001classic. >> Okay. [Music] 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. >> Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful day you've given us. We thank you for each person that works here at Prairie Heights. We pray your blessing on the students and the families and the teachers and all those that work here. We pray that you would watch over them and keep them safe. Guide us to this meeting. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. >> Okay. Welcome everybody. Our mission statement is excellence in education preparation for life. In case you didn't remember that >> I use right on your hand. So note that everybody's here, needs to be look like we got public comments.
002So we're going to go on to consent items. Everybody got a copy of the minutes from previous meeting? Any additions, corrections? We have approval of September 25th and October 10th payroll and then October claims. Do they have any questions for pristine? >> I have one. No cover. >> So there's way page two of 12. Uh voucher 107085 Tom Frederick 5960 for pump repair. I'm just wondering what pump that was because >> Septic. Yeah. >> Is it they just rebuilt it? >> We have I think four pumps out there. We need three rebuilt. So >> that seemed like a lot. >> So that's not >> So it's multiple pumps. >> Yes. Okay. Actually, I think we're replacing all four. >> Yeah. And Dustin, he received Frederick received the plums Dustin told me today, but they were
003all damaged, so they had to send them back and they're reshipping new ones. So, >> Okay. So, does Dustin change those out? >> They haven't really had to change them out. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I think Frederick is doing it, >> but but the quote to rebuild versus just get new ones wasn't I mean, wasn't worth rebuilding those. So, >> Right. >> So, right now we're running our whole system on one pump. So >> flame of fire. Flame of fire. So >> been there. >> Okay. So any other questions on claims? If not, we'll move on to personnel. >> Okay. I'd like to recommend the following new hires. Aubrey Shear as a high school paraprofessional. Candace Bills, temporary middle school pair professional. Jamie Stton varsity baseball assistant coach as a volunteer. Martin Buer,
004eighth grade boys basketball assistant coach as a volunteer. Jamie Kelly, middle school assistant theater director. And Mackenzie Rood, middle school assistant theater position. Uh, no reassignments, couple resignations. Amber Ellard, high school special education teacher. Shauna Derritter, middle school pair professional. Savannah Linggood, high school pair professional. Cam Deiti, varsity baseball assistant coach and volunteer. and Edward Rivera Elementary School pair professional. >> Okay. Any questions, concerns? Is this the one and only James Dayton? >> Yeah. And I I already let Joe know I'm going to abstain from voting since I'm in there. >> If there's no questions, we have a motion to approve consent items. >> Aaron second. Okay. All those in favor [Music] abstain for zero to one. We move on to action items recommendation to approve and adopt the 2025 budget talked about previous meetings.
005>> Yep. So the same comment kind of applies for all three. So last month was the public hearing for the budget, the CPS plan and bus replacement plan. So now we'll have an action item for each one of those to approve and adopt those. >> Okay. Any questions before we do that? >> A motion. >> Second. >> Jamie. All those in favor? Motion car. On to item B. recommendation to approve and adopt the 2025 capital the CPS plan. Anybody have any questions on that from last month's hearing? If not, we have a motion. >> So, Aaron second. All those in favor? Motion carries five to zero. Item C, recommendation to approve the 20. Should that be 20 25 26 must replace 26. >> Yeah. >> 26 by itself or 2526. >> 2026 calendar year January
006to December. >> Okay. I'll make sure that's correct in the notes. >> What year it is? So, uh, we have a motion. Any questions on special place? Have a motion to adopt. Jamie second. All those in favor? Motion carries. 5 Z. Item D, recommendation to approve the agreement with Pulver Cove Associates for special purchase process for furniture. Mr. Yeah. So, as we have discussed and continue to discuss, we're in that process of doing a $13 million project uh to improve our facilities and one of the main components of that project will be replacing furniture that is pretty old and outdated and beaten up. So, um we've been working with a company called Pulver Coven Associates on a special exception pricing and purchase and your packets. you have that packet that came from Pulver Co and
007Associates with their agreement and then an itemized list of all the furniture that we would be purchasing. Um, just to give you the cliff notes version of that um or the highlights, 480 student desk, 726 chairs, 40 teacher desk, 17 lectures, and other various tables uh for tables and chairs. So, for example, in the fax room, we're going to need some different tables and chairs in there. chairs for our sewing stations and then the art room and different tables and stools that we're purchasing there. So, so overall um at that last page of the packet you can see the uh price comparisons from a list price quote to uh the cooperative contract quote which would be the middle column and then Pulver Cove is the last column on the right with their pricing. So with
008the special special exception quote and that that purchase process uh their total with the furniture installation, shipping, removable old furniture came out to be $338,4478. If you compare that to the cooperative pricing, that'd be $443,628.25. So overall through this process, we're saving $105,181.17. So feel really good about that. that this is only for the middle school. Uh we're going to do the middle school over Christmas break. Uh we'll start there, see how the process goes with them and uh hopefully we'll be able to repeat this for the other buildings as we go along. But right now, it's just for the middle school and again we're looking to do that over Christmas break. So questions over that. Overall, they've been great to work with. >> Yeah, they have. >> So first time working with them. They
