Um, but what's most critical to me and what I believe is a critical undersourced part of the community is high quality child care and it's what helps our communities thrive. Um, we now understand more than ever uh about how human brains are built. Um, the foundation is laid in those first few years as those neurons fire and wire together. Um, and that is only done through the relationship with caregivers. that firing and wiring doesn't happen in front of a television. It doesn't happen in front of a computer. It only happens when babies are in a reliable, consistent, and loving relationship with the people that care for them. So, while child care may be somewhat available in the community, it is critically important that that care be high quality. And I know that's what the early learning center uh seeks to do. What that does down the road, it leads to emotional regulation, curiosity, longer attention span, trust.
So uh I want to thank you. I have a U Senate citation uh that I will give her and I think Jack has a house one. Uh the Senate says, "Surprise surprise. Yes. Be it known that the Massachusetts Senate extends congratulations to Jen Ball in recognition of your outstanding service to the town of Ashland for nine years as the assistant town manager." And it goes on to say that the Senate, all the Senate extends its very best wishes uh signed by me um as both your senator from here from Ashland and as Senate President uh and wish you all the best of everything. Uh you you leave us in better hands. So thank [Applause] you Jen. I want to join the chorus of folks. I, as the Senate President said, also have a citation. Uh, very similar wording, but I'll read a little bit. Uh, be it hereby known to all the Massachusetts House of Representatives offers its sincerest congratulations to Jen Ball in recognition of nine years of dedicated service to the town of Ashland, uh, signed by the speaker of the house, uh, and myself on this 16th day of April, 2020.
So, why collaboration is important is because it it gives our artists a way to actually see their art come to life and it gives our coders a way to actually see their code come to life. So, it's a perfect kind of mesh of these two different genres to basically create something that's really cool. Um, important to students is that it has a lot of very real world uh applications. Um, so art students learn art or like animation and design and game students learn how to actually code which can be used for many different things in this rising world of electronics. So, just as an example, this is something that I've coded without any sprites or anything. It's very kind of like rudimentary. It's just squares and colors and it's boring. Like, you can do you could do as much as you want, but it's not fun to play.
So, we got a kind of a plan in place and we'll continue to work closely with Magna and Mr. Rush. Good. So, you know, we're looking forward to this project getting uh done.
We're also trying to like maybe like after the films we can ask for some advice, hopefully gain some advice and see if we can use it for our projects. That sounds great. And who are you guys here to support? Any films that you're excited to see? Um the Batman vs. Spider-Man and the Phillips film. I didn't even know there was a Batman vs. Spider-Man. All I'm just saying is that I came here to support some of my friends and well, see what interesting films that they're making. Why not? That's great. We're excited to have you guys here and I hope you guys enjoy. Is there anything you want to tell the people watching at home? Um, enjoy the films. Here's some advice. Stay creative. And you guys will be expecting films from them soon in the future. I will not be the interviewer anymore. But I wish you guys the best of luck and you guys will succeed.
Hearing none, Mr. Mr. Bilix I Mr. Plesca I Mr. Music I Mr. Tinario I and I vote I item number two under new business I'm recommending to the board this evening that they approve the recommendation to name the tennis court facilities at Edison Junior Senior High School after a former tennis and basketball coach here at Lake Station Community Schools Mr. Gary Hayes hearing the recommendation. I'll make a motion to approve. I have a motion. I'll second. And a second. Mr. President, if I may, I'm making that recommendation this evening to the board to name the tennis courts after Mr. Gary Hayes because of his record as a boys tennis coach and also the girls tennis coach. If I could just briefly go through his stats as a tennis coach for the boys team. He was the coach from 1981 to 1997. In that time as the boys coach, they won 28 matches and lost 86.
