001All right, it is 6:00 and I would like to welcome all of you as we pledge allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I would like to again welcome all of you as guests. >> [clears throat] >> Following the agenda, recommended actions, routine matters, approval of minutes of the meetings held March 11th, 2026 and March 25th, 2026. Move to approve. I second. I have a first and a second for the approval of the minutes of the meetings on March 11th and March 25th. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Approval and order of payment, claims and payroll. Move to approve. I second.
002I have a first and a second for the approval and order of payment of claims and payroll. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Conference attendance and field trips, attachment one. Ask the board to approve the following field trips. North Decatur Elementary and High School Archery National Tournament, Louisville, Kentucky, May 7th through 8th. North Decatur High School Band and Choir, Kings Island, Mason, Ohio, May 23rd. North Decatur High School FFA Indiana FFA State Convention, Noblesville, Indiana, June 15th through the 19th. South Decatur High School Hoosier State Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 15th through the 17th. I move to approve the listed uh field trips and conference attendance. I'll second that. I have a first and a second for the conference attendance and field trips as stated on attachment
003one. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Resignations and leaves. Ask the board to approve the following retirements. Scott Johnson, North Decatur High School, effective June 15th. Kristy Nesbit, North Decatur Elementary, effective at the end of the year. And two leaves. Molly Martin, North Decatur High School, medical leave, first semester, 2026-2027 school year. And Paige DeBoard, South Decatur Elementary, approximately September 7th through November 1st. I move to approve. I second. I have a first and a second for the resignations and leaves as stated on attachment one. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Appointments and terminations. Ask the board to approve the following hirings. Sydney Reynolds, North Decatur High School Nurse. Samantha Reed, North Decatur High School Instructional Assistant.
004For athletics, Brian Gatewood, South Decatur High School Junior High Golf Volunteer. Michael Bryan, South Decatur High School Junior High Softball. Cy Miller, South Decatur High School Baseball Volunteer. And Summer Ivey, North Elementary. Sue Hadler, Linda Smith, Sarah Swinaman, South Elementary. Jennifer Chastain, Amy Storm, Emma Morrison, Kim Sherman, Janet Hudson. Move to approve. I second. I have a first and a second for the appointments and terminations as stated on attachment one. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor, raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Nothing under public comments or old business, which would take us to the new business, extra effort award. Extra effort award this month is on the north end, so we'll start with Mr. Corn. And I'm going to delegate this one to Mr. Sherman tonight. Mr. Sherman. Um so extra effort
005award winners this month is Taylor Shorter [clears throat] and Elizabeth Holland. Taylor's our wee teacher for our Chargers Pre-K program and Elizabeth is her assistant. Um these two ladies do an absolutely amazing job. They provide a safe and nurturing environment for our students. They're excited to come in every day. Um you never know what they're going to be doing when you go in there. Definitely always an engaging activity that really does engage the whole body um of each of those children. Not only do they meet their educational needs, they definitely meet their emotional needs as well. Um you know, really I think they're going to be ready for next year as they go into kindergarten. And they do also just work so well together. Our parents give such positive feedback. So thank you for all
006you do. Did you say you're taking a picture? I got it. >> [laughter] >> I'm sorry. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> You're good. Mr. Everett, are you there? After what? Two years? Come on, man. Yes, I [clears throat] would like to recognize our two ag teachers as well as our two FFA sponsors for having me tonight. Um So um Miss Kessler, she's now going to be referred to as Mrs. Muckerheide. So on paper she's one name, in person she's another. So if I say that, she's actually the same person. And then um Mrs. Mormon, um the end there. Uh so when I came to excuse me, when I came to North Decatur, it was a strong sense of community. So these two um young ladies take that um within their FFA program and their
007organization um and they give a lot back to the community. The community is very involved in what they do. So um can't thank them enough for the opportunities they provide for our ag students um and our FFA members. Some of those FFA members are with us tonight as you hear one of their proposals later on. Um these young ladies work exceptionally hard at organizing events, uh registering for workshops, expos that they um that they take these these young men and women to. Uh and just, you know, building the FFA program in general. So just some things that I want them to get some recognition for. So they hosted the District 12 FFA Convention back in March. Uh they had a county back to school bash in September. Um the area and state livestock skill-a-thon, both
008in September and October. Uh they had an interactive fun session with the North Decatur Elementary students with the kiddie contra tractor pull. Uh national convention in Indianapolis. Um state welding and state technology uh workshops. Easter egg hunt for the kids, which was a blast. Um organized the National FFA Week. So we addressed our ladies. We had drive your tractor to school, which was something else, I'll tell you, as far as staff members trying to get their parking spot. Staff appreciation breakfast, FFA proclamation with Mayor Marsh. Uh staff snack bar, elementary petting zoo, and then the barnyard Olympics, which really opened up my eyes. Wondered why staff members didn't volunteer for the uh the calf feeding bottle. So I was indirectly volunteering for that, so probably some pictures are floating around. So consuming consuming some godawful
009Kool-Aid. So Um and then they received a $5,000 donation from Riverview Farms, uh specifically their swine operation. And then both of them recently present presented their Lilly grants that they they received last year for the NAAE conference in Nashville and then IAAE winter workshop in uh Indiana. So and on top of that, um both of them are pursuing their um pursuing an agriscience certification through Purdue University. So um I hesitated bringing them to the board this evening because they're both high state grads. Um but >> [clears throat and laughter] >> we'll we'll give them some praise. So I can't thank you two enough for all that you do. Uh it's a 12-month program. We really appreciate it. So thank you. I WOULD EXCUSE YOU, BUT YOU'RE NEXT. SO NOW I didn't put it on here.
