001supposed to replace. Oh, you did. I I did it like 30 minutes after. >> I just did it. I got I'll go ahead and call this meeting to order at 9:30. And since we already did the pledge of allegiance, we're going to skip that part and get right into >> Sorry about that. Um, we'll go ahead and call this meeting to order at 9:30. We are going to skip the pledge of allegiance since we uh just took part of that with the school. So we'll move right on to our vision and strategic goals. So our vision um obviously our vision which we always start with at the beginning of the meeting a nationally recognized district of choice that embraces all students and prepares them to grow and thrive for their future. We'll listen to some
002students and staff share our strategic goals in cooperation with our community. >> In cooperation with our community, >> we will become a professional learning community, improving student achievement by promoting equitable experiences and opportunities for all students. >> In cooperation with our community, we will create systemic and purposeful innovation opportunities to develop critical thinkers. >> Critical thinkers. critical thinkers in cooperation with our community. We will support student well-being, mental wellness, and the whole child. >> We will be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. >> Is that a new one? Thank you. All right. So, next on our agenda is celebrating Orioles. So, this is one of our favorite parts where we have the honor of being at Avon Middle School West. So, why not hear from some of our scholars and honor one of our high
003school educators. So, Dr. Linda, >> thank you, Mrs. Parent. Yes, we're very excited. We do uh one schoolboard meeting a semester in a school during the school day. So, we're really excited to be here at Middle School West. And um I'll turn it over to Mr. Chapen to introduce I think we have two different groups of great west students that we're going to highlight here this morning. >> Thank you Dr. Wend and school board members. Um as you can tell we're in a amazing facility but it also takes amazing people to have an amazing school and we have a lot of amazing people here at West. Want to highlight two different groups. Mrs. Michelle Howard is going to um have some students talk to you about the genius hour work that her and her students
004are doing here at Middle School West. >> You guys ready? >> I love a microphone. >> How am I not giving up? >> Uh this is Lucy and Stella and they have a project that they've been working on pretty hard in collaboration with one of our special education classes. >> Oh, I'm getting microphones. Wow, >> I gave it up. >> Okay, good morning. Our genius hour project focuses on helping organize and support a school store for our functioning special education students. >> We chose this project because we wanted to create something that helps students gain real life skills like handling money, responsibility, and confidence in a supportive environment. >> Our goal was to help make the school store possible and sustainable. We reached out to businesses in the community for support and we were able
005to get funding from Chick-fil-A along with many generous donations. The funding will help stock and organize the school store so students can fully participate. One challenge we faced with figuring out how to ask for donations professionally and clearly explain our purpose. We work through this by communicating respectfully, being organized, and explaining how historical events. Through this project, we learned skills like communication, teamwork, and responsibility and planning. We also learned how powerful community support can be when you advocate for something meaningful. >> If we were to continue this project, we would like to help the long-term organization and possibly expand the store. Genius hour showed us that students can make a real life difference when they're given the opportunity. Thank you for listening. >> Nice job. So when we introduced the whole program to the kids,
006I talked about how you could look inside your community and see what was missing and what might be important to do or something that you might always have wanted to achieve. And so they chose this one and along with the U functional sped uh glass, they have the perch and they're going to be able to go around and offer like water and pop and uh small snacks then. And so it's been a really nice thing for them to do. This is Molly. Molly has always wanted to write a book and so she has started that and she's going to tell you about her planning. Um, so, uh, I like I was hoping to like make a picture book because I really like snails. They're my favorite animal. Um, so I'm I'm making a picture book
007about like what the world would be like for a snail. So, um, I I kind of started by like I worked through the plot and then I started writing the story in a like a novel sort of format and then I I made a to-do list. Um, but then I'm I'm talking to my one of my other teachers, um, Miss Hansen, because she has made multiple picture books using Canva. So, um we're hoping to well I'm hoping to um have her help me figure out how to make a picture book and then um so we're going to like meet up and do that sometime. Um >> did you have any issues? Like what was difficult for you? Any difficulties you had to overcome? >> Well, um I kind of had trouble like figuring out where
008to start at the beginning um because I didn't really know what to do because I had never like tried to make a picture book or anything before. So then I just kind of like like started by writing like like a like kind of an essay story story because that's the way I know how to write. So then um I'm going to like edit that into a picture book form when I get there. >> Um >> yeah. >> Nice job, Mark. and the whole project goes along with the critical thinking which you spoke about in our mission. So I feel that they've done a really nice job and there are other projects as well. Um one boy thinks that um the kids play on geometry dash too much and he would like to come up with
009different ways for teachers to implement stopping that. So that's been really a fun one too. I like that. And there are a couple other Missy eyes donations kind of thing and an art contest which they're in the middle of doing. So um in the end um starting in March they have to present their projects to the class then. So they might not be done and they're all going to be in different stages of beginning and starting or ending but they've all worked really hard on it and it's been really nice to see. >> Thank you Mrs. You know, I'd also like to highlight and celebrate our National Junior Honor Society. And so, one of the things that's interesting as we open a new school is there's certain groups that existed in other schools, but you
010have to introduce it in our school. And Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Shambball are a National Junior Honor Society sponsors. And these young ladies are going to explain what we did this year to get the National Junior Honor Site up and running. You can take them off. >> Thank you. I'm Ella. >> I'm Madison. >> I'm Evelyn. >> And I'm And we are all members of the National Junior Art Society here at West. So at the beginning of the year last year, we started redistricting. So many of the South National Junior Honor Society members ended up here at West and one of our sponsors did it as well. >> Mrs. Shambo wanted the NGH West kids to have their own chapter so she asked teachers to sponsor with her. Miss Ter was on board. >> We
