The GFW School Board held a regular meeting on Monday, March 18, 2024. A summary of the meeting is below.
Watch the meeting on YouTube:
School and Community Recognition
The Board recognized GFW staff members Dani Bruns, Mirinda Goblish, and Staci Wood who were responsible for organizing the highly successful CTE Career and College Fair held at GFW Middle School and High School.
Director of Health Services Dani Bruns, Dean of Students Staci Wood, and Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Mirinda Goblish put in so much work to create and strengthen partnerships with community organizations, resulting in a valuable event for students. 
“When our schools collaborate with local businesses, our students can gain valuable real-world experiences and insight into various industries,” said Dr. Horton. “These partnerships create pathways for our students to explore potential career paths and develop essential skills sought after by employers.”
Partnerships with businesses is an essential part of what it means to be college and career ready and these three staff members are so dedicated to their work. Ms. Woods teaches College and Career Readiness courses for students in eighth grade to develop a four year plan for exploring career pathways and works with high school students to transition to higher education or the workforce successfully. Ms. Bruns is a trained nurse who teaches students about medical careers in addition to serving as director of health services. Ms. Goblish teaches a wide range of classes and oversees FFA and builds excitement for working in the field of agriculture.
The CTE Career and College Fair brought together businesses who represented the career pathways of the GFW Academies as well as universities and colleges offering courses in those fields of study. It was an amazing experience for GFW students and local businesses.
“Thank you for your hard work and efforts to provide our students and business with these opportunities,” said Dr. Horton. “Let us continue to provide these opportunities for our students!”
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Horton started his report by welcoming member Miller to the Board. He shared that the PreK-12 school facility project is on time and on budget with bids being reviewed. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Friday, April 12 from 5:30-7:30 at the current GFW Elementary School with rides out to the new school site for photo opportunities along with games, fun, and celebration.
Kindergarten kick off was a success with many families excited to start their journey at GFW. There continues to be great excitement about the dual language immersion program, which will be growing to first grade next year. Dr. Horton also congratulated the GFW athletes on amazing seasons and performances and shared that he received an email from someone at Sibley East who shared that GFW students helped clean up trash after a recent game and were a great model of positive behavior.
Policy Reading
The Board approved policy readings.
School Reports
Principal Thompson shared updates about Celebrate Reading month and the read-a-thon that was held in February that raised more than $11,200. Three children’s authors also visited the school throughout the month and talked to students about writing, creating a story, and more. Books were also provided to students from the authors thanks to a grant and funds raised. Students took part in dress up days and a camp-in at the end of the month. T-Bird way heroes for the month of March will be police officers.
Principal Jacobson shared that there has been a lot going on at the middle school and high school including the FAFSA night where students and their families learned about the FAFSA process. Seniors learned about scholarship opportunities and how to apply at an event during homeroom. Staff spent time during staff development days on curriculum alignment to standards and syllabus development. Students are also learning about the work-based learning program and got to hear from Alyssa Lagerwall who is currently working at UFC as part of the program. Upcoming events include 2024-25 registration at the end of the month, and MCA testing in April. GFW teams had a great showing at recent tournaments and events and wrapped up strong seasons in many different activities.
School Board Reports
Board members shared reports from committees and ongoing work.
Logo and Mascot Updates
Work continues to update the GFW logo and mascot name with survey results being reviewed by the board at an upcoming work session.
Consent Agenda and Action Items
The board approved the consent agenda.
The board approved Prek-12 Facility Bids for critical contracts.
The board approved the UEA Seniority List.
The board approved the UEA preschool and school readiness Seniority List.
The board approved the ECFE & ABE Seniority List.
The board approved the Local 284 Seniority List 2023-24
The board approved the Bus Drivers Association Seniority List 2023-24.
The board approved the Principal Seniority List 2023-24.
The board approved the Math Curriculum K-4: Everyday Math
The board approved the Math Curriculum 5-12: Reveal Math
The board approved the Acceptance of Donations.