001After 6:30, if you could please stand for the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Look for public comments to do. >> [clears throat] >> All right. Seeing that there are no sign-ups for public comments, Dr. Rivero, I'll open this meeting up to you. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. President. Good evening, everyone in the audience and those that are watching us online. This is our regular monthly meeting of the Lake Station School Board to conduct the business at hand for our school district. So, with that, we will go right into the agenda and the business at hand, starting with the consent agenda. The items under the consent
002agenda are approval of minutes, financial fiscal, and this evening we also have some donations to uh bring to the board for their considerations. One is from the American Income Life Insurance Company. They donated $118 to Bailey Elementary School. Lake County Public Library donated $45 to Bailey School. Child Safe Kit Program donated $124 to Bailey School. And Casey's General Store donated $12.20 to Hamilton School. And it doesn't matter how big or small the donation, we are always very appreciative of them, and they certainly help our students. And those that did donate this evening, thank you for your generosity, and we appreciate you very much. So, with that, I would recommend to the school board that they approve the consent agenda as presented to them this evening. >> Hearing the recommendation, >> Mr. President, I make a
003motion to approve. >> I have motion to have a second. >> I'll second the motion to approve. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. Oh, I was going to say thank you for all the donations, of course, as usual. Every little bit helps. We really appreciate everybody that, you know, pitches in towards the the kids' education. >> But is this like the North American games are all going to Bailey? Let's spread the wealth. >> [laughter] >> Thank you for your donations. >> Absolutely. Thank you. All right, Mr. Paleski. >> Aye. >> Mr. Music. >> Aye. >> Mr. Tenerio. >> Aye. >> And I vote aye. >> Moving on to items under personnel. Number one, I would like for the board, I recommend the board that they accept the resignation from Rudy Chavez, Edison teacher, effective May 11th,
0042026. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none, Mr. Paleski. >> Aye. >> Mr. Music. >> Aye. >> Mr. Tenerio. >> Aye. >> And I vote aye. >> Item number two, I recommend to the board that they accept the resignation from Madeline Strolf, kindergarten teacher at Hamilton School, effective June 4th, 2026. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Um yeah, I was going to say is if it's all right, I I can clarify. Um Madeline is resigning from a kindergarten position at Hamilton, but she's staying kind of with our district. She's just shifting over to nicec, so she'll still be a part of, you know, our school systems here. Uh you'll see a little bit of the shifting in a few more action
005items here. But uh that's part of the reason why she's leaving is because she is making that switch over to nicec. We aren't exactly losing her, but we're losing her as a kindergarten teacher, and it seemed like she did a really good job as kindergarten teacher, um from what I saw when I was over there and everything, so. >> Thank you, sir. Anything else? Hearing none, Mr. Paleski. >> Aye. >> Mr. Music. >> Aye. >> Mr. Tenerio. >> Aye. And I vote I. >> Item number three, recommend to the board that they approve to hire Aaron Nolan Higgins as principal at Bailey Elementary School effective for the 2026-2027 school year. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second the motion. >> Any discussion? >> I would just like to say that um Mrs.