011have 42 members of our chapter and we've done so much for our school. We have had to take on the role of student government as well because we don't have one like we did back at South. Throughout the year, we have come up with many ideas to benefit our school. We have directed the angel food drive. We did spirit weeks and we've also helped the athletics department with volunteering because they don't have enough money with the teachers to do so. For example, this week we are selling ring pops to fund our induction committee, our induction ceremony to make it the best we can. We have also toured the AON advocates around our school and we've also helped fifth graders um learn their music options for next next year. Miss Taylor said, quote, "We are truly
012the pulse and the leaders of this building. We have taken on more responsibility for the daily activities than normal. This brings us much proud. We thank you for inviting us today to celebrate our >> Orioles. >> And I do really I just want to say that I really do celebrate these kids, all 40 something of them. And this is just a small representation of the leadership that they have shown this year. Like they said, um our Mr. Kan needs help with the concessions or the scoreboard and they're there and it counts as their volunteer hours um after school on Tuesdays that we have study tables for kids that are having trouble in um some of their subjects and these being the uh National Junior Honor Society their scholarship is very high and they're able to
013help those kids and we do it on Tuesdays because the activity bus is available and I am very new at this and I'm not the best presenter or I I like to lead kids but I have difficulties with navigating things that need to be done in the building and these kiddos just step up and they do like genius sign up and they do presentations and they help kids around the school and they've really been an asset um since we don't have a student government. So I really appreciate all of their work. As you can see, we have amazing students and sponsors here at Middle School West. >> Thank you, Mr. Chief. >> Thank you. Board members, any questions or comments? >> Danger. I really love the concept of Genius Hour and I love that you're
014able to dive in and kind of follow that passion. Um, it's really and you can have a room full of students that are just driving the direction that they want to go and allowing the the professionals to be able to just support along the way. So, I really applaud that. Um, what a cool opportunity to build something from the ground up. Um, filling in both from a we're going to start something we had, but then also recognizing the the gap of a student government and filling in that spot. So, just really really opportunities and great job executing on them. Well, thank you uh for inviting us to uh Middle School West. Um actually, as I was walking here um to the media center, I realized I had never seen this building with students in it.
015Um and I can tell you I like it um a lot better with students in it. We got to tour the building as it was being built. Um beautiful facility, but it doesn't feel alive until you have kiddos that are learning um in this environment. Um, I have been on the school board for 21 years and in that amount of time I've seen a lot of really great uh, students come through. So, Molly, I'm hoping as an author someday I'm going to be able to see your book. Um, I I feel like these two maybe um, it's Stella and Lucy. Yeah. Um, you both have really good speaking chops and um, Mr. Langford and I are uh very much involved with the Avon High School speech team. Okay. So, would love to have you come
016out and uh try out for speech. And then our leaders um you know that's it's just a wonderful thing to see student leadership. But that is an attribute that I think if you show as a student, you'll show that as an adult. And I'm very proud to see um how many of our 40 in fact uh students step up into a leadership role. That really speaks volumes for you and your character and I expect someday I'll see um some of you in a leadership role as adults as well. Uh thank you for hosting us today. >> I want to say thank you for presenting to the students. I know it can be challenging and kind of wrenching to come up here and speak to us, but thank you for coming. Um, the Genius Hour. I
017know this is something that my son was in when he was younger. Um, so I apologize, but they already have this program like really developed. But since this is a new school, it hasn't been like introduced yet. And so for Genius Hour was um Miss Howard's idea, but we got um in touch with the teachers who would be able to help us for this. And we already have an empty space upstairs where it's going to work out. And um yeah, >> that's awesome. So hopefully you can pass a torch on to, you know, future generations to continue that on. U Molly, I'm so excited. Hopefully when you that book gets done, we can hopefully be able to read it and see it. That's very exciting. And then the National Honor Society, congratulations. That's a big
018achievement and I hope you guys Thank you for all you do and hope to see more great things. >> Well, good morning everyone. Well, I love to hear about Genius Hour. It's been almost a decade since my daughter was an intermediate school west and she was very involved in Genius Hour and it's exciting to hear that it's continuing on. One of my first texts that I'm going to send after this schoolboard meeting is my daughters. Guess who I saw? So Lucy, Stella, Molly, thank you for being a big part of of the Genius Hour for sharing this with us. Mrs. Howard, thank you for for taking the lead in such an important role. You know, one of the great parts about school is the structure. And one of the worst parts about school is the
019structure. And so when you get an opportunity to do something like Genius Hour outside of just the usual and you get to be creative about how you go about it, it you it really shines. And it also leads you into very adultlike activities. And writing books and and having a school store, that's a great step towards adulthood. I can't wait to see the good things that come out of Genius Hour and then for each of you. And then for the Junior National Honor Society, you know that it's a great stepping stone for leadership and before you know it, you'll all be in high school and then before you know it, you'll be in college and your role as leaders now. you. These are building blocks for you. And not only are you doing wonderful things
020for the school and leading um spirit week um and and really building upon a school environment like you are, you're also doing nice things for yourself as well. And the last thing I want to say, Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Sham, thank you uh for taking on the role of the extracurriculars. We don't probably say this enough that teachers have a lot on their plate all the time. I know I live with one and yet and then say and you know what and then I'll do more on top of it. That's that's an extra special person who takes that on. Um and I it does not go um it does not go without notice. I'll tell you we don't always say it but it doesn't go without notice. So thank you for doing what you're doing. Stella
