The Hastings School Board's regular meeting on Wednesday, May 20, balanced celebration of student and staff achievements with planning for the future, as board members approved curriculum initiatives, staff development plans, facility maintenance funding and preparations for the upcoming school board election.
The meeting opened with a series of recognitions highlighting accomplishments across Hastings Public Schools.

McGinnis Named Employee of the Year
Superintendent Dr. Kristine Wehrkamp Herman announced that longtime educator and coach Pete McGinnis had been selected as the district's Employee of the Year. According to Wehrkamp Herman, McGinnis is retiring after 34 years as a teacher and 39 years as a coach in Hastings.
McGinnis began coaching in the district in 1987 and later became a substitute teacher before joining the district full-time in the mid-1990s. Although he was unable to attend the meeting because of coaching responsibilities, Wehrkamp Herman praised his decades of service and dedication to Hastings students.
The board also recognized Hastings Rotary Students of the Month recipients Charlie Reamer, Ellie Magnus, Kimberly King and Delaney Smith. Rotary representatives noted that recipients are selected based on the organization's "Four-Way Test," emphasizing truthfulness, fairness, goodwill and benefit to others. During the presentation, students shared future plans ranging from careers in medicine and education to engineering studies at Minnesota colleges.

Bilingual Students Recognized
Another highlight of the evening was recognition of graduating seniors earning Minnesota Bilingual Seals and World Language Proficiency Certificates.
Brianna Dietz, a multilingual learner teacher at Hastings High School, explained that the awards recognize students who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional language. The recognition can provide students with college credits and strengthen both college and career opportunities.
Receiving Gold Bilingual Seals were Alexa Garcia Jasso in Spanish and Daniel Shashkov in Russian. World Language Proficiency Certificates were awarded to Danna Castrejon Hernandez in Spanish, Wyatt Clear in French and Isabella McClellan in French. One student noted that the certification had already earned her eight college credits before graduation.

Student Representatives Provide Year-End Updates
Student school board representatives shared updates from schools across the district as the academic year enters its final weeks.
Reports highlighted upcoming elementary school field trips, concerts, carnivals and celebrations, as well as Hastings High School graduation, scheduled for June 5 at Todd Field. Student representative Aidan Suarez Garcia noted that graduation will move indoors to the high school gymnasium if weather requires and emphasized that no tickets will be needed for attendance. Student reports also highlighted activities at Hastings Middle School, the Alternative Learning Program and Hastings Online Academy.

Literacy Curriculum Focuses on Word Structure
One of the meeting's most substantial discussions centered on elementary curriculum and literacy instruction.
District curriculum leaders presented an overview of how elementary teachers are implementing updated literacy practices and proposed adoption of a Functional Morphology curriculum for grades three and four. The curriculum is designed to strengthen students' understanding of prefixes, suffixes and root words while building vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.
Administrators explained that morphology instruction has become increasingly important as students move from learning to read toward reading to learn. Understanding how words are structured helps students tackle more complex academic vocabulary in upper grades and across subject areas.
The proposal aligns with Minnesota's READ Act implementation efforts and ongoing district literacy initiatives. Following discussion, the board expressed support for the curriculum's role in improving literacy outcomes and helping students build stronger language foundations.

Staff Development Plan Approved
The board also approved the district's 2026-27 Staff Development Plan.
District leaders explained that staff development funding supports a wide range of professional learning opportunities, including teacher mentoring, professional learning communities, curriculum review, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) work, workshop participation and external professional development opportunities. Minnesota law requires districts to dedicate at least 2% of basic education revenue toward staff development activities.
Administrators said the plan is closely aligned with the district's strategic goals and will continue supporting instructional improvement throughout the district.
The plan also funds staff development days, presenter stipends, substitute teacher costs and training related to new state mandates and instructional initiatives.

Facilities and Construction Updates
Board members received updates on projects funded through the district's Building Construction Fund.
The district continues to utilize voter-approved bond resources and long-term facilities planning efforts to address maintenance and infrastructure needs across school buildings. Administrators provided updates on current projects and future facility planning priorities.
The board later approved participation in Intermediate School District 917's Long-Term Facilities Maintenance program for 2027-28. Under the plan, Hastings' share of the cooperative facilities maintenance budget totals approximately $52,260. The funding mechanism allows member districts to support facility improvements through annual levies rather than issuing bonds.

Looking Ahead to Future Leadership
The board approved appointments for the 2026-27 Student School Board Representatives, continuing a program that gives students a voice in district governance and policy discussions. Student representatives attend meetings, provide reports from schools and offer feedback on issues affecting students throughout the district.
Board members also adopted a resolution establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for this fall's school board election, formally beginning preparations for the next election cycle.

Consent Agenda Approved
The board unanimously approved a lengthy consent agenda that included routine business and several notable items.
Among the approvals were grant applications, contracts, policy updates, field trip requests for future choir, band and orchestra travel, updated non-contract pay rates, an agreement with Education Minnesota Hastings related to READ Act professional development, a joint maintenance facility agreement with the City of Hastings and fundraising policy updates.
The board also accepted donations to the district and approved the monthly personnel report. One personnel item was separated from the report because Board Member Mark Zuzek disclosed a family relationship and abstained from that portion of the vote to avoid a conflict of interest.

Year-End Focus
As the school year draws to a close, the meeting reflected both celebration and preparation.
Students were recognized for academic excellence, bilingual achievement and community involvement. Staff members were honored for decades of service. At the same time, board members continued laying groundwork for the next school year through curriculum adoption, professional development planning, facilities funding and governance decisions.
With graduation approaching and summer construction and training projects on the horizon, district leaders emphasized maintaining momentum on literacy initiatives, staff support and long-term strategic planning as Hastings Public Schools prepares for the 2026-27 school year.

Looking Ahead to Future Leadership
The board approved appointments for the 2026-27 Student School Board Representatives, continuing a program that gives students a voice in district governance and policy discussions. Student representatives attend meetings, provide reports from schools and offer feedback on issues affecting students throughout the district.
Board members also adopted a resolution establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for this fall's school board election, formally beginning preparations for the next election cycle.

Consent Agenda Approved
The board unanimously approved a lengthy consent agenda that included routine business and several notable items.
Among the approvals were grant applications, contracts, policy updates, field trip requests for future choir, band and orchestra travel, updated non-contract pay rates, an agreement with Education Minnesota Hastings related to READ Act professional development, a joint maintenance facility agreement with the City of Hastings and fundraising policy updates.
The board also accepted donations to the district and approved the monthly personnel report. One personnel item was separated from the report because Board Member Mark Zuzek disclosed a family relationship and abstained from that portion of the vote to avoid a conflict of interest.

Year-End Focus
As the school year draws to a close, the meeting reflected both celebration and preparation.
Students were recognized for academic excellence, bilingual achievement and community involvement. Staff members were honored for decades of service. At the same time, board members continued laying groundwork for the next school year through curriculum adoption, professional development planning, facilities funding and governance decisions.
With graduation approaching and summer construction and training projects on the horizon, district leaders emphasized maintaining momentum on literacy initiatives, staff support and long-term strategic planning as Hastings Public Schools prepares for the 2026-27 school year.