001All right, I have 5:30. Um, I will call the October meeting of the Carmel School Corporation Board of Trustees to order. Roll call. All board members are present as well as administration. At this time, I would invite everyone to join me in the pledge of allegiance. All right. The first item of business is consent agenda to approve the previous meeting minutes and various accounts payable. Um any additions or corrections? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to approve. >> I move approval of the consent agenda. >> Second. All in favor? >> I >> All right. There being no old business, we will move on to new business. And the first item on the agenda is a public meeting to discuss the tenative agreement. And at this time, I will open a public hearing to discuss
002the tenative agreement. All right. I appreciate um Steve, Brent, Andrew, Stacy Guard, Lexi Carson, um Emily Race all worked together to get to this point to um reach a tentative agreement. another successful negotiation. Um, with our total enrollment being up 6%, we had the ability to provide an increase um to returning teacher salaries, a base increase for teachers with the literacy endorsement, increase contribution to health insurance, increase the amount an employee may contribute and be matched in their 401A, increase the payout amount on sick days at retirement or when they're in excess of 185 days. We also provided clarification on a few matters. Um added a few um ECA positions and corrected some things. And just overall I'm grateful that we have teacher leaders who stand strong for their peers. Anything you want to add,
003Emily? I know there's probably a couple items else, but This was my third year serving as negotiations chair. I appreciate the trust proposed to me by our members and I appreciate the working relationship we have with admin and that we always work together to find solutions and especially strategizer times that we anticipate. Um and thinking about how to keep our so that we can support our students keep our teachers doing what they do best. So appreciate always support from the administ and the membership has voted overwhelmingly to approve the tenative agreement. >> All right. Thank you Emily. Any other public comment? hearing. None. We'll close the hearing and then we will move on to a special meeting later this month. >> Yes, we're actually going to be able to hold our special meeting October 30th
004at noon. So, I've not sent the email to your principles yet, but I will start that so that it gets done. >> Okay, we'll move on to the next item. uh public hearing for 2026 budget items. First is the uh resolution for capital projects plan. >> Yeah. So this hearing is just to do these two um plans and have the resolutions approved. The first resolution is for our capital projects. This is the listing of capital expenditures that we expect to have um throughout the next three years. Um I would recommend that the board approve this resolution and adopt the capital projects plan. All right. Any discussion? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to approve the capital projects plan. >> I move approval. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Yes. So, just
005like the capital projects plan, this resolution is our um planned bus replacement list for the next five years. I would recommend that the board approve this resolution for the bus replacement plan. >> Any discussion? >> Move to approve this resolution. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All right. Thank you, Andrew. Next item is the adoption of the 2026 budget and resolution for 2026 appropriations and tax rates. >> Yes. So, this is the last step in our budget process for the 2026 budget. Uh, previous meetings consisted of the public hearing to discuss that budget. Uh, once approved, the budget forms will be sent on to the Department of Local Government Finance and I would approve that the I would recommend that the board approve this resolution of the tax rates and pending DGF approval. >>
006All right. Any discussion? Is there a motion? >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Thank you. Uh the next item is a public hearing. Um this hearing is for the additional appropriation hearing on the proposed uh GEO which general obligation bond proceeds. If you're interested in speaking at the hearing, please make sure that you provide a name and address. uh pursuant to Indiana code before a school corporation can appropriate any dollars it directly receives as go bond proceeds it must conduct a hearing on those proceeds for the additional appropriations of those fund this notice the notice of this additional appropriation hearing was published as legally required will now open this to a public hearing anyone Emily no right well If there are no public comments, we will close the hearing. And Mr. Neadimas, Nicodemus,
