[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6363605,"mediaKeyId","2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec","parentId",2166079,"title","Shakopee board pauses vote on new elementary specialist schedule after public outcry","audioSeconds",7923,"startMs",44185,"endMs",7967295,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec&start=44&end=7967","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec/thumbnail_44185.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6363605/Minnesota/Shakopee-board-pauses-vote-on-new-elementary-specialist-schedule-after-public-outcry","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363605-365e21c326da71c2d11d76db5f2dac7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171301&Signature=lSe2KN-Ng~JUifyFn5GnAvAonTb2F9Vq0~5DrncAGE16bF~GTJRldb5EAZlSbJ~aI8FqXIMQT8KRoTIrpdiGnbU51IBMkKAIOMVHlxLjJlxcnXbJJYfmsPh9VgjBeeyaeVXzREqJcBp-pDPVRQtGrMympVGRru9MigmrCCrQi1I-0T6rf2YbriZ6pkRd~ZRkusQWp7N--0ych5SjiMIcIIcTbyPTb3o91XbyfQ7AFh2nhB4vtFesg-nyrTUH9GTvL2dvyKFUUa0uqRwS2IUiM1dxeUbAJLaki6Fx6MYh6Z~bBuqJxGY2T24lRtv3kk9ZdLCDaKTXGZQh4bqY0DuqZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Shakopee Public School District","date","2025-01-30T01:16:12Z","article","A proposal to move Shakopee Public Schools’ elementary specialist rotation from a 10‑day cycle to a 4‑day cycle and to take full fifth‑grade band outside the rotation was presented by district staff Jan. 20 and immediately drew extended public comment and board questions. After more than two hours of testimony and board discussion, the board voted to postpone the decision for two weeks.

The proposal, presented by Nika Sommer, assistant director of learning, teaching and equity, and Stephanie Vander, Eagle Creek principal representing the district’s elementary principals, would change the district’s specialist rotation so students receive one of four specialists — physical education, music/band, art and STEM — on one day in the four‑day rotation (25% each) instead of the current 10‑day cycle, which staff described as 40%/30%/20%/10% across those content areas. Sommer said the change is intended to address “operational structural challenges” in the current rotation, including specialists who see more than 1,200 students in a 10‑day period and large class sizes in some specialist sections.

The change would also move “full band” instruction out of the specialist rotation so band lessons and rehearsals could be scheduled separately, Sommer and Vander said. They emphasized the district is not proposing to reduce total band FTE or to eliminate concerts. “We’re not recommending to remove full band from the elementary at all,” Sommer said.

Why it matters: dozens of parents, classroom teachers and specialists told the board the shift would substantially reduce time for physical education and fifth‑grade band, potentially harming students’ physical and social‑emotional outcomes and the district’s music pipeline. Robin Hanson, a physical education teacher at Sweeney Elementary, said Sweeney’s students currently receive about 40% of their specialist time in physical education and the proposal would reduce that to 25%, calling the change “a huge insult to our community” and asking the board to “pause” the vote. Julie Spindler, a music educator and parent, said the band program depends on three elements — lessons, rehearsals and concerts — and warned that cutting instructional time for fifth‑grade band could weaken the program’s long‑term enrollment and quality.

Board discussion focused on tradeoffs and process. Several members said the 10‑day rotation creates scheduling and instructional challenges; others argued the district rushed the rollout and community members and some staff had not had adequate opportunity for input. Board members asked detailed questions about how many minutes of activity students would receive under the new schedule, how media and STEM content would be delivered, and how band would be restructured if moved out of the rotation. Sommer and Vander said media specialists already deliver a large percentage of STEM‑style lessons and that the district intends to build a new K‑5 media specialist role to preserve media literacy and support literacy goals.

Action taken: Board member Chad Rogers moved to postpone the vote for two weeks; Nick (last name Zidig) seconded. The chair recorded the voice/hand vote as 5 in favor, 5 opposed and 2 abstentions and said the motion to postpone passed. The board instructed staff to gather additional input and return with further detail at the next board meeting.

Clarifying details captured in the meeting:
- Sweeney Elementary enrollment cited in public comment: 603 students (speaker: Robin Hanson).
- Current specialist rotation described by staff as: PE 40%, music/band 30%, art 20%, media/STEM 10% in a 10‑day cycle (presenters: Nika Sommer, Stephanie Vander).
- Under the proposed 4‑day rotation each specialist would occupy 25% of the rotation; district presenters emphasized total band FTE would not be reduced.
- Media curriculum: presenters and a media specialist said STEM lessons already make up “60–80%” of current media lessons depending on grade level; one presenter described roughly 17 media lessons across the year.

