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Right now, at least with all the utilities and stuff like that, we'll have to mark those out and make sure the roots, whether that's a tap route or whether that's a sprawl, it just depends where it's going to be and where the utilities are. And so one of the the next steps that we're looking at um once we uh hopefully get this acquired uh at the next board meeting um I've been in contact with um Duke Energy and they really like the idea that that's their power lines over there because they're ready to give us money uh from their foundation. And uh so one of the things that um they are going to ask of us all um is number one uh do we own the property? Okay, you know, does the school corporation have that? And then um is this a boardup supported project?
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Thank you. Thank you. Thanks. Okay, I guess I'm next. Um, my name is Elaine Whitlock and I, uh, teach English language learners in second, third, and fourth grade at Landis. Um, we had two goals going into this year, two very specific goals. um the areas of writing and vocabulary building are very difficult for our English language learners and that should not be surprising considering that they're doing a lot of their processing in their first language and then we add all of this academic work on top of that. So it is difficult for them. These are some of the resources that I go to regularly um to help support that growth. Uh the last two listed there, Victionary, the video dictionary and diffit. I'll explain that here in just a moment, but those are two that I'm super excited about using right now. Uh I said writing was one of the areas we're working on.
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If you recall, part of the guaranteed energy savings contract we have with HVAC and roof. And a lot of roofing material has been staged on the roof for that to start actually at all four buildings this week. Thank you, Mr. Smith.
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And it's very different than a student who has autism or you know multiple disability. Um same thing with uh looking at social emotional aspects because kids respond in very different ways and a student who's high functioning autism responds very differently than you know a student who's all inward. So we really had to start from the ground floor and start working with professional development with them from there and then build up and then start having them piloting the different curriculums both for the SEAL and for the reading and literacy initiatives. We brought a coach in for the readings to help them with teaching reading. Um we did data teams and worked on teaching them how to do data. They were great at behavioral data. we really had to focus on the academic data then because it was a whole different um group of students. So really taking a look at um what they had done and really trying to bring along those people who had been at the collaborative 20 and 25 years that you know were some of the people that were pushing back the most but really saying we value the work that you're doing and we still had room for people who did need to um instruct students who had autism or multiple disabilities and you know maybe this is the place for you.
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I remember interviewing with them. I I do um I always start the year with them and by the time I got home I had the had it on my phone already. So um they zoomed into France this year um which was pretty cool for an interview. Um the design is simple um and intentional. It's designed to be that way. They do one mic and it walks around it it limits the edits and it's an authentic conversation. Um and it's the start it's a highlight to how I start every year. I really do. I think I tell you guys every time I I super look forward to it. Um so what do they do for interviews? They have different topics. So they do clubs and teams. They've done the sailing team, hockey team, TEDex, debate, math, theater company. They do student life. They do a live event at the prep rally.
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So, they're doing some in-house projects and going back and repairing it and fixing it and taking it back. So, there's some good things happening. Yeah. So, we've got Wolf Creek um our admin team's delivering some more metal to the high school here hopefully this week. They're making some ramps. So like we have a lot of stuff going on and hopefully you know we can just this big workday get it back up into a functioning area and then we've got some ideas down the road like tying in with science and technology you know have the the QR codes with information about you know the trees or the wildlife or um because it used to have all that like pamphlets and so that really isn't we don't have pamphlets anymore you know so just kind of it is kind of neat a lot of the stuff that's out there now that is falling apart was built by high school students going for eco projects, you know, that's been 25 years, you know, yeah, well, it's such a unique area that's when our science teachers get out there and other people that say, you know, so hopefully we'll be able to get our classes out there as well.
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Um, our community scholarships were due a couple weeks ago. We had 16 of our 204 uh seniors apply for the community scholarships. They will have their interviews on Sunday with the interview committee. Um, not this Sunday. I think it's maybe the maybe not not this Sunday, but next Sunday. Um, we'll do ACUPP acupplacer testing for students if they want to take any college classes for next year. Um, we'll have the college come here and they'll take the test here. They can also use their ACT score um to be able to get into like college algebra or um college comp. Um there's a couple of students who are taking a um biology class right now. So they had to have an entrance exam to get or test score to be able to get into that one as well just so that they could handle the material.
