001Good morning. Welcome to our special meeting. At this time, please rise with me for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. All right. At this time, we will go to our action items. 2.01 for the uh 2025 2026 collective bargaining agreement. Miss Carla Johnson. >> Good morning, Madame President, Dr. Smith, and members of the board. This morning we proudly present to you our collective bargaining agreement and very happy to have our president of our LEA and the times that we've worked together from September through November on this and we presented it for the public hearing this past Monday and today we bring it for your approval. >> Thank you Miss
002Johnson board. Are there any questions or comments before we move to a vote on the CVA? We're voting for the teachers, >> correct? Each item separate. Yes. >> I I just wanted to say as a proud member of the ISTA, I'm an affiliate member. Um I'm so glad that we were able to work to give our teachers raises that they deserve this year. 2% is more than most of the our bordering districts have been able to muster and we see some of the challenges that they all face. Um it's been very well publicized in the media. So, thank you to bargaining team to our administrators, to our teachers, to our representatives who have worked really hard to get this um over the line. I know it's late nights, lots of work. So, thank you. >>
003Thank you. Any other comments or questions board? Okay. Once again, as I said on Monday, thank you to all involved in the team um in coming to this agreement. At this time, um, I'll entertain a motion to approve the 2526 collective bargaining agreement. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Properly moved. Dr. Mahaland. Seconded. Miss Lawrence. All in favor? >> I. >> Any oppose? >> All right. The eyes have it. 2.02 classified salary update. Miss Johnson. >> Good morning once again. And This morning we are proud to present our proposal for our classified staff to have raises um at the 2% level and the insurance and all the information that was presented at the public meeting on November 14th as well. >> Thank you board. Any questions or comments on the classified? >> Just a
004call out on the classified staff. I know Miss Dunn, you made this point on the deis, but just for a matter of public record, not all of our classified staff qualify for health insurance benefits. Um, it is, and I'm sorry, Miss Johnson, I don't remember the percentage, but it's not the full 100% are qualifying for uh for healthcare benefits. I just wanted to call that out. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments, board? I I just I think our classified staff um are some of the staff that are every member of an educational staff is extraordinarily hardworking, but our classified staff um given the salaries that they make and the lack of benefits for many of them. It's truly a work of passion and just want to go on the record and say how
005much I appreciate the classified staff because um they are the folks behind the scenes that a lot of folks um forget about and so they keep our schools and our doors open and so immense gratitude to individuals. >> Thank you. Any other final questions or comments, board? Um, Miss Dunn, I think you bring up a good point that without the benefit support, that 2% increase is is critical. >> Yes. Um, we're thankful to be able to offer that. Any other comments, questions? All right. I'll entertain a motion uh to vote on the approval of the classified. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Properly moved. Miss Dunn, seconded, Miss Lawrence. All in favor of approving the 2526 classified salaries. >> I. >> Any opposed? All right. The eyes have. >> At this time, we'll move on
006to 2.03, the 2526 administrative salary update. Miss Johnson. >> This morning, we bring to you the proposal of our administrative raises that were presented at our public hearing this past Monday evening as well. Thank you board. Any other any questions or comments regarding the administrative 2526? >> I do. I have a statement I'd like to read. And Miss Blankenship, I'll make sure that you have this as well. Matter of public record. Uh as many of you know, I worked in one of the largest tech companies in the world. And one thing more than a decade in that industry has taught me is this. A beginner's mind is essential. We are living through one of the greatest transformations in human history. Not just in Indiana, not just in the United States, everywhere. We are standing at
007the edge of a paradigm shift that will redefine what intelligence is, how we learn, how we work, and how we live. AI is not just a writing tool. It's not simply a way kids might cheat on homework. AI is a force that will reshape humanity more profoundly than electricity, the industrial revolution, or even the internet. And as we enter this next phase of learning, this next chapter of our students evolution, we cannot rely on doing things simply because that's how they've always been done. We cannot rebuild on systems designed for a different world. The moment demands that we fix what is broken and look critically at ourselves. We must be willing to dismantle in order to rebuild intentionally, thoughtfully, and with purpose. Every year I've served on this board, I've conducted a comprehensive review of
008our district's compensation, teachers and administrators alike. But before I speak on that, I want to celebrate what is working. Our iLearn scores improved in nearly every category. Our third grade literary lit literacy trajectory is on fire. Our graduation rate is among the strongest in the state. The comp and competitive with districts with far more resources and far fewer challenges. None of this happens by accident. It is the result of extraordinary work across every corner of our district. teachers, support staff, building leaders, security councils, substitutes, nurses, food service teams, transportation crews, central office and community partners. And yes, it is because of administrators who put in uncounted hours. The late night calls, the crises, the band concerts, the games, and the emails at 10 p.m. Many nights I've spoken with Dr. Smith well after he probably