009they've been great. So uh we'll see how how it start to finish here in a little bit. So but if not no questions I'd recommend that we approve the agreement with P for coven associates for the special purchase process for furniture. >> Second >> yes. >> All those in favor motion carries 5 to zero. Item E, recommendation to approve the second grade field trip to the Indiana Dinosaur Museum. >> Mr. West, you want to touch on that one? >> Yeah. So, our second grade team is looking for a new field trip this year, and they found the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, which ironically is also connected to a chocolate factory. So, they're working with the PTO right now to also sponsor maybe that portion of field trip as well. So you'll get to see kind of
010this two different sides of science with the chocolate side and the you know paleontologist side. So I think it's a pretty neat experience for our kids that we haven't done before. >> Where's that located? >> Believe it's in South Bend. Your >> motion? All those in favor? >> Motion carries five to zero. Item F. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I'd like to add one more. Um, so at the end of last school year, if you remember me talking about it, I had a teacher from Lakeland reach out to us and wondered about the possibility of us partnering with them and EF Tours on an international field trip to Italy. Um, they'd be visiting the cities of Venice, Florence, and Rome. That would be in April 2027. So, u, when I brought that up, nobody said
011no. I think uh we're we're going we're interested in partnering with them on that. Um so what she wanted us to do tonight is approve it as an agenda item that hey we approved that we would partner with them on this and then uh she will reach out to us and schedule a meeting with parents who may be interested in it so they can learn about it. Um not a cheap trip. I think it's around $4,000 per student. Um but we'll see if there's any interest here. I'm sure uh Lakeland is um interested in more students attending. they probably get a better rate for the more students that we have go. So, um for those who could obviously be a great experience for them. So, um like to go ahead and do that and we'll
012also obviously see through the process if we have we have our adults who would like to attend as well outside source to >> it's called EF tours. Yeah. >> So, I brought out uh the the documents that she sent me about the trip. I printed a couple copies. You guys will take a look at that later. So, um, at this point, I think we disapprove that we'll go ahead and partner with them and, uh, then let put it back in her hands to see if anybody's interested in attending. So, so for our agenda item, I'd put a recommendation to approve partnering with Lakeland Community Schools and EF Tours for an international field trip opportunity to Italy in April of 2027. Heather seconds. We might want to look at those pictures. It probably would be about
013as close as we get to room. Any discussion? All those in favor? Motion carries five to zero. Superintendent comments. Uh Brian, what's happening in elementary? >> Since we last met, uh we had quite a few events. We had our Panther hype day for our fundraiser. Um we finished our our first season section of our garden club. Um we had homecoming, college go week, and had our touch a truck event. We completed our first iLearn checkpoint. Um the data was relatively promising from that, at least in the elementary side. Um, unfortunately with iLearn, most students aren't passing. Um, but I know one really shining star, our third grade math scores were at 66% passing. Um, which doesn't sound at face value maybe great, but comparative to the like high 30s, low 40% that everybody else is
014getting, it's something to be really proud of. So, we're making good headway there. Um, we had a lot of elementary students that just participated in a middle school play, the Dare to Dream production. So, that was awesome to see real weekend. Um, we had a couple field trips, one to Robert's farm, which was our kindergarteners. And then we also have a peer mentor program that we partner with the high school and they went to pagan um our elementary and their peer mentor. And then upcoming we have a lot of PD opportunities of course with our professional development day coming up. We have literacy PD. Um, we have five committees within our building that are also doing in-house PD. So, we're training each other. Um, and then we also have several island checkpoint PDs like Andy
015and I will be attending over the next few weeks just to make sure there. And then we have Red Ribbon Week coming up. Then book fair and grandparents night shortly after that. And then Veterans Day. So, we'll be busy for the next handful of weeks here. >> Well, Brian just mentioned it. So, Veterans Day again, I'd like to thank Indian Middle School for letting us partner with them. Um, it's nice to be able to >> It's good working with you guys. >> Do one nice program. Um, definitely makes it a little easier on the veterans, too, when they only have one show to attend instead of three or four. Uh, we did just this past football game celebrate our honor roll and perfect attendance from last year. I think this is the first time in
016three years we didn't get rained on. Um, so that was nice to see as well. Uh lastly, the FFA the national FFA convention um will be held October no 29th through November 1st in Indie. U Mr. Null says we will be receiving our three star national chapter award. I'm not an FFA kid, so I had to ask what that meant. Um and three stars is the highest you can get. And he said it's been a year or two since we had it. So congratulations to him and Ben and Caitlyn and all our students that put that in. Um Ethan Wool Heater, a PHS graduate. um starts his interview process for a national office um look at my notes. Sorry, I'm gonna say the wrong day. Uh Thursday and then goes all the way through Tuesday.
