001Okay, everybody stand for the pledge, please. I pledge algiance 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. >> Heavenly Father, we we thank you for the blessing of of our students, our staff, our teachers, our administrators. Lord, and the whole community that just makes this school such a wonderful place. Lord, we ask that you'll help us to have a good, healthy, safe school year, Lord, and students will learn and prosper. In your holy son's name we pray. Amen. >> All right. >> He's a jolly good. [Laughter] >> Okay. Um, let's see. We're ready to adjourn the meeting, right? >> Oh, okay. >> We started a minute early. >> We started an hour ago. We just
002finished up. Okay. The meeting is called to order at 6:32 p.m. Um, okay. We're going to start off with uh um a presentation about the I learned. >> Yes. So, um I put a you have a hand out there. staple together. Um, we have the first page is some of our targeted areas. You know, we have some areas we want to do better in. So, we'll come back to page one, but that's what I want to focus the big biggest chunk of our time on is, you know, what are we going to do to improve in the areas where we have shortfalls and where are we going to do uh in our areas where we have strengths and continue to get better there as well. So, we'll first look at if uh look at page
003two and if you can see uh the we got the grade level column there on the far left in the middle is the state percentages and then you'll see uh the the percentages of proficient uh for our school. Um if it's it's highlighted in red, you can see we are below state average. If we're green, we're above. If it's yellow, we're either at or approaching it. Um obviously we've got some pockets of some areas that we need to do better. Uh we recognize that uh the top portion there is uh English language arts. Um and then the bottom uh section, the bottom chart there is for math. Uh again, some areas that that we need to make some improvements on there. Uh the second page, the third page that that's stapled together there. Um there's
004no color coding on that, but um I know a lot of people want to know where we at as far as Green County. And again, I've listed the first column there, or I guess the first column with percentages is the state averages. Uh then I have our scores, and then I have the four schools in the county, their scores there, and then I put next to our score where we rank in the county. Okay. Um and and you can see again language arts at the top, math at the bottom. Um you know there's there's as as I mentioned earlier there are some pockets that we are extremely happy with. We uh we think some grade levels have done an exceptional job. There's others that that we certainly have to make some improvements. Um I think
005some of the leg the uh logistic changes we've made will help. I think moving the fifth grade will help. Uh we, you know, one of the things on the agenda tonight is we are adding a position. I've shared a little bit about that with you. I think that will help uh some of those scores there. Um I did ask uh both our middle school and elementary principal to talk a little bit about what we're going to do because when we got the scores, we've been talking about this for, you know, two or three weeks uh in conjunction with all of our work getting ready for school. you know, how are we going to combat these? Because, you know, this is on all of us. We we all want to do better. We all expect ourselves
006to do better. And it's not just about working harder. I mean, you can work really hard at something and if you're not doing it the right way, you're not going to make any improvements. You I'm an old coach and all you you can you can take batting practice three hours a day and if you're not if you don't have good technique, you're never going to hit a baseball come game time. So, you've got to make sure that you're you're practicing quality and proven strategies to do that. And I think we have that. So, I'm going to turn it over to Mrs. Quimby and uh Mrs. Clary to talk a little bit about if and we can talk more about those scores if you would like, but I want I would like for you to look
007at the front page here as we focus on some of the uh strategies that we're putting forth. They're going to explain these to you. Um ladies, if you want I'll jump in and >> Yeah. Um so I'll start. I think it's important um over the last couple of years, I think it's important to note that we are trending upward. Um since I would say 2019, we've seen growth every year. Um now it takes a while to grow. Obviously it's a cons consistency and moving forward. And so some of the things that are on here um that we have come up with are things that um we may have started some last year. But we think that consistency through the buildings both elementary and middle school and then continuing on um in the same you know
008using some of these things the consistency will help increase and close those gaps that we're seeing between the state and our scores. Um so one of the first things if you look there when we talk about literacy and academic vocabulary so one thing that's I think important to note about test taking is that there are lots of words that they see multiple times on multiple different tests. So yes you have a a math test that says evaluate but you're evaluating in social studies you evaluate in science. And so sometimes what we see is that students get tripped up by the vocabulary on the test. They're like, "Well, that's a math word." It's not just a math word. It's a word in in all things. So, some of the things that we've been doing um at
009the middle school that I've shared with Cara and that's on here is that we've been doing weekly schoolwide academic vocabulary and focusing on embedding that in all subjects. Um they have a challenge at the end of the week that they do. I about on the announcements every day. They're using it in t time. The teachers have posters up in the classrooms where they see that and address it in all their different classes. Another thing that we're adding this year and that um elementary and middle school are both moving towards is you fly framework for phonics and decoding. So, this is going to help our fluency in reading, which will then, of course, increase our comprehension, which will increase not only our language arts scores, but our science, our social studies, and everything in between. We're
010lucky because Mrs. Quimby comes with a background in UFly from um MCCSSE. So, she's going to be help helping to kind of implement that across both elementary and middle school. >> What does that stand for? >> Um, University of Florida Literacy Institute. >> Okay. It's just a framework for, you know, just folks shorting on to make five. >> I just had no idea what the keys to literacy >> and the consistency and the terms from one building to the next is important that we've we've those two have built into that bought into that and it's it's something that's already started trickling into the teachers of what our expectations are in that regards there. Go ahead ladies. >> Yeah. Um, one of the things we were focusing on is trying to get some regular classroom visits.
