001Monday, May 11th, 2026. Please rise and recite the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I would like to welcome everyone this evening and give a special welcome to uh the students from the education program at Gan College. I hope you are looking forward to about a three-hour meeting tonight. So, we're going to keep it brief and uh go from there. Uh just a few opening comments as we get started here. This is a meeting of the school board and public for the purpose of conducting the school corporation's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. We have time for public participation as outlined on
002agenda item two for agenda and non-aggenda items. The mission of go schools is to inspire innovation, empowering potential and enriching our world. And our vision is go community schools Elkart County School District of choice. Moving on to item 1.4 is approval of tonight's agenda. Do we have any amended or >> yes adjustments? >> Mr. President, we would like to add an item 6.5, approval of staff technology lease. All right. So, board members, I will ask for a motion uh to amend the agenda to add item 6.5, which is approval of staff technology um >> lease. Is it lease? I'll move to add item 6.5 and I'm say that again. It's a staff the lease >> approval of staff technology release lease lease not release lease >> lease. All right. It's been moved by Mr. Glick,
003seconded by Mr. Goodman to amend the agenda. Any discussion on that board members? Okay. Uh all those in favor of amending the agenda, please raise your hand and say I. >> I. And then with that, I will ask for approval of the agenda as amended. Uh can I have a motion for that? >> I'll move to approve the agenda. >> Moved by Mr. Glick, seconded by Mr. Goodman. All those in favor, please raise your hand say I. >> I. The agenda is approved as presented or as amended. Um item 1.5 is the approval of the minutes from our April 27th, 2026 regular meeting. Uh board members, if you've had a chance to review those, any uh comments that we need to discuss or make revisions on. Right. Seeing none, of the uh minutes from April
00427, 2006 are approved as presented. Moving forward, we will now go to item two, which is public comment. Um and we will start with Miss Kimbery, please. Good evening. Indiana's public access laws establish a clear hierarchy. The public is the master and the board is the servant. You are legally obligated to provide a full complete information on public business. Yet recent decisions, including removing the public's ability to place items on the agenda, silence discussion and replace public review with procedural silence. By refusing to accommodate a simple request to display a digital visual aid tonight, you are actively blocking full information from p from the public in this room and those viewing on YouTube. This preference for operating outside of public view is a pattern. In 2023, leadership admitted to renaming committees as workshops circumventing open
005door lock. This lack of transparency extends to the official documentation of public input. When weeks of investigation and pages of dense information are reduced to one or two vague sentences, you are erasing the substance of public comment, partly the actions of a servant that Indiana's access to public record acts references. Because the district declined to display this data digitally, I have prepared this physical surrogate so the public record remains intact. This graphic represents the diverging path this board has chosen. One line, the upper one, the current superintendence, is curving upward exponentially. This means that the superintendent's trajectory line is above inflation, beating even aggressive 6% inflation. He is in the green all the way, gaining exponentially more purchasing power with each passing year. Meanwhile, the linear growth of the frontline drivers below, yes, even a
006driver with 10 years of experience is so meager that their trajectory line falls below even the best inflation scenario of 2%. Putting their purchasing power further into the red with each passing year. The board has chosen a design where the superintendent wins exponentially year after year while the drivers lose year after year. While the board quibbles over applesto apples comparison, these sharply uh diverging trajectories highlight that you are protecting those in power while the floor is rotting out from under the very people who move our children. Those who can those who can least afford the losses. Drivers are falling through the floor. Even in a best-case economy and for those of us actually doing the physical labor in this district, the economy has been a series of direct hits for years. A district that hides
007data from the public does not serve the public. It is time to restore the public's right to the agenda and provide a full and complete record of public input that reflects reality rather than burying it. I'm submitting a transcript of my comment along with a supplemental narrative as the threeminut limit constrains a full address of this topic. These are provided for inclusion in the meeting minutes to ensure the public record is full and complete. >> Thank you, Miss Beachy. And that does conclude this evening's uh public comment portion. We will now move on to item three which are superintendent reports. >> Thank you Mr. President. We'd like to begin with Dr. Evans giving a quick uh update on couple of things I think with our financial commitment. >> Yes. I won't read through the whole
