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. >> So, first item on the agenda, we award a lot of them. Great. Okay. So, the first group that we are going to honor tonight are our middle school girls cross country team. So, this is the team that usually, again, I'm sure you've heard you are the sport that most pe other people punish their athletes with, right? You you have killed it this year. And so we are really proud of you and have worked really hard as a team to better your scores. So coaches have given me a little bit of information to brag on y'all a little bit. So the Belmont girls team had a very
002strong regular season winning the Salina and Belmont Invitationals. They were runner up at the South Adams Invitational where they hit the state standard time and set the school record for fastest girls team averaging 12 minutes 12 seconds per runner and beating the previous best by 9 seconds per runner which is awesome for each one of you despite it being the hottest race of the season because we did have a really hot August and September, right? Maybe tough, right? Um, and coming off a tough conference meet just days prior, the middle school girls team finished fourth out of the field of 46 teams and 457 runners in the small school division to earn a spot on the state championship podium in an all state distinction. >> So for going to state and representing so well ladies,
003that was amazing. We have some certificates for that. And so we're going to start out with Savannah Zimmerman who was 26. We'll have we'll have you line up. So Savannah placed 26. She ran a 11 minute 56 second, which was just 89 seconds from being an all-star medalist. So great job Savannah. Next we have Charlotte Glenn. and she placed 73rd with 12 minutes 31 seconds. Next we have Addie Miller. Addie placed 117th with 12 minutes 59 seconds. Bristol Sherry placed 144th with 13 minutes 13 seconds. LINDA LEE placed 212 with 13 minutes 41 seconds and Kinley GLEASON placed 2341st with 13 minutes 51 seconds. And we have Kay Redki. A couple things we're going to talk about. Stay up here. K. So Kate placed 12th overall again at 457 runners with a time of 11
004minutes. Hold on, you're 35 seconds. And so Kay was also our all-state medalist and she came in, she was coming off a sixth grade season where she had swept cross country, the mile and the 800 meter and um in the NE8 championships or conference and showing a lot of growth in your mental toughness and having to figure out how to battle all season. You you won three invitationals, set the all-time Belmont record of 11 minutes 13 seconds, and finished 12th at the state meet, improving your place from last year where you also qualified. OKAY, Christie here tonight and Christy, coach, come on up. Christy Ble is our girls coach. you want to talk about about the girls and how hard they worked? >> It was definitely a fun season. Um, I loved coaching each and
005every one of them. So, it was awesome. Awesome season. So, enjoyed it. >> I'm sure you guys supported each other and pushed each other hard. Great job. So again, do you have anything that you can give as what you would say is sage advice in all your seventh grade, seven years of school here um about what it takes to really achieve that? And again, you're in a sport that's hard to persevere through, right? What would you say? Have any advice? Keep running. Well, they're quiet. They have their nose down. Well, ladies, congratulations. NATALIE, our boys team also did really well and the BMS boys team were our first conference champions in school history at middle school level and were just one second away from being the fastest team in school history. So, great job guys.
006At the state meet, they competed in the field of 584 runners. I can't even imagine running in with that big a crowd and 62 teams in the small school division and a hard fut hard fought u victory to earn 10th place overall which is still extremely commendable. We had a couple gentlemen distinguish themselves in that meet and is only are only one of them. >> Yeah, Frank isn't here. >> Okay. Well, we'll talk about the gentleman who is here. So, Emit Glenn, come on up. So, Coach Ays tells me that you didn't even know you were a runner before all this got. He just caught him at lunch one day and said, "I know you and you need to run cross country." Boy, was he right. So, eighth grader Glit Glenn and Frank Heyman, who
007can't be here tonight, were both team captains and finished individually as champion and runner-up champion at the NE8 meet, beating the rest of the field by 30 seconds. >> Wow. >> Both finished in the top 25 to earn all state distinctions. EMTT, you were the small school state individual champion with a time of 9 minutes 55 seconds, only 9 seconds off your best time of 9 minutes 45 seconds, which was the alltime Belmont record. So, congratulations. Frank was seventh overall. Stay up there for a minute. Frank, even though he can't be here, we're gonna say he was seventh overall and nearly said his personal best despite really hot conditions at state, right? >> So, do you have any I'm gonna put you on the spot. Have any commentary about what it takes to be great
008at what you choose to do? >> What it takes to be great? I mean, there's a bunch of factors, but I say you have to have to have a good team. I think you have to have your friends on there, have to have amazing coaches, and I'd say relationship with God is the most important. Great. We're very proud of you. Thank you. Coach Ays can come out from behind his communications director spot for a moment. >> Thank you, Justin. You've done a great job. Do you have anything you want to say about your team or EMTT and Frank in particular? >> Yeah, I'll say something about the girls first. Um, we had a big goal that we did not achieve at a conference meet and I was really really scared going into state cuz I
009was worried they might just pack their bags and fold it in and from the gun they were just completely different people. Um, the best thing about these girls is that um they're not just fast. Um, every girl up here has been a student of the month at some point at Belmont uh or at St. Joe or makes the honor roll consistently. So, they are um outstanding people. Yeah, I'm really nervous right now. They're just outstanding people. And like to put in perspective how great this girls team is, like they would have made the high school regional. That's how gifted they are as athletes. And maybe not, you know, state yet, but I mean, considering you guys are pretty much seventh graders and an eighth grader, like you guys can do great things. um they care
010about their legacy and what they mean to Belmont and to the school and you don't see that much um among kids their age. So that's awesome. Um and I could say a lot of I don't really need to say much cuz I think you already know, you know what I mean? Um I admire you so much just as a human being. Um, the best thing I know about EMTT is that the kid wins the state championship and instead of celebrating, he circles back to all his disappointed teammates to make sure they're okay. And that was unbelievable. You're just a great human. I admire you and your relationship with the Lord so much. And so, congratulations. You deserve it. We are very proud of all of you that you represented Belmont well your families well our
011community well congratulations and we look forward to seeing what happens next season right so as much as you guys are welcome to stay because our board meetings are thrilling right if you have other um things that you need to get to you're more than welcome picture. >> Oh, Justin does want to take a picture. Where do you want to do that, Justin? >> I have no idea. Um, >> it's dark now. >> Let's do >> Yeah, girls, you just want to stand up there and just >> Yeah, it stand in the middle. It'll be perfect. down like where Charlotte has it. Kind of try to keep it at that level. Is there Savannah? >> All right. Three, two, one. Look at me. Thank you again and thank you for coming folks. All right, >> we'll
