001Harry and Don also work for uh the school corporation. We would ask that you please keep these families in your prayers and join us in a moment of silence in remembrance of them. >> Thank you. All right. At this time, um, we will, uh, move on to our, uh, public comments on agenda items. If you have a copy of the agenda, if you have any questions or comments on those, uh, now would be the time, uh, to, uh, share those. All right, we'll move to the uh, the approval of the agenda. >> Amen to approve the agenda. >> We do. I'm sorry. I probably need to state the the changes. I I know I just told you guys. >> So, the the two changes are we added um item 3D, which is legislative update. Um
002and I um Mrs. Pulk is going to provide a brief update um since the session just closed. And also there's a slight change and that would be um under 3C. Um that's going to be the first reading because oh well, I'll get to it at that time. It'll instead of final reading, it'll be first reading 3C. Okay. Sorry. >> I'll move to approve the agenda as amended. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Uh, next we have the uh approval of the meet the meeting minutes from our last session. Any questions, comments on those or any changes that we need to make? >> No, I move that we approve the uh minutes of the error meeting. >> Second. All in favor? I >> uh next we'll move on to our routine consent items
003uh for reports travel monthly personnel uh bill list payroll claims and donations as well as filter requests. Any questions uh in regards to those? All right. Do we have a motion to approve? >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. And then next is the submission of the extracurricular receipts and dispersements as well as the fund reports. And this is not something that's voted on. It's just something uh we can ask questions on if there are any questions about those. >> All right. Um next, uh we have our uh re retiree uh recognition. And I'll let Dr. Yeah, we don't we had a few uh we had I think four people announce retirements. Um but uh we're going to provide the opportunity either at the May or the June board meetings to
004recognize all of our retirees. So those are the two months that we'll be recognizing them. Okay. And then next we'll move on to our uh first reading of the school board policy D 100. uh we all have copies of that and the changes are are uh updated. >> Any questions or comments on this? >> I move we accept the um revised or the first reading of the revised uh D100 schoolboard policy. Second. >> All in favor? Uh then next we have the uh review and approval of the school calendar for the 2027 2028 school year. >> So I I do want to um thank the uh mutual concerns team and um the teachers association leadership. I think that was a really good process. We did it a little bit differently this time. Um typically what
005we try to do is come up with calendar A and calendar B and um and then have a vote um so that we can get uh feedback from the teachers. Um so this time we came in with calendar A and I think we probably made three or four adjustments. I think we moved one of the breaks, we moved two remote learning days um and just kind of uh solidified um some other items. we just did discuss the the days before Thanksgiving. Um so a lot of good discussion and came up with one calendar that we all mutually agree upon and then we shared it with the with the the teachers and I think it was a really good process. I think you know if if I have a vote in it we'll do it again
006like that next year because um you kind of go with a basic um calendar and then you go in and there's really good feedback. So um yeah and that's for 2728. Thank you. All right. Uh, any questions or comments on the school calendar? All right. At this time, I ask for motion. >> Move to approve the school calendar for 2728 school year. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> And then next, we'll move on to letter E. And that's the uh approval of the Henry County Office of Emergency Management. uh we provided those in our packet and went over that. So let Dr. Schoeger speak for that. >> So um this really is about shelter in the need of an emergency and Joel actually I think co-wrote it. Um and so uh but