008list but I will touch on a few things. We are going by school working on a new route uh go high school restroom air handler and the gym floor is going to be re sanded and and recoded. The intermediate school we're doing disc golf playground structures at many different schools throughout the district are being enhanced or actually new preschool or playground equipment being put into two schools. We're placing a chiller at Parkside painting all throughout the district especially at Waterford. We're doing painting on the hallways at Waterford and model carpet at Waterford, creating a new sidewalk to the playground. Uh at the junior high, big a lot of work going on there. We're doing three sections of the of the roof. We're also doing air handlers uh in 60 different areas. Uh and then the
009south parking lot will be built. Um as I said, carpet throughout. That's including Chandler. Uh New glass doors for the shop area, new display windows for when you walk in. It's going to look nice for the CTE area. We're also going to buy some furniture. Didn't didn't put that on there to replace what's in their current u viewp rooms as as uh you might have heard about that. Getting rid of the computer labs and putting in making it in into more of a learning space. And then finally at model once again paint putting in 13 new classroom doors and new carpet for the office and the hallways at model. So um didn't touch on all of them but I a lot of it's going to be a busy summer. >> Questions or comments from the
010board? Dr. Evans. >> I have just one just the the redoing of the gym floor sanding and recoding. Is there a reason for that? >> Yes. It's uh it's not due, but we did have some water damage and we thought we could fix it, but it needs to be sanded and and then we I'm not sure the wording sealed. So that's because and then that'll be covered by insurance. >> That's one of the redo. >> Yes. Yes. >> Any other questions or comments about projects this summer? I would say that um our geo bond strategy is working. You know, we're taking care of our facilities and this allows us to be able to do those kind of projects. Thank you for work. Uh next up, student achievement commitments. Uh I think we're going to start
011with Javier uh and some updates with WEDA. >> Yep. Good afternoon. So, uh WEDA results became available um last year at first glance. Uh some important things to note here is uh our number of students who participated on the assessment this year uh went down to 176 students uh from 1826 the year before. So uh we had uh roughly the same percentage of students who became proficient this year. We had 79 students who tested at level five which are proficiency uh levels. And 15% of our students are now between levels 4.3 and levels 4.9 which allows it's approaching proficiency but they can be now uh in a period of two years where if they're continued growth and they can you know be deemed proficient as well. So we'll probably have a more thorough report uh
012in the summer once we have all the data and uh able to share that but some highlights of that. So any questions about >> question about weed >> I think Jav going to talk a little bit and maybe Dr. >> BL Dr. Blaha is uh in present today. So if you want to step to the podium to help us with uh what what the project is for um GIS in regards to your plans for enhancing our STEM offerings. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. So, we've got a lot of stuff. Um, next year, one of our focuses is going to be uh really amping up our STEM and our science um curriculum. Uh STEM simply because we know that's real world directly to junior high school. Um, and so what we want to do is make
013a more rigorous curriculum that not only um ties to the Indiana standards, but also community into the classroom. So STEM is really meant to expose students to college and career pathways and to have them explore industry that's in their own backyard. And so we have called Tiger Grant in Grant for Educational And our app teachers getting some equipment of that nature. And we got the grant $25,000 um which will go a long way to providing professional development to teachers um helping to stop those steps with uh with equipment. That's our intent anyway with with the tiger grant. That's what we >> And so a little bit later in the meeting we'll ask for your approval of the grant. Uh do you want to speak briefly about Paxton Patterson and >> Yes. So we were thinking
014when we applied for this there uh is something called Paxton Patterson Labs and they have items that are meant to STEM class. So they have resources, they have units that expose students to college pathways. They have hands-on learning. They have ties to real world like how does this project >> and so we'll bring the Pax and Patterson uh because it's a curricular resource uh for approval in June. Uh but really cool uh it aligns with some of the high school pathways. There's an aviation kit. Uh there's something like forensic science. So it's really really cool as we align vertically between uh GIS and the junior high and high school when all things pathway. So uh Dr. Blaha is kind of leading the charge with that. So I figure why hear it from me when you
015can hear it from the leader. And what's nice with Paxton and Patterson with that vertical alignment. So they have clusters. So they have what they call introductory which is grades five and six. And it sort of vertically aligns then with junior high and then with high school and thinking that our sixth grade students one of the charges they will be given in seventh grade is making a um plan graduation plan and pathway. This will help um to sort of present them with opportunities and interests and help them explore and think about what would I like to be uh when I get older. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Blah. Quick question. The school improvement grants progressing nicely. >> You don't have to say a whole lot, but that's due May 29th. >> That is due May