012move on to Okay. Um, consensus items, I don't have a whole lot to say except that I do want to note that we have sixth grade girls and boys basketball back on the schedule after several years of of not being able to do that. And we are very thankful for um the folks who have agreed to coach it. Abby Bowers is coaching the girls and Justin Lingridge is closely coaching the boys. So, we're excited to have that back on our roster. >> Also want to say a big thank you to Ramon Fabriano. Um Ramon has been with us on and off for a lot of years as custodian and he is always a very welcoming, positive um gentleman and we want to wish him his official retirement and wish him the best. He's retired from
013here one other time and came back. Um, so hopefully he gets to truly retire this time. >> Any questions or comments or motion to approve? >> Motion by Joel and Sarah. Second. I know. I don't know why I just saw Joe. Sorry. Second by Darene. Motion by Joel. Seconded by Darlene to approve the consensus items as presented. All those in favor announce by saying I. >> I. Oppose. Same sign. Approved six to zero. Next up we have a program update with Sean Fau Timers and Aaron Baker to talk about girls. So, this was at a different point in your agenda, but since tonight's the start of the girls basketball season, Erin asked if you could try to move him and put him and Sean up on the agenda. So, um I know that all three
014of them have different pieces they want to add to this, but you do have a packet in front of you that Aaron kind of put together just some basic information about um consideration to add a girls wrestling team, >> which is now a IHSA sanction. Correct. Yeah. So, I'll just start with um just the proposal to add this um much like the boys volleyball that we did last spring. Um we do a three-year trial to see how things go, see where our participation is, see how it uh works with our our boys team. Um, but while I think boys volleyball was was impactful, um, I think girls wrestling has a a potential to be bigger, more impactful just because there's only two sports in the winter with basketball and swimming. Um, so this is another
015opportunity to get a whole new group of girls that aren't participating in something right now to find something that they can be passionate about and and successful in. Um, and following in the footsteps of um, as as Kim says, one of our flagship programs, the boys wrestling team. Um, you know, I think I think it has great potential to be very successful. Um, did a call out meeting in November. Um Sean kind of um ran that. So I'll let him talk about the numbers and the interest that we showed. But um at this point in time, I would like to try and get this um for next next winter um have a team up and going and and participating in some some meetings next winter if we can potentially do that. So three-year trial run
016just to see how it drives with uh the boys team, see what our interest is um all of those kinds of things. The last thing I want it to do is is affect our boys program. So, um I don't think it will. Um I think we have support from our guys wrestling team. So, um that's that's just something that we want to watch uh in this trial here to see how things go. Um so, excited to get it going. Um hopefully we can start competing in that as well. >> And you have had a parent, at least a parent reach out to you. >> Yes. Yeah. Uh she's a current eighth grader, so will be in high school next year. Very passionate about it. Tim and Sean could probably talk more about her, but she's
017always in the wrestling room, always competing. She's going to different tournaments um successful um as far as I know. So very passionate about it. Um as a matter of fact, she wasn't um the best of students um and didn't particularly like to come to school. um found wrestling and loves loves it, loves school, understands the impact that wrestling has done for her. Um turned her grades around. So, uh it's a it's a it's a wonderful success story. So, >> yeah. >> And could you talk just real quickly about how many other schools in our conference area have >> All of our other conference schools have girls wrestling. So, we are the only NE8 school that doesn't have Central South Adams do not. Um, but we are the only NE8 school that does not have girls
018wrestling at this point in time. Norwell is starting it this winter. So they were they and us for the last two. So we've had female wrestlers before, right? >> Correct. Yeah. Correct. Three, four years ago >> playing that a little bit now that it's sanctioned by the IHSAA. What new restrictions are put on? So yeah, they have to compete on a girls team only if you were grandfathered in or or wrestled um in the state tournament two years ago. >> I think um you were grandfathered in last year, but I think now this year everybody has to wrestle in the girls tournament and they have a separate um state tournament. Um they have separate meets, they have separate invites um so they will have to compete um at at the girls level. So numbers wise,
019it's going to I mean two for sure. Um so that they can uh practice against each other, but we certainly like to have more than that. Um you know, find another coach that can be responsible and coach them um while the guys can still do their thing. Um we're going to have to be creative with the room at this point in time. Um depending on how many numbers there are, but um you know, I think I think we can work those kinds of things out. that they want to wrestle with girls. They can practice in the room with the boys at the same time, but when they're when they're practicing, whatever, they need to they need to have a girls partner. >> I'll let these guys kind of talk Sean talk about numbers or Tim,
020but um I I'll talk a little bit about this is one of the fastest growing sports and and I think one of the reasons was we have had a couple of females truly wrestle. We've had we've had more than a few dip their foot in the water and try it, but it's really it was really hard when they were competing with boys against boys. Um it wasn't traditionally a female sport and um we've only had two girls that stuck it out and practiced in our room. They had each other, which luckily they had each other to wrestle with. Um but it was it was really difficult on a lot of from a lot of perspectives. one, we have a a varsity wrestling team, a junior varsity wrestling team, and as long as we had two
021girls when they started to have their own events, it's really hard to split the coaching staff, you know, three ways um on some on some given event. So, I really feel that girls wrestling won't grow here if it doesn't have its own coach. If it doesn't have its own program, um I I don't I don't think you'll you'll see it grow, but it is growing because these opportunities are growing. So, I think we're a wrestling interested community. We get a lot of support here. Um I think we do have they do have their own coach and they do have their own practices. Um like Aaron said, they can practice with us, but our rooms like tonight we're pretty full of running into each other already. It's it's a hard situation um to do that. So