006Higgins, Mrs. Higgins, um comes with a a very impressive resume and I'm positive you're going to approve it and I just like to welcome you aboard. Your resume is very impressive, so. >> Absolutely. Welcome to the team. Welcome to the family. All right, Mr. Polesky. >> I. >> Mr. Music, >> I. >> Mr. Tanario, >> I. >> And I vote I. >> Congratulations and welcome. Item number four under personnel, recommend to the board that they approve the termination of Dennis Reese, night custodian here at Edison Junior Senior High School effective on May 14th, 2026. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second the motion to approve. >> Any discussion? Hearing none, Mr. Polesky, I. Mr. Music, >> I. >> Mr. Tanario, >> I'm going to abstain. >> And I vote I. >> Item
007number five, I recommend to the board that they accept the superintendent's retirement agreement. >> President, I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I wonder how good it felt for him to say that. In all seriousness though, uh you know, I didn't obviously this is your last meeting with us and everything, so I want to say thank you very much. >> Thank you Kevin. >> [clears throat] >> I'll save mine for the end of the meeting. Mr. Polesky, >> I. >> Mr. Music, >> I. >> Mr. >> Tenario. >> Hi. >> And I vote I. >> Item number six under personnel, I recommend to the board that they approve to hire the following individuals for the 2026-2027 school year. Jennifer Newburg, third grade teacher at Hamilton. Hannah Hendrick, second grade teacher
008at Hamilton. Savarni Norman, second grade teacher at Hamilton. Alexis March, kindergarten teacher at Hamilton. Jenna Spruce, third grade teacher at Bailey. Allison Pader, elementary counselor. Lexis Giggy, middle school science teacher. And Kurt O'Brien as the superintendent's secretary. >> Hearing the recommendation. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second the motion to approve. >> Any discussion? Hearing none, Mr. Paleska. >> I. >> Mr. Music. >> I. >> Mr. Tenario. >> I. >> And I vote I. >> We'll be going to items under new business. The first item requires no vote of the board at this time, but it is an informational item for the first reading for volume 38 number two of school board policy revisions and new policies. So, this will give time for the board to review those policies and the July
009school board meeting, they will be asked to consider those board policies and revisions. So, tonight I'm offering that as first reading, but there'll be no action on the board on that topic this evening. We'll be going to item number two under new business. I recommend to the board that they approve resolution 2025-2026 number 10 regarding an alternative services agreement with the Department of Education and private educational agencies. And if I may elaborate just a little bit more. >> Yes, please. >> This is an annual resolution that comes before our board every year. And this pertains to our membership with the Northern Indiana Special Education Cooperative. And they provide special education teachers and special education staff to our district. But from time to time we may have a special uh needs student that needs more support
010than what can be provided in our school and in our buildings. So with Niceec's help we look at private agencies to provide the educational needs of those special needs students, but also to give them the support that those students need that we are just not able to do in a public school setting. Uh in my time here we have not had many students if any take part in a residential placement for example, but we have had some special education students that were hearing impaired or visually impaired and took the use of the benefit of going to the school for visually impaired or hearing impaired in Indianapolis. And this would be a resolution that would permit those students to be able to be a part of those programs in those specific schools. So this evening we're
011just renewing a resolution that comes before this board every year to work with private agencies, the Department of Education should Lake Station schools ever have a student, a special ed student that needs those additional supports. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, Dr. Cripliver. All right, hearing the recommendation? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Mr. Polusca? >> Aye. >> Mr. Music? >> Aye. >> Mr. Tanerro? >> Aye. >> And I vote aye. >> Mr. President, I have no further business to come before the board except to remind everyone that our next regularly scheduled monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 here at Edison Junior Senior High School starting at 6:30. >> That's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Mr. Polusca, any parting comments?
