001of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all >> start by thanking cartwells for providing dinner for tonight I'm eating work Yeah, thank you. Excited to get everybody back together. Um Debbie and Gavin are here this time with us this evening. Um just thought it would be a great opportunity um for them to participate um in the work session. I know last time we only really got done with two priorities um but we'll at least revisit those and review them. Um I think last time you guys had asked some really great questions that um I could have leaned on the two of these um leaders here to help me with um they would have been here. So really grateful that they're here
002with us to participate. Um the goal for tonight and it's a lofty one is to get through all of the priorities. Um, I want to be able to take the board's feedback um to the big leadership team meeting and and start to dissect some of that information. So, um, but I also don't want to rush anything. So, um, know that it's a lofty goal, but I also want us to have some deep meaningful conversation about each of the priorities as well. Um, I do have a copy of the priority plan in the summary and then just these are the we used last time to take some notes. Um, it's the exact same thing I gave you last time. I just didn't know if you would have them with you tonight or not, so I brought
003an extra copy. So, it's nothing new that I presented to you. The policies that you see, um, there are two sets. Um, one is this really small packet that is stapled together. If you remember back in August, um, Holly They came to me with um five policies about medication um and students that we have that are 18 years um making their own decisions about their medication and just not needing parental consent if they were 18. Um and so we had to rewrite policy to be able to do that. So I met with um ourola representative Jim Hick on Friday and we sat together and wrote those to include that if you're 18 years of age, you don't need parents set on those five policies and updated the administrative guidelines once those are board approved. Um,
004so I went ahead and threw them in there. The other large pack um was just an error. If you remember from the first and second reading of the just recent policies, there was a section of them that were completely rescended. Well, there was another file attached to it that were replacement policies that you didn't get to review or see. So, we'll have a modification to the board agenda tomorrow evening. We will not be adopting any policy. It will still be a second read of everything that you've had so far and then a read of both of these packets. We will formally adopt those if the board is ready at the February meeting. >> So, the replacements are in this big packet. Just read through that. Okay. >> Yeah. And they're pretty It's thick because it
005is all of the deleted. >> Yeah. >> Plus the new. So it looks a little bit different than than the other ones do. So I promise looks are deceiving in this long to get through them. >> And the deleted part is um a lot of the deregulation from the legislature in last year. >> Yeah. And I'm sure it's clean up also. had a Brown didn't have our corporation name as Brown County Schools. It had Brown County School Corporation. We're not Brown County School Corporation. We're Brown County Schools. So, like even logistical errors like that or technical errors, I should say, have been cleaned up. So, anything that has a strike through is deleted. Um, and then anything that's green or has a green letter beside it would be added. >> And we do that at
006the first February meeting or the second If you're ready at the first February meeting, we will adopt all of the policies as a whole at the first February meeting. We will not be adopting anything tomorrow. It will just be another read. >> So that's policy. So you can put that aside. Um and then I know when we left the last time we tackled student outcomes and uh school safety and security just Does anybody want to go back to their notes um about either one of those two priorities and have questions or insight or feedback? >> I just have a question. Is that working in the buildings? >> Yeah. Well, what do you mean by working? What's your definition of like it works when we scan it in or is the purpose of it? >> Yeah.
007[clears throat] What's nice about the middle school is our configuration now. So, we don't know that we've had anybody actually into our building because we house everything in our front office or in my office. Um, I mean, it's on and ready to go. We just don't use it because of the layout of our building because we do all of our meetings before anybody. >> Have you had any feedback at any of the other buildings about its either? I just kind of >> It looked to me like we didn't finish safe in security. I only have like two things mentioned on my notes. >> Yeah, I I've got several things for um in the grow >> edi um and I think our conversation if I remember right went to facilities >> and is does facilities fall
008under school safety and security or does facilities fall under a whole new seventh priority? And I think that's where we we kind of left off. Um, >> and so welcome to our new safety as >> we talked about volunteers having to go through more rigorous background or uh not background um training. We talked about youth protection um with our coaches all in that same realm. um fire departments, facilities of course, and then active shooter and just threats in general. Um just growing on what we currently do. >> Gavin, do we still use >> as a district? >> Okay. Pretty much the same as >> Can everybody speak up because I can't hear you. >> I asked if we still use Alice, which was the system we used when I was here we it was the
009first one we used I think >> and um that stands for something I can't remember but it it is sort of the you know what to do it's an acronym for and then you teach that to the kids in case of an active shooter >> or even also your your shelter in place >> so I'm going it might not be appropriate time but have You ever thought about our I know we have a resource offic, you know, we got officers, you know, limited officers to the county to begin with, let alone a resource officer, but we my fear is for instance We have an active shooting down there response time as far as you know getting an officer there. That's my ultimate fear of course but if it does happen you know we're talking at
010least 10 15 minutes before we get somebody there. has there been any look into um and I've been told not crazy but having a teacher there it's on >> no as a district had any internal conversations about arming staff >> I'm not saying the whole staff I'm saying like a train >> a staff member >> yeah that that if something like that was to happen I mean we're talking that is a fear I've had for a while because I remember it just it could be done easily. But as far as coming in there, you know, we're looking at time and >> things can get really >> um again we we haven't had any formal conversations on that. >> Does the state or anybody fund for some sort of training as that such or >> Sure.
