001today. That poor June 1st, 2026 meeting of the Dunland School Board. Would everyone please rise for the >> 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. >> Thank you everyone for coming tonight. Uh, I'm going to go a little bit out of order um because the last awards night of my daughter's 13 years in Dunland's going on right now at Chester High School. Uh, so I'm going to say just a couple of things. I want to draw the meeting to order um because this is Dr. repetit's last meeting and uh so I wanted to do that before I excuse myself and just say a couple of words which is simply thank you um
002the foundations that you've built through your leadership and of course you can't do any of it alone uh there's a lot of people that have helped along the way including in central administration down to the down to the janitors down to the teachers and and everybody uh that assisted but you've laid a foundation for future success for Dunland both in brick and mortar and all the buildings that we see Now, um I saw the WDSO kids here and I was thinking, um not just bricks and mortar, even the transmission tower for WDSO being moved during your tenure as a former WDSO student. I know what that means. Um but also through what we're doing and what you've done uh academically for uh all of our students. It's going to benefit uh the current students as
003well as generations to come. Uh you'll be missed. It goes without saying. And uh you know, thank you for the time that we did have. want to do anything now or >> um I can go next. Um over the last four years, I've had the privilege serving as a board member under Dr. Pettit's leadership. Um I also would like to say thank you for helping me grow not only in my role as a board member, but also as a parent. We didn't always agree on every issue, and you taught me that that's part of healthy leadership and governance. I thank you for your willingness to listen, to engage in thoughtful discussion, and remain focused on what was best for students. I thank you for your leadership philosophy of looking for reasons to say yes to
004students, reflecting your belief that schools should create opportunities, remove barriers, and continually ask how can we help students succeed. Thank you for your commitment to highquality education for every Dunland student, which will leave leave a lasting mark on our schools and our community. The foundation that exists today is stronger because of your efforts and vision. While we're certainly sad to see you leave, we're grateful for all you have given to our district. You will greatly be missed, but I have no doubt that the community of Hinsdale will quickly discover what an incredible leader, educator, and person they're gaining. I'd like to thank Chip for these last few years and working closely together. I think I've been on for three years as a board member. And when I came in originally, uh, with no education background
005as a technology guy, uh, I found it to I found the the the crew here led by Chip to be extremely welcoming and tremendously professional. I've dealt with various companies in my career, but I found this Dunland School Corporation to be extremely professionally run. And I think if we look back at the last seven years and uh the last few years, what are we voted fourth four years in a row as the best public school in the region? And if you look at the progress of the students, the test scores, and specifically at the results, I think they speak quite a bit for themselves. So, I just want to thank you for your time. As Brandon said, I think you will be missed. I've very much enjoyed working with you and uh good luck in
006the future. Um, well, I uh I would have to say when I found out this position was open, um, one of the reasons that I decided I would run for school board was because of watching as my kids were going through school all the changes that were being made in Dunan from brick and mortar to the curriculum. and I was really excited to be on a board with your leadership and um I'm sorry I was only here 18 months to enjoy it but it's really been a pleasure and I thank you and you will definitely be missed. Um I am also here to express my immense gratitude for Dr. Pettit and his time here with Dunland. Um his entire seven years we've spent with Dr. Pettit and um during the interview process it became very
007clear that he was the person for this job. Uh the board had very um we had a lot of initiatives that we needed him to address and he surely did so very quickly and with um professionalism. He has worked very hard for this district and we see that in all we do, our programming, um our what our teachers are doing. Um everything is he's moved the needle forward and I can't um express my gratitude enough. So, thank you. You will be missed. Um and you're you will have lasting impact on the district. um but beyond the brick and mortar walls, beyond our online school, like within the the community at large um for generations. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Um it's been my my pleasure to serve the students uh staff and
008families and the Dillan community and uh certainly appreciate the support from the school board. Thank you. Um, we'll move on to 2.01 DY Exchange Club presentation. Good. Good evening. Actually, my name is Kathleen Jacitz. I am the current president of the Dunan Exchange Club. Um I'd like to recognize our Duelan Exchange members that are here with us this evening. Some of them, we have a large club. Um these are just some of our members. Um I also want to thank the Duelan School Board for allowing us to speak this evening. The Duelan Exchange Club has been partnering with Dulan um Dulan School Administration and schools for nearly 35 years. It began with our youth talent show and our young citizenship awards. We also recognize the exceptional seniors of the CHS each year, offering scholarships from
