001Next item on the agenda is financial reports. However, we have none. You ladies are off the hook this evening. >> Hey, where's your neon? >> She probably changed. >> I did change, but I job today. So, this is what I wore all day. >> All righty. Are there any comments on agenda items from the audience? >> Thank you. Next on our agenda is the personnel report. Mr. >> Mack electronic package reported >> like to make a motion that the board approve the personnel reports as presented. Thank you board. Is there any discussion? Please place your vote. >> I like it when these people in the audience come with happiness. >> Oh, that too. >> There we are. Thank you, board. That passes 6. Our next item is the recommendation to accept the donation from the
002Hobart Moose Lodge. Dr. Buffington. >> Yes. These are our favorite guests. They always come. Come on up, Bill. Bring all all your friends with you. >> Come on, friends. >> Exactly. >> Well, we have a live streaming. >> Yes, we're live streaming now. >> Okay. you like come on up and women of moose. She's wearing a purple shirt with her big heart on it, which they do have a big heart. Um and so for the audience purposes, these are individuals that are from the Hbert Moose Lodge. Um and um they let all of our groups fund raise um to bring money back to the schools and we're just grateful. I was going to say we tend to have people stand over there because then the camera that's live streaming will see you and >> otherwise
003we just get the back of your heads and >> there we go. >> You can see the two black cameras. >> And so this is Bill Sedoris. Can you introduce the rest of your your uh your your friends? >> Sure. Again, this is Jeff Hammond who is our current president of the Moose Lodge and is also our most recent pilgrim which is the highest level uh of Muslim if you will. Um Jeff got it this year and well well earned. >> Way to go Jeff. >> Uh Karen White who is our vice president this year also very active in our women's group. and Jeff Weight, who uh I don't know if he got a board position this year or not, but um he's one of the ones that uh just keeps it running. He's one
004of our main uh main cooks and main people to keep the show going. >> There you go. And so tonight, you're here to present what? >> Okay. So, tonight we have two checks for you. Both of them in the amount of $1,693. One for the men's athletic department and the other for the women's athletic department. >> That's fantastic. >> Very nice. All righty. Thank you so much. So, um, well, first of all, this this goes on all year long and we recognize that you do this for, you know, you this is athletics. I know you do HF, the Hbert Educational Foundation. I know you do theater and it we realize that you make extra spots for our schools and we are really grateful for it. Um, this allows us to do extra things because of
005your generosity. Um, so board, you have in these checks that were just handed to me for $3,246 and let's have the board um take action on that board uh board uh action is requested. >> I'd like to make a motion that the board accept the donation from the Hobert Moose Lodge for the Hobbert High School athletic department. >> We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? >> You guys are fantastic. Thank you. Really, thank you very much. >> Oh, the bowling. Oh, thank you so much for that. >> Awesome. >> Yeah, >> that's bingo. >> My mother-in-law's in town. [Laughter] That was awesome. >> I don't I don't have any idea >> why you people did not take the 80 gallons of liquid margarine we offered you today from the food >>
006pantry. city took it. So >> there you go. >> What you do with gallons of liquid margarine, I don't have a clue, but we got tons today. >> I would like to say that we appreciate all the work that you guys do for us. Um I'd also like to say just because I've had the experience, you guys are very easy to work with and very um helpful and we appreciate everything that you do for our schools. >> Um is the board voting? >> Yes, they should be. >> They should be. because we don't want to give the money back to you. Sure. >> Mr. Rogers is the >> Yes, he is. >> Got it. >> Thank you, sir. >> There we go. >> There we are. We sincere with sincere gratefulness. Thank you. And then,
007you know, again, I'm just gonna say just from a historical perspective that you guys just give back all the time and never going to forget you helping us do that playground at Joy Martin School, but you guys rock. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you so much, Bill. >> Great evening. Thank you. >> It was nice while it lasted. >> One more thing. Thank you for always coming to the meetings to present to us too because that takes effort. We appreciate that >> and we love seeing you. So >> good night. >> Thanks for coming out. >> Our next item on the agenda is a resolution for the transportation department recognition day. Dr. Buffington >> um board in your packet uh that I will be
008uh turning over to uh Mr. Secretary, Mr. for us here in a few moments, but to say a few words about our transportation department. Um just how important and vital they are to a school district and um we have an incredible transportation department and I would just say that um they take care of our children and they're the first to see them, the last ones to see them. Um and they have a heart for kids. That's what I love about them. They're like little mother hens taking care of our students. Um, and it it is great pleasure that we would do a resolution to recognize their department and how hard they work and just how dedicated they are to the students here in Hobert. Um, normally this day is celebrated during National School Bus Safety