011There's training like there's steps that you can figure out and the district wants to go in that direction. Um >> there were bills a while ago when this first started being discussed about um about sort of that exact thing. It's like you know a couple of people who would be trained and there would be a special training but I don't think it went anywhere. legislation. >> There's a few school districts that that have staff. >> We have had several conversations about an additional school resource officer. Um for that only oneird >> three buildings at once. It would be >> hoping that would never happen of course but if it does that's something you know shooters don't go police station vulnerable places you know I don't know I just something that I think we should As
012far as I'm not saying arm the whole staff on this thing, >> I think there would have to be some massive education for >> this entire team to to be able to look at and research and maybe that's that's where we start with let's start educating ourselves with what does it look like for our school district. >> It's easy to educate ourselves. I mean, here that doesn't guarantee that guarantee that there's enough cops in town. They're out all over the place, too. Usually around the sheriffs are all >> out and about because I see them when I'm around out and about >> and discussed with you before you been on the board some sort of training. We got fire drills, we got tornado drills. I know we probably have an active shooting drill, but there
013needs to be an intense training. I feel like >> what does intense mean? >> Like a shopping mall like >> there are laws about what we can do with kids in the building. I do know that we just had our safety audit >> that validated that. Um, now we could probably do some like volunteer, right, in some scenarios that are not during a school day and have staff here if they want to be here. Um, I've been a part of those at previous districts. Um, and they've been highly impactful. I think we've talked about that a couple law enforce local law enforcement does that >> in the schools is and school administration on that >> I think they have done them in our building their own training >> I think part of the purpose is
014that they need to know the layout of the building right like for you to plan your response you have to already know where the where's the closest entrance and you know what do we need to you know how to do that. So, I think I think that actually is really important because it can be any kind of emergency in the building. You've got to go, you know, a room's on fire or something like that. Um, but I I guess I remember we had I don't know it's called a safety audit, but I remember the time we had Paul Sing come through and um um you know, we did several things after that and I thought that was really valuable actually to go into each room and to the teacher and say here because every room
015is different as far as your liabilities and um and Doug when I was here I don't we did at least once a year but we actually got behind the tables everybody had to be in their position um and I when I was in Columbus we did it every period one day because the kids move around and you need to know what it was like in every classroom and that was he I mean, it's important, but it also is really hard to talk to kids about. >> That's that's what I have for notes for school safety and security. I think the biggest thing for us to think about is do we push facilities in under that priority and and together or is facilities completely separate? Um we and I think we talked about the last time
016what we don't want to do is to have 10 priorities but we [clears throat] also cannot have 10 goals under each priority either. So um and and maybe it's something we take back to the leadership team to kind of debrief and brainstorm um and maybe we'll get some insight with the big team together um about that specific question. because I think you could probably do it both and one way or the other. >> The other question I would have is um at some point would you involve law enforcement in some of that leadership changes and that way some point they have a sit down and say hey can we review this? >> We do. So we have a county commission that um try to meet four times a year um in addition to our district
017safety team which is once a month >> orce. So we do do that >> and um we'll talk about tomorrow in in an update but we did we were elected by um Department of Homeland Security to do an audit of Brown County High School's um safety plan. And so Debbie, Gavin, Sarah, and I met with them last Wednesday. >> Um for a few hours and um >> was that planned or unplanned? >> They were well, it's randomly se we were randomly selected. We were supposed to meet before we left for Christmas break, but then had a bunch of weather and so it finally our reschedled date was was last Wednesday and um it went really really well like really really well. So was that just policies or were you like walking around the building and
018looking >> you want to talk? >> Yeah, looking at more global policies and then talking through different situations and kind of going back to one of the questions from earlier looking at conducting a new districtwide threat assessment >> came out of that right and the one we did previously we paid it was it was very it's a very expensive that was when we started Alice >> um in the state moving from the DOE toss the safety >> um >> I didn't know that >> has opened up immense amounts of funding >> oh >> um for trainings and different uh areas. So one of the things that they talked about was the ability to provide us a document that we can use for our assessment and being able to do that >> for our assessment. Does
019that mean we document >> that we can go through and walk through all of our buildings like we did with Paul Suding? >> Yeah. Like a checklist. >> Now we have like an official document that we can audit our buildings. >> Okay. That comes from people who do that for a living instead of educators. Is that the difference? >> Oh, there's educators involved in it. >> Yeah. No, but I mean instead you said a department change. Okay. >> Yeah, that makes I would see that makes a difference. >> And you said it opens up funding. >> Yeah. So now they are providing more trainings, more safety trainings across the entire state. Um, somebody offered us up to also do some trainings >> always. >> Um, so before it was, you know, everybody went to like
020this one school safety specialist academy, right? and they're really trying to break it apart and be more intentional with trainings across the entire state to target people instead of just one day training, >> right? make sure other people a lot of people can get >> well I mean what I guess I would go with you where it goes is I think up to you guys and as you fill out this new position >> which does have a facilities component though so >> yeah it's it's together in the position that's for sure >> just want to make sure you guys a strong preference of it's separate or it goes together or it is okay. >> What separate >> safety and facilities? Do you want facilities completely separate on its own? Do you feel strongly one way
021or another? >> You can't have one without the other in my opinion. >> You look specifically at certain components here versus there. It's just like you can't have school if you don't have custodians keeping it clean, electric, you know, lights on and all that stuff. >> But I don't think we need a separate uh a separate priority for it. I think if you can incorporate or at least have a bullet that addresses the facilities there. >> I think so too. And I I think just Gavin and Debbie for your information um really talked about the last work session that we had like all of the goals that come under each one of these. >> Um we need to be really intentional at how we write them as smart goals. Um so it's more of physical
022data to present versus the narrative of anecdotal data. >> So I guess just Okay, we good. Do you want to move to >> Let's move on. >> Recruitment and retention of staff and students. I think we just briefly touched this um last time and because down at the bottom right like we have a column for things that we want to keep, things we want to grow, things we may want to let go and then something brand new that we don't have anywhere. And so specifically Deb on recruitment and retention of students and staff, early ed needs to be intentional, strategically written somehow somewhere. Um I think inside this priority, um we've done a really great job at building this out and recruiting and retaining. I mean, we've got high school kids and apprenticeships and hiring
023our own, but we've done it all without it. physically written down um in any of our priorities. So, I do have early ed as a new What else are you where are you guys at with this one? I think we need to look at something um like potentially an external exit interviews or external evaluation. This is where like an external HR department would go just for that like somebody for people to go to if they don't feel comfortable going to you or they don't feel comfortable going to their direct supervisor somebody else you know not not HR from a standpoint of hiring and you know payroll and paperwork that goes into that but just an outside body sense I don't know how you do exit interviews or with staff or with families that are less
024than >> families. U really comes back to building principles. If they can get the family to do an exit interview, then then they obviously they do that. Um I hold exit interviews with staff that are leaving. Um so I'm not sure. Um >> do you have a foret do you follow when you do that? I have my own format. Um, it's not policy. It's not written down anywhere, right? Um, I don't know. I don't know enough about it. I don't know how much it would cost. Um, so it would definitely be something to explore. I think the only fear, not fear, but thing that might be challenging is it's we're such a small school district. It doesn't who that person is. Somebody may have a hard time going to any just one person as opposed
