And I mean I mean it's it's bad. It's it's bad. You're going to deal with a lot. You're going to deal with kids using the bathroom on the floor. They're going to be run around naked. I'm I dealt with it all. I dealt with it all. And I hope you guys are ready for it cuz it's it's going to it's going to be bad. It's going to be bad. It's not again it's not their fault. It's not the kids' fault. They can't help it. But I hope you guys are prepared. I hope you guys did everything your due diligence to make sure that the kids the other kids are going to be safe because like like you said these kids you you can look at a kid with autism and they'll just snap. What are you going to do if you have a class walking by or you're outside?
So, congratulations to them. This Thursday, we're looking forward to celebrating more of our staff members who are being recognized as retirees and multi-year honores. These individuals have been have provided a combined total of 1,786 years of service and dedication to our district. Um, that's truly incredible. Um, yes, we are so committed and uh we're not going to talk about Ursula tonight, but you know, we know if you know, you know. So, um, on a similar note, tonight will be the final regular meeting for four of our outgoing members of the board and one of our student board members. Um, we want to formally acknowledge their selfless dedication service. Um, this will be happening at our May 5th board meeting, special meeting, and we want to just thank you all. We'll have an opportunity to do more of that. And, uh, we have some board members who are incoming in the audience.
By setting up CSA this way, we were able to offer that project-based learning experience while preserving access to those traditional programs, courses, and extracurriculars that our students were used to. This may have been a little bit more difficult if CSA had its own school number back then. So, as we look ahead to the future at CSA Newech, I think it's time to establish CSA Newekch as a standalone school rather than continuing as a program shared by East and North. This shift aligns with our original vision and strengthens our ability to serve students with more intention and clarity. First and foremost, this change reinforces CSA's distinct educational identity. CSA was designed as an innovative re revolutionary project-based learning pathway and formalizing our status as a school helps us highlight that vision not as an extension of Eastern North but as something that is uniquely its own.
I remember when we had kids outside. I had this one kid. He would just he would just sit there. His name was Andrew. He would just sit there and I'd be like, "Andrew, what's wrong?" He'll just look at me and then he gave you that look. You guys are ready for that. They're going to You have to be able to learn these things. They may look at you like that. All right, he's fine. But then you have to see a look in their eyes and then Oh, all right. Get ready. Get some of these other kids out of here. He's about to go off. All right. Please address the board and not the other members. Well, okay. Well, I'm an American. I got my rights. But it's all right. It's all right. But anyway, um I'm sorry. But, um, yeah, it's going to be it's going to be rough and I hope you guys are ready for it.
So, we want to say hello to you as well. Thank you for uh, thank you in advance for your service. uh upcoming. Yeah. Right. As we wrap up April and May, we prepare again for an exciting conclusion to the 2425 school year. Uh during this time, in addition to the many celebrations in our schools, district level staff, administrators, and unit leaders have shifted their attention to planning for next year. The many challenges we've had this year and our successes that we've realized all come to bear as our team members both within our schools and across the district with our families with our staff reflect and organize for next year. That's what continuous improvement is about and that is what it means to serve in a learning organization. Our staff take this responsibly very seriously. We have an opportunity to reflect on everything using our student data, achievement information, uh narrative feedback.
This transition also boosts our identity and recognition. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate our students and our culture in ways that align with our values and vision while also exper expanding our presence in the community and beyond. Additionally, we would benefit from the independent data and reporting. So, by establishing CSA Newekch as its own entity, we can set clear goals and evaluate progress using CSA specific data and metrics. This allows us to make datadriven decisions that are tailored directly to our students needs as a standalone school. It also improves our data integrity with a clear separation from east and north. In powers school, we can e more easily access student records and reporting that state um reporting those records to the state becomes much more straightforward, reducing the complexity and increasing the accuracy of our reports. Lastly, it's important to note that under IHSAA bylaws in Indiana code, CSA students would still have full access to the extracurricular and athletic opportunities that they have now at Eastern North.