010North Decatur High School Community Garden. Mr. Everett. Do you guys want to come up here? Front and center. So like he said, I am Kimmie Mormon, one of the ag teachers at North Decatur. Uh these are six juniors that are currently in my agriscience class. Um we came up with an idea of having a community garden to not just uh give back to our community, but also to make it educational for us. Um and the North Decatur uh realm of not just the ag department, but hopefully the elementary can use it along with other classes and stuff in the high school. I know they they all have a little bit um to tell you guys as well um to kind of give you a snippet of where their passion lies in their project and how
011their ideas all came together. So I have Elizabeth Muckerheide, Michaela Schaft, Kelsey Woltermann, Macy Tinker, Harper Morris, and Braden Morris. So, I'm going to let them take it away. All right. Adam Holtkamp was a devoted husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. He passed away on his family's farm doing what he loved. Um he worked in agriculture and food commodity at his own Holtkamp family farm in Blackwater. He was cherished by his family and friends for his loving nature and [clears throat] for both his day job and farming full-time with his father. He lived his life with faith, love, and In the spring of 2025, Jamie Holtkamp and his wife approached Mrs. Mormon to discuss funding a project needed for the ag program. Prior to that, he and Miss Hassler had discussed the idea of starting
012a community garden. The initiative aimed to give back to the community in helping agricultural students develop their SAE projects. Uh so, our goals known as this project, our short-term goal goals [clears throat] create sturdy garden beds, diversify plant selection, design the space, and initiate the garden's opening. Our long-term goal Our long-term goal is to maintain a vibrant, healthy plants and enhance the garden's appearance. Uh we aim to educate students and our community members about the sustainable garden practices and fostering a learning environment that supports growth and improvement over time. Our mission is to strengthen the bond between our school and community by providing providing a valuable resource in need of fresh produce and serve as an educational purpose. Our We decided to name the garden the Adam Holtkamp Memorial Garden. The garden will be located
013in the outdoor cove by the old greenhouse, which is outside door seven, and on the south side of the greenhouse. There will be eight beds in an L-shape for easy movement throughout the space, and it will incorporate art at the entrance to create a welcoming atmosphere, along with including a sign to honor Adam, which is a personal touch to the garden design. It will have morning and early afternoon sunlight, accessibility to water from the greenhouse, and a secluded location for privacy and easy accessibility. It will have raised garden beds and ground beds. Uh we'll start most plants indoors using the greenhouse and grow towers. Early spring planting for more leafy vegetables. So, our startup cost will be $1,000. Uh we received donations from the Holtkamp Memorial donation, being $1,500, and the additional cost was from
014Ruby Lee Farms. Our ongoing expenses consist of fertilizer, fert- fertilizer, soil, plants, seeds, and maintenance repairs. Um potential funding sources would be donations and community foundation grants, and the cost-saving strategies are community support and donations. All right. For the labor plan, participants involved in the project will include students, volunteers, and members from various certain classes. Specific job duties will be fulfilled by those involved in SAE and Paxton courses, as well as those taking horticulture science. Our harvesting plan is to have a U-pick operation. Do you guys have any questions for these individuals? Thank you guys so much for your time. All right. Ready? Approve preliminary bond resolution. So, members of the board at the beginning of this uh journey for general obligation bond issue, we I second. I have a first and a second for
015the preliminary bond resolution. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Second resolution is the resolution just declaring the intent to approve the school corporation being reimbursed for expenses. Occasionally, when you do bond issues, there are expenses that you have to pay before you actually receive the proceeds from the bond sale. And what this resolution simply says is that if there are types of expenses, and if, for instance, the most of it's paid out of school funds, you get reimbursed for those out of the bond sale. Move to approve. I second. I have a first and a second for the declaration of the official intent to reimburse expenditures. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. What will happen as a