011I logged a lot of steps last week. Just getting it out into the classrooms, getting the kids familiar with that sound, you know, the door opening and someone coming in. Um, but being there doing those real-time visits, real-time feedback with our teachers, I think is really important. Um, and we have already started planning out our professional development days coming up. Um, making sure that those are intentional and centered around these goals. And and I will add something as well with uh Miss Morgan. Um some of her duties have been a little restructured. She was the corporation uh curriculum director. We've scaled some of that back. She's still going to help lead the charge with the curriculum um directing at the elementary, but the middle school and high school will take theirs. So she can spend
012more time. uh she has some background and and she's very knowledgeable in uh instructional coaching and working and so we we want to use her resources where she's best suited and she's already taken the reigns on that and has has assisted in one of our fourth grade classrooms where we've had a couple issues. Uh just a change of plans in there and we will talk a little bit about that later in the board meeting. But those are some other institutional changes that we're making across the board to help meet some of this. >> Um, of course, data driven interventions. Everything we do will be based on the data that we receive. The state has a really good plan when it comes to checkpoints. Um, we were on the pilot last year and what a lot
013of the teachers saw was that if they followed the plan that the state had put out, not telling you how to teach anything, but telling you that checkpoint one is going to be over these six standards. And so teachers were able to focus on those six standards instead of, well, I know sometime in the year this is going to be tested. So with that they were able to then design their instruction not to the test but design it and break it up in a very consistent manner. So based on those checkpoints um it does a very good job of breaking down what standards students are struggling with. We're able to get some individualized data and then we're able to start putting our kids into groups to um and we do that in both buildings. So,
014flexible grouping based on what we're seeing on the scores. Um, in the middle school, we have a reading and a math lab time that's built into our schedule specifically for interventions. This has been very helpful in those classes to target the information. And then, um, >> we do the same. Yeah, they have something very similar. It's >> another piece about that last year was a pilot and we elected before I was here, they elected to to join in the pilot. So it wasn't mandated across the board. Teachers could utilize it. Some utilized it more efficiently and more frequently than others, but the trending and the data does show those that utilized it and bought into it and really utilized that data on a day-to-day basis, their scores reflected that they did better. So from a
015top down, for me down to them, down to the teachers, that's an expectation because there's some cost involved. it. The excl program is not a cheap program. Uh but it has been very valuable and we've we have added that as a piece of our curriculum. So if we're going to invest that, we want to utilize it because the data does support that it's been successful. Those that utilized it to its full potential. And they had some updates over the summer which are going to be super helpful because they t they you can actually put in the students checkpoint um data and it will create an individualized uh practice for them without you having to come up with questions or anything. It's going to be a game changer I think really. Um it's kind of their
016AI portion of so that's going to be very helpful. Um next we mentioned some crosscurricular. Again things are not subject isolated. All of these things can be done and practiced over all subject areas. Um so cross uh you know crosscurricular reading and writing in all content areas. Our science teachers work really hard at doing um claim evidence response. They're called CERS. It's an opportunity for them to read read something and then write about it, give their claim, give their evidence that supports their claim and then reasoning why they um you know selected that. So um we also have what called no red ink that we're trying to implement in the middle school that will be used in social studies and science as well. Um, again, just helping with text structure, um, grammar, um, understanding, uh,
017test taking strategies in all in all classes. So, showing your work, eliminating, there's always, you know, I still use it to this day. Which ones can I eliminate that I know are, you know, not even close to the correct answer. Mark those off in your brain and just focus on the other two. So just teaching them how to take a test or how to do well on a test um is another thing that we're doing. >> Um then we move into goal setting. I think it's really important for kids to understand where they are and where they want to be. So I think that's something that we've talked about, you know, wanting to have those conversations with kids. I know as a district we have goals. Um we have goals for our school, but having
018kids understand what those goals are. Um and then when you retest and they get to see the progress that they've made, you know, they really buy into it. And I think teachers setting goals for their class is really important, too. So, that's something we're really going to work on. Um, and then you can share those data boards, um, home score reports, any way you want to share them. Um, we've used a variety of ways, but just having that sort of conversation and transparency with the kids is really important. >> Um, and then we can't do it alone. And so engaging our parents and our families, sharing the same things that we're doing at school, sharing that with uh the community, with families, giving them examples of how they can help. Um a lot of times
019people want to help. They're eager to help. They just maybe don't know how to help. And so by giving some really solid um examples of how you can help at home um in our newsletters, in our conferences, which will come up here in September, um midterm reports, all of that. So um elementary does a math or a family night sometime, >> a science >> science night. So >> different ways to include. >> So >> go ahead. I was just going to say, I mean, you can see we've got a a wide range approach here of of some steps that we're going to take and implement and expectations that are coming down from the top. I mean, you know, it ultimately it rests on on me that to make sure that, you know, that our scores
020are where they need to be and and I think we can all agree that uh we we certainly have some areas we've done exceptionally well, but we have some areas we need to do much better. So, I do appreciate their efforts on, you know, talking about the direction we're going to go and uh to help keep us accountable. I'd like to to come back to the the board in maybe January and kind of report on where we're at with the LL and um you know, how like a revisit of this and let you know how that's going, how the how the kids are building. And we we want the kids to to buy into the goal setting without feeling pressured >> because, you know, so many kids they get it's it's that fine line. the
021test is important. We want to do well, but we don't want that kid to like panic and freak out. I mean, I think even as young adults, you see that a lot in high school kids that won't take a test well or they go off to college or because they just get worked up about it. And uh if if I think I've always told my own kids, you're more comfortable when you're more prepared. So, I think it's our duty to make sure that the kids are prepared and and I think we have a a roadmap here to do that. So, if you have any questions, we're we can answer those now. We can discuss these a little bit more later later on. Um, if you want to talk about some specific classroom areas and such,
022>> apparently the fourth and seventh grades is doing something right. I I would agree with that. They our scores across the board are a little stronger. >> Why are the other classes not doing what they're doing? >> Well, I mean, that's it's it it's not as simple as that. I mean, because it's a it's a certain group of kids. I would uh and I don't have this data in front of me. We'd want to see how did those students do as sixth graders before they went to seventh grade. Did they because sometimes if the kids started here, >> we have last years, right? >> We we do have I just don't have those right in front of me right now. I I'm sorry I don't have those. But um but but I I can say
023we have some some quality teachers and those great and we have quality teachers at every grade level. But but there you know, one one grade level I can say we did have some turnover in some teachers. Uh obviously that does impact the kids when you have we had three different instructors in in one of those grade levels. >> I I guess I don't know what they're doing, >> right? >> But whatever they're doing, shouldn't we like look at what they're doing and push it on to the other? >> I do know several of those teachers in those two grades that you mentioned, fourth and seventh, were very active and involved in the LL and utilize that. I know a couple of them went to some trainings specifically for that. um and they brought it back