021and Lucy, I loved your idea where you're working with a functional sped group. I think the inclusion and just just bringing that, you know, some of that um real world practice not only for you but for those kids that need those extra skills. I I love that idea. So, and I love that you're forward thinking of how you can grow this and continue. Um and I echo what everyone has already said. All of you are such good speakers and kind and have just been so welcoming. So, way to go. Keep that up. Molly, did you know there's another published author in this building? >> Mrs. Taylor also published a wonder, wonderful book about autism and it tells a story about her daughter. So, just a little plug. She's another resource for you. And I hope
022that I see your book at Barnes & Noble. I love that you love snails. That is so awesome. Again, thinking ahead, the perseverance you've shown, not knowing where to start. So, you went to your resources and you brainstormed and you made a to-do list, which I love a to-do list. So, and you also have a really good teacher sponsor over here with Mrs. Howard. So, keep up the good work. Um, the National Junior Honor Society, you're wearing many, many hats at your age. That is awesome. Keep it up. Not only, as my fellow board members have stated, such wonderful skills for you, but you're also being models for the other students. So, keep it up. I hope it's contagious and they run with it as well. And yes, thank you to our teachers that are
023the sponsors. We know there are not enough hours in the day for everything you do. So, thank you very much. All right. Um, next up we have um a accommodation for Mr. Powell. I'm going to turn it over to you, Dr. Windom. >> Thank you, Mrs. Parent. So, uh, students, thanks so much for being here. if you need to head back to head back to class. Uh Mr. Pal, if you want to come forward here. Uh Mr. Joel Pal has had a busy month. Um he went through the uh process of uh being interviewed and and grilled by all of us. Uh and uh has recently was named as the successor to leave to be the director of our orchestra program, continuing uh the legacy of Mr. Westman upon his retirement at the end of
024the school year. And as if that is not enough, uh, Mr. Powell was also recognized as the Indiana Orchestra teacher of the year. So, um, very excited that he chooses to invest in our kids and our programs here in Avon and just continuing the great things that have happened, uh, in our orchestra programs. And so, I know the board has a commendation to recognize Mr. Pal for, uh, his impressive accomplishments. >> All right. and you have the pleasure. This is the first one I'm reading officially as president. So, um I'm gonna try to channel my inner uh Mrs. Woodward and >> I'm some parts right now. Um so, this is the highest honor that the board uh can recognize. So, I'm going to go ahead and read this to you. So, the Avon Community School
025Corporation Board of School Trustees would like to congratulate Joel Powell uh with the passage of the following resolution. Whereas Joel Powell has been honored as the 2026 Indiana High School Orchestra Teacher of the Year by the Indiana chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Whereas Joel Powell graduated Magna Kumlad with a bachelor of arts and music education with violin emphasis and earned a master's of arts, excuse me, master of arts in secondary education from Ball State University. Whereas Joel Powell has been the AHS associate director of orchestras and director of string activities since 2019. Whereas Avon orchestras have earned two ISMA orchestra state championships during Mr. Paul's tenure. Whereas the Avon orchestras have consistently earned gold with distinction ratings at ISMA organizational festival. Whereas the Avon orchestras have demonstrated sustained excellence across all levels of
026the Avon orchestra program. Whereas Joel Paul has earned the respect of the entire school community for his high standards and expectations. Whereas the highest level of distinction given by the Avon Community School Corporation is accommodation from the board of school trustees. Therefore, let it be resolved Joel Powell as is hereby commended for his success and achievement. >> Thank you so much. >> Y that's important. Board members, I'll um take a motion. I move that the board of school trustees approve the accommodation for Mr. Joel Pal as presented. Second >> motion by Jennifer, seconded by Kim. Is there any discussion? All those in favor? That motion passes 5-0. Congratulations. Thank you for all this is good. >> Thank you so much. Thank you for all. I'm grateful for you. >> You ready? Three, two, one. Gotcha.
027Congrats. >> Thank you all so much. I appreciate you all. Thank you for all you do. Appreciate you. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. comments from the board. >> So, in our house, we have three very different kiddos. um one of ours, uh our oldest has gone through the orchestra program and has just found um a home there just as anywhere else in Avon. But um the the dedication to the students to ensuring um the students have success, but also enjoy the process along the way to learn those skills of working through something difficult and all of the amazing things that music education does. But I I think uh Mr. PAL demonstrates and just um I'm overusing the word amazing, but for lack of a better term, an amazing uh experience to making that
028whole rounded that that that uh whole child the well-rounded experience just really um thrive in Avon. Um it's just really amazing to see the students grow from, you know, the hot cross buttons in the early days through uh I mean uh and I would I would put them um as as welcome at uh on a stage at at Hilbert uh Circle Center. Um and almost professional level. Every time we hear the the orchestras perform, it just feels like you're in a much bigger audience and a much bigger stage. And uh we wouldn't have that excellence without the the work of the palace. >> Thank you. >> Well, congratulations on not only earning the statewide honor, but also being uh named successor to our own Dean Westman. Um, funny thing is that when I heard that
029Dee was retiring, there was no question about who would be his successor in my mind. Um, I knew immediately that you were the right selection for Avon um, and for our program. my biggest I guess I'm in a reminiscing mood today because I remember when we hired you and I remember asking um do we really need another orchestra um person thinking that that program as at its inception starting with like 30 students in a classroom um that I wasn't sure that that program would gain the momentum that of course our band program had already gained boy was I wrong about that Um, and just proof positive that as we walked into Avon Middle School West this very morning, uh, we were nearly taken out by about three or four violin cases, um, as those kids
030walked down the hall, uh, to get to school. Um, and I I my only regret is that orchestra was not an option for our two daughters when they went through Avon, but it certainly is an option for our grandsons as they go through the program and I hope that they choose it. Um we have students in our speech program that many of them are in orchestra and they come with just a different um presence when they um take the stage to speak. Um it get orchestra has given them confidence. Orchestra has given them the ability to uh perform at a high level. Um and that is those are gifts that those children will grow to um embrace as they become adults and that's possible because of people like you Joel. So thank you so much