025to following chain of command. >> Um I don't know. But again, I've never been in a district that had something separate outside like that just for that sole purpose. We've had like full HR like you just said that would handle it, but we didn't have what we have now. So I know within community foundations there is IPA which is what stands for philanthropy alliance Indiana alliance is doing a statewide they're getting an HR for statewide community for us to utilize >> even smaller >> so I don't know if that was a thing systems I know the bigger ones would have something for smaller corporations. There's nothing statewide. Um like it would be us hiring a company to do that for us. I was also thinking as you talked about data like how do you collect
026data from them right because that is important like what what are the trends that we can see that we've had this many employees who have left and like you know five out of 10 of them say this is a problem. Um, and you're doing that anecdotally, but again, if there were some way to sort of >> a survey, but of course the the obvious answer we all come up with, but I just think that would be very important. And and the same with families, like are we is there some reason? And maybe if they're writing it down rather than saying it to you, you know, they might that sometimes is different. like it's still not going to be anonymous, but it would at least be like, I don't feel like I can talk to him
027about this, but I'm definitely going to circle, you know, well, I don't I don't like this part of it. >> I don't think anybody's turned me down a staff member. Um, families are a little bit more challenging. Um, and I think if I think that if you can get them to sit down at a table with you, you get much more out of that than email or a survey that they just pushed a lead on. >> In addition, both Yeah, definitely. You don't want to miss the conversation, but >> sometimes people aren't, you know, they don't want to hurt your feelings, too. We are all Midwestern nice and so we don't like to say anything to somebody else like that would hurt your feelings about the school district. So, I'm not going to tell you
028the real reason, but I, you know, oftenimes people have another reason they're not talking about. So, I don't know that we can get staff specifically though like >> I don't know >> every accident I've done >> I don't think anybody was shy to tell me you know what I mean so I don't know I I don't ever want anybody to feel uncomfortable and like they can't go to their direct supervisor I just don't know how that will solve it. But I I've never experienced it either, so I don't know. >> I would love to hire an HR company to do all of the HR. Like we need help with >> um that's hard on our central office and we miss things and there are gaps and >> we are a small school so sometimes we
029do make exceptions and then it messes up the systems of the process and and so I feel like even year five, right, it continues to be it's not perfect. Have they has a school district ever had like because right now there's multiple people doing HR, correct? >> Yeah. Have they ever had just one person or like one entity doing it? Sometimes they'll do something. >> I know. There's always something else and the And I think I think oh gosh over the years central office has been um a lot larger. >> Yeah. So if there's just so much that's why we're all sharing hence you know sometimes we we run into roadblocks or challenges but um it would be amazing to have one person and that's what they did right was the hiring and onboarding of
030new staff. >> It's not really constant. I guess a lot of companies are new people, but it's not necessarily full. >> No, it's really summer. Summer's really hard. I >> think September's really hard, too, right? You're trying to get it all cleaned up, but we don't have fired. And then the semester, right? Um, so it goes in pockets, but like right now it's just this Google form where the the supervisor will do the recommendation to hire, right? They fill out the packet. Yeah. All of the materials, the license, the background check, right? Um, and then it goes to a series of people for approval. And then we'll finally hit Julie and Christie and David and Jimmy. at the same time, right? Um, and then you're just dependent upon people getting it in by what board
031meeting and sometimes it's at a last minute push because we need a new staff member to start, but it's not enough time for Christy or David or whoever to get them ready to do it. And so I think it just always feels like it's a hurry up, here you go, let me know what you need. Then you got to wait for the criminal history. I mean, it's not all in your control. You have to you have to push those out to the ECS or whoever you send those to and you're dependent on them. And I'm sure the summer is slower because all teachers are needing the same things that slows that down. But I think that's different than what your original idea was, right? If um yeah and I think we can do research, right?
032See how much things are. I think that gosh, if if Brown County Schools culture is where we have people afraid to talk to their direct supervisors, that needs to be addressed in our culture. And that needs to come somewhere within our priorities, not necessarily us hiring somebody that's neutral to take the conversation. We need to build out our culture so our small school relationships don't feel like we can't talk to each other. I think that's more concerning for me. >> Well, in fact, I I found that um that people are more likely to go to the superintendent because they know you and you're a real person and you know, well, I feel like I can go talk to that person and I think people are more likely to do that when you're a large school
033system and you've met that superintendent once, right? Like they are just some mythical figure somewhere. And so I think that it's a lot easier for people to say, "Well, I think I'll just go ask Emily." Or, you know, I refer them to you all the time. That's what you know, you need to talk. You need to tell Emily. That's usually what I say. She needs to know this. And so, that's that's really important. But I feel like we don't have to go through lots of levels of assistance to get there. Um, we can just, you know, we have, you know, building principles, then we have superintendent. And I think I think that's healthy. But >> does that mean that somebody still is like, "Oh, I don't want to you know that can be valid too.
034So there's probably no real answer to that. I get questioned a lot about what are we doing for attracting new students. I guess I'm more concerned on that end. Um how and I think what was the one here? Um, not sure that's really there. I guess just the number six is kind of >> and I go out to the side recruiting students. But um, [clears throat] yeah, if you look at that, the first four are all employee based. Five and six again are a really general to talk about students um and recruitment and it's easy to say we'll partner with community organizations. Well, yeah, we've done that. We do that. Well, what's the outcome of that and how do we measure >> and how do we measure it? So I do think there's opportunity there.
035And I think on number six >> that's so large scale >> and we've done it really really well. >> In what areas have we done it really really well? What areas maybe have we not hit on? >> Um that's really what the question is right there. Like I think agriculture comes out of this. Tomorrow Sarah Roberts is going to do this really cool presentation about bringing agriculture to the high school. Um that's an opportunity for us that we've not built out and expanded yet. Right. So that could be a smart goal for us in a very specific program area that we want to take a look at >> on other programs. Your new athletic facility renovation, right? Like those things we know are part of that. piece of how do we, you know, make sure
036Brown County Schools is offering what it needs and it is attractive, you know, to families because we are actually in a competitive market. We're not built that way. We're not we're not ready to be, you know, um competing with other schools, but that's really the environment we're in right now. We just have to accept that that we're going to compete for students. And so, how can we do that? And you know, we do bring in some students from out, but when we go back to the interviews, like we've talked about before, maybe trying to talk to families that are some of the ones that are have gone chosen to go to other schools and what the reasons were and uh or homeschoolers who, you know, chosen not to be in the school and we want
037to know why those reasons are. And people said, "Well, have you interviewed those people?" Like, we don't really know who those folks are. And so it, you know, again, I feel like maybe even countywide. That's something when we talk about like what are we doing for housing? Well, you know, they're we're all interrelated. And so, what is it is keeping people besides cost, right? Or inventory, but what what else could be keeping them here is, you know, the school decision and what is it that they don't feel like they can get or, you know, what what is it they do think they can get here to be here? Are there other programs you guys would like to see us explore? >> Okay. I thought there was some discussion about getting back to lack of a
038better description. >> Thank you. I could just see the guy. So that's why I was just like yeah construction type things because uh again right now still the skilled trades is a very good opportunity for people with jobs and things like that. So what what can we do to assist kids that kind of want to go that way? >> Yeah. Well, we did just hire that was one area that we did expand this year for middle school and high school. So Lucas Howard was the educator that we hired. Um, in fact, Morgan and I met this morning about doing um an article on him um building birdhouses and picnic tables and selling them >> which is in [clears throat] in the works. So, >> I'm glad you said that because we're trying >> Well, and
039and I know that you you know we we've started Morgan with some part-time duties. I mean, a lot of it actual advertising, right? And having a budget for that. >> And so I think, you know, again, that's how we need to think either both as far as human resources, but also as far as, you know, the resources to purchase the kind of advertising because again, market, make sure people know we're here, what we do, it's hard. >> Well, and I think we need to continue whatever it is that we're doing because we have some and people that have gone through processes and ended up with the CRC, get their electric license, get their HBAC license, you know, and that makes a difference because that's businesses in this community of which I pay for services on.
