And we actually just received last week uh first half of that settlement. the second half um will come in August or September. Um so essentially it's going to cover the cost of that entire roof. We've deposited that money uh into the rainy day fund. Um but we need permission uh to spend those funds because we weren't planning to to spend um out of our local appropriations uh for that. Um, and I believe this year, uh, during last year when we were planning for the 2026 budget, we, um, budgeted for a million dollar appropriation for the rainy day fund, but we used that a lot when we had another one-time deposit into our rainy day fund when we closed the BA and we paid off the bus leases early. So, we ate into that. So that's why we're having to uh ask for an additional appropriation and go through those steps.
That that that table right there. Yeah, you can get samples here as well. You can pick up a sample as well. And so I just wanted to point that out because then we were headed down a laundry rat hole here as well. We've got some ideas. I also say that I did follow the recipe for washing soda, baking soda, and like the castile soap. You can mix those things together as a powder. And I did again do the laundry. It's um It's Washing soda. Yeah, baking soda which is different. Yeah, washing soda, baking soda, and then like a castile like a green soap. Um that you can mix together. And they're simple cleaning ingredients that are non-toxic. You know, Tide has a lot of chemicals in it as well as um lots of chemicals. So my wife has actually been using that combination with vinegar as well.
Uh um John Cusack, can you address that, please? Yeah, absolutely. It It covers the entire area. That's just showing a kind of a cutoff, but the intent is the barrier would be around the entire the entire system. So, it really would wrap around and up up that side. That's correct. Yes. What My other question is what is the hash the hatched area on the left side that's surrounded by a heavy dark line? I couldn't read that on the plan. It's just backfill. It's It's just a graphical representation of backfill that would go in there. Okay. And And this structure is going to be on the order of 10 to 12 ft deep? Uh no, I I I think it'd be more more like um 5 ft deep. 5 ft? Yeah, they'd be 5-ft chambers. I thought the when I looked at this, I thought the bottom interior of the chamber was 8 ft down, not counting the slab or any cover on the top.
I can totally understand that. So, um it wasn't until the end of last uh this past week that we were able to get the six names that are going to be going on this trip. So, um over the course of the last few days, we've been working on uh hotel arrangements and transportation and renting a van to bring our team and kids down to Annapolis. Uh so some of those finer details such as going to the Naval Academy and uh any type of museum and sightseeing is something that this week hopefully if the trip is approved that will be uh myself and Bob Conron who's the head coach will be combing through some of those details and putting together a nice itinerary for the kids. >> Absolutely. That's all. >> Other questions, discussion? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Okay. Second. >> Motion by uh Mr.
We open up more seats for choice if we have the ability to. So, there are all those things that, you know, the cliche really helps me. Yeah, we have an advertisement going out in the newspaper, I believe. I don't know if it was last weekend and I missed it, but on school choice. Mhm. Um we we will have and try to fill more of those seats. I I did get one the other day. Somebody who try to keep it vague, right, Lives in a different town. Or vague to sometimes they say to West County. I guess that they use that term here, right? Look at that. I'm starting to be uh Is that like stir mad? I don't know. West County. I don't know. West County. I thought it was like a Berkshire. No, I'll hear I'll hear the superintendents talk I'm telling you a lot.
And so, I I think I try to um minimize that divide whenever I can. Um there was a year, I want to say it was 3 years ago, we had 20 parent referrals by Thanksgiving break at my one school alone. Um and there were you know, a multitude of reasons for it, um but it was it was a great year of reflection and and learning for my team and what my speech pathologist came to me that year and said, "We've had that had to have a lot of really difficult conversations. We have had to say no to a lot of initial evaluations because they weren't warranted. We didn't suspect a disability. And yet, you did it in a way that still validated a parent's concerns without dismissing their concerns just because they didn't meet criteria for the next step forward." Um and I um I really appreciated that feedback, um because as I mentioned, it's not just about knowing the the legal and ethical parts of this job, um it's building relationships with teams and families.
They're looking at the mutual funds um benchmark. They're looking at the risk level of mutual funds. They're looking at the expense ratios. So, I could go on and on, but I won't. But, yes, our our students their final budget project, and we didn't talk about it in this presentation because we focused on it 5 years ago, and we wanted to share out other things happening in the um classes in the business department. But, their final budget project is their their um research they're finding a career that they really want to pursue. They're going to fight figure out how much money they make. From that, they're going to look at their monthly budget. They're going to look at what their gross income is, their net income. They have to get their own apartment. They have to They have a car payment. Um it's real for a lot of kids.
