The meeting is now called to order. Roll call. Mr. Shapiro. >> All board members are present. >> Thank you. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
stand indivisible. Next, I'm moving on to our CCS mission statement, and that is that Carmel Clay Schools will provide opportunities for all students to realize their potential in an everchanging world.
And next up, we will recognize the Carmel High School Girls Cross Country State Champions and the Carmel High School Boys Soccer State Champions. Mr. Inskeep. >> Thank you, Mrs. Kok. It's a honor and privilege once again to be here with all of you and uh to celebrate uh some great
accomplishments from our student athletes. So at this time I'm going to have members of our girls cross country team who are here with us tonight come forward. So you'll come up here to the right of Dr. Orike and as they are assembling um I want to say a few things
um not only about their season um but to thank all the parents that are here this evening from our cross country and soccer programs. um we have, you know, a lot of programs and these two alone um account for about 200 student athletes. So, obviously we're recognizing a few
here tonight, our soccer seniors and the seven that ran at the uh state meet, but uh they make up a huge number of our student athletes here in the fall. And uh these two groups along with our fall student athletes um all accomplished a grade point average over the average GPA
of student athletes at students overall at Carmel High School. So, uh, they get it done on the field, um, on the course and, uh, in the classroom as well. So, it's very, very exciting. Uh, the girls cross country team won the state championship in October at the Leverne Gibson course in Teroot. It was the
second consecutive championship for the Greyhounds and the 21st overall state title for the program, which is the most in the state of Indiana. Individually, top finishers for Carmel were Sadie Foley in third, Larkin Taylor in 10th, and Annabelle Pard in 22nd at the state
meet, and all three earned all state honors. Um, I can't say enough about the dedication and commitment of this group. Um, obviously you probably see them out on the roadways and on the Monan and everywhere here and there in Carmel. Um, but they're very dedicated to their craft and obviously the results show in
lots of different ways as well. Their head coach is Scott Williams in his second year and he is joined by members of his staff here this evening um that were able to be with us. And now I will introduce members of the varsity runners that ran in the state meet. So once your name is read, please pass in front and
then you'll come up in front of the board here. Liliana Kate, Satie Foley, Marggo Holly, Caitlyn Oshimura, Annabelle Pard, Larkin Taylor, and Anna Yun.
[applause] >> [applause] [applause] >> At this time, I will invite members of our soccer team that are here this evening. We're going to see how well you paid attention to how the cross country team did and we'll be lining you up
alphabetically over here. So that's by last name. The boys soccer team won the state championship on November 1st at the IU Indianapolis soccer stadium. It was the first title for the program since 2006. Throughout the season, this group of
Greyhounds solidified themselves as the top team in the state as they finished with an 181 and three season record. The soccer postseason can be extremely difficult at times and games often come down to one moment. These Greyhounds defeated Noblesville in a shootout in
the sectional, avenged last year's regional loss to Lawrence North, defeated number one Brownsburg, and then beat Harrison in the championship 3-1 for the title. Max Preps, which is a national uh media outlet, ranked Carmel as the number one team in the nation to
close the season. [applause] Finally, senior Quinn Woo was named Indiana's Mr. Soccer as the most outstanding player in the state. [applause] Their head coach is Shane Schmidt and he is joined by members of his staff here this
evening that were able to be with us. I will now introduce our seniors that are here this evening. Evan Bardos, Alex Ko, Xander Dora, Curtis Drossy,
Troy Enelin, Gavin Fleming, Andrew Lee, Colton Mclofflin, Micah Mintz, Owen Price,
Alex Rubin, Micah Schil, Sakath Pedaconda, Ben Valdez, Max Weisenhower, Grant Woodward,
Gwyn Woo, and Arjun Yadav. [applause] >> [applause] [applause] >> We can take a little break for those of you who are students. I know you have uh ACE exams tomorrow or if you are if you're seniors, maybe you don't. Um if
you wanted to go home um and and get ready for the exams this evening and you can take pictures or chat out in the lobby. Um but we'll take a quick recess to quick break for this evening. We do not have anyone signed up for public comment.