022if we we have, you know, if they have their own program, I think it it can really take off. We did a call out meeting. Well, it's more of anational meeting with sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. The girls came in as with their sixth grade lunch group and the seventh grade and eighth grade. They met with um one of our former students, Andre Hernandez. She wrestles at Indiana Tech. She's a senior there. She's wrestled for four years there. One of her teammates, Aubrey Coons, came and spoke to the girls. And I thought they did a great job. They talked about uh what wrestling has meant to them. Uh they talked about really, especially that wrestling is for everybody. They talked about body. They showed the girls on their team that, you know, they have a
023100 pounder and they have a 205 pounder, I think, is their highest weight class. and they talked about the girls on their team being from all different walks of life and backgrounds and body shapes and sizes. And I think the girls that they talked to really got excited about that. Um like Aaron said, there's basketball and they're swimming and there's some girls that I'm sure feel left out like I'm not built for that. I'm not built for that. Um and there were a lot of these girls that were really excited. So we haven't done our high school call out meeting yet, but middle school I again I sent you the list of girls. I think there were close to 50 girls. Um probably more sixth graders than seventh graders, more seventh graders than eighth graders.
024they're probably a little more set in what they're already doing. Um, but one of the questions, well, set of questions we asked them was, uh, would you be interested in finding out more about wrestling? Um, Andrea and her teammate offered to do some camps throughout the year. They're heading into their practice season right now, but they said they would come back and do some free camps, bring some more um, teammates with them, um, rest, possibly wrestle in high school. And there was close to 50 girls that said, "Yes, we want to know more. We want to find out more." And that's just from sixth, seventh, eighth grade. And obviously we know all 50 of those girls are not going to come out and save the team, but it's it has a lot of interest for
025our first time talking about this as a possibility. So it's pretty exciting. >> And Andrea is interested in coaching. Obviously, we would go through the whole process of interviews and post it and then interviews and see, but she's certainly interested in coaching, wants to come back to Belmont and get to the program that was so impactful to her. So, she talked to the girls that wrestling changed her life. It changed her um how she thought about herself, how she thought about life, how she like where she is, what she, you know, probably wouldn't have gone to college, wouldn't have been able to travel all over the country and wrestle and make new friends. And uh when I when we talked to her about like would you be interested in helping start this, she said it
026would be a dream come true. So, there is interest. Obviously, there's a process for hiring and everything, but there's interest in somebody starting program. Um, I would just add it to uh I'm embarrassed to say that when these girls first came out for the middle school team, I'm talking Andrea and Trinity Coin. I was not a big fan. >> And I will be honest about that because I did not know that their intentions were the best. I thought that it was possibly some girls just wanting to be around the boys and this and that. And it took them a while to win me over. But my goodness, did they win me over and those girls, even though it was not sanctioned, uh, ended up being multiple time state placesers. And even a couple years ago,
027it was still big. >> It just wasn't sanctioned by the HSA. It should have been. Uh, but those girls spent so much time in our room even in the summertime. And as I said, they eventually worn me over because they just kept doing what we were doing. >> And I did not see that coming. >> I thought they're going to fizzle out once they break up with a boyfriend or something like they won't come. But they kept coming and they kept coming. that kept coming and they proved that they wanted to do this for and what it did for their lives that they will tell you how it changed their lives. And um their youth wasn't the easiest growing up. Um, there were some hardnosed girls who channeled that in a positive direction. And Trinity
028is now a firefighter. Where is she? She's >> I think uh >> in Hob. Okay. >> And Andrea, her resume right now. >> Oh my gosh. She's she's she's finishing her degree in criminal justice four year degree. Um she's been three times in the national tournament. Uh she's been one match away from being an all-American >> and uh just I'm so proud of her. >> Yes. >> In the guard, right? >> What's that? >> Army. >> Oh, yes. And just Yeah. finished boot camp in AIT for Army National Guard >> and and leaders. She wouldn't want me, right? The leadership awards um that she won in the Army and and the great thing was she told the girls uh her army training was easy after everything she'd done in wrestling. she may not feel like
029I mean it meant a lot to her in a lot of different ways. So it just uh with those two just proves that when they set their mind to it what they can do and they're they have their picture hanging on us >> and uh it's pretty neat that they have their own two spots and awful proud of them and it's just neat that it's just a a hint of what it could do for a lot of girls in the future. How do you see the boys program and girls? >> Well, in the grand scheme of things, I love the idea because I think it helps every more people talk about wrestling indicator. They love it enough. A vast I don't know if I want to say majority, who knows? But I I know there's
030uh so many people that love the sport and then to have uh an additional group of kids. I I think it's good for the community. How does it go hand in hand with our program? That there in lies the question. Um I know you know practice space is always a major concern for a lot of sports. um brainstorm some ideas um of what can be done. I don't know now's the time and place for that. Um but um >> but some of that's going to depend on numbers. >> Correct. Correct. Yeah. And see how it evolves. Um I think initially it can happen. Um, but it is it's how do I want to say it with the uh the intensity? Um, yeah, I think I I think the way it coexists is they're they're um
031I think the programs support each other. I think as coaches, we're going to support the new coach coming in um talking about they're going to have their own ideas of how they need to do things and work with how we do things, how we um recognize our kids, how we support them, how we recognize them. But I think if it is a matter of I I don't think it'll grow if it's just girls that have never done it getting thrown in with boys that are already intimidating. I think that that the way they'll coexist is they will have their own practices and they will it will be less intimidating for girls to come out and try a sport they never done in front of boys that I mean I don't know. I just think that
032would be so intimidating. I don't know how we ever had two girls that got through it all the way like they did. I honestly don't know. Um that's one thing that impresses me about them. I don't think you would ever see that again. I think they were super unique. Um, and I think for this to grow, uh, we will coexist supporting each other, but I think it will be its own program. I mean, >> they're saying they would like for you guys to build a field house would absolutely that's not in your proposal. >> Well, I want to say thank you to Sean and Tim for coming because I'm not so sure that in other that have been promoting this that the boys head coaches were coming in and advocating for the addition of that.
