MSBA Journal: July-August 2011 by Minnesota School Boards Association

MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

July-August 2011

Student Board Members Make an Impact in Their District Schools Show Success of Cooperation

Volume 64, No. 1

2011 SUMMER SEMINAR

MSHSL: Sports, but a Whole Lot More OO

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Calendar J U LY 2 0 1 1 4 .............Independence Day (no meetings)

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QUOTES OF NOTE MSBA Staff

STRAIGHT TALK Bob Meeks, MSBA Executive Director PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Kent Thiesse, MSBA President ASK MSBA Katie Klanderud, Director of Board Development

Articles 8

STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS MAKE AN IMPACT IN THEIR DISTRICT Greg Abbott and Bruce Lombard

SCHOOLS SHOW SUCCESS OF COOPERATION Marilynn Taylor, Nicole LaChapelle, Jeremy Kovash and Cliff Carmody

MSHSL: SPORTS, BUT A WHOLE LOT MORE John Millea

GOING FROM DOOM TO ZOOM! Greg Abbott

LEARNING TO LEAD FROM YOUR SOUL Greg Abbott

SEPTEMBER 2011 5 .............Labor Day (no meetings) 14 ...........MSBA Fall Area Meetings 15 ...........MSBA Fall Area Meetings 20 ...........MSBA Fall Area Meetings 21 ...........MSBA Fall Area Meetings 22 ...........MSBA Fall Area Meetings 30 ...........Last Day for Submitting Legislative Resolutions

C O N T E N T S J U LY / AU G U S T 2 0 1 1

Divisions

7 .............Early Bird Workshop 7 .............MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting 7–8 .........MSBA Summer Seminar 9 .............MSBA Phase I & II Combination 9 .............Charter School Training 9 .............MSBA Insurance Trust Meeting 9 .............Primary Election Day (if required – no meetings or activities 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.) 17 ...........Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Plus Meeting

OCTOBER 2011 2–4 .........Minnesota Association of Educational Office Professionals Conference 2–4 .........MASA Fall Conference 6 .............MSBA Insurance Trust Annual Meeting 6-7 ..........MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting 10 ...........Columbus Day Observed (optional holiday) 20–21 .....Education Minnesota Conference

The MSBA Journal thanks the students of Elk River Area Public Schools for sharing their art with us in this issue. COVER ART: Eric Stevens

JULY/AUGUST 2011

OFFICERS President: Kent Thiesse, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Past President: Jackie Magnuson, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan DISTRICT DIRECTORS District 1: Kathy Green, Austin District 2: Jodi Sapp, Mankato Area District 3: Linden Olson, Worthington District 4: Betsy Scheurer, Hopkins District 5: Marilynn Forsberg, Spring Lake Park District 6: Kevin Donovan, Mahtomedi District 7: Roz Peterson, Lakeville Area District 8: Elona Street-Stewart, St. Paul District 9: Karen Kirschner, Mora District 10: Dana Laine, Frazee-Vergas District 11: Walter Hautala, Mesabi East District 12: Ann Long Voelkner, Bemidji Area District 13: Deb Pauly, Jordan STAFF Bob Meeks: Executive Director Barbara Lynn: Executive Assistant/Director of Board Operations John Sylvester: Deputy Executive Director Tiffany Rodning: Deputy Executive Director Greg Abbott: Director of Communications Denise Drill: Director of Financial/MSBAIT Services Amy Fullenkamp-Taylor: Associate Director of Management Services Sandy Gundlach: Director of School Board Services Donn Jenson: Director of Information and Technology Bill Kautt: Associate Director of Management Services Grace Keliher: Director of Governmental Relations Katie Klanderud: Director of Board Development Gary Lee: Associate Director of Management Services Bruce Lombard: Associate Director of Communications Bob Lowe: Director of Management Services Kelly Martell: Director of Technology Cathy Miller: Director of Legal and Policy Services Sue Munsterman: MSBA Advertising Kirk Schneidawind: Associate Director of Governmental Relations Mike Torkelson: Elections/Management Services Specialist The MSBA Journal (USPS 352-220) is published bimonthly by the Minnesota School Boards Association, 1900 West Jefferson Avenue, St. Peter, Minnesota 56082. Telephone 507-934-2450. Call MSBA office for subscription rates. (Opinions expressed in the Journal are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent MSBA policy.)

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Quotes of Note captures some of the more interesting statements MSBA staff have read in local, state and national publications.

Diversity in superintendent candidates “I think that I could serve as a role model for them that they can see ‘Yes, here’s somebody that looks like me, can be successful, and is successful, and so can I.’ So if it provides a role model for students, I think it’s great.” Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Michael Munoz

Serving 22 years as superintendent “There are those days where you know it’s going to be tough, but I’ve never had a day where I’ve dreaded going to work. If there’s a situation, I try to tackle it right away, return those phone calls right away. I’ve always been a ‘how to’ when it comes to getting through the challenges, so we can keep moving forward and getting better, while also making sure everyone is treated with class and dignity.” Martin County West Superintendent Randy Grupe

Dealing with a failed referendum “It’s a tough situation for school districts right now because we’re the only area that people can address their tax issues with direct votes. There’s never a good time to go out and ask people for more money.” Waconia Board Chair Teresa Kittridge

On changing No Child Left Behind

Approving a cell phone policy

“I’m feeling this tremendous sense of urgency. The new education law needs to be in place by the time schools start again in the fall. This can’t be on Washington time.”

Fairmont Area Board Member Diane Gerhardt

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

“The intent of the policy is to allow students to text and use phones during passing time. And to teach students about appropriate use—when it is class time it is class time; when it is passing time, go ahead and use it.”

Ending chocolate milk in school lunches “Consuming chocolate milk every day can train a child’s palate toward sweetened foods. While we recognize that some children may no longer choose to drink milk at school, we believe that the decision was made in the best interest of our students.” Minneapolis Public Schools Director of Nutrition Services Rosemary Dederichs

STRAIGHT TALK

MSBA: YOUR BEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT

With tight budget times, boards across the state are re-examining every dollar that is spent, making sure that when it is spent, the district gets a good return on that investment.

We believe that being a member of Your Minnesota School Boards Association results in a huge return on investment. So when someone asks, “What do we get for our dues?” here is just a small list:

Bob Meeks MSBA Executive Director

Being part of MSBA will benefit your district, your board and your students far more than the cost of dues

• FREE on-call assistance on matters ranging from Minnesota’s open meeting law to district personnel issues and levy election questions and everything in between. A perfect example is a board chair who couldn’t thank us enough for phone help during the year that kept them out of lawsuits and helped gain the trust of the community.

