>> Thank you, Mr. Burberry. I just want to reference uh these two students and I know they're just two of a lot of the same stories. Um not having that opportunity to do it virtually, they would not have made it. Right. >> Um so I think it's a real um it's a real feather in our cap that we you know put our head down and made sure that the virtual option was um rigorous um worthy because I know that initially it was not and so the addressing that problem has been such a positive. Um Dr. Deetsz your leadership here at thank north is is so blessed for us. Um what a great program. >> Thank you um board. If there's no further questions, I believe our next topic, Dr. Digits is here. Um he has uh graciously offered to discuss the law for the wireless device policy.
Um keeping attendance has always been difficult with this many online students. This year we counted everybody in attendance virtually who attended virtually and expected them to do work. um without a whole lot of teeth behind that. Now, when they've dropped completely off the map, then we um sent letters and we made communications um made contact with them and if they didn't answer us, then they were withdrawn due to disinterest. Um this year um we're making a really big push to make sure everyone knows and in your packet you'll see a letter that went out a few weeks ago to parents uh of virtual students letting them know about this virtual attendance rule that is state law down there at the bottom. 10 consecutive unexcused absences or 18 total unexcused absences uh will require us to withdraw the student. So, that's why communicating is so very, very important.
This is actually comical. They took things out of the warrant and they put them in this so-called budget book. So the first meeting everybody including the finance committee was looking for the budget book. They were looking for the information and it was like quite frankly an Abbott and Castella routine. It's like who's on first? Where's the budget? And then it was announced oh we didn't make any copies. So this information that was supposed to help us was nowhere to be found. And now we've got the uh continued stripped down version. Uh the last one was a little bit longer than normal, but most of them are about 45 pages. This one is uhund pages. Um and again, it's all part of a how much do you care about town meeting? It's supposed to be our legislative body. We can't speak. the warrant is stripped down and then sometimes I'm sorry maybe it's because I'm a writer but there's just so many typos that you're just reading it and last time I think I I sent the moderator a whole bunch of typos that I found and it's like it's not even long do you know spellch check some of these would have been caught by spell check >> so and I guess bring up now as I recall I think we're a little bit getting away from printing anything.
And I mean just regular people. Um, so that's something to think about. Yeah, I hope the select board next time there's a citizen academy will will at least consider having the a citizen component of that. Citizen groups, think different ways to be involved, how it all works. Yeah. Um, and I think once people understand how things work and the power they actually have, that they're going to be more likely to participate because if people think, "Oh, nothing I do matters." What would be their motivation to participate? But if they're like, "Wow, I do have power to to help figure out how the town's going to look or the zoning or whatever." And not just when you're sitting in a town meeting when it's too late to do anything. Uh I think that would be great. All right, so our next topic under the umbrella topic is letting the people speak.
So to lead they would have to really ramp it up. um starting with an overhaul of public records procedure and better access to public meetings because what happens is if you do a public records request and they don't give it to you or you don't like the way they give it to you or whatever you can then appeal it to the state but the state has no mechanism of enforcement which reminds me like even about our upcoming town meeting. I got up at a town meeting, I don't know, maybe seven years ago, and I said, "Well, who's going to enforce this? And why are we even here if there's no enforcement mechanism? Is it just like a social event?" So, I mean, I think actually we are the enforcement mechanism sort of kind of. I don't know. But that's a whole other issue. Who's enforcing this stuff?
Um, and two, I went uh I went to the uh state DR website. You can see all the towns and their ratings. Um, 75 towns have AAA. uh 89 towns have double A+ and then 43 towns have double A. So I I added that up. It's like two 206 out of towns are in the A's. So that's isn't that more than half 206 into 351. >> That's more than half of the towns. >> Well, and this is an example of more information's better. Or if you if you say it's going to cost us more in bond like put the real put some real facts. What are we bonding and how much is it going to cost? >> Yeah. >> So if it if we drop to a what would make us drop to a double A, right? I don't know. And if we did what what is the interest rate difference?
I I've become a a big fan of softball watching these college tournaments. And you can watch them come unbelievable. And the the movement on these balls is is sometimes ferocious. And also, the way that the spin rate We talk about spin rate at the at the at baseball level. We talk about lot a lot about that, but these girls can put a spin on the ball, which makes it so hard uh to hit the ball hard sometimes. So, it might the velocity might not seem like it's coming in that hot, but that spin really keeps kids from getting a good good barrel on it. >> And have you seen the variety of Have you seen some of the high school girls throwing some of the pitches that you're talking about? You know, a riser or Yeah, we've >> You know, a screwball or Yeah, certainly.
