001We're going to call the meeting to order. We'll start with 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 want to thank everybody for joining us tonight. Um all of those that you are of you that are in the room, and also those that that are live streaming. We'll start um the agenda with a motion to accept consent agenda items. So moved. I have a motion by Cheryl. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Kurt. Any discussion? All those in favor? Seven out. Um next we'll um ask if anyone is present who would like to speak to any item on the agenda or any other topic.
002Hearing none, we'll go down to old business. We have some NEOLA policies. >> Yes, asking for approval of this round of policies and admin guidelines. So moved. I have a motion by Travis. Do I have a second? Second by Mary Lynn. Any discussion? >> [snorts] >> All those in favor? Seven out. Next we'll go down to programs. We have a Panther Online Academy handbook. Yes, this is just an inform. In your packet is the updates on the student handbook for Panther Online, similar to what you've had with the previous handbooks. Um some of it's just more closely aligned to our handbook that in person, and then there was just some changes in the course where that the students would use. So, um and it includes the calendar for next year. Okay. Um again, >> calendar
003is different than a regular schedule calendar. It is different. They start a little later just it works out easier if they start a little bit later than those in school because the instructors with the program we use, they don't start. So, there was a lapse this year from when we actually started to then when the instructor started, so. So, it's the same number of hours a day? >> Yes, same days in each semester. It's just timing in between. And they don't get They don't get fall break due to that starting late. Again, this item is an inform. If you have question other questions, please reach out to to parents. Um next under finances, we have a resolution. Yes, asking for approval of a resolution authorizing the transfer of 1.5 million from the Ed Fund to
004the Ops Fund in June 26 and December 26 to reimburse the operations fund for expenses not allocated to student instruction and learning for the 26 budget year. This was already um a resolution that would comply with what we passed for the budget this year. I'll entertain a motion to approve. So moved. Motion by Pat, do I have a second? Second. Second by Chelsea, any discussion? All those in favor? Seven. Um next we're down under operations, we have a strategic plan update. Yes, so we have started our new strategic plan blueprint 2030. So, I'd like to just do a brief highlight summary of closing out our old plan. So, we've had an old plan for about 3 and 1/2 years, and so these are just some highlights from that plan and can still be been It
005doesn't cover everything, but the high level highlights. So, we had four focus areas in this plan, and that was to recruit and retain for academic excellence and growth, um growing Panther college and career opportunities, and then fiscal responsibility. We were aware that enrollment was declining, and it was So, we um invested the time of a demographer to study that and help us look at solutions and what the long-term um impact would to be. He predicted, if you remember, that we'll continue to see that decline through 2021. Um and so, this is a chart of where we've been in the last 15 years. One of the elements that was not in the demographer study that has been a um especially difficult additional piece for us with enrollment has been the passage of universal choice scholarship for
006the most part. Um most families in the state qualify for choice scholarship. That happened during this strategic plan time frame. And as you can see, us along with other school corporations in the state, it nearly um doubled those numbers. Uh the other thing that is not in the demographer study that is another factor that negatively impacts enrollment is the large movement of transfer of students online, and that is not unique to Jennings County. That is across the state. When we started the plan, we had 97 students that would have been Jennings County students transferring out onto an online program. So, one of the things through this strategic plan and um that we did was beginning our own online program um in order to see if we could have some of those kids stay with us,
007and trying to make our program have things like in-person tutoring and opportunities to come in locally. So, we do now see in the fall of '25 there are students who are online. That continues to grow around the state. 38 of those students are on our own online programming. In fiscal responsibility, we also are looking at making sure that our staffing matches our enrollment numbers. So, working to make sure that our staffing is equitable to the decreased number of students in the district. So, we have, over the course of the plan, not counting the positions that we will also have this year, we have reduced 69 positions in the corporation um since 2022, since the '21 '22 school year. That does not account for the additional positions that we will absorb [cough and clears throat] this
008year, um which we will be probably just shy of 100 at that point. Um something that we did achieve was one of our goals was um retaining our teachers. And so, when we started this plan in 2021, we were in the lowest 10 corporations in the state for teacher retention. Um and that was right at post-COVID. You can see that Is it 75? 75th percentile? Um and through the efforts of the plan with mentoring and many different um things that we did to help with teacher retention, we moved up into the top 10 of the state for teacher retention at 92%. Um we were very excited about that. We're planning to continue those programs going forward. This data point, though, will be hard for us to track in the future because where we are reducing
009staff intentionally, that goes into the number calculation. So, we anticipate to see that number be a hard one to use um in the future. Another is uh success and celebration. And this one is extra um special to me. When I started as superintendent, um we had a lot of meetings about literacy and how important literacy is. That reading in third grade is a benchmark for future life success and outcomes. And as a corporation, we were at 77%. So, we adopted science of reading framework. You as a board approved additional um coaches to support, allowed us to join literacy cadre. We added a lot of professional development and have had transformation across the district. And last year, this year's aren't out yet, uh, but last year our IREAD scores for third grade in the county were