• Probably our biggest perk is the FREE Leadership Conference, which gives you the opportunity to access outstanding school board member training and gather necessary information from excellent speakers. MSBA is the ONLY state school boards association in the nation that does not charge a registration or attendance fee for the annual conference/convention. • MSBA’s award-winning Journal magazine, Capitol Compass, Boardcaster newsletter, Lobby Line and the daily News Clipping Service – all FREE. • The FREE Public Education Employee Relations Network (PEERNet) that gives districts access to a gold mine of information on salaries, benefits and district characteristics. We also give districts access to huge savings through: • The Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund Plus (MSDLAF+): More than 380 entities participate in this cash management program that has

historically resulted in higher returns when compared to other pooled funds. For most districts participating in the program, the excess interest earnings in 2010 far exceeded the dues paid to MSBA. • Board training: Our Phase Orientation training series covers everything from the training of new school board members that is required by Minnesota law to boardsuperintendent roles. We offer several enrichment opportunities such as Officers’ Workshops, Summer Seminar, Negotiations Seminars and Learn @ Lunch webinars to keep board members informed. We know that highly effective boards increase student achievement. • Lobbying: We provide 24/7 lobbying at the state Capitol before, during and after the session. We are the only Association that lobbies for all school districts. And we lobby for YOUR resolutions through our Delegate Assembly process that consists of school board members elected to the Delegate Assembly by you to represent you. • Policy Services: This service is critical to keep school policies up-to-date. Just this past year, 57 policies were updated for legislative and legal changes. To list all the reasons, I may need the entire Journal. But know that being part of MSBA will benefit your district, your board and your students far more than the cost of dues. We need you as a member and a participant. You will be a better school board member if you are actively involved in your Association. Together, we can work together to support, promote, and enhance the work of public school boards and public education.

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN COOPERATION USUALLY ENDS IN A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE

School districts, just like any other public service, are stronger working with others than fighting for individual pieces of the funding pie. There have been politics of the past, where the game has been to pit outstate districts against urban districts. Or to pit small districts against large districts. And it’s good to see that school leaders aren’t falling for that old political trick this time around.

Kent Thiesse MSBA President

When all is said and done, the key to working together is this: “How will this improve what we can do to help our kids succeed?”

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We know that working together – whether through cooperation, partnerships or consolidation – can help to use resources the best way possible to help the most kids possible. You don’t need to look any farther than the Southwest Flexible Learning Year consortium to see how working together has paid off for students in those 25 districts. Together, they came up with a plan to start the school year early to increase learning before mandatory tests, and get on a common calendar so students wanting to take college courses can easily take advanced classes. The project is just one of four that MSBA is highlighting in an article on the Local Government Innovations award winners. School districts in other parts of Minnesota are now looking at similar efforts. As funding gets tighter, it does each organization good to look at how it can work with other groups to improve our future. It’s part of the reason MSBA’s board of directors has pushed to gain partnerships with the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) and the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) as part of our “Big 3” efforts. It goes beyond our Joint Legislative Conference where we work together to promote legislation that will help everyone. Our board and staff meet with those

organizations regularly to look at what we can share and ways we can all work together. Within education, our closest partners are our superintendents. MSBA Board and staff meet at a minimum of twice a year with Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) leadership to discuss issues of mutual interest. MSBA also has had a long history of its executive director and leadership meeting with Education Minnesota staff to work on issues that both groups agree on, as well as other key educational organizations on important legislation and policy issues. The MSBA Board is constantly looking for more opportunities to collaborate, whether it is through involvement in the Alliance for Student Achievement or in new initiatives that may be developed. There are many examples across the state of local school districts sharing programs, whether it’s academic, athletics, integration, or other programs. Many school districts cooperate with cities or counties on shared facilities, community education, summer programs, and other local efforts. MSBA staff serves as a resource to local school districts in developing collaborative efforts with other school districts and other entities of local government. The best ideas for collaboration and cooperation are generally spawned at the local “grassroots” level. When all is said and done, the key to working together is this: “How will this improve what we can do to help our kids succeed?” If there is the chance that it will help kids at all, it’s worth swallowing a little hometown pride, rolling up your sleeves and working with others to find a better solution.

STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS MAKE AN IMPACT IN THEIR DISTRICT MSBA honored two student school board members, Marguerite Haggerty of Cannon Falls Area and Maraki Ketema of White Bear Lake Area, as the two winners of a $3,000 MSBA Student School Board Member Scholarship.

Greg Abbott and Bruce Lombard

Karissa Cable, Elk River Area Public Schools

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The panel of judges for this year’s MSBA Student School Board Member Scholarship once again had the enjoyable, yet very difficult, task of selecting two recipients from the best of the best. This year’s winners are Maraki Ketema (White Bear Lake High School) and Marguerite Haggerty (Cannon Falls High School). Maraki Ketema emigrated from Ethiopia with her family when she was 8 years old. Though she praises the American education system for transforming her into the person she is today, a strong foundation was laid back in her native country.

Maraki’s parents had placed her in some of the best schools in Ethiopia. By the time Maraki arrived in the United States, she could already speak English. “I am extremely fortunate to be born to the family I have,” Maraki said. “My parents are extremely firm on their belief in education.” The MSBA scholarship judges were impressed by that ability Maraki had to come to a new country at such a young age and understand the challenges she faced, demonstrating leadership and working to show other students how they, too, can succeed. The judges also cited Maraki’s efforts in helping other students, as well as people throughout the community, by being active in the African American Advisory group and the All Ethiopian Union Party. Maraki had an extensive involvement with the student council, won a Capital Division Presidential Award, compiled a strong weighted grade point average of 4.22, and participated in many extracurricular activities. “(Extracurricular activities) are extremely important,” Maraki said. “Some of the most important lessons I have learned have come from my extracurricular activities. I wouldn’t be (where I am today) if it weren’t for debate or

mock trial, if I hadn’t been able to develop those speaking skills. (Extracurricular activities) play a critical part in the education system.” Maraki chose to serve on the school board as a way to give back to the White Bear Lake community that has served her well. Early on, Maraki was struck by the level of collaboration among the board members, superintendent and staff. “The level of teamwork it takes to run this school district is really impressive,” she said. “The school board is the base of the school educational structure. Without a properly functioning school board, you can’t have a functioning student body and a functioning administration. If you can’t have a functioning school board, the future people you are preparing for the world won’t really be prepared.” Superintendent Michael Lovett, who recommended Maraki for the scholarship, said: “When you look at the future and think of who will be our next leaders, I know she will be in an important leadership role.” Maraki demonstrated strong leadership as a student liaison and policymaker during her time on the board. She gave the school board the student perspective when revisions were made to White Bear Lake’s attendance policy and Internet safety policy. Maraki said she wants to leave behind a positive legacy, one that would inspire other students to achieve their potential. “Coming from where I came from and having met the difficulties I have met—coming from a third-world country JULY/AUGUST 2011

STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS MAKE AN IMPACT IN THEIR DISTRICT

and making that transition—I think I have done very well,” she said. “The determination I have demonstrated throughout my time here in the education system is something that I want other students to learn from. I am thankful to my parents and thankful to the American system for giving me the education that I’ve had.” Maraki plans to double major in biomedical engineering and economics at Carleton College in Northfield. After Carleton, she plans to study international law. Ultimately, she said, she wants to work for the United Nations to help promote democracy in Africa. Cannon Falls Area High School student Marguerite Haggerty also stood out from a large group of outstanding students. Judges cited her for tackling every advanced placement and honors course in her district and her extensive involvement in school activities, but most of all for her work in the community to help the school pass a building referendum by creating a video.

