001Good. All right. Welcome everyone. Like to call the meeting to order. Start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. I'd like to recite our our mission statement. Uh community corporation rooted in purpose, strength, and community. >> I'm going to ask for unanimous unanimous approval to add uh to tonight's agenda the employment of Kaylee Howard as middle school special needs par professional. Uh there any objections? All right. Thank you. It's approved. All right. For adoption agenda, the chair will entertain a motion to adopt the agenda for the March 2nd, 2026 regular meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? >> Post 609. Approval of
002the minutes from the February 2nd, 2026 regular board meeting and February 10th, 2026 executive session meetings. >> Motion. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? >> Post. All right. Six championship moment. Uh Mr. L's spotlight FFA program at the Knox High School. Guys, >> come on up here. All right. Tonight for our KHS spotlight, I'd like to recognize the KHS FFA chapter led by Mrs. Masten. Uh Mrs. Masten is new to KHS this year and in short amount of time, she has stepped in and taken the reigns to continue building a and strengthening our FFA chapter. Uh this past week we celebrated National FFA week and our students did an outstanding job planning activities that brought energy and positivity into the building. Um the week included dress up days a
003fun engaging duck duck scramble game which I wasn't sure how it was going to go but the kids loved students loved it. It was fun. They had little dots all around the building and on the bottom they said F um FA and then you had to find the F. You had to find another F and you had to find an A. And when you found FFA, you went to Miss Mson and you got you got a prize and I have kids walking around with tons of ducks in their in their hands. Um it was an absolute blast. Um they had a teacher appreciation snack cart and even uh gave away um spider plants uh to teachers. Uh these moments may seem small on the surface, but they reflect something much bigger. The the students who
004are thinking of others and intentionally finding ways to give back. Um during monthly chapter meetings, our FFA students have organized meaningful projects including making and donating cake kits to the Stark County Community Center uh so families can enjoy Thanksgiving together. Uh they've supported the Stark County Farm Bureau harvest meals, helped provide meals for uh meals to farmers hauling grain to into the co-op in Hamlet, and participated in district and chapter kickoff events with neighboring schools. Uh, the chapter has also sent 11 students to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. And if you've never experienced the National FFA Convention, I would recommend it. It is phenomenal. 75,000 FFA students from across the country. Is it international or just country? >> It's across the United States and then uh the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico. It's it's it's
005an incredible opportunity um for them to socialize and and get to learn um agriculture on a national scale. Uh be beyond the events uh our students are learning and competing. This year Knox FFA members attended leadership workshops such as fire conference and the Indiana FFA leadership development workshop. In competition, our students participated in an entomology career development event in place 9th, which is a testament to their preparation and commitment. Uh, the chapter is planning a FFA plant sale in early May, a chapter banquet in April, and participation in multiple upcoming competitions including livestock judging, leadership development events, demonstrations, and uh, animal science and horiculture and landscape. Students will also attend the Indiana State FFA convention in June and be active at the Star County Fair in June. I think what I most appre appreciate the
006most um is that alongside leadership and competition, service remains a priority. Plans are already in place for community trash pickup efforts and reading to our preschool students. Uh simple acts that reinforce responsibility, kindness, and connection. In short, our FFA chapter exemplifies what we want in our students, leadership, service, learning, and pride. Pride in their school and community. I want to thank Mrs. Mass for leadership and dedication, and I want to commend our FFA students for an incredible work that they are doing on behalf of KHS. So, we are very proud of you and thank you. Want >> to say anything? Can you guys introduce yourself first? >> I'm Taylor Stacey. I'm Taylor Brockett from Harper Ableton. >> And Miss Mass, why don't you introduce yourself too because I know some of our board members have
007seen seen you and some of you haven't. >> My name is Abigail Masten. >> And so I I got a spider plant and it is still surviving because Billy takes care of it. It is in my office. So, thank you guys very much for that. Uh, did we have a breakfast, too? >> Yes, I did. >> How did that go? >> It's a good answer. >> Yeah. >> Um, we had some people come. It wasn't as big as we thought it was going to be, but I mean, it wasn't bad. We still got to see quite a few people and I think >> they made good pancakes, I will say. What questions do you guys have for them? Anything? You guys think you're learning a lot? >> Are you having fun? >> Yes. Are y'all
