001Good evening everyone. I'd like to officially call this special called meeting to order. Welcome our candidates, commissioners, and members of the public joining us tonight. Before we dive into the interviews, I'd like to set the stage for how this evening will proceed. We have 90 minutes scheduled for tonight's conversation. Please note that no decision will be made tonight. The board um will vote and make an appointment at our action action session on Thursday, June 25th. Regarding the selection process, an appointment will be made on the affirmative vote of four commissioners. Once selected, the appointee will be sworn in and seated next month. To our candidates, we want this to be a natural and open conversation. While we aren't going to use our formal timer tonight, we will be mindful of the clock. Following your opening
002statement, the board will proceed with specific questions. Each commissioner will ask a question and then state which candidate they would like to hear from first. To maintain a consistent and balanced process, both candidates will respond to each question. With that in mind, we ask that you please try to limit your answers to 3 minutes or less. We truly value your ability to be concise as brevity is greatly appreciated and helps us to stay on schedule. We're looking forward to your insights. Finally, for the members of the public in attendance, we will be open the floor for public comment at the conclusion of the interview portion. We value your input and ask that you please limit your comments to 3 minutes or less so that everyone has a chance to be heard. I'd like to just
003add um personally that I just respect anyone who is interested in public service at this level. It's a lot of work. People don't always understand what you're doing and I want you to both know that just stepping up is a big deal. And I hope and I hope that we can continue some positive public discourse as we move forward. We have one seat and we have two people. >> We do have to vote. However, we appreciate both of you serving and supporting and standing up for kids in all the ways that you do. Before getting into specific questions, in 3 minutes or less, could each of you explain why you're seeking appointment to the board? We'll start with Mr. Goldman. Miss Cornet will follow with the same question. Please explain while you are why you
004are seeking appointment to the IPS board. >> Just a clarification. Is this the opening statement? >> This is your opening statement. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Okay. >> Distinguished members of the IPS board. Good evening. Uh thank you for the opportunity. >> Check one. Hey. Hey. >> Uh, thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself and share why I'm seeking appointment for the district board vacancy. Growing up in a small town in southeastern Indiana, I love school. Teachers challenged me, encouraged me, and helped me helped shape my future. Their impact inspired me to pursue a career in education and public service. My path was not a straight line. I left college after three semesters to pursue a career in music before returning to earn my degree from Uppy and later a master's degree
005in international relations. That experience taught me that success is not always linear and it's a lesson I often share with students today. For more than a decade, I've worked in education, first in higher education, and since 2020 in K12 public schools as a teacher uh and a student support professional and a community engagement leader. Throughout that time, I've worked directly with students and families facing significant challenges outside of the classroom. One student I worked with was experiencing domestic violence and housing instability. By connecting her with community resources and helping her navigate school during an incredibly difficult period, she was able to stay enrolled, graduate, and build a brighter future. Stories like hers remind me that education is about more than academics. We must take a whole child approach, providing support while maintaining high expectations and
006rigorous instruction. As someone who works every day in public education, I believe all students deserve access to safe, highquality schools and opportunities that prepare them for success. If appointed, my priorities would be improving student learning outcomes, strengthening enrollment, supporting the district's finan fiscal health, and ensuring IPS remains a destination for families. I also believe this moment presents an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the public education landscape. IPS innovation schools and public charter schools face many of the same challenges and share the same goal, helping students succeed. We are stronger when we work together on behalf of children. Finally, IPS faces real financial and enrollment challenges. As a board member, I would focus on responsible stewardship of resources, using data to drive next steps and decisions, and helping IPS tell its story more effectively to families.
007Every student who chooses IPS represents both an opportunity and an investment in the future of our city. I hope I've shared both my passion for public education and the perspective I would bring in this role. If appointed, I look forward to listening, learning, and working collaborative collaboratively with my fellow commissioners to support important work happening across IPS. Thank you for your consideration and service. >> Well, good evening. Good evening, commissioners and IPS community behind me. My name is Lindsay. I have been a resident of District 4 since moving to Indianapolis in 2019. I am also a former public school teacher and perhaps most importantly to our conversation tonight, I am also a parent. I'm a mom to Ian, Leo, and Ruthie, three students who attend traditional IPS public schools. Our oldest will be a seventh
008grader at Harshman Middle School in Commissioner Thomas' district. And my other two students attend William McKinley School 39, which as you know is a district 4 school. District 4 is not only my home, it is also where I've chosen to educate my kids through their most formative elementary school years. I myself am also a product of public education and due in part to the amazing experience I had in my own public school career, I went on to pursue a degree in elementary education. I taught briefly in Florida public schools before transitioning to work um for churches and other community- based nonprofits um and many years as well as a stay-at-home parent. I love public schools. Even when I stepped out of the classroom, my attention to public education in our country and my dedication to
009supporting public schools however I could has never wavered. When our family moved to Indianapolis in 2019, we enrolled our oldest son in first grade at the time at William McKinley. And from day one, it was a phenomenal experience and I became a fierce advocate for IPS. It's for this reason that I'm seeking this appointment to the District 4 vacancy. We believe that IPS has so much good to offer our city, including the residents of District 4. I'm seeking this appointment because I believe that the parents and families and residents of District 4 deserve a voice on our school board. It's also extremely important to me in this next season of really significant change and transition for IPS to offer stability representation um and and camaraderie with the residents of our district, my neighbors. Um I
010am determined to do my part to get the tax referendum passed in November. Um and I view this opport this appointment as a really unique opportunity. If we wait obviously till the November election, we are too late at that point. Um the stability of the schools that our family holds dear um is at stake. And so I'm seeking this appointment so that I can join you in the work um of strengthening IPS's trust in our community um and strengthening the representation of District 4 residents. Thank you for having me. I'm looking forward to our conversation tonight. Thank you both for your statements. So I have the first question and since Mr. Bolman was able to go first last time, Lindsay Cornet, I'll ask you this question first and then please follow. Considering that this appointment