040Um, you know, I know that they CRC some time ago and it's just how how do we expand that appropriately to capture more students and more adults. >> Yeah. And I'm not just talking about the CS about the whole system. >> So I think not only FFA agriculture I think we [clears throat] need to be able that's already offered at other schools but I think it's my personal opinion maybe wrong but I would love this is me and I know this for a fact that heavy equipment CDLs That should be something that's looked at. My brother-in-law works at Dave Ome. I know a bunch of guys those guys are disappearing at a rapid rate and I know heavy equipment. Oh my gosh, that's big money. But you get a hold of the right union halls
041and the right companies, the right milestone. These are multi-million dollar companies that are looking for flagmen, pavers, sweepers, laborers, operators, some sort of and I know it's trade, but it's it's a dis it's like a lot of our trades. It's disappeared. And I think it's something that, you know, they can walk right out of high school making 25 35 more an hour running heavy equipment. Now, I know that be a huge goal, but you know, have a classroom setting and build your way because I know John Deere, Cat, Katu, these companies would look at this like, hey, we can give you a rental machine, things like that. I think the trades are coming back. I think I think the country itself needs more of that because it's disappeared in the last 20 years. And you
042know, my brother-in-law walked right off of out of high school. He's you know, simple things like running a laser, running great. Those things have disappeared. And I think I don't know of any other school that's do I think as us as a school need to offer something that no one else has. And as an attraction, I don't know that would That's how I feel about it. I feel there's, you know, you've got that's even with agriculture in FFA. You've got a bunch of kids don't want to go. I have a article I want to bring in sometime that is talking about a kid that was nonfarm related and he he makes he run his own welding shop now and he was an FFA at school. That's where so I mean there's that's the attraction towards
043you. We got to come up with something the way I look at it now that maybe it's not offered anywhere else. >> I um actually was in a conversation with people from other rural communities. Um it's about driver's ed. >> Yeah. >> Big deal. I mean, and I'll tell you it was a huge >> effort and it's so very expensive to go to Columbus or do driver's ed. Um and I I know we used to do it. I I was trying to think of the liability. That's that's probably the part that I about um and the special, you know, card and all of that, but I think it would be an an actual attraction when I thought about it is that schools just don't offer it anymore. Now, in my business mind, I say there's
044a reason they don't offer it anymore, but um you know, other I mean, it's $500 or more for driver's. >> I think it's really expensive for school district to take it on as well. >> That's what I mean. I think it probably is, but in rural communities. It basically means for most kids there is no driver's act. Um because between the cost and the distance um because I know we had trouble getting there because you know it had to be after school and they only do it till 5:00. We got to get to the other side of Bloomington and we got to do it six times and it was it was a killer. Um and even that's even with the classroom part they now do online ahead of time. So anyway, I'm sure it is.
045But again, as you're talking things that that would benefit our kids. And you know, I think I think about them a lot on Brown County roads. You know, that scares me. And if they've never had a driving class ever um coming down to go to school, it just scares me. So, >> the two hours that we have >> we think about it too every time we make the call. >> Yeah. No, I think it would be um that's another one to look into that let's look at actual costs and >> paying an employee here to to conduct those hours and >> right and you probably could ask parents I think even when I was in school you paid something for it um that was a contribution towards it but it would not be the full
046amount >> and it be here >> part them to trades somehow exposing the trades to get them understand what they need to be doing for prepping ourselves. Yes, they need to do that and they need to do the science and everything else. My husband was an HBAC. He was educator. He was taking college level math courses to make this make his this thing happen. There was a federal licensing. So you know it's one find a door that the kid goes ah you know that's really interesting. I need to go that way and and then expose them in order to do that. You still need to be able to do this. >> Yeah. I also want to like hear a lot that we don't offer trades or we don't do a good job at trades. Do
047want to remind everybody we have a state-of-the-art facility across the parking lot at one at the middle school. We're bringing back construction. I think Megan's really um researching going down the culinary >> because we have a full kitchen in the ESC that's not being used. >> I have thought about that. >> That's an opportunity. But we also pay to be a part of C4 that they have programs that we don't house here and can't financially house here. Um and we pay a fee for our kids to be able to have experiences and opportunities in those programs as well. Don't get me wrong, I am the first person to say I want our kids here in our own walls and and hallways, but um again, if they've got an interest in something that we don't have
048and C4 does, then I'm glad that >> we have a partnership to be able to offer them that experience. So, um I think sometimes people forget about that. >> I saw the sign, too. >> Well, and it's much broader than people realize. There's you know, different kinds of computers, there's welding, there's criminal justice, there's cosmetology, there's obviously the the child development, you know, which we're doing it here now. >> Um, so that's the thing. It's like it is not just like technical go equipment and I know the culinary program at because I know the teacher at North who does that and I think that's awesome. I really would love it to do culinary. >> Yeah. >> Although I will say that plans to have a culinary teaching kitchen when they get up and running in
049Helsburg for that purpose, >> but for it to be in our own >> Yes. >> Yeah. So, I know Megan Megan's been interested in that for some time. >> So, >> okay. >> Well, that's what they've been talking about out there. Like we have all these folks who do hospitality but there you know there is coursework and things that you can do to become a to really then move up the ladder in hospitality and move into you know better pay jobs and more responsibility. >> We we have written a hospitality globally created pathway. Um >> I think what holds us back from that are those um it's the performing arts isn't it? >> What classes are those that held us back? Yeah, I'm thinking >> arts. Yeah, culinary. We went and I went to the
050scenery and looked around, but we also look at the kitchen over at, you know, sitting there like sitting there waiting to be updated. And then you look at that you know what used to be gym cafeteria and it could be a great venue for events event space. >> Yeah. Um well so the steamy is actually starting their program as you know not on site. So like they're doing art programs now that are and a couple of other kind of programs that are not they're steery and they're sponsoring it and they're doing it but it's not in the facility yet. So there that's possible that you could say talk with Kirsty [snorts] and see if you could do some kind of culinary over here because you've already got the kitchen. >> But then they're kind of
051and they have different funding, you know, they've got a lot they've got some private funders that they work on and culinary might even open up some different funders that are interested. >> But when we talked about the arts programming though, I was thinking that is something people would come to Brown County for rights and res. She's planning that up there, too. There's going to be a potter up there and she's going to do classes weekends. >> Yeah, I think it's it's going down the road to partner with them to get course credit. that that's what's that's the line between something that's extra and something that the state department >> and the hiring and the paying and the evaluating and >> yeah when you have it part of a graduation plan it changes conversation pretty quick.
