001All right, it is 7 p.m. We're going to start our meeting. On behalf of the school board, we thank you for being here in person or virtually. I'm Heather Stags, president of the school board. And to my left is Dan Conway, secretary, Jackie Deckard, member, and Matt Henkins, member. To my right is Superintendent Eric Bolan and Assistant Superintendent Susie Lips. Luke Jackson is not able to be with us tonight. He is has family obligations. So, if you will all please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance and moment of silence 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. >> Thank you. You may be seated. >> We get to start off with something
002exciting um for the district. Um, I would like to introduce to our school community our two new principles for the new elementary school uh that is under construction right now. We're really excited about it just off of Henderson Ford Road. We don't have the name of the new elementary, but we do have the names of the principles there. So, we're going to have Dr. Jill Vulcan is the principal and Dr. Stephanie Manley is the assistant. and they are two outstanding leaders in our district currently and we couldn't think of two better people to lead a new initiative um in our district than these two ladies. So, we're very excited. Let's bring them up and give them a big hand. So gota come up get pictures now. [applause] All right, tell us. Don't say tell us
003where to go. Tell us where to move. >> Okay. So, one more time for them. >> It's official. >> They uh want to hear a speech, go right ahead. [laughter] Step step right up to the microphone the podium. The floor is yours. >> They cut me off when they want. >> But you don't have a time limit. But he does. >> No, mine's mine's super quick. All right. I am extremely grateful and honored to be chosen to lead the new elementary school while uh which will continue the rich tradition of academic excellence in the MSE of Martinsville. My vision is to create a safe and supportive environment where every child feels seen, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. We will encourage big dreams, celebrate small victories, and inspire a lifelong love of learning.
004Building a school from the ground up is a unique and exciting opportunity for our community. We are not just opening a new building. We're laying the foundation for a legacy of learners. The building, the hallways, and the classrooms are all blank canvases where we get to create new traditions in our own culture, all while continuing the standard of excellence already established by our amazing school district. Additionally, I am extremely honored to work alongside Dr. Stephanie Manley, who will serve as the assistant principal. Together with our years of experience and expertise, I'm confident we will be an outstanding team. To all of our future staff and students, welcome to our school family. Let's soar. [applause] Mine's even shorter. [laughter] I'm so appreciative to the school board and our administrative team for this amazing opportunity and I
005can't wait to work with Dr. Vulcan, not just as a colleague, but as a friend. I'm excited to work and create the best learning experience for all of our MSU Martinsville kiddos that come to attend our school. Can't wait. Thank you. [applause] You might have noticed uh at the end of Dr. Valkans where she said, "Let's soar." We can share that the the mascot is the Eagles. There's a great eagle's nest up there near the school and uh I don't think there's a more appropriate mascot than the Eagles. And this building here was the Central Elementary Eagles. There's an eagle out at the entry as you enter and exit our building here. So, we thought it would be great to pay homage to the Eagles that was here, but also we are the most patriotic
006community in the state of Indiana and probably the United States. And to have the Eagles as mascot for one of our schools, I think is appropriate. So, Jill, you're right. Let's soar. Very good. >> Congratulations to both of you. So excited. Now, I will give you all the opportunity to leave unless you want to stay, [laughter] but feel free. >> Yeah. Oh, I see who's getting up first. >> Just have Mr. Taylor uh buy dinner for everybody tonight as a celebration. [laughter] >> You miss it, don't you? Thank you all. >> Thank you. You too. >> Yes. Merry Christmas to you all as well. Happy New Year. >> That's a fun way to start our meeting. >> Yeah. >> Fun way to start. >> Are we closed? >> Yep. >> Okay. So, moving on now.