033So, thank you for supporting it and seeing the value in it and see how it can just improve not only your program but our community, our school. I appreciate your support. I think I I will just say I think something we talk about all the time at the schools is the more kids that are involved in things, the better their experiences in the schools, the more friends they have, the more positive they feel about their school environment, the better they do in the classroom. And if there is a group of girls that we're not reaching at this point already, this is a great opportunity. >> Well, that was one of the questions we had with boys volleyball. I know is is this going to steal athletes from anyone? talking to you three, you weren't so
034sure it would really impact necessarily other winter sports that this could just be a whole new batch of student athletes potentially. >> I hope that's what Try's last name. Coin O Y. Okay. And Andrea Hernandez, right? >> Yes. What year did they graduate? When did they graduate? 2022. class. Yeah. You guys have any questions? females. I just want to say I think it's awesome you guys are supporting this because the I think the you all see it through the boys program but the the way it helps build and develop people individually like competing at that individual level it's a whole different um I guess degree of mental toughness they have to develop and seeing that um being available to our female students I think is really important and I think it's really really great that
035you're supporting this and and working towards I should have brought Andre's PowerPoint that she used with the girls. It had some some really exciting video in there too that but that's that's exactly what she talked about. I think that's what it builds most of most of the middle school girls was >> confidence um doing something that maybe they didn't even think was available before or nobody else has hasn't hasn't already has already blazed that trail. >> Just took me under 10 years to find He's not stubborn. >> It sounds like nothing but positive, too. You're just bringing more students that haven't been reached already into something that involves deeper into their school. >> Sure. >> And doesn't pull students or athletes away from something else. And it sounds fantastic. >> Well, just build mental toughness
036and people wasn't a wrestler. Um, but I can see it from the outside just the mental toughness that you have to have to be able to compete like that just would pay dividends in boys or girls regard. So, >> do we need a motion tonight? >> I would I if you're comfortable, if you want time to think about it, we can table it to next month. That's fine, too. But um I know that I'm excited about it and I'm certainly >> I'll make a motion that we approve the uh girls wrestling for the uh 26 27 winter season. >> Okay. Motion by WY. Is there a second? >> Second by Dave. Motion by WY. Seconded by Dave to approve the development of the girls wrestling program for the 2627 school year. All those in favor
037announce by saying I. I oppose same sign and you know if you tell me I can do this >> you guys >> good luck to the girls tonight >> oh I didn't want you to because this was going to be my superintendent report but I thought it would be more I was going to talk about a couple of the athletic signers we had here recently from golf sports for next year, college next year. If you want to just >> Oh, yeah. We've got um two that are signing uh the 25th. Mary Kate Shyman is signing uh volleyball Purdue. Um and Mason Mason is going swimming or diving at IU. also. >> So, um those two they are signing um like I said the 25th and then we have two others um that haven't um set
038a timeline to do it yet, but um Addie Kipstein is going to play soccer at St. Francis and Bo Baker is going to go play baseball at Grace. >> So, yeah, those are the ones that I know of at this point in time. So, >> awesome. We have we have some some exciting times going on and and you all saw the um the breakdown for the girls our girls place first place on all the fall sports uh in any was fantastic fantastic. Our girls were I think three points shy last spring of winning any outright all girls sports. Um I think behind all the help >> um they want to help girls but um pretty impressive pretty very impressive. >> Congratulations >> very successful right now. So >> all right so we going to move
039on to old business and college second reading. >> Oh boy. >> Yep. So, I gave you a new packet. I will promise you on my computer the blue highlight was not this dark. The light blue with red font does not bode well. But these are the adjustments I made um most of them um in response to some of the conversations I've had with some of you. So, um on pages four and five, that one is no big surprise. What basically happens after you approve policies, I have to go back into NELA and create a disposition sheet for the reviewers to then change our existing policies. And so all these check marks and X's and things matter. So I wanted to make sure those X's were in place. We' already talked about that's how we wanted
040it to be different. I just wanted you to know that's why I put that in here. >> Um It's all right. >> Okay. >> Same trees. >> Yeah. I don't think I saved any trees though. >> Okay. Um, well, Darlene noted that there was a repeated sentence in 50 + 11. So, that just was struck out the repeated sentence was. So, that's No, new news. Um, on 2340, remember how long the field trip section was? Um, on page 10, which you don't have. I originally just had checked that the the athletic director would initially approve extracurricular and co-curricular. I talked more specifically to the principles and the principles actually do the co-curricular. So I added a phrase that the athletic directors will do extracurricular and building administrators will approve co-curricular. So that was the addition
041there. Um I also talked a little bit more and thought a little bit more about the international travel section. I think it is prudent for because we already had the responsibility that those trips are planned only through a third party travel agency. I think they need to be the ones collecting the money too. So that X was in that option. Um also in field trips um I added that a student will never be denied or not be denied access to a trip that isn't part of a required curriculum for a course despite inability to pay if there is a reasonable fee or whatever um attached. Um, there was a typo on page 13 where the work coordination needed wouldn't be capitalized. And I also checked um the option that any additional writers other than athletes
042and coaches on a bus, if a coach wanted to bring their elementary age child or whatever to ride with them, that can only happen by approval of principal and that's more of an insurance. Um then um I think the only other thing that I remember >> was for the um policies about when we have DCS or law enforcement come to school. I did change one of the options that the school will attempt to notify parents immediately or as soon as possible before the end of the school day or 12 parent. There were several parts about basically we will attempt to notify a parent no matter who is coming unless they are notifying them or we have been told it will interfere with the investigation. oftentimes that may happen with like DCS if the parent is
