The GFW School Board held a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Watch the meeting via YouTube:
Highlights of the meeting are below.
Superintendent’s Report
Teacher Amy Bastian shared on the Q-Comp program that aims to increase student achievement through involving teachers. It is a voluntary program that allows local districts and exclusive representatives of the teachers to design and collectively bargain a plan that meets the four components of the law. Teams meet as grade level or school or subject teams with PLC and work towards specific goals.
Dr. Horton shared how the Q-Comp program helps to support students and staff.
Principal Reports
Principal Thompson shared about the end of the school year including a schoolwide grandparents day event and the T-Bird Way celebration. TCA Arts Camp is also underway with a performance taking place on Friday, June 23. Elementary staff have completed LETRS training focused on the Science of Reading and will continue into the next year.
Principal Galetka shared about end of the year events including graduation, parade with students at the elementary school. Things are busy at GFW Middle School and High School with arts camp taking place, summer school, and other activities. Principal Galetka also took the chance to express her gratitude for serving GFW Public Schools over the past three years as she moves to a new position at Mankato Public Schools.
Board Reports
The GFW School Board has started the new committee structure and is getting the system established with decisions being made on a variety of areas in the new committees established by the board. Board members shared that work will really be kicking off this summer for some committees.
Business Services
CFO Lindsey Heine shared information about the bread bidding process which was approved by the board.
Regular Board Action
The board approved the consent agenda.
Approval of Resolutions and Action Items
Steve Pumper from PMA Financial shared on the recent sale of bonds to fund the PreK-12 facility approved by voters. The premium paid by the buyer was significantly higher than estimated with a lower interest cost than estimated. The district will receive about $4 million more than initially anticipated for the bond with taxpayers seeing 28 years of debt service instead of 29 due to lower interest costs. There will also be additional earnings due to investing funds with a cap of 4.25% of investment earnings that can be used by the district. The district was rated by S&P as A/Stable which is a strong rating for a district the size of GFW Public Schools.
The board approved and ratified the sale of the bonds.
The board also approved other resolutions and action items including:
FY24 Budget
Group Insurance MOU
MHSHL 2023-24 Membership
Identified Official with Authority (required by MDE)
Fuel and Milk/Juice Bids
2023-24 GFW Staff and School Board Rates
Resolution to Support for Winthrop Police Department K9 Drug Dog
Resolution to Accept Donations
The GFW School Board then entered a closed session.