01092%. So, that is one of our, um, most successful pieces of the plan. ILEARN growth, looking to grow in ILEARN performance, um, in all areas we achieved progress. The district-wide ELA pass rate, um, went from 32 to 36, math from 35 to 39, um, science from 32 to 42. We attribute a lot of that to the STEM programming that we also uh, greatly added during, uh, the strategic plan. And then our biology scores at the high school went from 14 to 54. Our SATs, um, we also showed growth in SAT benchmarks across the board. That said, we also still realize we have a lot of work to do on SAT benchmark and it's part of our next strategic plan as well. This is, um, the next data point that, um, is just really special to
011all of us and this is a work of so many people and our parents and our kids to get the graduation rate, which was in '21-'22 before we started the plan at 79. I might need leaders at this point, I think. 79, um, percent and it was in the lowest 10 counties of the of the state, um, which is now then, since that plan, up to 95.9%. That is a significant amount of growth for a graduation rate in that short amount of time. That is a very significant data point. Um, so thankful for all of the hard work of our high school staff, um, and adult ed staff too That'd be a part of that puzzle to helping us figure out how to help the graduation rate. Absenteeism rates, when we began the the Oh,
012sorry. Absenteeism for chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 18 or more days a year for any reason, excused or unexcused. We were in the 10 highest um, graduation I'm saying this backwards. We were one of the top absenteeism corporations in the state. We had a lot of absenteeism. So, you can see we were at 23% of our kids were missing that amount of school every year when we started the plan. Um, and that's the district average. And then, if you see now in 2024-2025, we were at 17%. That attendance metrics move slowly, and so that is a significant amount of progress. And you can see some buildings had even greater jump than that. The middle school's very notable. They were at 38%, and last year they ended at 21%, and they're on track to improve
013this year, as well. And then, this was what we offered um, when we started our Ready Project and looked to expand programming at the high school and CTE, career technology. Um, and we have even more than this that we offer now for our students, and we've been able to add certifications and programmings that kids can get right here in Jennings County. We had our first group of CDL licensed graduates last week. How many did we end up with? 10. Um, 10 students graduated with their CDL um, in this last week in that new program. Thank you for all of your work to allow us to add that programming. Um, welding certificates, how many welders did we award to the other day? Do you remember? I'm thinking about lining up processes. >> to hear back on
014the uh, certification exams, but we had nine welding two students complete their certificate through Ivy Tech, the two-year program. Um as well as our CNA students at the high school and I won't ask them to rattle off any more numbers on the spot. Um but >> [laughter] >> a lot of exciting programming that we've added and kids are taking advantage of. Those classrooms are filling and using those opportunities. And then in addition, as part of the strategic plan, we looked at how do we keep our kids engaged in wanting to come to school. And for us, a big part of that is hands-on learning, which is project-based learning PBL and STEM. And we have had four schools go through the rigorous, very rigorous outside people come in and certify um schools and have achieved STEM
015certification. We have two more that are still in that process and working through it. Very proud of the work in STEM that we're doing locally. We have one of the only um Cummins Design Innovation Studios in this region of the state that we were selected for. Um we've increased advanced coursework and prior to ninth grade students next year and eighth grade will all be taking two advanced courses. Indiana College Core, we can offer it here locally. A lot of other schools, they have online courses, they have to travel. We offer Indiana College Core locally. Um and then eSports, we've added eSports, which for the first time, I don't know if you saw it in the paper, we had kids get scholarships for eSports for college. Um we've added sixth grade and fifth grade band and
016orchestra. You saw when they were playing for us and the teacher talked about what a difference it makes getting that early start. Um we've been able to offer other um programs and opportunities for our kids here locally. Um so, we may be a small town, we may be rural, but we are very competitive in what innovative opportunities we offer for our kids. So, that was just a quick highlight, but I wanted to kind of summarize the last um strategic plan and then we are using all of that data that we talked about in our work session and we have our action areas developed for Blueprint 2030 and we're rolling forward to our new plan. We have some teacher leaders and administrators that will meet on June 10th and define smart goals and get all of
017those action pieces put together and I'll share those with you at a later date. So, we're rolling forward. We're excited about it. I get a question on the teacher of the day. Yes. Do you have any idea what the stats are for the other folks that work with kids directly like parapros or anything? You said also went up? We could figure that locally. This The data I get we don't figure ourselves. It comes from a state database I by I for teachers. Um but we could if we're interested in that, we could figure it locally. Okay. Any other questions for Nikki? Great. Again, that item was an info. So, next we'll move down to new business. Um we have some new new NEOLA policies. So, NEOLA rolled out a new volume. Um and so, this
