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So kudos to the district. I may add one other thing just just for the public's knowledge and and I I wholeheartedly agree with all the comments uh that we've shared here tonight. Um one thing we will watch as we move forward um with with the new uh sea 1 that went into place or will go into place this year. Those rates um they're the AV is going to be uh reduced going forward and those rates will um they may move around certainly from district to district. So, a lot of districts and we would probably in this category as well, we will want to watch our levy, which is the amount of dollars that we receive uh just equally to what we're looking at that rate. So, that's something we'll watch. And and I did point out earlier our levy went up this year about 3%.
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>> Okay. Thank you. >> Wonderful presentation. Wonderful presentation. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Good job. >> We go to the next item, action and discussion board monitoring of adoption polic policy chapter 4. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh tonight we bring you chapter 4 and our norm in our normal uh operations of looking at our policies. Um we are not recommending any changes to this chapter to chapter 4.
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Um we do have the initial or the additional steel and uh demolition bids to come in. Um we believe with those uh two things added as well as if you remember we had a 10% contingency that was approved by ISBY. Um as well as 10% for our architecture and engineering fees. um we believe when we consider all of those things that we are going to come in right at or under budget for all of that work uh to be done. So when we look at the steel work um this was additional work that we that the um architects did not identify when they did their inspections. Uh so as they were going through and I and working further they identified we have some uh additional welding that needs to be done. Why that matters is because that is where our rooftop units are. So as they were further investigating that, they determined we needed some additional structural work as well as some of the codes changed where we have additional anytime you touch anything, right?
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So absolutely >> I think it would be interesting to have uh like different scenarios and >> with a discussion on how we should be uh addressing those different scenarios. >> I really like um Erica's idea. I'm thinking about it right now. What I I I I want to distinguish this from like a self-evaluation that we would do in closed session where we would talk maybe differently about our, you know, where we want to improve and and and things like that, which could be, I guess, part of this discussion. I'm just trying to distinguish between what this looks like in comparison to what we would do as a self-evaluation and close session. I love the idea of having discussions like these because we know I mean I've learned so much as a board member about what governance is and what my role as a as a board member and um you know and even with a background in education and so I think for the public to learn more about it is um is a really great idea.
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Um, but I wanted to mention that, you know, we're not for-p profofit. We operate on tight budgets. Um, and we are funded primarily by registration fees. We have expanded this year to try to increase our sponsorship as well so that we can also bring in some additional fees through those sponsorships to help pay hopefully next year. We're hoping to have some scholarships for children whose families are not able to um provide those fees. And when these rental rates increase, the costs are directly passed on to the families. Um, and as Stephanie showed through that graphic, rental rates account for more than half of CBA's current budget. For the 2025 2026 season, CBA expects to use approximately 1,250 hours of D26 gym space. As I said, we're also in other gyms as well. And a $10 um increase for this will represent a $12,500 increase in our rental fees next season.
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Um, so you know, moving into, you know, uh, what our purchases are going to be to help us with that, we want to, you know, reiterate what we do to keep our students safe because that is important. Um, number one, when we're dealing with technology, uh, want to talk to you about the roll out of the devices, um, what we're going to be, uh, updating for our staff as well as phase four of our infrastructure, uh, up, um, improvements and upgrades. And then uh other advances that we will be uh continuing in our classrooms for whole group instruction as well as our continued reselling of our old retired iPad fleet. All right. So, uh the district will continue to use Lighteed to uh monitor and manage our student iPad fleet. It's made up of three components. the MDM which allows us to push out security policies, apps and other management features to our iPads.
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>> Okay. >> We have been a little bit behind, but we weren't behind because of us. We were behind because of the development. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, like some of the infrastructure, the roads and things weren't in and the sewers weren't in and the water wasn't in and there were certain things we could not do until those things got done. So, again, the developer side of it slowed us down, which is really I've told Dr. Windham, feels really weird that we're the people ahead of everybody because that's not normally where we are. we're we're like trailing way behind. So So that has slowed us down a little bit in in the overall schedule. That's why I think it showed us starting like 62 and we had originally hoped to have started by like March 1st. So we did start two and a half to three months later than we would have liked.
