Uh for this 2026-2027 grant cycle, uh the corporation is seeking funding to implement four initiatives, and let me review those, and I know the dollar amounts are in your packet, so I will kind of indicate how much would go to each of these areas. So, for College Board Advanced Placement Exams, offset the AP exam registration costs to our students that are need, there'd be $4,500. Our One District, One Book district-wide literacy initiative, we have all the elementary students read the same book throughout the during the year, $10,000 to help that initiative. High School Sensory Room, provides structured sensory supports for our exceptional education students, $5,000. And then our preschool flexible seating curricular supports, it enhances early learning environments with mental appropriate seating, uh $4,000. That's the recommendation of the administration to approve and apply for and receive funds from the 2026-2027 Crown Point Community Foundation Grant in the amount of $23,500.
We will continue what the previous superintendents with a slight twist. Everyone does this slightly differently, but it doesn't mean they weren't highly successful in our past. I appreciate and I'm honored to be your superintendent. Thank you, Mr. Allen and school board. Thank you very much, Mr. Brimberry. Congratulations. We're going to move on to E1 special presentation Elementary Unite. Jay Peters. In my career, I have had the opportunity to work with some extraordinary people. Uh tonight is no exception. You've known uh we've introduced Lauren Hogue to you uh on March the 9th, and so she is no stranger. Uh but tonight she's going to share a glimpse, a little snapshot, into what is happening in the elementary world in her first year as our elementary PD coordinator. So, Lauren, it's great to have you here. Thank you for being here. Thanks. Thanks for having me back.
We also want to highlight for these committees um that we also believe that there are already statutes in place to address any problematic behavior and that educational workers are already a protected class under our terroristic, threatening, and assault statutes. Um, so we believe that this measure is unnecessary. Um and again our biggest concern is that it would not withstand con constitutional or judicial scrutiny. So that's all my time. I'll be available for questions. Thank you. >> Thank you Ed. No for charter schools here also for HSTA. >> Aloha vice chair Sarah Milan on behalf of HSDA. Um we're excited to see this bill move forward. Obviously, we've seen the news on when it comes to threat threatening educational workers, but also this bill has been in the works for quite a few years. There's been some really powerful advocates kind of advocating for it. Um, and it's something that needs to happen.
In the eyes of the state, an absence is an absence is an absence. So any absence, be it a sick day and or um you know just a truency where someone's not there counts towards their 18. So that's something where we're having to inform parents and make sure we're giving them that information. Another component is extended travel. So, we're going to have to work with parents to make sure they utilize the vacation time that's implanted in the 180day schedule more so than extending their vacations. Right? So, when parents try to extend their vacation, it can often times create a problem with the absenteeism. And then the last component that weighs heavy and that we're addressing is the preK 3, 4, and K program. Being that they're non-compulsory, we really have to make sure that we're training parents that one, it is important you're building habits of mind, you're building routines, and you're also really giving students um a step into their programs when they get into the first grade.
We use technology. We can if it's possible, right? We can partner up with the city to add a Board of Education section to their app for real-time alerts. Or we can create a low-cost app ourselves to send instant updates directly to parents. Because at the end of the day, parents deserve accurate information immediately, not after the fact. Let's bring Garfield forward and fix communication the right way. Thank you. Thank you. Any other public comments? I like the idea you had last time with the staff. Let me use it this time. Sean Ramdeo, 96 Farnam Avenue. I'm not sure if Mr. Earl Mr. Durr is in the back, but I just want to give a quick shout-out to him because I remember when I was a senior in his class and he was mentioning the e-sports program to me when it wasn't a thing. And to see where it's came from then till now has been absolutely amazing.
we will not be doing the uh the big uh outsourcing that we had planned to do. The next thing has to do with uh development of um development of the uh the budget and sorry I'm sorry uh will be uh the budget we have done some uh some Q1's and Q2 budget reviews. What we're trying to do, we're trying to monitor how expenses are going compared to the amount that we budgeted. Now, at the end of the spring break, we will actually start on Q3. And as it stands right now, most of the expenditures actually align with what we budgeted. There's nothing that stands out. And I will speak more about that later on this evening. And as part of the process too, we've been working with the long range facility planning, working closely with uh white and company to make sure that the longrange facility planning is completed and we are gathering datas that we're going to use to then develop an RFP with uh doing some of the work that are included long range facility planning down the road.
