Pretty amazing. Um and on top of that we have what they kicked off was it the mobile food cart? Yeah, right before spring break. So um Kelsey uh Miller in food service wrote a grant to do uh to get a mobile food cart because the kids at the high school when they come in the variable there it's too far sometimes to walk to the cafeteria to get breakfast. >> [laughter] >> I know when you're 15 16 17 it's a haul, right? Anyhow they have set up and they made it fun. They have a cart there and they serve breakfast and she has a theme every day. Um just in the month that they were open they they have now served 1865 breakfast off that cart out of the total of 2682 breakfasts that have been served at Logansport High School. So that's the So it's like the kids just pick it up and they go.
Everything's submitted. Uh they had an April 17th deadline. Uh so, we arranged everything and and uh that's we're in the queue now. So, we'll we'll find out more uh as time goes by as to our our chances and participation. That's it for my report.
Backboards right? Yeah. Backboards. Sorry. Uh and they're going to also reach out to the rec to see if they would maybe help cover the cost of one that would actually be movable instead of having to put the goals on for the little kids during rec games. Um one of the other things was we were aware of like the football field lighting. And so, there was a discussion too about possibly donating towards the cost of that. So, that's that. So, now we'll kind of transition into open agenda items. Can I ask a question about your digital So, on the digital screen, is that to run as a scoreboard or to >> Uh-huh. So, what's the I'm just curious what the vision is to have up on there. So, um kind of like how like Watseka has lots of banners for people who want to advertise or things like that.
When when we left that that meeting in January, my understanding was this is good. The people that are here today along with other booster club members, Mr. Velasquez and Mr. Adams and they were there as well. This was good and I left that meeting thinking this is great. We have the system to help to raise the money and matching funds requirement. We can have this right here. This addresses the concern of the open campus requirement. That was my understanding in January. Ms. Morales had stated, I remember stating after after the January meeting or November meeting, she was comfortable knowing that the west side of campus would remain closed and the booster club actually liked these AI-generated pictures and liked the idea of placing the booster club brick memorial at the district office because it is first part of the building. It is visible all the time.
As a parent I don't know what to do. When we met with the people that are trying to help we were met with, "Well, there's not enough to do. Can you help find more students, more parents?" And cuz again, we don't want to speak for, but I have now emails and messages that I'd love to share. They're not my story, it's their story, but I don't want to speak for parents, but they're here and they're afraid to speak. And that's a problem. That's a problem. When I asked the parents why they're afraid, they say the same thing. Well, when we bring it up, nothing is done. There's no belief that there's going to be accountability. We're made to feel like we are the crazy ones and my daughter's behavior is the problem. A fifth-grade 10-year-old girl was told the only solution was to leave her classroom.
So it's $18 an hour outside of that time. in making sure that our our shuttles and shuttles are between buildings, that they're paid like segments, a $37 flat rate. Some of this we just had to look at what everyone was doing and just make it as clean as possible. And I think we've been able to do that. And I and I know that um throughout this time, we just kept looking back. Okay, which is this employee making exactly what they've made in the past? If if they're not making exactly that or a little bit more, then we need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to make it work. And so we were able to ensure that everyone is still making what they're paying and right now. And then their base pay is has increased a little bit because we're no longer doing the stipens.
Um and so Kelsey wrote another grant. We were just notified, I think it was Friday that the junior high will get one for next year. So anyway um I know that Brad Rosie is like where's all that trash going? So anyway and then we talk about junior high kids with trash in the hallways. What's that look like? So it's not all roses but we'll figure it all out, right Mr. Storm? Um so anyway those are just like things that we don't hear about that are added bonus to what our kids get to have at school that really have not a lot to do with the academic part but think about what a good solid breakfast does for your day, right? Maybe I should start eating more. Um last week we also we hosted Mr. Steve Baker who is a retired uh high school principal from Bluffton.
