001To 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. >> Uh we are really blessed with a lot of our student athletes, uh winter athletes and everything. And so we just want to honor them and uh for the accomplishment um that they've achieved this this season. And so uh we just want to say thanks. >> Absolutely. So we have some things to give out to some of these student athletes. We're going to talk about our our diving team first. And Logan, our state diver, is at track, I think, right now, which is I think a lot of our students are, but we're still going to recognize him and his coaches. So, Logan Whitaker, diving. Logan's dominance began
002early and remained consistent throughout the winter season. His competitive drive was on full display as he won the diving event in all but one dual meet this entire season. In the NEA Conference, he for the third consecutive year was crowned the NEA Conference diving champion, which is a testament to his sustained excellence over his high school career. And after a strong second place finish at sectionals, Logan moved on to one of the most competitive regionals in the state. Facing a very difficult field, he secured fourth, comfortably landing in the top eight to earn his ticket to the state finals. at state in a grueling gauntlet that started with 32 of the best divers in the whole state of Indiana. The field got cut down to 16 for the finals, those who ultimately score points for
003their schools. Logan didn't just make the cut. He excelled under the bright lights, finishing 12th in the state, and his 12th place finish represents the highest state placement by any Belmont athlete in the history of our swimming and diving program. So, congratulations, Logan. That's quite exceptional. and certainly wish he could be here for us to congratulate him. They did a great job and his coaches, Drew Norby, the head coach of the swim guide team, Laura Worling and Tim Kuberberg. We also want to thank them for their dedication and helping grow that program. So, thank you coaches. Going to move on to our wrestling guys. We're missing one this evening. Xavier Facios is at track as well, but I'm going to tap their coach here for a minute to kind of just give a summary of
004the season for this group and for your whole team because it takes somebody wrestling against them to practice to get them to this point too, right? >> Okay. Uh well, we had a very special group this year. Uh a lot of neat accomplishments. Um our team finished third in the dual dual team state championships. uh 2A um and uh that that was at Brownsburg High School. Um it's quite quite an event uh that our kids prepare for. Um and it's not easy to do to fill uh a lineup from 106 all the way to 285 uh with the school the size of ours, but we manage two. these guys jockey for positions and it's a it's a true uh team sport. Um with the mindset that these boys have um we we engage in a
005a process called a winning mindset and um they they truly look at the sport uh with the proper perspect perspective of it in life. Um they know their faith and families and education comes before it but it is still a huge part of their lives. They take very very seriously. Um but they are always reminded about the priorities of life and uh it's a very happy group of boys and um again uh third in the state of Indiana is a very big deal. uh that is a class tournament, but then it's uh after that it switches to individual and that's what these boys are here for tonight. Uh all six of them qualified for the state finals this year in wrestling individually it's it's one class. So um when when you are in that tournament
006it's a very big deal and uh what these guys have uh ju just by making that tournament is a huge deal but a lot of the sacrifices and adversity that they have faced uh that's the part no one sees uh that makes you so proud of these kids. Yeah, it's neat going to state and being in that tournament, but I know what they've been through, the uh blood, sweat, and tears that they've endured uh in their careers and they're just uh yes, I'm excited for them as wrestlers, but they're going to be great fathers, great husbands, and great workers when that time comes. But uh it's been uh a pleasure. I'm going to miss uh the three seniors. and Xavier can't be here, but uh Sammy Walpert uh got his picture on the wall by
007making it to the state finals and uh he's just above his pops in the background who also made it. Uh >> he could have gone all night. >> Yeah. So, it's a it's a neat uh family achievement. No doubt about it. And Greg Baker uh found his niche late in life. uh think started in middle school and ends up being one of the top 16. I'm pretty confident he was at least top 10 in the state of Indiana and uh just something else. Um and Xavier will go down uh is the all-time pin leader uh saying quite a bit in our program's history. Um he's a two-time state placer, two medals. So uh neat for our seniors. I'm glad that we get these three back. Um, we got the brothers who act like brothers. They
008were just acting like brothers a little bit ago. Uh, get along get along children. Uh, Henry and Charlie, they're they're great for each other. They battling each other, but uh, it's neat when they walk out the room. They're they're brothers. They love each other whether they admit it or not. And, uh, again, to make it to the state finals together was a neat achievement for them. And then with my son Gabriel, um it was a neat monkey off his back too because I know he wanted to do some neat things too because uh he had a brother to live up to but he's making a name for himself and uh awful proud of him and uh can't wait for his future as well. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Let's start with our
009two seniors, Sam and Gravy. No, no, don't sit down. So, as seniors, you get to speak and kind of give some words of wisdom of what does it take to achieve greatness after all these years in sport and what would be your best advice to folks in any in any sport really? >> Um, I don't really have too much to say about like being pretty. I was never the best. But like I think one thing about wrestling that really stands out at this school would be our like family. And I think that's about the only reason I was able to make it as far as I did. I wouldn't say there was anything I did super special. I mean everybody in the room did the same stuff as me. Nobody changed anything. But I mean
010I have gave most of the time in practice, but I could go and have Henry or Chuck or Owen or Austin or just about 10 other guys and have a great partner. I mean, it's just it um it speaks on how well our community is and how driven everybody in that room is. I mean, that's really all I can say about that is just the tradition we have to have good kids out there and have great partners out there and everybody wants to work hard. No matter how many times I try to beat Gabe up and not let him score on me, like the next day he kind of beat me up and not try to not let me score on me. So I think that's just the biggest thing about why this year was
011different. Just we had something special. Even if we didn't get first at team state or anything, it was still was still a really cool experience and something I'll look back at the rest of my life. um over the basic um I was in a little bit different boat than he was. I had uh about two guys I could go with every single day. Um so and they were a lot harder than me and a lot stronger than me. Um but it just kind of what you got to do um to achieve your your goals especially going three years well two years and not um achieving that. Um, but this the support system I would say is the biggest thing for me. I mean, you always know that your coaches, your family, your teammates are going
012to have your back. Uh, no matter what you're going through, if it was a good day, if it was a hard day, um, they're they're always right there to pick you up. And as soon as you step out of room, everything is you're only focused on getting better that day. That's what we talk about is get better. Um, it's the middle of the season and got a tournament or whatever. Um but everybody's there just to get better and um fine and just finish finish the season out and even the day out strong depending on what can push us through. >> Great advice. Thank you. >> Well, a little bit more information about these two individuals. Um, so Sam is a state qualifier this year in 26, but he was two-time conference champ in 24 and
