001Come on, man. >> Yeah. I don't >> I don't think you want the legisle. No, I I don't think so. Good evening everyone. We'll call ourselves to order. It's 5 o'clock. Please join me in a moment of silence. >> Join me in the pledgece 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. >> Thank you. Please be seated. >> Call a role. Dr. O'Neal, >> present. >> Mr. Heater, >> present. >> Mrs. Barnes Griffin, >> present. >> Dr. Washford, >> present. >> Mr. Low, >> present. >> Mr. Urban, >> present. >> Okay, thank you. We have everybody present. Uh, administrative reports, Dr. Reynolds. >> Yes. Thank you. Uh, good evening, everybody. We have a lot of uh
002quick tidbits to uh to update you on today. It's uh a busy time of the year as we ramp up all of our activities to get going for our 2526 school year. First student day is August the 6th and we'll be here before anyone knows it. So teachers come back on August 4th for their their official first day back. Um, I guess importantly for our families at home, we have our our registration events. It's much different than they used to be. No, no more big packs of paper and cards and triplicates and duplicates of different things. It's it's all online. Um, but the schools will be open on July the 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 4 pm and July the 24th from 1 pm to 6 pm to get assistance if you need help filling
003out any of those paper any of that online paperwork or logging in. Um again the importance the student if they were here last year have rolled over their information but we just want to be sure that we have accurate information um up to date for um health medical emergency contacts um and and probably most importantly for parent square so we can have a good good open line of communication with with our families through parent square. So those days and the buildings will be open. Also a good time just to get in the building um to to see the principles. Uh teachers are always milling around at that point getting their rooms set up and ready to go. So um buildings are usually in pretty good shape and put back together. Floors are shiny, but they're
004they're usually working on the last few classrooms to to get ready for the school year. Um, lots of summer learning for our staff is happening right now. I uh we had a middle school science and the every every middle school science teacher had um was in attendance yesterday at Southside unpacking new standards, working with some new um some of the curriculum and mapping with um uh Mrs. Pulk Meek. Today at Central, they had the Center for High School Success meeting with our new freshman academy um team. the old our previous teachers but are on a new team of freshman academy um set up to to better meet the needs of our students to ensure their success. Uh got there at the end of the day. I think Eric stopped by a couple times today and
005I got there at 2 o'clock today after a full day and they were still engaged and working hard. I was I was very impressed. um still have social studies coming up I think tomorrow and science and math at the secondaries next week along with um elementary literacy uh won't be far behind. So plenty of u plenty of work uh going on there to uh to get ready for the new school year. And then we have our band contest up at Central this weekend. We have 23 bands that that will be there. probably um I didn't count, but probably 75 80 school buses and trailers and thousands of spectators and and students ready to perform up at up at Central High School. Um Paul and his team have been working really hard to make sure that
006we're ready to go. It's just a wonderful wonderful showcase for our um for our kiddos. They um talked to the YMCA. they're going to close at 3:00 that day to to to give us just a little extra space parking up there. So, they've agreed to do that for that event recognizing the the large crowd that we'll have up there. And then and then they're on to Anderson the next week and state fair the week after that. So excited for um excited for what's to come with our summer marching band and just the opening days of school. So on the the schools coming into town, um we may want to give them some directions to come in on from the north. >> Yeah. as opposed to trying to try to cross >> because I don't think
007Walmart's going to be >> it was uh >> I think we got kicked out of our parking lot today because they had to move over over by the fieldhouse because they were blocking the southbound southbound lanes. They were repaving those. But that's a good idea. >> Yeah, I would have them come in from >> Have them come in from the north and guide them in from the north on Walnut. Otherwise, they're gonna get I think they'll find it to be a challenge. >> I mean, Madison's toughing. >> You're gonna bring them in on Wheeling. >> I I would come in >> Walnut >> from Walnut on the north side. >> Oh, you would? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I think it's going to be hard to make that turn. >> Oh, I see where just
008over the bridge coming back. Okay. >> Yeah. Um, >> and then to the extent they can Are we going to try and park them on the north side of >> all the bands will park on the on the north side? Um, we have no spectators on the north side all >> So it's it would be easier for them to come in North Walnut and go right there. >> Yes. >> Otherwise, they're going to get caught up, >> right? >> Yep. >> That was the entrance you could actually get in today to the parking lot. They could get in the north coming north into the north part of the parking lot. After that, everything down Walnut in front of the school was shut down >> and even in front of the Y all the way to
009the fieldhouse was shut down. >> Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. >> Do we have to help park spectators? >> Yes. Um track and cross country coaches. We I was a little nervous about having too many kids out there. So, we're going to have some of those coaches are are going to volunteer to to help um guide point to parking lots after we fill up. It's a little bit of a walk for folks to get to the contest, but I tell you at dismissal, people kind of scatter everywhere and it's not a bottleneck right at the fieldhouse. So, >> I guess that's that's a that's an added benefit to that. So, >> walking's healthy. >> That's right. So, um >> I think that's it for me. Okay, Williams. >> Any any other questions for Dr. Reynolds?
