001Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] be the best you. I think this is the one I'm using. This is it on the um on the on the she already had it. When's the dinner thing with the last 16 pages? You got to remind me. I can't remember. Did you go? Okay. I'm going to call the April 15th, 2025 Laneville Community School Board of Trustees uh meeting to order. The first item or the second item is going to be we're going to add public comment to the very end. That's on the general comments not on the uh related to agenda items only. So that will be number that would be number 25 and then number 26 will be adjournment. Okay. This uh next item is the pledge of [Music] allegiance to the flag
002of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Board members, you have received the agenda in advance of tonight's meetings. You have had time to review, research, and consider the matters to be voted on tonight. Board members, do you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed before we proceed? Not at this time. Okay. The next item on the agenda is approval of me minutes from the March 18th, 2025 uh board meeting. I make a motion we approve the minutes from the March 18th board meeting. I'll second. All those in any discussion. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed, same sign. The approval the next item is approval of claims for the month of
003April. Okay, I have a motion and a second to approve. I'll make a motion to approve the claims for the month of April. I'll second. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. I. Oppose. Same sign. The next item is principal report. Happy Easter week. Uh, we have lots of excellent um happenings this month. I tried that with the elementary kids today because we try to swap jokes and it it just went over like that, too. Um, you know, you were just not hopping with excitement tonight. I mean, come on, guys. You know, 8-year-old humor. So, um, but anyway, we are going to actually have our first annual Can it be a first and an annual? I don't know. But anyway, our first of staff Easter egg hunt tomorrow at 3 o'clock.
004So, we are super excited um you know to just kind of celebrate and just kick it off. Um the weather's been bad uh you know with rain and flooding and sports and we're just really um excited to just kind of come together and have a moment of fun. So, we're excited about that tomorrow. Um we're kicking off iLearn next week. Um as everyone knows, the elementary will be testing April 23rd to May 2nd. Um we are really excited to just see how our students have grown and um what progress they've made over the year. Um, and just we really appreciate the parents for helping us to make sure their kids are here on time and ready to test every day during that testing process. So, thank you so much. Um, spring sports have started, so
005shout out to our middle school girls tennis team and our track team. Um, we're just excited to um, have our kids involved in those sports and we're hoping the weather finally clears up so we can actually have those events. So, um, we also have a sixth grade band concert coming up on April 28th. Um and then the elementary art show and spring concerts are April 29th for kindergarten through third grade at 6:30. So just excited to see all of those other um curricular areas come together. Um Perkins and um Hopkins do a great job with those events. Um we're looking forward to May. Every grade level will be going on a field trip. We have field day and just lots of fun stuff. So we're ready to finish off quarter four strong. Thank you. Good
006evening everyone. Good evening. Um, just a few announcements on my side of the building. I want to start off by saying this past week, I'm not going to talk about it much this time, but this past week I just went to Washington DC. We had a wonderful time um, watching the band kids compete in um, Annapolis, Maryland High School. Um they took away some awards but like I said we'll get into that on the next meeting. Um I think they all had a wonderful time. We are also in the middle of our testing right now and so that's going well thanks to Paul getting us help set up on um technology and Miss Shingleton always helping us. Uh we appreciate that. Our spring sports are going on too. We got baseball game happening right now
007tonight. Um softball's been going on. Everything's been going well. Um, I know this later on the agenda here, Angie Hinton has put in for her resignation as the high school girls basketball coach. I just want to say to Angie, thank you so much for bringing this community together like you have over the years. I have not been at Lanesville for that for the entire time, but I know I've lived in Lanesville for a decade and I have heard the sirens from my house and I have seen the people in the streets and I have seen shirts just about everywhere in Harrison County and other counties just wearing um you know regional championship um all state championship and all of the different sectionals and everything. Um, it's really brought this community together and it has created
008a very powerful basketball program and like I said, I haven't been here the whole time that you've been here, but I do want to say thank you um because you've made a huge impact on those girls and words cannot express you and and all of the Hintons um what you've done here for for everyone. I think that we could all agree on that, right? So, thank you Angie. Uh Joe, thank you. Thank you Hintons. Round of applause for them, [Applause] please. Just a few dates to know. Um, April 22nd, 2027, class of 2027 is having a fundraiser at Poly's Freeze. If you bring a flyer or just even a picture of the flyer that we have going around through parent connection, um, you will be able to add that to the total and some of
009those proceeds will go to help them. April 26th is our senior awards banquet that starts at 6 pm. We have Daniel Cox coming to speak. Um he is a very successful um in a doctoral program right now and we're really excited to have him. Um our music program is on April 28th at 6:30. All in the public are welcome. High school side is hosting a blood drive through the Red Cross on April the 29th. If you are interested in donating, this is also open to public. If you're interested in donating, go on the um Red Cross website and enter in the code, the sponsor code Lanesville HS to register for that and you can get your time approved through that system. Lastly, here we have Margot Stewart is going to be up here in a
010few items down. She's going to discuss the FFA competition and the awards that Lanesville has won. We hosted this enormous event, 200 and something people here. It was amazing to see FFA kids from all over our our state, our region coming in here and competing. We took away some awards. I don't want to steal your thunder, but uh Margot did an amazing job. She is an exceptional student here at Lanesville. Um and all of the FFA members were, you know, all hands in. Um it was awesome to see a lot of community members helped judge and we want to say thank you to those folks as well. Um thank you all. Okay, next item. Superintendent report. Yeah, I've just got a a few things here. Um number one, uh give everybody a a heads up.
011I've got a a parent group that I started meeting with um meet first Monday of each month. Uh we started our first meeting this past time and it was very beneficial for me. I've got five parents on each side on the elementary and the high school. Uh so 10 total to meet with to get some uh direct input from parents and so that that was very beneficial for me and uh going to continue that moving forward. Um, we are almost to the end of April, which means the end of a long legislative session. Um, things are still being moved about. Uh, the big one that that went through recently was probably Senate Bill One. Um, I was in Madison all day at superintendent's regional meeting. Um it came off the floor between 2 and 2:30
012a.m. and so they were still sorting through it. Um we do know some things that that are coming through on that uh that will greatly impact us here at Lanesville. Um one we know and those when we have met or when I have met with the community about a potential building project, uh the question that I always get is what's it going to do to my taxes? Uh, Senate Bill One is what directly is impacting property taxes and assessed value of communities. Uh, and so that was needed to be sorted through. Um, you know, talking with our adviserss, they couldn't put together a calculator because they didn't know where all that was going to line out. Um, one other thing about Senate Bill One was limiting referendums to general elections only. Um, that's why we
013were moving as quickly as we were to try to get grandfathered in. They had tried to do this a few times in the past. There was always a grandfather clause. It always failed uh to get out of either committee or uh to get passed out of the Senate or the House. Um last night the house and the senate came to an agreement. The governor says that he is going to sign it. What is in that is finally limiting uh referendum to um general elections only. So that would be even years and November only. We were trying to get farther far enough along to be grandfathered in that process because that had always been there. I've got meetings coming up over the next few days. Um, this year that language does not appear to be in
014there. Uh, and so we may have to put a break on things until November of 26. I'm going to get the final word from Ice Miller, our bond council, who I met with some of their attorneys today in Madison. They were still sorting through it because it came off at 2:30. That's why we were trying to get as far down the road as possible uh to get in under that. Uh but that language was not in there this year uh for the first time. So I will know that officially once we meet once they have a chance to digest it uh but that may have pushed that back uh a full year on us. Um so that's there. One thing in Senate Bill One that that was particularly scary um for the first time that
015I can remember and probably since the 50s and 60s, there is a school corporation uh northeast of Indianapolis Union School Corporation in MODOK. It's a very small corporation. Uh their high school's got about 60 kids in it. What they do, however, is they've got about 7,000 online kids. Um, academically, those online kids in Clarksville does something very similar. Uh, academically, they they they do not achieve very highly. Uh, and so it makes the corporation look like a very underachieving school corporation. Um, in Senate Bill one was dissolving the school corporation. Uh, the conversations we had this morning, it was still in there. uh unless it gets pulled at the last minute and the governor whatever it would be the first time that I can remember that a school corporation has been dissolved by the state
016of Indiana. And so what would happen then is the kids that are remaining that go there over about 60% of their kids go to neighboring school corporations um the lines would be redrawn they would be dissolved any debt that they would have the state would pick up. That is a very very very scary thing. Uh the state often talks about local control, but as we talk a lot of times it's local control unless it doesn't go along with the narrative in Indianapolis. That takes local control out of your hands. Uh that is a very very scary thing. And we've got some of our neighbors uh and I say neighbors relative neighbors Madora uh that that are very nervous about such things. Um you know financially they're not in the same place we are. even enrollment.