024and they're and they helped teach their team on how to use that. I I know that specifically happened in in fourth and seventh. So though that's why to me as as a as a former, you know, building level administrator, that's something I saw that was positive and those teachers have embraced it and and it's translated. So we need to get everybody to embrace that. >> Okay. Next question I have is I was looking at this chart. What are they doing? They got all these most of them. They got a couple down, >> right? >> They're doing something we're not doing. >> Well, across the board, Linton scores are a little bit better across the board than ours, but but if you look at that, you know, we do have uh there are a handful of
025of especially in language arts, we're one or two in uh one or two in the county and in three grades, and in in math, we're one or two in two of the grades. Um, but I I can't speak to >> the bottom >> in a couple of we are, like I said, I I I own that we have some improvements that we need to make. And >> well, and one of the things that we did um back in the day when remember the year we got the F? Oh my gosh, that was a year that was an awful year. But the the years around that we did a lot of things like I mean if if you think things are going well in Linton one of the things that might do is send a team
026over >> right >> and go visit what are you doing and so there's probably not been a lot of that going on especially since co um but you learn so much when you spend five minutes in um in another school. So, >> and I have a relationship with the leadership over there and that is something that we would certainly embrace. >> I think that'd be a great idea to do >> especially a school that's similar size and just you know and share you know share do a little more. >> I was wondering if they were doing something that we don't know. >> I mean I I don't know that they're doing anything drastically different but I I can't speak to that because I'm not there. I would have to talk with uh their administration and
027see, but I I can certainly I'll make a note to follow up with them and um and I've got some other contacts and we can look and see what some other schools are doing. That's it's what educators are known for. You steal from other people. >> Sure. >> You know, if something works well, you you steal that and >> That's right. >> And don't reinvent the wheel. >> Absolutely. 100%. But but we own them. We we know that they need to we need to make some improvements and and we're committed to doing that. And that's why I said I want the accountability to come back and tell you where we're where we see we're projected and what >> our scores wasn't great last year if I recall right. I don't I can't take >> I
028look a little bit worse. >> Yeah. >> I do think that we've trended. I mean we but we like I said I mean we we need to do better. Well, and I think that's why it was important for me to point out in the beginning that we are trending upward because and I don't know what Linton scores look like yet last year or the year before, but if you have stayed at 47% or whatever it is for the last five years, to me that doesn't mean that you are growing or doing anything better where we may have started lower, but we're we're catching up now. So I I mean I think that moving in definitely moving in the right >> that's a great point >> and and we can get some data together and share
029that with you. Um we I will work on getting that will and I can just I'll just share that to you with with you in an email. >> Um I'm I'm just thrilled. Great uh work on some strategic initiatives here and thinking together as a team. I love that. Um, we're really excited about u the future of Eastern Green and I've learned this a long time, you know, good, solid, consistent leadership is important to grow and um and I think we have that set up in place right now. So, I'm real excited about all of the administrators we have ready to continue to grow and be more aggressive in our growth and improvements. Um, one thing I liked and I wrote this down before we even had this conversation. Soon as I saw this, I'm
030like, could we run a regional comparison of scores because I think when we look just at our one county, we maybe miss opportunities to do my second thing like you all had talked about the go see >> pieces and um again, not that anyone's anything great and better, but you know, when we go see others, sometimes we learn a few things and get some gems and it doesn't a lot of money to go do that, right? >> And we do have access to that. So, it's easy to do. I know everybody always wants to know how are we in the county, right? >> So, that's why I included those in there for our short presentation this evening. But that's an easy fix. We can certainly do some regional. >> Yeah. So, I along the idea
031of county, I appreciate that very much. >> I also think about who are our kids going to be competing with? competing with our whole region of of schools and people for these different jobs coming up and what's going to be out there. So, >> did you see the the spreadsheet the DOE released >> be a chance to download it? Okay. >> It's pretty interesting because I was looking I don't remember. >> I can share that with you, too. I mean, it's all right there. >> I might have I don't know that if I included that, but it's public access. So, I I will I will share that in the memo. >> That'd be great. So, this is right in that sweet spot of the strategic plan for the school, right, and our growth. And I'm
032just just thrilled with what you all have done here. So excited. >> Anything else before we move on? Since literally nobody's here that doesn't work here, we're going to skip the uh we're going to skip the participation. >> I had something to say. >> It's not your turn. your return at the end. You say all you want to say at the end. >> Be quiet. >> We saved the best for last. >> It is recommended the agenda for the August 11th, 2020 meeting be approved as presented with additions, corrections, or deletions as recommended by the board. We don't have any changes, do we? >> Uh, no. But there's like minor >> Do we have a motion? Dennis second. Um Sharon all those four 70 is recommended the meetings from the minutes from the July 14th
0332025 meeting be approved as presented Dennis second Kim all those four um is recommended the claims number is >> be approved as presented. Any discussion on the claims? Nope. Okay. Do I have a motion? Dennis second. Kim. All those four. Mr. Lewis, would you like to take over? >> I will. Thank you very much. Um uh first off, we have just uh recommend the approval to advertise the 2026 school budget on Gateway. Uh just a little bit of background. Um this is just to advertise the budget. Uh we have certain criteria we legally have to meet. So in September we will come back and uh in in September I will uh present the board for a public present to the board a public hearing of what our budget is. Um and then um we will
034then come back in October at that board meeting and ask for the approval of the budget. Once that's approved, got five days then to send it in, submit it formally um on Gateway, and then they send us our 1782 late November, early December, and they tell us if we're going to get the money that we asked for and where we fall into. Okay. So, that's the process of the budget. I really just am seeking a a motion to to advertise it. I will go and plug the numbers into Gateway and formally submit those. They're in there already, most of them. We'll be working with our consultant on that as well. >> All right. Do I have a motion? Dennis second. Heather close four. >> I'm for it. >> Okay. >> 7. >> Next, we have
035some early graduates. Um I seek a motion to approve three high school students for early graduation. um those students have met all the criteria or will at the end of their seventh semester. So I bring that motion to you. >> Now I have a question about that. Are these juniors >> graduating? Are these like >> No, they are they are seniors. >> They're just going to graduate a semester early. >> Graduating a semester early. >> Yeah. >> All right. Uh do I have the motion? >> Okay. >> You would make a motion not to comment. Okay. >> Motion. >> Second, Sharon. I'll do that. those four. >> Yeah, I had >> I think we've talked about this before just of um >> I go back before we vote. >> No, that's fine. Just But do
036you guys contact the the early grads and just see how they're doing and if it if they would do it again? I it's kind of that kind of question of >> kind of like a postgraduate survey. Yeah, >> I I know they are included in the postgraduate survey. Whether that is the one of the questions that is asked, I don't believe that it is, but you can certainly ask that. >> It just might be interesting to see did they have were they still happy with their decision to graduate early? I mean, was there an opportunity waiting for them in January or would they just wanting to get out? The difference between was it really beneficial? I mean with the three here without using names so we can keep confidentiality do you I mean you you