012>> Just like to thank the staff that's in attendance here and thank you at home who tuned tuned into us this evening. I want to congratulate Tom. This is your last meeting with us. It's been an honor the last 2 years I've been on this board working with you. You were my teacher back in junior high at Edison. You're a great person and I wish you the best retirement. Enjoy. >> Thank you, Mike. I appreciate it. >> Mr. Music? >> All right. Um Uh I do want to say good luck to Madeline in her new role switching over to Nicec and of course welcome to Aaron as well. I look forward to you know your collaborative efforts with the other principals and things like that and everything you bring to the table. So thank you
013for being here tonight and joining the team. Um Obviously welcome aboard to everyone else. There's a slew of them so we're getting ready for obviously the new school year and everything but looks looks like we're in pretty good shape here. Uh and then of course Tom, appreciate you always being available. If I needed to reach out to you if I had question or clarification on something even if it was you know 10:00 at night and I'm texting you you'd respond. Uh but I appreciate everything that you did and everything you showed me. So thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate that, Kevin. Thank you very much. >> Mr. Tanerro? >> First of all I'd like to welcome Aaron. Congratulations. I'm sure I can't wait to work with you. I mean, you got two other principals
014that are pretty well versed to you. Like I said, your resume was very impressive, but I'm sure you're going to fit right in here and do very well. So, welcome and welcome to everybody else that got hired tonight, too. But, Tom, how many years you got here now? 12 or what? Was it 14? >> Finishing my 12th year. >> 12th year. >> Sometimes it may seem like 14. >> Oh, yeah. I've I've been here those 12 years all 12 years. >> Yes, you have. I've had that privilege to work with you that long. >> Yes, sir. And I just want to thank you for everything you've done for the kids of Lake Station, including my own grandkids. Um, they've gone through this the school district, too, and uh one of the troubled ones, you you
015helped me out with that one quite a bit on your own time, and I really appreciate that. Um I just hope you realize that with all the years you have in education, how many children's lives you've you you touched. It's got to be thousands and thousands and thousands from from teachers and administrators, principals to superintendents. And I just really like to thank you for everything you've done for Lake Station. >> Thank you, sir. >> Well, I truly enjoyed working with you. Thank you so much. >> That means a lot. >> I won't be bugging you no more. >> Yeah, I don't know if that's true. >> a reflex sometimes. >> Good. >> Yep, I'm good. >> All right, thank you. Um a little repetitive as usual by the time it gets down here, but thank
016you to everybody that attended online and in person. Um welcome aboard again. Mr. Tenerio said a great your your resume is super impressive, and I think you're going to do very well here. Um you got a good team to help you, and I have all the faith in the world that you guys will be super successful this next school year. Um Doc. >> Yes, sir. >> The end. This is it. Uh Uh You talked to and I hope I don't share too much. But you talked last year, you and I had a nice discussion that this was coming. I begged you and begged you to stay. And you stayed. And then this year I tried the same thing and it didn't work. Uh you you deserve it. You really do. The the amazing things you
017have done for this district and um I'm sitting here trying to think how long I've been on this board. I I think I don't know if it's 5 years or 6 years now. Going on five, whatever it is. >> Yeah, five. >> Um I came in knowing very little. You guys have thrown all these words around and circuit breakers and this and that. I'm like, what is going on? And you You've you've sat down with me anytime I've ever asked and explained everything and and shaped me into um the board member that the board team that we have here. I mean is is shaped by you and your your vast knowledge and uh No no offense to Miss Pippa by any means. She's going to do great, but um you're irreplaceable. You're I mean you're
018just uh the best in and every time every meeting every time we discussed it was always kids first kids first kids first and I respect that. So um I appreciate you. I love you. We're going to miss you. But uh enjoy your retirement as you definitely deserve it, my man. >> Well, thank you. >> All right. I'm not crying, you're crying. Uh [laughter] Miss Pippa. >> Mr. Tober, do you have anything you want to add? >> I was going to. >> Just a little because I'll get teary-eyed, but you, you know, I helped negotiate your first contract and we've worked [clears throat] together a long time and, you know, we've talked each other off ledges, >> Mhm. >> both of us. And it has been a genuine pleasure working with you and I will miss