Is B like the light attack and then smash like the like heavy signature? B is your heavy signature attacks. Well, your signature attacks, they they're sometimes heavy, sometimes not. And then You know, you know what I mean? Like just like the more powerful attack. Oh. Oh, there you go. Yes. Oh, wait, wait, wait. What? Yeah. Wait. Why are we down at down to nine? They should be down. Yeah, it might just be a little just mishap in Goodness gracious. There we go. Okay. All right. Eli's very happy with that shaking his head. Probably for a good reason, I guess. I mean, like when I win a match, I sometimes shake my head. Alrighty. Good job. Good job, Eli. I'm very, very proud of him. Let's see what they send out against Eli in this. Imagine if they send out a nest. That'd be pretty cool.
Some of them might take it at the end of the school year because there's a window at the very end. Um I think it's after May 12th I believe uh which is not too many more days left after that. And then also some of them if they don't take it then they'll they may go to summer school and then they will retest at the conclusion of summer school. Now they do not have to be retained because it's really a third grade test but then for third graders they actually have three opportunities to test as third graders. Not um this is going to be the first year they have to do second grade. So in reality they have five times they can take the test. But for third graders that do not test or do not pass, then they will test again at the end of the school year.
Um there is really good evidence that even at 3 months old, a baby can already show if it has not received reliable consistent care that it will already show signs of mistrust of the world. um know if anybody's seen a brain but it's really we we are so happy that baby brains are so plastic which means they will uh start to rewire um but it's not always possible and when it is possible it requires a lot more time and a lot more resources so and I think those of us who have been around children um especially in you know our elementary schools we we see that and we know that's really critically important and now what's even more interesting is all of the research on epigenetics So that is now we understand that any of our relationships and our experiences when we're young um will actually change our DNA and we will pass that on to our offspring.
Congratulations, [Applause] Thank you. Um, so I'm going to start. I will try to condense some things and then turn it over to Jack. uh because the House came out with its version of the Ways and Means budget today. Uh and talk a little bit about legislation and what's going on on the federal level briefly as well. Um so thank you. It's great to be here and be before you chair. I'm going to call you by your first names because you know Yolanda, Brandy, Joe, Claudia, and Makita. It's wonderful to see all of you. Um I feel like this is home actually and in being here. So, thank you and Michael and Jen and all the other folks that are here. Um, I want to thank my partner at the state house, Jack Lewis, Representative Jack Lewis, who's been a terrific advocate, friend, and partner fighting for Ashland as well.
But when you add sprites, it kind of brings this life to it where you can actually see things happen and you can it gives a feel like Owen was saying that you can actually enjoy this game and not just see a bunch of squares move around. So that's kind of the end goal. This is kind of this is a very rudimentary design, but uh yeah, and basically this entire code right here codes for the entirety of the visuals. So it's a very impressive and intricate thing that a lot of people don't know how to do. And I think it's very cool that our students are learning how to do this. Uh I think that's all.
Any questions or comments? Yes. Can the board get a copy of the award and can the board get weekly updates on the project? That's uh when you say a copy of of the award the whole bid the whole bid package. Yeah. Yeah. We can send you the big package electronically. It's not a problem. Have land associates send the bid package with the specs and uh uh an elect an electronic version of the um uh the drawings. I I I have one in uh in my office, but you you can share that with the entire board. Yeah. And then we uh then the board should have weekly updates every Friday of the project. This this is a project that you don't do weekly updates. You do bi-weekly. Do every two weeks. You're not going to be discussing uh you know stuff. Things are in motion. Uh but we always have meeting minutes, but every two weeks they'll they'll have a on-site meeting or via Zoom.
Fist bump. No. You guys can cross by if you want. You're good, guys. Can you catch them? I don't know. Catch whoever you want. Hey, Judy. Judy. Judy. Hey guys. So, people are running away because they don't want to get interviewed. I don't know why. Maybe we can Jude. Jude, come here. Yeah, you're on the morning news every single day. Come here. Sorry guys, technical difficulties. Okay, let's look at the background. You guys want to get in? Hey guys, go behind them. Everyone's running by cuz they don't want to get interviewed. I don't know what's so bad about getting interviewed. Hey, Queen. You want to get for like 1 hour. What's up? Are these like Yes, for later. Do you guys want to get interviewed? So, we're here with the twins. What is your guys' name? Amariah and Azeriah. And are you guys here for any films specifically to see?
