Um, so this year we have 31 students. Two of them earned distinction, meaning they had advanced both on their ELAMCAST test and also on this language assessment. Um, so this Thursday we are having a celebration. You are all invited. Um, I can send out an email reminder if you want. It'll be in the pack to start with with a presentation of the award winners and their families will be there to be able to celebrate and then we'll move into the four wins for um some light refreshments. Um and one thing about the state seal of biiteracy is um it's not just something you get as a senior but you get to carry this forward. So when you go for job um interviews and you can not only just say yes I am bilingual but I am biliterate. I can communicate in the four domains of a language at an advanced level makes our students that much more marketable and employable.
So I'm going to ask Mrs. Farias to to speak to that line item. >> Sorry. The CKLA program comes with its own text to support the program um with the decodable text at the earlier levels for the skills component which addresses the leading foundational skills in the standards and more novel studies in grades four and five. Um So the classroom library sets that were budgeted for was to supplement the already the books that are already part of the curriculum. So that for example in the knowledge component in one of the grade levels I think it's third grade they talk about like you know the human body and different systems like digestive systems etc. So if somebody really was very interested in that of purchasing some books that would support additional you know information related to you know different systems in the bodies. So that was the intent for the classroom library purchases.
If anybody want to volunteer on May 8th to go clean some cemeteries and put a flag on a veteran, you're more than welcome at 9:30 we'll be in St. Michael's. >> [applause] >> Thank you, Mr. Aquiles. >> Thank you. >> All right, one of our our outside programs are incredible. We're trying to bring as much as we can in for our kids and their families through title monies and grants and and we're we're going to continue to do that regardless of what happens to some of the funding um in the future. Uh but we have tonight a quick presentation from uh Music Makers. Uh they're here tonight, so Mr. Pope and team. >> Yeah, I'll let you know. I'll let you know. Good evening, everyone. How's everybody feeling tonight? I don't know if that's like formal to ask that kind of question and everybody respond.
Like I don't even nobody nobody would have that time to do that. It would take a month to figure out where everyone stood on something. But but just for that context. So, it kind of is a way that these processes are streamlined while still you know, staying within the bounds and requirements of the open meetings act. Any other discussion on this or Okay, we're trying to keep this to about a 10-minute discussion or less. Um Okay. Um 9.1 Approve consent agenda. Thanks. Thank you. All right, can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda, please? I make a motion to approve >> good night. I make a motion to approve all items under consent including 9.1 minutes from the Board of Education meeting on April 13th, 2026 open and closed sessions, 9.2 to acknowledge the FOIA request received by the district, 9.3 to approve a resolution to request Kendall County land cash in the amount of $543.55.
Uh two weeks ago uh the South Asian Committee held the MEA gala and that supports BCSF by funding STEM awards for promising students, dedicated teachers and community mentors. So I thought it'd be fun to mention our students that were celebrated. So our award winners for STEM hero awards included Reagan Goen, Eduardo Michelle Sia Howser, Bruna Carrera, Neil Atmaker, Elena Pinrod, Cyri Devaku Tapu, and Harshel. You're still here, right? Yep. Um some some STEM um student of the year awards went to Vinka Lee, Xavier Zang, and Evan Bush. and teacher of the year for STEM. Acknowledgements were Jessica Davis from Columbus North, Sarah Lam from Northside and Lisa Haynes from Smith Elementary. And then our community um STEM uh mentor of the year was Sam Gekckler and Trippy Gupta. So they spend a lot of time and give a lot of energy to our students in the community.
Any questions or comments? The only question I have, Mr. Reese, would be whether or not is how does the cooperative work in the way it's structured? Or do we have a representative on there? Is there a representative in our region? Or could you just briefly speak on that? >> Yeah, so our director of food service participates as far as the cooperative is one that evaluates the bids. We simply submit the information in as what we believe our quantities are going to be. They use that to compile and process data. Obviously, you can get a really good price when you compile which are you consider all the school corporations across the state. So, Christine's very involved with the food to school purchasing. The vendors have been very good to respond back when we have issues for us Uh she works really closely with those vendors and really the corporate side of it at that point becomes a one-on-one relationship with the vendor.
Any questions? That's a good program. I appreciate that. Hearing no questions, I will entertain a motion. Motion. We have two motions. All right, I have a motion and a second. Here we go. There we go. All those in favor? Aye.