So, we will move on to uh our consent and that is rather lengthy this evening, so bear with me. I have a lot to read. Um the consent items include the personnel report, claims, payroll, approval of gift applications, the November 10th, 2025 workshop session
minutes, and the November 24th regular session minutes. There's more, don't worry. At the November 24th regular session, those of us of the board, you can go back and watch that lovely meeting if you would like to. Um, we discussed moving change orders to this
part of our agenda. So, previously change orders, any bit of change for construction type items were a completely separate part of our agenda. Um, however, the board had a a great discussion where we talked about those are already part of a contract that the
board has with an entity. So, any changes are already within that contract. So, from now on, you will see um besides all those other things I listed, um we will also have change orders within the consent agenda. The board did discuss
that if there are large amounts um for the change orders, we would still like um or either additions or deductions, we would like Mr. McMichel to uh discuss those. So, we will I'll give you a chance in a second. Um but here's the long list of the change orders. Um, we
have change orders for the Carmel High School stadium additions and renovations, change orders for the Carmel High School Polytech edition, and change orders for the Carmel High School Natiatorum addition and existing natitorium renovations.
Um, so the one change order and specifically that I'll have you touch on is for the the Carmel High School Stadium additions and renovations. So I wanted to have you give us a little background to that. >> Thank you. U it happens that the the change order for the stadium is a little
over $425,000. So that's a large change order. Um the very first time we're putting it on a consent agenda. So I wanted to take the opportunity to to actually share a bit of information about that and also to put it in context, not to minimize
it, but this project, the stadium project's about a $30 million project. So um we never like ad change orders and we certainly don't like this one. um but they do happen and in this particular case the change order is essentially for a variety of unc unforeseen conditions.
Uh we've had um major issues with the soil as we um expand the homeside stadium. Um the uh we're f we found that um the soil was in poor condition had to be stabilized and and and in this
particular change order includes there was a large concrete structure where the where the elevator is to go. It did will go um not sure what it what it was there for but it we had to remove it and um and there was additional bad soil. Uh so
this change order uh is as I said $425,000 but this particular contractor if you look at his contract uh he's got additional um change orders and uh which um is unusual the the size of them and
so forth. But I would remind the board and the public that uh when we took bids on this project, we did not get bids for pre-cast concrete. So, we elected to um provide that um through this contractor, which requires a change order, and and
that was $368,000. So, that was not an unforeseen expense. We just didn't get bids in originally. So, so that kind of distorts the total amount more than you would need to know that or you'd be misled in terms of actual additional cost. So, I did want
to share that. And these items um we are up out of the ground now. So we we don't anticipate um major unforeseen change orders uh as we um we did in in this case when it's when things are below grade and you have no way of knowing
what you're going to find sometimes. There is a second item as it turns out on the consent agenda um that while I've have the floor I would like to speak to and that is we did some reorganization of our maintenance staff and um the board had had uh we shared that with the
board some time ago but the the the u effective date of that is to be the first of the year and so we talked to our employees basically um we had several maintenance um positions that we had first um promoted them, if you will,
to a higher salary schedule and then thought better of it. Um and so we put the planned to put them back on the schedule that they had been moved from. But since that time we have continued uh to consider this issue and and we've
talked to the staff and so um the current uh proposal is to put them on a u we will have three salary schedules kind of a high specialist schedule then a medium schedule and a lower schedule. So um the the impact of that change is
that um the vast majority of these employees will not see a pay reduction. um what they what they really will what the difference is is when they were put on that higher schedule we have step schedules that you're familiar with and
so they started at the first step. So uh the difference is is there they didn't have a meaningful loss in pay. Um some mo most of them didn't have any loss in pay but they did they will not have a growth potential because we put them on the higher step on the lower schedule if
that makes sense. And so I did want to comment on that because we had concerns as well and I know the board um also had concerns on behalf of our employees. Um but we felt it was something necessary to do um in part because of the um
funding situation that we're all quite familiar with. But we we also uh just really felt that we um when we moved everybody to this higher schedule, their skill set didn't change. And so um we
felt longterm that it would be um we just basically felt it would be better to put put them back on a lower salary schedule. They will have opportunity to advance if they obtain certifications and and other needs that we would have for specialists.
>> Thank you very much. Do I have a motion to approve all items on today's consent agenda? >> I move to approve items 4.2 2 through 4.10 as a group. >> Thank you. Do I have a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you, Mr. Shapiro. Um, do we have any discussion on these items um in the consent agenda? >> Yeah, it's a lot of items on the consent that are normally uh of non-controversial nature. Not that these are particularly controversial, but
certainly worth some questions. The uh on the U construction the U at the stadium, I noticed that there's like a 22 foot hole that had to be filled in with some big stones, I would imagine, some other structure. U would we not
normally find something with a soil sample before we were going to be putting something on a place that needs some pretty firm structure? Sorry. In this case, we are u the soil that we're talking about, we we uh first
demolished what was there. So, in other words, it wasn't like an open field where we could do soil samples. It had already been built on and um um and so it was just after we did the demo of the existing structure, uh that's when we
then cleared that away and then found the the unsuitable soil. Okay. Otherwise, you're correct. We would it would be typical that we would be doing soil samples if we were building like a new structure. >> The uh uh on this change order we're
looking at had a previous amount that of changes that were upward of >> about a 76 77,000 and then this brings it up another 425. So >> on this contract it looks like a lot percentage wise about 16. It is a lot.
