001I think we start. How are you? All right, welcome everyone to the regular board meeting of Smith Green Community Schools of Monday, February 16th, 2026 at 6:30. Please rise for the pledge of >> aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The mission of Smith Green Community Schools by focusing on excellence in education and providing opportunities for all students to succeed. We strive to be the best small school in Indiana. Please join me for a moment of meditation. Thank you. First thing we have up is our Student spotlight on success. Mr. Gunther, >> he's out of his way. All right. So, when Mr. Gaff and I were talking about doing our student spotlight, we
002were really excited because some of our test scores came in and we had a few perfect scores on our last island checkpoint. Um then we gave the next two grade levels their checkpoint and we realized the room grew quite a bit. But that's a really good problem to have. So last year we piloted the island checkpoint. Um and this year we're taking it on full swing. I'm sure we do it three times a year prior to the big summitive test at the end of the year. And so today we are recognizing seven of our students who I think are sprinkled in here who scored a perfect score on the second I learned check. So out of the three grade dolls that took it, we had seven that had perfect scores and we're extremely proud of
003them. Mr. G's going to share some more data from the whole grade and how proud we are of those kids, but these seven are kind of the the highlight of that bar. So, when I call your name, if you'll come up and get your certificate. We've got Cameron, Reed, Grayson, and Samson who all received perfect scores on the third grade math assessment. And then on the fourth grade ELA assessment, we've got Elijah and Tyson. And last but not least in our fifth grade ELA assessment, we've got Henry. Did I miss anybody? Okay, very good. So, very proud of you guys. Like I said, we'll talk a little more about the data going on, but these are seven that scored perfect on their assessment. So, Grayson, Henry, and Elijah. Now you guys get to find a
004way to fit in that little space to get your picture. Okay. However, we fit. >> However, in front of anybody. >> Congratulations. Great job. Congratulations. >> Awesome job. >> Congratulations. >> Good job. Awesome work. >> They will try and sell you on how the board meeting is more. >> Yeah, you're certainly not going to hurt anybody. >> Congratulations. Very impressive. Thank you for coming. outside. >> How are you? See you tomorrow. Whenever you're ready, staff spotlight. >> Staff spotlight. I am pleased announce that for January our staff spotlight is Mr. Jared Thompson. He was nominated I think a record 21 times 21 times and this is what they had to say about their teacher. He is kind and very funny. He is nice. He is the best social studies teacher in the history of social
005studies. He is kind and caring teacher. He's very thoughtful and kind. He is a great guy and he is funny. He's really a good teacher and should be nominated for this award. He is very kind and and gives us jolly adventures. He is still kind and fun. He is the best teacher ever. He's a great teacher and a great person to be around. He is a great and fun teacher. He is uh really funny and is very nice and very good at his job. I recommend him because a funny and amazing teacher. He is cool, funny teacher and is good at teaching. He's incredibly welcoming and caring to all of his students and to this day he still lets me visit his room and listen to me rant about concepts. He is very understanding and
006I can uh talk to him about anything. Uh he has been doing a great job teaching some people and keeping everything in line and in order. He is funny and does a good job. He's very kind and supportive and he is fun and really nice teacher. So, congratulations to Mr. Thompson, one of our outstanding one of our many outstanding educators here at Smith and it is very nice being congratulations to him and because um obviously we're in February have another one and this is Mr. Zack Doc. Uh he was nominated by several of his uh students as well. And this is what they had to say about Mr. D. He's very good coach and teaches and teacher and brings the best out of you. He's always involved with the kids and wants them to make
007them the best that they can be. He pushes us in weights uh to make us better and he is funny. He is very awesome. best class and he works hard because he coaches a bunch of stuff. So congratulations to uh both those gentlemen. Uh again I think we feel very fortunate to have the quality of staff that we do and these are just two outstanding one of many outstanding staff that we do have. So, it's nice to be able to recognize them and show them. Next, we have a special presentation um strategic planning. Um our uh first of four um is the first one is February, March, April and May board meetings. U there will be a special presentation highlighting the four pillars of a new strategic plan. The four pillars are curriculum and instruction
008culture uh in communication marketing and campus which is financing facilities. At this I've asked Mrs. uh to present curriculum and instruction. >> Okay. >> Preach to >> preach. All right. Okay, this is uh so in your packets I put together just a brief memo outlining our three curriculum strategic goals and I just want to share with the board tonight action steps that we're taking to meet those goals. So, our first goal for curriculum was a full implementation of an aligned and coherent P12 curriculum uh that supports high quality instruction across all grade levels. Last winter, uh Melissa and I started working with the junior high staff on completing scope and sequence documents for all of our junior senior high classes. Uh we are still working through those and right now we have those pretty much
009built out. Um, but today I worked with her staff on really looking in at those standards and the rigor that's called for in those standards and making sure that our assessments, we're going to go that's kind of the next step for our scope and sequence and curriculum alignment is to make sure that our assessments align with our essential state standards. So, we are on our way there. Um, beginning, I know I've talked about this already, but beginning next year, the state has passed legislation that we have to offer an advanced grade six and uh, seven and eight mathematics pathway. And we've already offered this. Uh, but we are working and really evaluating our essential standards and making sure that if we have grade six students taking grade seven math, we can't just let those grade
010six standards fall off. So, we're looking for natural ways where we can compact those standards. Um the grade six and seven standards build on each other pretty well. Um so we're just making sure that we get sharper with that and we're seeing that pathway through all the way up to algebra 1, their eighth grade year. Our second goal for curriculum is ongoing targeted professional development that builds capacity for effective curricular implementation. Um I want to share today we had Dr. Ryan Flesner from Butler University here to work with our elementary staff on the math facts framework. Um so that I got overwhelmingly positive feedback from that. Um it was a lot to think about I think but people are excited about it. Math facts has been something in the last couple I would say probably
