[{"_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",6316183,"mediaKeyId","2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83","parentId",2377382,"title","Board appoints Louise Hynes to fill vacancy through November 2025 election","audioSeconds",86,"startMs",2200000,"endMs",2286000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83&start=2200&end=2286","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83/thumbnail_2200000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6316183/Minnesota/Board-appoints-Louise-Hynes-to-fill-vacancy-through-November-2025-election","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316183-e636086a620ab41b5b258de6939ff3f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770473227&Signature=OChOx1Dd~SYv~hlZJ3M3Puzndaf9tQ6NYaiCogWNyqn1GndUHOz5XYm4iAOUmS3ZTjw2k4CBv9kmjhw54gkDX2pnO3j3SdEZn6g02a30D56rtqeKkeBcncj50u7yLYGAiWxfrqZFKLa8z3L-8LbywS84wS8yjq9QAmB9hm4R-wh6bCgbj75wxZa5FF9Eeri5Jw3M92~NJOrcz6BRwuT61vpJGTKqc2EwjW8eGZ4DhojHucU3bbsWJi7OpTMDpCOnTxpc5RhgEf5Yek9QUNrCYhxyAABEHrqmGQMbnZUwVAEqF7UiOFpBxk2WyUtve1yN~QhsaIDW77b0YNH7v3~~Ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","South Washington County, MN","date","2025-02-23T12:57:06.583Z","article","The South Washington County Schools Board voted on Feb. 20 to appoint Louise Hynes to fill a board vacancy. The appointment was made by resolution and will take effect with Hynes’ first meeting scheduled for March 27, 2025; the term runs until the next general election in November 2025.

Board members moved and seconded the resolution in accordance with the appointment procedure discussed at a prior meeting. The motion was moved by Sharon Van Leer and seconded by Simi Kutnaik. The board conducted a roll-call vote on the resolution: Bridal Clark voted \"Approve,\" Sharon Van Leer \"Yes,\" Eric Tessmer \"Yes,\" Melinda Doles \"Yes,\" Simi Kutnaik voted \"Yes,\" and Chair Katie Schwartz voted \"Yes.\" The motion passed.

Administration said the selection followed the procedure agreed at the previous board meeting and that the appointee will serve until voters decide the seat at the November 2025 general election. Hynes’ first official board appearance will be the March 27, 2025 business meeting at the District Service Center.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Business Meeting - February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The School Board voted to appoint Louise Hynes to the vacant board seat; her first meeting will be March 27, 2025, and the term runs until the November 2025 general election.","taxTitle","South Washington County Schools, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",13238,"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},6316188,"Board approves annual policy updates after heated debate over signage and inclusivity",1144,2267000,3411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83&start=2267&end=3411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83/thumbnail_2267000.jpg","/articles/6316188/Minnesota/Board-approves-annual-policy-updates-after-heated-debate-over-signage-and-inclusivity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316188-9c212b8a9e90aece03b00a395c136748/orig.mp4?Expires=1770470958&Signature=ELMUDt7sOWWzMxqD31vlzRnEcpU-a1A2~gW0jQ0tm1Cg7wtouMphk1S7frp-J93RYVLb7ajyC33V8u5FSkz4Gk6f8BDzAX7w79ObC8zVTZq~0rDQvFSD55DBrd8iV-jLDCMfv5Ax5V2OpE6AQhoX9oiIGmiMxpF~6UMd~n5pCZ7mCI5h4fNgPw7MGjYUc1KuLTlpEgXbjn4vUqaW9PQ-Z7EA5LWn-9Ir1ULrZA3ugU8nDbH4UlzQBln3-nuHlEF72FgbcYTCOqnp8cHcOJdZexDT9FCyp26P83q-~D9rgS0MxZvuN~DNTguiyp7-ITMg5ZJ-W0I2VHFvsFyAGvfF5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Washington County Schools Board approved eight annual policy updates on Feb. 20 after an extended public discussion about whether school signage that highlights particular racial groups is appropriate in district facilities.

Superintendent Julie Nielsen brought forward the eight policies that had been reviewed at the prior meeting and said the updates reflect current state law. Nielsen said she was “asking for approval of those 8 policies.” The policies included family and medical leave (410), harassment and violence (525.1), mandated reporting of child neglect or abuse, student discipline, and system accountability updates.

Before the roll call on the subsequent resolution to appoint a board member, multiple board members debated whether posters or signage that single out a racial group are exclusionary. One board member described seeing signage at East Ridge High School that said “protect black youth” and another posted phrase “to be young, to be gifted, and to be black” on an Inclusion Center door; that member urged the board to consider whether such on-site displays contradict the harassment policy’s language about creating a hostile or intimidating academic environment. The speaker asked the board to either change the policy or change practice and said they would vote no on the policies as presented unless the board addressed the issue.

Other board members disagreed on the implications of displaying statements meant to uplift historically marginalized students. One member said institutions and employers often explicitly name groups (women, veterans, people of color, LGBTQ) to signal inclusion to groups that otherwise may not feel included, and asked how the district should help students feel included if it does not expressly name groups in signage or communications. Another board member framed the displays as free expression and urged members to attend the school’s Black History Month event to hear student perspectives.