017They're not in the same place we are. Academically, they're not in the same place we are. But it makes everybody nervous because a third of school corporations in Indiana are under a thousand students. But if the state legislature can dissolve a school corporation, that makes you nervous. So, that was in Senate Bill one. Uh but that is all, like I said, it came off the floor about 2:30 this morning. That is all going through. There are other things. We're looking at budget uh budget out of the house. We're looking The latest run had us uh at roughly 5% in year one, roughly 2% in year two. If that holds, that won't be a bad thing. Um two years ago when it came through, we negotiated with our teachers. They got what we were anticipating all
018of that money. They got about 103% of what we anticipated as new money. Um we anticipate to to work very closely with our teachers to get them every penny we can uh when that comes through. Uh you know looking at the corporations in our area. We've got some corporations the the top end is a little higher than ours. We've also got corporations the teachers work 185 days. Ours work 184. We've got some that work 182. So you got to factor all that in. Uh Clarksville, which I talked about earlier, is the only one in our area of the 20 we always talk about that work less than 185 days, but the upper end is more than our teachers. So, we want to make sure that our teachers stay in that category at the very very
019top, but also gain on those that work the 185 days instead of 184. We want to take care of our teachers and not just our teachers, but our our um our hourly employees as well. You know, two years ago, we got them all a $2 an hour raise. Um we'd like to do something similar again if we can. Uh, so we're watching that that budget very closely. Um, another thing I'd like to talk about, something that is on the agenda for you guys for later that I would like to brief you on a little bit. Um, I will be asking for uh hopefully your permission to create a assistant principal position at the junior senior high school. Um, Miss Smith is currently bouncing back and forth. Uh, and I'm going to share some statistics with
020you guys about the need of it. Uh and then some financial things uh that justify it as well. Um currently and what that having that assistant principal because we went for several years without one and before that we had a combination of principal and superintendent and then and I served in this position uh athletic director, assistant principal and transportation director and and those of us that did that could tell you that we got the job done but it was not done well. Um, and I've had conversations with those who did it before me and and that was echoed. Uh, not as well as it probably could have been. Um, currently as of the 15th of April, looking at some discipline data that we've got in Harmony, um, we currently have 180 discipline entries for the
021elementary side. Um, last year we had 51 total. The year before that, I think was 12 and maybe eight the year before. the behaviors when you talk to the teachers are very similar. We're doing a better job of recording that and and handling some of those things because of the additional staff, um the additional support for our teachers. Um as we sit right now, we got 618 entries at the high school level. A lot of that is attendance. Uh the state put in new attendance law last year and so that that put a lot more um emphasis on attendance and you had to track it, you had to enter it. Uh but that all takes time. Uh and so you know I remember years as principal here I would have 350 entries for an entire
022year. Uh a lot of things you dealt with but you didn't you didn't enter it correctly. You didn't have time. You didn't do those things. And so that's what this kind of gives us. Um, part of the group that I met with the teachers or the parents, what I kept hearing over and over and over was, "We need more positive behavior interventions." Uh, we're doing a lot with discipline, but we need some PBIS strategies and models. We need to improve upon that and increase on that. Um, like everything else, that's difficult, and I know our teachers would greatly appreciate that. But I've had a lot of conversations with some of them. Uh some of those those awards, uh some of those rewards, some of those things um would be very beneficial for them as well.
023For that to be effective, you need somebody to focus it on the high school level and somebody to focus it on the elementary level. Uh you know, those are things that we've tried to push off on counselors. We've tried to push off on teachers, people that also don't have the the time or the capacity to do it. Um the state right now is putting an increased focus. they did a few years ago on reading. Now they're putting it on math. And so they went through the science of reading. Now we're trying to push math and math and math and math to go with that. Um our building principles are are are going to have to focus on that, especially at the elementary level. Uh when you've got all this additional uh duties that you have
024to do, you've got to free up something somewhere. Um you know, this would help with that as well. whenever you're able to put an assistant principal in in each location um at the high school and those of you that that have kids that are coming through that are in eighth grade, you set through the new diploma requirements, it's an absolute nightmare. An absolute nightmare. All of the tracking that has to be done, all of the internships, Mr. Miller and I and Miss Morgan have had a lot of conversations. We are trying our darnest to get our kids here at Lanesville out working as much as possible uh through internships. One of our biggest hurdles are who's going to track all that? We did with a few kids now. Mr. Miller and I have had this
025conversation a lot and he's asked me several times, who's going to track this? And I always just kind of joke with him and point at him and say, "Well, you've got it." Knowing full well that he can't do that and everything else. This additional person would help with that. uh you know, as an as a licensed teacher, they're able to do that stuff. Um and so that that would be very beneficial because our counselor, Miss Morgan, with everything that's been added the last few years to counselors, especially at the high school level, she doesn't have that that time or that capacity either. And so we know we're sorely lacking there. Um teachers and administrators are right now trying to rework our evaluation system. Uh, one of the conversations that we had the other day was
026making it meaningful, making it impactful, making it where it's not a waste of somebody's time as we sit now. And our teachers are wonderful about working with us. But for it to be more meaningful and impactful, if you can have smaller groups of teachers with administrators, you have more time to work with them. And so that would be another benefit for that. Um fiscally we are well equipped for this for this move. Um we are sitting and those of you that were around two years ago if you remember and Tom you probably remember we were catching a lot of grief because we were sitting on way too much money. Um we have tried and and I saw that and I agreed with that. Um we have tried to spend uh to be impactful for students
027first. That's what this position would do and for teachers and support staff second. That's what this position would do. Uh, as we sit today, and I shared with the board also, and I I will share with you guys, um, the state tells you that if you've got 15, even though I think that is pretty low, but 15 to 20, even 30% of your yearly expenditures on hand in cash, you are doing exceptionally well fiscally. Um, you know, our neighbors and and as most data goes, this is a year behind. Our neighbors uh are sitting there. North Harrison's at 31.9% and again this was 2023. It's it's lag year. South Harrison was 67.3% meaning all that they spent in 2023 at the time of the record they had 67% of that on hand in cash. They
028could have just paid it. Laneville Community School Corporation is sitting uh 135.3%. We are not a for-profit. So the more money and that's why again we're working on the solar project to keep money in education. The more money we can get where it impacts students and impacts our teachers whether that's through salary or support that's what we need to do and not spend money frivolously. And two years ago we had people saying we were sitting on too much money and I agreed. Uh we could have people now saying that we're spending money left and right and we shouldn't. Um we are sitting and again this is backed up a year 135% of all that we spent in 2023 we have on handing cash currently. Um we need to to support our teachers and our students
029more. This will help do that. Um looking at because I've also been asked what about other schools? what are they doing? I looked at at several schools roughly our size pretty quickly. Um, West Washington has the same model. Uh, Orleans, Henryville, New Washington, Springs Valley, Bar Reef, North Davies. Uh, there are two that I looked at that didn't. South Central was one and Bordon was one. Uh, Bordon is in the same school corporation as Henryville. Uh, both are 1A schools. They are in our sectional now. Um, Henryville has it an assistant principal at both levels. they do not. Uh so, you know, just kind of kind of throw that. But a lot of our of our peers have that same model. Uh talking with some of their superintendents, they say that it is invaluable because
030what it does is it gets a lot of the day-to-day grind of the the running of the school in the hands of those assistant principles. with all the additional things that are put on schools now with curriculum and with um guidance and everything else, it really frees up that principal to be the manager of the school and not get as dirty in the day-to-day running. Um, which is something that we have sorely lacked here. Um, that is why I'm asking for that. Um, be able to create that position and then post that position. um the salary will be slightly larger than what it is at the elementary, but that is solely because of uh probable additional duties. Uh and then also the tracking of all those kids were trying to do internships. Um our our