013this year. So, congratulations there. Grady qualified for state this year. He was two-time regional train champ in 25 and 26 and two time sectional champ in the same year. So, congratulations to both of you for your accomplishments. Proud of you. Okay, next group we're going to have um are see Charlie Fo. Congratulations. Do you have any words? >> Not really. >> I'll let you off. >> Congratulations. How about you? I probably should have >> and Gabe just thanks Deborah. >> Let me tell you a little bit about these gentlemen. So Charlie was a state qualifier this year and Gabe was a state qualifier this year and sectional champ and Henry is a three-time state qualifier 24 25 and 26 regional champ this year sectional champ this year and two time conference champ in 25 and
01426. So congratulations guys and great job. Then we also have their coaches to recognize. I think a few of them are here tonight. Mr. Meyers. And then they also had rope. Joe Rubble, John Rubble, Nick Coons. >> Jeff Me. Congratulations. >> Okay, next is our girls basketball team. And most of these girls are at track, but we had the three proud ones come and they're going to represent everyone tonight. But I'm going to let their coach talk about them first, too. >> All right. Um, we're in a little bit of a different boat. You know, they can stand up here and talk about individual accomplishments where obviously those are important and for us that was, you know, a huge part of our success, but we were, you know, as just a a team sport, a
015little bit different. Um, you know, coming into the year, sort of the message that I said to Ken this morning was we didn't exactly know where we were going to be. We knew we were young. We knew that uh we were talented, but we didn't know exactly what was uh in store for us and as the season kind of progressed, um you know, we we continued to to play strong and and you know, I think I've talked about it before, but Kate and I had a conversation after Warsaw of you know, she was upset that we didn't win, understandably, and and everybody sort of thought, you know, we were just happy to play with one of the best teams in the state. And that sort of changed the mindset for everybody. Um, and then, you
016know, we went on an incredible run for for through the tournament. And, you know, Kim and I talked about at the beginning, just sort of re-watching that and re-watching them on the court is probably the most fun that that I have when I watch that game, just to see the excitement. Um, you know, with about 40 seconds to go, sort of everybody understands what's going on, but it's not official. And then the last rebound and pass, you sort of see, especially Anie, just sort of her and Kate their faces. Um, and it's just a a cool thing that they'll never forget that I'll never forget. And just sort of the impressiveness that that they showed. Again, going back to what we talked about at the beginning of just, you know, when you walk into that
017stadium, it's very intimidating to be on that floor, to see the people, to see the lights. Like, it's it's really strange when you get down on there and for them to just sort of go out and play it like a normal game of basketball as if it's in our our own gym. It's just wildly impressive. for, you know, 16, 17, 18 year old people to go out and do that. It's is just I don't understand how they do it did it all, you know, even today. So, uh, that's really all I had to say. We had individual accomplishments, um, you know, all conference and all states and all that, but really this is a team award, so we're not going to get too far into that. Well, some of the things you sent to me
018that you had only had three losses. Um, and all three of those came from 4A schools >> and never lost to a school that were was your size or smaller, which is impressive. Finished second in a very tough conference. Um, a conference that produced three sectional winners and two teams advancing to the state finals. You were top 25 in the state and by defensive margin, offensive margin, and margin of wins. You had five girls make all conference, two girls make all state. We had the state game mental attitude award winner. That's confer over here. Congratulations. And a wonderful team effort produced the first girls championship state championship girls basketball team. So congratulations. All three of you come out here. And it doesn't matter who's a senior, who's not because I know we only have one
019senior, but I'll let Brie start. Do you have anything to say about the season or just advice you'd give other especially female athletes? Um, I'm really going to miss these girls. That's probably the first thing I have to say. Like even today, like they had their co-op meeting and Lenny's like, "Oh, I'm going to miss you." And Hadley today was like, "You know, you could just come back." And I was like, "I know." And like I'm going to miss it. And it's weird because like every other season that ends like you end on a loss and it's just over. and then we ended on a win and they're just kind of kept like I keep seeing them everywhere. So it's like it's never really over and then like I'm going to graduate in a couple
020months. So I would just say it's short and just to not live with the whatifs like go out and try everything. Like whether you think you're good at it, you're bad at it, whatever, just go and try it and have fun. >> What about you, Kate? Um, I don't really have any wisdom, but like I just want to say thank you to the community because like once we got there it was kind of crazy just like seeing everybody in the stands and I feel like the pro programs just kind of been built up over the past few years so no one has really known who we are especially like all throughout the state. So just having our community support all throughout that run was amazing. >> Um, yeah, same thing. I really thankful for the
021community for like coming out and supporting us every game. And I'm also super thankful for our team because obviously it's a really good group. So you all were very impressive how poised you remained. Again, we're a relatively young team and you could tell that you maintained your poise and your determination. You didn't get rattled or you didn't show it if you were on the inside. And I think it kind of goes to maybe probably something similar to what Grady was saying a moment ago, which is that attitude of just think about the next play, the next game, the next day. That you got to take it one step at a time. Otherwise, you get yourself overwhelmed and get in your head. Really impressed with just how you all handled yourself and stayed in it no
022matter what was happening. And you are now back in the in the glory from that. We have a couple of certificates for the ladies, too. And again, a lot of their teammates are track runners. So, we're appreciative they were able to come tonight. So, congratulations, KATE, attitude award winner for the state for our conference, our >> 3A. Thank you. And Hadley. And then I have some other certificates for you. Andy Hine, their coach. And he has a group behind him, too. Rachel K. Meyer, assistant coach. Holly Lorent, Faith Morris, and Denny Ranking. I think these were the ones we knew couldn't make it. other girls. Um, Ella Sh, Caitlyn Bourne, Ellie Laurent, Paige Black, and Anie Kerberg. I think I gave you some of the other then. Caitlyn Barton, Maya Slimmer, Laney French, Ashley Gleaki,
023Ava Bilman, Mary Gleaky, and I think the rest of you and it was super fun. I know for the whole community, but for everyone will definitely be one of those memories I think everyone will hold on to for a long time. Congratulations to all of you. You're more than welcome to stay for the rest of our meeting, but if you need to shut off, you're more than welcome to That's all right. 18. >> Thank you. Good job, guys. That's awesome with all of our sports and athletes and man, we got a we have a good group of kids and coaches that are role models. So, that's pretty awesome. I'm just going to move on to consensus items. Um, so is there Well, first of all, is there any public comment on the agenda items? Nope.