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Cannon Falls Superintendent Todd Sesker asked Marguerite if she was willing to help with the building campaign. She signed on to do a video on the topic of current facilities—a video shown nearly 50 times throughout the campaign. “I strongly believe that Marguerite’s portion of the video was instrumental in the passage of this building bond,” Sesker said. “Her testimony of what the present state of our facilities is—compared to what we could have—proved to be a powerful message to our community.” For Marguerite, being on the board is simply a chance to look at the big picture and give a different perspective. “It’s my opportunity to tell adults what they might not know about how decisions affect or could affect students.” She has seen the Cannon Falls Area Board deal with tough issues—such as cutting faculty. “Those are tough decisions to make. In a small community, you know everyone. You know them well,” she said. “In one instance, they decided to downsize the agriculture program, instead of eliminate it. They’re trying to keep as many opportunities for students as they can.” Marguerite has been on the school board for two years. Most student board members have come from the Student Council, but it is not a requirement to be

a member of the council. During her time on the board, she has seen how board members want to be involved in student achievement and the importance of good governance to keep those opportunities available to students. Board Clerk Brenda Owens, who recommended Haggerty, said: “Marguerite is truly a leader and role model for her classmates. She is one of the most active and dedicated students I have known.” Marguerite is also quick to praise other board members for teaching her about leadership skills she could never have learned in a class. “Being on the board has taught me first-hand how to go about deciding on an issue, whether it is school policy, finance or curriculum. And this is a skill that I will be able to use for myself in almost every area of my life.” She plans to major in business at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. MSBA President Kent Thiesse said it is always a pleasure to recognize the best and brightest students. “These students understand public service. Their involvement with other students in the school and people in the community will leave a positive legacy long after they are gone.” About 80 of the 338 public school districts in Minnesota have some form of student school board member representation. A committee of five from the MSBA Board of Directors selected the two winners from 25 applications. Greg Abbott is the Director of Communications and Bruce Lombard is the Associate Director of Communications for the Minnesota School Boards Association. To comment on this article, you can contact them at gabbott@mnmsba.org or blombard@mnmsba.org.

How White Bear Lake Area selects its student school board member White Bear Lake Superintendent Dr. Michael Lovett said his district conducts its student school board member selection process through the coordination of the high school principal, who asks teachers to recommend students who show potential and interest in leadership. Student nominees then submit an application for the position. The application poses this key question: “Why do you wish to serve as student representative?” The high school principal reviews the applications before he and a school board representative interview the candidates. The high school principal, Lovett and the school board complete the process by selecting one school board student representative and one alternative representative.

Stephanie Peterson, Elk River Area Public Schools

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Schools Show Success of Cooperation Marilynn Taylor, Nicole LaChapelle, Jeremy Kovash and Cliff Carmody

Cooperation across school districts, cities, counties and service cooperatives has created some impressive programs in Minnesota the past year. Four programs were recognized with Local Government Innovation awards by the Humphrey Institute for their efficiency and effectiveness across political lines.

DISTRICTS PARTNER TO HELP REDUCE DROPOUTS Helping prevent at-risk students from dropping out of school is the focus of an award-winning collaboration by three Minnesota school districts, Hennepin County and TIES. Keeping at-risk students in school is a tremendous challenge. An alarming 35 percent of the students in Hennepin County fail to graduate from high school. In the Minneapolis metropolitan area alone, more than 10,000 students dropped out from the class of 2008. The cost is enormous and long-term. Dropouts are more likely to be incarcerated or unemployed, rely on public services and go without health insurance. Over their working life, the average dropout will cost taxpayers more than $292,000 in lower tax revenues, public services and support costs, and incarceration costs. A major problem facing county probation officers and case workers who help at-risk students is the lack of timely information about school attendance, academic performance and behavior problems. County services providers first have to request student information from the school, then wait for the school to collect the data. This can take days, during which time the student may have skipped school many more times. Delays in information work against prevention and positive results for these students.

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An innovative solution to this problem was created at no cost through the collaboration of Hennepin County; the Bloomington, Brooklyn Center and Intermediate 287 school districts; and TIES, an education technology developer owned by 41 Minnesota school districts. The collaboration was the idea of Bloomington Superintendent Les Fujitake, who suggested using TIES Personalized Learning as a tool for sharing information to Kristine Martin, Hennepin County’s Director of Research, Planning and Development. That quickly led to the five-partner collaboration and a working solution that is helping children. The solution allows the sharing of student information in real time electronically through the use of TIES Personalized Learning System, the same system used by educators and parents in many public schools across Minnesota. “The judges viewed the five-partner effort to reduce school dropouts as particularly innovative in addressing a difficult and critical issue,” said Jay Kiedrowski, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center at the Humphrey Institute. “We believe that this program should be implemented by school districts and counties statewide.” Using the TIES Personalized Learning System, probation officers and case workers get secure access to instant information about at-risk students in the three districts. E-mail alerts notify them if a student misses or is late for a class before the class is over. With information readily at hand, service providers can be far more efficient, speedy and proactive in addressing problems before they become crises, making it easier and faster to

respond to students and prevent them from becoming dropouts. Accountability is also immediate. Students are more accountable for their behaviors when they know someone is watching. Service providers are more accountable for taking timely action with their clients. A preliminary evaluation of this pilot program shows that the new system saves significant time for county service providers. It also takes the burden off school staff who previously had to generate the information and send it to county service providers. Ultimately, it is helping to keep kids in school. “We are delighted to partner in this important effort for students and offer the product development at no cost,” said Betty Schweizer, TIES Executive Director. “Helping to improve student achievement is central to TIES’ mission.” See a video about the project, “Dropout,” at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YORd234D_BE.

