001I want to call this meeting to order. Want to start? We all can stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. To 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. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Johnson, >> present. >> Dr. Woods, >> present. >> Not present. And we have president. >> All right. We have four members present. >> Can't hear you. >> Was four members present. We have a quorum. Our next item on the agenda, approval of the February 19th, 2026 Agend agenda. Do I have a motion? >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Are there any questions from the board members? >> All right. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods,
002>> yes. >> Attorney Lockett, >> yes. >> And I say yes. Uh with a vote of 4 Z motion carried are Gary ready snapshots. Mrs. Wait. Good evening Dr. folks, members of the board, those in my presence from this amazing community, and those who are viewing virtually. My name is Chelsea Whittington, and I proudly serve as the chief of public and community relations for your Gary Community School Corporation. It's always a pleasure to be able to present Gary Ready snapshots as it is an opportunity for me to share with the board and the community some of the amazing things that are taking place throughout the district and things that we have to look forward to. The very first thing we'd like to call the attention to is a big congratulations to our partners over at
003GAPS. On yesterday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. they hosted another one of their amazing career days. Special thanks to any of the professionals in our community who came out to share their expertise in the variety of fields in which they work. This is an ongoing endeavor by GAPS and we appreciate them for participating and for for presenting career path opportunities to our district students. Can we give them a round of applause? Next up, I just want to make a blanket plug across the district for Black History Month. In each one of our buildings are activities that celebrate the month of February and Black History and its heritage. We invite you to visit both garyschools.org as well as each individual school's Facebook page to find out what's happening during Black History Month for their schools.
004We have it listed on our website under the calendar of events and each school has promoted its own program for the month. What's a better step for you to take is to be there. Once you've identified what other types of events that you would like to attend for Black History Month, you are welcome to participate in the schools. Some, since we are in midFebruary, have already taken place, but most of them happen the final week as they have ramped up to make a big finale splash at the end of the month. Next up, I am so excited to yield the mic. Where we all sit and stand right now is the jewel of the district, one of the Gary Area Career Center. It is the place where we invite our students to explore and immerse
005themselves into opportunities so they can find out what they want to be, see, and do when they leave high school. However, the school the Gary area career center offers certain certifications in various disciplines. And tonight we are going to recognize students who have completed certifications in the areas of radio and TV broadcasting as well as welding. I'd first like to invite to the podium my colleague and instructor Jay Kevin Thomas to speak about his radio TV certified students from the Gary Community School Foundation. Kevin >> Good afternoon Lord. I just want to tell you how excited I am to be here watching two of my students get this award. >> The reason why I'm so excited that some of you don't know I was out of work for about a month. I was sick and
006I was in IMCU which is the next level right below ICU for nine days. I had a staff infection that was traveling and you know those things going but while I was there were able to keep the lesson plans coming and we were right in the middle of certifications. My students for four weeks with their sub continued their own studies to get the certification themselves. This is an amazing amazing thing that they did. When I got back to school after being a month out of school when I got back I checked on them. We took a pretest and they were ready to take the certification themselves. We need to get a round of applause for that because that's what you don't hear out of this district. We have so many wonderful students here in this
007school district. Those are the stories that need to be told. >> So, Robert Petty and Timothy Eubanks, they are just finished up that certification society of broadcast engineer certification. It's a tough certification to get. Um there's very few people there's very few 17 year olds that have this certification. We got two of them that have it. Um also we're starting our next certification for the certified radios operators license. We'll have that done in about 6 to 8 weeks and they'll have the second certification coming out industry standard certification which is exciting. So um I'm just super excited for this. Super excited for you all to be able to see them. Wonderful. I want to see how we translate these certifications into some jobs for to support our city. One more quick thing. That's all. Tomorrow
008they're actually going out to Glenn Park to give a presentation to some eighth graders there. They have put together their own presentation. They created their own slideshow. They wrote their own script. And so I'm going to sit back in the back and watch these two guys go out and teach our youth. and to encourage them to be better than we ever thought they could be because there's so many kids like this right here in the Gary Community School District and we should be proud of them and give these kids whatever we can give them to make sure that they can go out and shine. So I appreciate you. Thank you, Jay Kevin. And in true fashion for my team, we will be highlighting these students separate and apart for their media, having them on our
009TV show as well as our radio program so we can extend these accolades beyond tonight's meeting. No more time for our radio TV. Next up is a craft that is indeed a specialty that will definitely have our students, if they so desire, to step right out into the workforce in the field of welding. We have a community partnership and our community partner, Miss Alicia, is here to talk to us and present to us the four young people who have excelled in their wounding certification. Are you here? >> Yes, I am. Come on down. >> And when you get your big jobs, remember this face. >> Thank you so much. >> Good afternoon. Good evening, everyone. Um, so I'm so proud of these boys. Before I even get into these young men, before I even get
010into what I do and what the school, Can y'all hear me? >> Yes. Okay. Before I get into what I do and what these young men, I've not seen anything like this. I've been a principal. I've been in high schools, mother, dads, and the school because I know it takes everybody. Y'all did a huge job with these boys. I have not had any students like them. They're very responsible. They are independent. They call me with solutions, >> right? That's what I said. No problems, solutions. And I teach adults, grown adults, that normally call me with problems. They call me with solutions. They're ready. They're always on time, dedicated. I never have to make them do too much of anything. Very mannerable, respectful. Moms, dads, thank you so much. I I'm so grateful to have these
011boys, these young men, um, and motivated and driven. They all have something that they want to do. They know what they're doing. They know where they want to go. They know where they want to work. They have goals. This is like amazing to me. I'm excited to be able to be their instructor. So, I appreciate y'all. Y'all know I love y. So, What these young men have done, they have certified with AWS welding certifications, which is American Welding Society certifications. These certifications give them um the ability to work in all 52 states, including Puerto Rico, Mexico. They are in a national database. Um yeah, I know, right? here in the national database so they can go anywhere in the country um here within the 52 states and get job place. We have been to um
012the boiler makers union hall, the pipe fitters union hall, the iron workers union hall and they are um signed up to take tests in eight weeks >> in 16 eight weeks eight weeks. So they graduated May, so hopefully by June and July they will actually be working at one of the labor unions. Um he has decided to go to the military >> and be a welder in the military. Anthony is already uh in the National Guard and he's working. He's going to stay in the National Guard. The Pipe Fitters Union Hall works with military. So he can stay 100% National Guard and when he's done or when he's back home, he can go straight into the Pipe Fitters Union Hall as long as he registers within a year of him coming out. So they um
013they allow him that time. So even if he does just weekends and he only does part-time with the National Guards, he can do 100% um full-time with the pipe fitters. And so that's the route that he wants to go. >> Right. >> Kean Keshan has not really made up his mind. He's crossed between the pipe fitters and the uh boiler makers, but I think he's going with the pipe fitters. So he made a decision last week. Chanty is going to do a private company, meaning a smaller uh business, not a union job. So, we are searching and um looking for jobs for him. So, I do job place. I have a 92% job placement rate um for for our school. Our school is called Striking Walter Cup Welding. We are located on 9th Avenue in
014Gary, Indiana. Um, we do uh teach and certify young adults as well as old adults, older adults, adults. Um, the youngest student I've certified was 13 years old, homeschooled. Um, and their certifications are fine. They just have to be at least 18 years old to get a job. Our second portion um of the program is based on employment. Okay? So, we're trying to get them employment ready. So, they're doing job applications, they're doing resume writing, um mock interviewing, and then they're actually going to take the test at the union halls. So, they're registered at the union halls, and they're taking all of them. I told them to do all the union tests. I know they want to only do one union, but I want them to apply to all of them. So, they're going to
015do at least three unions out of the six. So, the second portion of the um program, they will be going to the other unions they didn't go to. the brick layers, um the carpenters and the milright union. So they'll visit them and then they'll apply for those um positions and they normally get phone calls between June and July. So hopefully um they will they will do fine. We're also doing um specific math. I have a third party coming in to teach them the specific math for the industry that they're going in for welding. So they'll teach them how to be able to pass the test to help them to pass the test on the mathematical section which is the hardest section. Um so the second portion up until May that's what we're focused on and
016then they will also try to get a second welding certification in a different process that they didn't get in the first uh program. So they all and they also have OSHA 10in certifications as well. um they are graduating with me because they went through my program and our graduation is in March and so they will attend and they will be participating in our graduation as well. I'm very very proud of them. So the grills that you saw when we walked in, all four of them made those grills. They are cookable so they can cook in them. Um Alonzo, he said he's not cooking in it. It's too good to cook in it. So he won't be cooking in it. The other three are cooking those, but I teach them that through this um fabrication course.
017The fabrication course teaches them how to use their creativity and how to make things that we use on an everyday basis. So if anything should ever happen in the world like we hit covet again, at least they know that they can continue to work. They have a trade. They can fabricate things. They can make things and um always be always have a job. Welding is not going anywhere. So, they have developed a huge amount of skills for them to be able to live and um take care of their family. I also want to mention that Mazo is a dad. >> This one, >> the baby's in the back and um he has been very dedicated to doing what he needs to do to be a man for his um child and raise his family. So,
018he has the biggest plan and he does not come off of it. His only talk is work, military, baby. and maybe mom, right? So, we help each other. Also, I want to say um these four the um they're very close woven, which is another thing that I don't see amongst the young youth. Um they help each other outside of school. I hear them talking all the time about what they're doing. They get on each other about everything, whether they're running late, whether they're not making it. um they are very good supporters for each other and that amongst black men is very huge and I commend them all the time and I tell them all the time to keep that type of a relationship. She coming up close I think it's time for me to go.
