Latest news with #PLSAS
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Prior Lake teacher prepares lawsuit after discipline for online posts
The Brief A PLSAS teacher is prepared to sue her employer at the end of the month. Elementary school teacher Brooke Zahn says she was wrongfully disciplined for making a Facebook post in support of Donald Trump. The Upper Midwest Law Center has since agreed to take on her case. PRIOR LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Jeffers Pond elementary school teacher Brooke Zahn says she was suspended without pay for seven days after making a Facebook post in support of President Trump's immigration policy. What we know The post includes an image that reads: "A family that is deported together, stays together." Now, the Upper Midwest Law Center is rallying to Zahn's defense. The law firm sent a letter to Prior Lake's superintendent on Monday that threatens to take the situation to federal court. "There's almost no question in my mind that Miss Zahn will prevail if she has to sue the district," Upper Midwest Law Center senior trial counsel James Dickey told FOX 9 on Tuesday. "We want to stand up for Miss Zahn, because her first amendment rights are being infringed upon here. She's been punished because of her political speech, plain and simple." Dickey says the UMLC will back off if by Feb. 28, the Prior Lake Savage Area Schools (PLSAS) district issues a public apology, removes all mention of the discipline from Zahn's personnel file, and reimburses her for the seven days that she was not paid. "I expect the district to have a response fairly soon," Dickey said. The other side On Dec. 13, 2024, school authorities sent FOX 9 the statement below. "Brooke Zahn is a current teacher in our district. "We are aware of an alleged social media post that has caused concerns. Privacy laws limit our ability to share private personnel information with you. However, when concerns like this arise, they are taken seriously and addressed in a manner consistent with our policies and procedures. "Our priority is maintaining a positive and welcoming environment for students, families, and staff. We value every family and individual who is a part of our school community, and we strive to ensure that everyone feels respected and appreciated."
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools tech levy vote is Nov. 2
On Tuesday, residents within the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools district boundaries will be asked to vote on a technology levy funding request. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2. To find out your polling location visit Early voting began Sept. 17. Residents also vote in-person or by mail. In-person voting will take place at the PLSAS district offices, 4540 Tower St SE, on Monday, Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prior Lake P-1: Prior Lake City Hall, 4646 Dakota St. SE, Prior Lake Prior Lake P-2: St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 5634 Luther Rd. SE, Prior Lake Prior Lake P-3: Fire Station #1, 16776 Fish Point Rd., Prior Lake Prior Lake P-4: Church of St. Michael, 16400 Duluth Ave. SE, Prior Lake Prior Lake P-5: Fire Station #2, 3906 Station Place NW, Prior Lake Prior Lake P-6A: Holy Cross Church, 14085 Pike Lake Trail NE, Prior Lake Prior Lake P-6B: Living Hope Church, 8600 Horizon Dr., Shakopee Prior Lake P-7: Shepherd of the Lake Church, 3611 N. Berens Rd. NW, Prior Lake Savage P-3: Savage City Hall, 6000 McColl Dr., Savage Savage P-5: McColl Pond, 13550 Dakota Ave. S., Savage Savage P-6: Bethesda Church, 15033 Hwy 13, Prior Lake Savage P-7: Bridgewood Church, 6201 W. 135th St., Savage Savage P-8: O'Connell Fire Station, 14321 O'Connell Road, Savage Savage P-9: Redtail Ridge Elementary, 15200 Hampshire Ave., Savage City of Credit River, 18985 Meadow View Blvd., Prior Lake Combined Polling Place: Spring Lake Township Hall, 20381 Fairlawn Ave., Prior Lake Election results will be available on the district website after the polls close on election night. To view a sample ballot visit
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prior Lake Savage Area Schools staff shortage worsened by COVID surge
COVID-19 case rates continue to dominate Prior Lake-Savage Area School board meetings as school officials provided yet another Safe Learning Plan update during Monday's meeting. Health Services Coordinator Kate Keil, along with Jim Quiram, director of human resources, presented the district's current COVID-19 situation to school board members. 'During the beginning of the school year we experienced a spike in November … and as the rates were going down in December, we were hopeful but experienced a large surge in January,' said Keil. 'Our preliminary data suggests that the rates are going down by quite a large rate almost dropping 100 per 10,000, so, we are hopeful that the rate will continue to decrease.' Superintendent Teri Staloch added that in November, cases rose from 50 to 102 and according to Keil, the district saw a large surge after winter break seeing up to 500 cases in just two weeks. For this reason, the district decided to resort to distance learning. 'Currently cases are decreasing in students but they remain highly elevated in staff,' said Staloch. 'Just a reminder, as you all know, but the reason that we did have to go to distance learning was because of staff absences and being unable to fill those positions – and we did just return from distance learning just two weeks ago.' During the presentation, Quiram detailed staffing problems that PLSAS and districts throughout the state currently face. 'Some positive news is that our open positions are leveling off. However, the concern there is that we're still at 60 (open positions) and almost all of them are support staff – including paras, custodians and food service,' said Quiram. 'That's been pretty consistent.' Quiram said overall, daily staff absences are going down but substitute teacher positions need to be filled. 'I would say one of the things that we watch on a regular basis is how many unfilled absences we have,' said Quiram. 'Last week we averaged about 70 absences per day pretty regularly throughout the week. On Friday, we had 95 and we had 27 unfilled teaching sub positions which is very difficult to be able to handle when you think about all the other open support positions that don't have people working as well.' Staloch went into more detail with school board members regarding the district's staffing shortage and what they're doing to encourage educators and service industry personnel to apply. 'As you know, employers throughout the state continue to struggle with staffing shortages and our district is no exception to that,' said Staloch. 'There are currently 60 full-time and part-time positions open with a range of opportunities including paraprofessionals, custodial maintenance, child nutrition services and substitutes topping the most needed positions.' Staloch said for those interested in applying, visit the district's website at and click 'Join Our Team.'
