The St. Anthony-New Brighton School Board, in alignment with the school district, seeks to engage each child at heart level, shine a light on their brilliance and inspire their capacity to thrive in a world that is not yet fully know.
We invite you to attend our meetings, either in-person or virtually, and to attend a listening session so we can hear from you!
Regular School Board meetings are held at the St. Anthony City Council Chambers, located at the St. Anthony Community Center, 3301 Silver Lake Rd. School Board Work Sessions are held at the St. Anthony Middle School/high school building's media center, located at 3303 33rd Ave. NE.
All meetings are open to the public, except for those specifically permitted by law to be closed for discussion of identified issues, such as negotiation strategy or litigation.
Special meetings of the board may be scheduled from time to time.Ben Phillip was elected to the St. Anthony-New Brighton School Board in November 2019. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Higher Education with an Adult Education specialty. Ben works at Summit Academy OIC, a vocational school in North Minneapolis, where he leads and manages a program to get underrepresented adults, primarily African Americans and women, into the IT industry. Having worked in higher education and IT for over 20 years, Ben has a firm understanding of the successes and struggles that affect educational institutions. For a number of years, Ben has been involved with the World’s Best Workforce. He has also helped with issues of equity and adverse childhood experiences through the St. Anthony Villagers for Equity and Community and Family Services Collaborative. He volunteers in the community, in association with the Wilshire Park Parents Association, and has coached and kept stats for various teams through the St. Anthony Boosters. Outside of St. Anthony, Ben is a board member for his high school alma mater, Minneapolis Roosevelt. Ben and his wife Laura have lived in St. Anthony Village since 2004 and have three children, Xander, Linden and Brannock, who attend St. Anthony-New Brighton schools.
Dr. Cassandra Palmer was elected to the School Board in November 2015. Dr. Palmer and her husband Chris have lived in St. Anthony for over a decade and their sons attend St. Anthony Middle School and Wilshire Park Elementary School. Dr. Palmer, a surgeon who practices at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, recognizes one of the top challenges facing our school district is decreasing the academic achievement gap between white students and students of color. "We need to have kindergarteners ready for school on their first day with equal opportunity and equal access," Palmer said. Through her personal and professional experience, Dr. Palmer also encourages the study of S.T.E.M--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—for all students, with a particular emphasis on young women.
Laura Oksnevad was elected to the St. Anthony-New Brighton School Board in November 2013. Laura and her husband, Bjorn, have lived in St. Anthony Village since 2011 and have two children, Sonja (class of 2026) and Elise (class of 2028). She is an active volunteer in the community, schools, and Nativity Lutheran Church. Laura has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and Public Health Nurse certificate from the University of Minnesota. Laura is currently a stay at home parent and community volunteer. Her prior work experience includes Labor and Delivery Nursing as well as clinic work as a Prenatal Nurse Educator. Laura is a member of MSBA’s 2024 All-State School Board. Laura's purpose: I serve to responsibly transform our education system to holistically develop all learners.
Mike was elected to the St. Anthony-New Brighton School Board in November 2021. Mike, his wife Marnie, and his two children Maude and Malone, moved to St. Anthony in 2014.
Mike started out by joining the ECFE Parent Advisory Council, where he helped plan and run pre-K focused events, such as the Fall Carnival at the Community Center. Later on, he joined the SANBE Foundation, serving as treasurer and chairing their primary fundraiser, SAV for the Future.
In his free time, Mike enjoys attending and performing in theater. And when time allows, he takes part in the St. Anthony Community Theater summer productions.
Prior to a decade-long (and still going) stint as a stay-at-home parent, Mike worked in finance and accounting and has a masters in business. The past few years he has been a regular at Wilshire Park Elementary School as a volunteer and more recently, a substitute teacher. As a substitute, he enjoys getting to know the kids and learning how classrooms operate. He looks forward to helping the district continue to strive for equity and excellence, because our kids deserve it.
Laurel was inaugrated to the board January 2024.
None assigned yet.
In an effort to listen to concerns of the public, School Board members are available at 6:30 pm, prior to Regular Board Meetings (first meeting of each month).
Periodically, the board has important updates to share with the community. The Brighter Bulletin, a district publication sent via email one time per week, includes a section on school boards updates and articles.
A list policies are available for the public to view at any time. Policies are frequently updated to reflect changes in position or practice. Learn more about what the policies are at St. Anthony - New Brighton School district.
The St. Anthony - New Brighton School Board is a six member board, each elected for a four-year term. Our aim is to both conduct the business of the schools within St. Anthony - New Brighton and to also see our success metrics lived out in students' everyday lives.
Students thrive emotionally and socially in adaptive environments.
Students possess a love of learning.
Students harness academic skills and a love of learning.
Students positively contribute as a thriving citizen to their community.
We are fortunate at St. Anthony - New Brighton Schools to be part of a generous and supportive community. We have stable enrollment and a history of fiscally responsible planning. However, with the rate of inflation, lack of consistently reliable state aid, and underfunded state mandates an inequitable burden is falling on local taxpayers to supplement much needed funding.
Community Engagement by implementing effective board communications. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year the School Board will engage with a communications and community engagement specialist/consultant in order to build a communications and community engagement plan specific to the School Board.
By the end of the 2025 school year School Board members will be proficient in: Board Roles and Responsibilities (including new board member onboarding), ISD282’s systemic alignment regarding educational practices - RRR, Effective Instruction (the binder) District Assessment Practices, SANB specific initiatives such as Literacy.