011decades that is not really explicitly written within our math curriculum and um this is a problem nationwide um of how we teach our math curriculum but also make sure that our kids are fluent in their math facts. So um Dr. Flesner has a framework. He brought his research. He goes out in field tests in a lot of elementary schools. So, he's a practitioner. Um he works with kids closely. So, he was able to speak to his work and um we'll continue. We're going to start off small. Teachers are going to pilot this with one kid in their classroom, see how it goes. We'll reflect on it. We'll do some um collaboration around it and then next year we'll implement it full scale. In addition to Dr. Flesner, um we have been sending some folks out
012start exploring MTSS which is aligned with our third curricular goal. Um we are exploring some models for co-eing for reading intervention and then for explicit instruction within our tier one. So this is all all three of our curricular goals thankfully are aligned to one another. Um, our third goal of having an MTSS in place, uh, the state two years ago, if you recall, came out and talked about new reading, uh, requirements that elementary teachers had to have that early literacy endorsement by 2020 on 2027 or after when they renew their license. Um, that we have to have an intervention plan. We have to have a progress monitoring tool for the 2627 school year. Uh, we will have to give a mathematics screener. Now, we will also have to make sure that our when we think
013about our RTI, our tier one, tier two, and tier three, they've come out and said that tier one has to be 60 minutes. Now, our math block has to be 60 minutes. In addition to that 60 minutes, we have to provide um what they're calling tiered systems of supports for 30 minutes in addition to that 60 minutes. So, the state is going to make us get pretty specific about our system and um how we make sure that we are being proactive when kids have gaps and how we're addressing those gaps and we're using interventions that are researchbased. Um we have the data to say the intervention is working or if it's not that we're going back and we're trying other things. So, with this third goal, um some things that we're doing is obviously we're
014we're keeping up with our state mandates. Um we hired our KA reading interventionist and coach and I can't thank the board enough for and Dr. Boy enough for that. She has been um such a blessing for us and her background and interventions and working especially in special education and early elementary um has been a blessing for us. We are exploring a grade 3 through 12 reading intervention curriculum. Uh we have a meeting set up in March to hear from a vendor on that. So that would just be a resource for our teachers who are providing tier 2 or tier three um to fill in some of those gaps for some of our kids who have gaps. The last thing I want to um ask the board about tonight and this is related to our strategic
015plan is that Melissa and I would like to propose a grade six transition teacher and I submitted a proposal. I think Dr. Boyd sent it to you um on our reasoning for that. So, I want to talk a little bit about the um new school accountability uh will be voted on in March um with the board of education and within that so seven years ago we used to get school letter grades now that's since co that kind of stuff it's coming back and a big piece of our school letter grade our accountability will be academic mastery. So whereas the state used to look at our grades three through eight English and math scores, now grades four and six science will be factored into that. Um grade five social studies, our biology ECA, as well as
016our SAT the junior year will all be a part of that accountability. So um we can talk more about that once it gets passed, but that's something that we have to start planning for. Furthermore, when we look at our multi-tered system of support, um Melissa and I have really started to dig into some data. So, on the second page of that proposal, I have two data sets there for you. And these don't these first two shouldn't look um they're not anything that you haven't seen before. But when we look at our end of year I learn trends and if we follow co the cohorts diagonally we start to see that our kids are peing in grades four or five and we're seeing a decline in their proficiency. Okay. And this has been a trend for
017a while now and the administrators in the room I know you're familiar with this. um math is a little more severe than English language arts. So Melissa, Dr. Boy, Troy and I have really been um peeling that back a little bit. And um I feel that we have and I think I have the data to support this that we have a little bit of a structural inequity when we think about that transitional year when we think about grade six. So if we look at that table one at the bottom of page two and we look at the minutes per day. So if we look at fifth grade and our fifth grade reading blocks are 120 minutes. Um that includes your word study, that includes your comprehension, your grammar and your writing. That's tier one. So
018that's universal. So all kids get 120 minutes. For tier two, those students receiving that support, they get 145 minutes a day. Um and then we have some kiddos who receive tier three who have some significant gaps that are also getting pulled uh at least three times a week for 20 minutes. What happens then is they transition to grade six and you can see that 90% of our kids get 45 minutes in a sixth grade reading block. If I'm a kiddo who has some gaps who need some tier 2 support, um we don't have the structure right now for that. We do have a tier three reading lab. Um but research would tell you that you've got to have that tier two in place before we talk tier three. So it's a structural inequity for us
019that we've identified. If you turn the page to the third page, mathematics is there too. It's not as extreme as reading, but we know that we have some students who would definitely benefit from a tier two or tier math block. So Melissa and I are asking tonight for the board to consider a grade six transitional teacher. This would be an additional staff member. Um the person would teach two grade six double period classes. So that would be a total of 90 minutes. So their grade six class would be 90 minutes in reading. And then we would offer one grade six math that would be two periods and that would give us 90 minutes and give us the opportunity to provide tier 2 instruction for our kiddos who need it. And we recognize those kids throughout.
020They'd be following through elementary. So in fifth grade, if they were recognized as needing tier two and three support, they'd go into those classes. Correct. And we would use the checkpoint data to look at that. In other data sets, we have dibbles for reading that we would also look at. >> Yeah, we tried. We sat for hours and looked to see if we could get this done without an additional staff member because that's always we want to be fiscally responsible, but it's just not. I mean, her grade six enrollment went up to 100 kids. >> We're seeing an enrollment boost at sixth grade. And so to get it done, it just can't happen. So the the double period just how that works. >> Sure. So we will still have what we call our grade six
021academic class. It will be 45 minutes. >> Yeah. >> And it'll be the same learning objective as the double period grade six. But this grade six that this transitional teacher would teach is double the time. So what you do with that is you have the same learning outcome, same learning objective, but that's more scaffolding that's potentially pulling kids into small groups to work on it, but you're providing that tier 2 support, which means that if this is the the learning objective, this is grade level. Our kids who receive tier 2, they just need a little bit more time on task in order to get up to grade level. So, if we can provide them the structure of time, more time, that means more modeling for that teacher. The pace is just a little bit slower.
