um about combining g grades, how budgets are being presented and the transportation all feel like things that can wait into the future um for me. >> Okay. For you. Okay. >> Yep. >> Right. All right. Well, >> I had raised my hand because I was I was trying to get clarification about whether that was the plan for the bus information that are we trying to get that information for voting on this budget or are we trying to get that information for future budgets? Because it feels like >> making a change at this state to busing could potentially be super disruptive to a lot of families. So, I was just curious, I guess Rachel, you're the one who was asking for that information. Were you thinking about it as something that would impact the coming year or as something that we would want to know for the longer term?
>> Compare two things. I mean, if I can speak. >> Yeah, >> I think it's I mean I was at all those meetings. I mean I feel like we had quite a few people kind of say like they want the information on this new thing. >> But I also think we've done a lot of talking about like if we are still considering a new building it isn't necessarily the same. So I think that that definitely probably needs to be something that >> kind of figure out like okay maybe we don't have immediately if it's bel to fifth or belt to fourth or prek to fourth or prek to fifth but we know like we probably I feel like you have said many times we would cut off the fourth classroom right so like that's for sure let's figure out what the scope of this option B is so then they really are comparing >> this this is this is this because I think if we go back with one more thing like it's still option what it was last year and and six months down the road like well no now we're going to take out the fourth whatever and go ahead and keep the fifth like we just keep looking like we don't know what we want like we need to firm up like what option two is if you're going to do the comparison model I think that is really >> agree I hate I hate to throw out a lot of loose end details because it's just going to cost even more so we have to come up with a plan so >> why don't we have a work session then James to figure out what our two options are >> great >> and then present that and then we can get feedback like you're saying Yeah, >> from those two options.
um just from discussions I had on like our legislative listening tour last year with some schools that had um banned cell phones and stuff prior to now being mandated to do so. Um, some of them want like some of the steps they took to try to curb any parent backlash or anything like that was to make sure that they could still be communicated with like on their school email or something like that as a way cuz you know that's one thing a lot of parents say they want to still be able to get in touch with their kids. So that was one way they kind of got around that or not they got around but informed parents they could still communicate in some ways. just to share that. Item number 18, open agenda items. Item number 19, board member reports. Okay. Items for next month's agenda.
I'll make it quick. So So there was a couple comments I guess in the last uh council meeting that this was a $15 million building. U I I think one of the slides kind of pointed out this is we're looking at what a $10 million estimate is what we're saying $10 million estimate. Okay. >> Now the the current The critical thing I just want to confirm is that um because we we we don't have an a more specific number because we don't have a bond passed which allows us by law the ability to go out and get bids. Is that that correct? >> Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. >> Just stop. >> This is not a public portion yet. >> Let him finish his question. Yeah. >> So, so, so getting back to the question was in order to get a firm or or get quotes from builders or or whoever, we need to show the ability to actually pay for those.
Any questions on that? If not, I've got two other things I'd like to focus on in just a second. This is a summary. This little sheet is a summary of it's a I call it a landscape Excel summary, Microsoft Excel. There's four things with our school facilities board projects and I think all four of them are discussed in this little summary and I came up with the best categories I could for each of these four. The one I didn't really focus on we've spent 32.8 million in the last four years on school board projects from the state. So that's already spent projects are close. If you look at section one up top, the category funded or in progress or near completion. These two projects, this is putting HVAC at the high school, that's the first one, 7.96 million. We started that September of 2022. We are now into the 43rd month, pushing four years to finish that.
So, I just wanted to bring that forward and see if you have any questions. >> Thank you, Dr. Finley. >> Um, first of all, thank you for the efforts and and getting the hiring bus drivers as we know, as you indicated, that that nationwide issue. And I do want to commend the steps that you're taking because that loss of instructional time, you know, we just we know how important that is. So, I'm glad we're not completely removing this courtesy service um and trying to work work through that.
And then this is just a rendering of kind of how that office space would look like. So this rendering you're standing about right here looking at that new reception desk. >> And one thing to point out there too is if if people are coming in and they're just dropping off medicine for a kid or dropping off a launch kit for God, there's a transaction window in that vestibule. So someone doing something like that never even has a just kind of drop stuff off. And then maybe these are just some images of what's being proposed on the front elevation really this building high school or this is the middle school one here kind of dramatically changing what's out there today. But you're going to notice some consistency now, right? That's one of these goals is as as you all did the goal is to have consistent kind of familiar entrances.
