Call this meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance 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 very much. You may be seated. And welcome to the May 6th, 19th,
regular school board meeting of the Richland Blossom Community School Corporation. We're glad to see
all of you here this evening. And please let the record reflect that all board members are present this
evening. And first, we'll get into visitor comments. As the agenda says, for visitors comments, there
may be a lot tonight.
You are limited to three minutes. So keep tracking your time. It will be on the screen for you. And
one of the things that we've always done is that there can be no negative attacks on any individual
people. It's always been
The ground rules, I don't know what anybody's going to say about anything. So when there's a group,
I always like to put that out there first. I mean, you know, so please, no negative attacks on any individual
person. So just remember that. I'll have to stop you if that comes up. But knowing this community, I
don't think that'll be a problem.
just for procedure. I figured I'd give it a say. So I don't know. Do we have a list? Okay. Well, then,
uh, Mrs. Barrett will go down the list and call you up to the podium. And if you would please state
your name. Now, these microphones are only for cats. They do not project sound in this room.
So if you could project your voice, that would really help, because it's difficult to hear from the
podium. This year doesn't work. And so it helps if you can project your voice a little bit. So please
do that. OK, the first person we have tonight is Melissa Wells. Hi. I thought I was going to talk in
the microphone,
I'll try to talk really loud. I teach eighth grade at the junior high school. So I have two kids in
the choir program now. I wrote out what I wanted to say, because I have a tendency to ramble, as some
of my current and former students know. So I want to speak tonight in strong support of appointing our
middle school choir director to lead the high school choir program. I understand that change can be
difficult, especially after a longtime director resigns.
Many families are emotional because this program means so much to our students and community, but moments
like this are when we have to focus not on fear of change, but on who is truly best prepared to lead
our students forward. Mrs. Campbell, our middle school choir director, has already earned the respect,
trust, and admiration of students and families. She has dedicated herself to building young singers,
not only musically, but personally, encouraging confidence, discipline, teamwork, and a love for music.
Those qualities do not suddenly disappear because the students get older. In fact, many of the students
who will walk into the high school choir room next year were shaped by Mrs. Campbell already. There
is value in having someone who already knows these students, believes in them, and has proven they can
inspire excellence. A successful choir program is built on leadership, passion, consistency, and the
ability to connect with students. Mrs. Campbell has already demonstrated all of these things.
I hope we give her the opportunity she has earned and show our students that we value talent, commitment,
and proven dedication to this community. Our students deserve stability, encouragement, and a leader
who is already deeply invested in their success. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, we have Brandon Wells.
One other thing I forgot to mention is that
This is a time for the board to take in information from people. So it's not a question and answer kind
of thing. I didn't mention that at the beginning. So I apologize for that. Don't mean to interrupt you,
sir. But I just wanted to- Hey, my clock didn't start yet. Yeah, your clock's not started. So I just
wanted to make sure you understood that. We're not here to question answer. We just want to hear from
you and what you have to say. So please go ahead. Thank you very much. Well, thank you so much for the
time tonight. I, too, again, Brandon Wells.
Melissa is my wife, so we have two kids in the choir program currently at the junior high school. I
will tell you, the purpose I'm here tonight is to enthusiastically support Mrs. Campbell's transition
into the high school program as an ex-choir director. I can tell you as a parent of her two current
students in the program, she has put on an absolute master class in communication.
and imparting her wisdom and knowledge of her experience as not only a choir director, but as a student
who was born and bred in this program. I do not come from that background. I'm a huge supporter of the
arts, but that was not me. I'm more of a sports guy. But I will tell you, what I saw from Mrs. Campbell
this last two years was her easing that burden for a novice like me, her making sure she's constantly
communicating with parents and letting us know
what our children can work on, what they're doing well. If there's any problems in the program, she
absolutely communicated that at all times. That's really the best we can ask for. I will tell you, as
a professional, as somebody who's had to hire and make tough personnel decisions, it's not easy. I don't
envy your task in that. The fact that so many people are here in the room speaks to the passion we have
for this program and this community. And every person in this room is responsible for the success of
this program.
I think that is, first and foremost, something we have to consider, even if we're at opposite ends of
the opinion on this personnel decision. When I'm hiring somebody in my business and I work in the nonprofit
field, I'm actually hiring somebody right now. And what I want is a deep candidate pool, okay? And the
reason I want a deep candidate pool is because I don't currently have someone in the building who's
capable of doing the job, who we've invested in, who we've grown within our business. You have that.
You have someone who came up in this program who has demonstrated at the junior high level that she
is capable of leading this program to even new heights of success where it's already been wildly successful.
I see no reason to even entertain the prospect of additional candidates when you have an internal person
you have invested time and energy in and has shown to everyone in this room and everyone in this community
that she is 1,000% deserving of the job. The fact that you developed that talent
again, speaks volumes of this entire room and this community who has brought her up within this program
and made her the logical successor to an already successful program. Thank you very much. Next, we have
Ethan Deckard.
Thank you. My name is Ethan Deckard and I was a past student of Mrs. Campbell and I hope to be a future
student of Mrs. Campbell. I'll take you back to the first time that I was in show choir. I didn't like
choir. It was not something that I really thought would be enjoyable. And then Mrs. Campbell showed
that it's not about singing or dancing or any of that sort. It's about becoming
family and doing that with people that you know and love and that you will hope to cherish. So I think
that having all these people in here as previously stated speaks volumes for how much people enjoy and
love Miss Campbell and I just really hope that she can move up because I didn't
I didn't have many close friends when I was in eighth grade, but she didn't really care for my perspective.
She cared for how I treated people and how people treated me, which I really love. Oh, God.
Everyone student here, they can all agree that their show choir years have been almost perfection because
of the works of Miss Campbell. She is such an inspiration to us all and I think that she should go up.
That's all.
So we have Andrea Andrews. I will keep a timer on you. Yeah, I'll keep a timer on me. But I didn't write
anything down. So I'm Andrea Andrews. I actually am your librarian and PLTW specialist at Edgewood
Intermediate School. Hi, boss. And I also have three kids that are in the choir. I have one that's going
to walk the line in two days. Ha! Thank God, because I'm ready for him to go to school. But I do want
to tell you that one of the reasons why my son Michael is walking across that line, since I've
Brian, who believed in him and poured in him and loved him. Even when other kids said nasty things about
him, he loved my kid. He gave him the shirt off his back. Michael did this year because the man has
done nothing but invested in him the last four years. And I will tell you when Brian was gone, it devastated
my kids, devastated. The one gleaming hope was the fact that you guys brought Verda in.
Because I looked at him, I said, oh guys, you don't know how incredible it is that you actually get
to spend nine weeks under her belt and under her teaching. Because that's so exciting for you to be
able to learn from her. Because I learned from her, Brian learned from her in camps. And I am a firm
believer, Brian, that when God closes a door, he opens a window. And he's got a great window of blessings
for you and your family. But let's talk about Kyra. And I call her Kyra because I was her first head mom.
It was me. And I came in after the other director. And the director before that, unfortunately, I had
to do everything. And some of these people behind you will tell you, I had to do everything. We weren't
charged with it all. Kyra was different. She came in. And her and I, we didn't rub well at first. But
what I got to know is I got to know her. I saw the love that she has for these kids. She is from the
seeds of greatness of that man down there who loved on her and poured into her life.
And because of that, she has blossomed into what she is. And she's going to do nothing but continue
to grow this program. She is Edgewood Choirs. It is time. And like I said, greatness to you, opportunity
to you. But I want to see her do this. My kids, because of this choir program, it has brought them through
the trauma that they have gone through early on in life. This choir program, it was their niche, Jen,
their niche. It's where they have come alive.
And my two young ones, who are seniors next year, were considering not even going to do choir next year,
because they didn't know. But the minute they found out that choir was coming, oh, thank God, Mom, we're
gonna be okay. And I had the chance of going in two weeks ago during the tryouts, because Carol was
like, oh my gosh, you gotta sign my permission slip. So I ran in there, and about 3.30 in the afternoon,
there was hallways full of kids, kids who have been in choir, out of choir, kids I had never seen before.
all excited because she was coming at the helm. So the Andrews family loves Brian Poulsen. We love Verda
Slinker and we 100% support Kyra. Thank you. Next up we have Jessica Foster.
just start talking. OK, I'm writing this from the experience of what my son has been through. He was
Kyra's first class, I guess I should say, in the eighth grade. He is now going to be a senior this year.
And we are truly looking forward to welcoming Kyra Campbell as the high school choral director. Over
the past four years, we have seen firsthand what she's accomplished with the junior high program.
and the incredible growth that has taken place under her leadership. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and
ability to connect with students have revitalized the program and inspired so many young performers
to continue their musical journey into high school. Mrs. Campbell brings fresh ideas, renewed energy,
and a clear vision for the future of the high school program.
We believe she has the passion and leadership necessary to help restore the program to the level of
excellence and pride that many in the community have missed for years. Perhaps most importantly, she
understands the importance of creating unity between the junior high and high school programs. These
programs should not feel like two completely separate groups, but rather one connected music family
that supports and builds upon each other.
Because Kyra has personally experienced the program as both a student and an educator, she understands
how to bridge that gap and create continuity, encouragement, and shared purpose between both schools.
