001That's it. >> Yeah. Ready? >> Okay. Call meeting to order. Stand for the pledge and a moment of silence to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation [clears throat] under God, indivisible, [music] with liberty and justice for all. [snorts] Okay, let's get started. All board members are in attendance. >> Oh, mission statement. Mr. Perkins like mission statement. >> Excellence of education, preparation for life. Memorized. >> Impressive. Thank you. Okay. Any public comments? the PHA would like to thank the board and the administration for allowing us to once again use G& as a fundraiser. We raised about $1,300. Um, and that goes back to the kids each year. So, we really appreciate that one. Thank you. >> It's a great great year for it. Like
002you said, very successful. It's great. Thank you. >> Okay, moving on to consent items. We have the approval of March 16th minutes, approval of March 25th and April 10th payroll, and approval of April 26, April 2026 claims. Anybody have any questions about that? >> No. >> All right. I'd like to recommend the following new hires. Uh Keenan Kennedy, varsity soccer assistant coach. Jordan Clump, middle school football coach. Denell Myers, part-time security booth receptionist. Melody Wade, middle school temporary special education par profofessional, and Michaela Smith, high school science teacher. Uh, reassignments. Christian Granilas from varsity soccer assistant coach to varsity soccer head coach. Jill Delansancy, seventh grade volleyball head coach to the eighth grade head coach. Jen Pittz, sixth grade head volleyball coach to the seventh grade head volleyball coach. Resignations have Sam Hartman, varsity soccer
003assistant coach. Sarah Park, JV girls basketball coach. Kyle Wilhelm, middle school soccer coach. Jordan Croc, middle school PE teacher at the end of the school year. Emma Temple, elementary par professional at the end of the year. Shannon Solen, middle school parah, that was effective April 3rd. And Aaron Growin, fifth grade math teacher at the end of the school year. >> Have a motion, please. [cough and clears throat] >> Second. >> Aaron second. Take it to a vote. [snorts] action items. >> Okay. Uh first one, uh have a recommendation to authorize the district to dispose of, discard or sell obsolete furniture and equipment from the elementary and middle school. And that date would be Friday, June 12th from noon to 4. So, just like we did at the middle school when we got our new furniture
004there, we'll give the public an opportunity to come in. Uh if there's anything they want, they can grab it. Um sure beats throwing it all into the dump. So the more that goes, the better off we are. But that'd be Friday, June 12th, noon to 4. >> Motion, please. >> Second vote, please. [clears throat] >> Passes it by zero. >> Okay. Second one. I have recommendation to approve revisions to the Northeast Indiana Special Education Cooperative Joint Services Leing, Construction, and Supply Fund Agreement. in your packets. I did not put the whole agreement in there. I only put the page where we're changing language. And basically that states that if a district member district of the co-op submits a letter to withdraw from the co-op, they can resend that one time within a 5-year period. Okay?
005So, if they put it in year one, withdraw, they they put in a second letter within that five-year period, then you're out. So, kind of stem from um we've had a couple schools that have been talking about this for a couple years and this year, West Noble, Central Noble, Busco, and Decal all submitted letters to withdraw from our special education co-op. Okay. Uh since that time, Central Noble has rescended their letter, so they are staying in um DeCalb. Um Decal's kind of an interesting one because they're a bigger district and they just think they can probably do it on their own. not necessarily a measure of trying to save money for them. Um, at least that's what their superintendent says, but uh just the opportunity that they think they can provide all the services um
006and financially do it on their own. Um, Westbo and Busco seem to think that they can do it cheaper and if they can, good for them. Um, but they so far they are still planning on withdrawing from the [snorts] right. >> And some of those had submitted a letter the previous year as well. Yeah, correct. Yeah. >> Okay. So in this case, this starts once this goes into place. >> Yeah, it starts with this one, >> right? >> So that's what that's what that language is for. >> Any questions on that? >> How long do they have to change their mind? [clears throat] >> Um, >> I believe, don't quote me on this. I believe it's six months. I can look that up for you. So that the withdrawal period is 18 months. So I
007believe they have the first six months to decide if they're going to withdraw or resend their letter. And then that gives the co-op a year and that district a year to plan on how to move forward without them. >> So they've just been withdrawn in to cover their bases in case they wanted to. >> Yeah. It's really hard to for the rest of us to plan what's going to go on um when hey yen you're out. So this kind of puts a little hamper on that. And of course, there's language in there as well that that could be even if they did it twice, it could be approved by the board that hey, we'll still take you back. So, >> okay. >> Motion in a second, please. >> Take it to a vote. Zero. [clears
