001okay can I call the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance foreign [Music] School Board I think maybe the first thing we need to do is I should introduce our newest board member Megan Inman who we chose last month to fill the remainder of Russell Harvey's term after he resigned so welcome Megan thank you okay first item on the agenda is adjustments to the agenda Mr given yep I just have one minor adjustment to the agenda and that's to add a report from the assistant superintendent this month just to update the board on a couple of items okay um taking a motion to approve the judgments to the agenda come out one second all in favor all right all opposed motion passes okay next item on the agenda is public comments regarding agenda items
002is there anyone that has a comment on the agenda that one doesn't count not really hearing man um moving on next item is recognitions Mr Goodman uh Mr Roberts thank you all right well good evening I have Quinn Dory with me here he's a first grader at redpath and he was nominated as our student of the month so by his teacher Mrs Crone who is here so I'm going to read a few words that Mrs Crone wrote about you okay Quinn is such a great first grade student he comes in each morning ready to learn and is up for every challenge that comes his way he gets super excited when he succeeds in meeting those challenges Quinn is a team player and wants as much success for his friends as he does for himself he
003is a problem solver and a great thinker whoever gets to have him in class next year will be a lucky teacher so congratulations to Quinn [Applause] I'd like to introduce deer Meadows student of the month for March Olivia Alexander Olivia is a first grader in Mrs kuhn's class and she is Mrs q and Mrs chess here here tonight to support Olivia Mrs Kuhn writes I am nominating Olivia for being a hard worker and a caretaker Olivia is often making sure her neighbors have the materials they need quietly making sure they're calling rules and working hard on her schoolwork as well she has a heart for others that are struggling and wants to be a good example of herself she is kind and compassionate and I'm thankful she's in my class Olivia Alexander [Applause] thank you
004so I am pleased to introduce Mr Braylon Bata he is a fifth grader in Mrs Stevens class and Braylon was selected as student of the month at TZ for many reasons first bramlin is thoughtful and a caring friend to each of his classmates his thoughtfulness does not stop with his with his peers though he volunteers to help the adults in our building whenever he notices that someone could use an extra hand Braylon is kind and respectful to students and adults in our building and as a role model to all of his friends and the younger kids Braylon is a very hard worker who tries to do his best every day at school his hard work and dedication is very appreciated and noticed every day Braylon is very deserving of the student of the month award
005and he will be missed next year when he goes to the Middle School [Applause] um hello hello um so our student of the month is not able to make it I believe he's at golf today he's an avid golfer he's going to try and make it but they weren't sure but it's been Zellers um he is an eighth grader and his teachers nominated him so that he's always cheerful and cares about everyone's well-being he is a diligent student who works hard and completes his assignments he's kind and friendly to everyone he meets and has a great sense of humor as well as being an awesome golfer and we are proud to have been as our Middle School student of the month [Applause] thank you the high school would like to recognize Cesar Ernesto he demonstrates
006perseverance each day he does not waste one minute of any class he's focused on the lesson of the day and focuses all of his energy into approving his Reading Writing speaking and thinking skills when he is learning difficult tasks he does not hesitate to ask questions he is engaged in the educational process and is eager to raise his hand to contribute to class discussions Cesar is intelligent but his perseverance helps him complete high quality work one example of perseverance was when we were reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar out loud in class it was not easy for Cesar but he was still eagerly volunteered and by Act five he was well skilled at reading and understanding Cesar Ernesto is well deserving of the honor of perseverance nominated by Amy Thomas [Applause] okay next item on the agenda
007is the approval of the consent agenda consisting of meeting minutes regular meeting minutes from March 20th 2023 special meeting minutes of April 5th 2023. the allowance of claims the financial report and Personnel reports Parts one and two which are posted on the door and on the website this is wrong yes hello everyone okay first in your Finance packet you're going to see three payrolls from March that's unusual we only have that twice a year so the month of March of us three regular payrolls the first one was dated March 3rd 2023 for a total payroll of 472 566.08. and as usual we've got some retirement and taxes that come along with those payrolls for March 3rd total for those would be 133 366 86 your second regular payroll was dated March 17 2023 total payroll