011will fill a board vacancy until the next scheduled school board election, do you plan to or would you consider running for election in 2026? Why or why not? Yeah, the short answer is yes. I do plan to run for this position um in the November election. Um I'll begin by saying just how vital and important I believe these races are. Um I believe that school boards should be democratically elected. I believe and I believe it's good for our democracy and good for our school system when voters have a choice in who represents them. I did file my candidacy on June 18th and I ran into obstacles at the election board which you all have received documentation of. Um I am planning to file an appeal and given the circumstances I expect that appeal to be
012um awarded and granted. Um, but even in the event that that does not happen, I plan to run as a right-in candidate. Um, because I'm committed to serving District 4 families come hell or high water, one way or another. Um, I think this is, as I said, a really vital time of transition. Um, and I believe District 4 is full of amazing schools um that deserve um a strong voice on the school board. That being said, as I alluded to earlier, I do really view the appointment as a really unique opportunity um because we have this time-sensitive matter of getting the referendum passed to help ensure the longterm stability of the district. Um and so I'm eager to fill this appointment as well. I'm not viewing it as a stepping stone to November necessarily. Um
013so, uh both the appointment and the um elected position are important to me. Uh the answer is absolutely yes. Um it's really important for me to step up and lead. I have a lot of expertise that I think will help um IPS um navigate like Lindsay alluded to a time of transition and of challenge but also massive opportunity and um I believe a brighter horizon. It's already very bright, but there's there's light on the end of these transitions and challenges. I think I bring a unique skill set um just with my experience in public education at this current moment. And um I think that that will position me well to help with that. Uh so absolutely yes. And um I definitely think that a democratic process is important in in school boards. Um I have
014I have filed I'm excited to uh learn and I view that if if selected this moment would really help me get the requisite skills and knowledge of institutional knowledge needed to move forward in November in a very productive way. So I I really treasure this time and hope that you all consider me for the appointment at this time. So, uh, Chris, this question is we're going to start with you again. Um, what would you identify as the greatest opportunities and most significant challenges facing the district at this time? >> One is both uh, and I'll explain. So, currently in IPS, roughly six out of 10 kids who live in the IPS boundary do not attend an IPS school. So that's a challenge, right? But it's of course an opportunity. We can extend um marketing to
015them, invite them back if they've left, introduce ourselves to new to new families, um and tell their story in a compelling way because really they're cons families are consumers. They're looking for a great opportunity for their most treasured children and they want a great choice and IPS has great choices. We just need to tell that story in a perhaps a more compelling fashion. I really like the choose IPS marketing campaign because there's lots of great choices within the IPS portfolio, but also recognizing that it's an important part of school choice landscape here in Indianapolis. So that's an opportunity and a challenge. Of course, as as Miss Cornet, excuse me, referenced, the the referendum is is going to be a massive challenge, right? So, of course, we were all hoping for something more in the 40s
016and of course 50s on that rate. Uh 372 is uh a challenge. So, but we'll navigate it together and u IPS is very resilient. If you think it's 170 year history, I mean just think of the challenges overcome. This is just one more thing very >> um first of all I think that one of IPS's greatest opportunities lies in the diversity and the engagement of our community and our city because IPS residents love Indianapolis. um and they love nothing more than to rally around something that they feel passionate about. Um and I imagine if we could channel some of that energy around IPS, um a lot could be accomplished. Um people have a lot of passion about their individual schools. I'm certainly no exception to that, but I think that that can be expanded. I
017would love to see our city really come to understand the amazing resource and gift that we have in the IPS school system. I also think another opportunity really lies in our reading scores. Um there's always conversation, right, about um reading scores. I read especially among third graders. Um and and recently IPS showed I believe it was a 10% um score jump on reading scores. That is enormous. It is a huge jump and I don't think that that information is getting out to our community effectively. As Chris said, we've got to do a better job of telling this story in our city. Um, if as just as IPS's graduation rate has started to outpace the state average, if we could see that same kind of growth in reading scores, I think that that would go a
018really long way to encouraging more Indianapolis residents to choose IPS. And then I will agree with Chris that I think this the biggest challenge is the financial one. Um it's a complex issue and its causes are comp complex. Um a lot of it lies in history, right? It's not just about someone overspending in a particular budget category. It's about a history of segregation and disinvestment in the urban core of our city. It's about UNIGV and the long-term effects of our tax structures, right? Um it's a complex problem. Um and at the same time when IAA made their recommendations to the state, they did so um without providing much information or data about how these changes would actually save money, though that was their mandate from the state. And so I think um both a challenge
019and an opportunity as Commissioner Thomas alluded to at Monday's meeting um will be holding IPC accountable to delivering on what they've promised. Um it will be a challenge. Um, but again, I'm I'm committed to uniting our community around the referendum and around IPS's long-term success. Um, if complicated realities are are what is required, but I feel um equipped and ready to do the work and I and I hope I'll have the opportunity to do so. >> So, I will take the next questions. You guys have both kind of alluded to the answer to this. So again, please highlight anything you want us to know. What qualifications and expertise do you possess that you feel would be most beneficial to your role as a school board a school board member and why? And then okay. Um
020I'm thinking about my qualifications in a few different buckets. Um the first one of course is education. Um, as I said earlier in my opening statement, I have a bachelor's degree in elementary education K through six from the University of Florida. It included a specialization in reading education and an endorsement in English for speakers of other languages. Um, my children at Expo 39 in the past couple years have started using a reading program called UFly, and I helped beta test that program during my undergraduate um, work as one of as one of my internships that I did, which was pretty fun to see that come come down the pipe. Um, my experience was in Orange County Public Schools in Florida, which is very different from IPS in some ways, but it is one of the