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Historically, one of the main topics I just want to make sure for the newer board members is that we've always had a, you know, a two or three day fall break and a few years ago, we pushed for a full week fall break, which I'm a big advocate for. That would be my number one. I had to pick and choose. I liked a full fall break. So, with that being said, I just wanted to give a little context to our discussions, but please feel free to make statements and uh, you know, I think it's good for us to have a discussion on this issue, but There's always going to be give and take. Miss Bas, I know you're >> Yeah. Um, my only thought was looking at December of 2027 on the second proposed calendar, the second page. Um, and I'm sure that there's a reason, but I I prefer to throw it out there.
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>> Well, when we submit we our reports broken down into several categories. First part is identifying what works well. If it's not broken, don't fix it. And we don't want to leave here with you as board and administrators thinking that people aren't doing good things because we've never been in a district that doesn't have good things. Second part is we make district recommendations. things that we see that apply consistently across the district. Third area is our will be building specific things that are unique to each building. Fourth part is my colleague Chuck Hibert does a detailed report looking at the policies and procedures reads the things that we ask for. So you'll get about probably a couple dozen a dozen or a dozen the two pages and some of those will just be on line 12 of this page it says do you really do that on here you may not want to consider that or look at this you may want to update this um section on best practices just some things key points just as a reference point so that that's not mixed in with district specific things and then we recommend that you use that as a strategic IC plan you you know some things you can do quick fixes on on people part of the things.
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Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I opposed. >> All right, we have an approval request for amplify ELA 6 through 8 curriculum. >> So you heard the rationale earlier shared some of the background information. So it' be my recommendation purchasing delay. ahead of school year, ahead of next school year. >> Remind us again where that funds come from. >> Yep. So 67 the 67,25728 actually comes out of the education fund because there is no longer question. >> All right, I need a motion. >> So move. >> Need a second. Any discussions?
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>> So I would say it's kind of a combination of both. You want to you want to make sure you have it there or you could go after an additional appropriations. um but if you have it then you know you you don't have to spend it and I think for them choosing to keep some of those expenditures down was a very wise choice to help us move forward with positive for this next year. >> So you also mentioned in our transfers from the education fund to the operations fund that we didn't use that full bout knowing that SBA1 is sitting sitting out there. might that decision come back to bite us at some point or do you still think we're early enough in that process that we were all right doing that uh because of the cost savings and what we budgeted and not having to expend it all and then still leaving about a million dollars on the table there um and and knowing the operations came over a little less.
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So, uh right in line with where we would want it. >> Miss Lawrence, >> apologies. I apparently have lots and lots of questions tonight, but I know all the answers. I'm just asking to prompt you. Um, I think members of the public, as we've been talking about assessed values and we've been talking about tax rates, I think it's very easy for members of the public to to think that we're spending from one giant pot of money, which, you know, I I think if you're thinking about a budget, right, the operating versus uh capital referendum might seem like just kind of mincing words. you're giving money, but can could you explain how we are obligated by the state of Indiana to spend those funds differently that it's not one bucket that might appear as though to the general public? >> Yes, I I would be happy to do so.
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So with that we will stand for any questions. >> Hearing no questions. Uh motion to approve policy is presented. >> Second. Motion pass. Next we go to recommendation to approve the 2026 2027 governing board meeting schedule. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh tonight we bring you the meeting schedule for 2627 board meetings and uh it stands as presented.
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You have to bring it up to code and so there's additional structure that is needed for uh roof for the roof load for snow. Um which is interesting because we seem to get less snow now, but they increase the the snow load uh requirements there. So we are uh White has already submitted in uh to the state an amendment for that work to be done. That amount what they have in the amendment is about $270,000 uh to get all of the the structural work completed. Um, so at our next meeting, I'm going to talk further about that, what that's going to look like, and then we'll come back to uh ask the board to approve that amendment uh so that we can actually have that work done as well that will come out of our health life safety funds. So, if you remember there, this is a unique thing where each school has their own amendment and so you have to you have a budget, if you will, for each school.
