So I I think especially with the citizen petition increased till three and unless we hear people saying I really want four or five or 10. I'm I'm kind of okay with that to try that as if people have a perception that it's smoother. >> Um but I think the unwelcoming I think there's so many ideas that we could try. Um, sometimes there are complicated articles and the way I feel like it's often presented is like Oz, like this is Oz, the great Oz is telling you what it should be. >> Exactly. >> And I I'm not even saying that's wrong, but it's I feel like that perception isn't great. And I I was reading some other things we could do is if you had a like a third party come in like a knowledgeable resident that was speaking about it. It takes it away from a power structure of like town government um separated from the people because I I know that people work hard in town not to make uh like a separation that it's enemies which it's not but it still is a power structure.
There's a few random categories and I don't know. I really think we need to Well, there is that saying, right? Information is power. Oh my god, I'm going to I I I can't So, we do need the information. We want it. People want it. They're capable of making decisions looking at it and asking better questions when you have better data. Yeah. I mean, my my philosophy is and I think it would make the clerk's office uh run far less uh what do you call it? Uh staffed eyes. It would be easier for them if all this information that people keep asking for, that every other town has in their public reports, if it could be online, I think it would drastically reduce the time that people spend >> that's a that's a good point. They recently talked about charging, but maybe you have like what's in the reports, you guide people there and if they keep asking for something in the report, then maybe you charge them.
We've been told over and over until very recently um that we and it's in all these documents that I printed out obviously that we needed new growth to add to the budget and that that we were often given these um graphs showing it's going down or it's going up and down and the the idea was that that kept coming across to me was that we needed to constantly have it fairly high to [clears throat] add to the budget, which if you think about that logistically, it doesn't make sense because like every year you'd have to be putting in 500 apartments. I mean, where would you even do that? >> Like the Ponzi growth scheme that people talk about. Yeah, >> Ponzi that I I would love to have a whole show just talking about Ponzi schemes. Okay, so it even says here >> uh new growth is an important component town's own taxation picture as it adds to the overall amount of taxes received by the community without burdening the existing property taxpayers.
They're just really out of control and way off topic of what they're supposed to be doing. Um, I sometimes too, I don't know, maybe it's just me, maybe it's because I ask a lot of questions, but not all the time. Some sometimes it's awesome, but that I'm that we're somehow a pain. And it's like, you know, I think if you want to work with the public, you got to learn to love the public, right? or like them or respect I don't know. So, I feel like at at town hall that we are, but I feel like that there might be it it might tie back into that, you know, our our we're saying our first responsibility is to question authority, but that does come when you do question. It's it's not about there's no value judgment. I want information, >> but it's perceived as >> some kind of attack or threat, right?
Even though the the Mustangs scored one run, we you know, we got that other runner off the base and and put it out. So it's a 1-1 count now and it's a foul ball. So it's going to be a 1 and 2 count to the center fielder for the Mustangs. Cece Becker. Becker also a tri-captain senior uh coming in as the seventh hitter for Norwood. She laces one foul. Behind in the count now. Actually, it's two and two. Two and two to Becker. Uh Domestico looking to get another strikeout here if she can. Be nice to be able to get this batter so we don't have a the potential of turning it over to the top in this inning. >> [screaming] >> This is going to be a little ground ball to Butermann. Butermann makes the play over to Kazanjian who is in at first base uh for Vendetti who moved to right field 4-3 on the play.
And then um as we're trying to improve, you know, positive behavior, rewards, and reinforcements in our building, um almost 35% of our FS wouldn't be an F with a grading scale that is I don't want to say universally used, but at the college level, this is a grading scale that schools use. I mean, for those going that route, that's this is a pretty standard grading scale. Um, ironically enough, we have some kids that are taking college level classes right now for college credit that if they received a 63% a college class, they'd get a D. But at Burlington High School, that'd be an F. So, you know, just trying to get more in line and similar with what our elite schools are doing. I don't want to 99% of high schools, but nonprivate schools. I I can't I can't even name you another public school that has this grading scale.