Okay. Uh, before we go on to public comments, I'd like to make an um, uh, 8.15 I'd like that to include August. 8.15 to include summer hours for August. Point of order. President is amending 8.15 Yeah, we got that. So we're amending 8.15 to include August as well. Madam President. >> I don't have to. So now we're all together in the public comments. Harlem Unit 7 Wattska, 67 Maurice Ave, Garfield. A little back or you can't ever hear me, so. Now it's good? So, I have a question. Um you're getting a merit raise, Mr. Laboot, this evening, but you didn't even when I asked you for a list of employees, you didn't even give me a whole list of employees. And I understand you said it's an at-will, but a security guard working here for 25 years, I assume is not at-will and should have been on that list.
Well, good evening members of the governing board, tireless educators, distinguished guests, [music] the families who have sacrificed so much to reach this day, but most importantly, the Dorado class of 2026. >> [cheering] [applause] >> When I sat down to think about what I wanted to say to you tonight as you launch your lives as adults and as a father of three myself, I found my mind wandering back to the very end of a book that I'm guessing most of you have not read in quite a while, but it's a book that I read to my children. aa Milner's The House at Pooh Corner. Most of us recognize Winnie the Pooh as a symbol of early childhood, of simple days and honeypotss, and of friendship and adventure. But I was reminded most of the very last chapter of that book, which I think is actually written for a moment exactly like this one.
Do you feel comfortable navigating that as a committee? Um, if it were to occur comfortable with that, dealt with that as a principal before in the past. We we have members of our own staff that are not supportive of this. >> Yeah, I if if I could chime in, I would say and and partially because like we're not posted to have this conversation. So I would say that if if the board decides to provide that work to this committee then that would need to be part of that discussion next year and my best guidance would be to not make it a political document but instead make it a document of protections. I think sometimes what happens is school districts in their policy want to pontificate about their position on things and that's fine in say a um and I think we actually have one um a resolution that the board puts out there that's for pontification but in this case what I would say is there are a lot of things in our policy already that that are meant to protect all groups and so the the challenge in the work will be crosswalking those and then figuring out what needs to be added in order to ensure that there's clarity that this is a group of individuals who are included in that.
I've been at the district since 2018, uh but I've had this very job, I'm putting my 18th year. So, I've done this very job uh for a very long time in a couple of different uh places. Uh in that time, uh I have uh served on the IASBO Illinois uh Association of School Business Officials state board uh for 3 years in 2017 to 2020. I'm also an active member in uh Ed Red, which is a group we were just discussing a few minutes ago. Uh very heavily involved in NIASBO itself. Also the delegate advisory assembly, uh which looks at the legislative issues that need to be uh brought up and trying to find sponsors for various things. Also involved with SELF, which is our workers' comp co-op. Um and also the public policy PDC or ad- really advocacy PDC within IASBO. Uh in addition to being a uh a graduate of Orchard Place and Iroquois, I'm also a graduate of Marquette University in New Lenox, Illinois, uh >> [laughter] >> Subtle.
I don't know if you see anything else. Well, we know when students feel like they belong in their school community that they their attendance is likelier to be higher and overall their performance is likely to be higher. That doesn't necessarily mean though that that connections are happening with adults. So one of the things that we've explored doing and haven't made the decision yet but next year when we ask students I've asking them the same questions to identify adults and then just asking do you have at least one peer that you have a positive connection with in the building as well. Is there any relationship between attendance and the number of individuals that they feel connected to? We did not pull that this year with all the disaggregating that we did that was not one of them which is surprising that since attendance was our number one initiative but it wasn't it wasn't something that would that we pulled this time but I'm sure we could disaggregate that with our data whiz team.
So, don't you think there's still going to be some like just like, oh, I want to get an A or I want to get a B and you're what did I get? What did you get? And they're going to still be asking around for that same thing with the two, the three, the four, whatever it may be and still have some of that there. It's just switching letters for numbers. >> I think the What how do you guys feel about it? >> I'm I'm not the only I have not been in a classroom when those kind of conversations are going on and I don't know if anybody here is is as as able to talk about that. But yeah, >> [laughter] >> Amy Amy might be able to. >> Um I can speak a little bit to it. So, I currently am in a district that is standards-based K-5.
