Management Services Newsletter · 763-558-8815) or Jodi Kelly ([email protected] or...
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Management Services Newsletter ursday, April 21, 2016 Seventeen school districts asking voters for building bond help in April and May By Greg Abbott, MSBA Director of Communications Two school districts — Red Wing and Spring Lake Park — will be asking voters for building bond requests in April. Red Wing voters approved a $22.6 million bond (on a 1,784-944 vote) April 12 to clear the way for major facility upgrades on the school district’s properties. Spring Lake Park is putting a $49.9 million bond referendum before voters on April 26. Another 15 school districts will follow with requests in May. Districts in May include: Big Lake, Cleveland, Detroit Lakes, Fosston, Kittson Central, Little Falls, Marshall, Melrose Area, North Branch Area, Prior Lake-Savage Area, Sartell-St. Stephen, St. Charles, Tri-City United, Warroad and Westonka. e largest requests are $129 million from Prior Lake-Savage Area and $105.8 million from Sartell-St. Stephen. e smallest request is $10 million from two questions asked by Big Lake. In 2015, MSBA reported 13 school district requests for building bonds in April and May. MSBA’s Greg Abbott ([email protected], 800-324-4459) and Gary Lee ([email protected]) are available to help school election officials as their school districts’ referenda move along. Greg Abbott Director of Communications 800-324-4459 [email protected] School district not required to report subcontractor’s discount as in-kind campaign contribution By Cathy Miller, Director of Legal and Policy Services e Minnesota Court of Appeals issued a decision in another appearance of the Abrahamson v. St. Louis County School District case on April 4, 2016. e decision is that the school district did not need to report as a campaign contribution a discount given by a subcontractor to the school district’s contractor. e contractor, Johnson Controls, was providing communications services related to the school district’s 2009 referendum. e court declined to reach a decision on an issue not addressed by the administrative hearing panel, because it found it did not have jurisdiction. e complainants wanted the court to determine whether a school district violates the law by spending public funds to promote a ballot question. Since the court made no decision, the most recent word on that issue is from an attorney general’s opinion finding school districts may not spend public funds to promote a ballot question. School districts must provide neutral information on ballot questions the school districts bring to the voters. Public funds may be spent to provide this neutral information. Cathy Miller Director of Legal and Policy Services 800-324-4459 [email protected] e contents of this newsletter are provided for informational use only and are not to be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, consult your attorney.
Transcript of Management Services Newsletter · 763-558-8815) or Jodi Kelly ([email protected] or...
Management Services NewsletterThursday, April 21, 2016
Seventeen school districts asking voters for building bond help in April and MayBy Greg Abbott, MSBA Director of Communications
Two school districts — Red Wing and Spring Lake Park — will be asking voters for building bond requests in April. Red Wing voters approved a $22.6 million bond (on a 1,784-944 vote) April 12 to clear the way for major facility upgrades on the school district’s properties. Spring Lake Park is putting a $49.9 million bond referendum before voters on April 26.
Another 15 school districts will follow with requests in May. Districts in May include: Big Lake, Cleveland, Detroit Lakes, Fosston, Kittson Central, Little Falls, Marshall, Melrose Area, North Branch Area, Prior Lake-Savage Area, Sartell-St. Stephen, St. Charles, Tri-City United, Warroad and Westonka.
The largest requests are $129 million from Prior Lake-Savage Area and $105.8 million from Sartell-St. Stephen. The smallest request is $10 million from two questions asked by Big Lake.
In 2015, MSBA reported 13 school district requests for building bonds in April and May.MSBA’s Greg Abbott ([email protected], 800-324-4459) and Gary Lee ([email protected]) are available
to help school election officials as their school districts’ referenda move along.
Greg AbbottDirector of
Communications800-324-4459
School district not required to report subcontractor’s discount as in-kind campaign contributionBy Cathy Miller, Director of Legal and Policy Services
The Minnesota Court of Appeals issued a decision in another appearance of the Abrahamson v. St. Louis County School District case on April 4, 2016. The decision is that the school district did not need to report as a campaign contribution a discount given by a subcontractor to the school district’s contractor. The contractor, Johnson Controls, was providing communications services related to the school district’s 2009 referendum.
The court declined to reach a decision on an issue not addressed by the administrative hearing panel, because it found it did not have jurisdiction. The complainants wanted the court to determine whether a school district violates the law by spending public funds to promote a ballot question. Since the court made no decision, the most recent word on that issue is from an attorney general’s opinion finding school districts may not spend public funds to promote a ballot question. School districts must provide neutral information on ballot questions the school districts bring to the voters. Public funds may be spent to provide this neutral information.
