RHS Site Council Minutes
October 5, 2015
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Members Present
John Wollersheim—Principal
Becky Busho—President
Gary Dion—Vice President
Heidi Kraemer—Treasurer
Pam VanderWiel—Secretary
Lisa Buesing—Parent Leader
Brandon Menne—Student Rep
6:30
6:40
Abbie Doran—Student Rep
Linda Filonwich--Teacher
Jim Norris--Teacher
Jacki Regalado
Jason Nord
Kate Molitor
Beth McFee
Steven Schachel
Vivianne Schoenecke
Jen Sewpersaud
Anne Swanberg
Patty Zellmann
Doug Penowanc
(John) Introductions
• Members introduced themselves
• John reviewed Council membership composition and attendance at September meeting
(Becky) Projects Assigned
• Becky presented volunteers for vacant officer positions: Heidi Kraemer, Treasurer; Pam VanderWiel,
Secretary. There were no objections to Heidi or Pam filling these vacancies.
6:45
6:50
(John) Approval of September Minutes
• Minutes were approved with no modifications
(Heidi) Rosemount Benefit Fund Review
• There was not much activity in September. Academics: $1,187.37; Arts: $67237.17; Athletics:
$1,818.04; Scholarships: $8,855.97; Total: $76,098.55. There was one Academic Scholarship withdrawal.
• John mentioned that the Arts Council controls and monitors the money that goes in and out of the
Arts fund.
(Lisa) Parent Leaders Meeting Report
• Enrollment throughout the District is up; there is a candidate forum for those running for the School
Board on October 28 at 7:00 at City Hall; members watched a video and reviewed the results of a survey on the bond referendum; technology update.
(Brandon) Student Council Report
• Homecoming went really well—attendance of approximately 650 kids; RHS Student Council met with
Councils from others schools to discuss increasing spirit, dances, and pep fests; Council is currently working on the Safe Drive Campaign.
(Becky) Parent Teacher Conferences
• Becky provided an overview of Site Council activities at the conferences. The Site Council will have a table. There will be a tri-fold and information about the referendum and food shelf at the table. The food shelf is taking donations of food and school supplies. Any food not needed is donated to the
Rosemount food shelf. The Drive to Give fundraiser will be at this fall’s conference. Apple Valley
Ford/Lincoln will provide three cars and will donate $20 for every test drive taken. They need 8

7:00
7:02
7:07
7:37 volunteers to help greet and check in from 3:00-7:00. We also need more drivers. Currently only 37 of 96 spots are filled.
(Heidi) Conference Meals
• 83 of 90 slots are filled. Teachers will be provided tacos in a bag for dinner and doughnuts in the morning. There is still room for additional donations.
(John) Feedback from last year’s Site Council
• John presented the results of the survey of last year’s Site Council. Comments fell into four categories:
“Keep doing”: stopping at 8:30 and tabling items that have not been covered; diversity of membership; valuable information provided; principal listens.
“Change”: when items are tabled, they should be moved to first on the next meeting’s agenda; Site
Council should become more of a “working council”—should create committees and have action items for members to pursue between meetings.
“Suggestions for fundraising”: Start slowly with one or two; try to begin raising funds from alumni.
“Additional comments”: Ask Site Council members to volunteer for activities farther in advance of activity; get materials to members so they can be reviewed prior to the meetings.
(John) Bond update
• John indicated that there are movies and a PowerPoint on the website for detailed information. John discussed the various sources of school funding and explained the difference between a levy and a bond. The last bond referendum was 10 years ago; the last levy was approximately three years ago.
The levy was primarily for teacher salaries.
John stepped through a one-page handout that described the reasons for the referendum. The last bond referendum was ten years ago; update security; overcrowding in elementary schools due to fullday kindergarten and school-based pre-school; growth in housing and enrollment has caused overcrowding in the southern part of the district; STEM is increasingly important, but we lack space and equipment to expand the program; the District wants to provide increased access to technology for students, but the10-year capital project levy for technology that was approved in 2004 expired last year.
Specific to RHS: if bond is approved, funds will be used to increase security at the east and main entrances; improve pedestrian safety in the parking lot; increase space for fine arts; 1-1 technology access to students. Cost is $180 million in total. For an average home in Rosemount, approximately
$12/month.
• Jason asked who would decide how funds distributed to RHS would be made. John stated that they would probably need input from the Site Council.
• Steven asked whether federal matching funds for the security improvements were available. John stated that he was unsure and would follow up.
• Brandon provided an update on information he learned from the Curriculum Advisory Council.
• Becky requested information on the RHS-specific bond improvements for inclusion on the tri-fold at the Site Council table at the Parent Teacher conference.
• John explained that the District’s job is to provide information regarding the bond referendum, but not to advocate. Volunteers are attending certain events to distribute information to attendees who wish to review it.
(John) Attendance Policy
• John requested feedback. There was none.
• Brandon asked for clarification on the policy regarding tardy students. Discussion regarding the difference between tardiness and absence and the policy regarding tardiness followed.
• Impacts of the policy changes are likely not going to be felt until later, and John will follow up.

