001I love the school. Um, the students [music] are like really nice. Um the teachers they really positive and [music] yeah like the teachers at my old school I never asked questions [music] with my teachers and now at this school since my mom went here so I basically know all the teachers that's here. So now I can express to what I'm feeling and what I need to ask, my friends, you know. Yeah, cuz [music] you know the education is pretty good. The the teachers [music] are great, you know, but my friends is the best part. I like most about HM Central is definitely the students, the people, you know, all the people I met uh since I've been here cuz I moved [music] here on uh middle school. So like the people have been great. I
002made a lot of memories since freshman year, uh sophomore year, all the years. You know, some days you going to have days where like you don't want to come, but like like the days I [music] come like it get funner and funner as like I get in the older grade, but [music] it's not it's not easy, but like when you do what you got to do, it become easy. [music] So, it's really just chill for me. >> It's good. [music] There's never any like problems or nothing and it's always like good vibes. Everybody's [music] like chill. I like the people. I like the community. I would definitely say it's [music] fun. It's definitely creative. Like, you definitely don't know what you're going to get coming [music] through the door every day. In a in a
003good way, though. Um um I would say it's safe. It's loving. Um it's definitely welcoming. >> The teachers the [music] most about the school. Yeah. Say my experience is pretty good. I don't have any complaints. >> Okay. atmosphere is good [music] here and there's there's good people here because um when she [music] teaches it like actually makes me want to actually try the things she teaches cuz the way she she does it is uh so like inspiring to me nation let's Hey, hey. I love the school. Um, the students are like really nice. Um, [music] the teachers they really positive and yeah, like the teachers at my old school, I never ask questions with my teachers. And now at this school since my mama went here, so I basically know all [music] the teachers that's
004here. So now I can express to what I'm feeling and what I need to ask, my friends, you know. Yeah, [music] cuz you know the education is pretty good. the the teachers [music] are great, you know, but my friends is the best part. >> I like most about him Central is definitely the students, the people, you know, all the people I met uh [music] since I've been here cuz I moved here uh middle school. So, like the people have [music] been great. I made a lot of memories since freshman year, uh sophomore year, all the years, you know. Some days you going to have days where like you don't want to come but like like the days [music] I come like it get funner and funner as like I get in the older grade but
005it's not it's not easy but like [music] when you do what you got to do it become easy. So it's really just chill for me. >> It's good. There's never any like problems or nothing and it's always like good vibes. [music] Everybody's like chill. I like the people. I like the community. [music] I would definitely say it's fun. It's definitely creative. Like, you definitely don't know what you're going to get coming through the door every day. In a in a good way, though. Um um I would say it's safe. [music] It's loving. Um it's definitely welcoming. [music] >> The teachers the most about the school. Yeah. My [music] experience is pretty good. I don't have any complaints. atmosphere is good here and there's there's good people here because um when she teaches [music] it like
006actually makes me want to actually try the things she teaches cuz the way she she [music] does it is uh so like inspiring to me nation let's Hey, hey. I love the school. Um the [music] students are like really nice. Um the teachers they really positive and yeah like the teachers at my old school I never asked questions with my teachers and now at this school since my mom went here so I basically know [music] all the teachers that's here. So now I can express to what I'm feeling [music] and what I need to ask, my friends, you know. Yeah, [music] cuz you know the education is pretty good. The the teachers are great, you know, but my friends is the best part. I like most about HM [music] Central is definitely the students, the
007people, you know, all the people I met uh since I've [music] been here cuz I moved here on uh middle school. So like the people [music] have been great. I made a lot of memories since freshman year, uh sophomore year, [music] all the years. You know, >> some days you going to have days where like you going to come, but like like the days I come [music] like it get funner and funner as like I get in the older grade. But it's [music] not it's not easy, but like when you do what you got to do, it become easy. [music] So, it's really just chill for me. >> Good. There's never any like problems or nothing and it's always like good vibes. [music] Everybody's like chill. I like the people. I like the community. I
008would [music] definitely say it's fun. It's definitely creative. Like, you definitely don't know what you're going to get coming through the door every day. In a in a good way, though. Um um I would say it's [music] safe. It's loving. Um it's definitely welcoming. >> The [music] teachers the most about the school. Yeah. Say my experience is pretty good. I don't have any complaints. >> Okay. atmosphere is good here and there's there's good people here because um when she teaches [music] it like actually makes me want to actually try the things she teaches cuz the way she she does it is uh so like inspiring to me nation let's Hey, hey. I love the school. Um the students [music] are like really nice. Um the teachers they really positive and yeah like the teachers at
009my old school I never ask questions with my teachers. And now at this school since my mama went here, so [music] I basically know all the teachers that's here. So now I can express to what I'm feeling and what I need to ask, my friends, [music] you know. Yeah, cuz you know the education is pretty good. the the teachers are [music] great, you know, but my friends is the best part. >> I like most about him Central is definitely the students, the people, you know, all the people I met uh since I've been here cuz I moved [music] here uh middle school. So, like the people have been great. I made a lot of memories [music] since freshman year, uh sophomore year, all the years, you know. Some days you going to have days where
010like you don't want to come but like like the days I [music] come like it get funner and funner as like I get in the older grade but [music] it's not it's not easy but like when you do what you got to do it become easy. So it's really just chill for me. >> It's good. There's [music] never any like problems or nothing and it's always like good vibes. Everybody [music] like too. >> I like the people. I like the community. I would definitely say it's [music] fun. It's definitely creative. Like, you definitely don't know what you're going to get coming [music] through the door every day. In a in a good way, though. Um um I would say it's safe. It's loving. Um it's definitely welcoming. The teachers the [music] most about the school.
