School Board

Besides regular meetings, the School Board also holds regular work sessions to study issues in more depth and occasional Focused Forums to hear comments from citizens on specific topics. Work sessions are typically held at 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the District Center, 4570 Victoria St N, Shoreview. They are open to the public. The School District uses the Shoreview Press newspaper for all official notifications.

Watch meetings live via online web-streaming on the District's YouTube channel and on cable channel 20.

Comments to the Board

• School Board policy BG-0201: Public Participation Prior to School Board Meetings
• School Board regulation BG-0201: Public Attendance Prior to School Board Meetings (Comments to the Board)

The School Board allows individuals to address the Board prior to the Board meeting. While not required to provide this opportunity, the Board values public input and has allocated a specific period of time for this purpose and will limit time for speakers accordingly. A speaker may choose to distribute materials when addressing the School Board.

The Board asks that each speaker who has signed up to address the School Board provide their name and address for the record. Speakers are asked to refrain from using this time to criticize or complain about a specific employee by name. Speakers are also asked to be respectful of other speakers. The School Board takes into consideration comments made by the public but is not obligated to respond to or debate issues in this setting. The Comments to the Board opportunity does not provide a two-way dialogue or interactive discussion with the School Board. Questions, concerns and requests may be directed to the appropriate administrator for review or response. 

Comments to the Board will begin at 6:30 p.m. To participate, individuals must fill out a registration sheet found on the counter inside the Board Room. Registration will begin at 6:15 p.m. Only those whose names appear on the sign-up sheet at 6:30 p.m. will be permitted to address the Board. Speakers are asked to sign their name, address, school or organization represented, and give a brief summary of the intended statement.

In the event no one signs up for Comments to the Board, or time permitting, the Board may move into a work session to utilize the time. 

Work Sessions

School Board policy BG-0202: Public Participation at School Board Work Sessions

The School Board holds Work Sessions to study issues in more depth. No formal action is taken during Work Sessions. Work Sessions are typically held at 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the District Center, 4570 Victoria St N, Shoreview, and are open to the public. The Board may also move into a work session in the event no one signs up for Comments to the Board, or time permitting, at 6:30 p.m. before each Board meeting. Those attending Work Sessions should not expect a two-way dialogue or interactive discussion with the School Board during the session. 

Focused Forums

School Board policy BG-0204: Focused Forum

As necessary, the School Board may host Focused Forums devoted to specific topics of interest as identified by the Board or community. Focused Forums offer community members a public forum for a two-way, interactive discussion or exploration of an issue with the School Board. During Focused Forums, the School Board or administration typically makes a factual presentation, sometimes including a recommendation, followed by a structured question/answer/commentary session.

School Board Community Meetings

As necessary, the School Board may host community meetings, typically held in local community meeting spaces. These meetings are devoted to topics of interest as identified by the Board or community. Budget balancing and issues of community/Board vision for the schools are common topics discussed during School Board/Community meetings. These meetings offer community members a public forum for a two-way, interactive discussion or exploration of an issue with the School Board. Like Focused Forums, these meetings typically begin with a School Board or administration presentation followed by a structured question/answer/commentary session.

School Board Policies

School Board members accept assignments to numerous School District committees which meet periodically to study specific issues, work on special projects, and make recommendations to the School Board. School liaison assignments made annually pair School Board members with specific elementary, middle, and high schools. In addition, School Board members represent Mounds View Public Schools in metro and state education organizations in which the School District has membership.

2024 Board Assignments

* Membership requirement of the individual organization
** Policy requirement
*** Legal or contractual stipulation

Every year at its first meeting in January, the School Board holds an organizational meeting to elect officers, make committee and school liaison assignments, and settle other routine business. The Superintendent is an ex-officio member of the Board who facilitates the work of the Board and is responsible to the Board for providing leadership to the District and carrying out Board directives. 

Each year, the School Board approves a series of goals and related activities on which the Superintendent and Cabinet will focus their work. This is known as the District Operational Plan (DOP). It is directly related to the District's vision and to the School Board's strategic directions for the year. 

The DOP has been developed by the Superintendent and his Cabinet and has been previously discussed with the Board at work sessions and Board meetings. Progress reports are made regularly at School Board meetings and will be shared regularly in issues of School Talk.

2024-25 DOP

In November 2023, voters elected four residents to serve four-year terms on the School Board. The following residents were elected to serve on the School Board: 

Alissa Daire Nelson
Heidi Danielson
Jim DeMay
Jonathan Weinhagen

The next School Board election will take place November 3,  2026. 

What does serving as a School Board member really mean? Watch a brief video illustrating the role in Mounds View Public Schools.