008juniors? >> Yeah. >> How long have you been in? >> I've been in FFA since 8th grade. Um, I've been FFA since 10th. I've been FFA since 8th grade. >> What are your medals, Harper? I see on your coke. This is my uh chapter degree. This is my officer pin. And this is uh for extemporaneous public speaking. >> Thank you ladies. >> Thank you very much. >> Miss you join them please. play musical chairs while I did find >> I can't now but I >> one two and three one more one two and three perfect got it >> all right thank you guys for joining us appreciate it >> thank you >> guys want to stay you can sorry if you want to leave you're more than welcome to you don't have to stick around
009that's you This is >> Barbara has musical practice. >> Thank you guys so much. >> Thank you for having us. >> Thank you. >> Well, Mr. L, uh, since you're warmed up, you can start us out with our principal updates, please. >> Uh, February has been a fun and interesting month. Um, every Friday in February, we we did something different to celebrate the week and just kind of let our our our hair down at the high school. Um, of course, this past week we had FFA week, but we also had a uh named the baby picture game where staff members submitted their uh baby photos and we had to guess who who they were. Uh, just a fun little activity. Um, for Valentine's Day, I know that we did a couples and so everybody grabbed
010a a random uh envelope and they had to find who their couple was. So, we had our teachers running the building trying to to find who their couple, which couple was, which was a lot of fun. Along with um Super Bowl Sunday, of course, that Friday, we had a nice little u bringin potluck for for the Super Bowl. So, um, from a from a culture standpoint, from a just kind of building our community, um, little things like that, just we we're in the doldrums of winter at the high school. And so, we're just finding ways to kind of build each other up and continue to to be a community. Um, this Wednesday is the big day. We have SAT for our juniors and everything that we've done this year is kind of kind of helped
011lead to this point. So hopefully our juniors are going to get a lot of rest tomorrow night. Um some of our juniors have spent a lot of the time with with Mrs. Duran and Mrs. Clemens kind of getting some additional support during SRT time. So um I I feel our students are really ready and they're they're ready to do their best on Wednesday. So really that's that's the happenings at the high school. I know beginning of the month we did celebrate counselor week. Um Sarah Richard and Tristan Allen are two phenomenal counselors and love having them. Uh Tristan being new this year. Just her her ability to dive right in and be along with Sarah and I and and the team has been phenomenal. So I always say at the end I I love being
012at the high school and wouldn't want it any other way. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any questions that I can answer? >> We do PSATs in the fall, right? >> Yes, sir. We did. >> Have we heard anything? Yes, we have that data. I think I I presented it and I can get you some of that information. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> All good. Thank you. >> So, um from the academic side of the world at the elementary, um this is our I read week. So, we've we've prepped a lot and the kids have worked hard, the teachers have worked hard, and this is week to show what we know. And so, uh, tomorrow and Wednesday, the third graders will take the iid. Um, it will be Thursday and Friday, our second
013graders will take I and we have a handful of fourth graders, um, who received some good cause exemptions. They didn't have to stay in third grade, but they'll continue to take that IE just to be monitored as well. So, they'll be taking that tomorrow. Um you we generally score around you know about at or above that state average kind of range but we've really worked hard second and third grade teachers have really worked hard and our paras and trying to really address curricular needs that could support our kids. So um so yeah tomorrow it's day we'll start showing what we know and uh I'm sure I'll be reporting back on that. Um, as far as other academics, we finished up our last writing PD that we've been working on this year with Melissa Gil. That
014that was great. The whole process was great. Um, we've already just kind of started sort of a curriculum um revision on that, which grade levels are going to going to really own which pieces of that writing continuum and to what level. Uh, we'll continue working on that and that writing PD will continue next year as well. Um, our building is busy with a math adoption. We have a team in place. All the grade levels are representative and reviewing samples right now. Um, looking at samples with regard to current standards. We're also trying to look at um the department of ed is stepping up um K through two, the primary grades in math. We've talked a lot, you know, the DOE has a lot to say about primary grades and reading, but next year we're going