052Okay. Anything else on this one? >> Is it possible? [clears throat] >> Let's take a company like they pay for the teacher walk out. Is that doable? I think if the company signs theou with the school that says the school chooses who the instructor is um and then they make sure that they are qualified and they have an actual license to teach it right um then yeah I think there's always a possibility >> and there are different types of licenses right like it doesn't have to be a teacher's license I mean they they could have a specialist license It could be an adjun license. I mean, there are different pathways or different routes to get there. >> So, I know in Germany when you turn 14, you get a chance to choose where I'm headed
053at 14. >> That's a true apprenticeship model. >> Yes. >> CL like that's my 14-y old kids. They go the rest, they do the rest of school, but kind of like claws and then they walk right into a job. Well, and the state has been imagining that when they talked about legislation, but the problem is is that they just wanted, in my opinion, the problem was they want to just hand the money to the business and say, you know, kids get kids get credit. And there was no way to really determine whether or not they were getting anything out of it, whether or not they were, you know, being supervised, you know, all those pieces that a school would be able to say, "Hey, I don't know what you're doing." >> That be the difference
054between bringing a person from pay for example, >> it's probably maybe should be a teacher. >> Yeah. So, but that was it is it put it all on the business owner. And I think also we found somewhat that everybody has these great ideas about internships and apprenticeships, but if you've ever had an intern or somebody work with you, it is quite a bit of extra work and a lot of folks are just like, I just don't have time for that. I'm on a lean staff and I don't really have time to sort of >> teach that is to find the partners that will come alongside you and and go through the whole process. A lot of companies require 18 years or older. >> So, so that is a challenge. This county specifically, transportation is a
055challenge because a lot of places are outside of the county. Um, >> and so we work really hard to build them from within, right? Um, which I think has been absolutely incredible. But >> yeah, those are tough. Those those are tough. Yeah. >> Like this heavy like equipment. We're going to have to build it. >> Yeah. >> Here as opposed to >> as opposed to going outside and partnering with somebody to do that with us. Um I'm just afraid we would have to build it here, which we can do, right? Obviously, we've shown that that we can build those types of programs, but we're in a unique county, but still I find that a lot of folks, you know, say, "Oh, well, you know, you should just do this." And it's like they don't really
056understand that, you know, that requires very specific circumstances in which that is going to work. And we just I think a lot of weren't they wanting to as part of the pathways to like require an apprenticeship and we're like no no no there's just not enough of them you know to require every kid to do that. So it's it's a supply and demand issue. >> Okay. Anything else on recruitment and retention of staff and students? I was just going to say that I'm not sure people leave us because they don't think we have enough. I think they leave us sometimes just for their own convenience >> of where they're working or and and housing. I think, you know, I'm not sure that people ever say, "Well, you don't have this, so I'm leaving." Except for
057I've heard of the FFA. Yes, I've heard of that specifically >> and athletics. athletics >> and athletics those two things and you know it's interesting the early childhood program used to be over at C4 we only had five or six kids go but when we keep it here look how many more kids we have so I'm thinking of like culinary which I mean that defines at least this I mean a lot of jobs in the county right in that area and and even surrounding you know anywhere >> and you think about How many kids go over there for culinary? That really isn't necessarily a predictor. It's how many kids would stay here for it, >> right? So here we can sell it. >> It's hard to do the C4. Like you just really have to
058plan for it like in your freshman sophomore year knowing that junior and senior year you're going to have to do a repeated schedule. They got to be in the morning. It's a very tough scheduling thing to get it there and then they feel like they're missing out on whatever's happening here. So, it's uh it is possible, but you I think you've got to be pretty sure that's what you want to do. >> And make sure that your schedule can do it. >> Yeah. >> You can't be taking two maths >> and well that's hard in a small school too because maybe you know Spanish 4 is only offered one period. So, and that's in the afternoon and that's when C4 is. So then you have to choose between two things that you both want to
059need and you know would like to be able to offer both. So that's that's where the that's where the C4 is usually the biggest challenge. instruction. >> I had grow. >> Well, we have an hour and we have three priorities left. >> Um, and I need to scoot out just a little bit. school, family, community engagement. This priority was really centered around creating a consistent communication strategy um for the district. So we this is where Eagle Eye, the magazine came out of um the blogs on the website for each of the schools. Um attempt to to be a little bit more consistent with with social media. I think social media with athletics, Josh has done a really great job there. Um so really proud of that. Um the ambassadors program fits in this priority. Um
060>> I I would agree with the Josh because I I'm not a technology person, but I a lot of that especially wrestling recently all of that which which I like I like what's being presented [clears throat] >> and I I think the ambassadors is really a good program because people have gone through that have learned more about the reality of the department of education what it takes >> to do. >> Some of them >> more than that, >> right? >> I agree. >> I think five is >> some people you cannot change no matter what. >> Five is a definite keep. Um we plan to hold like we wanted to do something different this year with the ambassadors. Um and maybe getting cohort one, two, and three together for um to to help provide some
061input even on this um and then starting back up next year with a a fourth full cohort. So I think five is is definite um a key number four uh each we've worked on this the last couple of years where each of the schools um we have final forms which tracks any kid in an athletic but we thought if if the schools could also any academic or other ECA so we could like who is connected or engaged in something >> um and who is not and why aren't they? Um and so we we've built out final forms to be able to do that. I just don't know if we as a district have come back together to actually look at the data like >> Kelly does it, Shane does it, Greg does it, right? Gavin
062does it for the middle school. Um doesn't know yet at the high school level, but um to have intentional conversations of what's what's the percentage, how many kids I I think also in the same breath, each school has worked really really hard to create. You got an idea for a club, we'll figure it out. Um in the same effort to be able to help get all kids kids engaged in something. [clears throat] >> Um, so I think again we'll come back to just looking at some of that data. >> That's what I wrote down as three and four. How what I wasn't sure how. >> Yeah. Um, that's your data piece, right? like that's that is something that's tropical. >> Yeah, we'll continue to do the district or the the quarterly magazine. Um >> actually,
063I'm kind of excited about them now that we've kind of taken that back on our ourselves. Um and Morgan and I meet once a week um to talk about articles that will go to the Democrat um and just stockpiling. Yeah. >> Even if they don't print them, we'll stockpile it for something whether it's a social media or it's the eagle eye or it's something um so we have a consistent time to be able to talk about things to highlight. Um, I think social media is hard. Really, really in the blog thing has been really hard. Um, I don't think there's a lot of traffic to the blogs. >> Um, but I also don't think that we're real intentional about posting it on Parents Square or putting it on Facebook to go to the blog and
064check it out. Um the elementaryaries do a phenomenal job at the blog at least getting content on there. Middle school has gotten much better this year. Um high school it's just it's just been tough and it's because it's just one more thing and it feels like one more thing and I don't want >> Well, you have people going everywhere like trying to keep track of all those things. >> Yeah. I don't want like one more [clears throat] thing. So, that's a challenge that I think we need to figure out. Um, the Facebook is by far the biggest piece where people go to for information outside of Parent Square. Um, and again like Helmsburg has their private page, Kindergarten at Bernica has their private page. Um, which are all highly by those parents, right? that you
065can't easily take that information and put it on the district Facebook page. >> Um, middle school and high school is so sporadic in things that they post and um, so I don't know. It's I think it's just working out some of those kinks with it. >> It just has to be someone that you, you know, you have to think about it like, you know, my job is to take pictures. My job is to go to all of the events, right? And then if you have but it really almost takes that otherwise you're going to cover one place more than another you know makes make only athletics and not make other things. Um so it's a it is somebody who just has to really think that way. Um and I was going to say about your
066stories they um you know features generally are not don't you know can go in at any time. So that is often sometimes good for them that they've got a story that they can put in a hole that they have and um or some kind of well you guys used to do a you pass it around and everybody would write about something once a month or every two weeks that's useful >> but we have a position now so that doesn't have to go back on the principles and directors I think that piece was tough >> I know it's only one or two a semester but it's still it's thing. It's on a calendar. It's pushed up against a deadline and yeah, it's writing. >> It takes a long time to write. >> So, kind of halfway
067is aside two and then the same category consider to take the WS the little news and expand that to the high school. I I know that um administration here wanted to start some podcasting and equipment. Didn't they do I remember Chase Austin doing something? Yeah, >> it has been it has been sporadic over the years. There'll be a you know short period of time or where there used to be you know kids really >> we purchased equipment >> so it's it's here it's just >> it's time it's Sarah's done such a great job by herself right for a few months and um so I think that's >> you're still down right >> yeah we're still down so I think opportunity there teacher >> and I did immediate class did that for years if you still
068do that. Probably not because it was one of those electives that didn't really fit in with anything else. But it took a at that age it took a surprising long time to get to the point where you would have something publishable. But hopefully at high school you it sometimes. Is there still a newspaper? >> Yeah. I think we just had your book, right? So I mean that that's who used to do those things. >> But we're we're struggling again. It's going to come down to people over the program and um even your When Sarah talks about a right, there's very specific educator that will probably move into that program and that leaves open TED at the high school that leaves open ear at the high school. And >> who who does those who teaches that?