009our club and the opportunity for additional scholarships from the state and national exchange club organizations. Students from CHS have been recognized by district and national, earning up to $15,000 worth of scholarships. During Superintendent Dr. After Durk Bear's tenure, the Dunan Exchange Club began to partner with Dulan schools and Dunebrook to bring body safety to all elementary students. Body safety is a child abuse prevention program presented directly to the children to teach them about their own bodies, the proper terminology, and that it is not okay when someone wants to touch them. It teaches them that they should tell someone they trust, and most importantly, that it is never their fault. We have since expanded the body safety program to the intermediate and middle schools. The reality is that the message needs to be sent again and
010again. We believe that this is the most important thing our club does for our children and community and we couldn't do it without the support of the administration and the schools. The Dunlan Exchange Club has been supported by all the superintendent over the past 35 years. We are grateful for the support and want the school board to know that it has formed strong programs and a stronger community because of that partnership. We wish Dr. Pettit the best and look forward to working with Mr. McDermott. We are also here for another cause to recognize the corporation. Exchange Club Across America also supports their communities with programs of Americanism. One of those programs is the proudly we hail honor that is given to citizens, businesses, and organizations that properly fly the American flag. No symbol inspires respect
011and love of country more than our American flag, the stars and stripes. That is why exchange encourages all Americans to properly fly the flag as an ongoing, highly visible expression of the respect through the proudly we hail program. Today we are honoring the Dunland School Corporation with this honor for properly displaying the American flags at our schools. This small act encourages and promotes American citizenship to the children of our community. This benefits both the community and the nation by enhancing and strengthening a national sense of patriotism and pride. Congratulations and thank you for supporting Americanism in the Dulan community. Thank you. >> And in keeping with the theme, we have a little gift partying gift for Dr. Thank you. >> Thank you. live bait 2.02 WDSO 50th year anniversary. Good evening. My name is Isic
012on. Okay. Sorry. Good evening. My name is Matthew Waters. I'm the station manager of WDSO. Uh I'm here today with Claire Demen, uh Aubrey Lidoff, and Cecilia Post. Uh they are DJs on WDSO, and we are here because we'd like to present a proclamation to the school board from the Indiana uh state senate. Uh since we first went on the air in 1976, uh WDSO has provided students with real world broadcasting, journalism, sports coverage, audio production, and media technology experiences while also serving the Dunan School uh community. WDSO remains a unique uh operating uh FM fully functional station and uh it is the only one in the Dulan Athletic Conference and it's one of 12 uh in the entire state of Indiana. Uh as part of our 50th year celebration, uh the state senator Rodney
013Pull uh recognized the uh station in the official uh transcripts of the Indiana State uh Senate um records. Uh so at this time uh the students would like to present a copy of the proclamation to the school board and thank the district for the support uh over the last 50 years. >> Thank you, MATT. Thank you. On to items 3.01, student and staff recognition. Um, first we're going to recognize some students. The K4 National Math Star nominees. This year, Indiana partnered with National Math Stars to recognize and celebrate young mathematicians across the state who scored within the top 2% of third grade students on Math I learn. Selected students are invited to apply for the National Math Stars programming and finalists will be announced in August. Congratulations to the following students who were nominated based
014on their achievements. Brahman Elementary, Griffin Daniel, Landon RP. Are we going to all of them? Jackson Elementary, Abigail Malot, Liberty Elementary, Jackson Call, Kaia Hernandez, Riley Renacher, Jonathan Reagan, Braie Summer and Rowan Wend Yoast Elementary, Ken Alonzo, Violet Kutz, Nalin Kosski, Vivian Krennic, and Bentley Ritz. Students, if you are here, please come up for a photo. Congratulations. That is such an accomplishment. Think about you guys. Sure. >> Ready? Stay. Oh, thank you. All right. Next on our list is CHS girls varsity tennis. Congratulations to the Chesteran High School girls varsity tennis team on another successful tennis season. The team finished the season as DAC champs in their sixth consecutive sectional championship. Team members are McKenzie Kenya, Kendall Gallian, Emma Dobson, Genevie Driscoll, Amelia Smith, Morgan Matthysse, Elizabeth Navaro, Paige Engles, Macy Kanya, Ella Ron, Mia
015Suzana, sorry, Sus I'm sorry. Coaches are Tom Bour, Don Eisenhower, Scott Garrison, and Kenny Walsh. Students and coaches, please come forward if you were here for a photo. And I'm sorry if I butchered your name, BUT CONGRATULATIONS COME ON. WAIT, WAIT. PARENTS, All right, our staff recognition. ISA I'm sorry, IASP District 1 Principles of the Year. Principles, congratulations to Liberty Elementary School Principal Heidi Henar and Liberty Middle School Principal Mike Hammacker for being selected as District 1 Principles of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principles. These principles are acknowledged by their peers for their exemplary con contributions they have made to the profession and the will honor district principles and assistant principles of the year in its annual fall professionals conference on November 23rd. You come up for a photo. Congratulations. Job all