>> But but you're saying um for the project, it's a $30 million project. So if we use that as the denominator, so to speak, it's more like 4%. Not not as significant, certainly, but are there other contracts that have had we've seen
a number of these? >> Yeah. Nothing like this. This is a general contractor and it happens that uh everything that I describe is under this one contractor because in terms of all the soil and all these unforeseen conditions we we've not had that with
other other the other 10 or 12 contracts that we have. >> Okay. So as far as the contingency that we plan and we planned for unforeseen things like this >> um we're well within that contingency. >> Well we we have enough funds. We're not necessarily well within we're not well
within the contingency on this project, but as you know, this is a project that's part of a much larger total bond issue. Number one. Secondly, the stadium project um also has $8 million planned in the bond that we that was recently
for that will be used for 2026. And so that work of course hasn't started yet. So we're not concerned in terms of inadequate funding. we have we will have sufficient funds um even if there was something in the 26 work that we have to make a decision of course
we'll pay for this first before we would do something else I don't think that'll happen um I think we'll have sufficient funds because it all all the bond issues start out with contingency and and this one's no exception >> okay so so we're within the bounds of where we would expect to be with our
normal plan contingency would you say >> yeah overall yes but as I said Um the amount of of unforeseen conditions is is not this is more than I would say is typical that we've experienced in the past. >> Okay.
>> I had a question on the the maintenance staff too, but maybe we want to see if there's other questions on the construction work. >> Does anybody else have something to discuss? Doesn't look like it. Back to you. >> Yeah. Um just just uh on the the
maintenance staff, I knew this had come up before and and uh I think you'd mentioned that the the sentiment with the the technicians is positive with the changes as it's resulting. Would you say >> I no I wouldn't say it's positive. I
would say that it the end result was considerably better than what was shared with them what was planned initially. So in that sense they they it's it's positive to an extent. >> Yeah. Let me ask that differently. I didn't ask that very well. uh are they uh are they
satisfied? Are they okay with where they're at? I mean, some of them did take a cut in the pay, >> but it's not doesn't appear to be too significant. >> Yeah, we had I think there's about 10 and three three did will receive a significant reduction in pay. The other
seven it's either uh it's it's either really no in no decrease or very very insignificant. U but to answer your question, they they first were re all these people that we're talking about they first received
a raise and so we like getting raises more than we like losing them and so so I I wouldn't want you to assume that they're um they were thrilled to hear the news at the same time we did meet with all of them and I I feel like that they understand um the reason we made
the change and so we didn't have anybody that um I don't think we have people that just think they're being mistreated. I think they um they would have preferred to keep the higher salary, but but I I believe that they understood the rationale for what what
we're doing and so forth. >> Right. Thank you, Mr. Mcichel. >> I will now take a vote. All those in favor of um approving all of the items on the consent agenda signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> I. Motion carries.
And now, uh, Dr. Herrera is going to share some exciting information, um, about what we just approved on the personnel report. >> All right. President Kok, Dr. Orike, and members of the board. This evening, I am pleased to announce the appointment of
Dr. Jennifer Hamilton as the assistant principal at Mohawk Trails Elementary School. If you'll come forward. [applause] Dr. Hamilton has proudly served our district for the past 10 years, contributing her talents across four different schools. Throughout her
career, she has been recognized for her unwavering dedication to fostering strong, positive relationships with students and their families. Her leadership has supported schoolwide efforts centered on student well-being, social emotional development, and
creating a welcoming environment where all children feel connected and supported. We are confident that her experience, compassion, and student centered approach will be a tremendous asset to our school community. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Jennifer
Hamilton. [applause] >> [applause] >> All right. In addition, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kristen Kennedy as the interim assistant principal at Clay Center Elementary. [applause] She has served our district for the past
15 years and is a former Caramel High School graduate. Her commitment to helping all children feel seen, supported, and challenged has been a hallmark of her work across multiple buildings. She has consistently demonstrated a student- centered
approach that strengthens our school communities and enhances the educational experience for all learners. We are confident that her leadership, dedication, and passion for student success will make her an outstanding addition to the administrative team.