007Do we have any public comments regarding agenda? Perfect. We're going to move on to our consent agenda. Um, our consent agenda consists of minutes, payroll claims, check claims, budgetary claims, and our personnel report. Do I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion we approve the consent agenda. I'll second. >> Thank you. And any discussion? Okay. All in favor signify by stating I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. >> Okay. Under field trips, we do have a change in the date for the first one. Um the new date is March 7th through the 11th and that's for the orchestra overnight. So I do recommend approval of that one. >> Heather, I'll make a motion to approve the MST orchestra overnight. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor signify by stating I. >> I. >>
008Opposed. Motion carries. The next one is the IMA state conference. This is for Mr. SMZA. That's going to be January 16th and 17th in Fort Wayne. I recommend >> Do I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve the IMEA conference. >> Second that. Any discussion? >> All in favor signify by stating I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Good evening everyone. Susie Lips for the curriculum report for December. First, I want to start with a couple of shoutouts. This month, the elementary school students participated in vision screenings that the Martinsville Lions Club organized with our district's health services directors, Ally King and Emmy Lou Spence, local oper optometrist Dr. Mike O'Neal, Dr. Erin Cunningham, and Dr. Kelly Cunningham facilitated modified clinical technique screenings for our first grade students throughout the district. As
009a district and on behalf of our students and families, we want to express our gratitude for the community partnership of these professionals. Shout out also tonight during this Christmas season, community members and staff members are supporting our students with funding to provide Christmas assistance for the MSD of Martinsville students and families. Thank you everyone for your generosity and kindness. Lunch buddy program. This month, the planning team of district elementary principles Stephanie Manley and Ryan Cox, school board member Luke Jackson, district food service director Kurt Bodell, and district social worker Patty Osler met and worked with me to plan and rebuild a previously successful elementary lunch program designed to mentor selected students. The MSD of Martinsville lunch buddy program, which will officially start in February, pairs caring, positive adults with selected students who need additional adult
010role models. The lunch buddy mentors will participate in informally mentoring sessions at the schools during students regularly scheduled lunch periods. This setup allows a an adult volunteer to connect with a student one on-one or in a small group setting, typically two to three students per group for about 30 minutes once a week. It's a low commitment, high impact opportunity to provide consistent support and build meaningful relationships all while enjoying lunch with a student. If you are interested in fostering relationships and being involved with the Martinsville Elementary Lunch Buddy program, please reach out to me sometime this month or in January. Thank you to everyone for attending this evening. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Okay, the next section is first read only. No action to be taken tonight. A new match of the policy
011changes proposals. Mr. Conway is flipping through them. It's a lot of reading for you all. Make sure you have a soft pillow nearby so you don't get a concussion or something. But it is very important to make sure that we stay current in our policies and also it brings up things for us to stay focused on or to highlight or something like that. So you have recommendations, let us know. We'll take a look at that and bring it back to you. Looking forward to hearing comments about that. Anything onward. Okay. From the old business section, obviously the new elementary, we just had obviously introduction of principal leadership team. We're very excited about that, but we're also excited about this whole initiative and the elementary is the first leg of that. We'll have an auditorium and
012building C there at the high school. The old building's already going down and footprint is starting to take shape. But there with the elementary for example, you're going to see here in February, they're looking targeting around the 17th or so. You will see the big slabs which they build a lot. You can see our walls here. We have concrete block walls that Mason these things at a facility in Ohio and they are massive poured concrete with the insulation stuff in them. It is amazing process to witness. I have seen that and they'll be dropping those probably around February 17th there at the site and they'll go up real quick and things will start looking like wow that's going to be a school there not just that big pile of dirt and footprint if you go
013up on it see the foundation stuff and the the curbing you're going to see something else now we're really excited about that big endeavor for first big project of this sort since 1989 to 90. Uh so commend the board for moving us forward in that direction. That's all I have on business. I saw Jackie starting to look at her watch. >> Oh, now moving on to action items. >> Why don't I just go into action items? All right. Action item number one. This is school board meeting dates for the upcoming school year. These are all the continuing our tradition of the third Thursday of each month minus October uh where we moved it up because of fall, but I recommend approval unless you have a change that you would like to see as a board