009Week, but it falls during fall break this year. So, um, October 20th through the 21st. So, we're going to try to do that the week That's why you're getting it ahead of time. So, I'll turn it over to Secretary Porus for him to do the resolution. >> Okay. So, today we have a resolution number 2025-24, Transportation Department Recognition Day. >> Thank you, board. Your pleasure. I'd like to make a motion that the board adopt resolution number 2025-24 recognizing transportation dayc >> board. We have a motion in a second. Is there any discussion? >> Just really appreciate them. Um >> there's a lot of families out there and a lot of kids that rely on them. Um and it would make their lives a lot more difficult. Um and I think that the referendum for transportation's
010passing percentage really speaks to how important people know transportation is for these kids. Um we have great staff there. Um I I hear all the time about kids uh who like their bus drivers and they and they you know have a lot of fun on the bus. So um just thank them. >> Well said. Mr. Porus, roll call vote, please. And board after your roll call, if you would place your electronic votes as well. >> Yes, we have David Cosby who's absent. Don Rogers. >> Hi. >> Brad. >> Hi. >> Stuart Schultz. >> Hi. >> Frank. Hi, Sandy Hill. >> Hi, >> and I and we passed 6. Thank you, board. >> Our next item on our agenda is another resolution for National Principles Month, Dr. Buffington. >> Yes, board. In your packet, you have
011another copy of a resolution. Um, a very busy month in recognizing individuals that um that help our school district run and take care of the Brickies. So, uh, before turning it over to, uh, Secretary Porus, uh, we just want to mention, um, this is where we recognize, even though it's school principles, we recognize all of our administrators during this month. Um, because you'll find in second semester, there's an assistant principal one. Um, we just take the time now to recognize all of our administrators for the success of our students. Um, they are a vital part of our school. they're your leaders, right? And so, um, they're they work tirelessly and they are totally dedicated to the students of this community and the staffs that that we work with to help bring out the best in
012our students. We have a great team of administrators here that they just they will do anything for students. And the other aspect of it is that they're lifelong learners. They're growing and learning and bringing the best to their staff um so that they can bring the best to our students. So um with that being said, I'll turn it over to Secretary Porus as we recognize principles and the other administrators in our district. >> Yes, we have the school city of Hbert resolution number 2025-25, National Principles Month. I'd like to make a motion that the board adopt resolution number 2025-25 for National Principal School Principles Month as presented. >> Second >> board. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? >> We all know their jobs hard. >> Yes. >> Very hard. >>
013Appreciate all every administrator involved. There's a lot of that are behind the scenes that may not see that are working really hard. >> We talked about that today in our cabinet meeting. >> I'm always amazed at how all of them seem to know all of the kids names. >> I have I have a 12 person baseball team and I'm like somehow they have hundreds. So it's impressive. So they do a great job and they really personalize it um for the kids. And I think that's an important thing to remember is that when you think of a word like administrator, it sounds very firm. It sounds very strict um but they're really uh personalize it and they make it a a personal experience for the children. So we thank them very much. >> Thank you, Mr.
014King. Mr. Pors, if you would do a roll call vote, please. And board, if you would cast your vote electronically as well. >> Yes. David Cosby was absent. Rogers, >> hi. >> Brad, >> hi. >> Stuart Schultz, >> hi. >> Frank, I >> Okay, I do have an important announcement. The Cubs won. [Music] >> Yay. >> All righty. Thank you, board. That pass. Our next item on the agenda is an overnight study trip request for the Hbert Middle School Natural Helpers Fall Retreat. Dr. Buffington. >> Oh, isn't this a great request because if you um are a student um that's graduated or even if you're one of our current students. I don't know if either of you went on that trip as a middle school or you didn't, but a lot of people are reminded
015of just how wonderful this trip is. And so this is a chance for students that have been selected to help be leaders at their middle school and this year uh the fall retreat um and we take them to Cedar Lake Ministries out in Cedar Lake and they would be leaving on November 7th, returning on November 8th. Uh they will be chaperoned by Aaron Swafford and Scott Swanson. Uh notice that Scott Swanson 32nd retreat, Aaron Swaffford 28th retreat. Um and so they bring tons of experience to this and on top of that bringing new strategies to help kids become leaders and leaders of leaders in their school. So um it just offers all kinds of opportunities to to do team building uh how to help in difficult situations um and they become positive role models at
016their school. It's highly recommended that uh we permit this to go on um because it's tradition, right? And we do build leaders out of this uh natural helpers uh retreat that they go on. Board action is requested. Uh highly recommended. >> I like to make a motion that the board approve the natural helpers overnight study trip for the Hbert Middle School Natural Helpers as presented. We have a motion and a second. Board, any comments or discussion? Sorry. >> Just want to thank them for that dedication. That's a lot of years to go on a retreat. >> It is. >> As a parent of a child that has gone, um it is definitely a worthwhile experience. They do enjoy it and there are lots of things that they do learn. So they are able to take
