001of the Evansville Vanderberg School Corporation School Board of Trustees to order. Uh I would like uh to let you know that I'm not Karen Raglin. Uh she is away from our meeting tonight accepting a well-deserved award from uh Indiana Association of I think school superintendent association and very welldeserved. So you get you get the second team tonight. Okay. So um I would like for uh us to have roll call, please. >> Vice President Duckworth, we have a quorum present. >> Thank you. As is a custom, would you please stand and do the pledge of allegiance with me, 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. >> Thank you. >> Now we
002will move to good news. Jason Wenberg. Jason, >> thank you very much. Vice President Duckworth, members of the board, Superintendent Hoover, for good news this evening. First of all, we will start uh with a proclamation from the office of the honorable Stephanie Terry, our mayor here in Evansville, proud EBSC alumni. Uh she has proclaimed this as always, September is attendance awareness month. So, as you all very well know, we talk a lot about attendance and improving attendance. And so this is the official proclamation that says we're talking about this this month, but all months obviously. So then moving on with the rest of good news, wanted to highlight this again. You all are very well aware of this as board members of a recent project that was completed and that was the lighting for Bossy
003High School's baseball and softball fields which as you know is located on that property of Washington Middle School behind that. But wanted to showcase this uh because Stephen Sheller was able to go out and get some footage of this just to show this lighting. First of all, you can see it's it just really they did an excellent job making these uh fields ready for nighttime playing, but also a big part of the lighting now in the office of facilities when they have uh project improvements of course is eliminating and making sure there's no issue of light pollution getting into neighbors yards. So, as all of you know, that is a very busy area of town. And as you see, once you are simply a few feet off of the playing surface, you're out of the
004lighting areas, which is a good thing uh for neighbors because certainly they don't want to uh have their yards lit up when we have activities going on at night and we want to be good neighbors. So, uh Steve took this and just wanted to show you how well that project turned out. Also then as we continue to highlight fall sports and our athletes and we've been able to post a lot of pictures lately on social media of our fall sports athletes. Recently we were able to capture uh tennis and golf and really it is I mean when you see these pictures it's just a reminder how hard these students are working uh to be uh do a great job with their sports and of course their coaches as well. But this is something it's so
005fun to lift and people really enjoy seeing these uh and just seeing these high school athletes doing what they love to do after school. Uh we had another episode we released of what's happening with Dr. Hoover. This time, uh, we were able to go to Tomkins Middle School and Washington Middle School. And while we're talking about middle school, talking about the PCC course, which is the college and career clo uh class that our eighth graders are now taking uh to really get them thinking about just opportunities, options as they get older before they get to high school so they can start thinking about the different programs we offer to help them and just get them talking and thinking about uh different career opportunities that they will have certainly as they continue to get older. And
006also they do a lot of work with some uh personal type inventories that show what their skill sets are um to help them think about what they may like to do one day. So really like highlighting that. I want to say a big thank you to the Westside Nut Club Founders Day recently. They gave over $140,000 to EBSC schools. We are so blessed in our community to have an organization like the Westside Nut Club and uh all schools were able to be recipients of the funding uh that they were able to generate in this past year. And that is it for >> Thank you very much for that. I do want to note that Mr. Huff, our bossy principal is here this evening. And I'm sure he's happy about expanding the athletic program at through
007the evening so those Bulldogs can uh work on their skills. And again, you're exactly right about the Westside Nut Club. Uh they do so many things for our schools and we appreciate all the corn dogs and things that they help help sell and make sure that our kids have uh the best programs that they can have. So, thank you very much. That moves us into public comment, Mr. Schers. >> Thank you, Vice President Duckworth. Let me remind our two speakers tonight that your comments are to be uh limited to the time allotted of no more than two minutes. We expect a cororum and stability at all times, not to mention any students name or individual personnel matters to be discussed and do not expect our board members to engage in personal dialogue. We are looking
