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The following is an AI Generated summary of the September meeting of the Celina Board of Education:

Meeting Notes

1. Lab Rats Program to New York City

   Andrea Nickell, an intervention specialist at the high school, presented the 'Lab Rats' program, which she co-founded with Alicia Ball. The program, established about two years ago, supports at-risk students who need additional academic, emotional, and adult support beyond the classroom, as many lacked investment in school. The students themselves chose the name 'Lab Rats,' where 'Lab' stands for Lead, Advocate, and Build, reflecting their desire to be leaders in the school community. The group meets every Friday during lunch in an informal setting, and serving food has been found to increase student participation. Their first outside activity involved taking students to a Broadway show, "To Kill a Mockingbird," at Clues Hall in Indianapolis, which included dinner at Olive Garden, providing a special experience for many who had never been to a big city or a sit-down restaurant.

   They are now planning a trip to New York City for 20 students, which has become a reality thanks to many generous donations, support from the administration, and a partnership with Grand Lake United Methodist Church. The purpose of this trip is twofold: it will include a service learning project at a New York City soup kitchen, allowing students to give back to the community and demonstrate that "being the change" is possible for anyone, regardless of background or past mistakes. Additionally, students will visit cultural sites such as Central Park, the 9-11 Museum, and attend another Broadway show, "The Outsiders," a book they read and loved in eighth grade. The program hopes this experience will allow students to see that they have the chance to do more, see more, and be more.

   The board was informed about the program's origins, activities, and the upcoming New York City trip, including its funding and educational objectives.

2. Facility Updates

   Phil reported on several facility projects. At the elementary school, the fence around the mechanical yard and the exterior cameras have been completed. Repairs for the tornado door locking mechanism, which was not installed correctly, are scheduled for October 6th, specifically when no students are in the building. For the existing CIS building, brick fixes and caulking are being scheduled with a contractor to begin in the next few weeks.

   At the high school, significant progress has been made: all roof support and steel have been set, and all windows are being completed. On the second floor, studs are done, and drywall, including above-ceiling drywall, is being finished. On the first floor, studs are being installed, followed by the upper-level drywall. Brickwork is done in most areas, with some back areas on the west side of the three-story building being completed. Metal panels on the third floor (west and east sides) are currently being worked on. Roughing in for plumbing, mechanical, electric, and technology is ongoing simultaneously on the second and third floors. The windows on the north side of the gym were noted as "spectacular" translucent windows, and side lights on both sides of the competition gym are also being worked on. Sprinkler systems on the third floor and interior masonry walls (dividing stage space, student dining area, and storage rooms) are being installed.

   A furniture fair for middle and high school staff is scheduled for "tomorrow and Wednesday" (relative to the meeting date) in the multi-purpose room of the cap building. Two deliveries of furniture options were received today, and two representatives from Garmann Miller will be present. The 10th building was chosen as a convenient location for both middle and high school staff to visit.

   The board was updated on the status of ongoing construction and maintenance projects across various school buildings, including specific details on progress and upcoming activities.

3. Public Questions and Concerns

   Teresa raised questions regarding state funding losses for fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, noting that the district is "down a million dollars this year so far." She also mentioned that the "20-mil floor" is still in the process of a possible veto override. She queried a discrepancy between a $1 million figure and a previously reported $1.6 million, which she had asked about at the last board meeting. She also inquired about a $2,500 allocation for an environmental assessment. This was clarified as a requirement for the federal grant for the Head Start 1303 project, located at the current middle school, not the ed complex. Additionally, Teresa asked about two windows on the front and side of the high school that appeared to be empty; Phil clarified these areas would have green metal panels, not decorative elements or a "board wall."

   The query on state funding, including the discrepancy and the 20-mil floor, will be addressed in detail at the next meeting on October 6th with the presentation of the five-year forecast. The environmental assessment was confirmed to be a federal requirement for the Head Start program at the middle school, and the high school window areas were clarified to receive green metal panels.

4. Financial Report and Donations

   Michelle presented the financial report for August. The board was asked to approve the minutes for the August 11th and August 25th meetings. The cash summary for August showed revenues of $5.9 million and expenditures of $7.4 million. The cash reconciliation report for August indicated a total balance of $75,403,433.67, of which $42,826,830.94 is allocated for the building project. The total amount of checks written for August was $5,278,463.17. The board was also asked to approve amendments to the FY26 temporary appropriations, totaling $100,000, with $700 representing the changes and increase to the appropriations.

   Several donations were accepted: $2,000 from the Mercer County City Foundation to the Celina Boys Basketball Program for the purchase of a shoot-away basketball shooting machine; $5,000 from Celina Moose for the CHS Spirit Squad Lab Rats New York City trip; and an $18,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation for the TriStar Engineering and Manufacturing and Machining Programs to purchase equipment.

   The board approved all financial items, including meeting minutes, financial reports, and amendments to appropriations, and formally accepted the specified donations.

5. Personnel, Stipends, and Other Approvals

   Mrs. Gessler's report led to several approvals. The board approved Attachment 1, which outlines various personnel changes, including additions and subs. Revisions of contracts for Chad Sapp and Derek Wenning were approved, moving them to continuing contracts effective this school year. An extension of a probationary period for one custodian to October 13th was also approved.

   Stipends of $30 per hour were approved for First LEGO League advisors, funded out of federal grant money (Title IV for student enrichment and academic support). Additionally, stipend payments of $30 per hour were approved for staff members serving on their building leadership teams in each respective building for the 2025-2026 school year. These stipends are specifically for staff who do not receive supplemental contracts (e.g., for grade-level chair, team lead, or department head) where such leadership responsibilities are already compensated. These monthly meetings occur after school hours, typically not exceeding two hours, and continue through May.

   The board also approved several overnight trips, including the Lab Rats trip to New York City and the annual 8th grade D.C. trip. Funding for weightlifting instructors, Renee Williams and Sarah Young, at $30 per hour per class, was approved, to be paid from the wellness fund. Finally, the revision for the highlighted gifted services portion of the district's gifted education identification policy and service plan was approved.

   All personnel matters, stipends, and other business items presented, including various trips and policy revisions, were approved by the board.

6. Head Start and TriStar

   The board approved the Head Start report, which was attached. They also approved a budget revision for Head Start, reflecting a reallocation of $2,500 from the fringe budget category to the other budget category, given the explanation for unspent federal funds.

   For TriStar, the board approved several student competition overnight stays for FCCLA, SkillsUSA, BPA, and HOSA. It was clarified that HOSA stands for Health Occupation Students of America, and they used to be part of SkillsUSA (med prep) before splitting off. State competitions typically involve one participant from each TriStar program, with qualifiers advancing to national competitions.

   The Head Start report and a budget revision for its federal funds were approved. Additionally, overnight stays for TriStar student competitions, including FCCLA, SkillsUSA, BPA, and HOSA, were approved.

Next Arrangements

• A furniture fair for middle and high school staff will be held "tomorrow and Wednesday" (relative to the meeting date) in the multi-purpose room in the cap building.

• Repair for the tornado door locking mechanism at the elementary school is scheduled for October 6th, when no students are in the building.

• The five-year forecast, with details on state funding, will be presented at the next meeting on October 6th.

• A custodian's probationary period has been extended to October 13th.

• Brick fixes and caulking for the existing CIS building are being scheduled for the next few weeks.