001To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you all for joining our January 20th board of school trustees for high schools and modifications to the agenda. Yeah, we have the recommendation to just approve the second reading of the following board policies. Um, we have struck out adopting any policies this evening and they are as presented. Is there a motion to accept the modification? Second. >> All those in favor signify by saying I oppose. the same abstensions. Seeing none, we will presentation from Mrs. Sarah Roberts regarding potential for eggalth pathways for grand high school. not excited. I know I did I have a presentation but I printed just these are my notes like my
002talking points um and then I'll share it with you guys digitally as well because you'll see that I embedded like links that you can click on if you want to um yeah so these are the three components that we would like to focus on here at Brown County High School to introduce produce um an a an a pathway for our students. So we would want to start with classroom and a lab of some nature. So that vision for us looks like potentially utilizing um one of our science labs that we already have open in the science wing that looks out into and has access to our current courtyard um that's not being utilized. So, this is a space that I would envision working alongside our construction, our new construction teacher and starting with a potential
003greenhouse build. Um, it doesn't have to be real large, but something then that we can use to start a science is the principal pathway that we would like to recommend starting with. um because it's something that starts with plant soil and then you move into horiculture which um I think that our students would benefit from and something that our hopeful future a teacher has a very high interest in and I think that it um connects well with his with his skill set. So that's where we'd want to start. We also would want to bring FFA here to Brown County, which is something we know we have a high interest um for a lot of our students. That would not have to be a class during the day. We would want to open that opportunity up
004as a club. Um but if you are in the AD pathway, you would need to be a part of the FFA in order to fulfill the requirements for that graduation pathway. But um it would also be open to any student. you don't have to be an A to be a part of FFA. So our we would ask our our A teacher to also lead that which he is already thrilled and has lots of ideas um behind that. We also part of the the graduation requirement is supervised agricultural experiences. So SAE you'll see that a lot which I think we are in a community that we are going to be able to find those experiences for our students. No, we don't have a farm here on campus, but when we get to the animal science component
005of the pathway, I think we're going to be able to find lots of unique partnerships um here in our community um through local farming or even through designscape kelps. We've talked, Mr. and I have talked about just some some unique opportunities that we have local that our a teacher will be able to access to have those experiences, especially in our block schedule. Having kids for 87 minutes gives us time to drive a short distance, 10 minutes to a farm and be there to have hands-on experiences for our kids every day. Um, so that that is something that is built into the pathway. our course offerings. I already kind of talked about this that we would start with I highlighted um we would start with the principles of a science. Okay, there are lots of options
006and I listed all those out for you um at the bottom. Other areas in which these could all become electives that that we choose to teach at any point, but we know as freshmen come in, we have to choose a principal class first. So starting with a science and then we can open up electives like plant and soil science or horiculture. Um for even current sophomores, juniors who are already in a pathway but just want to take additional CTE electives, this can open up for them as well that our a teacher will be able to teach. So you'll see all the blue these are links that if you click on it takes you to an example whether it's through the you'll see that I linked Seymour in there quite a bit. So Seymour High School
007has an outstanding agg program built um and actually Mr. Steel connected me with somebody at Seymour and I already have a visit planned for myself and Mr. Wampler who will hopefully get to transition into um this ad position with me and our counseling team to go down and meet with them and walk their campus and walk us through what their a program looks like. And I would like to mirror a lot of a lot of what we built here at Brown County from what they're doing now in a successful A program. So I I have a lot of links to what they're doing classroom and learning environment needs. So things that I feel like being a visionary like what are we going to need in this program starting kind of from nothing. I think the
008bare minimum is going to be a lab space um and outdoor access. And I think that we can do that with what we already have in the bones of our building in space that I already mentioned in our science wing. We have an open lab. And then if we can be creative with our construction class and getting a small greenhouse, that would definitely be ideal. And then we would use, as I talked about, using our community spaces for animal facilities when we get to that um piece of the curriculum. Um there's also an area in there which was interesting, mechanics and welding like that is also a component [cough and clears throat] that can be built into this a pathway. Um, when you start talking about farming equipment and those pieces, all of that, we