019So she didn't give me minutes. She say two minutes. So I don't know if y'all want to say something. Would you all like to say >> thank y'all? These young men are all seniors at Westside Leadership Academy. Our principal, our high school are all here. You all standing way because administration also plays a role in being supporter of the 12 curriculum between Westside and the Gary area career center. Thank you so much for being here and we will be at that graduation, Miss Felicia, in March to support our students. Thank you so much. Moving on and the great scary ready snapshots continue. In the month of December, I reminded the community and the school community to hurry up and get your essays in for the Martin Luther King ecumenical celebration. Well, our students did just
020that. And tonight I am super proud to report that the students from Bailey STEM Academy took third, second, AND FIRST PLACE OF THE ESSAY CONTEST. Now to give us this credit, I invite my colleague and teacher Hollis Mana to come forward to tell us what the secret sauce was about these winners and to tell us who they are and what awards they received as a result of being winners. Gary school. Uh good evening to Superintendent Stokes as well as to the schoolwork uh members. We are um overjoyed uh with three of our students winning for the ecumenical uh essay competition. Our students have been on a tour being celebrated all throughout the city on Sunday. Uh they spoke at uh church uh giving their speeches and we have one of our students with us uh
021today. I said amen. I think I'm in church who is here with us. Uh as well um Desanti Hamilton is not here. Uh as well as Leilen Jones. Today is our last homecoming game and I think they chose that over this. That's okay. That's okay. So, thank you uh to the community and thank you uh for giving us this opportunity to showcase that uh Gary, we have thinkers, we have writers, and we have Can you students in our classrooms? want to share. >> My name is Laya Bger and um I win third place on the Martin Luther King Jr. essay competition. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged
022by the color of their skin, but by the content of their creator, I mean character." Dr. King was an American Baptist minister and a leader in the civil rights movement. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and became well known for standing up for racial equality through peaceful protest. His words and actions helped change America and continue to inspire people today. Dr. King was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and believed in nonviolent resistance. He helped lead important events such as the Montgomery bus boycott and the March on Washington. Because of his leadership and commitment to justice, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Even after his assassination, Dr. King's legacy lives on as a symbol of justice, equality, and human rights. The quote, "be true to what you said on paper," means that America should live
023up to the promises written in important documents like the Declaration of Independence in the US Constitution. These documents promise freedom, equality, and promises were not true for African-Ameans because of systemic racism and discrimination. Dr. African believed it was wrong for lost to say one thing while real life showed something different. Africanameans tend to fight for the rights they were promised but denied. They use peaceful protests like the Montgomery bus boycott and the march on Washington along with legal challenges and political organizing. Dr. King pointed out the difference between what the law said and how people were actually treated. They showed that writing laws is not enough. People must follow them for real change to happen. In conclusion, this quote still matters today because fairness, equality, and justice teaches men to treat others equally and not
024judge people based on race. Young people can help make a difference by volunteering, speaking up about unfairness, and following rules that protect everyone. America should remember Dr. King's words and work to make equality stronger while reducing discrimination and injustice. All righty. So, the first place winner received $100 in a tablet, I believe. And then our second place, I believe, oh, the second place was $100 and then our third place winner won $50 just as an incentive. But this just goes to show we have some writers in Gary Community School. Come on up. We are excited about it. Thank you all for your time. >> I'm sorry, can I introduce myself? My name is Janine Smith. I am the assistant principal at the wonderful Bailey STEM Academy. Good job. >> One more time for our essay
025winners. And just like our welders and our certified broadcast students, we will also be featuring our essay winners on air so that they can read their essays. Right, Jeff? And then it will live in perpetuity for us to continue to watch and listen for many years to come. Last but not least, I don't know what you smell in the air, but I smell three feet. Coming up on Saturday, February 28th, is the Steel City Knowledge Bowl where our team from Westside Leadership Academy will be competing and they won two years in a row. And if they win on they've won three years in a row, >> two years in a row. Okay, don't throw me off. Two years in a row. And if they are v when they are victorious on the 28th, it will
026be considered a three. We wanted to invite everyone out. It is from 10:00 a.m. to 100 p.m. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and it's going to take place at the main stage theater at Indiana University Northwest in the Arts and Sciences building in that theater. Come and cheer the Cougars on. This is our school board meeting, so you can read the flyer to see who else is going to be there. But Westside Leadership Academy will be in competition. We ask that you come and there is a lot of Gary history that they have been studying. Do I have our coaches here? I see you raising your hand. Would you like to add anything at this time? >> Just come out and support. >> Please come out and support our young people. The last day of
027the month, Saturday, February 28th, 10:00 a.m. to 100 p.m. Mr. Johnson, board members, Dr. Stokes, this concludes my report. Thank you so much for the indulgence of Gary Ready snapshots. >> Thank you, Mr. >> All right. At this time, we'll move to public comments. See? All right. Pursuant to Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-3, the Gary Community School Corporation Board of Trustees welcomes comments from the community. As a result, the agenda for each regular meeting provides time for public expression. The period of public expression is limited to three minutes per individual and 30 minutes total discussion of items on the agenda or to express concerns relative to the operation of school city school board actions and other items of general educational interest. If there are many people wishing to address the board, we may limit the amount of
028time the person may speak. Comments shall be directed to the board, not to individual board members. Statements shall not be abusive or argumentative. Persons making comments shall not debate statements made by others. It shall not be permissible to orally present or discuss complaints against individual employees of the Gary Community School Corporation at any board or school trustees meetings. Issues relating to personnel, individual circumstances, or an individual school will be referred to the building principal or an appropriate administrator and attempt to resolve the issue prior to an appeal before the board. Speaker cannot transfer their remaining time to another person. The board president will enforce these rules and may take actions necessary to maintain order at the meeting. Such actions may include, but are not limited to, interrupting a speaker if the statement is too lengthy,
029unduly repetitive, or otherwise violates the rules. The president may terminate the address of any speaker who violates these rules, or limit the total amount of time devoted to public comments if there's a large number of people wishing to address the board, or if there's a large agenda of other business before the board. All right. So, at this time, we have Mr. Robert Bucks. >> Good evening, Dr. Stokes. >> Mr. Bugs, just to be fair to you, can we just allow the transition that's happening right now before you start, let's just give the people a few minutes so that we're fair to your time. Is that okay? start his time over, please. >> We haven't started. >> Okay. >> All my three minutes. >> You'll get it. >> All right. Thank you, sir, for pivoting. Go
030ahead. >> All right. Good evening, Dr. Stokes in the board and members of the present here. Uh, I just want to applaud all of the students because after all, there would be no school board if it wasn't for students. So, I'm glad to see Dr. that students are being recognized and brought forth because we do have a lot of talent for students in Gary, Indiana. Now, having said that, uh there's one thing that I have a concern. I'm going to call it a complaint and that is the signing sheet. Uh this is a public forum with to discuss issues with the school general school corporation. They should not should not be allowed only five minutes to sign in. If you have a children on that table when the when the people come in, they should
031be able to sign up at that time. It should not be relegated to just 5 minutes before the board takes the uh sheet away. That is wrong because it gives the appearance of dictating of limiting the public right to speak. So that's what all I had to say today except that I applaud all of the students. I know y'all expecting me to work with a lot of negative stuff, but I just like to give credit where credit is due. >> And those students are why we all are here. And I just want to thank Dr. Stokes uh for this leadership and bring the students forward. Bring bring the students forward. Uh I do think however that the award should be a lot lot lot more. then $250 because I'm going to say something that's school
032related that was $400 million that was fun not by you all but by a former you know people that was taking administration you know $400 million they would give our students $250 for excelling no got to do that thank you >> Mr. were your mothers. >> Good morning, Dr. Stokes and members of the board. My name is William Mullins and I am a Westside Leadership Academy student. I came in to talk about how amazing Westside is. It has amazing people there and students and staff and an amazing principal, Mr. Scott. When I first came to Westside, I did not have that many friends until I started exploring and I got lost cuz the building was different. But Westside to me isn't just a school building. It's a home. It's a place where people can go
033to feel safe and be their true self without being judged. Because at the end of the day, we are all human. We all believe the same blood. And we should judge people not by the color of their skin or how they act, but how their actions. We should judge them by their actions. And I just wanted to thank everyone that works at Westside Leadership Academy, including Principal Scott and all the assistant principles and my uh amazing teachers like my 11th grade English teacher, Mr. Reed, and all the other people. That's all I have to say. Thank you, Miss Tango. Mr. Tender. Where's the clock? >> Right here. Where? right here. >> We don't see it on the screen. >> Okay, we're moving into the screen for you. >> We'd like to see it on the
034screen. >> I'd like to see it on the screen. >> Thank you. You're welcome. That is working. Good evening, uh, Superintendent Stokes, your board, and our fine members of our community. My name is Lenna Tindle. up and I have questions. Where's the pool? Money was approved in 20123 for a new pool at Westside High School. Where is it? Where's how is the what is the status of the yearbooks and why is it or if we don't have why or when will we have students who will work on a committee to create the school's yearbook? What's the RHS budget status regarding the historically renowned and architecturally profound learning institution Roosevelt High School? How are you making sure that deteriorating is being inhibited? What is the line item in the budget that alloc allocates funds for refurbishing,
035repurposing, renovating the Roosevelt High School properties? What are your plans for Roosevelt High School's preservation? Not demolition, not inactivity and deterioration beyond usage. I have a request. Please consider issuing a result of the Black Onyx meeting held in 2004, I'm sorry, 2024. What steps are being taken to teach parenting classes to parents of our students, including the importance of parents being actively involved in and committed to the education of that is quality education, high quality education and equitable education for our students to become globally competitive. Another question. Would you please activate the automatic door opening mechanism? Get it repaired. I've been coming to meetings and we can't use the automatic door opener. Thank you very much. J. Henderson. >> Good evening to the board and Dr. Stokes. Um, I'm a teacher at Westside Leadership Academy,
036currently teaching government economics, and I'm here to specifically address action 6.8. Um I first started westside as a as a student teacher 21 years old finishing up my last semester at Purdue University through to though typic county offered multiple opportunities for me to finish my studies at local high schools. I intentionally chose to come back to Gary Indiana because I ultimately knew where I was belong was in my city. As a father of the Gary schools and two parents teaching here um I knew what it meant to inspire black education within the city of Gary. And with that same passion I had to come back home and teach our black youth, I believe that Mr. Scott carries an even brighter flame of passion towards the same cause. Be it that he himself is a graduate
037of Westside Leadership Academy. Fast forwarding to August of 2022, my mind is full of many questions about teaching. And then I got to meet Mr. Scott and I saw parts of myself, a youngish black male from Gary from Gary leading the charge in education under Mrs. Scott's leadership, I've been able to mentor a group of students from pathways to college. I've become AP certified to teach early college students and I've noticed my own personal growth as an educator under his guide. Also, despite setbacks, I see a school that is noticeably improved from the time I got there under previous administration until now. The in-class behavior my students have recognizably improved. Also, according to the Indiana Department of Education, SAT scores and FAFSA FAFSA completion rate have also improved during his tenure. And the world of
038government, there's a phenomenon we describe as a log effect, a lag effect, where there are certain changes politicians make that you are not able to see until until they are out of office. With him having immediate impact in the current, I'm sure that with more time, he would be able to create an even more change that is seen now. change that he should get credit for his credit while he is here. Our current mayor is also a black male product of Gary Schools has created revolutionary change around the city and I'm sure that when his time is up for reelection he will be given a vote of confidence from his fellow citizens so that he can see the time and energy that he put into the city pay off and I believe Mr. Scott should
039be afforded that same ability as he has proven he is the man for this job. This is just his first graduating class of freshman to seniors that is about to graduate in 2026. And with the student body where many kids are experiencing hardships and constant changes in his lives, not bringing Mr. Scott back would be removing one of the only senses of continuity that they currently have. It would be a risk that would could I'm sorry, excuse me, it would be a risk that could alienate not only the current staff here at WSLA, but also the student body that we cherish. So on this day, February 19 19, 2026, it's with proud judgment that I give Mr. Scott my vote of confidence in him and his ability to get the job done. Thank you, >>