Any questions for Mr. Kyle? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Kyle. >> Thank you. And um next is report of the chair, and since I didn't know I would be chair, I do have no report um prepared other than to thank you for your confidence in me or just your thankfulness that I would do it. So, none of you >> [laughter] >> have to step up. Um I know I'm the last one to do it. So, um uh I'm ready and hopefully able. So, uh I want to say that our next meeting, regular meeting of the School Committee, is scheduled for Monday, May 4th [clears throat] at 6:00 p.m. right here in the Dartmouth High School Library Media Center. Um next, I'm looking for a motion to adjourn into executive session to conduct a grievance hearing pursuant um to the collective bargaining agreement between the Dartmouth School Committee and the Dartmouth Educators Associate Association, and then not to reconvene this evening.
And there's not really a great place So, kind of like slides. Yeah. Slides. So, advertisement or kind of I don't know if you've ever seen Kinsley when they do theirs like when they have senior night, they do any little things for the senior students as they announce them and just yeah. >> I wasn't sure if it was like this is a new scoreboard that can do all of the extra fancy stuff or just more. Okay. Uh who will manage it like do the slides do that design and stuff? Yes. >> [laughter] >> We have a digital media class that can help us get those things done. So, we did kind of something like this is supplied on the entryway TV as as people came in. It was just a bigger TV and we just had a rolling slide deck. People would send it to me or send it to the office.
Um and what I shared what I shared with the board and what I shared with them challenge of the first the open campus requirement is something that I I just strongly cannot support. But having a great pathway in the quad and the fence and the visibility compared to having a script memorial right here for the open campus is visible there. You're welcome. The people are not voting. The people who aren't voting This the the collaboration between the AUSD and the city of Lancaster. In discussion with our finance consultant, there is another option that will not put our district at high risk with the Auditor General's office. The board could pursue a bond election as another option for additional capital funds. However, it's my professional obligation to share with you this would require additional property taxes on both commercial and residential property owners for a number of several years and could prove to be an extremely challenging financial burden for those who own property and those who are electors.
And we were going to rehearse with her so that when she had to tell her friends, leave all of her friends, I can't wait to tell you what she told me. Leave her friends and she's got to go rehearse with the principal what she's going to tell her peers. That's our answer. A 10-year-old has to hold that. That's what we want our daughters in this district doing. You know what she said? That I don't care about myself and my safety. I care about protecting my my friends. And if I don't stay, who's going to stand up for them? Now, we're advocates and of course we're raising these fierce independent women, but it shouldn't take that. We're here tonight and she wanted to speak and we said, the adults should handle this. You should be a kid. But she's so sick and tired of waiting. Because we've gone through the right processes and the only answer is, well, he's got to remain.
I think long ago in Avon, there were typically two routes in the morning, two in the afternoon. If you happen to pick up another one, you would get this extra segment. You'd get this extra piece. And so they started paying their their 3x3 drivers with just these extra stipens. And you know, as we really sat back and looked at it, talked to some of the drivers, we realized it's just their job now. So, it needs to be a part of their base pay. So, we've changed that. And next year, moving forward for transparency, that's what it is. It's it's within their base pay, which is a good thing for them. And I think that's going to be something that that will be there forever. As Avon's grown, those um 3x3 routes are what most of our drivers are doing at this point. And again, I I my biggest fear in this job and and and I found myself in probably one of the the greatest school corporations in the state.
He was uh the high school principal at Bluffton for 26 years and prior to that he was a high school math teacher for 14. And so he has been on the uh state committee working on the new accountability model. And so he was here last Wednesday and spent a good two hours with us to talk through the new accountability model. Um which you know he said make sure as you share with people that yes you're going to get a grade for this come the fall but you just are now finding out what it consists of and it it what you're going to be graded upon and you have no control over it because the grade is going to be based off of last year's data. That's how everybody runs a business. But anyway but he was absolutely wonderful. He is so knowledgeable and when he was leaving here he's done hundreds of these across the state.