016done. I think so. >> Yes. You might after you. All right. Next on our agenda, um, any patron participation. All right. Then we'll skip to items 5.01 through 5.08. Um, and I'll entertain a motion. >> I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> I heard a first and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> All right. This time, Mr. Martinson, would you like >> Yes. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh we have two new employees uh that will be at Chester High School first. Um I would like to introduce William Foronberry. He'll be teaching social studies at Chesterton High School. Will be our new head varsity boys soccer coach. Mr. Foronberry joins Chesterton from Moon Grove High School where he spent
017four years teaching social studies and coaching boys soccer. Currently serves as head coach of the Northwest Indiana United Lions Club soccer team. He's a graduate of Portage High School in Indiana University Northwest. Mr. Foronberry previously served as head coach at both Portage and Kinki Valley High School and directed the port forage parks youth soccer academy. He's a devoted husband and father of two. And Will is committed to building strong relationships with students and families. Let's welcome. Thank you all. Appreciate it. It's an honor to be here. This is my family. Very happy. It's an honor to follow. Yes, welcome was already working with all the kids and talking to each one of them individually. I was very impressed by that. I want to say that. Okay. Next, I'm also pleased to announce that our new
018assistant principal at Chester High School will be Mr. Josh Malone. Josh is a proud 2004 graduate of Chesterton High School and brings 17 years of experience in education. He spent 15 years in the Michigan City area school serving as a PE health teacher and head varsity basketball coach. For the past eight years, Josh has served as the principal at Creger Middle School where he has been highly involved in leading and implementing PLC's and creating academic interventions to support struggling students. Josh is excited to serve our staff, students, and entire school community. And we are thrilled to welcome him back home to CHS. Let's welcome Josh. UM, I just want to, you know, thank everybody, you know, Mr. P and M. McD school board for having the confidence in me, you know, to help, you know,
019lead this already fantastic school district and also a fantastic uh school at Chesterton High School. And also lastly, thank Mr. Martinson for having the confidence to do an outstanding administrative staff. Um, here I have Graham Malone. He's 11. He is at Liberty Elementary going into sixth grade or intermediate going into sixth grade. Looks like elementary. Um and then not with us though. I have Taylor, my daughter. Um she's also Yost going into third grade. But yes, I've been very very excited to finally, you know, get back home. You know, lived in the area. Obviously, Mr. Martinson said, you know, a proud 2004 graduate high school. So it means everything to me to be able to back of student. So, thank you. >> WELCOME. >> Thank you for those introductions. Um item 6.01, textbook adoption, student
020skills for success. >> Thank you. During the 2627 school year, Dulan will be implementing a comprehensive framework to support student skills for success. This framework focuses on integrating essential skills to support whole child development. This holistic approach will strengthen school culture and build positive relationships. Teach teach teaching life skills such as executive functioning, decision-m and increasing student sense of belonging, well-being, and engagement. We will work to equip students with cognitive endurance, student agency, and learning readiness for all aspects of their educational journey. Also, next year, students will participate in monthly lessons and conversations around bullying prevention from the National Bullying Prevention Center. These skills for success lessons will reinforce safety and belonging in our schools. K4 students will continue utilizing the zones of regulation and trustbased relational intervention or TBRRI as continued in grades 5
021through 8 to reinforce self-awareness and tools for emotional regulation. CHS will continue with its customized advisory curriculum providing students with the opportunity to learn skills and competencies, build routines, collaborate with peers, and put these newly acquired skills into practice. The resource review committee consisted of 20 K8 teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, counselors, and the K12 licensed mental health counselor, and a second and sixth grade parent or community member. The team is confident that through this unified approach of paired resources, we will see a me measurable lift in student wellness. At this time, we ask for board's approval to adopt Character Strong as part of our student skills for success curriculum adoption for the 2627 school year. Any discussion? If >> not, I'll entertain a motion. >> Make a motion to accept the textbook. >> Second. I