024All right. So, now we just move on to consensus items. Um, so yeah. >> Um, I don't really have any comments on any of the consensus items. No retirements reported on this one and nothing. I guess there was one thing. There is a technical correction for a policy 6105. And again, when that's a technical correction, it's usually just a matter of a small word or two and that can be voted on under consensus items. >> Any questions on the consensus items? There's a motion for approve. Have >> a motion by second by WY. Um, all in favor say I. >> I. Same sign. So passes five to zero to Jules on. Is that right? All right. >> Thanks, Joel. Raise your hand. Sorry. Uh, so we're going to move on to program update next. Uh,
025Steve Mlin. Uh he's our director of technology and we're excited that you're here to kind of give us some updates. I try not to take it personally. I feel like every time I come here people can't go on as you said I'm technology director history. I've been in kind of a unique situation position where I get to deal with uh a little bit of anything and everything in the the entire district. Um many different levels. Uh get the opportunity to work out several things on a daily basis passive. So appreciate that. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do that. Um I can't do it alone. Obviously, I've got tech game behind me that always try to take the opportunity to thank Daniel Decker at the high school and prayer at the middle school.
026Shelby Middle School elementary also. Um those are our building techs. Uh Joe Walberg who has kind of one foot in curriculum, one in in the tech area. Beth Bonafice who um retired several years ago, but we keep getting her to come in for a few days a week to get some projects done and stuff. There's also our department can't do what we need to without a lot of other departments that also um you know the library is right there with us as far as trying to uh deal with kids on a daily basis whether it's fines or checking things out keeping assets uh records of all of that Laura and Amanda right on top of that kind of thing for us for the whole district quite honestly ly appreciate them on that. Uh we've also
027getting more and more into testing testing between Julie Schuler and too also um they're non-stop. Uh and there's a lot of discussions back and forth between us with what can be done, what's coming in the future, uh next week, this week, tomorrow, whatever. Um appreciate them and and keeping keeping eyes on the ground just has done the website years that new platform came right in and got right to it. That was basically the first thing he did like here's the keys to the kingdom see what you can do bring some stuff over and uh make it work. Um, a lot of times people don't realize with technology we're we work with maintenance quite a bit. I want to thank those guys too. They're always helping us uh whether we need to uh install something or
028just be a heads up on electrical problems today. That was happening today. Just we were coming up with all kinds of notifications of things and that one right back there. 160 emails I believe it was within about 12 minutes. appreciate that tracking things down to um Tim or Troy and Blake there. Um state reporting we still have Miam Hopkins on there. Nothing around here can get done if Miriam is on top of things getting reports to the state which allows us to get funding. Um Joe's helping with that some too. So much appreciation. Uh, I do. It's been a little while since I've been here. Um, and I'll admit that I didn't realize I brought a couple of devices that we do at the schools and we have some new board members. Um, I will
029admit that I forgot we swapped you guys all out iPads. So, I'm not even going to pass that one around. Just know that the iPads that you have there is what we have from uh, kindergarten up through 8th grade. every uh every student has one of those. Same kind of case with the keyboard and all that kind of stuff. Um fel pretty um necessary a couple of years ago to try to get them to keyboards on the on the phones and whatnot. What I do have here is a Dell laptop that we do at the high school. um the two in one with the touchscreen. This year, we've had this model for a couple of years. This will be the last year that we have it. Um and frankly, we were lucky to get that.
030As many people may have heard, may know, um electronics are getting more and more expensive. Components are getting harder and harder to find. A lot of it has to do with uh data centers that are being built for news all over the AI data centers. Um there's buying up chips and RAM and all kinds of components and it's really a um the supply demand has not worked well for us. So uh we have luck out this year we end up we were able to get the same thing we last year actually boosted up there component wise for freshman taking uh so we'll be looking at different models next year for the 2027 um year 2027 28 maybe not we'll find out at that point from what we know this is the last material map model.