043the one being investigated. Um, so I know that was something that some of you had talked to me that about wanting to make sure that parents were notified and sometimes some agencies that's not their prerogative at that moment of the investigation is to notify a parent if it's not legally required of them to do so. So that we will try to take that on. Um, and I think that was really it. Were there any other questions? >> And if not, we can entertain a motion to approve the policies. >> Motion by WY. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Jill. Motion by W. Seconded by Jill to approve the policy updates as presented. All those in favor announce by saying I and I oppose and sign approved six to zero. Next we have the ratification
044of the 256 master teacher contract. So I'm not going to go through a lot on this one because we went through that presentation last month. So um again this is part of state law that we had to have the two meetings. one for public comment and then this one is the actual ratification of the master agreement native the north teachers association ratified it back in October so this is just last steps um I did have a question from somebody on the red line that it appeared there might be a situation where someone wasn't getting a raise or a stipen because there were some places that were skipped on the salary schedule because for example we might not have someone that had 20 years experience I didn't pay attention to what was I was just someone
045striking out and adding in information because that section is really cumbersome. But I appreciate your question. Everyone is getting a raise and a statement um to the amount at least $1,500 or more. Any other questions or comments? Motion to approve. Motion to approve. >> Motion by Joel. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Joel. Motion by Joel. Seconded by Joel to approve the 2526 teacher master contract. All those in favor announce by saying I. I. Oppose and sign. Approve 6 to zero. Next is the approval of the 26 school resource officer. So there really were no changes to the um to the actual agreement. The changes were all in the appendix which is the financial information. And so again that get updated annually with whatever um increases that the city gives the law enforcement officers.
046So again, the split is about we pay around 70% um of officer LL or whomever our SLRO is um salary and the city pays 30%. So for us this year it's going to be about a $4,800 increase across the entire fiscal year. So um money well spent as far as I'm concerned. Um we have a great relationship with the police department. Officer Elwell is doing a great job um taking a really um really forward stepping and um getting improving um protocols and improving um I think just preparedness between first responders and the school and again trying to get police fire EMS all together and making sure that everyone kind of understands they're in lock step if there were a crisis situation how everyone would be um respond what their responsibilities would be, what our responsibilities
047are, and so and then just increasing the overall safety of the campus. He's really taken forward. So, we're very happy um with with his work and more than happy to continue this agreement. Any questions, comments? Motion to approve. >> I'll make a motion to approve the motion by WY. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Dave. Much second by Dave to approve the 26 school resource officer MU. All those in favor announce by saying I. >> I oppose same sign. Approve six to zero. Next is the review of the 2025 funding for teacher expenditures. So this is one of those state requirements. So there are two requirements in the state of Indiana regarding teacher compensation. And the first of them is the one that says the percent of your state revenue that you have to
048use minimally um for a certain the state definition of teachers. So it's not everyone we pay out of education fund. It is only um those staff who have a certain object code and that means usually they are the ones that work directly with students in some form or capacity. Um so not everyone who's on a teacher contract gets into that and um they have added their benefits into that. The first year we were doing it it was 40ome% it was just salaries. Now they've included insurance and things like that. Um, so this past year it was 63%. This year we're in right now it's going to be 65% for this next report. So we um exceeded the 63%. That was no problem. The second one that is part of state law is called the funding
049floor. And what that says is how muchever revenue you received. If you had an increase in revenue, you should spend at least as much as you spent the previous year on teacher salaries. So in 24 to 25, as far as our state tuition support, we increased basically just over $14,000 in revenue. So in statistical measures, pretty stagnant. we did not spend quite as much on full-time teachers in 25 as we um did in the previous year. And so they're saying or the point is we did not meet the funding floor. Now there's exceptions and waiverss for that which we meet. Number one, we had a decline in enrollments done automatically in but we do have to discuss it through a board meeting posted on our website that we had this I can tell you for
050us the difference was about $170,000 and that one's pretty straightforward. When we started doing on my way prek vouchers and CCDF vouchers, we moved our pre preschool staff personnel um from education fund into the fund line that we receeded our reimbursements from the state from those vouchers. So that removed them from that state report that pulls this information. And we did that in March, which when Beth went back and ran it, that was around $170,000. So that's really where it came from. We are moving those people back into education now. Um so that will not be an issue um anymore, but it's really just one of those state things that we have to discuss it. Um there was nothing ulterior going again. We had a huge number of retirements that year a very very veteran
051staff and we didn't replace a couple positions. So again, when you know that you're potentially in a declining enrollment, revenue is not going to continue growing up. You have to start throttling back on what you're spending to um but the amount is really more attributable to probably moving a pretty hefty number of staff into that fun line that we used to pay for prek. There's really no action. We just had to discuss it. Questions? Next is the approval of the 2026 public official bottom food service director for support and on your notes I that should not be first reading. There's no first or second reading on this. It's just an action needed. Um, so again, every year we have several positions in the corporation that have to be bonded, which means that basically it's an
052insurance plan against if there were ever any embezzlement, fraud, anything along those lines is a protection for the district. Um, and really for that individual, too. Um, so food service because they do handle so much money. Um, Aaron has to be bonded and so for some reason we do it for like our ECA treasurer and Beth and Lori in July, but I think December service does it. So that's what we're doing tonight in anticipation of that bond kind of expiring next month. Any questions or comments? Motion to approve. >> Motion approved. >> Second. Motion by Darlene, second by Wy to approve the 26 public official bond items service director Aaron Stewart. All those in favor announce by saying I oppose. Same sign approved six to zero. Next is the approval of the 2627 school calendar.