017that with them as they move on to the high school level as well. And we pass that 6. Thank you board. Our next item on the agenda is a public hearing for our 2026 budget and 2026 school bus replacement plan. Mr. Glover >> or you will recall that we presented the advertised budget at the September 18th board meeting subsequently advertising on September 19th. >> Thank you, Mr. Glover. And at this time, I'd like to open the public uh comment. Are there any comments from the public? If not, I'm going to close for public the public hearing for public comment. Thank you very much. And I also uh would ask the board for a motion and a second. I'd like to make a motion that the board direct the 2026 budget and bus replacement plan to
018be placed on the October 16th, 2025 meeting agenda for formal adoption. >> Second. >> Thank you board. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion prior to voting? >> If not, please place them. And we pass 6. Thank you board. Our next item on the agenda is an authorization for transfer of funds from the education fund to the operations fund. And that again is Mr. Glover. >> For budget year 2025, 5,756,966 was approved for transfer from the education fund to the operations fund. to date 2,570,000 has been transferred. Um at this time we are requesting an additional transfer of $1,325,000 from the education fund to the operations. >> Forward. Your pleasure. like to make a motion that the board approve the transfer as presented and authorize the treasure of the school city
019of Hbert to transfer 1,325,000 from the education fund to the operations fund. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? If not, please place your vote. And again, we pass 6. Thank you, board. Our next item on the agenda is updates, announcements, and reports. Dr. Buffington, in your packet, you have a copy of the weekly agendas from all of our schools, and you also have the Brick Center newsletter. Um, and quite enjoyable. I always love reading the Brick Center. >> Thank you. And our next item on the agenda is upcoming activities and events. >> Alrighty. Um so October 3rd is pretty big day um for HOSA's ballast blood drive in the fieldhouse. October 4th fire prevention open houses. October the 6th is a free parent community workshop high and
020plain sight. Um, this would be at the Dean and Barbara White Center in Marville and it's presented by Tall Cop. It's to help parents be educated about substance in the community um prevention uh strategies and working with your kids. October 6, human growth and development parent night uh here at the boardroom. October 12th is harvest homecoming. Um we encourage the community to come out and support the Hobbert Educational Foundation's big fundraiser um with this uh it's going to be brunch um and and there's beautiful items that are part of our auction and it's from 11 to 2 and let me just say uh a great word on the Hover Educational Foundation with their fundraiser. This is their big one of the year. Um, this this allows them to do scholarships and grants for teachers. Um,
021so the scholarships for students, grants for teachers, it's a it's a fun event. Um, and let me just say, and I keep repeating it, for those that are coming, my dog basket this year is bigger and better than all previous years, and I want to be the biggest earner. That's my goal every year. And I already know people will be trying to get it. All right. an allimp important October break. Um, and that would be October fall break, October 20th through the 24th. Um, and then let's not forget the aquatic centers takes reservations for parties and all kinds of other events that you can hold in the aquatic center. >> Thank you, Dr. Buffington. >> You are quite welcome. >> And our next item on the agenda is comments. And we will start with you
022again. Well, I just want to say hats off to the community and our students and everyone for homecoming last week. It was one of the best homecomings and even though we didn't come back with a victory, I would just say that the community spirit for it was really spectacular. Uh the parade was fantastic. Uh I know the seniors won't want to hear this, but I was thoroughly impressed with our freshman class. Um they walked away with best uh float theme. Um I mean a a float spirit, I should say. And it's usually very it's just so unusual for se for the freshman class to to be that active. So um they sounded great at the pep rally. uh they just did a really fantastic job and everyone did school spirit all the days were followed
023um just the assemblies at the middle school and the high school and then just seeing all of our elementary kids participating with those spirit days as well and I I just think that there's such a great sense of of pride and tradition that goes with it and it was alive and well. you could definitely see it and it'll put a smile on your face. So, um with that being said, I would just say let's keep that up. Um that's what makes Brookies unique is that we just feel like we're one big family and uh we support each other and we love a great uh competitive game. And again, I wish we would have won the game, but you know, I still can just say for how everybody responded to come out and support the Brickies,
024that's really beautiful, right? Um, other than that, um, I don't really have any other comments except for way to go, Brickies. >> Thank you, Mr. Glover. >> Nothing Russ. >> Thank you, Mr. Longer. I'm >> fine tonight. Thank you, >> Mr. M. Mr. >> I guess I would also just like to college which was another fun city. It's an annual fall campaign that Indiana does. It's not just about college. It's also about careers etc. Uh, so it was neat to see the participation this week. Each day was I'd be remiss not to say the yellow shirts that you'll see. It's been really neat to hear about uh all the students that take pride in wearing those. One of our elementary principles said uh since receiving it this week, they've already had students wear them multiple