037know who the three are what are their circum are they enrolling early are they going to the workforce what do you >> uh so I think we have one who's looking to kind of uh emancipate from okay >> parents as soon as possible >> um and then the the other two are >> already in in the workforce or or they they have an in in a career. >> Okay. >> And in order to do this, for us to even approve it, they have to be on track to graduate. They have to have and so that means their pathway and all that. So they've done all the school expectation or we would bring their names to you. >> Absolutely. >> But but that's a good we do want follow up. >> Yeah. Just to follow up
038just Yeah. >> If it's just a quick email or something to those >> as as we progress to this new Indiana diploma um and the requirements that that it holds. Um, early grad as we know it will probably diminish if not disappear completely. >> I was going to ask you that question at the diploma requirement law. >> Yeah, because a large in order to graduate early they have to accomplish a seal. Um, and the seal the seal requirements in itself are incredibly uh I mean they're challenging for a for an eight semester senior um let alone to be to be able to do it in seven semesters >> and graduate early. They have to have a seal, not just the basic. >> Correct. Yeah. They can they cannot graduate early >> with just a basic
039>> Indiana diploma. they have to achieve one of the honor seals. >> So potentially a seven semester grad could happen, but somebody doing it at the end of their junior year is going to be almost unheard of. >> Yeah. What and that what that would look like is you know someone taking their ASVAB tests early >> or um you know scoring uh taking college classes during the summer um something of that nature that um that allows for that. Thank you. Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. >> Okay. So, we need to vote for that. >> No, we did. >> We did. Okay. I missed it. I'm sorry. >> Sorry. I jumped the gun that um next uh I seek a motion to approve the second reading of the Neola policies as presented. Shar goes with
040you last board meeting. So, seek that motion. >> Mike second. oppos. >> Okay. Next, um seek a motion to increase the custodial staff pay from 1540 an hour to $17 an hour. Uh we will also reduce our number of custodians from nine employees to eight employees. I want to give a little bit of a background. Um, we've had two positions open most of the summer and we've had just one or two inquiries and in each case they've cited our our low pay. Um, I did a little bit of research checking some of the schools around us. Uh, at that $17 per hour it gets us much more competitive with some of the schools in our area. Um, so we we hope that we can attract, you know, some higher quality candidates uh and fill that
041position. Since we currently have two, we would only be filling one because we're going to go from nine positions, full-time custodial positions, down to eight. Um, >> we don't need the other positions. >> Well, we some of it we do I mean, we could use it, but we can we can manage without it. Um, I mean, we are I mean, everybody's feeling the pinch. Um, you know, we'll talk more about budgets as we go go throughout the course this year, but you know, the the operations budget is going to be a little tighter this year. It's just it's it is going to be um Senate Bill One, and I'll get into a lot of details of that at the next board meeting, but uh uh you know, our even by making this change, reducing from
0429 to eight, uh and increasing the pay, we're still going to see a savings of about $5,000 for the year to the operations budget. So, um, you know, we're not trying to take advantage of the employees we have. We want to, yes, they're going to be working a little harder. We're going to reward them with, you know, that additional $160 an hour, but we also hope that we can find, they're all working really hard now because we're down two positions where we're really down two and a half because we did not replace a position at the high school. And that's we've got a solution there that's working well. The position we will fill here is in the um elementary on the elementary campus. >> I seek that motion. >> Any discussion? >> Okay. Do I
043have a motion? Dennis second for this thing. Nicole, >> that's still in my >> I know. It's just funny. Um, so next I seek a motion to change the contract for Don Hosteder. Uh, she will now be considered the director of corporation services. Um, we will change that from a teaching contract to an administrative contract. I did list the parameters of that contract. It would be a 225day contract uh with an annual salary of 875. the 875 would be the max that she could earn unless there was additional days put on there that would not be approved without um myself approving those and bringing that to the board prior to >> any discussion >> and that would go in that would be effective July 1 with all of our other admin contracts. So to July
044one for that yeah >> that was not in there but it would be effective July one like all our other admin contracts. >> I'd like to make that motion. >> Oh okay. Sorry, I thought you were up. >> Okay, second. Dennis, all those four. >> Uh, next, uh, seek a motion to approve the eighth grade DC trip on May 5th through 9th. That's a Tuesday through Saturday like they normally do that. Be back early Saturday morning. Exciting trip. They've done it for a number of years. I've I've paid my dues and been on that charter bus. So, I I will see them off and welcome them when they come back. So, uh but no, I seek that motion. >> It's a great opportunity for our kids. >> Any discussion on this? >> Should we let
045them go? >> They start fundraising like in sixth grade. Is that right? >> Uh they get money in seventh grade. >> Okay. >> Um that goes to they can choose to put towards it. Okay. But they do a lot of the fundraising >> in eighth grade. They have some ideas already. Cookie dough will the cookie dough money that the eighth graders earn will go towards their DC trip. Um and then we have lip sync money goes towards the DC trip. Pie in the face. >> Do do you happen to know the cost? I I >> Yes. So >> it's it's getting expensive. I mean >> so we almost were looking at alternatives because um Nathan came to me earlier that or early last week and the buses had went up $7,000. >> Um So that's
046a huge that's a huge cost. And then they were saying that they did not have any overnight drivers anymore. So we were going to have to stop again and spend the night, which was of course more money. So it was going to be close or it was going to be at at least $1,000 per child. And we were concerned that that was not going to work. Um however, they did find some overnight drivers. Um, luckily Nathan has a great relationship with the the people there and he talked to them and we did find some overnight drivers and we have been able to get it back down to around what it was before which is around $800. So, >> a lot of money still depends on how many >> and then it depends on how many
047go because if you have um if we sign up to take two buses but then we have open seats in one, we have to pay for those seats. So, What percentage go? Do you remember last year? >> Um, last year we had a little lower of a group, but I would say >> probably 40% 30 to 40% go. >> Such a great opportunity. >> It is a great trip. >> The handout came home today. >> Okay. I >> I know working on some fundraising because I've >> helped her with some donations. Yes. Um, >> okay. Do I have a motion? >> A silent auction. >> Oh, Mike, I'm sorry. Second. Yes. >> All those for 7. >> Okay. Next. Uh, I seek a motion to approve the disposal of the old light control panel box
048for the stage lighting in the elementary gym. >> Oh, I'll make that motion. I want to get rid of. >> You'll throw it away yourself. >> Yeah. >> Second. >> Uh, Natalie. All those four seven. >> Uh next, uh I seek a motion to approve uh registration for the school board members that wish to attend or choose to attend the Indiana school board conference. That will be held September 15th and 16th. I believe I shared some links with you already to take a look at that. Um I will be attending. Um, so I think we can set in some conferences and some workshops together if if any of you do choose to go, but I will be there. So just seek that motion that we have the approval to sign you up if you if
049you choose to go. >> Okay, Mike made the motion. Second, Kim for 70. Uh next uh a motion to approve the memorandum of understanding between Green Sullivan Special Education Co-op and Eastern Green Schools. Uh thisou is for a provision um to provide us a physical therap physical therapy services for our students who are eligible for that for this school year. Um we did have a resignation couple board meetings back of our physical therapists that we had contracted with at that point. Um there's not a lot of those out there. And just in some other conversations that uh Lindsay um our special ed director um was she had with the director at Green Sullivan. Uh they said that their person might be available and they signed theou and it's $70 an hour for those contracted services