021nation's largest school districts. It is an urban school district. Um, the students in my classroom were incredibly diverse socioeconomically, um, with a variety of special needs. They spoke several different languages at home, Spanish, Arabic, um, Albanian. One of my students spoke Albanian. Um, I navigated lesson plans and curriculum. Um, navigated standardized testing and IEPs and all of this. I have some firsthand experience with what our teachers are navigating every day. Um, and I think that that helps me to have empathy for their work. Um, and I also think it gives me a valuable perspective on what makes for quality education and how we can support student education outcomes. And the other bucket that I'm thinking about is communication. So after leaving the classroom, I spent many years like actively still as a writer and an
022editor um for churches and for nonprofits. Um so I do a lot of writing for outward facing communication that goes to donors, alumni um and other people who are engaged with the work um that these nonprofits do. Um, so when it comes to communicating complex topics in a way that is engaging and accessible to a diverse audience, that is something that I can do well and that I believe would be an asset um to the board in this next season. Um, by means of an example, in 2023, I was approached by the um, IPS communications department and asked to contribute some thoughts and some of our family story to an op-ed. Um, and in the end, instead they asked me to just write the op-ed and it ran in the, I believe, May 2023 um,
023issue of Indie's Child magazine. I linked to it in some of my application materials, I think. So, that's just an example. I love um, talking to people about the things that I'm passionate about, and that of course includes public schools. Um, and then the last thing is my um, experience as a parent, right? Um, day in and day out I am navigating these choices about what school environment is best for our children, how are our schools contributing to the thriving of my neighborhood. I'm in conversations every single week with other parents who are trying to navigate these decisions. Um, at school 39, I was able to start a parent organization because we didn't have one postco. Um, and so I'm again, these are conversations that I'm having all the time. Um, and from showing up
024to hearings to, um, IP meetings and rebuilding stronger conversations, um, I've remained engaged as, as much as I could. >> Thank you. Um, so expertise, personal characteristics, active listening, empathy, and perseverance. I um as I alluded to earlier, I kind of have a nonlinear way of getting to where I am. Um and I really understand um some of the struggles folks are going through u just through my work with um at risk populations uh and helping helping them navigate uh certain things uh that come up in life is really important to me. Uh so I definitely don't have the academic acumen of of uh Miss Cornet. Um you know I've got a master's degree but I I haven't uh published myself etc. But um as a school culture team member for example you know it's
025you show up to a radio call and you really try to figure out what's going on because behavior is a form of communication right? So, so you're trying to listen to our hardworking teachers. You're trying to parse out what's going on with the student and you're trying to move forward in a way that that represents them both well and meets them both in a in an equitable way and try to do interventions that make sense for the child. So, I would say like boots on the ground experience especially with culture. Um I I I shared this with one of the board members, but a really robust experience with admissions. So the marketing piece, the getting buy in from families, the helping students find um a good fit for them and really reaching out to prospective
026families, telling that story in a compelling way and and getting them bought in. That's that's something that that I have expertise in. And then um the other components is really just doing the work every day. Like you know I'm I'm in enroll Indie every day. I'm in power school every day. So I'm actively doing this work. Um we're following up with families and we're making sure everything is good. Just doing events every or not every day but often. So those are things that I bring to the table and and really focusing on getting families engaged, heard, and part of the school system. Also showing up in the community. So I'm I'm at events all the time uh doing the work uh in my day job with a public school and um it's important to get
027out there and I think that when when IPS does get out in the community, great things happen. Um, as Miss Barnett uh alluded to, those stories are really resonating with important members. You know, for example, at IPC just this week, the Indie Chamber was there. So, in in um I I too am disappointed in the referendum, but um you know, thinking about how do you engage folks that might not um that are a little the referendum is a great case study because there's legitimate concerns about affordability, right? But there's also legit legitimate concerns about having what we need in the classroom and at our schools. So the more we can tell stories, the more we can bring people over um and and to share that message. >> Thank you. Mr. Wilson, we'll start with you
028for this next question. Dr. >> Thinking about the relationship between the superintendent and the board, how would you explain the difference between governance and management and what does effective governance look like to you in practice? So governance there's a simple way to to uh illustrate it. It's nose in fingers out. We we look at what's going on in the school, right? We're governing, but we're not tall enough teachers. We're not managing, right? So there's an there's an appropriate distance that you need to keep as a as as a board member, as someone doing governance. And you really got to trust the people that are in the driver's seat. Dr. Johnson is incredible talent, right? She runs her ship really well. She's got incredible administrators. She's got incredible teachers. Trusting them, those who are closest to
029the work is really important. Now, from a governance perspective, that's not saying that we're not looking at it. We're looking at data. We're driving next steps after looking at data. That's really important. But having the correct professional distance is really important and uh understanding the chain of command and how you would relay a message of hey we might need to tune that up a little bit or that's an area of opportunity. Uh really respecting those closest to the work and um effective governance and practice. People on the board know where the data is. They're they have literacy with what the data means. Um hopefully there's some boots on the ground going into you know schools, classrooms of course with the proper uh professional distance understanding what that reality is like and um really having the
030strategic vision and what's necessary for the moment in mind. So currently the the what is needed at the governance level is really focusing on the fiscal health focusing on strong enrollment and moving IPS into its next chapter. Thank you. >> I think the simplest way sort of to frame it as is division of labor, right? Um I think of governance in terms of big picture um long-term strategic decisions. Um whereas management is more the day-to-day operations, right? Um I think that both are obviously necessary, right? Um both it requires collaboration between both of them. You can't have successful governance without the management and vice versa. Um and on the the other side of that coin, right, is that you can't also have either side reaching too far into um the other's responsibilities that then no