019you dearly. >> Mhm, thank you. That means a lot. Thank you so much. >> So, uh, for me, a little bit of background in in case you're not aware, um, Dr. Krippelover has been here as superintendent for 12 years. He is a Lake Station uh, graduate of Edison. Uh, his first teaching position was here at Edison. Um, and then he continued his administrative career at at other places and then came back home to be a superintendent. Uh, in my 32 years of education, I have never heard that of a superintendent. To uh, be a graduate, to come back, to have your first teaching job, and then return to retire as the superintendent. So, I find that just as special as the person that you are. And you've been a fabulous mentor for me, um, and
020for so many over the last 41 years of your career. So, I personally thank you. Uh, you uh, we've had several conversations, so you know exactly how I feel. Um, it it's an honor to be able to carry on the legacy that you have created. So, thank you for your support and I wish you the best with your retirement. >> Thank you. [snorts] >> All of you are invited for a um, open house reception for Dr. Krippelover on June 24th upstairs at City Hall from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. to uh, uh, share stories and to thank him for all of his service. So, please feel free to come out and join us. Again, that's June 24th upstairs at City Hall from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. >> Thank you, Ms. Beeman. Tana? >> Well, I wish
021you the best in your retirement. Been a long time I've worked with you as well. >> [laughter] >> Um I'm happy we have about 10 more days together. >> [laughter] >> Um but I wish you the best. It's well deserving and I've learned a lot from you as well. Um and just wish you the best. >> Thank you. >> Mr. Kurtz? >> Retirement, you get to have early tea times. >> Yeah, absolutely. You bet. >> [laughter] >> Ralph, Kathy, anybody? Anything? >> No, um I just want to congratulate Ralph on his retirement. Um we're going to miss you. We're going to miss you. I've learned a lot from you as well and uh you put up with me too. >> [laughter] >> Thank you, Ralph. >> And that was my pleasure, Ralph. >> [laughter] >>
022Mrs. Flaherty? >> Congratulations, Ralph. You deserve um enjoy yourself. >> Thank you. All right, I think I got everybody in the room. Uh one last question. Is this a retirement or is this a Kevin Johnson retirement? >> [laughter] >> Just so we're aware. You know, retire four times or what what are we doing? No, uh enjoy it and um there's no better way to end a meeting than than enjoy your uh retirement. >> Well, I just want to take a few minutes >> Oh, yeah, you got to talk, too. My bad. You see? You got me all messed up here. I did. I almost the last one. You know I got it. Doc, I apologize. You know, I thought you were ready to get out of here. >> No, no, no. >> Go for it,
023sir. I apologize. >> Uh I just want to thank this incredible school board. Uh their heart truly is with what is best for kids. With the resources we have and the means that we have, and the terrific teachers and support staff and every uh employee group that we have here, that's what we all do. Work towards what is best for kids. And I appreciate their accolades and their comments about some of the accomplishments that we made here at Lake Station. None of those accomplishments, none of those things would have been possible without the support and the help of this school board and Christine Pippa and Mrs. Wizenet and course Ms. Tarberg keeping us on the straight narrow and making sure we're doing things the right way and the legal way, which I greatly appreciate. Uh
024none of those things could have been possible without the team. And that includes our employees from all employee groups working together, rolling up shirt sleeves, pitching in, doing what we need to do for the sake of our kids. And that's something that will always treasure for me is that I had the privilege and the honor of working with a team and this school board that put that core philosophy true to form. What is best for kids. And if nothing else, that's the legacy that I would like to pass on to our new superintendent, Christine Pippa, and to our future employees that we hired this evening to our team, do what's best for kids. And support each other, work together, be that team, be that family. And thank you. It's been an honor and a privilege
025to work with you and to have started my career in Lake Station and now to have come back and now to end my career in Lake Station has truly been a blessing. And I thank God every day for that. I've loved my job. I've loved things that we've done here. I'm going to miss everybody very, very much. But I'm really going to miss the kids the most. So, hopefully you'll let me come back and visit at sporting events and concerts and all of those good things. Because that's what I really like to see and enjoy the kids in the limelight doing the good things that I know that they do. For years and the great new things that our future Edison Eagles will be doing for a long time. So, thank you. It really has
026been a true honor. >> Thank you, Mr. President. >> Sorry, I didn't almost didn't give you that up. Uh when you say sporting events, that's the winter ones, too, right? Cuz you'll still be here? >> In spirit, probably. >> In spirit. I got you. Got you. All right. All right. Anybody else? All right. For the last time, >> [clears throat] >> meeting adjourned.