01629th. And um again, we've been meeting with Skybound, our partner in And in fact, we got an email from them today with a draft to look at, but we've been meeting with them and >> it's coming along quite nicely. So, yet another grant that is coming along. >> Good work to your team and Jav. Thank you. >> Oh, any questions for Dr. Baja? >> Um, next in regards to our arts and letters pilot, and this won't take very long. So, we finished the pilot. Um the pilot teachers absolutely loved it. Uh however, it is not yet approved by the Department of Education in Indiana and so we are now working on plans to expand our knowledge of arts and letters um at the schools that did not have a pilot. Uh they are promising adoption
017by the state in January and so hopefully that happens and we can consider arts and letters as our core ELA curriculum for the 2728 school year. So, it was a successful pilot, but not being approved by the state kind of keeps us from being able to pursue it. >> Question SAT quick update. >> Our 2025 SAT data is in. It's similar to past years. I know um Mr. Mr. Jimenez gave a quarterly report on some data points um a board meeting or so ago um but the SAT data was not in um so next month we would like to give a presentation uh Miss Lexa, principal Lexa Magnus will come and talk a little bit about our strategic plan for improving our SAT scores because they are below the state average and we believe that
018our students can do better and so she will come and share a little bit with you some of the work that's already taking place and ne next steps that we have to improve that data >> and impact the data hopefully for next year. >> Correct. >> Thanks. Anything else for Okay, that concludes our uh student achievement commitments, operational commitments. I think there's one from uh Dr. Evans. >> So, a little quick summer food report. Uh we it was the summer foods program is something that we offer to uh children up to age 18 and it will start on June. continue through July 8th. This year we are reducing it by two slots to to three slots for lunch at Pringle Park, Shanklin Park, and Hay Park. And then breakfast will be offered at Goan High
019School and at Model Elementary. We also offering programs for the summer learning lab and at at Shrock Pod for the gate camp. So the last two that I mentioned has been something we've done each year and we're looking forward bring a lot of kids this summer for lunch. >> We serve a lot of kids. >> We do. >> Yeah. I mean, it's pretty remarkable how many meals go out every day. >> Any questions for Bob? Okay. Uh, finally, we have our people commitments. And, uh, of course, we'll go ahead. >> Yeah. So, uh, Dr. Steve Tallheimer, are I think you're here somewhere. >> Um, okay. We thank you so much um your partnership uh with us uh from Goan College and we um have students here that are taking foundations of education as a class
020you're taking right now and what a pleasure it is to see a full house of future educators. So I hope this is a riveting night for you. I'm sure you'll have a lot of opportunity to reflect on what you heard, but we just appreciate um and recognize that you are entering into one of the greatest careers out there. So um thanks for being here tonight. It's never too early to put an application in. >> I mean, files, right? >> That's right. >> And then, uh, Lori, I don't know if Well, should I do the announcement or you >> uh, you can do it. >> We have a CTE, uh, open house this Friday, May 15th, from 1 to 3 at Chandler. We're inviting industry partners in and other folks just to go visit Chandler and
021see the programming we have. Uh, as uh Bob mentioned earlier, we're going to be remodeling that space a lot and make it look cooler, look nicer, uh, make take it away from looking like an old elementary school to looking more like a CTE center. And so, we're very proud of that. We were just inviting folks in the community to come out there and see it 1 to three on Friday. So, Paul, you're welcome to come over and see some of that, too. Um, and then, uh, we have some celebrations tonight and I think we're going to start with Jav. We're going to go with your celebration first. >> Yep. So happy to report that Alice Kaufman, a fifth grader at GIS, won the 2025-26 Indiana Arbor Day poster contest. Alice was recognized for her accomplishment
022with her classmates and as part of her first place award. She will have a red bud tree that will be planted on school grounds to celebrate her and to serve as a lasting symbol of environmental stewardship. So congratulations to Alice. Thank you. Uh and then Lori, we're gonna turn over to you. She's got some hard work to do. >> Yes. I would like to invite uh Mr. Will Line to come on up. Um Mr. Todd Line and Mr. Nathan Kingsley, if you would come up, please. Um, so we are pleased to give you this plaque to recognize 50 years of crafting the builders of tomorrow. So you have impacted the lives of our students who take construction trades. Um, and the on the plaque it says for 50 years the construction management program has built