025times. I've also heard an administrator say that every year there are students who choose that given to them that was pretty cool. So it gives you a sense of pride in who we are as a district. >> Thank you for that. I do want to just comment too as I was coming out of the ad building yesterday and you know that backs up to the middle school for the audience that uh may be watching this live. Um I had one of our middle school students and another middle school student and I recognized he wasn't wearing the shirt. Well, of course, all of us have the shirt on. And I said, "Hey." I go, "Where's your shirt?" And it was the sweetest thing ever, which you know, we want to recognize kids that are kind and
026are being good citizens. And he said, "There was a student at the middle school that did not get one." And he said, "I didn't know why, so I gave him mine." And I said, "That is really spectacular." Where Mr. Wolf was out going. He was actually on his way to the high school and I said, "Well, can you stay right there?" And and I called my office. I walked back in the office and I got him a shirt and I brought it out and I said, "Do you think this will fit you?" And he's like, "Yeah." And he put it on over his shirt and I just want to commend him. His name is uh Mario and he was just being a great bricky and being kind to someone. For whatever reason, that person had
027not received their shirt and he gave them his. So, we corrected that. I love those kind of stories and I want to see and hear more of those. That's what being excellent on purpose is all about. Um, you can be academically inclined and we want that. Absolutely. That's why you're here. But we're here to teach you to be good citizens too, right? And he displayed that. So, thanks for the reminder on that, um, Dr. Craig, because the shirts were wellreceived and the kids are proud of them. But keep in mind we when we do college go week um it's really we talk about this all year long but we celebrate it this week and this is where we go in and we talk to kids about future careers. The um and I do appreciate the
028reminder the early learning center had so much equipment. I could not believe how much equipment from NIPCO truck bucket trucks to food trucks. you name it. And all of our kindergarteners were going through all of the stations just learning what it means to have an important job. Um, today, uh, Mrs. Passion, Mrs. Adams, and myself, we presented to eighth graders, getting them in the thought pattern of what's going to happen this school year, prepping them to come here next year to get into those career pathways. So, um, learn more magazines at all the other levels. Uh, everybody has something that they're doing this week to celebrate college and career uh, go week, but again, I do want to emphasize we do these things all year long. It's just a big celebration right now. Um, if
029you would, you you know, you can't see it, the audience can't, but obviously you can see the savings since 2018, $9 and a half million dollars to our Hbert families for kids that take early college at our high school. one year uh worth of college, two years worth of college, an associates degree, or a certification or a technical certification. 41% of the class graduated with some sort of credential in 2024. That's a remarkable statist statistic and we want to keep seeing it climb. So, I can't wait to see what the class of 2025 brings. So, that's more comment. >> Thank you, Mr. Rogers. >> I just like to say that I was very impressed with the size of the crowd at the game. Johan's army is just amazing. >> Doing a great job. >> It
030keeps growing, too. I think they're going to be in another section. I think they just have the greatest time every week and it's it's really impressive and I think it helps the rest of the stands. >> I wish I wish they could have made that touchdown. >> It was a good game. Mr. King, >> just thank you all for the hard work. I know that budget's a lot. So, thank you. >> Mr. Schultz, >> all right, ladies. Who's going first? >> Do you have your microphone? >> H >> borrow Mr. Schultz's um Can you Thank you. Okay. Okay. Hopefully you can hear me. But um I will say uh especially with homecoming week being over now, getting to see everything that we put on. So the march, you know, um the parade downtown, the locker
031bays, decorations, games, everything. Um it was spectacular. So I'm definitely super grateful to be a part of groups like student council that are heavily involved with homecoming. Homecoming is usually like our biggest event all year. So, I'm super glad that we were able to pull it off so well this year. I'm also super happy that we have such an involved freshman class this year. That's also something we talked about in student council because normally the freshman take a bit longer to like get adjusted to the high school. So, for them to have, you know, decorated locker bay, decorated float, and to bring home awards, I was like I was so proud. I was like, "Oh my gosh, you should be." And you know what? when um when I was judging the floats, they actually told
032me that that they thought their lacquer bay would win because it was so good. And you're right, the lacquer bays were amazing. Um so great great school spirit. >> Absolutely. And on like the senior side of things, um I've been doing some college visits, so I've been kind of traveling around. But something I noticed like no matter where I go is that, you know, you're surrounded by students from so many different They come from different parts of the state. They go to different schools. One of the biggest things for me as like a bricky going around and meeting these other kids is that you don't realize how good you have it sometimes until you meet others from other schools. So like for example, um I was actually speaking to this girl from Montana and she
