001like to call the August 11th, 2025 school board meeting to order. Would everyone please rise for the pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to theublic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all may anyone sign up tonight okay I will skip to section three consent agenda >> make a motion to approve the consent agenda I'll second. >> Uh first and a second. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Thank you. 4.01 reimbursement of the National School Lunch Program. Bad debt from school year 2425. >> Thank you. Administration recommends that the negative student meal account balances be reimbursed by the operations fund in order for the corporation to be compliant with the federal cost principal provisions related to bad
002debt which require that the national school lunch program fund be made whole by nonfederal corporation resources. The National School Lunch Program considers unpaid charges for meals to be an asset as in an accounts receivable and that is such receivable if not paid by the originator who would be the student. It must be paid by the school corporation which is the entity responsible for the national school lunch program. Students without cash or money in their meal accounts are, according to B board policy 8,500, not refused meal service and are provided with a regular meal. A student may receive such a meal once every day. They cannot be refused a meal as a result of having no money with which to pay for it. Our policy allows for a regular meal versus a minimal type meal. This
003charge generates a negative account balance. A student can total up a significant balance over the course of a school year. Students with negative balances are not allowed to charge additional or optional lunch items, just a main meal. Charges are monitored by the child nutrition department and email notices and reminders are sent to parents and guardians once a negative account reaches $10 or greater. Child nutrition personnel call parents and guardians, send written and send written notices. Building level administration also assists by providing email and phone support to collect these negative account balances. At year end, the balance in the child nutrition donation account is used to clear as many accounts as possible, but the remainder become the corporation's responsibility. The school corporation must remain compliant with the USDA and national school lunch regulations in order to
004continue service of school breakfast and lunch. Unpaid charges totaled $39,683.84 after all payments and donations were applied to outstanding negative balances. Tonight, therefore, administration requests the approval to reimburse the 2425 remaining negative student account balances from the operations fund. >> Thank you, Lynn. >> I have some questions. >> Sure. If you don't mind me um asking I my memory serves me correctly, I believe last year was like over $42,000 because I remember hearing that number and thinking, "Wow." >> Yes. >> Are you kind of able to give us some the historically like is this something we a regular balance that we see or have things changed? I'm just kind of curious. Okay. >> Sure. COVID sort of kind of caused this to become a um if you will problem because lunches were free for everybody
005whe matter what your economic conditions were. So students got into the habit um during 21 22 22 23 um with the idea that they could just get a free meal in 2324 that was the first year we went had to go back to charging students and so um there was a lot of I think misunderstanding that we were paying even though that is something that we were sending home or advertising through D news to make sure people understood that. So, you're right. Last year's charges were about $43,000, almost $43,000. Um, so at least we're moving in the right direction. Um, because people are recognizing that, um, they do need to pay. Uh, we are anticipating a big push this year to make sure that people understand if they were not directly certified because of some
006of the other types of federal um, changes that are out there, um, that we make sure that they know that they may need to do the um paper application and we are reaching out to make sure those students um that need to be on meal service that we do everything we can to help them get there >> with that certification. Are we anticipating it being more challenging for families to get that certification or >> it may not be that it's more challenging for them to qualify. It's more of a challenge that they've realized that they need to actually do the paperwork u when they may not have recognized that in, you know, they may not have needed it or they may not have um realized it in the past right away to to go to
007the paperwork. >> All right. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> I'll entertain a motion. I'd love to move to approve >> the uh sorry the bad debt from the 202425 school year. >> I'll second the motion >> first and assess second. Any further discussion? All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Thank you. 4.02 first reading policy 3120 4120 5330 5540 5540.02 2, 7430, 74.01, 8120, 8330, 8400, 8640, and 9160. Thank you. The administration respectfully requests your approval to add, revise, or resend the following board policies 3120 and 4120. These policies been revised to clarify the options in the anti- neepotism provision. Additional revisions were made to the section on employment of volunteer firefighters 5330. This policy has been revised to add definitions, a section on administering non-prescription drugs, staff
008administration of drugs and treatment, student possession of medication, student possession of rescue inhalers, and state law limitations on requiring staff to administer drugs and immunity for the same. 5540. This policy applies to interactions with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and how they interact on school grounds. 5540.02 2 is a new policy formally included as part of part of part of policy 5540 relationship with governmental agencies. This new policy specifically addresses the role played by governmental agencies other than law enforcement agencies and DCS such as the office of civil rights, state board of accounts and other similar governmental agencies in a relationship with school corporations. 7430. This policy has been revised to incorporate the requirements of Indiana code 164121.2 2, which was added by House Enrolled Act 1138, preschool and child care facility drinking
009water from 2023 for child care facilities and preschools to test the drinking water for lead. 7440.01. This policy has been revised to add an option authorizing the use of smart sensor monitoring technology. 8120. This policy has been revised to be consistent with several other board policies, including the requirement to conduct background checks for volunteer coaches. 8330. This policy has been revised to clarify the definition of directory information and to ensure that each option is delineated appropriately for the board to determine what information will be included within the definition. 8400. This is a technical correction to correct the cross reference to policy 7217 possession of firearms and weapons by visitors. 8640 will be rescended. Policy 20 through40 has been revised significantly to address separately field trips, extracurricular and co-curricular trips, overnight travel and other corporation sponsored
010trips not sponsored by the corporation and transportation on trips. As a result, policy 8640 is no longer needed. And 9160, this policy been revised to address live streaming by persons attending school events. >> Thank you, Robert. I'll entertain a motion on first reading. Make a motion to accept the policy revisions and um changes as presented for first read for first reading. >> A second. >> First and a second. Any further discussion? >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> 4.03 03 final reading policy 2210 22 2221 2370 23702 2411 2421 262 23 31202 4213.01 6230 and 8540. Thank you. Administration respectively request your approval to revise or resend the following board policies. 2210 technical corrections are being made for grammatical purposes and to update the applicable legal references in this policy.