015to have to start what's the universal screener. We don't know what it is yet. a surprise soon. I don't know. But they have released that as well as um they've given the primary grades the same kind of descriptors of standards that we've had in iLearn grades. So that's really helping the teachers kind of see those standards in a different way and which ones are the priority. So all that really is going to be information to use toward the adoption. They're also doing a lot of networking, calling other schools, calling other teachers, what do you use, is it effective, is it not? So more to come on that. Um as for the fun side of things, it's Dr. Seuss week. So, thank you to Tara for planning some fun things to do. And also, um I
016know I think the high school mentioned it maybe. Um there's random acts of kindness week that happened in February. Mrs. Ants does a great job. She comes up with all kinds of opportunities for our kids to get um you know, familiar with giving compliments and receiving them and ways for them to say thank you to to other peers and and staff members. um other fun little things that are just kind of push the idea that small little things that you do for somebody goes a long way. And so that was just a fun weekend. She worked really hard on that. Um our second grade very important Valentine was a hit. They brought people from home. That was on the 12th. We had a lot of fun with that. Science night, I some of you were
017there. I know that was huge. My goal was to count who came. I couldn't. I mean, it was just like they just kept coming and coming and coming. It was great. Everyone was leaving with just such positive things to say. So, thank you to Mrs. Shyman and um the volunteers to make that happen. And for families who are coming back to school when I know it's dinner and bedtime and baths and things, they so many people came. It was great. Uh other upcoming things you might want to know, uh preschool registration, our first round will be March 20th. We're going to try to do this several times instead of just one time. Sometimes we have a registration and then people find out about it and then, oh wait, did I miss it? So, we're going
018to do one during the day on March 20th, then we're going to follow it with an evening one, and then we'll see where our numbers are and probably follow with another if we need to, just to make sure the word's really out there. Um, and our kindergarten registration is now set for April 7th, which is the Tuesday we get back from uh spring break. So, more info on all of that. Have any elementary questions? Okay. Thank you. >> Good evening everybody. >> Good evening. >> Thanks for having us. Thanks for having me. Staying true with our uh presentation format, we'll talk about school culture first. Uh we celebrated national culture or national counselors week and we recognized and honored Mrs. Noble who's absolutely fantastic. Uh we're so fortunate to have her join our team this
019year. Like Michelle mentioned, we also celebrated kindness week and the importance of being kind to others. We had various things going on throughout the week to demonstrate acts of kindness. We also put a kindness tree in the cafeteria. You might see that if you're walking through where students could uh post kinds or thank yous about their peers or their staff. Our choir boosters hosted an afterchool glow dance for our students. We hadund over 150 students participate. That's my 42nd year of doing school dances. And no, I can't get out there and cut it up anymore like I used to, but I can sit and have fun. Uh community, our PTO continues to work really hard towards uh meeting the requirements for our matching grant. Uh money for the grant is going to be dedicated toward
020that playground, that picnic pavilion, and furniture. We're making some really positive strides. We met last week with um various uh partners in the uh in the process itself including those laying the concrete, those building the pavilion, those bringing in the playground equipment etc etc. So that was really the first time we've got all those players to the table and could see how that could come together. I think we're currently right around 29 to $30,000 uh of that 50 that we need to generate and we have a month uh to to do that. So fingers cross, right? Uh in terms of performance, uh we shared some really encouraging checkpoint testing progress information with our parents last month. We're approaching the end of our third academic quarter and we're stressing the importance of finishing strong to our
021students. Our faculty continues to be awesome uh working collaboratively towards our five-step plan for school improvement. During the month of February, we met with vertical teams uh to talk about review and revision of curriculum to get ready for the sprint to the finish here. And our elective teachers met as a group uh to focus on developing student agency. I think I talked to you about this. uh agency as it applies to school is a student's ability to identify a priority of task and to complete tasks on time. Those are two skills that uh are our our students need badly and they're going to need those throughout their throughout their adult lives. One other thing that I want to mention to you, I don't usually come before you about sports, but I think this one deserves
