001All [clears throat] right, it's noon. We'll go ahead and call meeting order stand for the pledge of allegiance to the moment of silence. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Ketchum, we'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon to everyone. uh that we begin every board meeting with our mission and that is together with our community, BCSC is committed to providing an engaging and relevant learning environment based on a strong foundation of academic knowledge, transferable skills, and of course, real world experiences. Baseball Bulldogs embody confidence, empathy, and resiliency to ensure 21st century success. So, with that, we'll roll right into our presentation today. Madam President,
002members of the board, we have a very rockous crowd here today. This is obviously one of the benefits of having noon meetings. So I do appreciate everyone making some time in their schedule. Mr. Shaw, thank you very much for that. Without further ado, I will turn over to the executive director of probably the best community foundation Indiana, VCF, Miss. [laughter] >> So it's been a while since we've been here from the education foundation to update you. So we thought we would come and share some news because we have quite a bit of it. Um, I go to the next slide. So, I don't want to run through all of our programs. It'll take too long, but the list is right there. The ones in blue are the ones I wanted to touch on briefly today.
003Um, the Bulldog Ready Guaranteed Experience Grant, which is new. Um, some news on scholarships and then our annual campaign updates. So, in case you were not aware, we kind of pivoted last year and because of the Bulldog Ready Guaranteed Experiences um that are happening, those of course don't come free. Those have a price tag. So, we have pivoted and we are donating $5,000 each spring to the school corporation to pay for things like supplies, bus drivers, um those kind of uh expenses for the guaranteed experiences. Then in scholarship news, um I'm pleased to announce that we have two new scholarships coming on board next year. Um one of them is coming from the students at the intermediate school. Uh they do their talk the walk event every year and they're going to be uh establishing
004a new bulldog ready attribute scholarship that will be awarded in 2026. I've been meeting with Dana Cassidy at the intermediate school and we're working on the scholarship criteria. the applicants are going to have to display in some way how they embody one of the Bulldog Ready um attributes. And then we'll be giving two $2,000 scholarships away for that. And then I have a new memorial scholarship for Ronnie Pedro who is a BHS grad. A friend of his established a scholarship. So we'll be giving away $1,500 in 2026 for that. And you can see every year our total keeps going up which I think is wonderful. And then our annual campaign update. Before I get started about the annual campaign, I have some BCF board members here. BCF board members will will stand so I can
005identify you. So um Sammy Hardback who has been the annual campaign chair both last year and this year and Trisha Genoine and then Jame Ling Klehghorn. Um so they came to support us today as we talk about the annual campaigns. Um so the 2024 annual campaign update. This one's been um a long and involved process, but um I'm pleased to say that we're near the end. Um so we raised $125,000 from the education foundation and then Lisa Tubison, if you will stand. Lisa is the wellness coordinator coordinator for the school corporation and Lisa raised $105,000 in extra grants for the wellness center. Um go to the next slide. So just make sure everybody's aware. So, we took two classrooms in the high school and we are converting them into a combination guidance office and then
006kind of mental health anxiety wellness center. And I've just got some kind of in progress pictures there. Um, and then we are having an open house that just got confirmed, right, Lisa? On Tuesday, December 9th, it will be from 5:30 to 7 to show the public what the wellness center looks like. If we can go to the next slide. Um, so it features, like I said, it's in a private more private location now. Um, still has the guidance office there, but then has kind of four main areas. It's got a BOF feedback area for the heart math anxiety program, a privacy area for students that are sort of having needs a little bit of issue, need some privacy, an outdoor patio, and then a small area for community groups to meet. So, um, we're really
007pleased with the way it turned out. Lisa, would you say we're pleased with the way it turned out? Um, everyone that goes in there says this is such a great space for students. It really feels like a different like it's not in the high school when you walk into this room, which is what we wanted. So, that's an update on that one. If the board has time after this meeting, I'm happy to take you down there. I might have other things going on. Otherwise, December 9th is the time to come see that. And then our 2025 annual campaign. We have some visitors here from the middle school. Would they stand up? and um Dave Strauss, principal Austin Dau, and then three of our science teachers are here. These this team has been remarkable of working
008with us and coming to us with the idea and we kind of went with that. Um so we raised money for an outdoor space at the middle school. When the building was built when I was a sixth grader, it had an outdoor learning space and then it it went away. So for the 50th anniversary, we wanted to bring that back. So that's a list of some of the ideas they have for what they want to spend the money on. And then the next slide is mainly why we're here today. So we're here to present a check to the school corporation for $54,000 for the middle school eco lab. So if we want to bring up our big check and have everybody here, we'll take a picture. [laughter] >> I don't know. Whatever you guys think,