008for 69 321.53 and retirement and taxes for that payroll 133 429.56 and then the third and final payroll for March was March 31st 2023 457 30 even total payroll taxes in retirement was one forty three seven forty four twenty four did anyone have any questions about the payrolls for March no okay we'll move on to some prepays that are dated for March 2023. um going through the list here did anyone have any questions specifically on any prepays of smoke no okay total free pays uh for the month of March 167 545.35 and then next in your package you're going to see a list of regular claims dated for today April 24th as you will um what through the list if anyone have any questions in particular total claims dated today April 24 2023 429 thousand
009three thirty five eleven and then next in your packet we're going to move on to the finance report you're going to see the fund report um the balance in education at the end of March 2023 was three million 58 000 8 14 49 and in operations the ending balance for March 2023 7 31 9 21 90. if you move to the very last page that's going to be num uh page 11 I believe in your packet if you want to scroll through there total for all funds is 7 million three twenty three one sixty four sixty six next in your packet if you want to compare that to your fund balance or your fund report there you're going to see that our bank to fund is in balance at seven million three twenty three one
010sixty four sixty six and um you should have in your Finance packet a fund transfer report again um any transfers I make from bank to bank are going to show up on here too it's not necessarily really a transfer from fund if you will but when you do see this school lunch um fund uh fund transfer and then of course the 101 to 300 transfer so total fund transfers for March 2023 is 765 276.35 and then lastly you'll we've got some Bond 2021 expenditures for through the month of March 2023 um total expenditures at the end of February was 15 million 801 172.98 we had some new expenditures in March 2023 our total expenditures at a bond 2021 is 18 million 784 320 40. and then you'll look down at the bottom you'll see Bond
01122 expenditures there were no bond expenditures in March on 2022. so pending any questions I'd like to submit for approval I make a motion that we accept because this agenda a second here we have a motion and a second any questions discussion okay hearing note all in favor aye all opposed motion passes next item on the agenda is reports and first report would be from assistance all right um so I just wanted to update you um since I was approved in March so my priority has still maintained uh the Middle School staff and students but I've taken time to start stepping into my new role I have met with each of the counselors and the principals as well as Mrs Sullivan to just talk about our building strengths and challenges and then how we are
012going to work together to overcome those for our kiddos I also have been working with the reading adoption committee to come to a decision which you'll have tonight for our new reading curriculum and I think it's the best decision and I've appreciated all of the input that the teachers have given throughout this entire process um and I'm working on securing professional development and training for the new reading adoption as well as our new math adoption through grades six through nine to happen over the summer so that our teachers are prepared and supported by the time August gets here and then uh finally in anticipation of the new Fab Lab at the high school we're sending a group of high school teachers as well as a few Middle School teachers to the Fab Lab Institute in
013Chattanooga so that they can work together and do some interdisciplinary things once the high school that lab is open and more of those opportunities at the middle school great thank you next item is superintendent's report yeah so I'll be uh brief this month but just a couple of items uh we had um on the 18th and 20th we had Kindergarten Roundup at Deer Meadow and uh also red path and we saw a lot of good numbers our families coming out to register their future kindergarteners so in taking a look at that we kind of feel like our numbers are trending pretty much within uh past years so we expect another good group of kindergarteners come fall may you might have seen in the paper we had and correct me if I'm wrong Yolanda we had
014Green Castle High School was advancing four teams to the state competitions for the State academic uh Super Bowl so we continue to do an awesome job with that and hopefully we'll add to the number of teams that won a state championship and only add to our lead because we still lead the state I believe in the number of state champion academic Super Bowl teams so that's something for our our staff and our community continue to uh to be proud of um in the Personnel report um we had a retirement um so Mrs Thomas Miss Amy Thomas I'd like to thank her for everything she's done for our students in her school and just make note of that and um at the same time Mrs Kuhn so Ashley Kim uh really jumped in and uh and
015took over first grade classroom and kind of a difficult time just after the start of the school year and uh really has done a great job with her first grade class and she'll be leaving us at the end of the school year but like to thank her for filling in in for us um that in that role and then just the final item um in your fight in your at the end of your financial packet I shared with you just a quarterly update on where we're trending in the education fund and the operations fund um compared to two years past so overall Financial outlook for continuing to Trend well and continue with things the right direction great good thanks okay next item on the agenda it's old business and we have no own business so
