001Is he on vacation? >> I'm surprised there's protocol to be followed. You can't just do what you want to do. >> It's never stopped. >> Everybody fall in line. Raise your hand. Yes. And I both requested that. >> Yeah. Well, actually, she did first. >> Should be good. Welcome everyone. >> Two seconds. >> I can call the uh meeting to order with start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. >> We'll stay standing. >> Yep. Now, we're going to recite our mission statement. The non community school purpose, strength, and community. >> Thank you. >> Amen. >> All right. Adoption agenda. The chair will entertain a motion
002to adopt the agenda for the September 8th, 2025 regular meeting as presented. >> Make that motion. >> Thank you, Dr. >> Second, Gary. >> All in favor? >> Post seven. Uh, approval of the minutes from the August 4th, 2025 regular board meeting at August 26, 2025 executive session. >> Wendy, thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> Opposed? Uh there's no public comments tonight. So we'll move on Miss Tarno and the championship moment. >> Um I am really pleased to bring a champion moment from the elementary school because I think especially tonight as we move in in a little bit and talk about goals, this fits right in with all of that. So I'm going to ask my kindergarten crew to stand up here. You know, they love this. They love they
003love being in the center of attention. And for those of you just I'm sure you know all of them, but just as a review, this is Mrs. Mita Sullivan and Mrs. Amy Borholder, Mrs. Jamie East, Mrs. Mara Bourne, and Mrs. Kim Ray. Some of you have probably had one of them standing here, your children. Um, I wanted to share I don't know, Mr. Mike, were you able to? >> Uh, I'm working on it. Okay. Working on it. We'll >> start talking. Give me a moment. >> Um I've come before and we've talked about things that we're working on at the elementary school and we uh received your board goals and we've been working looking at those in our buildings and and looking at a lot of data points and something just kept standing out and
004glaring with giant lights around it of such a great success and it was something I wanted to share. we can't bring 120 first graders into this room, but equally as important is the kindergarten staff that got them um to where they were. So, in a minute, I maybe we'll show you a little slide with some information on there. But um as you know, you've heard me mention dibbles before. If we're elementary world, you live by dibbles, right? That's a um an assessment that's done that indicates whether a student may or may not be likely to have reading difficulties as they get older. Um we go by a score that's called um benchmark. Benchmark is the term, right? So there's a number um of a score that we're trying to get to. And if if a
005student hits that benchmark score or above, then generally we're going to say with pretty pretty um pretty good accuracy that they will likely not have at this point in time an indication that they will have difficulty reading. So we have been dibbling forever for well I shouldn't say forever but for a very long time and we often see a very similar trend in our in our data points and these ladies really just took on some things last year. Um instead of just doing the same thing they got in there they took on a brand new program that they had not done before. Um, and some it was some I'm sure they were very supportive to me, but behind the scenes I'm sure there was a wait, what are we doing? But they were wonderful and
006it was um a whole phonics program that was very different. Um, and then they can tell you more about that later, but they took that on as part of how they were going to change their reading block for all kids. So instead of just looking at kids who are struggling, what are we doing for the whole entire group so we get less of those kids who are identified as struggling. So they did that. They also looked at their intervention time when they are trying to do small groups and they kind of got on the same page with a program and how it was going to be utilized and some consistency with that. And then they developed something called um nursery rhyme boot camp. So I they can explain that to you as well. There is
007a slide and it if it doesn't come up that's fine but what I wanted to show on the slide I can send it to you later um is that we traditionally if you look back the last few years kindergarteners come into KCES about the same scoring level on benchmark about 34% of our kids look like their benchmark at the beginning and part of that is because not everyone has had preschool Yet things are very new. There's a lot for them to still learn. This group of who are now first graders came in right there. They were not necessarily a higher group for sure than any other. By the end of the year, we were at 84% of kindergarteners who reached that benchmark level. And if you look back historically in the chart, you will see
008Oh, there we go. There we go. Oh, there it is. You can just Yeah, perfect. So, if you want to There we go. So, you see that this yellow is the group of kids I'm talking about, right? 34% of them were at benchmark when they arrived to us. You can even see that's that's not even as high as they came in two years previously. We get them, they moved up to 70, but look at that ending score, 84%. That's almost 10% higher than any other year. And again, this isn't just a, huh, wonder why that happened. They deliberately did three really big things as well as they're just so committed to their kids and making sure they're reaching all of them. But here's the best part. You can see, no surprise, of course you're going
009to get growth from the beginning to the end. If you look at that 2223 score, do you see how 74% of them were at benchmark, but then they get to here the next school year in first grade and right out of the gate 53% are at benchmark. Right? Because it's first grade, we've upped the ante on what we want them to do. So, okay, if you look again at the next year, 23 24%. Okay, first grade 48%. like we're losing something, right? They're getting there and then we're losing it. But take a look. 84% at the end of the year. And look at that number as first graders. 70%. I clearly I need like a pointer from a fire. 70%. There is not a year where we had first graders rolling in there at 70%
010proficient. This is not luck. It's not because they were higher than any other group before them. It is because these ladies made deliberate and oftentimes not easy changes to get them to that point where it stayed. I have first grade teachers saying, "Oh my goodness, like they they can read, they can do this, they can do that." We have it all set up to have 12 intervention groups. We could fill six with kids six with those kids who are below benchmark. we're now going into like our on level kids and making groups just to push them even farther. So, I just wanted to highlight this just goes along with everything that you've all been talking about and and expressing to us as far as what you'd like to see in improvements and not every grade
011in my building takes um I learn, but every single grade builds to that I learn assessment. It builds to those I read assessments. And this was significant growth. And it did not come by chance. It came because they meticulously planned that out and really worked hard to get something different. It's it's just something really worth celebrating and I thought the timing was really great to um bring to you. Again, you can see with reluctance, no one wants the accolades and they should get them all because of yes, the kids are to be celebrated, but I had an amazing crew as well as Angie Eids who has retired. Um, but what an amazing group they've been really taking to heart how can we deliver to our students a better programming than maybe we have before. So,
012I just wanted to bring them to your attention because they really deserve that. um that extras pat on the back I think. >> And I'll say I'm in and out of your rooms. Not nearly as much as I would like to be, but I do appreciate everything you guys do. When I get into your rooms, I mean, I see what you guys are doing in there. Um and if you never been in the kindergarten room, it is an experience, right? It is an absolute experience to be in there. Sometimes when you're having a bad day, that's absolutely the place to go because those kids are an absolute blast. Demanding, but an absolute blast. So, thank you guys. Any other questions that we have? >> Anything you ladies want to share? >> Don't make shock. Well,
