Superintendent's Report

Why was an election called?

The Minneota School Board has called for an election to be held on Nov. 2, 2021. There will be two questions on the ballot- Question 1 is for a $500,000.00 per year technology levy and Question 2 is for a 7.6 million dollar building bond.
Over the next weeks, I will explain the reasons why the school board called this election. This article will focus on the areas of technology that the district currently has in place and how they help provide our students with a world-class education.
a - 1:1 Computer Initiative: In 2013 the district provided a computer for each student in grades K-12. This allowed our teachers to be innovative with their lessons and for students to access better resources to enhance learning. In March 2020, students had to pivot quickly into distance learning. Having their own device allowed our district to provide a digital learning platform seamlessly. The district must replace these devices every 4 years, as they wear out over time. This cost is one of the biggest expenses of our technology budget.
b - Technology staff: The district employs 1.3 staff members to help manage the technology needs. Besides these employees, we also contract out for technology services to manage our servers and keep the district safe from cyber attacks.
c - Career and technology: The district provides many opportunities to students in the career and technology field. Some of the areas included are agriculture, woodworking, welding, small motors, business, and foods classes. Our students deserve the opportunity to explore these fields, as there is a shortage of workers in many of these areas. We are interested in upgrading equipment such as the welding stations, woodworking room, and our business classes, as these resources also fall under technology.
d - Online subscriptions and textbooks: These resources are key for providing the students with a high-quality education. Two teachers provided a look into how online subscriptions and textbooks positively impact learning. You can find this video at https://www.minneotaschools.org/Page/2933.
Our technology costs have tripled since 2013 from $150,000.00 to $450,000.00 a year, which may surprise many. These increased costs are causing the district to deficit spend. Without a balanced budget, the district will be forced to make reductions that would hurt the programming for our students. If question 1 is passed, this new levy would stabilize our budget and allow the district to stay competitive academically and continue to prepare our students for life after high school.
All election materials can be found on the district’s website at https://www.minneotaschools.org/domain/176. New information will be added to this site as it becomes available.

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The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492