011Yeah. To my experience is pretty good. I don't have any complaints. >> Okay. atmosphere is good here and there's there's good people here because [music] um when she teaches it like actually makes me want to actually try the things she teaches cuz the way she she does it is uh so like inspiring to me nation let's Come on. Hey, hey, hey. I love the school. Um the students are like really nice. Um the teachers [music] they really positive and yeah like the teachers at my old school I never asked questions with my teachers and now at this school since my mom went here so I basically [music] know all the >> Good evening and welcome to our school city of Hammond's Tuesday November 18th 2025 regular school board meeting. Uh call to order. Uh let's
012stand for our pledge of allegiance. And we welcome you and our virtual audience as well. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible [clears throat] with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. >> Roll call of trustees. Trusty Guerrero >> present. >> Trusty Spencer >> present. >> Trusty Stanford >> present. >> Trusty Candela >> present. >> Trusty Blake King uh five are present. We have a quorum. Um supendant. >> Good evening. Good evening. Trustee uh President Blake King and community members. I'd like to call uh Mr. Daniel Dalton to the podium. He is going to be presenting our monthly financial update. Mr. Dalton. >> Good evening, board members. Unfortunately, this gentleman over here gave me the clicker,
013so you're going to have to bear with me. Um, this is the October financial update. Let me see how this works. Ah, there we go. Okay. All right. So, as you will see, the education fund is uh current balance is 26,310,658. The debt service fund -2,815777 operations fund 17,26528 rainy day 6 roughly $6.3 million and self- insurance roughly $4 million. And then I've also projected what we anticipate to have as cash on hand through the end of this year. You may have a question on the debt service fund as to why we're negative now and why we will be positive by year's end. This is because we will receive our property tax uh distributions in uh December between now and and the end of the year. Down at the bottom of this page, you will
014see the breakdown of each of our grant funds, our title funds. And um as I've mentioned in previous months, these are reimbursement based. And so we ask for reimbursement. Uh we spend and then ask for reimbursement. Got it. Okay. Revenues and expenditures for the education fund. It's relatively um stable month over month. You'll More specifically, the revenues are stable month-over-month because it's entirely funded by uh basic rent tuition, which is a state revenue based on um ADM counts, which are students in seats, right? And so the expenditures that are coming out are almost entirely payroll, supplies, services, charges, and capital outlay. Moving forward, we have our operations fund. This one looks a little bit more wonky because the June revenues are higher than the rest of the months. Um, we will see the same exact
015thing in December when we receive our property tax distributions. >> Moving forward, debt service fund is the same situation. However, our debt service obligations are due in January and July, but we receive revenues in June and December. So there's kind of a one-mon lag between when we make our debt service payments versus when we receive our property tax distributions from the county. So as we extend from uh October and November and December, you will see that in December, our revenue line here, the blue column will be um there will be a blue column there that that shows roughly five and a half$6 million worth of property tax revenue. Moving forward, this is probably the most important page of the entire document. Budget versus actual in our education fund, we have currently spent um well, the
016remaining budget is 31.25%. The debt service fund remaining budget is 5%. However, we've already paid our debt service obligations for the year. So, that's good news. >> Um in the operations fund, we have roughly 29% of the our budget remaining. So th this is good news across the board especially with uh two months remaining of the year. With that I could go through month by month but I I will not this is this is a supplement that was provided on the board docs agenda and um it's all been summarized in the previous slides. So if there are any questions from the board I would be happy to answer specifics. Are there any questions from the board? >> No, I'd just like to say I like to see a green box instead of what we used
017to see, which was very red on this last slide. >> This last box here, it's in green. Good to see. >> Oh, good. Okay. Yeah, I was going to tell you that that is a surplus. So, >> yes. Yes. So, we have underspent our education fund budget, which is good news. That means we are um we have more cash on hand which allows us to fund more of our um expenditures. >> Are they >> and this is only a one-year projection. So this is not a five-year projection. This just says where we plan where we anticipate to end calendar year 2025. Are there any other questions? Trusty question Stanford Trustee uh >> am I on? >> Go ahead. >> All right. Thank you. Um on the very last page for the operations fund, however, we
018are in the negative. So how are we going to pay that 1.1 million >> out of cash reserves? So that 1.1 million is net of uh revenues over expenditures. So we're burning 1 point roughly. Let me let me script to that flip to that page. I know it's quite small, but there is a $1.1 million deficit anticipated for the end of calendar year 2025. And so that offset will have to come out of our cash reserves on hand. >> Is the cash reserve amount anywhere on here? >> Yes, it is. Uh we began the year with roughly $20 million as our beginning balance in the operations fund and we anticipate having $18.8 8 million at the end of this this year. >> Thank you. >> And that is just under the blue bar and also