053So, I did have some conversation with some of you after um last month and so there was um a request to see what we could do if we could get the dates to align to make commencement on the 28th of May, that Friday, instead of June 4th, the next Friday. um in talking to the high school, they did feel like we needed at least one more day um to ensure that grades could get booked by that Wednesday. Um there's also a situation that sometimes if some students happen to not statistically make it as graduates, if there's an opportunity to redo some things or retake some things, having a day or two in there helps just try to make sure we get as many cross that line as we can. Um and so this the solution
054I'm proposing is we had on um what we had discussed last month was the 18th of January Martin Luther King Day being a snow makeup day that we would have off if we didn't have miss any days and we were going to make up then otherwise um we would go um I propose that we just can make that a we go that day >> um and and then get out on the 24th which is the other one in green and then we could have commencement on the 28th. Um that is one way we can do that. The other thing that is a little different on here I have was reached out to just yesterday um from a couple from the two other county schools asking if there was a way we could try to align
055our waiver days more so. Um and so the changes that you see there is in November. We had November 5th as our proposed waiver day. They are wanting to make it November 12th. And talking to my team, that was no big deal. Um that would be fine. We would probably move career fair back to that first week in November because the 11th is Veterans Day and we always have a big program and that's just too many disruptions in that week. Um the other one that they asked if we would consider moving was in April. We tenatively had it scheduled for the 23rd. They asked if we can move it to April 14th. That was no problem either. Um, in fact, that might be a little better because it's basically the very beginning of the IMO
056testing window. So, it's probably better to have it in that first or second day of the window than in the middle of it when we're trying to get kids things made up or um all the many many tests that we have to do. So, I guess we have a little bit of conversation. Um, I don't think the waiver day thing is probably a big deal. Um, >> I think that folks good to have some alignment on that. >> So, I'm pleased to hear that. So then as far as the commencement date and when we would end, I do have a concern on trying to squeeze back in, you know, for the situations you talked about getting grades finalized and students that may be crossing the line right at the last minute. Um, is that putting
057more pressure than we really need to? >> Um, we've done it before is what guidance feedback to me. Is it preferable? Maybe not. I would tell you I do say here our guidance director or guidance counselors, excuse me, have a really good pulse of what's going on with our kids and certainly our seniors. those last month or two of school of if anyone's getting close and we have really good senior teachers who are constantly talking that we need to be watching this one or we need to be talking to this one. So those conversations have probably happened. Um I I agree that um if somebody was just missing and we have to do something that we're trying and it doesn't happen very often. Um, I think we still could get it done is what I'm
058saying. I don't think it's impossible. Again, we've done it. It makes it a little tight. >> I guess part of it is we have pressure in some of the other ways too >> and we can consider that as well. I don't have preference personally. >> I like this one better. Do we need any more possible makeup days? >> I'm sorry. >> She's asking if we need more makeup days. >> Oh, okay. >> I like having some makeup days in there because that would basically eliminate all but one. and not in second. >> We do March 19th as a hospital day. >> I I know it's the precursor to spring break. People may or may not take off anyhow, but >> Well, it would I don't know that I think that's the like you said, some
059people aren't going to be there, but they weren't going to be there anyway, which is part of the reason I think a lot of schools have started trying to get that off. It could be a fail safe if we absolutely needed it. Our staff for the most part do e-learning and we do synchronous almost exclusively, but it is nice to have if we would have by per chance a really bad winter sometime. >> And there's just some point where after being online for so many days in a row, it is not serving the purpose anymore. Um, >> isn't there a statement too that says we can't go so many days in a row or something? It's you can only have three asynchronous days. So synchronous >> they don't count they count it as a full
060day present but asynchronous they count as um so yeah that one I don't know that that's a terrible idea to make it as just it would need it if they're >> so watch the last board meeting what was what's the reason the force not good or there was >> there was a question that I don't know that there's a reason there were a few more. It wasn't a huge um I think preference in the survey. What 38% preferred of staff the May 28th 33% June in our community 36% for the May 28th and 32% June 4th. Um, there are some I don't think it would usually be an issue, but for our kids who do enlist, usually June 4th would still be protected, but there are some that sometimes they ship out pretty quick after.