Cathy MillerDirector of Legal
and Policy Services800-324-4459
The contents of this newsletter are provided for informational use only and are not to be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, consult your attorney.
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Every Student Succeeds Act meetings remain on scheduleThe Minnesota Department of Education has six Every Student Succeeds Act area meetings left on its
schedule. Visit http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/SchSup/ESSA/MDE035276 or see the remaining schedule and topics below. See https://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Welcome/Direc for directions to the MDE office.
Peter Campion joins the MSBA staffMSBA is pleased to announce the recent addition of Peter Campion to the MSBA staff.
Campion will serve as MSBA’s Associate Director of Board Development.Campion received a bachelor’s degree in University Studies and a master’s degree in
Human Development from North Dakota State University. He is also working on a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development from the University of Minnesota. During his work career, Campion has held a number of education-related posts and had a two-plus year stint as a player in the National Football League.
“I am honored and thrilled to join a great team and look forward to leading advocacy around strengthening the work of public school boards,” Campion said.
Peter Campion
Notification requirements for special electionsBy Gary Lee, Director of Management Services
Prior to the school board election law changes of July 2015, the majority of special elections held by school districts were for bond referendums. Some of these special elections were held in conjunction with statewide elections in either August or November. Since July 2015, numerous school districts have been required to hold special elections to fill school board vacancies.
School district special elections — not held on the day of a statewide election — will commonly utilize the combined polling place provision of the election law. A school district will designate numerous precincts to vote in a combined polling location, thus saving election administrative costs for each precinct. Once the combined polling places have been defined, this definition remains in place until it is changed by the school board. When a change is made, the school board must notify all affected households of the change.
Additionally, M.S. 205A.11, Subd. 2a., requires the school district clerk to provide a mailed notice to the voters who will be voting in a combined polling place for a school district special election. This notice must include: the date of the election, the hours of voting, and the location of the voter’s polling place. The notice must be mailed no later than 14 days before the election. This requirement can dramatically increase the cost of holding a special election. This requirement is not very prominent in the election law and because of the infrequent occurrence of these special elections, MSBA is reminding school districts of this requirement.
Other specific notifications regarding election law, such as publication in the official newspaper of the school district and on the school district’s bulletin board, can be found in the MSBA Service Manual or in the Secretary of State’s Election Administration Guides.
Gary LeeDirector of
Management Services800-324-4459
■ April 25: Data Collection and Reporting (9 a.m.)■ April 25: Standards and Assessment (1 p.m.)■ May 2: Foster Care and Homeless Youth (1:30 p.m.)■ May 4: Guidance Regarding Title Programs and Requirements (1 p.m.)■ May 11: Social-Emotional Learning, School Climate Healthy Learning Environments (2 p.m.)■ May 12: Family Engagement (10 a.m.)
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Summer work: Reminder for superintendents to create plan for updating required documentsBy Bill Kautt, Associate Director of Management Services
As summer approaches, superintendents, who have been appointed the school district’s responsible authority, should review M.S. 13.025 (Government Entity Obligation; see below) and create a plan for updating required documents.
Subdivision 1. Data inventory.The responsible authority shall prepare an inventory containing the authority’s name, title, address, and a
description of each category of record, file, or process relating to private or confidential data on individuals maintained by the authority’s government entity. Forms used to collect private and confidential data may be included in the inventory. The responsible authority shall update the inventory annually and make any changes necessary to maintain the accuracy of the inventory. The inventory must be available from the responsible authority to the public according to the provisions of sections 13.03 and 15.17. The commissioner may require responsible authorities to submit copies of the inventory and may request additional information relevant to data collection practices, policies, and procedures.
Subd. 2. Public data access policy.The responsible authority shall prepare a written data access policy and update it no later than August 1 of
each year, and at any other time as necessary to reflect changes in personnel, procedures, or other circumstances that impact the public’s ability to access data.
Subd. 3. Data subject rights and access policy.The responsible authority shall prepare a written policy of the rights of data subjects under section 13.04 and
the specific procedures used by the government entity for access by the data subject to public or private data on individuals. The written policy must be updated no later than August 1 of each year, and at any other time as necessary to reflect changes in personnel, procedures, or other circumstances that impact the public’s ability to access data.
Subd. 4. Availability.The responsible authority shall make copies of the policies required under subdivisions 2 and 3 easily available
to the public by distributing free copies to the public or by posting the policies in a conspicuous place within the government entity that is easily accessible to the public or by posting it on the government entity’s Web site.”
Superintendents who are not the school district’s responsible authority should follow up with the appointed responsible authority to ensure the required tasks are completed.