It was an awesome experience. just get ready for the change over in here. Um already planning for the law conference for next year in services. Um and some general ed and services alike. Spoiler alert for our admin tomorrow. That's a topic I want to um but looking at staffing needs moving forward and making sure that we're being fiscally responsible um in that decision making process as well but not to the detriment of of the child. So um you know it's it's the fun crazy time of year in all the buildings right now. Um I got to study the elementary for a week. That was fun. It really was fun. field trips stress me out. So, uh I'm just always worried when we get that call that we got a kid or something about. But they did a great job and so we survived that. But just lots to come because we're looking to revamp and expand out to some genetic service.
Um, like I said, this is down about $15,000 from where we originally budgeted it to be once we started talking with our technology committee on the things that we needed for next year. Um, last year we got a lot more for $30,000. Usually that's kind of where we want our budget to be after the reap grant funds are out. And past years before I I've been here, it's been right around that $30,000 mark coming out of Capital Outlay. So, um that's kind of where where we're at right now. It doesn't seem like we're getting a lot for the bang for our buck at this time. Um the new REAP grant would start at the next not the next school year, but actually be July July one, right? So, we'll have more REAp grant funds after July 1 to try to attack next year. We just hope by by this time next year some of those prices and tariff charges that are on there come down.
Um HMS, we're we're we've got some work to do. Um high school 26%. giving this year our district a 26% reclassification rate. Probably if we look at the at the trend data for the state, we're we're probably going to easily be twice the the state. Again, my g my guess just based on what we've seen is it's probably going to be twet between 12 and 14% for this state. So, I want to note at the bottom I gave you some backup, but um remember that um the the uh the deck was reshuffled in 2021. Um meaning that they're the same standards, but they were redone. The same reading, writing, listening, speaking, they were redone, which always causes things to dip a little bit. But the biggest thing is that that year they reduced our um e load from four hours of instruction in in EL to two.
President. Uh tonight we have some information on AIA AIA AI guidelines um that the district's been working on over the last 3 months. So, I want to thank the governing board uh for their time and commitment um and working on these guidelines, and we'd like to go over uh the brief uh presentation on these guidelines by Dr. Ashley Longoria and Mr. Andrew Frazier um will present those guidelines to us. And Diana is here also as backup. >> Well, good evening, President Segarra, governing board, Dr. Croto, uh cabinet, and guests. Uh we're excited to uh share and go through our AI guidelines uh this afternoon. So, here uh we'll be talking about generative AI guidelines and just kind of a brief overview of the guidelines that we've uh established in a draft format. You'll see on that left-hand side on the projector there um is it kind of the format that you'll see for staff, for K-4 students, and for 5-12 um as we go through uh this presentation.
I appreciate it. >> Well, thank you. We are finished with our awards. So you're welcome to stay for the rest of our meeting, but uh you can not going to offend us if you have to go. All right. Board member code of condonic review. I'll just read it. I'll prepare for and attend and actively participate in schoolboard meetings. >> Okay.
Congratulations and best of luck with all that's on the horizon. >> Nice. That was our first uh skilled trades signing day. So, that's a momentous moment to celebrate. Yeah, that's everybody that's a big shift that really speaks to the the breadth and depth of our our our team there in both of our high schools. So, thank you to them as well. >> Well, speaking of first ever signing day, students from Oswego East and Oswego High School pursuing a career in education were recognized at the first ever future teacher signing day. Congratulations to these students and good luck with your future teaching endeavors. >> Did Did we get like three contracts with all of them? To kind of like, you know, >> You said three contracts? Yeah. >> Three contracts. attending SD 308 email your resume when you're done. Yes. All right. Um thank you, Mr.
So um he will go on uh I believe it's seven others um and they will make a decision in July that and I have full confidence. I don't know how the board I think you would agree with me that there's a very good chance that he will get it for the entire state. So congratulations Dr. Windom. Um also just May busy time of year. It's been great to see the teacher of the year for each building as well as the support staff and love to see the pictures, their smiling faces and and hear all about the wonderful work they're doing in the schools. So, that's all I have. So, we'll move on. Uh I believe item number five, public comments. We do not have any. So, we'll continue to move on to uh item number six, which is comments from the superintendent. >> Thank you, Mrs.