023more than structures. It has built careers, confidence and opportunity with gratitude to the GCS teachers and administrators whose dedication made this legacy possible. So, thank you very much for your leadership. >> And I know Brad, your dad actually is one of the instructors for this program. Built many houses around it. Be really put a pin in the city map and say, "Here's all the houses that were built." I know this last one you guys did great. You did a great job. So, appreciate all that. All right. >> No, you do it. >> Um, so our next uh agenda item is recognizing our rising redhawk um award winners. So, >> oh, for the Oh, for the >> 50 years. Thank you. >> Yes. I always took time out to look at the students and say a
024family is going to move into that house and they're going to have Christmases there. They're going to have birthdays. They're going to have celebrations. They're going to have high moments. They're going to have difficult moments in their lives. And I said, "This is going to be a place where's going to come into feel safe, feel that it's their space. They're going to come in and say this is home." And for 50 years, Ocean has been able to provide that. program was initiated 1920s and stopped the last house 1928 school year because of depression at state career centers and along with that they support local schools having their own vocational programs and So our school board6 and this is significant. It just it just speaks to I think the quality of the program and um community
025schools investment in in the traded three years ago did not realize that we were that close to the 50th house. 50 years like the first home I'm sure they are now we're here to teach students the skills to to be able to if you want to work on your own home that's great like you take those skills our goal is for them to leave this program uh with a better understanding and some of the basic skills to be able to do that type of work. >> For me personally, I've always been interested in construction since I was a kid. So like this kind of life and my in I built another home in the summertime and had a good relationship with my hometown. And I also was a great program for kids learn. We try
026to treat it the same way. So that way they have realization like >> the biggest precise you have to be everything and how you have to be within 16 kids goes a long way to become citizen and a family person. I just want to mention one more thing that uh that wasn't mentioned that we're going to have an open house this Saturday. Um it's going to start at noon and it'll go as long as we have to as long as people are showing up. It's open to the community. We'd like to have as many people come out like there's a few things that need to be finished yet without cabinets yet and may not have the yard in by then. But you're all welcome. We'd like you all to come out, try to support our
027kids and try to encourage the next group to step up and join us next year. >> Address. The address. >> Oh, the address is 1527 Sandalwood Drive26 just across from the middle school. join us. >> Thank you. >> And I'll say it's a beautiful house. >> Um, you know, it's it's kids do a great job every year and it's it's amazing when you look at how it's progressed over the 50 years. Um, it's just incredible that we're still doing it and we're going to keep doing this because it's for the betterment of our community to to teach these children, these students a trade. They may not go into it as profession, but they will learn responsibility. They can do at their own home. They can help friends and family. And what you and your team
028have been able to do and and the instructors before have been amazing. We thank you for that. Thank you. Two of those students that you saw up on the screen, two of the students that have spoke were two of our that have emerged as leaders this year. And I have no doubt that those two students are going to do very well to do. trying to build character builders for the community. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Todd. >> Now, I guess I can turn it over to the next video. That's right. >> That I think that speaks for itself. So proud of the all of the work that not just the house but uh all the CT programmings that we're doing that there's stories of leaders emerging and uh that's that's exciting. So um Javi I
029think you have one more thing to facing Red Hawk Awards. I think there's a video right? >> Yep. We have uh Andrew has prepared a video uh and quite the task uh but it's it's as important as any uh this is a great celebration of incredible accomplishments and overcoming obstacles. So, hope you enjoy. Heat. Heat. So, that concludes our uh superintendent reports for today. I know it went a little long, but appreciate it. I know we just came off of uh a lot of the um teacher appreciation, staff appreciation, bus driver appreciation, food service folks appreciation. Um it's more than a job. these people uh that are working for us and the great work work that they're doing with kids every day uh really uh ends up getting reflected in the programs you just saw
030in the growth of these students. So appreciate all you do as board. We don't have board member appreciation but uh consider this a moment I say thank you to the board members as well. That concludes our report. >> I'll say it's always special to see those students that were receiving the the Rising Red Hawk award. I mean those are students that have dedicated themselves and and taken up the support that our teachers, our counselors, our pair professionals have have given these students and helped them grow. Um and that shows it works that the process works that we students that commit themselves and our staff that works with them. They can make great progress and and make us proud. All of our students make us proud and it's it's great to recognize these students every year.
