06.f Winter Recreational Program
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: September 16, 2025
To: Mayor & City Council
From: Brenda “Bee” Stignani, Office Assistant
Re: Hiring Seasonal Program Instructors, Assistants & Winter Recreational Programs
Background: Historically the City has offered Learn to Skate and Pleasure Skating classes to elementary
aged students. The City has hired seasonal instructors and assistants for the Learn to Skate classes while
a volunteer has supervised the Pleasure Skating class.
The 2025 Learn to Skate classes were taught by Margaret Gerty. Staff is working out details with Gerty
of which Learn to Skate Classes would be offered and published in Scandia’s Fall Newsletter.
Each Learn to Skate class has an enrollment minimum of 5 and maximum of 20. The City has historically
hired assistants to maintain a maximum instructor to student ratio of 1:8. The City has relied on the
recommendations of the instructors for individuals to hire as assistants as needed.
PRC member Dustin Hegland has agreed to volunteer as the supervisor during the Pleasure Skate class.
The bus transportation service for Scandia Elementary School will provide an activity bus service for
students. Students would be dropped off directly at the Leonard Wojtowicz Skating Park warming house
as in past years for all Winter Recreational Programs.
Issue:
1. Conditionally, on acquiring Program Instructors, Should the City offer these Winter Recreational
Programs?
• Learn to Skate – January 7 - February 11, 2026
• Pleasure Skate – January 8 – February 12, 2026
2. Should the City hire Margaret Gerty as a seasonal employee for the 2026 Learn to Skate classes
at a pay rate of 80% of all participants’ registration fees she teaches?
3. Should the City hire Seasonal Program Assistants recommended by Gerty for the 2026 Winter
Program season, if enrollment exceeds 8 students, to maintain an instructor to student ratio of
1:8 or better at a pay rate of $25 stipend per day?
Proposal Details:
The proposed 2026 Winter Recreation Program is to offer Learn to Skate classes on Wednesdays and a
Pleasure Skate class on Thursdays to elementary school students for 6 weeks beginning January 7, 2026.
The Forest Lake School District provides an activity bus for students attending Scandia Elementary
School. All students are welcome to attend if parents provide their transportation if they do not attend
Scandia Elementary School. All parents provide transportation after the class ends.
The registration fee for Learn to Skate is $75 per student, and Pleasure Skate is $25 per student. The
Learn to Skate instructor receives a stipend payment of 80% of Learn to Skate registration fees. Any
assistant for the classes received stipend payment of $25 per day.
Fiscal Impact: The stipend amounts will be collected from the participants in students’ registration fees
for Learn to Skate classes. The Pleasure Skate class is supervised by a volunteer.
Options:
1. Approve the Winter Recreational Program to be published in the Fall Newsletter.
2. Approve hiring Margaret Gerty as a seasonal employee for the 2026 Learn to Skate classes at
the rate of pay being a stipend of 80% of Learn to Skate class registration fees she teaches.
3. Approve authorizing staff to seek recommendations from Gerty for assistants, at the stipend
rate of $25 per day, based on total enrollment to maintain an instructor to student ratio of 1:8
or better. Recommendations for hiring returned to City Council at a future meeting.
4. Table for further discussion.
Recommendation:
Option 1, 2 and 3