022recognition. Uh Saturday, our KMS wrestling team won our conference championship uh by dominating uh their opponents. It was great great performance and they continue a dominant performance for the season thus far. They're really good. Uh if you have a chance to get out and see them, please do so. Questions, comments, concerns. >> Oh, their fourth conference championship in a row at the middle school. >> Didn't know that. I'm glad you told me. >> I know we need to update our banners >> in the middle school. I noticed that the other day. >> This is for us as a team, right? This really kicks off our testing. >> You know, we we got I learn coming up here after spring break, your SAT, you know, you got I read, I learn, like this is really that
023time where it's going to start kicking off. Um where like to say the rubber meets meets the road >> for us. So, we're we're excited. We are we're excited about this time. our teachers have really worked hard, you know, over over this uh school year and uh see what happens. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> If you guys got to get out of here, you're more than welcome to. Thank you for coming tonight. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> All right. Eight, public comments. There's no public comments tonight on anything on the agenda. So, we'll go to number nine. uh personnel report, A, resignations, uh B, retirements, C extracurricular appointments, and D transfer. The superintendent recommends the board approve items A, B, C, and D. >> Motion. >> Thank you. >> Second, >> you know, we
024had uh Miss Sullivan in here what, July or January, right? The first meeting in January. Um it was really nice to have that that time with her um and tell tell her thank you for all the time she has um committed to Knox Community Schools. Um we're not really ready to talk about Miss Shyer's retirement yet. Um but we did want to get it on the agenda. We will definitely have have her time here with us. That's that's our personnel. >> Any comments questions? All in favor? Opposed? And business. Uh A, treasures report. The corporation treasurer has provided a report on page 15. Uh B, vendage vendor usage report. The corporation treasurer has provided a vendor usage report on page 34. Uh C, claims. The superintendent recommends the board approve the claims as listed on
025page 36. A motion. Thanks again. >> Secondary second. >> Casey, you have anything to add? >> Stand it. >> Okay. Uh, all in favor? >> Post. >> Uh, D construction update. Superintendent will update the board on the upcoming construction projects. >> Yeah. So, middle school, right? All those vertical units um with with site site logic who made that presentation to LA last time about the program that they have to keep all of our buildings updated. Um but right now we're having a meeting every week uh over spring break here. They're going to come into the building. Uh they got two weeks to kind of assess the building and see what's going on so that uh when school does get out they're prepared. Um so that's what they're going to be in the ceilings moving ceiling
026tiles seeing exactly where all the duck work is at um to help speed up the process uh this summer. So um that's what where we're at. We're you know excited to be able to get that project um kicked off. >> Discussion. Thank you. Uh E affidavit affidavit uh for payment. Superintendent recommends the board approve the affidavit for payment as listed on page 79. >> Motion second. >> And that's just the monthly fees that that we owe site lodging. I think there's only one bill on there. That's it. >> All in favor? >> I post. >> Yes. Donations. The superintendent recommends the board approve the following donations from Catholic Outreach and Star County Co-op. Uh 115 build your own robotic hand kits. Uh there's 75 reusable water bottles. Uh blue screen computer glasses and granola bars.
027Catholic outreach. And then $100 to the elementary science program from the Star County co-op. >> Second. >> You may find me in the classroom building a robotic hand. That sounds like a lot of fun to me. And the granola bar sounds good, too. So, uh, thank you to the Catholic outreach and also the donation for our science program. Definitely appreciate that. >> All right. All in favor? >> G. Fundraiser request. The superintendent recommends the board approve the fundraiser request listed on page 81. second. >> The National Junior Honor Society at the middle school, they got three activities. They want to do Pi Day, which is coming up. Uh they want to do a hat day and then donut sales before or after school. And those funds are going to help support the kids closets. So,
028that's what they're looking at doing. Uh all in >> favor comments and questions from admins and the board. Uh, Dr. Brown, anything tonight? >> Uh, no. I'm looking forward to see how we do this to sleep with our child. >> I think all of us. All right. Thank you, Erin. >> Um, I just wanted to say the um the PTO uh I was at Pizza Hut today and saw that they're doing a um like a give back donation night um there. So, it said they're going to read right. going to have um like celebrity servers there. >> Oh, I don't know. >> Fifth night, but >> yeah, >> there'll be a few volunteers. >> Okay. >> You're not one of them? >> Yeah. >> Get enough volunteers. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Thanks, >> Autumn. Okay,