031from the bottom of my heart for being such a great ambassador for Avon um and also for um agreeing that you would step into the shoes of Dean Westman. Um, I know for you personally that's probably um a challenge, but I can think of no one better. >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. Thank you for stepping up to the plate. Um, I know there's going to be great things that come from you. So, thank you for being a great mentor, a great leadership. Thank you for taking on this program. I know music is a big, you know, thing for this district. So, thank you for all you do. >> Thank you so much. Well, as you know, my uh family, all three of my kids were very active participants in the Avon orchestra. Kind of near
032the beginning of the time that it started. They're all three now proud graduates of Avon High School. When Mr. Pal came on the scene, I will tell you in our household, we were hearing words like perfectionist, taskmaster, um never saying good enough, right? I mean, and that, as we know, matters. And does it ever matter? And they're and they're so they I know they were so pleased to be led by you. I'm so pleased that you continue to be part of our program. I'm also pleased to to to be an observer to watch the next 50 years of your teaching experience, right? >> Congratulations on everything. We're we're so proud of you. We're proud that you're part of the Avon community. Um and boy, are we better for it. Thank you. Thank you so much,
033>> Mr. Pal. Congratulations on winning this award. And then how timely is it that you are stepping in to this awesome role and like my board members, fellow board members have stated, super excited for the future and to see where you grow this program. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you for choosing AMA. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> All right. Um, next item on our agenda before the West staff takes off, I just want to say real quick, um, thank you for hosting us this morning. Um, thank you for the staff and students that make this building a special place. As Mrs. Woodward already mentioned, we had been in here many times, but it was empty. In fact, boxes, dust, everything. We had to wear hard hats and boots and all
034the fun stuff during construction. Um, but being here this morning, seeing the students fill the hallway, it really reiterates every discussion, every vote, every policy that we look at, seeing the students just kind of echoes, you know, why are we here doing what's best for all students, and that includes the students here at West. So, thank you very much. Um, next we'll move on to item five, public comments to the board. We do not have any, so I will move right along this one. Um, next is reports. Next item on the agenda, excuse me. And uh, for this we have a report on strategic goal number three, which is specific to work related to positive behavior supports in the district. So, Dr. Finley, the floor is yours. >> Thank you. I'll be brief and then
035I'm going to turn it over to our mental wellness coordinator, Christoph. So, strategic goal three is focused on reducing suspensions, reducing expulsions, increasing attendance, all those barriers to student success. And we know that in order for students to have access to curriculum and access to the great work happening in the classrooms, um, a lot of times we have to also focus on the whole child, everything else happening in their lives. So, I've never seen anything like the professional learning community in Avon, it's extremely impressive. I know in any school that I go into, and this is because of the great work with Carrie and her team, but you'll see them focused on specific academic standards. you know, every student's getting the same thing in any building you walk into. And it's that collaboration, that support
036that's that's incredible. So, it's really what we aspire to do as well um in the area of student behavior management, student mental health, wellness, and I know we have some work to do in this area, but I think we've made great strides and there's so many good pieces in place. So this is the other piece to the puzzle to make sure that students have that great academic success, that growth that they need. I say this all the time. I have never met a bad child. I've never met a student without great potential. I've met some along the way that have made bad choices. And so what we have to do, and it really is our responsibility to help them get that right, those teachable moments. It's a lot of what Christa does with her work,
037with her team of counselors, with her team of social workers. And I'm going to turn it over to her. She's going to talk a couple about a couple of the programs that we have in place right now and then kind of what we're aspiring to do moving forward. >> So, I had to give up my fidget in order to have the microphone. So, we will just breathe through this together. So, I'm so uh thankful to be back here in front of you guys again um talking a little bit more about behaviormies with you guys and what we do to support students who need a little extra boost in making some better, safer, healthier decisions. Um just want to give a quick overview about what is a behavior academy um adjustments we've made with improvement and
038alignments and then looking ahead. Um I had the chance to talk with you guys about behaviormies a little bit last year, but I think it's important that you guys know that we are always striving to do better. We are never going to rest on what we think is good enough. It will never be good enough. And so we've got everybody moving in the right direction, safe, healthy, um, and positive. Um, so just a brief recap on what a behavior academy is because we do have new board members here with us. A behavior academy is a short-term intervention for students who are demonstrating repeat behaviors that impact the learning environment. Um, behaviormies will happen twice a week, the last three to six weeks depending on if you're elementary, middle school, or high school. and it's really
039focused on building those positive replacement behaviors. One thing I always want to make sure we're very clear about is that prior to any student starting any small group, if it's with a counselor, a social worker, or a behavior academy, we always make sure that we are reaching out to the guardian and obtaining informed parent consent before any meeting ever happens. We want to make sure that this is always a partnership with school and home um because we all need to be moving in the in the same direction to reinforce that skill acquisition. So, we always make sure we get consent before we start any service. There we go. Um, one of the big improvements and alignments that we've made this year is really trying to make sure that the lessons that we are teaching are
040interwoven and aligned with the Avon instructional model. Counselors and social workers. While we get fantastic training as part of our graduate programs, one piece that we lack is how to provide effective direct instruction kind of from a holistic school sense. We get lots of good training on group topics, on good replacement skills, how to model those. But one thing as we were going through the Avon instruction model that really resonated with me is this is a way for us to get better. If we are aligning our instruction closer to our teachers, we're helping students share a ven diagram of brain space. We're not doing something completely different. We're doing more of the same, more of what we know has a very positive effect size to make things better. That's why we really tried to interweave