We are excited about the future of the program under her leadership, and we are hopeful for an environment
where students once again feel challenged, supported, valued, and inspired. We greatly appreciate everything
that Vertis Linker did.
coming in to guide and support our students through the remainder of the school year. Her willingness
to step in during a difficult time and provide stability for the program has been a great deal to many
families and students. At the same time, we believe the program is ready for a new chapter and would
benefit from fresh leadership and a renewed vision for the future.
We feel it is time to bring in someone who not only understands the program itself, but also truly knows
the students, the parents, and the community as it has continued to grow and evolve over the years.
We believe Kyra Campbell brings that unique combination of experience, passion, and connection to the
community. Her familiarity with the students and her proven success at the junior high make her an ideal
person to help strengthen and unify the program moving forward.
Next, we have Stacey Pa. Hello. I'm the journeys teacher at EPS. And this is very different than the
last time I was up here celebrating my classroom. Dear members of the board, Dr. Sanders, Ms. Barrett,
it is with a heavy heart that I write this letter.
20 years ago, I began my journey with Richland Beanblossom, and from the very beginning, I truly loved
coming to work each day. Over the years, I've been fortunate to serve in many different roles, and in
each one, my goal has always been the same, to make a difference, to help students, support colleagues,
and contribute in whatever way I could to make our school community stronger and better. Richland Beanblossom
has been more than a workplace to me. It's been home.
Unfortunately, after COVID, something changed. The support, collaboration, and sense of teamwork that
once made this district feel special began to disappear. Professionally, I found myself in increasingly
difficult circumstances without the support or resources necessary to meet the needs of my students
or protect the well-being of my staff and myself. When I sought help, I often felt unheard
At times, I felt dismissed, ridiculed, and made to feel as if my concerns and my professional judgment
did not matter. I raised these concerns through the appropriate channels, hoping for meaningful support
and solutions. But instead, the situation only got worse. As a special education teacher, I've always
understood that the work is challenging. I have never expected it to be easy.
But what became unbearable was being expected to manage severe student behaviors, repeated physical
aggression, and unsafe working conditions without adequate support. My staff and I were injured regularly.
I personally underwent three surgeries related to injuries sustained at work. Despite repeated pleas
for help and advocacy for my students, my staff, and myself, I was too often met with the message
that it was simply part of my job. It is not. No educator should feel unsafe at work. No teacher should
have to fund essential classroom needs out of pocket because they are told to buy it themselves. No
staff member should feel that their voice concerns or wellbeing are irrelevant. Over time, the emotional,
physical, and mental toll became too great. I began dreading a job I once loved deeply.
I lost talented members because they, too, could no longer endure the physical and emotional demands
without proper support. Perhaps hardest of all was realizing that the passion and joy I once brought
to this work had been replaced by exhaustion, discouragement, and hurt. Thank you, Dr. Sanders. I love
Virgilene Blossom, and leaving is not what I wanted.
There is a part of me that still wonders who is going to give out the hugs, who will advocate fiercely
for the students who need it the most, and who will continue the work that meant so much to me for so
many years. But I realized after being told that I could not have a voice and that my perception of
everything was wrong, that that person could not be me. Because of this,
I regretfully resigned my position with Richland B. Blossom effective the last day of my current teaching
contract in order to preserve my own peace of mind, my physical health, my mental health, and the well-being
of my family. I am grateful for the many years, relationships, and memories I have built here. Edgewood is great.
I will always care deeply about this district and the students it serves, and it is my sincere hope
that future educators will be given the support, respect, and resources they need to do this important
work. Thank you. Next, we have Danielle Sessions.
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen of the school board, thank you for your time and opportunity to
speak tonight. I stand here today not as one individual, but as someone reflecting the feelings of many
parents, students, alumni, and community members who strongly support the promotion of Ms. Kyra Campbell
from the junior high program into leadership of the Edgewood High School choir program. While my comments
tonight may seem overly redundant to the prior comments offered, I opine that this redundancy only amplifies them
Quite simply, Ms. Campbell has been one of the best things to happen to Edgewood Show Choir program
in years. Her energy, professionalism, work ethic, and genuine investment in students have elevated
morale, participation, and excitement throughout their music community. Students respond to her because
they know she believes in them. Parents support her because they see results, and the community has
rallied around her because excellence, consistency, and leadership naturally earn trust.
Promoting her is not only a sign that this corporation recognizes talent and commitment, it is the right
decision for the long-term health of this program. I know a concern has been raised that the corporation
may not have conducted a long enough search before arriving at a decision, but I would respectfully
ask how long should a district continue a search when the right candidate is already standing in front
of them? Ms. Campbell has not an unknown quantity. She is a proven leader, a proven teacher,
and an Edward alumnus who already understands this community, its traditions, and its students. She
has already demonstrated an ability to build relationships, inspire excellence, and positively grow
these programs. Sometimes the best leadership decision isn't the longest process, but it is recognizing
proven excellence when you already have it. Strong programs are built by empowering strong educators.
When schools identify exceptional leaders, they should support them.
develop them and place them in positions where they can have the greatest impact on students. Mrs. Campbell
has more than earned that opportunity. Students deserve a safe and stable environment. Students deserve
positivity. Students deserve leadership focused on growth and development while providing an enriching
educational experience in the classroom every single day. And that is exactly why this decision matters.
Mrs. Campbell represents an opportunity to move the program forward, to restore unity, rebuild trust,
and refocus the culture around students, music, excellence, and opportunity. I encourage this board
to stand confidently behind this promotion and send a clear message that the RBBCSC supports educators
who inspire students, strengthen programs, and elevate the entire community as a whole. Thank you for
your time.
Next up, we have Emma Curtis. Hi, my name is Emma Curtis, and I'm a show car student here at Edgewood.
I just wanted to share my experience about Mrs. Campbell. Mrs. Campbell is the one who encouraged me
to join the choir, and it made a real big difference in my life.
If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have found my passion for show choir that I have now. Whenever I felt
nervous or unsure, she made me feel confident in myself. She believed in my leadership abilities and
gave me a chance to be a dance captain. In the classroom, she was a great teacher and always understood
what I needed to do. I always understood what I needed to do and I felt very prepared when coming into
the competition season.
Mrs. Campbell taught me a lot of things that I use in my everyday life. She taught me to always be empathetic
with my peers. She would always tell me that you never know what someone is going through and to always
be kind. She would teach me that hard work would pay off and I would spend a lot of time rehearsing,
preparing and looking at videos just so I could get better. She pushed us to be our best and believed
in us even when we didn't believe in ourselves.
Every day I would look forward to coming to school just so I could go to that class. She created this
fun atmosphere that made me feel comfortable and secure. I'm looking forward to having her as a teacher
again. We have been through a lot this year, but I truly hope we can all move forward together. We have
such amazing people in all the show choir groups, and I want us to become a team again.
We all deserve a chance to do our best and support one another. Thank you for listening. Next, we have
Molly Kiefer. I'm another one that's glad that you have a clock. I don't have anything prepared. I come
forward not just in support of a candidate, but just in the program in general.
When I think about what an educator is, it's someone that's not going to just teach a subject. It's
someone that's gonna challenge our students to be who they are, to find themselves, to make the communities
that we live in better. And Kyra represents that to me. My daughter is a junior, soon to be senior very
soon. She was part of the first year that Kyra had. And I will tell you that I have seen my daughter thrive.
under the various experiences she's had here at Edgewood. And I'm very grateful for the passion that
we all clearly have for this program. But when I think of what I want her to experience in her senior
year and what the representation as she becomes a young adult, I think of the values that Kyra taught
her in her eighth grade year, to be herself, because that's who she's meant to be, to find her passions,
to make the world around her better, to treat people with kindness. Those were her experiences, and
Kyra lives that.
And I appreciate that she brings that to our students. And I think that as we think of what the program
needs to move forward, it's someone who has experienced that firsthand. The program made Kyra in many
ways. The leaders that she experienced that from, and she carries that forward. So I say it's a blessing
that we have somebody that came up through that can carry that forward. So I appreciate the time and
everyone's passion here. And I look forward to what the program will do in the future.
Ethan Staggs. My name is Ethan Staggs and I'm here to just basically come out here and say that I think
Ms. Campbell is just a wonderful person and if it weren't for her I wouldn't even probably be in choir
because in fifth grade I
I took a break from choir knowing it probably wasn't my favorite thing anymore. Then I was walking down
the sixth grade hallway and all of a sudden she recommended to me that choir would be a great option
for me. So I decided to join. Then I see a bunch of flyers show up for Show Choir Camps of America.
I look at this and I question what is Show Choir? But I knew that my dad and my brother have already
been through this activity so I go to them and ask and I decide to join because I think it will be fun.
We won many awards, and then I decided to come back for another year because I truly loved this activity.
I come back, I got a leadership role, and she truly made me feel like I was deserving of this role.
She reminded me every single day that I am worthy, I am loved, and I am talented. And I just want to
say that as much as the past can hurt us, it's always a good thing to move on.
Yeah, that's pretty much all I have to say. Molly Osgood. Hi, everybody. I too have a prepared
Didn't want to leave anything out. So my name is Molly Osgood. I am the parent of Luke Osgood. He's
been a student of the school corporation since kindergarten. He's currently in ninth grade at Edgewood
High School. Before I go into detail about the purpose of why I'm here, I would like to just tell you
a few things about my son, Luke. A few years ago, Luke was a shy, timid, a quiet boy. He went into sixth
grade trying to discover his interests and sense of self. As a student who was not involved in athletics,
and a culture where boys are often expected to play sports, he struggled at times to find where he belonged.
