001[Music] school trustees to order. Please, if it's convenient, will you please stand as we take a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Okay, no one has signed up with uh any concerns. Next item is recognition of of our poster contest contest winners. Dr. Redmond. >> Thank you. Uh tonight we're happy to invite Holly McCutchen to the podium uh to tell us a little bit about the soil and water conservation department's poster contest. Uh she can tell us what that was all about. And we have some students to recognize tonight. >> Thank you. Thank you for having us. Um
002the National Associ of conservation districts has done a poster contest I would say 60ome years. Um, anybody remember being doing the poster contest when you were a kid? Yes. Okay. So, each year the association at the national level chooses the theme. This theme was where the habitat is. Oh, sorry. Home is where the habitat is. And that's basically all of the um instructions and then it's up to the children then to do and the students then to be creative and come up with things. So, the contest in Indiana is broken K through 1, 2 through 3, fourth through sixth grade, 7th through 9th and 10th through 12th. And um locally we pick a first, second, and third winner. We had 41 this year was kind of low. We only had 41 poster contest this year,
003but the three that we sent to the state, our first place winners we sent to the state, all three won state. >> So we are very proud. They were able to compete against all the other counties with all the district the state of Indiana and they were all chosen. So I wanted to recognize this hard work that these students accomplished and from here they'll now go and compete against the other states. So they will be representing Indiana at the National Association of Conservation Districts when they have their annual meeting in February at San Antonio, Texas. So we can cross our fingers and hope Indiana then wins at that level also. So if I could have Lily Stockdale, she is from she They brought their posters. Lily uh is a student at Boonville High School and
004this is the contest that she won in the ninth grade. This the nth seventh through nth grade competition. Lily won and she'll be a sophomore this year over at the high school. And Kayleie Holder, your FFA teacher, she was the one who encouraged her and told her about the contest. So any questions for for Miss Lily? What's climbing up on the tree? [Music] >> Flowers. >> Oh, okay. >> And a hummingbird. I see it. Yes. >> So, you had to have the lie. >> Very nice. [Applause] >> Kelsey Thomas. Kelsey is she's now a senior at high school and Mrs. I was gonna say it wrong. Is a teacher who included her in her contest. Kelsey's was beautiful as you guys could see. Kelsey, you want to talk about your posture or >> Okay. What
005do you have different >> tell us? Yeah. >> Okay. >> Got a sloth. Is that a sloth? And cheetah. And each of these posters are being recognized at the state fair. So, have you guys gone to the state fair yet? >> They are. You guys want to tell them that they each got to go up? They got two free tickets to go and exhibit. Is that correct? >> You got northeast side as you come in. >> Close to the big >> go see that. It's really by the horse. >> So, could you guys get Yeah, sure. >> Yeah. Girls, if you >> ladies, if you just want to come right up front here in front of the board, we can have the board maybe come around. >> Take a picture. >> I'd like to look
006closely at those pictures. >> What are we doing? >> Do you want us to go right here? >> Do we want to Thank you. >> We want to congratulate >> so beautiful. That's awesome. >> Just checking it out. >> I used alcohol marker and [Music] >> congratulations. >> I mean, that wasn't paint by numbers. >> Very detailed. >> Very good. What medium did you use? >> We'll see you in a couple minutes. >> Good job, love. >> Congratulations. >> Nice work. Thank you guys for letting us invade. >> Thanks for being here. >> Thank you for coming. Thank you. [Applause] >> Next. Next we have presentation of the staff performance evaluation by Dr. Grac. Thank you, Mrs. Glover. This is the annual presentation I do for the board on our certified staff evaluation plan and
007you also have this presentation in your board packet as well. Obviously, we we do annual performance evaluations for all of our certified employees. So there's many many different categories. We have 600 almost 700 certified employees and they all receive annual evaluations. Interestingly, prior to 2012, once you were considered a permanent teacher, you only got evaluated every three years. In 2012, the law changed and it's every year now. I think this might be the most interesting slide in the presentation. It shows all the different types of evaluations that we have for our certified staff. And why why I think it's the most interesting is you'll notice the ones that have the double stars. Those are the ones that we've changed or edited or improved just in the last five years. So, we've done a lot. And
008then the one that's in red, the curriculum specialist, that's a brand new rubric that was just added this year. >> Bless you. >> Just added this year. uh in cooperation with uh we work with WCTA, we work with the curriculum specialists that we have and with their supervisor to come up with a rubric that would be appropriate for our curriculum specialists. On this slide, I'd like to highlight the second bullet point. Uh it talks about the summitive ratings either being highly effective, effective, improvement, necessary, or ineffective. uh House Enrolled Act 100002 that was passed just this past year has eliminated that requirement. In fact, if you look at House Enrolled Act 10002, it's was 139 pages, but sections 130 through 139 deal with teacher evaluations and most of that was strikethroughs. They've eliminated a lot
009of requirements and as a result, Dr. Redmond has um asked WCTA for committee members. We're going to take a look now that we they have changed a lot of requirements, removed a lot of requirements. We're going to take a look at the teacher evaluation rubric and see if there's something better, something that we want to tweak. Do we want to scrap it and come up with something new? So, that's something that Dr. Redmond, myself, and some teachers and principles will be working on this year. >> Just a point of clarity, Dr. Gresham, um we will re use the current evaluation rubric for this school year. So, we will still have those categories and use the existing rubric, but the committee's work over the course of this year might affect what we do moving forward. Thank