016result of the passage of those resolutions is that uh we will uh have three separate notices published in the Edinburgh and Shelbyville papers uh advising uh the taxpayers and patrons that we'll have a hearing uh at your next meeting in May. And so, we'll We'll send those notices out tomorrow. All right. Thank you very much. Thanks, Doug. Thank you, Doug. Have a good day. Approve renewal with Chartwells Food Service. Ask the board to approve the renewal for Chartwells Food Service. This is the second year of our contract, and we're looking at a 4% increase for the next school year. Please. All right. And now, I'll turn it over to the Food Service Director, um and uh this year we uh this is my first year and here um we are um above profit and participation
017um for this school year of what we were budgeting, even with declining enrollment. Um we are also um looking to expand our summer feeding program this summer, and we will be adding the after-school snack program at North Elementary in the fall. Thank you. I will move for motion to approve renewal with Chartwells. I will move to approve the renewal with Chart- Chartwells. I second. I have a first and a second for the approval of the renewal with Chartwells Food Service. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor raise your right Motion carries 7-0. Approve student fundraisers. Um I ask the board to approve the following fundraisers. I do want to make a note that there were two fundraisers that one was updated in your year packets. Two total fundraisers we're going to approve. Um the
018first one's North Knox High School Baseball, Christian McCay, the Adrenaline fundraiser. Um pledge to the app will be $15,000 going toward uh all things related to baseball, school form. Um and then the second one is the HOSA Future Professionals, Fuel My Heart for Healthcare, Fuel My Future, the Page of Handyman, looking to raise $5,000 or more. Uh funds going toward leadership events, competitions, educational materials, community service projects, and chapter activities. I will move to approve. I second. I have a first and a second for the student fundraisers. Any discussion? Not hearing any, all in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Approve donations. The one donation this month at South Knox High School, Billy Seagers is donating a batting cage to the athletic department for girls softball. Move to approve. Second. I have a
019first and a second for the approval of the donations. Any discussion? Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Very nice. No other discussion, all in favor raise your right hand. Motion carries 7-0. Information, proposals, communications, and reports. Mr. Corn, you are first. Okay. All right. Ready? So, I think going on this second semester, um our archery team had an excellent season. We qualified for state back in March. Um team went out and set a personal uh record for the team. That qualified us for a national tournament here in May. So, kids are getting really excited about going to that. Um Robotics, uh we did two area tournaments this year. Again, they compete and improved each time. We learn year to year and we're getting better and [clears throat] better. Our National Junior Honor Society, we inducted 37
020new students. Uh this is based on student application process, which includes both student achievement, teacher feedback. Um we feel like this is our fourth year for the program, and the numbers continue to grow. So, it's pretty cool to see that students are working for that. Um again, our preschool program, we've had a lot of uh presenters come to the class this semester to talk about their careers that kind of line up with the letter of the week. We've had nurses, dental assistants, medics, our street department. Um it's been great. They bring things from their job. I mean, the kids are so into it. Um and with our program, we still got some openings next year. Um both half day and we're able to offer that half day option next year as well as our full
021day option. So, we'll have our registration out here next month for that. So. Uh we recently just held kindergarten roundup at North Elementary, and uh we had 70 students that actually came through the roundup process, which typically we are somewhere in the 50s, I would say, for for roundup. So, our numbers are are looking good. And actually, as of today, I believe we are at 77. So, that's uh a big incoming class. So, we're looking forward to that. Uh if there are any other uh students that would are interested in coming to kindergarten at North Elementary, uh those parents can still call the office, and we'll get them set up to come in and get evaluated, and we'll be happy to have them. So. Um also, along with that, we have our out-of-district application process
022open, and as of today, we have 176 out-of-district applicants. Uh and this is open through August 1st. So, we hope to keep increasing that. So. Looking very, very good there. Uh we recently uh just formed a partnership with the YMCA to offer both before and after school um uh care for for our kids. Um currently, we have the after-school care, but we had to transport them to the Y. And so, I think that um it might be appealing to to parents that only to keep the kids there on campus, not have to transport them after school, but we'll have the before-school care um as well. I believe that they can drop off in the mornings as early as 6:30 6:30. So, and then in the evenings, they can stay till 5:30. So. Um that's that's
