001Mr. President, when you're ready, >> we stand for our pledge allegiance flag. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Let's see. >> Well, good evening and welcome to our regular MSD Pike Township School Board meeting February 26, 2020. 26. As we open up, we will begin with our for the good of the cause. If there's anyone that has anything that they like to share for the good of the cause, then we invite you to come and share. Three minute limit. State your name and you may share at this time. >> Good evening, Dr. Young. Uh board members, uh cabinet, residents, staff, anybody out on the internet. Hello. Uh I'm Chris Ludy,
002uh president of the Pike Classroom Teachers Association. Two topics for me tonight. First, the general assembly. House Bill 104 strips hours out of teacher contracts, meaning that district is no longer required to have a set amount of hours in our contracts, currently 7.73 hours. Much like the fact that we kept discussion in Pike Township when the general assembly said it was optional, I asked today that we keep the status quo of 7.73 hours in teacher contracts. We can still do parent teacher conferences, back to school night, and other events by adjusting hours, but we cannot add to teachers plates. Our plates are full and do not have room for more contract hours. Plus with horrible legislation concerning both ICE and dissolving the IPS school board in favor of a mayorapp appointed board. It's been a
003rough week. Right. It's coming Pikes way cuz start there and just keep on moving. I'll stop now and move on to happier topics. So topic number two. Uh Dr. Bishop, I want to thank you for the work on the calendar committee um with DOE approval and waiver days. I think it's a good calendar. Uh Dr. Nunley leading the evaluation committee the PCTA uh requested and I think we are on the track to having a very good and equitable teacher evaluation system. Mr. Endman about ready to start another uh school start committee. So, thank you. And to all the other cabinet members, but the main reason I'm up here tonight is Dr. Young. Thank you for your leadership. >> Thank you. In my 22 years in Pike and six years as PCTF PCTA president, I don't
004think the union and the administration have ever had a better working relationship. We know the history. PCTA and the administration haven't always seen eye to eye and things have gotten testy in the past. But we get a lot more done working together than working against each other. Look at what happened with the referendum. Are things perfect? No. But we work to make a more perfect union, a more perfect administration, and a more perfect district for our kids and our families. Thank you, Dr. Young. I greatly, greatly appreciate it. Thank you. There anyone else for good cause? If not, we move on to spotlight on Pike. Mr. Sor, >> good evening. It's wonderful to see you all again. As always, we have a lot to celebrate here in Pike Township. Friday, February 13th, all three of
005our Pike High School jazz bands performed at the Pendleton Heights Jazz Festival, and we had five outstanding performers recognized. will share their names tomorrow. This Saturday, we will have 16 soloists and 11 ensembles representing Pike High School at the SSMA, ISMA, sorry, state solo and ensemble competition. Our Pike High School boys swimming and diving team are the IHSAA sectional runners up. They set three school records and qualified to compete at state this weekend in five events. So, we're a basketball school, a swimming school, a golf school. It's amazing how much athletic success we've had this year and actually going into last year. So, we are extremely proud of our student athletes um and their performance in the classroom is every bit as good as their performance um on the athletic competition field. Our Pike High
006School boys basketball program officially won the Mech Championship on Tuesday with an impressive 8145 victory over Warren Central. Wow. >> Not only are our girls and boys basketball teams the 2026 MC Mick Champions, Pike High School was recognized by Max Preps as the Indiana school with the most combined boys and girls basketball wins. um they shared a graphic that had the a map of the United States and for Indiana it had the Pike PE. So we're extremely proud of that and excited for that collective success. Pike High School senior Jayla Dabney was honored as one of McDonald's Black History Makers of tomorrow for her proactive leadership and academic excellence. We are extremely also proud of school psychologist Paulina Balisteros who was selected as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana 2026 match of the year.