008throat and cough] >> Okay. Next one. recommendation to approve the agreement with Pulver Cove Associates for special purchas purchase exemption for school furniture. So again, the same type of process that we used before at the middle school. Uh we're doing at the elementary plus the middle school library. So in your packets, I just put the spreadsheet of what the prices came out as. So if you want to go to the middle school library first, and I gave you a diagram, kind of a rendering of what that library is going to look like. Uh the chairs are not red though. They are black. They're black chairs, not red. Um but we're replacing all those 10 tables that you see there on the left side. Um the circulation desk, uh where Mrs. Roberts sits. Um that's that'll
009be new. All the shelves are going to be new. Uh so all the shelves are coming down. Obviously, we're getting carpet. That's not part of this bid here, but we're getting new carpet. And then over there on the right hand side, you can kind of see some more uh studentfriendly seating areas um that we don't currently have. So, um, be a big upgrade for the middle school library. Looking forward to seeing how that turns out. Uh, but as far as the pricing goes, the list price for all that furniture, um, came out to be $31,93. The cooperative purchasing price, if we would have went through them, was $231,536 $500.36. And the special exception price that we got through Culver Cove uh will be $174,432.33. So even compared to the cooperative purchasing, we're under $57,000 in
010savings uh by going to Pulver Cove. So feel really good about that. Any questions about the library before I go to the elementary? Okay. Um the elementary again kind of like the middle school process replacing student desks. I think we're going to replace about 360ome student desk. We do have is it two grade levels Brian or one? Two two grade levels um that will keep their current desks. So even though they're not going to match, which we would all like, we just purchased those desks not too long ago and makes no sense to get rid of them. So two grade levels will have some exist existing desks, but everybody else will get new student desk. Um, everybody's going to get new chairs, student chairs as far as that goes. Um, we have about 57 half
011moon tables. I think we came in at around 34 other types of rectangular tables, 39 teacher desk, and around 57 task chairs, which would be smaller versions of these that would go to those tables where teachers or parents can sit in those chairs to to work with students. So, a lot of furniture heading into the elementary this summer. Um, if you want to go to the list price of all that stuff, uh, $613,111.71. [clears throat] The cooperative purchasing price was $440,4727. And then the special exe exception price cove was $333,12187. So, uh, compared to the cooperative pricing, we're about $107,000 savings. So, again, feel really good about the the process with them and um thought they did a great job at the middle school with >> disposing of all the old furniture, assembling all the
012new in a short amount of time. >> Yeah, they did quick too. Yeah, that's good operation. >> Yep. [clears throat] So, any questions about the elementary furniture? >> Again, kind of kind of phase one over there at the elementary as far as that goes. Again, we still like to [clears throat] um yeah, we have to see how much we spend, how much we have left, right? Um another goal would be obviously to get rid of some of those green, yellow, orange, blue cabinets that we have over there and get some new cabinets in there. But, uh that would be phase two along with carpet, new carpet in the elementary as well. So, middle school, new carpet this summer. Elementary will be next year. So, questions on any of that stuff? Is it the Did we
013do the fax room with the middle school or >> the fax room? >> I mean the cupboards and all that because they're not replaced the cupboards. >> Okay. Okay. But they're the odd colors too, aren't they? >> They're blue. >> They're all blue. Okay. >> Um we did get new uh tables in there. Okay. >> So like in the kitchen area, the sewing area, new tables and chairs there. >> Um but yeah, we have not touched cabinets down. >> Yeah. Though that's what I think, you know, when we see what Yeah. Yep. >> That choir room carpet though. >> Do you have the choir room carpet? >> Looks good. >> Yeah. Good. >> Yep. >> Good look. [clears throat and cough] >> Again, any questions on the furniture? [snorts] >> Okay. >> Motion. >> Second
014to vote. Passes five to zero. >> Okay. Next one is a recommendation to approve the summer employment three high school students for the A department and no one's from A is here tonight but that is something that we do every summer and that's kind of split cost between us and the A department on those three employees. So um they put them to work they do they do a nice job for us in the summer. So any questions or concerns about that? >> Sorry the only question I have is in the report it looked like they were also asking for another one for like one and a half months. Is that how I read that or did I listen to her that I just wrote it in here tonight in their report? >> She's referring to