009can we can build a program. We're starting here with something small, but can continue to build on it um as as we go along. So, this is something that currently we are sending kids over to C4 to experience. Um, so so that is something that can fit into this pathway um for us to consider later down the road. um supervised agricultural experiences. This is a required component. So, this isn't like the FFA that um can be a club. This is something that will have to be built in. So, um we look at what kind of placement or internship opportunities do we have. And I think that's what's so unique about Brown County and where we're at that I feel as though we will have support in that area throughout the community that between myself, our
010student services team, get Megan Connelly on board here with what we're doing, she can certainly help um get our kiddos placed in having those schoolbased experiences throughout the day. So that's something exciting for our kids. Um it's recommended that you use um like a tracking component and this is just an example of what some other schools use an a experience tracker. So it's something that I'll work with Mrs. Harmon um when we start talking about curriculum needs and and I'm I'm sure she will help me dive into that. But I think it's a component that we will have to track for diploma requirements. we will have to show that we've we've met all checked all of those boxes. And so we might look at what this tool might cost for us to use to track
011um as as we work through our our experiences in the in the next coming years. Um and then FFA, this is we've hit on this, but this will be an opportunity for kids whether they are in the pathway or not. Um, if you are an Eagle kid and you're in that pathway, but you also have a desire to be a part of FFA, you will absolutely be able to join. So, we will run it as a club. Um, but still have it be um a legitimate FFA and be a part of the national organization, meaning that we will go through the career development events. we will have lead leadership um development built into that and hopefully be able to house all those components and what we're doing and that lends to fundraising, right? It it
012will be a a student club. So, we will have to utilize our our community resources for chapter dues and and those things. But, I'm excited to learn more about it and see how other schools fund theirs. And I think we will be we will be able to compete at all those levels within our FFA. So the last piece is staffing um and administration. What we I I hope that I will be able to come to you and suggest that that Mr. Austin Wler, who's a current teacher in our building, I will just be transparent that he currently has an a business degree. when we hired him into the position that we have him in now, he he voiced in that interview that [clears throat] like this is his passion. He grew up on a farm.
013He ran his family farm business. Um he is he would be elated to be in this position and have a visionary mind on how to grow it and and bring some wonderful things here to Brown County. So, um I think that he will be somebody that we'll talk about very soon in being able to transition in into this position for next year. Um, but other than that, I would only envision that we're going to have one teacher in in that position in our ad position for right now. Um, and he will also be the one who would run our FFA and partners and and funding. That's always something as as we look at if we're wanting to grow, finding funds for the greenhouse, finding funds for for things we may need. I mean, that's something
014that we will we will reach out to our community and um and find some hopefully um local businesses that that want to donate or be a part of a new growing um opportunity for kids. So, it's something that we're really excited about. Um and then at the end, I just kind of put my own checklist uh so that you can see like things that I know that we need before we start. I need to know our courses that we're going to offer, which we've we've landed on as a student service team and where we're going to start, our facilities. I have this vision bringing my construction team together. Um, and then be able to come to you and say, I think it's going to cost this much to build a greenhouse, but here's here's maybe
015the funding we have available. Um, and this is what this is what hopefully we can we can do it for. um our SAES making sure once we do solidify that we're going to start to offer a that we start getting our narrative out there that this is a new opportunity for kids and starting to get kids connected within the community um to have those experiences and then our FFA and staff and partners. So that's that's where I will begin after tonight hopefully. What questions do you have? Um so like your vision down the road right a fully implemented highly effective program how many educators do you think um they needed to fulfill that? >> I could envision two. one if we kept kept somebody in the a science world um as a pathway and then
016if we look at the animal science piece um I I could see that blending with if we have our our business entrepreneurship a lot of times that business side of AD can come from that position as well as a CTE certified staff so I I could envision it being two full-time as we grow and and kind separated in that way. >> And you talked about funding opportunities. I mean, beyond I mean, obviously it's going to take some funding, but it doesn't sound like it's going to take very much additional. >> Yeah. Not to get us started, >> right? And then the more we dream, right, the bigger um that that we ask. But I think to start out, we can make this happen at the start of next year. Um, our goal is to offer
