001Too quiet. >> Okay, you ready? Montana. >> Yep. Ready. >> Okay. It's 6 o'clock. So, roll call meal school board of trustees special meeting. dated November 20th, 2025 to interview candidates for the Pike Creek open board position. Roll call. >> Rex Bner >> here. >> Andrew Adams >> here. >> Greg Bington >> here. >> Alan Wilson >> here. >> Tim White >> here. Robert Dane >> here. Okay. All six members are present at this time. Uh the purpose of tonight is to interview the three gentlemen that we have in the room here. Um, it's an open board meeting. Um, so you'll come up and sit here at the table. I'll ask you a series of questions, answer them to the best of your ability. There's no time limit. Um, if you need it repeated any
002part of the question, just let us know. Uh, the first interviewee will be Mr. Graham Nelson. So, >> you guys want to go first? hear your answer. >> Thank you, guys. >> Okay. >> Start out. We We Everybody has your resume and stuff, Grant, but kind of just give us a little background about yourself. >> Okay. Uh my name is Grant Nelson. Uh I graduated from Conqual in 2004. Me and my wife both. We are members of the community. Lived here our whole lives. Uh we've got four children enrolled at Mcccon or well three of them currently in the fourth one on the way. second grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade. One currently goes to Promised Land Preschool, uh, McGrazville Church. Um, we help out with the local community whenever we can. My wife is
003one of the leaders on the buddy back or the buddyback program that we do here at the elementary school. I help out with that. Pack bags and deliver trailers whenever necessary. Uh, we've been helping out with the local athletics for the last probably six, seven years. So, uh, YMCA, the Bitty Ball, uh, been helping out at the, um, Bunker Hill little league for quite a few years now. And currently we're coaching the fourth and sixth grade girls basketball teams. Uh, one she's doing Mcccon. Mine's with the, uh, uh, Kayla's Andy's wife, excuse me. Sorry. Um, I am a uh, I graduated from Indiana Westland and with a business management degree. I've also got a administration degree uh from IvyTech. I currently am employed at Indiana Transmission Plant, Cooko, Indiana. I'm a business manager. So, I've
004been uh basically my job entails is I'm in control of a $30 million uh year annual budget. Uh that includes the manpower, tooling, costs, uh and overall, uh success and failure of my department. U you could say I'm my actual job is process improvement manager. So, I'm looking for things that fail and trying to find ways to correct. Um, when I saw this position was available, I felt like it was something I told my family I needed to act upon. I feel like I'm uh graduating from here, I've always had a place for McConnell in my heart. And over the last six, seven years that my kids have been in school, I've noticed you guys have done a really good job uh coming up with programs for them, successful programs in the STEM program and
005uh different uh ways for them to express themselves and I'm interested in helping out. >> Okay. Thank you. you thinking? >> Well, we'll start out here and and there'll be some repeats and some of these questions that they sound a little bit alike, but um they all have a different meaning, I guess, you know, just to preface that. So, >> different author. >> Um yeah, different author. Yeah, everybody turn in questions. So, to start out with, uh what are a couple of the reasons why you want to apply for the school board? >> Uh like I said, I feel like uh I've got a place in my heart for Meccon. feel like you guys do a really good job of uh raising the children. Um my daughter coming home, she's 11 now, but I noticed
006that third, fourth grade, you guys have the the STEM program and working in a manufacturing environment. I've noticed real quick that the future of technology and engineering is is pretty much where we're headed as a society. And we got to make sure that we continue to press that upon with our children. we got to have ways for them to uh learn that and grow uh in their uh futures with that. So, it's one of the things that I think that I could bring to this board is uh a manufacturing mindset and and to give the children somewhere uh to have a future at. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> What do you see as some of the strengths and weaknesses of our district? >> Uh uh strengthwise, like I said, I think you guys have some
007really good programs. I've recently learned how you guys don't necessarily do the core 40 program anymore as when when I was a kid. It's more based on there's you military or uh you guys can go uh career field. I like the fact that you guys are really sticking to skilled trades and things like that because we we press heavily on that at work. Um I think that that's some really good positive things you guys do. Agriculture around here. Uh I really am impressed with the arts and theater. I know that my kids are involved in that right now and it's something that wasn't as prevalent I think when I was a child. So it's kind of interesting to see that that's kind of growing around here. Um and I think that just in general it's
008been a pretty positive situation for the children. Uh negative wise I'd say that there's always room for growth. Um I think that uh our from from what I can tell we are down a little bit on our um attendance as far as so I think with some community outreach we could probably get some more students involved at the Mcccon wall uh get them uh get the uh some successful children in the school district bring some uh growth to McCall and make it something you know that people can dream to come to this school and be a part of. Okay, thank you. What things do you see that McConqual could do better and how should the board influence these improvements? >> Um, wow. I think that, like I said, I could sing your guys' praises all