So is it um I believe we have excellent and you know this and the board believes this excellent instruction and an excellent culture in Huntington County Community Schools. We have to understand the processes of how we're held accountable in a manner that also uh accents the child's growth, the child's achievement, but also our school. And so for us not to know these affects all three levels I just talked about. And we know it in the weeds. And so is it directly or indirectly? I would say it's indirectly tied. um you will in a year get a school grade um maybe next November uh each each child will get one and each school and then our corporation will get one. We know what that means to perception of districts and we know that children are seeking out the best game in town and so are parents.
Um, and one of mine has Carly and all the time he is like, "But mom, I used my big voice." And I'm like, "Yeah, buddy, you did." And sometimes it works and sometimes you have to get help from adult and sometimes you walk away cuz that's the situation and that's the safest space for you. Um, so I think as a parent, it's helped me to parent better. Um, but I also see it coming home in my kids too, which is pretty cool. um for as much as I do the counseling thing with them at home, it's nice for them to have a new piece of it to bring to me too. So, >> and just one more thing, 29 years of teaching, you hit that burnout stage really quick. This has changed my life. I can teach for maybe 10 more, not 29 more, maybe not 29 more, but it has really given me like a new life to come in every day.
Maybe some sort of side be. We're probably going to see some Warlock kicks. >> Yeah, probably going to see more My Mithra than more Pyro than Mithra if I'm going to be honest. >> Damage is going to rack up fast if Izzy doesn't uh if Izzy just lets Whoa. >> Oh, >> I was I'm not even going to finish my thought cuz that was a >> that was a good move. >> That was trying to end this immediately. Oh, sends off a sidebe as a ledge guarder. Doesn't doesn't do anything. Oh, does the upbe. I didn't realize the hit box extended that far. >> All right. Does another side be and he runs into it. That's what we like to see. Does an up air and another up air when he was below her. Oh man. >> Mhm. And this is an example of how difficult neutral can be as Ganondorf.
>> I would like to know for this budget. I don't I don't I don't feel like I know enough to even really answer that. Um, I think even I Shannon, I mean this with with all respect. I don't think we know like as Shannon's saying that it makes it it would make the bus well over an hour. I don't I don't know if that's like 65 minutes that we're talking about or 102 minutes and that is a those are very different conversations and I don't know that we can know without doing a little research. Um but it's a $25,000 difference which is significant on a 100k deficit. Um, so if we can pull that data together in time for this budget, my answer would be I would like to. Um, I think even given that data, it could be that we then say this is for a future year.
>> If anybody has any if anybody has any ideas >> on how to get people to attend a meeting to get this information when I first we can have like a ginormous >> town hall at the gymnasium. I don't know. >> So you read some of those survey some of those surveys talk about >> do I need to sponsor it or >> would prefer to get the information. I think we need to focus on some of that in our work session and go from there. So, give me some dates in March that would work for you guys. Um, and I I don't know if you want to do them right now or you want to >> Yeah, we just figured out at the end of the meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I can send in Friday possibly if you would like as well. >> Send notes and get back with Craig and >> you know, >> well, Christie and I we could send out an email with possible dates.
So, we'll have personnel on there also with our classified uh list and also our supplemental list for next year. We'll also have some information about summer school as well. Um supplementals. We also have a meeting scheduled to go over our technology rotation and what that looks like and then we'll have uh drivers at teacher approval on next month's agenda item as well. Agenda items. send volunteer wants me to grab the teacher. >> All right. I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by Allison. >> Second by Josh. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Same sign. Motion passes. 6. Thank you everybody. No, come on.
Is that what >> you go out to bid >> or no? >> Unless you have an appropriation, >> you can't go out to bin unless you have a certification of availability of funds. And that's why we wanted to get the bond ordinance in place so that we could go to bid and have a fixed number. If the number comes in close to our number and we can lock the contractor into that number to construct the building, then we'll know solidly where we're going and then we can begin to plan the best way to pay for it. Use the capital improvement fund, bond anticipation notes, convert to a 30-year bond, whatever would be in the most cost effective for the taxpayer. That's what our intent is. But to get to that number, we need to have this ordinance in place. And I can also say if you have an ordinance and you don't need to fund it, then you won't.