031one is able to do their job well. I love the nose in fingers out um metaphor. I think that's I think that's really great. Um so in practice, I think effective governance means always keeping the long-term vision and strategy in mind. um for IPS and much much of that has to do with student outcomes, right? Um and certainly as we've alluded to a lot, the long-term financial stability. Um so we might um in practice consider like how a particular budget cut um affects long-term the long-term strategy, right? We might look at this cut and say not just that it's the most expedient in the moment, but um how does it impact student outcomes? how does it impact our long-term strategy? Um, so both both cooperation um and also trust. We have to just as I
032hope that um Superintendent Johnson would trust the board um the board has to have trust in um the operations department's ability to manage these as well. I am curious to know how this balance between governance and and management will shake out given IPC. Um, obviously you all are in those conversations more than I do and so you might have a better sense at this point of of what IPC's governance responsibilities and um, authority will be. Um, so I I imagine that there's questions me from the outside looking in I have questions about how how that moves forward. Um, but certainly um, yeah agree that a division of labor is necessary but also a spirit of trust and collaboration between the two entities is really important. Good evening. Thank you all for being here. I have
033a pretty simple question. Board service involves a significant time investment. Will you be able to meet the requirement of attending at least three meetings a month? At least at least. >> Yeah. Um the short answer is yes. Um, longer answer. I think if you talk to any of the people that I have worked with, um, they will tell you that consistency, reliability are things that I bring to the table. Those are values that I hold. Um, super practically, I have a really great support system around me between my husband, my sisters, and my parents who live nearby. Um, and friends as well. When I first began floating the idea of pursuing a seat on the school board, um, unanimously the response was, "We got you. We're in your corner. We will help with whatever you
034need." Um, and so I feel confident that I have what I need to offer the time and energy required to the board. Um, my husband and I have a phrase that we have used from time to time, which is that cornets show up. Um, so we try to make it a family value that when we commit to something, um, we are there. Um so when it comes to the three meetings a month and I imagine the um significant amount of time it takes to prepare for those meetings um I am willing and able um to offer what I can to fulfill those um responsibilities and expectations. >> Um I'm a nerd so I like this stuff. I I love learning about education and um how it works in our community and and just the fascinating
035history of education in Indianapolis especially. Um so IA great example um I went to nine of the 10 meetings. I spoke at five. Um I've uh been involved in fellowships. I've been um an exopicio officer uh with the school that I work with just providing help with development. Um and uh I love showing up for kids. Like when there's events at school, I go because it's fun. Like let's go watch kids in a bounce house having a good time. Let's go watch the basketball team play. So, I really like showing up and I think it's important especially at the leadership levels being visible, being accessible and and also being relatable, making sure that people can come up to you uh tell tell you what's on their mind um and and seek your your leadership and
036guidance, your counsel or at least a listening ear, right? So, um yeah, I'm I'm on board. I am I'm ready to uh for the time investment. I'm ready to add value or I can but mostly in especially in the beginning it's actively listening and figuring out um more about how I can plug in and add value. Uh definitely seeking first to understand then to be understood. I have a lot to learn. Um and I think any board member u has a lot to learn when they're new. So um yes, I'm willing to put in the time. It sounds like a really rewarding experience. Yeah, >> thank you both for those responses. We always say this is conversational. I say always, you know, it's been once, but it's starting to feel like a lot, but anyway,
037we say it's conversational and I just want to reiterate that if um you know, we have a few questions to ask, but five is probably one of the biggest ones about the time investment and at least three meetings a month. Please just exponentially increase that in mind. do lots of time. Um that's what I'll say and I'll move into what I think is my next question to ask which I think is also extremely important. Um as we talk about governance and we talk about the issues that are surrounding public education what IPS has to face at the end of the day you our work is done in concert with other professionals with other people who have committed their time um and um talent to this work in overabundance. So the next question is just as
038important on my mind. Please give an example of a time that you had a disagreement with a colleague. what did you do in response and ultimately how the disagreement was resolved or managed for the future. This is not easy work and we don't always agree with one another and so it is important to know how you manage those things. So, I'll read the question one more time. And I don't remember who went first last. Um, it is conversational, is it? Just got lost in the sauce. I don't even know. I'll start with you, Chris, but I'll repeat the question. Okay. Please give an example of a time that you had a disagreement with a colleague, what you did in response, and ultimately how the disagreement was resolved or managed for the future. I'm going to
039go back to my time on the culture team. Um, which by the way was really rewarding work. I I really liked supporting teachers in that capacity and and kids um cuz uh I mentioned earlier uh behavior is a form of communication and also there's there's instances of that with our with our teaching staff. They have challenges in their life as well and sometimes that enters the classroom. So, you got to be sensitive to that. Um, but there was uh a young man who kept getting put out of class and uh he he was a lot to deal with. I'm not going to say he wasn't, but really sitting down um literally breaking bread with this young man. He was seven. um listening to his story, his challenges, and and kind of unpacking that and helping
040communicate that to the staff at school and just arming them with a little bit more information with uh how to approach him with care and some interventions that could work when things are going off track and also to think about um positive rewards. So, um, really taking time to get to know the student and then also hearing the the staff members concerns as well and where where this individual is coming from and also some challenges going on in in the in the individual's life. Um, we were able to create a a better student experience and a better instructor experience in that classroom. And it really just was open lines of communication and pushing through the initial disagreement because this staff member was pretty upset with this kid frequently. Um, and that's to be understood, but
041it's good to slow down and actively listen to each other and find great solutions for all parties. >> Because we're in this context, my mind went back to um my classroom teaching experiences. And there's one staff meeting in particular that I remember very well. Um it was our first grade team gathered together and the meeting grew very contentious because we were looking at some testing data. Um a test that I think is pretty similar to um what NWA is um now. And we had significant disagreements about how that data should be interpreted. And we were using it to make decisions about student placements and student instruction. and we were just not on the same page about how to move forward. Um, and because all of that that data is not just numbers, it represents students,