007it's pretty typical of of counties and corporations where uh when when there is a need for um temporary housing or temporary lodging. Um not those are those that sound like temp that sounds permanent. It's not permanent. um shelter um an emergency shelter. We'll just put it that way. This is this an is an agreement that says that we will provide that. >> Uh Joel, I got a question for you. Sure. >> Years ago, we did that and all of the remnants of the >> items were left down in the tunnel. Um whose responsibility is that part of it? >> Well, under theou draft, it would be the responsibility of the Henry County Emergency Management Agency. All right. So, would we have to store stuff here? >> No. >> Okay. >> Like CS and things like
008that. Is that >> Yeah, because they got to be really nasty. >> How bad were they? Really nast. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Uh, next we have the 2026 27 Chromebook purchases. >> And, uh, >> so we did discuss this in in our one-on-one meetings and since that time uh, we've met with Dustin and Jacob, um, and I think come up with a pretty good plan in terms of going forward. >> Um, and just just for the for the group's knowledge, uh, this this now is part of the um, you know, textbooks and textbook comes out of the education fund. So we we need to you know make sure that we are um controlling costs uh for for Chromebooks because that goes into teacher raises and and principal raises and you know um support
009staff raises. So um those things are are important to um be aware of. So I do think that we we have a pretty good plan going forward. You know this is because Chromebooks have not gotten cheaper as you might imagine. They've gotten a lot more expensive. So, we've got adopted at least informally um a a different adoption cycle that's going to save us about 30%. Which is really really good. So, uh if you just look and see now I I can't judge what inflation's going to do, but if you just look and see what we spend now, um it'd be about twothirds of that going forward. That's our goal. That's our goal >> going forward. Not with this year. >> Not with this year. And prices are going to go up here shortly. Correct. >>
010Yeah. So, we'll we'll probably get these ordered tomorrow. The the big cost with it is is um AI. Um AI is eating up all the memory chips and storage. Um and it just happens to be the same type of chips that they use for the RAM in the Chromebooks. The same type of chips that they use for the storage in the Chromebooks or what they use in AI data centers. So, how long do we use the Chromebooks? >> Um, our new plan, uh, right now it's four years. Um, our new plan is extending it out to five and then adjusting where they're going to go amongst the grade levels. Since we've switched to the Acer devices, um, they hold up a lot better than the HP devices um, that we've used in the past. Um
011I did a comparison of um our damage rates on Acer and HP and it was significant the the damage differences between the acers and the HPS. >> Do we have an accountabil accountability method for the kid? like if they >> purposefully destroy, >> they they get charged for it. And the um middle school, I think, goes as far as after so many times that a kid has intentionally caused damage to a device, they use pencil and paper. Is that right, Jennifer? >> And we're revising our handbook to include those terms as well for the high school. >> Okay. >> Yeah. during the one-on- ones. I believe one of you asked about is there a filter is there a filter filter um when they go home and there is I was sure of it but I
012confirmed there is >> and I think believe there's a way that the parents can additionally filter if they want >> and that's something that we're ready to roll out for next year if that part of law um gets signed in >> and they can opt for insurance too. >> They can opt for insurance parents. Yeah, parents opt for insurance when Chromebooks are distributed at the beginning of the school year >> and if they if they do searches that they um shouldn't that you know sensitive topics and whatnot um administration and um technology are alerted so that we can act upon that. >> I get a lot of emails >> and we've addressed some of them haven't. Yes, we have. Since there is not a book rental now, >> that's a cost that parents don't have.
013>> Would it be appropriate to make to have insurance for the Chromebooks? A co a charge rather they don't have book rental. >> So charge all the parents for the Chromebook. >> How much is insurance? What are you talking? >> You can't mandate a >> I like the thought though. >> Well, I was just think in terms of mitigating costs. >> Yeah. >> But it's affordable. It's $15. So, a lot of our families take advantage of >> Thanks. >> All right. So, I guess at this time >> I'll move we approve the Are we ready? 2627 Chromebook purchases. >> Second. >> All in favor? I waste any time. >> Yeah, I know. That's good. It's pretty helpful. Um legislative update. Turn that over to support. >> Um well, there's um there's several things and um
