The ISD 2142 school board met for a working session on Tuesday, Oct. 13 to review the 2026-2029 Indigenous education strategic direction plan, immediately followed by the board’s regular meeting.
Deanna Drift, who is the district’s American Indian Coordinator, and Dr. Luke Warnsholz presented the strategic plan.
Warnsholz, an enrolled member of White Earth Nation, was hired as a consultant for the project. He is the former executive director of the Bois Forte Reservation tribal government and has a doctoral degree in business.
The plan’s guiding vision is for Indigenous students in 2142 to thrive in an equitable, culturally-responsive, transparent and sustainable education system, according to the packet presented at the meeting.
Goal metrics include Indigenous attendance and graduation rates equivalent to district averages by 2029, 100% accuracy in Indigenous student documentation by 2027, a 50% reduction in disciplinary disparities by 2029 and other aims.
The strategic plan names language revitalization, expanded transportation access, mentorship programs, restorative practices, professional development and more as pathways to reach success.
Board members Ron Marinaro and Linsey Larson asked how progress on the plan’s goals will be benchmarked and tracked.
Drift acknowledged the challenge of measuring outcomes across five distinct schools, with students entering the system at many different learning levels.
Drift said common themes emerged as needs across every school, especially transportation and after-school events. She suggested partnering with local tribes and applying for transportation grants.
“Success is really a case-bycase basis for the students, and I heard from every single student I interviewed throughout the process that they just want an experience,” Warnsholz said. “Some of these kids are looking for the next meal, and some of these kids are looking to get into college.”
Warnsholz said mental health services, student-teacher relationships and cultural education offerings are among the most important support systems educators can provide for Indigenous students.
“Every single student said the same thing,” Warnsholz said. “They want to learn about their culture.”
The document emerged after Warnsholz and Drift met with each of the five school principals across 2142, visited the district’s Indian Education staff, interviewed students and reviewed educational data.
“A strategic plan is there to be the seed of where we’re going in the next three years,” Warnsholz said.
Drift and Warnsholz aimed to keep the document short at 25 pages, compared to common page counts of 100+ pages for similar plans.
“I appreciate keeping a very succinct document,” Larson said. She added that the plan could be revised if needed as the next three years unfold.
Following the working session, the board heard briefly from John Hane of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 70, who announced a vacation time-related grievance to the board.
IUOE encompasses custodial staff, bus drivers and secretarial employees.
Hane said some district staff in the union have not been accruing vacation time, but he said they should be. The union was not aware of the lack of earned vacation time.
Contracts with the district allow full-time employees to earn time off of work.
The IRS defines a full-time employee as an individual working a job for at least an average of 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month, while Minnesota sets the standard at 32 hours per week.
“We have plenty of documentation that would support the fact that these are full-time employees and eligible for vacation,” Hane said.
“We feel very confident about this. We feel very confident in pursuing this arbitration if we need to,” Hane said.
The board entered a closed session to confidentially discuss potential responses to the grievance with legal counsel.
Following the closed session, the board breezed through five minutes of yes-or-no agenda items before adjourning, including the approval of a PSEO contract with Minnesota North College and the official awarding of winter snowplow bids.
District finance director Kim Johnson reported last year’s plowing bids were very expensive, and this year’s offers were better for the budget.
Superintendent Brian Masterson announced the Babbitt Bowl, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.
Masterson reported field painting had already begun at the time of the school board meeting.