040Kimberly Collins. Good afternoon, Dr. Stokes and members of the board as well as members of the community. My name is Kimberly Collins. I am here as a representative of Big Brothers Big Sisters. I am proud to be a part-time employee for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, which is looking to expand in Northwest Indiana. I recognize the importance of mentors and the influence that a mentor can have on a young person. And it's so ironic that my mentor is actually here today. And I don't know if he stepped out, but Colonel Ligan. I met Colonel Ligan as a 19year-old student at Indiana University. And my professor Gary Martin walked me over to him again at 19. He was the reason why I ultimately became a federal agent and the agency that I work for and to
041this day he is still a very very important part of my life some 30 plus years later. So with Big Brothers Big Sisters as I mentioned we're looking to expand in Northwest Indiana. We now have a meeting place in Gary which is the uh library downtown and we are actively recruiting mentors which we call bigs as well as littles which of course are young people. Um there have been some challenges. Uh we have been sharing the information for quite some time and unfortunately haven't really gotten a response. So we just think it's very important to make sure that more people know that Big Brothers Big Sisters is in the community and again we are very very excited about the potential that exists here in Gary. Briefly the overview of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Every child
042deserves a chance to see their potential realized by matching adult mentors onetoone with children in our communities. Big Brothers, Big Sisters defends that potential and helps to change lives and futures. The mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. I do have information that I will leave on the table for those that are interested. And again, I encourage members of the community to use just a little bit of your time to dedicate to a young person who may not have a positive role model in their life and you will be amazed at the difference that you can make. Thank you very much. Good evening. Uh my name is Dr. Michaela Steinberg and uh I facilitate the Gary Education Coalition. Um, I've noticed that you've made some
043changes to your rules. Um, sorry, this mic is just at a really weird angle. You've made some changes to your rules. Um, as regards public comment, aside from like just the contradictions within those rules, um, because clearly things were added and other things weren't taken out and yada yada, um, you also run into the situation where you're essentially telling people that you may just decide that only 10 people get to comment and given that you have signup sheets where you have about three people per page, you can just shuffle, right? Nobody wants that to be the perception. Um, furthermore, I have yet to see a case, and maybe I'm wrong and I've missed something, where there's been a hard time limit imposed of such short duration for such a long agenda. Um, and that being
044treated as is reasonable under statute. Um, but when I went to look for this rule in your policies, it wasn't there. uh in your policies on board dogs, it's the stuff that's been there since 2024. So, I'm kind of wondering like and I'm going to ask you a question that gets asked me every time I make a certain comment at this board. Uh do you know how to use board docs? I'm going to ask you that because every time I've come up here and said, "Why are there no attachments on the agenda before the meeting? How are we supposed to meaningfully comment on things? I get asked, "Do you know how to use Board Docs?" And I have been asked that like half a dozen times. Yes, I do. And every other school corporation this
045area seems to understand that yes, people need to see the attachment on the public end. Maybe you guys are seeing it on your end, and that's great. But I've literally shown people on my phone. I can show you now. There are no attachments on anything on this entire agenda. There are no attachments. How are we supposed to know what's in theus we're commenting on? How are we supposed to know how much money is in that fund transfer? How are we supposed to provide meaningful comment? This community is a blessing and it is the greatest resource that this district will ever have. And that includes our students, that includes our parents, that includes everybody. And I wouldn't waste time for years now just not putting things on the agenda because the only way that this district
046and our community will s survive and thrive is together and we need to be able to provide input. Thank you Chris Brown. Give you guys. Hello, good afternoon or good evening, Dr. Stokes and uh uh members of the board. My name is Chris Brown, the owner and operator of Brown Family Ranch. My purpose here today is to uh come for the uh proposal of land donation. We recently submitted a letter maybe about five months ago for uh land donation, but we haven't heard anything since then. So, I thought it would be a good idea to come here in person and uh pres present this. So, what you have in front of you is um uh the do the uh proposal in in detail and I just wanted to read off a few uh key points
047to you guys. All right. Um first one is the stewardship and community leadership. The long-term stewardship by Charles Hall, Philip Fuller and myself, Chris Brown is not merely a matter of property maintenance. It is a testament of the power of community leadership in the fact of in the face of systemic ne uh neglect. Their their efforts have prevented further environmental degradation, fostered a sense of ownership among residents, and laid the groundwork for a future positive use. The history of care distinguishes Brown Family Branch, a uniquely qualified steward for the next for the land's next chapter. Um, addressing environmental and public health challenges. Illegal production is a multifaceted uh problem with environmental, health, and economic consequences. Dump waste can contaminate soil and water, attract burning, and create fire hazards. The psych the psychological toll on residents
048stress, anxiety, and diminish community pride is well documented. By f by formalizing brown family ranch stewardship, the land transfer will enable systemic cleanup, environmental assessment and then implement imple implementation of best practices in land management. Uh the uh the land donation or purchase will be conducted in full compliance with Indiana law including deed requirements, environmental regulations and tax documentation. Brown Family Ranch is prepared to provide all necessary information with legal counsel and and ensure a transparent accountable process. The donation of those parcels to Brown Family Ranch request uh represents a rare opportunity to honor a legacy of stewardship addressing uh address pressing community needs and create a lasting positive impact in Gary, Indiana. We urge you to enjoy to join us in this transformation endeavor. So, we're just looking for u reaction or um u
049response for this uh land donation. So, you can my name is again my name is Chris Brown. You can reach us or myself at 2199002423. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Lradana. good evening to the board and community members. Um, I'm here to try to speak as quickly as I can on concerns of mulling. First of all, my school, Roosevelt High School, I would like to know where we are with that. I hope that we don't end up attending a meeting that we did and hear someone um say, as McNei said, we celebrated tearing down New Wallace High School. That would be an awful thought to walk in here and hear it being stated that it was celebrated about Belt being torn down. My next um question is virtual learning and I know since 2019
050I've talked about um the teachers being accredited and the high school being accredited. That to me is still important. I attended the meeting here when the young man who was a 1986 graduate of Wood High School was introducing the program for virtual learning. If we are paying for virtual learning, we are also having to pay to have the monitors in the classroom while the virtual learning is going on. So that's and I'm assuming that we're paying the someone to monitor those classes that have to have virtual learning. So that money could maybe perhaps go in another more positive direction for the students. So, I'm hoping that there is a time frame when we will have more accredited school teachers within the Gary public school system and we won't have to rely on virtual learning which
051um eventually could cause a lot of job loss. I think that oneonone is extremely important and basically that's it. I just think that we should have the students um first and part of that is not just virtual learning and I would like to commend the board. I'd like to see more students um receiving certifications for welding and um what like what we saw today with the television and everything. And so I commend you for that. So thank you I was saw signed in this hearing last wanted to address the board that didn't get an opportunity to sign. >> My name is John Allen, uh the Gary resident. Um, I uh pursued a public records request from the Erie School Corporation for the financial records. Uh, being specific, the vendor analysis for 2019 through 2024. That
052request was, I guess, for lack of word, granted. There was no statements as to what would be or any prohibitions for giving me that information. I received an invoice to pick up copies of the information. And when I made contact and made arrangements to examine the documents, as it is the public's right, um, prior me picking the documents up, I came to the school with a couple other citizens with me, and I was the only one allowed to look at the documents, not the other citizens. And the reason why I brought these citizens was uh, not to be grandstanding or nothing, but the documents are 6,000 pages in number. So, I thought we divide them up, we kind of comb through them before we take them. When I get there, the documents I was told
053the documents uh are not printed. They're actually electronic despite what the immigrant says. And I was the only one allowed to look at the electronic copies of those documents. I sat in a room along with one person watching me and I wasn't allowed to take any pictures any of the documents. I wasn't allowed to take anything with me and I was denied an email digital copy of the documents which is a common practice in public uh records release. Um, I view this as obstruction. And the worst part is, which would brought me to speak, because I wasn't going to come speak about it. I was going to go through the channels of the, uh, public records counselor in Indianapolis and what other legal channels I'd had to do. But I was explained to him by
054the staff person that was there, um, Alvin Richards, that, uh, these rules are delivered to him via email. And I asked for explanation as to who sent them, which is what's triggering my business here. And he simply said, "I don't know." So you obeying and instituting rules on behalf of the school board that you don't know where they come from. Well, was it a board email? Was it the chief staff email? Was it an email from Miss Irma? He said, "I don't know." And um so this is not a grievance. This is uh unbelievable. And uh so I couldn't even uh articulate this agreements and I felt it was only fair that the board know this that we have goes instructing staff to do things and implement rules and the staff is obeying without knowing
055who the personal party is. I would like to believe in my best uh fairness that this board and uh the attorneys for the board is going to have those documents released to me and sent via email as I sent my written request prior to me. Thank you. All right. At this time, um I will Good evening, Dr. Stokes, school board community members. I'm Dr. Jamora Holmes, one of the assistant principles at Westside Leadership Academy. It was very disturbing to see that one of the agenda items was the non-renewal of the administrative and teacher contract of our principal, Mr. Carl Scott. >> Don't you you can just don't you don't call the employee. >> Oh, no name. Yes, my apologies. Excuse me. As some may know, I first began as an assistant principal in 2021 under
056the guidance of a different principal at Westside. I returned last year because I was informed of the respect and vision of the current principal. My son is an honor student athlete who represents the sentiment of his graduating class, the class of 2026, and they believe that our principal hones in on their academic abilities and respects their voice. working under the leadership of our current principal. I can attest that the numerous changes charged to the current administration and student body has had an air of uncertainty and at times chaos. I'm a firm believer that consistency of actions and not constant change provides a foundation for students and teachers to have a conducive learning environment. student voice as well as voice of administration potentially were not included in the re recommendation not to renew our current principal's
057contract this evening. I ask that you hear our voice and decide against the present recommendation. Thank you for your time and consideration. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Angela Blakeley. I'm a teacher and a coach and someone who works directly with our stu students in this building every single day. And I'm speaking of Westside Leadership Academy. I stand before you tonight in support of our principal. Leadership and education is not easy. It requires vision, consistency, accountability, and the ability to serve students, staff, and community, often all at once. From my perspective inside the building, I have witnessed princ our principal lead with intentionality and focus. I have seen an emphasis on structure, expectation, and academic alignment. Those things matter. Change can be uncomfortable. Growth can feel disruptive. But progress rarely happens without
058both. Our students deserve stability. They deserve leadership that is present. They deserve someone who is willing to make hard decisions in order to move the school forward. And I believe our principal is working towards that. As educators, we ask our students to preserve, to show resilience, and to trust the process. We should model that same commitment when it comes to school leadership. I'm asking the board to consider the importance of consistency and support during this time. When leadership is supported, schools are strengthened. And when schools are strengthened, students win. Thank you. At this time, I move to consent agenda. >> Mr. Vice President, I would like to remove item 5.8 from the consent agenda for separate consideration. >> Sorry. Um, Mr. Vice President, I'm asking that we remove item 5.8 8 from the consent agenda
059for separate consideration. >> for separate consideration. Thanks. >> 5.8. >> So you're making a motion that we remove that from and send the agenda. >> I'm not sure that it needs to be voted on just >> to change the agenda. It does >> because we we approve the agenda as we can in other meeting. you will then >> are you requesting to vote on it separately I'd like consideration separate consideration thought um on 5.8 which is a transfer of education fund to operations fund. >> Is there a second? If I'm not going to get a second, let me just say um it's not in my belief that there will need to be a motion and a second for this, but >> uh just to intervene on that, there was a motion to approve the agenda.