009you should be here. >> This is your >> close together like you like each other. >> Okay. Like tall. >> Thank you. But again, thank you to the middle school. They've been great. And so with some of our other projects, like the primary school, we kind of took charge and, you know, we spent the money. But we've given them their $54,000. And I know they have a lot of really great ideas about how to use maybe internal sources to try to source some of these things and get as much bang for their buck. So, it's been a pleasure to work with them. And then my final slide um just announces that we're getting super close to that million dollar mark for what the education foundation has done for the school corporation. You can see our
010scholarship number keeps going up and our grant um amount. But it's just been it's a pleasure. I think all of our board members would say it's a pleasure to work for the school corporation. Um we find it easy to raise money because people see what the school corporation has done and people want to give to us to support all of you. So do you have any questions? Happy to answer any questions. No, >> thanks so much. >> Mr. Sts, before you leave, is there anything you'd like to add to that again because what a great what a great project any was introduce your staff. I know catch on the way out. [laughter] >> Yes. Timmy Jones going to come on up. He teaches our STEM lab uh there middle school. So STEM is new this
011year and so we're building some things within that but Scrant's going to help us do that. Jennifer Russell also teaches the sixth grade science um one class of seventh grades, right? Two classes, seventh grade science as well. >> Who's count? >> And Tara Mills, sixth grade science and social studies as well. So they're the ones that got together with the other two science teachers at the high school, this is Sandy Byer and Mitch Taylor to come up with some of the ideas for BCF. So we're very thankful to the education foundation, very thankful to the community who came together to support. We're really excited to get started on >> Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. The assistant principal. I didn't want to [laughter] support. >> Thank you. >> Well, Madam President, before we continue on our
012I do would have publicly thank BCF and of course Lisa Wellness coordinator without these two debates ways to kind of partner up with different organizations, different philanthropic arms and again tremendous job. my nine years has been fantastic and I'm looking forward to the open house on December 9th. So with that, we'll roll right into our agenda. First consent agenda item for your consideration are the consideration of minutes. Uh so with that, Madame President, I'll seek a motion to approve those minutes as presented. >> So break those minutes. I seek a motion to approve. >> I'll make that motion to approve. >> Thank you, Larry. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you, Jeremy. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. >> Thank you,
013Madam President. We'll continue down our consent agenda items. Next item for your consideration are payroll journals and registered claims. You do have a new five pages of claims that Mr. Na'vi has provided for us. Uh, of those claims, Mr. Na'vi had shared with me that a large portion of that are are Kurt's contract for outside lawn care and also a Margaret Mary health uh $20,000 investment in student behavioral health support. And Mr. Nabby, what was the third main contributor of that total? >> Um do you like when I just ramble off the top of my head? Oh, it was the train or the new um heating and cooling for >> primary primary school. Total on all $14,000. Give you a moment to look over those. Happy to answer any questions you have. When you're ready,
014I'll seek a motion to approve those as presented. >> Does anyone have any questions? >> Um Paul, I do have just a general procedural question. for billing budgets. Are those established at the beginning of the school year or those get established like on the annual basis consistent with a lot of how unfair contracts are? >> Building budgets are January 1st through December 31st. >> So those are getting set up now. Those have probably already been set up as we build the budget for you to approve. Within those budgets are the building budgets every year. So the building principles have access to those the new money starting January 1st. Do we get like reports on those at year end or at the start of the year? And again, this is my familiarity, right, as far as
015what those are set at because it's 87 pages of expenditures and how those get allocated across buildings and where those budgets again just >> Yeah, absolutely. I'll have Mr. Owner reach out the totals. You might know list up but there are each building gets a defined dollar amount and that building works within a defined dollar amount and the thought process is instead of them always asking for something they kind of know that constraints they have to work under. If there's something larger they need some support, we may have a different conversation. Happy to provide those budgets for you. >> And again, just a familiarity aspect for me and we can meet you and I talk through because we I just don't know because a lot of the boards I serve on go through that budget
016establishing process and I just didn't know that for all of our um all of our expenditures have to be built to a specific building location. So all even payroll um is required to be a portion to a to a specific one of the different schools. Um but yeah, so it sounds like maybe you're more interested in supplies and equipment and that sort of thing or >> Well, I think all of it would be of interest just to see, you know, >> consistently overextending at certain buildings or underextending at others. >> Yeah. >> Just informative for for us >> for sure >> or at least for me. I don't know if others feel the same way. So >> I'm laughing make sure there's not a lot of overextending that occurs, but [laughter] sure enough for sure.