009day, but um, as far as things that I think that we can always do better, we can re we have a, uh, population of low income, I think, in this district, something that I've kind of been paying attention to more throughout the last couple years. um needy students, uh people that uh really need our help. So, I think that we could always come up with programs for them, ways to give them opportunities to succeed just like everybody else. >> As a member of the board, how do you see yourself influencing both strategic directions and the day-to-day operations of the school? Uh, I think that as a school board member, it's our our job to uh use our position for oversight, uh, but not necessarily the management of the school district. I know that Mr. Jernigan
010does a pretty good job at that himself, and it's our job to give him the tools to succeed. So, as a school board member, I think that it would be our job to, like I said, do commu community outreach, uh try to get par parental engagement, um uh maybe even funding, looking for ways to bring school funding to the school, grants and different ways that we can help uh uh to increase our different programs with the school. Um but as far as actually maintaining the school process, I I know that we need to depend on Mr. again whenever possible and give him our uh best tools possible. When he needs our help, we need to be available for him. >> Okay. >> What do you see as the board's primaries responsibility? >> Uh yeah, oversight.
011>> I would say that we need to uh work together to do the one thing that's important here, which is to make our children successful. Um, I I think in order to do that, we have to have the right tools in the classroom. We got to have the we got to have uh talented teachers and give them the ways to be successful. Um, I think we need to give parents a cheap and uh easy way to get their children to school every day. And we need to make sure that just in general we help out in the community and use our position uh to better the entire system in general. Okay. How would you define an effective board superintendent relationship? >> Uh I would say that it's important for us to back um the the
012superintendent whenever possible. Uh we need to make sure that we do that within reason. It's obviously we only have so much funding. We only have so much opportunity for the children. Um, like I said, I think that the most important aspect of this is to make sure that the children are successful. So, we need to weigh every every decision that we make in this room on how that's going to benefit the children. And if is it going to put us in a position where we're spending too much money or overspending ourselves and if so, that's going to hurt everybody. It's going to hurt the children also. So, we need to make sure that we stay within our means and we also give Mr. Jernigan whatever tools he needs. >> Okay. As a board, we always
013meet at least once per month. Sometimes we have multiple meetings per month as well as board functions that we attend to to further our education as board members. What's your current availability to attend these events? >> Um, as a manager at in my job, I have the ability to if I need to leave for for something specific like this, I can do so. I don't have there's no problem with uh meetings. Uh, I would say that, you know, I try to do my best, like I said, to spend as much time at McConall as possible, going to different events, uh, ball games, arts and theaters. We go to the plays for the children. So, we do a lot of work with the school already. So, I think I spent a lot of time here and
014I would love to spend more honestly whenever possible. As long as long as I'm around my children, I guess. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Every election cycle there always seems like there's when somebody runs for the board, there's a particular agenda item that they may be wanting to put forth or or maybe see done. Is there a particular agenda that you would like to carry out as a board member? >> Uh like I said, I could always see us putting more time and effort into STEM. I think it's probably the most important thing for our children. And I think uh uh for every school district in America with the push for AI and and big technology, the big technology push that we're doing right now, I think that the number one tool that our children need
015is technology. So it's expensive. So it's something that we definitely need to make sure that we're staying within our means, but we have to stay on top of that because if we're not, somebody else will and they're going to steal what successful we have. Okay. Based on your experience and your resume during our interview process, what past position that you've held would be the biggest asset of a member of this board? >> What I'm sorry, can you say that again? based on your based on our experience looking over your resume and during our interview process, what do you feel the b the past position that you have held would be the biggest asset as a member of this board? >> Um, and I know I keep on going back to my current position, but I
