DELAWARE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
6:30 p.m.
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
MINUTES
Present: Trent Fox, President; John Adams, Vice President; Alice Gillis, Secretary; Tyce Stebbins, Member; Adam Williams, Member; Darin Gullion, Assistant Superintendent; and Reece Mann, Superintendent
-
CALL TO ORDER
At 6:30 p.m. Board President, Trent Fox, called the meeting to order.
-
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
-
AMEND AGENDA
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by Adam Williams to amend the agenda, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
MINUTES
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by John Adams to accept the minutes of the business meeting and executive session held on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
FINANCE
-
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by Adam Williams to accept the list of vouchers, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
Purchases over $7500:
A motion was made by John Adams and seconded by Tyce Stebbins to approve the following (item 1):
-
West Communications CP $8,967.00
(SchoolMessenger renewal)
The motion was approved unanimously.
-
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Kelly Brown, Principal at Delta Middle School, stated they gave out Chromebooks on March 27th and it went really well. She couldn’t be more thankful for the Chromebooks. She stated they are having eLearning in the summer and there is 100% teacher attendance for her building which is exciting and motivating. She said having Ms. Thompson in her building has been a blessing. Ms. Thompson has been very helpful in teaching everyone how to utilize and use Chromebooks as a teaching tool and it’s been great. She stated Chromebooks have been a blessing for ISTEP testing. Ms. Lewman asked Ms. Brown to recognize Mr. Schmaltz. Ms. Lewman has had to call him numerous times and he always takes her call or calls her right back. She said Ms. Lewman has been a rock star with ISTEP. She informed everyone last Monday they had an Integrity Essay Contest at Northside Middle School. Ms. Decker had several submissions and they had two students honored; Brady Hunt placed 2nd and Laura Fowler placed 3rd which is awesome and exciting. She stated they will host the Academic Super Bowl State Meet next Saturday at the middle school. Byron Banta plays a huge role in that and with him retiring, she doesn’t know if they will continue hosting it. It will be Saturday, April 29th. She stated they have a lot of field trips coming up and the kids are excited. Each administrator is going on one of the trips and she’s looking forward to going back to Dearborn.
Joe Schmaltz, Principal at Albany Elementary School, stated the rock stars are the administrators and teachers who are doing a fantastic job with ISTEP. Chromebooks have been a huge help. At Albany they had 150 students testing at one time which is amazing. He informed everyone he just came from the Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program where Albany 5th grader Hope Moles was honored. Also honored was Payton Taylor from Eaton and Abigail Friend from Royerton. He stated there were two winners from Albany for the Integrity Essay Contest; Jacob Bilby and Gabby Knight. He stated we had students get 2nd and 3rd place at the middle school, a Royerton student got 3rd place in the elementary division, and Haley Bennett from the high school got 3rd place.
Chris Conley, Principal at Delta High School, stated Ms. Gossett does a lot of the testing for them. He said because it’s math, they are testing all 10th graders, but because they are coming from multiple classrooms all at the same time, there are very few that are all sophomores being tested. Ms. Gossett has 3-4 classes in there and if there is a hiccup, he gets a frantic email so he knows he needs to call Joe right away. He feels they have a pretty good system. He stated today they had a few hiccups but that’s standard when you are testing 200 and some kids. He invited the Board to the Dedication Baseball game next Tuesday against Wapahani, Prom on April 29th at Cornerstone from 8-11 p.m., and After Prom at 180 until 2:00 a.m. Mr. Conley stated it’s a great thing when people come to tour DHS to consider coming there when they tell them how nice the building looks. He stated that speaks volumes to the commitment that everyone has made in making our building look good. The custodians and food service have done a lot of work in the Commons area. He stated everything has been repainted and the graphics have been hung up. They are making a good building even more attractive and without fail, almost everyone shopping for a school comments on how nice and safe the building looks. He stated they show them where all of the bags go because the lockers aren’t big enough and they are amazed it’s very rare nothing is bothered. To tell parents who are coming from a school atmosphere where you don’t dare leave anything laying out because it will be gone, is a tremendous thing we can thank all of our school community for.
Bryan Weaver, Transportation Director, stated for Kindergarten Round-up, they started something new this year by taking a bus to the three elementary schools. He stated they took different groups with the kindergarteners onto the bus and showed them what to expect and to get their nervousness over with whenever school starts. He had great cooperation from the elementary principals. He stated he can’t thank them enough for letting them do this. They spent a few hours at each school and it went really well. They have had a lot of good comments.