017Good information for you to have. >> Okay. I appreciate that. >> Yep. For sure. >> Any other questions? Can I seek a motion to approve the pay roll journals? >> I'll make that motion. >> Thank you, Sean. Do I have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Thank you, Larry. All those in favor say I. I I >> All those opposed same sign. Motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam President. We'll continue on our consent agenda items. The next list of consideration for you is a list of personnel. There are no changes, correct, Mrs. Cole, since the board packet was distributed on that list. >> I had I did make one change. I added right at the end. I think I add kept your staff number in there somewhere, but it was like on Monday. So,
018>> so with that, I'll see the motion to approve that list as presented. Uh, I the most recent entry is Janice Lamping cafeteria staff. So, I'm going to make that assumption that was generally Monday, but happy to answer any questions you have. >> Any questions? Can I seek a motion to approve the personnel? >> I'll make a motion to approve the personnel report. >> Thank you, Jeremy. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you, Sean. All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam President. We'll continue down our consent agenda items. The next item for your consideration, our travel work request. Uh you have that list there. Happy to answer any questions you have. Again, all travel is obviously school related. As
019you can see in the list, so I'll see a motion to approve that as presented. Madam President, >> does anyone have any questions on the travel? No. >> Can I seek a motion to approve the travel? >> I have a motion. >> Thank you, Blaine. Do I have a second? >> Thank you, Jeremy. All those in favor say I. I. >> I. All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam President. We'll transition to the school's financial report. Without further ado, I'll turn over Mr. Tim Hunter. >> Right. Um [clears throat] on the screen, we have the financial statement for um up to the end of October. Um, we have a lot of activity in of course the education fund and the operations fund. Not much going on with debt service for rainy
020day in October. But starting off with the education fund, you can see we we began the month with two a little over $2,76,000. Our um revenue in was a little over $1.5 million with expenses a little under $1.4 4 million. So that budget climbed nearly $130,000 over the month to end at $2,26,296. That represents 12.4% of our appropriations for the full year. So we're in we're in really good shape in in the education fund for this time of year. Um obviously with some later um agenda items um approving certified staff contract um we would have retroactive pay that's going to take some of that um balance down a little closer to normal and then in January we're looking at a a three payroll month again. So um in in really good shape in the education
021fund um at this point debt service fund you can see we had just miscellaneous revenues in we will get in November and December our second half tax draws and then in December Mr. Nai will make um our second half debt service payments. So the balance won't change a lot between now and the end of the year, but you can see it's around one uh four5 million um as a balance at the end of October. The operations fund started with um nearly $3.7 million. We had um revenues of $178,000 with expenses relatively light month for the operations fund of 442,000. So that balance dropped by a little over a quarter of a million but still stands at over 3.4 million at this point in time which as you're well aware the operations fund will get significant
022um revenue from the second half property tax draws as well. Um we've had no activity in the rainy day fund for several months, but the balance across all of those funds um 7,68,725. So between now and the year end, we'll have um the the property tax revenue coming into debt service and operations funds. And then um we so we should close out the year um probably north of $7.5 million, maybe closer to $8 million. Um so we're which is really the best as that we've ever been. So in a strong position right now. Any questions? >> Mr. Turner, uh, since we start to make repairs to roofs and stuff like that, are you going to start to report how we're doing on We can Yeah, we can bring back those um maybe a separate report
023because a lot of the items that we intend to spend uh money on from our recent bond issue, it it's not one big project like the innovation center or the athletic fields, mechanical improvements and the roofing work and several things. So, yes, we can include those balance kind of keep track of running balance of where those funds sit. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. [clears throat] >> Any other questions for Mr. Hunter? We'll transition, Madam President, to the port of our meeting for patron comments. Um, at this time, if there's anyone that would like to comment, we just ask that you keep it school related and no school employee or student named specifically. >> So, the floor is all your guys if you want it. We're good. >> We'll transition to our first and very