8:00
7:45
8:10
8:15
(John) Irish Flex Day
• Flex days are required by the District to allow students whose transportation issues do not allow them to come to school early or stay late to meet with teachers outside class hours. The first Irish
Flex Day is Thursday, October 8. In the past, the flex period has been scheduled for mid-morning, after second hour. Those students not receiving remediation or small group enrichment would attend a large assembly. There were complaints about the large assemblies. The new model is to have the flex period at the beginning of the day. Ninth and tenth graders not invited for remediation or enrichment go to their regularly assigned homerooms for quiet study time. Eleventh and twelfth graders not invited for remediation or enrichment will attend large study halls at the student center or will be allowed to report at the beginning of first hour, rather than at the beginning of the day.
Discussion regarding the use of flex time and of the two models followed. John indicated that he would request feedback from the Council after the students have had Flex Day.
Fundraising
• (Becky) FPI—FPI will pay parents willing to taste-test food. Parents can allocate part of the fee to
RHS. Anyone wanting to do this should tell Becky or John.
• (John) US Federal Update—John provided an update on the credit union’s proposal, which was discussed at the last meeting. The credit union wants to put a branch office in the school store.
Students could work there for experience. It also wants to put a cash machine in the hall for use by students and members of the public. The cash machine is owned by a third party, who charges $2.50 per transaction. The fee is waived by anyone holding a US Federal credit or debit card. There is a possibility that the fee could be lowered or that part would be donated to the school. Ryan Harrison is seeking approval to have further discussions about the potential partnership. Discussion followed.
Concerns regarding the cost to students; whether the plan is consistent with RHS’s core mission; and the effect on local bank sponsors were raised. The consensus is that the Site Council will not endorse the proposal.
• (Heidi) United Way Can Do Campaign—Heidi reminded the Council of the United Way Can Do
Campaign. Donors wishing to give to RHS can designate the donation for the Benefit Fund by writing it on the check as a memo. The check cannot be made to the Benefit Fund, but must be made to ISD
196, because we do not have 501(c)(3) status yet. We will be sending information out regarding this fundraising opportunity after MEA. We are also participating in Give to the Max Day through the
District. Last year we received approximately $1,000 through our participation in Give to the Max.
• (Heidi and Pam) Heidi and Pam gave an update on forming a 501(c)(3) organization for the administration of the Benefit Fund. Pam has done some research. It looks like the Site Council will need to establish a corporation through the state and apply for non-profit status with the IRS. They are going to ask other educational organizations for copies of their corporate articles and by-laws as examples. By next month, we will be ready for discussion about the formation of the organization.
Heidi and Pam hope to have draft articles and by-laws for consideration by the Site Council at the beginning of 2016.
(John) Future of Fundraising
• Fall of next year is RHS’s 100 th Anniversary. We are hoping to get the 501(c)(3) established by that time. John was approached by Michael Walsh, who had the idea of having an Alumni Association.
Membership could be at different levels, depending on the amount of the member’s contribution to the fund. We should have a committee that would work on planning and pulling it together. We need to identify individuals in the community who should be part of the planning.

8:25
8:20
8:27
8:30
Open Dialogue
• (John) In response to questions raised during the discussion of the bond referendum, John will find out: 1) whether bond funds are earmarked for the uses described by the District or if they may be diverted to other purposes if the need arises; and 2) whether federal matching funds for security measures are available. John will email what he learns to the Site Council.
(Becky) Summer School Report
• Because of time constraints, there was no discussion. Becky indicated that the information was included in a hand-out the Site Council received at the beginning of the meeting.
(John) What’s New at RHS
• Every August John receives an email from Erin Adler of the Star Tribune, asking what is new at RHS.
John indicated that his response to Adler had been provided to the Council as a hand-out at the beginning of the meeting. John walked through the new teachers.
(John) ACT Scores
• John presented the results of the ACT scores for the class of 2015. Minnesota’s average composite score is 22.7, and is the highest in the country. RHS’s came in as the third highest in the district, with a composite of 23.9. Eastview’s was 24.8 and Eagan’s was 25.6.
The scores for the test taken last year will be available next fall. They are likely to be lower than this year’s scores. That is because last year everyone took the test. The test taken by the class of 2015 was taken by approximately 70% of the students, and likely skewed toward the higher-achieving students.
(Linda) - closing comment -- Linda just published a new book. It is illustrated by 2014 graduate Andre Nelson.
Adjournment