031Couple of things that we've talked about in the past. Um that we ended up getting done then is uh we have gotten all of our uh switches and all the network closets. I don't think I've been back since we've done that. Those were updated here a while back. they uh in addition to being new, we've also doubled the pathways to them, which I'll talk about here in a second, but we'll fail over things. What we're looking at doing there when it goes out from our data center at the middle school out to all different places there. Um there's been about 50 of them or so. Uh the next step then we end up going into more of the course switches uh that we actually did those first goes out there backups. Uh all of those
032are also been upgraded and into the network. I say a little bit ago that we had an issue today that all of a sudden I had one network closet that was just taking out all kinds of notifications. We know when there's a um a power outage. So, which is great. Not awesome to see that come in at 11:30 at night or whatever, but wondering how long it's going to last. Well, we're able to do that kind of thing now that it's all integrated in there. The last we had talked to get ready for a new filter system, uh which is the bane of everyone's existence, including mine. just look in here on the staff or whatever. Um, we completely converted over to the new system. It is now cloud-based. Uh, we do not have a
033an appliance on site. Last year we had all the wireless devices over to that. This we were still toggling between a couple different filtering systems. This year we got everything finally over to that all the wire devices and everything. Um that was a pretty big undertaking which really appreciate the technical doing that. On a side note that we thought it was pretty well done and then we found out that some of the software offers last summer and so about twothird of the district we had to go back through and completely wipe out reimage and bring it back up. We thought we were done. So again, appreciate my getting on that. Uh there's been an ongoing uh I mentioned it a little bit ago. There's been an ongoing effort that we haven't see around here. Uh
034it starts with even our internet. We've got backup internet options here. There's too many things that we rely on with that. one goes down, the other one holds um holds fast that we end up doing too much uh bandwidth on one, it spills over to the other. So that helps with all the testing that we were dealing with. Um we just talked about a little bit ago to make sure that we're also with that. Um we doing that also then helps us to lower cost. uh we're not having to maintain as much uh physical hardware here. Windows server licensing. This is the first year that we're going to be able to really take advantage of that. We're just not going to have to buy as many licenses and that's a pretty chunk change there. Even
035the backup solution that we have, we have a pretty good backup solution. Um, but by reducing what we're going to maintain on site, we don't have to have as much storage on site or offsite. Everything is up off site. So, we've been able to reduce the the cost of that than this past year. And also, and we have more servers that will end up going that way in the future. Um, just kind of the way things are heading. So, some of them system here in a couple years will likely do that as well. a little nervous that phone system does. Um gamer system is another option there too. A lot of them are going that way. Uh speaking of the phone system, we also actually upgraded all of the software uh operating system on it.
036Got the licensing up last summer to get that so that it'll go through the end of life of the actual hardware here in three years. That was mainly all done in the background and a couple of quirks, but for the most part um most people haven't that all has happened and it actually continues to happen. There's still some tweaks that way. Uh the last part of that we're be able to do on the staff only day here in a couple of weeks. We get test calls out to 911. There are certain law and we bomb's law act that we have to do certain things in a public entity 911 dispatch has to be able to get information from us. So we're in a position to be able to test that kind of stuff out and
037um we're all good. It's just this will be better to run out of compliance right now. We've also, I think the last time I was here, we talked about the strategic system, which is the award system with the badges and trying to see where the light is here. There's a strobe right back there. Um, those are all upgraded over winter break. The strobe on now larger and brighter badges, new hardware gateways to go out uh for the alert account of the um strategic system outside of here. Um one of the nice things that happened with that is we didn't have to have all of the um there were little hubs about every two or three classrooms or the hallways taking up power um outlets. uh this new system, this upgrade to strategies, we were able
038to remove multiple so a lot of other things um lot of power outlets and they're not sitting right there pretty much cable by which this summer we'll be imaging hundreds of laptops. We do iPads set up for 8th grade to kindergarten um and for new students. So there's 100 plus of those that also uh are remaining on premises uh servers. We'll be updating the Windows on those uh into a more recent version of Windows server uh the current version on there will be going into life by January. So we'll be getting that done. One of the biggest things we're going to end up doing here won't be I mean it'll start this summer but it won't be finished this summer is we'll be replacing all of the access points the wireless access points in the
039district. It's about 180 of them. Um that was an project uh that were bid out were able to get get awarded. And speaking of E-Ray, that's another U department that we really need to give a shout out to as food service department. We can talk about that some other time, but it's a program that benefits us hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants money over course of, you know, the fiveear stretches. And it's all based on free and reduced lunch. And that all stems from what those ladies do, Aaron and Penny in particular, um, and what they do with the state and and how they keep their data on all of that. If they weren't on top of that kind of stuff, we wouldn't be harder for us to have internet here, let alone any
040of the other um, equipment between a rate you can use to buy equipment. um not the end user device but anything between that and the the internet including the internet that's all switches firewalls routers all of that kind of stuff so again there's a lot of interconnecting this year between different departments that you would never think of so appreciate that with them our new access points that we'll be putting in um we have the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology beyond sending that devices can But that gives us a little um I don't want to say future proofing when it comes to technology, but it does give us a little bit of an edge that way. We're able to turn that on in couple of years with these nice refreshments. So, um we also have couple dozen
041cameras that would have swapped out looking for possibility of updating those servers there. cameras that we put in. We're have to keep an eye out for the future on that because like I said, a lot of that is going to be cloud now. Also cameras themselves. We're going to have to have our feet in two different worlds there's future that way. So that's all I've got to time you guys are ready to get on with the business. But any questions? I know you really it's it just happened with the legislators as far as parents uh if they're wanting filter systems for when the their the laptop or whatever comes home. Have you had any chance to think about that yet? Yeah, the the system that we got uh that we went to last summer um