013I know Michelle just um mentioned kind of the sound boot camp and so in the things that were a success for us. That was one thing we felt it was really important the kids were not coming in with a strong sense of the letter sounds and that was really not helping them get ready to read. So we scaled it back and said what can we do about that? And we spent five weeks at the beginning of last year and we've done it again this year just focusing on those sounds and doing nursery rhymes so that they're able to hear those rhyming words. And we've seen a big difference with that. And then you fly of course has been amazing. We're so glad we jumped on board on youly. Um we can just we I could
014see the difference within a few weeks when we started using it. We were very impressed and it's a lot of whole groups so they get to hear other um examples of great reading and it's looping through and lots of practice and so we're thankful I would like to mention our reading coach um spot because she's the one who brought it up to us can we try this you fly program and a few of us had heard of it already and said yes let's jump on it let's do it and we've been very happy with it we love you so that's been our two keys success, I think, and of course the hard work. >> And it's always the people. Yeah, it's a great program. It's the people behind the program that make anything work. For
015sure. >> Thank you. Thank you. Good work. >> You guys are welcome to dismiss yourself if you want to. If you want to stay, we'd love to have you, but we understand that there's lots of things to do. So, we completely understand. >> Thanks for having us. Thank you. start. >> Oh, I'm back. >> I know. I can say that. >> You want to start first or you want >> Well, yeah. So, we're we're moving right into the our principles report here. Um and what we have for you here today um is talking about our academic goals um that that we have talked about. So, what you're going to see today is the district-wide goals. You're going to see each indivi individual building's goals, which we had talked about, and I'll talk a little bit
016about the the overview. Um, and actually starting us off is actually Peggy, who Miss Shynecker, who will be talking about the district goals first. >> Well, the board is clearly familiar with these because we work together as a board, Mr. Mack, myself, and you. These are the board goals. different in the fact that you know the board goals research says you should build three to five year goals at the board level. So you did we've set the three-year right and so those were our three academic goals. Our focus is on academics. So the first goal is grades three through eight with the iLearn assessment ELA 33% that was the overall grades 38 score in ELA in 2025. We're going to get to 48% or higher. we're going to add um by 2028 math we're going
017to go from 37 to 52% or higher and then we had you guys there was that concern there's no doubt about it the SAT the math and it's 10% now we want to go to 25% but you know you know realistically that's only 1/4 of our students in three years we're going to be higher than that I'm I'm sure that Mr. 's nodding in the background. No, you will see. And it's it's hard because they're different students, right? Because it's only at grade 11 for sure. But anyway, just a a recap of our three-year goals. Yes, our three-year goals in all three areas. And now we'll let Mrs. Stardo take over the elementary. So, we received your goals, u Mr. Mick, and and Peggy explain those to us. And then our job then was to
018take what you have set as the corporation goals and bring them to our each of our own respective buildings and figure out in order to reach the goals that you established what what's my piece in that what's my building's piece of the puzzle in that. Um like we've I said earlier they it makes sense those are I learn um goals in two of the categories. Not every grade in my building does, but they certainly are responsible for the instruction that goes in to eventually demonstrate on that island. So, what I did is I took you uh the overriding um ELA goal for which was to add 15% over the next three years. I set goals for just one year at a time. And so our piece that we want to commit to to to reaching
019that long-term goal is that first first off to match the iLearn, we want our third and fourth graders to increase it 5% in English language arts from last year to compared with the spring assessment this year. So what that would mean is in ELA instead of 32% proficient in um third grade, I'm going to look for at least 37% in fourth grade. We had 45% students proficient and we're moving that number to 50%. Um, if you scoot over and look at ELA goal 2. Um, again, I'm going to go back to that Dibbles assessment. That's something we do. It's a measure we look at in K through four. Um, it's a different it's looking at different things. It's looking at pieces that help to build up that I learn ELA, but it's still really important.
020Our building overall was at a 60% benchmark or above score rate and I want to see that get to at least 70% by the end of this year and also in the final goal for the elementary school we also take an iid assessment that I know that you are familiar with and although we wind up getting about 85% I believe of our students pass that measure by the end that's given multiple times so they take it for the first time really as an instructional kind of a tool to help us in second grade. It is a third grade test. It is not less because it's second. It is the third grade, end of third grade test, but we give it to them in second to see how they do and then we give it to
021them in the spring of third and then we give it to them again in May and then we give it to them again after summer school. So, we have a lot of opportunities to tweak and and reassess. What we'd really like to do in some of we think that's reasonable for us is to increase the initial passing rate, that first spring test that they take in third and in second in usually April, sometimes March, April, depends on the calendar. We want to see at least 10% increase out of the gate. We know we get we all of we get 85% by the end of third, which is is great. um the ones that that um we all gened students pass I read which is is a nice feather in the cap. Um we have some
022of our special ed students who still qualify for good cause exemption still pass that I read. So just as a starting it's really hard not to not to aim too far too fast. Um, but we would like to see that in second grade, at least 52% of the kids pass that third grade assessment as opposed to 42 last spring. And out of the gate, instead of 72 passing in that first uh round of third grade, we know we can get them up there. So, let's try to aim for 82 right out of the gate. So, those would be our ELA goals that we feel like will contribute to the board goals that you've set. As far as math, you want to flip to math. I got to have two slides. Sorry. For math, the same
023thing. To build toward the goals that you did, we are looking at a 5% increase. Um, in third and fourth grade, so for third, it's 38% passing to 43. And in fourth grade, that's 53% of the students passing to get to 58. Um, that's obviously a that's really digging into those checkpoints and curriculum maps and how to take that check checkpoint information and really get our kids where they need to be. Now, math, we have less um standardized all school kind of assessments like we do in reading, but we sat down and created what is it that are the roadblocks? What do we see that first day of school when when um teachers were there? The biggest blocks to getting those scores, the third and fourth grade teachers will say it. Our our primary grade
024teachers see it. Kids just need to know their math facts. They just need to be automatic and know their math facts. When so much brain power is taken up with calculating, you lose what the word problem was even about. So, this is not something I have baseline information for you on. Right now, we're we're creating which grades are taking which assessments, but it would be like a 100 math fact test appropriate for the grade level that it's on. And we want to see at least 80% of the kids um proficient on that measure. And the last one is about operations. So, it's not just about solving, but our staff discussed how students sometimes approach a word problem and they don't they're not sure what exactly they need to do with it. they can read it.