041these strategies. Over the summer, we brought instructional coaches to our counselor group to have them review our classroom lessons, review our small groups, give us feedback on how we can continue to improve the service delivery by boosting the efficacy of our of our lessons. The new materials that we're using this year are from a resource called Be Good People. It's a free online resource, and we love free online resources. Um, and what it really has that we didn't have to spend time creating on our own, it is embedded, healthy, positive instructional practices that can just help make our work that much more effective and efficient when working with students. One example that I want to give is the importance of alignment. So in the instructional model, we are very explicit about teacher clarity, about activating
042prior knowledge, making learning relevant, building in that direct instruction, giving feedback all on a basis of relationships. So what I've given you today um as part of my materials is a sample of a lesson plan of showing self-control. These lesson plan looks very familiar to teachers. These felt a little foreign to counselors and social workers, and it was really important that we took time to dig into these pieces to look and see what make effective strategies even more effective. Right? So, we really want to make sure that we are building on what we know works to help move that student outcome. One thing that we really like about the Be Good People curriculum is it allows us to be custom and consistent at the same time. So, for example, if we have a student who
043is showing inappropriate physical contact, they're reaching out and touching somebody too many times. This is a way that we can intervene and provide service. So, depending on the grade level, K345, this was um one example that I brought. um there are four core lessons that have to happen. Then based on the student or the group of students that you're with, you get to choose the next four lessons. So it's a semi-structured build your own adventure here. So for example, what we see in our data is when the weather is a little bit nicer, you guys may have seen the gaga ball pits out at the resource courts. Yes, students love gaga ball. I dread gaga ball. It is like uh 1990 gladiators, right? For those of you know, you know. Um, but that's what it
044reminds me of. And so you'll see on that lesson list, um, sportsmanship may be a reason why we are showing inappropriate physical contact. We didn't get the gaga, so somebody else got the ball, right? So we want to make sure that we're customizing what we're doing so that the lessons are relevant to students. We're not tonedeaf as to what's going on. So this allows us to be same same but different um based on the different students and the different needs that come forward related to the category. So, when we're talking about behaviormies, I know I shared before last year that we were we were having them. We're continuing to really try to build those in, align those practices, continue to elevate that service up. We want to continue to build that proactive family communication, monitor
045those student outcomes. Everything is data driven. We use our educ system to make sure that we're identifying students um based on the data that's given. We want to make sure the teachers are leveraging that data and we're leveraging that data to help move those outcomes and that we continue to be aligned with district goals and practices. The combination of behaviormies with the Avon instruction model has me so excited to really move those outcomes and make sure that we're doing um good things for our students. >> Thank you board members. Any questions? So when you do the behavior academy, what time a day do you normally work with those students? >> That's a great question. So it's going to depend on the grade level in the master schedule. We really look for the times that have
046the least impact on the academic day. There are certain like no touch spots in the schedule that we're going to stay away from. Um when is a fantastic time for us to use because sometimes what I need now is more instruction and support on behavior. And again, this is a shortterm kind of intense invention intervention twice a week. So, we want to get in, hit it hard, and then get back out of it again so they can show us that they get the skill or do they need even more help beyond that. So, we try to work with the teacher very, very closely to make sure that we're not pulling them out of that core ELA or that core math. I appreciate all you do. Thank you for, you know, always coming and talking to
047us. I think this is a big part of our students and a lot of students struggle with this and so getting in there for the short intervention, I think, makes a big difference. So, I appreciate you and everybody that works with that. Thank you. Thank you. question. >> Uh Christa, approximately what percentage of our student body in a given school would be in a behavior academy? So our goal is that this is a tier 2 intervention. Our goal is that most of our students are responding to that whole class instruction that they get in the morning meetings or through the once a week instruction here at middle school. Um, tier 2 is really kind of that like maybe 10% might be eligible, but 10% is a broad number. It doesn't necessarily have to be a
048behavior academy. Other tier 2 interventions that we could use could be like a check-in checkout where you're working on building that relationship with somebody. You could have a mentoring intervention. There's I'm taking steps as we move along the intervention because got carried away. Um, there's lots of different things that we can do and we can layer interventions. So, we may have a student who started with check-in checkout. They built that strong relationship, but now we see they're struggling with the peer interaction and we're seeing that in the discipline data come up. So now we may add in this additional intervention. So we have a lot of again same same but different. We can layer, we can taper on, taper off. There's a lot of flexibility, but a a broad number would be maybe 10%. >>
049Okay. Thank you. >> So this is probably a bigger topic than than my question and your answer will be able to address, but but I'm going to bring it up at least. I'm curious about the uh be good people online source and other sources that you have. Do you feel like those sources are adequately addressing the fact that boys and girls are different and whether that's age 8 or 11 or 15 and their behavior sometimes is reflected as well. >> So one thing I appreciate about the be good people curriculum is that I think it does offer a lot more representation. Um that's something that's very important. We know that Avon is a very amazing melting pot. We have so many different things and our differences are what make us strong. So when we're looking
050at curriculum, a core piece for the counselors and social workers is that we are finding something that is representative um and that hits those different needs that we have. Um part of the be good people curriculum. One of the pieces that they do is kind of that scenario-based situation. The scenarios are different. There are um outside of school ones, there are school-based ones, there's relationship ones. So I think that gives more people the opportunity to respond to those different scenarios. The other thing that we do with behaviormies that might get a little bit closer to what you're asking here is when our counselors are looking at who is eligible, who could be nominated for a behavior academy based on the number of discipline pieces that have come in. What we do is we don't just
