001[Music] I'm sorry. I don't know. This is where my my thing is at. So, this is where I went. >> There we go. All right. If everyone is in, I'd like to say that we did meet in executive session this evening and I would like to call the meeting to order at 710 and start with the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy and justice for all. All right. And our first item on the agenda is the approval of minutes. Attached are the minutes of the regular session meeting held on July 17th, 2025. Board, your pleasure. >> Like second. >> We have a motion and a second. >> Is there any discussion? If there is no discussion, board, if you would please
002place your votes. >> Okay. All right. And we have a 70 vote. Thank you, board. All right. on our agenda is financial reports, but we don't have any of those. So, we will move on to the next item, and that's any comments on agenda items. Are there any comments on the agenda items? >> That would also be a no. We'll move on to the next agenda item, which is the personnel report. >> Mr. M. action requested. >> Like to make a motion that the board approve the personnel reports as presented. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second for the personnel reports. >> You may place your votes there. If there is no discussion >> at this time, do we have everything filled? >> Yes, we do. Good job. >> All right. And
003that vote passes 70. Thank you, board. >> Next on the agenda item is the recommendation to accept, my apologies, my mouse is all over the place here. >> There we go. The Lake County Supporting Addictionfree Environments or the SAFE grant. Dr. Buffington. In your packet, you have a copy of the award notice from SAFE. Uh Debbie Matthysse is our representative to SAFE. Does a wonderful job with them. Um this year we are doing um a book study with our freshman class in health and it's the seven habits of highly effective teams and this grant will pay for that and board action is requested to accept the grant so that we can proceed. >> I'd like to make a motion that the board accept the Lake County supporting addictionfree environments grant as presented and authorize the
004superintendent to execute the grant documents. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? >> Great job. >> If there is nothing further, board, please place your vote. >> And that passes 70. Next item on the agenda is the recommendation to accept the contract with Indiana Online Academy Flex Ed. Dr. Buffington >> board. Um in your packet you have a recommendation to accept this contract with the Indiana Online Academy Flex Ed. Um this is how we will be taking care of some enrollments for world languages. Board action is requested. Make a motion that the board approve the contract with Indiana online academy flexed and authorize the superintendent to execute the contract agreement. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second on the floor. Board, is there any discussion? >>
005Since there is not, please place your votes. >> And we pass 70. Thank you, board. The next item on our agenda is a potential conflict of interest disclosure. Dr. Buffington, >> um, in your packet, you can find the enclosed conflict of interest disclosure for, um, Ricky Guthrie due to her sister being employed as the director of transportation. Um, and it is requested that the board um take this disclosure and act upon it to be filed with the state board of accounts in the Lake County. >> I'd like to make a motion that the board accept the disclosure statement and direct the superintendent uh file the document with the state board of accounts and the le county clerk. >> Second. >> There is a motion and a second. Is there any discussion board on the item?
006If not, please place your vote. >> And that vote passes 70. Thank you, board. >> Next item on the agenda is the first reading of the resolution adopting updates for the Hbert School Board policy. Mr. Longer, >> do you have a resolution? questions about any of the exhibits. to address them. Vast majority of the changes policy changes last session. Okay. Thank you, sir. Mr. Porus, would you please read the title of the resolution? >> Sir, we have a resolution number 2025-20, a resolution approving amendments to the bylaws and policies for the board of school trustees for the school city of Obert. >> Thank you. Your pleasure. >> Like to make a motion that the board adopt resolution number 2025-20 for the bylaws and policy changes in the comprehensive document titled bylaws and policies of the
007school city of Hbert and move to the second reading and possible adoption to August 21st 2025 board meeting. >> Second My apologies. Board. Mr. Porus, would you please do a roll call vote? And board, would you also record your votes electronically? >> Uh, David Cosby, >> hi. >> Don Rogers, hi. >> Brad Kei. >> Steuart Schultz. Hi. Frank Fors votes I. Sandy Hill. >> Hi. and Ricky. >> Hi. And that passes 70. >> There we are. Thank you, board. >> The next item on our agenda is the updates, announcements, and reports. >> Dr. Buffington. >> That's right. Um, you can see in your packet, you have back some uh the welcome back Ricky family packet. Uh, you have the welcome back Ricky staff packet. Make Make sure that you take a look at the packet
008for the staff. You are certainly welcome as they return on Monday to come join us for breakfast at 7:30. Um we have a keynote speaker Jimmy Casses. We he is a fabulous keynote speaker. Um doing something called words on the wall. Um because we want to make sure that all of the things that we believe are not just words on the wall that we are acting them out in good faith. Um he's comical but he is really quite effective. you are certainly welcome to join us for that. Um the second day of teacher uh their second day back, they have uh a wide selection of things that we're going to be training them in for the first part of the day and then we welcome back our students on Wednesday. Um and so we'll be
009excited to see all of them. Uh you also have some of the the uh welcome back information from some of our our other buildings is there some of them are still finishing their updates for their staff. Thank you, Dr. Buffington. >> The next item on our agenda is comments, and we will start with you. >> Well, I can say that we're ready to go. Um, and I I want to thank all of our support staff that's been working all summer to prepare for our students to come back and our staff to come back. Um, I definitely want to say an extra word of kindness to um, our transportation department, you know, passing their bus inspection. They have a new director, new secretary. Um, that's going well. And then, of course, we have a new fruit