042does have that capability and um how we get it all looking and presented to them and um in a manner where they be able to uh actually use it uh you know this system that we found. So >> does it require an extension or That's great. >> The main thing is they're going to have to be able to log in with their own credentials. So believe that all comes into play next January remember. >> But you also have a if your system doesn't apply for that, you have a year extension. You're already on top of it. >> Yeah, we're we're lucky in that regard. Um, and we just got to hope that anything that is done at home, I mean, these are my worries that what what happens if something gets done at home and
043it doesn't refer back here like it's supposed to, which it is supposed to, you know, it's going to happen at some point. We'll see what ends up. Yeah, we our system will allow for that. >> And sound like is still going as strong as it was because there was some a period of time when there was some question about that. Uh about a year ago there there's actually some cases before the Supreme Court that we were a little worried about but seems like it's okay right now. We guess uh we started the next 5 years cycle. So we've got a chunk of that now while we got it. So >> it is a big help. >> Yeah. Oh, we couldn't do this without it. >> Yeah. Is there a strategy from going to the iPad
044to the the Dell laptop or or it's on an iPad and then they go straight to the Dell different operating systems. Right. >> It is the main thing we try to deal with with that is the one with the keyboard like we saying earlier to try to help with that. Um and it's the matter of >> using the programs themselves. So, um, now one of the big caveats with that though is if you guys deal with, you know, an iPad or even your phone, a lot of people don't know where anything is saved. >> Yeah. >> You know, and that that gets a little rough there. Um so we we need to be doing a little better job with that kind of thing. Now through the um through at least right now through uh the
045elementary they actually go to those lab once a week. >> So there's a little bit of that that happens. So there is a little there are some classes middle school but it's not you're right. It's not one to one. >> Yeah. Even when I go from my Apple to Adele, I'm like, where's that? Find it. Sometimes in the left. >> It's also good to have experience. It really is. >> You have a good job. I mean, things are changing constantly. So, thank you. >> It's a lot. >> Hey, Steve. What how many camera on the campus overall here? There's a number 200 500,000. There's about 215. Really? >> That's good. >> I was always going to keep an eye on you, Eric. >> I was at one school here in Adams County and I had
046to get my license and they took a picture of it for security and going into the school system and then I got a a name tag with my name and a picture. Now, the picture wasn't very great quality. Is that something that, you know, we think that we need for security purposes? We we looked at that a year or two ago maybe now um and talked with our SRO and we're kind of debated about it and to be honest we didn't know if it would be worth the expense of the way our buildings are set up that people can't go anywhere until they get the okay. >> Yeah. >> Um >> not going to say it would never be I mean worthwhile to do something like that but we we did look into a couple
047of systems >> a year and a half or two years ago. we have a pretty secure campus as far as secure building entry. So I think for schools that it probably was more cost effective than having to do a renovation to create a secure entrance. Um really no one goes past our offices unless we're escorting them or giving visitor badges and things, but >> I've been there too and it's an interesting >> Yeah, >> we are thanks to a parent kind of wrestling to our attention. We are likely going to move to a swipe in and out on our bus so that parents will be able to have an app on their phone if their child's a bus rider and they'll use their ID of some type to swipe in so that we know that
048they are on the correct bus and swipe out when they leave so that parents will get be able to look at where they got off at if they happen to get off or something or parents trying to track where is their child or where's the because sometimes, you know, wind damage or there's a bridge out or whatever, how long's it going to be or so and so gets whatever. So, with our probably looking into doing that in the fall, just try to add another layer of making sure kids are where they're supposed to be and getting off where they're supposed to get off. >> And that system you're talking about, they also store that. >> Okay. So when you if you would have to visit again, it just pops right up. >> Yeah. >> So
049just know you're in that system. >> Anything else? >> Appreciate your time. >> Thank you. >> Uh we're going to move on to old business. Um, one of the policies from last month, policy 611. >> So, this was the one I didn't give you another copy of it, but basically it's what the state board of accounts identified that we needed to change a little word from the superintendent would basically determine what compliance was with internal controls to the state. We would comply with whatever the statements were internal controls. So that was the only change just to again get compliant with what our recent audit correct vaccines. Uh do we have a motion to accept policy >> a motion by second by Jill to accept the policy 611. All in favor say I. I >> oppose
050same sign pass by zero. >> Uh we're going to move on to new business and this is just a first reading some policies. So no action. >> So I'll try to go quickly. Um we're still trying to clean up some of our policies. And again in whenever you have a the long legislative session in 25 um had over a hundred policies between April and September revisions or updates that we're still trying to clean up and then just stuff I've missed over the years. So um the first policy 58.95 is just a resension because schools no longer have to provide work permits. We have we did one last year because a student was coming from a school in Ohio um and was working here. So, we still had to do one for Ohio, I think. Um
051maybe I had it backwards. Maybe they go here, but we're going to work in Ohio. That's probably what it was. We still have to do a work permit for them. But other than that, we don't have to do those any longer. Um which is good for the kid and um makes office open, keeping office open a little bit easier. Um then after that are the revisions. So we have 8390 about animals on school property. So this is trying to make some bigger distinctions between what is a service animal, what is an emotional support animal, and what is a certified therapy animal and when those are allowable on school property and what methods you have to go through or or protocols you have to go through to get any of those accepted. if you're willing to
052accept all of those. Again, um there's a big distinction lit legally between an emotional support animal and a certified therapy dog that can become very important for public entities. So, that is something I would encourage you to read through some of that. You may have strong opinions one way or the other. Um then the next policy that we're going to talk about is 845. This one has not a lot of changes. This one is just had to add some language to address preschool and child care facility and drinking water testing. So that's pretty much all that really changed there. That whenever you run a childare or prek, you have to have some additional water testing or make sure you've done XYZ on water testing. 8451 really is just finally updating this policy. Um, so instead
053of head lice, it now is addressing head lice and bed bed bugs and they're calling them parasitic infestations instead of headlight. Um, so a lot of just verb verbiage changes, but also um identifying our policy with headlights has been and I recommend continue to be a no live bug policy. We accept kids back with NIPS. Um, health department is very clear. American Association of Pediatricians, School Nurse Association. These are nuisances, but they're not a harm to anyone. Um, so again, head lice is something we will call a parent, ask them to come pick the child up, talk about education of how to rid themselves in their home. bed bugs. We will seal the bug and the students belongings, ask parent to pick them up, educate them, and ask for whatever assistance they might need in