Um, like I said, I don't even know what else. I I mean, I've seen classrooms destroyed, kids that are 10, 11 years old flipping desks. You know, it it's it's it's going to be rough. It's going to be rough. So, I appreciate you guys listening to me. I love this town. I moved here in July. I used to live in Bronson Township. Um, I know I know one guy up there. That's my boy right there. You know, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. I appreciate all the hard work some of you do. Um, but uh that's all I had to say. I appreciate it. Thank you. Hi, good evening. My name is Ginger Deetszman. I live on Lexington Circle. Hopefully you can hear me. I'm sorry. Bronchitis. I prepared nothing, but I'm coming to you as a mother. I'm coming to you as the PTA president for Dacia Elementary.
We may get feedback from parents, community members about things that we need to do better. Um and the voice of our students. Um this all comes to bear as we prepare for next steps. I want to thank our our school teams for their strategic planning. Um, and this year we have a strategic plan that the board approved to really be our guiding star in this work and we want to thank you for that board. Uh, because that does help the work. When there's clarity about where we're going, we don't come in as a district and say, "Oh, by the way, I want to change and go this direction." Um, which was my experience as a principal. I do want to take a moment in our district, we have a lot of athletes, we have a lot of activities and sports. Um, we have members at the district level.
So it essentially ensures that we don't lose any of the opportunities that matter to our students. We simply simply clarify and strengthen what CSA New Techch already represents. In short, this transition preserves what works well and strengthens what makes CSA New Tech unique. This change addresses the reporting and data challenges we faced, offering a solution that enhances our ability to promote our revolutionary pathway for education. It positions us for continued success and growth, ensuring that CSA Newech remains a trans transformative educational experience. The future is bright and this step brings us closer to our full potential. So, I'm going to start with you've you've given us the why now. Why not now? What are the downsides of separating CSA New Tech as a different school? I it's probably more work for me, but I I think truly there's not a lot of downside. Um I think we get to continue to do what we what we've been doing um while allowing us to to kind of pull that information um separately.
I am in that building multiple times a week. I can tell you that pod is not big enough for an additional school. That pod is utilized for so many things in terms of learning PTA events. Example, we just had coin wars. It's right at our elementary office. The level of noise is off the charts because the kids are so excited. But how will that affect the kids coming from Yale who are in the pod right around the corner from the elementary office? What is that going to do? I've heard that there's going to be self-contained that they are going to have their own administration, their own nurse, but we don't know. We haven't been communicated to as a school, as a parent, as a PTA. Dr. Smith, you meet with us every month, all the presidents. I feel like that is your opportunity to be so transparent.
We have staff. of students who may have students who have accidents or may experience uh harm as part of u whether it's baseball um and really just we know that those those are burdens on our families when those accidents happen, medical emergencies can happen and just know that we are thinking and we are here for families during these difficult times um and for support and so whenever these things happen uh please reach out. We're always available for continued engagement. um no favor is too small. Uh and we know the burden it can be on a family if their child goes through healing wherever that is in that journey. And so we want to just acknowledge that and thank our teams for rallying around when these emergencies happen to support families. Um that's really important and it's important creis teams for emergency planning and supports. And graduation's just a few weeks away.
So one of the big challenges we've faced in the past year is that because of new reporting requirements and how it pulls data from P school, all of our classes are actually housed at Columbus North. So when we go into power school, we have to search for our kids through an alt building code and north has to search through their kids while containing all of our students both east and north. So um by moving to our own school, we would have our a power school system that was dedicated to just our students. And so when we go and have those same cohort type meetings and we talk about student success and who's failing and who's not, ultimately we'd be able to do that without having to dig through the other 2,300 students at North and we'd be able to pull our our records right directly from there.
We can be your voice. We can we we can text all our families and all the schools right away with accurate information as to how things will get executed, how things are going to play out because what does happen if some if if a Yale student does run as an example was given, do we go into lockdown? But then how do we explain that to our children who aren't a part of the Yale program? Every child deserves to learn. They deserve to learn in an environment that's fit for them. I just really really encourage you to re-evaluate putting the kids in the fourth and fifth grade pod annexing the fourth graders that will be fifth graders into the hall that leads to the small small gym. They're completely out of the elementary experience. That experience is gone because there now where all the specials take place there where middle school is up and down the halls.