069That's another teacher to hire or it's another responsibility >> someone else. So, it's like this we want to do all of these things, but it's like a we can't do them all and do any of them really well. >> And I think we have to come to terms with that. I continue to talk about programs like the first thing I wanted to do when I got here was entrepreneurship, right? Like so excited. I believe in that my whole heart and soul. And we've had a different business teacher every year that I've been here. We'll have a different one next year. And so like I gota conceded a little bit to it's not just not the right time for us to go down that road with entrepreneurship. Um >> and so >> yeah. Are there different
070things you would like to see with this school family community engagement that's not listed here? I feel like all of the things that are listed here will build out measurable smart goals >> and to continue to grow. But is there something that that we're missing the mark on with engagement? I added spirit Fridays. This is something last couple years I've been dreaming. Okay. >> Of like varsity blues. Like every Friday the entire town was painted blue. Like everybody, you know, went behind that sports whether it be football, basketball, whatever. But getting the engaged like foundation's ready to put like some money behind it if we can get a group of students or a group of people to go out and and say, you know, Jack and Jill's nut shop, would you participate if we provide
071you shirts or aprons or something on Fridays, have your have your staff wear eagles gear and just get like every Friday is a spirit Friday from August to May. something to like get the whole get everybody in town around everybody in the county to start town and then get everybody in the county of hey it's it's Eagles Friday Facebook I see a lot of end up popping up there which would be another positive thing that you see which would be like it's neat but I I happen to walk into CVS first I see all the way down the hall is here on that back wall that would be really I think superintendent student advisory kids might be something to talked about the last couple years and she's a case of we need to present they
072need to present at whatever business people have. not just hitting each little spot, but also hitting groups. >> I like the schedule that Josh is doing for athletics because again I there are so many athletic events that unless your kid is in it, you're not really paying attention. Um but maybe again trying to get everybody to a single game like we always talk about homecoming used to be that game. I don't know doesn't have to be homecoming, but something where you were going to do something that was going to bring more than just, you know, the students and the parents and that would be like a focus like, hey, we're having spirit Fridays and then on this Friday we're all going to go to the football game or the basketball game or the soccer game
073or whatever. That would be really cool. >> Anything else for this priority? Do people like parent square? >> Yeah, I I had to think for a second as a staff member both. Um I think parents square is great. >> I think the challenge we run into with parent square is the abundance of stuff that goes through and people not thinking it's important. >> So when something really important needs to go through, I'm hoping that they're Right. Those are things that I I fear about sometimes. Um so it's like making the decision what goes on parents square versus what goes out on the Facebook >> or or you know in other traditional methods, right? So I think that that's the hard part is like what is well I would say what I think the the opposite
074effect has happened is that that therefore we'll say people say well I didn't know school was closed today and they'll go not parent square. Well, only parents and staff get parent square. The rest of the community doesn't know. So, there was a day when you closed at 8 and the why depends on your schedule and you know it was a late closing or whatever. And so folks who, you know, are older, they're retired, they're not paying any attention to that kind of thing. And so, but also, and I know it goes out on the TV still, but I think it it just is one of those things. It used to always be everybody knew >> and that through phone trees or however we used to do it, but now it is the people who need
075to know and they're counting on that communication. And I get it all three ways, but at the same time, the rest of the community often is sort of oblivious because we're not doing the general advertising anymore. We're just really able to target to the device and it's it's just a little different. It's kind of like there's a divide between people who have kids in school and people who don't. >> Yeah. >> Or that don't go on social media. I don't know how else to get the information to them. It's not through parent square and social media. In fact, 99% of parent square that comes at the district level. There's a button I check to go on Facebook and on the website. >> Um, so aside from them going to their phone and doing it, I
076don't know how to get it to them. >> You still get the phone call or the text, too. Yeah. >> I mean, well, I think maybe you sign up for whatever you want. I I still get all three. >> And I'm glad I get all three. >> Sometimes I ignore some. >> And we did hear that in some of our ambassadors, some of the older >> community members um don't know how to get some of that information. What was their solution? How they wanted to get >> there w there wasn't anything that came about. We talked about like >> TV and stuff, right? >> Yeah. But that's only going to be a closing or delay like anything else is not going on the TV. >> Okay. Well, I know she said that we closed at
077you know >> well but everybody was already there like it was one of those things it was you know very late one but um you know so and which is great you know as you know the earlier you can do it it gets out more easily but it's not always possible. Um yeah, I think one of the like we had talked at one meeting to do like a subscribe like to our um Eagle Eye >> newsletter. Yeah. >> So, but that's a good idea that you that's a really good idea because they can handle it like just like any other newsletter for any other organization. >> Well, we used to have the Democrats really active on having that stuff out and that's not That has been a massive difference from just in the short time
078that I have been here. I have seen it be >> really engaged to >> almost nothing to I think they're trying really hard now to >> to put some things in there um or to get stories or at least to contact us um first. So, it feels like it's that's coming back up um more than where it was. >> Well, they used to have a reporter assigned to schools. can't do that anymore. >> And now I mean somebody is they're reporting on every school board meeting. >> I I will say the last meeting I felt misrepresented at the last meeting, the budget meeting that we had because um when I talked about the deficit and the surplus and being a deficit of $900,000 um last year, it it it isn't reflective of our everyday budget.