050which is very reasonable for that. So that's what theou is. >> Okay. Any discussion on this? Nope. Okay. Do I have a motion, Sharon? Second, Heather. Sorry. >> I'm just so used to all those four 70. >> Okay. Now, we have some personnel. Um several resignations here. Uh first, a motion to approve the resignation of Le Levi Cisco as a full-time custodian effective um August 8th. Uh that's one of the two positions. He and his wife were two are two employees in the elementary school. Um had a baby. Um so she's not coming back and he's trying to find a job that pays more. So >> okay. Do I have a motion? >> Sharon second. All those four. >> And we hate to see both of them go. They were very good employees. Did a
051very nice job for us. Next, a motion to approve the resignation of Julianne Cedon as an early learning center lead teacher effective August 1st. U this was a person that was hired in the July board meeting and resigned the next morning. So that's why we bring you this resignation. >> All right. Do I have a motion? Dennis second for seven. I don't know the exact I think they took a position somewhere else but I'm not sorry about that. >> Um motion I I seek a another motion for resignation of Mary Stanger as the school psychologist school psychologist effective July 30th 2025. >> Have a motion Dennis second. Natalie all four seven. >> Okay we'll continue on with some resignations. A motion to approve the resignation of Jordan Webb as the middle school PE teacher effective
052August 1st, 2025. >> Got a motion. Okay, Natalie second. Dennis, >> I can't be the second and the first >> and all is for seven. >> You're all pretty. >> Uh, also we seek a I seek a motion to approve the resignation of Tori Stibbons as elementary fourth grade teacher. She will continue her employment with us until a replacement has been um hired. Uh that position has been posted. We will start that process to hire somebody. I think we've even had an interview already, but we legally have to post it for at least a week before we can act on that. So, >> okay. Have a motion, Dennis. Second, Natalie. All those four seven. Okay. Um, everybody, >> I seek a motion to approve the resignation of Rhonda McNney as elementary instructional assistant effective August
0531st. Um, a little background on this. I think there was some miscommunication between myself and Dustin before he resigned and uh, Mrs. McNney on what exactly her job description would be. And when I talk with her, she would rather sub and she's a great sub for us and ultimately could probably make more money doing that and there's not a limit to her hours. So, um, she's resigning her IIA position to sub with this full time. >> Okay. Do I have a motion? Second, Kim. All those four. >> Uh, I seek another resignation. A motion to approve the resignation of Kelsey Carmichael as the elementary computer facilitator effective August 1st, 2025. >> Do you have a motion? >> Heather, >> second Natalie. All those four. >> Um, another resignation. A motion to approve the resignation of
054Tommy Bell as the girls softball coach at the high school level for the 2526 season. >> I do have a motion, Dennis. Second, Natalie almost four 70. >> And we do thank Coach Bell. He spent a couple seasons with us at least and a lot of improvements to the facilities and he he worked to get some sponsorships for that. So, we do appreciate what he done for us. Um, next, I seek a motion to hire Tim Moer as the middle school 7th grade teacher effective immediately. Uh, this will be a one-year contract. Um, I would like to explain a little bit about this. Okay. So, Tim served as a student teacher for us and did a really nice job and we had hired Tim at the last board meeting as a facilitator. He was going
055to be a a middle school facilitator. Well, um, I've shared with the board already that we are creating a fifth grade position um because of the numbers. Um and uh Jamie Hudson who is already approved as a school employee for certified um is licensed to teach fifth grade and Jamie is we're reassigning Jamie to fifth grade. So there's no board action there. We're just assigning him to that which opens up a seventh grade social studies position. Um Tim is licensed in seventh grade. So he's licensed in social studies which includes seventh grade. So Tim will not need an emergency license or anything like that. So Tim, the reason that's on here is we need to officially hire Tim to be the seventh grade teacher. Jamie, there's no official action because it's just a transfer. >>
056That's one-year contract. >> This is a one technically they're all one-year contracts, but and the process doesn't change, but yes, I want it noted as a one-year contract because we will reassess our numbers and see where we're at each year. Okay, motion. Second, Dennis for Um, next I seek a motion to hire Adrien East as the middle school classroom facilitator position effective immediately. Um, Adrien was is currently uh an instructional assistant at the middle school level. Um, that this facilitator position is the one being vacated by Tim Moer. >> So, we would um I request the motion to move Adrian to that position. She's changing classifications of jobs. Thus, I need board approval to make this change. Okay. Okay. >> Um and we will not replace her IIA position. >> Okay. Motion. Natalie. Second. Heather
057for 7. >> What area did she focus on with IIA? >> Well, no. She was just an instructional Oh, she was uh >> she Well, last year she was um in PE and Miss Z's room and then this year she was scheduled to be with seventh and eighth grade mostly. Um, so we've had some holes because of that, but we've been able to kind of move people around to fix the holes. >> Okay. And >> and I believe we have a we have an intern from the high school that comes over and is going to fill some of those holes as part of their assignment. And I believe we have a student teacher >> at the middle school that will fill some of that first semester. Awesome. >> Those are the second levels. >> Are
058you taking students? >> No, no, no. Just that one. >> So, >> I can give you a couple. >> No, I'm okay. I'm okay. Um, next, I seek a motion to hire Kendall Reed as our high school JAG specialist position effective immediately. This is a one-year position. Um, this is a reimbursement position as well. uh we will pay initial cost and JAG will reimburse us for both the salary and the benefits. >> Okay, do I have a motion? >> Mike secondly all those four seven. >> Okay, next I have a motion to approve the hiring of Will Lewis as the elementary computer facilitator effective August 5th, 2025. >> So we've done a background check on this character. >> Yes, we did. do a background. He did complete the background. >> Okay. >> Questions about his
059dad. >> Well, that comes up in the background. That's why I have a motion. Natalie, second, Dennis. All those four 70. Uh, next, uh, I seek a motion to approve the hiring of Chelsea Pate as an early learning center instructional assistant effective August 1st, um, in our new preschool classroom that we added, the third classroom. She's one of the u instructional assistants that works with the lead teacher in that classroom. >> Okay, I have a motion, Dennis. Second Sharon for 7. Uh, next I seek a motion to approve the hiring of Addie Hayworth as a Kidzone assistant effective August 1st, 2025. For those of you, just a reminder, refresher, Kidzone is our afterchool program that runs basically from 3:00 to 5:30. Um, we have a couple leads and then a couple assistants that are with
060them. We've kind of expanded that a little bit uh because our preschool ends at 3:00 now. So those kids go to afterare if they choose and it cost a little extra but we've separated them into two groups. There'll be a younger group and an older group when we work through all the logistics of that. >> Okay. Do I have a motion? Dennis second. Kim. All those four 70. Uh, next, uh, I seek a motion to approve the hiring of Catalina Baker as as a kid zone assistant effective August 1st, 2025. >> Have a motion, Kim. Second, Dennis. All those four 70. >> Okay. Um, next, uh, I seek a motion to approve the following mentorships at both the high school and the middle school level. Um it's good practice and it's part of our contract
061and it's just the right thing to do for our new teachers or young teachers that are new to Eastern Green. We have we've set them up with a mentor. You can see for Austin Matricardi, his mentor will be Jennifer Shiveley. Um Alex Triple at the high school, his mentor will be Rich Tar. Um Macy BS at the high school, her mentor will be Mary Reagan. Um here at the uh middle school we have uh Tim Moer who we just recently hired to hear tonight his mentor will be Alex Clary. And for Jaylen Yoho our fifth grade teacher who does come with a little experience but we have a mentor for her as well and that's Dena Pretty. And then finally at the middle school for Kayla Rob we have a mentor Dea Campbell and that
062is a paid they are compensated a small amount. Thus we bring that to the board to help prove that. >> Okay. Do I have a motion? >> Second Mike for >> all right. um at the middle school. Uh this is something that I thought was I fought for many years ago that we pay our team leaders because they did that free several years and we now do have that as a paid position. So I bring to you a motion to approve the following team lead positions at the middle school. For the fifth grade team, Whitney Russell for the sixth grade team, Alex Clary. Seventh grade team, Amy Goodwin. Eighth grade team, Haley Bowers. Bowers. and representing special ed uh will be Karen White. So I seek that motion. >> Okay. Do I have a motion?