018is the group of policies to bring in for first reading. If you have any questions, please let me know. Again, that item is an info. If you have questions, get with Nikki. Um under programs, um new business, JCHS bell schedule. >> Yes, Mr. Roller and Mrs. Evin are here to present um this is an info present the new um uh proposed bell schedule for next year. Thank you guys for letting us be here. Um going along with everything that Nikki just shared from the previous uh previous strategic plan, one of the big things that we looked at with that strategic plan and helping to grow that graduation rate was how we attacked intervention for kids who were falling behind that weren't on track to graduate. And we spent a lot of time building out what
019we call student resource time. And while those have been amazing opportunities for our kids and been very, very successful. The hardship that we face in is right now we have two SRTs. One is during A lunch, one is during D lunch. And it can be difficult sometimes for kids to be able to go see a teacher that they need. So, what we did is we took a look at how could we unify that? How could we get a an intervention period in the middle of the day that everybody would be focused on that intervention. So, what you see on the left side is our current bell schedule. You will also notice that a lot of our classes are not equal time. Um 78 minutes in the first period, 75 seconds, 72 plus the SRT, and
020then 77. This new uh bell schedule will offer where every class will be 75 minutes exactly. Um it's also going to cut down our our passing periods from 7 minutes to 5 minutes. Um if you go way back, they were 10 minutes. Uh and when we looked at that, a majority of our discipline during a passing period happened at the Um we are very confident that our students can move throughout the building even with 5 minutes. So, we're going to to cut that back again and get some of that instructional time back. You'll notice the interesting thing here that I want to explain um with the zero and ninth period intervention. Those are not scheduled classes. Those will be built into our morning and afternoon duties that our teachers provide to have intervention labs. One
021of the biggest thing that we've struggled with is our career center and work-based learning kids who leave before student resource time right now. And how do we get intervention to them when they need it? We don't want to keep them back from going to work-based learning, to go into the career center, but we still need to make sure that they're getting through their classes here. What we're going to implement is that those students will either stay after school or come in early to school to get that intervention before or after. So, they'll have that uh 25 minutes of intervention built in right there with a lab that they can come and get support with. Um, I'm going to turn it over to Mrs. Ebbing to talk a little bit more about what we've done with
022our flex period and and how that will work. Right, so a little history with the flex period. Um, it was really it's born from our SRT that we implemented post COVID um, when we had to go to four lunches. So, that's a big piece of this as well. Um, so during that time we had to to do something with that fourth piece of time. So, that was obviously a time that we needed a lot more student resource time and to build programs um, that helped students with deficits coming out of COVID. Um, that's something that >> [snorts] >> you know, we've had Teresa Taylor really has has led the way in our student resource labs, several different teachers with um, English and math were the ones that started that. We added science this year. Um,
023but so through through that we've increased our data, our failure rates have plummeted with courses. But again, like Mr. Roller had said, it's it's really difficult. That time period is only about 30 minutes, 35 minutes and half of the students had ASRT, half of the students had DESRT. So, um, we wanted to be able to continue all of the work that we put into those labs and the tracking and pulling students. Um, we basically in in those classes set up a um, a policy where you're you're doing the work. If they had any missing assignments, they were they were called into SRT lab so that we could ensure success. Um, so we wanted to ensure that with this, a uniform time across the building 45 minutes where we can set up um, teachers who will
024be in charge of those labs, whether it's every day, whether it's two or three times a week. Um, they are going to be able to deliver that instruction in a way that's consistent and students are able to go straight to our flex time. I'm sure you'll talk a little bit about the program that we're going to use, but really streamline it and use that time during the day. And the exciting thing to kind of build on that, not just for those kids that need intervention, we're going to use this also as a as a motivational tool. Um students who need intervention, who are falling behind, who aren't on track to graduate, this is a great opportunity for us to give them that intervention, but what about the kids that are doing well? Well, we also
025see the idea that we've talked about it here before, the struggle with some kids who can't stay after school for clubs, for activities, to be involved. And we know the importance of having kids involved. We're going to put a lot of those club activities during that flex period as well, where those where transportation is no longer an issue for those kids. Again, if you want to be a part of that club, if you want to be involved, you got to have your grades first. So, you then you then you get those opportunities. We're also looking at what we what we're calling Fun Fridays, but what Fun Fridays would be is a micro course. Um allowing our teachers to show some things in a in a smaller setting to help build interest in some of those
026electives. So, for instance, let's say ceramics class. I I don't know that I want to jump into the full ceramics class, but Barry Hovious may offer a Fun Friday micro lesson during that flex period for two or three weeks that a kid can come in and try ceramics, see if it's something they like, and then hopefully sign up. So, we can build some of that that student body actually being involved in those courses, those elective courses, and giving them a sample size to try. Mrs. Ebbing brought up the the software that we're looking at. Um it's called Enriching Students, um and it is designed directly for flex periods in high school. Um it's got some pretty amazing features. It will actually allow all of our staff to set up office hours during those flex periods.