So this brings me to why I'm here today. My husband, Matt, and I want it clearly known that we have
full confidence in Kyra Campbell's ability to lead the high school show choir, and we support
her wholeheartedly. I cannot express enough appreciation for what Kyra has done for our son and for
so many other students. She created a place where students could belong,
a place where they could share their love of music and dance while learning the value of hard work,
discipline, and commitment. She pushed them to give their best so they could take pride in what they
put out in the world. For students who did not yet see their own potential, Kyra helped them discover
it. Under her leadership, students gained confidence, passion, and a stronger sense of self. The success
of the Edgewood Junior High Show choirs and the trophies they earned are the tangible evidence of the talent.
and dedication she inspired, but I really believe the true measure of her impact is the transformation
seen in these students themselves. We see this every day with Luke. Because Kyra believed in him, Luke
began to believe in himself. Our once quiet boy now performs solos and competitions. He sings on stage
with the confidence that I will never experience myself. And he has so much self-confidence
And he's willing to put in countless hours of hard work that challenges stamina, focus, and self-discipline,
all under Kyra's guidance. So now, when people ask Luke the question so many boys are asked, what sports
do you play? Luke looks them in the eye and says, I'm in show choir. And we can't thank Kyra enough
for giving him that confidence and for that sense of belonging. Thank you.
Buddy, that's your entrance. Sorry, we have to do one thing administratively. Do I have a motion to
extend public comment past 30 minutes? Is there a second? A second. Moved and seconded. All in favor
say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. I'm sorry. Please continue. And on that note, we have Luke Osgood. Hello.
So before I joined Show Choir, I was very shy and quiet. I didn't know a lot of people and I wasn't
in a single extracurricular. Mrs. Campbell gave me and a lot of other people the chance to be in a group
where everybody cares for each other and works as a team. Mrs. Campbell was extremely supportive of me
the three years I had her and truly helped me gain more confidence and courage. Without her I wouldn't
be where I am today in music warehouse and even theater. So many people were given the chance to grow
because of the opportunities and support Mrs. Campbell gave. Next up we have Brian Paulson.
I would like the opportunity to thank some of the thank lists. And that includes a lot of the people
sitting in front of us. I usually only make one pilgrimage over to see the school board. And that's
when I'm like proposing a trip. You know, like when we were going to New York or Florida
anyplace else, but you know, Mr. Tucker, my first encounter with you was in my second year of teaching
at the junior high. And I brought 106 graders over and I didn't know anything about a facilities request
use form thing. And I figured just throughout the day,
The auditorium is going to be clear, right? So I go in there, and Ms. Murphy is in there with her eight
or nine students. And we go in there to try to set the finale for one of our concerts. And so he's like,
what are these kids coming in here? And so, but you were kind enough to let us stay, and you have been
a kind, generous,
a respectful and trustworthy individual. I have really welcomed your leadership and thank you for your
leadership. Mr. Jacobs, I don't know as much about you, but I know that you empower the same integrity
and leadership
that all of the other board members have. And so I look forward to seeing you continue to go on and
do the best you can, just like all these other board members do the best you can for all the years that
you have to come. So thank you so much. Mr. Journal, you and I go quite a ways back.
And not only are you trustworthy and full of integrity, but you also demand the respect values that
we have, that we hold as teachers, or at least the values that teachers will exhibit. And I thank you
so much for
coming up and shaking my hand at fall festivals and at concerts. And you never forgot us. You never
forgot me, and you never forgot us. Mr. Kerr, I thank you not only for last board meeting, I was not
in a place
where I could make it over here. I'm a little bit more composed. And I can make it over here now. So
I hear that you said some very kind remarks about me. And I appreciate that so much. And you, too, exhibit
the same integrity and leadership.
you always, always, always have done the very best you can for students and teachers, whether that be
in the form of trying to push through new facilities or just make sure their academic values are always
considered. So I couldn't thank you more.
for the leadership you have exhibited on this school board. Mr. DeMoss, always the smartest man in the
room. I could go on, but I'll leave it at that. You are definitely the smartest man in the room. And
I knew that for just the few years I had over there at the high school working with you.
You were always a role model to me. And that's not just because you were Mr. Jeopardy, but you were
always a role model to me. And now you're a role model. Your students, when you taught them and came
into our choir room, would always praise your name for everything you did for them. And so thank you all.
up here so much for what you've done. You are the ones who never get thanked nearly as much as you should
have. You can add the principals along with that, but you never get the same admiration as some of we teachers
have gotten in the past, and certainly the students where it should fall the most to begin with. So
did I miss anybody? I missed, I know I missed certain people. Where? No, I started with Mr. Tucker,
so. But yes, he's a fantastic individual.
who always has his heart in the way of students, in the way to students as well, always puts them first
and foremost, as you all do. And I don't want to run over too much over time. My students had always
said that I talk too much. And so I'll try to not do that.
Just know that you are thanked. Know that you are appreciated for what you have done and will continue
on doing. So thank you all. Next, we have Carrie Brinson Bell.
Public speaker, I've written something, but taken it apart. So if it doesn't flow well, I apologize.
But I wanted to share my experience with the program and with Ms. Campbell. She's been a wonderful influence
on my son from mentorship in junior high and beyond. My son signed up for show choir the year that Mr.
Doades left as a seventh grader. We came to understand that COVID was a huge setback to the program.
And Ms. Campbell took it over and took that junior
high group of very few kids with very little excitement or very little understanding of show choir and
turned it into a big deal. She advocated for the program and for the kids, turning one show choir into
two, mini warehouse and sophisticates. By my son's eighth grade year, I joined the leadership team and
worked closely with Mrs. Campbell. I got to know her better as a person. She shared that she was Brian
Poulson's student and being a part of show choir,
in high school was a highlight for her. Her home life growing up wasn't the easiest and it was clear
that choir was the place she was the happiest. She said it was always her dream to return and teach
show choir at Edgewood. I listened to her inspire to unify the junior high and high school programs
and impressed me that her vision was not only focused on her junior high program but also her outlook
was set on what
Her group of outgoing junior high students could be for the high school program. She continued to want
to build a community of connection. When I hear stories of how Mr. Polson inspired Kyra Campbell to
be a music teacher, it hits home because of the impact she has had on my son. Her mentorship
and encouragement offered to my son has taken him from a kid that had no significant music experience
to someone being comfortable on the stage.
She has taken time outside of the classroom to encourage him. His freshman year, he was brave enough
to take on a big role in the school's musical, The High School Musical. Mrs. Campbell worked with him
on his songs, and when the pressure became too much, he leaned on her. This has continued with extra
help for cabaret nights, his lead role in Little Mermaid. My son will talk to us, but she understands
the gravity that goes along with performing. He trusts her and looks to her for guidance.
We could ask no more from our children's educators than to be an influence towards personal growth.
We could ask no more from our children's educators than to be an influence towards personal growth beyond
the years they have them in the classroom. To have a teacher show so much love for the program, the
school corporation, and put so much heart into the kids
because of what it meant to her growing up is exactly the kind of educator I want around my son. I hope
my comments only reinforce the high regard you have for Mrs. Campbell. Her love of teaching and inspiring
students is so commendable and I've experienced it firsthand. To be so shaped by the program and her
youth only to follow her dreams to be a music educator and have the opportunity for a full circle moment
feels like an exceptional chance. You're lucky to have her as a teacher in your school corporation
and I sincerely hope that you give her the opportunity to lead the high school program. Next we have
Bridget Devitt. My name is actually Addison Devitt. I am an alumni of the Edgewood choirs program and
I have decided to pursue music education as my major in college at Ball State. Throughout my first year
and college for music education. I have learned many qualities that are needed to be a music educator
and I believe that Mrs. Campbell exemplifies all of them very well. There is a real lack of respect
for music education and I think that having such a strong teacher at like already in the school program
just speaks volumes and it's
important that you support the teachers that you have because there aren't a whole lot of them coming
up. Sorry, I didn't prepare anything to speak, but I just, she has taken me in as I never had her as
a choir student, but she let me intern with her the second that I told her that I was interested in
becoming a music teacher. She let me come in every single day
for her show choir classes and help out and observe my senior year of high school. And she still reaches
out and lets me come in and observe her classrooms. And I hope to model my future classroom largely
based off of her. And I would love to see her continue to make this Edward Choir program stronger by
being at the high school.
Next, we have Ken Bykoff. Hi, my name is Ken Bykoff, and I was with my son Charlie at Bradford Woods
when an email wedged its way through the trees, and with the announcement from Principal Ackerman that
Kyra Campbell was going to be the next choir teacher. And I was thrilled with it. There's a wave of
relief that went over me. Because I saw when my son Nick, who's going to be a rising sophomore next
year, was in show choir.
how he grew as a person, how he came out of his shell, how he just blossomed on stage in a way that
we never saw at home. But this kid, you put him on stage, and he comes alive. And it's because of Kyra
Campbell, of instilling a belief in him that he should focus on working on what he loves, and that is
singing and dancing. And I can tell you, the kid's not going to get a recording contract, but he is.
