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Board at a glance: hires, insurance moves, iPad purchase and handbook actions
Summary
At the Chisholm Public School District board meeting the board approved multiple personnel hires, moved group health insurance to Blue Cross Blue Shield, approved several MOUs tied to insurance contributions, authorized a $90,442.50 iPad purchase, renewed 403(b) documents, and advanced student and activities handbooks.
The Chisholm Public School District board approved a series of administrative and personnel items in a single meeting, voting on hires, benefits, technology purchases and handbook revisions.
Personnel and hires: The board approved the hiring of Andrew Bellify for a science-teaching position and Sean Lewis as the intramural weight trainer; the board clarified the intramural program serves both athletes and non-athletes and is an existing program.
Benefits and MOUs: The board approved moving the district's group health insurance plan to Blue Cross Blue Shield for coverage from Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027. The board also approved multiple memoranda of understanding with employee groups (including Education Minnesota Chisholm and AFSCME) and specific staff contracts to address contributions tied to the insurance renewal.
Procurement and finance: Directors approved a revised quote from the Apple Store for Education to buy student iPads for the 2026–27 school year at $90,442.50; the superintendent said prices rose roughly $100 per device since the prior quote. The board also renewed 403(b) plan documents through Avoben LLC and approved a vision insurance renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Handbooks and student policies: The board conducted a second reading of the ISD 695 student handbook for 2026–27, proposing edits including clarifying iPad return language to "return them in working order," correcting an attendance-policy code from 504 to 503, and adding vaping/toxic materials language. The activities handbook for 2026–27 was approved after edits addressing GPA meetings, activity fee categories and an activity-fee scholarship application form.
Votes at a glance: Each motion was approved by voice vote with "aye" recorded; the transcript records no formal roll-call tallies. Board members asked staff to follow up with legal clarifications (particularly related to land title for the bus garage) and to return with final documents where needed.
The meeting adjourned after approving the listed items; staff will return with final contract documents, bid timelines, and the updated handbook language for final adoption where required.