007would you please summarize the additional appropriate appropriation resolution? >> Yes. So, this resolution uh just simply provides the approval of the school corporation to appropriate these additional funds for the proposed projects listed um within the same year in which the general obligation bonds are issued. So, that would be this calendar year for 25. Uh we would recommend that you approve that resolution. >> All right. Any discussion? If not, I would entertain a motion to approve the additional appropriate appropriation resolution. >> I move approval. >> Second. >> Favor. >> All right. Andrew, if you would uh summarize the final bond resolution. >> Yes. This final bond resolution contains the project cost estimation, maximum interest rate and other financial terms such as the first interest payment date, maturity dates of the bonds and all other items with
008respect to the issuance of these general obligation bonds. This resolution approves the register arm paying agent for the repayment of those bonds. We would recommend that the board approve this resolution as well. >> All right, any discussion? would entertain a motion to approve the final bond resolution for the geo bonds. >> I move approval. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All right. Thank you. And thank you, Andrew, for walking us through that. Next item is uh to consider a United Way grant application uh for Cara and preschool. I recommend that the board approve both CARA and our preschool applying for the United Way grant. Cara application helps you know provide staffing especially for our English learner adult learners and preschool application not yet. Okay, sorry. Go ahead. >> Used to fund um two aid
009positions within the community pre preK. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any questions or discussion? Would entertain a motion to approve the United Way grant application? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All right. Thank you. Next item is to consider policy 3221 supplemental payments for teachers. This is our second reading and there have been no changes since the last board meeting. I recommend the board approve policy 3221 supplemental payments for teachers. >> All right. Any discussion on this item? Would entertain a motion to approve. >> I move approval. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Next item is to consider the agreement with Indiana State University. >> Yes. This uh partnership agreement um connects us to a allow our teachers to receive um any of our staff attending any Indiana State um
010graduate courses 15% off. Um it also connects us to be preferred members for their job fairs and interview days and those sorts. So recommend the board approve the affiliation agreement with Indiana State University. >> It's an excellent opportunity. Uh any discussion here? I would entertain a motion to approve the agreement with Indiana State University. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Next item is to consider the 2526 calendar year classified pay rates. >> Yeah. Um, I'd shared in your board updates the um, listing of our classified pay rates. I'm asking that the board consider and approve the classified pay rates for 25 and 26. Um, on your sheet, this will not yet cover the raise for administrators or the board. That would come to you once we have the CBA agreement
011to bring those in. So recommend the board approve the classified pay rates for 25 26. In general, it is 2% increase for all of our classified positions. >> Okay. >> Any discussion here? >> Basically what? >> Yeah. So for our classified staff that would be our hourly staff or professional non-teers. Okay. So, bus drivers, um, aids, assistants, wonderful people here in the admin office that take care of everything for us. Um, and then, yeah, so then once the teachers is approved, then I would come back. We'll be asking the same increase for the administrators and then we can do the board as well. So, >> any other questions? I would entertain a motion. I move approval. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Moving on to personnel. >> Okay. Um, in
012the hirings, um, I'm recommend that the board hire Tina Hernandine, um, as a CTE pre nursing instructor. Emily Smith as a Nicholson second grade teacher, Larent is a Wilson preschool aid. Sandra Hedrickk is a Nicholson permanent sub, and then we'll actually be asking you to accept her resignation in the next section. Um, so I recommend the board approve those hirings. She has already started working, so we do need to approve her hiring and then yes, I recommend the board approve the hirings. >> All right, >> I move approval. >> All in favor? >> Okay, the cancellation. >> Yes. Recommend that the board cancel the contract for Brooke Hutcherson. She was a CTE pre- N nursing instructor. Um, she did not show up for work ever. >> So, here that happens. Can't remember. >> All right.
