Mt. Vernon Board of School Trustees

Mrs. Bond shared the following Good News: 

1.  MCE 4th grade had a great day with their egg drop that included our Buck Creek Fire Department helping with the drop and final smashes.
2. The MVHS Service Club and JAG helped develop a self-sustaining garden at MVHS that supports our local food pantry. Two students who helped with the project and former MVHS JAG teacher, Mr. Cochran, were interviewed live at the FOX 59 studio. Special thanks to all the community members and organizations that helped with this self-sustaining garden initiative, including: Vernon Township, Board Member Tony May, Hancock County Community Foundation, Tuttle’s Orchard, Metal Supermarkets, Backyard Blessings and Schreiber Lumber.    
3.  At Homecoming, the MVHS Athletic Boosters donated a 6-passenger golf cart to the athletics department for the purpose of transporting those who have difficulty walking all the way back to the athletic fields.
4. The Mt. Vernon Education Foundation sponsored an incredible staff appreciation event at the Indianapolis Regional Airport hanger with a number of donated food from the Cakehole, FoxGardin, The Grill, Kinsey’s, Leo’s, Chick-fil-A and Murphy’s Pub. Over $1,000 in prizes and gift cards was raffled to staff from Leo’s Market, Tim’s Bakery, Amazon and more. Entertainment consisted of a staff scavenger hunt and a live musical performance from Daniel Bell, an artist from Nashville, TN. Bell also performed with both the MS and HS band and choir, and even used some of their sounds in his remix performance for them.     
5.  MVCSC hosted a free breakfast to commemorate the anniversary of September 11. The hour honored over 50 veterans, first responders, active military and their families with performances from the MVHS band and choir.           
6. A family anonymously pulled weeds one day at MVMS.  Thank you to the family. 
7. Some Indiana schools still working to fill special education openings with Dr. Jack Parker sharing the status of hiring special ed teaching positions and how MVCSC is working to attract and retain them.

Dr. Scott Shipley presented Canvas to the board.   Dr. Shipley shared that Misty Hall, the Curriculum Integrated Coordinator and Joe Anderson, a MVHS Math Teacher have helped with implementing Canvas in the district. 

Mt. Vernon School introduced Canvas for the first time when the district became a 1:1 school in 2016.  In the Fall of 2019, a digital learning committee was formed to help research the digital resources the corporation was using as a whole.  In the spring of 2020, COVID changed digital learning. Mt. Vernon learned how significant the digital learning opportunities were.   The committee pushed towards one learning management system (LMS).  In March of 2021, the implementation plan for Canvas was put in place by the committee, starting with Principal Professional Learning Community training.  August of 2022, Canvas was in full implementation district wide.  There were paid training opportunities in the Spring of 2021 to Summer of 2022 with Misty Hall and Joe Anderson. 

Dr. Shipley shared information on why Canvas was chosen over other applications.   Information on colleges using Canvas was shared.  Students learning to use Canvas at Mt. Vernon will have an easier transition with colleges that are using the same learning management system.   Dr. Shipley shared the Parent Observer and Parent Guides for Canvas options that will be available on the new website. These tools will allow the parent to see what the student is doing on Canvas.   

Joe Anderson shared examples of templates provided to the teachers.   Training was provided to teachers on how to make the templates for their classroom.  Example teacher pages were shown. Gradebook and Passbook are features that Canvas provides. Gradebook allows the teacher to grade an assignment and update Skyward once the grade is put in.  This auto feature has been a time saver for teachers. Teachers are moving weekly skills assignments to Canvas. The instant feedback has made the grading and feedback to the student more efficient.    Sharing content is a feature that allows teachers to share information on modules for sub teachers and for collaborations amongst teacher groups.   There are features which allow teacher resources from other Canvas users to be brought into the classroom for support and ideas.   There is tech support  24/7 for the teachers, parents and students.   Canvas Mondays will be brought back after Fall Break for teachers to get additional training. 

Mrs. Walls asked how transitions are for learning the program and if new teachers were able to use or adapt quickly to get started.   Mr. Anderson responded by sharing ideas on how new teachers can walk in and see where former teachers left off or used the following year.  These resources have been helpful.   

Mrs. Freeman asked if all teachers are now using it.  Dr. Shipley replied that all teachers have a Canvas Page.  These Canvas pages will be used on E-Learning days. He is working on getting more detailed information for the committee on how many teachers are using it on a daily basis.   

Mrs. Freeman asked for clarification on what the teachers were getting paid for training. Dr. Shipley confirmed the teachers were getting paid the contracted hourly pay. 

Mrs. Freeman appreciated the information.  She currently is using Canvas at her school district. 

Mr Smedley presented the 2022-23 School Improvement Plans for each school.   Each school principal has had their plan go through a highly effective school accreditation process.  The process is built on the foundation of Profession Learning Committees and monitored by the high reliability schools framework.  Plans were submitted and reviewed through the highly accreditation process and feedback was given.   All school principals have had their highly effective school plan approved this year.   Each principal shared their overview and growth plans.  Mr. Smedley thanked the principals for their hard work and their presentations to the board. 