031to know that they're they're on the right path to succeed. And so I mean I thank all of you for for what you've done to to do that for them and I I thank them for taking taking the initiative to do better. So it's good to see every pleasure to be part of a group that cares so much about kids first. So all right so that concludes our superintendence reports this evening. Uh we will now move on to item four which is board committee reports. Uh support members, I will look to you for any committees you currently sit on. Uh things to highlight for my work for me. >> I help out Keith from time to time that open. I'm the treasurer for that group watching these kids and grow over >> other things from
032board members. >> Foundation meets uh Wednesday morning this week. Just one of the big things they talked about at the music council was their trip to New York and all the fun they had with the students and success and a few ups and downs along the way, things they learned for improving next year. So, it's is really good for the students. Uh redevelopment meets tomorrow. Uh, I'd say the highlights uh that are forthcoming is a development agreement for a new town home development on the uh the canal. Um, that looks to be moving forward. So, more housing opportunities in the city, which is always positive. And then they are looking at doing some enhancements to the downtown corridor, what they're calling restaurant row. So, they're potentially looking to do some traffic adjustments to provide maybe
033some outdoor seating at some more restaurants. So, I got a feeling that will be a very lively discussion tomorrow reducing some lanes and this and that. So, that's always fun. So, have a vibrant city is is a good thing because vibr means we're having people come to our community. So, okay. All right. That will conclude our board committee reports. Moving on to item five, consent agenda items. And we'll start with item 5.1, which is approval of accounts payable dated May 11th, 2026. And payroll dated May 1st, 2026. 5.2 gifts and donations. 5.3 2026 Gan Junior High Washington DC field trip. And 5.4 personnel. Do we have anything to highlight on consent agenda items or questions from board? What >> can I go? >> You may go. >> Uh, we have uh retirement to celebrate. Larry
034Timonss, a third shift custodian for us. Uh, Larry is working at works at the junior high. Where you are? There's Baker, Dr. Baker. Um, and, uh, he has been with us for 22 years. So, congratulations to Larry. And we thank Larry because that is a very important job in all of our schools. and we appreciate his dedication for all those years. So, anything board members, any questions? Okay. So, with that, the consent agenda items are approved as presented. We are now moving on to item six, which are our action items, and we will begin with item 6.1, approval of recommendation for English language arts curriculum for Gan Junior High. Miss Shrine. >> Yeah. So, adopting new curricular materials for our students and teachers. It's one of the greatest joys and most important things that we
035do. And so I just um you are aware that we've gone through a rigorous process, very thorough process of vetting um several different um companies and curricular materials. And then um Gian Junior High narrowed that search down to two. And tonight I'm pleased to make a recommendation um for Savas English Language Arts Curricular Resources and um hope for your approval um for that decision tonight. and you have a memo that outlines some of the reasons that we selected um SAVAS and feel that it is the best fit for our students and teachers. >> All right, thank you for that. So board members, I will look for a motion and a second for item 6.1 for discussion and ultimate voting, please. >> I'll second moved by Mr. Given, seconded by Mr. Glick. Um, I know we
036had these available to us to review. Um, not sure who took us up on that, but that there were out there. I know we had a lot of time to test these out. So questions, comments from the board currently. >> What are some of the ways that uh this is supposed to improve over what was previously there? >> Um first of all, just updated updated curricular resources. Um, but I would also add just a lot of um, you know, one of the primary reasons was how aligned it is to the standards that we teach and um, to the requirements of the state. And so just really feel like from an efficiency perspective, it will these curricular resources will really help our teachers be more focused and intentional with helping students get to mastery of those
037standards. >> Okay. You know, one of the things with curriculum work is um you have to teach something, >> right? >> And if every teacher is teaching their own curriculum, there's always opportunity for some art and how you present it and the work that you do as an educator, which we never want to take away. That's where the magic happens. But we also want consistent work on the standards that the state has given us that we're also held accountable for. And I would say we're kind of all over the place a little bit. English language arts curriculum. Not in a bad way, just people take it and go their own route a little bit maybe. And we it's been a while since we've adopted and I think this going to help with that. Uh as
038I hear a lot of great energy come from the junior high in regards to doing this work. So >> very good. It is a sizable investment. So um you know but this is usually in place for what period of time with the curriculum generally still? So, it used to be and help me out friends. Um, it used to be it was a requirement to adopt and I think that's about how long it's been since we have adopted a resource. And I think um to Mr. Deo's point um you know that if we've got to revive it and um we want it aligned, but we also want to put engaging um material in front of our students that they're feel going to feel connected to um and inspired by. And so I think that we want