013>> Ghosting, I think it's what it's called. >> All right. Uh, do we need to approve that? Would we entertain a motion? >> I move to approve the cancellation. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Some resignations as well. >> All right. Recommend that the board approve resignations one through seven and under resignations. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All right. Some change of positions. No action required here. Yep. Just for the record. >> Yes. So you can see Taran Hatch is moving from an aid at hose to an essential skills assistant at hose. McKenzie Kimberling moving from one side of the preschool to the other. Um Carol Starland um is moving from success center coordinator over to an interventionist position. Um Christy White also kind of moving from one section of the
014preschool to the other. Lindsay Williams moving from a full-time building sub to essential skills aid at Hoover. and Courtney Windings moving from full-time building hub to the success center coordinator at Nicholson. Um, again, these are all positions that we are able to put teachers in a position that will help us better serve our students. So, I appreciate them being willing to move and for some of them, it's a an opportunity for to move from an aid to an assistant and so forth. So, they're good changes. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Recker. on all the personnel matters business manager report. Andrew, >> yes. I just have one item. So, we've been meeting the last few weeks with Baker Tilly to go through options for our first bond series issuance that's happening this fall um that
015was approved over the last couple months of meetings. Uh this issuance that we will be doing will be for $2 million. Um the capacity that we have for geo bonds right now is currently at 2.46 million. So, we're leaving that additional cushion there to be able to have that in case we need that in the future for an immediate need um that may arise. We have also made the decision with these bonds to issue these through the Indiana Bond Bank. that will um help save us some money on both the interest expense side about $100,000 over the life of the the term of the bonds for repayment as well as some issuance costs of about 20 to 30,000. Um so saving some money there for the corporation. Uh we did make this decision to apply
016to the bond bank um as well instead of having to go through a rating call with S&P so that we don't risk having a downgrade in our bond rating. uh just due to different factors that are going throughout the state right now. Um so this issuance will have a repayment schedule of five years. That is two years longer than the initial term that we were initially looking at for three years. Um that will help us to lower our tax rate over the next few years and to leave a little bit more capacity availability for those future years going um over the next five years. That is the only thing I have. So on the the remaining funds, Andrew, is there any time limit? Can we draw that out at the in the fifth year or
017is there >> uh it's availability at any certain time? So >> during that period, >> it just means that we start our bank back up with $460,000 um instead of starting back at zero like we did the last time when we issued that we maxed out that value. And that depends on when debt drops off. When balances drop off throughout the year, that capacity then increases just due to other factors as well in terms of revenue and um levy capacity. >> Right? >> Here it is. We could have taken 2.46. We only took two. So 460,000 in your pocket there as a taxpayer. There you go. You you've served your constituencies well. Okay. >> All right. Thank you, Andrew. Moving on to assistant superintendent Dr. Bokart. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh so just some operational
018things here first. So uh the work that you see or or might have seen outside the window. So uh sidewalk extension uh from the back of the patio here over to the the visitors bleachers is being completed. So they're finishing up final framing and leveling of that sidewalk and then they'll likely pour uh next week. So it'll be nice when that is that is finished and completed uh fall break. So just starting um some conversation with SSC and and plans for fall break on areas to focus on with some additional attention uh while students are out of the building uh for that week. So working through that with with SSC uh school safety district safety team met today. Uh Amber did a great job adding and leading table talk scenarios to our team agenda. So
019we just have some conversations about potential scenarios that that may happen. So, uh, led to great discussion, uh, being proactive on, um, any potential safety, uh, incidents that could arise. So, um, and then lastly, the team also discussed final preparations for our reunification drill that is next Tuesday, October 14th, with hose um, reunifying to CHS uh, curriculum instruction assessment. So, we're finishing up the first iLearn checkpoint and then we've been working with who is a partnered vend vendor with Cambium um who administers the iLearn um and syncing that data. So, we've had to work through some early things here initially and we're still working through those things um as this is the first time we've done that data sync. Um but looking forward to eventually getting through maybe those first early hurdles here um as
020then that will develop um or create individualized paths for uh students based off of their scores uh that teachers will be able to use as a resource in the classroom. PSAT testing uh 8th grade through 11th grade took place this week. So, uh, this is the second year now we have administered in eighth grade. So, um, looking forward to gradually building some longitudinal data, uh, with them to be able to to continue to look at strengths and and gaps in instruction to help our our students there. So, um, it was a a busy week with, uh, PSAT. So, middle school was yesterday and, um, high school was today. So, um lastly, uh October 3rd, last Friday, we had our um Marzano associate Ashley Avia was with us. Uh she presented to our elementary and secondary