STUDENTS EXPAND HORIZONS WITH HELP OF GRANT-FUNDED MOBILE SCIENCE LABS Thanks to the generosity of several organizations, Southeast Service Cooperative manages and loans out two Mobile Science Labs, fully stocked with state-of the-art scientific equipment, to area high schools. Launched in January of 2009, thanks to a $75,000 grant from HealthForce Minnesota (part of the Minneapolis City Planning and Center of Economic Development Office), the Labs are available for a nominal usage fee to any teacher who has completed the Mayo Clinic Educator Academy, designed to expand molecular biology and genomics, or the one-week session focused on agricultural bioscience. Participation in these courses is the prerequisite training for using the specialized equipment and successfully implementing the curriculum. SSC’s Mobile Science Labs have made a strong impact in the region and are very well received. They have been used by nearly 2,000 students already and have visited more than 20 districts. Soon after introducing the first Lab, it became evident a second Lab would be needed. SSC launched a funding campaign to develop and deploy a second trailer. With help from partners at the Mayo Clinic and Rochester Area Math Science Partnership, the money was raised. Thanks to a two-year, $50,000 grant from HealthForce Minnesota, combined with a $15,000 grant from the

Caroline Green, Elk River Area Public Schools

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, a $10,000 grant from Workforce Development, Inc., a $10,000 grant from Winona State University (a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System), a $5,000 grant from the AgStar Fund for Rural America, and a $7,500 grant from Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC), the second trailer was deployed at the start of this school year. By providing this resource, the Mobile Science Labs ensure that teachers have access to the full array of scientific equipment necessary to duplicate what they experienced in Mayo Clinic Laboratories in their classrooms and to successfully implement the new curriculum. In direct response to feedback from teachers using the Labs, SSC has also extended the rental period to allow for seven full days of classroom use. These two additional days will provide time for more experiments and in-depth study, further enhancing the student experience. JULY/AUGUST 2011

Schools Show Success of Cooperation

SSC has been monitoring the impact of the Labs on high school students by means of a pre- and postsurvey. The goal of the project is to help students explore career opportunities in the science. Of students surveyed, 77 percent indicated that science will play an important role in their future, and 26 percent said they are considering pursuing a health science career (higher than any other option in any other field). In addition, 91 percent indicated that the experience personally impacted them in a positive way (by increasing engagement in their learning, teaching them new skills, and/or increasing awareness of scientific careers). Students reported that using the Mobile Science Lab “changed my opinion of science and biology,” and “proved that science is relevant to my life.”

FINANCIAL SERVICES PROGRAM BUILDS ON MISSION OF LOCAL CONTROL WITH REGIONAL EXCELLENCE Lakes Country Service Cooperative was recognized for implementing a regional shared services model for financial management. Building on an enduring vision begun 35 years ago, LCSC has built programs designed to provide seamless shared services that meet the needs of individual members. Members retain local control, yet have the ability to tap into services designed for excellence and efficiency.

of technology and the Internet, we have not had any issues. LCSC has been very accommodating and flexible in meeting the needs of our district.” LCSC is a member-driven organization with a history of innovative regional programs. LCSC has been combining the volume purchasing power of its member organizations for years to achieve significant value in the areas of health insurance and purchasing of goods and services. It has a long history of providing shared personnel to provide expertise in areas that many of its members could not afford alone. Low-incidence special education, audiology, technology, health and safety, and educational consultants are all areas that LCSC is currently providing to members in Region IV. “The true credit for this innovation award goes to our superintendents, board of directors and staff for their vision,” according to Jeremy Kovash, LCSC Executive Director. “The work we do with our members is the result of hours of conversation, discussion, planning, and sharing. All credit goes to those communities and their leadership for endlessly searching for any way to save classroom teachers, maintain programs for students, and innovatively share other services.”

At the request of members, LCSC is now providing financial management and assistance to several school districts and nonprofit organizations. The services range from full-scale financial management to payroll, grant management, fiscal hosting, and a number of other temporary services. Currently, the Perham-Dent, Hawley, Sebeka and Campbell-Tintah School Districts are receiving full financial management services. According to Kristi Werner, LCSC Finance Manager, “The work is very challenging, but it allows us to build a skilled workbase as well. We are able to compare best practices among several entities and continually train our staff. The work with our members, their schools, and leadership is very rewarding and a process we see continuing into the future.” “I have been extremely satisfied and impressed with the shared business manager services that we are receiving from Lakes Country Service Cooperative,” says Phil Jensen, Superintendent of Hawley Public Schools. “At first, I was very skeptical as to how this would work without having someone in the business office, but with the utilization Carissa Lanthier, Elk River Area Public Schools

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FLEXIBLE LEARNING YEAR USES COOPERATION OF 25 SCHOOL DISTRICTS The SW/WC Service Cooperative partnered with the 25 school districts participating in the Flexible Learning Year (FLY) initiative in Southwest Minnesota. To understand the commitment these folks have to the FLY, very early on in the process, the superintendents committed to attending ALL, not some, of the superintendent meetings—perfect attendance was necessary to achieve the level of commitment they expected for this collaborative effort to be successful. As a result, although the FLY superintendents very much appreciated the award and recognition, they sent the Executive Director of the SW/WC Service Cooperative, Cliff Carmody, to accept the award on their behalf. “The FLY is all about collaboration, partnership, and commitment. How is that so innovative? These schools are looking for a smarter way of doing business. You don’t have to dig very far and you find a committed group of professional educators taking risks, trying something new, working together on a “handshake” and committed to the success of each other—with all their efforts focused on improving student achievement,” said Carmody. The Flexible Learning Year idea was born three or four years ago when a dozen or more school districts, represented by board members and superintendents, attended a meeting in Tracy to talk about how schools could become more involved in the sharing of programs and services. This led to an unsuccessful attempt the first year the application was reviewed by the Minnesota Department of Education. However, more meetings, more discussion and greater focus led to a successful initiative on the second attempt to get MDE approval.

Samantha Phillips, Elk River Area Public Schools

A “hotbed” for collaboration, Southwest Minnesota and the area service cooperative have been partnering for more than three decades to bring “shared service” solutions to the members who make up the service cooperative’s 18-county region. “It’s an honor for me to represent those members in accepting the Local Government Innovation Award,” Carmody said. “It is through the commitment of the school board members, administration and staff of the 25 FLY schools that this became a successful venture. The Service Cooperative will continue to partner with our members to bring collaborative solutions to our region.” Marilynn Taylor is communications assistant at TIES; Nicole LaChapelle is communications and program assistant for Southeast Service Cooperative; Jeremy Kovash is the executive director of Lakes Country Service Cooperative; and Cliff Carmody is the executive director of the SW/WC Service Cooperative.

(l-r, front row) Kristine Martin, Hennepin County, Director of Research, Planning and Development; Sandra Gaulke, Student Information Services Manager, Intermediate District 287; Betty Schweizer, Executive Director, TIES; Keith Lester, Superintendent, Brooklyn Center Public Schools; Ben Silberglitt, Software Applications Manager, TIES; Les Fujitake, Superintendent, Bloomington Public Schools; Arlene Bush, Bloomington School Board; Julie Ha Truong, Community Schools District Manager, Brooklyn Center. (l-r, back row) Karen Miller, Principal Planning Analyst, Hennepin County; Jane Holmberg, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Intermediate District 287; David Kram, Senior Manager of Software Development and Support, TIES; Tim Heckel, Senior Systems Analyst, TIES; Chuck Walters, Bloomington School Board; Nancy Allen-Mastro, Assistant Superintendent, Bloomington Public Schools.