033told me that she's from a super rural part of Montana and that for the past five years um her school has not had a math teacher. So all the math she's taken has been online and that um when it comes to like learning math and getting help for math, it's extremely difficult because her school district could not afford to give their high school students a math teacher. So just hearing that um and then comparing that to like the resources we have here, I'm just definitely super grateful that not only that I'm a bricky, but that I can say like wow like this is the community that I'm a part of and that we don't have to face hardships like that. >> Well, thank you for that, Shuene. Very well said. >> Yes. >> Um to
034comment on the freshman, they are very involved. I do appreciate that. However, seniors did still win. >> Um I'm not biased or anything. >> Um and then I do want to thank the Moose Lodge for all that they do for um extracurriculars at the high school as a part of theater and choir. I do receive the benefit from that and I definitely do see that in those programs. And then I also want to thank the transportation department. Um, as a part of Wolf Gang, we do use the um, the white buses quite often because we do have to travel for our jobs. I used one today. Um, and then also my bus driver who I drive now so I don't ride the bus. However, she always like waves at me whenever she sees me like
035driving down the street or when I'm like getting out of my car because she recognizes me from even though it was two years ago, she always waves at me and it like it brings a smile to my face that like she remembers me even though we never like actually talked. So yeah. Yeah. Um that brought me that brings me joy and that just shows like how much our bus drivers um care about the students and things like that. >> Yeah. They're amazing, aren't they? >> Yes, they are. >> We really appreciate them. Thank you, Mr. Porus. >> Uh, yes. I also like to comment about the Hover Moose. It's always a great time when we go there to play bingo. The food's great and the gift baskets are great also. And of course, I was
036pleasantly surprised to see they donated the money equally between the boys and girls. >> I did get a chance to go to the homecoming game. Even though this time, we definitely will get them in sectionals. But I do like to note I want to point out two things that I really liked about the homecoming game. Uh the first one was the band. They did a great performance at halftime and the cheerleaders also I thought was >> Yes. Their show was amazing, wasn't it? Wow. >> Both both performances outstanding. But I I mean like the cheerleaders, they were over the top. It was amazing. I keep using the word amazing, but it's true. It was it was something. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hen. >> Very few words tonight. Just proud to be a >> Ricky. [Laughter]
037>> That was a great announcement, especially sitting next to Mr. Glover here. >> I was getting texts. >> All right. Um, just we are a week away, just about from the end of the first nine weeks. >> Um, I just want to Shout out to the teachers and students for putting forth their best effort in the beginning here of the school year. And I just hope that they continue to put forth um the same amount of effort throughout the rest. Um and like everybody said, I'll just echo that homecoming was um pretty awesome this year. Um the school spirit was over the top. The community support was over the top. It really was a great homecoming and um the bricky pride and tradition is is really going well and alive. should and we should give
038a shout out to Mr. Black and all the sponsors of Johan's Army. Um, you know, starting the school year off with an assembly was a huge thing that the high school did and it was showing them how they should be a brickie and how they should act in an assembly, how they should participate when they're at a game, learning how to do cheers, learning how to be a part of the school spirit. And quite frankly, we as administrators, we all recognize that we think that that's what spearheaded all of it. Um that Johan's army took the lead. Um and that's with Mr. Black working with uh their sponsors and the age club. And you Pat Skoon and I would know this for all of you that have not gone down to the historical society and
039gone through a gazillion annual yearbooks. But we used to have an H club and um you know they had the big H on the chest and um they were a huge part of school spirit and so you have that H club that's actually that committee leadership helping form you know like keeping Yan's army going and all of that came from our athletic director and so I'm very proud of Mike Black because you can tell the difference this year. >> He did tell me that they were starting age club back up. Did that happen already? Yeah, they've had meetings and everything. I missed that. >> Okay, >> good. And I don't have any other further comments. >> I'd like to point out since you went to the other stuff, the new uniforms were furnished by a
040former alumni of being paid for the entire set of uniforms. >> Oh, the black ones. >> Some range of $6,000. >> Very nice. I was wondering about that. They looked really sharp. >> Thank you for that, Mr. Rogers. >> That's wonderful. If there are no other comments, I will be adjourning the sorry adjourning the meeting here at 7:37. Thank you. >> Thank you.