So moved. Second. Uh motion by Mr. Noons, seconded by Ms. Coughlin. Um And can we get a roll call? Kathleen Amaral? Yes. >> John Noons? Yes. >> Chris Oliver? Yes. >> Ms. Coughlin? Yes. Mary Beckwith? Yes. Um I call this meeting adjourned. Good job. Good job. >> Thank you. >> [music]
We'd proofread it, make sure it was good to go and then we would just add it to the slide deck and just be a rolling slide deck. So, I don't know if that's their vision, but but you're right. Sometimes there's like, "How come that didn't get up there?" Well, just haven't had time to get that into the slide deck at this time. So, um I think the vision was mostly for advertisements just to keep from cluttering up the walls in there and keep those nice banners more prestigious. Um and the more stuff you put up, the harder it is to see all the stuff. So, I think it is mostly just to kind of keep it nice and clean looking. Okay. And we feel like we can get a lot more advertisement from the um because yeah, try to figure out who's paid their fees, should we put their banner up or whatnot.
And then and then I'm just sharing that I I would not feel comfortable but in any event as a board if the decision rests with me, I would not feel comfortable giving you that recommendation that this is an option because this would be an incredible financial hardship. Next steps, okay? I heard earlier somebody getting hurt um regarding football field. Um AUSD remains committed to pursuing full funding for our new football field. The district applied for the T-Mobile Friday Night Lights grant of $125,000, but we were not selected. That being said, our focus right now is on the football field first. And so 2026 T-Mobile grant update, Mr. Quintero, would you please provide an update for the board and everyone in attendance? Yes, sir. Um I remember last year when we applied for this grant that it was towards the end. Um and then last Friday, last Friday, April the 10th, I received an email saying it has opened up for this year.
Here is your options. She leaves the classroom. We're alienating a 10-year-old instead of holding a person who's supposed to protect and hold my daughter safe accountable. We have to be better than that. This district has to be better than that. I am here because as a community member who's born and raised here and wants to be a leader here, our kids deserve better than this. And I hope you all again help us to strive to bring that standard into our classrooms. Student behavior doesn't matter when it comes to feeling unsafe. When you feel unsafe, when you're in trauma, you act out. Student behavior is secondary. We have to make sure the kid is safe first. Then learning can happen. Let's again make sure that that is first and foremost at Boulder Hill Elementary. Thank you. Thank you. Myra Mugford Hello. Hello. Uh my name is actually Myra Mugford.
It's a it's a a you know, it's a high functioning successful school corporation in so many different areas. And I know that for us to continue to be successful, every single piece of what we do has to be running like a clock and it has to be successful and it has to be um you know, Everything has to be where it needs to be. And I feel like this was an area I feel I feel proud of the work that we've done at this time. I think we've accomplished what we wanted to do as far as transparency, being as clear as possible with this employee group and making sure that we spent a lot of time with them. There's still a lot more time to to spend with them and they need to understand that we do value their work. I mean, there's so many different types of jobs that happen in our corporation, and this is an extremely important one because if if things aren't running efficiently with the transportation department, we feel it throughout the district.
Um and just because he's been on the committee he says don't hold it against me because I tried to stand up for schools. He said that more than probably more than five times at least. But he said Michelle I want to tell you I have worked with hundreds of these teams and he said your team by far was the most prepared uh group of people that I've worked with. They have obviously been working through this trying to figure it all out. And so it was it was just a it was a feel good moment for me and I made sure I shared that with all of them. So more to come on that. And then um we continue to work on summer school and actually on Friday just got updated information on how they're going to fund summer school, you know, cuz most of us most school corporations have already planned summer school.
It's just a little easier to Yeah. Okay. Sorry. No, you're good. Those are good questions. Good questions. Okay. So, now rolling into open agenda items. Um I feel like we do need to maybe discuss the football field lights a little bit more because that is a pretty hefty price tag on the two um bids that we have got for [clears throat] that. The Roughneck Reinforcers were willing to donate $60,000 towards that. Um which helps, but it's still a pretty hefty price tag and right now we have two bids. So, we would would still have to get another Can you remind me what the bids were at? >> yeah. So, just to give you a little bit of an update on where those lights are at. So, those lights have been reinforced with multiple concerns. One, there's a safety concern with them. Okay? But number two is the ballasts are starting to go out on those lights and they can't be replaced.