051say, "Oh, these four fourth graders are all having inappropriate physical contact. We're just going to put them in a in an academy together." Not a good idea. We want to look at the student and the need. And if we need to break that into two twoperson groups or a three-person group and a one person individual one, we make sure that we're responding so that we can always make sure that what we're using is relevant to the students. >> Okay. I I guess and again you I'm just going to give you my my two cents and you're the expert. I'm not. I'm just someone who has parented boys and girls, also very involved in the high school with coaching and have coached a lot throughout my time and I've done a lot of reading on the
052subject. I guess I would simply say this that I think that uh behavioral modification for boys and girls sometimes needs to be different. Um I do think there is something to the concept that the school structure lends itself a little more towards girls. I'll give you an example. We had our our student leaders here a little while ago in middle school. Not a single boy. Um yeah, and I'm sure a lot of people noticed that in the room. And I think there's two things going on. I think the school structure allows young women, and I've seen it in my own household as well, to necessarily work on their strengths and become leaders and take on roles and do the kinds of things that they have here. And boys sometimes um get pushed a little to
053the side because their strengths at age seven and nine and 15 don't necessarily always fit inside that structure. And sometimes that has its way of working in through behavioral issues. And I'm not by any means trying to generalize and saying all girls are good and all boys are bad. I just think they operate differently. Their brains function differently. Their biochemistry is differently. And I guess my my my point, if I have a point here, is just simply I hope that as we continue to work through the behavioral academy that we we draw some distinctions that probably ought to be drawn, but if you want to comment on that, feel free. And if you don't, that's okay, too. >> Yes. >> Um I think the only thing I would say is I just want to um
054hopefully give some reassurance that when we're talking about scenario- based applications, we do know that um girls, especially at a younger age, tend to lean towards more verbal demonstration. Boys tend to lead more active demonstration. And again, those are very broad strokes. Please know that I'm not saying every boy, every girl. But one thing that we know does help through the ed neuroscience lens that we take is that repetition in that neuroplasticity. We really want to make sure that we're giving realistic opportunities to build those pathways in the brain. So, while the girls may um may want to engage in more verbal dissection of the scenario, we make sure that there's a physical application as well. We ask them to get up and go through the motions. Don't just sit there at the table and
055talk. That's not building the right path. teachers, please. We do have four of our five >> late buses have already arrived. Bus 14, bus 22, bus 81, and 101. Those students are either already arrived just a moment ago or are arriving now. Please allow those students into class without a pass. We're still waiting on bus 311. >> Sorry, it's hard to hear and talk at the same time. Um, so we want to try to give them as many authentic learning opportunities as as we can to help. I do absolutely hear your concern though. But um I want to try to give some reassurance that we are trying to incorporate those best practices into our work and we do know um every student has a different need. It's going to manifest differently. Not all girls, not
056all boys. Um not all multilingual learners, not all sped, right? There's all those different pieces. So these are just very broad strokes. If there's more information that you'd like, I'd be happy to provide it. But I want you to know I do hear that concern and I want and hopefully you know we are working every day to try to improve that across the board. >> And to your point, Mr. for the um you know Dr. Finley started by talking about um our suspension and expulsion data. We disproportionately suspend boys over girls just like most every other school uh district probably in in the in the country does because of just what you described. So one of the things you've heard mentioned um from from Christa is Edge Climber. that is a an online tool where
057we put our um discipline data. And one of the things that we have really loved about Edclimr is it allows us to disagregate that data and allows teachers to disagregate that data at a classroom level. And it's one of those tools where every year we're getting better and better at using it and getting that um information more accessible to teachers. One of the I was just in a conversation where this came up last week at one of our elementary schools and they were disproportionately disciplining boys because just like Christa said our and I say this as a boy our behavior as a as a young boy is more outward and external than uh female students. And um one of the things that this elementary school started doing was bringing in outside mentors that was that
058are they are just focusing on mentors for their young boys at an elementary level to try to to get some of that that additional support and additional resources. So those kinds of things are happening when we look at the data and go, "Oh goodness, you know, you look, most of our teachers are female, but yet most of our discipline referrals are male students." And so trying to help our female, predominantly female teachers meet the needs of of kids who are learning in a different way than maybe they learned when they were in school. So that's just a constant um conversation that I think we're having as we look at that data. So appreciate you bringing that up. Thank you. The other thing I will say too, um, and I always like to bring this up
059when we talk about the work that's happening with Christa and her team and again just a thanks to our community uh, for supporting our referendum. When you look at the number these behaviormies would not be happening in our schools if we did not have the additional staff that is in our schools because of the referendum. So prior to 2018, we had 19 school counselors in the entire district. Uh at the elementary level, our counselors shared two buildings. So a counselor was split uh between two elementary schools. Their average case loads at that time were over 500 students per counselor. Now we have 26 school counselors and seven school social workers for a total of 33 staff that are invested in supporting the our goal number three and the mental health and mental well-being of our
060students and our average case load um just of student per mental health professional is just over 300. So just appreciate Christa's leadership, the community's support. Seeing that this is this is just as important as the work that's happening in reducing our class sizes has also been the way that we're able to come alongside and bring these mental health supports to to to serve our students as well. >> Dr. Wman, thank you for sharing those statistics with the board. That's powerful. um thank you for the work that your team is doing and obviously yeah echoing thank you to the community support because without that renewal we it would be a very different conversation we'd be having today. I did have a quick comment uh more out of curiosity um in my having three boys as well.