027So, maybe for a math teacher, maybe their algebra office hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Their geometry, if they're teaching that, too, is Tuesday, Thursday. Kids can sign up to go to that class during that flex period to get intervention if they need to or if they do have questions. But, we'll also run grade reports every Friday and up- upload those and missing assignments. If a student is failing or missing assignments, they're automatically assigned to the lab or to that teacher for intervention. So, when the kid goes to make a selection because they want to go do something else or or go to a club, they'll see that they've already been assigned the math lab to get that grade back up. Once the grade's up, it totally opens up the flexibility and choice for them again.
028Um a lot of this is the same thing we've been doing. We've just been doing it by hand, manually, spreadsheets, pink passes, running around the building handing them out, finding kids. And And as Mrs. Ebbing said, our real idea is what we've talked to our teachers about over the last several years is if you're going to assign the work, it should be quality enough work that it's important that the kid does it. So, if we're assigning the work and they opt out, we're not going to let them. We're going to go find them. We're going to sit down with them. We're going to make sure that they complete and do the work because if it's it was important, it's something we need to do. And that that is again, as she said, our failure rates
029are at the lowest I've ever seen. Um and our on-track graduation rate, um just for an example, probably 5-6 years ago, we were running 70 or 80 kids through summer school. Um starting summer school Tuesday, we are right now at 12 kids that will be coming in summer school. And that's after we didn't offer night school classes fall or spring semester. So, the kids needing credit recovery options are are no longer because of the work of this MTSS and SRT. It just becomes the culture. That's That's the expectation. Any questions? Thank you. Thank you. Again, that item was an inform. Does anyone have any additional questions? Okay, hearing none, we'll go down to professional staff. Um we have a request to fill positions prior to the next board meeting. Yes, asking for permission to fill
030positions prior to the next board meeting. It was a 3-week gap between meetings and we still have some summer hiring and some hiring for next year to do. >> [clears throat] >> So, we'll entertain a motion to approve. I have a motion by Travis, second by Mary Lynn. Any discussion? All those in favor? 7-0. Next, we have some recommendations. Yes, please. Asking for approval for the following recommendations. John Kelly, Jennings County High School Girls Golf Coach. Kyle Lime, Jennings County High School SPED Teacher. Kobe Vogel, Jennings County High School Summer School Teacher. We'll entertain a motion to approve those recommendations as read. So moved. I have a motion by Sheryl, I have a second, second by Kurt. Any discussion? All those in favor? 7-0. And any of you excuse me, I haven't had the privilege
031of being able to meet you in person, but I think I figured out who Mr. Lime is. >> [clears throat] [laughter] >> So, Mr. Lime, our newest um Jennings County High School SPED Teacher is here today. So, if you don't mind, Kyle, could you could you tell us who's with you today? >> Of course. Did you introduce? Hi, thank you for having my family and I. Um this is my wife, Chelsea. I'm Kyle. I don't know what to say to that. >> [clears throat] >> And I have our son, Maddox, here. That's great. And Kyle, we have a tradition here and when someone is joining the family, we ask if you'll go around the table. We like to congratulate you. So, you can start over here with with Mr. Eminger, please. >> Pleasure, sir. Congratulations.