019right at the bottom where it says cash and fund balance. >> The 18827. >> Yes, ma'am. [clears throat] >> 442. Okay. >> Okay. >> I'm not understanding. I'm sorry. I thought I was where is our cash reserve number at? >> So, we have our cash on hand, which is today, let's just say it is $19 million. We anticipate for the whole calendar year 2025 to burn $1.1 million of that. That's revenues in minus expenditures out. >> Okay. >> And by doing so, we'll end the year with $18 million >> maybe. And that's where this 1.1 almost 1.2 will come out of. >> Yes. So we are comparing what the revenues anticipated are come November and December and saying what we know expenditure what we anticipate expenditures to be for the next two months before we
020end the the calendar year. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. >> So in essence is we're waiting on our property taxes. >> Yes. >> To offset this. Is that >> Well, that that will not offset. We've built in the anticipated property tax revenue. >> Mhm. >> But based on spending trends and things like that, we will anticipate having a a net deficit in our operations fund which taps into our cash reserves. >> Is that clear to everyone? >> So, we'll be able to cover it. >> We can cover. Yes. But it does tap into our reserves. Yes. >> Yeah. So, are we clear? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Um, [clears throat] >> clear as mud. [laughter] >> A little clear. >> Yeah. [cough] So, you might get a phone call, but [laughter] >> that concludes my brief
021financial update. [laughter] >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you for your for your patience, >> Mr. Celas. >> All right. [clears throat] Thank you, Mr. Dalton. Um, next I'm very excited to welcome um Mr. Mr. Smiley Face over there. He seems like he's very excited to come up here. Mr. Alexander Jones, please come to the podium. [applause] He will be talking to us about a peer tutoring club at Morton High School. Welcome, Mr. Jones. >> Hello. I'm just going to test this out real quick. Okay, it works. All right. So, I'm just here to present the tutoring club as the president. Name's Alexander Jones. Um, that's our tutoring club. Um, this is a picture of our tutoring club activities. That's us just helping each other out and getting helped out. [clears
022throat] So, first and foremost, our club mission is to help other people. Secondly, we want everybody to pass or not everybody, but at least more people to pass. And we want to create a safe space for everybody. We create an environment where students are encouraged to do their best academically by using positive reinforcement, kind language, and understanding of others. [snorts] And we find a way to get people to achieve a better educational future by helping them like in a personal matter in subjects that they struggle with. [clears throat] Our club acts as a vessel for students to increase their passing rates, reduce academic loss and engage in an extracurricular which is the club. And the way this helps the fellow students is they get to learn on an even playing field like peer tutoring rather
023than tutoring from a teacher. It helps um people that are struggling find hope. It spreads knowledge like the things that are that they're learning and it builds a community of students between people of different academic backgrounds which would create a more well-rounded school culture. And at the end, this is just some testimonies from people that have come to our club. Um the first one is just talking about somebody who got tutored receiving help. The second one is just a tutor talking about the enjoyment of fulfilling the values of the club, which was helping other people understand. Um, third one was just somebody telling how well of a job they got tutored. And the fourth one was just somebody showing their gratitude. All right, that's it. [applause] >> Mr. Alex, may I say um this is
024powerful >> and um I just want you to you know believe what you have presented to us. It's a powerful statement from one of our own students >> and we appreciate that. And uh how long has this program been going on? This the first year or what? >> It started in September. >> In September. And why did it start? because I wanted to make a tutoring club. [laughter] That's what I said. >> Okay, I won't put you on the spot any more than that. But, uh, again, I was so impressed with you. You literally, you know, put me at my place [laughter] and we're glad to have you here and believe this is huge what you have presented to us and I'm sure it would do well at Morton and I'm sure Mrs. Wheeler is
025extremely excited that she has a stupid student of your caliber that wants to do this. Thank you so much. Let's give him another big round of applause. [applause] >> And one more thing I just wanted to mention. Um, thank you to our sponsors, Mr. Bullock and Mr. Benton who's probably watching from home. And we have some officers, but they couldn't make it. Uh, Marissa Keredine and Esmeralda Aila and Jessica. I don't know her last name, but I hope she forgives me. All right. [laughter] Thank you. >> [applause] >> MR. SELENUS. >> OH, I'm sorry. Go ahead, >> Mr. Yes, Tristy. >> I just have a quick question regarding the tutoring club. Is >> what Mr. Jones has started. Is this something that we can get into some of our other secondary buildings? >> I believe
026so. I believe we have capable kids all across the district. >> I agree. So, >> absolutely. >> Let's get an update on that, Sam. What I what I'll say about this is that uh two things. We all know that we love our teachers. Our teachers go into the profession to teach. Sometimes it takes a peer tutor to just explain it to us in a different way. And that's all this is about. The other thing too is that I want to say is that when you are a student who is learning, if you get the opportunity to teach somebody what you're learning, it also solidifies your learning. Right? So think about something that we've taught to someone. We learn it even better when we teach it to somebody. There's benefits all around. So, all that to
027say, not just the content of of this, but the humility of this young man. I mean, he is an upcoming educational star and probably doesn't even know it yet, but we see you, sir, and we thank you very much. And also the adults who have made this possible. Thank you for supporting him and for encouraging him. We're probably going to have a future educator in our hands right there. >> Thank you very much, sir. [applause] When we have great ideas like this, we have to duplicate these ideas in our other schools as well. So, we'll have an update on that. Trusty Spencer, >> Spencer, thank you for that, Trusty Spencer. [cough] [clears throat] >> Our next item is our first period of public expression. Trustee Stanford. >> We have no speakers for first session of