061Um are you seeing benefits um with the skills they're learning in the behavior academy? Are they generalizing them into the classroom? I'd be very curious about it because we know and it's very focused in the small group, but are they taking those skills in the real life scenario when they're coming up and using them? Great. I'm so glad you asked that question because again, there's lots of different layers of supports that we can put in there. So, if a student is getting closer to the end of the academy and we're not getting the feedback from the teacher or we're still seeing educ, the counselor has the opportunity then to push into the classroom and to do some sideby-side coaching in those different scenarios. Um, I'm just going to pick on recess just because it's been
062hard to get to recently because of the weather. Um, but if we know that recess is a prime time where there's challenges happening, we can push out to those areas and again give that sidebyside real coaching. If we get through the end of the academy and we see that a there's um when we get to the end of the academy, there's kind of different pathways a student can take. So, let's say they've gone through the academy, we're seeing an improvement and keeping our hands to ourselves and using our skills and doing our breathing. We can say, "Great, fantastic. Off you go. We worked oursel out of a job with you." Fantastic. That's the goal. We could say, "We need a little bit more time because we're starting to see movement, but not enough." So, we
063may do more of that push in and kind of go into like an individual basis. we can say, "Oo, through this we learned the student might have some additional needs. They may they may really benefit from some more long-term support with a school counselor or school social worker." And we can reach back out to the family and say, "We've been in communication. Here's what we're seeing. Here's how we'd like to continue to serve. Do you want this service? Would you be interested in this or not?" So, we always make sure that this is not just a we did it, check the box, off you go, move on to the next piece. We want to make sure that we're really responding to the individual needs of the students that are coming up. In a group of
064four people in academy, three may have that skill transfer and one may not. And so we're going to make sure that we chase all of those pieces down to ensure student success. >> Thank you very much. >> I was just going to ask what? >> Yeah, I was just going to ask which grades was the behavior academy or which grades were the behaviormies available. >> So, um it's more readily available K8 the high school poses its own challenges because um of the classes and the the different bus schedules that they have. We can offer it at the high school as well. However, when we do, it's typically more on an individual basis and a much more abbreviated system. Typically, three meetings just because we need to be cognizant of the time that they're out of
065those classes. So we can do kind of a speedrun on it. At high school, too, you're at a different developmental stage. And so we think that we can move that information a little bit differently to kind of help you see some of those long-term choices and effects that it may have. >> And then I just I wanted to applaud using that uh Avon instructional model uh in another way. Um bringing it from the heart of a teacher. You know, we've often said that behavior is another form of communication. So they're identifying their own gaps with us. Um maybe not in the most pleasant of ways. and then teaching the skills as we would with anything else. I just love the intentional approach and and using our faculty in a different way to bring on those
066skills. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next, we'll move on to item seven, which is the consent agenda. This includes a number of items that the board receives uh in advance and we study. Um so meeting minutes, claims, payroll, claims and payroll uh transfer memo, uh personnel reports, disposal of equipment, donation reports, any overnight field trip requests, programs, camps were included in this one, uh ECA equipment purchases, and financial reports. So, um, with all that, board members, I'll entertain a motion on the consent agenda. >> I move that the board of school trustees approve the regular session minutes on January 12, 2026. Board of finance special meeting minutes on January 12, 2026. working session minutes on January 26, 2026 to January 26 and February 20 26 claims regular payrolls for January 16, 2026 and January
06730, 2026. uh the January 30, 2026 mini payroll, December 31, 2025, and January 2, 2026 mini board claims, the personnel report, January transfer memo, ASCS 2025 year-end financial report, the disposal of equipment, the donation report, the overnight field trips, programs, and camps, and the ECA equipment purchase as presented. Second >> motion by Mike, seconded by Jennifer. >> Kim, my apologies. Um, all those in favor? That motion passes 5-0. All right. Um, moving on to item number eight, unfinished business. Mrs. Alde, would you like to present the enrollment report? >> Good morning. Um, you received the enrollment report and February is another important time for public schools across Indiana. We look at um our average daily membership um which come the state and that is what equates to our state funding that happens twice a year
068um octo early October and February. So, we're in that process right now of validating our numbers to get that finalized um to say it will take them the average of the two. But when you're and when you look at the numbers on here, it does have major graduates still. That's typical for at this point and those are still coming out. Um but what you'll see is if you look at um on the date of October, I was trying to look at the exact date on here, but our count date, we were 10,528 back in October. And if you look at February 2nd again was on this report says 10,528. Now what will actually go to the state all that's being validated still. So I will get that to you in the future but that number
069is exactly the same. But if you look at it a year from a year ago on February 3rd of 2025 that number was 10,580. So you know we've talked about this as a board. Um our demographic report showed this. we are seeing that um that our number is lower right now than it was a year ago. Um and so that's something we're always looking at and um being responsive to. Um this is the time of the year where we're enrolling kids. So February 2nd is when we opened up enrollment for preschool. March 2nd coming up is when we open up enrollment for our new students for next year. So our kindergarten group and any other new students to Avon. And then April 6 is when we do returning students. We just ask parents to um
070just give us some basic information. And then in at the March board meeting, we will be um wanting to talk with you again about open enrollment um because we know we just have to be responsive if we you know, thankful for the referendum, but we also know um our main financial support comes from our average daily membership. So again, that's just an area we'll continue um to have conversations with you on. Any questions? >> Thank you. Next, Mrs. Glass will present to the board uh cost savings and efficiencies. >> Good morning, board members. Um Avon received $100,000 from the Avon Redevelopment Commission and it was to help support our security and software measures throughout the district. Um, and that helps also support our operations fund. We're in partnership with them. I sit on um the
071RDC board as a non- voting member that you guys approve me of. And this is something that they do annually um each year. >> Thank you. Thank you for serving on the RBC. Um, and I stay right there because you are our item nine, which is new business. Um, this is related to checks that the school district uh wrote and the recipient didn't cash for a period of two or more years. And so, um, or is yours? >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Mrs. Parent. Yes. as you stated that uh the state board of accounts require that if a check has not been cleared within the past two years that we have to present those checks to you in the list and then uh you approve those to be receeded back into the fund in which