014yeah, first I must say there's a been a state a school grading system. We had one and then um it was actually sketchy. And then during COVID, everything everything collapsed during CO and they're getting it back up. And I think the school grading system is more broad than it was, so it's much better. Um, I have reservations in general about it, but and this was legislated, but it was actually developed by the D uh Department of Ed, and they did do a lot of input, and they took about a year or so of of devising it. So, it it was a process and um I appreciate that. So, um we'll have school grades again. Um we have a cell phone ban from bell to bell and we have to keep them locked somehow. >> They
015can keep them home. They can keep them locked in their lockers. Um they really should not be on their per on their person. the some corporations have pouches that they lock them into, but they should be locked away. Um so we we'll we'll discuss um you know with our leadership teams what option is going to work the best for our kids and our school community. Um it's going to be interesting also as we go into these um we're scheduled to go to the church K Churchill and Antrum update. Uh there's another update um that that's being offered as well. there's going to be several updates uh especially on the school accountability and um it's always good to see what colleagues out there are doing, you know, cell phones and whatnot. >> Hopefully teachers maybe won't
016have to police it as much as they have in the past if >> we're hoping. Yes. Um with the accountability um after we go through some of the training that's that's involved in it, we'll bring it to the board and have a presentation so that we can do a public presentation on expectations. >> Okay. um SNAP benefits were narrowed um and that could because people that are on SNAP are automatically then put into our lunch being reduced lunch >> numbers be direct certified. Yeah. >> I don't know how much that really affects us. It may may make it harder for some people to apply or at least add another step >> in in that process. Um the uh IPS has an appointed school board rather than when it's democratically elected. Uh very often these things
017it doesn't affect us now but very often these things are step by step and there are some reasons that the legislature might want to broaden those. They have made that known. Um there's a law that allows that um ICE are allowed access to any government building and that would include schools. It could anyway. So there's some a difference. There are new pathways created for uh public schools to be made into charters and also legislation included that any teacher in a charter school um is automatically qualified to teach in a public school. And we know that charter school teachers don't always have the same lensures and certifications and those kinds of things. Um gosh, I think that'll be it. Did you have anything else that that you >> no >> are aware of? >> As mentioned,
018we'll we'll go to the some of the seminars that are offered by the the church at Elantrum does one every year and and I think we're going to visit that remotely so that we can kind of compare notes and have conversations while they talk. >> That's not everything >> professionally speaking, you know, it's like because some of those topics come up and we'll we'll have sidebar conversations at the same time and whatnot. There wasn't money involved. This was not a budget session, so they couldn't mess with that. >> That sounded awfully political. >> I think I think the um it doesn't impact us, but the local income tax was pushed. It >> It does actually impact us slightly because of the property tax replacement credit that's funded by the lit dollar. So, that was delayed
019until 20209. >> Yep. So, we won't see that larger decrease until that year. That's where we get hit the hardest is when that that goes away. >> There was um there was some legislation around um tax I don't think it was a tax credit. I think it was a tax deduction for child care that was greater than it was before, which helps a little bit. Okay, thank you. >> Uh, next we'll move on to uh buildings, grounds, transportation, and support services. >> Absolutely. U, so some good news. The high school restrooms are open. The new ones are open, ready to go. Um, they uh they were opened later earlier this afternoon um in that special ceremony. So, we can share that with you later. >> Um, >> we have pictures. >> Yeah, the first flush.