025But if you say, "I have seven kittens and my brother threw three more in the basket." They're not sure if they're subtracting sometimes or they're adding or we have 21 kittens now. So, it's about understanding math. So, what we are creating right now is a measure to test their proficiency on understanding what operations to apply. It's not going to be that they actually solve it, but here's a set of word problems. Please circle color in what operation you have to do to solve that. Is it addition? Is it division? Is it multiplication? Long-term, we'd like to turn that into two-step things. But right now, we want to know that 80% of kids grade and and skill level appropriate, right? Division's not coming into first grade, but that they can identify what operation it is they
026even need to apply that the math word problem makes sense. So, do you have any questions? That's how we're sort of attacking it. My teachers have these building goals they're working on now. Their job is strategies and commitments of what they're going to do, how we're going to kind of, you know, check those things along the way to see if those strategies are making a difference toward these things. Michelle, can I I want to ask a question. Can you go back to the ELA slide? >> So, on your third goal, >> Yes. >> something that I think I'm not sure people will catch on your third grade goal. So imagine I read the first time out of the gate for screen measure. You want to go from 72 to 82 at third grade. >> But
027the whole third grade isn't taking that. >> Yes. So >> you have So in second grade, if half of them pass that test, right, the more advanced students pass it in second grade, they're not taking in third. >> They've already passed it. >> So that is lofty because who are we testing in third grade? The kids who couldn't pass it in second grade. So it's not like we've got everybody in there all our high ability kids cuz they're pretty much out. They've already passed it. >> It was going to get complicated explaining these already passed it in second and you're only talking about my point is you're only talking about the kids who didn't pass it in second grade. So that's that's huge. Okay. >> Exactly. So if they didn't that 72% of passing right
028out of the gate encompasses like you know a little less than half of a second grade who already passed. So then we're really trying to raise the bar for those other students if that makes sense. It got a little messy to try to explain all that in a number. So, thanks Peggy. >> Anybody else have any questions about that? >> What's the response you're getting? Like I mean, I know that there, you know, some >> positive. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Very positive. Um, no, I think everybody really could see that we spent time the first day. Um, like I said, the board goals were presenting presented to them as a whole staff in all three buildings. When we came back, I gave them all pages of our data. what's important to us all the things
029we have across it because again when you're teaching reading in the elementary school you know it's a K4 delivery it's not like it's geometry for a semester when we teach reading it's it's five years worth of that of that course so they all need to see each other's information everybody is very transparent which is is encouraging and helpful it kind of shows their commitment because sometimes it doesn't always look pretty what you're showing your colleagues and um not how you want it to look but you know not for lack of effort. Everybody jumped right in. We worked on strategies. Then we mixed up grade level teams so that they could talk to other grade levels about that. Um they'll they'll commit and we'll have kind of something measurable um kind of an action research. I
030don't want to call it a lot of terms because then people get nervous that it's something bigger than it is. So we're just going to um keep following up and seeing when we do this, how can we check to see if this has any impact? Do we do it longer? Do we do it different? Do we throw it out and come up with something new? So that's kind of what I'll be trying to lead them through. But really, for the most part, they're motivated. I would say they're positive about it. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you, M. >> Good evening. Thank you for having me. Thank you for having us. So, um, like Michelle, uh, we broke your your board goal down to an annual, uh, goal to measure our impact. So, you can
031see for goal one, we're going to improve our, uh, iLearn percentage passing by 5% per year for three consecutive years. This is what it'll look like in the spring of 2026. Uh, for the fifth grade, uh, the goal is to get to 34%. We're not happy with that, but you got to remember where we started a year and a half ago, too. Uh, in sixth grade, 34%. In seventh grade, 33% and in eighth grade, 42%. That's based upon last year's uh grade level cohorts. In goal two, we're talking about mathematic performance. And you can see again we're taking those five uh five percentage point jumps per grade level. Uh for fifth grade 37 to 42. Sixth grade an abysmal showing of 20%. Uh we want to get that to 25. We're nowhere near satisfied with
032that. Again it's a process. Uh 7th grade 31 to 36. 8th grade 40 to 45. Those are our goals. Now the question then becomes how are we going to do that? Um, so I want you to understand there's really three or four components to to quality student performance. This is all just it's hard to copy. Um, and if you want these, I can I can share these with you. Um, there's really three or four things that truly impact student performance. The first one is your curriculum. Is your curriculum curriculum tight with your state standards or do you have gaps? So, we've done a lot of work uh looking at our existing curriculum, our existing pacing guides, trying to make sure that they are synced with the state performance tests and the checkpoint tests, which are
033those benchmarks we take three times a year, ensuring those up. The second thing that we then look at is our direct instruction. So when you think of instruction, you have direct instruction, which some people call tier one instruction, and then you have the extension of the classroom, the extra help, which is tier 2 instruction. We're currently in an init uh in the middle of an initiative uh to talk about our our core, our direct instruction, uh that takes place first in the classroom and how can we make it more impactful? What are we doing? What could we be doing to make it more impactful? So, our upcoming PLC this Wednesday uh is going to focus on what we call anchor lesson plans. Teachers are going to come to the table uh in their small groups
034with an example of their daily lesson plan. And we we have talked about some direct instruction. We'll have resources in front of us for what effective direct instruction looks like. And we're going to give uh feedback, both encouraging and critical feedback to our peers. our peers will listen. They'll take notes and then they'll share back or paraphrase what they thought they heard. And we hope that this uh teaches two things. Number one, active participation and listening. And two, uh reflection on behalf of the listener. Uh we also think that um a third element of this is the tier 2 uh instruction. That's the extension of the classroom. How can we create more time and more opportunities for kids who aren't performing where we want them to be? So, if you remember, that's where we have
035our Plus time. And it's not just glorified study hall where kids come in and do make from that. It's actual retaching and retesting. And uh it's a targeted audience that the teachers can call back into their classrooms for two days a week for core content area, math and English, and drill down, go deeper with those kids. We saw great value in our reteing and reassessment last year when we compared our initial checkpoint tests with the retests the impact that that was having. And then the fourth and final thing that really comes into play here is uh your assessment strategies. uh how how much are your in uh in-class assessments uh paralleled to the state tests in terms of rigor, what you're testing, how you're testing it. Do you take the time to reflect on those
036results and analyze them? What is the data telling you? What adjustments do you make? So, we do that with our weekly data meetings um at the grade levels 5, six, seven, and eight. We meet once a week during teachers prep period. We answer four driving questions during those meetings. Uh what is it that we want students to learn? How are we going to have them demonstrate their learning? What will we do for the students who don't demonstrate it? What will we do for the students who do demonstrate it? And those are our driving questions. In addition, in language arts, we also have one other supplement, and that's our readable English program that we spoke to you about last year. Uh and the impact that that's having. If you recall at the beginning of last year
037um we had roughly a third of our students reading at grade level uh in the middle school and by the end of the year we were happy to report we had close to 2/3 of our students reading at grade level. So it had a powerful impact. We'll continue with that. Mathematics is really the same thing minus the readable English questions or comments. the same thing like what what kind of you know feedback or attitudes did you did you receive from >> from the from the initiative of the board to us? >> Yeah. I would say it was positive. We we had started this process um when I got here a year and a half ago uh when we initiated uh the foundation for a professional learning community. Uh this was part of the process uh