054addressing the bed situation and monitor. Um, and then as a school, we'll obviously do whatever we need to do as far as notification of families contacting any um, extermination program, especially with a bed bug. We usually will try to be very relaxed on what we do, but I can tell you we've had a recent situation with one a few months ago at this point. Um, and we do follow whatever are considered best practices. So, they they expect you to do it 48 hours without anyone in the building. So, it usually has to be done on a weekend or over a break or something like that. But, um, policy 8462, this one is just kind of expanding um, who is responsible for reporting child abuse and neglect. It's already been addressed in many other policies. Staff
055um really staff classified professional administrator. This is I think more contracted employees kind of coaching things like that. But it also includes the new legislative item that we have to report it to law enforcement of crime suspected of having happened as well as potentially DCS. Um policy 7540.0 02 digital content and accessibility. Again, a lot of verbiage changes um uses and includes revisions from a policy to reflect the US Department of Justice final rule under title 2 ABA requirements um for digital content that we put out, which we've been doing already with our website. have to make sure these are accessible to folks who might have different needs and accessing information whether it's um tags on pictures and alternative text and things like that. Um, and we've been doing much of that. Policy A455, coach
056training references IHSA reporting. Again, this is reiterated in many other policies we've already approved. This is just one that I had renewed all of or I've gone through all of our policies that were bylaws up through this 5,000s and now this is in that second half of 6,000s to the 8,000. So, this is just another reiteration of that as far as coaches and um so cardiac cardiac arrest training, concussion training, um the type of extracurricular activities that that falls under and then reporting incidents to the IHSA policy 8800. Again, this is one of those 8000s. This is dealing with displaying the national motto. Um house rule act 10 1066 that had some specific guidelines if you were going to display that and how it needed to be displayed. Again, we're just updating policy. It's not
057been an issue one way or the other. Policy 6220, a lot of strikethroughs on this one of just verbiage changes. Um but there are certain things that are not now required as part of the budget preparation piece. That just kind of goes through those. Again, it's very legislation driven. Policy 7455 accounting for has a typo. Sorry. Accounting for capital assets explains what capital asset is cross references with another policy um addresses the correct um part of the state board of accounts that addresses capital assets. So again, not very exciting reading, but a lot of financial information. 6230 budget hearing. Basically, this just clarifies that the budget that you folks have to approve, how it has to be available to the public, where it has to be available, and um what is included in the form
058that the public would have access to. Policy 8220. Um this is talking about, and again, this has been we've been doing this for a while. This is just the language in our policy. What constitutes a virtual school day or e-learning day for us. That would make it allowed to count toward the 180 student days that were required for us is basically you get three what we call asynchronous days before it counts against you. But if you're doing e-learning and it's simultaneous um instruction with students, live instruction, synchronous we call it, it counts for 300 8600 transportation. This is something I want you to spend some time reading through because there are some points that are going to be part of some discussion um along with our transportation budget. It changes some definitions of what consider
059appropriate vehicles to be transporting students. Um so not just buses, it talks about many buses. It talks about other corporation vehicles and what may be used and what allowances they may have in order to transport a student and for what reasons we could we could transport a student. Policy 8121, another personal background check. Once again, we've done probably four or five other ones dealing with personal background checks. This is in the 8000s. Um, this is just upgrading a lot of cross references with many of the other policies we've already done and uses the same language policies we've already done. So, that's going to be very quick run through of what this policy packet is. Any questions? As always, if you read through it and you have questions, comments, recommendations, please just call me, email me,
060whatever. We'll go through it. >> Not one year all. So, we're going to move on to our next item, approval of re resolution of additional appropriation. >> So, my initial comments maybe weren't exactly accurate. Um, Beth gave me a little more information. So, just a reminder, appropriation means that we what we were given permission to spend. It's not how much money we have, it's what how much of our money we were given permission to actually spend on something. And so with the bonds we have done when when we did the budget last year, we didn't ask permission to spend enough money in order to pay our bonds payments out. And so Beth is just asking to increase that appropriation. We just send it into the state, but this is one of those steps we have
061to do to increase that amount so that we can have enough money to spend to pay our payments. There's plenty of money there to do it. We just need to up how much they say we can spend on those things. >> Any questions on this recommendation? Do I have a motion to approve this resolution of additional appropriation? >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> I'll second. Motion by Jill, second by Wy to approve the resolution of additional appropriations that are presented. Those in favor say I. sign and post that five is zero. >> Um, next we'll have approval of the 2026 27 preschool rates. >> So when we talked about this last time, several of you asked me to try to come up with some type of sliding scale. So you see kind of
062four different scenarios there. Again, the example one is what I call the break even parallel. Knowing about what our expenses have been in the past year or so, what I predicted them to be. Um, what would it take to bring in enough revenue with full pay alone to at least break even? We thought that might be too much. Um, even though it's still I I will say at just over $100, it's still hugely less expensive than I would say any of our counterparts in this area. But again, um, we want to be stewards for our community and try to be a um, a help, not a hindrance. So, you have at the bottom what a much lower rate would be. Again, right now our pay is $48 a week. Um, with on my way prek
063basically going away, the state did put something out last year or last week that they're only going to probably have 2,500 vouchers to give the entire state, which may as well translate to we're not going to have any vouchers. They probably finishing up the ones that are currently um in place, hoping they may get renewed if done in a timely manner, but I they're not going to be giving out very many at all. And so the bottom example is if we go with still a little bit more than what we're currently charging, especially if we consider doing a full day, which right now the feedback we're getting from the folks we've heard from so far and preschool roundup in person is not until next week, two weeks, sometime the next week to two weeks. um
064we might that might skew things, but right now it's appearing to me that more of a full day is preferred. Um so that's kind of a lower rate. My recommendation is to again approve a half day rate and a full day rate um with the full day full pay for full day being $85 a week. Then the next recommendation for folks who qualify for reduced lunch as well as our staff is $60 a week and those who qualify for free run free lunch being $40 a week on a full day. Um, I also did a sliding scale if we would continue with the half day rate and that full pay would be 50. 35 for reduced eligible families and staff and 25 for those who qualify for free lunch. Um, I'm going to take this