031elementary currently is at 80,000. So we're looking at 85,000. uh and probably a few extra days uh on top of of that just uh you know maybe five extra days to work in knowing that we've got all those things. I wanted to give you that information so you guys and the public kind of had that uh as as we go. Um but that is my report. Right. Thank you Dr. Aquel. Next is a PTSO report. [Music] Hello, good evening. Um, my report is pretty simple this year or this month. Um, we still have two board positions open. Um, currently president and vice president. Our board will continue to run. Um, it just will be a lot more on the people who remain. So, if anybody is willing to step up, please reach out and we'll
032get you the info. We had the spring carnival which was lots of fun. We appreciate all of those who came out in that yucky weather that we had in the rainy season. Um the kids had a great time and I think some of the volunteers even had a good time. Mr. Kramer's over there. The basketball's on his head. Um we appreciate all the staff members who helped with setup games and cleanup. Um the silent auction was also tied into the spring carnival. It was fantastic. I think again everyone had a good time with that. and I'll have totals for you next month. Um, upcoming events we have this Friday we have April 18th we have the car rider line. Um, so PTSO works in the car rider line helping those kiddos get out of the
033car, welcome them to school, have a good Friday, those things like that. Um, if you are interested in joining us, please let us know. On Friday, April 18th, we have a parent perkup um at Starlight Coffee in Georgetown at 8 am. Um everyone's welcome. It's a time that we as parents um teachers, staff, we get together and just get to know each other a little bit more so that that way if you want to come in and volunteer, you at least see a friendly face. Um teacher appreciation week is May 5th through the 9th. So, we are gearing up for those types of things. And our next PTSO meeting is May 14th at 6 PM in the library. The next item is public comment related to agenda items only. Public participation policy will be in
034place. The first is Chip White. Actually got two things to talk about. I think I spoke at I don't know if it was the last school board meeting or the one before, but uh I spoke about the concerns my wife and the community have in the elementary and about 3 days after that, Miss Holder called me and wanted to set up a meeting and my wife met with her and uh discussed things. Then after that, we met with Dr. Apple, discussed things with him. Did you relay this to the uh carry this on over to the board and relay it to them? Yeah, I told them that you had those conversations and I did too. Okay, that's fine. The other thing I've got my concern is and you spoke on it already was about hiring
035another uh assistant principal. Now, I know back when Mr. Morris and Bridges were here. I was heavily involved in school helping out on various things. And I really personally don't think we need another assistant principal. They don't cover lunchroom anymore. We had a young lady that had over 20 years experience here. She come to you twice asking for a meeting and you didn't have time for her. She was asked, "When do I take my lunch?" She was told whenever. That's not my problem. You know, we don't need that attitude here. I want you board members to think you are his boss. He is not your boss. Thank you. I hope this is when you're talking about hiring administration to deal with problems. Would you not consider hiring more teachers and getting smaller classes? Because from
036experience, if you have fewer students in your class, you're going to have fewer problems because there's not you're just from being oh my goodness having children have some problems. you're going to need somebody to come in and help you with that. But if you got more teachers, smaller classes, you're going to be able to handle your problem and not have to have somebody else. Yes, ma'am. I I agree with you 100%. Don't have an empty classroom. We don't have an empty classroom anywhere in every single classroom we have. We're going to be I I agree with you 100%. That would make things a lot better. Right. Next public comments. Donnie Hassan. Yes. That's fine. We hear you. We can hear you. Go ahead. As far as the item you're going to corporation that really doesn't
037need a school corporation actually corporation was set up my tenure is a separate corporation away from the school corporation. You really need to call a meeting of the endowment corporation and appoint you guys follow me. The endowment corporation is its own separate entity. So the school corporation can't sign your endowment corporation because it is a separate entity under organized under the IRS statute. It's a separate standalone officers of the endowment corporation and department ofation are named by office. They are the superintendent or president of L schools and the treasure without names. The bank needs is the president of L school or to be named as an authorized son and the superintendent of schools by to be named as a son. So the board really has to take action. You really need to call the meeting
038of your account corporation which is separate but is majority and appoint. Can I can I ask a question to make sure I follow you? So basically then if the endowment corporation is a separate corporation then the school board really doesn't have the authority the only relationship the school board has it endowment corps set up when the county first started getting riverboat funds. The first couple ones we bought then we bought something else. Well, at that point, Lesville Community Schools was still pretty small. We didn't know what to do with. So, Dr. Nay, that's a nice problem to have. Yeah. Dr. N established a separate endowment corporation to keep it away from the school to be able to do things to help our educational program. We put $60,000. They had to rebuild the baseball field. We
039put $60,000 in that. We gave Mark Berdis 100 or so to redo all the track carry and things like that. We bought equipment from the school. So the end corporation is completely separate from the school corporation but the officers superintendent the board president maybe the board vice president I don't know it's in the articles I gave you copy that and the township trustee to bring the community part okay so that's nothing that we have the authority to vote on you just as officers of the endowment corporation you need to call me and say on April 29th we appointed the following signs Ryan Lendz as corporation school corporation president Brian Apple school that's superintendent so articles of the endowment name the officers by title okay we just need to know the names of the titles that
040are your Donnie thanks Donnie I honestly didn't know that thank you I I didn't know that it was a separate separate Thanks Donnie and if don't have a copy of the article I Thank you. That's another issue because it was set up and only few people knew about it in the administration on the board some of the years it was corporation fill out sometimes on top. So we very good standing. Okay, that's good to know. Thanks. Next is Okay. Okay, next up is Marggo to discuss our recent district FFA compet competition and results. Hello everyone. Um, so like it says, I am the district 11 president for Indiana FFA. And if you're not familiar with how that works, so Indiana FFA is broken into 12 different districts. and Lanesville is lucky enough to be in
041district 11. We are actually one of the big biggest districts in the state of Indiana. We have 24 chapters, so 24 schools that are a part of our district that goes all the way up to Columbus to New Washington down to South Central and then to Crawford County. So we have a very wide spread of all of our schools. And last June, I was elected as the district president. And then this June, I will be giving up my term. But a few of my roles include planning all the district contests like your welding chapter meeting LDES which was hosted here serving on the Indiana FFA executive committee and just attending chapters throughout the year of service. Um so the contest that was hosted here was the leadership development events. This is a whole a contest
042that takes literally all day. We were here at 8 o'clock. We didn't get out of here, I think, until pro 4 o'clock, right? I think so. Yeah. Um, so we have 27 contests go on that day and your leadership development events are to help you to help those members develop traits that they can take on after high school. So, you have things which I compete in a sales um Janine Sharp competed in demonstrations, a food science demonstration. uh you have public speaking, you have extemporaneous public speaking where they give you just a note card and you got to go in and say a five minute speech on it. So it's a lot of different ways to build up how you're going to go on after high school and it's a good way to kind of
043go ahead and get started on that. So it was a huge honor for us to have this at Lanesville. was the first year that it's ever been here and it has been a very long time since Harrison County has hosted a district contest or had a district president. So, like Mr. Miller said, we had over 200 members compete and then we had 18 chapters present and then 98 judges and then along with those 27 contests, uh, thank you Mr. Lynn for judging and everyone else in the community. Mr. Bridges uh came in and said hi at the beginning. Um but this of fame. Yes. But we took on we took over the entire school. Uh we went over to the elementary. The only classrooms that we didn't take were the ones past the elementary office.