038that we were just getting to was establishing buildingwide goals. And it took us a long time to get to that point because the first thing that we did and it's a continuous thing. It never ends is uh building our culture. Uh you have to you have to develop that culture and it's got to be focused on a collective efficacy and an engagement and the responsibilities. Everyone has to buy in. Uh we have to buy into the fact that we are change agents and we can do that for every kid. So we put a lot of work into that and um this is where we are now. I' I'd say the staff is behind it. I think they feel good that we're all going in one direction and that we have a purpose. >> They're buying
039in. >> I think so. Yeah. Other questions? >> Thank you. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. So, at the high school, um we've we've talked a little bit about math and English. um or the goal for English. What we did was we went ahead and mirrored the math goal that you guys set in place for SAT just to ensure that we're making sure that progress both with just math and English. Um last year um our juniors were hit 10% of meeting that 530 threshold. Really a difference between iLearn and SAT scores. We don't have pass fail or or uh highly effective or highly um pass Thank you. couldn't speak there for a second. Yes, thank you. Proficiencies um but for high school it is whether or not they're college ready. So with college board and
040SAT 530 for math would be college ready or as we would say proficient. Uh for English language arts it is 480 480 threshold. Last year, um, our juniors were 10% with math and 48% um for for ELA. Um, our goal for this year is to see that 5% increase um for both ELA and for math by the end of this year. really what we've done to kind of work on it, work on it as a whole is for for me coming in, one of the first conversations I had with um the staff is that this isn't a a math problem, math department problem. This isn't a English language arts uh department problem. It's how can we attack it as a whole? And so we really have utilized our PLC time to start kind of driving
041that conversation of what can we do in world language, what can we do in our CTE classes, what can we do in our science classes, in our social studies classes along with math and English language arts to kind of have small instructional um you know changes in the routine to help them build that stamina to build that rigor that they need for both SAT, math and English language starts. One of the eyeopening conversations we had in one of our first PLC meetings was um they they all kind of realized that the staff members who actually gave the test last year was one of the things that they saw with their students was the the kind of that deflating defeat when students opened up that that test and saw the first math question. Um SAT the
042the rigor of the questions is definitely taking it above. Um it's definitely making sure that they're college ready. So with PLC's that's the our first conversation is what are we doing with our instructional practices and our curriculum to help build that rigor for our students and you can build that rigor not just in math and language arts but in science and social studies. So we have been really starting to look at dissecting some of those um practice tests and practice questions through SAT so we can start utilizing that same language across the board in the in the building which has been phenomenal. Um we partnered with Purdue Northwest and we had their TRIO program come in and do a TRIO um boot camp SAT boot camp for for our students who are in the TRIO
043uh TRIO program which is about 17 students. Um I had a couple students before that day before the um boot camp. They were not interested in missing three classes to go to this boot camp. Um but I made sure as soon as they we got done those were the first two students that I went to. I said, "How was it?" They're like, "You know what? We actually we actually learned something." Which was phenomenal. Um, so one thing that we've definitely are starting to work on is is not just building and kind of reteing to the program, but trying to teach them how to have the kind of the casual, the more kind of understanding from the consistency of day one. So the day of the SAT to help them prepare for it. Um, we have
044PSAT coming up in October. So, really right now is with the PLC, we're also having conversations of how can we start motivating our students? How can we start teaching our students the importance of the test? For some of our students, college is not in the the books. It's not what they're wanting to do. However, we do still want to find those reasons for them of why it's important to do their best. What opportunities will they have if they do their best? um and try to to meet that threshold that the state has has put for them. Um the other thing is we are starting to look at our SRT time. Um kind of with Mr. Condom with the time, we have 30 minutes of undivided time within the day that we can start restructuring how
045we support our students. Um, one thing for our current juniors that we're going to be looking at is we're going to be looking at taking our PSAT data and creating some, you know, SAT boot camp for those students, those students who were kind of on the bubble of of being that threshold um for PSA for their sophomore years. So then that way we can utilize our teachers uh within the classroom to give them that extra help during um during SRT time. Again, it's not going to be a one-time deal that we're supporting our students. We want to make sure that we're doing it on a daily basis and not trying to cram the students into understanding how to pass the SAT, but make it a casual change to make it just kind of build and
046be a part of our culture in the in the building. So, that is how we are going to be using um our goals for both ELA and for math to kind of support our students for for this school year, but then also moving forward. and Wendy they have done very well. Um I think I actually I think actually you saw with math and English art English language arts that it was kind of a relief like it's not always on my shoulders and what I have found with um meeting my staff and getting to know them. They will literally do anything um to help our students find that success. And and what Mr. Estock and I we've we our charge has been just to kind of help give them the tools that they need to lead
047that charge and that is what our PLC time that is our conversations of making sure they have those tools and I think they've been very responsive to it and and I think they are definitely buying into that. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Why do you think we struggled so much in math? >> That's the million dollar answer. Um I I don't think it's and this is just purely my opinion um coming in. I don't think it was just one thing that did it. I think it was a matter of kind of showing the importance of the test for the students, helping them understand why they have to take it. Mr. Estock and I have had casual conversations with students. Hey, why did you take PSAT last year? I don't know. It's just test we
048had to do one day. Um, so it it they didn't really understand based on what the SAT and what the PSAT can do for them. Um, I think, um, you know, when I've talked to math teachers and language arts teachers, for the math teachers, they're like, we need to build the rigor and we need to help them understand the terminology and the verbiage that they use in SAT. And if we do that, it's I think most of our students have that ability, have the ability to easily be above that threshold, but a lot of times the SAT, they can be tricky. And so I think it's just that combination of being able to figure out that aha moment. U unfortunately with with I well with fortunately with I learn with the checkpoints, they have those
049three tests that they can utilize and start kind of understand it. So my hope is we can utilize that PSAT time for our freshman and sophomores and kind of build off of that so they can have those aha moments. So then kind of take a little bit of the stress away from them. That's just my opinion. >> Jim and Michelle, why do you think we've struggled so much with math? >> Uh that's that's a great conversation. I think there's multiple reasons. I tried to allude to that when I was presenting. Uh I think the biggest reasons that I have found over uh my career uh one you have to make sure your curriculum's airtight. I I think we had some curriculum gaps. I don't think there had been um uh I don't know how much
050curriculum work was done either horizontally or vertically or both. I know we had some maps that were in place, but I think we found that when we started getting together and diving into it, we definitely had some gaps that we had toight had to tighten up on. Uh, number two, I think you need to look at your instructional practices, which is what we're doing right now. Um, again, you have to you have to look at what what is effective direct teaching. What does it look like? What does it entail? Are we doing it? Are we consistently doing it? Um, number three, and I think this one is equally as huge, is what are our assessment practices? Um, I always use the analogy of basketball because that's what I did, what I coached. You know, you
051don't have a kid go play a game without repetition shooting and and defending and rebounding. And are we really getting kids ready to take the shot? And is the shot that they're practicing similar to the shot they're going to take on test day? If it's not, why not? wh why aren't we doing that? So, we we have not really started yet. We're talking about it. We'll dive into it looking at our classroom assessments, making sure that they are similar to what kids will experience on test day so that there we don't have kids with hair on fire. Uh they've seen there, been there, been there, done it. Okay. Um and the level of rigor, the level of difficulty is also similar. And and then once you get those things in place, that really makes things