022If they're reading a piece and reading, for example, it might be more background knowledge. If we're reading about the ancient Greeks, I'm going to pull up a 3D um you know a travel site and we're going to look at some of the architecture and I'm going to like set the stage for kids before they actually read about the grease. Research would tell us that 80% of kids don't don't actually need that support but for those 20% 15 to 20% that do we've got to do that we've got to make sure that we're providing those those supports. So from the child standpoint, >> they're going to come in and they're going to spend period 2 and period 3 in this class versus a period 2 in the normal class and then have a second period that
023they go to. They will essentially utilize two of their class periods per day. >> Okay. >> Correct. Yeah. So the downside, Jeremiah, would be that they potentially lose out on >> Yeah. But and I guess from the sixth grade standpoint, that elective that they're going to lose out on, how is that then going to impact? Is there anything that is I don't want to use the word necessary, but that's the one I'm going to use right now. Sure. Anything from a graduation standpoint that's truly necessary? >> No. Yeah. So, remember last year I switched up the scheduling and so uh sixth, seventh, and eighth grade had an enrichment period that was moved at the quarter. I removed that to bring some of those elective down electives down because in eighth grade they're already taking a
024good portion of our kids are getting classes for high school credit. So that just opens them more opportunities. Each sixth and seventh grader has a period has three elective classes. So they're just it's just maybe one less art or one less gym or nothing that they would need. they still have their two periods in a day to pick those courses and essentially they get four of their semester courses or they can still do band year round and get two other courses. There's still a lot of movement. So I have room in that sixth grade schedule to do exactly this. So even if a kid needed to do language arts and math, they would still be able to do an elective. >> Okay, that makes sense. >> We hope that this helps. I mean because if
025you look at the drop from seven to eight, it's profound. So are we thinking are we thinking that the fallout is happening that if we prevent this in sixth then we're not going to see it that that drop in correct and here's what the research so in math if kids enter sixth grade with significant gaps in math. Um, so let's say that their data says that they need that tier 2 support. They need more time. They need to we need to look at some gap repair. That gap for mathematics kids that those gaps go unressed, they max out at grade five math reading. If those gaps don't get addressed properly and we don't provide the right interventions, those gaps get bigger and kids can actually be worse readers in nth grade than they were in
026fifth grade. So this junior high is so important and it's the next logical step for us as we have worked really hard to align things K5. We've really got to hone in now on this middle school experience for our kiddos. >> Is this a licensed position like teaching position you're looking for? >> Yes. the sixth grade year. It also needs to be a bridge and it really should actually look more like their elementary experience than the middle school. So, um you know, Melissa and I have talked it might be a blessing to have somebody with some elementary experience to try to bridge that gap for some of our kids. So, >> and that would be easier to find, right? An elementary teacher who she would have English math, right? >> The last piece and then
027I if you have any more questions, but I also did provide you with proficiency for our special ed kiddos per year. Um, was this hand out? Sorry, I a lot of handouts. Did you guys see this by chance? >> Okay. Okay. Okay. I don't know if you want to take a look at it, but again, our most susceptible students and we have some some room for growth there, too. So would you think that the implementation of of this would help with with these two? Absolutely. >> Do we have theories on why ours are so much lower? >> I think our MTSS structure or lack thereof is um contributing. I think we need to explore push in support instead of pulling students out which Melissa and I are working on some co-eing models where you know
028for this grade six transitional teacher one of the reading blocks will potentially be co-taught so a special a teacher can teach with and provide those supports especially supports written within the IEP. So my only other question here >> um >> because we see obviously I know the hope is that if we provide this instruction at the sixth grade level that then seventh grade right >> it recovers. Um, what if that's not? >> So now, how will we take this same thought process of needing some additional support to the seventh grade? >> Yeah. >> And and my next question is so I don't forget number of students per class. >> We are looking at about 15 to 20 per class. So it would be slightly smaller and statistically that would be your tier 2 kids that
029wouldn't be as large. So they would be slightly smaller classes. Uh but what this does is if we pull so let's say we pull 40 kids from that 100 kid cohort and we build these grade six reading blocks that's going to free up a period or two for the other English teachers to where they can potentially then offer a two period reading block for seventh and eighth grade. >> Okay. >> And if we don't have a need for that then potentially some electives that we haven't offered in the past. Okay, >> makes sense because we're going to be pulling some students then that could potentially >> free up some class period. >> Correct. >> It will help across the board too. Right now my sixth grade classes because we had such an influx at the
030end of the day for example uh all sixth grade classes are sitting at 32 or 33 kids. It's a lot. >> It's a lot at the sixth grade level. It's different at the high school. That's a lot of sixth graders. So again, to spread that across the board, it allows them to also do some support, not not even just in those or lowering the numbers. They'll be able to do some of these practices that we're going to be teaching in >> class size. >> And the fifth grade class is the largest class in the elementary. be another year. >> Another big >> 94 right now. >> So I don't I don't have any schedule unless I have another >> and I'm even busting at the seams for that junior high just for any other questions
031from me. Appreciate you guys consideration. Thank you >> for the songs. Thank you very much. On to celebrations. First thing I want to talk about is the double-sided sheet of paper that I gave you guys on the high learn data. Um, so this is our checkpoint data from checkpoints one and checkpoint two. What's different about the checkpoints from from the standardized testing that we've taken historically? After the kids take it the first time, we have a remediation period that we can then retest the kids. So if you look at checkpoint one, we passed 43% grade. Then we retested a group of students and had seven additional students pass. That's what that form represent. Um off to the right is the state averages after the first checkpoint. When they give us the data from the checkpoint,
032um they give us rounded numbers. So like 1.5 million students, not that many, but you know, a rounded number for us to truly calculate what the percentage is on the retest. We can't do that because they give us exact numbers on the retest, but rounded numbers on the initial test. Um so for us to calculate what the state average is after retest um isn't awful with the data they provide. But if you look at it, you know, 25% of Indiana kids pass on the first checkpoint for third grade and then we passed 51.7%. And if you continue down, we passed 54.5% in fourth grade. State average was 34%. Uh fifth grade 56.5% and Indiana 34%. And then we continue down at the bottom and our math scores are even better than what our uh language
033arts scores 79% for third grade, 67% for uh fourth grade and 71% for fifth grade with the Indiana averages in the 40s. So um our teachers are working extremely hard and I want to bring this data to you as we celebrated the kids that had perfect scores. I thought it was a good time for us to review that data. If you look at checkpoint 2, 52% for third grade, state average 33, 50, sorry, 47% for fourth grade. State average 3750% for fifth grade, state average 38. If you look at those, we are significantly above the state average in all those assessments. So, I just wanted to take opportunity to um you know, we talk about these struggling kids. We talk about how hard people are working. We talk about all that stuff. And we kind