Speakers (selected, first reference shown):
- Robin Hanson, physical education teacher, Sweeney Elementary (speaker: public comments, 00:00:44).
- Julie Spindler, music educator and parent (public comment, 00:03:47).
- Adam Nelson, 2nd‑grade student, Eagle Creek Elementary (public comment, 00:07:21).
- Andrew and Katie Nelson, parents (public comment, 00:12:04).
- Wade Laughlin, parent of district students (public comment, 00:12:47).
- Sarah Bober, media specialist, Red Oak and Eagle Creek Elementary (public comment, 00:10:24).
- Nika Sommer, assistant director of learning, teaching and equity, Shakopee Public Schools (presentation, 00:37:06).
- Stephanie Vander, principal, Eagle Creek Elementary, representing elementary principals (presentation, 00:37:06).
- Chair Smith, School Board chair (meeting facilitation, multiple).

Authorities referenced: none statutory (district presenters referred to state Department of Education enrollment/state aid estimates and to MSBA guidance during Q&A).

Meeting context and next steps: presenters said the district has studied the rotation intermittently for years and intensified work over the last 8–12 months; implementation would not occur until the 2025–26 school year if approved. The board directed staff to collect additional feedback and return with more detail at the next regular meeting, two weeks after Jan. 20.

Ending: With the vote to postpone, the board gave staff two weeks to supply additional analysis and stakeholder input before voting; the district will return to the board agenda at the next meeting with expanded documentation and potential refinements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Shakopee Public Schools Board Meeting 1 27 25","oneSentenceSummary","A proposal to move Shakopee Public Schools’ elementary specialist rotation from a 10‑day cycle to a 4‑day cycle and to take full fifth‑grade band outside the rotation was presented by district staff Jan. 20 and immediately drew extended public comment and board questions.","taxTitle","SHAKOPEE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",38434,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363595,"Shakopee school board: votes at a glance — consent items, donations, budget, pay equity and committee assignments",789,8164650,8954369,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec&start=8164&end=8954","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec/thumbnail_8164650.jpg","/articles/6363595/Minnesota/Shakopee-school-board-votes-at-a-glance-consent-items-donations-budget-pay-equity-and-committee-assignments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363595-71bac686f1e908f6af078bfcf7df9107/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171301&Signature=NK7i3YPQhL1pO4s5d--e6YWojGSj9F2bB-aoStu90IJLVpsHrsNLaii7yoE6512mMVP2V6uhMgSw1OuCUSiDc62iJVegO15mqY5cWgbG9FfGE9LxFEBgB0~vxaNLsZW4Piel3zmw~NnEDr74vE8OgKZc6Uulh6sI1wRTCEyn-1e1clzqcenfRvOlXz5Bteqe0SBPAzoVJt8vjodTDztjlLYefZtXZtYBFUA6LrKKCjJGkOSx1dBVNY~K3W9mpBi~uv12pU34vFwGvLQ9akJ6cWDuiSjQy8yPEzX2lTAwyZZW2TKkVTQnb45m~tog3tCdaPR8W6ITgRoD7M3FzODcFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Shakopee Public School District school board took several formal actions during its Jan. 20 meeting. Key motions and outcomes are listed below.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (personnel items, minutes, bills, supplier reports, trip approval): Motion to approve by Board member Brophy; second by Board member Aldrich. Vote: voice vote; chair declared motion carried.

- Donations resolution (Item 7): Motion by Aldrich; second by Johnson. Roll call recorded: \"Murphy? Yes. Zidig? Yes. Valdez? Yes. Peterson? Yes. Smith? Yes. Aldrich? Yes. Johnson? Yes.\" Resolution passes.

- Revised 2024‑25 budget (Item 9.2): Motion to approve revised budget by Brophy; second by Aldrich. The board approved the revised budget; Finance Director Bill Bonazzi reported the district projects an ending general fund balance of about $12.7 million (approximately 10% of expenditures) under the revised forecast and noted a committed Fund 1 balance of about $287,000 dedicated to facility improvements tied to rental revenue.

- Pay equity report (Item 9.3): Motion to accept the district’s required triennial pay equity submission by Peterson; second by Valdez. Human Resources Director Heath Gray reported the district’s preliminary regression/scatter analysis shows no extreme outliers; the district submitted the statistical analysis to the state as required and the board accepted the report.

- School board committee assignments (Item 9.4): Motion by Aldrich to approve committee assignments as distributed, with removal of the Diversity Equity Leadership Team listing; second by Brophy. Vote: unanimous voice vote; motion carries.