020Well, more than pictures. So, >> we got video. Um, we also the multi-purpose restrooms are coming along u very well. They they had to decide where we're going to tie in uh the water. Uh we're able to do that at at uh the actually where the uh the press box is. We had to check some pressure there, but it's going to work out really well. Otherwise, we would have had to go all the way over to the field. So, thankful that we're able to do that. Uh that'll move it along even faster. Career center roof uh in June now is when that will start. They're going to start that in June. And the track resurface as well will start in June. And uh we're coming up on bus inspections next week. So bus inspections by
021the state police are next week. And uh we are gearing up for summer project work and collaborating with principles to decide uh what we need to be doing in those buildings over the summer to prepare for students to come back in August. And that's it for me. >> All right. Turn it over to uh Dr. Shoemaker superintendent report. >> Thank you. Um so just a couple of announcements before we go to the slides and that is the TAG grant. Uh we have about 70% of the teachers who are rated highly effective last year have submitted already their um application. It's a onepage application. So um that's a it's probably a little bit more than 70 between 70 and 75% so far and those just went out last week. So, they have until um March 25th
022um to to turn those in. Um in my communication, and this is just a a disclaimer here, um it's it's sometimes it's a little bit tough to get all of the information um out there. So, whether it's a school delay or an announcement, we have 150 characters that we've got to 150 I believe. Is it 138 or 150? They extended single message is 150 but they can tag on the rest of it to that link that opens on the website. >> So I may try to do that. I haven't done that. I've tried to get everything in the in the confines of 150 but it's very robotic and and choppy. Um so you'll see abbreviations NC for Newcastle PD police department you know FD fire department. It it's it's you got to get it all
023in there and it's very very difficult. So if anybody nobody said anything but it's you know I'll I'll write something out and was like I can only send 25% of that. So um anyway uh the next thing is um Hikah. Um I wanted to give an update on Hikah and uh we're still still attempting to um ensure that we're going to continue to have that valuable program. I've got another meeting this week um with uh different representatives. So we'll we'll keep working on it. I'm not going to say much more about it than that, but um we're trying to make sure that we maintain that valuable resource for a lot of kids throughout Indiana. So, let's go to slides. Uh and I I this was so gives me like a a skeleton on these, you
024know, in terms of things, suggested things, but this was so well written that I didn't change a word. I'm not going to sing it. But, um major time to ground control. The Wilbur Ray tiny Trojans are burning up the atmosphere with new knowledge. >> Learning about our solar system, Angela Miller's preschool room was transformed into a galactic space station of hands-on play. The future is positive for these students as they're going to where no Trojan has gone before. >> Wow. >> And that was Friday afternoon. So, yeah. So, I thought that was good. So, pictured um are Miss Bertram's Ivy 111 students, 111 students. It's just a fun time to break up uh some of the challenges of the heavy academic load. So, congrats to her. On the left are our cheerleaders at uh practice.
025Uh fifth grade is next. Fifth grade visits the career center. Eastwood, Wilbur, and Riley. all tour the career center on February 13th, opening up our students to I um students eyes to possible futures and pathways uh to diplomas. Uh getting an early exposure to destination graduation. Good time there. And we thank the career center for opening up uh for our kids. Westwood skate elementary skating parties build memories. Wildcats took over the rink to beat the winter blues. Um yeah, that's cute. That's it's awesome. Good memories there. Next we've got Riley's reading. Riley's students lighthouse team read to young younger students as part of the Dr. Seuss week. Several grade levels partnered together with reading buddies. These are photos of first and third grade. Oh, the places they'll go. Wish kids. Eastwood students earned Eagle Wish
026ribbons for growing in W working hands, I improving daily, S showing respect, and H helping others. Leon Fischer up to the right earned top student of the month for greatly improving his behavior grades and choosing kindness. Good job, Leon. Panther choir. A little fuzzy on that one. Um, Miss Presley started a Parker choir of 35 students performing uh some wonderful songs. Sorry about the quality on that one, but that's the only picture we had of it, so we didn't we didn't uh take it out. So, the next one is um and many of us were there. kids did a great job on the lighthouse leadership. Wilbur Wright students, invited their families, administration, and other corporation guests to learn more about lighthouse leadership and the culture that's reshaped the flyer community. They really And I love
027it that it was just kid-led. All kidled. Um so, and then uh the next one kind of exciting on this one. The kids love this. Heard a lot of good um comments on it. Ryan Leavway, a major league baseball player and motivational speaker with heavy connections in Newcastle. He spoke to our middle school and high school seniors uh or high school students not seniors and it was the why not mindset. Uh we want to thank our athletic boosters for bringing this complication to our student body. Miss Nicholson um you reached out to him. Can you just share just a moment of what what happened there? >> We had a student who um has some special needs but he stayed after to talk to Mr. from our barn way and the message, you know, resonated with