Please join me in welcoming Kristen Kennedy. [applause] >> That's true. You're you're asking a lot. Yeah, >> that's a nice >> tiger. Congratulations. >> It's nice to have such good positive
news for these schools moving forward. Uh our next item is an action item and that is regarding the 2026 CCS legislative letter and I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Orike. >> Good evening, President Kay and members of the board. Uh we presented this
letter to you at our last board meeting uh through wonderful feedback uh from the board. We did end up making some final changes to the legislative letter. Uh we did uh under number three, we crossed out the last bullet on
increasing flexibility and education operation transfers. So more more dollars stay in the classroom. That was more a state level initiative and didn't apply to Carmel Clay schools as much as we dug into that with Mr. Mcichael.
Additionally on number five, we did cross out the resi revising uh tiff statutes from May to shall appreciated all the feedback on that that also not as applicable to caramel clay schools. Uh we're very much in support of the
work that the city of Carmel does uh with development and while that may be a state level ISBA initiative doesn't apply to Carmel Clay schools as well. And so with that everything else remain the same. uh do appreciate the format of uh the letter and uh once approved this
evening uh look forward to getting it into the hands of our legislators. Thank you and we'd be happy to answer any questions at this time. >> May I have a motion first the motion to approve the 2026 CCS legislative letter.
>> I move to approve the 2026 CCS legislative letter. >> May I have a second? Thank you, Greg. Any discussion? As always, I just want to thank the administration for taking an active role
in our state's politics and being a mentor to the educators on the value of public education and uh I hope that they take our letter to heart. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. We will now take a vote then. All in favor of approving the 2026 Carmel Clay Schools legisl legislative letter signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Motion carries. And so our next part of our agenda is
our report section. And our for first report is the Caramel Clay Parks Department um from Mr. Shapiro. >> Thank you, President Koke. Uh just a couple things from the most recent parks meeting. First, uh I wanted to pass along a thank you from the parks
administration and uh the parks board. They're really uh appreciative of school districts help in uh sharing updates to recent changes to the park regulations around microability um scooters and whatnot. So, the parks
department was really grateful for the partnership in uh and helping update the community around new regulations, especially around holiday time and gifts that young people might be receiving. Um, so if you're not up to date on that, you should just check out some new regulations that have recently gone into
effect throughout the city. Um, two other updates. Uh if you were not aware um the Caramel Clay Summer Camps are part of the American Camp Association and throughout this past summer they really recently went through their reacredititation process and I can share
with you as a former summer camp director that's a fairly rigorous um accreditation model and it really just means that the camps are um following a fairly stringent set of protocols in terms of safety um and staffing ratios.
and things of that nature. So, it's really good news when you see a summer camp that is accredited by the American Camp Association. So, it's great news that a park a summer camp right here in our community is accredited by the American Camp Association. So, that's a good thing. So, never too soon to start
thinking about next summer. So, uh once the calendar flips in 2026, if you're looking for a camp, we have one right here in our backyard that I think our community should certainly be looking at. Uh last update. Um we I've mentioned before about Bear Creek Park which is
coming to the far west side of our city. Um you may not know it is open to the public on weekends. Um and there are some trails that are already marked. So it's open on weekends from sunrise to sunset. Um there are not permanent bathrooms, but there are portlets available. Um but the gates are open
sunrise to sunset on weekends for people that want to go and start to check out what might be going on out there. master plan is still in development, but I think there might start to be some work being done starting in the spring of 2026. So, more to come there, but you can go exploring to your heart's content
on Saturdays and Sundays. So, uh that's all from the parks. >> Thank you very much. And I can attest that the uh Caramel Clay Parks and Recreation Camps are amazing. My kids love them and they they learn so much. They get to go on amazing field trips and just we're we are lucky to have
them. And next up, we have the superintendent report. Dr. Ostrike, >> thank you again. I'm gonna do a little bit of a showand tell for uh tonight's superintendent report. So, Mrs. Nobus, if you could please uh play the first video for the board and all those in
attendance. Uh this evening >> at Carmel Elementary School, a lunchtime [music] visit from Officer Morris is the highlight of the day. At Clay Middle School, Vasquez bucks earns students prizes and treats. >> A fist bump from Officer Fe is a great
way to start the morning. For high schoolers, learning about adult consequences from Carmel police officers offers real world insight during health classes. Our school resource officers or SRO's play a vital role in Carmel Clay
Schools. Each officer is NASRO trained and carefully selected not only for the SRO unit, but for the specific school and age group they serve. SRO's fulfill three essential roles as law enforcement officers, public safety educators, and