060So pulling this out changes the agenda which Then we'll require the motion for this to be voted on separately. >> All right. With that with that a second, the motion dies. >> All right. So, we have uh items 5.1 through 5.9 on the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> Mr. Vice President I move to the consent agenda items 5.1 through 5.9. >> All right. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. Are there any questions or comments? >> Yes. Yes. I have questions and comments. >> Item 5.8. Um, this is an item I don't believe should be on the consent agenda since it is a request to transfer funds from the education to the operation fund resol resolution 23 which states that um it is resolved that the
061superintendent of Gary Community School Corporation approves that the education fund can transfer to the operations fund during the duration of 2026 with an amount not to exceed 15%. % um so this is authorizing that 15% fund transfer. Um I'm going to there's no conversation that can be had about this. I'm going to vote no on the whole consent agenda then because what amount is 15% even represent? Um why is it being transferred? What is it intend to cover? Um what is needed at this time? So conversation is >> sorry if I can interject. We do not know the amount because it is based on our ADM count. It is our basic tuition money that we receive. We are allowed to transfer 15% of what we receive monthly into the educ into the operations fund in
062order to support our buildings and all the operations involved. So, we do not technically know that because the Indiana Department of Education changes um throughout every month and that is called the form 54. So, every month I have to pull that and then that's when I know the amount and we do the resolution out of courtesy because the law does allow us to move up to 15%. But we put it as a resolution so that you know we can make it known that that's what we're wanting to to do. Are there any other questions or comments? >> Yes, I do. Just um this is why I don't think that this should be in the consent agenda so we can have a full-blown conversation when it comes to moving money from one fund to another, especially
063when we're talking about millions. Why is it being moved? I understand what you're saying that the law allows you to move it. Just what is it covering? Why is it covering it? What money was in the fund that is being transferred to which is operations from education? But um just in terms of what's coming up in operations that you anticipate that you'll need to cover that you're short on. Just this whole conversation cannot happen because it's in the consent agenda. So again, my motion, I couldn't even get a second to move um an item to transfer millions of dollars from one fund to another. I don't think it's proper to be in the consent agenda, and that's why I'll be voting no to it. >> Thank you. >> All right. All those in favor? >>
064I oppose. >> I All right. Consent agenda is approved. All right. Action items. >> Introduction of new admin staff member. Mrs. Bloodington. Good evening once again, Dr. Stokes board members and this amazing community and those tuning in virtually. I have a personal pleasure in introducing our newly appointed director of security, Mr. or officer, retired officer Gregory FA. Detective Corporal Gregory Basin retired from the Gary Police Department and as a com I'm just giving a few bullets with over 24 years of law enforcement experience and during that time he has served as the coordinator of the crisis intervention team hostess negotiation team lead as well as a detective with the metro homicide unit and the juvenile division. He also served as coordinator of the mental health awareness and peer support program for the city of the
065Gary police department. I won't read the rest, but I will indicate that he is a proud graduate of Westside High School, class of 89 and my colleague in band. Come on up to band member, our new director of security, Gregory Bas. Congratulations. Good evening, Dr. Stokes, members of the board, and ladies and gentlemen of the community. Uh let me say first that this is a pleasure uh to be here to uh add to this journey in my life that I did not know I was taking. Uh tell you a little bit about me like it says here police department. Uh 23 years of service as 24 as a police officer, three as a sworn. 27 all together. I've held many positions at the actual police department uh from the uh FBI task force to cooperative
066policing um to being in the homicide unit as well as my spending my last time in the juvenile division. Um one of the things that I like is being in the juvenile division. gave me an opportunity to work with uh the children within our community and being on both sides. I believe that I had a duality when it comes to this particular point because being loose on the ground at one point and now being in the part where I can sit down and reenact some of those uh restorative practices that we've been trying to implement. And I got to say this to the community. Without the community, we can't do this. We need the community. There's no way because you know your kids better than we do. So without that we we we can't we
067just can't do it. Um and like you said, like you said earlier, I have been the coordinator for our host negotiation team. Um CIT, which is criminal crimally, I'm sorry, critical incident team, which is dealing with mental health, as well as the leazison for the Gary Police Department with the uh gymnast corporation, which dealt with mental health as well. Um, one thing I'm going to say is during my years at the Gary Police Department, it has always been my pleasure to serve the citizens of Gary. So, I look forward to continuing that by serving um the Gary Community School Corporation and dealing with the children there, which I believe are the future of our our history or moving forward. We we don't put anything back into them. How will they grow? So, we have to
068take that time to at least foster those partnerships with the family, the children, as well as the individuals that we work with. So, I'm not going to take up a lot of your time. I just want to give you an overlay of something about me. And once again, very excited, very excited to be here to continue on. I thank you guys very much for considering me. Thank you. All right. Action items. Item 6.1, request for proposal of custodial services. Miss Rosski. >> Yes. >> Good evening, Dr. Stokes, Gary Community School Board members, and community members. We have been under a contract for about 5 years with RJB Custodial Services and it is time for us to go out for an RFP. This will be a sealed bid process. Um you have the clicker. Okay. Um
069in accordance with our request for proposal, I've listed the Indiana codes that we will follow. We it is required that we post this on our website as well as in the in the newspaper twice. So it'll be in the newspaper for two weeks. Um I have a timeline if you can switch the slides. Here is kind of the timeline. Um it's a quick timeline because this contract ends May 30th. So the new company would start June 1st. Um what I would like to do and I have sent out to all of our administrators as well as principles that I am requesting um people to volunteer to be on a committee to help vote on who the new vendor would be. The principles in the buildings, they know what their buildings are like. They know what
070they need. So with their support, um I think we'll this process will go very well. Um, we will also have the vendors uh come on site. We will walk the buildings. We will examine everything so they understand the needs of Gary Community Schools and then we will have a voting process. Um, the committee will consist of about five people. I am still waiting for some volunteers. If any board members would like to volunteer, I'd be more than happy to accept you. Um, and the new contract will start June 1st. So, we will hopefully have the vendor come to the board April 9th. So, I just wanted to add just a little bit about custodial supports. As many of us know, or perhaps some of us do not know, our facilities in the Gary Community School
071have aged to say the least. U, many of you talk about how you graduated from these facilities and for some of you that's 30 plus years ago. Uh, with that being said, we have to have a vendor who understands that just like an aging house requires a certain amount of care, if you will. So, we want to make sure that we are mindful. Um, I know we talked a little bit about operations earlier. Much of our money from the operations fund goes into our buildings which are aging, pipes break, you need new HVAC systems. We need money in the operations funds to support, but part of that is also making sure that our buildings are clean. So, we take this very serious as this will be my first opportunity under my leadership to actually interview
072a team that will be coming in to keep our buildings clean, keep them safe so that we don't have a lot of breakdown or added maintenance cost. So, with that in mind, please know that we're taking this serious. Yes. So, I request the board to approve to go out for an RFP. >> Question. >> Yes. Is this I'm sorry. >> Go ahead. >> Is this RFP just for custodial or is it for >> Just for custodial also? >> No, just for custodial. >> Okay. So, it's not the them checking and making sure the pipes are in good, you know, working order. No, >> that is part of our >> It's just building grounds and maintenance staff that does that. >> Okay. So, it's just cleaning. >> That's correct. And us some snow removal of the
073walkways and the doorways. >> Okay. And um I know you said you anticipate having a committee make the decision. >> Um is this com how are decisions normally made? Like how was it made last time? >> I don't know. I was not here. >> Okay. Have you been here with any other RSPs or RFIs going out? >> Meaning food service food service. Yes. And we did the same type of process. Okay. Food service. >> You had a committee? >> We did. >> Okay. And this committee is just people from the community. Do they need any type of skill set? >> No. It was actually the committee was some administrators um and board members. >> Okay. And who chooses the committee? >> Um that would be Dr. Stokes. >> Okay. And so Dr. Stokes chooses a
074committee of like five people from presumably random I shouldn't say random but community members to sit on this committee to pick it. >> It would be principles, assistant principles or administrators. >> Okay. So it's not the general public. No, the board members represent the public. >> Okay. And so nothing said presumably it could be all principles or all board members. There's nothing set in terms of one person from here, one person from there. >> Nope. There is none. >> There are no requirements other than what we deem appropriate to support the needs of our buildings. >> When you say what we deem appropriate, who's the we? The wei would be me as the superintendent of the school and with the guidance of any support from my board that would be the week. Somebody has to
075lead that is me. >> Absolutely. And so would you be picking the committee members? >> typically if principles want to volunteer, we don't typically tell them no. Now I would be honest. Notice I said typically a committee of 50 people are probably not going to get much done. So in a case like that we probably would narrow it. And is the committee um drafting or having any input on the scoring criteria? >> Yes. And then after they uh do the submissions they will be grading the submissions. >> That is correct. >> Okay. And then from their scoring then somebody will be picked. >> Well actually everybody will be able to view the scoring that everybody has submitted >> and then from there is the highest score. >> Correct. >> Is there any um is it
076only best score at that point is the most responsive? >> That's what I was about to say. Thank you. So it's not just the best uh the lowest price but it's overall the best value for the school. >> You're absolutely right. Yes. >> Okay. >> Um are you going to do those separately? Do you anticipate you look at the criteria for skills and then once you make uh some type of scoring based on that then you look at the pricing. >> It will be part of it. It's there's it's just a second. So during the bid opening process the price will be read aloud when the bed is open. So that that's done at the very beginning. >> That's actually state law. So and then at that point the committee will start going through the
077bids. >> Okay. >> And if you have more questions about that, we can talk after the meeting. >> No, that's fine. I'm just asking questions that I think other people may want to know and be curious about also, just like I am. So, since we are in a public meeting and the public is here, why not just inform me about everybody? >> But I don't have any more questions. Thank you. >> Are there any other questions from board members? >> I need a roll call vote for item 6.1. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay, I think stepped out, but >> Okay. Um, all in favor of the motion. >> Okay. Everyone in favor? Um, is that >> Yeah. So, we just >> we just need to vote. >> Call everybody on that. >> Glenn Johnson. >>
078Yes. >> Shant stepped out. Um, Dr. Den Johnson Woods, I vote yes. I'm gonna have to stay. >> Okay. And >> he stepped out. So, >> can we get him? Because we need to have our vote so that we can >> I think it's been voted on. >> Right. I think the vote fails. >> It fails. >> Well, while we're waiting, I'll just say why I voted no. I voted no because I anticipate problems down the road when it's not written in already baked in what the rules are. Actually, it was lucky. You abstained. You didn't vote. No. >> Well, I stayed because I need more information that I don't know and I was told to try to find out later. >> Yeah. But actually with with two yes and one extension, it actually passes
079because we have a quorum of three. >> All right. Thank you, Linda. You're welcome. All right. Item 6.2, request approval of between Bilingual Bridges LLC and Air Community School Corporation. >> Good. >> There we are. Good evening, uh, Dr. Stokes and members of the board. I'm here to request approval of theou between uh Bilingual Bridges and the Gary Community School Corporation. Uh this organization is already working with several of our students through our school improvement grant and through the Indiana Learns um funds from IDOE. Um they were selected to continue to work with additional students. Um parents were able to identify a tutor um either outside of school or in school and parents selected bilingual bridges as that uh tutor. So those students will be tuned in school similar to our other students that are
080already being tutored. Um and so I'm asking for approval of thisou. So it's an additional for the Indiana learners funds. >> Are there any questions? >> Any questions from board members? >> Yes. Um this is paid for through a grant. So it's paid for through IDOE. So each parent um can receive up to $1,000 for tutoring um through IDOE. So they changed the process this year. Um so parents had to apply on a portal. Um they only gave us a certain number of seats and so uh those families were notified. Um and so they uh they pay the money directly to bilingual bridges from IDO. >> And the $45 um late or cancellation fee, where does that come from? >> Which fee are you mentioning >> in the MOU? So if a student um was
081absent or they missed several um tutoring sessions um the district could be charged and so what we have done is met with every principal to ensure that they know attendance is crucial so that students are showing up um but that's where that would come from in the event that a student does not regularly meet with the tutor which would be bilingual. >> Yeah I understand it's it's 45 just what fund pays for that 45. So it will come out of the education fund. >> And just um just as an aside, these are called which >> memorandums of understanding. >> Yeah. My understanding of memorandums of understanding is that those that language is typically used when it's like an agreement that doesn't include payment. Um no. Is this am I the only one? Standard language for
082education memorandums of understanding that is a standard language that's used. There are other languages as well. I can't think of any right now but that is a common term for other industries as well. We use them. >> So it's the way we we capture our agreement so that we know what we're responsible for. >> You see what you say? You capture your agreement. And so that's at as a lawyer in the legal fieldus typically do not include contracts or well not typically include but when you lose use that language when we're looking at this um action items and we see some are actual MIUS which are between governmental agencies or different things and it's just we're going to formalize this agreement but there is no money that's being exchanged but some of these which are
083calledus like the one we're discussing for the $45 or some of the ones on the end um theou with the 504 agreement or theou with cella academy they're calledus but they're actually contracts and I just think that's a little confusing and it was for me anyway because again some of these have no money component they are true in a sense of what I would call an amu but that's just aside, I just was curious why they're called. I just find it kind of confusing. Thank you. But thanks. >> Any other questions? >> All right. Roll call vote. >> Mr. Chair, you did not get a motion on that. >> Oh, we did not need a motion to approve the ML between Bob Bridges and Gary Community School Corporation. So move. >> Make a second. >>
084Second. >> Roll. >> Mr. Johnson. >> Yes. >> Dr. Woods. >> Yes. >> Attorney Locket. >> Yes. >> I say yes. That vote is 4 to zero. >> But the vote is 4 to zero. Motion carries. Item 6.3 request approval of MLOU between Northwest Indiana Community Action Foster Grandparent Program and Baker Marquette. me again. Um so thisou is between um Banaker and this organization where essentially a grandparent will be invited in um for a few hours throughout the week to read with students support in classrooms. Um again it's another way for the community to actively be involved in our schools. And so this is what this me stands to do. I need a motion to approve item 6.3. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. It's been moved and properly second. There any questions or
085comments? >> All right. Robo. >> Mr. Johnson? >> Yes. >> Dr. Woods? >> Yes. >> Attorney Lock? >> Yes. >> And I say yes. The vote is 40. >> With the vote 40. Motion carries. Item 6.4 for a request approval of between Starbase Indiana Gary and Banaker Marquette. >> Thisou is used to support our students through our STEM education. Um so Starbase is an organization that invites students out for field trips um and things of that nature to engage in STEM activities. Um and so this is just an extension of the STEM work that is being done within our schools. So at this time I'm asking for approval of the civil. >> Need a motion to approve item 6.4. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. It's been moved and properly second. Are there
086any questions or comments? >> All right. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Johnson? >> Yes. >> Dr. Woods? >> Yes. >> Attorney Locket? >> Yes. >> And I say yes. The vote is 4 to zero. >> All right. Item 6.5, request approval of between Crisis Center, Inc. and Gary Community School Corporation. >> Me again. Uh thisou is um between a crisis center and Gary Middle School in an effort to bring mental health supports um to our families and our students within the school. Um and so this is just an opportunity for this organization to provide behavioral health or mental health support to our students in our middle school. At this time, I'm asking for approval. >> All right. We need a motion to approve item 6.5. >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second.