014on any of the other dates. >> I have a motion. >> I'll make a motion we pass the 2026 school board meeting dates. >> Second that. You and any discussion? All in favor signify by stating I. I >> opposed. Motion carries. >> The next one is the athletic pay schedule for events. And I know that our athletic director, Mr. Stags, worked hard on this with a few of his team members to make sure we're staying competitive and current. And it is great to have our our staff involved at events after school, too. And this compensates appropriately with area schools districts around us. And if you don't know, we we get more compliments from the IHSA on how we run events than any school in the state. And that's that's a testament to Kip and his
015team there and what they do and how they go about doing it. And I want to applaud them for that. And this is just a a sign of that and the gratitude that we're giving to staff members for assisting pull off those events and they do it in such a congenial, nice, kind, courteous, respectful way. People notice when they come to our events, they notice. So I think we this past year gave out six IHSA trophies because we hosted that IHSA. Awesome. Awesome. So, I recommend approval of the pay schedule. >> I'll make a motion, Heather, to approve the athletic schedule. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor signify by stating I >> I >> motion carries. The next one is is one that don't want to overlook the donations that we
016have from our generous community to the various athletic programs or academic teams programs that we have here. I want to name them all off and we'll vote under one uh vote. Donation from the Candy Kitchen to MHS athletics, $500. donation to the from the Martinsville Education Foundation to Martinsville High School Athletics, $500. Martinsville Vision Clinic to Martinsville Athletics, $500. HRS Heating and Cooling to Martinsville High School Athletics, $900. Donation from Tiptop Car Wash to Martinsville High School Athletics, $1,000. Donation from Advantage Manufacturing to MSD $2500 and a donation from Justin and Jennifer Clemens to the JRW Career Lab in the amount of $31,373. Some wonderful uh generous donations and it's always amazes me every month what we're able to read out publicly and honor the businesses. I'll make a motion that we accept all the
017donations. >> I'll second it. [laughter] >> Any discussion? >> All right. All in favor signify by stating I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Kind of like when the kids would like if you whisper to a child, they'll whisper back. That's what [laughter] I just did to Matt. >> That was I'm not gonna say. >> Sorry, Matt. All right. Do you have any public comments? All right. Hey, Eric. Back to you. >> Me again. >> Back to you. >> Okay. I'll make this quick. >> All right. Winter break, Christmas coming up, the holiday season. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year to all of our school community out there in virtual land. and few that stayed for our meeting. [laughter] Wish you a wonderful holiday season and uh get a time to reflect. The older I
018get, the more I reflect because the material things don't mean much. The other is the personal things, the family, the friends, the relationships. We always talk about as a district leadership team. It's all about relationships. And I can tell you uh the board up here with me. They they live that and I think we tried to live that as well. It's about our people. It's about family. Tonight I heard one of our board members say family first. And we say that, but we actually So, I want to say happy happy holidays, merry Christmas all of them, to all of our people out there. Enjoy the time with your loved ones, but we don't know how much we have, but make each day count. Gunnar Burnham, young man, uh, that we put up on the stage,
019enjoy the ride at our graduation. That comes from him. And uh that is what it's all about. Enjoying the ride. Every day is a good day. Some just better than others. So enjoy the ride. That's all I have. Oh, Shrek. You didn't get a go. Go to our performances. Our performing arts at the high school. And then we're going to have the junior performing arts at Johnwood Middle School. They do it every every spring. They put on a musical, but we put on two at the high school each year. And I'm telling you, they do a unbelievable job. Unbelievable. If you want to put a smile on your face, go to one of those performances. Put you in a good mood. Whether you're in a bad mood or you're a Grinch, they'll put a smile
020on your face. So, great job to to them. So, that's all I have. Is that good enough? >> That was good, Eric. >> Thank you. have any board comment. >> Um, just to piggy back on Superintendent Bolan, just want to wish everyone a merry Christmas. I hope our families and the community get to celebrate and reflect on the true reason for the season and um that you just get to enjoy time with your family and and friends and come back refreshed and renewed and ready to start the second semester. I have a comment, a couple of comments. First of all, I'd like to thank uh Jeff Bell and the high school for inviting. We had our retirement lunchon today. It's nice to come back to the high school after so many years that I've retired
021from Martinsville High School. So, enjoyed that. And just seeing the high school and how it's changed over the time. And also want to give a shout out. I appreciate the first responders and Morgan County Sheriff's Department. I happened to be at a ball game last Friday night and I was amazed at how everybody did such a wonderful thing. It wasn't here, it was at Monrovia and pray for all those people involved, but they they were just doing an excellent job. Just a shout out to all those people and thanking them for what they did. So, and we also a game this weekend, county game between Martinsville and Monrovia Saturday night. So hopefully the whole county will come to that game. I think it will be enjoyable. >> I would like to wish everybody merry Christmas,
022happy holidays, and do I have a motion to adjourn? >> Goers. Yes. >> And I will make a motion to >> Okay. Second. >> Second. >> All right. All in favor signify by stating I. >> I. I >> opposed. Motion carries. >> Say, Mr. Conway, say it with me. >> I