So, it makes me proud. But, uh, they had we had two students raise their hand when we asked them about their ideas. Now, the first student raised his hand and he was like, "Yeah, you know, I had a pretty good idea for a club and you know, I think we should have a a multicultural snack club and I was like, well, that's a great idea." And then the next kid that we called on actually was his good friend and his friend kind of added on and said, "Yeah, you know, the snack club wouldn't just be about like sharing the different food. It would more be about like understanding the cultures and the the classmates that are bringing the food. And I remember thinking like, wow, this sixth grader just took all three themes and kind of put them together in one idea. And this was after one presentation.
That's one of my biggest concerns is making sure we get the uh the air conditioning at at Doolittle cuz And the I-Fair. Yes, the idea was to have it Yeah. financed through this. Yeah. I can show them. I just I just want to mention that cuz we're on the capital budget overall. And and I would say like the you know, going from a 30 $62 million 5-year outlay to a $31 million like that's you know, cutting in half. I I just don't know what that's going to necessarily look like next year if we determine that $30 of those EPC projects are not going to get financed, right? Cuz then are we just adding back the $30 to our our outlay. So. Yeah, I don't honestly I I personally never looked at that 30 million to the 60 million. I You look at those year one.
In the mixed media division of the same competition, first place winner from Map Valley High School, Ariana Aoyo, Serenity McDaniel, and Jaden Cabin. Moving on to the Sanardino County Superintendent of Schools Young Artist Gallery. Another image uh best in show for painting. Uh it was a painting called the diptick of peacocks. Alcanza Riyadi. We have some Yes, she has to walk back and forth. That wasn't well done. Also, I apologize for that. for ceramics. The following four students from all from Appali High School, I believe, Sunonny Landeros, AJ Jackman, Shayla Kim, and Angela Toro. From Mr. Long Necker's class in drawing and painting category, Savannah Aguilera, Emily Ibara Salgado, and Lily Lopez. And in mixed media category, Kaden Malter, Aaron Romero, and Joseé Lara Aronda. back to digital media in the directing change film competition which is a statewide competition where students are encouraged to create a short film like a public service announcement about mental health and suicide awareness in our region.
For our last award tonight, I'll be speaking uh for Jean Somerville, our ceramics teacher. This next award is the ceramic studio artist of the year award. It is our absolute privilege to present the ceramic studio arts award uh artist of the year award to a graduate who has spent the last few years completely covered in dust, mud, and glory, Jasmine Marks. This award is presented to a graduate of unmatched vision, structural genius, and endless resilience for proving that a true artist cannot be deterred by fire or confined by walls. Whether it is the loss of our art building or a small portable classroom. Through every hardship, you never stopped making great work, turning our tiniest space into a grand studio. You'll be profoundly missed next year, but your creative legacy remains permanently fired into our hearts. As you graduate, remember that the world is just like a slab of clay, and you have the hands, the heart, and the vision to shape it into whatever you want.
Commissioner Suarez, please. Thank you, President Basford. Good evening, everyone. Um Commissioner Sciano, thank you uh sincerely for thinking about alternate ways uh for creating revenue. Um I appreciate it, and I'm sure our community appreciates it as well. Uh also, my sincere condolences to the families of William Gibson, Ernest Scheidemann, and Peter De Jao. Also this week, um I understand the Academics Award was a beautiful one and honored so many of our hardworking high school students. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend. My son was having his spring concert at school late. Uh, the school students at school late did a wonderful job and I thank the music teachers for making it happen. Uh, I'm really proud of our district for having for creating a foundation for music in our schools um, during the elementary years. It's they create beautiful memories and just a wonderful foundation for their academics for years to come.
I will discuss that meeting and that firm at finance and allow finance to decide what happens next. But, just so you know, we have had a a first discussion with a grant writing firm. Fantastic. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, I wanted to comment on a couple of things, Jonathan, for clarification. Um the 10.20, the approval to use Evans for preschool. I know that is a requirement. And so explain to me is that a requirement in order to go along with the amended long-range facilities plan or No, good question. So the county has to approve our reopening of Evans even though Evans has never been closed but it's been closed as a technically a school site under Evesham Township Board of Education. So in order for us to move forward with preschool at Evans in our meeting with the county a couple weeks ago they said hey we would prefer to see a standalone resolution where the board authorizes the reopening of Evans for use as a as a classroom space for ETSD students.