010service director. We have a new director of facilities. So, there's a lots going on over in the support um, department and they're doing a great job. Um, it's great to have the principles back with our clerical, our administrative assistants. Um, all ready to go. As far as your central office staff that works all year long, um it's been an extremely busy summer. Want to make sure that I thank the people to my left. Um you know, people wonder what we do in the summertime. We work hard um prepping for um whether it's budget, uh whether it's uh capital improvement, whether it's board policy, whether it's curriculum updates. um we do it all in the summertime prepping for people to come back or whatever legalities that we have going on um that we have to fulfill
011um for the school corporation. So um a special thank you to all of you and um other than that um we had Ricky Rush and we had our kindergarten uh uh students got to ride the bus with their parents um and so that's always exciting and fun. Ricky Rush went really well and um I think we're ready to go. Uh all this preparation and hard work and we'll welcome them all back next week. So there you go. We're all set to go. >> Mr. Not much for me. >> Mr. King, >> I think uh just looking forward to everybody coming back. It's been busy busy, but um it's been great with high school and middle school. They've had their their pictures and everything already. They're back to school and their orientation and It seems like
012the kids are pretty excited. It's really great to see them all. >> Mr. Longer, >> just remind the board that the proposed board meeting. Thank you, >> Mr. M. >> Just looking forward to next week. Um, it's always an exciting time having staff back in the buildings, although it's a different feel in the summer. As Dr. Buffington mentioned, it's certainly busy. Um, appreciate all of the staff that work really hard this summer with anything and everything. Just getting ready for this year. Um, I'd also like to thank Dr. for an outstanding administrative leadership retreat last week, two weeks ago. Kind of feels like it was yesterday. Uh but that's always a great time for our administrators to reflect on the prior year and get ready for the new school year, set that vision for what
013we expect for our students. So, always great. And then as she mentioned with Jimmy Cass coming next week, really looking forward to that. He was here in June presenting to administrators from across the region and I really enjoyed his presentation. So looking forward to that and then obviously looking forward to having our students back with >> Dr. I'd echo the same comments. I was with some teachers today and it was neat because they said a couple of them said, you know, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but I'm really excited to come back and you can say that, you know. Um, so that was neat. And I would also say while I was here, I'm sure Dr. Buffington would comment on this. Couple sess times ago, weeks ago, uh, Judge Longer and
014I we mentioned I've seen some people from VO County uh through uh that commented on Hbert High School. They were going to come up here and they said, "Are you from Hbert?" And he said, "We are." And they said, "We want to see Hbert High School." And so I looked out in the hallway today and sure enough, there they were. They had two little buses of people that they brought uh and I saw Craig leading them around with some others and thought that was pretty neat, you know, and they kind of waved. So, I thought, how cool was that? You know, that this building is still a showcase. So, I am I'm excited to see kids and staff come back as well. A lot of hard work this summer. I too would echo those comments
015about the administrative retreat, Dr. I know she's invited, >> Mr. Cosby. Um, again, just a big thank you to Dr. Buffington and everybody to her left for everything that you guys have done over the summer to get everybody ready to come back. Um, just a quick note from the education foundation meeting last week. Um, looks like they have officially decided that they are going to host the taste of autumn, whatever. I don't know what it's called now. >> Harvest Homecoming, I'm sorry. Uh, here at the high school. So, it's going to be held in the great hall. Um, still trying to finalize a menu and based on that to try to decide on a ticket price for sure, but um looks like we are definitely going to be doing that here. So, I think it's
016exciting. I think it gives the education foundation a bigger opportunity to make more money um bringing down that cost of ticket price and attendance and hopefully getting some more people uh to be here on a Sunday. It's going to be more of like a brunch uh concept instead of the later evening dinner type uh meeting that we've had in the past. >> And then uh I would be a little myself to not mention that Friday night is our soap game uh for football. Uh it's our first inner squad scrimmage. Uh attendance is uh one bottle of body wash to get in the gate. Uh so come out and support uh the football team and uh their first opportunity to showcase their talent to the community. That's all I >> have been in the locker room
017[Music] in the lockpially during this kind of heat. >> Thank you very much for that side of the room. I can't even imagine how much work that is over there and somehow you always get it done just in time. I'm going to try and do better on the on coaching. This is my 57th year of coaching and that's the only test that I don't do very well on. >> If I get 100, I'll let you know. >> Looking forward to it, >> Mr. Keane. >> Um I think that everybody kind of said a good piece about just the the work that you guys put in on that side of the room over there. Um being a parent who became an audience member years who has now become a member of the board. Um my respect
