001[snorts] call the meeting to order. We'll start with the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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. >> Want to welcome everyone to the school board meeting this evening. Remind you that we are um live streaming tonight's meeting. We'll start with a motion to accept consent agenda items. >> I have a motion by Kirk. Do I have a second? A second by Cheryl. Any discussion? All those in favor? 6. Um, next we'll move down um for community non-aggenda items. I believe we have someone present who um has signed up to speak during public participation. So I'm just going to review the guidelines for public participation. So this is our current
002policy. [clears throat] The school board recognizes the value of public comment in educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on corporation matters. This meeting is a meeting of the school board in public for the purpose of conducting the school corporation's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There will be time for public participation as indicated by the agenda. The board provides public comment at the beginning of the meeting for items that are not on the agenda. For items on the agenda, the border may make the board may make um take um comment during the meeting as the board considers items. The board president will direct when public comment is appropriate. The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules. Public participation shall be
003permitted as indicated on the order of business provided. However, public participation may be prohibited at any time that must be conducted remotely or virtually due to a disaster emergency declared by federal, state, or local officials unless the board has elected to allow oral public comment. At such board meetings as above, attendees shall register their intention to participate in the public portion of the meeting upon arrival at the meeting. Participants shall be recognized by the presiding officer and shall be requested um to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, group affiliation if and when appropriate. Each statement made by the participant shall be limited to three minutes in direct duration and there is a clock on the wall that will time that duration. No participant may speak more than once. No participant may
004pass their time to another participant. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. No person may address or question board members individually. The pro presiding officer may prohibit public comments which are harassing, interrupt, warn or terminate a person's statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene or irrelevant. The may um the presiding officer may request any individual to leave the meeting when that person behaves in a manner that is disruptive to the orderly conduct of the meeting. Um they may request assistance from law enforcement officers in the removal of a person who is willfully disruptive or when a person's behavior interferes interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting. They may call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the l lack of public decorum so interfaces with
005the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action. and they may wave the rules with the approval of the board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the board of business. The portion of the meeting during which oral public comment is held may be limited to 30 minutes unless extended by a vote of the board. Provided, however, that every person who is physically present and has followed the reasonable rules set forward above shall be permitted the opportunity to provide oral public comment um by dividing the total time for public comment by the number of persons providing that comment. So that's again part of our policy. It's Niola P0167.3. Um and now we have one individual who signed up to participate um this evening. Um I think it's Ellen. Is
006it Garen? Garinger. >> Garinger. Okay. Have you can stand up if you would um state your name and I know you wrote it on the sheet. Just say your name and address. And if you're affiliated with a group otherwise you have three minutes. >> Okay. My name is Ellen Garinger. I currently work as a special education pair professional at the high school and my address is 56700 West. This sits on my desk and it has for four years and I live by it and I teach by it every day. I read it while I drink my coffee and I [snorts] ask that my statement that I sent to HR be submitted for public approval. Um, good afternoon members of four. I'm speaking tonight not just as an employee, but as someone who cares deeply about
007the children and staff of this district. Recently, I along with two other staff members experienced significant professional disruption due to communication that lacked clarity and professionalism. I'm not here to relive the situation. I'm here because of the impact. When communication breaks down at the leadership level, it does not just affect adults. It affects classrooms. It affects continuity and ultimately it affects students. I would strongly encourage the board to closely review staff surveys regarding workplace climate and leadership communication. If there are patterns there, they deserve serious attention. I also believe it would be wise to review and if necessary strengthen policies that promote healthy, respectful, transparent communication practices before significant operational changes are made. I ask that student safety and stability be thoroughly evaluated, i.e. proper medical certification in accordance with job descriptions. When decisions are
008made without careful communication and planning, students are the aren't the only ones who experience the are the only ones who experience the consequences. I say this not out of anger but out of concern and out of advocacy because the standard of professionalism we model for our staff is the same standard we ultimately set for our students to prepare them for when they will enter society. Remember that your teachers, counselors, and paraprofessionals are the ones who work closest with the youth of Jennings County. They are kind and decent people. Stop treating them as replaceable when they are valuable and loved by their students. Protect them and furthermore, protect our kids. As I reflect on my professional future, I believe it is important that I use my voice to advocate for healthy communication and student centered decisionmaking.
009Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Helen, for coming tonight and sharing your thoughts with the school board. Um, the board does not respond to public comments, right? Um, your time is up. Just in time. >> Yeah. Wonderful. Um we don't re um respond to the public comments, but we do take your matters under adisement. Um so just want you to know that we um you know, again, it's part of our policy is to listen to you and um to thank you for coming. >> I have a copy of my statement. >> I have if you want to leave it with Deb right there at the end. >> I made 10 copies. There's one for each of you. >> Thank you. >> And it is the copy. It is the statement that I sent
010to HR. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Is anyone else present who would like to speak with any item on the agenda or not on the agenda? Okay. Hearing none, um we'll go down to old business. Yes. Okay. Um so old business, we have some policies to approve. >> Yes. Asking for approval of this group of polic Entertain a motion to approve policies. Motion by Mary Lynn. Do I have a second? >> Second by Travis. Any discussion? All those in favor? 6. Um, next we're down under programs. We have um computer foundations for digital age of course. >> Yes. I'm asking for this approval um for seventh and eighth grade. This will help with the new accountability model and give more offerings for credits for the middle school students. >>
011And I believe you did this under in a form last time. Yes. >> So we'll entertain a motion to approve this course edition. So move motion by Cheryl. Do I have a second? Second um by Chelsea. Um any discussion? All those in favor 60. Um, next we have some under new business. Um, some more policies. >> This is just a first reading. Please reach out if you have any questions. There's a group here to be rescended and then a group of policies to be replaced. >> Um, so again, that's an inform. Um, under programs, we have a prek programming approval. >> Yes. So, we've been exploring sustainable options to keep offering high quality prek through our Jennings County School Corporation. Um, our focus has been on options that are reasonably priced for our families in
012our community, but also fiscally responsible for the district. Um, we have studied pre-K prices in our area for all day, everyday uh, prek programs, as well as put together our total expenses of how much it would cost to run one site for the full year. uh you should have in your packet you should have a kind of a breakdown that uh breaks it down by cost tuition cost and how many students would be in the program and then the bottom it shows um net income or loss. So um for the 26 27 school year I'd like to propose one site at Northburn Elementary with a weekly tuition of $150. Uh this is an increase from last year but with on my way prek and CCDF uncertainties. Um this is the cost that would help or
013or this is the cost that we would have to offer for our PE preK program to remain costneutral. Um also the $150 is on average with the other all day everyday prek sites around our area. So offering or uh asking permission for offering prek with $150 weekly tuition at one site at North Elementary and the one uh if you flip all the way back to the the last page and the second to or the second to last and the third to last page uh that would be if it was $150 with 20 students in the program, we would be at $700. If we were to have 24 students, which is we can have 12 per staff member on ratio, it would um it would be we would make money at at 16,000. But with uh
014what we found out where this year, we have had a lot of students that we are having a hard time collecting funds and we've had to replace students from time to time if they are not able to continue paying the tuition. These changes are due to the legislation changes and the um freeze on funding in prek throughout the state. This isn't unique to us. Um but we really value our prek model. We've seen a huge progress and gain for kids who come to us that are four when they enter kindergarten, how they're scoring on roundup. We'd love to sustain the program. So we'd like to pilot this to see if a paid model um which is used in other districts and other areas in the state will work for us as well. So that's why
015we want to scale back for one year to one site to model that um with a limited uh cost potential um that is a controllable amount. You can see his projections that he's made to be able to keep prek. Um that's our hope. So, we'd like to scale back and give a pilot program a try. >> Um, so this item is on the agenda for approval. So, we'll entertain a motion to approve um offering one site at the 150. Just want to clarify because there lots of options. >> Yes. >> So, >> okay. So, I have a motion by Kirk. Do I have a second? >> Second by Cheryl. Any discussion? I just have a question about you said it was hard to collect on the uh from last year. >> Do you know how
016much outstanding we have able to collect? >> No. Um we so they have about a three-w weekek grace period before uh if they haven't been able to catch up. So that would be about $150 before they are um removed from the prek program. So we've had to move uh five students. So, roughly about $1,000. >> Any other questions? >> I have a motion and a second. So, hearing no other discussion. All of those in favor? 6. So, now we'll go down under professional staff. We have some recommendations. >> Yes, please. asking for the following re recommendations to be approved. Career increment master teacher stipens for the years 2026 through 203031 for the following teachers. Angie Burton and Molly Crouch. Toby Harold, interim food service director. Ashley Heindel, Janice County Middle School girls track coach and
