The uh town meeting was last night to set the referendum date. Um the referendum along with the already decided upon uh one-year capital plan will be uh held on May 20th which is a Tuesday in a couple of weeks. District District 1 will not be at CLS will be at St. Margarit. That was the vote last night and districts two and three will be at Brookfield High School. Last day of school for students just very important to remind everybody of this. I think uh you know I don't know if this will make the three main points or not but it's a highlight for everyone. The last day of school is Thursday uh June 12th. That's an early dismissal for students. Full day for teachers. Um the teachers then work um remember they're going to work up to their 187 uh 87 contractual days. Teachers work on Friday uh June 13th which is a full day and Monday June 16th which is an early release for them.
Volunteered for the infantry. I will keep going. Thank you all. I do want to clarify that we didn't kick anybody out of the meeting after the awards. We always invite people to leave because most people don't want to stay for the whole reason, but they were all welcome to stay. Right. Absolutely. But I've noticed that most of the agendas I've had that since we showed up here, public comment is before the awards. Yeah. Okay. Next up, we have her Hello. Uh, my name is Nathaniel Hardy. I re I live at 961 North Ker Road here in Aaho. Um, I expressed my concerns about school security report and David Leco's uh, firing or resignation, whatever you want to call it. Uh I'd like to further elaborate on our conversation and Lonnie uh said that uh he hasn't heard of any allegations as I did not hear anybody else disagree that they haven't heard any stories of uh assault threats of kids being called snitches pursuing kids that have been called snitches snitches teachers being threatened with assault uh apparently the board is unaware so I would like to produce some edits I have not been able to obtain evidence yet of assaults in the bathrooms, but I believe the superintendent is quite capable of letting you know of any and all um what should I call reports of from a parent or a student that they and this is for here today.
Toby Harold, Jennings County High School summer school teacher. Ashley Heindel, Hayden Elementary summer custodial support. Christian Yan, Grant Creek Elementary summer school teacher. John Kelly, Jennings County High School volunteer girls golf coach. Paige Kelly, Brush Creek Elementary summer school teacher. That that would be on a part-time basis. Jennifer Layman, S Creek Elementary summer school teacher. Stephanie Pucket, uh, Brush Creek Elementary summer school teacher, part-time basis. Derek Stewart, Jennings County High School summer school teacher. Don Turner, S Creek Elementary summer school teacher. And Kobe Vogel, Jennings County High School summer school teacher. Entertain a motion to approve those. I have a motion by Mary Lynn. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Cheryl.
First up is the school committee and again Superintendent Adams. Thank you. Thanks Mike. Go to the next slide please. I want to be really clear on on our process. Uh, as I stated, this is my 16th year, 11th as superintendent, and this to me was the most challenging budget environment that we've been faced with since I've been in Ashland. And the the depth of conversation between the Ashland School Committee, the select board, and the finance committee was at an all-time high. We met two times as a as a tri board. We met two additional times with just the select or with the school committee and then we had numerous meetings with our administrative team and certainly I I believe that our budget has continuously been um conservative in nature but trying to meet the needs of our community and our students. Uh that's this is what drives us our guidelines.
So that's what we have in terms of business and operations. And then under climate and engagement um end of year climate survey for parents, students and staff, we are looking at dates toward the end of the month uh maybe very early June. So, we're looking at what's going to work out best in terms of releasing that and then opening up that portal for everybody to uh take the uh survey. Remember, this will be a followup to the midyear survey that we had done through thought exchange. And then, uh as you saw tonight, we really kick off the end of year celebrations. Um it it is the season for all these events. Uh Lisa and I will be putting together with the teams from the uh and I know you u Stephanie look at the calendar and so forth. We'll get events that are nice for board members to attend.
if you could please forward this to her um of any allegations. So what I would ask him is have you heard of any allegations of kids getting assaulted in the bathroom? Have you heard of any threats against teachers? Have you have you um have been aware that the security cameras did not work for however long a period of time? How many security cameras do not work right now? Do we have auto security cameras? Do we have security cameras at the entrances of the bathrooms? Those are questions. Um, and I would like to elaborate that yes, um, we should all take responsibility as David Leco has for things we've done wrong. Um, I think the school is an anarchy. I've heard stories, I don't know if they're true or not, of kids getting graduated simply because they mowed somebody's lawn on the school site. Multiple stories of that.
Any discussion? All those in favor? Seven. Next, we'll move down under support staff. Um, yes. Asking permission, please, to post a transportation administrative assistant position. I have a motion by Travis. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Pat.
