VIRGINIA- The St. Louis County School Board took further steps Monday night toward implementing a four-day school week starting in fall 2025, but not without hearing a chorus of concerns from staff and board members alike – ranging from planning gaps in Friday care programs to dissatisfaction with recent budget cut decisions.
Superintendent Reggie Engebritson presented the district’s completed application for the proposed schedule, which the board approved for submission to the Minnesota Department of Education. The application includes three specific goals, each designed to measure the impact of the new schedule over the next three years.
To address academic outcomes, the district is aiming to boost test scores.
“By the end of the 27–28 school year, the district will maintain or increase student proficiency in reading and math at least three percent,” Engebritson said. The plan includes extended instructional blocks, embedded intervention time, and culturally responsive teaching methods.
For staff and student morale, the district is also looking to improve overall well-being.
“I’ll send out a survey now to get a baseline, and then do it again a year from now,” Engebritson said. The goal is a five percent improvement in well-being indicators such as stress and work-life balance.”
To improve classroom climate, a third goal aims to reduce behavioral referrals.
“We’ll implement proactive and preventative behavior supports through the extended instructional periods,” she said. “Structured time for social-emotional learning and alignment with PBIS and MTSS frameworks are part of that strategy.”
When asked whether failure to meet these goals would jeopardize the schedule, Engebritson clarified that the district could adjust its plan and resubmit the report annually.
“If we don’t meet these percentage goals, then we just adjust it,” she said.
Para criticizes plan
One of the most direct critiques of the new schedule came from a Cherry paraprofessional who delivered a detailed and emotional monologue about the district’s preparation for Friday day care.
While Friday care will be offered, she said planning has been inadequate, especially given the reliance many working families have on it. She also raised concerns about how the program will be staffed, supported, and clearly communicated to families.
“Without a proper Friday care plan, our families are left scrambling,” she said. “Parents who depend on this service are now forced to seek answers that aren’t being given.”
She also warned that paraprofessional staff could be overburdened without additional resources or clarity.
“There is an expectation that we will simply absorb the extra load, but that’s unrealistic unless we have more support, she said.
Her remarks were later acknowledged by several board members, including Ron Marinaro.
“Those are all good things that we need to plan for,” Marinaro said. “We’re just now getting through the nitty-gritty of what needs to get done.”
Marinaro also raised broader concerns about district readiness, particularly around staffing the longer four-day schedule.
“I don’t know where you’re going to find staff, especially when someone calls in sick. There’s no one doing it now,” he said.
Manick concerns
In the final portion of the meeting, board member Mallory Manick expressed strong frustration with how recent budget cuts were handled – particularly in how reductions were introduced, discussed, and finalized.
“We spent less than, like, five minutes discussing [budget cuts],” Manick said, referring to a prior working session. “And it’s a very important topic.”
She pointed out that the cuts outlined in the final consent agenda were much deeper than what was previously shared – particularly in the elementary at Northeast Range.
“At the second working session, it said we’re going to cut Babbitt Elementary 0.7,” she said. “But then I look at the consent agenda, we’re cutting their Elementary Education Teachers 3.1.”
She also raised concerns about unequal impacts, with some schools seeing no reductions while others were cut to what she described as “bare bones.”
“South Ridge is cutting zero, Cherry’s cutting one,” she said. “It just doesn’t seem right that Northeast Range and North Woods take the brunt of the cuts.”
Manick questioned whether multi-age classrooms are an effective solution, especially in transitional years like sixth grade.
“Sixth grade – it’s a big transition year. So half of my sixth graders’ time in sixth grade science is going to be spent on fifth grade work?”
Finally, she called on the board to do better by teachers, parents, and students.
“I think we’re doing them a disservice and sending them a bad message if the school board doesn’t even take the time to discuss the budget cuts.”
It should be noted that the board began discussions with district administrators about budget cuts prior to Manick being seated as a new member at the December business meeting.
In other business, the board:
• Heard a report from Northeast Range Principal John Vukmanich about various initiatives and activities at the school.
• Held second readings of policies regarding staff development and mentoring, school-sponsored student publications and activities, student medication and telehealth, development and maintenance of an inventory of fixed assets and a fixed asset accounting system, and community notification of predatory offenders.
• Approved the FY 2023-24 audit report.
• Approved continuation of the Q-comp teacher professional development program.
• Hired Alyssa Israel as a social worker at North Woods.
• Accepted resignations from NW substitute van driver Cindy Powell and NW boys head basketball coach Andrew Jugovich.
• Approved non-renewal of contracts of the following probationary teachers: Adam Hagen, NER, 0.2 FTE Physical Education; Laura Saarela, NW, 1.0 FTE Elementary Education; Blake Scofield, NW, 1.0 FTE Elementary Education; Malania Madill, NER, 1.0 FTE Elementary Education; Heidi Carlson, NW, 0.1 FTE Science; Amanda DeGraef, NER, 1.0 FTE Elementary Education; Alli Stone (Sandberg), T-S, 1.0 FTE Special Education; Jennifer Kinler, NW, 0.5 FTE ECFE/First Steps; Sara Debruzzi, NER, 0.5 FTE Title I; Amos Kolodji, NER, 1.0 FTE Math; Lorenda Daugherty; NW, 1.0 FTE Music; Dawn Merrill, NER, 1.0 FTE Media/Language Arts; Jacob Rosin, NER, 1.0 FTE Special Education; Tarryn Bayliss, NER, 0.5 FTE Elementary Education; Paul Zollinger, NER, 1.0 FTE Science; Andrew Jugovich, NW, 1.0 FTE Science. Non-renewal of probationary teacher contracts is an annual routine action of the board for various reasons, and affected individuals are often rehired to those positions for the new school year. However, some positions represent ones that have been eliminated due to the district’s budget cuts, and those positions will only be restored pending available funding.