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Um, it's a fantastic program and one thing we introduced this year um, that we're going to continue to do is we have an extra class. It's only 45 minutes based on our schedule. um an extra class for students who are like new to our community and don't speak English. Uh we have several of them on campus and it's it's conversational. It's it's not a graded course. Um but really are they going to be able to get science? Are they going to be able to get these things if they can't speak English? And so we have them coming in and doing conversational English. And if you want to come on campus right after that class gets out, you can tell what they're working on because whatever it is, they have to find three adults to practice it with. And so like they'll come up and they'll be like, "Hello, my name is, you know, Jose or my name is Alex or my" and I'm like, "Hello, Alex.
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Okay. So we're we're going to need to add some slides into this presentation. Yeah. Um, and I didn't change any of the like all of the slides there and the ones that are presented, those are from last time because I didn't like delete anything or any uh that. So, that could help when you're looking at the like completed um document with like the which ones are light green and whatnot. You can like if if they're in this if they're in the document, they're from last year and you don't have to worry about speaking to them at all this time. Does that make sense? Gotcha. Do you remember uh uh we were talking about um the uh some of the recommendations that were um from last year um and we were trying to and I I think Mr. Man was you able to find that about the uh the policy because it one of the recommendations was uh to create a policy specifically regarding hate speech.
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Jayce's transformation is a testament to his hard work, willingness to improve, and the power of collaboration between home and school. I love seeing the smart, funny, and charismatic person Jace is every day. Even if he is roasting my basketball skills. That's he's roasting Mrs. Mcdana's basketball skills, not mine. Just to clarify, I am so proud of Jace and excited to see the great things he will do here in the middle school. [Applause] Okay, Dr. Bianc Colana, would you like to introduce our employee of the month? Okay, it is my pleasure to introduce Alicia Fiori. Come on up. So um our assistant principal Sarah Kmpala had nominated Alicia for uh this award and so I will read a very special thing. Um I will read what Mrs. Kmpa had to share. Uh she nominated Alicia Fiori for employee of the month due to her exceptional contributions and dedication to both students and staff in the elementary building.
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Okay. And then um if if in the communities of where you've worked where there are you know uh referendum uh issues on the table are there organizations that you work with or that you would recommend to us for us to consider? Yeah, we work with two or three different consultants um creative creative entourage is one is another mostly service northeast Illinois. We do a really good job with that. And then you mentioned that you're a large firm. You're this team is out of the Westchester office. Um so I don't know if this is important or not, but I it's a something that I'd like to know. Um what percentage of your office represents K through 12? So as a firm, roughly 50% of the work the firm does is K12. Okay. Um and certainly out of Westchester it's right again right about 50% probably about 50%.
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Appreciate your time. And thank you. I have one quick question for you. Of course. Please. I'm going to go back to the interest rates. If this was sold this afternoon, what would the interest rate be on the 2year 5year? You're probably going to get somewhere in the low to mid3s. So three to 3.5 maybe depending upon fluctuation of the market. Okay. Thank you. We have a motion and a second to uh we did not we can I'll make a motion. All in favor of adjourning. I say something to these guys. Okay. All right. Thanks guys. Thank you. Thank you. Uh the next section is a public comment um for agenda items uh on the regular board meeting and we have nobody that signed up for that as well. So we will skip over that portion. Um which brings us to the consent agenda. Uh I'll go through here what kind of what that pertains to.
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Um so uh we're not going to be able to acquire any money from Duke at a school level, but we can at a corporation level. That's the way their foundation works. And so, um, I really hate to come back to another school board meeting, but, um, I just want you to keep the in the loop, um, because once the funding starts coming in, um, and our plan gets laid out, um, we would like to see next spring, um, that particular land, um, sewed in native Indiana grasses. That's going to be our our number one step. Um, big blue stem, little blue stem. Uh, and that's going to, as Isaac said, kind of create that ba base layer that we can work around. Then, um, you know, like I said, uh, to go out there now, um, and kind of see this essentially a a blank canvas, uh, uh, is pretty exciting to us and, uh, so it's been exciting to, uh, to work with these kids and, um, hopefully getting this to fruition.