JULY/AUGUST 2011

MSHSL: SPORTS, BUT A WHOLE LOT MORE

The Minnesota State High School League sponsors one of the most comprehensive programs of interscholastic activities in the United States, involving approximately 500 member schools, 230,000 students, 19,000 coaches and 9,000 contest officials.

John Millea

But if you’re thinking only of balls, skates, sticks and sneakers, you’re missing out on much of the MSHSL story. Yes, the organization oversees traditional sports such as baseball, football, basketball, wrestling, volleyball and track and field. But students involved in activities such as debate, speech, music and art are also an important part of the MSHSL.

In fact, nearly 100,000 students participate in MSHSL fine arts activities each school year, and the skills learned while participating in speech, debate, drama or music will be useful long after these students leave high school.

Roxy Janke, co-coach of the Fairmont High School speech team—which has finished first or second in the Class A medal count for seven years in a row—described speech like this: “It is a lifelong skill, it’s dedication from the students, it’s class, it’s playing right; that’s what speech is.” The MSHSL nontraditional activities are all unique in some ways, but the spirit of competition runs throughout. Tournament organizers, judges and officials ensure that the spirit of fair play is paramount, coaches guide their students and competitors do their best when the action begins. Sometimes the action consists of speaking. Debate and speech are exciting events that involve as much preparation as any sport. Debate is split into two distinct competitions: Policy Debate (two people on each team) and Lincoln-Douglas Debate (one person). Debate

MSBA JOURNAL

Heather Winkler, Elk River Area Public Schools

topics change each year on a national level; in 2010-11 the topics were “The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey” (Policy Debate); and “In the United States, juveniles charged with violent felonies ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system” (Lincoln-Douglas). Speech involves 13 distinct categories of competition: Serious Interpretation (Prose, Drama or Poetry), Original Oratory, Humorous Interpretation, Storytelling, Extemporaneous Reading, Creative Expression, Original Oratory, Great Speeches, Discussion, Extemporaneous Speaking, Informative Speaking and Duo Interpretation. Each contestant performs three times in the preliminaries, before a different judge each

Allie Werner, Elk River Area Public Schools

time. The top students in each event advance to the finals (with three judges), after which awards are presented. Students in debate and speech could easily be called the best-dressed of all MSHSL participants: males generally wear suits and ties and females are most often seen in business attire, as well. These events are highly competitive, but with a high level of sportsmanship as students encourage and congratulate each other. Similar themes can be seen at the MSHSL one-act play festival, music competitions and the annual visual arts exhibition. These activities follow a festival format and are not considered competitions. One-act plays are limited to no more than 35 minutes, following a maximum 10-minute stage setup with a total cast and crew that cannot exceed 20 students. Music events are held on the section and subsection levels, involving both vocal and instrumental music. The MSHSL visual arts exhibition is held annually and includes works produced by some of Minnesota’s most talented young artists. There are similarities in all these activities: practice and preparation, guidance by skilled coaches and mentors, a spirit of fair play and pride in a job well done. Sarah Bankson, a Fairmont senior who made history this year by becoming the first four-time gold medalist at the state speech tournament, could have been speaking for competitors in any MSHSL activity when she said, “There are a lot of feelings. It’s joy, relief, happiness. It’s just kind of overwhelming.” The MSHSL also is a national pioneer in adapted athletic activities, giving students who are physically and/or

cognitively impaired opportunities to compete, earn varsity letters and enjoy all the positive aspects of the team sports of bowling, floor hockey, soccer and softball. Ask just about anyone involved in MSHSL activities about their favorites, and you’re likely to get many different answers. The nontraditional activities often rank the highest. Mark Solberg, a former coach and currently the athletic director at Cambridge-Isanti, answers without hesitation that adapted bowling is at the top of his list. “Nothing against anything I ever used to coach, but it’s my favorite activity,” Solberg said. “It’s exceptional.” Adapted bowling—which offers coed divisions for Cognitively Impaired (CI) and Physically Impaired (PI) athletes—is a popular sport at Cambridge-Isanti and many other schools around Minnesota. As a prelude to the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets’ appearance at the state tournament, the bowlers were honored during a send-off rally in the school gym. The team received thunderous ovations from their fellow students, faculty and staff. “Probably the loudest our gym has been for years was when the bowling team came out of the tunnel,” Solberg said. “That was pretty darn cool.” Those same words can be used to describe all MSHSL activities. Just because some of them are not contested in front of large, raucous crowds or on television does not mean they are not vital to the MSHSL mission statement: “The Minnesota State High School League provides educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletic and fine arts programs and provides leadership and support for member schools.”

JULY/AUGUST 2011

MSHSL: SPORTS, BUT A WHOLE LOT MORE

Susie Kaspar, a swimming and diving coach at Cambridge-Isanti, also coaches the school’s adapted bowling team. She said the benefits of adapted athletics are nearly immeasurable. “It represents the PI (physically impaired) and CI (cognitively impaired) communities,” she said. “It gives people awareness of what’s out there, and the lack of opportunity they have. So to have the Minnesota State High School League provide this and to have our school support it is just such a blessing. A lot of these athletes cannot be on other mainstream sports teams, and with their cognitive impairments they can’t always make the honor roll, so getting their names in the paper, and a picture in the paper is just an awesome thing. So it means a lot to them. I had them write an essay, and a lot of them wrote, ‘It’s the one thing I can do, and I do it well.’ ” Kaspar used the word pride in describing the members of the team. “Pride, a sense of pride. I just get excited watching them,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of these athletes in elementary and middle school, so to watch them mature physically, emotionally, socially, from point A to point B is just incredible. And we get some good laughs. I enjoy their personalities. Sometimes I get a little quiet because I get emotional; I’m so proud of them.” John Millea is a media specialist for the Minnesota State High School League. You can reach him at jmillea@mshsl.org.

The 2011 Class A state speech champions pose for photos after the awards ceremony.

MSHSL FINE ARTS ACTIVITIES During the 2009–10 school year there were more than 79,292 students involved in fine arts activities—debate, speech, drama, music, and visual arts. Debate • 60 participating schools • 726 participants • 2 Championships One Act Play • 288 participating schools • 3,496 participants • 2 Championships Speech • 332 participating schools • 6,438 participants • 2 Championships Visual Arts • 204 participating schools • 2,036 participants Band • 421 participating schools • 30,291 participants Orchestra • 217 participating schools • 4,191 participants Vocal • 429 participating schools • 32,114 participants

Adam Watzke, Elk River Area Public Schools

MSBA JOURNAL

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Going from

Greg Abbott

Whether it is from school boards or in corporate board rooms, Jim Burgett has continued to hear about funding cuts, doing more with less and the doom of the economic downturn.