He does work extremely hard because she has encouraged him, and he has now had solos. And he's gotten
much, much better over the years because of that drive that she instilled in him. Furthermore, he's
now at the high school. But she has been a mentor to him because early in the year, he reached out to
her to talk to her about an issue that he was having, and she was immediately there to help him.
I come from a sports background, and any time you have a coaching change or anything, and essentially
that's what this is, that's what we're talking about, you want to have somebody who come in who can
provide a smooth transition from one coach to the next, who has a vision and inspiration of what they
want a program to be, and that has the credentials to do that and the caring to carry out their vision.
Kyra Campbell checks every single one of those boxes in dark black marker. And I strongly encourage
her hiring as Chokewire director. Last but not least, we have Josh Chavez. Hello, everybody.
I just wanted to share a few thoughts on the top of my mind, but that have also been in my heart, gratitude
and concern. And at the same time, a plea. We have three young boys in the lower grades and they've,
we're so grateful to have seen them thrive, get to work on their social skills and making friends.
working through problems, and we couldn't be more than grateful for all the wonderful teachers and staff
that have invested in them. My concern is when we lost Principal Wooden, Matt Wooden, as a parent, I
don't know a lot of what may or may not have happened, just that he was part of the staff, part of the
teachers that have invested, and you can tell when
Somebody it's a job and you can tell when someone leans into it a hundred percent Day in and day out
in the winter time out there directing traffic So, you know, what does a thriving? Learning environment
in schools for the staff and for the students look like I don't know But what are the metrics that you
measure? You know are are the students in a structure safe? Environment are the teachers are they being?
Are they being backed? Are they being served, if you would? Them being the professionals, having the
credentials, the experience, and also the passion. It's not just a job, they're here. Matt was one of
those teachers. And did we, as a community, as a district, leadership, staff, did we do everything that
we could? Do we even know what the metrics are? And if we do, what was done to
make sure that Mr. Wooden could have stayed here coming from, you know, working his way up, knowing
so much about the ins and outs. It's not enough if we, as parents, just don't yell at our children every
day. It's not enough if we just are kind to them every day. It's our responsibility to somehow find
moments of clarity to
be able to talk with them, understand them, what's going on in their lives, to be able to find what
are some of their God-given talents, if you will, some of their inclinations, how can they potentially
make an impact in this community and in this world? And when we have the metrics and people are having
the backs of our staff and giving an ear to the parents and doing everything they can to free up the
teachers to do what they do best, help these children reach their potential,
They are now and in the future preparing and doing everything that we possibly can together collectively
to help these children reach their potential, not just maintain losing talented staff. But that's my
concern and my plea is that we could as a board of directors
as superintendents, as teachers, as a community, that we could not just be busy about our duties as
leaders, teachers, or parents, but that we could find those moments of clarity to be able to connect
with our teachers, see what they need, free up their hands so they can focus that much more on helping
our children reach their potential, their God-given talents, so that they can make the world a better
place. We're very fortunate with
district that we have at this time and it breaks your heart to see other areas of the country maybe
bigger cities with just the problems and difficulties that they have but we are not there right now
and that is my plea that we could as a team and if you guys would let us know as parents how we can
come on board and help free up your time or the teachers to have the staffs back so that we don't lose
any more talent like principal Wooden's
Thank you. Well, thank you all very much. I really appreciate everyone coming tonight and speaking.
I always especially like it when the students and younger people speak and we get to hear from them.
I hope that we can have a crowd like this every month. So that would be awesome. So are there any preliminary
motions for the agenda? Can I make a comment, Mr. Kerr? Yeah, sure. I guess I don't know if it's on
the record or off the record, but keep an eye on the legislation, what goes on with legislators and
what's going on, because there's been a lot of budget cuts that hit from the last legislative session with SB1.
And I worry about the money part a lot. So pay attention to it and let your voices be heard with your
area legislators and your local senators as well. Because it's very important because we've got to pay
our teachers and we've got to take good care of our people here because we've got good people here,
but we've got to have the resources to do it as well. So I'm encouraging you. You mentioned, Mr. Chavez,
what can we do? That would help a lot to reach out to your legislators, okay? Thank you.
Hearing nothing, we'll move to our consent agenda. And first, we have approval of minutes from April
21st, 2026. It was our regular board meeting. Then we have the treasurer's report for April of 2026.
And Mr. Durnall, the claims, please. Thank you, Mr. President. For gross wages on payroll is for April
3rd, 2026 is $84,840. For gross wages on April 10th,
For gross wages on April 24th, 2026, $862,661.36. And for gross wages totals $1,798,966.66.
For vouchers claims, it prepays April 1st to April 30th, 2026 is $1,539,189.49. For claims regular vouchers
for May 19th, 2026 is $480,609.46 for vouchers total of $2,019,878.79.95 for a grand total of $3 million.
$818,846.61. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. Next, we have personnel, resignations, retirements,
non-renewals, leaves, and terminations, C1 through 18, and personnel appointments and transfers, D1
through 24. We're also excited to have two donations. The first is from Donors Choose for Supplies for
Mrs. Freeman's Class.
And then there's a donation of four remote control toy trucks valued at $1,479.80 for nutrition services
from whom? Anonymous. Anonymous. From anonymous. I wonder what nutrition services we use with toy trucks.
I can't wait to see. That sounds exciting. So do we have a motion on that consent agenda? I'll move approval.
I'll second. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.
Dr. Sanders, you wanted to do an introduction. Yes, I am very excited to welcome Robert Bolkin House
back to the Mustang Corral.
I've known Robert for several years now. And we had a conversation a couple years ago. And I hung up
the phone. And I just thought, man, that is a good guy. He's a great educator. And now we have
the opportunity to have him on board. Robert is a 1998 graduate of Edgewood High School.
And I heard he's pretty good at football.
but he earned his bachelor of science degree at Indiana State University, master of science degree from
IU, and he is currently working on his education specialist degree at Indiana State University. He has
22 years of experience in education. The last seven years, he was principal at Owen Valley High School,
and when I called his references, they had
nothing but flying colors to say about Robert, and a lot of people have. I don't know if you've paid
attention to social media, but Robert's hire was a big hit in the community, so.
up to all that. No, seriously, it's to the board, Dr. Sanders. It's an honor. It truly is. Thank you
for entrusting me with this. Jimmy and I spoke. It's been years coming, and that's how I feel. Throughout
the years, timing didn't work for one side or the other, and I'm glad it did here, and I'm ready. So
many positive things going on in this district,
I'm just happy to be home. I'm ready to put on the black and red again and I've loved Owen Valley.
It's just, it's time. It's time and I'm ready. Appreciate all the passion that I see here tonight. Not
just for me, but for the program because the reason I say that there's going to be times we disagree
on which road to take. But what's important is that we keep the goal in mind.
And we'll make those decisions. We'll talk about them where they need to be made. But at the end of
the day, once that decision's made, it's important that we unite and we move forward for that goal.
And so that's what I see here tonight talking about the choir program. When decisions are made tonight,
what's important is when we walk out those doors, it's the unity. Because it's these kids we're talking
about. And I know that's what you're into.
Thank you, guys. I'm ready, and I'll be here next week. Mr. Kirk, I also introduce Robert's wife, Alita,
and his daughter, Ashlyn, and Adeline. Did I get that right, Adeline? Yes. And his son, Austin, is at
a wrestling match, so he couldn't be here tonight. So let's give them a round of applause.
family again. So thank you so much for coming back and joining us. Okay. We'll get into our regular
business. We have consideration to approve the 2026-2027 classified handbook. And we have Mrs. Shockney
for that. And I will say that, you know, the classified handbook is really
important information. And if you want to stay and continue with the meeting, you're welcome to. But
we can take a pause if if you would like to go home for dinner. We understand. I know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
So we we won't
you know, make you feel awkward if you would like to. Thank you so much for coming. Can I make a comment?
Oh yes, yes, please, please, wait a second. I just wanted to make, we usually do our comments in the
end, but I wanted the students to hear what I had to say, because this pertains to them. I had a lot
of students reach out to me in particular. I think the board members as well have. We know that you
guys are going through a lot.
You've been through a lot. I chose this position because of you, because of the students. I didn't choose
it because of your parents. I didn't choose it because of anything more than pursuing avenues that students
needed in order to gain in their life. So I just wanted to tell you that my decision, I'm not speaking
for the rest of the board, but my decision was solely based on
the information I was given from the students. I did not, parents, I'm glad you spoke, but that's not
who I am working for right now. In that decision making that we have heard so much about, I wanted the
students to lead in their avenue, in their own voice, and so I wanted
each one of you to know whether it was a decision that you wanted or you didn't want. You wanted it
to change however it may be, no matter what it is. Continue on. Be proud of everything that you're going
through, whether it was a hard decision, not where you want it to be, or exactly where you want to be.
Stick together with your friends. Enjoy this time. It goes by quickly.
My baby graduates next week. So it goes by quickly. Enjoy every single moment you're on stage, no matter
who your director is, no matter who your principal, your teacher, you enjoy that moment. Take it in
and move forward. And I'm so proud of you guys for everything that you've accomplished. I enjoy being
able to tell the community
that I'm a board member of these students here at Edgewood. I'm proud of all of you. Continue to go
forward and move mountains. Thank you all. Thank you.