039to say too that that was also really looked at. So >> it used to be a six-year cycle and then there's >> and now there's no real >> there's no real cycle anymore but >> or it's an internal like a more of a local decision of how often you revisit but there would be of course an expectation that you would >> put quality quality materials in front of in front of students. So >> this is mostly a hard copy curriculum from what I could tell over there. It's not digitally based. There is a digital platform and there is a student workbook. >> So will teachers need PD to navigate? >> They will and that is in the quote. So we have um and Mrs. Baker and I or Dr. Baker and I are meeting and
040and planning out that professional development that teachers will get. That's very important um to making sure that we get off on the right foot with the use of the materials and sometimes there's so much that so for teachers to really understand all the tools and resources are there for them and students >> other questions comments from the board and I know the board you can see this but the total cost for that curriculum is $222,4158 Makes sense. >> And we do have a new quote for a little bit less than that. >> Little negotiating. >> Anything else? Board members. >> All right. Well, we have a motion and a second on the floor. >> Actually, can I ask one question? Is this a yearly cost or is it >> So, it covers all the books
041necessary for the kids to use it for six years. >> Great question. Okay. Good enough. >> Thanks. All right, we have a motion and a second on the floor. All those in favor, please raise your hand and you state I >> I post same sign. Passes 70. >> Thank you. We have very happy English teachers in the audience. >> Hopefully we characterized your thoughts pretty well. Thanks for your work. Good work on your plans. Next up, I think 6.2 Jav. >> All right. So 6.2 is approval of recommendation for I Ready in form. >> Yes. Uh so I Ready in form is one of two approved uh math screeners for kindergarteners through 2 grade. Um and so we moved in the direction of I I Ready uh because it would also allow us to uh
042to be used as a highability uh screener to identify high ability students in kindergarten and second grade. So um it it it is the math counterpart to our dyslexia screener. So trying to uh get our students who are not performing up to par as early as possible and provide them with remediation part of our MTSS process. So this is for I ready. >> Thank you. So I will ask for a motion and a second for discussion and voting members. >> I move for the passage of item 6.2 approval of recommendation for ID and form. >> Move by Mr. Glick, seconded by Mr. Goodman. Um questions regarding the proposal that's in front of us or about the curriculum? So this is for this um it's specific to each school the amount of how many licenses correct
043>> correct and >> so obviously based on the school size you came up with a number >> right and so we will secure like we will give them exact numbers once we are ready to get this is more of an estimate >> uh just to give us a ballpark idea and there is uh a technology fee just for having their software where to collect the data and and all of that. But yeah, this will be given much like the ELA screener beginning, middle and end of the year. Um and so the formative assessment grant once we apply for it should cover this. It will cover up to like $23 for screeners. So, it pays for both the Aadian screener for ELA and it will pay for the math screener uh for kindergarten, first and second
044grade. >> I did my math quickly. They've estimated in this thing about 1160 licenses across the all the elementary. So, it's quite a few. >> Yeah, it's it's for every student in kindergarten through second grade. So, yeah. and it's $9,900 basically. I round it up the estimate. So, any other questions or comments, board members, as you're uh seeing what's in front of you tonight. Okay. Are we ready to vote? Double checking. Okay, I have a motion and a second on the floor for item 6.2. All in favor, please raise your hand and say I. >> I post same sign. Moving on to item 6.3, approval of tiger grant. >> Yeah, tiger grant. So the tech innovation grant for educational resources that Dr. Blaha mentioned during the opening. Uh so we were fortunate to receive $25,000.
045Uh and if uh you approve us receiving this grant, we intend to use it for the Paxton Patterson um CTE STEM curriculum. So uh this is from Views on Learning. It is a nonprofit. They're tightly connected with the Northern and Central Indiana uh educational service center. And so uh they receive funding from I believe it's from they lease cell phone towers and so they collect from companies to use their cell phone towers and they have a budget of a couple hundred,000 every year that they do for technology related grants and so we were fortunate to apply and receive it. So >> uh so with that I'll ask for a motion and a second for item 6.3. Move for the approval of Tiger Grant. >> Moved by Mr. Carver, second by Mr. Goodman. >> Questions about
046receiving free money. >> There's nothing free in the slide. You're correct. >> Once the grants used up, are there ongoing costs to the program or what happens to the program after the grant? So um with the Pax and Patterson so they have 12 different kits uh and the cost after we get like essentially we're buying their um like the how to build the kids and the activities itself. Uh the materials and supplies for them should be already in our classrooms. It's like Q-tips and aluminum foil and things like that. So the ongoing cost would be minimal. If we wanted to replace uh the kids, uh say, you know, we wanted to add it to a different school or something like that, it's it's about $27,000 to buy uh 12 of the 13 kids. Uh there's
047a robotics one that is like $10,000 on itself, but with our robotics programming that we have with ENC, the need for that one, so minimal, if any. >> Plus, we're already spending some money on materials for teachers, too. So, we think it'll be a wash >> and we'll have it. Like I said, we we'll bring um kind of a a more in-depth of what Paxton Patterson is. Uh we didn't want to get too far ahead. Uh we got the grant and so now we can move with that. So, questions, comments, we have a motion and a second on the floor for item 6.3. All those in favor, please raise your hand and say I. >> I. Same sign against passes 70. Moving on. Item 6.4 is approval of summer foods edited classified wages. Dr. Evans.