008forward to hearing from you. And the first to sign up is Larry Samples. [Music] Mr. Riftingberg was speaking about outside fall sports. I want to speak about the one inside fall sport and that's volleyball. Uh high school volleyball. Been a fan for over 40 years. I've been a volunteer, been an official. I enjoy high school volleyball. Enjoy watching them. Um, tonight we got freshman volleyball teams. The most positive thing I can say about a freshman volleyball team is they get little attention. Uh, they have no some schools don't even have a freshman team, they have no schedule. What they try to do for freshman is to tack on a freshman match on top of the JV varsity match on a certain night. Most officials don't want to do that because that's about a five hour
009night for the officials. So, uh, Harrison High School decided to step up and on Wednesday nights at Harrison, they have freshman volleyball matches. Um, they set up three courts, two in the main gym, one in the small gym, set up three courts. They invite six teams to come and participate. Uh, Tuesday and Thursday are the main nights for volleyball for the varsity. So, Wednesday's kind of an off night. Wednesday nights at Harrison for six weeks. They invite six teams. They come over at six o'clock. They play one match. They rotate, play, go to a different floor and then play a second team at 7 o'clock. So, it's 12 matches for the freshman teams that get to to gain experience. And they just don't focus on EBSC teams. They invite teams from around the area. Castle,
010Booneville, Mount Vernon, Modern Day, Memorial, Mville Christian. So, and that's the the staff does all the work there. The volleyball Sarah Wy is the volleyball coach. Andre Thomas is the AD at Harrison. They do all the work. They man the gate. They man the concession stand. They man the score table of the courts. The players, the coaches, they do all the work that night. So, a big thank you to Harrison High School for supporting freshman volleyball teams. >> Thank you, Mr. Sample. Next, we will hear from Melissa Vogle. Hi, I'm a parent and I am here begging you to take further action to make it harder for students or anyone else to bring guns and other weapons into EVSC schools. It is evident that more prevention is needed, not just reaction. Walkthrough metal detector should
011be used at all EVSSC schools. Metal detectors are already used at government buildings, events, and an increasing number of schools across the country. Trained canines are becoming ever more effective at detecting all kinds of different things. The lives of every student and personnel are worth whatever cost or inconvenience this causes. Creative funding and other resources may need to be explored. The threat is everchanging and growing, so the strategies must do so as well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Bogle and President Vice President Duckworth. Those are all the speakers we have this evening. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Schers. Next, we'll move into consent items. Dr. Hoover, good evening. >> Good evening, Vice President Duckworth and members of the board of school trustees. We have four consent items for your consideration tonight. They are
0123.01, consideration to approve the minutes of the August 25, 2025 regular board meeting. 3.02, 2 consideration of allowance of payments in the amount of 10,517,65953 that include invoices, net payroll, payroll obligation and contract drivers. 3.03 consideration to approve the change order number one for TCP Elementary School parking lot paving project 2025 and 3.04 consideration to approve the change order number one for Harrison High School chemistry lab project 2025. These items are presented for your approval. >> Approval. >> Second. >> A motion and a second in regards to the consent items. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor do so by saying I. >> I. Those opposed. That carries. Next is consideration of personnel recommendations. Michelle Williams. >> Good evening, Vice President Duckworth, members of the board. Dr. Hoover. Tonight's personnel recommendations
013include the following. Retirement, resignations, termination, regular appointments, resignation of temporary appointment, resignations from extra duty, appointments to extra duty, reassignment of administrative appointment, transfer, and after school appointments. These recommendations are presented for your approval. >> Move to approve. Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any uh discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor do so signify by saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed. >> That carries. >> Next on the agenda, we have the swearing in of a new EBSC school resource officer. I guess at this time I would ask uh Orion Underwood to come forward and Chief Alfred take the oath. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America. Solid swear >> or affirm