017it um up to our incoming freshmen on freshman night that starts next month. Um, and just see where our numbers, how many kids are going to elect um, this as their pathway and that will help us decide how many sections that we need to start with. We will also open it then to our current freshman and current sophomores. They could enter it and be able to finish out that pathway um, if we get them in it at the start of the year. I know there are some state dollars too as you start getting those courses and classes in the MFA and then >> funding that can come. >> Yeah, Miss Alwine um she said the same thing. So I think she's dialed in on some of that on how to get how to get funding
018um through course offerings which I think horticulture brings in um a lot of funding dollars so we get money back from that. And is it the national FFA conference in Indianapolis every year? >> It rotates between Indianapolis and Louisville. >> Okay. I just I know when they're in town. It's SFA everywhere and it looks enormous. So that's really cool too that they would be able to >> participate [laughter] very close to home. >> Well, I've got a lot of questions, but I can wait. >> I I appreciate this. >> Yeah, you're welcome. >> Yeah, we're excited. I think our kids, it's a great opportunity and I think we'll have a variety of kids be interested in just the the experiences that it can bring. So, >> yeah. Yeah. So, after tonight, I think we can
019put it officially on the freshman course offering sheet. Um, and we'll go from there. So, thank you. I appreciate your support so very much. Thank you. >> Thank you. And Mr. Walker is currently teaching English. Is that right? >> He is. He's teaching a English intervention um course about four sections of that. So that's what we would need to replace. >> Thank you. Thank you. Any discussion items there? None. on to the approval of the minutes from January 5th, 2026. I entertain a motion to approve the second move. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> All those in favor signify by saying I >> oppose. Same sign. >> Any extension carried? And next we go to our action needed items. The first We have a recommendation to approve maternity request for Abby Magner
020Abigail Magner sorry beginning approximately March 23rd 2026. >> Is there a second? >> I second. >> Any discussion? Excited for >> all those in favor? Close. Same sign. No extensions. Motion carried. Next. >> Next we have the recommendation to approve the following donation from Sio Desai Ada Alpha of Nashville. Um a there's a $700 to the Grand Cany High School Choir extracurricular activities fund for their upcoming show choir competitions. Second is a $700 to Brown County High School theater extracurricular for their upcoming spring musical and C700 to the Brown County High School band for a new PA system. Entertain a motion to approve. >> Some moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. Any abstensions? >> Thank you. Motion carried. Next, there's a recommendation to approve $500 donation
021from the BR Community Foundation Empowering Benny Youth Grant to the BR County Middle School National Honor Society. Can I entertain a motion to approve that donation? >> So, a second. >> I'll second. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I say sign. >> Motion. Thank you. >> Next is a recommendation to approve the donation of $5,000 from the BR Community Foundation to be used for costs associated with the Career Resource Center Jail Literacy Program. Like entertain a motion to approve that. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> All those in favor >> same sign. Any extensions? Thank you. >> Um, next is the recommendation to approve a donation of $5,000 from the Brown County Community. >> Oh, sorry. Uh, for the donation of $500, reassignment to the uh, career resource center scholarships. >>
022Second. >> I'll second. >> All those in favor? I >> I opposed. >> Thank you, Rita. >> Any extensions? >> Motion carried. >> Next recommendation to approve the donation of $5,000 from community closet for negative school lunch balances. >> A second. >> Second. >> It's been moved and second to approve that donation. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Uh those opposed. Motion carries. >> Next, we have the recommendation to approve donations of $500 to South Central Indiana Area Health Education Center to be used for cost supplies associated with Career Resource Center CNA class. Make a motion to approve. >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> All those opposed. >> Any extensions? Motion carried. Recommendation to approve the second reading of the Neola board policies starting with >> Oh,
023resation approved donation of $262 from vacation rentals for negative school Can I get a motion? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Oppos? >> Any extensions? >> Now we have the recommendation to approve the second reading of the Neola board policies starting with PO2410 through uh P 4122. Is there a motion to approve the second reading? >> So moved. >> A second. >> Oh, discussion. Sorry. >> Yeah, just a a little bit to explain these. Um, typically we do a first reading and a second reading and then we adopt the board adopts those policies. Um, we are not adopting these this evening because um there was an error like you noticed in on the grouping of the policies. They were all rescended policies and there was a missing file of the replacement policies that
