Regular Meeting of the School Board

April 07, 2026

The regular meeting of the Board of Education of Independent School District 270 was conducted in-person and streamed virtually, on Tuesday, April 07, 2026. The meeting was called to order at 7:11 p.m. 

School Board members present: Chair Shannon Andreson, Treasurer Rachel Hartland, Director Johanna Hyman, Vice Chair Brooke Roper, Director Kaj Thompson, Clerk Sara Wilhelm Garbers, and Director Zhiming Zhao.

School Board members absent: None.

Student Board reps present: Adina Togal (9) and Hafsa Baazaoui (9).

Staff members present: Superintendent Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed. 

Staff members absent: None.

Open Agenda — Public Comments

No public comments were presented.

Reports

Student Board Representatives: Togal and Baazaoui, updated the Board on recent events at Hopkins High School. 

Superintendent: Mhiripiri-Reed spoke about events and highlights from the past few weeks.

Approval of Agenda 

Hartland moved; Roper seconded; to approve the agenda as presented. Carried.

Consent Calendar 

Wilhelm Garbers moved; Roper seconded; to approve the Consent Calendar as presented: A) Approval of Minutes — Regular Meeting Conducted on March 17, 2026; B) Human Resources — Personnel Updates; C) Policies in Second Read; D) A&I Budget; E) Acceptance of District Gifts; F) 2025-26 Staff Seniority Lists.  

Zhao moved to have item G) Bond Proceeds RFP Approval moved to New Business. 

Treasurer’s Report 

Hartland moved; Zhao seconded; to approve financial disbursements in the amount of $966,472.17 for the period of February 16, 2026 through February 28, 2026. Carried. 

Bond Proceeds RFP Approval

Those voting in favor thereof: Anderson, Hartland, Hyman, Roper, Thompson, Wilhelm Garbers, and Zhao. Carried.

Citizens Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) Budget Report 2026-27

Roper moved; Thompson seconded; to approve the 2026-27 CFAC Budget Report. Carried.

Resolution of Financial Sale 2026A Bonds

Roper moved; Thompson seconded; to approve the 2026-27 CFAC Budget Report. Carried

Superintendent Search

Hartland moved; Roper seconded; to move forward the candidates G, K, M, N, & S to Round 1 interviews. Those voting in favor thereof: None. Those voting against: Andreson, Zhao, Hartland, Roper, Thompson, Hyman, and Wilhelm Garbers. Not passed. 

Wilhelm Garbers moved; Hyman seconded; to move forward the candidates G, K, M, & S to Round 1 interviews. Carried

Roper moved; Hartland seconded; to move forward the candidate D to Round 1 interviews. Those voting in favor thereof: Andreson, Hartland, Roper, and Thompson. Those voting against: Zhao, Hyman, and Wilhelm Garbers. Carried

Zhao moved; Hyman seconded; to move forward the candidate R to Round 1 interviews. Those voting in favor thereof: Hartland, Roper, Zhao, Hyman, Wilhelm Garbers, and Thompson. Those voting against: Andreson. Carried

Andreson moved; Roper seconded; to move forward the candidate N to Round 1 interviews. Those voting in favor thereof: Andreson, and Roper. Those voting against: Zhao, Hartland, Hyman, Wilhelm Garbers, and Thompson. Not passed.

 

Policies in First Read

Hopkins 354

Hopkins 853 (remove)

Vice Chair Roper and Assistant Superintendent Lightfoot provided background on the presented policies. 

Hyman moved; Roper seconded; that the Board approves the above policies in First Read and to bring policy 853 back to the Monitoring Committee; further, the Board directs the Administration to prepare the policies (with suggested revisions) for approval in Second Reading at the next meeting. Carried.

Board Member Reports

Board members reported on recent educational activities/events in which they have participated. 

Adjournment

Roper moved; Wilhelm Garbers seconded; to adjourn the meeting at 10:03 p.m. Carried.

 

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Sara Wilhelm Garbers, School Board Clerk