032Nice to meet you in person. Congratulations. Thank you, sir. And I have to ask, can can we turn the stroller? >> [laughter] >> I can bring him up, take another picture. If you just turn him around so we can see him. How old is he, Kyle? >> Um 5 months. 5 months. That's a bigger congratulations than getting the position, [laughter] I think. It's your first field trip. He's taking it all in. >> Yeah, give it Everybody says Give him a little ride. Poor Frankie. He's doing better now. Oh, say maddest. Yes, maddest one. He's like, "Hey, Daddy, this is fun." >> [laughter] >> Hey. Future panther. That's right. >> [laughter] >> You're ready. He's adorable. >> [laughter] >> He's looking like, "I know." Thanks for that second round. Thank you guys again. I mean, priorities,
033really. We're all about the kids. Very good. Well, again, welcome. Thank you. Um so, next we'll go down under support staff. Again, we have some recommendations. >> Yes, please. Asking for approval of the following recommendations. Michael Obishaw, Jennings County High School summer school parapro. Lindy Doubt, I always have to stop and think. Um Jennings County School Corp summer groundskeeper. Isaiah Hammon, summer summer groundskeeper as well. Lisa Hudson, MVE summer custodian. Lori McClain, uh summer tech intern. Brandon Satello, summer tech intern. And Sandra Whitney, summer custodian, Scipio Elementary. Okay, we'll entertain a motion to approve those as read. So moved. I have a motion by Pat, second by Travis. Yeah. Um any discussion? All those in favor? Seven out of eight. And I have one more, please. Yes, I'm wanting to ask approval for the recommendation
034of Lindsey Shepherd, um Jennings County School Corp occupational therapist. We'll entertain a motion to approve. So moved. Motion by Sheryl, I have a second, please. Second by Chelsea. Any discussion? All those in favor? Six abstained, one. And you didn't vote for her. >> [laughter] >> And we are fortunate enough to have Lindsey and her family with us tonight, as well. So, Lindsey, if if you'll introduce your family to us, we'd appreciate it. I'm Lindsey Shepherd. This is my husband, Jackson, and our daughter, Evelyn. And she is very, very new. Yes, 4 weeks tomorrow. Yes. Yes. So, Lindsey, we are so happy to have you, and we would love to be able to congratulate you, as well. So, if you want to start it with Mr. Eddinger. Congratulations. >> [laughter] [laughter] >> Congratulations. Congratulations. I mean,
035are we going to make her feel so I was thinking >> [laughter] >> I mean, Jackson was really upset. Oh, Jackson. Jackson, come on. Bring her up. Show and tell. >> [laughter] >> We don't have to breathe on her, but you've got to get a little bit closer. Oh. Oh, is he sleeping so cute? >> [laughter] >> She's going to be right here all the time. >> in the same kindergarten class. >> [laughter] >> Does she look like a teacher? Absolutely. Very good. Well, again, welcome. Um so, next we'll move down to finances. We have some donations. Asking for approval to accept these donations for Graham Creek Elementary School, uh Tea Creek Baptist Church, $300 for negative student lunch accounts, for Jennings County School Corporation Crescendo Crescendo Music Department, county-wide Fine Arts Festival for T-shirts,
036sound, and posters, Bronze Auto Body Service of North Vernon, $250. Asking for approval to accept those donations. I have a motion by Travis. Do I have a second by Pat? Any discussion? All those in favor? 7-0. Another resolution. Asking for approval of a resolution authorizing the treasurer deputy treasurer to make payments of claims without board action prior to June 11th, and to allow them to make transfers of appropriations within the funds in order to balance major account classifications. We'll entertain a motion to approve. So moved. Have a motion by Kurt. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Cheryl. Any discussion? All those in favor? 7-0. Which brings us down to relations. Yes, I have um asking for approval for a MOU between Clarity of Central Indiana and JCSC. This is the same MOU as
037last year and we're just asking for approval. Okay? Entertain a motion to approve. So moved. I have a motion by Mary Lynn, a second by Pat. Any discussion? All those in favor? Seven uh And one more. Yeah, we have an MOU with uh CC uh CLSI, which is our special ed data tracking system. It's our backup for um our state reports. It's our TOR reports. Everything comes from CLSI. So, uh we've used this program for 10-plus years, but asking permission to accept the MOU with them. Entertain a motion to >> So moved. Motion by Pat, I have a second. Second. Second by Mary Lynn. Any discussion? All those in favor? Seven uh Which brings us down to Yes, we have a couple other this evening. Um one I just wanted to share with the board
038that I got word the State Board of Education officially approved our request for three waiver days for students next year um so that all of our staff are able to attend professional development. So, we will announce those dates prior to the school year beginning. So, I'll bring those back to you at a later time, but that was officially approved in May. And then Lisa has one for personnel. Um yes, asking for approval for Scott Scott Sage to be approved as a Jennings County High School head girls volleyball coach. So moved. I have a motion by Travis, do I have a second by Mary Lynn? Any discussion? All those in favor? Seven uh Thank you. Anything else? Yes. Hearing nothing else to come before the board, we'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Motion by Chelsea, do
039I have a second? Second by Pat. All those in favor? Seven uh Meeting adjourned. >> Mhm.