Fargo Public School District

The committee reviewed the Community Engagement Plan Overview provided by ICON Architectural Group for the construction of the new Horace Mann Elementary School, which emphasizes heritage preservation and community connection. Discussion covered upcoming History Harvest community engagement events scheduled for Horace Mann, Madison, and Roosevelt schools in January and February. The committee also reviewed communications efforts and assets used during the 2017 excess mill levy vote, noting readiness to develop a 2026 vote plan once the Board defines the ask. Follow-up items from the November meeting included reviewing updates to the 'Contact All School Board Members' information and a draft update to GP-5 regarding the President's role in stakeholder communication. The item regarding a video script was tabled until the next meeting.

The meeting featured a student music performance in honor of Music in Our Schools Month. The Board approved consent agenda items, including network equipment upgrades and moisture mitigation services. The Superintendent's performance evaluation was conducted and approved as satisfactory. Additionally, the Board awarded bid packages for the new Horace Mann Elementary School construction and adopted a new governance policy concerning property tax exemptions and incentives. Approval was also granted to place a general fund excess mill levy question on the upcoming election ballot, and several staff resignations were accepted.

The board received an overview of the Fargo Youth Initiative. The consent agenda included the acceptance of board policy monitoring documents and policy changes, the award of a bid for speech language services, and the acceptance of a proposal for playground equipment at Bennett Elementary School. The board also adopted a resolution to apply for a school construction loan for the new Horace Mann Elementary School and approved various human resources actions, including staff resignations.

The meeting featured administrative reports covering strength and conditioning services, student achievement, the Fargo Youth Initiative, a synopsis of the Cognia accreditation visit, and ongoing multi-district workgroup discussions regarding special education and professional development. Consent agenda items approved included human resources actions, Speech Language Services contracts, playground equipment replacement at Bennett Elementary, and various Board Policy revisions. The Board also adopted a resolution to apply for a State School Construction Loan through the School Construction Assistance Revolving Loan Fund for the Horace Mann project. Additionally, members provided updates on various committee, liaison, and correspondence activities.

Key discussions during the meeting focused on the importance of monitoring charter school implementation for the subsequent year, including proactive partnership establishment and ensuring smooth transitions between schools. The committee also debriefed the special legislative session, discussing HB 1621 regarding the Presidential Physical Fitness Test requirement and the failure of HB 1624 which proposed free breakfast and lunch for all K-12 students statewide. Furthermore, the Superintendent reported that federal Title funding is expected to remain consistent with the prior year, noting a new calculation formula for Title II and Title IV funding is anticipated to positively impact the District.