048>> Thank you. Uh last fall we had pay increases for our hourly employees in school foods nutrition. That was 50 cents an hour. We did not increase the wages for the same persons to work in the summer. We're proposing and our food service director is wants to extend this an hour to the personnel who work summer. So that's what you see there before you is a wage scale that reflects a 50 cent pay increase from last year's wage for summers. Thank you, sir. Uh I will ask for a motion and a second for item 6.4. All right. Moved by Mr. Griven, seconded by Mr. Ninger. Questions, comments seems to make sense. I mean, roughly how many staff uh would you >> Well, we'll have uh they're usually a few at each site. So, uh but
049they're not working all day long. They're just working for the period of time. So, um The program is only about a month long also. So, uh maybe 12 maybe 15 staff. >> Where does the funding come from for that program? Is it a federally funded program or is it >> correct? It is a fedally funded summer foods program. And so we um I wouldn't say we make money on it, but we don't lose much on break. questions. Okay, I have a motion and a second on the floor for item 6.4. All those in favor, please raise your hand and say I. >> I oppose. Passes 70. And lastly is item 6.5, approval of staff technology lease. So, one of the ways to purchase hardware is through a lease program, and that's what we're proposing tonight
050is to purchase uh 100 teacher laptops uh through secure tech. We offered uh these devices um are more than six years old or six years and older and we would like to replace them. We did get three quotes. Secure tech was the lowest quote. The total over four years is 5,44256 which equates to $26,3604 each year. Uh the nice thing about the end of this since we our devices are tending to last more than four years is that we can buy those devices outright for a dollar after the fourth year. >> Okay. Uh so board members, I'll ask for a motion and a second for item 6.5. >> Second by Mr. Goodman, second by Mr. Glick. Um obviously this was the amended item. This was sent to us um earlier today to look at. So
051hopefully everyone had a little time to review um the items questions as you have reviewed them maybe a few. >> So in in the past we have purchased outright. >> We have um and maybe I I just missed I was trying to find my my sheet here when you were going over that. Uh what was the the benefit of the lease as opposed to purchasing it? because I mean normally they would make some level of profit if it goes down to a dollar at the end >> right our technology director Mr. to go through this and he found this to be the most advantage advantageous price even better than purchasing out directly. So um we decided to go with it. Now I would say that he's not planning on getting all 100 computers at a
052time. He'll be getting them over the course of the year and rolling them out. So he may get 25 and then roll them out then get the other 25. That's just the way he's going to roll out. There's a repair with those too and replacement I think advantageous to us too. So I I quized them on all these things as well. I was used to my previous superintendent released as well and then we had this kind of similar deal that if it broke >> it's I know Dr. Medaf was gonna present this because he's worked with technology and It's about $928. Well, it is $920 a device. So, >> seems to be a pretty nice price for what I'm assuming is not a generic device. >> No, they're they're much upgraded compared to what the
053students have. >> I apologize. We received the stuff yesterday. I'll do better to get my facts straight. >> Thanks, Terry. She does that to me, too. She keeps me in line. Um, but we do apologize for not getting that to you sooner. It kind of came in. We wanted to get this done so we get some stuff in early in the summer so our tech guys can work on it as well. So, he asked if we could expedite it. kind of missed the date and so our apologies to the board. >> Any other questions, comments as as you review the details of the lease of equipment? You ready to vote? Rush anyone. Okay. All right. A motion and a second on the floor. All in favor, please raise your hand and say I. I post
054same passes 70. All right, that does conclude our action items tonight. Uh we will move on to our one item for discussion. Item 7.1, student handbooks. >> Okay, >> it's all you tonight. >> Hey, it is um so this time of year we uh update our handbooks dependent upon legislation, policy, just some internal changes and processes. And so you have redline version or you have um edited versions of the handbooks for each level and anything that's in red is an addition and anything that has um striketh through would be um omitted. And um just to highlight a few things for the elementary handbook um and you've heard a lot about the new cell phone policy. No schools in or no phones in schools devices in schools or they must be secured. And so we've opted
055for securing devices and using the yonder bag. So you've had a lot of background knowledge about that. So this is just updating the handbooks with that language that talks about the process, but then also progressive discipline um that might come with students not um not complying. And um that's I think that's probably the most significant for the elementary and the junior high other than just some some u things that should make sense when you go through of some revisions. And then just a couple of other things to highlight for the high school. Um there's some new information in there about our graduation requirements which are very complex. I anticipate we'll give you some more information um in the coming months about the changes in those graduation requirements. And um there is some information in there