I'll try to do. Robert, you're going to make him stay. Hey, listen to your wife. OK. Enjoy the night.
Yes actually let's take a five-minute recess call this meeting back to
were and so I'm sorry Mrs. Chalkney that I cleared the room for you I you know I briefly say that you
have a document there that shows that we just updated a few things and further clarified some language
that as we go along through the year sometimes we read something we're like
Does that make sense? And so then we make a little note and say, let's make it make sense. And so we
updated some language to make it make sense. And then in addition, I think the most exciting part about
our classified handbook this time is the addition of the nutrition services addendum. It was a handbook.
prior so that was already approved and we had that but we added it into the back of the classified handbook
and then we created a new addendum for the maintenance and custodial staff specifically. And so that
has been added and it's on the back of the handbook. We also have a link to the e-learning, the e-learning
handbook that a link's been put in there so that when staff go to the classified handbook they know
where to find that e-learning handbook now. So those are some of the things that I think are really
neat about this new addition that we're putting out for 26-27. Thanks.
Thank you. Do I have a motion? I move approval with consideration to approve a 2026-27 classified handbook.
Second. Second. Any discussion? Thank you for the updates. Yes, thank you very much for putting it together.
All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Next we'll look at the RBB CSC artificial
intelligence AI guide.
I wish it was just none, but this is very. Yes, what you guys have in front of you in the board packet
is a request not to vote on policy. We already have the policy in our handbook. This is really taking
the policy that we had through Neil and putting guardrails around it. I laughed the other day. My daughter
walked into my office and she noticed I was using Google Gemini as I was working on a grant.
And she immediately said, what would Dr. Sanders say if he knew you were using AI? And I said,
I don't know. Let's ask him. And I said loudly, because we share a door between our offices. And he
walked in and he said, I would say, why not? So we really need some guardrails in place with AI. And
this is a living, breathing document. We're going to have adjustments to this a lot.
AI is growing, and as K through 12 schools, we are just now in the beginning stages of learning how
to incorporate this. It's difficult for teachers, it's difficult for
teachers to use themselves and it's also difficult for teachers to know how to teach students how to
use it. So we did, I shouldn't say we, Megan Scott led the way with us along with a team of teachers.
Rick Routon was a big part of that as our tech director, administrators and students and so we have
had trials with kids. We have received a lot of feedback from
parents, teachers, and students, and we are ready to roll out our first try at this guide. Like I said,
know that it's our first shot at this, and it's going to have a lot of work to do as AI is growing and
adjusting, and we're learning more every day. But we ask you to approve the guide for next year. This
will also be in our handbooks, which I'll bring to you in June for approval. I'll move approval of the
AI guide. I'll second. Any discussion?
It will be a challenge for teachers, for administrators. I hope that students use it wisely. They will
use it. I hope they use it wisely. And it's going to be a brave new world. It sure is. It sure is. I
thought the guide, the rubric that you guys put together is going to really help. That's a guiding light
for teachers and for students. But it has to be communicated well to them. 100%. Because it is a working,
living document. Yes.
that helps students understand when and how they can use AI and how they'll be assessed in that way.
I think it helps our teachers a ton. So I'm excited to see that in implementation as well.
Anything else? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Now there is a approval of
new positions at RBBCSC.
One is the multi-language learner or the English language learner interventionist. Another is a elementary
registered nurse. And the last is the exercise science teacher for one period a day. And we have a motion
on creating these three new positions. I'll second. Moon second.
Jennifer, would you please? Sure, absolutely. We like acronyms in education, so whether you call it
MLL, multi-language learner, ELL,
English language learner or ENL, English as a new language, it all pretty much means the same thing.
What we're asking you to do is approve a full-time multi-language learner interventionist. It's very
similar to what we do in our Title I programs. Interventionists are not necessarily just teaching assistants.
They truly do work one-on-one and in small group with our students, usually with below grade level skills
and standards.
As you can see down below, we're asking you to approve a full-time interventionist, non-exempt. That
total cost to the Corporation and the Education Fund would be slightly under $33,000 for that position.
We are currently funding two assistant positions working with our MLL teacher and the cost of that is
roughly $34,000 right now. So what we're asking you to do is switch out two part-time positions for
one full-time position. It'll give us more consistency in that program and also at the same time allow
us to have somebody here
day in and day out and continue to invest in their education so that we can keep somebody skilled in
that position for hopefully a longer period of time. How will they be deployed? Will they be throughout
the buildings?
That's a great question, Mr. DeMoss. It will really depend on who applies and their experience for that
position. What I am finding, what we are finding, I should say, is that our little guys down at K2,
3, 5, their Tier 1 instruction through Orton-Gillingham is teaching them the English language through
phonics instruction with their Gen Ed teachers. Where we used to put a lot of emphasis with those guys,
what we're
I can say we as a district are not doing a great job there, and that is not from lack of trying. It's,
we're not doing a great job. We're not doing a great job. We're not doing a great job. We're not doing
a great job.
we're still trying to tweak those systems and make them the best we can. So I do think that we will
see more of an emphasis next year at the secondary level, but what that schedule will look like is hard
to say. I'm really excited and so proud of Sarah Jalala-Zizi and the work that she has done with these
students this year. We have had
I believe it was six students who tested out through WIDA, which is the highest number we've ever had.
And in addition to that, we have another five or six
who potentially can test out of the program through a portfolio that she will submit of evidence of
their growth in the English language. This would be huge for our program, huge for our kids. We want
them to eventually get to the point that they're testing out long before they get to high school, other
than those students who move into the district. And Sarah has made huge strides in that this year. So
I'm just really proud of the work she's done in one year's time with this program.
anxious to see the growth that we put into it next year as well. Well, I just know I had some English
language learners who would come in, and I felt completely powerless to help them because I'm not a
language teacher. I'm an English teacher. There is a difference, and we never had that. So I'm glad
that we're taking those steps.
going from two part-times to one full-time. Going from two part-times to one full-time. So it's a push
financially. It's basically a push financially. Perfect. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Is there an adult class?
I mean, I can speak Hoosier really well, but I'm not very good at English, so I didn't know if... Great
question, Mr. DeMoss. Hoosier and English have a lot in common. I'll say that. I just said today, my
green county came out in my speak and I had to.
reel that back in just a little bit there. So nothing against Greene County, born and raised, but it
does come out from time to time. All y'all have any more comments? You and? You and? Any more?
That's right. No. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Sorry, I went a little out
of order on that one. Approval of the ELA adoption for the junior high, grades six through eight. Mrs. Barrett?
Yes. Were there any questions on the elementary RN or the exercise science teacher? I just want to make
sure there aren't any questions before I move away from that. We're going to have two registered nurses
in the whole corporation now. We will have two registered nurses. One of them is right here if you have
questions for her. OK. Any questions? So then we'll have two registered. Yeah. And then give me the
hierarchy again. So currently, I'm the only registered nurse on campus. And then we have health aides
in all of our buildings.
So we would go to having, my office is in the high school, and then this one would be stationed in the
elementary school. There are lots of reasons for it. We have a significant number of medical needs at
all of our buildings, ranging from seizure disorders, mitochondrial disorders. We have currently nine
diabetics in the corporation.
Since I've started, we've had as many as 11 or 12 at one time. That's a lot if something happens for
one person to try to manage. Our health aides are great. They're really, really great. I don't want
to take anything away from them, but they don't have the assessment knowledge and things like that.
Also, there's the off chance that
I'm dealing with an emergency at the high school and there's an emergency on the bus lot at the elementary
school or at one of the other buildings. This person would be stationed at the intermediate and they
would be a support for the primary as well for that health aid if they had questions or emergencies
or concerns. Okay, there'll be a separate health aid at the learning center.
There's a health aid at the... Each building has one. Each building has one, yes. Okay, EIS will have
the RN now. So this would take place of the health aid at the intermediate campus. Okay. And we should
probably also note it's not... That person doesn't always have to be at EIS. Correct. It's an elementary
RN right now. The health assistant at EIS resigned effective May 1st. So we are... I shouldn't say we again.
all Hanna has been working this out to make sure that we are covered across the district. So if in a
couple of years something would change and you know that RN position moves to EPS or moves to ECC, the
main objective here is to have an RN on that side of campus so that we have somebody who can get to
an emergency as quickly as possible given
some of the high needs with students that we have. We have been very fortunate with Hannah. She is quick.
She can get across campus in a split second, it seems like. If she doesn't get stuck in traffic. And
in addition, we've been very fortunate that we haven't had two major emergencies at the same time. But
with almost 2,700 students and almost 400 employees, she is responsible for a lot of people at any point
in time. Got you.
This person would support that, essentially that side of the street. I just heard EPS and EIS in here.
Yes, we have a health aid there. So you support that as well? Yes, if there were questions or if there
were emergencies over there, this person would be the first point of contact. If they didn't have the
answer, then they would come to me. Just wanted to make sure they weren't left out. They're not. Definitely not.
motion? We approved all three of them. Oh, we approved all of them? Yeah. Okay. All right. We just didn't
discuss the new two. Okay, approval ELA adoption for grades six to eight.
you have in front of you is a quote from Savas. This is for grades seven through eight ELA. I have brought
you these over the last several years and each time I've brought them the numbers have just been numbers
but Paul has trained me well and these numbers don't feel like numbers anymore.
