001Pledge 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. >> Well, welcome everyone to our first meeting of February and hopefully five full days of school this week. Right. Just just saying you as a parent be nice. Um just a few opening statements. Uh this is a meeting of school board and public for the purpose of conducting the school corporation's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. Uh agenda item number two is uh the opportunity for agenda or non-aggenda items for public comment. Um our mission is to inspire innovation empowering potential enriching our world and our vision is to be go schools Elkcart County School District of choice. Uh 1.4 is
002approval of tonight's agenda. Do we have any revisions to that, sir? >> No, we do not, Mr. President. >> All right. So, with that, the agenda is approved as presented. And board members, uh, review of our minutes from the January 26, 2026 regular school board meeting. Do we have any things to note from those minutes? >> Um, I don't have a change to the minutes, but just a curiosity. So, I was trying to compare some things and I looked at minutes from when I first got on the board, and the minutes are really detailed. They kind of what was actually said at least topic wise and now the minutes I think they're still legal but they're sparse. Was there a reason for why it's no longer detailed? It's just like a very vague comment about
003what's being said. >> I don't know without doing some research. I do know because we are at least recording them. >> I don't know if that supersedes that. >> We can check. I don't >> I was just curious. It wasn't like there's an error in it. just it was truncated. >> Yep. That's it's a fair question. We could look into that and at least make sure we're legit. So, >> okay. Anything else? All right. So, with that, the minutes are approved as presented. So, we will now move to uh public comment and I will invite Mr. Glenn uper. This time you really I don't need it because I going five and a half minutes. Okay. I don't think I can handle that much. So second I got my notes. Glennol go the uh consider myself
004a ball advocate of student taxpayer of this community for a long time now. So, I'm gonna read this and get my glasses down. Uh, this will be my last board meeting unless there's a miracle. So, I want to remind that there's taxpayers that will take over riding some of you bear back with spurs on and you all know who that is. So, there's my medicine. I'll give you a little sugar here. But overall I want to be remembered as somebody that worked board of students 35 years watching watch watching pushing serving even on the board or the students and the taxpayers. Um it is what it is. I I quit coming because Doctors and family said no stress. You're stressful girl. So I'm just here to say goodbye. You're the first of the few political
005meetings I'm going to have been going to for years and I wanted to say goodbye. Like I said, I've always been there fighting for the kids one way or the other. You may not have recognized it, but it was something that, you know, from a different perspective. So it's I may have went to a different school in high school, but this is my school for the for, you know, ever. So with that, I'm going to say say goodbye. Thank you. >> I I'll say Glenn, thank you for your four years of service that you were on this board. >> You're all right. >> Yeah. >> You made a difference for so many students. We thank you for your voice in this community. Um you're you're in it because you do love the kids. You love
006Gan. Um we don't always agree. >> That's okay. >> That's right. >> That's why this country is great because we can have dialogue. >> But I will tell you in my four years on was difficult because we were going through rebuilding or building different redoing different buildings. great amount of cost at that time. So, it it was a pleasure to serve and I enjoyed being around the kids more than the adults. I I tolerated the rest of the board and administration because I had to, but the kids were a joy to me. So, thank you very much. >> Anything we could ever do, >> let us know. >> All right. >> Thank you, Glenn. And that'll conclude our uh public comment tonight. We'll move on to superintendent reports. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh first
007up, uh Dr. Bob Evans has a couple things. >> Uh yes. before you is are just for your information are the tax rates for all the all of the school districts in El Park County. It not really going anywhere with it, but just to give you a little bit of information. Uh there is a limit as far as your debt rate uh that's been imposed by Senate Enrolled Act One last year of 70 cents. So um we're below that. There are other districts in our county that are not below that, but um I think we're all going to be there eventually. So, I just um wanted to let you know where we stood. Quick reminder to the board. We hit 70. Any questions from the board? Okay. student achievement commitments. Uh I think we would