It's been almost 2 years. I don't know why it's not on their website. >> after I started is when that audit took place and we received the findings, I believe January a year and a half. That delay doesn't I I I'm I'm assuming that delay doesn't prevent us from making updates to internal controls. Is our policy clear on that point? That we don't we don't have to wait for an audit to be published before we take action. I Whatever policy is in place >> board If I if if we're made aware of something that's recommended or if we find something that we feel we need to make, why would we care if an audit wasn't published? I mean, we should as quickly as reasonably possible make those changes and make improvements. Why wait 2 years? When when I've gone to SBA audit exit conferences, I've been instructed not to talk about it uh until it's published.
Many of many of the positive changes we've seen would not have been possible without students coming together and sharing their views. While teachers and administrators work to make decisions, students student input is essential in creating meaningful change. This group has brought forward important concerns and ideas and those ideas have been heard and acted on. Because of that, real progress has been made. >> Great job, guys. I just want to say how incredibly proud I am of them. The amount of time that we've spent together this school year and just the work that they've done, the conversations we've had. They're I mean, they're leaders of our school district and I just appreciate you guys so much. Thank you. I'm going to miss you guys a lot. >> You can play again. >> And I have certificates for everyone. Nick is Jaylen, >> Reagan, Ella, Kaylin, Rayan, Avery.
I'll make a motion. I have a motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Okay, we have that motion and second. Any further discussion? Find all the grants you can find. That's right. Yes. >> [snorts] >> And we try to stretch them as far as we possibly can, too. Right. That's All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed the same? Okay, that carries. Next up this evening is we have consideration of a contract with PSG Energy Energy Group to do a full facility study audit of all schools in the school corporation at a cost not to exceed $15,000 to be paid from the operations budget. The board, um, took, um, has done an extensive search. We actually had some working sessions of where we, you know, invited different groups to come in and talk to us, share with us what projects they have done.
We'll bring you back at a later time uh the actual what policy we're going for. So today's discussion is kind of what's the law say? Let Dr. Dr. Diggas, take questions from you on what that may mean here without getting into too deep on the weeds since the policy is still being developed. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh not nearly as exciting or inspiring, but I guarantee you this will gather plenty of attention. Um, in case you're not aware, at the last legislative session in Indianapolis, uh, the general assembly passed Senate enrolled Act 78. And that was essentially an amendment or an addendum to some existing laws. It relates to schools and wireless devices. And the governor actually signed this into law effective, well, excuse me, on March 5th that will be in effect and effective July 1st. So this summer is when it will take effect to start next school year and by that time all school districts in the state of Indiana will have to have their policy posted on their website.
I need everybody to know that we're going to have our finger on this. Um, and there will be some students removed from the program the first semester. I'm quite certain. Um, that's not a bad thing because we have, as you'll see, some followup um and able to get them back into it. But until you beat some of them over the head with it, I think um they're not going to believe that we're actually going to do it. But it's it's vital that that we do to keep track of everything. So basically a student will be counterpresent. They have to spend 20 minutes at least actively working in admin. They can't just start their computer and then walk away from it and have the timer keep going. They have to complete something. They have to do meaningful work in Edenum. So a lesson assignment, a quiz, a test.
So, that's a reminder to people going to town meeting. I think you have to bring a device, right, to to um read it, which I I'm all for saving paper, although I'm old school and like the paper, but that probably has to be make sure you're prepared with a device to read the warrant articles. >> Um, and while I'm talking about it, I'd like to mention again because my mother lives there, she gives me all this stuff. uh I think it was a year or two ago whan started this paper called the white Post and uh they they fundraised for it so it's not coming out of anybody's budget that I know of and they got an editorial board advertising and it's really fantastic because it's like a a mini version of what all the papers used to be when they were actually what's that word the fourth estate yeah when they were actually acting like the fourth estate and >> they were they were called uh there was some I I think it's one of the big papers is democracy dies in the dark >> Washington Post >> yeah but you know but the papers were a way for us to even talk about warrant articles or ballot initiatives by writing letters to the editor and everybody read it and now so anyways It's just fantastic.