They say that home is a place where you grow up wanting to leave and grow old wanting to get back to. For those of us who attended the Huntington Township School, that building was far more than just a collection of bricks and mortar. It was the heartbeat of our community. It was where we learned our first lessons in civic duty, where we forged lifelong friendships, and where we developed the character that we carry with us today. Our school stood then where where Horseman Elementary stands today. Though the architecture has changed, the ground ground remains sacred to the history of education in Huntington County. I come before you tonight on behalf of the Huntington Township Alumni Board. We are here because we believe that while buildings may eventually fall, the legacy of what happened inside them should never be forgotten. We are here not merely to lament the end of an era, but more importantly to ask for your help in building a bridge, a bridge between that storied past and the generations of students yet to come.
And so, Mr. Dawson led with that group looking at uh Learning Cengage, McGraw Hill, and Goodheart-Willcox. Um they select selected the option, as you can see there, that meets with works with the skills to enter the workforce or post-secondary education pathway now. And this is an ever-changing world when we say the world of business and the curriculum in in business. So, as you can see there, different pathways within the business department. McGraw Hill, we look at for principles of business management, accounting, business administration, marketing, entrepreneurship, strategic marketing. And we're looking at classroom and text um textbooks and online resources. Cengage is our accounting fundamentals, advanced accounting, accounting capstone, and management fundamentals along with business law. And then QuickBooks, Intuit, and Certiport. That's with our advanced accounting pathway. Our Family Consumer Science program, led by Ms. Naima Collins, our department chair, who she serves for all three buildings also.
And then if you're over 500, you also qualify as well. So my expectation is both Westwood Wolverines and the Ashlin Clockers will both be making the playoffs. I would say expert opinion, but not an expert here. Lily Reid with a nice So Megan McInness with a nice win to Lily. Back over to Payton to Aaron Hickey and also one of our star field hockey players, >> one of our juniors as well. Aaron to Payton Trip. >> Good team defense on on Payton Trip. And uh turn over there by Ashlin. That is Ashley Forester chasing that down. Speed on speed. Good job by Ashley. That's number 21 Jillian Walsh. And good job by Forester. Forester has a great game so far. Few goals, assist playing good defense. Ashley is the middle of three Forester kids. Son plays baseball. Brother, I should say son. That's a flag over the head.
Cavalero over in the corner trying to get up. And he's getting shoved. Sticking with it. Passed the number 48 who's not on our roster. >> Yeah, he's definitely on the JV team. It's good to see some people you don't usually see out there. Number 19 just missing the net there. Yeah, very close. That was um Liam Loughlin. The mysterious number 48. Bringing it around. Past the Montemayor. Montemayor with some speed coming up. Oh, pass blocked from that guy Eddie. Good read by Eddie. >> Yeah, very nice read. There you go. Seagull. We know he can bury from there. Look at that. Number two is just like, here you go. >> Just under 5 minutes in this game. Raiders have a lead 15 to 1. Yep, Fiore. Oh, never mind. That's not Fiore. That's Abrams. Oh, nice check. That was Liam Loughlin number 19 on the Raiders.
Get the ball up. She can she can look. She can have Jane Pel here. She gets the ball up to Illenssworth. And that'll be it for the game. Spartans end up winning 17-10 beating the Blue Devils at home. Spartans playing tomorrow night against the Westfield Bombers. Have a good night everyone.
Um it also for some students it could be the difference in a paid differential to be able to have a skill that other employees do not have and those who want to go on to a 4-year university. some SC um there are I want to say 24 15 I'm sorry 15 mass state schools that are now giving credit so students can um already have credit for their world language requirement at a university level um so all of this is possible from my staffing for par profofessionals supporting in our CTE area and our academics my additional teacher to really work on our co-eing and these additional programming is is because of your support and I couldn't be more proud of our students and our staff. Oh, the the um the celebration is 5:30 on Thursday if anybody wants to be there. Um I will say the presentation is done in Spanish as the audience is um a Spanish- speaking audience.
So it'll be really to supplement. We do already have some books so it'll be for additional texts grades K through five to supplement in um the context that context of the CKLA um knowledge curriculum. >> Do you know if they're leveled or are they decodable or >> They are not What was [laughter] intended here um could be some that were decodable and some that were not. It's just really more about interest. >> And I'm not that familiar. So, I know CKLA is right the reading that that we adopted. But are you saying those were reference materials in addition to the already full set of curriculum that we have? >> Yes. It would be an addition to supplement. So, again, in the knowledge component, there's different contextual themes um and this would would have been purchases to really support those additional contexts. So, again, if it was um about the human body systems, um if it was about force and motion, different science literacy social studies themes that were contexts built into to the uh CKLA curriculum, this would have been an opportunity to purchase additional books um with those contexts.