This is a heavy amount I'm asking you to approve. It's $87,636. These are consumables as well as digital
licenses for our sixth grade through eighth grade students for an ELA curriculum. I'm asking for a four-year
adoption on this that will put it in line with our K-5 adoption, everything expiring at the same time
so we can look at seven through eight collectively in four years.
Like I said, I don't come to you and ask you for this lightly. This is something that our ELA teachers
have spent a lot of time going through individual curriculum, curriculums that are out there and came
down to two. And ultimately, between the two, they did not have a strong preference, so it came down
to price. Textbook companies are
getting richer while our education funds are dropping. And I was able to negotiate with a company that
we will pay 60% of this this year, 40% of it next year. That will help. I had figured about $50,000.
into this year's budget to be able to pay for this. It will be about $57,000, I believe is what it would
wind up being. So slightly over budget in terms of what I had estimated in for this year. But I have
some ways and have built some cushion in there to make sure that we don't go over that. So I feel comfortable
bringing this to you and I hope for approval for it.
I move approval of the ELA adoption for junior high. I'll second. Any discussion? So you say about $57,000
this year, and then the other four. Yeah, I'm trying to remember off the top of my head, Larry. I just
looked at that number earlier today. I had asked for a 50-50 split between this year and next year,
but because we have not agreed to a six-year adoption with them, the company would only go 60-40 with
us. Right. So that I think was about $57,000.
There would be no cost. And what we would be doing at that point in time is preparing for a significant
adoption two years later with K through eight. Thank you. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?
Motion carries. Next we're going to look at the recommendation to award
of a bid for the elementary student Chromebooks for 2026. And we have Mr. Roughton. Her's is small.
Her's is real small. I think so, no. Do we have a defibrillator in the building? I saw the number. I
saw the number on this one. Yeah. Well, she can do that.
So we'll make sure everybody's alive tonight. So yes, the first one is for Chromebooks for the elementary
schools, BIS and EPS. The Chromebooks are pushing six years. So they're at their end of life. The batteries
are failing. The teachers are complaining every day that they're not staying charged on the students'
desks. A lot of the screens and keyboards are, they're showing their wear. And so also we have a,
with Google that is called auto updates and that is coming to an expiration on this particular model.
We did extend this particular model per Google's last couple years because it was originally supposed
to be expired in 2025. So it actually expires in 2027 but the amount of Chromebooks we have to do and
the time it takes to get them all done we need to move on the process. So we did
the bids and there was competitive bids that came in. We tried to do our best, but when you're talking
1800 Chromebooks and you're also talking in a time when all computer stuff is out the roof these days,
memory, hard drives, LCD screens, it's not inexpensive. So tonight Trafera,
is a company that we've worked with before for a previous purchase of Chromebooks for the high school.
And they, again, won the bid process for the least amount of $879,300. So yes, that is exponential funding
for the Chromebooks. But we are in need of this to continue our education program and curriculum materials
for the elementary students.
Notice the thunder roar. That timing was just perfect. This will be paid out of general obligation bonds
from 2024. This is part. This is part of our original plan budget from the last week. Correct. We plan
for this, correct? Yeah, we plan for this budget for the geo bomb for for all the technology stuff.
The next one solution 60s. That's for the classrooms in. That's on the next one.
Yeah. Yeah. The next one. Okay. Keep going. I want to get this one fast first. I want to get this big
one done first. Yeah. Yeah. Is there a second? Yeah. The second moved a second call for the question.
So all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?
Motion carries. It's been a rough week. And now there's a recommendation to award interactive monitor
solution bid. So again, we had this in our budget, Geobond for interactive monitor replacement or actually
projector replacement. We're starting with the elementary school. Elementary school uses their projectors
a little different. They actually
produce their image on a screen that is on a cart and they can touch it and they can do everything they
want. I know that they were here before I arrived. I'm going to look to Jennifer and Andy. They've been
here for 2016, 2015. I mean, they've been here for a long time and they're failing. And so it's time
to update to a more modern technology.
So instead of going back and trying to do the projectors in a screen, we're doing interactive monitors
which give them much more flexibility, can handle a computer in there so it actually interacts with
them more effectively, gives the kids an opportunity to do more colors and fingers touching and things
on the screens. So we did go out for bids and quotes. We put in a recommendation that we want them to
be 75 inch as the size because the classrooms. Talking to many vendors,
That's the size they recommended so people can see him from the back of the room to the front of the
room. These are on carts, not wall mounted, so that way the teacher has the flexibility to put them
anywhere in their room so they don't have to be tied to one central area. You wouldn't believe how many
requests we get to move projectors at the beginning of the school year, and then it was really cumbersome
during COVID because they wanted to rearrange their rooms. That involved getting Arnold involved for
the facilities to come in, move the electrical,
and everything, so this will give much more arrangements in their rooms to be more productive. The other
thing is is that these will have, I think I mentioned it, but these will have a built-in computer, so
actually they'll be able to log in and act just like their laptop, but it'll be there so they can continue
using their laptop for their classroom needs and not have to share it with the screen. There's also,
when a substitute teacher comes,
they'll actually have a device that they can log on to and be able to do the classroom projects that
they were given to from the teacher that was of record. So there's a lot of reasons why these are just
more, they're just better for our classrooms and for the production of teachers and the students. Again,
this one is coming from Forte. They're out of Columbus, Indiana.
The project, this project total is $190,188 and this will accommodate, or do 45 classrooms. That's at
EPS. I move approval of the interactive monitor solution bid. I'll second. I thought it was 60 or 4,
I thought it was 60. They're 75 inches. No, I thought there were 60 total units. There's 45 units. There's
only 45. Okay, are they wireless? Yes. Okay, perfect.
Just is this in the same bond? Yes. Okay. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.
Thank you. Thank you. We'll be real busy this summer. Next we're going to look at cloud based point
of sale software upgrade and renewal and we'll go to Dr. Sanders for this one.
Yeah, these next three items come from Vicki Coffee. This is basically a request to upgrade software
we use for a point of sale. It's called Mosaic. It comes out of Heartland School Solutions. The cost
for the first year is $9,373. And after that, it'll be $6,400 annually. And this is paid for out of
Nutrition Services.
software. No second. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Move
on to the agreement with K-12's leading Indiana Cooperative. Yes, the board approved this last year.
We moved to what's called CLIC.
which is the K-12 leading Indiana cooperative for food products. And so this is a way for our nutrition
services department to be able to follow requirements for proposals, for bids in regards to food products
that they use in the cafeterias. And so we recommend this
agreement with the click organization. So that we can continue this great service. Click agreement.
It's fun to say. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed?
Motion carries. And then the next one for the health services is the health E pro contract.
So this is once again software for nutrition services to be able to communicate the menu to parents
and students. And also it enables nutrition services department to track the amount of product that
they use in providing the meals, breakfast, and lunch for our students.
The angel cost is $1,670, and this is half the price of the previous software that we've been using.
So it's going to be a great opportunity for us, but also a way for us to reduce our costs. And this
is also a benefit, another benefit of using the CLIC organization because we were able to get
this cost by being a member of that cooperative. I'll second. Any discussion? Dr. Sanders, did they
get everything smooth at the high school at the cafeteria when the kids check out now? Yes. It's all
run smoothly? Yep. Perfect. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Getting out of
food service, we have a debit card fundraiser agreement with
the Creighton Credit Union, Dr. Sanders. Yes, so you may have remembered in the past we've approved
agreements with German-American Bank, IU Credit Union, and Indiana Members Credit Union. And with those
three credit or debit cards that we use through those banks, it's a fundraiser for us, and we've
made over $13,000. And so Crane has asked us if we would participate with this financial institution.
And we said, of course. And so we'll receive $0.02 per card transaction, which would be a minimum of
$250 every quarter or a maximum of $1,000 every quarter.
and all these funds go to our Ready Schools initiatives. Move approval of the debit card fundraiser
agreement with the Crane Credit Unit. I second. Move and second. Any discussion? Appreciate Crane working
with us on that. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. And the next three are with
Noah. And the first is,
the blind and low vision services contract. Yeah, so I'm asking for consideration for approval of contract
with Tomi Roche. She's a contracted licensed teacher who specializes in blind low vision services as
well as orientation mobility. Currently we have Kristen Sample, one of our special ed teachers. She
kind of double dips right now to where she's full time special ed teacher,
as well as doing a side position for the blind low vision services. So currently for what we had done
for her previously, she was for Kristin, she was consultating with staff, she does servicements for
kids IEPs, she's a teacher of record for certain students with that.
As we've kind of had an influx and more students coming into the districts that meet the eligibility
for blind low visions, it's just become a service that's become too much for what Kristen can do while
also maintaining her job, while also recognizing we have students that we're trying to increase services
for it to be able to make progress within their education.
The proposal for this one with the contract that we'd be doing it would also be switching Tommy Roche
as our overall blind low vision teacher for the district to be contracted. So she'd be teacher record
for the students she would help in evaluations. She'd be a part of the case conference committee.
all those types of things to where she would also be the overall reference person for all general education
teachers, special ed teachers and staff to be able to support these students within the classroom. She's
certified in braille instruction as well, so she is.