022heard a first and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? All right. Thank you. Item 6.02, textbook adoption for personal finance responsibility. >> Thank you. To fulfill the new graduation requirements, the Indiana Department of Education has required all school corporations to provide students with personal finance responsibility education beginning in the 2627 school year. This course aims to help students build skills and financial responsibility and decision-making. Analyze personal standards, needs, wants, and goals, identify sources of income, saving and investing in understanding banking, budgeting, recordkeeping, and managing risk, insurance, and credit card debt. The Duelan schools has determined the most appropriate placement for this course will be in grades 11 and 12. A committee consisting of two teachers from the business department, school administration, and two parents work together to select managing
023your personal finances by the Sengage group as the selected resource. The group noted the text exceptional relevance and accessibility for upper level students. At this time, we ask for the board's approval to adopt managing your personal finances as part of the curricular adoption for the 2627 school year. Any discussion? >> I just have a question. Is this personal finance course one that will be required for all students to take regardless of their silo that >> I'm going to ask Mr. Martinson to expand upon that a bit. Is this a high school recommendation? >> Every student will be required as a graduation. All right, I'll entertain a motion if there's no other discussion. >> I'll make a motion to accept the personal finance responsibility curriculum as presented. >> Heard a first and a second. All in
024favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? All right. Thank you. Item 6.03, instructional supply fees for 78. >> Thank you. Tonight, we're here to seek board approval to charge a supply fee for families in grades 7 through 12 uh for student classroom supplies. The supply fee will be charged to cover the cost of supplies related to elective courses at the middle and high school. The fee suggested will not impact 2023 House Enrolled Act 101, whereby textbook and curriculum material fees were eliminated for Indiana families. Our goal is to keep fees to a minimum for our families while maintaining high levels of experiential and relevant learning for our students. A full list of fees has been included in your board packet for review. At this time, we ask for the board's consideration for appro approval
025of the 2627 instructional supply fees for Liberty Middle School, Westchester Middle School, and Chesterton High School. Any discussion over to accept the fees? >> I'll second. Heard a first and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? All right. Thank you. Item 6.04, instructional supply fees for 9 through 12. >> I'm sorry. I wasn't clear with that. I'd ask the board that to accept both uh in unison, both recommendations. >> I apologize. Then items 6.03 and 6.04. >> A motion to accept both sets of fees. >> Gotcha. Thank you. after review. I thought they were reasonable, so I'm in agreement. Thank you. All right. So then, all in favor for both of those. All right. Do anything else? Sorry, we're just waiting to vote. Can I move on? Okay. Thank you. Sec
026item 6.05, 05. First reading for bylaw um policy 166201 3131 3139 3220 3220 3430 4150 and 8462. >> Thank you. Do the administration respectfully request your approval to revise the following board policies. Bylaw 151. The revisions to this policy provide for an annual reorganization process that remains in strict compliance with Indiana code 20-26-4-1. The revision clarifies the mandatory timeline requiring our organizational meeting to occur within 30 days after the commencement date of the member's terms of office at a meeting held in accordance with law and codifies the sequence of events for electing officers. Policy 1662.01 1 and 4362.01. These policies are critical uh critical pillars of school safety and legal compliance in Indiana. Establishing a zero tolerance framework for threats against school administrators and central office staff by formalizing a mandatory report chain. The policy
027removes administrative discretion and ensures that threats, intimidation, or battery against employees are reported to law enforcement immediately as required by Indiana Code 20-33-9-10. Just want to point out that we do have policies for classified staff and teachers already. So, we're not singling out anybody there. Um, policy 2221 that this policy has been revised to reflect changes to Indiana code, including the repeal of the previous semester long safety education requirements for 8th grade under Indiana code 20-30-5-8. Policy 3131. This policy has been updated to reflect three changes in the law. First, discussion with the exclusive representative of the corporation of teachers prior to any reduction in force is no longer required. Second, per Indiana code, the cancellation of a teacher's contract due to a justified decrease in a number of teaching position is determined based on
028performance. Lastly, the policy was updated to no longer include reference to highly effective effective improvement necessary or ineffective due to the amendment of Indiana code 20-28-11.5-4. But please note, Dulan School Corporation will still utilize those headings. They're just no longer required by law. 3139. The staff discipline policy has been revised to allow for progressive discipline without requiring it. This gives the administration additional flexibility in determining discipline and also provides examples of gross mis misconduct. 3142 has been revised to amend the definition of probationary teacher due to the amendments of the definition in Indiana code by house enrolled act 2002 and to reflect the specific statutory grounds for cancellation of a teacher's contract as well as the specific statutory procedure for cancellation 3220 staff evaluation this policy is updated to reflect the amendment of Indiana code