So this is the year for 2025 and so we're so excited to be able to celebrate that and we'll on May 12th we'll have our uh dress rehearsal here for board members prior so we'll be prepared for the actual graduation that coming weekend. So and with that I want to turn it over and I want to invite board members if you'd like to add some additional celebratory comments of things happening in the district. U Mr. Sorry. Um, last week Old Pulse Elementary School was named one of only 45 schools nationwide to be honored as an AVID school of excellence. This incredible honor reflects staff dedication, student determination, and a community support. Additionally, Old Post welcomed attendees from the nearby school districts to the AVID showcase, which allowed them to hear about the AVIDs imp hear about AVID's impact on SD308 and see the skills in action.
So I can see you have faculty support because they're back there. Um, have you talked about this with the students, the current students, and what has been their reaction? Yeah, we've had we've had some informal conversations with students. Um, and we've we've put some of this out with parent square as we kind of explored this opportunity and asked for their feedback. Students are generally pretty excited about it. There's certainly some that have questions about like, can I still play sports? Can I still do those things? still if you don't have, you know, AP computer science at your school, can I still go and take that at my home school? And and when they kind of when we assure them that that part doesn't change, I think they're all in. I also know that we have some seniors right now who are kind of jealous of the fact that they will get an Eastern North diploma, but next year seniors would get a CSA new diploma.
It's loud. And as people have said, the things they're going to hear, the words, the situations that they're going to be exposed to, they don't need that yet. Let them be a child and let them be in fourth grade, fifth grade. Don't take over that pod with yell. Find a different place. I don't know where because I know that building is full. I know this because I have to work with Mrs. screen to find rooms available to hold PTA functions. There is no space. But if it's a done deal, we need to re-evaluate where those kids are going to be. Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to comment about the budget? Seeing none, we're going to move to our second public comment. This public comment is going to be for any items of interest. So, the meeting will now be open to the public referencing any items of interest.
Congratulations to the Wildcats on this exciting news. Andrew Coleman and May Robinson of Oiggo East High School have been selected for the NIAA scholarship from the Illinois's Athletic Directors Association. In her four years at OHS, May's involvement includes cross country, track and field, salt, NHS, NHS, and Spanish NHS. while Andrew has made his mark through basketball, football, track and field, salt, NHS, and how. Congratulations to both of these students. The Fed Narski Olympiad team competed at the only science Olympiad state tournament this month. They placed fifth in their division and had multiple individual medal winners. Congratulations on your accomplishments. This month, Ryan Penin was named the Illinois Girls Diving Coach of the Year at the Illinois Swimming and Diving Association's All State Banquet. Congratulations on this incredible achievement, Coach. Student journalism continues to thrive at Asiggo High School as the school's newspaper 4250 and yearbook reflector received bronze certificate recogn recognitions from the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association.
So, I think in general, the reaction has been very positive around um the conversations we've had with staff and students and families. And I think you just answered my other question. You mentioned extracurricular, but if there's courses that are offered at East or North but not at CSA Newech, they can Yeah, that that is correct. So, we would still allow those those courses if it's something that we can't offer, don't offer band, for example. We're not going to start a band next year at CSA New Tech. They will still be able to travel to to their home school. questions. So with uh the addition of creating new tech as a standalone school, will it be adopting its own cohort model and what would that look like if that was the case? So I think that we already kind of have adopted that cohort model just without the official label.
However, if your questions or comments pertain to litigation, student or personnel items, or negotiations, we would ask that you see the superintendent after the meeting. Since we do not discuss these matters in public, please limit your comments to three minutes per person. Is there anyone who would like to make any comments? Seeing none, we will move to approval of the minutes. We need a motion to approve items 6.1 through 6.3. Do we have a motion? Motion by Mrs. Null, seconded by Mr. Dearcy.
Several students also received awards for their individual work. Congratulations to OS Journalism Program students and adviserss. [Applause] Aiden Hoffman, a senior project lead the way engineering student at OEHS, recently competed at the Illinois Design Educators Association state competition, where he placed third in the assembly modeling event. Congratulations, Aiden. Standing O Theater Company and East Theater just concluded their spring musicals. I have to say I was at quite a few of them this uh weekend watching my own for the last time and we are so impressed by the hard work and talent of our students and staff members who made these shows come to life. It is just incredible uh the shows that I've seen in both schools over the last um last number of years. I cannot thank the staff enough. Uh, and thank you also to the parents who um you uh do do a great deal of support and and so forth and lots of tears for sure uh Saturday night, but uh congratulations on all of your theater seasons to all involved.