SLP Board Briefs

*** The November Study Session of the School Board will be held on WEDNESDAY, November 9, 2022 ***

Superintendent Report Highlights

2022 Cultural Jambalaya Diversity Award Recipient - Dr. Lee-Ann Stephens, a teacher at the High School, recently received the 2022 Cultural Jambalaya Diversity Award, which honors those who have made a positive difference by advancing multiculturalism and ethnic diversity in their Minnesota community.

Dr. Stephens currently coordinates Students Organized for Anti-Racism (SOAR), a student-led effort to create a more just and equitable school community. She also is a classroom teacher who is currently teaching elective sections of urban education classes for students who are interested in going into the field of education. We are thankful for Dr. Stephens and the positive impact she has on the students, families and staff in our school district. We are thankful for Dr. Stephens and the positive impact she has on the students, families and staff in our school district.

Take the School Nutrition Satisfaction Survey - The school nutrition staff in St. Louis Park Public Schools are focused on providing high quality meals and experiences to the students we serve every day. As a part of this commitment, we are always looking for ways to improve and enhance the experience.

To help us identify strengths and opportunities for improvement, we are asking SLP elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as parents, to complete this brief survey by Monday, October 31. The survey will take approximately five-10 minutes to complete. Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us - it is greatly appreciated.

Join the Career Pathways Advisory Board - The St. Louis Park Public Schools Career Pathways Advisory Board is seeking new members. The Career Pathways Advisory Board is a group of individuals whose experience and abilities represent a cross section of careers and experiences. The primary purpose is to assist educators in establishing, operating, and evaluating the CTE (SLP Career Pathways) program – which serves the needs of students, the community, and business/industry partners – and to provide expertise and insight about current/future industry and technological changes. The Career Pathways Advisory Board works to bring real world experiences to students and help show them career options for their futures.

Join on Friday, November 11 from 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the High School. All are welcome! Click here to RSVP. If you have any questions, please contact Kara Mueller (mueller.kara@slpschools.org), a member of our Executive Board, or visit the the website to see all the things the Career and College Readiness Center at SLPHS offers your student.

Construction Update

Patricia Magnuson, Director of Business services, Tom Bravo, Construction Manager, Jim Langevin, Facilities Manager, and staff from Knutson Construction, provided a construction update to maintain transparency with the School Board and community about the progress of construction projects in alignment with the Strategic Plan for Racial Equity Transformation. The update included information on:

Staff Steering Committee
Construction Management Firm: Knutson Construction
Project Timeline and Budget
Central Project Bid

Knutson Construction provided a brief history of their firm, the team that will be connected to St. Louis Park Public Schools projects, the firm's DE+I efforts, community and workforce engagement, opportunities for students to intern, and the focus on communication and transparency.

Tom Bravo and Jim Langevin provided an overview of the projects and reviewed the timeline. A majority of the work the next two years will focus on the High School and not take place during learning times.

Deferred maintenance will be done in connection with construction that is taking place and will be completed in the next five years. Examples of deferred maintenance work includes new roofs and the pool and locker room at Central Community Center.

We received 14 bids for the Central Building District Office Renovations, adult learning space, and a training center. The bid was awarded to Construction Results, the firm who also renovated Susan Lindgren and Aquila and was the lowest bidder at approximately $1.5M under budget.

Policy Development

The School Board approved the following policies as a second reading:

410 Family and Medical Leave
414 Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual Abuse
415 Mandated Reporting of Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults

A majority of the changes were connected to statutory updates and Minnesota School Board Association legal counsel recommendations. It was recommended by the Policy Committee that these policies be reviewed annually by district leadership and revised by the Board as recommended and/or as needed to be up to date with state and federal law.

Action Items

Construction Bid Approval - The School Board approved the construction bid for the Central Building District Office Renovations to Construction Results, as presented.

Apply to Openings for School Board Appointed Seats on City Commissions

St. Louis Park Public Schools School Board appoints representatives to serve as liaisons on various City boards and commissions. Currently, the Board is seeking to fill the following commission vacancies:

Community Technology Advisory Commission - advises and collaborates with the city council and boards and commissions on the application of technology for the purpose of improving city services and the quality of life for St. Louis Park's citizens, businesses and visitors. The commission consists of seven regular members, one of which is appointed by the school district, one voting youth member, and ex-officio members.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission - reviews matters related to long-range park and recreation plans. The commission also may offer recommendations in new development areas in relation to park and recreation space. City council may ask the commission to study and advise on other related items. The commission consists of seven regular members, three of which are appointed by the school district, and two youth members.

Human Rights Commission - advises city council on how to ensure equal opportunity and participation in housing, employment, public service, public accommodations and education. The commission consists of 10 regular voting members; one is an attorney, one is appointed by the school district and two are youth members.

If you are interested in serving in one of these roles, please click on the link below to apply. Applicants must live in St. Louis Park. All applications are due on Friday, November 4, 2022. Board action will be taken at the November 9, 2022 regular business meeting to appoint representatives.

Apply Here

Get in touch with the School Board

Board members welcome your input. Email the entire School Board at schoolboard@slpschools.org. You can also call the school board message line with your questions or comments: 952-928-6040. The Board also holds Open Forum at each Business Meeting, which occur on the fourth Tuesday of every month. To participate in Open Forum, please complete this sign-up form by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting at which you would like to address the School Board.

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