School Board Update

Each month the school board is presented with non-action and action items for their consideration. A few noteworthy items that were approved at this month's meeting are included here.

Items Approved by the Board

• Gifts & Donations
• Fiscal Year 2026 Long-Term Facilities & Maintenance Ten-Year Plan
• Athletics Agreement between Cambridge-Isanti Schools and the Art & Science Academy
• Approval of authority of Dr. Nate Rudolph as the Identified Official with Authority (IoWA) for the MN Department of Education External User Access Recertification System and Amy Sachs to add and remove names for Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools ISD 911
• Student Handbooks & Code of Conduct
• Facility User Fees
• Policies in Final Action

By: Dr. Nate Rudolph

Although summer is often viewed as a quieter season, July has been filled with planning and preparation for the 2026-27 school year. Across the district, staff have been focused on hiring, professional learning, facilities, technology, transportation, curriculum, and operational readiness to ensure a strong start for students and staff.

Our Cabinet recently held its annual leadership retreat to align priorities and finalize plans for the upcoming school year.

Summer is also one of the busiest times for our operations teams. Maintenance, custodial, grounds, technology, and transportation staff continue working behind the scenes to prepare our buildings, classrooms, and buses for the opening of school.

Our district has also remained actively engaged in the community through events such as the Isanti County Fair and the Isanti Rodeo Days Parade. These opportunities strengthen relationships with families and community members while celebrating the pride and spirit of Cambridge-Isanti Schools.

We look forward to welcoming new staff, reconnecting with returning employees, and beginning another outstanding school year in August and September.

“in partnership with our community, is to EDUCATE, EMPOWER and INSPIRE - EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY to achieve their full potential.”

By: Shawn Kirkeide

Red Rover

We officially launched Red Rover on July 1 as our new system for employee absence management, substitute placement, and time tracking. Red Rover replaces both Frontline Absence Management (AESOP) and TimeClock+ (TCP), creating one streamlined system for staff. Salaried employees will use Red Rover for absence management, while hourly employees will use it for both absence management and time tracking. The HR team continues to support staff and address any issues as we complete the transition.

If you have any questions about Red Rover, please contact redroverhelp@c-ischools.org

Reunification
On June 22, 2026, Cambridge-Isanti Schools conducted a comprehensive reunification and emergency preparedness training involving District leadership, Educational Services Center staff, and key community partners. The training included evacuation site planning, a full reunification exercise, and a Unified Command tabletop exercise in partnership with local law enforcement, city and county representatives, and fire departments.

The exercise provided an important opportunity to strengthen coordination, communication, and emergency response procedures across agencies. This collaborative training helped identify opportunities for improvement while building confidence in our preparedness and response.

Thank you to all participating staff, community partners, and members of the Reunification Planning Team for their time, expertise, and commitment to school safety.

Finance

The Finance Department has begun the transition to the new fiscal year, including preparations for the FY2026 audit and implementation of new accounting standards and statutory requirements. Work is also underway on the district's annual property tax levy, which will be presented to the School Board in September. The district has a strong track record of minimizing levy increases, and at this time property tax amounts are expected to remain approximately flat compared to last year.

Building & Grounds

The Buildings & Grounds Department continues to make progress on several summer maintenance projects in preparation for the upcoming school year. The gym floor refinishing project will be completed this week, roof repairs are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, and the high school bleacher replacement project is set to begin on July 20. Staff are also working with NAC and the MPCA to update the CMS fire system RPZ.

We would also like to recognize the retirement of Rand Budnick and Leanne Daudt this week and thank them for their many years of dedicated service to Cambridge-Isanti Schools.

Transportation

The Transportation Department continues to prepare for the 2026–2027 school year while maintaining safe and efficient operations. This spring, the department completed 91 State Patrol vehicle inspections with only three failures and five minor violations. The department also reduced annual accidents by 10 compared to the previous school year, with no major accidents reported, and implemented a new end-of-year vehicle checkout process to improve vehicle readiness for the upcoming school year.

Current efforts are focused on supporting summer Targeted Services transportation, hiring and training additional drivers, completing student routing, and finalizing Red Rover Payroll and Qmlativ procedures. Recruiting additional drivers remains a priority as the department works to address increased use of employee leave and ensure adequate staffing for the school year.

Food Service

Nutrition Services has been working with the Minnesota Department of Education and the district's independent auditors to complete required compliance activities in preparation for the upcoming school year. The department will also mail Applications for Educational Benefits to all district households on July 24, helping ensure families can access available meal and program benefits..

Technology

The Technology Department has been focused on summer preparations for the upcoming school year, including work on the Skyward Qmlativ migration, device deployments and repairs, print server migrations, Chromebook redistribution, and other infrastructure projects.

The department also continues to advance the district's Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative. Director of Technology Ray Sperl attended and presented at the MNGAIA Conference and participated in the ISTE Conference, bringing back best practices that reinforce the district's focus on using AI safely, ethically, and effectively to support teaching and learning. Professional development and AI literacy remain key priorities as the district continues to integrate AI into instruction.

By: Christina Thayer Anderson

New Website and Mobile App Launch

The Communications Team launched the new district website and mobile app on July 1. Since its launch, the app has already been downloaded 720 times. We anticipate downloads will continue to grow as we promote the app at summer community events and share additional back-to-school information before the start of the 2026-27 school year. The website and app provide families and community members with another reliable and convenient way to access district news, events, notifications, and important updates.

Over the coming weeks, you will see updates and additions to webpages as we continue to build out the website, and some pages may experience intermittent disruptions or be temporarily unavailable. If you have questions, please reach out! For assistance finding information, please contact dist-communications@c-ischools.org. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve our website for our staff, families, and community.

Adult Education Graduation
Central MN East Adult Education celebrated its 2026 graduates during a ceremony on June 23. The event recognized adult learners who reached important educational goals through hard work, persistence and support from their instructors and families. This celebration also reflects the district’s Strategic Plan by supporting academic growth, building positive relationships and expanding opportunities through community partnerships.

For many graduates, this achievement represents more than earning a diploma or completing a program. It opens doors to employment, career advancement, continued education and new opportunities. We are proud of each graduate and grateful to the Adult Education staff who support learners throughout their educational journeys.

By: Rachel Kasper

District Restrictive Procedures Update (2025–2026)
Cambridge-Isanti Schools remains deeply committed to student safety, transparency, and minimizing exclusionary discipline. In accordance with Minnesota Department of Education guidelines, restrictive procedures—such as physical holding—are utilized strictly as a last resort during immediate safety emergencies.

For the 2025–2026 school year, the district recorded 67 total restrictive procedures. While this is an increase from the previous year’s historic low of 40, it still represents a significant 46% net decrease from our 2023–2024 baseline of 124 incidents. This shift is primarily driven by heightened reporting accuracy and a temporary increase in students with intensive, individualized behavioral programming needs.

To directly support these individual needs and align with state legislation prohibiting seclusion, our district was recently awarded a Safety Grant to implement Ukeru—a trauma-informed, restraint-free crisis management framework. This specialized training and protective equipment will be deployed within our center-based programs and Brookside, advancing our commitment to proactive de-escalation and safe environments for all students.