007She was matched with her little sister Gabby in 2017 and we shared the video package on our social media. We'll put that out tomorrow as well if you haven't had a chance to watch it. It's amazing and we're just greatly grateful for all the work she does here in Pike and the community. Um, before your next regularly scheduled meeting, our Pike Performing Arts Department will host the Red Devil Jazz Cafe in the Pike Freshman Center on March 3rd at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for that are available online. Pike Theater will present Disney Winnie the Pooh Kids in the Pike Performing Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th. That is free admission. And our annual mental health fair will take place at Pike High School on Thursday, March 12th, and that will be from 5
008to 6:30 p.m. Last but never least, we'd like to recognize the donors listed on this evening's agenda. Alden Wagman donated men's dress pants and sports coats for students at Lincoln Middle School worth an estimated value of $350. The Pike Township Educational Foundation collected $850 in donations for the Pike Red Zone Food Pantry via their website. They donated $1,000 to support our 2026 teacher celebration and funded classroom v grants for Karen Planner's Get Your Move On project and Yolanda Henry's computer technology project at Central and Terrell Mlan's Little Sounds Big Words grant at the NJC for a total value of $1,630. Coca-Cola Consolidated donated $6,300 to support our 2026 teacher celebration. and one fellowship church, an active member of our faith and pike ambassadors, donated $4,500 to the Pike Township Educational Foundation to cover the CCDF
009funding shortage for families and loving care program at Snacks Crossing Elementary School for this semester. And we're extremely appreciated to One Fellowship Church for their ongoing commitment to support Snacks Crossing Elementary School in our greater Pike community. You may have noticed they've done several donations over the course of the past year and they've just been um an incredible partner to work with. We want to sincerely thank all of these individuals and organizations for their generosity. It's absolutely amazing. >> Thank you, Miss Dorsy. We're on to reports to the board student teacher recognition. Dr. Justin Hunter. >> Mr. President, members of the board, and Dr. young. We are truly excited to recognize Pike Township's student teachers who completed their placement during the fall and spring semester. We have a record number of student teachers. When we
010first began, we had about 17. Last year, we had about 22. This year, we had 52 student teachers that completed their student teaching in the MSD of Pike Township and 39 that RSVP today. through our partnership with Butler University, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indiana Wesland University, Marian University, Taylor University, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Indianapolis. These future educators have enriched our classrooms by supporting small groups, team teaching, flexible instruction, and engaging our school communities. This evening, we are proud to present two elementary groups and two secondary groups in appreciation of their dedication and student teaching in the MSE of Pike Township. need to get out of three chair. >> One, two, three. One more. One, two, THREE. >> Our second elementary group of student teachers. Thank you. >> All right.
011Right here. One, two, three. Thank you. We'll have our first secondary group of uh student teachers. One, two, three. Then our our final group of student secondary student teachers. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. President, members of the board, Dr. Young, for allowing us to have the opportunity to have such great student teachers in our district. >> Thank you, sir. One more round of applause for our student. >> All right, next up is our Lily Endowment phase three presentation, Dr. Larry Young. Thank you, Mr. President, members of the board. Hold it down. So, there we go. Thank you, Mr. Hec. Um, Mr. President, members of the board, thank you for the opportunity tonight to talk about the Pike High School student service and community project. This is a $31.8 8 million project and uh this
012has been made available partially and mostly um through the Lily endowment. They provided us with a grant that covered 80% of the project and then as a district we kicked in an additional 20%. >> We are grateful, extremely grateful to Lily Endowment. >> Absolutely. project overview. So the intent of this particular project is to one expand student services as well as community engagement focus on career and STEM pathways, performing arts, health and wellness, and designed to improve college career and life readiness. So why why do we even go down this road? Why did we even apply for the grant? Well, when you think about the current Indiana diploma, the new diploma, students still need opportunities for CTE and as well as if they want to seek out the seals, um whether it's the honors seals
013or the honors plus for work-based learning opportunities. Now, one of the challenges, I'm sure you've heard, um, is access to some of those work-based learning opportunities, transportation to businesses and organizations. So, if we can bring those opportunities to our children, we can ensure that they get those opportunities right here on campus. key program components, career and STEM pathway expansion with industry certification, on-site work-based learning, and simulated work environments. Again, students can qualify for those high school diploma seals if they get those experiences. So, we're trying to bring those experiences right here on campus. Performing arts. So, think about performing arts. Um, some of our hardest working, some of our best athletes are actually in our color guard. There are band. They're out there when it's 100 degrees. Um, I see them walking, running, doing push-ups.