010you. Yes, I meant I meant to say that everything's staying the same for this year. Have a meeting uh with WCTA every year to go over the evaluation rubric, see if there's anything needs to be changed. That meeting was held on June 20th this year with Miss Short and Miss Hobbs. And then, of course, the presentation being presented in a public meeting is happening here tonight. Again, the second rubric talks about teachers being rated as ineffective or improvement necessary. We only had one teacher in that category last year and that teacher decided to move on and do other things this year. So, coming back this year, we have no teachers in either of those categories. Just like the few years. Obviously, we don't have any teachers that are in this category. And interestingly enough, this
011is another requirement that was removed in the law. And many times in these laws, when they take something out, they just replace it with something else. But that doesn't seem to be the case in this one. Uh we're still digesting. I'm still getting information from the IDOE about these changes. But this is something that has gone away as a result of HA 10002. Do we have policies that match those laws on evaluation of certified instructors that need to be updated based on those or may not be maybe we want to continue this as our policy but >> we have a practice I don't know that anything if our if our evalation policy >> not in the policy but overall policy >> we can review that as a policy committ and see if there needs to
012be anything updated or included after your work is finished. >> Our observations are the are the biggest part of a teacher's uh evaluation score. 70% of their evaluation scores based on their observations. And you see the observations have we have different numbers and different lengths of observation based on their previous year's rating. Uh short observations are generally considered 10 to 20 minutes and long observations anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes. New teachers and it doesn't matter whether you come to War County with zero user experience straight out of college or 25 years experience. We want all of our new teachers to be seen four times in their first year. We consider that a good practice. And that is the highlights of our certified evaluation plan. Are there any questions about our evaluation plan? >> I
013have a question. It's probably going to tie in with Dr. Lambert. If you could uh how how since they're getting rid of the ratings, teacher rating, how does that affect the tag money? Do we still have that? I don't remember what they did to the law to change that. >> So that you're correct. They did something to the law that changed that. And what they changed is completely different than what we've done in the past with tag money. In the past, there was tag money that went to every teacher that was effective and highly effective and there had to be a certain difference between the two. That was completely removed and changed in the law. And we're still discussing among ourselves and with WCTA about how we're going to handle that this year. >> Okay.
014So, is it our discretion to either use the RISE model? Is that completely out the window? Could we just choose anything and make up our own? Is that what you were saying? >> It has to be approved by the state. But basically, yes. >> Okay. So, we could do something similar to what we've done before. The committee may decide we keep it as is. the committee may decide we want to look at something more like based on like a growth kind of growth model type uh rubric. It can really be a lot of different things as long as the state approves it. >> What about the requirement every year? >> Still that's still require. >> Okay. >> Are these rubrics posted somewhere? Are they available I guess to the public to see kind of what
015what the teachers are being evaluated on? >> Absolutely. They are available on our website. >> All all of them. All the ones that were listed on that page are all available on our website. >> Great. >> Thank you, Dr. Gresham. >> Uh, next agenda item is consideration of routine business. Dr. Redmond. >> There we The routine business includes approving the minutes of the school board meeting held on July 28th, 2025 and approving the claims and signing the docket. I recommend the board approve the routine items as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I have a motion by Mrs. Wilhelm, seconded by Mr. Baker. We have any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. Agenda item seven, consideration of items for board action. Dr. Red, I guess we're calling
016it eight. >> Thank you. 8.1 Approve annual vendor agreements. In your board packet, you will find a request for Warick County School Corporation to enter into an annual vendor agreement with two companies, Jumping Jacks Entertainment and All Blown Up Event Reynolds. These agreements will remain in effect until June 30th of 2026. I recommend the board approve this request as presented. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> Motion by Mr. Igner, seconded by Mr. France. Do we have any discussion? >> I just want to verify that these are the the the contracts that you prepared and you're just reusing them on an annual basis. >> Yes. So, we don't have three contracts per board meeting. >> Yes. >> For the rest of the school year. Yes. >> Yes. >> Excellent. Uh any other discussion? All in favor
017say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. Uh item 8.2 the first reading of updated policy 4040 student attendance. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. Dr. Walter Lambert has brought to the board updated policy 4040 student attendance. The minor changes are highlighted in yellow. Tonight is the first reading with the second and final reading on Monday, August 25th, 2025, at which time the board may choose to take action. Attendance means to be physically present during regular school hours in a school or at another location where the school's education program is being administered on a day the educational program in which the student in is enrolled is being offered. And rather than rereading the entire policy, I'm just going to point out one change includes uh is in the section exceptions to mandatory attendance requirement. So it is