034of had enough that's that's uh backing up the hard work of our students and our um staff. Um to speak on the transition. If you look at any research on developmental age, um the developmental age of a sixth grader, you know, a 12-year-old kid is not mentally prepared to go into a high school environment. So, that's part of the the issue with transitions. You take somebody that's in a very nurturing elementary environment, then you put them in a high school environment that's nurturing, but also a lot more independent. Um so a position like that that could help ease some of that transition would would probably be beneficial. Mr. G there other celebrations. Um so Mrs. Al was talking about the curriculum pillar and here in a couple months we'll talk about the culture pillar. Um,
035and this kind of speaks on that at the beginning of this year, we were looking at no longer doing the spelling bowl spelling be in a science fair, not the spelling. Um, and so luckily we had a couple of teachers that stepped up and kind of took that on and uh, seeing the outcome of that with our students was absolutely amazing. So we had the spelling be on January 21st. Um, 17 fifth graders participated. You're seeing the the parents of our winner of the spelling bee up there a couple of rows. So, that was very cool. Um, we celebrated our hundth day of school on January 28th, a couple of days later than the actual hundth day of school because of our closings, but um and then on February 5th, we held our science fair
036thanks to Mrs. Tab who took that on. Uh we had 34 participants, 10 students who will be moving on to the regional science fair at Purdue Fort Wayne. Uh we had our sweetheart dance on February 7th. Um a lot of people had a lot of fun. I thought my daughter would be hanging out with her friends, but she decided we were dancing the entire time. So that was good and bad. Um, and one last thing is we had our K1 music program last Thursday. Um, it was terrific seeing our young kids perform. And we've got Mr. Boly up there, a couple of rows in front of us. If you ever want a reality TV show, have a bunch of kindergarters and first graders have their Valentine's parties. um pump them full of candy and trace
037and then have them perform that. So we're extremely proud of that and lots of cool stuff going >> and if you haven't been in the auditorium to see the new lights and stuff it is pretty awesome there difference from what used to be. >> Thank you gentlemen. >> Mh. Anything? >> Uh yeah so um I don't know if you guys have had an opportunity to meet Dr. and he was one of our hireers last year. He's our new science teacher with Mark Matson. And Dr. Martin is the one that came to us from college, came from Ocean College. And he has um taken on uh biology 2, bio2, environmental science, and eighth grade science. And it took him about six weeks being here to tell me that he needed more things. So he has been
038um writing grants like a mad fool really. And he's just a really great personality. If you ever want a class to visit, you should stop in some of these science rooms. But I am very happy to share that he has earned multiple grants and had multiple donors and has earned so many in fact that he has got enough lab specimens for some of next year already. Um, and there are people that want to partner with him. So, he's dissecting a squid tomorrow. Um, so he is doing a lot of really cool things. So, just some new fun things that he's bringing to the department. Um, and it's pretty cool that people are are willing to give to us for that. So, that's that's really neat. Um, just an update. I know that you've seen our
039athletic fundraising campaign, um, where we are really focusing on a list of projects. Um, the goal is to get through the athletic campaign and then we're going to kind of move into the arts because we do have a final phase of that auditorium. Um, you will have the whole list of all donors and donations coming to you. We're going through March. So, that will be at the March board meeting. But I did want to give an update to let you know that as of last Friday, um we have raised over $80,000 and have multiple projects that are in process or have been completed. So that is it. It has been incredible. Um my goal is 100. So I hope in March that you will hear that we have hit that goal. Um just want to
040I I think that the shower has invited you officially. Our showire invite is March 6th and 7th. Um that's always exciting. My last year and I'm excited to see what they're doing this year as well. Um, and then just one final celebration, we um started last year, I brought to the board permission. You guys granted permission for the mock trials group. Um, it's kind of got that debate and and um prosecution and all sorts of cool things. And they had they work they start they get a case in October in the fall and they work all their way through. And this last weekend was their um competition. And I show told Erica earlier because I'm just so proud my are blowing up. Um Roxy and Wagner as a sponsor and and they have a morning
041session then they break and they have to do the difference and then they swap and it's really cool. So they competed with multiple other schools and and earned all sorts of awards and recognition and won their case and throughout the day only two individual awards are given and a bus go student won each one. >> Um so I would say they had a successful first competition. So, I just want to follow they work all the way through the fall, all the way through into February, and they're going to do it again. And just today, I had a Busco grad um reach out and said she saw our post on Facebook and ask for Roxan's uh information because she is an attorney now and she wants to partner with the kids for next year. So, pretty
042pretty exciting things happening a lot of times behind the scenes, but that that hard work, that's a lot of work, a lot of days and nights and all paid off. So, those are my Very nice. Very nice. Once again, I think this just goes to show that great things are happening. >> Absolutely. Very exciting. Uh we would just like to uh thank the girls basketball team for the hard work and efforts that they put on the basketball field. They were a lot of fun watching forward to see them next year. Also, congratulations to Coach Clark and the wrestling team. boys and girls teams had a lot of success and I'm very excited to see what they're holding for and then uh I would like to thank Mrs. Mir and Mr. for their work and planning
043that they put together for our day of professional development today. By all accounts, it was a big success. Thank you for all your help. Appreciate that, sir. Oh, then I do have some uh donations I'd like to mention and celebrate. Uh we received an anonymous $150 lunch donation to pay off some student debt. Also, CNA tool uh gave to the chair football team. Uh Scott and Dway $5,000 to lunch funds again to help pay off student debt. And then McDonald's digital fund gave $250 to the athletic department. Once again, thanks to our generous community for doing some amazing things with those app comments. We did not have anybody sign up this evening for public comments. We'll go ahead and skip that and move to the consent agenda. >> Um, please note that uh you have
044January and Feb February payments and payrolls on the consent agenda. If you remember, we didn't have January on January 6 month to approve the consent agenda. I apologize. I should mention fundraisers. We have three fundraisers. One is the fundraising campaign January 13th just mentioned. Also in that sale for student and then this February 23rd and 24th personnel So there's nothing in there actually just background checks or approval at this particular time >> legislative report. >> So they're in session for two more. They've got a lot of bills on the bills on the docket though. Um they've added several sponsors to multiples. I mean, these have been here for a bit. I've talked about them in previous meetings. Um, really the the biggest one that's probably well, okay, the school board candidates passed. This one's kind
045of strange, but this passed. So now when you run for schoolboard office, you're the order that your name is listed is going to be in alphabetical order. Apparently, just run they wanted before and now it's not put that one pass. So that's another bill, state bill 25. Um they've also passed um state bill 76 which is some immigration matters. The wireless communication device policy is added another sponsor to it last week. So that one is probably going to pass that will basically make it to where you cannot have any wireless devices in the classrooms. So, as pointed out to all of us last week, we'll have to have something to store those in the classrooms with students um because they're not going to be allowed to have them on their person in a classroom setting.