015Ariana said she'll be wants to stay for [snorts] last June and should that be included in that three or in addition [cough and clears throat] they usually work around schedule. all there. >> They they all don't work on the same time. I'm reading that as that would be four then. >> Okay. >> So, so we can adjust that to three or four. >> Change the motion that it goes to four. >> Yeah, that's we can say. Yeah, three or four. So, we'll just put four. So, we'll change that to recommendation to approve the summer employment of four high school students for the egg department. >> Motion, please. a motion. >> Second to a vote to zero. >> Then the next one is the recommendation to approve the summer employment of two high school students for
016the maintenance and custodial departments. Again, we kind of talked about that add some help there just due to the number of projects and stuff we have going on this summer kind of to help them with moving stuff, hauling furniture, that type of thing. Um, we did [clears throat] post that to the junior class to the junior class and then uh Dustin and Pat interviewed the the people who applied. I think he had five applicants. Is that right? >> Yeah. I don't know who he chose yet, but um but we're going to hire two for that position. >> Motion motion. >> Second vote passes 5 to zero. Then the last one is a recommendation to approve the a department's program of activities and school farm agreement. And Heather, if you give me that page, it's changed.
017>> It used to be I think that must be said for any cost. I don't know what it will be. They used to be I mean this is a long [clears throat] >> 40 years ago [laughter] you're talking course offerings I'm thinking that they must be automatically >> in their packet they have 25 26 membership >> curiousens Yeah. >> Yeah. As far as a farm agreement goes, that's the same that we've done every year as well. [clears throat] What the farm agreement says >> second to a vote is 5 to zero. All right, couple things I want to talk about real quick is the remote learning end up using one day. Um hopefully that's going to be it. Hopefully we don't get any fog, freezing rain, bill. So it's on you. >> Keep it away.
018Keep it away. [laughter] >> Anyways, uh again, the state allows us to use three asynchronous days. So basically remote learning, not live instruction. Uh just from the building principles, I Brian, we'll start with you. Do you have any feedback or concerns from the day that we had? >> Um I had positive messages from parents. I didn't see too many concerning messages. Um we got pretty decent attendance rate that day. So nothing nothing too crazy. >> I thought it was positive. >> I heard positive things from staff. We surveyed the kids. The kids seemed I thought it went pretty seamless. Didn't hear much from parents. So that could be a plus. I think it went well. >> Kind of same as them and like attendance [clears throat] rate was pretty good. And surprisingly, I shouldn't say
019surprisingly, but you know, positive wise, most of the kids did the work. So that wasn't the case during COVID time. So most of the kids did the work and uh yeah, not a lot of concerns. So all in all went pretty well, especially for our first time. >> Yeah. Deb, I don't know if you want to. >> I thought it went really well. We had a few kids that didn't turn stuff in, but kids that usually don't turn stuff in during the day when you're when you're there at school. >> Yeah. >> You know, working work working work to get it. But I thought it went well overall. I had one one parent contact me that wasn't sure how to do worksheet and I had sent home answer keys to the parents through parent square,
020not through the kids packet, so the parent could look through there and see how to help them. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't know if the five of you heard any concerns. >> No concerns. >> Okay, >> that was feedback. >> Okay, >> so I don't have it as an action item tonight. We could add something or I can bring it next month, but I think if through our conversations, we'd probably like to continue that going forward. Um, but have that certain number of days we're going to make up first. So make up five days that we usually have on the calendar and then anything after that we'd use those three days. >> So do you want to add that to the agenda tonight or do you want me to bring it next next month? >>
021All right. Bring it next month. So we'll make up five and then uh we'll go three remote days after that. Okay. >> Is there a limit? We only do three. >> There are three that are not live. Yes. Okay. >> Too late. You're too late. [laughter] Already passed. >> We turned it down. Shame on you. [laughter] >> Should have >> Ron. We changed your three workers to four because based on how it was worded in your document here, it looked like you were going to hire three plus. Is it Ariana that was in there? >> If if you're okay with that. >> So, it was four then. Yeah. >> Yep. That's fine. Okay, that's what they approved. >> Anything else you would like to add? >> I don't think so. [laughter] >> I was curious