It's very close to being done. Uh for our maintenance department was here. Maybe Steve could even Well, I don't see Chris here. The plan is to in the next Monday, the plan is to next Monday the 16th do some tests with them electrical upgrades. And once those tests are complete and all the the contractors have passed with that electrical installation for the high school for HVAC, we can submit that last $700 of that project. 7.9 million and that's how close that is. The ones the one below that 5.4 million over at territorial are complete. Everything's going territorial even since last summer. Basically, this whole year you've had HVAC. It's just that there's been some delays with the architect approving contractor invoice. That's really close to being fully. So, those are the only two that we started say before July of last year and they're nearly finished those two.
Board members, any questions or comments? >> Can I add one thing? Yes, please. Just a um a couple of things I thought as Dr. Finley was presenting. I think it's important to note, the board knows this, but for public, um, in order to participate in Area 31, you have to be a junior or a senior. So, we have, uh, many students who drive themselves to Area 31 because they have a driver's license. The other piece is in the program description when students are signing up for these programs, it has always said transportation. You know, if you participate in PJ's cosmetology school, it always has said in that that you are responsible to provide transportation to get there. We have just always, as Dr. Finley said, done this courtesy of going above and beyond to provide transportation to get to the fire service program or the the um um Aaron uh flight program and those kinds of things.
So when you come to Deli Community School Corporation, you know where you're at. Uh right now it's kind of hard for the athletic entrance because there's not really a whole lot of uh markers out there. So this would help solve that problem for the high school. Not quite as much canopy out there, but something still kind of keeping to that that message. Uh and then we did talk about um a dedicated boardroom. So, um, this is kind of a a really good use of space if you all know, but, uh, over on kind of the south side of the building here, that more or less is kind of a large open space. I think sometimes used for storage, sometimes used for just miscellaneous items to be held, but really that's what's going to be renovated to then create a new uh, board dedicated boardroom and some a few kind of updates to the main reception area.
And so I think um yes, indirectly it is. >> Well, the reason I asked is because I guess I've been in the board long enough to know that if it's if a test starts with the letter I, >> if it's I read, I learn, I wish, whatever it is, um it it means that we teach sometimes to the test because it was directly accounted for funding we used to receive. >> Yeah. And I it's a great question, Mr. Allen. And what I'm going to answer that on is we want every I I heard Lynn Brown last year talking at one of these meetings and she talked about that we want every child going home successful because they know they can. And if they didn't hit the achievement mark, then they're hitting the growth rate mark at a higher rate than other kids. And so when I see this kind of uh professionalism of the weeds of what do we want to teach, retach and enhance, what motivates me in this district and it motivated me previously is I want all of our kids to know they can.
Yeah, personally, too. All right. Okay. So, it's not all rainbows and sunshine um and butterflies and and all that. Um we've had a tough year at Colombia this year. We've had lots of um some staff challenges that have that have come about and we've had um a lot of in the behavior realm lots of new students that have joined us that haven't kind of been on our journey with us of learning some of these techniques. Um, and so I don't want to paint it a picture that like conscious discipline fixes everything because it doesn't fix it gives you the tools to be able to handle the next challenge that comes. Um and so like we have been able and through some of our challenges um our staff has really helped and stepped in like I shared with Michelle um we had a challenge of um one of a long-term sub that had come in to take the place of a teacher that um moved to Indianapolis.
You don't really have very good movement or many good options to counterplay something like that side be. >> That's true. If you thought neutral was bad, I' i'd say advantage is even worse. Well, disadvantage state is even worse. >> It It absolutely [clears throat] is. >> Yeah. I mean, that's the entire point. It's disadvantage state. It's not like you're going to be good at it. >> Yeah. Ganondorf just does not have a lot of utility outside of doing straight damage. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Speaking of damage, Izzy is doing plenty herself, I tell you. Doing plenty of upies. That one got taken away by the platform. Ooh, that was a little clash right there. Ooh, and another Well, not really a clash. Ooh, just barely just barely dodges the up smash. Doing plenty of up airs. Ooh, he's at 69%. That's a funny number right there.