And so we need each other to kind of build ourselves up. And so I was fortunate enough to be matched with uh Miss Richards as my mentor for this. And she was able to kind of show me uh around the district, which I thought I was very grateful for. So thank you for that. Uh I met with Mr. Armstrong as well. He was also uh gracious enough to give me his time to take me around some elementary schools and meet with people. And there are other several members of the cabinet who also took their time to meet with me. So it's uh a great pleasure to be a part of this program. Uh, I thank um everybody who's involved and particularly Mr. Walker. Thank you for doing all the work and putting it all together. Uh, so thank you. Okay. I am Beverly Peyton from Williams High School and um I got a different I got all the stuff they got out of HLA.
She's gonna start something going on here. I love it. Yeah. Anyway, thank you for that. Um, we will let our administrative team know of those members um so that they can add add you to any agendas and so forth, invitations. Okay. Okay. So, everything is captured there. Yes.
So three people who have given great years of service to the schools and appreciation for their service, I recommend the board approve their retirements. Is there a motion? I'll make a motion to approve retirement. Second. All in favor? resations. Yeah. So, uh we have a variety here of teachers and work based learners and of positions through for resignation. So, I recommend the board approve resignations one through eight. Sorry, Mr. President. So, move second. All in favor? I All right. few recommendations for these positions. So, uh I think almost every month we hire somebody for one of our preschool positions. So, I recommend Lindsay Reigns as a preschool aid at POS. Um she has already started. Also recommend Michelle Jet as a Wilson administrative assistant. Um our previous Wilson administrative assistant actually moved over to be the ABA admin assistant. Um and then Caitlyn St. Host teachers aid recommend that the board approve all three hybrids.
So next year I'd like to see us drive that 16% back up to the 20%. I think that's important. Um I would also mention that um and we'll have a date on this. I don't know if we have it yet, but uh I know last year we had some conflicting dates. I want to make sure that we get as many board members to the board retreat that's going to take place in September. We haven't chosen. Okay. So, by the third, uh if you bring your calendars, I' I'd like to make sure that we can get most of the board there uh on whatever date we choose because the retreat is an important half day of planning uh for the upcoming year. So, that will either be at the end of August or early September. I just remind you of that. And the final thing I wanted to mention is uh and our our student reps aren't here tonight, which is fine uh because of sport activities.
However, to our advantage, there are two definitions to the word brilliance. Intense brightness of light and vividness of color is the alternative definition stated by the Oxford dictionary. And within this definition is where I believe our class of Rampart Ramshine. While I think it is important to signify those who have made such great accomplishments, I also think it is important to signify those of us who have fought our way just to be sitting in these seats amongst our other classmates. To recognize the bright faces and futures of students who are convinced that they would never make it. To those who might not have a group of friends to celebrate this achievement with or those who may have drove themselves here with nobody in the crowd to cheer them on, those who are perhaps the first in their family to graduate and go to college. Your attendance in this ceremony is valued and something to be proud of.
Parents tell their kids they won't always get what they want. I can't argue with these statements. It is true that we don't always get credit for our achievements or that we don't always get everything we deserve in life. However, we don't need to depend on how fairly life treats us in order to be successful and happy. Instead, we should be defined by what we can do for ourselves to find this joy. For me, it's being involved in music. Ever since I was little, I played the piano, learning all my favorite songs in addition to new ones. When I got older, I realized that piano and music were passions of mine. So, I found myself joining middle school band. I chose a new instrument to learn and quickly got the hang of playing the obo. Continuing into high school, I also joined the marching band where I learned to play the snare drum.
Thank you for being there when I felt like I couldn't take another step. For cheering me on and for helping me map out my next move. I'm beyond grateful to have had you as my mentor. When I look around this village, I see mentors and guides who support their mentees in countless different ways. This is what makes us a village. Each and every teacher lifts their students up the rocky trail and walks beside them every step of the way and celebrates with them as they reach each new milestone. Every single one of us has faced challenges that seem too steep. For some, it was a learning difference. Others face self-doubt, family struggles, or days when giving up felt easier than pushing forward. But guess what? We're here. We climbed. And today, we stand at the summit, looking back on everything we've conquered. And just like mountaineers, we didn't reach the summit alone.
