>> Okay. >> I don't know guys. Should I start calling names? I just I need somebody's input. What would you like Evan Amy for? I'm honestly I kind of agree with what Jay was saying. Maybe we can look at that other policy that we already went through and see see if it would make sense to add some of that other language to that policy. Um I don't know. I guess it depends on if the other group or the teacher has like a lot of their own like if they coming with like things they've already started working on it that may not work to mesh that with the existing policy but I think I could see an avenue where it would align with what we're already doing. >> Amy, what were you going to say? Um, I was just going to say I'm honestly fine with whatever the group decides, but I think just adapting it rather than recreating it might be the best route.
Um and so that's what we're going to do. So, uh I'm just going to go through the list [clears throat] of what they are and then we will talk about what we're doing up here. We have buildings, which is operations and management. We have community relations, education, finance, personnel, and policy. And I would like to start off by placing our fund with buildings. I think it'll be great for you to kind of get caught up a little bit. I want to let you know what we're doing in terms of construction and building kindergarten stuff and then get to go on a bunch of tours. So. >> [laughter] >> And then also know since you've been just seated, we will make sure that you meet with everybody. We will do these liaison meetings so that you're so to help you kind of get acclimated to things.
And were you How was it formatted? Did you just say like how many adults do you have a relationship with or did it say >> Um they got names They had names and pictures actually. So, it was names and pictures. The students could scroll alphabetically or by department. Um and we just asked, "Please identify adults in the building that you would go to if you needed an adult or you have a trusted adult you had a problem that you wanted to discuss." And so, they could just click on each name. So, we didn't pull They didn't give us a number. They gave us actual specific names of individuals that um our C triple S team has talked about just keeping on the side. Not that we're going to refer to it on a regular basis, but if we had a student in the office who was in crisis and maybe wasn't feeling that connection to their counselor or social worker in that moment.
Um, so I would contend that that actually will >> I'm going to argue with that. That actually studies have shown that most teachers give that like meets standards proficient area more than the higher and lower marks. So, I'm wondering how that and that's another question for you. How do we then tease out those who are struggling versus those who are also higher achievers? >> We are working One of your questions was on professional development and we we did do some PD this year on standards-based grading and we will obviously continue that throughout next year, too. You know, this is We, you know, I I'm with them, not to them on this. We are working through this together. Um, and working on the PD that they need to help better themselves on looking at those standards. Um, and and what the students need. Yeah. And about Yeah, model rubrics um, is another thing that we absolutely do.
She can get you a box if you want to make sure it gets home safely and flowers as well. But, thank you for investing in our kids and our community for all the years that you have. Have a great evening. >> [applause]
Our budget does not come from the operations fund. We are a self-supporting program through federal cash reimbursements from meal participation by students. Non-federal uh funds come from ala carte meals prices from adult meals and also from catering. Our meal participation from August through March of this year for breakfast and lunch, we did see a little bit of a decrease in breakfast and lunch this year from last year. In this time period we did serve two less days than the year prior. There's a little bit of a decrease in enrollment across the the district. Uh six of our schools participate in community eligibility participation. We have four of those, this is their second year of participation. We have two schools, Mount Healthy and Richards, this was their first year. So that shows the a larger increase in participation from the year prior because the students are receiving meals at no cost.
And these uh these checks are going to range from $1,000 to $2,000, and we ended up being awarded the $2,000. And the way we were awarded this was our member, Cameron Rider, he wrote more of a formal letter to them requesting us, and we were accepted in probably late December is when we got this. >> Yeah. >> So, this is going to lead us to our ideas and sketches. So, these are some of our earlier ideas and sketches. And so, you can see like in that top left corner, we have a balloon attached to a drone with strings. And on that far right corner, you can see that um we kind of built off that with a sheet of like plexiglass just attached with strings to the drone again. That didn't really work either. >> Okay, so some early mock-ups we started with. As you can see, this is that sketch we had.