022questions. >> Yeah, if they are enrolled in my class, are they automatically member? No. >> Yes. >> Okay. That's pretty helpful. >> Yeah, it is. That's why our membership is is high enough. And I think national FFA wants to go that route. They're getting a little push back from some of the states. So are the dues included in the >> the dues per member are cheaper. Yeah, there is no book rental. So that's right. >> The dues are cheaper per person if if it's an affiliate, what they call the affiliate membership. >> Um but it's still, you know, when you're including everything, it does cost us a little more. We've got a contest this weekend that we're going to a mechanics classes that uh I'm taking some some kids to that if it wasn't affiliate
023membership, you know, there'd be a whole bunch of hoops that we have to jump through to get them added to the roster and they're already so it really makes it easy. So >> So is that statewide then that people who roll those classes are on the back? >> Not yet. >> Okay. >> But we choose to do that. >> So it's a Prairie Heights thing right now. Okay. There are there are a hand well more than a handful but I'd say maybe a third of the chapters in the state that are affiliated and then the others are probably going to be within a few years here. >> Okay. >> That makes it easier to take your students to the contest too. >> It does. You know, you got a class where this kid, oh, I'm
024really interested in this part and okay, we've got this contest coming up. Do you want to participate? Yeah, I'd like to try that. I've had several I got one kid that's working at u it's been probably 10 years ago time flies but um went to a small engines contest and now he's working in mechanics you know auto >> okay >> nice report thank you >> sorry I'm late >> you're fine you never you never have anything going on anyways Okay. [clears throat] Any other questions for Okay. Uh, a couple legislative things. House Bill 104 um is going to increase the amount of supervision, I guess, uh, for on devices for parents at home. So, that that's kind of going to be a good thing. But, uh, Andy, our technology director, is kind of working with
025our principles on that. Kind of see how it goes with their own kids. Kind of own trial here. But parents should be able to monitor from home uh what their kids are accessing here at school and on that device at home. So which I think that's a positive thing that they've done. Uh then the other big one obviously is uh Senate ruled act 78 which is a cell phone ban. So not really well I'll just let the principles talk about their specific buildings. Brian, you want to go ahead? >> Yeah. So I think I kind of get the easy end of this deal being in the elementary. Um, I think as far as keeping things in backpacks and shut down is what we'll do within classrooms, which is kind of what we do now. So,
026>> J, >> we're still in discussions with our kids. We talked about do we put them in, we love that the kids don't have to use their lockers um because they get from class to class. We don't deal with tardies. That's usually if we ever had issues. They've been great this year, but any issues is always in the hallways or been in lockers. We've talked about maybe keeping them in book bags, but is that going to be a deterrent? We talked about the different cases you can purchase. So, we're still in the works. I don't have a great answer yet. >> Yeah, >> we go different directions every time we meet. So, >> we're we're pretty fortunate with middle school that um it we don't allow cell phones as it is now. And then um
027they use their lockers, so we plan to, you know, have them in their lockers. um like we are now. Um I mean really and you have kids that obviously uh try to skirt around it rules and all that and um you know so we have issues that we deal with there but really all in all it's pretty isolated and not a major deal to middle school. So um that's the plan that we have talking with teachers is you know keep them in their lockers and you know and accessible uh through that way. >> Okay. So, you know, we've discussed, you know, we make sure that we communicate to parents of what is going on. Um, I think we'll have a check box on the registration forms that with a link to what our policy is
028going to be. [clears throat] Um, so they at least check off that they received it. I can't guarantee they're going to read it, [laughter] but we can say you've checked off that you read it. Um, [clears throat] but yeah, we need to make sure we communicate to parents of what the the new law is and um that be enforcing that. So, >> so is this something that gets passed to appease the state or is it something that will be enforced >> enforced here? >> I I plan on being >> now to the degree that you can, but >> yeah. No, I I plan on it being enforced here. >> Yeah, it'll be it'll be challenging for a while, I imagine. >> But I think it's good. I think it's a good thing for kids. >>