046Other than that, most of them, like I said, have just added they've added people. They've got, you know, locations for additional hearings. There's there's like 26 total. So most of June second readings are added sponsors hearing dates had a hearing date today. So all right yes like the approval for the 26 27 junior senior high offerings guides first want to share >> yeah you guys got my memo. Okay. So, um I think you guys kind of like this last year where that 65 page document I just pointed out what I changed. I didn't make nearly as many changes this year as I did last year just because I was kind of cleaning some stuff up. So, you'll see I kind of split it. You'll see some changes. I changed the formatting basic things. Um there
047were some duplicates. Um in short, there really are no major um changes except the addition of some of the courses. Um Even if we're not sure that they will run like creative writing for example, I have left it in because I want the opportunity to be able to pick it up in the event that we have a new position or class members adjust and I don't want to keep making changes from year to year. Um I we communicate what actually runs with the students on the course selection sheets and so we're trying to communicate that with parents as well. Um at the bottom what I'm most excited about but I want to really bring to your attention is that we have added multiple classes again Dr. are in um we do have some leeway in
048some of our upper upper level science courses um because of different pathways. So when students start to trickle out at the 11th and 12th grades um numbers are a little lower and so because of that um we are going to be adding another version of an a pathway. It's going to be the natural resources. So, think conservation, DNR. Um, we do have a lot of interest. Um, already I've got about 10 um students that'll be juniors next year that will be in that course um that have already taken some of the ad courses that we have here and then they will feed into this. Those are 10 students that we're now keeping in our building which is pretty awesome because they were ready to go. Um so we keep in mind our building we're saving
049money by that >> and we will earn money because it's >> yeah so um so that's where you see the natural resources the forestry and wildlife I look for them too to be working closely with our a teacher and and our wildlife teams and things like that. So that's pretty awesome. Um the advanced animal science is going to be the next level. That's a dual credit option that um Ashby Grimes our egg teacher is going to be able to. So, she's going to stay in that pathway and just take it to the next level, if you will. Um, also, I forgot to mention that Dr. Martin's new pathway will also be a dual credit option. So, those can also be science electives. So, for our new diplomas, um, those are courses that students wouldn't have
050to take as a pathway. It fulfills a science credit, too. Um, in addition to that, you will see very soon the posting for the open position that we've had in our engineering and technology. Uh, you will see that that will be pathway where they get into some of the smart manufacturing. We've been working really closely, Mr. Bloomfield, we've talked to CNA. We're trying not to compete with Columbia City and Wick and this is kind of a new avenue for that that same field that precision machining, but it stays in the engineering and technology. So, we still can use that STEM lab and all those great new equipment that we have. Um, but those three courses are those courses from the the pathway. So, that's where those are. So, you will see that um in addition
051to the that we've had we we're actually at three. So now we will have eight full pathways, most of which are dual credit options as well. So um we also just just to kind of clarify in line with what we're trying to do curricular wise, we've um made sure that we've added descriptions for some of those advanced courses at the junior high to make sure that they understand the the depth of of work that they're going to be doing in those classes when they take honors just so that parents have those descriptions. So you'll see some of those those additions that we're already doing in some capacity, but making sure that we have one at every level as well. Um still um opportunities that you won't necessarily in the course description guide. for opening the
052door for some seventh graders to get into some of these eighth grade classes for high school credits. Um careers, some of those lower level um I shouldn't say lower level, but that they're a little more friendly for junior high that they certainly could take the class and get that done and out of the way to open that door to jump into some of these new pathways that we've got sooner. Um and that's kind of been the talk among principles in the area. They're trying to get them into some of them sooner so that we can keep them in the building and So, do you have any questions for me? It was pretty easy, I think, this year. Just some of those big ones. >> I would say that high school can hold our own. So,
053very pleased, very proud of what our >> Yeah, we do have a list just kind of for some perspective. I should add that um the principles have been having a lot of meetings because there are so many changes coming from the state and um it was really cool for me to go as one of the newer principles in the area and sit at a table with guys that have been doing it for a very long time and my list of eighth grade course offerings for high school credit was larger than most. Um and so that was that's pretty awesome and they're being successful in those classes too. So um it's a really great opportunity when we have eighth graders that are essentially finishing their freshman semeers, you know. So I want to continue that as
054much as we can. >> And I just want to share I'm sure you realize this but Mud to an open position that is Mr. Hawk's position. >> I'm sorry teaching his classes. >> They didn't run at the junior high level >> and then we merged. So if we had a kid that was kind of on the fence, they were with Mr. Bloomfield in business primarily and then I that popped over an egg, but we tried to keep them in the building. Um, ironically, it worked out that we had some that had were just finishing the pathway and then I didn't have a lot that were going in. Um, which is why we kind of tweaked and it took me a while to figure out what what the need is because it's kind of changing. If
055you were going in computer science, we're kind of being redirected to consider other things because of AI. >> So, um, if you look at the course descriptions for these new pathways, it's pretty it's pretty cool. And we have the equipment to teach those courses. So, um, yeah. So, the wood shop, all those things are being used just by different groups. It's kind of cool. They've been trying to recruit. So, that's why you see all sorts of projects. >> Any questions or concerns? >> No. Motion to approve the 26 27 changes. Next, we ask for your approval for a certificate of deposits up to $2 million with the best rates of purchase. As you know, these rates vary from day to day. motion to approve the certificate of deposit purchase. >> Thank you very much. >>
056Next, we ask for your approval to delete outstanding checks. checks that we've never checks. >> Those in favor. >> Next, we ask for county public library. Um, Victoria Ferguson is she is from Green Township and has been selected as we approve her. Go ahead. >> The appointment of Victoria Ferguson to the county library. >> Next, we ask for the 2025 transfer report. This is >> that was presented. comments. We'll move to more member administration principles. Anything >> upcoming events? The cheer bus open archery tournament is February 21st. Uh there are 750 area archers signed up to participate. First flight or first archers 8 a.m. last arch is 8:00 p.m. So it's going to be a full day here in our uh building. Our elementary team is ranked number three in the nation. The two of
057the top five shooters in the nation are So, >> our team is very good. They put a lot of time. Uh, next family meeting is March 6th at 25. If you're ever around and want to see what a family meeting looks like, we recognize >> What did you say? Sorry. >> March 6th. >> We recognize students for being good examples to their peers. We invite their parents to participate. And then we usually have type of a presentation. I think our next meeting is cheerleaders. Is that Sunday? Next meeting is our cheer camp. Kids are going to present mother son March 13th. The fame festival is March 14th. Uh fourth and fifth grade music concert March 19th. and kindergarten round up, but you've probably seen some stuff out about that already. It's April 9th and 14th.