016the next item is new business the first item is an approval request for special services I think we'd probably improve these all together first is the 22 or 2023 2024 assistant to sue to the school Psychology Services contract with Jamie Landry 20 23 24 blind and low vision services contract with Paula Bernstein 20 23 24 Stepping Stones group school psychologist Dr ayat 20 23 24 Physical Therapy contract with Sycamore services Mr Giver yep so it's just the time of year to renew some of these independent contractor agreements for next school year and so we would be live recommendation the board approved those contracts so we can continue to provide services to our students I make a motion that we pass those four contracts oh second time okay we have a motion in a second any
017questions discussion foreign next item is an approval request for permission to hire Summer Bus cleaners yep so as is customary in order to get the buses ready for uh inspection Mr Clearwater is seeking uh some additional help and it my recommendation that we allow him to hire some extra help so we can get our buses ready for inspection and the return of students in the fall I make a motion that we accept it okay we have a motion and a second home Fair hi all opposed motion passes next item on the agenda is an approval request for tiger cub travel discover Costa Rica spring break 2025. it's forgivity yes so um as is the case with the uh the travel uh in 2024 I can't remember exactly where we're headed in spring break in 2024.
018thank you the Mediterranean Coast um this is a similar type of trip with the same group um obviously following you know our policies and procedures and so we'd like to be able to offer another opportunity to our kids Spring Break 2025. um obviously you know in your packet to solve the criteria and all the information and this would allow those students and families plenty of time to plan to save money away um and it would be my recommendation that the board allow our group to travel to uh Costa Rica and then spring break 2025. and board members are responded to go with that right of course what will you be doing well so we're assuming the Europe trip and Excel rooms about right thank you was more like history and language immersion is more like
019the science and the culture um [Music] Central you're at the Mediterranean trip we're hitting each of our foreign languages that was kind of planned that way this one has more of like a science vibe to it uh thank you yeah this is great thank you very much sometimes okay can I get emotional improved I'll say it okay we have a motion and a second all in favor aye all opposed motion passes thank you guys very much for thank you for taking this on that's great next item on the agenda is an approval request for the Chartwell renewal for 23.24. now that's actually chart Wells um so Chartwells is our food service management company and uh if you might remember when we decided to move forward with chart Wells um essentially it's a whole it's a
020four year term but it's for one year renewals and so um we've kind of met the met the time to where it's time to renew them for uh the 23-24 school year and we are happy with their services and the food and nutritious meals and the options and expertise um they bring to the table for uh for our students and so be my recommendation that the board approved this request I hear good things so I will make the motion to um renew the contract from now here around here a lot of good things as well so I will second time okay any questions or discussion okay hearing none all in favor all right all opposed motion passes next is an approval request for an overnight high school volleyball camp to Ball State University yeah so
021as is uh in state but it's overnight it requires board approval in your board packet they've submitted yeah itinerary all the information and obviously there'll be proper uh proper supervision and so it would be my recommendation then the board approve this request as presented I'm making motion of big sense that's pretty cool [Music] can we have a motion in a second all in favor all right well opposed motion passes next is an approval request for police for staff devices yep so it is time to um earlier this year we replaced um some of our devices um the desktops and some of our remaining computer labs and some of our areas where they require more traditional desktop and now it's time to replace our staff some of our central office staff some of our secretaries time
022to replace their devices with laptop devices Corey's done a great job and it's on out and secured some different quotes on the devices and essentially he found the best one with Dell and we're proposing that we do a four-year lease on the devices so 48 month lease with one dollar purchase option at the end he's gone through and fine-tune the numbers as far as how many we need because ever in place and so we're not purchasing devices for them but this will give our staff a good opportunity or good option they can take their laptops home and work from home when needed and it would be my recommendation that the board allow us to move forward with purchasing these devices hopefully before any more cost increases because we've noticed that things are more costly than