087>> Are there any It's been moved properly. Second. Are there any questions or comments regarding item 6.5? >> Yeah. Just is there a cost? >> No. So they will directly build the parents if they choose to engage in this work. >> All right. So it's just a memorandum of understanding. >> Yes. I have nothing from I don't have question. >> Any other questions from board members? >> All right. Roll call. >> Attorney Lockett, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. >> I say yes. And Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Vote is 4 to zero. >> Vote 4 to zero. Motion carries. Item 6.6. request approval of MLOU between career pathway and Gary Community School Corporation. >> Yes. So, this is our career coaching grant. The last few years um we received the grant, the grant
088ended um and an organization applied on our behalf and we are now grant recipients again this year. So essentially it allows our 8th through 12th grade students to engage in career exploration um opportunities um with with this specific organization. So at this time we're asking for approval of this. >> All right. Need a motion to uh approve item 6.6. >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved properly second. Regard any questions or comments regarding item 6.6 >> roll call. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. >> Attorney Locker, >> yes. >> Mr. Johnson, >> yes. And >> I say yes. The vote is 40 to zero. >> All right. Item 6.7. >> Thank you. Item 6.7, recommendation for nonrenewal of administrative contract. >> Good evening, board members. >> Miss Citraich, >>
089thank you. I apologize for the interruption. Good evening board members, Dr. Stokes and community at large. I respectfully request for the board to approve the recommendation for the non-renewal of the administrative contract that was presented to you for the elementary position. >> All right. Uh item 6.6 is a recommendation for non renewal administrative contract 6.7. I'm sorry. Uh, need a motion to uh approve item 6.7. >> So move. >> Uh, second. >> Second. >> All right. It's been moved and properly second. Are there any questions from board members? >> All right. Roll call. >> Attorney Locket. >> No. >> Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. And I say yes, the vote is 3 to one. >> I vote the vote is 3 to one. Um motion carries. Item 6.8 recommendation non-renewal of
090administrative contract high school and accompany teacher contract. >> Again, esteemed board members, I respectfully request the recommendation for non-renewal of administrative contract for the high school position previously presented to you as well as the accompanying teacher contract. All right. Need a motion to accept approval of item 6.8. >> So move. >> Second. It's been moved properly. Second. There. Any questions and comments from board members? >> All right. Roll call vote. >> Mr. Johnson. >> I'm going to abstain from this vote. >> Dr. Woods. >> Yes. >> Attorney. >> No. I say yes. >> All right. With a vote of two to one, one abstension. >> Motion carries. >> Uh item 6.9, request approval of fair professional agreement. >> Good evening, board members. Another request for approval for the PAR professional contract presented to you. >>
091All right. Need a motion to approve item 6.9. >> It's been moved and properly second. Are there any questions, comments from board members? All right. Roll call. Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. >> Attorney Lock, >> yes. >> And I say yes. >> 4 Z. >> With a vote of 4 Z. Motion carries. Item 6.10 10 request approval of between PCG Indiana prets and deer community school corporation. >> Thank you board member Johnson. I wanted to give a brief explanation of what paths is. PIATS stands for pre-employment transition services. This is a an Indiana Department of Education paid for program to provide transition services specifically for students with 504 or IEPs. >> All right. Do you have a motion to approve item 6.10? >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second.
092Are there any questions, board members? >> Yes. Um you said this was for transition. >> Yes. Great question. So students who turn the age of 14 uh through um the Indiana Department of Education, they can participate in what are called transition services. That provides the opportunity for students to do questionnaires and to discover what they'd like to do possibly after their experience here at Gary Community School Corporation. So it provides them opportunities to look at education and work opportunities. And so they are PCG is the company that is partnering with us that is paid for again directly through the Indiana Department of Education to provide that opportunity to the students. >> All right. Need a motion to approve item 6.10. >> So move second. It's been moved properly. Second. Are there any questions for board
093members? >> I'm sorry. We are >> I think we already did that. So >> 6.7, right? >> Yes. >> So we can vote. Um >> yes. >> I say yes. Dr. Woods. >> Yes. >> And Mr. Johnson? >> Yes. >> Vote is four to zero. >> Uh with the vote four to zero. Motion carries. Item 6.11. request approval of amendment to the 504 agreement and PCG Indiana for Gary Community School Corporation. >> PCG stands for public consulting group. They are an organization that does many things, one of which is one of which is to support a program that will allow for 504 plans to be written via a computerized platform. We uh have been using this platform for some time uh but this was approved prior to you being within the board. um which means
094this was an outstanding contract before we became even a standalone district that was locally controlled. Um we are moving towards ending this agreement. Uh the cost of the agreement is cost prohibitive considering that we can go forward and write the 504s independently without the online platform. So this is just approving theou through June 30th. We've already provided BCG with the necessary notification that we will be discontinuing our partnership, but this is making sure that discontinue we are continuing through June 30th. >> We need a motion to approve item 6.11. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second. Are there any questions or comments from board members? >> Yes, I have a question coming. You say that we're moving to end this, right? We are >> okay. So, this is just approving it >> through
095June 30th. >> What What start date? >> It started before we actually um were a standalone district. So, this is just making sure that we're renewing what we had with the notification that we're ending it on June 30th. >> We've been partnering I apologize for the interruption. we've been partnering with PCG for that particular platform. I can't give you the exact year, but I can get that for you after the meeting if you'd like. >> Um, so if that's the plan, why is there language in this contract about renewal terms? So we the contract was the existing contract that we had that will automatically renew every year and if I believe you I can forward you the actual cancellation notice that we've already provided to BCG for June 30th. >> I I'm I'm sorry. What
096happens if we don't agree? We're going to continue with operating as it is and then I'm going to be I will be just notifying PCG that they are not going to be our partner anymore. However, in order to be transparent, we wanted to make sure that the board understood that we've been in partnership with PCG for this platform. >> And so, um, do you anticipate, um, ordering any more documents from them? >> No. >> Okay. And so um exhibit B scope of work where it says that new documents will be can be developed for a fee of 500 to500 per page. We don't anticipate that that's going to be so similarly there were other contracts that we've had when we first became an organization again that was locally controlled. And so what we're doing between
097now and June 30th is making sure that we're pulling all of the 504s that were developed under under that current organization PCG. So that let's say 5 years from now someone wants to get a copy of the 504 that was housed in that platform. We need to make sure that we're we are getting those copies done between now and June 30th. >> I get it. I get it. Okay. And so just the there's an initial fee, I believe it was 1,500, renewal fee of 3,500. Has that been paid already or? >> Uh I do believe that because we were under contract with them previously. I would have to check the rules, but a PCG has been paid for. >> So they've been paid out for the year already. I suppose I'm just not getting why
098do we need a new contract with them if we intend to end it and they've been paid already? It was for full transparency to make sure that the board knew. We have been in contract with PCG to develop our 504s. It's a great great question. We've been in contract with them since before we even became a locally controlled unit. We want to make sure that the board understands that we are under contract with them and we are ending that contract on June 30th, which will then end any payments that will be going to BCG. Okay. So, this contract that I'm looking at was signed in 2020. Sounds about right. >> I have to verify that for you. I apologize. I don't have >> No, no. I'm looking at it. It says that it was signed
099by the school system from by Tory Graham on A6, 2020 and for PCG by Kristen Hunter on 86 2020. Thory Graham, I believe, was the existing or the current the then director of special education. >> Okay. >> I'm still not clear, but I'll let it go. I just don't I suppose this is just for accounting or >> accounting. And then again, I'm going to reiterate, it's for transparency to make sure that the board understands that these payments that we've been making to PCG specifically for these 504 plans were put into contract prior to and of our local controls. And being that we're going to be ending that, you're going to see a change in what the accounting is going to demonstrate, we want to make sure that both you and the public understand. We have
100been partnering with BCG since 2020. Through our internal investigations, we determined that we could develop our 504 plans without the utilization of this particular platform. >> So if it's just for understanding, forgive me guys, but it's under action items. >> So it's like we're voting on this contract. No, >> you are. Yes. So, it's an extension of the contract to June 30th. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Essentially, the contract will get us through the end of this current school year and we will no longer utilize their services. We can do our 504s inhouse under our own leadership styles. Yeah, I think that's wonderful just in terms of it being extended to the end just there's language in here and then forgive me it's the lawyer in me but when I read a contract that has a
101term it's not stating what you're stating and I just don't understand it could just be >> I believe it also states that there has to be a notice given to end that term >> yeah at least 30 days beforehand >> and we've already provided that notice and I can definitely send it to you if you'd like to see When did the current agreement end? >> There's a renewal in there and it only will stop if we explain to them, give them that notice. >> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. >> Any other questions or comments? Aren't real helpful? Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. >> Attorney Lock, >> no. >> And I say yes, the vote is 3 to1. >> The vote is 3 in1. Motion carries. Item 6.12, request approval of between
102CA Academy and Gary Community School Corporation. This is one more special education uh agreement that supports students who have behavioral and emotional needs that go beyond what we are able to support within a public school setting. So, Sila Academy is a location um we partner with other locations as well, but not all students are the perfect fit for other locations. This is an additional resource that we can then use to support when students need the additional mental health support. >> All right. Need a motion to approve item 6.12. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. It's been moved and properly second. Are there any questions or comments? >> Yes. What's the um what's the cost? It's paid for typically out of Medicaid funding. So, there's not a fee to
103us. There may be circumstances where um a student who is uh not Medicaid funded could uh incur a cost that would be build to the district. In that sense, we do have additional special education dollars. Um they're called part B funds and those part B funds could be used to be allocated to pay for the services through them. >> That was my next question. You're welcome. >> Are there any other questions or comments? Roll call vote. >> Mr. Johnson, >> yes. >> Dr. Woods, >> yes. >> I say yes. Attorney, >> yes. >> Vote is four to zero. >> Vote four to zero. Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> We're now going to move to information items. Item 72.1, schoolbased health plan update. state representative from Edgewater. >> Yes. >> Good evening again. I would
104just like to provide from um a Gary Community School Corporation update on the renovation of the school-based clinic at Westside. Um as you can see, I took a couple snapshots. We have um plumbing is complete, but fixtures have not been installed yet. 90% of the drywall has been installed as well as the taping um painters are ready to get started. The floor will be laid soon. The ceiling tiles will be installed. Um estimated completion is at the end of March. Um we're very excited to have them in the building. They've already and I don't want to steal um Dr. uh Karen Bishop Morris's uh thunder, but um they've already seen some of our students and everything. So, with that, I would like to turn it over to Dr. Karen Bishop Morris. Thank you, Miss Alberoski.
