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The participation rate of students eating breakfast at Taylors Falls School has increased this year to the point where the Chisago Lakes School Board approved hiring an additional  food service assistant for three hours each day to help with the program. The Board heard at least 75 percent of all Taylors Falls students participate in free breakfasts;  and because service of the morning meal is not staggered, like lunch is, there’s heavy demand at one time.

The Board also heard in general,  Chisago Lakes schools are serving more meals than prior years and there may be a request coming for additional food service help at Lakeside Elementary as well.  

The district food service fund is self-sustaining and is not part of the general tax levy,  so this action won’t impact this year’s overall budget, Board members were advised. 

Superintendent Brian Dietz updated the Board on programs the district is involved in that were made possible through outside grants and which  he is excited are coming together.  

Chisago Lakes ISD 2144 gets the services of a counseling effort,  through the Chisago County Opioid Action Council budget, which in turn is funded by a settlement with major pharmaceutical firms involved in the opioid over-prescription lawsuits.  School districts in the county won funding in a round of the local action council grant awards.  

School districts are getting hours apportioned to facilities where there is a demand.  This is a year-long pilot project to be reviewed later.  

Truancy cases and causation concerns also are being addressed through a position  provided by the County Collaborative (made up of districts, county attorney office and Health & Human Services representatives).  Truancy issues will be getting a focused response through this dedicated effort, as of a position starting January 1, 2025.  Supt. Dietz said this is really a return of an old position that went away for a while,  and he is glad to see its return.

There was a motion approved to accept the PTO donations and a mention of the craft fair fundraiser being held November 9 at the Wildcat Community Center, next to the high school on Olinda Trail in Lindstrom.

The Taylors Falls and Lakeside Parent Teacher Organizations contributed a total of $15,000 for expenses related to field trips—which was officially accepted with other donations, in Board action.

~ Monday November 11 the Chisago Lakes High School holds a Veterans’ Day celebration in the school, starting at 9 a.m. There will be breakfast and coffee.  Come to the main gym, on the west side.  All active or former service persons and their guests are encouraged to attend. Free will donation to the student council is welcome.

~ The next work session on reviewing the district’s potential ballot referendum,  on funding facility needs, is slated for November 18 at 8 a.m. An advisory council is part of discussions to develop wording for the ballot measure,  based on priority capital projects the advisory group highlights out of a large study presented earlier this year (Press story October 10) by Nexus Solutions.

~ Curriculum Director Sarah Schmidt walked the Board through results of recent testing of academic skills and explained how some tests are “local” and others are based on state protocols and not just one single measurement is a stand alone statistic. It is the “pyramid” of assessments that combine to reveal how a student is doing.

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