010Mr. Grim? >> Uh thank you, Mr. Williams. Uh board, Dr. Reynolds. Uh, tonight we'd like to talk and just inform the board a little bit about the uh, Forest Academy out at Camp Adventure. So, I'll call Mallerie and Heidi up. They've been working with me as a team uh, since probably April to kind of go through um, our newest uh, program which will be out at Camp Adventure uh, called the Forest Academy. Just a little bit that this is a a program that Munie's been looking to start for the last couple years. has some barriers uh to it. Uh probably the big couple of the biggest barriers were being able to find a teacher and I believe at the beginning we started to look for uh a full monastery program which is very intense. The
011training on it is months and months for a teacher and just didn't have a lot of success in in getting that started. So, we scaled that back a little bit uh this year and we've uh we've moved forward pretty quickly uh starting in April all the way through uh you know today uh with uh starting that program. So, uh we just want to tell you a little bit about it, answer any of your questions about the the Monasuri inspired or or nature uh school out at Camp Adventure. Uh so, just a little bit about Camp Adventure. Camp Adventure was was founded in in 1939 as a Boys and Girls Club. It's a 40acre site and obviously in a previous board meeting here just a just a month ago. Um we purchased Camp Adventure and then
012now we are the the owners of Camp Adventure. It sold to to us in June from the Optimus Club. Um it's kind of it's kind of a year- round camp. Uh it's very heavily used right now. it uh it's not as heavily used in the winter. So, starting a program like this will actually you'll have students out there year round now. So, pretty much, you know, every day of the year, you know, Monday through Friday, uh for the most part, we'll have kiddos out at Camp Adventure. So, kind of see some numbers there on growth. Um it's definitely grown. 2024 uh had had the most kids over the last several years and pretty much on pace for that same kind of number halfway through 2025 with with the rest of uh you know the fall
013and all of that to go. So that's a little bit about camp adventure. So Mallerie will tell us a little bit about kind of forest academy. She seems to be our our definitely a monastery expert compared to to Heidi and myself. I definitely have learned a lot about Monasuri, what it's like, but she definitely has a lot of that knowledge. >> So, um, what makes the Forest Academy unique is definitely the child-led learning. We will have a prepared environment like most monastery classrooms, um, where the environment that they're learning is is going to be prepared ahead of time and that fosters choice and independence with the students. Hands-on experiences. Everything that we do at the Forest Academy will be hands-on. We really try to relate it to the real world, but that's also um infused
014in the monastery element which they do a domain called practical life. And so they'll learn hands-on ways um to enhance that outdoor explor outdoor exploration, daily access to the nature buildings. Um we just spent a lot of money last year um from the Ball Brothers to put in a whole bunch of natural playground equipment like the mud kitchen. We have um a wooden teepee and a lot of other structures the kids can play on and explore. Building resilience. This is another one. They'll take risks outdoors. They'll problem solve and that develops grit and confidence which we want to really enhance in those students. And then obviously the deep connection to nature because they're going to be out at camp adventure every day. Um some things about the monastery approach we're using which is going to
015be a blended approach. Um, obviously child- centered, hands-on, self-paced. Um, the features, like I said, we have the prepared environment. So, we will have a classroom in the log cabin that we will prepare, well, the teacher will prepare daily for those students based on their needs. Um, practical life and sensorial work. Um, another thing that we are using with the monastery is we're using mixed age levels. So, we'll have four through six and there's also looping involved. So typically in a regular monastery environment they would loop for three years but the way we're going to do it because we're doing a blend we're going to do it every two years. Um and then teacher is not a lecturer they are guiding their students they're observing their students in the classroom. So how monastery guides our
016approach um independence and practical life skills, sensorial learning, individualized learning, a lot of the materials in the classroom are very holistic. They go deep with the senses. Um so it it is hands-on but they're using every sense to understand and learn that concept. Um it will be aligned to the standards. It's practical life sensorial just like we've talked about. And then of course we are going to maintain that strong foundational literacy approach when we um in monastery they typically will have a three-hour work period. Um and obviously with prek and kindergarten they'll have to gradually work up to that but the goal is to infuse CKLA with those kindergarteners at that time. We'll just separate them from the group and use the CKLA approach with them. Uh some just general information uh about camp uh
017the camp out there. Um class size will be up to 20 students. Uh ideally that would be 10 kindergarteners and 10 prek students. I'll kind of go through that makeup here in a minute of where we're at as of today. Uh we were very fortunate to hire two staff. Uh one our teacher is monastery certified. Uh they're going through some additional certification now. uh has taught at a monastery school uh with this age of students in Michigan. So we were we're very fortunate to find a teacher that is is very qualified to do this. That's like I said been a barrier in the past. We really didn't have any applicants uh previous years that that met any of those qualifications. So, we were able to to get a monastery uh experienced teacher and then we
018also have uh an aid uh with the students out there and then uh Mallerie will kind of be the camp uh coordinator on site to kind of oversee kind of the day-to-day operations of that program along with all the students that come out there on field trips and things like that. Um the base school will be Gryom Elementary uh with transportation provided. So parents have a couple different ways to get their kids to the monastery school. They can directly bring them to the monastery school in the morning or they can take them to Gryom and then we will uh drive a little white activity bus, one of our activity buses. The aid will drive students out. Uh right now looking at the the transportation requests we have uh 15 of those in so far and
019three students are are wanting to be transferred from transported from Gryom to there. The other 12 right now parents are saying they will drive them out directly to Monasuri. So looks like most parents will be transporting out to Monasuri but we will be taking a small bus back and forth each day uh with with a few of our kiddos. So, for the most part, we'll go to we'll go to Camp Adventure every day, but there is a classroom at Gryom for uh weather, you know, just some some freak things that might keep us from the camp. But, uh for the most part, they will attend out there every day. When they get out to the Forest Academy, there's kind of a kind of a daily routine. They start in a more morning circle. Uh very