061Um, and then there was a question of family vacations and things like that. Um, I can tell you the only thing that I've had really strong feelings about was the weekend that is Memorial weekend. They don't like it on that Sunday lots of times, >> especially if they follow. Anyone have any more discussion or Would you say career fair? It's >> career fair. >> This year it's the 14th. >> Yeah, this year it's this Friday. It has been the week before. And honestly, the reason they moved it to this Friday is because we had that flex pay last week. So, I talked to guidance today again and they said it's it's we won't put it on the week that we have the flex day in, but going we won't go later either because we've gotten
062caught too many times with bad weather, >> which here we go this week with bad weather though. >> We used to have it in February and it got cancelled a couple times and that's just way too much work to take that chance, especially now with it being tied to graduation requirements. Um, >> so they were fine with that first week of November kind of flip-flopping those those weeks. So do we want to make a motion to approve the calendar as presented or do we want to do something different? So, as it's presented, graduation will be the 20 May. >> Well, I just I have both on there right now. So, I just needed a proposal or for which one? Okay. >> Well, and then again, I had to I had to take So, there's been
063the question of the 18th of January. We would have to again take another we'd have to take a day out somewhere else that we would actually go. Um, so the 18th was my proposal and then Darlene's also proposed that could be say the 19th of March is potentially a makeup day. So there's a couple options, >> but if we keep it on board, then we don't have to do still saying we still have to do some makeup dates and stuff like that or >> No, that one was kind of the original draft, but again, it's a draft. If it was June 4th, the only change would be with the waiver dates you set >> to to still be a bit off and >> well makeup day makeup I'm just like making you make that make
064up day. You're going to have to make your parents better part of planning your vacation. That's just like >> whether you say it's a day to go to school or not. >> They'll take I'll glad you say it's a school. >> Oh, I I know that people know I know that >> it will cause aation. >> Yeah. But vegetation if you take away >> right >> and there is that >> potential as well and it's again we've or historically here it's been a snow make up day so there's been years we've gone and again there have been some folks who felt that was not appropriate um not we haven't had very much and it's not meant to be anything again if we're here there's going to be an address of from historical perspective. >> Well,
065I'll have a graduating senior and I'd love to see the 28th. I think you'll have more kids involved because they're not going out for their vacation yet. They're not starting their college yet. Give them another week and it is harder to pull them all back. >> It is the burger gets away from the last day of school. If we have any of those coming to Europe, they traditionally leave the weekend after that, like the 29th. >> That's true. >> They usually live right there. That is probably you tell me. It's okay. Either way, I mean, I won't give 28. We've done that big issue this year. And again, I agree with the longer you go, you know, kids want to graduate. >> They don't want they don't want to come back. Friday >> and have
066it all behind. >> So, do we want to make a motion? I'll put I'll just put this out as an option to approve the calendar as presented with the 18th week potential makeup date leaving the 19th alone and graduation on the 28th calendar. Don't we need to go to January 18th? >> Yeah, we do go I'm sorry. You're right. >> Um yeah, go on the 18th, leave the 19th as is. just lose the snow day and then graduation on the 28th or if there's another suggestion that motion by Joel second by Darlene to approve the calendar as presented. All those in favor announce by saying I >> I opposing sign >> I approve to one. >> Next up we have approval of donations first is from the for the deer program from Walmart and Mr.
067Pers. So special thanks to Walmart and Mr. Pers. for their donation to the DARE program. And again, special thanks to Officer Hes who's been um very diligent and um working ahead to find ways to continue to support financially the DARE program. He's doing a great job. Um so we have Walmart donated $200 and Mr. Planners donated $250. Yeah. >> And then we also had um a donation to Belmont Elementary School um in memory of Kelly Shinberry um from several individuals um Sharon Wellman, Karen Chucheni, Andrew and Christine Gigline, Donna Gigline, Richard and Sue Springer, and we appreciate those donations. again. Um, Kelly was very much a light in our school and in her community and our community and there are a lot of people um continue to want to recognize the work she's done and
068recognize her. We're very appreciative of those folks doing so. Okay. Is there a motion to approve the donations as presented? >> Motion by WY. Is there a second? Seconded by Darlene Mot by Wley, seconded by Darlene to approve the donations as presented. All those in favor announce by saying I. I oppose and sign approve six to zero. Next we have the superintendence report. So we did have our second flex day on November 7th and um the building did a lot um with diving into data. I know we had our PSAT scores back and even though they're um not able to be released, we are happy um with how our students performed on those and um we had our first I learn checkpoint um data come back as well and our advant screener for our primary
069and so the the staff spent several hours kind of diving into that data and analyzing it and talking about interventions. Um then um I met with them and talked about for those folks who aren't in NADA what the raise would look like for everyone. So there was kind of a unilateral understanding as well as rolled out the new tag grant and um I don't know that I've talked at a board meeting about it but the state has changed that teacher appreciation grant and so it's now a competitive grant among staff. um mixed feelings on that. Certainly want to celebrate staff who have moved kids needles and and have really did really have done a great job at getting kids to grow. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect grant that there's a lot of subject areas um
070that don't necessarily have a metric of norm reference data perhaps to show that growth. Um that part's unfortunate I think because I think there's a lot of teachers in those types of subjects that work really hard too. >> Um but maybe hopefully it's something that they improve and we grow in. But we rolled that out, went through that um fairly explicitly. And so December 29th is when that application window is going to close and we'll start looking at those applications um in January. we received her. >> How did they how did it seem like they received it? So, >> um, they were very quiet. Um, well, I think they were surprised. In the world of education, you don't necessarily, usually when you're talking about monetary awards, usually it's in terms of hundreds of dollars, a
071few hundred dollars. Um, and so the stipen amounts were 3500, 5,000, and 7500. That I think had people Are you kidding me? Wow. >> Yes. Um, and so there's a lot of processing, I think. >> Um, I've already had a few people I've already gotten some applications I've seen come come through on my notifications, so that's good. Um, we did a lot of work, I feel like, ahead of time to try to make it, um, as accessible to folks as possible and try to help them kind of think about data that they could pull. And then for those staff who might not have that data or had a metric, some ideas of things they could look at currently this year to be able to apply next year. Um, but we did get our allocation from