028him. And so he asked me if there was any way he could get a signed baseball >> and so I emailed uh Ryan and immediately that night he had put a signed baseball into the mail and so we are waiting to get back to the student when he returns. He's been sick. >> Very cool because she was sitting there with the baseball and I said, "What's the story?" And that was the story. It's really cool. So, um, neat to have him here. Trojan Enterprises. Um, those are high school students off to the left. Actually, both are high school students. Uh, they, uh, toured the eighth grade students around and they showed them, uh, our, um, our classes. Uh, pathway teachers assisted, but the student uh, leaders explained how um, the high school has adapted the
029state's new graduation requirements, offering multiple dual credit classes and associate degree possibilities. Some good kids right there. Uh this is um okay Miss Hakabe's class they she took them to this is um the uh um uh education careers at the career center and she took them to the uh FCCLA and that was the state competition. Uh many students won um gold and silver. Pictured off to the right is Annayia an Annia Anman um competed in her first year of and got a several several medal. Um and so we also want to thank Lisa Myers. She um she provided the red jackets giving them a very professional look. Nice work, Melinda. >> Tanya. All right. Got it. State qualifiers. We had two state qualifiers. Uh Tylen Thrine and Jacob Dudley represented the Trojans at their state
030competitions this month, both this past month. Um both competed fiercely with Thailand placing runner up. Both will represent um the Trojans after school and Thailand will be at Purdue and Jacob will be in the Army. Congratulations to them. Next, and this just happened over the weekend, turning champions at Rush the Rushville touring tournament Saturday. Congratulations to the seventh grade lady Trojans becoming the tourney champions this past weekend. They finished 14- one for the season and they actually have two sixth graders if not more, right? Two sixth graders too, which is very impressive. So, congrat congratulations to them. >> And jazz band earning gold. The high school jazz band traveled to Greenfield this past weekend earning a gold rating and two solists are headed to state. Congratulations to them. >> We also have two students going
031to state from our gymnastics team. Junior Jada Crowe and Reese Callaway, sophomore, are headed to state. Both perform in every event. Good luck to them. That is Ball State at Ball State 11:30 on Saturday. >> Cool. >> Yep. >> And this is one of my favorites. When this when this was when when Holly sent this, I'm like, we got to hit this up. This is this is amazing. this little this little guy. Um, uh, Malik Armstrong, a second grader from Parker. He's been waiting this for this moment for months, dreaming of of being the Trojan Warrior since football season. Thanks to Trenton Boutton, um, for sharing the spotlight with the Trojan in training. His mom, Robin Armstrong, got his outfit on Amazon just in time for senior night. Malik got to run through the banner
032with the team and proceeded to cheer with his junior sister Leia and the other cheerleaders for the third and fourth quarters. A dream come true. And he I think he was there the the next meeting as well, the next game as well. Just cute as can be >> and took it seriously. And then we just want to thank um uh for our fire last week. We want to credit the the staff, the students, the fire department, officer Koger, the police department, and our maintenance teams for addressing uh the Friday fire and and smoke. Uh we've got all the classes in but one back in but but one. We're working with the appropriate authorities as we move through the investigation. Um so I want to thank also um ProServe and um they they came on Surf
033Pro. I'm serro. Yep. Says ser pro and uh Saturday and Sunday for cleaning up. So we were ready to go this morning. So thanks to John Manter and Serpro. I was right the second time. All right. That's all I got. All right. So next we will move on to the budget and u the transfer from the education fund to the operation fund. Turn over to Megan. So the the transfer in your packet in the amount of 350,000 covers expenses from February and again that will be from the oper I'm sorry from the education fund to the operations fund anything that amount was 350,000. >> I move to approve the transfer from education to operations. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Uh and then next we have public comments uh or questions. I don't have
034very many of these left. Um >> we would like to thank the association as well. Um the law states he can do whatever the calendar and that has never been the case. He's always allowed us input. He's always allowed us to have an opinion um and has always listened when we requested things. And um the last discussion was um I'm going to be honest, the calendar makes me want to go lay down on State Road three and let cars repeatedly run over my body. >> How do you feel? Um so the way we did it last time was collaborative. It was the least painful and I think the most productive. So I really really really >> like for real appreciate it. >> We do too. Thank you. >> If that's all we have then we'll
035Short sweep to the ground.