Action of the School Board Action of the School Board 12/08/14

• • • • Sixth grade: Sari Steffen, Anoka Middle School for the Arts. Seventh grade: Elisabeth Krueger, Coon Rapids Middle School. Eighth grade: Zoe Vanden Berk, Jackson Middle School. Ninth through 12th grades: Linnea (Leo) Groscost, Coon Rapids High School. National school bus safety poster contest Keith Paulson, transportation director, and Lt. Brian Reu of the Minnesota State Patrol, recognized Jackson Middle School student Naomi Tu, who won the 2013-14 National School Bus Safety Poster contest, which earned her a $500 prize. Her poster is being used throughout the country this school year to promote bus safety. Communications, delegations and petitions District art teacher Angela Heida spoke to the School Board regarding the district’s art programming. Inspired by the Music Task Force recommendations, Heida and a group of art teachers drafted a similar document itemizing ways the board could support art programming around the district. They provided the document to the board. Rick Heller spoke to the board, suggesting the district’s website and publications become more user-friendly for print-disabled readers. He’d like to see the district’s website and publications more easily translated by computer-based text to speech programs, and the School Board meetings broadcast with closed captioning. Elementary and secondary education Board approves action steps for two anti-bullying recommendations Board member William Fields asked that the Anti-bullying/Anti-harassment Task Force recommendations be pulled from the consent agenda for discussion. He asked staff to review the recommendations. Associate Superintendent Dr. Jinger Gustafson reviewed recommendations for action on items four and five of the task force report, which had been presented at the previous meeting: 4. 5. Provide comprehensive communication about safety and inclusiveness of all people in our schools. Increase messages of kindness in the Anoka-Hennepin Community. The goal of the communication plan is to provide information to all audiences on the district’s efforts to eliminating bullying and harassment and provide a safe and respectful learning environment for all, and to ensure students and staff understand their role in eliminating bullying and harassment. The kindness messaging campaign would involve a group of community members that would identify appropriate messages and stories about kindness and share them in a variety of ways such as Facebook, “kindness buckets” with positive messages available in schools, posters, contests and more. The board approved the implementation steps for both recommendations. Music study committee presents report 2 ACTION School Board member Jeff Simon reviewed the origin of the Music Task Force, explaining that community members had expressed concern at a meeting last April over instability in staffing for high school music programs. The board decided to create a music task force to address community concerns and meet the board’s goal of providing a full music program at each secondary school. A committee of staff and community members met throughout the fall to develop recommendations. Simon served as co-chair of the task force with board member Scott Wenzel, who died in November.

Action of the School Board Action of the School Board 12/08/14 | Page 2