017If he makes the cut for Tuesday, then by the end of Thursday of that week, then you'll know for sure. Ron said he has a chance at three spots. Um so hopefully he'll do well and we'll have another national. >> Um since we last met also, we had homecoming week, which was a very busy week. I think Brian mentioned it was college go week and then it was also volley for a cure that suicide awareness uh event so end up with a pep session went well. Um students had a good time. Then the following week we had our powder puff football game and the girls get really into that. Sometimes it gets a little rough but that was fun out there repping. So I had a good time. Um Heritage Festival went well. Great mother.
018I think most of you guys saw that. Um we have our PSAT day last week. So all our juniors and seniors, our juniors and sophomores took the PSAT in the morning and then in the afternoon um had different activities they could sign up for. We did like cornhole tournaments, you tournaments, kickball tournaments, and it's always neat. We had like 40 um teams in the cornhole tournament, so the kids really get into it. It was it was such a good day. And then this week we have conferences tomorrow. We have NHS inductions on Wednesday and then ready for professional development on Thursday. going to do some of the projector training, the new projectors we have. Um, parent square training. I'm going to talk about the new diploma requirements and the new a ref accountability model. Um,
019and some also career day planning that we're planning on doing in house, I think towards the end of this year. So, um, having kind of like a career fair for the students. I know we always send them over to ship Shawana and then we send them to Stupen, but we'd like to have our graduates back again where people that are actually out in the community at different like doctors, lawyers, different things like that, having them come in again, which we used to do in the past. So, plan on doing that during that PD day also. >> PD's been a a day coming up. It's been a little bit of a continuation of some things. we've started our math PD uh and partnered with a a company and a gal that's been a really good math
020coach for us at the start of the year to try to help us with you know our data and our in our curriculum. So that's that's been a good start to to that on the year. Um really working on trying to um problem solve and real world application of the standards on that. um working on uh trying to get the kids to to talk more um in-class discussions, you know, that is is, you know, math math specific and math related in those areas. And then also working together as departments. So, it's been a good start on that. And then, uh this upcoming PD day, they'll have a full a full day together on that as well. ELA is going to be starting this week uh PD wise. Um Brian had mentioned about literacy training. So
021we have partnered with Cassie Scarcella. Uh she's a curriculum specialist from the region 7 office over there in Mishawaka hit hitting comprehension and vocabulary really hard. Um and we will also have our math teachers a part of that for some of it because obviously it's important to be able to you can't read, you can't do math. So um so we're going to work that into the day as well. So, looking forward to a good PD day of learning um and getting better as as a staff in the math and ELA part. Um Brian had mentioned island checkpoints. We did our island checkpoints for ELA. Uh three out of four of our grade levels were above grade above state average on that. Uh one was below, but it's kind of been the grade has been more
022historically low on that. So, wasn't as surprised by that, but um you know, good good uh good to see on the other the other grade levels. We had our Panther Pride of the Month ceremony uh this past month um where we recognized five uh students um for each grade level and uh you know that was a bit one of those with Miss Claire Swander. So no surprise there on that but um good good to see him on that. Uh Dare to Dream musical uh Brian already mentioned that. Um lot of lot of kids in that and a good success. Um, not to bring a negative thing out, but um, we have had some threats in the middle school, not necessarily schoolwide threats, but we've had some threats in middle school with kids making comments like,
023you know, I'm going to kill you. You know, I'm going to shoot you, stupid comments like that. So, we were we're dealing with a lot of that. And then we actually met with the grade levels to talk about that um, you know, through home facetime. uh and that was like a week or so ago. We've actually seen a decrease in the amount of threats. So I guess it was the desired desired outcome on that. Um last uh bit, we have two things coming up. One was already mentioned uh by Damon, but the Veterans Day program and I got to say thanks to Damon. He does a lot of work with that program as well. That's coming up November 11th. And we've got a community and a a family outreach event on November 7th. And we're