017Courtney Mansville, middle school assistant girls track coach. >> We entertain a motion to approve those recommendations as read. Motion by Mary Lyn. Do I have a second? >> Second by Travis. Any discussion? All those in favor? 6. And if you wouldn't mind, I wanted to let you know that our newly approved interrum food service director is here today and I would like to be able to introduce him. He's not an unfamiliar he is a familiar face to us. Not unfamiliar in any way. But Mr. Toby Harold who has been teaching at the high school is now going to be transitioning to that position. So Toby, if you'll come on up this way, we would love to be able to congratulate you. Congratulate you. So if you'll start with Mr. Ebinger, please. >> You didn't bring
018any food for us to. >> Yeah, we're gonna have to put you on an action plan, right? >> I know. [laughter] >> Congratulations. It's official. Congratulations. We're super excited that you've taken that role and look forward um to tasting all of the wonderful food. >> Okay. Um so next we'll go down under support staff. We have a couple of recommendations. >> Yes. The first one I have is for um Shannon Walker, please asking for approval for her to be um for her to be approved as a Jennings County uh school corporation floating cook position. Entertain a motion to approve. >> So move. >> Motion by Cheryl. Do I have a second? >> Second by Kurt. Any discussion? All those in favor. Six. Second. >> Yes. Lastly, I'm asking for the approval of Matt Ross to
019be um named as a facility usage feeder program coach. >> So moved. >> Have a motion by Travis. Do I have a second? >> Second by Kurt. Any discussion? All those in favor? 60. Thank you. And now we're down under finance. We have some donations. >> Yes. Ask the board to approve the following donations. Brush Creek Elementary anonymous $45 for student activities. Jennings County School Corporation for the retired Jennings County retired teachers active teacher grant recipients. Anita Bogs the middle school 225. Molly Crouch Brush Creek 150. Angie Grills, NBE 200. Leslie Hill, NBE 13645. Kiana Johnson, Graham Creek, 249. Tara Kelly, middle school, 125. Angie Sloan, Graham Creek for 300. At the high school, Decatur Mold, $200 to boys volleyball club. Elite Meals, $150 for student PBIS. Losup restaurant 24207 for staff PBIS. New Bethl
020Baptist Church donated a large amount of food for the food pantry and North Vernon abstract 175 to the boys volleyball club. Ask order approve approval for all those donations. >> Have a motion. I have a motion by Maryland. Do I have a second? Second by Chelsea. Any discussion? All those in favor? 6. Next we have a resolution. Next, in conjunction with the policy 6144 on um investments of monies, I'm asking board approval authorization for the treasur deputy treasur to invest available funds per IC 5-13-9-5. >> I'll entertain a motion to approve. >> Motion by Travis. Do I have a second? Second by Cheryl. Any discussion? All those in favor? Six. Next. The next one's a repeat of the last one, but the time frame I didn't get everything completed in, so we need to extend
021it. And this is the resolution to get the appropriation transfers made between the major funds of education, operations, and rainy day to establish the 2026 budget per the state approved budget order. >> Entertain a motion to approve. Motion by Chelsea. Do I have a second? Second by Mary Lynn. Any discussion? All those in favor so um next we're go down under operations we have cost containment update. >> Yes. So I've been trying to give regular cost containment updates to the board and um I just want to do that again briefly this evening. So at this time we are planning forward for next school year for staffing. Just to review, cost containment came up for us as a school system because of our declining enrollment over the last 10 years, which also also means associated funding
022declining as well. So, we've been working hard at right sizing staffing to the number of students we have in the corporation. So, continuing that work for this year, um we are looking at absorbing 13 certified positions. Those staff are already aware if it is a position that they are in. Um we looked at with lesser direct student impact and those were considered first. So those working directly with kids um we try to look at positions further out first. Um the major piece of those 13 positions are seven instructional coach positions that will be absorbed. We are shifting our instructional coach model. We've been using a building instructional coach model and we are going to shift to a districtwide instructional coach model. Um one thing that will be a positive advantage of this will also allow
023us to um tighten our efficiency and consistency across what we're doing with instruction across the district. Um that accounts for seven of those positions. Um they are both administrative and non-administrative teaching positions. Um in addition to this, at this point, we've had eight people who signed up for the early retirement incentive incentive pending official approval. Um there are 12 positions left available. If anyone meets the requirements, they have until March 20th to notify us if they'd like to take advantage of that and their teaching staff. And then in March, we're going to send a letter of intent out to our staff. Um, we used to do this regularly about 10 years ago. Simply a letter that asked, are you intending to return to your position? Um, are you interested in moving to a different position?