020similar to what you might see in a traditional classroom of uh but with different activities but that same concept of kind of a circle time. Uh obviously a lot of outdoor explor exploration. Uh parents are are asked to make sure their kids are appropriately dressed. Uh we've kind of went through materials with what that kind of looks like. Uh because they will be outside a lot. So when it's hot, when it's cold, so when it might be a little wet or muddy, I mean, they'll be they'll be outside a lot. So, uh, of the day at Camp Adventure, uh, there's monastery work time, which is kind of like preset up, which Mallerie was mentioning. Uh, the teacher kind of sets up those different stations and different activities throughout the day. And there's also a strong
021literacy component. there's story time, uh, a lot of reading, uh, with our kids as we want to make sure they get a good foundational reading, uh, to to make sure when they get to third grade that they're they're independent readers and they're they're passing the I read exam and they're able to to read to learn. So, because they've learned to read while they've been in school. So, that's that's definitely a big key. So, when I created this last week, we had 18 students enrolled. We've added two more since then, so we're up to a full 20 enrolled students. Uh there are 11 preK students and nine kindergarten students. So we came very close to that 10 and 10 5050 uh model, but uh so we have 11 preK and nine uh kindergarten. We have 13
022kids coming from uh actually 14 now coming from in district and six coming from out of district. And then one of the things that's kind of hard to represent, I I know of two families that are in district but take their kids out of district that are now going to have my school kids instead of taking their kids to I know one family goes to Daleville and the other homeschools and they they will actually put their kids into school now with my schools uh because of this program. So, we're not even we're not also pulling in maybe some outofd district people, but we're also with this program getting a few of our in district kids that we don't currently capture into a program that they're very highly interested in. Uh we do have a family
023night coming up uh July 28th uh basically for them to see the area uh kind of walk around, see the indoor classroom, and really a chance for the three of us to answer any final questions for parents. We want them to be very comfortable. It's a new new program. Uh we'll try to have every answer to every question, but if not, we'll find the answers to their questions. Uh they've got brand new kids, prek or kindergarten kids, so it's their first school experience, so we want them to to have a great uh first experience. We want to be able to make sure they're comfortable, feel safe out at Camp Adventure because it's definitely a different learning environment than the the four walls of a traditional school. So, we've got uh one of those coming up
024July 28th. We'll have a even a maybe a back to school meet the teacher night as well after school starts as well. But uh planning on lots of family stuff out there for them to definitely feel comfortable. kind of to finish up here. Um why we're doing this, it's definitely been something that the community is wanting. Uh they've uh the Ball Foundation, different groups have come to us, uh wanting us to maybe look at this. I know Dr. Kay when she was here took a trip to Michigan and explored some schools up there. Um it definitely aligns with what we believe in in placing learners first and trying to meet the needs of different learners in our district. Uh we have a dual language program. We have a high ability program now. We have a
025kind of a monasteryl like inspired program that might meet a need of a student that we currently aren't being able to meet as well. So, um it definitely aligns with that. There are definite benefits to nature-based learning. Uh research shows that kids in this environment uh show a lot of gains in reading and math and science. So, uh, that's something that we're hoping to, you know, track ourselves to see, you know, what kind of, uh, learning these kids have as they progress through school, uh, since they started in the in the monastery inspired, uh, ability. So, um, it's definitely child-led. It's very independent for the child. The teacher is kind of a a facilitator. They're there to help. There's a lot of hands-on learning. um just looking for a way to to meet kids and
026develop kids in a whole different way than we do in our our normal classrooms. So, um and honestly, we're also trying to attract out of district families to to Munie. So, and keep our kids here. Uh offering programs that other places don't have is is a great way to to bring new families in into our school system and see all the wonderful things that we offer. So, um, so that's a a little bit about the Forest Academy. Uh, we appreciate your support in that. I definitely appreciate Dr. Reynolds who has let me kind of take the lead on this and kind of, you know, get going from our first parent meeting we held out at Camp Adventure uh, in April. I definitely thank Mallerie and Heidi because they've definitely put in a lot of work
027behind the scenes to get this ready. and we're we're definitely open to answer your questions or at least at least try to answer your questions tonight that you might have about the the program that'll start out there August 6th. >> Thank you, Mr. Grim. >> You're welcome. >> Questions uh for Mr. Graham or or >> Quick question. Do we have the ability to grow the program beyond 20 students? >> Yeah, so this year we'll start with a classroom of preK and K. Uh next year the goal would be to move those kids to kindergarten and first okay >> and then two years from now we would start two classrooms out there a prekk and a first second classroom u beyond that we thought we could sustain two classrooms like that every year then going forward
028potentially if there is enough interest out there and we have the space that maybe depend upon other grants and other things that might be happening out at Camp Adventure, but we could go further in the elementary grades. But right now, I think our plan over the next, if we had a three-year plan, it would be one classroom this year, that same classroom with kindergarten and first next year, and then after that, two classrooms every year after that with a prek and a one two that rolls through every year. So, we do have some growth plans over the next three years. Thank you, >> Eric. Um, we we if we're filled with 20, um, is there a selection process? Is it first come, first serve? I mean, h how do we determine which 20 are going