028public expression. Thank you. Our next item is unfinished business and currently there are no unfinished business and so we'll move on to the minutes. >> Trustees, we have uh our executive session minutes and regular school board minutes to approve. [clears throat] What's your pleasure? Do I hear a motion? >> Madame President, >> trustee Candelera. >> I move for the approval of items A and B. the approvals of the ex executive session minutes October 7th, 2025 and October 21st, 2025 as presented. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly seconded by Trusty Spencer that we approve the executive session minutes of October 7th and October 21st of 2025. Are there any questions? Any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Eyes have it. Thank you. Do I
029hear a motion for uh the approval of item C and D? >> Madame President, >> Trusty Candela, >> I move for the approval of item C and D, the approval of the school board meeting minutes October 7th, 2025 and October 21st, 2025 as presented. >> Is there a second? >> I second. It's been moved and properly seconded by Trusty Stanford that we approve the schoolboard minutes of October 7th, October 21st of 2025. Are there any questions? Any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Eyes have it. Um motion approved. Mr. Selenas. >> The next item is the consent agenda. Trustees, we have our consent agenda in front of us. Uh, what's your pleasure? >> Madame President, >> Trusty Candelera, >> I move for the approval of items A through D as presented. >>
030A through what? >> E. Okay. >> As presented. >> Leave off that personnel report. [laughter] >> Okay. [clears throat] It's been uh Do I get a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and probably second by Trustee Spencer that we approve items A through E under our consent agenda. Are there any questions? >> I would like to review the accounts payable docket register. >> Trusty Stanford. >> Accounts payable voucher record register dated November 18th, 2025 consists of 248 pages. Total claims 1,668,280.78. Total for payroll 2,436,98288. Thank you. Are there any other questions? [clears throat] >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? >> Abstain. >> One abstension. Eyes have it. Motion carried. Thank you, Mr. Selenus. >> [clears throat] >> Oh Jesus. Our next item is new business. Okay. Yes. New business.
031Our first reading for our board policy updates. Mr. Mr. Selenus, can you give us an overview of what how we got to this point today? >> Yes, ma'am. [clears throat] So, as many of you know, we have had um several of our board policies that were outdated. And so, the um task and the goal was to make sure that we brought all of our board policies up to uh current legislative language. And so uh myself along with the district leadership team building principles completed a comprehensive update of all the school city of Hammond board policies uh well over 100 board policies. The process included reviewing each policy to ensure alignment with the most current legislation and required language with the Indiana code. And through this collaborative and thorough approach with our Neiola consultants, all policies
032were updated to reflect the latest legal standards and to support consistent compliant practices across the district. I'd like to share some uh clarification information for anyone who is going through and reading the policies. We have uh in the policies you'll find uh pink uh text that is uh struck through. This indicates any language that has been removed. When you see any green text in the policies, this reflects language that has been added or replaces any of the pink wording. So that is how you will be able to indicate the updates to the language within the policies. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you, Mr. Selenas. Each board member has had an opportunity to go through all 123 board policies. Are there any uh questions by anyone? Well, for the record, we're going to uh this is
033our first reading and we are asking our executive secretary, Mrs. Um, [clears throat] Lopez to include as part of >> No, this is a request. >> This is a request of you to rec include in part of the minutes an exhibit to identify each uh board policy with uh its identification with the name of it. So that'll be part of the record. Correct. And uh I would also like to thank the the person from Niola who assisted us with this project and our attorney as well. So we feel extremely confident that they between these group of folks that they have thoroughly um reviewed our policies and we're ready to move forward. So is that it attorney? >> Yes, that's it. >> Okay, fine. So, this has been our first reading for the record and uh
034thank you very much, Mr. Selenus, our next item, please. >> Do we have the motion and vote? >> Oh, we don't need we need Okay, excuse [clears throat] me. Thank you. Do I hear a motion to accept the first reading of our uh board policies? >> Madam President, >> trustee staff, >> I move for am I still doing approval or >> It's approval on first reading. Yes. >> Okay. Approval on first reading of board policy updates. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly. second um by Trusty Kendalla and the second trust the uh the motion was [clears throat] by trusty Spencer to approve the first reading of our board policies 123 of them. Are there any qu Did I get a Okay. Are there any questions? Any questions? All in favor say I. >>
035I. >> Eyes have it. Motion approved. Thank you very much. Okay, that was harmless. Mr. Selenas. [laughter] >> All right. Our next item is going to be the approval of HF Acorn Grant for Edgars Middle School. >> Do you want to explain that just a little bit? What's going on there? >> Yes. So, this uh Acorn grant was submitted by um Mary Morardi at Edgars Middle School for a community garden in the amount of $3,500. And this is a project that is going to be taking place this spring at Edgar School with our students. >> Thank you very much. And thank you, Mrs. Marriott Arti. [clears throat] Do I hear a motion? >> Madame President, >> Trusty Canalera, >> I move for the approval of the HF Acorn Grant for Edgars Middle School as presented.