018added that participating in scheduled competitions or exhibitions through the national FFA organization or 4 uh for purposes for educational purposes only for clarity there. um now now falls into the exception category, meaning that it counts as an excused absence. We would have counted those as excused absences anyway, but now it just points that out. And then the only other layer that is different, we had a change last year in 2024 that required for I believe was was it K through six last year, Dr. Lambert? Now it requires K through 12th grade students who miss five unexcused absences within a 10-w weekek period. At the school level, a school representative, a teacher, a parent, and a parent representative will um be required to have a meeting, phone conversation, and have an attendance plan in place at
019that point. So, those are the changes to our existing policy proposed changes, I should say. >> The second one been the second change >> 12th grade. >> Yes. Yes. Jeff >> and our previous practice of because you can go on a vacation for a week and get five days, right? That's going to get you to your but our previous practice of as long as you've called in those don't count necessarily towards the unexcused require now a conference you go on a family vacation. Correct. >> Correct. a lot of concern about that sort of thing and that's not changing. >> We just need communication from the families. We will continue to work with our families. We understand there are times when students need to miss and there are times when students are ill and they need
020to miss. Um but we also want our families to know that we need our kids at school as well. And that's I think the reason that um we're having some of these changes being mandated to us is there's just been for a group of people across the country that school has become kind of like at will I guess for some families and and we definitely need kids at school. But for all of the normal >> communications that we have with families calling in all of that none of this doesn't change any of that. There are some areas that need this type of wall enforcement in place. We're fortunate to have families that we don't necessarily need this. But >> uh we the whole state has me the same. >> Yes. >> So just a question.
021>> And I would like to just point of clarity the vast majority of our families we don't need this but we do have we're we're facing some attendance issue problems that we haven't faced before. So >> So you we're having a big change in vouchers. So, do parochial schools have these same requirements? >> I don't know the answer to that. >> Mr. Baker, I don't know. >> I'd like to >> at any rate. So, that's our first reading for that. Um, I believe Dr. Lambert, he may be reporting on this at the end as well uh for his report. I would like to make one comment and you mentioned this throughout the the first reading that it changes from K to 6 to K12 and the only other change was it added 4 and going
022state FFA >> state fair type things. So that's really all that changed in our original policy. >> Uh and she's correct you know nothing else. We we still >> have the same practices. So, >> uh, we just changed those two points to adhere to state law. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. There's >> been a lot of misinformation on Facebook and so just wanted to make sure we are clear and for those watching the meeting that this is not changing that much. >> No, >> those two points were the only two that were change will change and it's because of state law. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Agenda item 8.3, the first reading of proposed policy 4300, inspection of Continue on. >> Yes, it's a mouthful. Dr. Walther Lambert has brought to the board
023newly proposed policy 430, inspection of student lockers, desks, and student vehicles parked on school property. Tonight is the first reading with the second and final reading on Monday, August 25th, at which time the board may choose to take action. I'll just read in summary the first section of the proposed policy. Um, it shall be the policy of the school board that any locker, desk, any other storage area assigned to a student for school purposes or vehicle parked on school property shall not be used to store any item which falls into any of the following categories. any item forbidden by state law, school board policy, and or administrative regulation, including any item that is forbidden by state law when possessed by the student, for example, alcohol. Any item deemed to be a health hazard to others,
024and any item which will cause or can reasonably be foreseen to cause an interference with school purposes or an education function. And really, it just outlines um a lot of what we already practice. We don't want those kind of illegal things on our campuses. We address those things, but we wanted that to be formalized in policy. >> Thank you. >> Uh agenda item 8.5, approve the supervised master's educational agreement with >> Oh, darn it. Approve the inter local agreement for installation of operation and maintenance of outdoor warning sirens. >> Thank you, Mrs. Clever. In your board packet is an agreement between the War County Emergency Management Agency and the War County School Corporation. The purpose of this agreement is to set forth the terms and conditions of this agreement under which EMA will install, operate,
025maintain, and repair two outdoor warning sirens and associated equipment on property owned by WCSC at specific locations outlined in this agreement. And just for the good of the group and people in the audience, that will be at WPCC and at Tecumpsa High School. The board's attorney, Mr. Cliff Whitehead, has reviewed the agreement. I recommend the board approve the agreement as presented. >> So motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion by Mr. Mosby, seconded by Mr. Baker. We have any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. Now, agenda item 8.5, approve the supervised master's educational agreement with UNV. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. In your board packet is the is an agreement between the University of Evansville and the War County School Corporation. This document establishes the agreement between the parties