014that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America. >> The Constitution of the State of Indiana >> and the laws of the United States and the State of Indiana >> and the laws of the United States of the State of Indiana. >> I will faithfully execute the duties of my office as a member of the EVSC Police Department. So help me God. to execute my duties of my office as a member of the EVSC Police Department. So help me God. >> Congratulations. [Applause] We'll take pictures. Dr. Hipper, if you want to join, I need you to fill this out before you leave. Congratulations. >> I want these call guys standing in front of me. >> All right, here we go. One, two, three. >> Thank you. And congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> One
015more. Somebody help you with that? Thank you very much. Good luck to you. You want to keep this congratulations. Uh quite an honor and we look forward to working with you. >> Okay. Uh next is our district spotlight, Dr. Hooper. >> Yes. So tonight I am excited to have representatives from Bossy High School. We have principal Aaron Huff and teacher Lee Gray to share details about a construction class. Uh I would say this isn't your typical shop class when you think about that. uh students here are really um engaged in this whole process from the workshop really to the marketplace. So I'm not on Facebook often but when I am I have seen some of what they're doing and it is very cool. So thrilled to have you both with us tonight. As a a
016firsttime 52year-old teacher, I set out to be a hands-on heartfirst educator that blends creativity with purpose. In my construction and repurposing classes, students turn what everyone else would throw away into something beautiful, relevant, and valuable. They sell their projects on our Facebook page, write thank you notes, celebrate each sale with professionalism and pride. Students keep most of the earnings while the rest funds the class. Last year, with only 54 students, we sold over $10,500 >> and had an overall attendance rate [Applause] The students wanted to be there. [Applause] >> Facebook. Um, it's many days like controlled chaos. But most of all, it is realworld learning that builds confidence, passion, and purpose. In our classes, we're not just building projects, we're building futures. >> That's wonderful. And so as a as the administrator at Boston High
017School, it's actually caused us to think a little bit differently in this era of relevancy with kids about how we approach our work and how we get kids bought into doing things that transitions them into post-secondary situations, whether that's pursuing a career in entrepreneurship or pursuing uh working in the in the field. But whatever it is, it's caused us to think differently, which is why we are looking to launch an entrepreneurship pathway, which is in alignment with Indiana's new pathways. uh with Miss Gray's class actually being the final course in one of the three sequences. Um and it really has positioned our students in us to use what uh what you consider teacher passions uh and other things that align with pathway opportunities to position our students down the road. So this is what I
018would say is the first uh pathway that will for us that is really coming out of a teacher passion who took an old construction PVE course and transformed it into an entrepreneurialship pathway. Um kids are all selling product but what you don't see is the staging that they're doing, the marketing piece that they're doing, the communication to uh the the buyer and then writing thank you notes back and forth uh to the buyers who have purchased their items. So, it really is um in true honesty an entrepreneurialship pathway. Uh and as a result of this path, this her work, Miss Graves work, uh it's actually started to spill over into other places. And you have just seen we just launched um an art department is now going to be selling some of their items through
019art shows in the future. And so it's really just another way for us to continue to create relevancy, get kids attracted to the different things that and an opportunity to earn a few dollars on the side as well as getting an education. And that's what our students, our young people are looking for today. Our responsibility is to find our way through the red tape and make it happen. >> That's great. This is great. It is fabulous. that every class needs to have your enthusiasm. >> I would just ask that you keep my wife away from these things. >> We got enough of it in our house as it is. But no, it's wonderful and thank you for the presentation, Mr. Huff. U Gray, I appreciate what you're doing with the students and the 88% is
020is tells us that they want to be there. You know, >> this is Gray. I appreciate the teacher voice very much. I like that. >> Yes. But in addition to that, I uh I'm uh a dean of a couple schools at IvyTech. One of them is the school of entrepreneurship and innovation. So, we'd like to maybe come have you meet our professors, just talk about what you could do in your class maybe to make better and then also maybe some dual credit opportunities. So, we'd be glad to sit down with you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> I just want to say thank you so much for this. Of course, Dr. Huff for your leadership, Miss Gray, first of all, for your enthusiasm, right, and the love and the passion because the pictures are great,
