McKenzie Gerstenberger

The organizational meeting included the approval of the agenda with the addition of School Board Building Liaison Appointments. Officers for the 2026 calendar year were elected, including the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. A resolution setting the time, place, and posting for future school board meetings was accepted, which included adjusting the August 17, 2026 meeting date to August 24, 2026. Various board member appointments were confirmed for committees and liaison roles, such as Vocational Careers, Inc (VCI), Peacemaking Representative, Mt Pleasant Education Foundation, Sex Education Advisory Board (SEAB), Anti-Bullying Task Force, Professional Studies Committee (PSC), and Student Reinstatement Committee. Authority was granted to the Superintendent to make decisions regarding student suspensions and recommendations for expulsion. The process for appointing the Elections Coordinating Committee Designee, GIRESD Special Education Advisory Committee representatives, Thrun Representative, Chippewa River District Library (CRDL) Board of Trustees member, and GIRESD Parent Advisory Committee members was finalized.

The meeting included Superintendent reports featuring strategic plan group presentations. The Academic Programs group detailed plans for data-driven instructional strategies focused on student engagement and learning support, including mandatory tagging implementation. The Personnel and Leadership group presented survey results indicating areas for improvement in onboarding, particularly for support staff, and suggested expanding the Mentor/Mentee process. The Board also reviewed the 2026 Educational Governance Agreements, scheduling further discussion and potential voting for the next meeting, and reviewed the 2026 Board of Education Presentation Schedule. The Superintendent recognized the Board during School Board Appreciation Month by reading a commendatory letter. New business involved the acceptance of one retirement and the hiring of one new teacher.

The meeting focused on key discussions including the student representative report, which covered recent volunteering events, the BPA regional leadership conference preparation, and an upcoming spirit week. A significant portion of the meeting involved a presentation regarding a proposed new Advanced Placement (AP) Business course with Personal Finance, which presenters highlighted as beneficial for fulfilling state personal finance graduation requirements, potentially serving as a fourth-year math option, and providing industry-recognized credentials and college credit opportunities. The board received information that the course framework aligns well with existing Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and that they are seeking approval to explore this further for a potential pilot launch next fall. Logistical next steps involve scheduling discussions with counselors to avoid conflicts with existing AP courses.

The meeting agenda included several key discussion items, such as the Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, and the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement. Board members committed to specific Educational Governance Agreements covering respectful communication, collaboration, leadership, transparency, and continuous improvement. The agenda items slated for action included the Superintendent Report covering strategic plan groups, governance agreements review, and the 2026 presentation schedule, as well as New Business items concerning the final approval and signatures for the 2026 Educational Governance Agreements, a retirement, and a new hire. The document also outlines a dedicated time for Board of Education Discussion.

The Special Board Meeting included the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the reading of the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement. Following the approval of the agenda, the Board entered into a Closed Session to address student disciplinary matters for Student #S2-2025-26 and Student #S3-2025-26. Upon returning to Open Session, the Board decided to allow Student #S2-2025-26 to continue assignments via the Odyssey online program with a follow-up meeting scheduled for March. For Student #S3-2025-26, the decision was to continue suspension with online work until the end of the school year and reconvene in the summer to review progress, with a recommendation to seek emotional management skills.