The care, management, and control of independent districts is vested in a board of directors, to be known as the school board. The term of office of a member shall be four years commencing on the first Monday in January and until a successor qualifies. The membership of the board shall consist of six elected directors together with such ex officio member as may be provided by law. The board may submit to the electors at any school election the question whether the board shall consist of seven members. If a majority of those voting on the proposition favor a seven-member board, a seventh member shall be elected at the next election of directors for a four-year term and thereafter the board shall consist of seven members.
Those districts with a seven-member board may submit to the electors at any school election at least 150 days before the next election of three members of the board the question whether the board shall consist of six members. If a majority of those voting on the proposition favor a six-member board instead of a seven-member board, three members instead of four members shall be elected at the next election of the board of directors and thereafter the board shall consist of six members.
A sex offender who has been convicted of an offense for which registration under section 243.166 is required is ineligible to become a candidate for the office of school board member, as defined in subdivision 1. Ineligibility is determined by the registration requirements in effect at the time the offender files for office, not by the registration requirements, if any, that were in effect at the time the offender was convicted.
A member shall receive training in school finance and management developed in consultation with the Minnesota School Boards Association and consistent with section 127A.19. The School Boards Association must make available to each newly elected school board member training in school finance and management consistent with section 127A.19 within 180 days of that member taking office. The program shall be developed in consultation with the department and appropriate representatives of higher education.
A vacancy in any board occurs when a member (a) dies, (b) resigns, (c) ceases to be a resident of the district, or (d) is unable to serve on such board and attend its meetings for not less than 90 days because of illness or prolonged absence from the district.
Subd. 4. Ill or absent member
A vacancy caused by a member being unable to serve on such board and attend its meetings for not less than 90 days because of illness or prolonged absence from the district, may, after the board has by resolution declared such vacancy to exist, be filled by the board at any regular or special meeting thereof for the remainder of the unexpired term, or until such ill or absent member is again able to resume duties as a member of such board, whichever date is earliest. When the ill or absent member is able to resume duties as a member of the board, the board must by resolution so determine and declare such person to be again a member of the board, and the member appointed by the board to be no longer a member thereof.
(a) Any vacancy on the board, other than a vacancy described in subdivision 4, must be filled by board appointment at a regular or special meeting. The appointment shall be evidenced by a resolution entered in the minutes and shall be effective 30 days following adoption of the resolution, subject to paragraph (b). If the appointment becomes effective, it shall continue until an election is held under this subdivision. All elections to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term. A special election to fill the vacancy must be held no later than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November following the vacancy. If the vacancy occurs less than 90 days prior to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the year in which the vacancy occurs, the special election must be held no later than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the following calendar year. If the vacancy occurs less than 90 days prior to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the third year of the term, no special election is required. If the vacancy is filled by a special election, the person elected at that election for the ensuing term shall take office immediately after receiving the certificate of election, filing the bond, and taking the oath of office.
(b) An appointment made under paragraph (a) shall not be effective if a petition to reject the appointee is filed with the school district clerk. To be valid, a petition to reject an appointee must be signed by a number of eligible voters residing in the district equal to at least five percent of the total number of voters voting in the district at the most recent state general election, and must be filed within 30 days of the board's adoption of the resolution making the appointment. If a valid petition is filed according to the requirements of this paragraph, the appointment by the school board is ineffective and the board must name a new appointee as provided in paragraph (a).
A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum. No contract shall be made or authorized, except at a regular meeting of the board or at a special meeting at which all members are present or of which all members have had notice. Special meetings may be called by the chair or clerk or any three members upon notice mailed to each member at least three days prior thereto.
The board shall make, and when deemed advisable, change or repeal rules relating to the organization and management of the board and the duties of its officers.
The board must superintend and manage the schools of the district; adopt rules for their organization, government, and instruction; keep registers; and prescribe textbooks and courses of study. The board may enter into an agreement with a postsecondary institution for secondary or postsecondary nonsectarian courses to be taught at a secondary school, nonsectarian postsecondary institution, or another location.
The board may remove, for proper cause, any member or officer of the board and fill the vacancy; but such removal must be by a concurrent vote of at least four members, at a meeting of whose time, place, and object the charged member has been duly notified, with the reasons for such proposed removal and after an opportunity to be heard in defense against the removal.
The board must cause its official proceedings to be published once in the official newspaper of the district. Such publication shall be made within 30 days of the meeting at which such proceedings occurred. If the board determines that publication of a summary of the proceedings would adequately inform the public of the substance of the proceedings, the board may direct that only a summary be published, conforming to the requirements of section 331A.01, subdivision 10.
If a board of a district that has no newspaper with its known office of issue or a secondary office located within the boundaries of the district and no newspaper that is distributed to more than one-third of the residences in the district determines that mailing a summary of its proceedings would be more economical than publication of the proceedings and that it would adequately inform the public, it may mail a summary of its proceedings to each residence in the district that can be identified as a homestead from the property tax records and to each other residence in the district that the board can identify. The county must make the property tax records available to the board for this purpose. The board must keep a copy of the summary of the proceedings as part of its records. The decision of a board to mail summaries, rather than publish the proceedings under this subdivision shall be presumed valid, subject to challenge by a court action.
The clerk, treasurer, and superintendent of any district shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the board. Unless otherwise provided by law, the other members of the board shall also receive such compensation as may be fixed by the board. All members of the board may receive reimbursement for transportation at the rate provided for in section 471.665. No board member or school district employee shall receive any compensation or benefits based on incentives or other money provided to the school district by or from a source of group insurance coverage referenced in section 471.6161, subdivision 1, except for a refund provided under section 123B.75, subdivision 10, or a wellness plan that is mutually agreed upon by the district and the exclusive representatives of employees.
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes