The Minnetonka School Board and District Administration believe a commitment to world-class, child-centered excellence strengthens Minnetonka Public Schools. The well-being and belonging of our students are continuing priorities for both families and for the District. Well-being is defined here as the positive sense of self and belonging that is felt when one’s cognitive, emotional, social and physical needs are being met. Belonging is defined here as a strong feeling of positive connection, acceptance and importance as a member of the Minnetonka Schools’ diverse community,

regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, country of origin, ability, and/or socioeconomic status. Integrating student well-being, connection and belonging efforts ensures all students have the support needed to achieve at their highest potential. The District will continue to foster and promote positive student well-being, connection and belonging efforts and will identify and remove barriers that have a detrimental effect on students’ well-being, connection and sense of belonging. The District will strive for the fair treatment, opportunity and advancement of all students to pursue their highest levels of academic and personal achievement. The Board’s vision for child-centered excellence is the foundation for this work. The District will provide a working environment for employees that is respectful, supportive and collaborative and will seek ways to increase the support for employees’ well-being, connection and belonging needs. 

For the 2025-26 school year, the District will have the following goal action steps:

1. Foster and Maintain a Welcoming, Inclusive and Safe Environment for All Students and Employees:Deepen the implementation of belonging efforts in order to promote a positive school climate and culture. Provide professional learning for staff on best practices to build connections with and among students and each other. Gather student data on an annual basis. Identify, analyze, monitor and respond to student trends and data with attention to identifying and addressing barriers to belonging affecting different student demographic groups. Parent communication regarding belonging efforts will be included as a strategy to support this work.
   1. Principals and their staff will present reports to the School Board throughout the academic year that include their school’s well-being, connection and belonging efforts and, as appropriate, outcomes.
   2. The District will present a report to the School Board on measures of success related to belonging efforts including available trend data.
2. Cultivate Social and Emotional Well-being and Implement Best Practices in School-based Mental Health Support:Strengthen students’ social and emotional well-being through continued implementation of the MTSS processes and structures. Advance student awareness and support the diverse developmental, cultural and mental health needs of the student body. Screen students annually to ensure identification of students who may need additional support. Continue to partner on the Jed Foundation work focused on the mental health of high school students including suicide prevention. Continue to confer with the Mental Health Advisory Council and implement its recommendations, as appropriate.
   1. The District will present a report to the School Board on measures of success related to student social and emotional well-being and mental health including available trend data.
3. Cultivate Implement and Communication Bullying Prevention Efforts:Maintain a high level of student and parent awareness of existing bullying prevention efforts. Monitor the impact of our bullying prevention efforts as measured by student discipline data, student reports and survey data.
   1. The District will update the Board annually on the trend data from student and parent surveys.

Excellence in student learning and support is a foundational principle guiding the Minnetonka School Board and District Administration in their work. The School Board and District Administration believe that each student is capable of achieving at their highest potential and are committed to work collaboratively with families to support their students’ learning. The continuation of the District’s excellence in teaching and learning will be driven through deep implementation of educational frameworks and strategic programs to support student learning. This focus also includes identifying and addressing any gaps in achievement that exist between measured student groups, with attention to predictable outcomes.

For the 2025-26 school year, the District will have the following goal action steps.