029to go? >> So, we really wanted a kind of a balance between the two. It's between kindergarten and u um preschoolers, but then we kind of I don't know rank them kind of like we do in the dual language program. In the dual language program, there's a kind of a tier pyramid of okay, if you're if you're a native speaker, you have first dibs into the program. So, we looked at out of district kindergarteners as our first uh tier when we started looking at students. So, if you were if you were coming from out of district and we could bring you in as a new family, you were a kindergartener, we looked at that first. Then we looked at our in district kindergarteners. Then we looked at our outofd district preschoolers because that there were
030a lot more preschoolers interested than there were kindergarteners. And then we looked at our in district kindergarteners. So as we've kind of filled those tiers to try to get to that 5050 and we're pretty close to that. Um we've been able to kind of have that selection process. We have a maybe a family that just put in today that might be on a wait list as a prek. Uh but right now based on the interest we've kind of had to weed out like some of the three-year-old preschoolers. Uh we had we uh initially started with three and four year old preks just like in our our buildings, but we saw that we had enough fouryear-old interest that we the three-year-olds would be like on a wait list or really maybe not even considered because we
031think maybe three-year-olds might be too young for out there at camp adventure. So that's kind of been the selection process. So it's filled up just naturally by that. If we continue to get more, they would kind of go on a wait list. So it's kind of been first come, first serve, but there's been a little bit of rationale as to who we've brought in at what level. >> And there's no additional cost for this. >> So prek is a cost just like all of our >> just like all of our prek, >> but there's no cost for kindergarten just like any of the programs. There's no the lunch is free, breakfast, you know, is free, all of those things. Uh there could be some materials uh that u would not be necessarily like a curricular
032material, but like clothing, you know, they have to have certain shoes out there. You know, we would provide bug spray and, you know, different sunscreen, different things like that for kids out there. Uh but there there may be some materials like clothing wise that parents would uh have to purchase but they're aware of that. They've been sent a materials list and I think part of monastery is they kind of they they know those things when they're signing up for a monastery school. They know they're going to be outside a lot. So they're going to have to you know dress their kids appropriately and you just can't wear shorts when it's you know 32 degrees and you're you're going outside. So >> thank you. >> So talk about the cost associated with prek. we did make
033the decision that we are not going to go into the licensing component with the forest academy um just yet. So if a student does have vouchers, it would not this program would not qualify for the vouchers offered from online prek or CCDF, but we will work with families on a sliding scale um to accommodate those families that may may need that assistance along the way too. We did talk about as the program grows and expands that we may actually end up getting it licensed in the future, but for this first year, we are going to just get our feet wet and see what else. >> Thank you. >> The second year wouldn't even have prek, you know, if we continue. So, we didn't think we would license it for a year and then not even
034have prek out there and then so potentially that third year when we're always going to have prek out there, we would look at potentially licensing. >> Thank you. >> What's our staffing out there? staffing out there is Mallalerie is the camp coordinator. We have one teacher and then one aid. So in the classroom on the day-to-day basis, there would be 20 students and then two two full-time staff that's out there all the time. We did the the instructional assistant is a full-time instructional assistant position and then a full-time teacher. >> Okay. How close are they to the water? their feet wise they're I mean they're far enough away that if they were to go out of the building they're not going to run into the water they have to go down the hill so probably
035>> 900 ft maybe >> the pond the closest water source the the creek is behind the pond and >> after that so >> so you a teacher and an aid >> yes >> all the time We also talked earlier about how the month of August will be much more structured and normalizing um processes and routines and teaching the kids how to interact with the materials. So it'll be more structured, less freedom than the monastery like in inspired program. Um but then once those routine routines, procedures and um expectations are established that's when some of that so it'll be very structured to get started. Okay. >> And probably for that first month they will be in the classroom just normalizing with the monastery materials, normalizing with prepared environment and normalizing like she said with the expectations
036outdoors like here's how we walk by the pond. But all of that is also covered in the parent handbook just so parents feel comfortable because that was a big question. Well, there's a pond here. There's a creek here. So, yes, >> if you determine that another aid is merited, don't don't sleep on that. We can look at getting another aid. >> Sure. >> I just that would be that's as the lawyer in me that's the first concern. talk to insurance company. >> It's within our >> within our umbrella. >> Okay. Um well, why don't we have you guys back um November. >> Yeah. >> I'd love to bring the teacher teacher in as well. So >> it's too cold. Yeah, maybe in a couple maybe a kiddo or so. So, >> and they're going to
037be out there all year, right? >> They are. >> Yes. >> So, maybe we can hold a meeting out there. >> Fun. >> Yeah. >> Joe. >> Where's Joe? Joe, our guy. >> Cindy just painted. >> Maybe I could be out there, right? I I assume our staff is maintaining the grounds, right? You send. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Good. So, there there are people coming and going. >> Um, why don't you add to Robert's list to >> on the loop? >> Put it on the loop, please. >> Any other questions? It's exciting stuff. Um, we'll look forward to hearing how it goes. Let us know if there are hiccups that you need assistance with. And again, don't hesitate. If there's something you think makes it better, let us know. Thank you for all your work
038on this. >> Thanks. >> Exciting stuff. >> Poor Mallerie. She's been at uh she's been at Camp Adventure all day, >> right at our July camp. >> Okay. >> 90 degrees out there. >> Yes. >> So, we are on to the consent agenda. >> We have to approve the policy. >> Do you need a policy approval, Eric? >> The pardon. Okay. The parent guide. >> I thought it wasformational, but >> yeah, just informationational just so that's something that after I explain it to everybody, I'll send that out. >> Okay. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, I think that's fine. Um, let me ask this. How many will we have parents volunteering out there at all or do you know? >> Yeah, I would think that would be a that would be a place they can do that.