024important action item. Uh, the approval of the 2526 collective bargaining agreement. Again, we we held our statutory uh tenative agreement last Wednesday. Much of those details were we went over, but again, this board should be proud that this corporation's able to invest up to $3,100 additional pay, which on average is about a 5% increase, Tim, across all levels between 7 and 5%. [clears throat] Also, in addition, we're able to contribute additional 5% towards healthcare premium cost. Again, that still maintains our 8% cash balance. So, it's a fiscally responsible. Most importantly, it's a sustainable contract. Uh, but percentage increase, it's the largest in the area. And as I said earlier in the email, and I'll say it in live stream, we are the lowest funded school per student in southeastern Indiana. So, we are very good
025stewards of our money and we invest money where it should be, and that's our people. So, happy to answer any questions you may have, but with that, I'll seek a motion to approve the 2526 collective bing agreement. >> Any questions? Can I seek a motion to approve the bargaining agreement for 2526? >> I'll make a motion to approve the 2526. >> Thank you for hearing. Do I have a second? >> I I'll second it. >> Thank you, Larry. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed, say. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam President. The last action item for your consideration is the approval of the classified compensation benefits package. And again, I give Mr. credit, Mr. Hunter all the credit. He's done a nice job over the years kind of
026making this pay scale work. And on average, the increases from start to top end are between again 7% at the starting hourly rates, upwards of 5% on the uh top-end pay rates. So again, happy to invest in our people. Additionally, we've increased our daily bus routes to $120, our daily substitution rate for daily subs $110. Additionally, we've increased healthcare premium contribution on behalf of this board 5%. And also lowered the threshold to access retirement benefits. And and what that means is there was a a trigger. You had to work at baseball schools for 20 years in order to get a multiplier. You get a $100 per year service plus you can cash in your unused sick days. We lowered that to 10 years. And the rationale is more and more people are joining our team
027later in life, you know, which is hard for them. and we didn't want to disincentivize people or penalize people who've been good employees for 10 years not to access his benefits. So again, that's that is a change that was not shared in your original draft. So on page, let me clarify that for you on page 16 of the classified handbook. I just want to be very clear with you that that does uh model what we did in our collective bar agreement with the class certified staff. Uh item V page 16 it will read uh retirement pay shall be provided to retiring classified employees according to the following requirements as stipped below providing the retirement employee has reached the age of 55 and has at least 10 years of experience in school corporation. If you jump
028down to item C there are three thresholds. What does not change is the $100 per Batesville service per year of service for Batesville. What does change, we kind of condense that 10 to 19 range of $55 per unused sick days from 20 to 30 is $60 for for unused sick days and 31 and above stays at $65. So again, that does model and we we try to treat all all educators equally. That does model it's an elective bargain. So with that, happy to answer any questions you may have. Seek a motion to approve that classified handbook update as presented. >> Anyone have any questions about that? How many plus five employees do we have, >> Mr. Dobby? I'm going to guess about 150. Maybe upwards of 200. >> Close to 150 full-time all the parttime
029and substitutes. >> I understand. Closer to 200. Yes. >> Um Oh, I know looking at the evaluation metric on the back, I know we changed that for our certified staff. Is that something that you all are looking at to bring up to speed with with our evaluation system certified? Obviously that took a lot of time and effort. I anticipate saying that it may not fit right for whoever on that metric the but I just didn't know if that was >> yeah that that that was a goal Mr. Chairman there to have it approved now we just didn't get there I anticipate it'll be next year I'll give Mr. Don King's credit he's taken that and kind of condensed that but conceptually again grow model right we want we want all employees all employees of BCSC
030to have goals and work towards those goals so this will be the last year for this current model is very excited about that she wants to score 72 out of 72 one last time [laughter] move forward with different valuations >> any other questions >> no Paul I would just compliment everybody on getting it done swiftly right I know there's a series of hurdles from finding out what the state budget is to what our budget is to then getting the classifi or the collective bargaining agreement done and then following up quickly with the classified staff. So I just kudos to the team on getting that done quickly so that the retropay can go out and then we can move forward. Right. So >> thank you Bruce Raver again. We have an amazing team here. Thank you