036>> Do a second. >> Second. It's been moved and properly seconded by Trustee Stanford that we approve >> Spencer, I'm sorry, the approval of ATF ACORN grant for Edgars Middle School in the amount of $3,500. Are there any questions? >> Any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Eyes have it. Motion carry. Item C. Mr. uh Selenas, please. The next item is the approval of a student leadership day opportunity grant for Hammond Central High School. >> Thank you. Is there a motion? >> Madame President, >> Trusty Canelera, >> I move for the approval of of the student leadership day opportunity grant for Hammond Central High School as presented. >> Second. Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly second by Trusty Stanford. It's trusty Spencer. Lord have
037mercy. Uh for the approval of the student learning day opportunity grant for Hammond Central High School. Are there any questions? Any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Eyes have it. Motion carried. Item D. Approval of LEA high quality early learning curriculum grant. Mr. Selenus. Just a little bit. Oh, yes. Just a little bit. It's for $40,000. [snorts] >> Absolutely. So, this grant uh is for our early learning uh center. And so it is going to be um a grant that uh was received by the IDOE and it is going to serve our students from birth through age 5 >> and also who um our district I read three assessments fell below 70% during the 22 23 school year and so at this time we'd like to approve this grant for
038$40,000. [clears throat] Do I hear a motion for Madam President? >> Trustee Spencer. >> I move for the approval of the LEA Highquality Early Learning Curriculum Grant. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly seconded by Trusty Candelera for the approval of the LEA Highquality Early Learning Curriculum Grant. Are there any questions? Any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Eyes have it. Motion carry. Item E, approval ofou with crisis center, Inc. Mr. Selenas, please. >> Trustees, this umou is in correspondence with our last school board meeting where we had a presentation by Mr. Suarez and also our partners. And so this MOU is just putting that into place and we will definitely be uh benefiting with this partnership because we will be able to implement a teen court option for
039our students uh so that they do not find themselves out of school. This will be a way to keep our students in school and also teach them civil responsibility. >> Thank you so much for giving us a further update on that. Do I hear a motion? Madam President, >> Trusty Kendallera, >> I move for the approval of theou with the crisis center, Inc. as presented. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly seconded by Trusty Guierra for the approval of theou with the crisis center, Inc. in reference to our team court. [clears throat] Any questions? Are there any questions? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any [clears throat] any nazs? Eyes have it. Motion carried. Thank you. Item F, approval of a contract between Healthy Chores Vending and
040Edison Elementary School. This is pretty standard. Do I hear a motion? >> Madam President, >> Trusty Candelier, >> I move for the approval of the contract between Healthy Choice Vending and Edison Elementary School as presented. >> There second. >> Second. >> It's been moved and properly seconded by Trusty Guerrero for the approval of a contract between Healthy Choice Vending and Edison Elementary School. All in [clears throat] favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Eyes have it. Thank you very much. Our calendar. Are we to add those two additional dates? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. >> If the board approves the two additional dates that was that were discussed, we would like to add those to the calendar for November and December, please. >> Okay. Um, Tuesday, December 16th, executive session at 5:15 [clears throat]
041and Tuesday, December 16th, uh, a regular school board meeting at 6 PM. On um, [clears throat] December 25th, we will have a uh, >> November 25th, yeah, Lord have mercy. November 25th, we're going to have a special board meeting for the purpose of our contract, teachers contract. And on December 2nd, we'll be having uh an a special meeting for the purpose of approving our teachers contract. Is that correct, board? Okay, we have that. Everybody have that? Okay, that's our calendar. Mr. Selenus, thank you for approving those dates, trustees. Our next item is public expression second period. Trustee Stanford. >> First speaker is Greg Olston. >> Hope I said that right. >> Do I speak here? >> Yes, sir. >> I will say this is my first time down here, so I'm very happy to come
042down here. Um, I'm coming here on behalf of Hesville Little League. So, we are the only Little League in Hammond. Um, I am coming out today basically to reach out to you guys. We're trying to recruit some more kids for our program. I just got word three days ago that we will be hosting the state softball tournament in Hammond here. It's going to be a very big tournament. All the best teams from the entire state are going to come here. The best part is if we put a good team together of 12-year-old girls, we'll be able to compete in that tournament basically for free because we're able to we're hosting it here in Hammond. So, we just found that out. We worked very hard to get that done. So, um all we're looking to do,
043we're looking to work with you guys to see how we can get some advertisements going home. Uh we'd also love to do some banners at the schools if possible. And so all we're really looking to do is just figure out what we can do to make that happen. Uh we have a a huge board on our team, 18 people that work for us that are really going to push hard this year to make that happen. So I don't have really anything else other than how we can work together to make uh get some more kids involved in baseball and softball. >> Thank you, Mr. Austin. Uh Mr. Selenus, can you get with Kamar Weeks? This is our public relations person, the young lady sitting right there. get with her and I'm sure we can do
044some a partnership to get this information out and thank you so much for coming. >> Oh, right there. >> I'm so excited. Okay. What age girls? >> Uh so we are actually have programs from age uh girls age four all the way to 16. Oh wow. >> So right now our 16-year-old division, there's actually a lot of signups. They were actually practicing yesterday indoors in Hobert getting ready for the upcoming season. Uh but this is the first time we're rolling out T-ball for for young girls. So, so previously we had a co-ed division where it was the four to 8-year-olds were co-ed and now we have a girls only division. We talked to some of the mothers who kind of thought that would be a kind of great idea. So, it's our first time doing