024went with those. Um so the board now has those to be able to to do a reading on those. And then in addition, we edited um five policies that are based around um medication and health services for students that are of 18 years of age and not need parental consent. So those were added as well. We'll adopt those at the next. It's been moved and seconded to um approve the second reading of those policies. All those in favor signify by saying I >> oppose. Same sign. Any abstensions? Um next is our consent agenda. Agenda personnel starting with separations of Brown County School bus driver Sandra Taylor through the transfer of middle school principal Gavin Steel to the director of safety and operations effective January 21 agenda. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. All
025those in favor signify by signify by saying I >> I >> anyions. Motion carries. >> Superintendent report. >> Oh yes. Superintendent report. Um now I will discuss the consent agenda items. Um I just want to extend a very heartfelt welcome to Drew. Um we are so incredibly excited and happy that you're here with us very very soon. Um and probably nobody more excited than Robert. >> Yeah, we're just excited and um want to give you the the warmest welcome and it's a really really great place. >> Thank you. I could not be more excited myself. >> Great. And then I also want to extend our congratulations to Mr. um on the the transfer to this this new position. It is a new position for Brown County Schools and um it's it's going to be a
026really good one um that's going to help us align and be strategic in all of our operations and and safely across the district. So excited and just want to extend congratulations and thank you for the immense amount of hard work you've put in over the years. Um on top of everything else um we also have um kind of given the board the next issue of our evil eye magazine. So um these are officially done. The this is the winter 2026 edition. We will post that out put it on our website tomorrow and then put out through parent square tomorrow. Um and then my interns and I and Mrs. Pard usually helps Um, we have about 50 copies that we deliver to businesses around Nashville so they can have them in their offices um as well.
027So excited for that next edition to come out. Um, Spernica Elementary has their advent convention this Thursday. Um, super exciting. As you know, they have had um for at least the last two years kids um make it to state and then regional and then national. Regional, state, then national. Um so excited for Mrs. Magner and and her crew this year and excited to see where they go. Um I want to extend incredible, thankful, grateful to Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Harmon, and Mr. Steel, the um Department of Homeland Security randomly selected Brown County High School to do a safety audit. Um, and they met with the team last week and um, gosh, to say they passed with flying colors is an understatement. They even want to use some of the language um, to help train some other
028schools. So, um, it's a lot of work and it's really, really important work. So, I want to thank you. Um, and and Sarah, everybody is excited about the agriculture pathway and the potential that it has. I know as a district, we've been talking about this for a couple years and um to see it come to fruition is is really cool. So, thank you for your presentation on that. Um, and gosh, this Friday I get to take my superintendent student advisory kids [snorts] um to see Avon High School. So, excited to be able to take them outside the county and show them something that looks a little bit different. Um um I'm so glad you asked that. Um at one of our early meetings, um if you remember last year, we we got the opportunity to
029visit one high school, Eastern Hancock. It's a small rural school district, middle of nowhere. Um a lot like Brown County um in the sense of of size and everything. And this year I [clears throat] charged the group with um coming up with a list of schools that they wanted to see. Um why they wanted to see them um how many miles away all of it. And they chose five large urban schools. >> So uh which is cool, right? Like they get to see something that that's completely different for them and they'll get to learn from us. I have no doubt. So, we're gonna go to Avon this Friday. Ben Davis is the following Friday. Um, we will visit Caramel High School and Franklin. Wow. This the rest of the semester. Yeah. And then I wanted
030to be able to provide a financial update. Um I have um this is new for us because we don't typically present. Um Megan [clears throat] has done a really really great job in the short amount of time that she's been here and just having several meetings together. Thought about a way that we could present financial update to the board and to the community at least once a month. um that is clear and um somewhat simple to understand where some of some of the expenses are going. So I have a sheet up here to present so people in the audience can see at least what we're referencing here. We have here we go. Are you >> Do you need me up there, Mr. >> Yes, please. Thanks. >> I appreciate >> So I I have two
031sheets to go over with you. Um the first one is you have um looks like this. This is not one I have up on the screen. This is just a fund report for the six um major funds that that we have. Um which you can see 101 is our education fund. Um and you can see on this sheet the beginning balance year to date and then monthto date. You can see the receipts in and the expenses out and then an ending cash balance. So this is December 2025 and ending balance for the education fund is 4.5 million. The referendum fund uh is at a cash balance of of 1.1. That service is 566. Operations is about right at 4 million and then rainy day is stays constant at 1.5. If you jump down a little