One to where the braille instructions also another area that's kind of above kind of where Kristen's
kind of out with those. And so she had reached out saying hey, we have certain students who just to
be able to make progress in their education are needing the braille instruction and Tommy fits right
into there as well.
So she'd be going from a range of consultative services all the way to that direct instruction for Braille.
And she's dabbling in that a little bit currently, but this contract kind of just continues with that
progression for her to be kind of our blind low vision service teacher to be contracted to swap out
for Kristen's sample. And I put in for the memo too, that one, those contracts, it gets paid through
Medicaid for those two.
questions. What's her rate? Would her rate be? Say it again. What would the rate be for the service?
Yeah, so the rate is $90 an hour for direct services, $50 an hour for console. And when I kind of touch
into the orientation mobility, she does both. And so she's really good at just kind of grouping. Most
of the times when she's doing services for Braille, at that same time period, she's also working through
the mobility piece too. So it kind of
feeds into both as far as the billing goes. So 16, 17 are connected, is what you're telling me. The
mobility and the... Yeah, so they're connected in the sense of orientation mobility, the students who
are reserving that service, they fall under the category of blind low vision as well. Not every student
who falls under that category is gonna need orientation mobility.
But orientation mobility, it's the same thing with Tommy. She's working with students to be able to
navigate the school. If they use a cane to be able to navigate, she's working through with those students.
And she's also really doing a good job kind of working through students, also applying it to just transition
into life as well. So working through the school, but then also teaching them skills to be able to navigate.
and their daily lives as well for kind of their transition. So, yeah, they tie in, and for those two.
How many students are we talking about here? Yeah, so... Total with corporation-wide. So, Blind Low
Vision, the caseload for that one, students who qualify for it, it's currently six. With a range of
needs, we have some students who are on console, and then we have some students that are requiring a
lot more direct services for it. Okay. So, yeah.
Do we have motion? Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries. And
the next one is to approve orientation and mobility services contract.
Kind of like I mentioned, that one ties into the blind low vision. It's the same person with Tommy Roche.
She currently works with one student. Again, growing needs. That caseload for her has increased to three
students for that. So again, the services kind of when we talk through orientation mobility, it's ranging
from use of a cane to navigate school to then be able to translate to overall independent living.
kind of like Brad had mentioned too, it's teachers, or sorry, it's working with students with the visual
impairments just how to travel safely and independently eventually to within the school, as well as
being a blind low vision certified teacher for that. She's also a certified orientation. They call it
O&M instructor as well. So for those services, say if a student
is getting services for blind low vision services. She then also, during that same time, she's working
on the orientation services as well. So the contract itself, it's the same between orientation and that
piece. It's the $90 per hour and then the $50 per hours for consult. But she's still heavily involved
in those case conferences. And again, they kind of play together with the blind low vision piece too.
Yeah, she she goes around because orientation mobility is more of a specific niche than even the blind
low vision. So she works with different districts as well. Orientation mobility, it's kind of like,
you know, for our district, we're looking at three. That's pretty comparable to most districts. So,
yeah, she she goes to different areas. Currently, what she's been able to do, she's been looking at
about once a week of services.
with us kind of making the shift towards this with increasing needs. She's then looking at like twice
a week to be able to increase those services. So all in the effort to provide, you know, that
free appropriate public education forum so that we can continue to make those gains. The orientation
mobility services contract. Further discussion. This is also Medicaid. Medicaid paid.
Medicaid pay, yep. Thank you. Comes in all those. 100% reimbursement for Medicaid? The services she's
providing are not reimbursable, but the funding that comes to be paid comes from services that are,
so the OT services, PT services, speech language services, so it covers kind of where it is, yeah. We
were hopeful we were looking through that, Jenny Johnson and I, so.
approving this contract. We also have the director of Bosma Visionary in the room, so we will have to
make that connection between the two of these. Neither one of you are allowed to leave until after that
introduction is made, so. I heard Bosma might be starting maybe a program with school systems, correct?
Oh, yeah, I had a great idea, Mr. Wells. Thanks. We'd be a good pilot school, just so you know.
Seconded. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. And then now we move on to approve
the St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf outreach service agreement. Yeah, so going along the lines of
still that FAPE idea for this one. So we have this contract specifically for one student.
It's a service that focuses on students with deaf, hard of hearing. So they do a specific type of service
that Amy Green, who's our deaf, hard of hearing teacher for the district, it's a service whenever it
was presented as they're transitioning in. It's a service that's more specific to him that's kind of
outside the realm of what Amy's able to provide. And so collaborating as the case conference, St. Joseph
currently works with this student.
And it's called, the service they do is called the spoken language skills. And from that one,
it's essentially supporting children who access sound through hearing technologies such as hearing aids,
cochlear implants. It's essentially teaching them how to be able to access all the sounds of speech
and learn to listen, talk on par with their typically
same peers, so it's one where St. Joseph, the contract for this one, it's looking to provide services
going into the summer time, which we just referenced as extended school year services, to then start
making up those gaps as we carry into next, this upcoming school year, services would be provided with
the intention to fade out those services over time.
for the school year, but it's mainly transitioning that student as they're joining our preschool. So
service for that one, that's another one that would be paid out from Medicaid, and that one's $144 an
hour inland lineman with the student's provisions outlined in their IEP. I move approval. I second.
Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye.
Thank you very much. That is the last action item. So now we're going to get into our reports. The first
is the business manager's report. And we have David Tate and Paul Federal. And I think we might want
to start the three minute clock for these reports. I'll make it short and sweet. I'm teasing Debbie.
You know me well enough.
So we are a third of a way through our budget calendar year right now and Right now I've got the cash
flows in front of you guys We are staying under our projections and we're on target with everything.
So that's been really exciting to watch and so basically
Everything's stable right now. So that's where we're at and things are looking really positive in that
direction. So I also gave you guys the 2027 budget calendar. I'm giving you guys this. It matches up
with the upcoming board meetings. We are not planning to do any special meetings. We're trying to align
them with the board meetings. These are really important dates.
So I wanted to make sure you had them ahead of time. We need at least three board members at each of
those meetings. It's just important to have that so we carry through with all the budget guidelines
that are in place. My goal is in August to bring you a copy of the 2027 budget so you guys can look
at that. So that's where we're at. You guys have any questions? Nope. Okay. I got a quick question. Yeah.
So I'm just looking at your two cash flows here. Yeah. Make sure I'm reading this right. The projections
right now through this calendar year is we're going to dig into the cash balance of the education fund
by a million and a half million on the operation. Am I reading it right? Yes. So right now, that's where
we're at. But that's not our goal. No. We've been working very hard sitting down, and I've
I mentioned it a few different times at the other board meetings. We have our meetings where we're constantly
going through with all the new tax changes and everything. Our goal is to definitely get down as low
as we can so we're not hitting our cash balances. We have the cash balances right now, but we don't
want to hit those. That's definitely our goal. And as we get closer, our projections will change and
adjust because
different expenses happen. We don't spend as much in the summer and all of that, and we'll look at everything
and see where we're at. But yeah, we've been pretty tight, and we've been in communication with IT and
maintenance and everybody, just trying to make sure we're all in line with everything. So, yeah.
Thank you. Yeah, no problem. I can't wait for the end of September. That's the day I'll know where to
have a job.
So you're telling me to be positive until September, Paul? I'm nervous. I'm a nervous wreck. I'm not,
I'm just, I am scared to death here. We'll see what happens. All right, we'll see what happens. You
might get bored and start digging into your own personal account. Thank you. You know how much you can
save on that end. Yeah. Well, the assistant superintendent's report. All under a page tonight, Mr. Durnall.
It's not small type, that's right. I hope that you guys all received your Edgewood Ready magazines in
the mail. If not, you have one in front of you tonight. This is the first one that we've sent out. This
went out to all families in 47429 and individually to all of our school families outside of 47429. We
would love for you to take a few extras if you have some people in your neighborhood that maybe have
some other districts or schools
posters in their front yard, and you would like to drop off an Edgewood Ready magazine.
there not only to show what we do with our own families, but hopefully to market to those families that
may not know much about us. I have to give huge shout outs, Brittany Tucker and the Edgewood marketing
team designed this from top to bottom, took the pictures, they put in all of the commentary, and also
just the behind the scenes work that Susan Harrington, Callie Schlimmer, Stacia Myers, Mariah Bruce,
Jenna Clark, Megan Scott, and Amy Winkler did to bring this magazine to fruition.
I wish you could see all of the framework that happened behind it to really put into words and put into
a visual what we do here at Edgewood. And I think this is a really great representation of who we are
and how we prepare kids for those next levels. Going along with what Brad said earlier, his prediction
is correct. Our Title I allocation came out this week. Not great news.
The title budget was cut by 14.1%. This is a federal grant. For us, this will have a major impact on
our Title I. That normally funds for us two teachers and usually about six assistants, and in this case,
$40,000 makes a big difference. So we have to figure that out so that we can maintain programming for
our kids. But at the same time, $40,000 is significant in a district of our size. The federal grant
cannot cut more than 15%, so they left us 0.9% there as a bonus to play with. Unfortunately, that grant
is continuing to drop year after year.
And I echo what Mr. Tucker said, that we have to become more vocal as we're speaking with people who
are voting and putting these pieces into measure. Our high ability allocation is a state grant. It did
increase slightly, so just a couple thousand dollars there, but we'll take a couple thousand dollars.