105Uh good evening, Mr. Johnson, members of the board, Dr. Stokes, and the community. I'm very happy to be here um representing Edgewater Health and the school-based collaboration really um of the clinic. And I just want to thank all of you for um putting your confidence in us. The slide that's up is the temporary location for our Edgewater Health Behavioral Services. And so um we are as Miss Aaroski said, we've been seeing some students and these are students that were already u being treated at Edgewater. So this has really been a convenience for them because now they don't have to leave school to come to our main campus. We're able to see them here. uh we're seeing primary care um our nurse practitioner is actually um in the space with the nurse with nurse Teresa. So
106that's working out um on a temporary basis. And when I think about this entire enterprise, it reminds me of the quote, if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together. And that's really what this has been. Next slide, please. And an example of us really working in tandem. I just want the board and the community to know that um all of the moves that we're making are really uh grounded in the National Schoolbased Health Alliance um philosophy. So that is a national organization um nearly 30 years old that has been providing evidence-based guidance for school-based health clinics. They advocate u for policies for legislation and they offered um ongoing tremendous support and education and training even though we've obviously been um in as a community health center
107for 52 years and as an integrated provider of behavioral health and primary care. This is a new venture for us, the schoolbased health clinic. So, we just want to make sure that we are aligned with best practices and bringing those um bringing that knowledge to bear on the schoolbased health clinic here in the district. Next slide. So, congratulations. We did it. We actually had a soft launch on January 28th and um this soft launch is actually that date was very important. That's our first real milestone because that's the date set out in the uhou with the district and that's the date uh that we had to to make in order to be compliant with HERSA. So we actually saw two patients in primary care on that day. Um the the rest of the slide really
108talks about some of the other things that have been happening sort of behind the scenes as we're gearing up uh for up to full capacity. Uh thank you Mr. Richards for helping our personnel get uh IT and systems access. Uh we continue to work uh handinhand with the entire leadership team on all kinds of things uh in the IT space on connectivity and privacy. We've established some temporary clinic hours as we phase into full operations. So behavioral health um our half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then primary care on Wednesday afternoons. Next slide, please. So, this is great. This uh picture actually represents um the two teams, our school-based health clinic medical team coming together with the district team. So, thank you Dr. Treadwell uh and Jamila for actually coordinating this meeting. We had
109this prior to the soft launch. We had about 30 folks present. um from the district side, we had representation from nurses and social workers um and psychologists. So, it was wonderful because we were able to start conversations about um workflows and referral pathways and all of the things that we need to really have worked out uh by the end of March. So the first of many many such sessions and if I can quote Jamila she said after this meeting you know you really energized our our clinicians and I can tell you on the Edgewater side we really feel the same way this really uh the purpose of this meeting was not for us to come in as oh well we're Edgewater and you know this is how things are going to be. It's not that
110at all. We really wanted to learn um from the folks who have been doing this job on the ground every day and that's what we had an opportunity to start and uh lots of good things in the work that have come out of that. Next slide. So here are just some things that you can be listening and looking out for. Obviously with approval um from Dr. Stokes and and the district. So in terms of marketing and communications inhouse, our team has been mocking up some things like community billboards. So obviously we're housed here at Westside. We're serving student staff and the community. So we want to make sure that folks know about that access. Uh we have a number of different inschool poster campaigns, backpack letter to families, principal announcement, schools newsletter. We want to
111take advantage of all of the channels um that are possible to promote this so that this is a success. And our core messaging is really access to the community. Um confidentiality, a huge emphasis on collaboration. Again, this school-based health clinic is everyone's school-based health clinic. And it only works, and you know, we really emphasize this at the meeting back in January. It only works if we're working together. So, we're not replacing the services that are in place. um we're we're working together to strengthen what we're able to offer to our constituencies in terms of health care. So, next slide, please. These are just mockups of some of the posters, but none of this has been approved. We have to get this um obviously we won't be making any kind of public uh communicative moves about
112uh running those by the proper channels. So, next slide, please. And then in terms of ongoing engagement, so our in-house team is obviously meeting more than weekly. Our our huge team is meeting weekly um to monitor implementation. Thank you again, Miss Aroski. You've just been the whole team so responsive um and and so helpful. But in addition to that, one of the sort of outgrowths of that first district meeting is uh ongoing parent education sessions. So, I know this is something that you already do, but our chief medical officer and some others on our team uh really want to be uh embedded in that process. And so, we're working together to identify a date to do the first uh such parent education session uh under this new arrangement uh a school/ community advisory council. So,
113we'll be coming back to you um and we've already had just a mention of this uh with some of the district leadership about an advisory council. So, we're anticipating that that council would meet twice a year in May and November, but would it would be an opportunity for us to really drill down and offer some metrics. You know, what's the impact? How are we measuring success and usage? um and what kinds of trends and issues are we seeing in the school-based setting. And then lastly, a youth advisory council. So, we think it's super important if we're talking about a school-based health clinic um that we are centering student voice and feedback. So, um you can look forward to a youth advisory council as well. And again, these two councils are uh recommendations from the National
114Schoolbased Talent Alliance. and we just want to make sure we're in alignment uh with all of that. So overall, we are operational even in a limited sense. Um and we're building a really strong uh infrastructure which we're very very very proud of. You know, the buildout is a is a mountain. Um but this really isn't about a buildout or a business. It's about the people and and better health. And so we're just so so very honored to be able to be your partner in this. Thank you. At item 7.2, Gary Community School Corporation 2026 27 school year District calendar. >> Thank you board members, Dr. Stokes and community at large. This calendar in front of you is posted on our website. There were copies as you walked in for those who wanted to actually take
115a copy home with them. Uh this is a calendar that uh we have presented to the union and um we are presenting to the board for informationational purposes and be bringing this back for approval in March. >> Thank you. >> All right. Item number eight, administrative report, financial updates. Good evening again, Gary Community School Board members, Dr. Stoopes, and community members. I would like to provide first an update from 2025. This is the final update. Um, it takes a little bit in balancing at the end of the year. Um, we submitted our form 9. We received uh approval of the form 9 in January. Um we had an early board meeting January 9th and we so we were not able to actually balance the books until we completed the form 9 and that takes some
116time because it's a six months of compilation of financial information. So, with that, the um the year-end totals for the education fund. Um, one thing I wanted to point out was if you notice um do you have a clicker? Is there a clicker? Um in December, you will notice that there is a transfer from debt service. These payments are common school loan payments that we repay back to the education fund. These funds come from debt service money which is property tax money from community members. We were able to make the June transfer to the education fund to repay the this money back in December. We were short uh by approximately $2 million in receiving property tax money in debt service. Thank you. Um so I was only able to transfer 1.3 into the education fund.
117I consulted with um the Indiana Department of Education as well as the Department of Local Government on this as well as our financial advisors Baker Tilly. The recommendation unanimously was if we do not have the funds, there's no other funds we could borrow from to pay back the common school loans. So what I did was I encumbered the funds of the balance that we could not support and repay back the education fund and we encumbered those funds. So you will see that the funds uh for um in 2026 I've encumbered them and it's about $5 million that if we receive in property tax money we will be able to pay back those common school loans. I know it's a little complicated, but you can only borrow money from certain funds in order to pay back
118those common school loans. So, with the ending of 2025, we left with a balance of 21,757,414. >> Any questions? >> Yes. I'm trying to just follow what you're saying. >> I know. >> And so you're saying that >> so money wasn't there for the company? >> That that is correct. Yes. Um when we came on board and we were no longer under state takeover, um we had to start paying back the common school loans. So there was approximately 15 common school loans that we had to pay back. So these payments are in our debt service. So property tax money supports the repayment of our actual bonds as well as the common school loans. And because we did not receive enough money in debt service to cover re the repayment to the education fund, we had
119to short refund it. >> So the June transfer debt service amount of 3,39646. What's that represent? >> That represents that first common school loan payment. >> And did we make it? >> Yes, that one we made. Okay. >> We were not able to make the December one. >> So December says 1 million 316331. That was not paid. >> No, that was paid. This is the revenue. This is the receipt side. >> Okay. >> What we were short and actually I probably have that number exactly. We didn't have enough property tax to pay the entire amount direct for that common school loan. We owed 3.386 million. We could only move 1.316. >> Wait, I'm sorry. So when you say you owe 3.386, that was the amount as of July. >> No, as of December. >> As
120of December, >> the December payment, we pay the common school loans back twice a year. >> Okay. So the 3396 that's on here for June was paid. >> Correct. >> And then when it's December, this amount here that represents what was not paid. >> No, this represents what was paid. >> Okay. And then so there's outstanding from >> that is correct. >> And where is that all on the chart? >> You will you will see it when we get into 2026. >> Okay. But that just shows what was paid on that. >> Correct. >> Okay. Okay. And then is there a line which I don't see as opposed to what's due or how much is due per year or >> No, not not in this cash. No. >> Okay. >> Is it somewhere in these
121documents I have? >> Not not the total amount. No. >> Well, do you know the to I I do. I have I have it right here. >> What is it? So the amount we should have moved was 3.386. We only moved the 1.316. So I encumbered $2,69,99967 >> from what fund >> from debt service. I'm sorry. So, I'm just trying to follow and forgive me. I'm trying to just understand this. I don't you know >> what I could probably do because this might be an executive session. a second discussion. I'm just asking if 3.36 million should have been moved and only 1 316 million was paid and that debt is still outstanding of that amount the 2 million whatever. >> Correct. >> From 2025. >> Correct. >> So I think where you're confusing her Linda
122perhaps is that you paid it but you had to borrow money from the education fund to pay it. Is that what you did? Okay. Well, make it clear cuz she's getting confused. >> No. >> Yeah. >> So, the debt service fund needed to pay back the education fund $3.386 million. >> Debt service. So, it was borrowed from the education fund >> in the first place and then they need to pay it back. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Correct. So when we say it was borrowed from the education fund straight like the line item if it came before us it would say hey we need to move some money from education to debt service or does it come to us it this the these common school loans were were prior to us being here that is
123how they got Gary to be have a positive cash balance was they borrowed money from the Indiana Department of Education and then stated 5 years from now you will have to start to pay these back. So what they do is they deducted from our tuition support which is education. Correct. And then we have to pay back the education fund with debt service money which is all property tax based. That'll help I think her understand it a little better. And when we don't collect enough property tax money, what she's saying then is that we can't pay it back because there's only certain funds that you might try to get the money from. >> But she's encumbered it. Correct. >> So the belief is that as we move into 2026, which actually we're here, >> that we
124will collect enough taxpayer money to make good. What happens if we don't? >> We do not have to pay it back. The law states that you may pay it back. It's not a must pay it back. >> So why pay back it up? >> She means the education fund. I wouldn't have to pay the education fund, right? >> I wish Angela you were right in that. But no, we won't get away with not paying back the common school loan. We just wouldn't have to pay back the education fund. That is correct. So, how much do we owe in that um to them >> common school loans? >> Well, the debt, how much is the debt? >> 25 million. >> What's the plan? Like we presumably we're trying to pay back the how much a year?