039Yeah, we haven't uh haven't talked about that one way or the other, but uh >> Okay. So, make sure they have the same they meet the same requirements as a volunteer in any other school. >> Okay. >> We talked about two maybe getting some of our um educational pathway high school kids. That would be one of the elementary settings they could go to as well. >> Okay. Um we're on to um consent agenda items. Um, Miss Wines Elena, congratulations. You're gonna be at South View. >> Yes, sir. >> Super excited about coming up here. >> I did not know there was going to be a test. >> Um, so you're going to join us at Southview as a special ed teacher, right? >> Yes, sir. >> Uh, that's great. Southview, lots of great things happening
040at South Elementary. >> Yeah. And uh so where have you where did you where you from? Tell us a little about yourself. Family. >> Well, I started at Monroe Central in the life skills classroom. They um about nine years ago they didn't have a program there and I kind of helped start that. Um so I just thought it was time for a change and started applying here at Muny and got to South View. So, um, but I grew up in Randolph County all my life and graduated from Franklin College, not anticipating being a teacher ever, but life has a funny way of leaving you back to school. >> Yeah. >> So, and here I am. >> Well, welcome. Did you bring somebody with you tonight? >> I did. My husband Jeremy, he has no problem
041coming up here and talking to >> Well, we we welcome you to the Muny Community School family and we look forward to having you at Southview and contributing to all the the really wonderful things that are occurring over there >> and u let us know if um you need anything. >> All right. Thank you. >> Welcome to her. We were all colleagues Hill Services for years. They're they're over the beat. But um >> that that that felt like an extraneous add-on. >> So we have our uh personnel items or pardon me our consent items. Any other questions concerning consent? I do want to recognize Shenisha Ven Venibal >> uh who is retiring as a special education aid at Central after 15 years. So thanks for for service. Uh with that would entertain a motion. >>
042I hear a second. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor signify by I. I >> oppose. Same sign. Okay. Uh financial reports. >> Thank you. Uh included in your board packet was a financial report uh for the results for the month of June. Obviously, this is six months into a 12-month uh calendar year. Um I will have more information for you as we do our budget presentation for you uh next month, August 12th, but um we'll hit some of the highlights today. Um I always like to report our state basic grant revenue about 475 million is still what the state has um promised us for that. Um, we received the new uh state estimate today for the fiscal year 26 and they're showing 47.8 million for fiscal year 26 and of course that starts
043in July for the fiscal year from the state. Uh not a huge increase obviously only about $300,000 increase in revenue uh from one year to the next there. Um, and that is supposed to also cover the TBR, the textbook rental, uh, which had been the last two years a separate payment of $750,000, which was $160 times our ADM count. So now they have rolled the TDR into the state basic grant. And the numbers of course don't quite um they're not flushing out that 700,000 we used to get. Um, that's just the way it is on the revenue there. Um so that is a challenge we'll have going forward on TBR. Um still reporting um a little over $34 million cash balance at the end of June. Uh once again that still reflects um almost $5
044million of bond money bond project that's going on right now at the Muny Central in the fieldhouse uh campus there. Our state loan outstanding we're now below $7 million on what we of the original $12 million loan to the state. So, always like to report that that we're continuing to pay that off per original amortization schedule. Yes. >> Just I just thought of this, but that payment comes off of our state grant. Correct. >> That is correct. It comes right off the top. So, we don't have to make the payment or drag the payment out. They they subtract that from our monthly. >> Yes, they do. And that goes that goes until June of 2028. And it was a backloaded uh kind of amorization payment. So it's it's interest free. >> Uh it's not paid
045out of debt service. They subtract it just like you said out of our education fund money uh to pay back that original $12 million advance that we received in 2019. So >> just want to make make >> Yeah. And it goes it's up to nowund and um um 85,000 a month uh starting in July. So that just goes on per their regular schedule. Um, so anyway, that keeps that keeps going on. Um, just a couple other items to note. Uh, from a payroll standpoint, um, of we are running, believe it or not, we're running below last year at this time after 6 months. We're down $273,000 on payroll. That's because we were down slightly on the uh on the headcount a little bit compared to the previous year. And uh, always like to report that.
046Of course, as of July 1st, uh due to uh uh saving money, uh bringing the uh facility maintenance and custodial contract back inhouse to save a million dollars a year in the operation fund. Our headcount will start going up and uh I'll report that kind of on a proform basis so you can at least see we're comparing apples to oranges or apples to apples on on our headcount number when we talk about um the headcount. Anyway, so in in any event, uh those were a couple of highlights there. We did receive in the month of June, uh we still did receive our share of property taxes from the county. Um so that's always good to report that we we received property taxes in um uh May and June. We'll receive property taxes again uh in
047November and December. we're still expecting to receive from the county probably expected about just under 12 million 11.9 million in property taxes uh for this particular year. So, um you have your normal companion documents there of the charts and graphs which just shows our trend in our uh cash balance as it continues to go up or rise steady. And you'll see the red there just shows the state loan as that continues to go down. And I use the benchmark of December of 2018 is where we start that. Um appropriations, as you can see, we're right at the six-month mark there on appropriations. Uh everything is about what you'd call at 50%. Uh the exception being operation fund and rainy day. We kind of treat those funds together because they're trying to combine to pay just
048a little over right about $13 million of operational spending. Uh that's how we're doing that for operation spending uh operation rainy day together. and uh we have a strategy for that of course uh just due to the cuts in operational funding on the tax caps that hit the operation fund. So that's really that's kind of the highlights of what we have presented. Uh we'll have more information on our permission to advertise budget presentation uh next month. Um the board has been very faithful in asking you that question about when will we get more detailed impacts of SB1. Uh uh Dr. Reynolds and I did receive information from our Baker Tilly financial consultants. Uh we do have some information they're preparing for us. Uh which I said, "Oh, that's what we need to fully answer that
049question is they have continued to unpack those rules and regulations for how it impacts uh the specific school districts and that's what we want to be able to report back to you. Uh how it really starts affecting us 2028 2029. that's when these uh 25 to 30% reductions in property tax starts to kick in with the way the current rules are now. So, um as I previewed with Dr. Chuck a little bit with it's just it's worthy of bringing it to the board uh to show that presentation um probably later in the fall >> um after the budget process. I had the opportunity to have dinner with the CFO at Crown Point last week and uh he and I were discussing this and he's of the opinion we really won't have a a true picture
050of what's going to happen until sometime next spring. >> Yeah. >> I mean those projections that I think everybody's working on are best guesses still is according to him. I don't know what Baker Tilly's telling us, but >> um like I said, that's that's what we contract with them to do for us to help us with that five-year um comprehensive financial plan that they have faithfully been doing for us each year. >> And um >> well, push them on Yes. how how confident they are in >> right >> what they're put in front of you, >> right? because I'm not I continue to be skeptical of the ability to divine what this is going to look like because I don't think this >> well I I just knew that at least we have asked as