065moment depending upon who may be listening and I'm going to put something out to the community because of the information about vouchers is getting out and many people are starting to realize they're not likely going to be available. We are hearing more and more of folks hearing they're just going to have to choose to not put their kids in prek. And I would really intrigue every family no matter what. If you have a preschool eligible child, they need to come you need to come to Preschool Roundup and we will do our best to work with every individual family. We want your child in a quality prek program more than we want the money for prek. PreK again the pro we we still have to pay teachers, we have to pay paras. We have to pay
066electric and all those things. But it is more important for us to have a kid who is ready for kindergarten, especially with third grade mandatory retention now looming. We are starting literacy instruction with three-year-olds. Um, again, it's very developmentally appropriate. They're not going to come home reading a book. They're just learning to that words have sounds that can be broken apart, but those are all crucial steps to help them get ready and to be able to hit the ground running to learn to read by third grade so that they can be promoted to fourth grade. Again, I I beg, don't think it's inaccessible if you can't get a voucher or if it has some cost to it that we can't work with you in some way to make sure your child is getting a quality
067preschool education. It's just crucial more so than I think it ever was um for kids to be in preschool. So, please don't don't count yourself out. Give us a chance to try to work with you to get get your kid access to to this program. So, that was my um my my rant, I guess, or my my my begging plea. Um my recommendation is to go that middle of the road. Um and it kind of shows you what we potentially could make if we would have an enrollment of 80. Again, the last three years we've had over 90 enrolled. So, I'm making trying to do this on some conservative numbers. We're still going to be operating at a deficit with that program. We have for years, wy probably I can tell you we have forever,
068right? A little bit. Um, a lot of it. And um, but again, I think that's how important we say it is is that it's just something. It's an investment to what we're doing on down the line because we're either going to pay for it now in the prek or have to pay for it with extra supports and extra staffing to support students who need interventions down the line. So, we'd rather have the kids when they're confident and kindergarten ready and feel like they can compete and doing what they're there to do instead of of trying to catch up later. very reasonable. Definitely not a money maker, but clearly the focus is on the students and I I think it's wonderful. >> Yeah, I think priorities are in the right place. >> So any other discussion
069on this recommendation? So full full day rate is 60 and 40 and then half day rates are 15 and I guess the allowance that I would ask you is again without having had preschool roundup not knowing our final numbers not knowing the parents final preferences you're basically approving both rates um but the allowance would be if we have high higher interest in full day, we take the full day rate. If we don't have an interest in full day um and I'm not saying there's not an opportunity to do both, but it is because of scheduling with staff, it's going to be largely a one or the other. Um but if we stay half day, then at least we have both rates decided, we can present that to parents and say if you go full day
070or if we have a full day program, this is what it's going to be. If we have a half day program, this is what it's going to be. um when we have preschool round up because they'll ask if they expect that one or the other >> more than likely going to be one or the other. Again, we'll see what numbers come out. Um but we have to be able to staff and that's going to be the kicker. >> Is this what you told me I can't vote on? >> This is the one because you're virtual and it's an increase in fee. You would not be able to vote on it since you're virtual. Thanks for that. >> Thank you for a motion. So yes, is there a motion app to approve the 20 26 2027
071prek rates of the half day uh rate of a full 50 or or for the full day rate of 85 60 or 40 based on numbers. >> I'll make that motion. So motion by WY, second by Darling. Any other questions? Uh, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Same sign, those opposed. Passes four to zero. So next we are going to have our superintendent report. >> So there's been a lot happening here in the last few weeks. Um, just some things I wanted to comment upon. So, we talked a little bit in last week's superintendent's report about our best child care. Again, losing the on my way prek and CCDF vouchers has made that extremely difficult to think we're going to be able to continue that. We did have some parents reach out
072after that board meeting and after we sent out some information um asking us to reconsider summer which we did and after um sending out an individual survey to those staff who have used child care we were going to be able to offer summer child care. We have enough people um who have been committed to um making their payments and and working with us that we think we will break even on that and and may be fine there. Um, however, I I still don't think we're going to be able to do a whole lot during the school year. There's still some conversations about, again, pre-K round up, kindergarten, some of our primary. We'll see where numbers end up, but child care was definitely much more difficult to try to reach a break even. And I I
073don't feel like that's something we can take a loss on. prek. I I can argue that one, but the child care is not something I think we can take a loss on. So, um we're probably not going to be able to offer child care next starting next fall just because of the lack of voucher support. Um there's still some discussion. Could we do something for staff children at least until 3:30 to get the contract time so that they could go to meetings and whatever? That's probably sustainable. Um, but other than that, we're probably going to have to make a break with child care after this summer. Wanted to remind all of you, we do have an executive session May 13th from 4 to 8. We're going to have a work day, talk about a lot
074of things with um things happening with the buildings and the new new accountability system, the new high school graduation. um get an update on our finances from um talk about operations and what's happening all things operations, transportation, custodians, maintenance, all the things that cost money and make priorities about what what needs to happen next. Um spring sports obviously are getting started up and just like always in spring the rain comes and then it's a matter of makeup days. So that's what I think Tim and Erin spend a lot of their time is rescheduling. Prom was last weekend and I think the kids had a great time from what I've heard and said everyone said it was beautiful. Um Hunger Games the high school had that the week after spring break and went over for that
075for a little while and that was super fun as always. Kids did a great job and had a good time with that. Kindergarten and prek roundup again are still subjects are still ongoing. Don't ever think just because you may have missed a survey or whatever. Um, and prek roundup is still coming up. I should have had that date on here. I think it's in two weeks. May 24th is our last flex day. That's no school for students, but staff have professional development. And I know a lot of our K to8 folks look forward to donuts with gruntups. And that will be May 1st. And I think there's just now starting to be some information go out for folks to get registered for that. Make sure you have your spot. Um, I'm probably forgetting something, but
076that's all I have for right now. Oh, we did do the state of the schools address while he was there at the Chamber of Commerce. That was yesterday. >> Yeah, just yesterday. >> It went very well. Disappointed. The crowd was not very large, but >> that's all right. But >> but still, >> and you she did a great job and certain messages that needed to be out there was expressed. Any other matters come before the board, >> board members or public comments? Uh I have first thing is I did tonight share this which is a question the answer on elected school board. Um, one of the the update that legislators did concerning this is there is now a guidance for the ballot in what order it will be placed with the parties first um and