02920-28-11.5-4 including the requirements that the staff evaluation plan shall shall clearly define evaluation categories that allow for meaning meaningful differentiation among certified employees based on performance. 3220.02. This policy was updated to clarify uh to clarify to include how supplemental payments could be made to teachers and to reflect in the options the reasons why corporations often issue supplemental payments to teachers. 3430. This policy currently provides for the same leave benefits as those bargaining in the master agreement. However, there may be instances such as the sick leave bank where the benefits are bargain only for members of the unit and the corporation may decide not to have that benefit for other professional staff. Therefore, this policy is updated to state that the leave benefits will be the same unless the corporation provides written notice of a difference
030to the impacted employees. 4150. This replacement policy provides consistency between policy 3139 regarding the discipline of professional staff and the standards of conduct and appropriate disciplinary actions for misconduct of classified employees. 6152 has been revised to provide additional guidance regarding imposing a limit on amounts to be written off as uncollectible fees and charges depending on the length of time the debt has been outstanding and the ability of the debtor to pay and to account for the repeal of Indiana Code 20-40-22 and policy 8462 uh child abuse and neglect is being revised to reflect the revision of Indiana code 20-28-3-4.5 and the repeal of Indiana code 20-28- -3-7. >> I just have a I guess point to discuss or question. So as kind of our policies reflect the state the changes with the state law. I
031understand that and as the state kind of moves from must um discuss with union to May. I know our administration I believe still plans to >> correct. We still have monthly discussion with the teachers association at the corporation level and monthly discussion at the building level. It's just no longer a state law to do that. So board policy has to align with state law, but we still make the decision. It's it's a may as opposed to a shell and we choose to do that. >> Um I just I want to point that out and just say how I appreciate the administration moving or remaining to do so. That's all I wanted to say before any other points of discussion. No. Then I'll entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to accept the first three.
032>> Second. >> All right. I heard a first and second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Thank you. Item 6.06, our final reading on policy 5136. >> Thank you. In response to Indiana public law 107, the administration requests the board policy 5136 be replaced to ensure full alignment with state requirements. Under this updated policy, students are required to power off all cell phones and mobile communication devices immediately upon arrival at school. These devices must be stored in a student's assigned locker for the duration of the school day, including passing periods and lunch. Devices found in violation of this policy may be confiscated and held securely until a parent or guardian retrieves them from the school office. Furthermore, school administrators will implement progressive disciplinary measures for any students who violate these
033regulations. >> Any discussion? Nope. I'll entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the final policy. >> Second. >> A first and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed. All right. Thank you. All right. Item 7.01. Any petition? Okay. Item move on to 7.02. Public relations highlights. Good evening. Chesterton High School's best of region 2026 be best public high school. Congratulations to Chesterton High School for being named as the Northwest Indiana Times best of the region 2026 best public high school for the fourth year in a row. We can thank the Doomland community and schools for voting on a daily basis to achieve this goal. Um, grading period 4 ended on Thursday, May 28th, and student report cards were available at 3 p.m. today. The 136th annual Chesterton
034High School commencement exercises will be hosted on Wednesday, June 3rd at 7 p.m. at Chesterton High School football stadium. The Northwest Indiana Online School will host the third annual commencement exercises on Wednesday, June 3rd at 5:30 p.m. in the Chesterton High School auditorium. The Dunland School Corporation will serve free summer meals Monday through Friday to all children in the Dunland School community beginning June 5th and ending on June 26th. They're closed on June 19th in observance of Junth. Libert um meals will be served at Liberty Elementary School um at their main entrance. Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:45 to 12:15. And also at Chesterton High School, entrance 20, breakfast will be served from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from
03511:25 to 11:45 a.m. We'll also serve free summer meals Monday through Friday to all children in the Dunland School community at Chesterton High School only, beginning July 6th and ending on July 24th. closed June July 1st through the 3rd at Chesterton High School. Um, entrance 20. Breakfast will be served from 7 to 7:30 and lunch from 11:25 to 11:45 a.m. All children under 18 are welcome to participate. Meals must be eaten on site. Indoor seating will be provided. Elementary age children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. That's all. >> Well, thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. comments from superintendent. All right, I'm move to adjourn. >> Okay, thank you.