051a board you have asked me as >> we have asked >> to continue >> and I don't yeah I I think this this legislation is uh going to prove to be a a problem >> right so any additional questions for Mr. Quick question. Our next ADM count is actually in October, right? >> October 1st. >> So, do we have a sense where we're heading with I don't want to put you on this, >> right? Um, right now our since we since most folks roll over and complete online registration forms, we we don't have a great sense. I I will say that our our kindergarten kickoff participation was up a little bit. We had more folks completing those kindergarten forms. That's probably the biggest question mark is how many kindergarters we're going to get. Those numbers
052were up still below where we'll land, but they were up compared to our recent trend. So, >> and then our count's been moved back to October. Is that right? Did I hear that? >> Yeah. Three years in a row. >> Yep. >> October. >> Had been that second Friday in September. Third Friday. >> Yeah. >> And now they move it to October. Well, that's good because there's about a third of my kids that don't show up well after Labor Day. So, yeah. Yeah, >> it's just a it's just a habit. So, okay. Any additional questions? Okay. Um, Mr. Grim, are you going to do the curriculum? >> I am. So, um, tonight I have a review a motion to, uh, review and approve a quaver student success and resiliency, uh, set of resources in our
053elementarymentaries. Um, this came from our process checks each year. As you know, we do process checks with our schools. U, one of the things that elementary uh, counselors and teachers asked for were some more uh, resources that went along with this. They asked for that kind of in the fall. Uh some of our counselors went to the state counseling conference and uh saw a presentation from our our music curriculum vendor which is Quaver uh that has a a student success uh set of resources. Uh they they really liked it. So they brought that back uh to me asked me if we could maybe look into that. So, I reached out to our representative who who provides our, like I said, our music curriculum, which our our music teachers really like. Um, and they allowed us
054to pilot that uh all spring. So, our elementary counselors and some of our behavior BCs in our buildings and family navigators in our elementaryaries uh piloted uh the the Quaver uh success uh resources all all spring. uh kind of at the end we s I surveyed them to see if that was something that they would want to uh continue with for next year and they were they all were in favor of of continuing it. Uh they found probably the most benefit from our our early age our K through three students I think really took to the curriculum because it's it is a music-based curriculum as well. I mean quaver provides music curriculum and this set of uh resources also um deals with some of the things like mentioned there self-awareness and self mana management and
055social awareness but they also do it kind of in a musically way. Uh the the elementary kids really you know especially the younger ones really bought into that in the classrooms learning those skills. Uh so they really like that. So they asked if we could uh adopt that. So, uh, tonight we're looking to adopt that resource for our elementary counselors and and behavior folks in our schools to use, uh, with our kiddos when it comes to teaching that self-awareness skills, self-management, relationship skills, decision making skills. Some of those skills that maybe are not core academic, but are definitely uh, influence they definitely influence how well you you perform in those core academic areas in the classroom. Uh so uh asking that uh you look at uh to adopt that tonight. Uh that does come out
056of our our TBR or textbook fund uh for for that purchase. >> So is this a onetime payment or is this an annual payment of 37,000? >> Uh this is the three-year this will be a three-year payment. This will be a three-year time period. So we purchased it for three years. >> So the 378 is a onetime payment for three years. >> Correct. >> Okay. Brad, are we able to pay in advance on a license like that? >> Oh, yeah. Yes. Okay. >> I assume so. Um, there is some rule on payment of rule and payment for services, right? In advance. >> Well, then we get into when we convert our financial statements to acrruel accounting, then that's something we present to the folks for the acrruel um with Baker Tilly. Okay. >> So, we
057handle that for the basis. >> Paying in advance for the full threeyear period is not a problem. It's just Yeah, just like PL pay in advance for your property and casualty insurance. Um Okay. Yeah. >> Several of our I think curriculums are are paid in advance. Like our our Amplify is a six-year curriculum and then each year we receive the the resources that come I guess what I would say is free, but we've already paid for them up front. >> Yeah. And this is largely for our counselors at the schools. >> Any questions? Okay. Would entertain a motion to approve. So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor signify. I >> post same sign. Okay. And then um we have another update to a policy manual. Um Mr. Grim, you going to handle that? >>
058Nope. I I have that one. >> Chuck's got that one. >> Yep. >> So just one one late addition that we were still working with um Church Hill and Antrum to um to finish up where this policy on attendance. Uh just a few key changes. It it has a a couple of new um excused absences for for designated FFA and 4 activities. Um revises the some of the conference language for an absent student. An absent student is they define it as a student that has five unexcused absences in a 10-week period. Um the new Indiana code has extended that from K to 6 to 7 through 12. Um so uh the new policy reflects that. Um basically it talks about um having a parent conference which which we do have a student support team which
059we have um that will extend um extend all the way through our secondary level. Uh just full transparency that will be a little tough. I think once the kids hit that secondary level they um um they get some independence and I think parents count on them to to be a little independent and get themselves ready at times and get to school. So um it it will be a new a new challenge for our our administrative and student support teams at the at the secondary level, but we'll have we'll have processes. We'll duplicate those processes that we have in place already at the elementary level for the secondary. >> And this is the the issue that I had sent an email about doing something educationally correct. >> Yes. >> For our parents. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
060Because I I don't think there's a full understanding. >> Right. And and you and it's and it's really the the phone calls and the communication. Our our teams already do that. they do a really good job of of communicating out. Um the mandatory parent conferences I think will be something that we'll have to work on to to make sure we do. But it's um I I really think the real trigger is the the students who are habitually um truent or absent right where they they have missed 10% of the school. So 18 days um that's really where where folks get in trouble and those are unexcused absences. medical um uh court appearances, 4, FFA, educational field trips, election day activities, um funerals of loved ones. So th those are things that don't count to be
061a habitually truent. So, we we've got to a we've got to do some work inhouse on our processes for those those in-person meetings or those meetings that we need to have with families, but then we like we talked about we need to do a job a good job of communicating with our families about those trigger to be habitual truents or unexcused absences. Well, it looks like in statute that if the student is a habitual truent, you can count them absent if they are deployed with the National Guard for over 15 days. >> That's true. >> So, who wrote that statute? >> I don't know. It's not a It's not a wide swash. >> Yeah. >> of students. I don't that I can imagine. >> Yeah. So, if you're already habitual, you can count that child
062absent >> if they're deployed with the National Guard. Okay. >> I'm curious. What age do you have to be to join the national 17? Is it 17? 16. 17. >> Yeah. >> We've had a few kids over the years that maybe have gone to boot camp over the summer, right? Maybe turned 17. But >> yeah, I had some my school classmates that joined. >> Yeah. Um it Yeah. I just think it's it's one of these statutes that's well-intentioned, but it's misunderstood by >> a significant portion of our families around the state. And what I'm hearing, and I I think you guys are too, is this >> this fear that's associated with, oh, we're going to get reported to the prosecutor, so therefore we'll simply homeschool, right? And >> yes, >> I got stopped again today.