1. Ensure All Students Receive Outstanding Instruction:Focus on high-quality, universal instruction in all courses. Leverage teacher collaboration to ensure responsive instruction and progress monitoring. Provide staff development throughout the year to address the priority areas identified using student data and teacher feedback. Increase the impact of teacher collaboration by providing consistent administrative guidance and support throughout the school year. Continuously monitor the effectiveness of District programming at all levels across curricular areas to ensure the District is meeting the needs of all students. Take steps toward providing a continuous improvement process that considers the unique needs of programs that serve students receiving special education services, students learning English, and students participating in Tonka Online.
   1. The District will present reports to the School Board on the academic progress of students by using available data, disaggregated, as appropriate, that include student performance on standardized assessments, participation in rigorous coursework, and student, staff and parent survey data.
2. Prioritize Student Literacy Improvement Efforts:The District will continue to implement its updated literacy plan, which includes the following elements: Provide training for all teachers on effective practices in foundational and disciplinary reading and writing instruction. Implement Board-approved core and supplemental literacy materials aligned to research-based best practices. Ensure all students are screened for barriers to literacy early in the educational process. Monitor student growth throughout the school year and year-over-year to determine if our core instruction, including interventions or acceleration, positively impacts student outcomes.
   1. The District will report results annually from its standardized assessments, including from MCA and NWEA and student growth and gaps, disaggregated, as appropriate.
3. Implement New Middle School Programming:Launch new Middle School programming and monitor implementation of it to ensure the updated program meets our goals and is financially sustainable. Make recommendations for any adjustments, if applicable, for the 2026-2027 school year.
   1. The District will provide a report to the Board that will include an implementation update and an evaluation of the changes and recommendations for the following school year.

The District will strive for excellence in all levels of leadership and organizational support using the following priorities:

For the 2025-26 school year, this will include the following goal action steps:

1. Ensure Long-Term Financial Stability and Sustainability for the District:Implement Board-approved reductions for the 2025-26 school year. Monitor the financial forecast for future school years and recommended adjustments that will improve short-term and long-term financial stability, to include the following items: Adjustments to enrollment, reductions to expenditures, advocacy for legislative changes that will address funding shortfalls, and other solutions that will have a positive impact on the District’s financial situation.
   1. The District will provide periodic updates to the Board on the District’s finances, including recommendations to improve financial stability.
2. Ensure Facilities Meet the Current and Future Needs of Students:Using the Facility Study Task Force’s recommendations, consider securing funding through a Capital Projects Bond.
   1. Using input from all stakeholders, the District will determine the timing for a potential community vote on a facilities improvement project.
   2. If the Board determines that a Capital Projects Bond question should be on the November ballot, the District will take steps to ensure all community members are informed about the project, to include providing a comprehensive summary of facility improvements, as well as the tax implications.
   3. Depending on the outcome of the vote (were there to be a bond question), the District will move forward with implementation of the capital projects plan or determine next steps.
3. Recruit and Retain the Highest Quality Staff:Continue to focus on recruitment and retention of exceptional teachers and staff. Include efforts to create a representative workforce of staff capable of meeting the needs of our increasingly diverse student body and who will enrich the learning environment for all students.
   1. The District will provide an annual School Board update and presentation on open positions recruitment and retention efforts, including information on the use of new platforms for recruitment and a summary of exit interviews, efforts to elevate the teaching profession, and wellness initiatives for staff.
4. Build Strong Relationships with Stakeholders:Inform and engage District constituents, including students, families, staff and the broad community through outreach and engagement opportunities and efforts. To fulfill this expectation and in response to community input, the District commits to the following actions:
   1. The District will continue to create and support in-person engagement opportunities for community members to connect with District leadership and the Board. The School Board will explore best practices of other school boards and government agencies regarding community engagement and will share its findings with District leadership for consideration.
   2. The District will survey residents, families, students and staff regarding their experiences and sentiments about the District, including their access to information about the District and will develop strategies to address any challenges revealed by the data.
   3. The District will present an annual communications report to the School Board including community perception data related to the trust the community has with the Board.
   4. The District will pilot a model for providing student voice to the School Board. In the spring, there will be a Board update and discussion on this pilot regarding the impact.
   5. District-wide committees, including the Calendar Committee, Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee, Finance Advisory Committee, Mental Health Advisory Committee and Community Education Advisory Committee, will each present an update to the Board on the committee’s charge and current work.
5. Provide the Highest Quality Meals Possible:The District will continue to implement the no-cost meal legislation, including lunch and breakfast at every site, within the parameters of the Federal Nutrition Guidance. Gathering input from students and families, including from the Child Nutrition Parent Advisory Council, the District will implement strategies to increase the variety and quality of meals available for students. This will include a consideration of the needs of our diverse student body.
   1. The District will update the Board during the year on Nutrition Services improvement efforts, including staffing levels, meal improvement initiatives, and recommendations from parents and students.