Finally, superintendents who are retiring or leaving the school district on June 30, 2016, should refer to an article in the July 2013 issue of the Management Services Newsletter that provides some suggestions to assist with the transition between the incoming and outgoing superintendent.
Bill KauttAssociate Director of Management Services
Set your district’s direction with MSBA’s Strategic Planning ServicesEffective school boards provide leadership to set high expectations for student achievement and learning.
School boards accomplish this by clarifying the school district’s purpose and direction. MSBA’s experience and knowledge can help you put your district’s strategic plan on the right course. Contact Jeff Olson today at 800-324-4459 or [email protected] and ask about MSBA’s Strategic Planning Services.
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MSBA Insurance Trust endorses Marsh & McLennan for property, casualty and workers’ compensation insurance
The Minnesota School Boards Association Insurance Trust (MSBAIT) announced April 20 that, effective July 1, 2016, it will be endorsing Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA) for property, casualty, and workers’ compensation insurance and risk management products and services for eligible Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) members.
“MSBAIT is excited to endorse MMA,” said Kirk Schneidawind, Executive Director of MSBA and Secretary of MSBAIT. “MMA brings incredible experience with school risks; exceptional relationships with insurers; and tremendous local resources ... all of which will help us deliver a fabulous risk protection program for our Minnesota public school members.”
The MSBAIT Risk Protection Program (MSBAIT Program), developed with MMA and supported by multiple property, casualty, and workers’ compensation insurers, will be available to eligible Minnesota public school districts who are current members of the MSBA. The MSBAIT Program will be available directly through MMA, as well as to other local, qualified, school-selected insurance agents through MMA.
“MMA is thrilled to receive the MSBAIT endorsement,” said Tom Gallagher, MMA’s Executive Vice President/Public Schools. “Our team has seen many different insurance programs for Minnesota’s public schools over the past two decades, and we believe our platform will outperform any of them.” Gallagher added: “There will be many benefits for schools through the MSBAIT Program, including a choice of insurance carriers; safety and loss prevention, wellness and claims management services; and ongoing education on risk management issues.”
MSBAIT Board Chair Bill Leland (Albert Lea Area School Board) also commented on the endorsement of MMA. “Because our members have highly varied risk exposures and risk tolerances, we wanted to endorse an insurance provider who could help us create a sustainable program with multiple insurance and risk management product and service options,” Leland said. “MMA will be able to do this.”
The MSBAIT Program is designed to help Minnesota public schools improve their risk environments through appropriate risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk transfer.
For more information, contact MMA representatives Tom Gallagher ([email protected] or 763-558-8815) or Jodi Kelly ([email protected] or 763-548-8817), or MSBAIT representative Denise Drill ([email protected] or 507-934-2450).
About the Minnesota School Boards Association Insurance TrustMSBAIT was established in 1972 by MSBA as a nonprofit vehicle. MSBAIT’s purpose was — and continues
to be — “to provide for its members and their employees and officials various forms of insurance, including any forms of permitted group insurance, for the benefit of school districts which are members of the MSBA and to effectuate cost savings in the procurement and administration of such insurance programs.” More information about MSBAIT (and MSBA) is available at www.mnmsba.org/msbait.
About Marsh & McLennan AgencyMarsh & McLennan Agency LLC is a subsidiary of Marsh established in 2008 to primarily serve the needs of
the middle market. In 2015, it expanded its national footprint into Canada. MMA offers commercial property, casualty, personal lines, and employee benefits to midsize businesses and individuals across North America. More information about what MMA offers school districts is available at www.MarshMMA.com/Schools.
This information is also available at http://www.mnmsba.org/MSBAIT-MarshMcLennanEndorsement.
Update: Form I-9, Employment Eligibility VerificationAccording to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), employers should continue to use the
3/08/16 edition of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, which has a 3/31/16 Office of Management and Budget control number expiration date. The edition date can be located at the bottom of the form.
Visit https://www.uscis.gov/i-9 for a copy of the most current I-9 form.
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Visit www.mnmsba.org/MSDLAF for the latest Minnesota School
District Liquid Asset Fund Plus rates.www.facebook.com/mnmsba www.twitter.com/mnmsba
Educational Equity in Action event set for June 20-21The University of Minnesota is hosting a convening of education leaders, researchers, policymakers, and
nonprofit organizations committed to improving educational equity in Minnesota. This Educational Equity in Action event will take place June 20-21. Visit z.umn.edu/edequityinaction for details and registration.