063We had a conver I had a conversation today with a parent about it. I mean, it's >> Yeah. So, it's just something we have to be very deliberate about in terms of education. >> Okay. Uh, any questions regarding the updates to this policy? Would entertain a motion. >> So, move. >> Hear a motion. Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> Hear a second. Uh, all those in favor signify by I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> Cindy, did you get the motion and second on that? >> Yes. Okay. Um, Mr. Dome, we are on to the 2025 bond project. >> Thank you. Uh, presented in your packet, we have five resolutions here. Three I'll talk about here first. Uh we've been working with Ice Miller uh our attorney uh for this uh particular project. And
064just a reminder, this is our 2025 bond project and it encompasses uh several items here on the Muny uh community schools uh district. And we'll be dealing uh with uh several items here. And this the scope of this project involves uh roofing needs throughout the district. Uh replacing the boiler and the HVAC system at the fieldhouse. Uh the chiller at North Side Middle School, exterior doors at Muny Central High School. Uh resurfacing of the track at Southside Middle School. Resurfacing of the tennis courts at Southside Middle School as well as Muny Central High School. Uh new lower arena bleachers at the fieldhouse as well as bleachers at Northside Middle School. Uh those were the items that have been uh specifically identified in the project. Uh Dr. Reynolds and I had our opening meeting with our
065uh architect and the principal in charge there to try to start laying out some rough timelines uh with ICE Miller. What they have done for us here is starting to lay out the resolutions that we have to uh cover and that's what we have first. So you have three we have to take these separately is what I think Cindy has has told me. Uh the first one is determining the need for the project. You have that resolution uh in front of us there. There it is. Exhibit A. Exhibit A uh is the need for the project resolution. Um and I guess the next one is called approving the form of the lease because part of it is a lease rental agreement. Um with set up with our building corporation. Uh that's why it's called a
066lease rental. Um and then we also have uh that's why we have to do the building corporation uh because of a lease rental and then part of the project will be uh of the 19.8 million part of it will be as a general obligation bond. So we're part of it is considered a lease rental, part of it is a general obligation bond. These three resolutions we have here in a row is what ICE Miller has presented to us that our school board needs to uh uh review u and approve and adopt tonight. >> Okay. So, we'll start with exhibit A, uh, the resolution determining the need for the project. Uh, everybody's had an opportunity to review that, I presume. Mr. Derome, do you have anything additional to add? >> I have no I I don't
067have anything additional to add. >> Okay. You have any questions concerning that resolution? Uh, this should look familiar to you. We've been over it last few meetings. Uh, if there are no questions, would entertain a motion and a second to approve. >> Move to approve. >> Second, Mr. Low. Mr. Urban second. Uh any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> Both. Same sign. Okay, we'll show that. Uh we're on to exhibit B, the resolution approving the form of the lease. And there's also a proposed uh lease agreement in our materials. Um and again, this is part of the financing arrangement associated with this bond project. Uh Mr. Mr. Dum, do you have anything additional to add in? >> I I do not have anything additional to add. The
068only thing I failed to mention is this project would be the rough timeline on this would be uh selling the bonds in the fourth quarter 2025. Um the work would be done in 2026. It possibly could go on into 2027. Obviously, it's a pretty extensive project, but um that's at least the rough timeline that was discussed with myself and Dr. Reynolds last week. >> Okay. Any additional questions concerning exhibit B or the related lease? Hearing no questions, would entertain a motion to approve. >> So move. >> Mr. Heater's motion >> and second by Dr. Washburn. All those in favor signify by I. >> Post same sign. >> So we need to uh reapprove the building corporation. Um >> right. >> Is that correct? >> That's correct. That's the third. Yes. And um I'm assuming we're
069dealing with the same members of the building corporation. >> That is correct. And we'll we'll be meeting as a building corporation tomorrow morning. So >> So you have Mr. Maul, Mrs. Johnson, >> what's the >> and Dallas? Yes. So Mr. Dallas. >> So those are the building corporation. They have served us previously on our bond projects. I would entertain a motion to approve those individuals as members of the building corporation. Okay. Moved by Miss Script. >> Second by Dr. Washburn. All those in favor signify by I. I >> post. Same sign. Okay. So, we're on the 7.4. Um. >> Yes. Um, >> I assume you just need approval to advertise. >> I need I need approval for this one. The construction manager's constructor. Uh this is how we have done several of our last uh
070four projects in a in a row. Um this was brought to us uh from Mr. Low here on how uh it's a way for a construction manager to be involved and yet they're the one that have to bear the brunt for the bids. Uh that's why it's called construction manager's constructor and we have to do an RFP for this particular proposal and that's what this does advertises for requesting bids for this project. >> Any questions for Mr. room regarding the RFP that is in your packets. >> How Hey Brad, how how many companies do you suppose will respond to the RFP? >> Um, this dates back to 2022 project, 23 project, and the 24 project. Um, I think the first time in 22 because you've served on my committee with me when we evaluate the
071bids um for the various construction managers. I think we've had at least three almost every time. um probably at least two to three is what we've had. >> And what will what will be the the important things that we'll look for in choosing this CMC? >> Well, we have an evaluation matrix that we have uh set up ahead of time. It's not just all about price. It's the services and what they've been able to do in the past um to um that we're asking to do might dictate somebody has a certain level of experience or expertise in >> right >> in that kind of a project that might be advantageous over somebody who didn't >> right I mean we we basically when we basically did the open call uh three three years ago when we