He had one conference title and won 10 Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional titles. as the girls tennis coach from 1984 through 1991 and then again in 1994 to 1999. The girls tennis team won 151 matches and lost 102. They had four conference titles and four Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional titles. So, we want to recognize Coach Gary Hayes for his outstanding work with our student athletes on the boys and the girls tennis team. Thank you, Mr. President. Any other comments?
He played Ness. I If if you can't tell. Oh. Oh, I just real I forgot your Nest was on your shirt or sweatshirt. You had the custom Jordan merch. Not for sale yet. Not for sale yet. Keyword yet. Mhm. Alrighty. So, they are they are just um they're just I guess trying to think about what they're gonna send out. I guess they weren't expecting the penguin. They were not. But Eli is only is down to one stock. But what I know from Eli is even on his last stock, he's still fighting. He's still fighting. He's like the same he has the same amount of uh the same amount of oomph to his moves than if he didn't, I guess, than if he had three stocks. Mhm. All righty. They They're back in the ring and they're sending out zombie. Oh boy. Is that just like a skin for Steve?
And if they do not uh pass, then uh they'll be going to summer school. Um and then they will have an opportunity to take the test one more time at the end of uh summer school. If they do not pass at that point or do not have a um good cause exemption, uh then they will have to be retained in third grade. So that's new state Indiana code. So, but the results right now have been very favorable for the very first time taking the test and so we hope that continues with the second and possible third time that some students will take the test. So, that's it for for your information. Um, once we have that, we won't have that information until the final results until July um because they'll take it the end of June. Um and so knowing we won't know those percentages to know what they are until you know as far as the the total third grade class.
So I think um Amanda mentioned generational and it it truly is generational not just through our environment but it actually changes our DNA. So I know Madison has demonstrated great success in the preschool program. I mean, it only makes sense that this starting earlier, starting at birth, building that foundation that is so hard to change later, um, will only amplify that. And so, our program, Infants and Bloom, is just super excited and fully supportive of this early learning center. So, thank you so much. Thank you, Dr. D. Appreciate it. Our next speaker will be Dora Anam. Anam. Did I say that right? Dora. Anam. Anam. My bad. Animated. Perfect. Good evening and thank you for having me. My name is Dora Anam. I'm the CEO of Bethany Legacy Foundation. We are your local health foundation and because we are focused on the overall health and well-being of Jefferson County, we look at issues in this community on a macro level.
And, uh, we work really closely together and are in constant communication for district issues, for Ashland issues. And it's uh, I really value that. Not all senators have that with their reps. So, it means a lot to me. So, I publicly thank you again for that, too. I do want to introduce I have two uh terrific members of my district team here. Sue Nichols, uh my district leader here, and Jessica De Benedictus, who's on my district team and is from Ashland. Um yes, she started out on my youth advisory council several years back and continued to work with us and is now a a wonderful part of my team. and it's great having her uh with us. So, so thank you. Um I want to thank everybody here, not only on this side of the room, but I look at folks on this side of the room and you all put so much time and energy into Ashland and making Ashland a better place.
Is there any questions? Um less questions and more I mean I I could talk to you about this forever. People don't know this. I was in graphic design for a long time and then I taught technology. Um we used uh Scratch to teach coding, but it seems like it's very similar thing. Um I'm just super excited to see this coming to fruition. I have a question for staff actually. Do we have an actual class coming forward uh for next year that will encompass all this or I mean like like a computer science course? Yeah, I this is all going to wrap into one course, right? Next year or is this this is still just a collaboration? Just a collaboration with the two of Okay. Okay. So she'll still be doing her. So you but goals for the future? Yeah, goals for the future. Yeah. So Steve has a AP computer science class and he's really building that program.
Uh I've worked with this outfit. Uh and Atlanta associates has to get those meetings. And Lou, you can share that with the entire uh board also like you always do anyway. We send all the meeting minutes out. Any other questions? Anything else, Lou? Um, not on the financing. Thank you, Mr.