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Uh, I think by like made up scenarios, it helps us kind of depersonalize it a little bit and really have it focused on uh, education both for reminders for us and for the public. >> If if I'm not mistaken, I think the training module had scenarios too that we could just take rather than reinventing the wheel. Um, and and yes, we do go through training. Um, but but I know but no, I mean that'd be a good place to start and and they're already kind of like they're there. >> Yeah. And just kind of to add to the conversation, we so you know there are a lot of rules governing our interactions and like how how we are allowed to interact, how many of us are allowed to interact at a time and things like that. So we really um I mean we we really only have like one opportunity a year where we sit down and actually solely talk about our functioning as a board um for like a large chunk of time.
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Now, for many households, you know, this modest increase in fees can mean the difference between participation and sitting out for a season. As you're probably well aware, community sports programs like CBA also offer direct support to the schools because they promote physical fitness and healthy habits. They strengthen school community relationships, and they also create a feeder system that supports middle and high school athletic programs. Now, a few years ago when I first started on the board, um D26 doubled the gym rental rates. Um and CBA adjusted to that budget and absorbed the increases, but we did have to increase our rates for our families as well. Um and ultimately, it's taken several years for CBA to kind of rebuild its reserves um following this rate increase. And we also continue to face other increases such as uh referee fees. Um, so another rental rate this soon uh will put us in a difficult position and we will have to ultimately raise rates again.
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It will um it also includes light speeded filter which provides content filtering to websites uh both at school and at home anytime they're connected to the internet and light speeded alert uh which alerts our uh building administration and a few key other people in the district anytime questionable or alarming content might be typed into a search browser or a Google document. Um, our teachers have access to a tool called Apple Classroom and we protect our students um from anytime you see a website that says sign in with your Google account, we block them from being able to do that to just any website that might be out there or any service that might be out there. We um anytime a student tries it asks me personally for permission and I never grant it unless it is on the SOPA list which is our which is the student online personal protection act and it has been approved uh as a curriculum tool for the district.
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So this timeline with the uh 100% completion on November 19th contemplates the fact that you started late but you believe that that will be the time when it will be um owner occupied >> the move in >> when we first started this we had talked about a goal of fall break yes being and so then this reflects that being pushed back a little bit later than that but that was not an issue for us but that's that's where they had to push back from fall break more towards that Thanksgiving time frame. Okay. Yeah. >> Would you anticipate the administration building those offices moving over Christmas break? >> Yeah, that's kind of what we've been working on because then that would allow us in second semester to do necessary work to allow the academy to expand within our building. So, if we can get out of there, and that's what I've told Ryan, it really for us, we can move whenever.
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I think I'm usually an advocate of starting that like week of the 16th, that middle week, as opposed to the week sooner if possible. Um, so as far as that that first week of of our holiday break there, the 20th, 21st, 22nd, is there any way to have those 3B school days? Does that impact our um our high school like final schedule? Is that the reason for giving a full week as the last week as opposed to doing a three-day week and then getting off? >> So, one of the things that we have looked at, we had this conversation even again this morning with cabinet was looking back a time when we actually split up the week and what were the challenges with attendance and that was some of the issues that we had was with the attendance of having part of it before and part of it afterwards would help with the number of days being off um which would add three more to first semester which would would help in that um it's always an op we could try it and see and therefore we would change when people came back in January just by bumping them back further Well, I guess my recommendation and and there may be a reason that I may be like stoned for suggesting maybe a shorter holiday break, but does that is there a way to buy us back so that we're not coming back on that Monday, Tuesday in June?
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Some things if there is a financial cost to it you may be able to address now or you may want to have to address how that over a period of time but a lot of the things typically cost less money than they do time and people effort and and dealing with those various uh pieces of it. So we, you know, it should be something that you can use really quite frankly for the next five years, three to five years. We are always available. Uh we don't build by the hour and not I have superintendents and administrators who will call by at night and go, "Hey, this just came up. What do you think?" >> And we're just there. We build good relationships with people and and and hope to support that. We don't write our assessments trying to build our next gig with you to say you need this and we can provide that.
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