We've lived at on the old west side for over 30 years. Um, I work at the University of Michigan. I attend a church downtown. We're in a uh a neighborhood that everybody really does talk to each other. But unfortunately, it was just a few weeks ago that a colleague at the University of Michigan brought this to my attention. And I was really quite surprised because I said, why wouldn't there have been a greater outreach from the city to engage the residents? So my radar went up and I I it occurred to me that working in private industry, nonprofits and at the University of Michigan, the biggest thing that I have learned is that to get a buy in from the people, in this case the residents is to feel like you really did have a voice from the earliest stages, not when the plan is already being finalized.
How do they go through the process? It is a state regulated process. There is somebody called a consultant that would be an administrative agent that will be hired by the municipality that will create a waiting list of people who are income certified. So they have to provide their income sources. They have to provide some some u very general information. They are put on a waiting list. as units become available, the folks that are on that waiting list um are go through what's known as a random selection. So, it's not first come first serve. Uh the waiting list is randomly selected and then the first person that is placed based on that lottery system on that list is offered the unit if they choose to move forward. They go through a very rigorous income certification process. So, and and so it's it's a lottery system. It's random selection and it's income qualification that requires folks to go through in order to be eligible to go into affordable housing units.
So just know that 90% scheduled and hopefully the system will be of the granny sooner than later. Also the moving and weatherization projects are still on track for August and September. So um again we want to thank Mr. Schubert for following up with our school facilities board. And these are things that do not come out of our general budget that we have to propose a need for them. And some of these board will provide the funding for these major projects. Earth Day, April 22nd. Boys and girls, did you have fun on Earth Day? Yes. It was hard work, right? But everybody did a great job. So there's a few pictures of some of our campus beautifification efforts on Earth. Also, fifth graders. Where are my fifth graders? Fifth graders in the house. Fifth grade teacher in the house. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Our fifth grade volume zoo was amazing here.
But what I thought was really cool is that we are as teachers the in the minority of this group. This group is mostly um classified staff. And I thought it was really cool to get a different perspective of all the different jobs that everybody does to make schools really successful. And I think there's no way our kids could be as successful as they are in our classrooms without the help of every single other person up here. And so that's the one thing that I got out of it was it really does take a village like Michael said. So thank you for that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. And this uh these these individuals took time eight sessions out of their their nights to come and and learn about Higgley. So everybody's uh self motivated and self- selected to be in the program. So congratulations everybody.
Thank you board members who volunteer your services once again. All right. So, moving along with the good news. Yeah. We're going with administrative update superintendent L for number one. Good news. Yeah. So, uh today I really wanted to highlight to the board some of the really great work going on at Mo. Um they have been working on this literally all year. And as you recall, you know, transitioning and culture was something that they were working on as a as a staff and as an administration. And so we had put together a process of staff came to uh administration to say, you know, these are some things that we'd like to to work towards. Um my executive team worked with uh the staff along with administration. We met with them for I think we had four meetings and they were basically training and PD to really uh address some of those issues and we just finished our last uh meeting with the whole faculty last Friday to share all the things that they've been working on and it was really wellreceived by the staff.
I move approval. Second. All in favor? I change position. Change of position. Again, this doesn't require any action by Megan Wilson. Move from admin assistant at Wilson to admin assistant for APA. That transition has gone very well. All right, moving on to business manager. Yes. So, just a couple items tonight. Uh, we had a myself and Tara Walters attended the Indiana Association of School Business Officials conference. Rex joined us one Thursday night for the awards dinner. Uh, we had a pretty good time up there. A lot of information to go through and just see how we can use that to improve our school corporation and our business operations here. Um, and then just and for your information point, we have started the process of purchasing two new buses for the corporation. uh we used the procurement process from the central Indiana education service center that we are a member of um for their procurement.
But, um Erica has done a wonderful job working with Dr. K uh Dr. Ruth Kidwell in getting our replacement. I won't say who it is yet. She'll she'll make that announcement in June. But it will be a time for us to our graduating seniors. it'll be a chance for us to say uh thank you for their two years of service uh to the board of education as we bring on our new members. So uh those are the things that I have for my side.