I can clarify that if you want. The last student day is May the 26th. Last teacher day is May the 30th, which is the Tuesday after Memorial Day. And graduation is June 9th, Friday. And that is the major points of the calendar. >> [snorts] >> Questions or concerns? Recommendation to approve the 2027-2028 school calendar. May I have a motion? I'll make a motion. Second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Passes 5-0. Recommendation to approve the 2026-2027 regular session board dates. May I have a motion? I'll move. >> [snorts] >> I'll second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Passes 5-0. Um Jamie, do you want to read these off and then you want to touch base? We can just cover all four items. Um so the next four action items are regarding ISBE policies. Um the first is going to be the second reading of the 17 releases that we did the first reading of on April 20th.
Good evening everyone. My name is Cara Marbini and I'm currently a sophomore at Crown Point High School. This year I also had the privilege of attending the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference and with my event titled Administrative Support Research Project. I was tasked with the ability to conduct a seven-page research paper, present an oral presentation as well as conduct a Q&A session with a panel of judges over a topic regarding generative artificial intelligence with the administrative sector. And so simply put, I was tasked with all of these abilities and I competed against individuals from across not only Northwest Indiana, but across the state of Indiana as well as at the national level and I ended up placing sixth. Thank you. >> Congratulations. This one that we have is for Caesar.
So if you had the glasses and you said, "Well, these are my prescription glasses. I'm they're not connected." We they still fall within this policy. >> Okay. It's definitely a change and uh we will follow along. >> Yes, we will and I would say one other thing if I could that uh I think there are positives that have come about through that from the the last round when we initially adopted this policy that there are positives that come from disconnecting for certain times of the day. And there's there's some data surrounding that that says that it has helped students, it has helped staff, and it's helped other things. So, I I think for the state uh to have started this and done this, that even though it's it's sometimes difficult, just like other things are, and especially change is difficult, I think there are some real silver linings to the cloud, too.
So >> good. Good. Any other questions? Balance. >> All right. Motion. >> Motion to approve. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> Any discussions? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> Opposed? Passes. Next up, the updated 2026 2027 teacher payroll schedule. >> Yeah. So, civil board members been around a little bit longer kind of might remember this, but kind of happens. I think about once every seven years you end up with 27 payrolls. Uh essentially in a year you want 26. And so, um we've discovered that for next school year um we need make an adjustment. And so we collaborated with GCA, shared that information, and essentially there'll be a three-w week an extra week in July of 2027 to kind of account for that to help push one of those payrolls into the into the next year. Um, and by planning for this now, we'll be able to communicate this regularly.
McLellan is that he developed a mentor program. Um and I think that's as as I've talked to parents and some of the community members, there is a need for mentors. We want to build leaders in our school. So, I'm excited to bounce some ideas off of you and how can you bring that program to Knox. Um and I I think it's something that um we always talk about building relationships, right, and creating that very positive environment that we want. Um and I'm I'm excited to to get you guys together in an office and and put our heads together how we we can make that happen here. So, uh welcome aboard. And as you see, uh we have some new uh decorations here in in the board room behind me. We have our mission and our vision statement. Uh our graphic arts department uh made these for us.
One, we did notice, my wife and I, that if you are going someplace that does take out, if you get a plastic thing and you say to them, "Could you convert these? This isn't good." that a couple of places have actually gone to cardboard and and dropped the plastics. Um, my question though is, earlier it was mentioned that petrochemical companies, uh, because they got a bunch of petrochemicals and renewables are coming into play that they're simply shifting it to making more plastic. Do you have any, uh, data on that? Or or what's what's happening there? >> There's actually a lot of data on that, a lot of, uh, business studies. You're exactly right. As we finally wean ourselves off fossil fuels, the oil industry has to find a market for that leftover oil. And a big market they found is disposable plastics, which have really shot up and, uh, allowed them to, uh, you know, find find a, uh, channel for, uh, their excess oil.
One compound, again PCE, was found in soil sample ARC 1. Was detected in concentrations that exceeded accept applicable S1 MassDEP soil standards. And that again, that's up here. This is outside the building up in this corner. So this is a this is a hotspot on the site. Um 13 soil samples from seven soil borings were also retained for RCRA eight metals and or lead analysis. Lead was detected in three soil samples, arc one, arc four, and arc five. So again, arc one is here. Arc four is >> [clears throat] >> Um apology. Arc five is here. And arc four I lost arc four. Hold on. We can't help you on that one. We can't beat that one. George, where is arc four? Behind the building. It's behind it. It's behind it? Oh, here it is. I'm sorry. It's covered by my circle. It's uh it's right here.