031for the clarification. So for our our certified staff retropay to August 1st for our classified staff that begins on the January 16 payroll. So these pay rates will go into effect on December 9th 29th which will reflect January 16th payroll. So just a clarification for there but thank you Mr. Raven very much. >> Anything else? Can I seek a move motion to approve the 2026 classified benefit package? >> I would. >> Thank you. Do I have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Thank you Jeremy. All those in favor say I. I. >> All those opposed, same sign. Motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam President. We'll continue on superintendent report. I agree to you, but as always, we have a lot of great activities coming up, including the world famous eighth grade DC gift certificate
032sales going on right now. I think upwards of $200,000 in gift cards is sold. Again, that money stays right in our community, right? So, it does two things. Supports eighth grade students going to DC and and economic development in our community. So, great fundraiser. BIS is selling points at us. We have our fall play at Batesville High School in the auditorium 21st and 22nd November. Thanksgiving break begins next Wednesday unless we have a snow makeup day, which looks like we might not have a snow makeup day. Although, I'll be honest, last Monday was a little surprise, so we'll just keep knocking on wood. uh in December again the BIS points at a fundraiser ends as well as the gift cards and we begin to make our our tours at the chateau and other places our
033cave kids kits and our kuanas will be around celebrating the holidays with our our community members in those facilities we visit the waters and again just it's a great opportunity for our kids to interact with student with our kids interact with community members our next board meeting is December 17th same location same And then our last day of school before the new year is on Friday, December 19th. It says 22nd is our first break, but the 19th is our last day. And every teacher in this corporation has that date circled on their calendar. >> and students. So with that, Madam President, I'll turn it over to you and to the board for any comments you may may want to share. >> I have no comments. Anybody else? >> I'm fine. Um, I will I I
034know it's been a newssh heavy month um for us, but I do think uh I want to tip the hat to Basil High School for their blue ribbon award. I know that came out in the midst of a lot of other stuff and so I don't want that to get lost in the shuffle. Um I think we as a school board have an expectation if that's what we achieve on a regular basis. But just because that's the expectation doesn't mean that it needs doesn't need to be celebrated and acknowledged. And so I as a school board member I think all of us just tip our cap to the high school. Um we should continue to celebrate them because I think as I understand it that is the um ultimate recognition from the school system standpoint.
035So, I think that got a little lost in the shuffle over the last month. Um, so I just want to make sure that that we all reach out to the high school at some point in time. I agree to to acknowledge that because I think it is a big award. Um, and timing certainly on the announcement probably put it behind the April to some extent. So, just make sure that you reach out to your high school folks pat on the back. So, >> thank you, Mr. Tim. And I will say this, it is a true K12 ecosystem. So, those high school students come prepared from post St. Louis and K8. So it is I I view it as a corporation award even though it is celebrated at Batesville High School. We'll be in Indianapolis this
036Friday night to accept that award on behalf of this community and it is an amazing award. The only high school in Indiana to be labeled a blue blue ribbon high school. It wasn't used to be a national blue ribbon. That program's been cut. So now it's a state blue ribbon high school. So kudos to our team for doing that. Fantastic accomplishment. I always say that because our primary school principles in the crowd and they'll get mad at me. [laughter] It is a is a true team effort to accomplish this. >> So the criteria who sets the criteria for that? >> Mr. Merkel, I want to be honest with you. I'm not sure. I just know that there's a process that high schools and schools are evaluated. It was a very arduous lift as Miss Wilson
037will help you help us kind of fill out the application to be approved as a blue ribbon school through the federal process and then that application reviewed before you actually designated a blue ribbon school. So, it's it's uh it's some people that look at data and and give you the opportunity to apply to be a blue ribbon school. >> So, is it approved by the state or national? >> As we speak today, it is a state award. two months ago was a national award. >> Okay. >> But that program has been cut at the national level. But the state of Indiana recognizes its value and we'll continue it. We'll be in Indianapolis Friday night celebrating that. >> Anything else >> meeting? >> Thank you. >> Set a new record. No bombers.