0112221 has polic been revised to reflect the amendments to Indiana code 2030-5-9 by Senate rolled act 35 regarding financial literacy and requiring that the cohort of students expected to graduate in 2028 successfully complete a personal financial responsibility course 2370 this polic policy has been revised to include options for alternatives to classroom instruction such as college courses military service and a flex program 2370.02 2. This policy has been revised to eliminate the expired provisions for passing the graduation examination and to make technical corrections. 2411. This policy has been revised to include the new Indiana code 20-26-5-42.2 requirements for completing the FAFSA and revised notice requirements in Indiana code for schools to advise parents and students regarding completion of FAFSA. 2421. This policy has been revised to include the new Indiana code 20-37-4 on virtual career and
012technical education courses added by House Enrolled Act 1591 and the requirements to earn an employment honors seal 2623. This policy has been revised to incorporate the requirements of Indiana code 20-30-7-13 which was added to Indiana code by Senate enrolled act 1 reading and retention from 2024 for students in grades two and grades three for participation in summer school for reading remediation and the steps that will follow 3120.02 2. This policy has been revised to omit the requirements for discussion of the use of adjunct teachers and replace it with an option to discuss the use of adjunct teachers due to the repeal of Indiana code 20-29-2-7 4213.01. This policy has been revised to correct the references to policy 3121 6230. This policy has been revised to clarify that the budget approved by the board is made
013available in a manner and at the places required by law and 8540 is being rescended. 8 policy 8500 food service program has been revised to be consistent with applicable federal laws and regulations and incorporate the content of 8540 thus allowing resision of policy 8540. >> Entertain a motion. >> I'd like to make a motion to accept the final ratings. >> I'll second. >> First and second. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. I. Any >> oppose? 5.02 public relations highlights. Good evening. School begins for Ald students on Wednesday, August 13th. The district hosted their annual opening day welcome back event for teachers and support staff this morning at Chesterton High School. Everyone enjoyed a light breakfast and encouraging message from the superintendent. Messages from former Dunland School students who shared their success as adults
014and how the teachers and staff members influence their lives. A fun-filled game with some of our teachers and staff members and a welcome to Doomland presentation of our new teachers and support staff. Honored for their years of service at today's event included 40 years Colleen Wilson, 35 years Teresa Kyleman, and Cheryl Mars. 30 years Bob Dunce, Candy Couts, Angie Lawrence, Denise Muhammad, John Sparks, Mark Stuber, Susan Stutton, and Deborah Tarcane. 25 years. Christine Bullock, Marcy Brady, Carrie Disney, George Fox, Shaun Longacre, Sherry Mitchell, Robert Nemtuda, Bernie Stento, Mary Whitmer, Susan Williams, and Quint Yber. And 20 years, Tana Bamber, Coren Corenza Brford, uh, Carrie Hyde, Angie Caranis, Julie Roy Tan, Michelle Ward, Patrick Ward, and Matt Waters. Back to school open houses scheduled for this week are elementary grades K through 4 tomorrow, Tuesday, August
01512th from 4 to 6 pm. Our intermediate and middle school uh grades 5 through 8 hosted their open houses this evening. Chesterton High School will host their open house on Thursday, August 14th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Developmental Preschool AM will present at um Tuesday, August 12th from 9 to 10:00 a.m. and PM August 12th from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Northwest Indiana online school. Um they'll have their inboard onboarding sessions on Tuesday, August 12th for grades 6 through 12 families from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. K through 5 from 11:15 to 12:15 p.m. and K through 12 families from 5 to 6 p.m. That's all. >> Thank you, Dr. Pettit. >> Nothing tonight. Thank you. >> Anything the board wants to add? Have a good school year. >> Game on. >> Yeah. Ready or >> not?