah Brink and seconded by Mary and was approved; a separate MOU with the EA was moved by Jeff and seconded by Sarah Ranchie and was approved. The transcript does not provide a roll-call tally for either vote.

The board also approved a resolution calling the school district general election; board members said three board seats will be open this fall and discussed outreach (a session with Ray Queener from Teamwork to explain board roles). Participants discussed the filing period timing with comments indicating a mid-July window or an end-of-July/early-August range.

With no other action items the chair adjourned the meeting and announced a work session would follow.