052pretty simple because then you can really have datadriven decision decision making and discussions. We know that the curriculum's tight. We know the instructions sound. We know the assessments are are are rigorous. What's the data telling us? And now we can really zero in on the kids. So I I think it's those three things. >> I I think that was well said. I think that um a couple of things to add on to that. That was a well put together answer, but extremely difficult to actually really create. Rigor sounds like a great word. We have we have started to get more and more resources of what rigor looks like. You know, if I designed a rigorous test and he designed a rigorous test, they could look very different. We're getting a lot more things from um
053the department of ed that here's here here is this standard this is the kind of question that we're going to be asking here's a level below here's a another level below because it's like it's it's like anything I need to see it show me what that looks like I can model questions I think we didn't have those resources so it's a lot of um I think our staff getting the time and and being able to process and learn and put that all together while they also have, you know, 10 balls over here in the air. So, it's leading them through that. I think another thing that's really important is understanding productive struggle. And this is something in my building, I know I can speak on, um, we've got to let them kind of hang out
054there a bit, you know, and really work on something. And that is sometimes very hard as a teacher. we want to swoop in and either provide the answer or scaffold the question really quickly for them. And they have to build the muscle to struggle, if that makes sense, so that they they can do that when they're faced with a task in front of them. And and we have an amazing staff in this district. And it's it's not the issue isn't teacher quality. It's sometimes as a teacher just show me show me what do I need to do let me have time to develop that figure that out and then I think we can make a lot of headway had what he all mentioned is wonderful it takes a long time to get that going it's
055it's worth doing it in these incremental steps and I think there's been some really meaningful discussion among us among our staff members um that is just more focused and directed that's kind of um made me feel really good and motivated about the rest of the year. But it's kind of what I would add on to that. >> First time I came before you, I said this is this is a three-year process just to get these steps in, not to refine them. It is a long process. And the the first thing you have to do is you have to change mindsets of all the players and and that takes time and and then you can start digging in the mud and and getting down to details. >> And for us unique is I don't give I
056learn in K1 and two they have no idea what those questions look like. How are we sharing those item specs with the primary teachers so they can understand like oh what level would that be? Oh, you know, they have to wrap their head around it and model it at that level as well. Can't just all of a sudden make it that difficult walking in a number grade in my building. So, there's several things, but I do think the resources now that we have are better than what we've had in the past to look at what what is really expected on that test. It's less of a mystery. Like, Jud, you know what I mean? Yes. You're not. It's less of a mystery than it even was 5 years ago, probably. Do you see the kids
057buying it? >> Buying it? >> Yeah. >> Um I mean it's it's a fight there. You know, sometimes you got to build the culture. >> Yeah. I mean our you know our kids it just depends Yes. I think that kids when led by a teacher will will go all kinds of wonderful places, but it's hard and finding the way to keep keep things upbeat and encouraging when it's hard. that's difficult for all of us and some things really hard, you know, it's hard to trudge through all that. Um, so yeah, I I think the kids are are the one thing that I think, >> you know, that I'm I'm less worried about. I feel like it's all of us making sure we have the right knowledge base and that we're doing it. It's not for
058lack of effort. People have been working hard here for a long time, but it's um yeah, that that's my thought on the kids at my level. They, you know, we talk excited, they get excited. >> I think, you know, as we worked with our teachers, when you when you roll this plan out, you know, you have to make commitments to it. And, you know, I think one of the most important commitments our staff has made is that we're only going to focus on things we can control. We have we have our three collective commitments. And one of those is we're not going to blame kids. We're going to focus on things we can control. And we believe that we can be change agents for kids. >> And when we have conversations about, you know, possible
059new things, we often work in small groups and they challenge one another. Is this in line with our collective commitments? If it's not, it's got to go. All right. And that really keeps us focused. >> They're much more willing uh small tweak in second grade. They're giving them multiple passages to read it at one time. let's say on something as opposed to here's one passage and I'll read it for you and this and that. It's it's that struggle through this with me and then eventually that becomes just what we do here. And so each time that productive struggle I was talking about I think kids will just this is how we do things now. >> Thank you. >> Mr. Ellis, do you have anything else to add? >> No, they said it beautifully. >> All
060right. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Wait, we're not we're not done yet. We got one more slide. >> Oh, don't forget. >> So, next slide. >> Um, you know, I think as I sit here and I listen to this, the word proud comes to my mind. And I'm proud of this team. That includes everyone sitting in this room. Eight months ago, we decided to do a strategic plan, right? And when you look at the little diagram there on your lefth hand side, right? It says identify. We identified problems, right? You have these norms that you got that you guys created in front of you in each meeting, right? Norm number one right here. Prioritize student success. Make all decisions using data where available that are focused on improving student academic
061outcomes. Right? That is what we identified, right? We brought that back to the principles who have done a great job of this of of taking our goals and feeding them into their culture, into their buildings, what they're doing. Right? They have come up with a plan. We are right now in the execute phase, right? We are school has started. We have kids here, our teachers, boots on the ground. They are working with the kids, right? We will continue to review this. So, we meet once a month just on academic focus um meetings and that review will be constantly going on. We will share this data with you from time to time, you know, as we move forward as you know, the checkpoints are getting through things like that. You know, Wendy, you asked a question,
062you know, is is is people is the staff, is the kids buying in? Um, I think when we started this, we felt like our arrows were pointed everywhere, right? And Mr. Conan, you said it, the arrows are starting to get pointed in one direction, right? From opening day when we rolled out these goals, right, to them taking their back to the building saying, "Here's what we're going." So I think that the buy in is there because we're focusing our energy into one direction and not flying everywhere. So I'm proud of what we've done. I I really am. That includes you guys because it started with you eight months ago to this vision of where we're at today where we are implementing this into our classrooms. Principles, you've done a great job. I've enjoyed every meeting
063that we've had to get to this point and I look forward to continuing that. How can we review, adapt, change, right? And then continue. Hey, now, okay, here's our next thing we have to climb up to, right? So, I'm excited about the process. I just want to tell each and every one of you, thank you. Um, I'm proud of what we have done here in the last eight months to get to this point. Now, I'm done. >> I didn't know you were going, but okay, >> principles, thank you guys very much. You are welcome to get out if you need to. Thank you. >> All right. Item nine, uh, personnel report. Uh, A, resignations, B, new hires. The superintendent recommends we approve items A and B. >> Second. Thank you. >> It was Kurt. >>
064Oh, Kurt. Sorry, we changed that. All right. All in favor? >> I post. All right. Uh 10 business. Uh a the treasurer's report. Uh the corporation treasurer has presented a report list on page 16. See anything? >> No, just we are approving some bigger claims lately um for the projects. So I see bigger claims going through it. It has to do with the project most of them. Um between this project and the upcoming project, we've had a couple of bigger bills come through. So those have been coming through. And also I did put a calendar for the budget on your guys' seats so you guys kind of know that that's coming up also. >> Thank you. >> Vendor usage report. The corporation treasurer has presented a vendor usage report on page 40. >> Good there.