045that. >> Okay. And when is this going to occur and where? >> Uh the state tournament or the entire season? >> The state tournament is in July. So, the exact dates in July are still to uh come out. The state just reached out to us on Sunday to let us know that we, you know, we fought hard for that. It was a whole approval process. So, we got that approved. Uh it should be middle of July somewhere in that July 15th 18th. The final dates will come out in about a month or so. >> Okay, sounds wonderful. >> Yes, we're on board. >> Thank you guys so very much. I appreciate it. [applause] >> Next speaker, Wanda Pucket. She got her dinosaurs on. I'm on the pucket and [clears throat] I got some questions and
046I'm going to need some answers. Are we as adult we supposed to help these kids when they need help? Are we supposed to give back to the community? Why we get put down for giving back? If we want to give back to a classroom, why have we been put down for doing that? We supposed to give. Make those kids feel good coming to school. Show them that we are participating in our community as well as our school. But when we get put down, but trying to show them how much we appreciate them, what are we supposed to say? I got a problem with that cuz I'm going to keep giving to the community and I'm going to keep helping these schools. But when you putting it down that what you think you No, don't talk
047to the parent being a bougie way cuz a lot of y'all is getting to the point now y'all insulting the parent very bougie. >> Yeah. And you think we uneducated but we educated. We know when you insulting us. We know when you putting us down. >> Even though you doing it in a bougie way, we can look and tell. Y'all try to play on our intelligence for the neighborhood that we live in. Don't do it. We have a lot of parents that is scared to come to the board meeting, scared to come to the mic because where we stay at the third district, second district, fourth district, they scared to come. They scared it going to be retaliation on them if they come and speak what's on their mind. To those parents that's giving back
048to those student, keep doing it. And if you have another problem with that, come and see me. I can help you cuz we're going to help these kids because now we need all the help we can get cuz it's going to take a village to raise our kids and make sure they get the education they need. If they need school supplies, give it to them. It ain't going to hurt. And the next time somebody say something about giving back, tell them to come and see me. I got some choice words. That's all I got to say. Thank you. >> That was the last speaker in second session. Thanks, >> Mr. Selenus. >> All right. I have a few announcements um this evening. I would first like to um [clears throat] remind everyone that if there's
049anyone who requires assistance or modifications for effective communication, meaning deaf, heart of hearing or language uh services, interpreting services, we we encourage you to please contact the superintendent's office as soon as possible or no later than 48 hours prior to a school board meeting so that the appropriate arrangements can be made. We want to make sure that our meetings are accessible to the entire community. Um, and just wanted to make that reminder for uh our community. [clears throat] I'd like to start off um this afternoon by honoring the men and women who have served our country with courage, commitment, and unwavering dedication. To all our veterans, we extend our deepest gratitude for your service, for the sacrifices you and your families have made in the name of freedom. At this time, are [clears throat] there
050any veterans that are presently in the audience? If you are, would you kindly stand? Any veterans that are in the audience? If there aren't any veterans in the audience, and there are veterans who are watching from home, we want to say thank you. But we also want to take a moment to thank our very own director of security, Mr. John Suarez, for his honorable military service and for continuing to protect and serve our school community each and every day. Thank you to our veterans for your service. Your bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Can we give a round of applause to all of our veterans [applause] from our community? Thank you. At this moment, I'd also like to shout out Miss Regina Grohar. She in the audience. Regina Grohar, principal of Franklin was recently
051on a state panel in Indianapolis bragging about school city of Hammond and of course her building Franklin on the literacy initiatives. As you all know, we increased our literacy scores in Hammond, but uh Regina was selected from a group of uh principles across the state to tell the Hammond story in Indianapolis. Um was it yesterday? Yesterday. And all of our elementary principles were down there to support her. So, we want to thank her for telling the Hammond story, the Franklin story, and for all [laughter] for all of our elementary principles who are down there supporting her. Thank you, Regina. We appreciate your leadership. [applause] We want to talk and let the community know that Indiana Learns tutoring provides eligible students in grades 3 through 8 with up to $1,000 of uh high dosage [music] math
052and reading tutoring. Okay? So, that doesn't mean you have to pay the $1,000. That means that you get up to $1,000 worth of tutoring services. The eligibility is free and reduced lunch or any student who plus students who are below proficiency on iLearn math or English language arts. Families can check your eligibility and apply at indianalelearns.org uh/families. This link has been added to our social media Facebook page and families can also select to read the information in in Spanish and parents will need to enter their child's STN or date of birth. That link has been updated um as of this evening. And so it should be one of the newest links on our Facebook page for families to be able to take advantage of this tutoring service. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um at our
053area career center, our radio and TV students are going to launch an initiative entitled Know Your Staff Member. They're going to launch a new bi-weekly live stream spotlighting district staff through interviews and a fun family feud style game. The show is filmed at the ACC and streamed on the ACC TV Hammond Student News YouTube channel. The first episode airs this week. Please tune in and support our students. These are going to be our very own students who are going to launch their own uh TV show on YouTube. For this part here, I'm going to put someone on the spot. Miss Kadim Mad Weeks, can you please share with us uh information regarding our amazing district food drive? I know you are very excited about that. [snorts] >> Good evening, Madame President, Trustee, Superintendent Selenos. Um,
