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The regular North Branch School Board meeting was moved up a week due to spring break over the second week of this month, and the Board voted its official approval (with member Grovender absent) to move forward with pursuing a grant for an apprenticeship instructor program to be offered in the areas of early childhood and special education licensure, and to work with U of MN Mankato on a masters degree initiative for existing teachers.  

There is a possibility up to six instructors can be funded for masters degree tuition and get a stipend to help cover associated expenses.  This program is in development stages but Board Chair Tim MacMillan commented that if all the slots got filled with North Branch staff that would be a great opportunity.

The apprenticeships are aligned through Mankato State, St Thomas and Resource Training & Solutons.

Two candidates are already moving through the early childhood program. 

The school board voted to sanction the continued pursuit of planning for this to come together. and apply for a grant.

Superintendent Sara Paul commented that when she first was made aware the state was seeking school district partners for apprenticeship programs, she assumed that Career and Technical Education (CTE) would be a focus.  The most imminent capacity, however, seems to be in the early childhood and special needs areas.  

Supt. Paul said Viking Apprenticeship Committee members have been putting in many hours the last several months;  meeting with Dept. of Labor & Industry officials, conducting staff meetings, discovering a Childcare Aware organization apprenticeship already developed, identifying applicants and choosing priority apprenticeship avenues. 

The grant funds for planning how this will come together should be known by the start of the next fiscal year, in July.

There is a revision in the final days’ schedule for seniors.  The graduates for Class of 2024 will have Tuesday June  4 as their final in-school day.  This is basically one day sooner than usual.  There should be no seniors in school buildings beyond then.

Families of seniors will get a communication by May 1 explaining the change and why.

The School Board was advised the adjustment makes for a cleaner line for when seniors are expected to have their last year wrapped up and it gives staff a more distinct line for directing attention to underclass members.  This also has no impact on instructional hours required.

In public comment a 23 year elementary grade teacher addressed the unresolved contract negotiations;  saying the Board needs to remember the teachers “showed up” when the district needed concessions years ago and the Board needs to show up now.  Becky Hilber referenced insurance premium increases and class size stress and that teachers are missing prep time to help out with vacancies that can’t be totally filled by substitutes. Hilber said the teachers stuck-by administration during the time period North Branch implemented four day weeks and  there were multiple times they agreed to hold the line on  hoped-for wage hikes.

There was a closed session at the end of the Board agenda to continue to review contract terms.

The informal “work session” for the Board is March 28 in the Brooker Building at 5:30 p.m.

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