024It just allows as we're making staffing considerations and decisions that we have all that information about what people prefer. Um the the positive thing is at this time due to the retirements and resignations we have a certified staff riff is not anticipated to be needed due to those retirements and resignations. Um for classified staff we will be absorbing five positions and we'll be working through that in the next um remainder of this semester having those conversations. Um, in addition to staffing, although staffing is the majority of our budget. So, anytime we talk about cost containment, staffing has to be the conversation that we have. Um, in addition to that, we are looking at some other considerations. So, I just wanted to review those and remind us of that work we're working in. First of all,
025we're focusing on our core instructional work, which for us means K through 12 for our public schools. So, we are reviewing our prek programming and we're reviewing our adult ed level programming. Part of those conversations we had this evening with changing that prek model due to the funding change. Um, we're also doing some uh strategic planning of scheduling, professional development, and how we use our subs. So, using subs during the day for PD is a costly thing that we could review and see if there's other models that we can look into as cost savings. We'll review our program and material fees. We're going to review all of our program options that we offer. Um for the operations budget area, we'll do an analysis and make sure that we're reviewing all those areas. We're going to
026be considering long-term transportation costs. We're coming up on a transportation contract renewal. So, that's just a timely thing that we do each time that contract comes up. And then finally on this one, I want to make sure I say very clearly so I don't create any confusion if someone's listening live stream later. Um, we will be reviewing and doing a study we'd like to recommend in the upcoming few meetings on redistricting and a school capacity study. I want to clearly say we are not looking at school closures for next school year for 2026. That is not the conversation point. um that I have to continue to bring the reality forward to us of two big pieces. If our student enrollment continues to decline um if we're losing a hundred students a year, which has been
027the average in the last 10 years, in two years, that is the size of an outline elementary school. So it's just the reality is if we do continue to lose school students as a district and we continue to need to rightsize that is something that we need to be prepared and have had conversations ahead of time um and studied so that we have all the facts and information that we need. Um so simply will be recommending a study for us to gather data um just so that we are well prepared for any future eventualities. I'm going to repeat again that is not something that is planned for next school year or any type of school closure. That said, there is one more piece of that and that is the state currently has legislation out there
028about building capacity and that is if you have a building that had an original capacity size that you are no longer meeting 50 to 60% of, there are some rules for how schools have to inform the state of that and some other additional steps that need to be taken. So that also allows us to be forward thinking, making sure we're within ratios we need to be and if we are not to make some considerations. So we'd like to recommend going forward looking at um doing a study and having that information at our fingertips for the future. So we will bring more information back um in some upcoming meetings about that. >> I think that was an inform item. Not asking for any action um tonight. Um so that puts us down under other. >> Anything
029else? >> No other. >> Hearing nothing else to come before the board but entertain a motion to adjurnn. A motion by Travis. Do I have a second? Second by Mary Lynn. All those in favor? 6. So meeting ajourn.