>> There was nobody there and I wrote myself in, but apparently a couple other people did as well. >> Got >> so uh that sort of started that thought process for me. But um I guess since then I'm Given the situation in Wilson with this high school closing and now the elementary school closing, I I think it'd be fair to say my primary objective at this point is probably moving forward with a land transfer and and maybe um making bringing that into fruition. And u and then just being on the board, of course, I want to get familiar. It's going to take some time to get up to speed, but but you know, I need to understand the budget and and all the things that are being decided and and participate in that as well. So, yeah.
And um I feel from the feedback that I get and I know I've heard it from you know other people, we do have a excellent reputation in the community which makes me super happy. Um because that means we're taking care of our babies well as far as what's out there in the community. So that's most important thing is taking care of them. Okay. And that's it.
And why is that? It seems to be because he wants to be neutral on the warehouse. But how can you be neutral on the issue of student safety? And not only the students, the community members have also stepped up. People are scared of whether their students will be like arrested no matter where, in schools or at the bus stops. I have heard of people making walking buses to make sure that that does not happen. But this should not be up to them. This should be up to the school faculty themselves. They should be trained in how to deal when ICE comes. They should be trained to deal with the crisis of all the emotions that happened when a student gets detained. So, I ask you to enact those trainings, to fire Kevin Starter as safety coordinator, to enact to express support for the 3-mile buffer zone, and to make an official statement against the warehouse.
Just I will miss the smiles um and the good morning Mrs. crutches and the hugs um every day. So, I just, you know, thank you for all those memories. It's really been an honor and a blessing. Thank you. >> Last but not least, Kelly Murphy, 13 years of service at Big Hollow as our school nurse at Big Hollow Middle School. All right. Uh, so tonight we honor Kelly as she nears her retirement. You still have a couple weeks left, and there's a lot going around. As you begin your retirement, we want to recognize and thank you for the care, compassion, and steady support you have provided to our middle school students, staff, and families over the years. School nurses play a unique role in the heart of a school and your calm kindness and dedication have made a lasting impact on countless students during some of their most challenging and important moments.
We have families involved. We have parents, community members. We have staff who are part of the hiring committee. We have union representation as part of the hiring committee. We have a a a range of individuals who really step in to really support the process. And so, I really just think that it's it's really a celebration, but it's also a testament to our efforts to ensure that we are having an inclusive process when we bring forth this hiring, especially when it comes to our school leaders. And so, whether it was the Oswego East uh position um and this evening as well. I just want to thank those uh participants for their contributions to the hiring. Tonight, I just uh what a wonderful weekend, Board. Uh it was I hope many of you had an opportunity to celebrate. Really, I know Mother's Day is a time for reflection and honoring um both directly those who are in our lives, but also for the the strength of women through the generations and just learning this past weekend about the role that um Mother's Day had originally in terms of social justice and really the rights of women.
So I want to thank Angie Miller uh who is here, one of the sponsors of HOSA. >> Oh there I knew I knew I saw her and Lori McAfee is another teacher at the high school. She could not be here because she uh was ill today but she wanted to be here um to celebrate. Uh first up is Tanmeat Carr. So if Tan meet will come forward and um I believe Mr. Yoder is going to read this commendation >> resolution of commendation. The Avon's uh community school corporation board of school trustees would like to congratulate Tanmear with the passage of the following resolution. Whereas Tanmear earned two HOSA future health professionals state champions championships. Whereas Tanmik car placed first in pharmarmacology, a health science event where she demonstrated her exceptional understanding of medications, their classifications and uses. Whereas Tanmear also placed first in the ATC occupational health and safety OSHA showcasing her knowledge of workplace health and safety standards.
So, that's where much of the internal controls conversation happens. It's where the state puts on the State Board of Accounts conducts an annual seminar for us to send people to that are new to get specific training on extracurricular items and um it's just a completely different systems. They operate together, but they're different. >> Rich, uh did did you get a chance to look at this document? Okay. So, it it they do define in the first paragraph a little bit about where that comes from and the laws that are tied to it. So, so they they do mention why they do what they do. It's different laws, so I think I'd like to in incorporate some of that discussion into whatever policy we end up with uh so that there's a clear understanding. [clears throat] And maybe that's in there already. So, the policy that I presented has been reviewed by ISBA and SBAE both.