My name is Malcolm Pope. I'm with Music Makers International. Um our mission is to expose children, students to the world of creativity through uh exploring music. And so, we've been able to do this for the last 2 years. This is our second year actually in the District of Garfield. Um really helping students explore and develop on a social emotional and cognitive uh level. Uh last year we actually began with the third grade started with bringing uh mobile recording studios into the classroom where students got the opportunity to explore explore composing uh with digital technology as well as composing their own lyrics and melodies and ideas to formulate their own original musical scores. And so, we have all that beautiful stuff on our Garfield Kids Composers YouTube page. But this year, we really wanted to innovate programming a little bit. And through our partnership with Montclair State University, we were able to explore the wonderful world of music therapy, clinical music therapy.
Second. Any discussion? No. Ms. See? I. Dr. I. Dr. Martin? I. Mr. Serone? I. Ms. Wenmouth? I. Dr. Murillo? I. Motion passes 6-0. Information item 10.1, financial information. Thank you, Mr. President. We uh we included the uh the financial information for the end of February in the uh Oh, in the package there. And uh the the data is in line with what we expect at this time of the year. There was no uh no variance uh of an outlier. So, the budget uh budget to actual is where we need for it to be. Revenue to uh what was budgeted, as well as going back data for the last 5 years, everything is in line to what we expected. And as far as the uh CPI data for the month of February, the increase was uh 30 basis point, which is in in line with what we've been expecting.
So it was great to see them honored. Um this past weekend was also the good, better, best 5K. This race honors the legacy of longtime BCSC Hall of Fame educators Russ Wallace and Chuck Grimes. Uh proceeds support the good, better, best recognition, which is awarded to BCSC employee who goes above and beyond to provide a positive experience for their students. And this year's recipient was Mrs. Bridget Steel from CSA Newekch. And I know she was mentioned by both of their students tonight. So, thank you, Mrs. Steel, for all that you do. Um the foundation is also actively hiring for a new executive director. This is posted um publicly. So if you know of anyone that would be interested in moving this mission forward, we encourage you um to reach out to them. And most exciting is that BCSF will be awarding scholarships here in a couple weeks to lots of deserving students.
>> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? All right, we'll move to a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> The vote carries 4-0. We'll move on to item 5.08, life and uh AD&D insurance policies, Mr. Reese. >> Thank you. I'm excited to bring this one to you. We have been for the past 30 years. This is the last piece of benefits that have been split between the Teachers Association and everyone else. We combined many of our benefits back in 2009. This is the last piece that didn't get combined. This is the life insurance and AD&D policies that we have. Uh so with that, we have Madison and Sun Life for two vendors that we work with currently. We're We're Starting June 1st, we'd like to combine those two vendors into one vendor working with Madison National. Uh we did uh send out quotes for both parties to see uh who came in the best.
Any opposed? Motion will carry. It's a good program. Thank you for doing that. We appreciate it. We appreciate that. All right, we have a request for the 2026-27 Chartwells renewal. Yep. So, as customary again, this is an an annual uh renewal. Um this will be year uh this is year four of four. Uh it will be our renewal year, so we'll go through a slightly different process um next year. Um but actually Chartwells had proposed a a 4% increase. Um I asked them to meet me in the middle and uh they are proposing a 2% increase. And those costs um are listed in the information in your board board packet. Um they've been good partners with us and they've helped us to continue to move our our food service uh program forwards. Okay.
Our request is simple, yet deeply meaningful. We are seeking your formal approval to place a permanent memorial plaque of the former Huntington Township School on the existing brick base that currently houses the school bell at Horace Mann Elementary. If you visit that site today, you will see the bell from the former Horace Mann School. It sits there as a silent witness to history. Our goal is to give that silence a voice, to add the story that completes the picture of this location's heritage. We did not come to this decision lightly, nor did we come unprepared. We understand the responsibility you have to maintain the integrity and the safety of our school grounds. That is why in early March, three of our members met with Mr. Peters, the director of elementary education, Mindy Royce, the principal of Horace Mann, and Tanya Lockmeyer. We wanted to ensure that our vision aligned with the daily operations and the aesthetic of the school.