MANKATO-September 5, 2012-(KMKO)-The Mankato School Board had a busy meeting as they marked the opening of another school year.  Much of the meeting was taken up by the presentation of the district's Response to Intervention framework.  The program, which will take effect in the 2013-2014 school year, seeks to reduce the special education numbers by preventing students from falling behind, then use early and intensive intervention when problems arise.  The school district has 1,507 employees this year, 70 of whom are new teachers.  Several donations were accepted last night, including a gift of $5,300 from Mankato Screw Products to the East High School Student Council to purchase a new sound system.