058We're trying something different this year. We're putting it in two separate weeks. So, for some reason, parents have something going on one week. We give them two options. We're at I think about 35 kids at this point. So, this >> considering we only have 56 in the whole kindergarten class. I was thinking about that K1 thing. I was like I hadn't seen it like what I didn't class first. Holy cow. So much movement. >> That's all I have. >> I think I'm going to celebration. >> I'm good too. >> Uh a couple things I'd just like to One is National FFA week is the 23rd through the 27th. Um the 24th of this month um we have the restroom elementary restroom bid opening hopefully cost me forward that particular project. We have my dance that
059was rescheduled. It's coming up Saturday the 28th and March 17th is the royu. The other thing I just wanted to uh report on our guidelines for how delays and cancellations are called. But first I wanted to share our beliefs. is weather conditions are both extreme and variable uh in northern Indiana. Uh the second one is that concrete rules do not exist for making decisions on that. And then the third one, Smith Community Schools believes that public expects schools to be open and to provide education education supervision and other services including meals to its students whenever possible. Um, I can give you probably five different excuses as to why a delay or cancellation was not called on February 6th. Uh, but it would be just that, there are excuses. But I did ask Mrs. April to
060come and kind of give you how the process of how it goes and it's all about. Thank you. >> Yeah. So, as Paul said, there's every day it's a different scenario, right? I mean, whether it's snowfall, whether it's fog, fog rolls, you never know. I checked this morning for West Snow because even though bus go wasn't in session, we still had students, you know, we travel to West, we travel to Pur Heights, travel, we travel to Columbia City. I mean, we are out and about constantly. So, it's not about our district. So this morning we had kids leaving. I did a road check, right? I can tell you I went home. I talked to Paul. We cleared the bus to go, went home for 20 minutes, got in my car. The fog had gotten worse
061in some areas. It constantly changes. And as Paul and I talked about, you know, snowfall, there's such a vast difference because we don't all get the same amount. You've got the the 30 corridor that comes through there and a lot of There's a vast difference between the north and the south of that. And you'll often, you know, people like to compare our districts to well, you know, WO didn't do it or county didn't do it. You also have to keep in perspective their land layout and where their school district goes. You know, they border all the way down into Huntington. There's a vast difference in what may happen in one district to another. Paul and I always have a a saying is we'd like to make an independent decision for our school because it can
062be different. With that being said, I am in constant contact with our county crews, Noble and Whitley County. I talk to them on I will know what time they're quitting at night. I will know what time they're going out. I will know where our trouble spots are. We correspond if if I see a spot and know like, "Hey, 550 33 there's no way I can get a bus there. Are you going to get there? I will know what time that driver is coming if it will be cleared before you know we run. So I travel I generally on a call day you know on every day to be honest with you it's a five o'lock you know 5 a.m. look out the window see what we got going in right because as we've learned the
063meteorologists don't they're not Correct. So, um, it's a 5:00 lookout. I generally hit the roads by 5:20. Paul and I are usually talking. I know it was the administration this year felt very strongly that we wanted to bump our call times up. So, we've made an aggressive attempt to make earlier calls to give our families more time in the morning. But also, that being said, sometimes that, you know, as in that Friday, that's one of those times you need extra because of the time movement it came in right um so I we will then talk through that situation if if we have fog I always like to say it's a two pole rule two telephone poles that's that for 27 years that's always been what's been founded in you got to have two poles to
064make it a good stop to to have a clearance as far as snow goes you know there's not guideline I can give you. I go out I to be honest, you know, I do as much damage as I can in my car to see what I can get done. Am I sliding? Am I not? Can I do this? If I'm in a bus, I think our big advantage for our school district is I drive as well, right? I'm in the big yellow bus going down the road. I know what it's going to handle like in the snow. Do we also have to take in consideration our students? Yes, we do. But All my road check is making sure we can take the buses out first and foremost in a safe format and they're going to
065handle differently. You have to keep in mind I can drive down the road and be fine. But if I'm in a big yellow school bus and I can stop up in green center on a hill and then get going again, is that going to be, you know, can I do that? I can drive in my car. So it's it's constantly comparing it. Paul and I are in contact I'm in constant contact with the county. um road crews and then we make the best decision at the end of is is it safe to roll the buses out? In accordance with that, I also talk with all of the area transportation directors. Usually by 5:15 my phone is blowing up with the local directors. Hey, what are you guys seeing? What do you call? You know, and
066a lot of times central noble may be a district that's going to call a delay, but it's not necessarily on this side of their district. It's it's not even close to us. So yeah, they need a delay. They got more snowfall, you know, farther north, farther, whatever. It's not impacting us. So that is exactly why Paul and I have made that we need to make an independent decision of what our school district needs, but in accordance, but that you know, I get sometimes everyone says, well, everybody was delayed or you know, so and so delayed, but we didn't. It it varies in the weather patterns. >> No, she is she in contact with county directors but also transportation directors. I'm on three tax chends. One is county and ourselves and then the other one is
067the four county schools. >> What happens in your back to make these calls? So Paul has head headmaster caller. >> But uh you know obviously his big thing is usually what does your gut say? But my backup is is Ed uh wholesome back who's our mechanic and then Terry the grounds keeper will back up um Terry Leo will back up Ed. So um Ed Ed is came to us a couple years ago. He's our mechanic but he also was a Noble County um worker and worked those roads. So, he's he is very knowledgeable, especially in the Noble County area of where he needs to check. He also assists me. So, if we have a heavy snowfall come in, I have a a path. It takes me about 45 minutes to drive my whole route to
068to check. But if we have a heavy snowfall and I feel like I need extra assistance and I call it and say, "Hey, you need to go." So, then we split it. turn. >> Yeah, like there's there's some turnarounds, you know, heavy drifting areas that we know we're we're going to battle that morning. So, and that's where it's great because Kevin does most of our county roads and Kevin and I, he already knows, hey, you know, I I need to know is is 500 in the hill there. Is that going to be cleared out because it always drifts there? Um is our turnound on 400 for Kelly to go down and pick those kids up? and she's great about working with that family if she can't get down there and that would have prevented us
069from, you know, running. But Ed will back me up and assist me when I need extra coverage because we need to get out into a few more roads. >> Could you also just shed a little light on what happens if a county goes orange? >> So that that was a big topic of conversation about the orange status. Um because the Wednesday that we chose to go to school, one is you have to remember that the county is not going to review status until probably 8 9 10:00 and at that time they're going to change it till it officially gets released. It's going to be 11 or 12:00. You've lost your whole day. Um I talked to Joe Hartman. He does all of our bus inspections and charge of the Indiana. He's an Indiana state police
070trooper, but he's in charge of the school buses in our area. And and I called and I asked him because that was a big question. If if we have an advisory like that, does it impact us? Whitley County mainly called that they had a road that was closed that they um that they literally had to close out because they couldn't keep it open. It didn't impact us in the least, but that gave them how to say they had to the advisory because of that l area had nothing to do with with our district. So Joe I reached out to him and said you know can we run on that? Like is that does that bother you? Would you He's like absolutely. He said you you know just because there's an orange travel status for you
071can still run on that it does not impact whether you should call or not call school. So that gave me the I guess the green light that if an advisory is called but we're not involved in the trouble area we're okay to run. They're not looking at that. And please and keep in mind no matter what our call is we have people complain both ways. For example, there's always two sides of the coin. I actually got three calls on February 6 thanking me for not cancel there was Friday I I can I can understand where you're coming from April on those other days like I understand Friday was there was no need to go to school like it was a bad day and so if they called and told you thank you they obviously did
072not have high school kids on the roads or they did not I mean I had to see my kids bless slide through a stop sign and make a three-point turnaround to come get them. Like I had to watch my neighbors get their plow out so they could get out their drive. Like >> that sucked. That I just I hated that. Um >> and I would agree with you, right? I wasn't obviously was not >> It was timing. I will give you that. >> It was the perfect storm is what we called it. I was gone. >> You know the snow the arrival of it, the timing of it was horrible. And then the forecasting of it was way >> Yeah. They told us we weren't going to get any. We got two and a half
073inches. So, >> you know, it was the perfect storm, right? And as much as you hated it, put yourself in the driver's position of driving the bus with the kids. I will commend our drivers. I will commend Paul that he was out there to greet every single driver that pulled in. And, you know, they all handled it with grace. They all handled it with care. You know, I want to thank Mr. G because we did Laura backed into a driveway that afternoon. She's a newer driver. Learned that if it hasn't been plowed, you may not want to back into it. Got off a little bit. They had to pull her out. No harm done. It happens. You lose your rear ends in those situations. But besides that day, I I feel very strongly that we
074have made great calls for our district. That was the perfect storm day. Yes, I feel your frustration. I felt it with the drivers. I wasn't even here. I understand that Ed did his part, you know. I mean, it's not that we didn't have a plan. I don't want you guys to think Paul wasn't prepared, you know, oh, April's gone, so we don't have We had a plan. We had a backup. We were checking roads. It It truly was the timing of it that really, I guess, impaired. >> And I I understand that we're not and like as board members, Mr. Johnson, like it's not our call. I just I um >> we all sort of at the front line get a lot of phone calls too. So when we're getting phone calls and concern I
075mean I had no idea how bad the roads were. I hadn't been out on yet, >> right? >> But when I'm getting phone calls of people concerned that the roads are very bad. Then I send my husband to work and he turns around and comes back home and says I'm going to work. Okay, you're kind of an essential worker. You have to you work at a grocery store. Like are they that bad? Yeah. I will tell you the scary ever had. And the only reason I went to work that day is because if I put my kid on the school bus and sent him on transportation, I felt like I had to do the same thing myself. And I've never done it the second time because I mean it was it was it was bad.