Uh also with the new scoreboards that got installed in there, we also have added a bunch of social media. Uh we've now have an Instagram, a Twitter. We started doing YouTube stuff so we can monitor and post uh schoolboard meetings. and our Facebook has really picked up and started um posting a lot more about just general stuff that you need to know and how much people are on those platforms and really like cool stuff that not many people see cuz again they're not at the school but again you can look online and you'll see all the wonderful stuff that's happening at Deli. Um, you can also see all the stuff that has happened with the updates with the all these ser services and these clubs, which is pretty cool. And this is all coming from our voices. She asked us all these different apps, what do you guys use?
This is another way if you do not have enrollment go up this past September, which we did not, you actually end up losing money. And then on top of it, you They mainly looked at about $150 per child or per student for curriculum materials. So, how does that work out on the book fees then? We can't charge fees anymore. Okay. Yeah. So, it's illegal to charge fees. They are starting to permit you to to charge some like additional fees. So, like for example, if you have a high school student who's taking a dual credit class through Ivy Tech, that student may pick up that cost. Um but as far as actual curriculum materials, we just got something in the state from the state this past weekend that kind of was a flowchart how to make those decisions, but you cannot charge for like this textbook.
um if students um may be needed uh as you heard with me, they have access to that when needed, as needed. Um it is a village going on in there. It's it's one of my favorite places when um different opportunities come my way. I sometimes try to get to that room to rep prioritize because you will see not just Mr. Malone, Mrs. Brimberry, the guidance counselors, sometimes special education, sometimes others that are investing, but it's just a wide variety of people who are doing their part for these children and it's pretty inspiring. And so your point is well taken. It is a it's a lot of people and a lot of different services under the leadership of three or four, but they all pitch in. >> Fantastic. >> Yeah. I I would also add um obviously this platform is um a combination uh most of it is virtual.
And basically, one of them was to limit enrollments to 100 students to stay under that threshold. The other was to draft a waiver and was I think that was just for next year waiver and the other was to create a standalone virtual school and because we don't shy away from hard things we decided to start our own virtual school because we're basically already doing it. Um and this way u you know we'll add some legit some more legitimacy to it. So, the virtual landscape in Indiana, I did a little bit of digging um on this stuff. And the main ones um that you see, you've probably heard of Indiana online, they have a pretty staggering 11,391 students and like 80 teachers um on theirs. And that is something that um CIESC is the educational service cooperative down in central Indiana. So, they sponsor that one.
Let's be real, right? there's a power structure >> of town government and so if town government doesn't offer the same kind of venues for people to have their voices heard that's where there's the problem. So I I know we hear a lot that us them. No, this is not about us them, but it is acknowledging a power thing and some things that you might be able to do at town meeting to make that not feel that way. Yeah, I definitely people should be able to get up twice and I don't care if it takes two nights and honestly when we could speak as long as we wanted instead of this weird militant setup with this gigantic clock ticking in your face. Um, we almost never went to a second night. I almost feel like all these maneuvers to keep us from speaking are actually making it more cumbersome.
You said, "You didn't look at the report, right?" So, you could actually save money and time, I think. And and have people really be able to have a way to be more invested in understanding what's going on. Yeah, and if if you want an engaged uh citizenry then they need information because how can we interact with nothing? You know, just like the absence of anything. I don't even know a vacuum. We're supposed to let we're supposed to We've been given the power to legislate, but we don't have the We don't have basic information to even know what we're legislating. Um All right, so uh All right, we are we we have these action items, too. I think that that should be looked into about the annual report. >> so. That's a simple a simple thing. >> fine. List them on the website. >> in the library.
Okay. Okay. Well, what we've been told for the past since I started going to these uh uh trib meetings was that no, actually that's not true and that the new developments require new services and the tax they [clears throat] pay does not cover. >> But citizens have been saying that for a long time. >> Yes. Yeah. citizens have been saying it and now they're kind of saying it, but it's like, well, then why aren't we pushing it? Why are we pushing something? And that brings me to if everything we build is a burden in services, where are we going with this? I mean, what can they tell us what we could build that would actually um be neutral at a minimum? Well, so that is I remember it was maybe five years ago or so at meeting the community center that people did want more commercial because commercial uses less resources, right?