026to provide educational experiences for education leadership students with the objective of producing competent graduates upon degree completion on which WCSC serves as an educational facility for these U of students. And just a point of clarity here, this is for students in their master's program. I believe we have two um current employees who are earning their masters through UEE and that is the purpose of this agreement. Um I recommend the board approve this agreement as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Mrs. Mohelm, seconded by Mr. Skinner. Do have any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. Agenda item 8.6, approve partnership with Grow Southwest Indiana Workforce Board Incorporated. >> Dr. Redmond. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. In your board packet is a request to enter into a
027partnership commitment between Grow Southwest Indiana Workforce Board and the War County School Corporation. This agreement will allow the Jobs for America's graduates, otherwise known as JAG program to implement their services within Bouville High School for the 2025 2026 school year. The board's attorney, Mr. Cliff Whitehead, has reviewed the agreement. I recommend the board approve this partnership as presented. >> So move. >> A motion by Mr. Baker, second it by Mr. France. Do we have any discussion? I am sometime critical of the state, but this is a state program which is really good for Boville High School and I salute them for seeing the value of it. >> Yeah, it's very we're very happy we know that we get it again this year. So excited for that. >> Is there a chance that it will continue
028the year after? >> We don't know that yet. That's not looking quite as optimistic, but we don't know for sure yet. >> Okay. >> But we're excited to get at least another year. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. We have any other discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carry. Agenda item 8.7, approve facility lease agreement with Ford Center. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. Castle High School principal, Mr. Jim Hood, is requesting the board to approve a facility lease agreement with the Ford Center for the Castle High School commitment commencement that will be held on May 16th, 2026. The board's attorney, Mr. Cliff Whitehead has reviewed this agreement. I recommend the board approve the agreement as presented. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion by Mr. Mosby, seconded by Mr. Igner. Do we
029have any discussion? >> Yes. Do we have a time for that? And are all the graduations set? So, will we be doing Booneville again on the same day? I mean, I I'm just trying to figure out how this is going to work. >> Yes. So Friday night we have to come say high school like normal and then boom bills is >> Saturday morning and then castles will be at 2 o'clock on Saturday May 16th >> at 2 p.m. >> Yes. >> Are the strikeouts in here already approved strikeouts? >> Yes. This is the same agreement as last year. Okay. >> Thank you. >> And if I remember Mr. Whitehead. I believe the Ford Center asked us to leave the strikeouts in there. That was not our doing. >> I like to make it look prettier
030than this, >> but I also don't like to rock the boat when I need it. So, >> okay. All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carried. >> Agenda item 8.8, approve donations. Dr. Redmond. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. At Bungal High School, SNS machine shop is donating all supplies, materials, and installation of new handrails on the home side of the football stadium. This service is valued at $11,200. at Tecumpsa High School for football, a $5,348 donation from the LA Grid Iron Club for new coaches headsets, and a $500 donation from Black Arts Paving for electric electronic equipment and updating equipment. And also at Tecumpy High School volleyball, $500 donations from each of the following: IBEDW, Local 16, Scales Excavating LLC, Dodson Construction, Inc., and Oath Farm Services, Inc. funds will be used
031to help purchase player apparel, banquetss, and team building activities along with volleyball equipment. I recommend the board approve the donations. It's very generous as always. um as presented. >> Motion to approve donations. >> Second. >> Motion by Mr. France, seconded by Mr. Skinner. Do we have any discussion? >> I do have a question for the Booneville High School U handrails on the home site of the football stadium. Is this something that we usually do inhouse or is this something we ask patrons to do? >> Um we've done it both ways, I suspect. um >> because I think it would be for safety's >> sake and I'm wondering you know if that's something we could not do like with capital projects or something. I mean this is a very generous donation. So we we meet every
032year with building principles and work through cap capital projects requests and plans and so we always have some things that we know are upcoming for bigger projects and then sometimes at the building level there will be priorities that arise. Um, and then sometimes we have businesses or groups or companies or partners who just reach out to us and say, "We would like to do something for you. What might that be?" And then that allows us to just spend that funding on an additional or different project. But to answer, >> I'm just thinking, you know, when we're talking safety, I know we installed in the stadium at Boonville High School. >> Um, you know, the steps are steeped and the concrete bleachers on the home side of the football field. I guess I I'm thinking maybe
033that should be something we should have taken care of, too. >> And I I was just curious. I just wanted to look into that. But moving forward, I'd like to see us anytime there's safety involved. I I think that's something that we as a school board and as a school corporation need to look at making sure that it's a safe facility for everyone. So, but I appreciate this generous donation. Thank you. Thank you. >> Is the plans for what they're doing, how they're doing it been reviewed and approved already? >> Yeah. Did you see the photo? >> I see a photo. Is Is this what it is now or is this >> That's a photo of what it will look like. So, they installed that so you could see what the photo will >> Okay.