I think the biggest change here is this operations salary and benefits. You know, there's one way to look at it when you lump every salary into it and then you kind of get lost of of who's who and and how much do we pay in personnel for technology or central office or transportation. And so Megan pulled those out separately which which has been really good data for us to look at. You will also see with the education fund that that's in your packet just to take a really quick look. Comparing February 2026 to February 2025. Education expenses were up by about 24,000. Now, when you see that when you hear that it's like oh my gosh it's 24,000 that we're up, but I honestly think it's pretty incredible after the the raises that we were able to give to teachers and to staff members this year across all employee groups to be up to increase costs only by 24,000.
Happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you, Mr. Gianfermi. Board members, you heard the recommendation of the administration for uh approval to apply for and receive funds from the 20 2026-2027 Community Foundation Grant in the amount of $23,500 allocated as Mr. Gianfermi set forth. May I have a motion? So moved. So moved by Mr. Angel and seconded by Mr. Vasser.
Not to Is your mic on, Lauren? Make sure that >> It is. I need to lean in. Okay. All right. Thanks for having me back. Um Mrs. Gray, will you advance that slide? Uh so, when I started uh something that Mr. Peters said from day one and continues to say is it's a new day in Huntington County Community Schools. Uh and so, for me that was what does this role look like? Um how does it take shape uh based on what everyone at central office would like to see, what you all would like to see, uh what I would like to see, and coming from, you know, straight from a classroom, what did I feel like maybe we needed moving forward. So, um these three words are have been at the top of my mind as I've gone through this school year. Uh visibility, transparency, and differentiated support.
I I need you to understand that after COVID, like things have changed in education. Um, the way that teachers are approached at student conferences, um, at academic events, at awards ceremonies, um, I've had parents come up and talk about grade changes in pretty forceful ways. I'm also the president of the HSTACA Leeward chapter. So 3,000 teachers on the Leeward side and teachers tell me they've had pe kids and families come up to their cars to argue points from conferences yet to meet them at their soccer games. That there's an intimidation factor and I think we need to address this especially because a lot of educational workers are women and there's this belief that women can be menaced or um as a pink collar profession can be talked to in a different kind of way and get a different kind of peace and that we have to stand up for ourselves.
So, those are some of the key attendance challenges that we're addressing. In order to monitor these um pieces, we've been looking at data. How do we get that data? Through our Genesis programs. Genesis helps us to look at gender. We can look at grade level. We can look at race. We can look at economic status to see where there may be problem areas in our um identification of those areas. We can address them. Um there is a standard parent notification letter and meetings that many of the principles have been doing all year long. letters go out at four absences, eight absences, and 12 absences. So, these meetings are scheduled in order to support parents. So, one key element is identifying what the atrisisk looks like. So, early interventions are those students who are in the, you know, 1 to 10 range. Um, are what we're calling that hot list where we're getting the mentors and that trifecta of counselor and teacher together are those students who are falling into the 11 and 17.
And I it's just absolutely amazing the work you've seen from the club. But, as we know, April's only a week away. Warmer temperature is on the way as well, fortunately. But, that also means that the shift usually changes from heating to AC. We all know this. Usually, most candidates will change. Now, while AC is a worthwhile conversation this past winter demonstrated that the the needs our facilities has not that's anyone's fault. Over the winter, we saw two schools evacuated due to HVAC failures. We saw dozens of classes relocated and we got to record-breaking storms. So, to say this district was pushed this winter is, quite frankly, an understatement. Yet, even after this winter, no plan has been presented yet. And a plan to make a plan simply isn't a plan. So, Garfield families deserve a timeline and not a temperature check. So, Dr. Tomko, in January, did mention a priorities project list to be approved.
The last thing that we would like to highlight as part of the um current progress of the strategic plan was our student assignment. Um we had a student assignment recommendation for phase 2 approved. Um as a result um we have launched family communication and um student transitions were updated in P school. Returning student registration uh is now available uh through powers school for next year. In terms of next steps um we will be entering the planning process for phase three. So overall our report for essentially our quarter three for our strategic plan similar to quarter 1. We just wanted to bring holistically from our team updates in all five priorities. As Teresa mentioned earlier, for our next update, um our impact monitoring number four, not only will we bring um updates, we will bring metrics that will really guide um the development in terms of if there's any recommended changes for year two.