Deb Huston, Exchange Student Program, stated she has to brag on Delta High School. She has been placing exchange students here since 2000, about 5-6 kids a year, and so many are coming back with their parents to visit. She said just this past weekend, 2 sets of parents came back here to see Delta. She stated the way the host families and school takes these kids in and makes them feel safe is the reason they keep coming back. She thanked the staff and the Board for letting her place students here. She informed everyone that next year will be her last year. Matt Huber, teacher at Albany Elementary, will be taking her place. She stated Lexi is going to Denmark and Sommer is getting an all-expense paid trip to France from an exchange family for graduation. She said our students are able to do these things because of the exchange student program. She hopes we continue to do the program. She has spoken to some schools and they have told her with all of the transfer students they are taking in, they are thinking about not letting exchange students go to their corporations. She spoke to Mr. Conley and he stated we are still going to accept exchange students. Ms. Huston thanked us for still accepting students and for how well we treat everyone.
-
NEW BUSINESS
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the Elementary School Rule Folder Changes (1st Reading).
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the Delta Middle School Handbook (1st Reading).
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the Delta High School Handbook (1st Reading).
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the Transportation Handbook (1st Reading).
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about Elementary Textbook Adoption (1st Reading).
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the Delta Middle School and Delta High School Textbook Adoption (1st Reading).
-
Certified Staff
-
None.
-
Classified Staff
-
None.
-
Extra-Curricular
A motion was made by John Adams and seconded by Tyce Stebbins to approve the following (item 1):
-
Recommendation to appoint Jason Earley as a Volunteer Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach at Delta High School effective for the 2017-18 school year.
The motion was approved unanimously.
-
Conference Requests/Field Trips
A motion was made by Adam Williams and seconded by Tyce Stebbins to approve the following (items 1-5):
-
Haley Cross and Beth Rees request permission to attend IDOE Summer Food Service Training to be held on April 18, 2017 at Pike Township Training Center in Indianapolis, IN.
-
Karen Kirtley requests permission to attend the FCS Spring Conference to be held on April 21, 2017 at Ivy Tech in Indianapolis, IN.
-
Haley Cross requests permission to attend the Community Wellness Meeting to be held on April 26, 2017 at the Muncie Children’s Museum in Muncie, IN.
-
Gary Marvin requests permission to attend NASRO Advanced and INSROA Conferences to be held from June 26, 2017 through June 30, 2017 at the Fourwinds Resort in Bloomington, IN.
-
Abby Maxwell and Becky Stebbins request permission to attend the American Red Cross CPR Instructor Training to be held on April 20, 2017; April 24, 2017; and April 25, 2017 at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Indianapolis, IN.
The motion was approved unanimously.
-
Information and Proposals
-
Superintendent
-
A motion was made by John Adams and seconded by Alice Gillis to approve the DHS Volleyball Camp, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
A motion was made by Adam Williams and seconded by John Adams to approve the Cash Tuition for Non-Resident Resolution, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by Alice Gillis to approve permission to post DHS summer school classes, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
Mr. Mann informed the Board about the following fundraisers:
-
None.
-
Assistant Superintendent
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by Adam Williams to approve the following (items 1-5):
-
Use of Facilities:
-
Larry Swher, Albany EMS, requests permission to use the Albany Elementary gym, field, and playground on April 22, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to hold an egg hunt and lifeline training, as presented.
-
Karen Kirtley, Delta FCCLA, requests permission to use the Delta Middle School cafeteria on April 25, 2017 from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to hold a Bingo Party, as presented.
-
Larry Swher, Albany EMS, requests permission to use the Albany Elementary cafeteria, classrooms, breakroom, and conference room on May 6, 2017 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to hold EMT state skills, as presented.
-
Richard Gillis, Eaton Alumni Association, requests permission to use the Eaton Elementary gym/cafeteria on May 20, 2017 from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to hold the Eaton Alumni Banquet, as presented.
-
Dawn Raleigh, Delta Learn to Swim, requests permission to use the Delta High School pool from June 5, 2017 through June 15, 2017 from 12:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. to hold swim lessons, as presented.
The motion was approved unanimously.
-
A motion was made by John Adams and seconded by Alice Gillis to approve the recommendation for Third Party Purchasing, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
A motion was made by Adam Williams and seconded by Tyce Stebbins to approve the request to surplus food service items, as presented. The motion was approved unanimously.