044We took everything else and then everything over here. So it was a long day of preparing. And I just want to say thank you to everyone that helped out with that. Our teachers and staff. I know that can be scary whenever you're like get an email from the principles and it's like have your room clean on March 1st and having all these kids come in. But I just want to say thank you all for having everything ready. U Miss Stiler was willing to help out and everything, making sure that all the money was taken care of and then also being there at 700 a.m. in the morning to make sure to get every all the kids coming in. And then Mr. Hancock and Miss Shingleton, they did an amazing job. And when I tell you
045like our staff, everyone just said we did a great job. They came up with Wi-Fi codes so we didn't have to take care of that during the day. They were they took on any technical difficulties that we had. Uh so, thank you all so much for that. We appreciate that. And then also, if everyone that judged from Lanesville and Harrison County, that was just awesome. Everyone that was not from Harrison County came up to me and they were like, "It's crazy how much your community came out to support." And then also the cafeteria staff gave up their entire kitchen and the cafeteria to make all the so we could make all the food. We could have lunch in here. Mandy helped out with that as well. Um and then Miss Simco also was helping throughout
046the week prepare for that because we had to print off everything. So me and Miss Adams were in charge of making the schedule, printing out every kid's materials that they had. Some kids had lots of materials. Um, and so just making sure that the day goes smoothly. She was awesome with that. And thank you to the school board for just allowing us to have this contest. It means a lot to me, to District 11 and Indiana FFA. And then I also, a huge thank you, Mr. Miller. I had people come up to me one after another. Um, so the board of trustees for Indiana FFA, she's actually a district office. She's a district advisor for um, Hope Indiana and she was my district adviser last year when I served as reporter and she came up
047to me and she said, "Margot, you do not know how important it is that your principal was here today. He made sure that everyone had walkie-talkies. He made sure that if anybody needed anything, he just did everything for the contest." So, in hearing all the things from the rest of the executive committee, the district presidents and section directors in Indiana FFA, it was awesome what Lanesville was able to bring to the table. So, thank you all so much for that. And then, so like I said, my term is up in June, but that is when at state convention that is also on your agenda, I believe. Um, passing that. Um, so I will go in in June and give up my term. I'll elect the new officers. We had our district interviews last Thursday up
048in Seymour. So really, we are done with all all our district events. And then we also have several people competing from the Lansville chapter. So overall, we had 14 members compete in district 11 contest. And we had for third place we had Allora Langden. She placed third in discovery prepared public speaking. Aiden White House placed third at Freshman Creed. Alex Morris at third at extemporaneous public speaking. Janine Sharp at third for a traditional scrapbook. And then for second place we had Emma Simco prep for prepared public speaking. Jayla Msina for a business demo. And then for your first place, first place will go on to compete at um state convention. And that's where everyone that plays first here at district contest will go on to Purdue and West Lafayette to compete. So Addie Smith plays
049first for freshman prepared public speaking. Alex Morris and Janine Sharp placed um first for food science demo. And then I placed first for a sales presentation. So we have a very a sales presentation. Really? Yeah. I can't imagine. Um, so we have a very busy week the in June. Um, like I said, we'll have everybody competing and then hopefully also we should have one member receiving their Hooser degree. So that's the highest degree that you can earn other than your American degree. Only 1% of FFA members receive their American degree. So, but a Hooser degree is the highest degree in FFA that you can get at the state level. So, that is everything for district. Um, but this is kind of a bittersweet moment because now I'm actually not the Lanesville FFA president anymore. Last
050Tuesday, we had our banquet and that is where we elected our new officer team, so I probably won't see you all standing up here again. Um, but I would like to introduce you all to Janine Sharp. She is going to be the 2025 2026 Lanesville FFA president. And then [Applause] And then so the rest of our officer team for 2025 and 2026 includes um vice president Jayla Msina, secretary Alex Morris, treasurer Jillian Kramer, reporter Allora Langden, Sentinel Hunter Bombgart, and student adviser Aiden White House. And then Miss Shelby Adams will be serving as our adviser again this year. So thank you all. Thanks Margo. I I think our future is in good hands with this kid right here. I'm telling you right now. I've known Marggo since she was born. Okay. But uh you're impressive,
051kid. You did a great job and thank you for doing all your work for FFA and representing wonderfully well District 11. Uh and we appreciate all you have done and uh we thank you for that. [Applause] Next on the agenda is number 10. Approve the res high school girls basketball coach. She would like to say come up here. Are you coming up to tell us you're not going to Yeah. If we don't get a second, you got to stay, right? That's what I was gonna say. Who's going to make that motion? Yeah. I'm not I'm not making it. Can't see over the microphone. So, um, just out of respect and sincere appreciation for everyone here, the entire community, I mean, I felt like I needed to come here in person. Um, it's not been an
052easy decision. It wasn't an easy decision to come here, but it's been one of the best decisions um that, you know, I've made in my life. And I have a lot of people here to thank. You have a wonderful community. Um, you know, I want to say to you all, please keep fighting for your school. Keep fighting the good fight for your community and what you want here because Lanesville is truly special. It's no place like I've ever been. and I've been around a lot of places and this is a truly special place with special people and the community that you have here is just tremendous and you just you surround your people, you surrounded me and my family. Uh you accepted us um for everything that we brought. Um and we truly truly appreciate
053that. Um the wonderful relationships that we have made here. um will be relationships that will last a lifetime. Um it's just it's been a blast and like I said in my post, it's been the time of my life and I hope you all enjoyed the the the ride along with it. Um but you embraced this all and keep embracing your kids. You have wonderful programs here, not just your athletics, but you listen to all the things that are brought here. your concern for your schools comm community and growing your community but also keeping Lanesville Lanesville and I always say that when people ask me about Lanesville and I my answer is always it's Lanesville. It is Lanesville and that's truly from my heart truly special. I love you all and I hope to always be
054an honorary member of your community. Um, I hope to always be able to walk through those doors and continue to feel the love that I felt these last seven years. Um, but thank you again. Thank you, [Music] [Applause] Angie. Before we go on to discuss this, I am going to Hey, seven years I've driven uh Angie and the team and we have had more fun. We see this is this is the kind of stuff you get after you. Yeah, we made it. Yeah. Okay. Anyway, uh winning is fun. Don't let anybody tell you it's not because it's fun. Okay. And we have had a lot of fun and I want to personally just me thank you for giving us so much fun. Okay. I mean, a couple times in Indianapolis, I mean, come on, right?