Uh, I believe in presenting a fiscally responsible budget and I believe in making sure all of our students uh and our faculty and staff in this community get the education uh resources that are deserved. Michael, please. I think context is important. We have 379 employees, 221 teachers. We spend about $16,240 per child in Ashland for education. Next, we are asking for a 5.95% increase over fiscal year 25. So, our budget is 44,350,743 is what we proposed and finance committee, select board, and school committee agreed upon. Next, again, context is important. One might think it's only $44 million, but our actual budget is closer to $49 million. It's hard to see. Again, I apologize. It's that's a 48 up there. We have a lot of funding through grants, federal funds. Uh certainly that is a conversation within um the country right now. What will happen to uh the US Department of Education?
We'll get a list of those for you. We try to do that annually. So within the next week, we'll get that out to you. And that's all I have. Thank you. A question. Sure. I know you said more detailed report I keep which will be helpful. Um just to help me understand the numbers. So is that for the SAT scores? So the total score like on average and then the points like say our average is so the average total score was 1020 it was 1032. Okay. So the plus 12 is average. Is that same with reading and writing? That's with each of those plus four plus eight average points. Okay. And obviously a different cohort of students, right? Yeah. So that's the tough thing with the SAT. Yeah. Can't do a cohort. And then the math and reading and writing benchmarks that's related to the SAT.
Um, yeah, I don't I don't know, but the this place is a this is a place of learning. This is a place of discipline. This is not kids don't run the show. That would be anarchy. Um, I think uh the superintendent is capital ship. I don't think the school should be punching down to the lowest levels of employment. I think the highest levels should take responsibility. I think Miss Mercy is doing a great job. I think everybody below her is doing a great job. But they are not given the tools and the authority they need to keep this school in order. Um, I think Mr. President, your house is out of order. I think people on this board are going behind your back to hide to discipline people without your permission. David Leco, two days after, from what I understand, the um superintendent, 2 hours after the superintendent forwarded a complaint about Trish to this board.
Any discussion? All those in favor? 70. Next recommendations. Yes. Asking for the following recommendations to be approved, please. Scott Alhorn, Jennings County, Jennings County School Corporation bus driver administrative leave. Scott Alcorn, Jennings County School Corporation bus driver termination. Christina Alexander, Jennings County High School summer meal program cook. Emily K, Jennings County High School summer meal program cook. Shelley Driver, Brush Creek summer school um parah. Kenneth Eaton, Jennings County High School summer custodial support. That would be on a part-time basis. Ellie Garinger, Jennings County High School summer school parah. McKenna Hootton, Jennings County High School summer custodial support. Noah Statettler, Jennings County High School summer meal program. Cheyenne Love it, North Elementary uh summer custodial support. Dan Mouser, Jennings County High School summer custodial support part-time basis. Tanya Perry, Jennings County School Corporation bus aid administrative leave. Tanya Perry, Janice County School Corporation bus aid termination.
what will happen to federal grant funds such as title one which is used to to fund in our case three teachers positions. Um so an additional $4 million over time using revolving accounts which we'll get to as well as um grants entitlement funds. Michael please. Thank you. This is really difficult to read. Uh but I I wanted to show with share and this is all online. Everything's posted. You can you can see this for yourself. But what I I highlight a few things in yellow I and and orange down below. I I think it's important to understand that we have we have five unions that we negotiate contracts, cost of living wages, uh steps and lanes based on experience. Uh and then we anticipate certain retirements throughout the year. It's not like you can replace always replace folks who are at the top end of their their salary scale scale with someone coming right out of college because I I'll tell you hiring a physics teacher is really difficult.
Yep. So the benchmarks are set by college board, right? And so um and then there's that's the percentage of of students that that have met that benchmark. So, five more students, right? Okay. Right. So, it's up five. Okay. From last year. Got it. Okay. Well, with that Oh, Wendy, one one thing. So, and then I just I do have a Did you have something Sarah? Question. Okay. I just wanted to make sure regarding enrollment for K through five because we always look at class size with K through five and our FTEES. Uh I have an update. I handed out this chart on April 9th. I thought it valuable to hand it out. We really the only net increase um there really wasn't any net decrease. It was mostly neutral over the last month. The net increase is two in grade two, which impacts grade three next year.