021but the passion in your voice, man, thank you. This is an absolutely amazing program. I hear you both talk about relevancy, which truly brings out that awareness because now the students feel like they belong somewhere. >> So, thank you. Thank you very much for this. Thank you. I have a question. Um, one, um, my husband would not want me asking. Do you accept like Vinmo, PayPal, or >> This is what I'm talking about, right? >> We make it all work. >> And then do you have um like a place where folks could donate un unused, unwanted items? >> Oh, yes. >> Or just bring them to the school. >> Yes. I I've got um five or six dressers outside my garage door that I'll have to bring in in the morning. People drop off all
022the time. >> Well, I'm sure we'll be in communication. >> Yes, that would be great. Thank you. >> Thank you. This is a great great program. >> Can we drop off at the school as well? >> Yeah, it's the school garage. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you so much. [Applause] is under action items public hearing regarding the proposed 2026 budget. Dr. Underwood. Good evening. >> Good evening, Vice President Duckworth, members of the board, and Dr. Hoover. Tonight's public hearing is the next step in the 2026 budget process. I'm presenting proof of publication of the hearing and declaring that notice was posted in three public places. At this time, I'll turn the meeting over to Mr. Shoulders. >> Dr. Underwood, members of the board, at the next regularly scheduled school board
023meeting, September 22nd, you'll be asked to vote and adopt a budget for our next school year. Indiana law provides that prior to that meeting, the taxpayers and citizens of the town have an opportunity to offer you their comments upon this proposed budget. Notice, as Dr. Dr. Underwood has said was published about this public hearing. At this time, we'll call the public hearing to offer and ask any citizen present who would like to be heard on any issue relative to our budget, please come to the microphone, identify yourself, and give us the benefit of your thoughts. Once again, is there anyone present who would like to be heard concerning the proposed budget to be adopted by this school board to be considered by this school board at its board meeting on September 22, 2025. There being
024no one who wishes to speak, Dr. Underwood, we will call this public meeting agenda. >> Thank you, Mr. Shelters. Dr. Underwood, thank you for that. um look forward to next week to vote on the budget. So, next is information items and we have consideration to approve policy 4320, student attendance, habitual truency, I'm sorry, habitual truent and truency prevention Elma. Good evening. >> Good evening, President Duckworth, members of the board, Dr. Hoover. I know that you were expecting Mr. Cameron tonight. He could not make it. And I'm sure in his absence, he'll realize that two things. He's not as funny as he thinks he is. He's replaceable. So here he's listening and probably laughing. So anyway, with that being said, as you recall, two weeks ago, we brought forth this policy for information. Um, we're bringing
025it back after our internal discussions, we decide decided that we needed to make a few adjustments to the policy. Um, it's important to note that the changes that are made are not about any of the procedures that are used to uh for the schools to address attendance and will not affect the way that schools currently work with families. These changes were simply to ensure that we accurately describe how attendance will be recorded and reported to the IDOE. We believe that this version of the policy better describes everything that's needed for us to be in compliance with statute and also encourage student attendance. And I know I missed a healthy attendance discussion last week, but I am up for any additional questions you might have. >> Everyone looks at trustee more. Thank you so much for
026this. Uh the question I want to have is how often are we running the data? I know schools just been in session what six, seven weeks now. How has the data been right now is showing any type of um absenteeism? uh increase or decrease or just a steady across the board. Yeah, I I'll start talking and Tammy, if you can make your way to the microphone because Tammy is gonna have a different level of detail than I do, but I will say this, our schools are tiered for lots of things, but one is attendance support. And part of that tiering is so schools that had the highest percentage of students chronically absent have a team that's coming to their school more frequently. And part of those visits every month, um, schools are running their own
027reports weekly, but every month a district team comes to schools and says, "Okay, here's what we're seeing. Is this what you're seeing?" And in those meetings, they're figuring out what are the next steps to try? Who are the kiddos that we're super concerned about right now? What are we doing? Is it working? Uh, other schools that have less need, we're going to them sometimes quarterly. Now Cindy Leil is here too and she's our director of student attendance and she will tell you if any school wants us to come more frequently feels like it's getting like we just need some ideas, we need some help, then she's going and taking a team with her to to work on that. Um Tammy, would you want to share just a little bit about our approach to attendance? >>