072the state early Friday morning. And so, as several superintendents across the state had questioned, there really were not enough funds allocated >> appropriated by the legislators to cover even the base 3500 stipen because it was supposed to you were supposed to have up to 20% of your staff from 2425 eligible. Um, that would have put us at like 24. um we only received an allocation that would provide enough to cover even at that 3500 for about 15. Um and every other school saying the same thing. So I think there's a little bit of upset on that. Um, but again, I really talked a lot about I'm a Renee Brown fan and Atlas of the Heart and how jealousy is a normal human emotion and it's fine to feel disappointed or feel resentful um because those
073are normal human emotions. that praise is the foil for that and because someone they have done a great job and is eligible and gives that strike that we don't want to be resentful or failed to continue to collaborate and um it's not a faultf finding thing and it doesn't mean anyone did a poor job just means there's only this much stuff that is acceptable and it's pretty prescripted prescriptive on what is allowable and what's not. >> So um I already know some people I already saw some wheels turning of of things we could do to track our data which is a good that's a good thing something good to start thinking about some of that. So again it was I think a lot of information to process. I wasn't I thought there would be a
074lot more questions but I think I'm going to get them after the fact after people have been thinking about it and so there's a lot of mulling. Um, I also wanted to give a big kudos to our seventh grade boys football team, um, who won conference and that was very exciting for them and I think that championship game was hugely exciting as well. So, very proud of them and um, first time in school history and they're excited to get their banner up in the middle school >> gym and we can't wait to see that. Um, girls soccer again had a great postseason run. Um, and congratulations to them. Um, girls volleyball for being up a class in 4A and winning our sectional. That's pretty pretty outstanding and very excited for them. Um, we talked about
075our athletic signers testing. We have been in testing mode again with our dyslexia screener. Acadians is the new one as well as our island checkpoint one. And so that data is just coming back and it's looking really good. And a lot of the new things we've been putting in place are showing um positive. Had some brave days right there around Halloween and that was a really busy fun full moon. Thank goodness Halloween was on Friday. Um, >> today the high school had their Veterans Day program and again that's kind of ran through the social studies department and our topics in history class with a lot of our our students in those classes leading it and all of our student speakers did a great job. I've heard nothing but positives about um just they always just
076do a top-notch job. I it's one of the better I think veteran state programs around. So, I encourage any veteran if you don't already have some place that's near and dear to your heart and you want to go experience that, come on down. We provide lunch and um our food service department provided lunch this year. So, that that was really nice and went well. Friday we are having the high school's having their career fair and they have over 80 different businesses, colleges, agencies going to be present there. So, we've built two gyms now. >> I'm looking forward to that. This will be Yes, it's a great and we get a lot of compliments on our kids those days and our guidance counselors and admin and teachers work really hard. Again, we it's not it probably
077we get a lot of compliments on our kids from the vendors about how well prepared they are, how well spoken they are, but we do a lot of work with them about the counselors make them. You pick three either agencies, organizations, colleges that you are interested in and you have to come up with questions to go ask them and you have to ask them and get signed off that you have those questions answered. Yeah, they have an opportunity to get a prize, but again, it's also teaching them good interpersonal skills to dress nicely. I mean, we're not expecting a suit and tie in those days, but to be very well groomed and again, how to interact appropriately with a business That's kind of a pre-in type training is how we look for it. And some
078kids do again make some good networking things and whether it's a summer job or an internship. So, it's always a a great day for that. And then November 21st um the high school is going to have their second now annual um seniors with senior breakfast where the grandparents get to come in and have breakfast with their senior students. Um, >> when is >> November 21st? I don't know the time, but they should be sending that out soon. Probably send it out with seniors that aren't telling their >> We'll never get um I'm sure Katie's going to be sending that out to parents here soon. Um it was really uh we knew it would probably be something that the grandparents would like but I think we were surprised about Katie's comment was that was just the
079sweetest thing I cannot imagine was just to see number one those grandparents were just beaming and so were their seniors their senior students they it was a sweet just to see the sweet relationships with some of them and >> those grandparents I think really enjoyed getting to come and be included again. I mean, they got they get to with donuts for grown-ups when they're in little elementary school, but high school, they don't get that many opportunities to get called up again. And so, it was really just sweet. It was just sweet. So, we look forward to balance. Um, I'm sure there's other things I'm missing with, but the holidays are coming, believe it or not, and hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. We won't see you before Thanksgiving. >> Wonderful Thanksgiving. >> That's all I
080have. Okay. Any other members to come before the board? No. All right. Republic comment. I've got time. Kim and I went to the fall regional meeting. I did pick up a couple of extras if anyone wants to for the their uh reading or couple of things that I I thought uh I wanted to point out. Um and Dave will be interested in in this uh the where's that on tiff? They're proposing in uh that the board member have voting rights. So that's that's one thing legislating priorities. Um, and uh I that was probably one of that stood out most too. Uh, also they're continuing for deregulation of uh laws to kind of take it a little more easy on school districts and not some of the requirements that really are mundane and not really necessary.
081So, and I think legislators are somewhat about trying to slim that down. So that was another area. And then um Indiana uh schoolboard association has kind of moved itself away from the national schoolboard association and but what are now we're now affiliated with is the national conference education evolution. >> Okay. >> Yes. So uh um and the conference for this is March 13th through the 15th in Louisville. Um so that's fairly close by. >> It might you know I'm thinking about maybe going in. So I just want to bring that to everyone's attention too. >> Thank you. >> But anyone wants to take >> they're anticipating a relatively short the legisl >> I keep hearing that the redistricting of the congressional seats discussion is really taking a lot of energy a lot of their bandwidth
082right now and making some of those decisions won't be a lot of education this time >> maybe how many there were this last year it was I don't know it was a record but it It has to be the last couple years because just look at our policy package. I'm not even halfway through one legislative budget. >> Yeah. Pretty impressive. Okay. Anything else?