016think that where I'm at right now is has a high responsibility. And so it's really important that on my day-to-day operations that I I do my best to stay within my financial metrics and I push my employees to do their best, train them, give them what uh qualifications they need. And I think that this current position that I'm in at at work is definitely something that could help me with any challenges that we have here. Okay. >> Everyone agrees that our students well-being and academic successes are at the core of what we do. What other constituent groups representations do you see as an important role to facilitate that as board member? >> Um, are you saying like as in uh outside of >> we're going to refer this to Tim because it's his question. >>
017Yeah, obviously we're all here for students. >> We want them to succeed. We want them to to grow. Um, but it's al often times a balancing act with the other responsibilities that we have as a board, other groups that are involved in school. >> Oh yeah. >> So, >> okay, I see what you're saying. Um, absolutely. Like, absolutely. It's all about the students whenever possible, but we need to make sure we have growth for everybody in the school system. The teachers are just as important. This is their career path. They chose to do this. They chose to be here to make sure our children are successful. So I think that we need to give them uh you know retention opportunities uh uh training that they need um any situation that arises they need to have
018the tools necessary to teach the children. So they don't come here because they uh you know just need a job. They actually choose to do this because this is what they love to do. So I think we need to make sure we give them that opportunity. Um and the administration also I think it's important that we give them the tools that they need to make sure that they're successful as well. Okay. Thank you. >> The position you're applying for is to finish a four-year term that was vacated. If you're successful on getting voted onto the board, would you plan on running in the next election cycle for your seat? >> I think that it's, you know, it's going to be interesting to be able to be an interim um because I think that it gives
019us the opportunity to see if this is exact this is uh what I'd like to do. And I think that as a leader in the community, this is absolutely something that I'm interested in. So yeah, I think as long as this is something that turns out to be a successful situation, I would love to run in the next 3 years. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Deep down to the core of it, um you're interested in serving on the school board. What do you believe the role of the board member should and where shouldn't we be as a board member? >> Uh I think that like I said we need to make sure that we set the the the blueprint for the the school district, the administration. We need to make sure that we
020give them the tools necessary. I don't think that we need to be micromanaging the situation by any means. Um, but I do think it's important for us to talk to the teachers, the students, the parents, the community, and make sure that we're involved on a regular basis whenever necessary. I mean, because they're they're going to need somebody to reach out to. Um, and I think that there's always somebody who's got something that they could need. And so, as long as we're staying involved and and questioning situations whenever necessary, I think that's important. But absolutely, we don't need to micromanage our administration. >> Okay. Well, that's our draft of questions. Um, I'll go around the board table here. Does anybody have any follow-up questions or need any clarifications on some of the answers? Go ahead. >>
021So, you're you're already heavily involved in some school activities. You're a coach, right? >> Yeah. >> Um, if there's game on the same night as the board and the board meeting, which one you going to get to? >> I think you got to go to the board meeting. I mean, it's really important this people. I mean, I I personally wouldn't be the one that's elected at this moment, but you guys would be the ones that would vote me into this position. And because of that, you guys have been all elected, and it's it's good for the the community has asked us to do this. So, we have to make sure that we're here. We definitely need to back our our students and back our children because they're what's what they're the reason we're here. But
022if we don't show up to these board meetings and take this serious, then we're failing them more than we're helping anybody. So, I think that's the most important part. Yeah. Anybody else have any questions, follow-ups? Do you have any questions for the board? >> Um, just, you know, maybe give me a quick rundown on what you think a successful board member looks like because it's a question that I've been asking myself the last couple weeks, just since I since I applied for this, I'm thinking, what would the board want out of me? >> Sure. Um, involvement, commitment. um when we have things uh like one of the questions was we only meet once a month as on average. Um we used to meet all the time um but a lot of times it's just once
023a month maybe twice a month but there's also a lot of opportunities for dinners where we go they give us legislative updates and stuff like that at these dinners which are really helpful so we know moving forward what the budget process and stuff's going to look like. Uh we go to ISBA which is in Indianapolis for a couple days every year to sit in on seminars and stuff to learn what the latest and the greatest is and what we have coming down. So commitment and enthusiasm to be here I think is >> absolutely >> is one of my focuses on why I'm on the ball. I would add that there's probably not one clear path to being a success successful board member. And once you get on the board, um you'll see opportunities that present