028So just thinking about across the board what we do for everybody and Cindy is here. She puts together an attendance toolkit every year for our schools, updates it for that year, and that goes out right at the beginning of the year. We have a set of pretty tight attendance protocols that all of our schools follow. Uh, a new thing this year was that we're asking teachers to reach out on that third day of absence. We have five-day attendance letters, 8-day attendance calls, 10-day attendance conferences. Like there's certain things when you hit these different thresholds that something else automatically happens. We have attendance teams that meet monthly within the building in addition to what we were talking about um with the tiered schools. So, if you're a tier one school, you're going to meet with um
029Cindy and that larger team once a uh semester. If you're a tier two, you're meeting quarterly. And if you're a tier three team, she's going to come out and meet with you every month. And so, in addition to you having your team and those ideas, you also have an expert who's done a lot of work with attendants over the years and gone to a lot of conferences. And Cindy's just talking to all the schools. So, she's also able to bring really good ideas from another school into if you're out of ideas, she can give you a list of things that are working some other places potentially in some other schools that are similar to yours. Um, in addition to that, then depending on where a school is tiered, um, oh, hold on. We also send
030that data out every month to the schools about where they are. Um, some other schools have additional things. we have a number of schools who have an attendance case manager based on the um grant funded positions that we have from the two different grants. So there that's kind of an additional layer that we can um provide supports through. >> One of the things I thought was so interesting that that um either Miss Gray or Mr. Huff mentioned is an 88% attendance rate for the kids in that program. I will say this, like one of the reasons for the high school diploma redesign was knowing across the state attendance is a concern. And while little students, younger students, elementary school, their attendance is better and the older a a student gets typically like trend-wise attendance gets
031worse. And so their program, things like that are trying to get more relevance and figure out kids are um less and less likely to accept what school used to look like and they're wanting it to be different. And so that is sort of the sort of a catalyst for this new diploma in Indiana. >> Thank you. I I am curious is and I don't know this what why I'm asking is is truency or attendance or being late to school related to social economic what is it what what's there's got to be some common thread that's that I'm causing that >> I would say what do I'm gonna kind of repeat what Dr. Hoover just said what we see when we think about our tier one schools of of those 19 schools they're all elementary schools
032who have the best attendance and uh our high schools and our middle schools end up more in that tier two and tier three. So when I think about it overall I think the commonality is the age of kids as they metriculate and they get older and they have more option of opting out um we see that happening. I u was talking to I knew we were going to have an attendance discussion um because we had one the last time and we're we're still working on this policy but I I called Kim McWills today because I knew that he had been to some attendance conferences in his recent you know years and HD Chang is the national leader I would say in attendance when you go to school conferences and CEO president of attendance works and
033I said he was able probably Sydney too was able to go to lunch with HD teaching and and try to figure out like what's working and it is sort of what we've talked about in here like what's really working is developing relationships with families so that when a student is missing you're calling you know what what can we do how can we get your kid back it's so important that they're at school um really with families and with that community we had a conversation in here about community support if a kid misses the bus or they realize a kid's at home somebody going to to get them to school. Um really just this whole family community effort around school is important. We want to get you there. So not a there's not like an easy,
034>> you know, not like an easy answer. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions to uh staff in regards to attendance policy? In two weeks, we will look at adopting that. And so if you have any further questions, of course, get a hold of Tammy or Dr. Vancouver. I'm sure they'll help you out with that. Okay. Next, we have continued business with uh Dr. >> Yeah, I'll start. Um I know it's been in good news and um mentioned it, but the Westside Nut Club Founders Day was uh an incredible event. it is not only do they put on a fun fall festival for our community, but even after it's over, they're generously sharing um proceeds with schools. And so we walked in knowing that our schools were going to be the recipient of $140,000. And
