Blooming Prairie School Board

REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT #756
BLOOMING PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA
February 20, 2024

A regular meeting of the School Board of 
Independent School 
District #756, Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, was held in the High School Media Center on
Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 5:15 p.m.
(Open Forum at 5:00 p.m.)
OPEN FORUM – Lauren Berglund, president of the BPTA, thanks the school board for the negotiation process.
I. CALL TO ORDER – CHAIRPERSON
II. PLEDGE OF 
ALLEGIANCE
III. ROLL CALL - CLERK Crystal Studer, Dean Meshke, Jenny Thurnau,
Jon Sunde, Melissa Stoen, Rodney Krell, Kelly Braaten
ALSO PRESENT: 
Superintendent of Schools, High School Principal, Elementary Principal, & Members of the BPTA
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Jon Sunde and seconded by Jenny Thurnau to approve the agenda as presented.
Motion carried. 
(7 Aye/0 Nay)
V. PRINCIPAL 
REPORTS
Reports given by Mr. Schwarz & Mr. Worke.
VI. ITEMS ON WHICH BOARD ACTION IS 
REQUESTED
A. Minutes, Bills, 
Treasurer’s Report, 
Resignations/
Terminations, 
Donations
Motion by Jenny Thurnau and seconded by Crystal Studer to approve items in the consent agenda as presented. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
B. Employment
Motion by Dean Meshke and seconded by Melissa Stoen to approve Chad Gimbel as the JV 
Baseball coach. 
Placement will be at Step 5 plus longevity of the extracurricular schedule. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
Motion by Kelly Braaten and seconded by Jenny Thurnau to approve 
Diane Anderson as the 5th grade long-term 
substitute teacher from April 22nd-May 31st to cover for Justin Kiehne’s paternity leave. 
Placement to be at MA+10 Step 10. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
C. Volunteer Coaches
None at this time.
D. Paternity Leave
Motion by Jenny Thurnau and seconded by Dean Meshke to approve Justin Kiehne’s paternity leave for the last six weeks of school (April 22nd-May 31st). He plans on coming back the last half day to wrap things up for the school year. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
E. Final Seniority for the Teaching Staff
Motion by Melissa Stoen and seconded by Crystal Studer to approve the final seniority lists for teaching staff. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
F. Resolution 
Discontinuing and Reducing Education Programs and Positions
Motion by Kelly Braaten and seconded by Jon Sunde to approve the resolution discontinuing and reducing education programs and positions. Motion carried. (7 Aye/0 Nay)
G. Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU)
Motion by Jon Sunde and seconded by Dean Meshke to approve the memorandum of 
understanding that the union proposed 
regarding teacher 
professional discretion and judgement with respect to working onsite or remotely on end of quarter/early out 
professional days. The MOU will remain in effect until June 30, 2025. Motion carried. 
(7 Aye/0 Nay)
H. BPTA Contract 
Motion by Jon Sunde and seconded by Jenny Thurnau to approve the BPTA contract settlement with an overall increase of 9.72% over two years. Motion carried.
(Roll Call Vote – 7 Aye: Studer, Meshke, 
Thurnau, Sunde, Stoen, Krell, Braaten/0 Nay)
I. Additional Building Project Contract 
Approvals
None at this time.
J. Acceptance of Bids
None at this time.
K. Rejection of Bids
None at this time. 
L. Equipment 
Purchases for Building Project
None at this time.
VII. ITEMS OF 
INFORMATION AND/OR DISCUSSION ONLY
A. Class Sizes/Sections
Projecting class sizes for next year to be the same as this year. March 4 is Preschool registration and March 14 is Kindergarten connection.
B. Staffing
Mr. Staloch presented an update.
C. Building Project Financial Report
Carrying a positive fund balance. Two weeks until the project ends.
D. Committee Reports
A committee report was given for the following committees: Education Foundation, Finance, MSBA & MSHSL, 
Negotiations, & ZED.
E. Enrollment Data
Enrollment for the 2023-24 school year per JMC as of February 12, 2024 was 329 at the 
elementary school (grades K-4) and 523 at the intermediate/high school (grades 5-12) with approximately 13 PSEO students.
F. Dates to Note
Feb 15 School Board Work Session at 
6:00 a.m.
Feb 16 No School for 
Students – Teacher Inservice
Feb 19 Presidents’ Day – No School
Feb 20 School Board Meeting at 5:00 p.m.
March 14 School Board Work Session at 
6:00 a.m.
March 18 School Board Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
March 27 End of 3rd Quarter – Students dismissed at 12:45 p.m. – Teacher Inservice
March 28 No School for Students – Teacher Inservice
Mar 29-Apr 1 Easter Break
VIII. SUPERINTENDENT OR BOARD MEMBER ITEMS
-Two weeks until 
building project 
completion. The 
auditorium is getting 
finishing touches, play
practice will begin in the auditorium soon.
-Legislative session is back going again: School liaison officers, school lunches, READ Act, &
PSEO.
-AASA Certification Program: Last month of this, will share capstone project next month.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Jon Sunde and seconded by Dean Meshke to adjourn the meeting at 5:38 p.m.
Motion carried. 
(7 Aye/0 Nay)

Tentatively, the next Regular School Board Work Session will be held on Thursday,
March 14, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. in the High School Board Room.
Tentatively, the next Regular School Board Meeting will be Monday, March 18, 2024 at
7:15 p.m. in the High School Media Center. (Open Forum begins at 7:00 p.m.).
A complete copy of the official minutes may be found in their entirety in the official minute
book located in the superintendent’s office at the high school; 
however, they will not beavailable until approved by the School Board.

Respectfully Submitted,

Melissa Stoen
Clerk of the School Board
Independent School 
District #756
Blooming Prairie,
 Minnesota

3.27