009should have been in bed. Our administrators show up and this district is stronger because they do. Our community is defined by passion like that. Passion that sharpens each other. We lead the state in bilingual education. We have a growing Haitian creole population. People come here. Our enrollment is growing our when other districts are shrinking. And importantly, we are defined by our diversity. the very reason my family chose to live in Lawrence. And despite how embarrassing this is about to be, I think I did it. Okay. This is who we are. And because I honor who we are, I must speak honestly. When the data signals something that threatens trust or creates inequity, it is my responsibility to speak up. This year, the compensation analysis showed Lawrence Township administrators earned the highest average compensation in central
010Indiana, $154,190 for the top 100. This places us 10 to 40% higher than comparable districts. 85 administrators earned more than their contracted salaries totaling over $1.8 million above contracted value. And much of that overage stems from stipens and other benefits that can be used at administrators discretion, including healthcare. But these benefits are not documented in public materials. This is not about blame. This is not about This is but this is this is about alignment. And let me be clear. I will vote in favor I will not vote in favor of administrative raises this year just as I have not for the last two years until the percentage difference between our administrators and their peers mirrors the same percentage difference between our teachers and theirs. We must ensure equity up and down the system. We cannot
011ignore the reality around us when compensation grows. at the top. We create imbalance. We widen gaps between classrooms and central office. We create tension among staff who feel stre who everybody feels stretched thin. And we cannot for afford that imbalance. Not during a teacher shortage. Not during historic state level funding cuts that make even basic cost of living increases nearly impossible. Not during unfunded mandates pushed onto districts. Not while health care costs rise. Not bed teachers burn out. Not while instructional assistants work multiple jobs. Not while dual language teachers carry double the cognitive and emotional load. A district is only as strong as its people, its teachers, its staff, its administration, and the community who believes in its mission. So where do we go from here? This is not about tearing anything down. It is
012about aligning who we say we are with how we invest in our people. It is about transparency. It is about fairness. It is about trust. And it is about building a future, not reacting to the past. We need a district-wide compensation philosophy that clearly answers, do we lead the market, match the market, reward outcomes, prioritize equity, and how we do and uh and how do we ensure every employee from food service to bus drivers to sped teachers to AP teachers to principles is compensated in a way that reflects their compensation and their impact. We are not here to preserve what was. We may need to dismantle a few things along the way, but we are here to build what will be. And I believe deeply that Lawrence Township has everything it needs to do exactly
013that. Heart, courage, diversity, brilliance, and a shared belief that our kids deserve the best possible future. >> Thank you, Miss Lawrence. Board, any other questions or comments? Miss Dunn? I um I just want to say last year um it was shared that Miss Lawrence and I um do not value administrators by not voting for raises. Um I want to go on the record to make sure it is very clear that I am incredibly incredibly grateful for all the work that administrators do in this district. Voting no for a salary increase is not a no on administrators in this district. It is a no on exactly what Miss Lawrence has indicated. I want to see compensation fairly. Um I want to see fair compensation across the board. And fair for me and I went on the
014record last year is looking especially at our classified staff and making sure that we are compensating them at a liveable wage and that all of them are able to obtain healthcare. $1.8 million and that was not reported to Gateway can go a long way. >> It was reported to Gateway. it wasn't in our published contract. >> In our published contract, um $1.8 million goes a really long way in um in making sure the compensation is fair and equitable across the system. Um and so I I value I appreciate the administrators in this room, the administrators across this district, and my vote no is not a no on you or on the hard work that I know that is happening. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments, board? Okay. Well, um, thank you everyone. Thank
015you again to the teams for looking into this for all of the groups. I know there's been a lot of meetings. Um, this truly has been a district that's had to move the needle. So, we we greatly appreciate everybody. At this time, I'll entertain a motion um for the classified or I'm sorry, administrative 2526 salaries. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Properly moved, Miss Pucket and seconded, Dr. Mhalland. All in favor of the 2526 classif or administrator salaries say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Nay. >> All right. >> Okay. Well, the um salaries have not passed. At this time, we will um move to any final comments or questions. All right. At this time, I will entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> So moved. >> Properly moved and
016seconded. >> All right.