063Heather second Sharon. Those four seven. Okay. At the high school they they don't have team leads but they kind of have well I guess they are team leads but they're more department chairs in more in the more uh traditional sense. Uh for the high school fine arts department chair we have Rob Drummond, high school language arts department chair. Jennifer Shiveley for the math department chair Sarah Jeang. I say that right? >> Um high school science department chair Andy Hutcherson, social studies department chair Dylan Ael, special education department chair Mary Reagan, foreign language department chair Michelle Hayes and CTE vocational department chair Jill Ber. Okay, do I have a motion? So sure second all those four. >> We also have a whole list of club and ECA sponsors. So motion to approve the following high school
064club ECA positions in the high school for the 2526 school year. Um, FFA Anna Martin, FCCLA, Kelly Provo. National Honor Society, Irene Burch, High School Esports, Alexander Triple, Student Council is Caitlyn Morgan. High School Art Club is Daniel Zapata. High school academic bowl, Clinton Burch. Pet band, Kristen Ogle, high school choir and orchestra director, Rob Drummond. High school yearbook advisor, Terresa Bartlett. and high school marching band Kirstston Ogle. And finally, the senior class sponsor is Jennifer Shiveley. >> Junior sponsor was also left off. >> I think we already did that one. >> I think we did that one at a previous board meeting. >> So, we are going to have a marching band this year. >> They actually did some work this summer with Bloomfield. >> Yeah, they combined. Um, I know other counties have
065done that and they're looking to grow those numbers and they can even compete in the state fair circuit as a combined band with other I I know McGomery County does that for example. >> So I know there's some momentum and and Kirstston would like to to to explore and grow that. >> Okay. Do I have a motion? >> Okay, Sharon second Mike. All those four seven >> I have a quick question kind of whole thing. Sure. >> Do we have on the elementary side then like pods or leads or grade level leads or anything? >> We do have You have grade level leads, do you not? >> We do. Yeah, we're still getting them formed, but we do. >> And I have to look and see. I'm assuming that it's in the I'd have to
066look at the contract. I know. I should know that, but I would have to look and see. I'm assuming it's in there. >> I'll have to look and see. That should be >> uh next uh middle school football coach. A motion to approve Garrett Hickman as a middle school football volunteer assistant coach. >> A motion Dennis second floor 7. >> Uh we do have some donations here. A motion to approve the following donations. $2,58.39. uh the Eastern Green Football Booster Club to the Eastern Green Athletics for purchase of football practice equipment and apparel for the coaching staff and a $2,000 donation from the Colleen Union Church to Eastern Green Schools. >> I was I just got a message from Mrs. Drummond saying yes elementary team leaders are in the contract. >> They are. Yeah, that's
067what I'm looking up right now. >> Oh, you're too slow. >> I know. >> So, yes, we will bring you those names. We will bring you those names in September. >> Take notes, too. >> That's good. >> Show somebody's watching. >> Thank you. >> We have people watching. >> Yeah. Um important people. Um Okay. Do I have a motion to approve this >> for their donations? Thank you. >> Yes. Dennis second Natalie. All those four 70. As always, we thank all our >> We do have one late item, and I believe it's on the back page of your packet there. Um, I do seek a motion to approve the resignation of CJ Shelton as the boys baseball boys high school baseball coach for the 2526 season. >> I have a motion to Dennis. Second, Mike.
068All those four Okay. >> Discussion items want them to >> I don't um Yeah. You all want to >> Do you guys want to give it just a quick update of >> I'll go first. >> Pressure's on your first one. >> Yes. Right. It's going to be short and sweet. >> Donuts. >> Um her first meeting. Next time I will. >> Oh, okay. I get that. >> That's when they're higher. >> Next time. Um I did just want to give an update. We had an open house event on the Monday before school started. Mr. Louis was able to come over there. It was very well attended. I think almost every teacher said they met with every single family or maybe one or two that didn't show up. So, um I just want to say thank
069you to the teachers. I know that's extra work for them to get their work uh their room put together um before parents come in and thank you to the families that came out. Um so, our open house was a success. Um I also want to thank our custodial staff because they had the building looking amazing. I know those days teachers are putting stuff in the hallway that they don't want and they were just doing their best to to keep it looking great. Um I also want to talk about our kindergarten soft start and thank you for um working with us on that. It was a huge success just sort of easing the kids and the parents into the routine of kindergarten. Um I know it wasn't easy for families. They were very accommodating. The teachers
070were very accommodating but I think um when we sat down on Friday they felt like it was worth you know the work that would was put into it. So, I just appreciate everyone who organized that and the parents. Um, I want to give a huge thank you to my office staff. They've been incredible. Um, Beth and Emily have been getting families registered and getting teachers what they need. Um, and helping me feel like I know what I'm doing every day. So, I just want to give a a special thank you to them. Um, I want to thank this administrative team with Mr. Lewis, Miss Clary, and Mr. Kirkindall. Um, I couldn't ask for more support coming into this. Um, so I just thank you guys for everything. Um, and just, you know, the community in
071general welcoming me. Um, it's been a great start and I'm really excited about this year. >> Cool. >> Um, I'll go quickly too. Um, we talked about our goals when we talked about the I learn at the very beginning, but just kind of circling back around, our data boards are up. If you saw some of the po the pictures that were posted from the middle school, um, Mrs. Good one already had her students out in the hallway. Um she was giving them a speech about um where they started, where they were last year, how much they improved. Um she gave them a little challenge to compete with the last year's group. And so I was really um it warmed my administrator heart to see that already happening on the week uh on week one. So
072um I really excited to see everybody else's boards go up. I know they will. I wanted to thank Kim for providing the space um at the ridge for our admin retreat um and Mr. Lewis for putting that together. I felt like that was very beneficial to kind of all of us get on the same page. I thought it went really well. Um great way to kind of align everything that we have in mind. So I appreciate that. I also wanted to address our open house. We had two nights. We did fifth and sixth one night, seventh and eighth the other night. Um it was a great start. We had a lot of families come out. Um lots of positive energy, lots of questions. It was just set the tone for a really strong start to
073the school year. Um the first days of school, as we kind of mentioned with some of the items on the agenda, were kind of wild over in the middle school. It's the wild wild west over there most of the time, but especially last week. Um and so it was very successful. our staff, our students, they all went with the flow. Um, they were flexible. We had a smooth start, as smooth as it could be, I think, with all the changes. I also wanted to thank the office crew, Amy, Cheyenne, and Leslie. They've gone above and beyond to get us ready. Um, between registrations and schedules, we've changed them about a hundred times. We're on uh copy like number 20 of our final final final final schedule. So, I appreciate everybody that's worked with that um
074and helped us get there. Fifth grade, I'm proud of our fifth grade students for the way they've handled coming over into the middle school. We've already had a great start. Um I think that they've had a positive attitude. They're they're excited to be in middle school. Um we had talks about lockers and um water bottles and not too much spray stuff to keep that at home. So, um, but they're excited to be over here. And then adding a fourth, uh, fifth grade teacher. I want to thank all of you and Mr. Lewis for making that happen. Um, it's a huge request and we recognize that, but it's one that's going to make a big difference. I think it's going to support our goals as far as I learn goes, but just our overall um, how
075we run the middle school. And so, I really appreciate that happening. Shout out to all my teachers. um who have made everything possible. And then last but not least, um I wanted to say that I'm grateful for the time that I had with Jordan Webb in the middle school. Um I was definitely sad to see him go. However, I'm very excited for the opportunities that he has um to grow his business and spend some more time with his family. So, wanted to thank him for that. >> Wait a minute. I think you forgot to thank somebody. the custodial team for keeping the floors clean so the admin team can sleep on the >> so we can sleep on the floor. Yes, I did. You're right. Okay. Um on Friday when I passed out on the
076floor, I want to thank the >> Oh, it's passing out. I thought you all just asleep. I just I was >> Okay. I thought you were >> fell down. >> I saw I thought you were all just m nappings. Okay, never mind. >> Uh good evening. Uh we're starting the school year off with 353 enrolled at the high school. Uh this past week the energy has been high. Uh they're doing a great job for the first week school. >> How's that compared to last year? >> Uh last year it's >> well our total right now we are five higher than we were on the official count day last year. >> Okay. >> A thousand what? >> We were 1080 last year. We're 1085 right now. >> And that's all accounted for. I was just curious.