076I'll just be honest. And I'm usually send them to school. They'll be fine. But it just we got a lot of phone calls as well. I didn't get anyone calling thanking you for sending my kids to school. But maybe call between the other 30 I got. It's just it's one of those that I think we just wanted to revisit to make sure we are making the right decisions to keep our students and our staff and everybody out of harm's way always on the side of caution. I mean I can remember five years ago the wind could be blowing and it was raining and we cancelled school and those were the days I'm like what are we doing? >> Yeah. And and now I sit here thinking, okay, but then we get these days that it
077does feel very dangerous and putting our staff. I mean, our teachers are leaving, I don't know, 6:30 in the morning. I assume you guys are, but you were right in the middle for just Yeah, it was a passion point for us. I'm glad you both addressed it. Thank you for the information. I don't know. I've ever heard all of that. >> Just it's never taken lightly. We don't make a rash decision, I would say. But Paul and I usually talk two or three times, maybe even four, because I'm like, "Let me get a few more roads in. Let me, you know, I just want to check one more thing before I really say yes, do it or or or let's, you know, cancel." So, um, but know that your county road crews work very hard
078and are great at relaying information. So, it is a joint effort on all I'm just going to tell you as a trick just it can change so quick but you do the best you can. >> Thank you April. >> Thank you very much. And I appreciate everybody's, you know, it it gives you it gives me the satisfaction or the warm fuzzy to know that we really do have a good plan in place. Uh, and we do take the decisions very personal specifically to our district. Uh, and I also I admire that as the transportation director, you're also driving a bus. So it isn't just a, oh, it's fine, you can go do it, right? You're you're going to do it, too. Uh, so I think that that brings a lot of value for me. Uh,
079so I I just want to say thank you to everybody that's involved in all of those decisions. Um, for really being bought in to that process. So >> anything else? All right. Uh congratulations to our student volley uh as well as our I learn the testing data from um 0.1 and point 2 uh you know to have seven students get perfect scores. Wow that is amazing. And it just it's even more amazing when I I look at this and I see like Indiana passing right at 25% 30% you know 35% and we've got seven students that were got them all right that what a what a a fantastic number and um an accomplishment um you know and we're obviously we're we're we're doing very well as an entire system as well um and I'm excited
080you know as we look at these this data and really evaluating it and and making suggestions for what we need to do to continue um to improve uh our students success rate um in the classroom is just it's appreciative. It really is that and it makes makes us makes me feel like we're really doing a good job for our students of of really making you know hard decisions >> um by potentially in you know adding another headcount uh to the school system. that we have the data and the reasoning behind it why we're making that suggestion. So yeah, I I appreciate it. Thank you. Uh our staff spotlight, uh Mr. Thompson and Mr. Doc, you know, two staples of our staff and have been for a long time and uh I've heard, you know, 20ome
081nominations for Mr. Thompson and probably Mr. Doc is is somewhere close there, too. Uh I know that they are some of the most uh respected teachers uh in our school system. Certainly from a a student level and I'm sure from a staff level as well. Uh donations wise, uh we continue to be blessed uh with a a wonderful community um donating to not only our athletic departments um just amazing numbers uh but some of them the the donations that I just so appreciate is donations to our lunch. you know, those type of donations because as much as I absolutely love our athletic departments and everything that we do extracurricular wise, to be able to contribute to something that really is much more important than all of those extracurriculars uh is is amazing. So, people in
082our community recognizing that and and being willing to really support there uh is just wonderful. So, I I really do appreciate those contributions. You know, it's fantastic to hear about Dr. Martin in his grant writing uh and what he's doing as an individual uh inside of our school system to set himself and his classes, but as well as our students up for uh amazing success and really going above and beyond. Uh and we have a lot of teachers that really do go above and beyond and and that's what is making us such a great organization. Um congratulations to the Mach group. Is that right? >> Y >> uh you know obviously for their first um event >> to have to win individual two out of three of those individual um awards is fantastic. What what
083a great uh accomplishment and group for you know a first a first time you know program for us. Um as well congratulations to Mr. uh his wrestling success, but not only his success, I think we sent five wrestlers to regionals as well. Uh and then the one to semi-state. So, congratulations there to all of those uh individuals as well as girls basketball um program as their season ended u on a nice season as well. >> I think that's >> I actually have a question. didn't have a chance to ask you guys. Did have they ever given any conversation about breaking down 91 data to make it more usable? I know they give you the overarching numbers, but the breakdowns suck. >> Uh it's a little better this year, not a lot better. Um they continue
084to tell us that they're going to continue to improve it. They're at least breaking it down by standard this year to tell us where kids are. Some of them say, "Results vary." I'm not sure what results they mean. Um I think it just means that they don't know what that data is. They're just somewhere in the middle. We don't know what it means. Um so they're working on that. They're uh making predictions this year. They're making predictions on the checkpoints, predicting where they're going to score on the summitive test and some of those things to I think kind of instill some urgency in some of the remediation stuff that we're doing. But is it a lot more beneficial? No, not a lot more. We had high hopes that it would be more beneficial when they
085touted it, but >> it' be really beneficial to know where fifth graders gaps are going into that sixth grade. >> Next year it will be broken down by standards is what they're telling us. They will actually give you that dat. >> Okay. >> And I I I knew I asked that question at being a teacher. I looked at my own students data and it's like almost you can't you almost can't read it. Yeah. So, okay. Um, thank you the PTO for the sweetheart dance. My kids had the time of their lives. Um, >> how about your husband? >> He counted up 14 sweetheart dances by the time he's all done. You're going to be up there though, too, won't you? >> Oh, here they are. >> But our oldest are out. So >> Oh, okay.