065>> C claims. The superintendent recommends the board approve the claims as listed on page 47. >> Motion, >> Wendy. Thank you. Second, Dr. Brown. >> All in favor? I >> the Neola policy approval. A superintendent recommends the board approve numerous revisions to several policies along with new proposed policies and replacement policies. These were discussed at the August 4th, 2025 board meeting. >> Motion motion. >> Second, Kirk this time. I got you. >> Numerous being 60 pages of Nola. You know, just a a reminder for everyone. Yeah, we did go back look at all of our policy. anything that we were missing, we updated that over the summer. Um, so that is that is all in there. They've actually um just made some more updates to Neola. I think I have that meeting coming up later
066on this month. So, I'm sure you guys will have more opportunities to uh pass some more Neola policy. >> Just an ongoing process at this point in time. >> Right. So, we are caught up to speed now. Everything is up to date now. Everything from this forward will be the updates that they have. >> Right. All in favor? I >> opposed. Seven. E. Construction update. Superintendent will update the board on the high school construction project. >> Yeah. So, we're doing really well. Um happy with the progress we made. The southside is just about done. They got to finish the face yet. There's a little bit going on. They're a little bit behind schedule there, but all of our um classrooms are in there. They're finished. They're painted. Um so, everything is looking good on that
067south side. they moved over um early August uh to the north side, maybe even a little bit before that. The northwest side uh we have now moved back into that. So, our counselors are back into those room. Uh criminal justice, no, maybe they're not in there yet. Um but with those teachers are back in that area. They are now working on the norththeast side. Um if you come in the morning, you see they got the big tarps up. You can see right into the classrooms they started the walls in today. Um, so they're about two weeks ahead of schedule right now, which is awesome. Um, teachers have been great. They've been flexible with moving in and out of classrooms. So, really, really happy uh where we're at with with that construction um going on. Anything
068questions about that before I switch over to middle school construction. Okay. Um, we're in the process right now of kind of working through um what the classrooms look like at the middle school. You know, if you remember, we're replacing all of those units. Uh we're replacing the horizontal with vertical units. Um Derrick and I, we've done walk of every classroom, what it's going to look like, what does the case work look like. Um the start ordering those units um here this month. Uh that was our our target plan. So, we're close to that. We made, you know, every other week. Um so, we're happy with the progress that we're making there with that. >> Thanks for the update. Any questions? >> All right. G donations. The superintendent recommends the board approve the following donations. >>
069You missed F. >> Oh, F. I jumped that one, didn't I? Extracurricular 202425 financial reports. The extracurricular financial reports are on file in the superintendent's office. >> Yeah, that's just a uh update that they're there. You can see um who is coaching, participating, and what extracurricular activity we have and the pay for those. So, if you want to see those, you're more than welcome to stop in. >> All right. Thank you. Now, G, uh, donations. The superintendent recommends the board approve the following donations. Uh, anonymous donation by the KCES and Hlet Fire Department. >> I have a motion. >> Wendy. >> Thank you. >> Second, Aaron. Thank you. >> Yeah. So, a couple things with this. Uh, first of all, the anominous person, we thank you. I was outside. I happened to be driving by.
070Miss Sherman's class was out there today. Um, what an awesome awesome time. They they were trying the uh the little tomatoes. Every kid was trying them and they I like them, I don't like them, you know. Then then they had a little activity over underneath the pavilion. Um I mean she just does a great job that she really uses that area um really well. So um I I was happy to report that back to you. And then yes, also thank you to the Hamlet Fire Department, too. >> All right. All in favor? Oppos fundraisers superintendent recommends the board approve the fundraisers as listed on page 103. >> I'll make the motion. >> Kirk, Dr. Brown, is that you? >> Thank you. >> This is wrapping up the the fall time fundraisers here. The the cheer
071cheerleaders been doing candygrams during lunch. Um the girls basketball is doing a portit chicken. So that is all happening here um very soon. Right. All in favor? I >> oppose. I overnight field trips. Superintendent recommends the board approve the overnight field trips is listed on page 106 for the KHS marching band, winter drum line, FFA, and Knox graphic arts departments. >> Motion, >> Aaron. Thank you. >> So, what you're seeing here is kind of uh we're foreshadowing a little bit. Some of these may happen, some of these may not happen. And it depends upon how far the band goes, how far the drum line goes um for those two, whether it's semi-state, state, but we're getting those on on the um agenda. Hopefully, we get there. That's the plan. Um the FFA, that is a
072national convention that is down in Indie. Um and then the high school also listed like um Maria Sullivan, Mrs. Sullivan always goes to the Phoenix Challenge. Um you know, FFA has a couple other things and then welding has some overnight trips, too. So, um, we just kind of put those together for you guys review. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. >> JOU uh with Maran University. The superintendent recommends the board approve theou with Marian University and the Knox Community School Corporation. >> Motion. >> Thank you. >> I'll second. >> Yeah, we're excited about this. This is Ansilla, right? Marion of Ansilla. All right. So, whatever, however they go. Um, but this is so that when they, you know, we would love to have a pipeline of our kids going to Marian
073University to become teachers and then do their student teaching here. Uh, so I've had some great conversations over there with them. Um, this is a agreement that I want to do because if we get student teachers in here, we get kind of a free test drive of them to see, you know, if we like them or not. We can work them right into our our workforce for us. Um, so this is a great opportunity. >> Can they pick up other college credit too by participating in that the students >> going to Oh yeah. I mean they they can do whatever they want to. Yeah. But this is just the agreement that they can come student teach here. But I mean they have other options too, but we'll take as many as we can get. >>
074Great. All in favor? >> Public comments and there are none. We'll move on to questions and comments from the admins and board. >> Dr. Brown, >> I think the um principles are doing an excellent job. I think their presentation was awesome. I think, you know, we're trying trying to get things organized together. I think Bunny's questions were good to make sure that there's some enthusiasm going on here. And I think, you know, that the point is that if they know what to do, they can do it. And I think, you know, coordinating the schools together so that we carry ourselves from elementary school to middle school and then on to high school and to life after that. I think we're we're going in that direction and I think it's very effective. I think the band
075did a great job over the weekend and um I think my neighbor is quite an athlete for sure. No, I just I'll agree with you know the presentation was fantastic the show and I want to go back to you know Eg has been a part of this for eons and part of what we've done collectively over the last year and a half of trying to get that to get everybody on board to buy into it. I think we're seeing it and it's it's coming together and our our focus as well to say hey it's important we need to this needs to be something we talk about. uh it's fantastic and it's great to see it come together and the work that's happening. So, you know, kudos to to everyone. So, what we've accomplished and and
076going to accomplish. So, thank you all. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> And all the way from the beginning with the literal beginning of kindergarten teachers when they were here. Um it's going to be um exciting to see those kids move forward and just grow from that. That was um very nice for them to come in. Um yes, I I do think uh we have a lot of exciting things. The band did great. A lot of athletes did great this this weekend too. Band uh golf, tennis, a lot of things. Um >> Cross country. Yeah, a lot of good things. Um but also, um I was just going to ask if we how transportation has been going so far this year. Is there a lot of updates? I know we've gotten our new director going and