032bit more, we don't usually talk about the self- insurance fund, but it is a really important fund for everybody to keep an eye on. Um, you know, we went several years without raising any insurance rates in this district because we had um such a large surplus in this fund. Um, over the last what, gosh, four, at least the four and a half years, we've had some really high claims that have come through, which has dwindled that cash balance um hence the rates had to be raised um last school year. So that balance is at 573,000. Um our advisors really like for that fund to be closer to to about a million dollars um to be considered really healthy. So Megan and I have made it very intentional and strategic to to make sure that we
033keep an eye on this fund and it doesn't underlooked. What I really want to be able to focus on tonight is our operations fund. You know, um most expenses out of the education fund come from uh teacher salaries, curriculum, um supplies inside of a classroom um that have to deal with instruction. Um everything else comes under operations, right? So you think about health services, you think about utilities, everything there is to operate the district comes under operations. If you notice on the fund report, the expenses going out for the month of December is $846,455.77. Megan pulled for us um these categories, which you all have a copy of what's on the screen. um pulled these categories to be able to show you how where that what's involved in that 844,000. Um and so we we
034just wanted to be able to give a a really clear breakdown of of where it's at. Um admin, operations, salary, and benefits. So this is um any admin or salaried uh positions plus benefits that are not principles or teachers. Um, that's what it costs to pay them for the month of December. Amazon across the district for the month of December. Those are supplies in any department that's not does not belong um in a classroom or instructional per se. We have bank charges, bank fees, um, benefits um, and and Megan, correct me if I'm wrong, but benefits from there like that small amount could be pulled from something separate then >> yeah so that's just a different type but like going forward I'll put all the other those benefits are um like the separate ones that
035Jill does yeah um board salary and benefits credit card processing fees for the month of December um any electronic services uh line 11 is January through a August. That's what costs us to be able to provide the benefit of the Viva Bridge um to any retirees um that's a high cost for the district. So um that is pulled out separate janitorial for the month of December. That's anything that we pay for supplies or through cents to be able to provide um cleaning services um and washing services. across the district. Um, maintenance would be whenever we have to call out for a different company to come in and fix something for us. We can't fix it in house or we have to go to Bay Hardware to be able to purchase the supplies needed to fix
036it in house. Um, mileage [snorts] for the the month of December. Um, pest control speaks for itself. Procurement cards are P cards. Um, credit cards across District professional services you see is a really large number at 294. Um 270,000 of that is our annual Scraft renewal which is all of our property liability um workman's compensation um and insurance. So that it's a one time it's an annual um renewal fee um which happens in December each year. uh we'd have to pay a monthly fee. Spica wastewater plant. As you know, we have some work that is being required to be done at Spernica with the wastewater um that's the monthly fee that that we pay on on top of that. Um a state fee that was paid for something. Um subscriptions, superintendent salary and benefits for
037the month of December. Technology could be anything um between supplies, equipment, um soft anything that was purchased within that realm for the month of December. Um trash is what it costs um for the month of December to rum bills us to take trash. Um I think that's interesting to know. Utilities I also think is another uh line item that people may not understand. Um how much does a school district pay a month just in water, gas, electric? That is all of our utilities for the month of December. And then lastly, our bus contractors. That's what we paid out to all of our contractors for the month of December. >> Yeah. Moving forward, we want to be able to do an update like this with our operations fund and our our referendum fund as well. Um
038we don't have expenses in the referendum fund per se um for the month of December. is a quantity to to share, but um I think it it would be good for the board to see when do we pull referendum money, which payroll does it go to? Um just so you can see and then also that every month is not the same >> in expenses across the district. And and really what we need to do is how how far off are we from our expenses last December than we are this December? And and what changes the district made um in either way to be able to look at that data accurately. So um the board approves all claims um at the second board meeting of each month. Uh so I feel like this is an opportune
039time to be able to present this financial information at that meeting forward. >> Yeah. Thank you. Next we have our claims and a motion to accept the claims as they were sused. >> So moved. >> A second. >> All those in favor signify by signify by saying I. Opposed. >> Any extensions? Motion carried. >> Amy legislative update. >> Thank you. Um, as you all may know, this is a very, very fast legislative session. It's like Zoom. Uh, we did they did two weeks in December, which was the redistricting um issue. And then now they are doing all the other bills. They've had since January 5th, I think, until Friday to have all the committee hearings in one uh house. And they're just boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. So they I think they start at 7:30