125Um if if it's typically 3.3 for the first payment and then 3.386 for the second payment. So it's approxim to $8 million a year. >> So you anticipate three to four years to pay it back? >> No, the common school loans actually I think they extend out to 10 years. There's interest there penalties and fees. >> No, no penalties. >> So, because if it's 3.3 in June and >> and it does fluctuate. We have debt debt schedules that are in gateway. So these these actual principal payments change. >> Okay. >> They're never just they're never the same. >> Is it approximately 5 million let's say a year that we anticipate paying back? >> I I would have to look I would have to pull the debt schedules. Do you have anticipated how long we intend
126to be paying this back? I know you say it can extend up to 10 years, but what's the plan? >> If if we receive enough in property tax money, we can pay it back. So, depending on how long that takes? >> No, I suppose what I'm asking is like um she's asking the schedule. What does the schedule say? Like when you get an amortization type schedule, what does the schedule say that we are going to do? Eight years, nine years, 10 years. That's what she's asking. I'll get that with the board. >> I would I would have to pull them. >> Yeah, we can get >> They're all different. >> Well, you come back next month. Could you bring it with you so we can update our public? >> Some were taken out in 2019,
127some were taken out in 2020, some were taken out in 21. They were all different years. >> Okay. Could you come back when you come back next month? Could you have that just so the public will know also? >> So, we're sure to have that if it's the pleasure of the board. Absolutely. We'll bring that information back. Um if not, we do have a board of finance and so typically they kind of guide what we do, but we are happy to do that so that everybody's clear on these debts that we've incurred. I think it's really clear that the public as well as the board, but the public especially are clear in terms of what's going on with finances is always, you know, what happened to the pool. We've heard that a million times. And
128so, just as long as we're all clear and there's transparency, then nobody should feel any type of way about any type of spending that's going on. That's >> Thank you. >> So, um, Linda, I know you're going to go. I do want to go on record saying this. We're going to always try to be transparent, but I think as leaders, all of us, there are going to be things like you're a lawyer and other people are doctors, there will be always things in people's fields that maybe when you're not in that field dayto-day that you're not clear on. We're willing to try to help people understand, but sometimes it might require like a one-on-one. And I know some of the community members have come in and we try to explain things, but because we work
129in this field every day, kudos. I get it that we might understand it a little bit better. So, we do want to try to be transparent and help people understand and do know that um some of the things like that deal with the pool, a lot of that was dealing around referendum. That is public knowledge. You could go look out at that referendum and understand what was actually said because some of the information that we're sharing is not actually what was said or put aside based on that referendum. But I agree, we want to be clear and transparent and try to support understanding where we can. >> Yes. Thank you. And and thanks for that when you say that. It may be out of our realm of understanding. You do deal with this. I'm not
130an educator. I'm just trying to understand. If I'm having a hard time understanding, I know other people may have a hard time understanding these forms and what's going on and where the money is going. And so as I sit here as a representative for my city on this board, I just want to make sure that we're all clear in terms of what's going on with the finances because it was a lot of money coming in with CO and so forth and a lot of people feel like they're in the dark about what happened. And so when you say you can go and you can check on state board of accounts or you can go and you can pull this, we just want to have it discussed, explained so we explain it to me like a
131fifth grader so I can understand. I I don't have knowledge of this. I I don't do this. I don't read these type of charts. I'm trying to understand. I'm trying to be thorough because again we are all here. This is our community school corporation. This is the cities. It's a big employer. We're dealing with millions of dollars and I just feel that we should all be upfront and clear in terms of everything with the finances that are going on. So that I appreciate you and I just wanted to know because I don't want it to be two years from now we say, "Oh, we were never able to pay back the debt and now we owe $30 million and they're going to take over our corporation again." and we've sitting here and we're having these
132conversations that aren't really in debt or explaining and then just happens and we move on and then we're back in the same situation. >> Thank you. >> And that is why I consulted with the Indiana Department of Education as well as the Department of Local Government because they approve our budget. So they have to understand the position we're in that we could not pay back the full amount. Um, okay. So, just you're the chief financial officer, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, if you could come back and have those numbers, that'll be great. Um, I know that you if you want to continue through your charts. I do have some more questions. So, I'll let you continue before I start. Okay. All right. So, here is the year end 2025 referendum fund. Um, we make
133transfers throughout every month of uh $700,000 to the operations fund to support our buildings and then $100,000 into the education fund. We left 2025 with a balance of 6,693,000. I think we're out of order. Okay, let's go back to here is a financial update for 2026. So, this represents all of our January expenses. Um, nothing really out of the ordinary other than I do, um, have uh, an update with NIPCO. Um, I've called NIPCO. Our NIPCO costs increased over $100,000 in one month. Um, I also shared with them that in one of our buildings, they did not bill us for 6 months. Um, they said it's a courtesy that they bill us monthly. They don't have to. they only have to bill us once a year. That bill was extremely high and I said it's
134very hard to budget when we don't have our actuals. Um they said it's it's a courtesy. So I said thank you. So in um I've I've also um added our 2026 budget appropriations. Um so if you notice in the education fund um our transfers to ops stayed the same from previous years um our referendum fund the 10.5 has stayed the same in the operations fund um we've increased um the appropriations um to accommodate all the um additional expenses with with the older buildings. So as of the end of January, our percentage of budget remaining is 92%. Um here is the update from the education fund for 2026 and I have some notes. Um, one thing I wanted to point out, um, the Indiana Department of Education, um, emailed me, um, they neglected to deduct the
135common school loan payment for January. They apologized, so all of my debt schedules have to be realigned. Then they said it was just an oversight. So what they've done is they've taken the amount that we owe for the six months and they've divided it by five. As you can see in the education fund, I encumbered in June what we owe in common school loan payments as well as the 2 million that we just talked about. So, I've encumbered those funds to 5.446 million. So, hopefully if I receive property tax money in debt, I will be able to repay that full amount. Um other than that with the education fund um our balance in January is 21,563,731. I did want to point out that our three pay um in the calendar in the budget year of
1362026 is May and October. So you will see higher expenses um estimated in those two months. Um, one thing and I added this slide to actually the last uh board meeting as well. I just wanted to make sure everybody understands what the referendum was approved for and the things that the referendum pays for. Um, the other the other piece of this is we are now having to share um part of our levy, our operating levy with charter schools. And I have slides that I would like to go over that with you. Here's the referendum fund. Um, as you can see, the referendum fund I've estimated in January I moved $800,000$100,000 into the education fund, 700,000 into the operations and I've extended it out which would be a balance in December of 9,63,000. Um I did
137estimate um at 78% of receiving property tax fund for the referendum in June and in December. I will also request an early tax draw in May and November operations fund. So this is the fund that kind of suffers the most. Um and in 2028 we will suffer even more. Um I did lower the tax rate and I know I do apologize the it's not very visible here. Um the community has copies as well as the board members. Um I changed the t tax rate collection from 78% to 62%. Um just to be fully transparent we never received 78%. >> So that was marker put on by the former administration and we've never collected that amount in our taxpayers. So, it's hard to >> put an erroneous number that we've never experienced in terms of our
138tax collection. So, she tried to lower it to give us a more accurate picture about what we might collect if we collect that amount even. Correct. >> Yep. Um and our ending balance um in January is $8,122,847. Here is the operate operations charter levy sharing which started in 2025. Nine charter schools meet the requirements for receiving funding. Um, this makes up 49.15% of funding based on ADM as well as what is received in property taxes. We receive 42.39% of the 100%. the remainder um and I have a document um from them from the Indiana Department of Education and the DLGF um stating that the 16.24 that is the remainder will be distributed in 2027. Um it'll be distributed to qualifying charter schools and Erie Community School Corporation. So, they're they're very vague on what we're
139going to receive um because the legislation continuously changes and they are working on this as well. So, as I am privy to information, I will share it. Um, I did want to point out that when I submitted the budget to the Department of Local Government, um, there was a line item on there and that is specifically for the operations charter levy sharing. They have estimated we shared $1.8 million in 2025 with charters and they are estimating another 1.8 million in 26. And remember this is just an estimate. Here is that local property tax credit. Um at the last board meeting we kind of touched on it and I wanted to give an example. So this is um a property tax bill and I want to show where that credit shows. It's this is the credit
140that is going to go away in 2028. It's called the local property tax credit. Um, homeowners will not have to pay this credit back. Right now, the state funds this credit and we receive that money. Um, we have no idea the impact this is going to have. Nei neither do the legislators. So, we are closely monitoring this. But this is just one local household. we are going to lose $618 um among all municipalities and that's it for my financial update. >> No question any questions? Yeah, if you can go back to the um >> which one >> to the major fund versus budget. >> So on this where it says budget appropriations total major funds 2026 budget appropriations 77,344 that's your budget but that's not what you're going to get correct. Okay. And so when
141>> that is what they they are allowing us with our cash balance and and what we've estimated to be our expenses. >> I'm sorry that just made no sense to what I just said. So explain that to me. So when the 77 >> Mhm. >> that's the budget. >> This is what we're allowed to spend. You're allowed to spend that much. Correct. Okay. And so what you actually collect will maybe is going to be less than that or is this the amount you kind of like what you plan to collect? will we have a cash balance that could help support this? And that is part of that um that the Department of Local Government um assumes that if if we need to spend our cash balances that will help support this appropriation. I don't know
142if that answered my question. Do you anticipate getting in $77 million in the Gary School Corp in 2026? That I I actually do not know if we're going to collect 77 million. We have cash balances that support the total amount here that we would we are approved to spend. So in essence, if we don't collect 77 billion, we do have cash balances, but of course that means we're eating away at our cash balances, which means we're lowering those cash balance accounts. So how much did the school per collect last in 2025 for the whole year? >> I do not have that number with me right now. And and you're asking in totality in in revenue. >> I'm saying for your education fund, for your referendum fund, and for your operations fund, just like you have
143it here, line by line, line by line, what was collected in 25. So let's go to the education fund. So this is what was collected in revenue for the education fund >> was that >> 41,253,000. >> How about the referendum? 10,996,000 >> in the operations operations. I think that I think that one was deleted. I um we collected in 2025 It's on there. You just pass the slide. I saw it. >> It's this one. >> 25,391,000. >> So, it's about in line with the 77 million budget for 2026. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> So then when um you look at what was spent for January like from the it's it's about at 92 93%. Is is that where you're feeling it should be at the end of January? Okay. >> Yes. And so if it continues
144like that, we'll be on schedule. >> We'll be on track and hopefully we'll not have to request additional appropriations at at the tail end of the year. >> Okay. Okay. Depending on what happens. >> Okay. And then what she's saying if uh what the superintendent was discussing that you could take it from the cash balance. We could >> What's that mean? Like what's the cash balance in terms of is this on the cash balance on these dots? >> Yes. >> Okay. And so then also um do you have a breakdown by schools like this is what um we're spending or we anticipate to spend for operations in this school or you know uh education school breakdown per school. We do not it's it's just Gary Community School Corporation as a whole. >> Okay. But so
145you don't budget like that at all. We do not budget by school. We budget by object codes which is salaries, benefits, services, those types of things. And that's how we report it. We do include locations, but we don't budget by that. We budget by object codes. Is that typically how school corporations do it? >> Yes. In Indiana. Yes. >> And then when you said about the NIPS code, wasn't it already budgeted like we pay this much NIPO normally per month that this should have just been a big surprise at the end? >> Well, we we we anticipated this increase. We did anticipate it, but $100,000 is a lot. No, I know when you were discussing that you get a bill once a year or >> whatever. Um, >> that wasn't a surprise, was it? Like
146I suppose that it went up, but >> Yes. I mean, we knew I think she's asking you, did you set aside money to pay the deal? >> Of course we did. >> Exactly. >> Of course. Yes, we increased the budget by 15%. And so what is not available to this board is a line by line per school spending. So if there's a like we got to request 6 million for boilers, there's nothing anywhere that says, you know, that this school is going to need this much in maintenance and this school didn't need this much in maintenance. Anything like that? Um we we do know the buildings that need new HBAC. Um but it's in totality and and remember that capital projects plan is a three-year. It's not in just one year. We would do all
147these capital improvements. The reason we submit that is is for approval understanding that it's within 3 years that we will make these updates. So it could it could span over three different budgets. >> So you don't do operating costs per school, just the district like the big district. >> Correct. >> Okay. So it's not anticipated. I don't know. Okay. and have I think Seth you think some very insightful questions and some of us have been on the board longer than others you know as I and so I do believe it will be helpful to have a a retreat and a time to kind of go over some of these um things so that we're all on the same page I want to say Miss Saraski I do really appreciate your level of detail a lot
148of information is provided on these slides so I do appreciate all the time and effort that you do that and I understand um my board members want to be more have more knowledge in terms of background and stuff. So I think definitely something that needs to happen so that we're all on the same page in terms of where we're going and where we're heading and where we're at. So thank you so much for your questions. >> So a retreat is always at the board's pleasure. So if the board president and his team chooses to have a retreat, we are more than happy to facilitate. Um, do you have financial statements such as a balance sheet or income statement for us? >> This this actually supports that. Yes. >> Okay. So, I will put it out
149there again. And if any board member so chooses to have an orientation, these types of things can be asked in a one-on-one or one-on-one type setting so that you can better understand. We we're open to that again. We've offered it before and we're willing to offer it again or and or if you want to have it in a retreat where you all get it together, we're more than happy to do it that way. Also, >> I appreciate that, Superintendent Stokes, because I've been asking for orientation since I got here. So, I'd appreciate that. Which brings me Well, that's it. >> Thank you, Miss. >> Last but not least, we have our auction coming again in March. Um, we have some vehicles still available for sale. So, you will see this on our website. Just FYI.