014Well, what happens when it rains? So, a lot of those experiences that they have can be limited based on um the fact that they're outside, just the elements. So, we can bring those opportunities inside for that group. um health and wellness facilities accessible to students and also community. One of the things we wrote into the grant right next door to our campus is Rob and Run Village. So imagine Rob and Run members of that community having a um key fob. So early in the morning or when it's there's ice outside and they want to walk in a safe space and get exercise, they come swipe in during times that we're not even using the facility. So, what a great community offering for our neighbors um just to the south of the community. And then here
015in a second, we'll also talk about some opportunities to help alleviate some of our challenges for our athletic programs. I think it was Miss Dorsey was talking about the success that we've had. Well, a challenge is we've got folks on top of one another trying to find an opportunity and a place where they can practice and work out. I have a son. I can speak to this uh as a parent. So he plays baseball. They get out of school what at, you know, around 2:20. Well, he goes home and he'll come back to practice at 5 something in the evening just because they're trying to figure out when they can get access to the facility. So we'll talk about that here um in a minute when I show a rendering of the space. Career pathway
016expansions. Before we submitted our application to Lily Endowment, we spoke with some community partners, universities, and we had some idea about what um workbased and CTE opportunities were viable. So, one, where are the jobs in the future and who's willing to partner with us? So um with this space we're looking at biotechnology and biioharmaceutical manufacturing. That would be something new. Construction and trades and skill apprenticeships that would be an expansion of programming. Imagine our students leaving with a certification as a dental assistant right from high school. Optometry and we all know that welding is a high salary career. So, welding certificates as well. These are all different CTE certifications that we would look to bring with this new facility. I just talked about some of the ways that we would be able to provide that.
017There aren't I mean, I look at the team. We have a pretty talented team, but I don't know of very many members of the team. If I go back to this screen, have background in dental or optometry or welding. So, what we would have to do is we would have to rely on universities. We'd have to rely on businesses and other professional organizations that to to partner with us to um provide these opportunities for our students. So we do have some verbal commitments and we'll continue to work through those and solidify those partnerships and agreements here over the next couple of years sort of what the timeline would be. So by the end end of the of the first year, so we think about maybe next January, um we like to, you know, have the
018uh facility construction, staffing, and baseline data. So we want to have a pretty good idea of um all of the um plans solidified in those areas. So then by this time next year, our hope would be to begin that construction and have it done by the end of year two. So the end of year two um program launch. So as we go into the third year, we actually want to then have a ribbon cutting and then provide access to the actual facility. Okay. So about two years from now, that's our hope for and then by the end of year three full implementation, evaluation and sustainability plan. As we think about sustainability, one of the things that I believe we will have a great opportunity to do is to actually rent the space out as well.
019So over the course of the five years, we actually have funds built into the grant to help cover the cost of programming. But as we kind of move out that five-year plan, the hope would be that the cost the ongoing cost and the plan would be for the ongoing cost of the facility, we would actually cover that. it would generate the money itself. Talked a little bit about that as well. Uh diversified funding and long-term district commitment. We talked about that with sustainability, external evaluation and continuous improvement. Uh we do have an external evaluator of the grant to make sure that we are adhering to all the parts and things that we promised to Lily endowment facility design for shared use and for future growth. So with the shared use those are all those areas
020that we talked about before and that's some of the things that uh we're having discussion about. It's a shared space. Um, not just for performing arts, not just for work-based learning, not just for athletics, but how can we cohesively utilize this space? All right. Now, here's a rendering. So, if you look at this, this would be the upper level. That area that is orange, you can see it's paved with lines. This is where the practice space would help out. So there's a 200 meter uh track there. You can also see there's a designation and area outlined for band. There's actually four full basketball courts on that space. This is also where performing arts uh our band and other groups will be able to utilize this large open space. In the top right hand corner there