040this morning because they just have so many committee hearings and bills they want to get through. Um so as you know the first step of the process is you have to go to a committee uh have testimony uh have amendments and then a lot of those bills pass out of the committee and then some of the bills actually have to go to another committee which would be tax uh tax and fiscal or the ways and means committee which is actually odd because they said they're not doing the budget this year. So, um but some of them have to go through two committees and then next week they'll have to do second and third readings and then I think by the 28th or 29th um all bills have to be out of that house. So, whatever
041gets out of that house by next Friday, next Thursday, then um only those bills will continue. So, half of them, some from the House, some from the Senate, they'll now flip. And in the month of February, they usually take a week in between, but they're not doing that because they're in a hurry. So now it's going to go immediately to the other house and they'll do the same thing over there. And then as you know like the last week they have conference committee and they're going to be done by February 28th. Like that is just an insane schedule for the um for the legisl legislature. Uh I think that has positives and negatives. One of those is that uh positive is that you know they're gonna and again my personal opinion here they're not going
042to mess with too many things because they're just not going to have time to do uh to change very many things and I think um there's an appetite for them to be done quickly. Um that's intentional on their part. Um the negative is sometimes there's no time for people to get there to testify on something that might be really important and so it just kind of happens and so that means some things actually I think in my mind slip through a little bit. For instance, if anybody wants to go tomorrow, there are a number of hearings on education tomorrow uh at 1:30 and you know it's really hard to get out there or to even you know send an email or make a phone call. Um, but again, if they don't hear from anybody, that's
043also a negative because either pro or con, they need to know what do people think about it. There just really isn't time to digest the bill, think about what you think about it, and then get your communication in there and then for them to vote on it. So, that's that's what's happening. And it's um again pros and cons but hopefully after this week then we'll have a better idea of like only these bills are going forward and you can kind of concentrate on a smaller number of bills um always with the caveat that any bill can come up later in the conference committee. So until they end a siny die which is what it's called then anything that's been in a bill honestly could get amended into something. So, we're always like, "Okay, we think
044that bill is dead, but maybe not." Um, and that is the case for one bill that was had a lot of testimony last week. I'm just going to cover a couple of these. Um, and I'm going to do it in this context. There are a number of bills last year. There was a bill that closed a school district. And this was very concerning to me. Union School District, um, there was no public hearing on it. They came out of the conference committee and they said, "Un school district's going to be closed." They didn't talk to superintendent or the amilies or the principles or anything. Um and that is currently in court so we don't know you know see what that happens. Um but then there are two cases then this year that seem to be
045the experiments to see also whether or not they can have other types of leadership. So one of them is in Indianapolis and that's a very complicated one but it's called IAA and that is where the elected board would do some things but there would be a appointed board from the mayor that would include all of facilities and transportation including public and private schools. Um so that is seen by some as taking that out of IPS's control. Um, and so there just a lot of things involved with that, but keep an eye on that one because you might say, "Oh, well that's Indianapolis, right? That doesn't have anything to do with us." Um, and it does. And and there's one more which was uh Senate Bill 248 which is the Southbend Community School Corporation. A senator
046Linder Rogers who has a sort of neighboring district um had a bill and it said that they were um that Southbend schools would have their elected school board replaced with an appointed board and didn't again talk to didn't talk to the legislators who covered that district. Didn't talk to superintendent or the families. No public hearings. discussion. Um, so there was a hearing last week uh in the education committee in the Senate and a lot of folks from Southbend School Corporation came forward and made their case and at the end of that um I think democracy wins there that the bill died and I think she withdrew it um because it was just you know was not ready or you know it was not it was just bad policy. So that is when you put all
047three of those schools together. Um the concern for those of us in public school and as elected school board members is that there is a pattern in which they are trying to again privatize uh school boards and operations of public schools to make them more like private schools. Um and some of the people who they wanted to appoint on the school board um in South Bend were you know private real estate people and like who don't really have any background in and there was a whole list of the the things that the people that they wanted on it and again appointed by people who are not the people um whose children go to that school district. So we we want to make sure that everybody realizes like that's in Southbend what does that have to