077>> Yeah, I think last year we ended uh about 336 337th >> workload. >> Um we had a strong showing uh at our freshman kickoff and and and something we did something new this year which was to have a parent meeting uh especially with all the new changes um going on with the new diploma. Um it was very wellreceived. We plan to do a follow-up meeting uh with freshman parents uh specifically to go a little bit more in depth with the new diploma requirements later this fall. Um the admin administration team at the high school uh is currently trying to work through the new school accountability measures uh and identify where we need to need to target our efforts. Um we believe our collective success last year uh between SAT bio iLearn our attendance rate
078all of those school accountability measures in which we did very very well um they're going to put us uh in in a really good position to get a a very positive grade. Um but we want to continue that success. That's just the beginning. So, uh, we're really trying to take a look to see where we can make make some improvements, um, and and get some of those those points that we would otherwise potentially lose elsewhere. Um, as we've kind of plan for our messaging this year, uh, we're going to be diving into the account measure me measures uh, with our staff as well and kind of really kind of trying to explain that because that's something that doesn't really get explained all that often. Um currently we have 22 students participating at Hooser Hills. Uh
079five students doing work-based uh learning through employers and seven uh internships uh actually working for the school district um in various positions. Uh our hope is to u grow those internships into apprenticeships um you know building. >> Now the ones here on our campus are part of the upskills. >> Correct. Yeah. I've already say uh one such intern intern that you're I'm going to talk about here in a minute, my social media intern. Um but yeah, thank you to ROI and their upskill program because without them kind of spearheading that, I don't think we'd be where we are. So, um they helped a lot with some of some of the logistical stuff. So, thank you. Thank you guys for taking a leap into that because I think you're one of our schools in the region
080that have the most and the most diverse group of students working in some different pockets. So, >> we dove in I and I >> great a great uh you know a great place to >> I will add that uh you know Dawn did some work u and we've applied and most of the kids have been approved. We're still waiting on a couple that we get half of the money compensated back from earn Indiana. So, we're paying these students $13. It not not all of our internships are paid, but the ones that are paid, they uh while we're paying them $13 an hour, we do get reimbursed half of that for those students. So, >> and $13 an hour is a pretty good solid pay for the kids to >> to get. I mean, they would,
081you know, you go to they wouldn't get that at fast food or be right at that at the best. So, >> sorry. >> No, you're all right. Um, our social media has kind of kicked back up with the beginning of this this school year uh in the past few days. This year, Carrington Wyatt has taken the reigns of our as our social media intern. Um, you're going to be able to catch her media articles on Facebook and also the high school uh website. So, I just wanted to let the the public know about that. Uh, she's already really done a great job already. So, um, also kind of want to shout out to Mr. Tar. If you haven't been over to the high school uh lately, uh Mr. Tar has built a greenhouse for Mrs.