029It's a good thing for teachers. >> You know, this is this is the school policy and >> language for the teacher. It's a challenge. >> Oh, I'm sure it is. >> I do think the communication to the parents is a key piece because they are part of the issue many times. >> Part of the problem. >> They are. They really are. >> They really are. I mean, and but I mean, >> I've texted my own kid during school. You know, I think that that communication is a key I think a key piece. >> Yeah. >> I gave you a a version of two different policies from ISBA. One was basically you're not allowed to bring them to school at all, which obviously not going to happen. Um, so the other one is just they need
030to be turned off and out of sight. So I'll probably bring that policy to to you guys next next month as well. So, any further questions on that? >> You have high school students using >> all that to help with their AI. >> Yes, that's [laughter] >> you can probably tell. Teachers are getting pretty good at Yeah. >> very brighter. Nice [laughter] job. >> Yeah. >> Your work AI. >> This policy also has smart watches in that smartwatch. >> So, it's not just phones. >> It's any texting recording device. >> Yep. >> I don't know how we all survived in high school. >> I simpler time. [laughter] >> Parents just said be home for dinner time. [laughter] >> Oh, yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah, I do remember those. [laughter] >> That's funny. [laughter] All right, Brian,
031what's happening at the elementary? >> Um, so since we last met, we finished up our high learn checkpoints. We had kindergarten registration for just about 75 kiddos now currently registered. Um, and then Cassie Scarcell came in and heard by long literacy inerson presentation. We'll have a video series that will get us through about three weeks for the rest of the year. Um, and then currently we have our spring book fair that's going on in the building. Um, we have our iLearn summitive test that's getting ready to start. So, our fourth and third graders will be finishing that. And then we'll have I read retests around [clears throat] two for second and third graders come up before we meet again early May. And then we also have our music concert for our second and fourth graders
032coming up on the 28th from 6:00 to 7. Um, it was on the 9th. A couple weeks ago, we had our career um day fair at the school where we invited I think it was 30 different uh community members, different uh [clears throat and cough] kind of different job aspects and had the kids choose their top five and they went from choose their top five and we put them in four um different groups, but they went from room to room um listen to different speakers and overall, you know, staff said the kids were great um very attentive. Even we had some guest speakers that said how well the kids behaved and the kids appreciated it too. So, um, thought that went very well. Um, this past weekend theater performed, middle school, high school, they had
033two different casting cast [clears throat] performed Olympians and it was phenomenal. Like Kar Reed, you know, Chris Ellard, Kaye, Caleb, they did an awesome job. So, it was amazing. Even the sets, just it's constant movement, movement, movement with the sets. I mean, overall, just everything together, they did a great job. The >> sets were impressive. They were impressive. >> Um, coming up, Ron got the plant sale starting on Friday. Friday's plant sale and we're at midterms on Friday already. And then we've got till day coming up on hopefully May 1st. So, um, see prom May 2nd, senior awards May 8th, just all the end of the year stuff, AP test coming up. So, busy end to the school year. >> We had trivia and donuts. We had a full house. Um, we had a lot
034of fun. That would have been I think the 26th of March. Um, and then we had a staff versus students event the 27th kind of wrap up before spring break. Um, had a dodgeball tournament, connect four, uh, finals, those types of things. Just uh just a fun way to to end up uh before the the end of uh the end of uh March and into spring break. Uh recently on the 10th we had a quarter three reward activity. Uh kids that earned that were able to watch a movie in the high school auditorium for fifth and sixth graders. Seventh and eighth graders had the option of doing a movie in the high school auditorium for esports and try. If you ever been over to the esports arena and try is amazing um top-notch facility. So
035the kids had a lot of fun doing that. Jeremy Jeremy already mentioned the Olympians. It was a great job. I want to give a shout out to them as well. Um and even your daughter was uh pretty pretty stellar in that Kate. Um I learn next couple weeks. Brian already mentioned that. Uh and then after that, NWA and then all the end of year fun stuff coming up uh before we know it. We're rolling. Final thing I'll end with. I included in your packets a copy of the Homeland Security. Um they came in and did a safety audit at the elementary school. I believe they were here about five hours, right? Is that right? >> At least five hours. >> So, you kicked them out, right? >> They were they were here long day, but
036uh we were in compliance with everything. So, good conversation with those guys and good to see that we're compliance with uh what's required. So, that went well. That's all I had. >> All right. >> Meeting adjourned at 5:30. >> Be sure you sign a cop that FFA agreement. I've got the paper. I got to sign it. >> Signature page. >> He'll sign that for you, Ron. Yeah, >> yeah. I don't know.