055That doesn't ever happen. It was great. And I got to see the the ground floor of of uh Gingbridge, you know, and all that stuff. The basement, it was wonderful. You know, even the basement's cool there. Okay. I mean, I can never uh say thanks enough for that. We We've had fun. And and here's the part to get and I have a hard time talking about this one, but when I see my kid, one of my kids up on the up on the screen outside of Gamebridge, one of our kids, and I say my kid. That's cool. I'm walking down the street and our kid is up on the market, you know. Thanks. That was fun. I enjoyed it, Joe. I loved talking with you. And I'm planning on doing more of that somewhere along
056the way. But uh we always got in trouble for talking too much, but uh that's okay. We had a lot of fun. I learned a lot of stuff and just some stuff we just didn't really, you know, it wasn't that big a deal. All right. Anyway, but it was good. Me personally, thank you. To piggy back off of that, uh I think we're going to see for many many years for 10 plus years. Um the leadership that Angie had with this especially senior group seniors last year um how much they cared about the just school kids is you're going to see that school kids for at least 10 more years. It's going to be something that we probably won't ever see. Now, if we don't get a second on this or even a motion, she
057has to stay. So, uh, good luck with that one. Okay. Can I get a motion and a second to approve? I'll reluctantly make the motion to accept Angie Hitten's resignation. Reluctant. I will reluctantly second. Not one of my favorite things. Five. If not, all those in favor say I. I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. The next item is the appro Oh. Okay. Uh, approval to create a junior senior high school assistant principal position. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? C. Can we have a little bit of discussion on that? I know uh Dr. Apple has touched on it, but um would you mind? Is that okay if the board has some discussion? Um, you know, I'm a I'm a mother, so I always every time I set up here,
058I think about the students, what's in the best interest of the students, and it's always, you know, to take care of the teachers because the teachers then have this direct contact with the students. But if you're um a mother of an eighth grader, then you came to a meeting a couple of uh I don't know about a month ago where Miss Morgan presented to us what the new requirements for a high school diploma are. And then you walk out of this cafeteria with your eighth grader who says who's a very bright child and says, "I I'm not going to be able to graduate high school. It's too much." the new diploma requirements if you um and just for those that maybe don't know I'll share they they have created three tracks. There's an enrollment track
059which means that you're you're collegebound. There's an employment track which would be like your proser um and then there's an enlistment which would be the goal to uh to join the military to have an enlistment diploma. And if you want an enlistment honors plus diploma by the time you graduate high school, you have to have 650 service hours logged. I don't I don't know how a child is supposed to do their homework. They're supposed to do these service hours. They're supposed to eat dinner with their family. What if they get sick and miss a couple of days and they're out of the, you know, they can't complete these hours? They're also expected to be involved in sports. they're expected to have leadership roles in clubs and different activities. Um, and and so to support the
060kids that want this, you know, and that's what I look at like not every kid's going to want an an enlistment honors plus diploma, but if they want one, we should have in place all all of the pieces that enable them to get that. Uh, and I don't know, we don't have administrators, to my knowledge, currently that have the time to help encourage these kids, to help sit down with these kids and look for ways to get the service hours, to track the service hours, um, to get the internships, to track the hours in the internships. Um, and so I understand the concern that it's not a classroom position. and it's not a classroom position, but by the time you're in high school, there's a lot that also happens outside of the classroom that can
061help you achieve your goal as a as a student to help you get the diploma you want to then start your post high school life the way you want it, whether it's military, employment, um you know, technical programs or college. And and I think that's what we need to be about. what can we put in place to help our students when they leave here they're ready to do what they plan that what they want to do what their definition what their picture of success looks like. Um and so just you know that's those are my two cents as a as a mom of a eighth grader who has listened to what the new diploma requirements are. Also, this position can require add-ons as time goes on, as things change. You look at it. Okay, I
062get it. Is it going to is it going to affect teachers? No, we debate this back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. As long as it didn't affect teacher teacher ra teacher raises, not going to happen. not going to affect that. And I get where you're going, Susan. I do. And as we get more room, we can put put teachers in those positions. And I I'm fully aware of that. I'm right there with you. And nobody wants a teacher more than me. Okay? I'm telling you, when you got, you know, 32 kids in a classroom, you want to get it down. I get that. Been there and done that. You know, we've had those situations back in the day. I get it. That's not going to impact that. I don't see that impacting
063that at this point. positions like this, we're we're in the minority. You look at these schools. I did research. I did my research. I looked at the the schools in our area about the same size. They have the same basic concept that we're looking at right here. Okay. Uh is it going to free up time for Eric? Yes. Is it going to help with discipline? Yes. teacher evaluation. Yes, those things are going to are going to help. So, I can justify it that way. We're helping kids keep a safe environment. If we're helping teachers be able to teach in a safe environment, I can rationalize it. If it leads to some other, if we can add on duties as time goes on, I can rationalize it then, too. That's where I am right now. Any
064other comments? Okay, I get a motion and a second to approve. I'll make a motion. I'll second it. Okay. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. I. Oppos. Same sign. Motion passes. Next item is agenda or approval of with Harrison County Sheriff's Department for resource officer. Uh, and briefly, one of the one of the best things in my time here in Harrison County, and thank you to the council, Donnie, thank you guys. Um, one of the best things that has happened directly for us school corporations through the county, um, is the county council, the commissioners have agreed to pick up the SRO's, uh, for all the school corporations, uh, which then frees up money through the school safety grant for us to do various things, uh, to further enhance safety. As
065we were going through this, one thing that we noticed is we didn't have, not just us, other corporations in our county didn't have anou with the sheriff's department for the school resource officers. Um, talked to the sheriff's department. They said no, it's never been there. So, we have all worked together to create that, us and uh corporations in the county and and I'm asking you guys to sign into that. Uh but it it's coming from a truly wonderful thing and I can't count I can't thank the county council enough uh for doing what they're doing. It truly will be a a great benefit for our school corporation um but also to help improve the safety of the uh the students of Lanesville and Harrison County. And so thank you to the county council, but that
066is what I'm asking you to sign now. Memorandum of understanding. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? I'll make a motion to approve theou with Harrison County Sheriff's Department for the resource officer. I'll second. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Number third. Next items. Number 13. approved the use of 122,000 to be used to purchase technology that would otherwise need to be financed on our upcoming lease. The technology will include new staff workstations and accessories, new teacher devices and accessories that will better support e-learning and the purchase of needed software to utilize and manage said equipment. Yeah. And and what this is and then here later you'll do the one to one for students. Um, but what we found years a couple
067years ago when the state said you can only do three asynchronous learning days, we've now had to move to some synchronous learning days. Uh, talking with our teachers, the devices that we had, the Chromebooks that we gave to them were not sufficient for that. Uh, and so we looked at several different options. We looked at more expensive laptops and taking away the desktops, having some conversations with teachers, doing some different things. Uh, thank you to Miss Boon. she had uh what we think we're going to go with kind of a more advanced Chromebook. She used it on some synchronous days and um said it works pretty good. Um but then also with those you can't link directly to the new boards that we bought. And so working a combination uh of mobile devices that will
068allow teachers to work better from home and wherever they else they need, but then also the the desktops that will interface with the new boards that we bought for everybody. Uh, so that's what we're asking for here. Could I get a motion and second to approve? I'll make the motion we approve the use of $12,000 to use purchase some technology that's needed. I'll second it. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Okay. The next item is the approval of a new lease agreement for onetoone program. And this is the student part of that. This is uh allowing us to get into a lease agreement to do the Chromebooks for the older kids and the iPads for the younger ones. That way we can work one to one uh
069with all the platforms and textbooks that we have. Dr. Apple, how long did those lease agreements run? Are they Mr. Hancock? Are they four years? Four years. Four years. Okay. We were one of the first schools around that did oneon-one. The first that I knew of. Yes. Could I get a motion and second to approve? I'll make the motion to approve the new new lease agreement for the one to one program. I'll second that. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. We are going to skip number 16 or number 15, sorry. Okay. Number 16 is the approval of disposal of 37 projectors replaced by new by the new line boards and one Acer Chromebook broken and three laser jet printers that's broken. Can I get
070a motion and a second to approve? I'll make a motion to approve the disposal. I'll second. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Okay. Item number 17's the first readings of the following proposed LCSC policies. The 7,000s which is property, the 8,000s which is uh operations and the 9,000s that's relations. And I'll get those to you guys. Number 18 is the approve the resignation of Sue Demars as Deir's Demer Demers as proer bus driver. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? Let me say something first. Sue is wonderful and we're going to miss her greatly. She is a wonderful, wonderful lady. She is and she'll step in. It doesn't matter if she can. She'll she'll pick up bus route if somebody can't
071do it. Uh she drives that proer route. That's a tough one. Every day is one. She Yeah, I wouldn't doubt it. Uh Sue, thank you. Okay. Uh from from me and the board and I'll speak for the board. They're uh she's awesome and we're going to miss her and I get it. And she's going back to Alaska, I think. Is that right, Dr. Apple? Yes, sir. Her family's from there. And her dad's up there and aging. I get it. She's going up there. I mean, her parent is aging, not her. S the same age as she always, but uh she's she's a good lady and we're going to miss her. Okay, there you go. And that will be at the end of the year. She is driving because that's awesome. And it's finding bus drivers.