021is a college and career lecture hall. Now that is I believe it's just under 10,000 square feet. So Mr. Gwood we talking about 10,000 square feet for for for many folks that's you know it's hard to kind of get an idea about that. So I think we were talking 10,000 square feet is about the size of a of a gym. >> Yeah. So like a middle school gymnasium is about 10,000 square feet. >> This is a really big space. Really big space. Top lefthand corner community resource. I think Mr. Jacob is helping to lead the charge with that space. We're looking at um >> well, yeah, and and they would actually utilize some of that larger space there in the orange, but we talked about the um the the Pike Red Zone food pantry. Maybe
022a portion of that can be used there. We've also talked about um social services. It's often been said and I agree that sort of Pike Township, the northwest side of town is a social service desert. When I look at the east side of Indianapolis, there's a lot of social services that are available. So whether we're talking about teeth cleaning or uh whatever we determine the the needs can potentially be, that can be a space that people in our community can come and get some of that help and support right there as well as um you know the the the food through the food pantry. And then those light blue sessions uh uh rectangles on the left, those actually butt up against our current CTE programming. So, the facility itself will be sort of closed off
023that gym space um during the day. So, we'll be able to secure that, but we'll also be able to use that light blue area for those CTE programming that I talked about before. Okay. So, that would be the upper level. If you look at the next slide, this is the lower level. The lower level in the green area are suites which we we could use for work-based learning. So imagine as a student having a company or an organization, they would literally come to campus. They would work and as a student I can go down in that space and work right alongside of them while they're providing service. and that would help meet some of those hours for the workbased learning uh for for the various seals that our students could qualify. Now, one thing that
024I've told um everyone is that this is not a fieldhouse. Lily endowment did not um give us funding for a fieldhouse. Obviously, it would help out with alleviating some of our uh needs when it comes to different practice spaces, but you know, this is a Stillman Career Center. In closing, uh, the investment in students, families, and Pike Township community strengthens college and career readiness and creates lasting community impact, >> questions. >> I have one. >> Yes. >> Where exactly? >> Great question. Good question. I should have I should have mentioned that. So if you if if you are um let's say facing the main entry of of the high school and to your left is actually east. So this space would be on the far east and maybe tuck a little bit behind the um
025aquatic center. Okay. Now there there's a challenge. I think we Mr. Cooper and I had a meeting with um the architect and I think they've come across some some some new renderings uh more recent rendings and so there there's a flood plane there. So we we've known that. So that may be something we may have to potentially address. Um, another challenge is that when this work was done, um, and and when I say work, trying to scope out what the cost would be per square foot, the cost was maybe about $450. Well, guess what it is now? With the tariffs, it's $600 on average square foot. Um so the cost of getting everything we have here has significantly gone up and that's due because of of the tariffs and some other things. So uh good
026news is that because uh many um construction companies are are really looking for work at this time. Many of the jobs that have been bid have been very favorable. They've they've come in kind of low. But those are all some things uh that we're we're going to have to try to figure out and and to work out. Right. >> So based on what you're saying, are we talking So are the softball fields going to be impeded by that? >> So there's a practice softball field that we'd have to relocate. Okay. >> Yep. Yep. So that's another thing we've got to figure out as well. >> Yeah. But you you've got the right spot. It's that practice softball field. So >> Well, so I'm going to jump in there. That's the JV softball field. >> That's
027the JV practice. that I was going to say that flood plane that's a JV >> field you you that's that's what we're talking >> you um sneeze real hard in second base floods so >> I'm glad that that's that that's I'm honestly glad that's going to have to be moved um I did have a question in in the art here and so >> I'm not I'm phrase it more as a statement because I'm not asking a question for you to make any kind of a commitment on but I do know the current space for the robotics team is is very crowded and actually doesn't give them the full space I'm hoping with some of this focus with the STEM and with some of those things that maybe there would be an area in there that
028they could actually leverage also. Um because I think even there's been some talk about the space they have now needing to share with other places and >> hoping that can be considered. >> Yes sir. So every single month we meet once a month in that meeting. I'm just looking at team here. I mean it's almost this whole front row and I think maybe a portion of the the second row. I know that uh even even the the third row as well as we have Mrs. Anthony from the high school uh we have Mrs. absorbment from the high school. We have the athletic. So, we're all having conversation about programming. Um, robotics has come up >> as well. Okay. So, you know, would this be a a new space for robotics or >> would we move
