Monday, January 7, 2013
The School Board took care of its annual organization, as well as elected their chair on Jan. 3.
The following was released by Minnetonka Schools: At its Annual Reorganizational Meeting on Jan. 3, the School Board elected Lisa Wagner as Chair, Charlie Kanan as Vice Chair, Lisa Sumner as Clerk and John Holcomb as Treasurer. The Board also set its 2013 meeting schedule. The Minnetonka School District is governed by a seven-member School Board, elected at large to serve four-year terms. Elections are held in years ending in an odd number. By statute, the Board holds a reorganizational meeting at its first Board meeting each January, during which the Board elects officers, sets Board salaries and the meeting schedule, and designates official District depositories, external auditors, legal counsel, and official newspaper and radio of …
Monday, July 16, 2012
With the school board’s decision, the July 19 special meeting scheduled for this process has been cancelled.
The Minnetonka School Board unanimously approved the appointment of John Holcomb to the Minnetonka School Board, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Erin Adams in April of this year. With the board’s early decision on July 12, the special meeting scheduled for this process on July 19 has been cancelled. Holcomb is a resident of Chanhassen and is currently a member of the District’s Citizens Finance Advisory and Audit Committee (CFAC). He has two elementary-aged children in Minnetonka Public Schools and has volunteered on multiple projects at school. Holcomb has worked for Target Corporation since 1997, currently serving as the vice president of healthcare operations. He has also served as healthcare group manager, buyer/…
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The new board member will be selected on July 19.
Five applicants have filed for the Minnetonka School Board vacancy created by the resignation of Erin Adams, who moved out of the school district. Per state law, the School Board will use an appointment process to fill the term that has less than two years remaining. 1. Christian Vitale, Eden Prairie 2. Jim Patterson, Deephaven 3. John Holcomb, Chanhassen 4. Tricia Fairchild Maddox, Minnetonka 5. Heidi Garcia, Chanhassen Garcia was added as a candidate on June 20, after it was discovered that application materials had been submitted in hard copy form to the District Office by the deadline, but due to a staff error had not been included with other applications received electronically. Applicants will be evaluated based on criteria which was…
Sunday, June 10, 2012
The application deadline is June 12 at 5 p.m.
The Minnetonka School Board is seeking applications for a school board member. At their meeting on May 3, the Minnetonka School Board adopted the process for filling the vacancy on the board created by Erin Adams’ resignation when she moved out of the district. The application deadline is June 12 at 5 p.m. The board will use an application, interview and appointment process, consistent with past practice back to 1971. They are seeking candidates who have demonstrated leadership and involvement in the school district (among other criteria). Required criteria established for appointment • Advocate and supporter of public education and the Minnetonka School District Vision and Mission • Consensus builder • Strategic thinker • Steward of …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Board invites community members and employees to a public reception on Thursday, April 26 from 4–5:30 p.m.
Erin Adams, a Deephaven resident who has served on the Minnetonka School Board for 12 years, is leaving the board. The Board invites community members and employees to a public reception on Thursday, April 26 from 4–5:30 p.m. in the board room of the District Service Center to say farewell and thank Adams for her service. (There will be a short program at approximately 4:45 p.m.) Adams and her family moved on April 19, on which date she was no longer a resident of the school district due to the sale of her home. The April 12 School Board meeting was her last. “It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve the students, staff and greater community as a member of this school board since July of 2000," her resignation letter stated…
Monday, December 5, 2011
The board unanimously approved a $34 million tax levy.
At Thursday night's school board meeting, the board unanimously approved a $34 million tax levy– decrease from last year. "We've established no increase in the levy this year," said Superintendent Dennis Peterson. "During these challenging times that's certainly positive for taxpayers in our district, but it makes it challenging for the district to move forward without any increase in revenue." The school's tax levy for 2012 is $9,525.12 lower than the levy in 2011– a .03 percent decrease. In 2008 and 2009, Minnetonka taxpayers saw no increase to the tax levy. In 2010, there was a 1.8 percent increase, and last year it increased 5.2 percent. "Our levy is 2.3 percent lower than 1996 on a dollar-for-dollar basis," said Paul Bourgeois, …
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
District responds when accused of “massive expansion” of debt.
A flier being circulated and postings to online news sites accusing the Minnetonka School District of “massive expansion” of debt has prompted the District to issue a statement. According to the statement titled Correction & Clarification: District Debt, "The District has been asked to provide additional clarity regarding long-term debt, and we are pleased to do so." "A flier being circulated by a private citizen and postings to online news sites have accused the District of 'massive expansion' of debt, without acknowledging the context of the District’s strategic long-term financial management," the statement continues. The plain truth, according to the district "is that the district debt per student is four percent below the latest Seven…
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Area residents showed up at the Gold Nugget Wednesday night to grill city council and school board candidates in a "Speed Dating" event hosted by Patch.
If you've ever been to a speed dating event, you know they can get pretty intense. Single people meeting other single people for the first time face-to-face, with just minutes to get to know one another and see if sparks fly. Minnetonka Patch hosted a similar event Wednesday night at the Gold Nugget Tavern and Grille for Minnetonka school board and city council candidates– except this event was the public's chance to grill the candidates. "I've never done speed dating before," said Minnetonka resident Karl Bunday. "I was curious about the format and wanted to bring my concerns directly to the candidates to see what they each had to say." Bunday lives in the Saddlewood Park Townhomes, and says although traffic in his neighborhood is pretty …
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Gold Nugget Tavern and Grille
14401 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka, MN
/articles/speed-dating-for-your-vote-caef8736
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/locations/5697334
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Laurie Stoltenberg, Joe Torelli, Derek Eitreim and Kevin Maire are an unofficial ticket of social conservatives.
Editor's note: Please join us tonight (Oct. 26) beginning at 7 p.m. at the Gold Nugget Tavern & Grille for Patch's Casual Night with the Candidates. Four candidates thought to be running independently for seats on the Minnetonka School Board are now running together on an unofficial ticket based on social conservative values. In a campaign previously marked largely by fiscal policy, the emergence of this conservative coalition—Laurie Stoltenberg, Joe Torelli, Derek Eitreim and Kevin Maire—is galvanizing both supporters and opponents of the candidates. It began with an email, dated Oct. 5, supporting and naming the four as “great, conservative, pro-family candidates.” The email is signed by Anne Seeland, a special education …
Friday, October 14, 2011
Patch Voters' Guide: Who will you vote for on Election Day?
Editor's note: This week we feature the eight candidates running for four seats on the Minnetonka School Board. We will publish two candidates per day for four days. You can meet and grill all the candidates at our Speed Dating For Your Vote event at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the Gold Nugget Tavern. LISA SUMNER Minnetonka Patch: What qualifications do you have that will make you an effective Minnetonka school board member? Sumner: I have been actively involved in the Minnetonka School District for 13+ years. Currently, I am a trustee on the Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation, raising money to build an endowment for our school district. Our work on the Foundation is also to fundraise and provide over $50K in Teacher Grants each …
Donni Rice Torres
8:33 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Two requests immediately: give letter grades in 5th grade, and officially district Clear Springs either MMW or MME. more ›