Context and clarifications: several of the votes were routine or budgetary and passed with standard majorities; the most contested item on the agenda was the proposed elementary specialist schedule (Item 9.1), which the board postponed for two weeks to gather additional input (see separate story). The revised budget and the pay equity report passed on the same night the board delayed the specialist schedule vote.

Ending: The board’s approvals clear routine personnel and budget items while deferring a contentious programmatic change for more study.","At its Jan. 20 meeting the Shakopee Public School District board approved routine consent items and passed several action items, adopted a revised 2024‑25 budget, accepted a pay equity report and approved committee assignments with one change.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363600,"District facilities rentals bring rising revenue but raise staffing and scheduling challenges",6880,1317665,8198215,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec&start=1317&end=8198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166079-b120c75ee9b3a75cc05ff58aba3e3aec/thumbnail_1317665.jpg","/articles/6363600/Minnesota/District-facilities-rentals-bring-rising-revenue-but-raise-staffing-and-scheduling-challenges","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363600-dd0af431df2ee5ce409c26d1f151b586/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171301&Signature=K2zO5FWYRgIJ-XQbaIfsUumK9ViCxZZJXJDoz~6KP7JsPf1GEnb0k0B5SpaXnrcs-dV2h1M8ayi7s~y7d3-Y-T6Wdy2e3-HtXStf~rfCxgysl8DcP7utoDyL72mzBeXZv2Lb5y1P510W2yoQA-~dXZPNBSAq8EJd4i20O-p4ppfcr68BX6-N3kVYkYEQ0abfTqV-POoAo~J2gZoTJymaRepm~LfBZf7y0Fc17dIksoFN0qwhrOaaEMF1o~jWHr1vpqk31FPCKOAOCtvidgY86-CdLtsVxONj8YcM5f7CTwD0EZiaJG6giyPvCgyNNXwDPPHQ5b7d9~j~DgK6DlAjuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Shakopee Public Schools’ facilities and community education staff told the board Jan. 20 that rentals have increased each year since 2021, producing revenue used for maintenance and upgrades but also creating operational strains on custodial and supervisory staff.

Lisa Ron, director of community education, and Jamie Grossman, facilities use specialist, presented an update showing growth in “large events” revenue and described areas for additional rental growth: summer late afternoons/evenings, fall gym availability and newly renovated theater space at West Middle School. Grossman said turf fields are underutilized and that outdoor space use is limited by condition and maintenance needs. The presenters described recent capital investments paid in part from rental revenue: a $37,000 upgrade to theater lighting, TV screens over concession stands, Crestron controls for gym equipment and more frequent stage floor updates.

Why it matters: rental revenue supports ongoing maintenance and targeted capital projects but creates recurring workload for custodial and building supervisors. Grossman told the board the district is testing custodial schedule changes — rotating weekend assignments and temporarily closing some elementary buildings on alternate weekends — to reduce weekend staffing strain and maintain coverage for high‑demand events.

Key budget and governance notes: finance staff said the district has established a committed fund balance of about $287,000 in Fund 1 that is dedicated to facility improvements tied to rental capacity (for example: turf replacement, theater upgrades). The updated revised budget presented later in the meeting included this committed balance in non‑major fund projections.

Speakers (selected): Lisa Ron, director, Community Education; Jamie Grossman, facilities use specialist; Bill (last name Bonazzi), director of finance (explained committed fund balance).

Clarifying details and figures mentioned: facilities revenue and large‑event activity have “increased every single year” since 2021; a recent theater lighting upgrade cost approximately $37,000; district has created a committed Fund 1 balance of $287,000 for facility maintenance tied to rental revenue; toilet and stage floor maintenance and a Crestron control upgrade were also funded in part by rental proceeds. Grossman said some long‑term partners who were bumped because of schedule conflicts intend to return in 2026.

Staff next steps include marketing partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce to advertise spaces and using third‑party listing services to attract national events, as well as exploring pricing and usability changes to increase turf and outdoor space rentals.

Ending: Board members praised staff for revenue growth and encouraged continued outreach and planning to balance rental income with staff workload and school group priority use.","Shakopee Public Schools reported steady growth in facilities rentals since 2021 and outlined opportunities and constraints — turf pricing, outdoor conditions, custodial workload — and a committed fund balance set aside for facility maintenance.","actionData","errors"]

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Shakopee board pauses vote on new elementary specialist schedule after public outcry

Shakopee school board: votes at a glance — consent items, donations, budget, pay equity and committee assignments

District facilities rentals bring rising revenue but raise staffing and scheduling challenges