008like to hear first from Jav then from Lori. So >> yeah. Uh so the biggest thing to report is our progress uh towards our access testing for our EL students and we're 85% complete and we still have a couple weeks left to do that. But um Dolores was trying to get that done within the uh four-week window and it looks like we're going to be able to accomplish that. so not to disrupt services to our students and so excited to report we're almost done. >> Thanks Lorie Shriner. >> Yes. So as you know our new graduation requirements are very complex and because of that we've been working on a schedule and one of our assistant principles Mr. Wolf um gave me a great visual to explain um that new default schedule and what that means
009is just the ninth and tth grade year is pretty tight. So we have to get some mandatory uh classes in, they'll still have some choice, but then that opens up that junior senior year for that half-day programming so that our students um can have a very personalized learning experience before graduation. Um and so those pathways are enrollment, enlistment, employment. Um so it's very exciting and that personalized experience will be quantified in seals and so the more seals we earn um what that tells us is that we are giving that individualized personalized pathway experience to all of our graduates or to as many graduates as possible. Um so that uh schedule is coming along just fine. >> Any questions for either elementary or secondary superintendent? >> Okay. Um, next up is our operational excellence commitment and
010uh, Dr. Medcaf has a couple updates for everybody. >> Sure. We are, it is that time to start planning for summer school. Uh, so the state opens up the cost reimbursement estimates as of next Monday and we'll have ours turned in briefly after that. We are looking at mirroring the programs we had last year. We're required to have second and third grade I read remediation for students who did not pass in third grade and are at risk or below in second grade. And then of course we'll do um credit recovery and some courses at the high school that will allow students to take some of those courses which can open up their schedule later on. So that's summer school. Along with that this summer, and I I might have mentioned it before, the community foundation
011of Elkart County is funding with Head Start a and building strong brains a um 40-day jump start for 500 kids. Their goal is 500 pre kindergarteners, students that are going into kindergarten in August. Um focusing on students who have not had any preschool or are academically behind. And so we will all the Head Start sites will be servicing that. We have four. So we anticipate at least four if not possibly more. Every district in the county will be taking part in that. stuck in the cap. Any questions? Okay, next up, people commitments. And we're going to start out with uh go between Tracy Noey and Shriner again, but we'll start with Tracy. We have a couple awesome announcements. >> Announcements. Yeah. Tonight, we are very excited to introduce our selection for principal at Gan Intermediate
012School. It was a unanimous unanimous decision by the committee and the administration. Um we'd like to present to you Dr. Karen Blaha as our next principal of Gan Intermediate School. As you know, she's not a new face to us. She's been serving in that capacity since August of this year. Um but she's also not a new face to go. She was Chamberlain Elementary's principal. Um she served as director of learners for our district. She was curriculum director at one time for our district. And then most um recently besides doing the interim at Goan immediate, she was working in the collegiate level at St. Francis University doing her her magic there. So um we are very fortunate to have her back in our district and back in the capacity of principal at Gan Intermediate. And I
013know that um the teachers that I was with during the process. We're very excited to be able to to have her back in the seat as a principal here. So, um she is on your personnel roster and our recommendation is to approve her for hire tonight. >> Dr. Blaha, do you have any >> kind thoughtful words you want to share with the board tonight? from Chicago. I'm so excited. >> I think one of the most impressive things, Karen, is that you've been able to pull the team together uh and you have Liz with you tonight and uh you guys been working hand and glove and doing great things at the school. So very much appreciate the work you've done till now and nice to be able to name you as official principal. So you and
014your team keep going. You're doing great work. Any questions for Karen or >> we're glad you're back home. >> Awesome. Next then as we um wrap up Gan Intermediate School, our next task will be then to um put out a quest in a search for the next principal of Goan High School. So that will be in the works. Um we'll be posting for that and we'll see um the candidates that we get for that position. We'll start that interview process and move forward with that very soon. Expect to see that posting come out. Shall we switch to uh >> Yep. I can do achievement celebrations since you have >> Oh, you want to do that first? Okay. >> Yeah. Is that good? >> Yep. We'll come back to Lori. >> Okay. Um we have two