072You guys, if you got any CDLs out there want to drive a bus, let us know. Believe me, it's difficult to find, especially a keeper like this one. Okay, a motion and a second to approve. I'll make a motion we approve it. Not happily, but seconded. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. approve the resignation of Terry Summers as a full-time cafeteria worker at the end of the school year. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second. Any discussion? Terry's a peach, too. We like her, but she's just going to be a sub now. So, that's She's just going to go to the sub. So, that's good. If not, takes care of me back there. I'm
073sorry. She takes care of me in the cafeteria. All those in favor say I. Sorry. I all the all those opposed. Same sign. Motion passes. Approve the hiring of Terry Summers as part-time cafeteria substitute beginning the 202526 school year. I'll make a motion. Okay. Can I get a second? Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. All those opposed, same sign. Motion passes. Okay. We need some help on this name. I apologize. Approve the hiring of re Rian. Rihanna. Say yeah. K A E GB. Fleetwood Mac. From part-time to full-time cafeteria worker at the beginning of the 2526 school year. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? I'll second. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Item number 22, approve
074Indiana State FFA Convention June 15th through the 19th at Purdue University. Marggo touched on this. Eric, do you want to say anything? Sorry about the Purdue University. Yeah, it's just another great opportunity for our kids. know the more experience, the more exposure they get to these kinds of things, the the better and more confident they become as individuals and leaders. I can't there's not a doubt in my mind. One thing I'll say about the Washington DC trip, every person that saw our group of kids came up and complimented us about how good they behaved, how how awesome they were, and FFA kids are absolutely no different than them. I've received a few emails from uh from some parents on the trip as well. We got talked about that really really good. Is Margo speaking at
075this? She's a dandy. Don't you think these she is Janine? Yeah. Good. And don't you think uh Mr. Miller that these kind of trips make school a little more interesting? they're they're they're more interested to come to school because they've got, you know, it has it's more meaningful and they've got the closer relationships with their peers. Yeah. Yeah. Could I get a motion and a second to approve? I'll make the motion. I'll second it. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Approve the following field trips. Eighth grade field trip to the movies. date pending. Second grade going to the science center. Fifth grade going to see Louisville Black Bats play baseball. Third grade going to the Louisville Zoo. 10th grade going to Harrison County Courthouse. Kindergarten
076going to Wilston Ranch in Poli. Could I have a motion and a second to approve? Motion to approve. And I'll second. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Number 24, the approval of Pauly's freeze fundraiser for the class of 2027 on April 22nd and the high school volleyball bake saleout during Derby yard sales on May 3rd. That was mouthful. What was that? They're up in the parking lot. I I was going to ask if that's They do really well. Okay. Okay. Okay. Could I get Could I have a motion and a second to approve? We'll make the motion we approve those fundraisers. I'll second. Okay. Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Okay. Um I want to
077make a comment. Today's Mrs. Rothrock's birthday. So, just want to say happy birthday. Thanks. Happy birthday. Uh item agenda number 25 is public comments. Uh that's not related to or that was not related to the agenda items. Um I've got u Donnie Hussong and Mike Wolf were said they want to be on that list. Thanks for this time. She asked told me I had three but I got notes. Say what you got to say. I want to Well, let me introduce myself. Most everybody knows me. I'm Donnie Huson. I had the privilege of being appointed to the interimm board of Lanesville Community School Corporation when first organized. That was in 1989. I also had the privilege the following 23 years to be elected to the board of directors of Lanesville Community School Corporation. Those were
078probably 23 of the best years of my life. Earlier today, co earlier tonight, Coach Tenton talked about Lanesville is a special place and she's right. Lanes was a damn special place. I've honored I've been honored to have the trust of at least four of the board members in recent months to seek my advice, opinion, and counsel on matters related to your positions as members of the school board. I hope this was a result of your respect for my f tenure on this board and the experience I've gained over my years of public service. Tonight, I ask for your indulgence, patience, and respect for my experience, and allow me the opportunity to address the issues that I feel are of critical importance to this board and this school community, and grant me the opportunity to speak
079openly about them about them without the constraints of a stopwatch while trying to be factual and to the point. I've got notes. I'll read my notes. This is pretty darn easy to put together when you're sitting in your office. Then as you drive around, you think of things, you keep scratching and you keep changing because I think at one minute I told myself it's because you don't know what in the hell you're talking about. But the next minute, no, you're you're you're like this because you sincerely believe in what you're going to say. I don't know if anybody there's a few in here old enough to remember the history of Lanesville schools, but prior to 1970, I'm going to give you if I bore you, just let me know. But prior to 1970, every little
080township, every little community in the state of Indiana had its own little one room school. There was a school in Elizabeth. There was a school in Laconia. There was a school in Mockport. There was a school in New Amsterdam. 1971, the state of Indiana passed the school reorganization act that required all those little community schools to come together into school corporations of at least a thousand students. And you started seeing towns lose their schools and lose their identities. But there was one little tough little town in this state that said, "Hell no, we're not going to consolidate. we want to keep independent. That was Lanesville schools. Well, they said, "Okay, you can do that, but you have to remain under a trusteeship." So, until 1989, we were a trustee operated school system, which meant elected
081township trustee was in fact the school board. The high school principal was the superintendent. 1989, we started having growing pains. State Board of Education was in charge of granting a school corporation or a trustee system, a school corporation, a building program, and you had to have a building permit by the state board of education to build. We needed to build. Sorry, you're not an organized school corporation. So, we took it upon ourselves to get organized. Sorry, you don't have a thousand students. We fought and fought and we got appeals and we got appeals. We were allowed to reorganize as Lanesville Community School Corporation. And I think at the time our total student population was under 600, well below the thousand. But what helped us is they looked back at the history of Lanesville School since
0821971 when we became no longer a TR a small community of the Reorganization Act. From 1971 to 1993, they saw where Lanesville schools always exceeded state standards both in academic excellence, graduation rates, and community pride. That tradition carried on from 1990 when we reorganized through recent years. Ways schools has always been a special place. It always will be a special place. And why is that? Because in those early years, people remember the fight we had to go through. People remember the the times this community come together when 250 of us went to Indianapolis to ask the state tax control board to raise our taxes so we could build onto our schools. There was 250 in favor. We took two school buses and other people drove. There was 10 people opposed to it. We had to
083fight three appeals to satisfy those 10 people's efforts to stop us. And we kept beating it. And I remember we were sitting in that meeting and there were 10 people on the tax bill board of zoning or tax control board, sorry, of appeals. Every one of them looked down and you could tell by the looks on their faces they were not in our favor. There was a big push in the state of Indiana at that time to keep taxes low and we were going to raise rates here to build a school for less than 600 kids. It was crazy. You could just tell that's what they thought. Got to the very last guy at the end of the row who was the chairman of the committee and he had his glasses and he was sitting
084at his desk and I'll never forget this. He took his glasses down his nose and he looked out says, "You mean you people want me to raise your taxes?" and all 250 people stood up and he but he's galled down and said past it was approved. That's the kind of gut and determination that Lanville community has. That's the kind of effort. That's the kind of commitment the people that have grown up in this school community have. I'm a graduate of 1974. I'm a proud graduate of 1974. My sons, my daughter graduated this class. I have grandchildren attending here. And you might find this hard to believe, but I have great grandchildren attending here. So that in my opinion, not only my experience, but I'm sure it's the same to a lot of people out there.