034So, then go up the rest of the way. It's going to go, my understanding is it's going to go halfway up, but then across multiple sets of stairs across the home side, >> not all the way across it. It will not go in the student section. Okay. >> In the student section, and Mr. helped me with this because the cheerleaders always sit like right in front of the press box or do their thing in front of the press box. And I think that's where these are going to be going up for like elderly type people. >> Yeah. My when I spoke with Mrs. Kimp, she explained to me that when facing the home side, >> the student section, which my understanding is toward the left side, >> would not have this set of railing, but
035then moving to the right, the different sets of stairs would have them halfway up. >> Okay. And that's right in front of the press box. >> That's one set of stairs to the right. >> And then there's one to the right. >> And that's that's where students stand and cheer with the cheerleaders. Correct. >> That would be to the west. >> Yeah. The students are on the west and to the west of the press box. >> Correct. >> The cheerleaders are in front of the press box. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Because I've I've seen both ways and I usually go >> Well, they do I will say that sometimes they change it. stay down in that section too and cheerleaders is what I was saying, >> but I just I guess from a safety
036standpoint, I'm not sure. Maybe at some point we'll need to put them all the way across. I don't know. But I just I wanted to make sure that we were diligent in looking at that, making sure they're placed where they need to be. >> Thank you. >> So, there never been railings before. This isn't replacing old railings. This is adding. >> That's correct, Mr. Skinner. Yes. Okay. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. Agenda item nine, consideration of personnel. Dr. Gresham. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. The human resource office has the following business to bring before the board tonight. Agenda item 9.1, consideration of employment for certified staff. Isabelle Cobb, fourth grade teacher at Yanke Yankee Town Elementary School. Caleb Hart, welding teacher at WPCC. Janet Harbert, a temporary second grade
037teacher at Chandler Elementary School. And the following non-certified staff, Caitlyn Eden, program assistant at Wet. Caleb Buyers, program assistant at Boomville Middle. Addison Patton, program assistant at Yankee Town Elementary. Ameilia Wilson, multi-responsibility position. Mallerie Morgan, program assistant at Oakdale Elementary. Brenda, Brenda Buck, multi-responsibility position. Allison Lant, Alicia Gibson, and Sean Ally Camp, bus drivers. Kelsey Jennings, program assistant at Johnny Castle Elementary School. Kaylee Curtis, 6.5 hour cafeteria position at Castle North. Pamela Dempsey, 3.0 hour cafeteria position at Chandler Elementary. Jessica Jennings, 3.5 hour cafeteria position. And Erica South, 6.0 zero hour cafeteria position both at Newberg Elementary. Amber Bradley 6.5 hour cafeteria position at Castle North. Martha Beal Risinger Smith cafeteria float Shauna Brown program assistant at Castle High. Elena Accree temporary program assistant at Chandler Elementary. And Kesha Cronin, temporary ABS program assistant at
038Chandler Elementary. >> Motion to approve certified non-certified staff as presented. >> Second. >> Motion by Mr. Igner, seconded by Mr. Mosby, we have any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. >> Thank you. Agenda item 9.2 leaves Alexis CR, program assistant at Newberg Elementary. Sarah Dury, program assistant at Elberfeld Elementary. Miranda Towry, program assistant at Boonville Middle. Nell Harata, 4.75 hour cafeteria position at Castle High. And Michaela Ays, special education teacher at Tecumpsy High. Second. >> Uh, do you make the motion? >> I do. >> Okay. Motion by Mrs. Wilhelm is seconded by Mr. Baker. Any discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carried. >> Thank you. Agenda item 9.3, report of transfers. Lisa Butcher, fifth grade teacher at Newberg Elementary School to computer science teacher at
039Castle South Middle School. Tanya Kersh, fourth grade teacher at Yankeetown Elementary School to fourth grade teacher at Newberg Elementary School. And Civa Parbathy Ranala, 3.25 hour cafeteria position at Johnny's Castle Elementary School to 4.75 hour cafeteria position at Castle North Middle School. Agenda item 9.4, resignations. Coral Laughlin, program assistant at Castle High, resignation effective May 23rd, 2025. Rhonda Armstrong, program assistant at Castle High, resignation effective May 23rd, 2025. Natalie Ellison, 4.75 hour cafeteria position at Castle North Middle, resignation effective August 22nd, 2025. Kayla Smith, 5.25 hour cafeteria position at Castle North Middle, resignation effective July 30th, 2025. Brooke Fren, ABS, program assistant, Yankee Town Elementary, resignation effective August 22nd, 2025. Tara Payne, program assistant, Castle High, resignation effective August 11th, 2025. Sarah Myers, custodian of Boonville Middle, resignation effective August 22nd, 2025. and Karen Collins,