015achievement celebrations tonight. Um Jack Krider and Logan Micheller made the academic all state for on the football team this year. Um what an accomplishment that's very very hard to do. So congratulations to both of them. Um, it's hard to be an athlete and keep your grades up at the same time and these two are able to do that and that all state football team. >> Future looks bright for a football program. >> Okay. >> Um, so as you know, we are just as a reminder, we are in year three of our family engagement grant and so at this point um the ultimate goal was that we would eventually become a model site for the state of Indiana. And so I'm just today that we are uh preparing and presenting professional development that includes our awesome
016principles and the work they're doing with family engagement in their schools. So, I just wanted to make you aware of that and that will go out virtually um to any district in the state of Indiana who would be interested in family engagement practices and we're sharing our expertise. >> Just real quick, would you tell you you guys have presented a couple different places where presented. >> Um well we we are presenting virtually. We were supposed to actually present and we had um poor weather and so that is rescheduled to present. Um but we are presenting first on how we have engaged families around attendance and have increased data to show that effectiveness. Um we will be presenting about welcoming schools. Um and then the third topic we're kind of in discussion about what that could
017be what we can share. to present at the superintendent association. That didn't quite work out, but >> next time >> appreciate the fact that you guys took the time to >> put that out there and representing go school as well. So, thank you. >> Okay, that concludes our reports, Mr. President. >> All right. >> Thank you. All right. We're moving along to item four, committee reports. Board members, things to report for the various committees sit on. I'll be at the my first meeting on this Wednesday. So >> for foundation >> foundations, right? >> Others for the music council. The big item is they're preparing for their March 12th through 15th production and fourth graders will be at the high school to see that and also a faculty recital. Actually this was yesterday. Don't forget Yes,
018they had a recital yesterday uh for faculty and people come to raise money for scholarship for students want to continue. >> Thank you. >> Others legislation wise Tuesday this next week I'll go down to Indie for the legislative day ISBA and get to meet with some legislators talk to see see the bills being made. So looking forward to that some updates on current legislation. >> Okay. >> Um I say outside of that redevelopment uh meets tomorrow. Um getting closer to spring which means road projects are forthcoming. So those are uh getting discussed more and more. College Avenue east of 33 is the first one out of the gate. It's already been closed for how many months? and it was going to continue to be private closed for a while. So, how that impacts our busing
019we love. So, outside of that, not too much to report from redevelopment. Anything else? All right, we will keep on moving here. So, item five is our consent agenda items. We'll start with 5.1, approval of accounts payable dated February 9th, 2026 and payroll dated January 23rd, 2026. 5.2 is gifts and donations. 5.3 2026 marine biology field trip 5.4 for winter percussion WGI percussion regional overnight field trip and 5.5 is personnel things to highlight sir >> yes we have two retirements we wanted to bond kindergarten teacher at model elementary school for 32 years and Dana Mill a social studies teacher go high school with 30 years of service so thanks so that's quite a few years right there so >> lots of great experience there and uh hard hard shoes to fill It's going to be
020hope they have a nice retirement. >> They've done a great job in the district. So, great reputations as educators. >> One other thing I do want to highlight on the consent agenda is is our gifts and donations. Uh there there are actually two large values in there. Um one of them we got a little bit of press on last week which was through Greencroft. Um they are investing in our CNA program. So I think that's that's important to know. We got a press release out on that, but it's it's continues to be a very a generous donation. And then there was a a second donation from the Greater Goan Association. Um that is the uh funds from the original Goan Industrial Park. Uh they had uh gifted us money I think almost two years ago