021teachers on level three guaranteed and viable curriculum. So, it's part of our high reliability schools uh certification. So, uh she also led our admin team through a quick early dive in our data with our survey from level three. So, um, starting to dig into that a little bit. Um, I will say Ashley commented several times, um, both on the side and with admin team, uh, throughout the day just how impressed she was with the, um, the teacher sessions that took place and the in-depth conversations um, that were going on. So, she commented again more than once just how she could tell that the staff was in a very very good place uh, to take on the the tough work that level three uh, will be. So definitely appreciate the the teachers and and principles uh
022and embracing that framework and continuing to to improve for our students. And that is your assistant superintendent report. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Bokart. Superintendent report, Dr. Reker. >> Good evening again. All right. Also, um Ashley did point out that several schools where she goes to present that she doesn't ever see a principal in the room. So I also think that um it's important to point out that our principles are present and engaged and that um and working with the teachers. So that I think that probably helps a lot with why she witnessed engagement from teachers because I do think that we really are doing well with true professional learning communities um where people sit at the table together. So, and definitely thanks to Brent for arranging that and making it a great day
023out of it. So, um three local superintendents met with the mayor to discuss our CTE and CARA's use of the Crawford'sville Career Academy. Um the mayor agreed that um both programs are a perfect fit for the purpose of the career academy and helps the vision to prepare um students for the workforce in our community. So, we will continue to be um tenants of the career academy at a very very reasonable price. So, um so that's outstanding. So, yeah, when he called that meeting, we were very nervous um because the city is a similar tax future as the school corporation. So um we are uh working with Baker Tilly to prepare an operational analysis. Um they will come in and um talk to our directors and some staff to really try to turn over every rock
024possible to find every bit of savings we can in our operational expenses. Um you know I think that we've run lean for so long. I I'm assuming we will find something. you always will find something and hopefully we will find savings and those types of things. But also I think it will actually be make it very it will help us be able to sit with legislators and any community members and explain here is exactly where every penny is going and here's what we have and here's what we need. So um looking forward to that experience and work through with them. I um very proud that we had our first EL college night at the high school. So I think this is a great example of how conferences matter. Um last year sent Amy Carrington and
025Molly White Cotton and Madison Smith to a college board conference that was um focused on engaging multilingual students in AP and collegebound um process. And this was one of the fruits of that event. So, um had eight colleges and universities in they shared resources for Spanish speaking students and Molly um is also serving on our high school AP leadership team and doing everything we can to make sure that we're engaging all of our students in all of our opportunities. Um CARA once again received distinction as a program of excellence. They're one of only 17 adult education programs in the state to receive this designation. Um, as you guys all attend or attend the graduation, you know how awesome of an opportunity it is for our young adults, two old old adults that um, just the
026high school experience didn't work for them for myriad of reasons and it's a great opportunity. Um, check out the Oracle. Um, it's impressive. Um, we have all sorts of great things going on. It's a couple cute little tales about the students at Hose and Nicholson engaging our new language arts curriculum. Um, you also see that the marching Athenians have been busy this fall. Um, you can also see the boys tennis won a third straight sectional, the first MAC conference title and another county championship. Girls soccer also won a MAC conference title and a county championship. The girls volleyball team and boys soccer teams were also county champions. At the middle school level, our girls soccer and seventh grade football teams were county champions and our second and third grade football team won the first youth
027conference championship. So, we we are doing very well and a lot of great things going on. Um, but again, the Oracle is a wonderful um Christy Strickland does a great job working with the buildings to put that together. So, very proud of it. our reminders. Next board meeting is a special meeting to approve the collective bargaining agreement. It's at noon October 30th and we have our fall district October 27th at the Typican New School Corporation Ston Admin building. And I'm Rex Rker and I'm proud to be an Athenian. >> Thank you, Dr. Rker. Um, you mentioned the special board meeting on October 30th, but we moved the regular November meeting to the 18th. Correct. >> That is correct. Okay. Thank you. >> So, everybody make note of that date change for the November meeting to
028the 18th. All right. No other business that I'm aware of. Um, board member communications. Just want to mention that uh once again the Carnegie Museum will be doing our K through2 Crawford'sville schools art extravaganza which is a K through2 art show for Crawford'sville schools that we've been doing for several years in partnership with the corporation. Um, and that will be on what would have been the original date of the board meeting, which is November, oh gosh, 13th or 14th, whatever that Thursday is. Uh, in the evening, the opening reception is 3:30 to 6:30. And I invite all the board members and any anyone associated with the corporation to come out. Love to see everything from little kids all the way up to the high school. And I think it really supports the arts because the
029the elementary kids get to see what they can do in art in middle school if they stick with it. Same with the middle schoolers. For the high schoolers, I think it the teachers have said that it really helps uh they feel to build the program which we're excited. So we're proud at the Carnegie to be a I get to be both, right? I get to put both hats on which makes me very proud. So >> thank you Kathy. A lot of talent on display at that art show, too. So very nice. Any other comments? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? All right.