Action of the School Board Action of the School Board 01/12/15 | Page 2

on the varsity girl’s hockey team by Blaine High School’s varsity coach. However, the acceleration committee denied her request to play varsity as a middle-schooler. Her parents, and
Ramsey herself, challenged that decision and asked the board to address and reconsider the
decision immediately.
Beth Hentges pointed out that the Aug. 1 minutes of the School Board included comment
descriptions from speakers opposed recommendation three of the Anti-bullying/Anti-harassment Task Force, but not descriptions of those in favor of it. She also said the district’s
secondary registration window needs to be lengthened; one week isn’t enough time for
students and families to select courses.

Elementary and secondary education
Music task force

The School Board unanimously accepted the Music Task Force report (as presented Dec.
8) and asked district administration to review the ideas proposed. School Board Chair Tom
Heidemann said after the review concludes, items would come back to the board either
individually or as a group.
“We’re very thankful for the time put into this by Mr. Simon and the committee,” Chair
Heidemann said.
The Music Task Force report can be seen in its entirety on the Dec. 8 School Board meeting
agenda.

2015-16 District calendar presented

Associate Superintendent Dr. Jinger Gustafson, Director of Labor and Benefits Jim Gilligan
and Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota Lead Negotiator Tom Powers presented to the
School Board the recommended 2015-16 academic calendar.
If approved, the 2015-16 school year will begin Tuesday, Sept. 8 and end Friday, June 10.
There will be 173 days of school for secondary students, and 172 for elementary.
Other key dates:
• No school Monday, Oct. 5, for elementary students only, for conferences.
• No school Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Friday, Oct. 16, for a staff development day and
the Education Minnesota conference.
• No school Wednesday. Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27, for conferences and the
Thanksgiving holiday.
• Trimester 1 ends Thursday, Dec. 3.
• No school Friday, Dec. 4, for staff planning and grading.
• No school Wednesday, Dec. 23, through Friday, Jan. 1, for winter break.
• No school Monday, Jan. 18, for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
• No school Monday, Feb. 15, and Tuesday, Feb. 16, for the Presidents’ Day holiday and a
staff development day.
• Trimester 2 ends T hursday, March 10.
• No school Friday, March 11, for staff planning.
• No school Monday, March 14, through Friday, March 18, for spring break.
• No school Friday, March 25, for staff development.
• No school Monday. May 30 for Memorial Day.
The board is expected to take action on the calendar Jan. 26.

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ACTION

Anti-bullying/Anti-harassment Community Task Force presents implementation
plans

Members of the Anti-bullying/Anti-harassment Community Task Force presented plans for
implementing recommendation one of the task force report that had been presented to the