048do with me? Uh it is a pattern that we are seeing that as they're kind of testing these things, they are looking to see how can they um really hurt public schools. Um and again, it's just part of the funding piece that we've seen over the last couple of years to try to starve public schools and continue to go towards the private route of charter schools. Um so that is that one is dead, so we don't have to worry about that one. Um but the uh you know there are another number of bills that are called various education matters and so you kind of look over those but of course they're turn out to be really important because they have lots of little things put in them. Um one of them for instance Senate Bill
049199 is by the chairman of the education committee Senator Ratz which is a 25page bill uh from the department of education that would impose restrictions and bans on social media accounts for children um without their parents consent and that has passed out of committee. It has a number of things also in there about social media. One that's been in the press a lot has been Senate Bill 78. That is a wireless communication device policy. And I don't have the wording in front of me, but this is the one where we talked about it last two weeks ago that it would they call it bell to bell. Students would not be able to have their devices at all in their hands from bell to bell. I guess Fort Wayne schools did this and they they've been
050citing that as an example how many millions of dollars it costs for Fort Wayne to implement this policy and as we talked about that can be I I guess I heard a number how much those things are that you lock them up in but it's very expensive plus the amount of staff time it takes in order to implement those policies. So, there was a uh some amendments that came to that bill and it uh actually sounded to me like it went back to the policy they took two years ago which allowed school boards to make their own policies. Um, and this one again would give some more local control and would go back sort of to the idea you can't use a phone during instructional time but you can have it in your locker and
051you can use it during passing periods or lunch non-instructional time. So that's where I think the bill is right now. Um some version of that and it is going now to the Senate I said actually on for a reading on Tuesday which was today. So I've not heard yet what happened. Um so there there's a lot of I I find that bill personally very complicated having been a teacher and a parent uh and a schoolboard member like where you fall on that is hard but it is something that um teachers have been asking for because it is phones have become uh ubiquitous in schools and in class. So they're asking for some help to do that. Um I think uh most of us on the board believe in local control. So we would like to
052be able to say here's our policy and here's how we want to do it and here's what works for grounding. Um so we'll see what happens with that. And then um there are a couple of bills that are um related to curriculum. I think a lot of people probably heard the ten commandments on every school um wall and I can't remember what the number of that one is but also there's one Senate Bill um which would require public school curriculum include instruction on the ten commandments a conservative perspective of governments and waiting until marriage to have children would restrict school discussions on racism, sexism and class and mandates that colleges accept a classic learning test which which emphasizes Christian text conservative content in addition to the SAT and the ACT. So that has a hearing
053tomorrow at 1:30. If that is of concern to you, this is the time in which to reach out to uh Senator Cook who is um our senator here in Brown County and letting him know what you think about that or to uh also be taking public testimony tomorrow at 13. So, um, those are sort of a series of bills that are there that are sort of going in a in a a very, um, Christian conservative sort of viewpoint and, um, it's just something that we we need to keep an eye on. Um, I think that kind of summarizes the major education bills. Um because it's not a budget year, we're not talking a lot about that. But, you know, knowing that that will be back next year as there's sort of more debate about how
054much goes to private schools and vouchers and how much is going to public schools. So, anytime you get a chance to say we love our public schools, um we need more money for our public schools. I do have one other update. It's just a rumor I think but um you know in the last couple of years there's been maybe six or seven referendum every year in the state. I've heard there's going to be over a hundred referendum this year because the schools are short on money due to losing property taxes and other things. So the the degree to which different school systems are really struggling as well as local governments, libraries and public safety. Um everybody's really struggling with the property tax cuts that happened last year called So that is um what's going on.
055It will change a lot in the next two weeks. So thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions for >> we end one last comment. Thank you for deciding to our kids and family to embrace like living in history as a boiler maker. I supported the last very cool to see that one. So thank you for being inspiration. Is there any other business motion to >> move second all in favor? I >> opposed.