077has it been >> it's been good. Um I noticed we still have some double routes and things. Any luck with drivers? >> We do. Um we would like to we thought we had um a subd driver that was going to come in for us. Uh didn't quite pan out. So it would be nice to have one or two subd drivers. Uh that would that would definitely help. Um you know I think that um I haven't received a lot of phone calls about transportation which is a good thing. Um I we're trying to cut down on some of the route time, you know, by having some more um uh dropping as a group and not hitting, you know, there there is some laws in there that says you got to be if you're within a th000
078ft, I believe it is. It's it should be one drop. It's just that's a safety rule. So, a couple things that um Miss Awesome's doing a good job of tweaking for us. Um but we're still working on trying to get those route times down. That that's we'd really like to do that. I I like I said on the announcement sometimes I see two buses double route or pull back and things like that. I know that's difficult. So subs would be would be great. >> If you don't have >> Thank you. >> Thanks Paul. >> Um no I think the presentation it's okay. Um, no, I think the presentation was great and I think I don't remember which one of you said it best, but in the past it's every teacher, every school, everybody's been moving
079in their own direction. And so I think it's great to see everyone focused on the same goal, working together. So hopefully that will then get meet our goals and help all of our students succeed more. So thank you everyone for the efforts to make that happen. Thank you. >> Uh, yeah. And I, you know, uh, uh, when they, you know, said that, you know, all the teachers are buying in that and everything, which really, you know, with the staff we got, I wouldn't have the, uh, so, you know, why wouldn't they? I mean, you know, with the great staff we have, uh, I wouldn't have expected anything less. So, and know what, a week or so left before final count. What you know, what our numbers are right now. Um I Jerry's been out here
080uh for a couple days so I don't know what updated exactly is at but we were right within five of where we were at last year. Um so um I've talked to a couple different schools lately and I mean some are down 50 100 kids right now which be devastating to us. Um when I talked to other superintendents like oh if you're at the same you're doing good you know. So, as much as I had hoped we'd be five on the other side, um I haven't had an update here in about a week. >> Okay. >> Was that from online school you're thinking? >> Um yeah, we have what five in there right now, I believe. >> It's not many. I Again, we didn't really advertise for that either, right? We just That's something we're
081kind of doing internally. Um if we were to advertise, we might be able to get some more >> kids, but um you know, we're happy where we're at right now. Yeah. >> Uh, another thing too on that uh Wednesday, the synchronous day, >> uh, how does that uh, with the elementary kids not having, you know, >> the laptops, >> the computers, everything and uh, especially like uh, like teachers that have, you know, elementary kids uh, you know, they're naturally they're not home there to, you know, to help them. Uh, so how >> you're asking like what do they do? >> Yeah. >> What do what do their with what do they do with their kids? >> Yeah. >> Or what uh how do how do they get on to do the work? >> The kids
082or the teachers? >> Either. >> Kids. >> Um teachers. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Because the teachers are in the building. Yes. So, how do the you know, >> um just got to kind of I mean make that work, I guess. I don't know if I have a great answer for you. Um hopefully there's some responsibility, you know, of of the kids to be able to get on there and get their work done. I know at the elementary level, they don't do what the middle school and high school does. uh middle school, high school goes pretty much from 9 to 2 >> where the elementary they they have time frames that they go, you know, so hopefully that teacher could be able to step out and be with that kid during that that time frame. If
083I'm teaching fourth grade um and my second grade um son or daughter is going to be at a different time than when I'm online. So hopefully there's that help and and and that trans transition there. Um but that's that's a tricky tricky situation. Yeah, because you know they're going to be home, the kids are going to be home and the teacher's going to be at school. >> I'll try I'll try to do the best I can. >> Some of them are young and they're going to be with daycare or with their grand >> I'm at work with my kids trying to figure it out in three days, right? To make the work up. >> Good luck. >> So, what's the why behind Wednesday? It's to practice for those snow days that we may have or
084those fog days or whatever, right? So, we want to ensure that we do have connectivity of each student um online. Um that's that's our goal. They do have days to make it up, you know, so if they don't get that work done, they can they can do it um down the road three days. Um but yeah, that is that is tricky. Yeah, that's you know I guess that was my not not every student but you know students of of teachers you know that are that the teachers have to be in a building and the and the kids are going to be home. >> Where do they normally go for daycare when the teachers are working >> to their grandparents? >> I said I'll try my best. You got to teach. But it's not I mean
085that issue isn't just one teachers kid. >> We have that issue with >> everybody because they work >> and that's why they have the extra time to >> make it up requirements for like kindergarteners and first second graders just have to do like a half hours worth of work. sometime their parents will log on to something and an assignment, >> right? And they'll have a math a reading assignment and they'll have a special the special teachers like at elementary it might be they get on and do some exercises or whatever do them later in the day. First grade might have the music with their English and math. So it's it's really well organized. >> It's scaled but based upon your age. >> Like fourth graders is definitely going to do more than a kindergart. >>
086I got to say unfortunately that's lost days for those little littles. I mean it is it's in essence. >> But they also send home some paper some packets for them to do as well because they know it's coming. >> Yeah. And they can even do it ahead of time too, right? I mean if they send that still home. >> Most of them will send it home probably today or tomorrow, >> right? Okay, that's thanks Gary. Um so my my question you know to each of them because attitude is a huge part and so that's good to hear that each building they have like good feedback and good because I hope I mean change is difficult for a lot of people and I think that if they if if there are people that you know have
087some feedback or whatever I know you guys have you know an open door policy and I hope that teachers who aren't afraid to, you know, come to whoever and say like make, you know, have ideas or, you know, this isn't working or whatever to help every because we're a team, you know, we don't we don't want it to be where we just sparked these goals out and, you know, like we all want to work together. We all obviously want to succeed. So, I I think that, you know, I hope that everyone feels like they can contribute and it sounds like that they are and that it's positive. Wendy, are you getting good feedback still? >> Um, not really. I mean, they, you know, obviously some of them, you know, change is difficult, but um I
088think that it's good. You know, they I think that a lot of them are are excited that academics is finally there >> um a priority um instead of other things. Um, so I think that they are very excited that that that is becoming a priority, which is sad that it's taken this long, but >> good that we're finally >> there. So, >> yeah. So, that's all I got. >> All right. Thank you. I just wanted to say uh yeah, congratulations to that to all the athletes and the band and everyone this weekend. But the presentation today um was really like Kirk said, it was really something because when I think 8 months ago, I think around when we set these goals, I didn't know really know what to expect and what it's going to come