After discussion, a motion to approve the eight policies (moved by Sharon Van Leer; seconded by Simi Kutnaik) was called. The final vote was taken by voice; the motion passed. The meeting record does not include a roll-call tally for this policy vote in the transcript provided.

Board members identified the broader question of how district policy on harassment and school practice around cultural recognition interact; district staff said the policy text reflects state law and noted that discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion practices are handled in separate forums. Several board members asked administration to consider follow-up conversations about signage, inclusive practices, and how policy language is implemented across schools.

The policies will be listed as approved in the board minutes; administration and board members indicated they will continue conversations about how school displays and programming align with district harassment and inclusion policy.","The School Board approved eight annual policy updates, including harassment and mandated reporting policies, after extended debate about inclusive signage in schools and whether such displays create exclusionary environments.",{"_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},6316193,"South Washington County Schools reports on Indigenous education, cites state aid and NAIPAC approval",667,1215000,1882000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83&start=1215&end=1882","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377382-21c85aadb9ed9a2915b4a8f30e353f83/thumbnail_1215000.jpg","/articles/6316193/Minnesota/South-Washington-County-Schools-reports-on-Indigenous-education-cites-state-aid-and-NAIPAC-approval","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316193-230928113a5df4fab44287ac9bc96192/orig.mp4?Expires=1770469926&Signature=QnTSxycRFiOlvyAhNzqVZo-AgJ2srfOwyJAs37z3uW7EXrevEp3~TljceRr8F2-Q-xvYHzR28jAhzIAbkGfTFct2ilNUX37VnpxahjW0r5PeE-4t1MCiqRldnUUEVPPe8mxbdSzC8tYK5WCS6IdgAZwroGnHzkUmZtQTpCp2EwBm0XOD5aA~vVVlAZ6eJiYxCX5mqHFNa4pqq89rjljmFjZmnIpc9u4eAku~rOOo8kQlNvzNxGZXuqUKnDWTD3f-izC4Y-ANPyZ56gQrIR9knOMvSoIhw0H~6osqhQXK6nGbyWW-pZ~sZ8eN3m1Kp9mIZ147koL870RC10610joSzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","South Washington County Schools presented its annual Indigenous Education update on Feb. 20, describing how the district uses Minnesota American Indian Education Aid and reporting that the Native American Parent Advisory Committee voted the program is meeting its intent.

The presentation, introduced by Assistant Superintendent Kelly Jansen, explained eligibility and program requirements for the state aid and summarized six state focus areas the district uses to structure programming. Jansen said that, to participate, a district must “have at least 20 indigenous students who have self-identified in our March report on October 1,” and that the district’s parent advisory “voted ... that we are making progress in using the funds in the way that they are intended.”

District staff told the board the aid has grown since 2022 and that the district currently reports 386 students who self-identify as Native American or Indigenous — roughly 2% of the student population. Stephanie Schroeder, indigenous education community coordinator, detailed the district’s strategies across the state’s focus areas: postsecondary preparation, academic achievement, curriculum integration, positive reinforcement for students and families, intercultural awareness, and requirements to supplement — not supplant — other state and federal programs. Among efforts, Schroeder described an ACT-prep course targeted to Indigenous students and literacy tutoring using Indigenous-authored texts.

Schroeder said the district is aiming to increase ACT participation for Indigenous students, noting the program is “really trying to get at least 10 students to take the ACTs,” and described a virtual test-prep offering and one-on-one mentoring through the district’s cultural liaison. On literacy, the district runs a K–5 tutoring program using culturally authentic texts, a middle-school book club, and progress monitoring every six weeks, the presentation said. Schroeder added that cultural trunks and Indigenous-authored books have been distributed to schools for classroom use.

Board members asked how the tutoring aligns with the district’s ARC literacy strategies; Schroeder said the tutoring was built with the district’s elementary literacy lead and that tutors are trained in ARC strategies, but that she would provide more detail on whether the same online data-tracking tools are used. A board member asked whether the Indigenous program funding described is exclusively state aid; staff clarified the presentation covered only the state aid program. The presenters also said a separate, treaty-based federal award exists and is substantially smaller (staff cited about $26,000 for the federal award).

The Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAIPAC) is required by state program rules to review and vote on whether the district’s use of aid aligns with program intent; the district reported that NAIPAC held a compliance vote on Jan. 14 and concurred that the district is meeting the program goals.

District leaders framed the update as ongoing program work rather than a completed project, and staff committed to follow up with the board on specifics about literacy-data tracking and any additional implementation questions.

The district plans to continue the ACT test-prep, expand literacy resources using Indigenous-authored materials, and maintain NAIPAC involvement as required by state aid rules.","District officials presented the annual Indigenous Education update, outlining how Minnesota American Indian Education Aid was spent, program focus areas, and an advisory committee compliance vote approving the district’s use of funds.","actionData","errors"]

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Board appoints Louise Hynes to fill vacancy through November 2025 election

Board approves annual policy updates after heated debate over signage and inclusivity

South Washington County Schools reports on Indigenous education, cites state aid and NAIPAC approval