I I think we are in a really really good spot and makes me proud of the decisions that we've made and the things that that we have been able to do for our people. So, just just something to know. Is this one monthly? What we're looking at and Yes. Yeah.
Are there any questions or comments? All right, there being no further questions or comments, we'll move to a vote. Uh all in favor signify by saying I. I. Nay. And the vote carries 5-0. Just quickly want to thank the Community Foundation not only for this particular grant, but for so many years of support for our school corporation, and they truly are have just been consistent year after year after year. So, thank you to the foundation for helping us uh in this way. All right, uh we'll move on to item 5.05, 2026 Crown Point Community School Corporation Summer School Program. Back to you, Mr. Gianfermi. In your board package, you have an outline of the proposed 2026 Crown Point School Corporation Summer School programming. It will it's the exact same programming that we offered in 2025, which would consist of uh high school credit courses in social studies and health, credit recovery for high school students who need to make up some core course credits, grade two and three learning support student literacy, grade six basic skill course, and a special education extended school year.
Um those are things that I think that we needed um as classroom teachers, and that I've uh again, kept in the back of my mind as I've gone through and and tried to lead um these PD sessions and and teachers and and principals this year. Next slide, please. Uh so, I won't bore you with all these things. We've been very busy this year. Uh so, I'm just going to go through and highlight some um of moments that um I'm probably the most proud of from this year. Uh so, starting in the summer, uh before my job really officially started, I guess, uh for me in this role, we had summer PD days, and one of the days we really spent time working on master maps. Uh so, we had a lot of teacher involvement, which was so wonderful to see. I don't think I've ever seen as many people show up to these um as we did, um which was wonderful.
So we're here today hoping that you move this forward so you can give us an extra layer of protection. Thank you. Look at the women in this body. I don't think we can be. >> I mean, I like your >> talking about us. Okay. Uh Susan Ro for Special Education Advisory Council. >> Yes. Thank you, Chair, Vice Chair. Um I'm here representing the Special Education Advisory Council. >> Can you speak up a little bit more, please? >> Surely. Can you Is this better? >> Better. Yes. Uh I'm here representing SEAK as we call it and your committee four years ago helped us kill certain language in this bill. It's the bill that was referred to by the Office of the Public Defender which includes disrupting and interfering with a school function. We don't believe that's menacing. We don't think it's warranting a severe penalty. It also intimidates parents who have children with IEPs who are entitled by IDEIDA to speak up for their children.
Why those folks? Because you're getting very close to becoming a 18 absences out of the 180 which would make you chronically absent. However, those students who are chronic or severely absent, we're still supporting so that they're getting all their, you know, academic, you know, merit for their education. So it's important that even if a student has met has gone beyond that 18, we still are supporting them academically and making sure we're figuring out how we can support them. Then we get into really what is the action plan? So the action plan looks at some big picture stuff. So those big pictures are literally big pictures like signs. So when you're going driving by Smally, you should see the beautiful sign flashing attendance matters every day. We love you. Um reach out. You will also see um Instagram posts coming from um Miss Kahos who I get to stand in for tonight.
Is there any update regarding that list? And then last meeting, you also mentioned a long-term facilities plan for May. I was just wondering if you can possibly just provide a quick little progress update just so you know where we stand with that project. Now, like I said it's not anyone's fault. However, we can work on proactive proactive maintenance to ensure that we can mitigate some of these issues. I'm hoping that once we move into the warmer months, we can take a look at the current at the past facility issues we had over the winter, take a look, and hopefully work on some of the some of the fixes over the summer so there's no major disruptions disruptions to the classroom. Thank you very much. Thank you. Any other comments from the public? Ed Scafani, 136 Mars Ave. And I'm like Abdel, I came here to start problems.
So right now the teams are reviewing their current progress, their anticipated endofear progress for each of our objectives from year one, their relationship to the corresponding objectives for year two and then any recommended changes. So our next impact monitoring report will not only bring updates but then also uh progress measurement and then any recommendations for changes to year two. Thank you team. With that I want to just open it up. I want to invite the board. As you know the strategic plan is rooted in the findings and the work that was accomplished last year. One of the key priorities I want to underscore in the strategic plan is that it's really based on the feedback from our audit findings from the year before that which really named the importance of centering our plans in reality and not in what what we are hoping to get to but really where do we stand as a district.