040bus aid resignation effective May 22nd, 2025. >> Thank you, Dr. Gresian. Next, we have reports from Dr. Redmond. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Glover. We have two reports tonight. Our first will come from Mrs. Wagner and Mr. Fiser. >> Thank you, Dr. Redmond and board. Wanted to let everyone um give you an update on our PD Palooa that we held in from July 22nd to July 25th at Booneville High School. We had three days of sessions, active sessions at Booneville High School for professional development, for our educators, for our support staff and administration. And I'm really pleased to report that this year we had over 219 different employees attend one of those sessions on those three days. So, it was very well turned out. Uh we had some great participation, good feedback on many
041of the sessions that we provided. We had Logan Miller from the Indiana Department of Education providing um information about the throughear assessments, which are the checkpoints that are administered in grades three through 8 in ELA and math, one time in the fall, one time in the winter, and then one time in the spring. And that is new this year to the state of Indiana as it is mandated now that all Indiana schools participate in the checkpoints. Last year was a pilot year for the state of Indiana. Over 70% of schools within the state participated in some form or fashion. And here in War County, we had over 90% participation. But we were very glad that the Department of Ed uh sent someone down to uh help educate our admin, our educators and support staff. Um
042just was really pleased with the turnout. On the Friday of PD Palooa on July 25th, we offered educators an opportunity to work in their home school and to work on some of the techniques and strategies that they had learned during the week and we were able to pay them a half-day stipen for their work there on Friday, July 25th. So, we're looking forward to the next PD Palooa. We're already uh beginning planning for it. Uh we will not have one in 2026. PD Palooa is on other every other year basis. Um at this time we have a lot of training going on in the department of learning whether it be with textbooks with title one. Uh this week we have training four days this week. Some of the training that we've had uh is tomorrow.
043We have ENL training is English as a new learner. Um in meeting room B that is all day training. We also have reveal training. That is the math program that we recently adopted. That is the second opportunity for educators to have training in reveal. We had that earlier on July 30th. And we had another opportunity um on Wednesday. We have music training on Wednesday. And then on Thursday, we have training with IDOE 4565. That is a brand new course called Computing Foundations. And we're providing um professional development through NextTech for educators at the high school and for educators at the middle school. Remember Castle South, Castle North, Booneville Middle School this year are offering that course for high school credit. This is the first year that we're doing that because this is part of the
044new diploma. Our current freshmen who are transitioning to the new diploma did not have the opportunity to take it last year. So, we're still teaching it in the high school. And we'll need to have those courses within our high school for students that move in or for students that may have attended a different corporation and in eighth grade, they didn't have that course offering. Um, right now, Mrs. Wagner has been working diligently here with me to try to get some pictures up of our War County School Corporation preschool. Today was the first day and we had uh remember we had to move four classrooms to Castle South. All the feedback is that it went really well and I will allow the pictures to speak for themselves. >> I apologize it's not >> I tell you
045what I'll keep on talking Mrs. Wagner sign I got plenty of work in the department >> or we can have Dr. or Dr. Larry can come >> and you all thought I was going to be short tonight. No, I'll never get to present again. >> No, >> but um we are eagerly awaiting the results this Wednesday, August the 13th, because we have received preliminary uh reports that the I read scores will become final at the state board of education uh meeting. So, we are going to be uh providing all of this information to the board at our last uh board meeting in August where we will go through all of our testing data throughout the corporation, the I read um data, the iLearn, grades three through eight. In grades four and six, we also test
046science. And in grades five, we have social studies that we also test. and then we'll be going through our SAT school day data that we had at our three high schools. I can tell you that the preliminary results are very encouraging. I don't want to get out too far in front of myself, but we are hopeful on Wednesday that we'll receive some good news as it relates to our grade three cohort and those students are now in grade four. uh remember or I'll try to help in mind um that our current third grade students last year in War County was the first year that all second grade students in Indiana took the I read assessment and currently we have 74.4% of our current third grade students who've already met that minimum requirement of reading proficiency