023they used to that new student used to be so we're looking at an annual lease payment of 72 149.79 and we have that money budgeted um in our operations fund education okay yeah it's a similar device to what they have now right now they have HBO well I make a motion that we buy the computers I'll second okay we have a motion and a second any questions discussion okay all in favor aye all opposed motion passes next item is an approval request for reading adoption yes I'm going to pass this off to uh Becky all right yes um so after almost this entire school year we've been working as a reading committee uh we started with looking at four different curriculums um narrowed it down to two teachers went into their classrooms piloted the lessons
024came back and debriefed um we've had different discussions with those companies and their reps what kind of PD is available and so um I'm requested for your approval the adoption of our amplify ckla option so this will go K through five right and I assume uh it's on the computer but are there actual physical books we're also going to use yes so the students will have a consumable that they'll get each year okay and this was a clear favorite of staff yeah okay with the staff tried it out um every program is going to have holes in it right um are you guys working to fill those holes yes so um we use OG for our skills which is that phonics portion and we're just so we're not going to go with their skills so
025now we're looking at um how to balance that so that's kind of our next step with that we actually have a PD with this this afternoon so making those steps now so one of the things I asked the teachers to do with both curriculums or to point out the strengths and also those challenges or things that they might need in order to implement successfully and the teachers help develop some of those Solutions is obviously with anything they're going to be whether there be pros and cons and so um machine administrator is doing a good job of taking a look at those things and obviously we want to plan for a successful implementation so we're going to support that whether it be um uh PD um that's going to be the primary things are ongoing okay
026uh just be ready for next year is that right yes okay fantastic thank you okay can I get a motion to approved absolutely a second okay we have a motion and a second any further questions feels good to have an actual curriculum based but our kids and teachers okay all in favor I I all opposed motion passes okay the next item on the agenda is an approval request for some donations which we can improve all together first Putnam County Community Foundation to Greencastle High School band in the amount of 737.47 next is the McDonald's mctimber to Greencastle High School a decade in the amount of one thousand dollars and Dennis and Emily knuth to the Greencastle High School art Department in the amount of five hundred dollars discussion leaders here can I get an emotional
027proof I make a motion that we gladly accept all donations a second okay motion a second all in favor all right all opposed motion passes last item on the agenda is some first readings of the 2023-24 building and books yeah so no action uh necessary this month but it's just the time of year to continue to prepare for uh next school year so those were in your board packet for first reading and we'll bring those uh back for second reading and your approval next month and then I think allow us enough time to have them printed for next year and I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up or not but are in I apologize I didn't ask I haven't asked you about this before are we looking at our
028late start Mondays and whether or not they're being used efficiently if we're going to make a change talking about the handbooks I think that would be in the handbook I don't know when the time to do that is yeah you know at this point right now we're not planning any um major changes but obviously it's a goal to always utilize our time to the best of our ability and I know that our staff has found that time to be valuable and or continue to work to fine-tune our efforts um because quite honestly meeting time with staff is very limited with contract time especially being able to get whole groups together or grade levels together we still have base insurance as we substitute teachers we obviously don't want teachers to be out of the classroom because
029then you miss out um on obstruction so that time is valuable especially when considering you know the reading adoption and the math adoption that can be an opportune time to provide PD um for teachers to get together and curriculum math and plan so at this time there's no major plans to overhaul or revise anything I I would just like us to look into the future three or four years and just see there's just it would be better to have a whole day where people could get through debt I don't know but just something to think about sure yep we're always evaluating uh what we do okay any other questions okay here he goes um last item on the agenda is other business does everyone have any other business it's not so there's no other business
030last item on the agenda is adjournment I make a motion a second okay motion a second all in favor aye aye all opposed motion passes so thank you for coming good evening and see you next month