But Burgett, MSBA’s keynote speaker for Summer Seminar, also knows that once you know what you’re facing, there are still ways to rethink your income, staff and goals to make students zoom in achievement.

Burgett focuses on two aspects: school management and operations. The “doom” part is what is happening in every state—a financial crisis that impacts schools and all governmental operations.

Morida Soun, Elk River Area Public Schools

MSBA JOURNAL

“It manifests itself with loss of resources, higher class ratios, layoffs, loss of programs and an attitude of doom,” he said. “But at the

same time schools face an unprecedented lack of resources, they face unprecedented opportunity in learning.’ Technology is one way to turn doom into zoom. Kids are embracing the changes in technology and have access to information that has never been so accessible before. “But the biggest way to go from doom to zoom is by building an attitude of ‘We will do this!’ Just maybe do it in different ways,” Burgett said. To do that, he said, board members must think of shortterm AND long-term solutions. “An example of long-term may be readjusting staff to give them training and tools— not firing and rehiring new staff, but developing the staff you have. And if staff aren’t interested in training, then replace them.” For school board members, Burgett puts a high priority on being involved legislatively. “Many states are finding that state budgets need to be cut and education is being hit. They make threats, find money, make threats, find money. Districts never know what the financial outlook is going to be,” he said. “So I’m encouraging board members to say: How can we look together long-term to get the state situation resolved? If that means setting a 2–3 year amount that’s lower, but stable, it’s a way to keep it balanced and participate in a forwardlooking manner.”

Second, moving to a zoom culture means working together internally. Support superintendents, other administrators and unions in such a way that everyone can rethink better ways to solve problems. He said many boards take an antagonistic approach toward union salaries. And every state has a take on it—some moving benefits or taking away benefits.

Jim Burgett

“Wisconsin is setting a dangerous precedent of thinking that curtailing benefits is a quick fix. I can tell you now that lowering morale of teachers is not a quick fix for doom to zoom. You will drive good teachers right out of the system.” So what should districts do? Stop complaining and start doing. Work together to motivate internal staff and so everyone can motivate the people in the community. Board members can do that by talking about the value of education. “We do a poor job on that. When people discover that education is one of the most expensive items in a state budget, they try to undermine education by undermining the system of bargaining,” he said. “We all need to tell people that states with the best economies have a welleducated populace and well-educated workers. When you relate productivity and success and getting out of a negative climate with education, then school becomes a necessity.” Burgett said that board members have a special role in the community to be education advocates. “That doesn’t mean avoiding the negative, but it does mean putting it in a mindset about what we can do to improve.” So that means every school HAS to be producing kids who achieve. “If you have a school that is failing its students, it’s a hard sell. If you have a successful learning environment, you have to sell that to your community.” It is through promoting education in your community that people learn of its importance in the economy and how it benefits them. By working together and being education’s best advocates, Burgett expects that everyone will be able to overcome an economy of doom and replace it with solutions that zoom. Greg Abbott is the Director of Communications at the Minnesota School Boards Association. You can reach him at gabbott@mnmsba.org

JULY/AUGUST 2011 Tessa Warnke, Elk River Area Public Schools

Robin Getman had bounced around through many different jobs in life, ending up in restaurant management. But after a while, she realized that she really didn’t have a passion for the job. The only time she was happy was when she was doing training. “So it’s like they say: ‘Stop doing what you don’t love, and go do what you DO love,’” she said. Greg Abbott

And her love is training people in the six stages of power to teach how everyone can lead from their soul. Getman, originally from Omaha, Neb., now lives in Minneapolis, but speaks to groups all over the nation about how to incorporate their higher stages of personal power into leadership.

Robin Getman

Learning to Lead From Your

Soul

As the closing keynote speaker for MSBA’s Summer Seminar, she will use an interactive, discovery-based presentation to let school board members and other school leaders argue and advocate on the six stages of power in small groups. Getman wants to energize members to fan their passion. “I want to affirm their decision to do this extraordinary work. Sometimes when we’re called to do this work, we are questioned by people around us: ‘Why are you doing that? Are you paid for that?’ That challenges the best of ourselves. You have to find that you are doing this because it’s the right thing to do and can make a difference and help children.” Her six stages of leadership include powerlessness, achievement, purpose, reflections, power by association and wisdom. It will be up to school leaders to put them in an order that makes sense to them. “If we disagree, we’ll have an energetic conversation about why I put certain stages in that order,” Getman said. “During the conversation, we’re expanding our awareness, getting a new perspective on what power looks like, sounds like and feels like to examine where on the scale each person falls.” Getman said it will also help people move to an even greater stage of effectiveness. “The whole session will gird their conviction so they leave thinking: I’m not crazy; I’m right where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to do for the reasons I’m doing it,” she said. Part of the excitement of her model is using leadership to help others achieve, despite the gloom and doom of funding and resources. So how does anyone know when they’re leading from their soul? “You know when it’s more about others than about yourself,” she said. Greg Abbott is Director of Communications for the Minnesota School Boards Association. You can reach him at gabbott@mnmsba.org

Matt Hauge, Elk River Area Public Schools

MSBA JOURNAL

MSBA’s VENDOR DIRECTORY MSBA’s Vendor Directory helps connect school districts with the products and services they need. The directory is always at your fingertips. You’ll find it printed in the back of every Journal magazine as well as on the MSBA Web site at www.mnmsba.org. Most listings in the Web version of this directory include a link so you can head instantly to a Web site or e-mail address. The directory includes everything you need to know to contact a company quickly—phone numbers, fax numbers and addresses—in an easy-to-read format. If you have a service or product you would like included in this directory, please contact Sue Munsterman at 507-934-2450 or smunsterman@mnmsba.org. Actuary Hildi Incorporated (Jill Urdahl) 11800 Singletree Lane, Suite 305 Minneapolis, MN 55344 952-934--5554, Fax 952-934-3027 www.hildiinc.com jill.urdahl@hildiinc.com Architects/Engineers/Facility Planners Architects Rego + Youngquist inc. (Paul Youngquist) 7601 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 200 St. Louis Park, MN 55426 952-544-8941, Fax 952-544-0585 www.aryarch.com pyoungquist@aryarch.com ATS&R Planners/Architects/Engineers (Paul W. Erickson) 8501 Golden Valley Rd., Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55427 763-545-3731 Fax 763-525-3289 www.atsr.com perickson@atsr.com Cuningham Group Architecture, P.A. (Judith Hoskens) 201 Main Street SE, Suite 325 Minneapolis, MN 55414 612-817-8839, Fax 612-379-4400 www.cuningham.com jhoskens@cuningham.com DLR Group KKE (Jennifer Anderson-Tuttle) 520 Nicollet Mall, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-977-3500, Fax 612-977-3600 www.dlrgroup.com jtuttle@dlrgroup.com GLTArchitects (Evan Larson) 808 Courthouse Square St. Cloud, MN 56303 320-252-3740, Fax 320-255-0683 www.gltarchitects.com larsone@gltarchitects.com Hallberg Engineering, Inc. (Rick Lucio) 1750 Commerce Court White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-748-4386, Fax 651-748-9370 www.hallbergengineering.com rlucio@hallbergengineering.com