029current programming >> maybe into this space and then that would open up a space for robotics. So, those are all things we're working with with the high school team as well as folks that are sitting uh, you know, in here now. >> Okay. >> And we've got some flexibility. >> Yeah. One one of the things we shared with the Lily Endowment is the programming we'd like to launch, but we didn't share that it's going to be right here in room A or room B. So, we've got some flexibility. I >> have a question. Um, so with this with this layout, um, was scouting other districts uh part of the planning uh process? And if so, in our neighboring uh school districts, does anyone else have anything like this? Uh, I would say scouting, not so
030much from a facility standpoint because this is really the um, so it's interesting. Great question. I'm glad you asked that. When we first heard about the Lily Dollars, we as a team got together and we just started brainstorming. And I think I said to the group, act like money's not even an issue. just dream your biggest dreams based on what our highest needs are. And we we we outlined all of those things. And once we did that, I think it was Dr. Bishop took it and then uh put it into to to chat GPT. And that was sort of the structure and the start based on the needs we have. So, this is really tailored to um the brainstorming session and talking to all of the the the the different, you know, uh members here
031and also the high school what the needs were and we just designed it based on on that. >> The reason why I asked that is cuz I was wondering where this um where this layout came from. >> Um >> I was uh last year, a couple years ago, I was down at Center Grove and they have something like this. Nothing close to how elabyt this is, >> but it's definitely a pearl clutcher. Yes. When you walk through there. >> Yeah. >> Uh but it brings a level of prestige. >> And so that's why I was wondering uh this something like this will be the envy especially here uh with our neighboring school districts. Uh which rightfully so is that's what you want. And so it just lets it sends out a signal to the community
032that we are growing because we you know some of us we hear a lot of things well you know that district is building this and this district is building this and when are you guys going to do something you know but patience has uh has paid off because we've talked about this since my second year on the board and now we're into the futation stage. So uh kudos to your team and everyone involved in this. I'm really happy about this project here. >> Thank you. So, this project will um basically address the growing because we now have a um girls um uh wrestling team >> and I know that there's been a lot of issues with practice time and juniors and the freshman and everybody's trying to bid their time >> and if you know
033if they're talented enough to go into state it overlaps with other >> sports. So this is going to be something that's going to really help them out. So if you were to say the three, what were the top three issues >> that needs to be addressed? >> Yeah. So so one great thanks for that question. I think one is staying true to um what we told Lily we were going to do, Lily endowment with this space. Okay. um even though we know that it will help alleviate some of the things that you referenced, Mrs. Wilson, um you know, we also want to be very cognizant that this is a space that performing arts will use and the community will use. So, that's a challenge because even just in conversations with people that have heard about
034it, people are already sort of jocking, >> you know, you know, for for for the space. So that's so that's one what your question addresses one um I think two is with the with the increase of cost um with the square footage you know trying to make it look exactly like it does here may be a challenge >> um we've got some options but um you know we may have to give some things up right or does that mean that everything we see here we may not get it all in there all at once um or you know as a district is it something we want to you know commit more of our dollars towards to get it to be exactly like this. So the that increase in cost and no one could have seen
035the the tariffs and the impact of that. Um so I don't think it's you know anyone's to blame but that's a challenge and then also the location as we look at that that area there. um as we seen more recent renderings, you know, they look a little bit different than I think the ones that we've looked at. Would you agree with that, Mr. Gruber? So, so we've got to we've got to double check and triple check that. And if there's an issue or challenge, we've got to make a decision. You know, do we fix it? You know, can we fix it? Do we fix it? Uh there could be a cost to that. um or do we look at sort of maybe changing the location of the um of the programming, but I I want
036us to, you know, keep our commitment to the Lily Endowment folks and and if we have to make some revisions, obviously we'll go back to them and say, "Hey, based on these things, you know, in order for us to stay true to what we said we would do, we've got to maybe change some things over here and make sure they're okay with it." Um because ultimately we want to go back again. >> That that was going to be my question kind of tacking on because brought about some good things. So is our commitment exclusively really functions of the building or is there any kind of a commitment to it'll be a certain size or certain is there is there any commitment with those things especially given >> in our conversations and the meetings we've had