085That is what the culture of Los Angeles Community Schools is all about. We are different than anybody else because there's not many schools in the state of Indiana that has this culture, this this history. And that's what makes us unique, makes us proud, and in some people's eyes make us arrogant sobs. But it's because we love this community and we love this school. The other night, uh, May 13 or sorry, March, March 18th, the last meeting you guys had, it was the first one I attended in a while. And again, I have 23 years experience on a board and I've been to all kind of meetings. Most of them were pretty smooth. But last night or sorry, I keep saying last night, last meeting, it it amazed me when I walked into the room and
086everybody was seated. It might have been a contentious issue. I I mean, there were issues that were different and and I know there were feelings on both sides, but the tension in this room was so thick you could cut it to cut it with a knife. I was I was almost brought to tears by what I saw at that meeting between I've never experienced that much tension between factions in this school and I'm sure on both sides there's legitimate reasons for it. something something in in the last five, six, seven years, two years, I don't know what, but something has been allowed to be a little bit of an irritant between certain parties and it has grown and grown and grown and has festered and we've got to the point where there's a lack of
087distrust. This is just my perception. If I'm wrong, please let me know and and and you can correct me. But something's allowed to to happen and it's this it's just it's driving our school apart in my opinion. Excuse me. Let me let me take a breath. After that meeting, I never thought I'd hear both first and second. Not after that meeting. Excuse me. I'm jumping ahead of my notes. I never thought I'd hear personally, both first and secondhand, statements from staff that say, "I just try to get through the day." earlier in or in prior years, at least in the 23 years I served, majority of people who worked here loved it here. And I never thought I'd ever hear any of them say, "I'm just trying to get through the day." I never thought
088I'd hear board members, current or past, make comments that, in my opinion, diminish the efforts of the professional staff that you have here. And I've heard that a couple times. That's not the Lanesville culture. This culture is what allowed us allowed us or drove us to be the little engine that could. And we did. We exceeded state standards. We exceeded state graduation rates. And we fostered a spirit of collaboration, cooperation, and a desire by everyone to be our best and not just to hope to get through the day. So what's what's caused that? I don't know. I really don't know. But my observations at that meeting and what I've heard about other meetings maybe the lack of distrust like I say started a long time ago and it's been allowed to grow not because of
089a willingness to be diff or be mean or difficult to someone but maybe by a lack of true understanding what our real duties jobs what my lane is what I'm supposed to do. Transparency is a big thing. The open door law. Whenever a school board meets, it must be sure the meeting is conducted in accordance with requirements of the open door law. This law governs three main issues related to board meetings. And for point of reference, this is from the ISBA training manual. I'm the law covers three main issues related to board meetings. One, whether a meeting must be open to the public or may be held without public present, defined as an executive session. two, how to give public notice of the board's meetings, and three, required memoranda and/or minutes of the meetings. The
090intent of the do open door law is that official official action of public agencies, including school boards, be conducted and taken only so that the public may be fully informed. Based on this principle, the vast majority of schoolboard meetings will be open or public meetings. According to the open door law, meetings of public agencies must be open for the purpose of permitting members of the public to observe and record them. And it references Indiana code 5-14-1.35-3. It is important to note that as of July 1st, 2022, the open door law requires public comment at meetings of the school board. Therefore, school boards by law must permit members of the public to speak at designated times on a school board agenda. The board president should be very familiar with policy or rules in order to ensure
091that the public comments are heard and do not interfere with a board's completion of business items on its agenda. So you just it doesn't say about time limits. Time limits are important because sometimes people want to get up here and ramble on kind of like me. And if you limit them to three or four minutes, you can get on with your business. But then there are times when maybe there's something important enough going on that people might need to ramble on a little bit. This is also from the state school board associations manual. This is relatively new. The when I talk about the public access counselor in 1970, I'm sorry, 1999. Governor Oannon established the office of Indiana public access counselor. That is the individual who has supervisory control and opinion over matters pertaining to
092the Indiana Open Door Law. And that is a law in the state of Indiana, the open door law. So the public the Indiana public access counselor addressed the question dated October 18th, 2022. And the question was, may school boards restrict public comments to list items listed on an agenda. The advisory opinion concluded that limiting subject matter for public comment at schoolboard meetings to agenda items is not appropriate under the new statute. constituents should be able to speak on items that are not explicitly listed on an agenda yet may still be germanine to schoolboard business overall. So that was relatively new. This is from the Indiana School Board Association. It's a they're um they put out a a monthly magazine. I don't get it anymore, but you can find it. It's written by Dr. Michael Adamson.
093He's the director of board services. comment of his um article is are your executive sessions lawful? Executive sessions are normal occurrences for all school Indiana school boards and the ability to meet in private without an audience is a statutory privilege. However, executive sessions are only lawful for a limited number of reasons, and boards who meet in private for other than specific statutory reasons can face reprimands, be assessed fines, or have former decisions rescended until they are properly decided in a public meeting. It is a pretty bad but worse than legal consequence. It is damage to a board's integrity in the eyes of its constituents. That was just one paragraph of what he says. Basically there are carveouts for executive sessions. The carveouts are jumping ahead. I'm skipping a few points because I'm I mean this
094gets into what is a meeting? What is what is official action? And maybe we ought to talk about that first. What is official action? Official action means to receive information, deliberate, make recommendations, establish policy, make decisions or take final action. So official action all those things have to be done in public. When must the public agency give notice of an executive session? Public notice of an executive session must be given 48 hours in advance of every session excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, and must state the time, date, location, and subject matter by reference to the specific statutory exception and language of the exception under which an executive session may be had. So, not only can you say um the subject, you have to site code. And sometimes there's a lot of confusion and I'll
095be the first to admit because I've been on a few where we thought we'd just have an exhaion but it wasn't a a an actual topic that you can have an executive session on. So those actual topics first it talks about executive sessions and says as used in this section public official means a person who is a member of a governing body or public agency or whose tenure and compensation are fixed by law and who executes an oath. Executive sessions may be held only in the following instances or authorized by federal or state statute. For discussion of strategy with with respect to any of the following. And it says for discussion of stat strategy with respect to any of the following. Collective barding initiation of litigation or litigation is either pending or has been threatened
096specifically in writing as uses in its cause. litigation includes any judicial action or administrative law proceeding under the federal or state law. It goes on for other reasons. The implementation of security systems, the purchase or lease of real property by the governing body up to the time a contractor option to purchase a lease is executed by the property school consolidation. However, all such strategy discussions must be necessary for con competitive Let me start over. I'm getting mouth dry. Sorry. However, all such strategy discussions must be necessary for competitive or bargaining reasons that may not include competitive or bargaining adversaries. I don't know what that has to do with school. Oh, that's under school consolidation for discussion of reassessment, design, and implementation of school safety and security measures. This is one where I think I noticed
097this is the one that caught me to look um I was I was I'm going to stop here for a minute. Tonight I was prepared to do something completely different than I am now. Tonight I was prepared to come up and just start beating on this and saying you're not doing it right, blah blah blah. and and and um threat and I didn't and submit a a formal complaint to the Indiana Public Access Counselor, but I thought don't do that. That's not very that's not beholden to the culture of Lanesville by start starting to be confrontational before you even have a chance to talk to people. So, that didn't happen. So, I'm taking my chance maybe to talk tonight. I'm not claiming to be an expert, but I know where to look. And these these
098are what the codes and the laws say. So this thing is item four. The reason you can have executive session interviews and negotiations with industrial or commercial prospects, not partners, prospects or agents of industrial or commercial prospects by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Office of Tourism and Development, the Indiana Finance Authority, the Ports of Indiana and Economic Development Commission, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, a local economic development organization that is a nonprofit corporation, a governing body of a political subdivision. So, I went a little bit deeper into the code and I said what is what is meant by interviews with industrial commercial prospects. It specifically said it refers to in Herson County, we have an economic development corporation. and we might want to get a business to come in. That's what this is
099about. Bringing businesses into your community and what kind of incentives can you offer. It it doesn't mean to cover a a governmental entity's ability to sit down with a a vendor and talk about services that they want that vendor to provide for them because that has to be done in public. It can't be hidden in executive. And the solar project is what I was going to bring up. I just don't think that was done properly by taking those kind of discussions in executive session, hiding them from the public, and then wondering why everybody's upset. Transparency, openness, and public discussion, public buyin is important. There are more items. I'm not going through them all. I made my point with that one. Um, you may not agree with me, but that was my point. At the end