024going to do singo bingo. uh in the cafeteria on that. So, we'll have some fun doing that. Serve up some donuts and have a good time. I think that's gonna be November 7th on Friday. So, that's what's going on at the middle school. >> Is that in the morning or after school? >> It's going to be in the morning. Yeah. Okay. >> Yep. 7:30. >> When do you guys do you get your uh math checkpoints back? >> We haven't done them yet. >> So, we we did some with fifth grade today. We're trying to do that through the classroom. Um, so I mean the the data comes back pretty quick. So I'll probably check over the next couple days and see how that turned out. So and then the se sixth, seventh and eighth is
025doing there is November first week. >> Okay. >> You have anything else? >> Yeah. Board member comments. >> I think I question is on the checkpoints. I know you both commented on how we are as compared to others in the state, but how do you feel we're coming in as compared to where we were last year at checkpoints at this time? >> So in elementary, we didn't do the checkpoint. >> We didn't do that. This would be our first year. So it was a beta last year. >> Okay. >> So even if you did it last year, it didn't align with the summitive test at the end. >> Okay. >> So there's that component as well. So andy can probably attest more to it than I can because he they took it. We did it.
026Yeah. >> The the biggest problem with checkpoints is every time you take it, you really can't compare it to the last time because it's different standards. >> I mean, you can always compare it to the normative of okay, how do I do against state average? But because they're different standards, it's really hard to determine that because it's building blocks all the way up. Um, you know, so that's that's the issue there. But we always can take a look at that and also can look at from the standpoint of all right here's where there's these standards are go back retach some of those things and then you do have a second opportunity to retake the the um checkpoints as well and that second opportunity is open really all the way up till the end of March
027early April >> are you asking checkpoint one compared to checkpoint one last year you're asking >> that's exactly right >> which I think be hard to determine because >> it's a different They're different tests, different standards, and those types of things. So, it's really Yeah. So, they're testing different things. >> So, when we change curriculum, that was just my question. If we're changing curriculum, how do we know that the curriculum is helping versus, you know, if are we just looking at the end of the test, the iron is the whole when it's >> Well, we didn't change curriculum. >> No. >> Well, actually, ELA ELA did. Math did not. But you're are you're talking about the curriculum people that we brought in. >> No, no, I was you had talked about the looking at some
028of the other curriculum. >> We we did six, seventh, and eighth ELA is new. So that that's been adopted. Math Matthew had I think we're in our third year, but so that is a little bit different. Um fifth grade went with the Did you adopt two years ago? >> Yeah, this would be second year. >> We did K5 because the state recommended K5 adopt that science and reading textbook. So the open court. So, um, so yeah, I mean it be it will be good to see, um, ELA wise, it will be good to see how we do with that curriculum. And then back to Brian's point, this year is actually the summitive test is actually aligned with the actual checkpoints. Last year was all the summitive test was a different test. So, it was kind
029of scary to be honest with you, but it' be interesting to see how we do this year. >> Yeah. I mean hopefully down the road as they leave it consistent as we go, you would have more comparisons of where we at checkpoint one compared to checkpoint one last year, where we at checkpoint two to checkpoint two last year. >> So hopefully they'll just let it be consistent for a while and we can try to get this figured out. >> That'd be a good thing. >> Somebody can assess whether what we're doing is working. >> Yeah, right. >> Yeah. It's been in constant flux. I mean really every three, four years. Um and the last change was a major reduction in the amount of standards. So not necessarily a reduction or not necessarily a change in
030the standards but a reduction to try to narrow the focus. So so that finally that changed three years ago is finally now to the point where this summitive test will be deter will be tested over the new standards finally over the course of several years. So yeah, see how see how any else? If not, we'll be ajourned at 625. Thank you. [Music]