037with their leadership they said listen we we know things are going to have to change. The only thing we ask is that you bring us into that conversation. So what I would probably do is is before we made major changes, we would bring them back and say, "Hey, you know, we want to uh make sure we're doing what we said we would do. This is the reason why we need to do something different or we're like, you know, are you guys, you know, are we still meeting the the tenants of our agreement?" Okay. >> If we make these changes, >> okay? And if the building does have to move, let's still move that softball field, please. But that's >> it's a problem. It's a problem. It is. So, we need to we need we need
038to address it. >> All right. >> I got one one thing. I would just like to say that >> I was wondering how we were going to address >> all of the work-based learning and the hours and do it safely. >> Sure. >> For our students. And I think this is will be a very good option to meet that expectation that the state has given us and do it safely where we don't have to because I was the transportation the vetting of >> businesses all of that >> has been in my mind and >> that has alleviated a lot of >> questions that >> I've been wanting to ask legislators. Wow. How did you think we were going to do that? >> And we're, you know, we're very fortunate in Pike. We're right here in
039Park 100. I mean, there's so many businesses and organizations that we can tap into. I don't know how some school communities how they're able to provide those opportunities with the new graduation requirements. >> Have it right. >> Yeah. >> On campus, that's even better. >> Right. Right. >> That it that's it. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Dr. >> Oh, thank you. All right, we're on to action items. >> First up is the um minutes of the board approval from February 12th, 2026. >> I recommend that we approve the minutes of the board um from February 12th, 2026. Second >> second. >> Then moved and second that we approve February 12th, 2026 minutes board of education because of the confidentiality. No questions will be attained at this time. All in favor say I. >> I oppose.
040>> Thank you. We're on to human resources. Dr. Justin Hunter. Mr. >> President, members of the board, Dr. Young, I request your approval of the HR report as presented. I make a motion we approve the HR report as presented. Second that we approve HR human resource report as presented. Again, due to the nature of confidentiality, we will not attain questions and we're on to vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Thank you, Dr. Hunter. >> Thank you, sir. >> Uh request for approval for the coast kicking the stigma grant, Mr. Jacob. Good evening, Mr. President. Good evening, >> members of the board and Dr. Young. I'm hereby seeking your approval to apply for the Colts kicking the stigma grant. >> I move we accept the uh I'm sorry. I move that we
041approve the application for the Colts kicking the stigma grant as presented. >> Second. >> Moved and second that we approve item action item C as presented. Are there any questions on action item C? No questions. We're on the vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppos. Action item D. Request approval to apply for the school mental health and wellness mini grant project of wear. Mr. Jacob. >> Mr. President, members of the board and Dr. Young, I'm hereby seeking your approval to apply, you know, for the school mental health and wellness miniig grant project aware 2026. >> I move that we approve uh we I move that we approve that uh Mr. Jacob apply for the school mental health and wellness mini grant project aware 2026. >> Second. moved and second that we accept
042the approval of the application for Mr. Jacob to apply for the project awareness 2026 grant as presented to us. Are there any questions? On the vote, all in favor say I. >> I oppose. Thank you, Mr. Jacob. >> Thank you. >> Uh claims and allowances. Let's see this all in this gray. Okay. >> Okay. We want to then combine action items E F and G. Mrs. Gray for approval. >> Good evening, Mr. President, members of the board, and Dr. Young. I request your approval of action items E, F, and G as presented. I would make I would like to make a motion that we approve items E, F, and G, including the claims and allowances, contracts, and donations as presented. >> Second move and second that we accept and approve action item E, F, and
043G as presented. There any questions on action items E, F, and G? So, not a question, but as always when we have a contract from CIESC, I do want to just be forthright that my wife does work for CIESC. She does not work for the area that provides um purchasing of buses and so there's no benefit or anything like that to my family. Just want to be forthcoming about it. >> So, are you are you recusing or >> No, I can still vote according to our lawyers. Just wanted to make that public notice. >> All right. All right. Any other question statements? We're on to vote. All in favor say I. >> I >> oppose. Thank you, Ms. >> Thank you. >> Great. Board member items. Mrs. Wilson. >> Oh my goodness. President Moore is
044not here, huh? >> It was on you. >> It's on me. Well, it's been a very um enlightening day to hear the pres presentation by um Dr. Young. I think that's great. Uh the Lily Endowment. Um it's even more gratifying to know that we have different facets of our school. The jazz department, the swimming department, the uh academics department, um basketball department, all are excelling at Pike and they are doing nothing but making us look better because of the excellent uh competition that they're out to become winners. So, with that being said, I wanted to say um the girls basketball team did an excellent job. >> Um I love those girls. They did a great job. I was there and um I'm proud of them and I'm proud of the coach. I'm proud of all