Regardless of if you were in the top or the bottom of our class in regards to GPA or if you were in every club and activity and are on your way to your dream school, collectively we exemplify what it means to be a Ram. And amongst us is where the definition of brilliance lives. Attending Rampart High School and letting your individuality be a light contributes to the promising and colorful place that so many of us know Rampart to be. Whether you have a handful of cords or are just wearing your cap and gown, you still deserve to be recognized for this accomplishment. In this moment, you can exhale knowing that you are about to call yourself a graduate. And in obtaining that title, I encourage you to pursue the type of life that your younger self would be proud of. Let us to continue to evolve and adapt, gaining empathy and shutting off apathy to become the kind of people who we would be inspired by.
Going to band class has given me a break from all my homework and my difficult classes and a chance to joke around with my friends while sharing the joy of music. Playing my piano at home clears my mind of stress and worry. Even singing in the shower relieves me from the great expectations of life. I have come to realize that music provides a distraction from my everyday stress. And the joy I feel when I create music has reminded me that life doesn't need to be fair. It just needs to be fulfilling. I want to be clear that I'm not saying you shouldn't ever worry about anything or even that you shouldn't strive for perfection. Stress reflects that you care about your goals and it is healthy in moderation. It leads you to work hard in the face of adversity, to fight against the unavoidable unfairness of life, and ultimately to bring you a reward in some way.
Thank you to our friends who lifted us up when we stumbled, offering a steady hand and unwavering support. To our families who cheered us on through every challenge and celebrated every victory. But here's the thing about mountains. There's always another one ahead. Graduation isn't the end of our journey. It's the beginning of a new climb. The world beyond today will bring new challenges, new doubts, new obstacles that might seem impossible. But we've already proven something to ourselves. We know how to climb. We know how to take one step at a time. So, as we step forward into whatever comes next, let's remember this. Be curious. Ask questions. Never stop learning. And most importantly, when we love ourselves, others, and the world around us, there is no summit we cannot reach. Thank you. Next, I would like to introduce our next speaker, Reagan Kantac. Hi, seniors.
And so, you know, a process that feels like there's honesty, transparency, and to be included, then I could actually get on board. But the thought of creating a plan that is going to impact the whole city and where people aren't feeling like their voice mattered from day one, I I definitely take issue with that. So, um, I'm just going to ask the planning commission and the city council to pause the plan and try to bring in more voices than just that early 2 or 3% that was uh included from from the get-go. Thank you. Thank you. Hey, my name is Sean Kong. I live at uh 2235 Trillium Lane, Taiwan Wu. Um, I'm here to ask the commission to consider not further dividing the um the transition zone into additional or subcategories or or subdists and uh for the following couple reasons. one is uh my understanding is one of the uh districts will be a sort of a messy industrial use and as somebody who lives across from that area so that my house is located uh off of Plaid between Washington and Packard and right across from um her house where my wife and I and also um uh my parents in the same neighborhood uh will be you know could be uh zoning in such a way that there will uh you know uh industrial use and for obvious reasons we're you know concerned about uh pollutants in our backyard.
Next slide, please. Quickly, um we are all here because in 1975 uh the uh the Supreme Court of New Jersey uh decided something called the Mount Laurel decision. Uh basically Mount Laurel Township was sued because they were uh providing for zoning what that was considered to be exclusionary. What does that mean? That means that they were only providing for single family homes. Uh and so that was prohibited. The the Supreme Court came down and said exclusionary zoning is prohibited. And oh by the way, all municipalities in the state state of New Jersey must provide for a realistic opportunity for affordable housing within their their boundaries. Um that has been kind of the the main the main uh basis for everything that we've done since 1975. Uh prior rounds, third round and now fourth round and probably into the future fifth round. Next slide please. Um I'm not going to go through this in too much detail as but the as Jeff had indicated in March of last year Governor Murphy signed legislation which is now known as the amended fair housing act.
It was displayed in our community room. I I just cannot believe how creative well I can believe how creative our students are and the parents who help out with them as well. But it was a beautiful display and they're so proud of our students and our great teachers. So, thank you. Um our foundation is truly appreciated and you'll see our foundation members who are here um in the audience that will be coming up in a few minutes. But Friday, April 25th, our students expressed their gratitude to our foundation and truly we couldn't do half of the things that we do and the support of our teachers and our murals and our projects and our the money that comes in for music and for teachers to be creative through our foundation is just amazing. So, thank you. Staff professional development at the Florida station on April 30th.