042kids in our classrooms who we care deeply about. Um, and also for teachers, it also says something about like you as a professional, right? Like how your kids are performing on these sorts of things. And so the conversation grew heated. Um, it did require some some a pause, a stepping away. Um ultimately it required that our team came back together and offered apologies to one another and repair. We all had to admit where we were wrong, where we were too emotional, where we were too um easily offended. Um, and then we all had to go back and do a little bit of learning, like return to the testing training materials and figure out like what is this data actually showing us so that we could make decisions that we didn't all necessarily 100% across the
043board feel were perfect, but that we felt good about, that we felt were the right things for the students in our care. Um, I think that some disagreement and conflict is healthy and necessary. If this board agreed 100% of the time on policies and decisions, then probably the board would not actually represent the very diverse people of Indianapolis very well. Um, but I am committed to um, always approaching disagreements with kindness and respect um, and curiosity. Um, so I expect disagreements to arise from time to time, but I'm also committed to showing up um and working through those disagreements till we come to a point where we all can um feel good about moving forward. >> Um, our district has a very diverse student body and student body doesn't necessarily reflect what across the state
044and sometimes our state legisl how they they conflict or how they they align with board values. So how would you approach decision making as a board member when issues arise that involve both legal and considerations and the need to create a safe inclusive environment for all students? I very grateful for this question. Um what came to mind when I heard the phrase legal considerations and what um your comments um Commissioner Kerry sort of alluded to is is immigration um and the recent challenges that IPS um faced from our state government. Um I will say that I was in alignment with how the board approached um those issues. Um I am not a lawyer. Um but I know that IPS has a legal team um committed to following the law and keeping IPS in compliance. My
045understanding also is that um Miss James is also a lawyer and that part of her role as the administrator is making sure that the board is in compliance with whatever legal um restraints or limits or constrictions might be. Um I I know that IPS does its due diligence to follow all of the various laws that are in place. Um, as a parent, again, you know, recently this is a different situation, but we had a bomb threat at our school this past spring. Um, and that's a very scary moment um, for any parent. Um, it was a very scary day in our house and in our neighborhood. Um, when students are in our building, we have a responsibility to the ve very best of our ability to assure their families and caregivers that they are safe
046and that they are cared for. um that's not only um physical safety but emotional safety as well, right? There's so much data to suggest that students who don't feel emotionally safe cannot learn um to the best of their ability. Um and so I think that the board has a responsibility to to balance those legal considerations um with the task to care well for every student who walks through the doors. Um I think it was Miss uh Roselle who on Monday at Monday's meeting made the comment that stuck with me that um IPS doesn't get to choose who we educate. Um and but nor would we want to. Um I think the diversity in our school buildings is a gift. Um and um and yeah, I I trust IPS's legal department, I think, to navigate this
047sort of thing well. Um and I appreciate the way that it that has been done um as far as I have seen so far. Yeah. Um, piggybacking a little bit on Miss Cornet, uh, what a pleasure and privilege it is to advocate for students of diverse backgrounds at our, um, our our Northeast campus, for schools I work with, there is a flag on the drop ceiling of every nation represented, and it's incredible to see. I think they ran out of room, but last I counted was 27. And that's that's a gift. Um, one young man from Afghanistan had never even been to school when he arrived as a refugee, period. So, as a as an 11year-old boy, there was a lot to unpack there, right? And meeting him where he's at and helping him along.
048So, this is a question about legal status. Sorry, but that that got me thinking. I appreciate you bringing up the the whole um immigration thing and um that I really admire the courage of IPS with that um safe and inclusive environment. So in MTSS we have tier one instruction, right? And every student deserves high quality tier one instruction. And it's often the case that students will need tier 2 supports and interventions. And of course, folks that need the most support will be tier three at the tip of the pyramid. That's that's a useful example. There's a lot of legal um components of 504 plans, um IEPs, etc. that really have to get looked at um very carefully. So, making sure that we're providing the best tier three supports that we can to the folks that
049need it. Um and helping families understand what those things are is really critical. Um and then um other legal considerations and encouraged to know that uh staff is on retainer and employed that that understand the law. Um but inclusive making sure those students feel um comfortable with in in their tier one classroom with push and pull out services what whatever it is for them in their unique journey. So there's a lot of legal considerations there. um alluded to uh enrollment practices, being sure that we're compliant with enrolling and um all of the things that go with being non- selective uh accepting every student, meeting them where they're at um in their journey. Um and being inclusive in that way is really important as well. So um kind of from uh the very first even before
050day one for a student, there's legal considerations uh to to really consider there. So th those are some things that come to mind. Um >> thank you. That leads into my question. Sometimes our um a safe and inclusive environment is sometimes outside of school. And um if a parent asked you what does a safe bus stop look like for instance what how would you answer from the perspective of school school board commissioner and what info would you expect the admin team to provide uh so the board can fulfill it oversight responsibility >> sorry my contacts are so the heat outside but I'm going to start with Lindsay this year. >> Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate this question. Safe safe routes to school are really important. Um, we have primarily been a family of walkers because again
051we live right across the street from school 39 and I will tell you that even on that very very short walk to school, it takes less than 2 minutes and it feels perilous. Um, and we have had close calls with school buses and with um drivers not paying attention. Um and and so I deeply deeply understand um the need for um safe routes to school including bus stops. Um so many factors in what makes a bus stop safe, right? Um the safety of the neighborhood or the location where the stop is located is one thing. Um we need street lights. We need sidewalks where kids can stand. Um of course the proximity to the students home matters. Are they trekking across town just to get to their bus stop? Um, and also, is this bus