Learn about superintendent search process with MSBA’s “Hiring the Right Superintendent” in-district workshop
MSBA has an in-district Superintendent Search Workshop (for a fee) to help you learn about the process for conducting a successful superintendent search. The workshop, titled “Hiring the Right Superintendent,” addresses the following topics:
■ Whether to use a consultant ■ How to work with a consultant ■ Setting a timeline ■ Developing qualifications and selection criteria ■ Involving stakeholders and the media■ Dealing with internal candidates ■ Legal pitfalls ■ Conducting a site visit ■ Interviewing do’s and don’ts
Each board member receives a booklet with sample vacancy announcements, application form, interview questions, reference check form, and other material board members can adapt for their district’s needs.
An MSBA staff member will come to your board meeting to conduct this workshop. For more information or to schedule a workshop, contact Sandy Gundlach at 800-324-4459, ext. 128, or [email protected].
Find your next school leader with MSBA’s Executive Search ServiceMSBA’s Executive Search Service assists school boards in recruiting and employing superintendents
or other district-level administrators. Our search service is grounded in its commitment to provide a collaborative, highly professional and efficient search process that supports school boards in fulfilling one of their most important responsibilities — hiring a superintendent.
For information, visit www.mnmsba.org/ExecutiveSearchService or contact MSBA’s Sandy Gundlach at [email protected].
Go paperless with BoardBook: free webinars set for May 10, June 1See why nearly 100 Minnesota school districts have signed up with BoardBook to run paperless meetings.
Free BoardBook webinars are set for May 10 and June 1. Register your board and/or staff for a demo on how the system can work for you. Sign up for a free webinar at https://www.boardbook.org/mn.
The Management Services Newsletter is published as a member service by the Minnesota School Boards Association, 1900 W. Jefferson Ave., St. Peter, MN 56082. This newsletter is edited by Associate Director of Communications Bruce Lombard. Call 800-324-4459 with any questions. Personnel Notes, Administrative Moves, Marketplace notices and other information can be e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 507-931-1515.
Job OpeningsSuperintendents/Directors■ Butterfield-Odin — part-time superintendent (0.5 FTE) | application deadline: April 22■ Ely — superintendent (0.6 FTE) | application deadline: April 25■ Greenway — superintendent | application deadline: open until filled■ Lanesboro — superintendent | application deadline: April 29■ Pipestone Area — superintendent | application deadline: May 5■ Virginia — superintendent | application deadline: May 31■ West Central Area — superintendent | application deadline: May 5
Principals■ Anoka-Hennepin — two assistant high school principals | application deadline: May 5■ Ashby — K-12 principal | application deadline: May 9■ Bemidji Area — assistant secondary school principal | application deadline: May 1■ Big Lake — assistant elementary school principal | application deadline: April 29■ Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart — high school principal | application deadline: May 6■ Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose — assistant principal | application deadline: April 29■ Ely — 6-12 principal | application deadline: May 10■ Faribault — assistant middle school principal | application deadline: May 4■ Faribault — high school principal | application deadline: May 4■ Mankato Area — assistant high school principal | application deadline: May 2■ Moorhead Area — assistant elementary school principal | application deadline: May 6■ Tri-City United — assistant high school principal | application deadline: April 29
Other Administrators■ Caledonia Area — facility director of business services | application deadline: May 2 (or until filled)■ Inver Grove Heights — director of business services | application deadline: open until filled■ Inver Grove Heights — director of instructional technology | application deadline: open until filled■ Lakeville Area — executive director of PK-12 teaching and learning | application deadline: May 6■ Sibley East — district technology coordinator | application deadline: open until filled■ St. Cloud Area — director of special education programs | application deadline: April 30
Visit www.mnmsba.org/DistrictJobOpenings for application/contact information.
In Memory■ Former St. Paul School Board member G. William “Bill” Carlson passed away February 12. ■ Former Browerville superintendent Eugene Thompson passed away March 24.■ Fairmont Area School Board member Diane Gerhardt passed away March 29.MSBA extends its condolences to Bill’s, Eugene’s and Diane’s family, friends and colleagues.
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Protection assurance when you need it.
The Minnesota School Boards Association Insurance Trust (MSBAIT) endorses
companies with a proven record of service.
MSBAIT — addressing the needs of public schools’ risk-management programs since 1972
Denise [email protected]
Gary [email protected]
Quality Coverage and Service Tailor-Made
For School DistrictsFind out what MSBAIT can do for your district.
Call 800-324-4459 or email one of your MSBAIT representatives today.Visit www.mnmsba.org/MSBAIT.
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School Leaders’ Legal LiabilityAutomobile
Group Term LifeLong-Term Disability
General LiabilityExcess Liability