035then they had additional uh door prizes where each school there was a number and they were drawing them out of buckets. So two of our schools got even more money. They left with an extra three and $2,000 a piece. So just an incredible investment in our uh schools and and grateful for that organization uh for what that allows us to do. Secondly, I wanted to we we'll have more discussions about the new state accountability uh measure. If you remember, there was a time when schools were given a letter grade. Uh House Enrolled Act 1498 says that by December we have to have a new formula in place for this year. So by December 31st, we will learn what that is. Um, and so and we're we're building that grade right now. And so it's not
036final yet. We've gone through some iterations similar to the diploma where there was public comment. We've had the first round of public comment. We'll likely have another one in October. But attended a study session with superintendent last week. And just if the formula doesn't change, here's what it's looking like just so you can start to wrap your minds around it. It will be an A tof system. Every school will have this A to F grade. Grade three, what they're thinking is there's sort of a base score that you get and for grade three that will be I learn and then there are what are called success indicators that can change that score and add points. For grade three, those success indicators are I read and attendance. So attendance is also going to be part of
037an accountability score. A student has to have a 94% attendance rate. Grades four through eight, the base score will be based on iLearn, ELA, and math. They're more success indicators. When you get to grades four through eight, success indicators are typical or accelerated growth, attendance rates, social studies or science I learn scores, taking two advanced courses for high school credit in middle school, and for MLL students, there is a WEDA component if you're a a multilingual learner. Jump to grade 10. For grade 10, this is an interesting one. So, the base score for grade 10 students will be being on track in ninth grade. So, it's a score that you receive based on the number of credits you have at the end of your nth grade year. and success indicators there will be attendance, PSAT
038scores, biology ECA scores, having two college and career readiness uh courses by the end of 10th grade and a WEDA score for English learners. One more group, grade 12. So for grade 12, if nothing changes, their base score is going to be based on SAT and their success indicators will be the diploma seal if they earn one of those attendance specific CCR coursework, that college and career readiness coursework, 150 workbased learning hours, a credential of value, or a WEDA score. what this will end up looking like. Every student will get a score in a grade and then it'll be an average of those scores that ends up being the school score. So definitely more to come. But I would say and encourage all of you um if there's another public comment round in October. Please
039take some time happy to answer any questions. Take some time and put give your input to the state. Whenever we did that for diploma, the model did change and so I think this will be the same. It's important. It It's going to assign a grade to all of our schools and you know, I think our teachers are working very hard and so I wouldn't want any school to be labeled school. Schools are working hard. Students are working hard. So, it's important to get this formula right. >> That's it for me. >> Okay. Thank you. Any comments or questions from the board? Seeing none, the um see if we have any students with us tonight. You're a student. Step up to the microphone. Tell us your name and what school you're from. >> Be brave. >>
040We won't bite. I promise. >> Well, the the guy on the end down there, he'll nibble at you a little bit. >> Tell us your name and what school, please. >> I'm Christopher and I go to Bossy High School. >> Jon Hard and I go to Bossy. Alexa Contas and I go to Bosi. >> Welcome music. She's here. >> White. I go to New York. >> Jarian Hampton and I go to Boston. >> I'm Alexander Reven. I go to Central High School. >> I'm Jasmine Mint. I go to Central High School. >> My name is Jackson Lynn. I go to Central High School. My name is Wyatt McGee. I go to Central High School. >> My name is Maria Hill and I go to Memorial High School. >> Any other students? Thank you all for
041being here and identifying yourself and your school. We got a lot of work hard and make proud here. Our artwork this evening is from Central High School. I'd invite you to as you exit today, take a look. And um is there any other business to come before the board this morning? put his children on the spot, but I'm assuming they go to go to school as well. You want to come to the mic? No. >> I didn't want to leave them out. >> Didn't want to leave them out. >> Very good. Very good. >> Any other business to come before the board? Thank you all for your attendance.