054so our last day of collection was Friday. Um, our goal is 70 boxes. Um, and I think we will reach that goal. Today we had um I want to call them our little helpers, our angels here in the district office come and um get some boxes. Right now we have 26 boxes ready. We started contacting our families. Um distribution will be uh Monday from 10 to 3. Um still have quite a few families that I still need to contact. Um but I'm very excited that we're able to do this for our families and our students. Um with the help of Trust Gera, I was able to communicate with some special people from Monster and Dyer. I believe they're from um they used to have a nonprofit organization and they're donating 300 bags of um snacks
055just for the students. So the families are going to get not just the box with um food, groceries, they're also going to get each each child in the family that um we contact are receiving a bag with snacks for the kids. >> So I'm looking forward to seeing all the families on Monday. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >> Mrs. And people can still donate for the turkeys. Is that correct? >> Finance. Okay. >> Okay. Thank [laughter] [clears throat] >> Thank you so much, Mrs. >> We just wanted her to to She lights up when she talks about this initiative. She she just she truly does and we're very grateful for her and for her efforts. Um, our elementary Lego robotics competition teams uh were in the competition this past weekend at IU with very impressive
056results. So, our Lincoln Smartbots uh earned the core values award and the peer award. Our Burns Hicks Bionic Bulldogs earned the engineering excellence award and Coach Felix received the coaching award. Our Irving Investigators earned the motivation award. Lincoln and Burns Higs both will advance to the semi-state competition at Purdue Fort Wayne in December and depending on how they do there, they have the chance to head over to state >> to represent him in his way. [applause] So, congratulations and also good luck to all of our um elementary kids. The city of Hammond Holiday Parade. The school city of Hammond along with our members of our trustees will be participating in the parade on Saturday, December 6th, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The route starts at Gavit High School and walks through Indianapolis Boulevard over to the
057Sportslex. So, uh, please come out, support the parade on Saturday, uh, December 6th, beginning at 1000 a.m. And then for this last, uh, update, I'd like to call Mr. Hicks. This is an exciting, uh, event that will be taking place at the area Career Center uh, regarding our um, Hearts Safe School. Yeah. So, I apologize, Mr. [laughter] I'm sure he could articulate better than I um, what's going to take place with this event. Good evening, uh, Madame President, trustees, superintendent Selenus. So, this is something that I I think tonight is a a night of just opportunities and we have great things that happen uh when people are allowed to just pursue. So, we do have an initiative that we are hopefully and I think this has been vetted by one of our uh instructors at
058the uh Haminary Career Center, Mr. Ryan Cogdale who leads our EMS EMT uh program under the health science umbrella. Uh but there is a uh initiative called project at Adam. Uh so project atom is something that uh the initiative stem from tragedy but it has done wonders. Uh in the year 1999 Adam uh was a student in the state of Wisconsin. Uh was considered a an athlete uh advate tennis player was going to try out. had plans for trying out for the basketball team and I believe as the story goes the student had aspirations of going to Duke to play basketball and uh was considered just your typical student. Uh a tragedy happened on a uh during an event and during that event uh there was not access to an AED. I think AEDs are
059typical within buildings and municipalities. Uh but at the time it was not a thing in that you know 1999 year. Uh but it took and I think the thing that most uh stands out is it took 8 minutes for the ambulance to arrive which is reasonable 8 minutes for an ambulance to arrive on scene. Uh but the unfortunate part is he needed access to an AED 2 to 3 minutes. So he did not have access to it and and it was in tragedy that uh this initiative with project atom uh stems from many schools or organizations uh receiving designation and and the idea is to not only have AEDs accessible to community but also have the training. So we will take part in uh a training uh exercise. We have uh correspondence with the emergency
060dispatch uh where we have to go through the motions as it would be a typical situation and we learn from our drill and we receive designation and and move to uh just guide others and and support the community. So, it is something that we are um I believe going to be the first in the state to receive the designation, go through the drill, but we're hoping that uh it just catches word because the great part is within school city of Hammond, we have new AEDs, which if you see if you ever see an AED, the ones of past are rather large and uh they're maybe not as easy to maneuver, but this thing will uh once you see it, it it just would astound you what technology uh modern technology can do. So, we're appreciative
061to have the AEDs. We really want to get the word out there that you never know when you're going to need it, but it's better to be prepared uh than not prepared. So, we thank you for the opportunity. >> Thank you, Mr. Hicks. >> Thank you. [applause] >> And so, you will see emergency vehicles around the ACC again because like he said, we have to go through the full simulation, but it it's going to um be very very uh helpful. uh Tuesday in in the morning. Do we have a time? >> Okay. So, Tuesday AM at the ACC. Uh but again, it is going to be an an event where it will help us become uh hearts safe certified here in Hammond. And again, AED and CPR training is something that people think, hey, this