052stop off of a major road um or a thoroughfare, right? Or is it off is it a quiet neighborhood street? Right? All of these sorts of factors um affect how safe a bus stop is. And so I think that the safety of bus stops requires a lot of collaboration with other um entities in our city. Right? the school board doesn't control street lights and sidewalks or stop signs and crosswalks, right? Um and so collaboration with with DPW um or with nonprofits um oh I'm blanking on the name, but we also have we have the Project Zero team, right, that's working on pedestrian safety, right? There are entities in our city who are working on this sort of thing. And so I think collaborating with them is is important as well. Um and and then again,
053not to sound like a broken record, but I think keeping IPC accountable to what they have promised because IA has given IPC purview over transportation. I think that Mr. Okconor on in Monday's meeting said that in year two um of the referendum, IPC would um roll out their transportation operations. And so I think that um that will be an important part of it is ensuring that IPC is factoring in all of these complicating elements from location of bus stops to the infrastructure around them to bus drivers who themselves are safe people for our children, right? Um and reliable. Um so it's a it's not a simple question though it it seems like it at first. Um but one that yeah I agree is extremely important especially in our um school choice landscape. Um, I want
054to give a shout out during the ILA uh proceedings. What's her name? Dietra Taylor. I was trying to look it up. Man, what a talent. Um, she really did such a great job of outlining the amazing job that IPS does with their transportation and what a challenge it is to provide great transportation to families and students in a safe and efficient way. And and I also share this with with you, Miss Cornet, like um IPC really has a responsibility to keep that level of service. Um and and of course make it better. That's kind of the point. But uh I just wanted to highlight her because she she's a talent. Um, I love that, uh, Miss Cornet, you mentioned vision zero because data should drive decisions and next steps and there's just a wealth a
055ton ton of great info out there. Uh, where where are uh, wrecks most likely? Um, I've seen really great instances of tactical urbanism implemented, for example, like at 16th and Mon um, and then some places in Fountain Square as well. So, there's some things that can be done at the um, tactical level. Um, but really holistically with transportation, we got to make sure that families are in communication. They know where their kids are. They know what to expect. Uh, they understand that the kids are safe. Um, hopefully at our bus stops, someone goes out and actually looks where it is. Is it safe? How do you feel? Where do cars park? Um, especially for satellite stops, right? Because not all of our kids are are doortodoor. Um, of course, McKenna Vento kids are um, but
056in other circumstances, uh, but we really need boots on the ground that assess the safety of of a bus stop. Uh, local businesses being okay with the bus stop, I think, is important. And also getting them to collaborate and be on board uh, with with that foot traffic and and uh, different things that come along uh, with with waiting for buses. Um, also snow removal. We often overlook this, but weather considerations, especially snow, is a massive challenge. For example, if you if you go up Emerson or Arlington, there there's some really difficult places to cross the street when there's six or nine inches of snow, for example. So, those are important things. Um, and then other things that a bus stop would need, lighting. Thank you for bringing that up. And um, that that would
057get us a long way. But uh, I just wanted to lift up that that shout out. Oh, one last thing. Uh, Andy Sebert, Together Ed, the transportation pilot that's uh, getting ready to launch. Hopefully there's a lot of great data to develop from that. I've had some good conversations with him um, and their team. So I look with optimism to that but again that all comes back to IPAC taking on that responsibility also comes with the um really serious uh responsibility to roll it out in a great way. >> Thank you both for your uh awful answers. Uh this next question we've been talking about diversity a lot this evening. It's on that same vein. And um how have you engaged the diverse district for community that you both live in to understand the needs
058u of lang the languages um of the schools and the overall community when it comes to the issues and existing conditions and education. You can give us an example of how you have engaged the community you would represent and let's start with. >> Okay. Um yeah, the first thing I would say about this is just to reiterate what we've already talked about, which is that I believe that the diversity of IPS's student body is a gift. Um it is it is not merely like a challenge to work around or a burden on the school system. It is a gift that we um are tasked with appreciating and stewarding. Well, um so that's that's the first thing I want to say about that. The primary way that I have engaged the diversity of district 4 is
059through my children's school. Um, this was one of our deciding factors in why we wanted our kids to attend their neighborhood schools is because we wanted our children to grow up surrounded by a diversity of peers. And school 39 is really wonderful in that it really does reflect the diversity of the neighborhood and of the um areas that are around school 39. Um, and that's been a gift. I know that when I show up there, I am going to encounter families that look different than mine. Um, in terms of race and ethnicity, in terms of language, um, in in every way. Um, and I said earlier, my oldest is at Harshman Middle School, which is is of course a dual language program. And so there is a significant number of Spanish speaking families there. Um,
060and in our FSTA meetings there, we have had conversations about how do we make these meetings more accessible for the Spanish-sp speakaking families. Um, I was really pleased to see that the IPS website has been updated and there is a translate button right at the top I noticed just this week, which is really wonderful. Um, when we talk about IPAC, I think the accessibility of it to um, non-native English speakers is a question. You know, was was Mr. O Connor's presentation yesterday available in languages other than English. Um do families know how to request um or access translation of these types of meetings? I think that's a really important question. Um and recognizing that families for whom English is not a first language um face really significant barriers to engaging the education system. Well, um,
061when we were first navigating enrollment, I found it confusing and I am a college educated native English speaker with an education background and I had trouble navigating the system and so I can only imagine how daunting the task feels to families who don't have those um those privileges and benefits um that I've approached it with. Um, and so as a member of the board, if I'm chosen for the appointment, like it would be deeply important to me that decisions are being made with those families in mind, not necessarily a family that looks like mine, right? We need to be making these decisions with our most vulnerable students in mind. Um, and I will readily admit that in um serving the constituents of district 4 well and in um pursu if I as I plan to