024themselves. And if you look around the room here, all of us have our different things that we kind of champion or oversee or whatever the case may be. >> Absolutely. Okay. Well, I appreciate that. Thank you guys. >> Anybody else? >> Okay. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you. >> Are you sticking around? Uh, I can. >> Okay. Yeah, feel free. It's open, so feel free. >> Okay. Next up is Mr. Rusty Merritt. Okay, we'll start out. Mr. Merritt, uh, kind of like we did with Mr. Nelson, tell us a little bit about yourself and then we'll go through the litany of questions. So, >> um, grew up not in this area. uh grew up on the west side of Indianapolis. I can honestly tell you that town grew up in town called Pittsburgh. >>
025It is eerily similar to this area or it was when I was growing up. Um small farming community. Uh grew up on a farm, farmed with my dad. turned 16, started looking at the future and honestly could say I could not farm down there because Indianapolis was moving out. >> Um went to Purdue. Uh got a aggra business management degree there. At the same time, I met wife. Um my wife grew up in this area. Fortunate enough that her family um farms for a living. >> Mhm. So I got to come back here or I was asked to um and so I've been farming for the last 30 years in this area. So this is adopted community, but I've tried to make this 100% my community um in in the way I live. I've got
026three kids. Um two of them have actually graduated. One's a senior at Purdue now where Allan was talking about the Purdue. I don't have much of a choice now with being a Purdue grad, my wife being a Purdue Purdue grad, and my daughter soon to be a Purdue grad. They've got enough of our money that we're we're definitely boil makers at heart. Um my middle child is a sophomore at Huntington University. Um having the time of her life, perfect situation. And my youngest is a freshman in high school this year. Um, and I wouldn't trade anything. I I can say I grew up going to Tri West. That's not my home. This is home for for for myself and my family. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. We'll start out with questions then. Uh, can you
027give us a couple reasons why you're applying for this board position? Um, I would like to help the school um with what they've done with my kids. I want to give back um because both my or all three of my kids um the two that are graduated have taken what they've learned here and have applied it and are thriving very very success successfully at the universities. Um and I and I personally want to give back because of what McConnell has given to my kids and even my youngest. um he wouldn't be where he is without the teachers, without the support of the board. Uh Mr. Jernigan, um before he became superintendent, I mean, he helped all my kids at the middle school. Um helped drive where they're the way they want to go right now.
028>> Okay. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of our district? the strengths. Um the I think the trade school coming back I think is a very very very big um not everybody wants to go to a 4-year university and I believe I've got a future son-in-law that went to a trade school um for that for that fact. He's not a 4-year university person. Um, but what he can do now is well beyond what I can do after sitting to a 4-year university. Um, the FFA, the A department, um, I can say my oldest daughter was here when the cattle program started. um it it's molded her life and her direction and when she went to Purdue she wants to be in ACT. Um and a lot of that's due to McConnell and
029the direction that that the FFA has has gone and molded them. Now hopefully they they will say part of it's me helping them out but both my kids both my daughters are going into the a department or a field um Lauren my middle child wants to be an a teacher because of the teachers that were here um so I think that that's the two that I would say are are leading what Paul's doing right Okay. >> What things do you see the Mechanical Wall could do better and how should the board influence these improvements? >> Oh, no. You asked that the first the first time I was in here. Um, I don't have a real good answer to that because I would like to say here's the problems, but I I have not and I'll
030be honest, I've not been involved with the leadership of this. So, I I I think the areas where my kids are are really good. Um they everybody that I've seen or the people I see are thriving in in their areas. Um is there always room for improvement? Yes. Um, but if you're not at a specific point, you don't know exactly because I haven't been to board meetings, so I don't know what what key points there are right now. >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> As a member of the board, how do you see yourself influencing both strategic directions and the day-to-day operations at school? I think as the board I think we have to work hand inand with the with the leadership, the superintendent, um the corporation and I think it's a you work hand
031in hand with them to be able to uh accommodate what needs to be done. >> Jeff, thank you. Why are you interested in serving on a school board? It's kind of a redundant question, I know. Um, and what do you believe the role of the school board member should or shouldn't be? Well, like I said, the reason I want to be on the school board is to give back to the school. Uh, to give back to what they've given my kids and my family. not only my kids, but my wife and her family that's been I mean, they they've been here their whole lives. So, um it it'd be nice to give back and to help future generations to uh to be able to succeed in life and and be able to grow this community.