029Gary. Um, just thank our admins again for coming in and doing having a wonderful presentation and then uh thank the ladies for coming in from the FFA. Great. >> That's it. >> Um, >> I'd like to pass. >> Um, and I know I know we got Jake coming up here. I did a whole bunch of podcasts um on Monday. Jake was one of those. um that should be going out with a community uh video also hopefully tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest kind of supporting our our middle school project. So that is it actually is live right now on our site but I will push that uh either tomorrow or Wednesday just so you know that I think one of the um when I came here to Knox one of the things that we discussed was
030making Knox known around the state so that people knew where Knox was and and what we are about. Uh there there's two things this year um that I quickly want to talk about. Number one, you know, I I presented at the superintendent association um when they had the conference uh in the fall time and that was all over our strategic plan and how we as a district have pushed those academics forward. Uh but I also had the opportunity um at the national superintendent conference was which was just last month there was uh over 6,000 superintendents from from the US that were there. Um it was a great opportunity to present and represent Knox. Uh I sat aside sat next to um a superintendent from New York, one from California and one from Michigan. And it
031was all about readable English and middle school literacy. Um and showing the data that we had with readable English uh to we had about 40 45 people in attendance. It was at 8 a.m. on a Friday morning. So it was an early session uh which was just fantastic. But uh it was it was really good. And I think the reflection I had when we were all done was people that are now knowing Knox or knowing what we're about and what we're doing. Um, and I think that's that's that's awesome. That's a big step for us to for people to know where we are at and what we're doing. Um, and that shows just the good work that that you guys have done. I think one of my goals also um is at the schoolboard association
032conference in the fall time to present also about our strategic plan. Um, so I think that's something that we can kind of foreshadow that I'd like to be able to make make happen in the future. Um, so you know, a lot of a lot of great things going on. Um, and also a reminder to you guys, our regional meeting for the schoolboard association is April 8th. Um, if you could just let Billy know here um, by Billy sooner rather than later. >> At the end of the week, please. >> By the end of the week would be fantastic. That way she can get us reserved for that. Again, that's that's Swan Lake at 4:30 um on the 8th. >> That's all that I have. >> All right. Thank you. >> Uh 12, public comments uh
033on items not on the agenda. We have Jake. Thank you. >> Thanks. So, uh Mr. Coning gave gave a good update on the outdoor project, so this will be short and sweet, but um we're in the middle of fundraising or crowdfunding. Um, we have 30 days left. So, um, we're about, like I said, about 30,000 in. Um, and we still have 20,000 to raise in the next 30 days. >> There's one in the >> Yeah, I know >> you guys have different groups each of you work with and advocates of the the school. So, if you know anybody that would like to donate or any groups, um, please spread the word and hoping to hit our goals. So fingers crossed. >> That's all I have. >> What happens if you guys don't? >> So if
034we don't, we don't get any match. We would just have to scale the project back. Um right now we're at 30,000. We have enough to complete the pavilion um engraved bricks and give recognition to those donors that have you know donated that level um the bricks. So we would just remove kind of the play equipment from the projects. >> Set the uh goal like is it is the state it has to be like 50,000 but like >> yeah it can be 50,000 is the max. So you can do a project that is $10,000 up to $100,000 project and we chose to do the pool. >> You have to hit what you >> Yeah. You set your goal at 50,000 and you start your project you have to hit that 50 to get any match. Yeah.
035>> We're shooting for the moon. asking Dave want to share how the cap uh >> Oh yeah. So yeah, we wrapped that up um February 13th. We have well over our 3500 pounds of plastic. That'll be enough to get six picnic tables and two benches at discounted pricing. So it's been really good and it saves all that from landfill, which is nice. And the community is really just keeps bringing in cabs. We're kind of trying to say stop but it's still flowing. So it's been good. It's hard to >> feel bad. >> Our next thing right now >> trying to figure out where to store it. Finding different different garages and whatnot. But um next thing will be to get all that down to Evansville um where the recycling plants at and then get the
036equipment back up here. So anybody has a long trailer or semi we might need. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you. >> Right. 13 adjournment. Thank you. >> Second, Dr. Brown. All in favor? >> Close. All right. Thank you, everyone.