089out of this. And to have a presentation tonight with all the information and stuff from the um principles was really um you get to see um everybody being held accountable, not just us, but the teachers and the admins and so on down the line. And it's nice to see with that everybody's bought in and working together. Um I think we got some really uh bright future with the kids and stuff. Um, >> we ask the lady in the corner what she thinks. >> But, uh, >> anyway, um, >> all right. >> Yes. Thank you, uh, Peggy. >> So, I wanted to report we received word about our last three grants that are due. First of all, we've received this secured school safety grant and a little frustrating because the state keeps saying they put more
090and more money to support safety and yet they only funded priority one of every school and for the first time they only funded it at 92.5%. So that's a shift down in safety. Still grateful that's our SRO that we get 92.5 of half his salary. Okay. Then the other part, uh, title 4, we just heard last week, so now I can write that one. Our full amount was around 35,950. Unfortunately, that's a decrease of almost $4,000. It has come down $10,000 in the last two to three years, but we, you know, this is predicted for federal grants. um little concern because that is what pays our readable English helps to support readable English helps to support exact path or any kind of formative assessment that you want to offer. It also helps support all of
091our counselor visits with Porter Stark. I mean I could go on. It supports a well-rounded education. Last year we supported our band department with that. So uh we'll have to really work strategically with the principles to divide that money. I'm just a bearer of good news here. And then title two we received today around and actually I was surprised it was 72,600. It was a decrease but nothing like what the state had predicted. So it was a decrease of uh $1,850. So we definitely can, you know, sustain that and that's going to pay. We have mentors who are our beginning teachers and I think we have like what 13 mentors this year. So it's the most new teachers we've had in a long time. It also pays uh a stipen we've been able to to
092our AP and dual credit teachers because they have to have their masters. They have to do extra training to be able to do those courses. So we hope we can continue with that. And then the professional development which really goes more to the state wants you to do fewer and fewer conferences where teachers go off campus. They want to get away from that. They wanted to be done on campus, which you heard or alluded to with all this curriculum alignment. A lot of that was done in summer work when we could pay our teachers to do that. So, um I just wanted to report about the grants. My final comment is this. Um when you talked about I was pleased too with the principal's presentation when we talked with them as a group then did
093I I had to talk with them individually. I did. Right? Because they were like and I'm like wait no this is where we need to be and they agreed and we had great discussions cuz that's really where it starts you know everything's not just okay right it's like wait what do you really want me to do so I have heard comments though from teachers and this what they said we're glad it's starting from the top down and that's you guys to us to them because I've had teachers say it's nice to know there's a focus Wendy you pointed that out, right? And so last week when I was really kind of pushy, that's what Mr. Mix said. My name is principal. Well, I was, right? But I I tell you, I am such a dork,
094right? I really Oh, I forgot we're live. But anyway, I I am a dork because last Thursday, you know, four o'clock, I'm in my office and Michelle calls me. She is just like excited and telling me about this. We just started talking about her goals. I was like, "Wait, Michelle, what about And I tell you, I was so excited. This is why I'm so excited that we were having such a professional conversation about Irene Dada, right? Because I keep it all. She keeps it all that when I left here, this poor guy, he had left the building. I boxed him and I am like rambling on about this wonderful conversation. I'm thinking to myself, I walked in my house, I said, "He must think, who is this person? was so excited over there data, right?
095But this is what it takes and our principles are there. You you saw that tonight, right? You saw the enthusiasm because they've bought in and our teachers are buying in. So just wanted to add my heart on positive you don't see all this grant. >> Well, I'll even click in with the buyin part. I think as a whole, not only academics, I have heard that it's nice to have that push from up top, right? I go back to aligning those arrows, but I'll even go into everything that that we're doing. I mean, what we have created so far this year has been fantastic. Um, you know, I I see those kids every day coming in. The parents, I I get good positive feedback from the parents. Um, you know, when I'm in the pickup and
096drop off lines. Um, there's a lot of very there's a lot of people that are very pleased with the direction that the corporation is going, right? And that's the hard work of the people that are in the classrooms every day. um our our admin team, you know, who have created those positive environments. We have staff coming to school excited to be at school just as you heard the excitement in their voice, excitement in your voice. Uh so there is there's a lot of great things that that are going on on here. So we'll we'll keep that up. Homecoming was great. You know, I was I'm always nervous about that parade in the middle of the school day and what can happen, right? That makes me so nervous, but kids are great. Staff was great. Everyone
097>> quotes looked amazing. Y >> um and even at the game, I mean, everything was smooth. It went off very well. U so another great great event that we've had there. Um I wanted to give you guys a little update. We've had some conversations about branding, right? We have our new mission statement, right? We have a new vision statement. Um we sat down with Miss Sullivan um and and Chris Beaver, the technology director and that and trying to rebrand our mission statement that that we have. um and kind of identifying what logos each building's going to have. So, I'm going to share a document with you guys even down to the colors and having the exact um numbers for the colors. So, if we want the red, this is the number red that we're going
098to use. This is number blue. This, you know, um so it's been some great conversation. I think that some of the frustration in the past has been that everyone kind of did their own thing, you know, with the branding and the logos and all of that. And again, getting things together straight. Here, here's what here's our protocol, whether I'm sitting in this chair or not. Here's what the elementary logo is. Here's what the middle school logo is. Um, so you guys will see that uh in your notes here coming up. So, just want to give you that heads up. >> That's good. Especially with you get to uniforms where we're all over the place with them and stuff like that. So, that's a real >> real good idea. >> Um, I had a question for
099you, though. Um, and I talked to Greg the other day for a second about it, but um, you were just saying I didn't know that we were losing funding or some of the for the our SRO program or police program. Is there other grants that we could be applying for in that situ? >> So far, I have not seen any the the I don't say the issue, but here's what's happened. The money they the security grant comes from the Department of Homeland Security, okay? The DOE doesn't have one for it. About two or three years ago, they opened that to nonprofits and now it's been open to charter schools. So now the money is getting >> thinner because it's going more and more. Homeland Security kind of frustrates me because they've come out with two
100more, but they're only for nonprofits. So it's like, >> you know what I'm saying? I keep looking. We're gonna we're gonna keep looking for >> and I I talked to Chief about that about trying to find some local or some, you know, that are more um not related with the state um options. So, he's looking into those. >> I know he's doing a good job fundraising and stuff. I always see he's got different fundraising going. So, and that I mean that's great. So, anyway, thank you. Any other questions? Can I get a motion? Motion B and Dr. Brown. Thank you. All in favor? All right. Thank you. Have a great even