062do pursuing the seat in the November election that this is a challenge for me as a white woman, right? I um it will take significant effort on my part to um be um someone who is welcoming in a safe space for the diversity of people in my district. Um but that is work that feels like an honor to get to do. Um and it's and it's work that I'm committed to putting the effort in toward. >> Yeah. And um thank you Miss Cornet for just acknowledging um you know also as a white person there's um in a native English speaker this this is a is a challenge. Um so I've I've been doing a lot of canvasing um not in district 4 but um as as I do canvasing and by the way it's it's
063uh to support uh public education I get to meet a lot of people who don't speak English but it's I I take down a little note and I have either a Haitian Creole speaker at a at one of the schools I work with or a Spanish speaker reach out to them. And um connecting folks with resources and meeting them where they are is is where it all comes down to. and also being out in the community and getting the opportunity to meet folks again that visibility that that connection and and showing up um really allows you to have those interactions that that maybe wouldn't come naturally in in your day. You got to go out there and and and get those interactions at many times. Um so as far as it goes with um connecting
064uh families with language resources um our English uh language learner departments um I have this wealth of knowledge right they're they're already working with kids on their week score uh with their tier 2 instruction with the push in pull out supports um there's a lot of great ways to get families connected with staff at schools and to utilize them um to just build relationships and check in with people and oh hey there's an initiative can we run a call list probably right that's not that's not too tough um so those are important ways to do that um and then also marketing materials this can't be uh over overemphasized especially for prospective families um they have to be in different languages and and um um shout out to the to the translate button I think that's
065a great uh starting point, but for example, even even print collateral that you're handing out in the community is really important. And then also tapping into those leaders in the community. Um for example, we work uh closely with with someone with a Facebook group of 36,000 followers in Haitian Creole. And um thank you Daffhany for that work because really able to get that that message out in the native tongue of the folks that you want to connect with. So, um, communication, meeting people where they are, and including your team that probably already has those skill sets. Um, it will get us a long way down the road. >> Thank you for your question, your answers. So, as we prepare to wrap up our questions, we cannot leave without discussing the elephant in the room. Given
066the current mandate to serve all students with the within the IPS boundary across all public school types both district manage and charter schools, how would you approach working collaboratively with leaders and operators through models or philosophies you might not fully agree with while still moving outcomes forward for the students we serve? In this really diverse and complex educational landscape that is Indianapolis, you're going to have to work with folks you don't fully agree with and that's okay. Miss Cornet, shout out to you for earlier. Uh disagreement is okay. Actually, it's productive. So, um I think that that's important to keep in mind. Uh the main thing to focus on is are those folks that you don't fully disagree with is their main focus creating positive student outcomes? If so, proceed. If not, look with caution.
067And I think that in our landscape, you can think of the of the organizations that advocate for kids. It really is. We just disagree on how to go about it. And that's that's actually a piece of expertise that I bring to the the potential board appointment is that um I am kind of other I work in a public school system that's a little different. Uh we still keep kids the main thing and uh good things happen. We just do it in a little different way. It's very STEM focused. We build rockets and robots. We nerd out. It's really cool. Um but um we we we really focus on the student experience. high quality instruction and positive student learning outcomes. So, as as IPS operating in the boundary, uh thinking of ways and partners that can
068move the needle on student achievement, thinking of partners that will lift up your community and and help uh embolden them to uh reach out to their schools or feel welcomed at their schools, those advocacy organizations to help them show up at the state house to advocate. those are really important partners. Um, and as we work as leaders, I think IPC's actually going to help us do that quite a bit because at that table there's folks that you probably don't fully align with. That's okay as long as student outcomes are the main thing. Um, that being said, um, I really do wish that referendum was a little higher. the um the downside of that or the upside of that is perhaps it's more agreeable in November. Um but that's that's a tough one. Uh so agree
069it's okay to disagree if students are the main thing move forward. >> Um growing up in Florida and getting my teaching certification in Florida and then my oldest completed his kindergarten year in Michigan and then we moved here to Indie. So I have had the opportunity to sort of see the education landscape um and these negotiations between charter schools and traditional public schools and private schools and vouchers play out in a variety of contexts. Um and I am not the kind of person to argue that a particular type of school should not exist. Um I think that humans are diverse with a diversity of needs and so we need a diverse um diverse educational options are important. Um, I have had amazing experiences in traditional district-run public schools. Um, and I love these schools and
070I'm passionate about their long-term success and stability in our district. At the same time, um, my currently I work for the Englewood Community Development Corporation. um not on the community development side um of things but um Englewood as you know is really closely involved with um Paramount Englewood Purdue Polytechnic High School and Thomas Greg Neighborhood School. Um so I have not had personal or professional involvement with those schools. But what I have had is a front row seat to how much those schools matter to the residents of the Anglewood neighborhood. Um, and I have watched um, ECDC employees and residents there um, pour significant time and energy and resources into those schools. Um, I think that particularly in a neighborhood like Englewood when there's not another educational option, um, sometimes a a school model like
071a charter school might have its place. Um I do think however that um new and interesting ideas while valuable um are not enough to justify the diversion of very limited resources away from the schools that already exist in our community whether they are traditional or charter. Um we've got to ensure the success of the schools that we already have first. I think that's really really important. Um, I hope that we would make data driven decisions based on student outcomes. Um, I think we might have to ask ourselves sometimes like what data do we not have that we need? Um, and always making sure that we are making the decisions that lead to the most significant and and um hoped for student outcomes. To Chris's point as well, um, we can't make decisions based on what's
072best for the adults in the room. We can't make decisions based on what's best for the real estate interests or the school authorizers. We have got to make our decisions based on what is contributing most to student outcomes. Um that can happen in a variety of education settings. Um absolutely. Um but we've just got to make sure that along the way we're keeping students first. And as I alluded to earlier, any disagreement I'm doing my best to show up with kindness, respect, curiosity. Um I um intend to bring that same attitude to the board um regardless of what disagreements might occur. >> I take a deep breath so you can do that too. >> On to the next part. Thank you for your answers and responses. Moving on to public comment. I will remind our