079It's gr funding, it's bond projects, it's whatever it was that was at that moment, right? >> But it felt like the articles made it sound like we were in deficit spending by almost a million dollars last year, which is not accurate. >> Oh, yeah. And you should call when you feel that. >> She's doing it from often from the live stream. She's not here to ask questions. >> And they're not at the planning commission meeting either they used to be there basis >> um okay we'll move to happy staff happy students this is probably one that needs revamped al together uh I will say in my my opinion feel really strongly about this one I know everybody's got a different definition or version of what happy means um and hard because I don't I don't
080know how to measure, right? Like we can send out a survey if people are enga actively engaged in the corporation disengaged in the corporation and um but we haven't done that. So, Gallup is a national >> and they do they >> Yeah, they are um they specialize in workplace engagement, family engagement, student engagement, hope, all of those things, which makes it a very desirable survey to be able to give. um it's just something that's been pushed off of a priority um from day one. So we we give and we have given students the Indiana Youth Institute survey um which is kind of a different survey in my opinion. Um we've just not done anything with the actual data. Well, we're going to do it again and Holly's going to really take the lead on that.
081Um so I think that will change. um because we'll have somebody that is in in charge of leading it. But I don't know that that's what this is what I'm trying to capture. I feel like anything we make on our own is not research based. It's not standardized. It's um subjective. It's again not somebody from the outside coming in and doing a climate audit with with kids or with staff and And so just struggle with it. >> I think when we made that that I mean you had just gotten here very long, right? When we first made that goal >> way before I think about this, we didn't lose anybody any staff over Christmas break. We usually do. I think that there are some foundational things that you had to do and you've done now
082with salary and with like that you all have done that have made people generally happier. We kind [clears throat] of had to start with that first that foundational >> and that was postco that was 21. >> Yeah. I mean you have to think about the day the day she came in in her first meeting. Think about we we have been flooding the dyke right every every after spring break all these people after a holiday and we haven't we this one staff member one teacher at least >> well and I know you started the happy hol camp was part of that as I remember yeah and right because you got oh that's right you had co money you're like hey we have extra money let's do something fun with it but it sounds like it's really
083been become a tradition and so I think that is part of it is that you find those things that everybody just universally loves and makes them happy. >> Yeah, that's that's three and four, right? Like those two I do I feel >> the end of the year meeting like people love that end of year meeting >> nobody ever used to come to the tea right hardly anybody >> do feel strongly about those I think >> I hope right people could say that I want people to feel good right um when they're here I just again I don't know how to measure and the Gallup poll was the one way I I know that can measure it. So, um it's not a financial thing like it's not crazy money to be able to do it. Again,
084it's putting it the priority of doing it. >> Does the pole I'm sure has choices pick and choose correct? >> Does at the end does it have an opportunity for someone to put in right good because I mean you choose all the answers you want but you can't say one thing about other stuff doesn't cover that might be significant enough you go oh >> yeah never thought about that >> I also think like it doesn't have to be the Gallup poll either right like we have talked about with the association of hiring an outside person to come in and do a climate audit with staff >> um A what audit? >> Climate audit. >> That's what I thought I heard you say. >> I think the association attempted to put something together last year. Um
085but it was just so far if you would between the buildings uh participation back that it wasn't accurate. They can't do something with those results. But and it's just an online that somebody created a survey that somebody created, right? So, I wonder if somebody externally came in and actually did a climate audit, how how different would that be? >> So, my kids love fun Friday. >> That's good. >> Well, and I was going to say as a staff member, I mean, I it's it's like I liked teacher appreciation week because we had lunch every day. Um, and we didn't have to bring our lunch, but actually when I think about it, it's more about the fact that when you're a teacher, you are the only adult in the room most of the time all day
086long. And so as much as you'd like to be with other teachers and just have that community, there's just not hardly a minute for it. And so any opportunity I think for to gather staff and it's hard because you know some come early and some stay late and you know >> days. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> What kind of days? >> The professional development days have been We've only had one. We have another. Our second one is February. >> That's been a wish for how? >> Yeah. >> Like forever. >> Yeah. >> But I mean that's the kind of thing is like a whole day to talk with your colleagues. Like that is just like um that's really awesome. >> I think >> to have that opportunity and I think that's why elementary schools tend to
087be, you know, more um closer staff is because they just tend to do things, you know, more together. Um you know, with the other person who teaches the same grade or something. Whereas when you get to high school and you're the only one teaching economics like you know there's nobody to talk to. Um so it's sometimes you're or you're in construction or you know you're doing something else. So anyway I just think any whatever the ideas are that your staff comes up with but I think that would be the focus is how to do that. But you're you're right PD days are going to be great. >> I think there's a lot too. I think it's also in a context of how we relay the or the things that we do. Like as you were
088talking, it made me think of our changes to the teacher evaluation and moving towards a coaching model vastly different than um any previous model that the states had, right? And so thinking about is that an intentional strategy that is helping actively engage teachers >> um as opposed to group of them actively disengaged because they don't believe in it. >> Like we need to know that somehow we have to like how do we gauge that information from staff? Yeah. when you were doing the can never come up with the letters. Um, >> thank you. Nat um that was I mean I got calls almost every day of you know people being because instead of being collaborative and you know coaching and feeling like you're working together it felt more like you know difficult evaluation it was
089either it was it was either boring or it was unfair like there was like no middle and so I think going in the middle collaboratively No, it definitely has to work out. >> Yeah, don't get me wrong, >> but there's nothing that's going to be perfect for everybody. >> Okay, that last one. >> Yeah. Isn't this great? >> Great. Fiscal responsibility. Left that one for less. It's going to be an easy one. >> Um I I don't think number three should be in there. I I have to be honest with you. I don't know that we want to say that every year we're going to be able to transfer that to we may not want to or need to transfer that 15%. >> So I think I think that needs to go let go actually.