Two hours later, um Mr. WCO is served with an harassment injunction. Does that sound like retaliation to you? Did you know about that? Did they go behind your back? Again, I'm not allowed to That's okay. But I believe a complaint was on the agenda. The complaint is on the sir. It's as an executive session. Sir, the complaint is on as an executive session, which means we cannot discuss. That is fine. That's fine. Okay. Speaking. Yes. You've got about 4 seconds left. Okay. And that's not your fault. I I just I just don't want anybody on this respect. Please have the voting there for protocol. The pro the podium wasn't there, but I I have a first round. Right. Okay.
Sarah Pay, S Creek Elementary summer custodial support. Julia Robertson, S Creek Elementary summer school parapro. And Melanie Smith, Grand Creek Elementary summer school parro. I have a motion by Earl. Do I have a second? Second by Mary Lynn.
Uh and and we don't have a lot of physics teachers coming directly out of college uh with bachelor's degrees. They've they've got masters or doctorates and and that's just the way uh the budgeting works. But in orange, you'll notice we have a we have approximate savings of 489,000 in staffing this year. That's that's a result of 13 less staff we'll have next year because of retirements, because of non-replacement of positions, and because of cuts that we've made. What I want to emphasize is we have not cut positions that will impact students in the classroom. They could be administrative positions which we have we have reduced as well. Uh and andor positions that we've had in previously that we've we no longer need because of the need of the students. Um and the last thing is transportation. Transportation's increasing by about $776,000 in the operating budget because last year we took $776,000 of our transportation revolving account.
Um impacts in terms of student number, but not class size average. So, you'll see that in the chart, and it's just something for you folks to reference. Um you know, if you you're asked in the grocery store about things or whatever, you you have an idea of what's going on. So, just we are continuing to monitor as we always do. I'm So, Sarah, you had something. Yeah. Last night at the town meeting, um Mr. Don mentioned something about voting on Saturdays and I was hoping you could clarify. He said that you were worried about students on fields during Saturday voting. Mr. Dunn actually called me today to tell me that he apologized for and he did kind of an air quote throwing me under the bus. That was a conversation that there was a topic during a discussion. It wasn't something I brought up. Um but to be very candid, if we were going to have voting on Saturdays, we most likely, I would think, wouldn't have parks and wreck inside the school and things like that.
Protocol pledge of allegiance to the flag. What protocol? The one you just made up. What talk about protocol, sir? What about uh is Trish a teacher? Because according to you, you follow protocols that she was. sir in writing please there's no personal test your I believe I was on back here okay please absolutely thank you okay you're very welcome okay now we go on to consent agenda I will make a motion to consent Okay, all in favor say I. I motion carries four to zero. First up, we have personnel additional days contract extension for CO and Mr. President, members of the board, Mr. Rol say no and Ma now their administrative positions will need a 2425 contract extension 27 days until June 30th, 2025. See administrative notes below. It is recommended that Mr. says or miss be approved for a contract addendum extension until June 30th, 2025.
Any discussion? All those in favor? 70. Next, we'll move down to finances. We have some donations for approval. asking for approval of these donations for Brush Creek Elementary student snacks. Butlerville Grocery, $100. Candy Miller, $100. Linda England, $100. Lowe's Indiana Regional Distribution, $300. Uh, Cheryl and Dave Miller, $100. First United Methodist Church, $100 for student needs. Hayden Elementary School Library in memory of Becky Bogs. Pat and Michelle Sullivan, $100. Rodney and Haida Garrett, $30. Ron and K. Bloomer, $50. Lorie Kendrick, $40. Tom and Sandy Smith, $20. Wanda Machino, $20. Mike Wasam, $1,24.64 for sound desk tables and DJ facads for the musical. uh NBIC $250 grant money to the fourth grade classes for STEM day on May 6th for the Jennings County High School donation. Uh City of North Vernon, $1,000 to the music department's countywide arts festival. ETC Systems, $300 to junior class for prom and after prom supplies.
We charged $300 to use the bus. We use those funds to offset transportation costs and last year we used the revolving account. We can't do that continuously or we won't have the the revenue um to pay for it. Next slide. Student enrollment we're staying pretty flat in red 28 303 31. That doesn't include you saw the number earlier the prek is not included in that number. That's why the number I showed earlier has the prek. There is a bump in a couple years. Uh looking down at 2728 um about 2,800 kids K through 12. Next, please. Thanks, Mike. We talk about value. This is what we spend. $16,240 per child. This is where we land when we're looking at across the state, the tri our metro west area. and uh like districts, if you will, that this the state says are similar demographics to us.