032Okay. How would you define an effective board superintendent relationship? >> I think it's got to be a symbiotic that we all work together. Um, we have to the board has to or we need to know what superintendent needs and be able to facilitate that and vice versa. If the board needs something and the superintendent of the corporation, we need to be communication. The communication has to be there so we can work together to take care of of whatever the the problem is or whatever arises. We can work collectively as a team. >> Okay. We always meet at least once a month. Sometimes we have multiple meetings per month as well as board functions that we attend to further our education as board members. What's your current availability to attend these events? >> I'm I am
033free. I I will be able to attend board meetings. Um there might be a few in the fall that I come in a little dirty, but I might be, you know, and it might be right on time, but I will be here. >> I promise I won't smell like a pig. >> That's good because the seats right here. Is there any particular agenda that you would carry out as a board member? I think whatever role needs to be filled. Um I'm flexible that way. Um being able to plug in holes and just be able to adapt to help whatever whatever the need is that arises. Um, so I mean I don't have an agenda right in front of me right now, but I can step in and take care of most or most anything that's
034given my direction. Okay. Based on the experience that was in your resume and during our interview process, what past position that you held that would be the biggest asset as a member of the board? Um, I've been on the, uh, Miami County 4 fair for 17 years now. Um, multiple rules. Um, president down to sweeping the barns at night. Um, and I think that that helps us help me out. um because that's a not for profofit and we are charged and we we have to raise all our own money. We have to budget what we're doing um to put on put on the fair. Now granted, it's one week out of the year, but it for 500 different families in Miami County. Um, we're in charge of everything from the livestock project building to to
035the the grounds all year long. So, that that's helped direct me and uh be able to help focus what needs to be done at certain time. >> Okay. Thank you. Mhm. >> Tim, your question. >> We'll let you ask it last time. >> So, >> everyone agrees that our students well-being and academic success are at the core of what we do. What other constituent groups representation do you see as important in your role as a board member? >> I I think teachers are are the main, but I also think um you've got a lot of volunteers in this school also. Um, one that I can say for sure is, um, I I sit on the booster board, >> um, right now and do a lot to try to help the kids and scholarships in that
036way. And if we know that someone's there supporting us, it it really as a group helps us keep moving forward. Also, um not so much financially, but just if we, you know, hey, you guys need something or and it's not just the booster or the athletic boosters, but there's other groups in there that hey, you guys need something, let us know. or you need our help, I can show up and help one night or whatever. And it it brings the board back to everyone, not just sitting in this room that you guys are a part of the school and here to support what's going on. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And the last last question I have, um the position that you're applying for is to finish the four-year term that was vacated. If you're
037elected or voted onto the seat to finish this cycle, would you run in the next election cycle for that seat? >> Yes, I I think I would. >> Okay. Okay. Board, does anybody have any follow-up questions or need some clarification? Mr. Mayor, okay. Do you have any questions for us, Mr. Mayor? Okay. All right. >> Thank you for your time. Feel free to hang out, >> Mr. Chevro. >> Okay, Mr. Chevlo, tell us a little bit about yourself. >> Well, good evening. First of all, thank you all for having me here. I appreciate that. Dave Chevlo. I have lived in Miami County most of my life. My wife has lived here our her whole life and my son. We're all three graduates of Makagwa. I graduated from Manchester College with a business degree. Uh obtained
038my MBA from IU. There's my loyalty. I I work for IvyTech Community College currently. I've served in, as you can see, a number of roles with IvyTech over the years and then previously spent time in retail with Kroger before that. So, lots of experience in higher ed, which relates really well to what we're doing here as a school corporation, particularly with dual credit and all those opportunities. >> Okay, we'll get started here. And what are a couple of the reasons you're applying for this board position? Yeah. So, I've previously served on this board. It's been it's been about five years ago and I I know I knew Miss Miss Cheney had left the board. So, was interested in getting back into into the into the mix of Mcconakqua. It's a family. I'm interested in being
039part of the family at this level again. I have a lot lot to contribute and offer. Um, I think I I can I know I can hit the ground running, especially for the board to get up to speed on some projects you've got going on already that I've kind of looked at. So, yeah, interested in being part of that again. Um, I know most of you pretty well, so I always enjoy working with all of you. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, what do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of our district? >> Sure. Good question. Strengths clearly is a community here. It's more than just the students and teachers and staff. We do really well with a lot of programming clearly agriculture. Um, previously on the board, we did a lot of work with