021I think it was and this is another very large donation to our school system. So, I think those are two things worth noting um because it takes contributions like that to help fill in a lot of the the gaps that we often have. So, at least want to highlight those. >> I would like to say Greencroft, more than just giving us money, they provide opportunities for our kids to get out. I think we had, if I got have my numbers right, uh we we are on track for another 32 kids, I think. So 28 for sure and almost almost 100% um 31 uh certified CNAs which as a reminder like then they're prepared right to go to for that employment pathway to work as CNAs but also they could be in terms of enrollment going
022into any healthcare uh position they now have that solid foundation because of that >> all the are willing to pay for their education post high school. So It's really an amazing opportunity for our kids and we really think last year we had 100%. They're going to retest the three kids on some things and they'll have them at that 100%. We're almost sure. But what a great testament to that program and to our kids and the achievement that they're getting there. Sky's the limit for those kids. >> So green. >> Yeah, exactly. Thank you very much. So with that, the consent agenda items are approved. Welcome Miss Dr. Blaha you are officially approved. All right. So with that we will now go to our action items. 6.1 is approval of memorandum of understanding with career plus
023pathways by Skyac Inc. >> Yes. uh four different school districts in Elkart County uh joined in with the Northern Indiana Educational Services Center uh to go in on their grant where they wrote Department of Education provided them funding and that's going to allow us at no cost to participate with uh this pathways by Skyac. Uh this program uh is mostly software but it guides us through activities that kids need to be ready uh for a life of work and you know just looking at career opportunities. So there'll be all kinds of uh many assessments and things that they can do to kind of find what they might be interested in and to learn about their careers. Uh in addition to that uh there going to be some micro credentiing we can do with kids. I
024can't speak definitively on all the micro credential. I think we have in some of that. So, we're going to be working with them on that. And also, they'll help us get placements for our students while still in high school, which will help us get the work based work workbased learning hours uh that will lead to a seal that Lori was talking about earlier, which will be added on to their honors diplomas. So, real excited about this work uh that we're going to be doing with them. Uh the other school districts are Elcart, uh Concord, Bago, and Ocean. participating this at this point and it's very well this this department of education's very uh positive about this and supportive of this program. So I'd ask the board to approve it. There's no dollars associated with it.
025It's just uh we receiving this grant and we're going to participate in it. So there will be some data sharing with kids put in some information back and forth with them. So all right, thank you for that explanation. Um I will ask for a motion and a second of item 6.1. >> Move for the passage of item 6.1 approval of memorandum of understanding of career plus pathways by >> moved by Mr. Glick seconded by Mr. Goodman. Uh questions on that explanation of Skype >> did have one question you kind of answered. So it looked like there was I think four different exhibits but only one of them was attached. um exhibit I think it was exhibit close had the terms of the services agreement and so I was going to ask how much did it
026cost but I'm assuming it's zero and it would exhibit and then the second thing is it required the schools to provide a couple basically I think it was the career plus administrator counselor involvement teachers Is there anything that we don't have the ability to do now or we have to add to that? >> We are at the beginning stages of learning about this and how complex it might be. At any time we can pull out. That's the other thing I want to say. Um but we're not planning on hiring anyone new for this. We just think it can be pieces of jobs. We'll need to identify those roles. >> And you know we have one of them we thought and others that we think we can plug into some of these rules. probably the most
027challenging one. All the counselors are going to be involved probably a certain level with this as well as the CT it looks like it's it's a neat offering. So I'm trying to say just curious what >> question other comments questions from the board members hearing none. We have a motion and a second on the floor. All those in favor, please say I. I. Same sign. Passes 60. All right. We have no discussion items this evening. So that will take us to item seven, which are closing items. And any miscellaneous items, sir? >> Yes. Uh our next meeting uh is here Monday, February 23rd. >> Okay. 6 p.m. And board members, any miscellaneous items from us this evening. >> Okay, we can draw this out more. Really can. >> This is the second one of the
028month and we went extra long last time. >> All right, so with that, I will take a motion for adjournment. >> Moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say I. We are adjourned. Thank you all very much. Pizza. >> No.