072it was originally uh rolled out of and I recommend your approval. Board members, I'll entertain a motion. I move that the board school trustees receipt said warrants back into original funds. >> Second. >> Motion by Jennifer, seconded by Mike. All those in favor? That motion passes 5. Is there any I forgot to ask if there was any discussion? >> There was not. We'll speak. >> Thank you. I think I caught that on the left one, too. All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh item number 10, moving right along, board member items. Mr. Yoder, >> I guess, uh not to repeat anything from before. I I love uh highlighting the outstanding orals and all the things, but we kind of talked to that. So, um great work to all of
073them. I just don't want to to to rehash that for my my portion. Um, something that I noticed in the the um in the consent agenda reports was a a difference of uh cost of items from this January to last January. And I guess one thing that I would just like the public to know um as I as I'm looking at that what I would call it fresh eyes or I'll say rookie eyes um was I was a I I see what our house budget changes from year to year and we talk about like consumer spending reports and we talk about like the price of eggs and such. Um but something I noticed uh from Sheila's report was about a 15% change in price of just running the school pieces. So all of the all
074of the supplies, all the items. Um, and we're in a a legislative session where people are going to move toward a do more with less mentality. Um, but doing the exact same is costing roughly 15% more January compared to January. So, as we talk about do more with less, um, there there cuts coming from every direction, but also the price of just doing regular business is going up. Um, and so without turning it into a political um, I don't know, stump speech or or an advocacy, I would just like the the voting public to understand that just maintaining is still costing more and to have that in in an understanding as we as we talk. So referendum has been a a blessing. Um we are so lucky to not be in the schools that are
075making the headlines now talking about $2 and3 million per year shortfalls. Um we still we we still aimed low. We're still trying to be lean. We're still trying to uh make ends meet with less and and only touching the referendum dollars that we need. Um but the unseen portion is that everything that we're doing is costing more. Thank you. Um I know it's disruptive to have school board meetings in schools, but that's um that's energizing for board members. I think to be able to see um a day in the life in a school is an important excuse me consideration. So thank you for hosting us. Wish I had a voice. Um, even though it is disruptive, I really appreciate being in our school environment, seeing our kids in their natural habitat. Um, and encountering administrators
076and office folks and teachers who make us feel so welcome here. Um, my my only thing that I would like to say today is how proud I am always of being in the Avon community, but particularly in the last week. um with the headlines that have been made about various responses to student walkouts. Um I'm so happy that our administration um in particular our Mr. Matt Shockley is in tune enough to know how to communicate a difficult message in a very uh cohesive and supportive way. Um and I'll never take that for granted. I always um am amazed to look around just like looking at um funding shortages of schools that are nearby us. Um I always feel badly for those communities um as they face that and as they face the communication issues that
077have been caused by the student walkouts. But I'm always pleased and proud that Avon does such a great job in handling um uh communication like that and funding issues like that in just the most Avon way. Um so I just um am pleased and grateful um that we have such supportive um administrators um that make difficult times like that a little easier. Um thank you to everyone that was involved. Kevin, thank you so much for hours and hours, I'm sure, of trying to craft messages and communication. Um, and we don't tell you thank you enough because during the referendum, you certainly were the mainstay that helped us to communicate our message. Um, but a a large part of why we are successful is because we have great people um that love and support our students,
078but also that we do a phenomenal job in communicating. So, thank you so much. >> I have to agree with everything that Josh and Lim have stated. Um, I think this is the first time that I've been in this building since the ribbon cutting and it's fascinating to see such a new building and see it work so well and have great students. Um, and also like Kim said, I'm very proud of our corporation for the way it's carried itself. I mean, it's very I feel very proud if you say, you know, we're part of Avon. Our kids go to Avon. It's a great school corporation. So, thanks for everybody for coming. >> Great comments, fellow board members. I I'll try to be brief and this will be a little bit of just a continuation of
079something I said earlier. Um, you know, we are really lucky to have each and every teacher who does not only the job that they're supposed to do, but even more. Um, my dad was a high school math teacher from the 60s to the early 90s. And um if he saw the state requirements and additional requirements that teachers have today, he would be shaking his head. I can promise you. Um and in addition to meeting all those requirements, we also hope, and that's really what we have to do, is hope that teachers will also do things like let's take on genius hour. Let's do a national um junior a junior national honor society. And some of these extracurriculars as we know, Mr. PAL and other high school. Um they're big big uh parts of their their
080daily duties and they take those on not just slightly but robustly. I will tell you that I think one of the challenges for public schools going forward is being able to chat with newer teachers, those in their 20s and 30s, and say, "We know we're putting all this on you. There's a lot of obligations here, but would you also from the kindness of your heart for work underpaid to try to really push along an extracurricular? And if you talk to our high school students, what's the best part of your high school day? They will many times over talk about this practice, this game, this event, this club. And that happens because of our teachers. And so mostly what I want to say is a um thank you to those teachers who do all that for
081us and b I think as a school corporation we need to continue to be creative about how we can support those who do and support further those who might and will hopefully take on those roles going forward. >> Thank you Mr. Lford. Um, for my items, I just wanted to uh call out an event that I uh had the pleasure of attending on Friday. Our Indiana School Board Association put on a leader con that I attended. Uh, great topics, but one of the best parts about it is just being able to network with other schoolboard members and superintendent around the state. And while I love that, I'm also very appreciative of being in Avon and having some of the conversation the tough conversations with uh financial shortfalls and just communication gaps. Uh they're facing referendum
082so that many of them wanted to come talk to me. Um but just love that organization that supports our school board and being able to attend. So thank you for sending me. Um and then also um part of our consent agenda includes a donation report. Love seeing that. Love the community support. I wanted to call out one item that I noticed I thought was really cool. The Avon Rotary Club uh donated some money to purchase books to support peacemaking and conflict resolution. So with all the headlines and everything going on in the world, I just wanted to call that out and also thank not only Avon Rotary Club, but all the the donors. That's it. Um Dr. with them and bring us home. >> Sure. >> Thanks for a great meeting. Thanks uh for West
083for having us here. I also wanted to thank Amanda. Uh she started on Monday and by Wednesday we had an agenda finalized. So I told her, "Buckle up. We're going to do our first we're going to do our first school board meeting on day one of your employment with Avon schools." And uh she knocked it out of the park. So just excited to have her support and um thankful that we got got everything done we needed to to be ready for a board meeting and it's always a little bit challenging to have a board meeting not in our regular location with our regular things and u she adjusted great so thanks for a great meeting. >> Right with that we'll adjourn the meeting at 10:41.