040the STEM and getting all those projects going. Uh, the technology piece has always been strong. Mako, we were the leader in the state back when that all rolled out. So, that was exciting to see. A has been huge. When I was on the board, we purchased that land and it has I know when Mr. Mr. Jernan was middle school principal. The middle school really led that program and that was that's really been huge and really really fun to see grow opportunities. Certainly there's opportunities with enrollment decline, but that's out there and something you have to deal with it. And along with that comes the financial strain of enrollment decline and how you manage that. And we've done really well with that over the years. So that's maybe one of those opportunities to do that. the
041opportunity. This may come up in another question with the diploma changes, how you engage with those community partners to get those students the experience they need outside the >> just general curriculum. That that's that's going to be huge. Um, and I know that I think that affects what the freshman class this year, but that's huge. That's going to take every bit of support the board can give to make that successful. >> Okay. What things do you see could do better and how should a board influence these improvements? >> Yeah. So, I mean that's a that's a cautionary mission. I mean, our mission as a board would be to support the superintendent and all the work he's doing, but those external partnerships are going to be really important. I think that would be a critical mission.
042You look at I mean I was looking at because you're by the numbers earlier and you know the decline in manufacturing here. I mean we added the lots of STEM and lots you know the welding lab and that's great but the decline in manufacturing in Miami County that's a challenge but the rise in healthcare >> is important. So how do we how do you navigate those things? You know I I think that's really going to be critical for us to support. >> Okay. As a member of the board, how do you see yourself influencing both strategic directions and the day-to-day operations of the school? >> Yeah. Well, the second part of that's easy. My role as a board member is not to be involved in day-to-day operations of the of the of the corporation. That
043is Mr. Jernikin's job and his team's job. Um, but the role is also to support that in a really collaborative manner. Um, and support the vision and mission and the goals that are established. I mean that that's really the heart of what the board is doing, right? Overseeing the financial piece and setting policy, etc. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh why are you interested in serving on school board and what do you believe the role of the board member should or shouldn't be? Like I said, there's a lot of redundancy here, but >> yeah, >> I didn't write it all. So, >> it's okay. No worries. We can talk about this as long as you'd like to. Um, so the role of role of the board member, you know, I there I think ISBA lists a
044handful of those things, but the the key ones are you hire and supervised superintendent, you oversee that. You set policy and adopt policy and you really have that financial piece of oversight, which is really important especially as you're experiencing those >> challenges with finance. Um, was it what was the other part of that question? Can I ask you that? >> Um, what shouldn't it be? What you you kind of answered what it shouldn't be, but and kind of a combo there. >> Yeah. So, not not to be in the building managing day-to-day operations, not the problem. >> Okay. How would you define an effective board superintendent relationship? >> Yeah, it's very collaborative, highly collaborative. it has to be um especially connection between the board president and the superintendent is really the key to that. So
045being able to funnel those things to the president to to the superintendent being collaborative, communicative, understanding what's going on, understanding what the superintendent needs the board to do outside this room and what he needs us not to do. Understanding those pieces is yeah it's critical. >> Okay. We always meet at least once a month. Sometimes we have multiple meetings per month as well as board functions that we attend to further education as board members. What's your current availability to attend these events? >> Yeah, I'm very flexible. I've in July I semi-retired, so I'm really just working part-time at this point with IvyTech. Um doing some projects with the chancellor and Cass County and doing some work in Wabash County. So in this area, but I'm very flexible. My schedule can be really flexible. So that's
046non-issue. >> Okay. Do you have a particular agenda that you'd like to carry out as a board member? >> My agenda my agenda is to support the group as a whole. Yeah. I I mean there's no specific agenda. If there is, then I think that's an issue. If a board member has a specific agenda they're looking to push that needs to come as a board as a whole unit I mean and I understand I understand an individual board member has no authority outside this room. So um the agenda of mine is will be the agenda of the board as we work through issues and challenges and make those decisions. Okay. Based on your experience that you listed in your resume during our interview process. What past position have you held that would be the biggest
047asset as a member of this board? >> Well, outside of my work experience, my previous involvement on this board, I think, is a huge asset. I can I can hit the ground running and understand you've got you just started a bond project and I understand how that works. And um I I've sat in on teacher negotiations, contract negotiations, and all the work you do with financial reporting. um I was in on a superintendent change uh many years ago. So I think that's the key piece for me. I mean sure my IvyTech experience I think is really valuable and that connection um as it leads to experiences for our students um and then my ability to talk with external partners if that's needed on how we get those students those external experiences. >> Okay. Thank you.