023great. So, we've got our information. We shared this out on Facebook. We've got stuff on our website. Um but again, if you have any questions, call down to the office, and we can give you that information. We're in the last 9 weeks of the school year. Um many things going on. Of course, we have I learned testing that's getting ready to come up. We have finished our checkpoints, and so we've been reviewing that data. This Friday, we have our touch-a-truck event. And this is of course going to be my first time seeing this, but I believe Miss Blair has what, 40 40 uh trucks of all kinds, and even horse and buggies, that will be there on on Friday uh morning. So, we're excited about that. We are also hosting math bowl competition uh for
024area elementary schools um actually at the junior senior high school uh next Tuesday. Next Thursday is our uh big grandparent night, and then we have lots of field trips coming up, uh field day, end of May, and of course, graduation for our kindergarten and sixth grade students um at the end of the year. So. And then also, um we do have a couple of retirements this year. Um of course, Jane Burkhart, a long-time first grade teacher at North, she's retiring after I believe 29 years. Um so, we're going to miss her, of course. Uh as you saw tonight, Christie Nesbitt, one of our long-time assistants, is going to be retiring. So. Uh lots of things happening. It's been a great year. We're going to end the year strong. Thank you. Mr. Corn, you're up. Yep.
025Mr. Hall, I'm going to let you Okay. So, um we're in the final stretch of the school year at the junior high and high school. So, a lot of things uh going on. Some recent events, um we hosted the MAT cheer competition back in February, and our young ladies uh earned first place uh first place. So, congratulations to the the cheer team. Uh we completed SAT testing back on the 12th of March, and uh each one of you have a handout in front of you. Um so, I look at trending data um as it applies to PSAT and SAT, so that's what's in front of you. Uh SAT will be a part of our accountability model um that will go into effect year one, which is next year. This is year zero, technically. Um so,
026that'll factor in our A through F grades, and so and so forth. So, I know this is probably kind of hard to read, that's probably a separate presentation for you guys later on. If you guys want, we can do that. Um but as far as SAT testing, we are trending upward, um and that's kind of the middle portion of that handout that I've given you. So, that's good news. Um Uh the 2026 National Honor Society uh induction took place on the 2nd of April. So, thank you to Mrs. Nesbitt for being our guest speaker that night. We inducted 31 junior high students and 29 upperclassmen at the high school. So, extremely proud of that. Spring sports are uh have officially begun. So, best best of luck to softball, baseball, track and field, and golf athletes
027as they round up our competition season. So, uh upcoming events, we have the drama production of Footloose this weekend. So, Friday and Saturday shows at 7:00, and then there's a matinee on Sunday at 12:00. Student council blood drive, which will happen uh April 15th from 8:00 to 1:30. So, if you're so inclined, come and donate. Uh greenhouse annual plant sale will go on from April 14th to the 30th um at varying times. I can share those. Um as Mr. Corn has alluded to, we are right on the cusp of I learned testing. So, for our seventh graders, we'll be breaking down same thing with all of our checkpoint data and then compare it to how they score on that assessment. Uh the long-awaited prom is on our doorstep. So, that is May Yeah. May 13th.
028Um I'm sorry. Uh prom is uh April 25th. And after prom uh to follow, uh we have AP testing first 2 weeks of May. So, I'll be pretty stressed out that uh first 2 weeks as the AP coordinator for North. Um is this a I'm not sure if that's enough going on for this final stretch here. Uh teacher appreciation week is the 4th and uh 4th through the 8th of May. Uh senior award night is May 13th at 6:00 p.m. Uh junior high um awards is during the day uh May 19th. Um and then in the senior graduation practice on the last day of school, which is the 22nd. Um still have to work out with John about the senior walk for our seniors. Um that's a great thing that we do. Um as our
029seniors get up in their cap and gown, and they take a little stroll through the elementary. So, and then uh to to wrap it up, graduation on the 30th afternoon for for North. So, a lot of things happening. Um very very happy days, but very stressful days as well. So, um we're looking to finish off the school year very strong. Thank you. I want to thank both of you for both being first year here. We've had a good year, I think. So, Thank you. Thank you both. Enjoyed it. It's been great. With that being said, future business for our board meeting Wednesday, May 13th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. here in central office. I will look for a motion to adjourn. Moved. Second. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed. We're adjourned. >> [clears throat]