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And so every student that comes to me has a journal. Uh they come in and I might have a picture on the board with certain vocabulary that I want them to use in their writing or maybe a writing prompt or some sort of writing piece. And then we work on that all throughout the year. We also put other resources in our journals for them to reference as they do their writing. And you know, like I said, this is a very very difficult thing for them to do. It's writing is very complex. So if you look at the top um illustration or the top sample there, that is a paragraph from a fourth grade student back in September. And you know, the content's not terrible. And you know, um, he had some good sentence structure, but there's one punctuation mark in the whole paragraph. Um, which is not surprising.
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Board, any questions or comments? Yeah, I do. Mr. Smith. Uh, it's always great to see so much progress happening. Um, I did sneak into the band room at Ball Creek Valley recently and got to see all the renovations that are happening there in person and it was great. Um, question for you about the spring sports. Um, I I know only because I have a baseball player at Lawrence North that we have some Fall Creek Valley kids that are coming over um to to utilize the fields there. I'm just curious if you can give us a sense for what what's happening. I know that like construction's been delayed in many cases. We've had snow and we've had rain and the baseball field at Fall Creek Valley is uh really we just had the dugouts and the fencing so the field is playable. Uh the softball field is coming around.
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And so really letting people have that option and opportunity to sort of move around to where it made sense for them but that they were still a valued member of our community. But you know and again I think sometimes it's just what am I losing you know and do people respect me and really looking at that and making sure that we understand that you know our teachers and our staff are people too and that you know we really need to value them and value the work that they've done and show them that we care what you do is important and we respect that. Thank you. Jess, would you mind asking the next question? No. We have flu in this district as well. So I apologize. Um so how could you create an environment where staff felt safe to approach you with problems? So as I said my leadership style is that of a servant leader.
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They talk about dances. They've interviewed the exchange students um over in France. Um the cafeteria updates and there's some student perspective. And then they interview staff. So they've interviewed me, Miss um Burningham, Dr. C. McGuire, Mr. Kylie got interviewed one time. Then they talk about pop culture. So they interviewed Mr. Cody just a little bit. For anyone you know, that's our teachers going to Hollywood. Um they do a yearly Met Gallery recap. They did a summer movie preview once and then they've done dignitaries too. And so they've done state reps, um Christopher Marky, they did MIA director Bob Baldwin. They did school committee members in the past and then they did sheriff Sheriff Paul Hero. So they really reached out to and broaden it and um according to Mr. Higgins, that's um really Anukica this year trying to reach out to get more people to from the outside to share their perspectives and their impact.
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So, I just, you know, we have a lot of out of town ed educators that I don't think they've ever been out there either. So, yeah. And that's I mean we want the kids help to help us get it back, but then we want them to like enjoy it too. We want the kids to be able to come out there and enjoy that area. So yeah, exciting. If anyone wants come help on the 24 mostly buy goggles and gloves. Yeah. Sorry. Anything else? Lindsay special education. I don't have anything um maybe in addition I have two openings currently um and interview set up for one they only get ready interview so well not preparers um that right now they're submitting back to me who's planning on returning next year and then I'll start creating the list of needs moving forward but it's kind of like push right now Anything else, Lindsay?
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Um and so that will be u available pretty soon. One thing that I didn't put on here that I'm excited about doing for the seniors. Oh, I did have it on here. I just skipped over it. Um we're going to do a senior signing day on May 2nd. Um I've done this at previous schools and it's been very um wellreceived by the community. So we'll set up a table for each of the students with whatever their plans are. If it's um technical school, if it's going straight into the workforce, if it is collegebound, um whatever their plan is, we'll give them a chance to sign. um they will ask a mentor to come be with them and their mentor gets to sign with them and then their families are invited to come in and take pictures and um just a celebration cuz I feel like you know we have graduation but are we celebrating like what what's after graduation for them.
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How are you?" I'm yes, yes you are. Please. Um, and then obviously when we can and where we can. Um, we we celebrate everything we can. Um, obviously honor role, obviously principal's list. Um, we celebrate AR goals. That's their reading goals that they meet. Um, last quarter, you may have heard, um, for every kid that met 100% of their reading goal, they got a piece of tape to take me to the wall. That's me in the bottom left. And if they met 300% of their goal, they got a piece of pie um to throw at me in. with that much pie hitting you, it comes back through your nose and you taste it for about two hours. I'm just saying. Um but um character counts, awards, you can see in the upper left um attendance. Um you can see he's he's grabbing some Hot Wheels there.
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