086So, yeah. Yeah, he's at that was number eight for now. >> Yeah. So, he's halfway through. >> Yep. Um, but thank you. It was amazing. The the K1 musical was also amazing. Um, I watched my kid poke another kid in the back of the head, talk to the girl beside her, like do everything but sing. So, I was really We had a conversation afterwards. She didn't see anything wrong. just bless you. Uh the M crowd room is great. The girls basketball and the wrestlers, congratulations. Um see their seasons and all their hard work. Thank you for the course offerings and the pathways and the curriculum data. That's I love seeing that stuff. Um don't forget archery is coming up this weekend. It's their fundraiser. So if you can make it, please go. And then you
087got Oh my best dance in the shower rooms there. I'm sure it's going to be great. >> Everything else. Yeah. >> Congrats to the archer team. I didn't realize they were third in the nation. Um I know almost every TV station has a team of the week. Do they know how good we are? So, I think that'd be pretty neat. I've seen them cover color guards and some other non sport things on those. So, I think that'd be a real nice thing to have, too. So, and that's all I have that >> a lot of the same things. I have a couple of questions on testing. two checkpoints. So all kids take them twice. >> Not all kids. >> So if you pass the first time, you don't have to take the second time. >>
088Okay. So basically, >> you talking about the checkpoint or you talking about the >> she was both. She was wondering. >> Yeah. >> So each kid takes three checkpoints. All three. >> But I don't see three >> because we've only taken two. >> We take three. And then you'll notice check one opportunity two. We can select if kids take a retest. >> Oh, gotcha. >> So, not all kids take a retest. There are some kids that >> maybe they're close. You would pick them. >> Yeah. Kids that either, you know, maybe academically are much lower. Why would we put them through another test when we could use the time for something more beneficial? or kids that maybe achieved significantly higher than what they would typically achieve academically, not a kid that we would for test,
089but then there are also kids that don't score near where they should. >> So those kids, >> and so I'm just making sure I understand this. So for example, on checkpoint one, 56% of our fifth graders pass English language arts. They're reading it passive level. >> So for the state of Indiana, we're only 34%. >> That's correct. >> So this is why you have all these new guidelines constantly coming out because the state also is realizing that these kids are behind. >> What did these what did test 10 years ago look like? Were they this low? >> No. >> So they've significantly dropped in the last 10 years. >> The test has changed. When we used to the level of rigor was significantly lower. >> So then when all >> So making harder, >> they
090are harder. >> Okay. They are >> much. But it sounds like we're getting better at preparing our kids for these tests and moving in the right direction. >> I think our new and this is probably a shameless plug, but I think our new ELA curriculum has a lot to do with it. I do. I think it's good stuff. The overwhelmingly teachers positive feedback. We still have some things to tweak, but I think we've got good momentum right now. >> I just I wanted to make sure I was understanding the whole the whole game up there. Um I think that seven of our kids got a perfect score. That's just amazing. The boys are figured out. has a PhD, but for um thank you to both of you and I'm sure there's been other people helping
091in the finding out the gaps in the middle school. Like I understand it's requesting for another body in our school, but if that is truly the gap and where we're we're missing, I think it's great that we've identified that and have a plan to, you know, plug that that gap. Um so, thank you for taking the time because trust me, it wouldn't have been an easy an easy job. Um, thank you to Miss Tab. You know, I noticed this about science fair, but she was the one with her name on and I thought, how does the art teacher get through this one? >> But thanks to her for stepping up. I mean, I say this, I feel like month after month, but we have such amazing folks in our school that do they just step
092up in in the most profound ways. And so, I was tickled to see her name on that. Um, and it just sounds like we've got so much going on in the elementary right now. you were listing all the things off the sweetheart dance and the kindergarten and all these things. I mean, so much going on. It's that time of the year. We're getting into spring and spring break and everyone's heads are going to start getting mushy. So, good job keeping it all round up and and everything coming forward. Um, also on the high school side with the new era invitational, that's always a very exciting time, you know, for the the shower, the mock team winning both those awards and having such a great competition. I mean, that was exciting to hear about last year
093when we first started putting it together, but now to hear what hard work has done is amazing. Um, also congrats to Mr. Latimore for making summer. It's a great accomplishment and no matter how we finish this, it's still a great great place to be. And yeah, like we were all talking the number three two in the nation for archery. I mean, what a thing to hang your hat on. Who ever thought that our eagles were so high >> with arrows and everything else, too. So, really, really awesome to hear about. Um, I also appreciate April coming tonight. you by the time if you're checking weather at 5 in the morning, >> it's getting a little late. But I appreciate you coming and just kind of walking us through what that looks like. Um it does
094make sometimes those conversations we get make a little more sense when you're saying you know we do have basically four people that are you know trying to make these decisions and yeah I get it. I mean things do change quickly but the moment I there was there was a lot of passion for for that day in particular and you know I know you were running around chicken with your head cut off and making that that our kids and students and staff and everybody we're getting here safely. So, I do appreciate though you guys with your transparency on kind of where that is and that it's not a clearcut, you know, written on paper. These three things have to happen to call. I mean, it is it's it's very different. So, I at least appreciate you
095guys acknowledging that and bring that to >> it. It was a bad call on my part. >> Thanks for aditting that. >> So, um you know, I I do and I stand on it and I say it every week. Granted, yeah, sometimes we fall in the sword, but we have good people and those people continue to um outshine and even in a bad situation, we still find ways for you to be out there greeting the buses as they come, you know, telling how you felt the day went, things like that. I just we've got good people and I appreciate I appreciate all the hard work that everybody puts in day after day um to keep our kids safe, to keep our staff and faculty safe, and uh to do what's best for our kids and
096and their test force. So, thank you for all that. >> Uh I want to say thank you to the to our show park. U they did distribute to all of the board um as well as uh Susan and Paul um tickets to the annual show choir invitational which is Saturday March 7th uh after last year was the first time I had spent any involvement um at show choir. Not really my thing but I got spend it and wow and I expect the tournament sounds like it's going to be the same way. What an undertaking that happens at our school system >> for this invitational. Uh, you know, I think it starts on what? Thursday night >> and essentially doesn't end until Sunday morning at like >> the we hours. >> Yeah. 2:00 in the morning.
097uh you know so it really it is an undertaking and the amount of people that are involved in that um from the school level to the showire group and and and the board that's on that and and whatnot is uh it is amazing and and I think it's great when we can bring in these type of things as well as the archery when we can bring in these type of events to our school system that we are so proud of is just fantastic. So I I always encourage any We have great facilities. We do a lot of great things here. They encourage groups, organizations to have events here is even though they're headaches, it it allows us to showcase what we can do as school system. So anyhow, March 7th, the show invitational. Everybody should
098go. All right. Uh with that, we will adjourn the regular school board meeting of Smith Green Community Schools of Monday, February 16th, 2026 at 7:59. >> Thank you. >> Good start.