077then going to uh nonpartisan at at the bottom. But it is you have to go clear to the end. You can't just do a straight party vote. >> Yeah, you have to vote specifically for for that. Um and u also um the wireless communication as we've been talking about uh it go through um and uh with the note that parents uh can request a a filtering system or be accessible for when the the unit the device is at home. Um also, um uh contracts that school corporation enters into now cannot have an automatic renewal language. If it's like a three-year contract, then at the end of the three years, it's going to have to be renegotiated. Uh that's something there. um uh patriotic organizations can make presentations which they have in the past but the
078addition here now is that they don't feel like they're being granted that opportunity they can report it to the department of education also um share Um um this is something for payroll. Uh teacher retirement can now be paid out of uh the teacher application grant. That's an addition. And then you also have this which has some more detailed um language um in it. Um the one of the things I wanted to point out which is on page 26 the access to public records that come finalized. you talked about about that one that really prevents the fishing and prevents digital uh entities out there trying to uh do that and you can also if it's a request from out of state you can charge for that. Now on page 27 I'm I'm pointing this out. This
079is on the Indianapolis public education how they now have another board. And the reason I'm pointing it out, it doesn't specifically impact us now, but could this be some groundwork for the future? >> I think it is. There's already 25 legislation legislative session three schools in Indiana or three districts in Indiana who are participating in a pilot program. What that was they just forced it with IPS. >> Yeah. So uh and uh and then on page 32 does um some it first provides authority to pull a joint meeting with another school board within the boundaries of one of the school corporations. So what this means is in the past we could hold a meeting at different locations as long as it was within the school district. Now you can hold a joint meeting with another
080school board like in their district or they can come to this district again and Kim can speak to this. This looks like some foundational work for consolidation and begin those kind of discussions. Um I won't read the you can read the rest here. Um u one of the very last ones in the past if a teacher resigns like during the uh school year you could hold them for 30 days before they left to give you a chance to replace them. This removes that. There is no legal way to do that. that kind of highlights a lot of what happened. And I think Kim may have some other things there. >> I think 1242 was something I shared with folks who were at the chamber of commerce and I think I shared with you folks maybe
081last week. That is the bill that um is requiring the local or department of local government finance and the DOE to complete two different studies by this December before the next legislative session. one is to look at um basically it'll come to it'll conclude how much property tax revenue per student every school district is earning and it will look to create what the median is I think is the word they use not just average across the state of Indiana with the goal that no one should have below the median number which is great but I'm concerned concerned that it might also be because they also ask what are our recommendations for how to get the funds to bring everyone up. It might be that everyone above that median might lose and that's what I hope
082does not happen. Those rates were set back in the 70s and never got adjusted. Um one of the few financial things that we did capitalize off of. We did have a a fairly high rate compared to other schools in the state. um it would be an extremely large deficit if we would have to lose that to go down to what we anticipate the medium may be would be very devastating for operation. So that is something we are advocating for um or advocating that there's some hold no fault or hold no foul um for those of us who may be over it. Um, the other piece was they want to look at county populations and rank order counties by their population, the number of districts in that population, the number of students in each district in
083that county and then look at some other indicators of student success and that will be to create thresholds and and natural breaks in determining I predict their thoughts on consolidation and what needs to move forward with with them, which they've talked about that the last legislative session at first the number they put forth was counties to 50 or 30 35,000 was the first one and well that caught a lot of counties then it was increased to 50,000. Um so my guess is again I think we would be safe in the first wave as Adam County. I'm not sure if there's a second wave. I do know there's already been some identification that there's three districts in a relatively small county. So, we'll see where it goes. >> Yeah. But there are legislators asking why Adams
084County has three schools. >> How fast is that moving? >> I have a feeling there'll be something passed this next legislative session. something the groundwork's been laid like with these boards that's the first step is they have they want to receive recommendations on administrative efficiencies is the terminology they use so um is there any opportunity to share transportation services for example is there any opportunity to consolidate administrative offices so instead of three superintendent is there a way to just have one superintendent and one administrative office doing finances. I'm sure there is. Um I don't think they're thinking about the middle management that would have to be added because you're talking about a whole new level of workload 500,000 >> if that. So, I don't know. That's where they're starting, but that's where these oversight boards
085are happening is that I think the ultimate goal in my personal opinion is they want one one board over the county schools. Even if they say they're still separate districts and then when decisions come that require financial decisions, if a school needs a lot of work done, for example, well, I think then the conversation naturally goes when there's not an affiliation with one particular district, what do we need to do to be cost effective and manage our our monies the best and that's when consolidation discussions are being happen. >> Yeah, that's >> well they they made one step for libraries in our state that for when it comes to budget time if it reaches a certain threshold the that budget has to go to county council for final approval. Um so there's lots of things
086going >> I think there's a lot of local government consolidation. There's some push back on township government and trying to >> reduce some of that and some cost efficiencies there. So, it's not just in schools. It just >> I don't think it's going to move slowly. It won't be in a year. I don't I hope not. But but then again, you have to remember they closed one school system without any conversation. Now, that's still in litigation. And I just saw a letter from their superintendent today that they're enrolling for next year, but the end of next year is supposed to be the end for them by >> what happened in 2025. And then what are the logistic for school board elections and how that works? >> Very complicated. It's moving fast. I think just to
087be prepared and be an advocate for your school district >> whenever you can. >> Absolutely. And we all have different opinion on how things should go and decisions should be made, but at the end of the day, you have to look at the positives you get too and you want your kids to have a stake in the game. You want to continue the programs you've become used to and the services you've become used to. >> Anything else?