072did the EWA project um we entertained this very same Ocean construction managers constructor uh we brought in I think three companies they actually did the dog and pony show in front of us and uh it was very different the one particular company that stood out was because instead of proposing uh 22 portable classrooms they said well let's do let's just rotate through areas at one time you don't have to get portables and that saves money. That was just one example of one company who had previous experience doing that type of project. So, >> all right. >> That's what jumped to the forefront of that project. >> More to your question, Dave. The firm that >> perhaps will be successful may not be experienced in performing roofing work. They'll have somebody do the roofing work. That's
073that's who they they're the construction manager who brings all that together under one umbrella. >> The benefit benefit the general >> would get the spec and design. You get the spec and your design from your architect and they help you write those specs and then um most commercial um roofing contractors they would bring to us would be skilled enough in that arena. >> Okay. >> And they do that for every trade, every type of uh every type of thing we've done in the past three years, three, four projects, all the construction trades. They're very skilled in it. >> Thank you. Mr. Hello. Are you willing to be involved in process again with Mr. Durham? >> Yeah. If if Brad needs me to be there, I'll be there. >> Yeah. I mean, I think another set
074of eyes always helps. >> Um the U and Jim has some time on his hands now. >> Just a little. [Laughter] Uh, >> any additional questions concerning the RFP? >> I like CMS. I think it's good good approach. >> Yeah. And I will tell you, I served on the committee that studied this way back what, 10 years ago because back then about the only thing we had for the state of Indiana for a public bid was firm bids, which were problematic. And I have to tell you at that point in time, I was skeptical about the whole process, but I am now a believer. This is a really great process for Indiana to get projects done because they become part of your team. They're there day in day out and I think you can attest
075to that Brad. >> Yeah. I mean to help us >> the the particular construction manager we've had the last uh three years has been on site with us. We have meetings all the time, you know, uh weekly weekly status meetings. They're part of the um they're out there soliciting those bids initially. they are not going to accept any of those bids unless it satisfies us and our project and it fits in our money um that we have available because it's a fixed amount of money that you have available for our project. Um so that's a level of expertise that we've seen by having a construction manager as constructor. I was skeptical too. I never worked under that environment before in my previous district uh on various projects. So, this has been um a good solution
076uh for such a wide variety of of topics we're going to do >> and they've helped us with the slabjacking issue that we had. They they have a level of expertise not everyone has. >> That was not an easy project. I've tried to explain it to people. >> I I know I know that's one of your favorite >> well >> change orders we've ever had to tell you. So going back 30 years, 35 years now, and any major construction project for a long time, it just seemed like to me, my law firm was getting involved. There was litigation, >> litigation. >> There was just every project, all state for a long time. >> I I sit through I don't know how many mediation sessions, but I tell you, it was unfair for contractors on 20
077and 30 and 40 and $50 million projects. You have four weeks to submit a price and you have to live with that price. >> Yeah. >> And documents that are this thick, this process is much better suited for this, >> much cleaner and there are fewer there are demonstrabably fewer disputes >> and yes. >> So, uh, for those that are not involved in this world, that's >> it's it's gotten much better. Not for the lawyers. >> We we appreciated the disputes. Um, >> all those um, well, we don't even have a motion. Uh, move approval. >> Got Mr. Heater moving approval. >> Second, >> Dr. O'Neal. Second. All those in favor signify by I. >> I. I. >> Same sign. >> Okay. >> Um, we have the architect for the bond project. >> Yes. I'd
078like to present uh in the board packet uh tonight also is permission to approve Schmidz as the architect's services for this particular project. They have worked with us. Uh they were in place uh when I came in 2018. They have a very good working relationship with us and they have nothing to doubt going forward that they will not continue to be there for us as a good partner. So would like to make that recommendation once again to you Schmidz for this specific project that we've identified. Okay. >> Any questions concerning the architect? questions can a motion move to approve. >> Second. >> Hear a second. Okay. All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> Same sign. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Derome. Thank you for um all your work and Dr. Reynolds, the team's
079work on this. Um how are we um Dr. Bell on our HR? >> We're doing very well. Good evening, President Williams, um Dr. Reynolds, and the rest of the board members. Very excited about where we are with our hiring and so we are ready. We need maybe one teacher, two teachers to get the school year started and principles are making those recommendations. >> Okay, Dr. Reynolds, did you talk to the folks about a potential comp committee? >> I have not yet. I thought I did that. >> Okay, so Dr. Reynolds will reach out to several of you on comp. Um so hopefully we can get that moving forward. Um okay. Um Mr. Clots, any media inquiry. Okay. At this point would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> A motion. Do I hear a second? Second.
080All >> in favor signify by I. I >> stand adjourned. Thank you.