The crazy thing is that is actually one of our harder grants to spend because of the strict guidelines
in place for it and how it has to be spent. So definitely not the greatest news on that front. I'm still
waiting on allocations for Title II, Title III, Title IV. If they follow the same track as Title I,
we'll see where we wind up on those.
Paul and Debbie and the rest of the team will keep working on that and do our best to get that in alignment
by the start of next school year. We also had a successful mentor training May 12th through the 14th.
We now have 16 trained mentors across the district. Those teachers have spent significant time
digging into our instructional model, which is Marzano's New Art and Science of Teaching, or NASOT as
we call it here, as well as teacher evaluation and the improvement model, which also is based on Marzano.
And that was led by Megan Scott for three days last week. On the third day, our previous mentors were
brought in with our current mentors who were being trained, and it was a full day of planning for next
year. So I'm really proud of the district and the work that we're doing.
to not only focus on our students, but also putting that focus on our teachers. Going back to what Mr.
Chavez said earlier in his comments, I think this goes to show that we are investing in the work that
our teachers do. And it doesn't matter whether it's a first-year teacher or a 20-year teacher. We recognize
that we can all be better at our craft. And so this commitment to that I think definitely shows the
work that we do here with our staff.
I know we've been here for quite a while, so I'll try to be as quick as possible. We wrap up the 2025-26
school year on Thursday, May 21st, and the next day I want to invite the board to the end of the year
staff celebration.
We will have pulled pork available in each of our schools beginning at 1045 and then around 1215. We
invite all the staff teachers to the high school gymnasium to celebrate for some of our retirees and
those milestones where teachers are making 5, 10 years, 15 years of service.
And then we will have our competition between schools and our reigning champ of Edgewood Intermediate
School will be putting her title on the line. And I think it's EPS's year. So I think it's her year
to win. I'm counting on that.
And then, of course, our commencement will be for the high school will be Saturday, May 30th at 11 a.m.
You know, I remember my first year as Assistant Superintendent, I think it was like 2002, and that first
year was very challenging. And then the next year had its own set of challenges, and then
I started the next year thinking, well, I wonder what this year's challenges are going to be. And,
you know, I've kind of figured out so many years later that every year has its own challenges to overcome,
and sometimes we're in the middle of those challenges, there are great things happening. And I just
wanted to point some of those out to you tonight. We had our EHS Honors Night last week,
And the dollars for scholars came through again and provided $86,500 in scholarship money and a new
record for a total amount of scholarship funds of $1,901,878 worth of scholarships. And I think that's
pretty amazing. A lot of community support. We had two Edgewood High School students who
earned the Monroe County Lilly Scholarship this year. Our Marching Mustangs won a state championship
again. Our positive enrollment continues for another year, and if you remember, I mentioned that
80% of school corporations in Indiana are in declining enrollment, and we're in that 20%. So I think
that's another plus for Edgewood. A lot of great, obviously we have great teachers, staff, administrators,
quality programs. Jennifer mentioned the Edgewood Ready Magazine. If you go through that, you can see
all kinds of highlights. And then our
Coffee Corral, a student-run business, I thought last year was amazing numbers with $30,000 in sales,
and now they're over $50,000 in sales, student-run. All of our schools achieved a level one in high
reliability schools, and so that's pretty awesome itself. We expanded the high school kitchen and cafeteria, and
You ought to go over and have lunch at the high school cafeteria sometime, really any of our cafeterias.
It's really good food. The field house is booked solid all the time and utilized in a variety of ways.
Our new Edgewood Early Childhood Center had a successful first year and as you know, board, we have
our plans set for
future construction projects, and those are already underway. So overall, it's been a really great school
year. And for board member comments, we'll... RBBEA. Oh, RBBEA. Oh, I'm so sorry. RBBEA comments. Type
this in there so patiently. We're trying to cut things short. Yeah, sorry about that.
Good evening, everyone. Thanks for sticking around. I just wanted to highlight one thing that I am sure
is already on everyone's radar, but just going into the fall, and that's the ramifications from House
Bill 1004. The bill removes from the regular teacher contract the number of hours per day that the teacher
is expected to work.
This applies to all teachers who teach under that contract. ISTA is fully aware that teachers already
work well beyond this school day on numerous additional duties brought to them by their administrators,
and we continuously share this reality with lawmakers, and that was not something that was heard. So
this is now something that we are going to be bringing to the board through bargaining in the fall,
trying to get this language approved by the school board since we can't get it through
the state. So again, I know that's already on everyone's radar. I just want to use my voice to keep
highlighting that tonight. And then just on a personal note, this would have been for April's school
board meeting, but over at the high school, we have three teachers who are leaving that
are good friends of mine. And that's Katie Brookman in science, Alison Kingsley in art, and Rachel Mathias
in English. And I just wanted to, I don't know, give them formal recognition. They're really good people.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thanks, Ty. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to jump. So now, for member
comments, start with Mr. Jacobs.
I already made my major announcement, but I didn't want to miss any of the students, because again,
they're the reason why we do what we do. And they're always in our vision, no matter what's going on
in the corporation. Big things, small things, the students are always the first we think of. And I really,
It is so good hearing from them. That's why we really enjoy having the Mustang moments, because we get
to see them in their element. We get to see what they're doing. And hearing the students be able to
voice their concerns to us. I hope that empowers them to continue to work towards greatness. And I think
it will. I'm very proud of them.
I'm very proud of the parents that support the students to do that. We're making some really amazing
humans for our world and our corporation. And I want to thank the donations. Donors choose. Anytime
we get donations in the corporation, every penny counts to us. And I just want to really let them know
that we appreciate all the donations we get.
Thanks for everybody came out tonight. So I know it's a long meeting and I appreciate all the comments
that the parents and students made. I'm going to quote Emma Curtis that where she her comment was move
forward together. So we got to keep working together and move forward as we approach the summer. And
I do want to congratulate the spring sports and having a pretty good spring season. So the girls won
the conference this week and several school records, which
Our school records are pretty impressive already, so to beat those is pretty nice. So we've done well
though in sectional and tournament play and looking forward to graduation and a lot of roses passed
around. Again, I'd like to thank everybody that came tonight. Young man, you did really well. You know that?
Thank you for your input, appreciate that so much. Again, I'm so proud of this corporation. I look at
all the people here and I see all some new faces back there. It's just nice to move through these things.
Robert Bolting House coming over here is gonna be a wonderful addition for us. I think the Music Warehouse
will continue its greatness throughout the years and I really enjoy
with the board. I enjoy serving with you guys. I really do. So I think that's it. I don't want to get
too far. I talk all night. So all right, thank you. Yeah, it is a time of transition on a number of
fronts. It's going to be hard to say goodbye to Mr. Ackerman. But as the self-appointed historian of
the board, I will point out that Robert Boltinghouse ranks second all time
chronologically and alphabetically in principals named Boltinghouse. We had a Jane Boltinghouse at the
Ellsville Elementary back in the mid-60s, or mid-90s rather. He does rank first in yards rushing. He
also ranks first in grades achieved in Mr. DeMoss's sophomore English class among principals, not everybody,
but he did okay as far as principals are concerned.
but no, and yeah, we've got a lot of great people leaving us, whether it's retirement or moving on to
other places. Good luck to all of them and that's all I wanna say. Thank you. I appreciate Mrs. Jacobs'
words earlier to everybody. I thought that was perfect and I don't think there's any way to say it any
better, so I won't even attempt to
to go down that path. I just echo what she said. That was beautiful. In many ways, some people have
had a difficult year this year. There's been a lot of tough things that I think that
When those things happen, I think that causes some fractures in our culture that we try to build. But
you know what? I think those fractures can be healed. I think that when we work together and we come
together and look at where we're at and not to think too much about how we got here, but think about
how we can move forward.
and what that path should look like and what that focus should be, which is the students first, and
just work together and go down that path. I think those fractures can be healed, and I think that we'll
come together in areas where we may have drifted apart, torn apart in ways, but I think we can come
back together.
I think this is a great community. I think this is a great school corporation. I think we have wonderful
people. And I think that we can do that. I think that we can come together and get through the tough
times when they do come. But to do that, we do have to come together. And we do have to join in having
the same vision
in putting the kids first and making sure that, you know, it is about the kids. It's not about us. It's
not about individual people. It's about what's best for all the kids. And work on that. Sometimes people
get personal aspirations involved. Sometimes people get, you know, agendas involved. And that hurts.
You know, I think there's so much good in the people that are here that I think that we'll get through
these what's been tough times. And in other ways, like Dr. Sander said, there's been some very wonderful
things that have happened this year. You know, on the graduation day, we're going to see these students
that have worked their rear ends off to get to where they,
where they're at, and they're going to cross that stage. And, you know, I say it every year, this is
the biggest honor for me to sit on that stage because I look at every face when it crosses that stage.
I give every face my time and attention as they go across. And it's interesting to see how different
it is. Some are elated.
Some are getting me out of here. It's all different kinds, but they all deserve to be there. They've
all worked so hard to be there, and it's every single person in this corporation touched their lives
to help get them there. And so that's the unity that we can have going forward if we keep our shared
vision being that of the students
and the school and the community. So I just thank everybody for coming tonight. I so appreciate hearing
from the students and I wish you all a wonderful evening and this meeting is adjourned.