048Tim question. Everyone agrees that our students well-being and academic success are at the core of what we do. What other constituent groups representation do you see is important in your role as a board member? >> Yeah, I mean students are number one clearly. Um you still have to support the teachers, the staff. Um the staff do a lot of work for the corporation that goes unseen sometimes behind the scenes which makes things happen. Um and then I've said it before, the external partnerships are really critical. Okay, last question for me here. The position you're applying for is to finish the four-year term that was vacated. If you're seated into this position, do you plan on running the next election cycle for that seat? >> I think that depends on how I feel I'm contributing to
049the board. I mean, if I feel my contributions are valuable and necessary to maintain and continue with the group, certainly that's not unreasonable. But I as a board member, you you've got to feel some investment in that you're providing value to the board to do that. Yeah, >> I guess I didn't miss one. What do you see as the board's primary responsibilities? >> Yeah, I mean the three things I mentioned, it's oversight of the superintendent, fiscal responsibility, and adopting policy and those kinds of things. That that's the primary function of the board. Lots of other pieces to go with that. I mean, that's being out there in the community, being visible, being accessible to my township or the entire county. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Does the board have any further questions or cleanups that you
050have to ask? >> Do you have any questions? So really, I'd like to maybe know what your priorities as a board are in in the next five years. What I mean, lots of changes happen. Um, and lots of changes happened since I been off the board. So, what are those current priorities maybe within the 5year period you're looking at? >> I I can honestly say keeping our heads above water, keeping us in the black. We've all, a lot of us that are sitting here at this table tonight have lived through the the red times. Those were not a lot of funds. Um, I'd like to see us keep everybody employed. Um, I'd like to also see us advance in our offerings for more more classes, more more topics that we can bring in to help
051with this new pathways and stuff for graduation. Um, I think we also are going to have to be really involved in um finding placements for these students out in the workforce. That's that's going to be a tough situation uh because of some of the guidelines. And um the financial piece I think is the biggest thing for me right now, just making sure that we we can live within what Senate Bill one did to us. So, >> anybody else want to embellish on that? I would just reiterate the pathways um not so much just knowing what they are but learning to master them for our students to make sure that we are we can't afford to not be good at it because our students depend on on us to to nail it >> and I think
052too with what Tim said too make sure we put people in the right places to oversee that and I think we have we've made strides in that area u with one of the new hires we've had this year you know that that knows that that's their business. So, they know that. So, um being ahead of that curve because there's not a lot of corporations that's done that. So, >> that's excellent. Thank you. My next question was just some of the ch current challenges, but I think you answered that. Uh maybe maybe as a final question, the best way you see for a board member to positively impact student success, >> being involved >> and empowering the administration and the teachers to to teach to do the things that they're hired to do and take the
053other things off their off the plate. >> Anybody else? I would also say uh working constantly with the administration to always find ways to increase dual credit programs. We we're extremely strong in that now as far as for rural school, but I'd love to see us be able to u match some of our build credits with some of the upcoming social needs that we have in this area. As you said, manufacturing's dropped, healthc care is more of a a concern now. Things we have to address here. >> Andrew, >> thank you. Thank you. >> So, next Monday is our uh regular scheduled board meeting. Um before that board meeting starts, we will have a vote. Um it'll be in this room. you guys, all three of you are welcome to attend once the votes tallied
054and we seat the new board member. Uh we'll do a quick um oath of office before the board meeting and then you'll be seated. Yeah, you'll actually the November meeting will be your first meeting. So, so Monday 6:00 so we will make the decision. So, we appreciate you guys coming here tonight and applying for this position. appreciate the interest and guys all did a really good job in answering our questions. >> Thank you for having me. >> Yep. Thank you. >> Thank you. You just this