By law all plans need to be submitted to the Department of Education by October 7th.   Mr. Smedley asked the board for approval of these plans as presented.   Mrs. Walls made a motion to approve all plans as submitted.    Mr. Edwards seconded the motion.  The motion carried 4-0

CERTIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS

Carrie Rector, MVMS Computer Science Teacher (Temporary)

Elissa Page, MVMS Special Education / Resource Teacher

Alyson Zelencik, Request to be paid at 1.25 FTE to fill in temporarily as an MVHS English Teacher during prep period

 

CERTIFIED RESIGNATION/RETIREMENT

Karen Feder, MES 1st Grade Teacher

Casey Dodd, MVHS Principal

 

CERTIFIED CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENT

Avery Bray, MES Long Term Substitute to MES 1st Grade Teacher

 

CLASSIFIED RECOMMENDATIONS

Linda Darrah, Transportation Bus Driver

Kurt Hersberger, MVMS Permanent Substitute

Kylah Stout, MMP School Instructional Assistant

Madeline Butterly, MMP School Instructional Assistant ICE

Marek Calvert, MVHS Custodian ICE

Telisa Reed, MVHS Custodian Part-Time

Kim Hardie, MVHS Essential Skills Instructional Assistant

Alice Eaton, MMP School Temporary IA for a leave of absence

Kristyn Hutchison - MCE Office Assistant

Diane Wetzold, FES Treasurer

Tabitha Hull, FES Instructional Assistant High Intensity

 

CLASSIFIED RESIGNATION/RETIREMENT

Tyler Riley, Transportation bus driver (request for termination)

Jessica Brown, MVCSC Character Education Specialist

Kristi Ray, FES Treasurer

Ryan O’Neil, MCE Custodian (request for termination)

 

ECA RECOMMENDATIONS

Oliva Morales, MVMS 6th Grade Boys Basketball Assistant Coach

 

LEAVE REQUESTS

Jared Newton, Request for leave of absence (October 3, 2022 to November 28, 2022)

Lucinda Blair, Request for leave of absence (September 9, 2022 to January 2, 2023)

Hilary Harriman, Request for leave of absence (August 15, 2022 to mid November)

Kellie Danforth, Request for leave of absence (August 20, 2022 to October 17, 2022)

Alexander Hutton, Request for leave of absence (October 12, 2022 to December 16

We will once again be seeking to issue a general obligation bond for the purposes of maintaining school facilities, equipment, and technology district-wide. This additional debt will not raise the debt service tax rate and will be paid back over two years. Mr. Elkins will be asking the board to approve the maximum GO bond amount allowed by law (approximately $5.8 million) when in fact we will most likely sell an amount similar to last year’s bond, $2M-$3M. The official bond and project hearing will occur at next month’s meeting along with additional board actions.

Mr. Elkins asked the board for consideration and approval of Resolution 2022-29 Preliminary Bond Resolution. This Preliminary Bond Resolution establishes the maximum amount to be borrowed, maximum term of repayment and maximum interest rate. Should the board vote to approve this resolution, notice of the determination to issue the Bonds shall be published twice, one week apart, in the Greenfield Daily Reporter. Also, the notice of determination will be posted in three (3) public places within the School Corporation.

Mr. Elkins asked for approval of the 2022-29 Preliminary Bond Resolution.     

Mr. Edwards motioned to approve the 2022-29 Preliminary Bond Resolution.  Mr. Gray seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0 

Mr. Elkins asked the board for consideration and approval of Resolution 2022-30 Declaration of Official Intent to Reimburse Expenditures. If the School Corporation pays any preliminary costs related to the project in advance of receiving the bond proceeds, it may want to reserve its ability to be reimbursed from bond proceeds after the closing.  The Internal Revenue Service requires that a School Corporation declare its official intent to reimburse as documented in this resolution in order to reserve this ability to reimburse.

Mr. Elkins asked for approval of the Resolution 2022-30 Declaration of Official Intent to Reimburse Expenditures.

Mrs. Walls motioned to approve Resolution 2022-30.  Mr. Gray seconded the motion.  Motion carried 4-0

Indiana Code 6-1.1-17-3 requires all schools who are successful in winning an operating referendum after July 1, 2021 to adopt an annual Referendum Spending Plan as part of the budget process. The board approved essentially this same plan in December 2021 as part of the initial process to place the referendum question on the ballot. Since the school has yet to receive any funding from the referendum nor will it prior to the spring tax settlement in June of 2023, the original plan has been modified only to reflect the anticipated tax revenues to be collected. 

Mr. Elkins asked to approve the 2023 Operating Referendum Spending Plan 

Mr. Edwards made a motion to approve the 2023 Operating Referendum Spending Plan.  Mrs. Walls seconded.   No discussion and motion carried 4-0.

Mr. Elkins asked the board for consideration and approval for the adjustment of adult meal prices to be set at $4.80, an increase of $0.05 from the previous approve rate. This adjustment reflects a required calculation which considers the highest student price paid ($3.50) , the paid meal reimbursement rate ($0.85), plus the value of USDA donated foods rate ($0.43).   

Mrs. Walls made a motion to approve the adjustment to the Adult Meal Prices.   Mr. Gray seconded. 

Mrs. Freeman asked if the increase would only include adult meal prices?   Mrs. Elkins confirmed the price increase would be for adult meals and students second meal purchase.

The motion carried 4-0

 

Mr. Elkins presented the board with three letters of recommendation from AECOM Hunt, our project manager for the future growth plan. The letters recommend the board accept bids from the following:

LeMaster Steel Erectors, Inc: Pre-engineered metal building, new transportation center, $494,000

Millennium Contractors, LLC: Mass excavation, grading, and site utilities for new elementary school, $5,300,000

Insley Systems, Inc.: Roofing for new elementary school, $1,727,000

Acceptance of the recommendations will allow the school to establish contracts with the winning bidders. 

Mrs. Walls made the motion to approve these letters of recommendations. Mr. Edwards seconded.  No discussion and motion carried 4-0.