073speakers that you are allowed three minutes to offer comments to the board. To ensure fairness and allow all voices to be heard, we ask that you adhere strictly to the 3minut time limit. A timer will begin when you start speaking. When the timer sounds, please conclude your remarks promptly to allow the next speaker their opportunity to speak. Failure to do so may result in your microphone being muted. Comments should be directed to the board collective and must remain respectful, civil, and appropriate. The board chair may abruptly end comments of anyone that is abusive or deemed to be disruptive to the orderly process of the meeting. Any individual engaging in disruptive behavior may receive a warning. Continued disruptions may result in removal from the meeting in accordance with board policy and state law. Common should not
074address a topic that might be of confidential nature or that would compromise the board's impartiality or violate legal guidelines. While the board values and appreciates public input, we will not engage in dialogue, answer questions, or respond to comments at this time. Please state your name for the record when you when you provide your public comment. Good evening. My name is Alyssa Envink. I served as the district 4 representative on the IPS board of commissioners and I'm here tonight because our community deserves to have their seat filled with the care and commitment that this seat demands. Just yesterday, I was at the Urban League's equal opportunity lunchon, listening to Stacy Abrams speak about why local government matters most. I looked around the room and saw some of my fellow commissioners there as as well. We were
075all present because we understand that this is where democracy is felt most directly in our schools, on our streets, in the decisions that shape daily life for the people who elected us. Safety said it plainly that democracy is a fancy term for shared power. And the point of that power is making life better. And she reminded us that people lose hope when democracy doesn't work. And they think it doesn't work when their needs aren't met. And so one of our responsibilities is to prove that democracy can deliver. Tonight, this board has that opportunity. And the voters of our districts did not elect this board to step back in moments like this one. They elected you to lead and leadership means that making decisions that honor the people who sent you here. This evening you will
076deliberate and tomorrow you will vote. And that is democracy working exactly as it should. Not in spite of the fact that the voters aren't casting ballots this evening or tomorrow, but because they already did. They cast them when they elected each of you. And this appointment is an extension of that trust. During my time representing the district, I held at community convenings across District 4 and listened. Our neighbors were clear and consistent about what they need from their schoolboard representative. They want someone with real proximity. Not just someone who lives nearby, but someone who is genuinely woven in the life of this community. Someone whose children are in these schools. Someone who feels the weight of every board decision, not as policy, but as a neighbor. someone who shows up before there is a crisis,
077not only when there is one. That is the standard our community set and that is the standard that I am asking this board to carry into executive session tonight and into that vote tomorrow. I had the privilege of watching Lindsay do exactly that from one of the most important seats uh as PTSA leader at school 39 and in our neighborhood communities in the southeast side of Indianapolis. Lindsay and I met in service together, doing the unglamorous but necessary work, showing up, advocating for resources, building the kind of trust that only comes from being consistently present over time. This seat is vacant. Our community's needs are not. And I am asking this board to fill this vacancy with someone who will honor what our neighbors deserve. Thank you very much. Good evening, commissioners. My name is
078Lauren Palmer. I am an IPS parent of two and a district 3 resident. Um, I have one child at um, IPS Butler Lab 55 and another entered Broadville Middle School this fall. I'm a huge supporter of public education. I have lived in Indie for almost my entire life and in my Broadville community for almost 15 years. And first moving into that neighborhood, it definitely had the reputation of well, once you have kids, you either move to the suburbs or you send them to private school. And during the past 15 years that we've lived there, we have watched it transform into a flourishing public school neighborhood where students are receiving a great education and our community is so much stronger for it. Public school is the foundation of our communities. Our schools connect citizens together and
079they reinforce our democracy. Lindsay is already an incredibly impactful member of her district district 4 community and school communities. And who better to represent district 4 than a parent who has shown up for school and for IPS at every turn and is already earning the trust of her community. All of that would be true even if Lindsay was just an average IPS constituent, but she is not. I've had the pleasure of knowing Lindsay for nearly seven years as a friend, a fellow writer, a fellow IPS mom, and fellow nonprofit professional. Lindsay is deeply committed, smart, and determined. She is someone deserving of the public's trust with both the humility and the backbone needed to do the work. And more than that, Lindsay brings a deep sense of curiosity and drive to do good in the
080world. She is committed to justice and to finding real solutions. And I know she will fight for every student. Lindsay is the rare leader who brings out the best in every single person she works with. She makes everyone better. and I have no doubt she will be an incredibly committed public servant. She is also an incredibly compelling thinker, speaker and writer and I believe she will be a deeply influential voice for advocacy and justice within and beyond IPS. Thank you so much. Anybody else? All right. >> I just want to thank everyone who took the time to not only um provide public comment, but to just show up here this evening and watch the process. Um, I'd like to say, as I said earlier, that uh I have a lot of respect for anyone um
081and compassion, frankly, for anyone who sticks their neck out and decides to attempt to serve in this way. Um, I'd like to also say that in this where we are in our community and in this current landscape, um, you all have mentioned IPAC several times. So many things that we're working on and dealing with. I would encourage no matter the outcome. Again, there's one seat and the best thing we can do is if we're committed to public education, if we're committed to IPS to continue to be that no matter what happens and continue to look at other people across the table if you think that they're stepping up to do work, then maybe you'll have to cross their path again and we may have to work together. So, always consider that. Um, we don't have
082two seats, we have one. And so, I thank you for your time tonight. I thank you for everyone who came out to provide comment. And as a reminder of our next steps, the board will conduct a formal vote on the appointment Thursday, June 25th, which is tomorrow. While the selected individual will be invited to attend our upcoming sessions, they will officially begin their term as a voting member following the administration of the IPS code of office. This concludes our public interview session. This special called meeting stands adjourned.