MSBA JOURNAL

ICS Consulting, Inc. (Pat Overom) 5354 Edgewood Drive Mounds View, MN 55112 763-354-2670, Fax 763-780-2866 www.ics-consult.com pato@ics-consult.com INSPEC, INC. (Fred King) 5801 Duluth St. Minneapolis, MN 55422 763-546-3434, Fax 763-546-8669 www.inspec.com fking@inspec.com MSBA Playground Compliance Program (in partnership with National Playground Compliance Group, LLC) (Tim Mahoney) PO Box 506 Carlisle, IA 50047 866-345-6774, Fax 515-989-0344 www.nssi-usa.com tim@playgroundcompliance.com Paulsen Architects (Bryan Paulsen) 209 S. Second Street, Suite 201 Mankato, MN 56001 507-388-9811, Fax 507-388-1751 www.paulsenarchitects.com bryan@paulsenarchitects.com Perkins + Will (Steve Miller) 84 10th Street S., Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-851-5094, Fax 612-851-5001 www.perkinswill.com steve.miller@perkinswill.com TSP, Inc. (Rick Wessling) 18707 Old Excelsior Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55345 952-474-3291, Fax 952-474-3928 www.teamtsp.com wesslingrg@teamtsp.com Athletic Sports Floors/Surfacing Fisher Tracks, Inc. (Jordan Fisher) 1192 235th Street Boone, IA 50036 515-432-3191, Fax 515-432-3193 www.fishertracks.com jfisher@fishertracks.com

MSBA Playground Compliance Program (in partnership with National Playground Compliance Group, LLC) (Tim Mahoney) PO Box 506 Carlisle, IA 50047 866-345-6774, Fax 515-989-0344 www.nssi-usa.com tim@playgroundcompliance.com Attorneys Kennedy & Graven Chartered (Neil Simmons) 200 South Sixth Street, Suite 470 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-337-9300, Fax 612-337-9310 www.kennedy-graven.com nsimmons@kennedy-graven.com Knutson, Flynn & Deans, P.A. (Thomas S. Deans) 1155 Centre Pointe Dr., Suite 10 Mendota Heights, MN 55120 651-222-2811, Fax 651-225-0600 www.kfdmn.com tdeans@kfdmn.com Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP (Mike Rengel) 110 N. Mill Fergus Falls, MN 56537 218-736-5493, Fax 218-736-3950 www.pemlaw.com m.rengel@pemlaw.com Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. (Jay T. Squires) 730 2nd Ave. S., Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-339-0060, Fax 612-339-0038 www.ratwiklaw.com jts@ratwiklaw.com Construction Mgmt & Consulting Bossardt Corporation (Greg Franzen) 8300 Norman Center Drive, Suite 770 Minneapolis, MN 55437 952-831-5408 or 800-290-0119 Fax 952-831-1268 www.bossardt.com gfranzen@bossardt.com ICS Consulting, Inc. (Pat Overom) 5354 Edgewood Drive Mounds View, MN 55112 763-354-2670, Fax 763-780-2866 www.ics-consult.com pato@ics-consult.com

Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. (John Huenink) 8625 Rendova Street NE Circle Pines, MN 55014 763-792-3616, Fax 763-786-2650 www.krausanderson.com john.huenink@krausanderson.com Metz Construction Management, Inc. (Deb Metz) 20759 Eastway Road Richmond, MN 56368 612-236-8665 www.metzmanagement.com deb@metzmanagement.com MSBA Playground Compliance Program (in partnership with National Playground Compliance Group, LLC) (Tim Mahoney) PO Box 506 Carlisle, IA 50047 866-345-6774, Fax 515-989-0344 www.nssi-usa.com tim@playgroundcompliance.com Educational Programs/Services Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind (Linda Mitchell) 615 Olof Hanson Dr. Faribault, MN 55021 800-657-3996/507-384-6602 Fax 507-332-5528 www.msa.state.mn.us linda.mitchell@msa.state.mn.us Energy Solutions Johnson Controls, Inc. (Brent Jones) 2605 Fernbrook Lane N., Suite T Plymouth, MN 55447 763-585-5039, Fax 763-566-2208 www.johnsoncontrols.com brent.t.jones@jci.com Financial Management MSBA-Sponsored Administration and Compliance Service (A&C Service) Administration and Compliance Service (Paige McNeal, Educators Benefit Consultants, LLC) 888-507-6053/763-552-6053 Fax 763-552-6055 www.ebcsolutions.com paige@ebcsolutions.com MSBA-Sponsored Lease Purchase Program Tax Exempt Lease Purchase Program (Mary Webster, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC) 800-835-2265, ext. 73110 612-667-3110 Fax 612-316-3309 www.mnmsba.org mary.k.webster@wellsfargo.com

MSBA-Sponsored MNTAAB (MN Tax and Aid Anticipation Borrowing Program) MNTAAB (DeeDee Kahring, Springsted, Inc.) 800-236-3033/651-223-3099 Fax 651-223-3002 www.springsted.com dkahring@springsted.com MSBA-Sponsored P-Card (Procurement Card) Program P-Card Program 800-891-7910/314-878-5000 Fax 314-878-5333 www.powercardpfm.com MSBA-Sponsored SchoolFinances.com SchoolFinances.com (Jim Sheehan, Ann Thomas) Sheehan: 952-435-0990 Thomas: 952-435-0955 www.schoolfinances.com jim@schoolfinances.com ann@schoolfinances.com PaySchools (Patrick Ricci) 6000 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 281-545-1957, Fax: 515-243-4992 www.payschools.com pricci@payschools.com PFM Asset Management, LLC MSDLAF+ (Donn Hanson) 45 South 7th Street, Suite 2800 Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-371-3720, Fax 612-338-7264 www.msdlaf.org hansond@pfm.com

Insurance Minnesota School Boards Association Insurance Trust (MSBAIT) (Denise Drill, Gary Lee, John Sylvester, Amy Fullenkamp-Taylor) 1900 West Jefferson Avenue St. Peter, MN 56082-3015 800-324-4459, Fax 507-931-1515 www.mnmsba.org www.msbait.org ddrill@mnmsba.org glee@mnmsba.org jsylvester@mnmsba.org ataylor@mnmsba.org Playgrounds MSBA Playground Compliance Program (in partnership with National Playground Compliance Group, LLC) (Tim Mahoney) PO Box 506 Carlisle, IA 50047 866-345-6774, Fax 515-989-0344 www.nssi-usa.com tim@playgroundcompliance.com School Supplies/Furniture CTB (Kevin Stachowski) 26327 Fallbrook Ave. Wyoming, MN 55092 651-462-3550, Fax 651-462-8806 www.ctbcorp.com office@ctbcorp.com