090Now we have a resolution a board resolution that says we can do that um when and if we need to make that decision but I don't think it's a part of our priority plan. >> We have the option not a black and white and I agree with that. >> I think for number two is I think it's great to maintain a minimum of a million dollar balance in rainy days fund. I think it's better to put a goal in there that we will increase the rainy day fund by x amount each year. We don't put anything into rainy day fund like we're not strategizing to hold money to put into rainy day um or how to grow it. It's just saying we're going to keep a minimum, not a million. We're over that right now
091anyway. So, I think a goal should be is how do we grow it? It doesn't have to grow by a lot, but >> it's invested, right? >> Can you take that money and just do like a CD of some sort? Can you do stuff like that with it >> or, you know, just sitting there while we trying to make a little money off? >> Yeah, I'm not I don't know that answer. Like, I need to figure that out. Um I think we asked that another can be invested but I don't know if it was that fire department on it own >> but we do have that $5 million that's sitting in that that trust Indiana that we're getting what 200 and some in interest year >> a portion of that interest money goes into the
092education fund every month can a portion of the portion put into the rainy day fund. >> Um so at least something's going in there um to to let it grow. So >> and the other thing is to recommunicate as the opportunity arises what is the fund because people don't >> well I think that's actually number four. uh people don't understand public school finance whether it's the rainy day fund or the operations fund or the self insurance fund. So >> what our limitations are you know just move the money doesn't work that way. >> I I do think number four needs to stay. Now I I think again put a smart goal to it that we're going to hold x amount of uh transparent meetings and this is going to be on the agenda. Um, I
093think we've done that like Barry Barry's come in a couple times to be able to talk about Senate Bill One and how that's going to impact us. Um, so I think it's just strategizing on what those community meetings look like and not expect people to watch a board meeting. >> Um, so I think that's that's number four, Carol, to to your point. >> Yeah. No, that's Yeah, I know it is. I just I just just in general just years of being on the board that people just don't and I and I don't blame them because I don't understand either but I understand enough of you know in school this is operation this is this no we can't do that this is how we get the money there and rainy days like for example oh my
094god the boil went down head that's where you fund ended up helping that out. I don't know what year I don't remember which school but it was one of the schools uh you know situations >> and hopefully our operations that cash balance is still really healthy that we don't have to get into rainy day. We've been really really grateful lucky >> I I lucky is not even the word because I think the districts work really hard to keep those cash balances. It's not about luck. >> Um it's about being strategic with the decision making, but it's also about that tax rate. And when we have projects in capacity coming off, it's knowing that we have to take advantage of the opportunity to um continue to do work through bonds >> um while we can because
095>> as long as legislature, >> as long as they will let us do it in the capacity that we're doing because that's how we're meeting most of our facility needs is is through that bond work, >> right? which is getting the facilities to the point that not every building boiler goes down at the same time staggered effect >> which is which is much more business operation >> you're maintaining your facilities well so they don't break down replacing things they break down >> so I think we can rewrite number four I think I we're just going to delete number Uh number two I think we need to rewrite um and then number one our revenues will exceed expenditures annually. I think this is also just a rewrite as well. I think if we could write it
096as maybe maintaining a percentage of revenues over expenditures. Um if you notice from our monthly reports the pretty picture pretty and everything. I think we're sitting at 65%. Um, which is high. >> I mean, that says we have really healthy cash balances. So maybe we write this to to stick in a range of this is where we need to stay because we're going to have years like we did last year where we used onetime grant money or bond money that says we overspent by $900,000 on a onetime purchase or that basically defies the goal that we have. Does that make sense? >> Well, and I think that leads back to your community engagement. um we are doing better than most school districts right now and so I I almost feel guilty because they're all like
097suddenly struggling well that was us two years ago but now you know we are you know we are managing the issues that are coming at us and I think that message doesn't get out it it's still you know people don't change their opinion from five or 10 years ago and so they think that's still the case but I think we're doing >> better with less Yeah. >> What? >> Doing better with less. >> I I describe it as we've been coming down each year the way we needed to as our population shrunk. Um, and I think other schools, one next door in particular, just didn't do that. And so now they're having to cut cut cut and then add the property tax cuts. And then we'll add losing some referendum money in 28 to that.
098And so they're just really in bad shape. and their teachers um didn't get a raise, won't get a raise for two years and they're actually losing their special ed funds and there's just a lot going on. >> So they are just like really at that crisis point. So then I look at us and I go thank you like you guys have done a really good job of of navigating that. So and I so I appreciate that we're not having to have that emergency discussion. And we have a team of people. I guess we have the best team of people to help us with policy analytics and ice miller and um steeple like they are the the ones that make it work for us. So, um, >> well, I think then how do we get, you
099know, as we always say, how do we get the good news about Brown County schools out there in a simple way? Like there's the there's the discussion, how does school finance work? But there's also to put it into simple language. Here's where we're at. Here's why we're doing well, and here's what that means. Um, I think that's important, particularly, I would say, post referendum, like we're into referendum money. People ask, "Where's that money going?" Going to exactly what we said it was, which is staff salaries. But I think we do need to talk about the new positions that you've created, the ones that we've filled, the programs that we're able to do, and again get that out there um probably in little bits and drabs and then kind of pull it all together in a
100single piece. So >> yeah, is there anything on fiscal responsibility that missing We had one or two times that oh we had two times at least two times we really talk about the budget and I I just wonder how we can provide education out there more than you know you know what we have to do in December about rounding out the fun. I know we have to do all that stuff. I just think it would be nice if somehow at least one other time in each semester that's the report is out there on how we're doing or not. what I'm trying to say. It's kind of hard. >> I think we can um Janice and I talked about um the second board meeting of each month um to be able to just give a really
101brief update on a fund report which kind of shows a month to date and a year to date on the five major funds. I think that's a step I think to do like a financial state of the schools once a semester is tough because it's um It's like 18 month long >> of a of a oneyear budget, right? And so it's easy to tell the district where the district's at in current time. Um, >> does that change over time? >> But yeah, so it's it's it's tough. I do think though, Carol, getting back to the ambassadors and making the public school finance either an entire day or session that we have or maybe it's a little bit of finance at each of the meetings. So then we get that cohort of people that understands a
102little bit more, a little bit more, a little bit more um and just a foundational understanding of it. >> Yeah. Because people don't understand how much um this business of schools is regulated by those up there. >> Yeah. And I also wonder like what would be cool and not just on the financial aspect of it but like part of it like just a outburst or a small burst of a hey did you know >> so I mean in little pieces >> that's what I was thinking >> even like >> by the way >> info infographs of you know envision buckets >> we have a bucket >> you know what I mean like that the graphic of the buckets and then >> how what the where the money comes from that goes into it and then
103how it's come you know how it come out Anything else? >> I see. Yeah, I just I just went to a thing. Um um I was going to say if you guys are, you know, really are interested, the Indiana Coalition for Public Education is just awesome. I'm just amazed at the information they're able to provide. So, um I think it's like a $25 memberships or something. But if you guys are in the members, I love their information. They have the best graphics during, you know, they're really good at getting during the session, but all year round. They they're the ones who have the funnels. They're really good at um they're the ones who have the graphs that show how much money we've lost over the years to charters and vouchers. And they show here's where
104we would have been and here's where we are. And it tells you an exact number that for each school district and it also has another one for how much you're anticipated to lose like for for sea one. So it it it gives you this very easy graphical information that you can use to talk about school funding and I just think it's a a great organization. So that's my plug and that's where the stickers come from too. So >> well I tell you what like our next stops um again our we plan to take this back to the big leadership team um and and let them have some ideas, thoughts, questions um take apart and just start a process of some smart goals around it. and be intentional with our teachers. Anything else? >> Second. >>
105Thank you very much.