045the coaches, all the girls. They did an excellent job. Um we all cried, but you know, it is what it is. But, um and just glad to see you guys back and you know, thank goodness for Black History. I was able to go to College Park and read with the um second graders and the fifth graders and um it was heartening for me because I went last year. I didn't realize that the one teacher asked for me again. So, you know that it was I was glad because she she's evidently whatever I disliked and the kids liked. So, um I just took that to heart. So, thank you Mrs. Gossip, >> Mr. Hoer. All right. So, picking up right there from Miss Wilson. Do want to thank Dr. Mullen at College Park um elementary for
046always inviting the board uh to read. Uh it is a a really fun time and all the fifth grade um host that that uh escort us throughout the uh throughout the building are just wonderful. Actually, my wife was there also reading because of being part of PE and she comes home and she's telling me I had this one of my host and he was prepared. He had a joke for me and I said it was Edwin. He I had him too. So uh so uh they uh but but they were just absolutely awesome. Um also tonight before coming over to the board meeting um we they had literacy night at New Augusta North and so got had the chance to go there and want to give kudos to all those teachers especially give kudos to
047Miss Whitam uh who I know puts a lot of work in putting that on and um really appreciate um ju just everything it does the community was out it's it's it's such an amazing time. Um, want to thank the student teachers and especially the supervising teachers that host them. I know that it adds a lot of extra work onto a teacher's plate to have a student teacher, but having had a uh a wife who was a supervising teacher at one point and a daughter who was a student teacher at one point, I guess my wife was a student teacher, too, but not when she was my wife. She uh we um I just I appreciate that and just want to encourage those uh those student teachers. Pike is a great place. we've uh you know
048got a lot of opportunities and so really hope they're considering uh looking at us here. And then um last for rounding out the things around Pike uh want to compliment um the early learning center got the chance to go last week to their sneaker ball and so that was just so much fun and there was this one little boy he had the moves. He was out there he was he was something else. So uh and actually got to give special credit on that. So, we talk about Pike family and it's a family even to the family of our administrators that are out because uh I had a chance to thank Mr. Blandon, Mrs. Blandon's husband who was there helping uh out with the event and it was his birthday even. So, special shout out going
049above and beyond uh helping his bride out on on that night. And then lastly, just thank you to Lily. Um obviously, um that is going to do amazing things for our school system, for the community, and really appreciate their support of public education. >> Thank you, Mr. For Mr. Anderson. >> Uh just a couple things. Um good luck to our teams that are going to be playing in the sectionals uh next week. Uh this message is really more for the community. Uh but it has to start somewhere. With the passing of certain legislation bills that come through, I hope that people will take this time to as we ramp up for campaign season to become informed uh voters. Um a lot of times when we get these bills, people become retroactive, but you have they
050become um yeah, retro, but we need to be proactive uh as we uh learn about who's running and who's uh passing these bills. So, I think with these things that's coming into place, that's going to motivate a lot of people to become informed and voters. So, I'll be making that me message periodically as we get close to the season. And as always, uh thank you to our administration for all your hard work that you do. Uh our teachers and everyone all the way down. It's just as important. I appreciate you all. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. And Barnes. I'd like to thank certainly the HR department that put together the gathering earlier this evening honoring our student teachers. Um they were just overjoyed as were we to be a part of that. So I
051appreciate the invitation. I thought it was beautifully ran and well attended. Um, something that is really impressive about us in Pike is that we do know how to say thank you. >> And I think we did that for this group of young people who came through. I I like to call them baby teachers, but that's only because I'm an ancient teacher. So, but anyway, uh, thank you so much for that. And thank you to our donors, too. And, um, also thank you for Lily um, for the administration team that really kind of put in the work to make this happen for us, for our community. I think it's just amazing. So, thank you so much for all the hard work that you do. >> Thank you, Mr. Barnes, Miss Kelly. >> All right. Again, um