Software Systems PaySchools (Patrick Ricci) 6000 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 281-545-1957, Fax 515-243-4992 www.payschools.com pricci@payschools.com Sustainability Consulting Paulsen Architects (Bryan Paulsen) 209 S. Second Street, Suite 201 Mankato, MN 56001 507-388-9811, Fax 507-388-1751 www.paulsenarchitects.com bryan@paulsenarchitects.com Technology PaySchools (Patrick Ricci) 6000 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 281-545-1957, Fax 515-243-4992 www.payschools.com pricci@payschools.com

Hoglund Bus Co., Inc. (Jason Anderson) 116 East Oakwood Drive PO Box 249 Monticello, MN 55362 763-295-5119, Fax 763-295-4992 www.hoglundbus.com salesmanager@hoglundbus.com North Central Bus & Equipment (Sandy Kiehm) 2629 Clearwater Road South St. Cloud, MN 56301 320-257-1209, Fax 320-252-3561 www.northcentralinc.com sandyk@northcentralinc.com Telin Transportation Group (Jamie Romfo) 14990 Industry Avenue Becker, MN 55308 866-287-7278, 763-262-3328 Fax 763-262-3332 www.telingroup.com jromfo@telingroup.com

Transportation American Bus Sales, LLC (Jason Lustig) 12802 N. 103rd East Avenue Collinsville, OK 74021 866-574-9970, Fax 918-274-9970 www.AmericanBusSales.net info@americanbussales.net

Floor Coverings Hiller Commercial Floors (Dave Bahr) 2909 S. Broadway Rochester, MN 55904 507-254-6858, Fax 507-288-8877 www.hillercarpet.com dbahr@hillercarpet.com Food Service Products & Services Lunchtime Solutions, Inc. (Chris Goeb) 717 N. Derby Lane North Sioux City, SD 57049 605-254-3725, Fax 605-235-0942 www.lunchtimesolutions.com chris@lunchtimesolutions.com

Sebastian Rivera, Elk River Area Public Schools

JULY/AUGUST 2011

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This information does not represent an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any fund or other security. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing in any of the Fund's series. This and other information about the Fund's series is available in the Fund's current Information Statement, which should be read carefully before investing. A copy of the Fund's Information Statement may be obtained by calling 1-888-4-MSDLAF or is available on the Fund's website at www.msdlaf.org. While the MSDLAF+ Liquid Class and MAX Class seek to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share and the MSDLAF+ TERM series seeks to achieve a net asset value of $1.00 per share at its stated maturity, it is possible to lose money investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Shares of the Fund are distributed by PFM Fund Distributors, Inc., member Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (www.finra.org). PFM Fund Distributors, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of PFM Asset Management LLC. Member SIPC.

ASK MSBA

BEING A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS A FAMILY COMMITMENT

T Katie Klanderud Director of Board Development

When we become school board members, our children are introduced to board service as well.

This last year was a large election year for school districts. We had more than 400 people attend the Phase I trainings held throughout the state. At that first training, we ask school board members to share (in 10 words or less) why they ran for the school board. There is usually one person that jokingly states they “did it for the money,” but we find most school board members run because they want to make a positive contribution in their community for kids. Oftentimes (but not always) school board members are parents, too. When we become school board members, our children are introduced to board service as well. They see the time and commitment one needs to put into the position in order to do it well. It’s not “just one or two meetings a month.” Board service consists of attending business meetings, committee meetings, and study sessions. For all of these meetings you review materials to be prepared. This takes time.

Community members approach you at all times and want to talk or ask questions related to the school district. This happens at school, at work, at church, at the grocery store, and with phone calls or e-mail. Your family sees it and often steps aside for you to provide focused time to listen to these people. They’ve made the commitment (and sacrifice), too, for you to serve.

phone call at 10 p.m. at night and a community member is on the other end wanting to talk? During my board service, 10 p.m. was bedtime at our house and it was fair for me to let the caller know that, but then set up another time for us to talk. When our family found out who our children’s teachers were going to be each year, I made a conscientious effort to talk to those teachers before school started to let them know that I wanted to come into the classroom as “Mary’s Mom” first. I needed them to let me be a parent and to have open, honest communication with them about my child, their student. My children also knew that they were the child of a school board member, and that they should not expect, nor would they receive, special treatment from staff because of it. If your child is asked by a community or staff member how you’re going to vote or what they know about a school issue, let them know their best response is, “You’ll have to ask my parent (mom or dad) about that.” It’s important to remember not to talk school district business around your kids. What they don’t hear…they can’t repeat.

School board members are held to a higher ethical standard than any other elected office. You’re making decisions about what people are most passionate about: their kids. Your school board service is important, but you have to be As a school board member, you should set able to be a family member as well. your own limits. If you’re at an event to It’s OK to set your limits, agree on some watch your son pitch a ball game, let the family guidelines and recognize that constituent that is asking you a question being a school board member is a family know that you appreciate their concern, commitment. but that you’re there for your son (child) tonight and that you’d like to talk with them about their question at another time. Set a time or offer for them to give you call. What happens when you get a

JULY/AUGUST 2011

NON-PROFIT ORGN. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID 1900 West Jefferson Avenue, St. Peter, MN 56082-3015

PERMIT NO. 47 MANKATO, MN 56001

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Do YOU want to make a difference for your students at the state Capitol? Participate in the 2011 MSBA Delegate Assembly! ☑ HOW DOES IT WORK?

☑ WHAT DO I HAVE TO GAIN?

The MSBA Delegate Assembly — comprised entirely of school board members — sets MSBA’s legislative platform for the upcoming session. School board members elect delegates by mail ballot. These delegates debate and vote on member-drafted resolutions at the annual Delegate Assembly. The platform adopted by the Delegate Assembly is pursued by your MSBA lobbying team with the assistance of engaged school board members.

Your input is crucial to forming MSBA’s legislative platform and helping support Minnesota’s students. You will: ▶ Help develop MSBA’s legislative platform ▶ Become more connected with the legislative process ▶ Gain statewide perspective on K-12 education policy and funding issues

☑ WHAT’S THE TIMELINE? MSBA will mail out Delegate Assembly nomination forms in early July. Each school board is entitled to nominate up to three board members. MSBA will compile the nominees and send out ballots in early September. The elected delegates will be announced in mid-October. Pre-Delegate Assembly meetings will be held in mid-November; the Delegate Assembly is held in early December.

Contact Grace Keliher, Kirk Schneidawind and Barb Hoffman at 800-324-4459 for questions or more information.