062this doesn't apply to me or I don't need it. We never know when we're going to need that. And many of us who have or not many of us, all of us who have our certification in the state of Indiana, this is required. And sometimes what happens is we let it lapse and we forget. And so sometimes we have to remember that we could be in a situation where we would just need to step in and help anyone whether it's an adult, a child. And so I'm very excited to um that this is coming to Hammond. So those do complete my my announcements for this evening. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Are there any questions of any of the announcements we've heard from anyone? I have a question on the ADD. Is this something
063that we'll put in all the schools? I'm not sure how it works. >> I'm sorry. >> This new program or certification, will we My assumption is we'll have somebody in all the schools that will have this >> I >> knowledge. >> Not sure how >> I don't know how that works. >> We definitely would have the opportunity. So the the idea is to spread uh it to every school, every community. So I I think it uh the sky's is the limit. It it only takes you know time and our collaboration and and building that community. So yes, I I believe I don't I don't believe there are restrictions to answer your question and the hope would be yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions? We're good. Okay. Thank you [clears throat]
064Mr. Selenus for your report. Uh any reports from the board? Um, yes, >> Trusty Guierra. >> So, just some PTA information. Um, we have our reflections exhibition. Um, December 5th, we'll be putting out a flyer for that soon. Um, that's at 5:30 to 6:30. We'll be um where the students will show off their work in the hallway. And then we'll have the awards at 6:30. Um, that's at Hammond Central. Um, our Wizards game, we're ramping up. We're getting sponsorships and we're getting the word out there and ticket sales actually go on sale next Monday at 8 a.m. Um, so we'll have a fire put out this week for that. Um, we also have the form put out for people to nominate people who want to play. Um, even if you can't even dribble a basketball,
065you can be on the team. [laughter] You do not need to be a professional. Um, actually that might make it more fun uh for the kids. [laughter] Um, and part of that is is part of the kindness campaign. We had our first one. Um, I did want to say thank you um to Mr. Selenus and Trusty Light King for um kind of getting us going on that and thank you so much to Miss Weekes for um executing a lot of it. Um and thank you for the admins who showed up. We had some parents who showed up. Um the conversation is started and that's wonderful. uh we can create a culture of kindness here in Hammond. Um and hopefully that can spread into um our greater Northwest Indiana community. I also wanted to kind of
066jump on a couple things you said. One, Miss Weekes with the food drive initiative. I wish you could see her office. Um [laughter] and one how much stuff there is and two how organized it looks because of who she calls her little helpers or angels. Um it it takes a team of people. Um and uh we we just have some great people who uh really want to help our kids. Um and that's that's great to see. Um and then last thing that uh Indiana Learns is what it's called, right? Um it's really really easy. I did it last year for um our boy who's in fifth grade now. Um but less than five minutes. parents, please apply for it. It's free money, $1,000. Just >> do not be like me and not use it. [laughter]
067Schedule um they they require you to schedule a um like evaluation almost at first. Schedule it, use it. Um it can help it can really help our kids. And thank you to Trusty Link King for pushing that again, too. >> Thank you. Anyone else? I just want to piggyback on a few things. I want to especially [clears throat] thank Trusty Gear for our kindness campaign. Uh I was so impressed with our first launch. Uh the folks were so uh enthralled in what we were seeing. The presentation Dr. Enus made was just incredible to the point right to the point. We had students there and uh kindness is again it's just not for our students. It's for everybody. And next week we hope to have in red big old red letters kindness because we we have
068to be kind to each other. We have to know how to talk to each other. So we're really going to and and it was just an incredible meeting and I we're going to launch it with our students going to start participating in the whole nine yards. And as far as the wizard game, do you need cheerleaders? Now I could be a cheerleader. [laughter] I can't play, but I'd love to be a cheerleader. So, what's the colors? Just let me know what the colors are and uh we'll get some cheerleaders. Uh Mrs. Pritchette, do you want to be a cheerleader? [laughter] >> So, yes. Uh and we need a photo of her room, Mrs. Week's room, of all of how organized all of this uh giving is is for our students as well. So, I'd like
069to say that. And one last thing, I had the opportunity to attend uh this uh event. It was uh it's called one church, one school, and uh our junior ROC. They were uh they made a request for them to participate and post the colors. And my those kids just made me so proud. Uh their discipline, how they literally had to just stand there quietly while everybody was, you know, coming in being seated in the whole nine yards. They did an incredible job. Also, one of our students, Kyra Roberts, she's a senior at Hammond Morton High [clears throat] School. She was a recipient of one of the scholarships there and uh her parents was there and I was just so proud and before they took the picture, you know, here I come. They said, "Wait, wait,
070here comes Miss King, you know, [laughter] president, you know, I had to be part of that." But what was most profound towards the end of the program, the it was the board director of the Miles College. I don't know if everybody know what Miles College is in Alabama. He announced that they were giving the two recipients. They had two young folks that received the scholarship, an additional $15,000 GAP scholarship on the spot. You know, the parents, they just frankly fell out. [laughter] So, it's when we get our kids involved in one thing, you never know where the next thing is coming. So, of course, Mrs. Howard is so appreciative of of us uh getting her daughter involved in this. So, that's what we do. You know, anywhere we can help to get our young people
071involved. Mr. Austin, I truly appreciate you and we're going to do everything we can to get those kids involved because, you know, social activity that that that creates socialization, uh, skills, you know, all kinds of skills that help them read better and do better. So, we just come together as a team, as a family, and kindness. We're going to get there, right? That's all I have to say. Anything else? Do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion to adjurnn. Thank you very much. See you next month. No, this next week.