100of all these, there's a commentary. A goal of a government unit is to schedule executive sessions sparingly. They should not be held regularly, nor should they be a standing meeting on a governing body's schedule. A governing body should hold only a handful of them a year, if at all. These sessions are heavily scrutinized by the public access counselor. Um, and that was the end of that statement. So again, I just I got a lot more to say, but I'm going to cut it off because my throat's getting drowned. I'm sounding like I'm stumbling, but I'm not. Um, I think I do not doubt the good intentions of everybody sitting at this table. I think school governance by the stack of laws that I got just about one or two issues is pretty complex and when
101you try to read these things, it's confusing as heck. So, I may even defer to Lynn as an attorney to kind of go through them and make sure I'm I'm thinking of them correctly. There was a couple comments that said the interpretations of the open door law are literal. In other words, it means what it says. You don't have the ability to, and I'm not criticizing anyone, you don't have the ability to change the word prospects to partners. The code says prospects. So that makes that makes it more clear that these are prospects. These are people you want to bring in and lure them in and offer them something to contribute to your community. That's why limited economic development, tourism, and that type of thing. It's in code. Also, executive session, the reasons for them
102are outlined for every public agency in the state of Indiana under code. They're not specific to schools. So there's things in here that are listed that aren't even in the the venue of a school corporation. So, I'm going to try to wrap it up. The open door law. I'm going to whenever a school board meets, it must be sure that the meeting is inducted conducted in accordance with the requirements of the open door law. This law governs three main issues related to schoolboard meetings. I think I've read that already, haven't I? It's okay. Same manual, different page. This is again from the SBA training manual. It talks about community and public relations. There's a couple paragraphs before, but I'm not. Um, well, the first one, the relationship between the school board and the community it
103serves is crucial to the sense of well-being in any school corporation. Developing positive community and public relations strategies are not coverup tactics for the challenging issues that a school corporation may be facing. In other words, involve your community and they'll probably help you out. It is fair to say that in every school corporation, there are more issues to praise than to criticize. And certainly issues that need correcting should be addressed just not overemphasized. Accent accentuating the positive aspects of corporation helps to instill confidence in the school corporation and its administration as well as faith in the governance leadership. Equally important is that a board always remains sensitive to their community's concerns even if their concerns are misaligned or unfounded. The goal of community and public relations is to create a positive relationship built on mutual
104trust and respect. Community concerns can represent teachable moments where the board can educate the community regarding why certain positions must be assumed or why decisions have been rendered in a particular manner. Taking time to explain decisions and policies can pay huge dividends in developing and maintaining strong public relations. And again, I'm I don't intend to be critical of anybody here because again, it's a challenging issue. But I think some of the observances I had at that meeting where I just sense tension might be because everybody's so busy doing their own thing, we forget about. There are other people who may have some part to play, some thing to say, some some little piece of wisdom we didn't even think about that might help this whole thing better. You know, I'm sure it's very, very difficult
105to come to Lanesville community as unique, challenging, and sometimes hard-headed as we are, and try to in incorporate ways that were done in New York or some other large city or some other large school corporation. We are a one one facility school corporation. I always take pride in saying we have K through 12 under one roof. Our seniors mentor our elementary kids. Our elementary kids look up to our seniors. They see each other every day in the hall. It's a sense of family. It's a sense of belonging. And there aren't many corporations in the state, no matter how long you've worked there, how experienced you are, that you've ever felt that same type of sense coming from North Madison into Lanesville or some other big corporation. We're different. We're unique. And another challenging issue you
106have with that is that our parents and our community really, really care. They fought hard and long since 1970 to keep this school their school, to keep the Lanesville culture their culture. I keep thinking of Mr. Eastler, Mr. Richard, Jerry Reinhardt, some of the big names in Lanesville community history. When we would go to schoolboard conventions in Indianapolis, as small as we are, people would come to us, come up to us from the larger corporations and and make comments about, "We hear about Lanesville all the time. What's going where you guys at?" And all and it just it made you swell up with pride that you're from Little Lanesville and some guy from a school corporation with 7,000 students want to know what you do. One of the most innovative things we we got accomp
107we accomplished or we got credit for at school board corp meetings. This gentleman right here had a concept called uh balance calendar back in the mid 90s and it was different. It was unique. Every new neighboring school corporation that's stupid. That'll never work. But I think it was a model for so many school corporations in the state after we proved that it can work and it impacted students lives. When I ran for school board, we had a um an open house a I don't want to call it a debate, but it was kind of a debate for potential candidates. And the first question asked was, "Who do you consider your most important constituent?" Luckily for me, I was at the end of the line. The first couple people were saying, "Oh, it's the taxpayers. Oh,
108it's the the the um the voters." And you know, "Oh, it's the teachers." And I just kept thinking, "You guys don't have it right." And they asked me and I said, "Well, in my opinion, I may be wrong, but my most important constituent is the students." Please don't ever forget that. Please don't ever forget that you have a community that will go to the hill for you guys, but you got to keep them informed. You got to keep them up to date. And I know it's not intended, but you you got to break down the barriers that exist about transparency, willingness to include them in discussion. Just let them be a part of the school that they are so proud of and that they truly do own. Thanks. [Music] [Applause] Next is Mike. I really
109signed up to see my time to him and stopped in three minutes. Just keep in mind it's Sharon's birthday. I understand that. Okay, no problem. Um, thanks Donnie. Very well said. Um, couple things I wanted to first of all commend. Uh, because first of all, when I signed up, I was coming up here to ask why there wasn't a public comment session at the end because you put that last month and that was probably the best thing you've done. So, that was that's why I didn't get up to speak the first time. Um, second thing I want to commend you for is uh before you started doing these and when you did them, you did do discussion and some understanding to us of why you were voting or what the need for the position was,
110which I appreciate that. um back with Donnie on the transparency that is I think I mentioned at the last meeting of where I was going with that and the reason I'm up here tonight is to ask is about this solar project. So, I have asked at the last meeting to have a copy of the contract and I was told I would get that and I was sent one page and told that was all that where there was and the one page was the copy of a intent to proceed from November of 19th of 2024. Um, what I'm wanting to know and where is it is where's the nuts and bolts? Where's the numbers? The numbers that you were told to us at the bond meeting of these numbers that were proposed to you all that
111this would pay for itself in 10 years. Where are those numbers? Where are those for us to see as taxpayers of this community? does I I've asked a couple board members and I haven't got anything. I've asked the superintendent and I've that's all I've been told. So, I'm asking again tonight. That's all we have is a letter to proceed signed to go ahead with a I'm kind of confused of a 1.2 a 1.5 with a maximum of a $ 1.75 million contract. Is that all that's available to the public at this time? Mike, if you want to swing by, I can get you. I when you said contract, that's why I gave you that. That's what that intended proceed is. If you're looking for the numbers like the presentation they gave to us, what they
112said, I can let you look at that. That's no problem. But yeah, that's that's not that's not what when you kept asking like I I gave you the intent to proceed the legal document. That's what I thought you kept asking. I didn't know you wanted to see those numbers. No, I I want to see the nuts and bolts of how this is supposed to be working and what is coming back to us. We hear T-Mobile is interested in credits. That that's that's what I want to see and want to know what's going on. Not the not Well, I want to see I want to I want to know what's going on. No problem. I I want to see I want to see those numbers. I'm just trying to wrap my head around how a solar
113field on top of this little school system is going to bring back enough money to pay for itself in 10 years. But yet, a solar field on the north side of the Interstate 64 is I don't know how much bigger, but is only producing enough electricity for 150 houses in a year. I I just can't wrap my head around that. And I want to see the numbers that you all were presented to be able to do that. Well, I asked and I hadn't got anything and I understand there was you kept asking for a contract and I gave legal document. Okay. Your contract, not not the presentation of numbers. We can get that's not an issue. So you're So there really is no other contract out there right now. Oh that that that's it. That
114that is Yeah. All right. Thank you. Oh, come on, Donnie. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. Awesome. that less than three months. I have already signed my property. Yes, that it will be and I've had conversations just actually a couple months ago with Indiana utilities that it would be there. They're coming that way and down. It would be a couple years they say before it's here. And then at that point in time, you look at now we've got one new complete boiler that we've redone. Everything here is electric. The other one the same boat. So we'd have to probably spend some more money. But at that time we're going to look at that. But I've had those conversations. And Donnie, we did look at two different energy companies for the solar project. We are guaranteed.
115What happens if we have 14 months of clouds of rain? I don't know. I don't know enough about that. There's a lot of moving parts. That's fine. And we spent quite a bit of time and several of these people went with me over months and months looking into it at various corporations. Uh for Henderville East Washington, Brothersville. Um, you know, check with their superintendents, spoke to a lot of superintendent around the area. Talk a little bit with RMC and what they thought about it as well. Sure. Any other public comment? If not, can I get a motion for adjournment? Motion we adjourn. Do I get a second? I'll second it. I want to eat cake. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Happy birthday, Shar. Thank you.