Thank you so much, Tyler. Really appreciate that. We appreciate that message to our class of 2026. Now, it's my honor to welcome to the stage our ASD speaker, Peter Hughes. It is my privilege to introduce a who truly understands what it means to be a champion of others. Peter Hughes is the director of adaptive sports at the University of Arizona. Leading the largest and most successful program of its kind in the country. Throughout his career, Peter has coached athletics from local YMCAs to the NCAA and the Paralympics games. Including a gold medal winner and two national championship basketball teams. His passion for opportunity doesn't stop at the university gates. As a US State Department delegate and founder of wheelchair athletics worldwide, he works globally to ensure disabled athletes across the world have access to the sports they love. He believes fiercely that sport is a gateway to education and empowerment.
They did a great job on it. Yeah. You won't be able to it'll be really hard to tell that it wasn't like that before. Anything else? That's it for facility updates. All right [clears throat] individual board member comments do we have anything this evening? I one question on the financials and it's more of a request for Dr. Brody to look into there was a mention about um some services for a I think it's a keynote speaker in August coming in. Um and my question is can we prepay for services with public funds? I know what it is. Believe we can cuz I I've done it my entire career. However, I will look into it to get confirmation on that. Just if state funds are different than a federal level. I know with keynote speakers is you can pay for travel and a couple other things on the fed level I'm not I'm inquiring cuz I'm not sure of the state law.
I'd be happy to follow up with that though. I just >> they're overcrowded now. So probably just accommodating what they have. >> I know they're overcrowded now. So >> yeah, the the next phase we talk about will be an additional that will even help more. >> This will help with the crowding and then Okay. >> Make for more a safer environment with more room to work during the elements. >> Any other discussion? Do I have a motion? >> Mr. President, I motion to approve the bids for the CGHS construction lab renovation. >> Thank you, Mrs. Counts. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Duncan Smith. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes 40. And finally, 7.5, the first reading of amended policy 5136. Dr. Long or right to you, >> Mrs. Murray will present that.
Number 13. >> I have as Emma Van Buskirk. I don't think that's Emma Van Buskirk. So, it looks looks like we don't have a number Ali Wilson. >> Ali Wilson. So, Ali Wilson is getting in to run for Caroline Kyra. Sophomore Ali Wilson >> [crying] >> Here's the first pitch to Collett. She smokes it into the gap in left center field. It goes all the way to the fence. Wilson's getting the wave at third. Collett is in the second. Here comes the throw to the plate. Wilson will score standing up. It's an RBI double for Lorelei Collett. She's two for two on two pitches. Yeah, Lorelei Collett, we get we get we just can't stop talking about it right now. She laces another one dead center, absolute rocket to the fence. She gets a pitch to look at and she takes advantage. RBI double. Yeah!
>> Yeah, what I what I'll say about this and I can send more about the drip grant. There is a lot of ambiguity with this grant that a lot of business managers are trying to get more clarity on. There's a state the school state finance project has released some information. This is ultimately an OPM grant and they've you know when we've asked them questions about the spending and making sure that we're spending on appropriate uses it's been go talk to your auditor. Talk to your auditor. Everyone's kind of getting the same response. We don't have to spend it by June 30th of this year. It's a non-lapsing allocation, but what I will say is we have looked at like qualifying expenses this year and we have like over $750,000 of things that would qualify for this account based on the very basic details we have.
So, we're definitely able to see that students are already thinking about this and that we have a special group of students who are going to take action on these themes. And then I know I'm not the only one with takeaway. So, if we have time, I'll hand it over real quick just to the the five of them to kind of hear what they have to say. I noticed one thing specifically when we were at Dittle and I had one presentation at the beginning of the day with this classroom of uh fourth graders and we spoke to them. We went through and they all like were very good at listening. And as we left and I kept walking around the building to get to the next classroom I was in, the next group I was presenting to, the area that we were meeting up, and I saw them in the hallways going to their special or from lunch, all of them said hi to me or waved or smiled at me and like they recognized me and they were like, "Oh, hi.
Yeah. >> That's the rest is the rest is a plan. Yeah. I saw that somewhere somebody was making fun of like Washington DC budgets and they said this is this is what we used to make fun of with the Soviet Union when they would talk about their like five-year plan. It's good that it's good to have a plan but but like I said I just see it as a placeholder for further discussion. Yep. Um any other questions you guys have about this? I'm I mean I'm I'm okay with this. The one thing that I've mentioned is the uh the loading dock and I just want to have a plan Yes. to explain this to people. >> 5 to 10-year plan? >> [laughter] >> No. No, a 5 to 6-month plan. I I >> To explain if this if that goes out to referendum this year I and I'll participate in it.