I'm guessing these are really great partnerships with FFY and the library, but as far as like actually execution day of, do do you need volunteers? Do you Oh, to serve the meals? >> Yes, yeah. You're welcome to anybody's welcome to volunteer if they'd like. I can't pay you, but you can certainly volunteer. But no, we we usually have enough of our regular cafeteria employees during the school year. We honestly manage it do it with most of our managers who also have cook capability. So, they're great at making the foods and then they're honestly experts at getting it out in a really quick amount of time. We can staff at one person for 100 meals. I mean, and that's pretty amazing. Yeah, so so yeah, I'm sure they would they'd be great. We can always use someone to check off, you know, as the kids come through the line, that kind of stuff.
>> Yep. >> So, well if they're at ball games, how do you envision that? Like at timeouts or something that you >> Timeouts, halftime, there's any >> Anytime of day. >> Fly around and then you control how it releases the >> Yep, this is strictly indoors though. >> Okay. So, does the temperature matter because of the helium? >> Yes, when we flew it in the in the arena gym, the temperature impacts the laws every single time the vents would kick on or kick off. Up and down. >> Okay. >> The higher you go to the more power this HVAC is going to have to push it around and it's kind of controlled way more. So, it all kind of comes down to like the little things that matter. >> And it's lightweight and everything just in case it does die and fall. >> Yes, it >> Someone will catch it.
That's a big deal. Um I did also um want to talk about uh the the uh summer. Jamie, you want to talk about summer kickoff? 29th? When do you want to do that? That's fine. So, on on uh May 29th is the summer kickoff down down in the town square. Uh although, who knows where it's going to be now with the Do we know that yet? I assume it's on the square. I don't know where at. We'll find out when we go to set up. So, that's on the 29th uh in the evening. Some of us will be there. doing our praises. Uh I talked to uh CM Elementary staff today about some internal moves that can be made to get get things ready for the consolidation. They seem to be uh uh up to that. Uh Central Elementary School will be hosting the summer school.
Um, but as it seems, Hoosiers will continue to vote for representatives who do not champion public schools. We are going to have to continue to deal with the financial wreckage that that causes. Um, I recently learned that my child's preschool teacher at Solen Robinson was cut and he will now have um a traveling assistant principal instead of a permanent assistant principal. I also got the message that 12 teaching positions are not being replaced. My other child goes to the play school program at the high school which has been terminated and the birth to school program that my children used to attend was also cut last semester. All these positions were cut uh cut were filled by people who directly worked with our kids. these people uh the people who interact with our kids every day are the most essential staff when it comes to a school.
Okay. Uh any other business to come before the board? We do have a a lot of work ahead of us with the graduations. And uh hopefully the weatherman will work with us and we can uh move forward and focus on the on the path of their future. So, any other business to come before the board? I need a motion for adjournment. >> Have a good week, everyone. >> Thanks, Amy. >> Goodbye.
Um I'll be going to the county council on June 16th, I think. >> Um of an evening just kind of those steps. So I just wanted to little bit of a background. >> Okay. >> All right. Do I have a motion? Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussions? All those in favor? >> Next up, donations. The Edward and Maryanne Meyer Scholarship Fund within the Give Well Community Foundation to Greencast High School in Nevada. $3,000, right? >> For the for the scholarship. We like to accept it so we can pass those out to those kids. We'll earn those. All right. Um a motion. >> Second. [clears throat] >> Second.
So she does add a little bit of vinegar as well and >> [laughter] >> Well, we've been needing to say something. >> [laughter] >> No, no, no. More questions? We've got big conversation right now. Rob wants you to get get up, guys. Um yeah, I I I noticed in the movie you know, I talked about the fact that individual action isn't isn't the solution to this which is like a huge problem um kind of being generated by the industry. So, um, and it's kind of disheartening. You know, it makes you want to kind of give up. But, are do are there any regulations or solutions, like systemic solutions, that you see that are working or have given you hope? I mean, yes, you know, there there are definitely So, in Massachusetts, uh, 75% of the population, the communities, um, have banned plastic bags. The state hasn't banned it, but, you know, much of the much of the communities in the state have.