All of this work could not have happened without the wonderful support from our cafeteria and custodian staff, the fabulous Mr. Shad, Mr. Cal, Miss Sylvie, Miss Carrie, Miss Sheila, and Miss Francesca. If you are interested in composting, email Black Earth Composting for weekly pickup. You would pay around $20 per month. For more details, look on blackarcomposting.com for more information. This is how we're helping the planet because we only have once. We have to take care of it. Thank you for listening to our presentation. I would just like to thank all of our students. Let's give them another round of applause. You guys did great. >> [applause] >> and their families for bringing them here tonight. And I also just want to recognize some staff who helped put this evening together. So we have Mrs. Goodman, Miss Sullivan, Mrs. Dilva, and Miss Cha who also helped create the slideshow.
I don't. I always say co-curricular activities. They are part of the curriculum. They're the reason many children come to school. We know they come to school to learn for 6 hours a day, right? And kids have to adjust when they come to school and all that kind of stuff, but there are other reasons want to be there as well, too. And these co-curricular, part of the curriculum, activities help them keep them coming. I think we do a lot of as someone who is in in the trenches, as I like to call it, or in the halls. I see a lot of activities happening. Like, we went to the science fair. You know, and I didn't see Mohawk there. I didn't see Frontier there. I didn't see Pioneer there. I did not see Turners Falls there. You know, and it was You know, it was great to You know, we went to the UMass basketball game with Newton.
Um and so I think going back to those basics is is really important to meet the needs of all kids because if we think about our special needs population, that's general education students first. That's really where all of their instruction should be happening. That, you know, their classroom teacher should be the one who's owning their instruction. Um and if you don't have that and if you have the special ed teacher or paraprofessional coming in and owning that instruction, um are they really accessing the curriculum in the same way? Talk to me a little bit about co-teaching. Sure. Yeah, especially in tier one, right? Or wherever, even tier two. What does that look like in your mind? How are you you know, keep it going here? Professional development, what would that look like? >> Sure. Um I have found that co-teaching um has a different definition depending on who you speak to.
And they really want our students to come in and and work in different areas, so. Plus, she thinks she has one person in particular. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, and we're still looking at art and I think I copied you on the email that I sent to Ilona after our last meeting. No? That was last week. Okay. But we'll catch up. Yes, yeah. And I she's on my list of of people to get in touch with. Good. All right. So, in our the last piece of our curriculum review is our professional development and we take full advantage of the Cheshire Public Schools professional development, whether we're learning about student choice, building thinking classrooms, UDL, but we also take advantage of all types of professional development out there. And I know Lynn last Friday was at a or last week was at a training for AI.
Corbin Stillwagon, Corbin is most proud of deciding to work hard in 8th grade. Dylan Stewart >> [applause] >> Dylan was on high honor roll and will receive an academic letter. Dillon is most proud of getting good grades throughout middle school and making the varsity basketball team. Kaya Schroeder >> [applause] >> Kaya was on the high honor roll and will receive an academic letter. Kaya is most proud of having good academics and being on varsity sports the years in middle school. Eli Thompson >> [applause] >> Eli was on the high honor roll and will receive an academic academic letter. Eli is most proud of the seventh grade football team going undefeated. Payton Valencia >> [applause] >> Payton is most proud of her hard work in all of her classes and improving in basketball. Thomas Vu >> [applause] >> Thomas was on the high honor roll and will receive an academic letter and was above the 90th percentile in math.
The most incredible thing for a special ed students is to stay in what's it called the least restricted environment, right? Stay with your friends, stay here. And that's what we do. We did a great job. We built all these programs, right? The issue is this, when you send a student out for high tuition, you get money back from the government, right? It's called semi. It's called Medicaid. When you're here, the tuition rate is lower. So, you don't even get any you don't get much money back. So, that's the other fallacy. Like, "Oh, all these kids we get aid for." If we sent them out, we did. We would, but we're here. So, we're doing such a great thing for our kids and their families, but it's it cuts both ways. So, there's all of these things that come inside a box that you have to think about or you peel the layer out, whatever analogy you want to use.