082Martin and it is near completion. Um that is uh that's another great example of one program that we have serving another program that we have and and that that's how we keep things rolling and uh kind of kind of make make some of these learning learning pieces applicable and unique um for us. So, um, we're actively seeking those opportunities where we can kind of support each other. Uh, but I just wanted to thank him because I know that that was a a large undertaking. Um, and, uh, I saw and even helped try to dig some of those post holes and yeah. Yeah, that that ground is rough, a lot of rock. Um, so, uh, looking forward to see what he does with his, uh, his classes this year. Uh, best of luck to our girls,
083uh, golf, uh, cross country, soccer, volleyball, cheerleaders, and football teams as they begin their seasons. Uh, just want to wish you all success. Uh, thank you again to Tommy Bell and CJ Shelton for their efforts with our baseball and softball teams. Um, kind of want to wish them the best of luck. I know, uh, Tommy has a lot of plans of doing some traveling, so I want to just, you know, wish them best of luck. Uh, congratulations to Hannah Martin for winning the whole kids garden grant. It's a $3,500 grant uh for some I believe sustainable gardening gardening um up by the a shop. So, she's excited to get that uh get that going along with that greenhouse. Um, thank you to Ariel Boozenberg and Sarah Haynes for all their hard work to reopen the
084school. Greatly appreciate both of them. They're both of them are fantastic and do a wonderful job for us. So, we would not run as smoothly without them. So, and then last but not least, wanted to thank custodial and maintenance staff for all their hard work this summer. Um, and we uh there were a couple times walking into the the high school where we had some humidity. It kind of felt like a >> rainforest. Yeah, an interior rainforest. So, um, they did a really good job of triaging those problems and, uh, getting us through those more difficult times. And so, really appreciate it. >> Um, you can tell both custodial and maintenance just have a genuine love for the people in in the building and and definitely um, the kids. So, really do appreciate them. >>
085Can I ask you a clarifying question? So you said where the 22 are going to your hills, >> correct? Yes. >> Is that what you have for CT? And then five workbased learnings separate from that and seven interns up. >> Yeah. The 20 the 22 students um are not are they are not the only CTE kids we have. Right. >> Um those are just the the 20 those 22 students are involved in the Hooser Hills pathways. Okay. >> Um either a fire science or a fire science I believe there's like nursing. There's there's some stuff that um is available there. We are trying to work with our local fire department to actually bring the fire science program from MCCSSC to grow it back here to where it benefits our community. Um so, uh I have
086a a meeting set here in the very near future with with them. So, >> that's great. That's great. Thank you. >> I got a I got a question. Uh I was approached by a parent that the Hooser Hills. Apparently, some of the students don't get much time to eat lunch. They're want to know if they get to eat on the bus, which is prohibited right now. Would that be possible? >> I can look into it. >> I I can I can address that. We that they do have enough time. They just have to eat quickly. It's probably not as short as what's being >> They don't have as much time as they normally. They they don't we we have taken the food off the bus because there was some messes and there was trash on
087the bus and we had kids that would get on those buses to go home questioning because th those those drivers typically do not allow it and Dennis brought that to me specifically and asked me about that. So the students and we've even talked about if if they need to they could even you know leave a few minutes early for the passing period or something. Didn't we talk? I believe I believe they so lunch starts at I believe 11:05 they load that bus at 11:20 I believe. So you have and we take their orders in the morning for lunch so that when they come down they they don't necessarily have to wait in line. They just can grab and go because >> So how much time do they have? >> Uh about about 15 minutes >>
088which is shorter than but that's there I mean there's a trade-off because they're going to Hooser Hills. I mean, and that's there's the reason the reason we didn't have it on the bus is the reason I explained to you that Dennis brought to me. So, we can revisit that and see um I've not had a parent come to me. Have you had any parents? >> I have not. So, >> I had I just >> Yeah. So, I mean they if that if you want to share with that parent to reach out to Mr. Kirk doll and then he can, you know, see what their concerns are and come up with a solution. >> You're not wrong. >> I have just a couple quick things. So, we did have two great inservice days prepping for the
089school year, August 1st and 4th. I just want to thank our uh entire faculty and staff um for their attention. Um I did give a a presentation, talked a little bit about budget, some other items, and and I thought they were very attentive, asked uh and I had some followup. They asked some questions and I do appreciate their time. Um and then the same on the fourth, they came in and worked hard to get ready for the school year. Uh both the back to school nights were great success at the middle school as well as the elementary. Um I did notice at the elementary there's a lot of former students that have kids over there. So I think that means I am getting older each year. So uh that was a I mean it was
090funny but it was like man I am getting older. So uh but it was great to to see it was great to see some former students come back and be excited for their kids to be back. That was pretty cool to see. Um, uh, Eric mentioned the, uh, numbers at the high school at 353. I can tell you the elementary is at 393 and the middle school is at 339. Uh, the preK is approximately 45. Um, I know that two of our classrooms are at capacity at 15 or 16. Maybe one of them might have 17 and the other is a few below. They're they're closer to 12. But um because we are uh the developmental preschool as well, um if we have students that need to be identified, we leave a few spots for
091those students to be included. Um so that's that's where we're at there. We do have a a fairly extensive waiting list. So um Mrs. Quimby and I have already talked to explore could we expand to that fourth class. We just we just have to look and see. So that is a discussion that that we've had. So that puts our total at at 10.85. That's not counting preschool because we don't get any funding for them. But uh you know um I will share that uh in the budget I have to do an estimate. They always tell us to estimate low because you know you don't want to estimate high and not meet that. So we my estimate was at 1068 which was extreme. I based it on the numbers that were in there. Um so we
092we are well above that. So um hopefully we can maintain these numbers and maybe even add a little bit between now and then. Um, I do want to say that we've kind of hit the ground running with our kids at hope. We did the training in in May and uh, you know, those that don't recall, kids at Hope is just a researchbased philosophy and framework that focuses on creating a culture of hope and opportunity for all children. Um, you know, especially those that have challenges in their life. It basically we just believe that all children are capable of success, no exceptions. That success might look different for each kid, but uh, all of our teachers have embraced that. I know they do the uh the kids at Hope pledge at the elementary right now. They
093do that each morning and uh that's we're just going to continue to build on that um in in the future. Um I know that uh we're going to build on that momentum and uh get some additional professional development for some of our leaders to expand that in the years to come. So we're actually looking at uh attending the M's Institute in September. Um, finally, I just like everybody else did, I just want to thank everyone for huge a huge thank you for the success of the start of the school year. Everybody, maintenance, custodian teams, transportation teams, chart wells, our instructional assistants, teachers, administrators. I mean, we just had a seamless and fantastic start to the school year. There's always little hiccups. You know, we have kindergarteners that get to the wrong bus for whatever reason.
094Doesn't happen a lot, but you know, people get upset coming into the building. you know, we've got to work through all that, but everybody's been great. Um, it's just exciting to see that. And, you know, our goal is that we'll all continue to work together and have great years both academically, socially, and extracurricular for all of our students. Um, let's just have a continue to have a great school year. Off to a great start. That's all I've got. >> Sure. >> I hope you have a wonderful year. >> Sounds like a great start. >> Okay. Um just excited about the u retreat outcomes and planning y'all have done great work and just um just remind you to think about regionally we can go see things really easily and we can help coordinate those connection points
095and whether it's to go see student run businesses or go see digital fabrication labs or engineering programs or your trip you did to kids of hope Washington. So, please feel free to, you know, raise your hand and say, "Hey, we'd like to learn more about this." If you have something come up like that, >> have a great year, >> Natalie. >> I agree. Ditto, >> Dennis. Okay, now's your time to talk. Fine. >> Oh, I thought you said you talk earlier, so >> I want to talk to you. >> Oh, okay. I forgot when Scott I'd just like to also give a shout out to Jamie Bellman for her her work she did in the Jag program >> just the influence she had and the you know lives that got >> Thanks for stealing mine
096but that's okay. I'm sorry. >> I was going to mention it because Okay. >> Yeah. >> The amount of work Jamie put into this place was just out. It was just amazing. And you know, >> it wasn't her fault, >> right? >> The end that came to Jack and, you know, it breaks my heart because, you know, she really had an impact on this school and a lot of kids. >> I saw it. >> A lot of kids. She really made a difference. >> I I'll ded that. I mean, she did a fantastic job and and not just with Jag, but she >> she put herself out there and absolutely >> volunteered for a lot of stuff. So, >> that's that's one that I forgot to say. Thank you. >> That's a tough loss for
097our school. >> So, >> other than that, you know, just thanks to all the staff. You know, they're working hard. you know, it's we're kind of entering a tough situation and you know, it just seems like they all step up and put the extra mile and it's extremely appreciated. So, okay. Um, without anything else, it's recommended the meeting be adjourned at 7:49 p.m. Do I have a motion? Dennis second. Natalie Dennis, you can't do it twice.