The third place team um across the state is Penelopey Netto, Riley Windust, and Josephina Olivas. Streets Art Safe Film Competition for Mount Valley High School. The winning team, Olivia Nutter, Kinsley Hullbrook, and Laya Lovado. And for their PSA about weariness behind the wheel, Braden Henry and Marley Arza. Not only did the construction team participate in local competition in Skills USA, but in a regional construction industry education foundation design build competition, the Apa Valley High School team went down and participated in a competition where students are put to the task of building um typically a small building or shed. This team won two distinct awards and it's really kind of neat. They won the team safety award which I know the carpenters union and other folks are very strongly um in support of but also overall they were the people's choice winner for this competition. And so this a large team of outstanding young uh folks.
Congratulations, Jenn. Good evening. I am Kristen, president of the sports boosters here at PE, and this is Karen, one of our board members. Tonight, we are honored to recognize four outstanding student athletes who truly represent the Viking spirit. These athletes have demonstrated integrity, dedication, leadership, and excellence both on and off the field. Together, they have proudly represented the Vikings in track, swimming, skiing, cross country, soccer, football, and baseball. All an incredible reflection of their commitment, versatile, versatile, versatility, sorry, I have bad voice tonight, and teamwork. Even more impressive, these four athletes achieved a combined GPA of 4.1, proving that su success in athletics and academics can go hand in hand. Tonight, we celebrate not only their achievements, but also the example they set for younger athletes and our entire community. On behalf of the PV Sports Boosters, it is our privilege to award these scholarships to four remarkable individuals who embody what it means to be a Viking.
So, I'm proud of our district for doing that. Um, for this Memorial Day parade, I am sorry I won't be able to attend. I'll be out of the country. Um, but to our servicemen and women, thank you for your sacrifice, especially those who have the made the ultimate sacrifice. I wish everyone a safe uh, and healthy Memorial Day weekend. Also, to the Power of One, thank you, thank you, thank you for the work you do. Sincerely, I was especially touched by your commitment to keep the anonymity of children and valuing their privacy. Um, as having been a school social worker, I understand the importance of that and I really appreciate that you you value and honor that as well. Um, that's all I have to say, everyone. Good night. Until next time, be well and be safe. Thank you, Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Fronczak. Thank you, President Basford.
We did tell them hey you've the board is already approved this in our three school or three-year operational plan for preschool but they said just strip it out put it on the agenda send us that certified resolution and that satisfies the requirements of the county DOA. Thank you. Yeah. So that will not go that's will not go along with that long-range facilities plan to the state? No, that's 10.16. Okay. I do have comments on let me just see here 10 17. I wanted to just bring the attention about the um energy savings improvement plan since we have been all along approving to participate in that program through the state and then we did approve DCO Energy and I wanted to let everybody know in finance was it this past finance Jonathan Yates did bring in DCO Energy and they gave us a presentation on all on their work to move forward on areas that we can become more energy efficient and save money and it's a it's a program through the state and they gave such a great presentation.
Class of 2026, please welcome Mr. Peter Hughes. Peter shakes hands with Paul Saunders. Let's stand for this one. Fired up for 2026. Great job, guys. Awesome job. I'm going to tell you guys all a little story. I uh arrived in Tucson, Arizona in 2004 before all of our graduates were born. Please don't remind me of that. In 2004, I came to the University of Arizona play wheelchair basketball. I wanted to play with the best players in the world. I already had a master's degree. I was 34 years old and I felt like I needed beat up on some 19 and 20-year-old kids. The first week I was here, I was here before school started. I got a phone call and said and they told me they were playing wheelchair basketball at this gym. They said, "Could you come down? Could you play with us?" And I said, "Yeah, absolutely." The team is still playing.
I will get you an answer on that. >> Most people even federal level do it wrong, so that's why I'm asking. Well, we don't do that here, sir. We do we don't want to anyway. We try not to anyway. I understand. I will look into that. All right. Anything else, anything? Nope. All right. President's prerogative. Um Let's leave that alone tonight. Uh we do have an executive session this evening for the purpose of appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of a specific employee of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against the employee of the public body or against the legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2C1 or student discipline carry disciplinary cases pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2C9 or placement of individual students in special education programs or other matters related to individual students pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2C10.
Mrs. Murray, >> um, this amended board policy aligns with the new Indiana law, SA78, and this limits the student use of personal wireless communication devices from bell to bell school day. This will help reduce distractions and support student learning. Students are able to bring their devices to school but must have them powered off and stored away in a locker or a backpack. Um, however, we know that some students who might have a medical need or an accommodation, an IEP or 504 will be able to use that as approved um in their buildings. We recognize that this represents a significant change for both our students and families. So, we will work on communicating the updated policy um next steps once this has been formally approved. In addition, we will make sure to spell out the language in our handbook um to match this as well. And we will bring that handbook to you next month to be approved.