052the event that was held for the student teachers was we were like we're at cap like this room is at capacity. So that was very awesome and congratulations to those teachers that are going to get licensed and make our profession proud. Um, and I was also able to participate in the readin at College Park and I got to read to a kindergarten class and a first grade class. And I'm like, anytime I need to get my rockstar status back, I'm going to go to elementary because my high school students are like, "Oh, you're old news. You're old. you don't know anything. We see you every day. But I really enjoyed being with the younger kids, the athletes, our scholar athletes that are making us proud on the court as well and in the classroom keep
053making us proud. Um and the supervising teachers that because that is extra work to do that. So thank you to them and to when Dr. Young was making the presentation about the Lily grant. Thank you to Lily. But thank you to you all for when he said, "Let's dream." And you all took that and helped make it bring it to reality. And that's why we were awarded that grant. So, thank you to the team that has done that work. And to kind of uh piggyback on what Mr. Um Anderson was saying May 5th is the primary election. So it begins with the primary. So I'll leave it at that. Have a great week. >> Thank you, Miss Kelly. Dr. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um like others, I enjoyed my opportunity to read at College
054Park. I read to kindergarten and to third grade students. Um thank you to Mr. Ludy. I think he may have left for his kind words. Um >> he's still here, >> is he? Mhm. >> Oh, I I I I didn't see him. Thank you, Mr. Ludy. I appreciate your kind words. And um as we all know, our teachers are the backbone of the work that we do here in the district and and with strong leadership, I think we can continue to provide um an excellent learning opportunity for our children. Um I hope no one believes that by any stretch of the imagination, public education as we know it uh is is under attack. So if if you if if you don't believe that then we can talk after. And I really think more than any
055other time that I can think of. You know, we really have to be united. And I think we talked about legislation every year around this time. I'm reminded of that fact that um you know, everyone doesn't see necessarily the value or necessarily want the structure that I believe helped build our country to stay the way that it looks today. Uh but together we'll we'll we'll we'll keep fighting. >> Thank you, Dr. Young. A few things that I'd like to share and then we're out of here. Um again, I too thank you um to all of the board that I did see participating on Tuesday. I had a chance to thank um the little student that sent and I think Miss Wilson told me everyone had a thank you card. I had a chance to thank
056the little student that sent um us with the cards and she she said uh thank you for being the president. And she said and she said and I know you have a good vice president and she said and I know you all make rules for the district. And so I had a chance to think it because again and and I said that but that that touched my heart because >> the board always have the underhero uh presentation. Sometimes when we have to rule as a governing body, it just doesn't look good and it just it's sometimes it's not pretty. And so for others to appreciate what we do really um blessed my heart uh because we we we we just don't we're just not out front. We just do what we do. So thank you
057for that. Um Mr. Ludy, you alluded to um things coming this way from downtown and attack on public education. But that is the reason why I believe that we have to stay strong and as you just mentioned Dr. young uh unity in essence where both board district and community is together and when we are locked like that and walking with boots on the ground like that we'll be a hard district to overturn and be but I think it all starts with unity and walking together uh and helping one another in the cause. Um, in my world, I I have to help families. And so, this is something that happened to me Tuesday. I had a long day starting out over at College Park, then had to wind up downtown helping a parishioner uh who have
058gotten in trouble with the law, graduate of Pike. Uh, but something he said when I was taking him home that really blessed me. Um he uh he lost he lost a he lost a job uh paying over $30 an hour and uh and I asked him I said so what are you doing now and he told me that I'm working at blank blank blank in HVAC and I said um you know you've been in trouble you know what what what happened explain he said I got my HVAC certification at VIP oh Man, man, that that that that that ripped me apart because it because and then seeing you present that presentation from Eli Liy, it says to me, man, we are a powerhouse regardless of what anybody say. Pike is a powerhouse. And when he
059told me that and now he's he's got a job based on that and then he's getting ready to go into supervision even though he's in trouble. So everybody everybody needs someone to come alongside of them and looks like we're going to be able to help him w with his misfortunes. But it just blessed me to know that um that he got a start right here in Pike and then others are getting that same start. And and so in closing um we we we have been uh asked about uh the assistant AD position. I just want to give an update on that. uh the board has exercised its governing position and we will be meeting uh in an interview with the three final candidates on Monday and uh and you stay tuned and you we'll see
060what happens from there. But that is our update uh for that position itself. All right. If nothing else, we'd like to obtain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. Mean