056about drug testing and student drivers that I would call your attention to that we have added to the language. Um and so if you have any questions at this point, you're welcome to ask questions, but then we would look for approval and at the next board meeting for these revisions, changes. >> I'd also like to mention that wherever possible, I know you and Dr. Metap and Jav probably worked on this uh policy next to that's kind of a new so we're putting board policy next to the handbook language where appropriate and I'll say I did review at least the high school one because it agreed has the most adjustments we'll say um so and I mean the other ones seem pretty straightforward and even the high school one it makes sense for everything we have
057been discussing. So, see if there's anything in there that shocked me. So, >> yeah. And some of the the practices we've we've done before at the high school, um but we realize we're missing those and we need to get back to some of those practices that you see there. >> And just for a reminder, how do our students receive a copy of the handbook every year? Do they are they forced to acknowledge receipts of that handbook? >> Principles. Here we go. Put you on the spot. >> Step on up. >> Teamwork makes a dream work. >> Well, at the junior high, I can tell you what we do. We have an assembly at the start of the year, the first um within the first day or two. We don't like to come out on day
058one with with all the rules, but day two, we get them all together, go through, do a presentation, and then we actually have them sign off that they have received all the rules. So, that has to come into um new students, our counselors meet with every one of them and go through those rules with them throughout the year. So that's how we frequent everything. We we actually do a reset um at semester. So between first and second semester, we'll just do a reset of in the handbook that um maybe more of the discipline things that we have had to deal with or intervene. So, we'll um reset that and remind students of the handbook. But for us, the freshman um the first freshman day is when we go over that in depth um with all
059of the freshman cohort sitting together and all of the teachers and administrators. Um and then we push out the rest of the handbook to the other grades and individual classrooms, but then we're able to give a little bit more targeted time with administrative support for um as they on board and then there is a we found that in Skyward there's a way that students can sign off and so we have that electronically which is really nice but then it's just making sure that we build that in on that first day so that that happens because Skyward isn't always the most user friendly. >> Dr. Medaf is watching us and he texted me and said that uh they are also sent through parent square electronic copy and uh it's also on our website. >> Thanks Dr.
060M. >> Thank you both for that. Appreciate it. Other questions I guess for board members. Um, with the new school evaluation system that the state has put upon us, do we have any uh do we have to change the wording on attendance policies or what defines an attendance or was that pretty straightforward? >> So, I I mean, we've updated the 94% would be kind of the newest language um that we use and that would have been updated already. Should be in there, but you go back and look at that. But um I'm trying to think of additional language. Are you thinking of something specific? >> No, I know they kind of dumped that on us at the last second. I just want to >> Yeah, that and that will be a measure. So, there are
061multiple measures that will go into the accountability grade and that has been resurrected. So, we have been held harmless for several years now. Um but now um the accountability model will be >> they finished it. They finally told us what it's going to be, but we're being held accountable for this year as well. >> Yeah. So attendance does become an important measure um that and we've been paying attention to to that data point anyway. We want to make sure that that's obviously linked to our students learning. So but um yeah so more to come more to come about the new accountability model. >> Other questions? Well, you've got about a month to do some uh in-depth reading. Uh and then I said they'll bring it back to us in our June meeting. All right. So,
062with that, that does bring us to our closing items tonight. So, we will start with item 8.1. Uh any administrative items, sir? >> Couple of announcements. Last day for students will be uh Friday, May 29th. Last day for teachers will be June 1st and commencement will be on June 7th and then our next board meeting will be here in this room with June 8th at 6 pm. And board members, uh, any items you would like to bring up that were not discussed tonight all at once, please. All right. So, with that, I will ask for a motion and a second for adjournment. >> Second. Goodman Glick. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. We are ajourned.