-
LETTERS/NOTES
-
BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Adam Williams – Mr. Williams thanked everyone for coming. He stated he lost track of names for all the kids being recognized for awards because there were so many. He stated it’s reflected on the wonderful community, parents, teachers, and administrators we have. He stated everyone is working hard on ISTEP. It’s always appreciated, can never be said enough, and doesn’t go unnoticed.
Tyce Stebbins – Mr. Stebbins congratulated the Integrity Essay Award winners. He stated the writing and skill to do that is great and the content is special, which is why he’s sure they placed. He looks forward to the baseball dedication. He thanked Ms. Huston for her pleasant comments about placing exchange students here. He let Mr. Weaver know he’s heard tons of good things about the buses at the elementary schools for Kindergarten Round-up and stated that was a good idea.
Alice Gillis – Ms. Gillis congratulated Jackson Boyle for being named STEM Student of the Month. She stated it was nice. Purdue was there and WLBC presented him with a plaque. She stated she was at the track event today where they set up the cancer survivor walk and it was very nice. She thanked Ms. Huston for taking care of the exchange students. She had several when she was teaching and stated they are quite fun and you learn a lot from them. She commented Brady Hunt and Laura Fowler placing in the essay contest is pretty remarkable. She thinks the better you can write, the better you do in life. Ms. Gillis informed everyone that DelCom 4-H helped at Reynolds John Deere on Saturday. Mr. Conley’s son was there and helped a lot. She stated they scattered eggs for the egg hunt and passed out hot dogs. Reynolds John Deere is going to give $250.00 for them working just a few hours so DelCom 4-H Club is glad to get that. She is glad ISTEP is going well and knows it can be very trying and tiring. She congratulated Hope Moles, Peyton Taylor, and Abigail Friend for being honored at the Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program and Jacob Bilby and Gabby Knight for the Integrity Essay Contest. Ms. Gillis is glad to hear Mr. Conley say the kids’ personal items at Delta High School are safe. She knows how it can go when they can’t hold onto their personal items.
John Adams – Mr. Adams concurred with his fellow board members about the Integrity Essay Award winners. He stated they’ve heard so much lately about Chromebooks and it is an honor to be able to make that happen for our corporation. He said it was well deserved and if it impacts better education, then it’s well worth it. He’s glad they are enjoying that tool and using it for our kids. He commented it’s neat the foreign exchange students from last year came back to visit. Friday evening his family, the exchange student’s family, and Sommer Wallace’s family all met at Puerta Vallarta and had a nice evening getting to know one another a little more. The exchange student’s family was so impressed with their daughter being able to be here for a year and impressed with what she learned. Mr. Adams was able to ask the family different questions about allowing their child to be gone for that long and to get a different perspective on things. He stated not only did they get to know Helena for the year she was here, but it was nice to meet her parents and spend a little time with them. He thinks it’s neat for the exchange student’s parents to want to come over here and see where their child spent a year. He was not aware, but in Denmark where Helena goes, they do not count the year she was here. She has to forgo that whole year, but it was important to their family and he is glad she was able to come and hates that her year here doesn’t count. Mr. Adams stated he’s been fortunate with his daughters being very involved with the exchange students. He said a lot of these kids want to come back here, not only because of the friends they’ve made, but because of higher education opportunities. He stated they really like this area even though if you listen to his daughter there is nothing to do around here. But all of these other kids seem to think there’s all kinds of things to do. It really is a neat experience and he’s glad they had that opportunity. He thanked Ms. Huston for allowing kids to come to our school because he thinks it’s important. He stated both of his daughters have made great friends with exchange students and they still keep in contact. He commends Ms. Huston, Mr. Conley, and everyone involved that help them come here and to feel special because they really do believe that. Their families expressed that as well. Mr. Adams can’t thank them enough for keeping the exchange program up.
Trent Fox – Mr. Fox thanked everyone for coming. He stated it’s really nice out so he’s keeping it short. He congratulated everyone who was awarded something for the Integrity Essay Contest and Kiwanis Terrific Kids Program.
-
FUTURE MEETINGS
-
A regular meeting for the Board of School Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the Administration Building.
-
An ISBA Spring Regional Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Willie and Red’s in Hagerstown, IN.
-
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Tyce Stebbins and seconded by John Adams and Board President, Trent Fox, adjourned the meeting at 7:06 p.m.
April 18, 2017
TRENT FOX ___________________________
JOHN ADAMS ____________________________
ALICE GILLIS ____________________________
TYCE STEBBINS ____________________________
ADAM WILLIAMS ____________________________