018for what you guys do has only increased with each level um of increased attendance that I've had. You guys uh have a very difficult job and people don't realize how hard it is to keep up uh with the the laws and the changes in the kids and to still not just comply but to exceed and to to really offer a great uh education here at Hoverbert. Um and I really just put it out there to the public that you guys do fantasting [Music] up on us. Um I can't believe it's like next week, but I'm definitely really ready to be back. I'm excited to be back. The board's doing great work and like even with just this meeting, even though we don't have a big audience today, um we're still going above and beyond to
019make sure that everything's prepared for when the school year starts. So, thank you for all your time and commitments over the summer. next week. >> Um I would be remiss not to say that some of the work that uh did with me with our graduate last year validictorian um we worked on a mentor program um and I met with uh Debbie Matthysse our director of SEAL and Sean Zolads and we refined uh what some of the work was that we did and um I think we're going to be instituting that very quickly here. Um was wouldn't have been possible without some of the work that Xene did with Hana and myself. And so pretty excited about it. Then I took that and refined it a little bit for the middle school and um the elementary
020schools. And so our goal um is to make sure that kids understand that mentorship is an important part of life. Um and and so it's not just one mentor. There's many people that you will encounter in your life that can help you be the best version of yourself, right? And so, Shu Jing was really on it with me and um and Buana as well. You could tell her where we are. I sent the final draft to to Shuing for her to take a look at and um she endorsed it which was good for me um because I wanted her feedback on it and hopefully she's going to join it. We'll get some of the other people helping us as well. I I think that, you know, a compelling story, you'll see it in the Bricky
021podcast that I do with people. Um, as you get uh Focus on Excellence this next uh go around tomorrow, um you're going to see a memorable cast on the Bricky Experience podcast show with the mayor on what it means to be a Bricky, right? And it's a great one if you don't understand like the Brickyards and everything else. Um, but I also introduce in this newsletter the first podcast show on mentoring. Um, and this was really heartfelt coming from a student that attends here. You will see him on the Ricky podcast show with us. Um, I want to thank Chris for helping me with it. Um, but he's the one that came to me and asked for a meeting and he thought every kid should have a mentor and he has a compelling story why.
022And so that's uh one of the things that we've really worked on is to help kids see that there are people that believe in them that they have to believe in themselves and how do you get the right direction and guidance from some people that can lead you along the way. A sneak peek of other podcasts that have been about mentoring. Bernie Carter, our Lake County prosecutor, he's been on the podcast show. Um, and then in addition, our mayor came back for a repeat. And let's just say he has a great story to tell kids. Um, and I hope they listen because it's compelling. We want kids to see that that people are in places that they are right now because other people have helped them see what's inside of themselves um when sometimes they
023don't see it. Right? So, looking forward to that. We've worked hard on on finding potential, hidden potential, who believed in you, mentoring, um, and how do we take care of all of that, right? So, it's going to be a great school year, and I'm looking forward to working with Shujene. This will be uh one of our our big goals that we had last year, right? >> So, thank you for all your help with that, >> Mr. Forest. >> Yes. I'd like to wish our fellow senior here a successful senior year. Uh definitely uh take your time and enjoy the year because it's going to go very quick. >> So I wish you the best. >> Um secondly, I was over by the middle school the last couple days kind of more in the way than
024trying to help out. >> Thank you, Mr. >> But it was nice to see all the nervous energy and the excitement of both the parents and the administration, the kids especially, uh trying to learn how to work their lockers and everything. So yeah, so everybody's looking forward successful. >> Um, I'd like to say thank you for all the hard work this summer and the leadership that you've all provided um for this upcoming year. Um, your planning and your vision is what makes it happen. But I also want to say for our teachers, uh, what an exciting time this is because you talked about looking at potential. every student that walks in the classroom. How many jobs do you get to do that do over button once a year where you get a fresh group of
025students and they all come to you and they really are like sponges. They're ready. They may all show you in a different way, but it's finding that potential in them that starts on day one. So, I'm excited for the new school year for them. that they won't be able to sleep Tuesday night. But I did, >> believe it or not, I've been doing this for 39 years. I don't sleep either. >> I don't either still. And I don't have a classroom and I don't sleep. >> Yeah. >> But Mrs. Miracle had put something on there that I thought was the most precious thing about her grandchild that's starting kindergarten. When they met their teacher, they gave them some little confetti to put under their pillow. good start to a school year confetti. So, I thought
026that was really special >> and I hope that everybody sits on their confetti Tuesday night, come back ready to work. >> Um, both Mr. King and Mrs. Halen both have already said that the people on our left with their leadership and their preparation and their guidance, it just didn't quit over the summer. And we appreciate that. And we appreciate that you put that in every day regardless if school is in session or not. And we appreciate that. Um and like Mr. Keane said, if only our community would understand just that we don't stop here and that we do it for our kids. And so with that, um I'd like to say thank you. Um Shuen, Mr. Pors is correct. It will go by very fast. >> Um and I would say good luck, but I
027don't think you need it. I I think that um you and Grace will be just fine. And um I look forward to Wednesday. So I think we are done here. Let me just do one more thing and that is the adjournment of the meeting. >> Thank you board and we will see each other next time on August the 21st. I thought you