150>> Thank you. >> All right. Moving to item number nine, board reports and communications. Are there any individual board member reports? not a report but a couple comments if I might. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I just want to just really lend my kudos to the students uh of the um Gary area center who were actually who received certification for radio and broadcasting and TV and also for welding those six students. So, I just really want to give them my accolades because I think they've done an extremely good job. I think the school district does an extremely good job of showcasing students who are excelling and assisting those who may need additional assistance. Also, um I just want to say that for the MLK um ecumenical service, the essay contest winners, the three students who placed
151first, second, and third. Um, again, kudos to them because writing is one of my passions and so I love it when I see students who can really write and write well because that will take them far. No matter what their discipline is when they go to college, it will take them very far. And then I just want to say in terms of the Steel City um the um the bowl that's coming up, the academic bowl, I think that's the title of it. >> Okay. Knowledge bowl. I just want to say that um I wish you well, good luck, and uh we are all praying for a repeat. So, uh I'm looking forward to that because I know they're going to bring it home. And then I just want to say thank you um and congratulations
152to Dr. Stokes and all of you for our new director of security, Mr. Faome. uh you have joined a phenomenal team and I'm certain you will add a lot to what needs to be done here at this um Gary Community School Corporation. Thank you. Thank you for joining us >> and welcome >> Mr. comments. I think Dr. Wood so welcome. >> Attorney >> I certainly do. Um I just want to say that I think it's important that we follow the policies that are written um because that is how people determine or this you know try to figure out this is how I have to move. This policy says I do this and then it's happen. So, I think what I've seen a lot of um unfortunately with this administration is that the policies just aren't
153being followed at times quite honestly. Um also in terms of um just full transparency with our community um just even when it came to the to remove something from the consent agenda. If if somebody wants to talk about transfer of monies, I think that that should be discussed. But again, I'm just one vote. I'm not the board. But I just wanted to say that um I think that we should be transparent with our public. Um this is our community school corporation. Gary is a beautiful city. I've been here over a decade. I love the city of Gary. I represent this board um from my city council and I just think it's important with the great things that the mayor is doing to attract people to the city of Gary. The most important thing is going
154to be your school system. Nobody wants to come or I shouldn't say nobody but some people are reluctant to come and move in somewhere where there's not good healthy schools that are doing a good job for students. And so when I look at the city of Gary and the 2025 I read when the state um average is 87.3% and the city of Gary we're at 55.3%. We have a lot of work to do and I just feel like this is a sense of urgency that should be on all of us that we um and I'm not saying anybody isn't urgent or anybody isn't taking this as serious as I'm taking it but I'm just saying that we should be transparent. We should do all we could do to get the community out. We should get
155their buy in. We should look at things that worked in other places in terms of how to educate these children. I know that our students are not um they're not dumb. They can learn um just with some love and some time and some energy and policies being followed. Um so their policies are there for a reason and then when there's rules and then they're not enforced then there's no discipline then people just be like okay nobody cares and then they don't care. So I just wanted to say that piece. I also want to say um in terms of just my this is a random side but my um email address is uh a locket atgaryschools.org work if you could update that on the website. I think your technology right um just has the K12 I
156can never read that too much. So and then also just in terms of with the uh which was funny to me uh when there was a comment about um look at board docs is there do you know how to use it? I've heard that myself a couple times and they're not there. Um the the the background the documents aren't there. They're not shared there. I it maybe it can be fixed, but I've looked and I don't see them. Um, so that's just important that people be able to follow and keep up with what's going on in terms of the school corporation. But I also would be remiss to sit here in February and um not just honor Black History Month. This school corporation is 92% black. And so just some history on Black History Month.
157It was started um as Negro History Week on February 7th, 1926 by uh Carter G. Woodson. Um he believed that blacks should know their past in order to participate intelligently in the affairs of this country. um he thought that young African-Americans need to know our history to build on it in order to become productive members of society. That still holds true today. Um and so he also highly believed in the teaching profession which is an honorable profession which should be being paid more than people who play basketball. But that's a different aside. um just that uh he was very um big on education and like we are and we should be here. So uh February was selected because of Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12th and as we all know Abraham Lincoln is uh the
158president who signed the emancipation proclamation. Now even that that though that only free those who were enslaved in the uh slaveholding states, it still um led to the abolishment of slavery. Also, it's Frederick Douglas Douglas's birthday which is February 13th. And so in 1976, it was expanded as a full month as recognized by President Gerald Ford. And then in um 1986, Congress passed public law 99244 official officially designating National Black Afroamerican History Month. And that's for learning for people to learn about the opportunities of black American contri contributions to the country and the world. And so um I just want to say happy Black History Month to all of us in here. I hope that we make some good black history here. I see about the black history when I hear about the pride of
159Roosevelt. I was not here. I did not go to Roosevelt, but I hear about the pride that of that great school that is still um very much alive within the community. And I submit that we can make Westside uh a great school along with Roosevelt, but we all got to get on the same page and just um be aligned so that we can do a great job for our students who are here who are coming up. Um I think that it was wonderful seeing the welders come in. Um and the the radio uh the the one that learned in the radio. I think that's fantastic. I think we should focus somewhat on building up the Gary the career center. Um because in the days of AI, you're still going to need plumbers, you're still going
160to need electricians, you're still going to need carpenters. And so, um perhaps we should put a push there. Oh, that's what I meant to ask. And which I'll ask next time, which is about the uh the daily count, how many people, but um we'll get into that. But it's all about attracting and keeping people within this school corporation. And I think that that should be front on mind for all of us every day. And that's all I have to say today. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh I would just like to say congratulations to uh all the students who won awards as well. Also I wanted to say u welcome aboard to Mr. face on. Uh definitely look forward to working with you. Um I will say that, you know, I I know that uh
161our superintendent and our administrators followed board policy. Um, I also know that they spent a lot of time creating policies and while there's still some policies that need to be, um, worked out, uh, they very diligent about that. And you know, one of the things that having been, you know, on the school board for 14 years, board training is imperative. And I think that every member should take the opportunity to participate in trainings. whether it's locally or even in Indianapolis. I think that it's imperative that you go for training because then you'll get a better understanding of how everything is done within the state of Indiana and also having been born and raised in Gary for the last lived here for the last 58 years. uh and a proud graduate of Gary W High School
162and um actually my son graduate from Gary Westside. Uh I definitely would want to see Gary Community School Corp and the city of Gary uh not only come back to its heyday but to exceed that and I think that we are well on that path to doing so. All right. So, next item on the agenda is uh superintendent's report. >> Thank you so much. You know, as I sat here and I think about where we are in such a time as this and our country and our state. So, follow me. Our country, our state, our city, our community, our school district. You know, I listen to Dr. Karen Bishop Morris, she was saying and I wrote it down what she said. She said, "If you want to go far, actually, let me repeat that. If
163you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together." And so the the charge I want to give to myself, my chiefs, my teachers, my principles, my administrators, my school board, my students, and the community. We want to go far, which means we need to go together. And you're asking, why are you saying that, Dr. Stokes? Because what I don't want is a spirit of competitiveness, a spirit that makes it seem like we're not trying to work together. We We are all adults, most of us in here. Actually, I think the child left. Um we all have our own mindsets about how things should happen or should occur. But we need to work collaboratively and not be in positions where, you
164know, where we're feeling like we're taking pot shots at each other because we don't want to do that. we're not going to get anywhere doing that. I pride myself in one thing that has always been said about me and people who've worked with me in other districts know this to be true. I really try to work with people because I know how you show up matters. How I show up matters. So even if there are people who maybe in my mindset are not maybe people that I would fratonize with just here and there, I respect them. I respect who they are. But how you show up does matter. And I said all that to say that if we are going to make Gary Community Schools the place that we all say that we all say
165that we want it to be, if we want the academics to be what we say we want it to be, we've got to work together. We've got to stop, you know, assuming bad intentions. We've got to stop assuming that people are doing things wrong. But seek understanding. And sometimes that understanding, and I'm open to it. Some of you know Mr. Bugs, you know, I'm open to it. I'll have a meeting with people. The reality is sometimes you do need to have a sit down to better understand. So, I'm just giving us a charge that if we want to just go fast, as Dr. Bishop Moore said, then you go by yourself and you'll be by yourself. You'll be ahead of everybody, but you'll be by yourself. But if we want to go far, we have
166to go together. And I'm asking us as community, please, please, this isn't DAB. This isn't the former administration. We are a new team and we want to work with you. Allow us to do that. With that being said, if you can go to my next slide, please. I want to remind the community that we have IE3 coming up March 2nd. This is our third grade assessment, which we all know is very important. Parents, please, please, please make sure your our scholars get a lot of sleep, that they're fed, that they're rested, and that they come in to do what we know is best. As one of my board members said it best, uh, Miss Locket said, "Our students are bright, and they are. They are bright. We want them to show up and do their
167best." Spring break is March 16th through the 22nd. I want to remind parents, please don't drop our scholars off at the house at the schoolhouse because we won't be here. Spring break is March 16th through the 22nd. And for our high school parents and our high school students, SAT testing is March 4th. Please get some rest. Don't stay out late. do what you have to do to be ready to rise to the occasion. And with that, I yield it back to our vice president. >> Oh, you know what? I'm so sorry. We do have the draft agenda. The only thing that I would say that's on that agenda that's different from some of the routine things we do is that we will be bringing back the calendar as an action item. And I do think
168we have um our athletics will be up for information at our next board meeting. Thank you for correcting me. >> All right. So with the All right. With that, we need a motion to adjurnn. >> Move to a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? >> Motion carried. Meeting is adjourned.