047in third grade. So that's something we're really proud of. Uh the year before to give comparison data we were right around 60%. However, we anticipated that that number would increase because they offered an additional testing window at the conclusion of last school year. While we're getting up these wonderful pictures from our preschool, does anybody have any questions of me about the testing data? Yes, ma'am. >> Not the testing data, but back to the new computer >> foundations course. Yes, ma'am. >> Would they have that as an option or an elective in the high school if they would choose to take that like if they're a sophomore? >> Yeah. I didn't do a very good job of explaining it, Mrs. Wil. So, this is now required of every student beginning with the 20129 cohort, which is
048our current freshman. So, at Booneville, Castle South, and Castle North, we're going to get that requirement done completed in 8th grade. if they want to expand on that on that foundations course once they get to high school, we have other course offerings that it will expand on this basic knowledge. The reason the state of Indiana mandated this uh about four or five years ago, they mandated that computer science be offered in on in all high schools, but only 7% of students were signing up for it. >> So that's why it's been mandated. But so they can build upon that. But the sophomores, juniors, and seniors, like right now, they did not have that. Is that correct? >> They did not have it. And it was not a requirement for them to graduate. >> And what
049I was asking was could they choose that as an elective if they would so choose to pick that up? >> if they wanted to take it, uh, I am not certain on that. I I would need to get back to the board because right now what we're trying to do is be sure that we get our requirements completed because with the castle students we have approximately 450 to 500 that need to meet that requirement. I would say that in the future I would see no reason uh with us offering this course and students having completed it in 8th grade we wouldn't have a huge number to continue to educate. So I would assume that some could pick that up for an elective. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, sir. >> The PD Palooa, was that
050just the certified >> staff or was that also >> that was non-certified staff? So, our program assistants >> Yeah. >> were able to attend. And in fact, we had many program assistants who did attend, whether it be CPI training, uh we had program assistants. Um we had training specifically for program assistants. I know Mrs. Wagner's department offered two or three trainings that was specific for them. And then with the I learn checkpoints um because in Indiana law now they've allowed program assistance if we would want they can administer the checkpoints. So we had some program assistance even there for that. Now I want to be clear they're not allowed to administer like the iid or any of the summitive assessments. >> I just think it's fabulous. We have dedicated employees who come in during the
051summer to take days of their break and come and do these classes and educate and get that professional development. They can come back ready to go the next school year. I just think it's great. >> Yeah, we're very fortunate to have such a dedicated staff. We just wanted to share if you would have asked us four weeks ago or whenever this was that started um when we walked into the classrooms at Castle South versus what we had today. It was truly amazing. You saw the community like our outside community, our team war community all come together. And so I just wanted to show you these because looking at our classrooms, you would have never have known we had a fire at the Warhead Center. So this is just one of our classrooms ready to go.
052You can see they've the furniture is there. They have all their items in there. Um so that was just one of the classes. Here's another one of the classes. So again, I think for me, I was hoping we had our furniture and our little chairs and our little tables and just some toys, and this was way beyond anything we could have expected there. And then some of our other classrooms. >> Wow. >> Doesn't look like any middle school classroom I've seen. >> Here's our last one. So that was all four of our classrooms. As you can see, they were ready to go this morning and are we had a great day in preschool today. >> Great. Great. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Fischer. Thank you, Mrs. Wagner. >> Our second report is from Dr.
053Lambert. >> I get to go second so I can say something about, you know, Mr. Fisher. forever. That's what the rookies get. So, um, reporting for the policy committee, um, of course you saw our work today, uh, for the attendance policy update and then the search policy up or addition. Um, again with the attendance policy, just to reiterate things with that, nothing has changed in in our realm of stuff. I know there's been some things on Facebook and whatnot with that. Um it's just it's basically the same other than that addition of 7th and 12th to 12th grade for um anyone that's going to have um you know missing unexcused days in that 10 week period. Um and then the addition of the 4 age people having those days off. Indiana always counts you absent.
