The Devils Lake Public School Board met Monday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. in the Sports Center. Following the call to order and Pledge of Allegiance the agenda was approved with one requested change, moving item 8a to the top of the “items to be discussed and possible action” rather than “for information only” from Reports and Recognition – For Information Only. Item 8a was the Superintendent’s Report. The request was made by school board member Andrew Sogge. The requested change to the agenda was approved. The bathrooms in the newly constructed addition to Prairie View Elementary School would be the topic of discussion again by the School Board, later in this meeting.
First order of business was discussion of Continuous Improvement and Student Outcome Goals, however, testing issues and new baseline measurements have lead to delays in addressing that data. Without the correct data from the state Superintendent Ned Clooten suggested it could be later in October or possibly November before everything they need is available. With that information the board voted to accept Superintendent Guardrail #3 at this time.
A 10-item Consent Agenda was approved by the board which included approval of minutes from Aug. 24 and Sept. 10 meetings, financial report from August of 2026, consider approval on payment of bills, consider a second reading of Policy AAB – District Goals and Objectives, consider approval of the DLPS Board Procedural Manual, consider approval of Board Policy LBE – Policy and procedures to assure Native American Parent and Tribal input, consider approval of Certificate of Levy, consider tuition waiver request (in District) and consider Annual Compliance Reports.
Under Items for Discussion and Action the delegates for the NDSBA Conference were approved. The 2026-2027 Budget was explained by Melissa Haahr, District Business Manager, pointing out areas board members might question and it was ultimately approved. Haahr assured the board that although it may appear that there is deficit spending, in the end it all comes out correct once all funds from carryover are included. Finally, the funds set aside committed to Boys and Girls Golf programs was discussed. The board members clarified their intent to fund both programs for five years at $5,000 per year. They have already received two years’ funds, therefore the board voted to approve the additional three years’ support at that same level.
The new bathroom facility at Prairie View was the next topic of discussion, it was the topic moved out of “For Information Only” to “Discussion and Possible Action” at the outset of the meeting.
After explaining his concern about children seeing or watching other children washing their hands in the sinks in the hand washing area, Sogge moved that the wall separating the hand-washing area of the boys bathrooms and girls bathroom be built all the way to the ceiling. That motion died for lack of a second. Clooten explained that should there be a complaint and if that complaint was filed as legal action, any cost associated with that would be covered for them through the North Dakota Insurance Reserve rather than the School District, itself. The District had done its due dilligence prior to the completion of the Prairie View addition which included the bathrooms and hand-washing area near the gymnasium. The N.D. Attorney General’s formal opinion they had received prior to construction had addressed the issue and the district had gone beyond to assure that boy’s restroom cubicles and girl’s restroom cubicles were clearly marked and adequately supervised by staff.
The next meeting of the Devils Lake Public School Board will be 5 p.m. on Oct. 26.
This meeting was adjourned and the board waited 20 minutes for the 6 p.m. start of the Notice to District Taxpayers meeting.
Clooten touched on each item listed in the property tax levy discussion. A one-page printout of the 2025 Mills and 2025 Dollars compared the 2026 Mills and 2026 Dollars.
The only true increase, he pointed out, was under “Sinking & Interest” line item where the 2025 figures had been adjusted to 29.41 mills from the 38.05 requested.
Clooten added that although the school district had been made whole by Ramsey County, the taxpayers from the county would be receiving an unexpected increase due to software issues as the county transitioned from one accounting program to another. The county had promised to inform taxpayers about this issue prior to tax statements being sent out. That has not been done as of this date.