054You're either there or not. So you're absent or not. And then we are the ones that do the excused or not excuse. Um, and a lot of those are done with phone calls parents make in and say, "Hey, my kids sick today." And so that's excused. The only time a parent we would call them in for a meeting would for myself um would be when they hit 18 days of any type of excused days. That's 10% of the school year, which is a lot of days out. Um, and so the state just says, "Hey, you have to have that conversation then." It doesn't mean we would talk to the prosecutor or DCS at that time, but we could. If we need to, usually I have the conversation. I will give them a chance a few
055more weeks to show they can get their child to school. If they do that, then I usually do not take it on to the prosecutor. Um, as well, um, so just to if you hear that, um, don't hesitate to have people I'll be more than happy to talk to people about it. Um, since I'm the one that does the attendance hearings, um, I'd be more than happy to, you know, principles know about it, too. So, if you have, uh, constituents say and ask questions, um, please, you know, let's, let's get all those, uh, false things out of the out of the way and get going forward with that. So, um, we're also going to be working on updating older policies. You did talk about teacher evaluations and and such. Um, those are some of our
056older ones we do need to update. Uh the last one was 2013 when we had the new law change to move to the evaluation model we're in. Um so that's on our list to go through as well. And most of those policies are just um very generalized, very vague. It's the regulations that will change more so when we do an evaluation change um like uh Dr. Gresham is talking about is those are the things in the regulation that we can change easily uh day in and day out. So, um those will be on there as well as a few others as we go through those um things. The tag policy, we do have to do that every year, but we have not gotten any guidance from the state on that whatsoever. Um if we are
057going to do it and whatnot. So, we'll once we get that information and everybody makes the plan, um we'll get that to you as soon as possible going forward. So, any questions for us for policy? >> Um average, how many attendance issues did you have last year? >> Um, you know what? What I'll do is so I don't just give you a number and just make something up. I will get numbers and I'll make that as my next report. Okay. >> Talk about that because I think that would be a good view and look into what our attendance policy does and deals with and the types of numbers it >> when in the grand scheme of thing with over, you know, 9,500 kids in the district We don't have a lot, but we have those
058frequent flyers that year in and year out do it. So, I'll bring numbers. I'll make that my next report. And then that way you can kind of see where we do and how many and I'll look back at how many meetings I had last year. Sometimes people don't show up to those meetings. So, even though I send a letter out and say you need to um but I will I'll count those up and just give you an idea of how much that involves so that that way I could make up a number today and probably be wrong. >> Okay. >> So, >> thank you, >> Dr. Lumber. Um the I think it was the other policy we did the reading on. Uh it was a search thing just for parents listening or whatever. >> Uh
059you know your students there and their car is going to be searched. Could you just touch on parent notification on something like that? Yeah, I mean anything like that with especially a private vehicle, we would be doing something like that. We'd be calling them, but again, it's um this is a required policy by the state of Indiana that we have in place and we just didn't have a that wasn't just there. So, um same with the lockers and whatnot. Now, lockers, we don't call parents ahead of time because that's something that's in the building and physically right there. But if it's something like that, we just we have not made it a practice to really go out to cars and vehicles and make searches of vehicles on school grounds. So just I can't even recall
060the last time we've done that where we've had to do that. >> Um >> but in essence of safety and things like that, it exists. Yes. >> We have the ability. Yes. And then if that's the case, notification would happen. Proper notification. >> Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. because and it's usually going to be something that we're already looking at the person or talking to the person like you said a safety issue, right? >> Something very concerning or there's something we see out in the open. But again, our principles don't walk through the the parking lots. They don't have time for that. >> You know, they'll use the cameras when they need to, but they're not walking through looking for things. Yeah. >> So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Yep. Anything else? >> Policy language. You
061said policy is required by the state. language itself is to our language. >> Yes. But it's also derived from like the Indiana School Board Association. They give you a generalized, hey, here's what we want to do, but then Cliff takes it from the legal standpoint and then says, here's how we should use that and utilize that and then push it forward through that. So, that's that's where that comes from. >> Anything else? All right. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Dr. I was I was quicker a lot quicker than Jason and back there. >> Wait till next month. He has a whole presentation. >> Thank you, Dr. Lor. >> Any other board business? >> We have a student learning and growth meeting on Tuesday, August 2 or yes, Tuesday, August 26th at 11 o'clock at
062the admin office. And then we have a policy meeting August 25th at 5:45 here in this building prior to our next school board meeting. >> And we have a construction meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning 7:30 administration building and then personnel committee meeting >> scheduled for September the 8th at 6:15. That would be September the 8th at 6:15. right here in this building. >> Do we wanna >> That's all I got. >> Do we want to do the next meeting since we missed today? Do you want to hit still hit one for August still yet this month? >> Uh Dr. Gresham said it wasn't necessary. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Is there's nothing time sensitive? Nothing. >> Okay. >> All right. I'm done. >> Okay. And then our next board meeting will be August
06325th, 7 p.m. here at Central Services. And if there's no other business, meeting the journ [Music]