mentors. Our SRO's [music] are not simply officers stationed at building entrances. They are an integral part of our schools. They lead drills and safety exercises, work hand in hand with administrators to [music] ensure the safety of students and staff, and often
collaborate with counselors, social workers, and teachers to provide age appropriate lessons on safety and decisionmate when they succeed. In 2019, Carmel Clay Schools became the first district in Indiana to pass a
safety referendum, a voluntary community investment supported by 70% of voters. This made it possible to expand our partnership with Carmel Police, growing our SRO unit to 21 officers with at least one in every school. It also
strengthened our mental health services, broadening our approach to safety and wellbeing. The partnership between Carmel Clay Schools and the Carmel Police Department is [music] invaluable. Concerns are addressed collaboratively with open dialogue and shared resources,
ensuring the most efficient and effective response possible. Together, our SRO's staff and students create a culture of care and connection that extends [music] beyond security, building trust, promoting well-being,
and ensuring that every student feels safe, supported, and seen. So, I'd like to conclude the video uh that we are grateful for our Carmel uh Police Department SRO's in our district and our leadership and grateful for the
support of the community uh through our safety referendum. Uh I do want to take a moment to thank two uh individuals at this time. Um, and then there'll be uh more to thank down the road. But I would like to thank Officer Livingston at Mohawk Trails Elementary School and
Sergeant Smith uh for their service to not only the Carmel Police Department, but to Carmel Clay Schools as Officer Livingston's going to be retiring at the end of the semester. And then Sergeant Smith will be retiring uh here towards the end of January. And so I just wanted
to publicly thank them. uh we'll see if we can at least get maybe one of them here at a board meeting. We'll do our best with that and recognize them. But we'll also be bringing uh some new SRO's and leadership to introduce to the board at the start of uh next semester as
well. So, we're grateful. And then tonight, Officer Vasquez is here with us. And then Officer Lidle Blake, Officer Blake uh I believe is in the lobby there. So, I wanted to thank both of them uh for being here this this evening. Um, also, uh, next we're going
to have another, uh, show and tell. So, um, Mrs. Novous, take it away. >> Carmel High School is preparing students for the future through hands-on learning, real world experiences, and industry level facilities. Our polytenic
department helps students build skills, gain confidence, and explore career interests. in meaningful ways. Students can dive into [music] a wide range of fields from biomed science and health careers to engineering, digital
media, culinary arts, construction, automotive service, [music] business, and education. These programs help students discover what excites them while developing practical skills valuable in any post-graduation path. Our
new state-of-the-art learning spaces, including the digital design lab, newsroom, culinary kitchen, radio station, TV studio, automotive and construction [music] labs, and expanded health science classrooms give students the tools [music] and environment to
learn like professionals. Through our partnership with the Pursuit Institute, students can also access additional specialized pathways that reflect today's workforce needs. Carmel High School offers more than 40
dual credit courses through universities such as Ball State, IvyTech, Indiana University, Purdue Fort Wayne, and [music] Vincens's. Many polytenic courses also lead to industry recognized certifications that
are highly valued by employers and colleges. [music] Polytenic at Carmel High School is for everyone. Whether a [music] student takes a single course or completes an entire pathway, they gain confidence, practical skills, and a clear vision of
their future. Many pathways culminate in capstone experiences or internships, placing students in meaningful, locally valued positions where they can apply what they've learned and gain real world insight. Our polytenic department helps students
understand what they love, what they want to pursue, and even what they may decide is not for them. Our goal is to help every student explore their interests, develop their talents, and leave Carmel High School prepared for wherever their path may lead.
And so, uh, before I touch upon all of those great programs under one roof at Carmel High School, that relates directly to our mission that Carmel Clay Schools will provide opportunities for all students to realize their potential
in an everchanging world. And I also want to thank uh, Dr. Ferris, Mr. Siver, the entire team of teachers and staff, um, our work-based learning coordinators, Wes Drew and Chard Reed, who are doing just incredible work, and we're continuing to see that grow at
Carmel High School. And, uh, Mrs. Bower is knocking it out of the park with the videos that she's putting out so that we can publicize all of these phenomenal opportunities for our community. So, I wanted to take a little bit of time tonight to show you those great videos
and the uh continued work that we'll do that relates directly to our strategic plan. Uh, two more things I have as part of tonight's report. I did want to touch upon um the difficult decision on assessing the weather this morning and
last night. Um there are several variables that we analyze um as a school district including roads, temperatures, windchills, readiness of buses, readiness of school lots and on and on and on. Um we use the National Weather
Service and the NOAA windchill chart uh to assess to see if it is safe to come to school. Um, I also utilized five different weather services when examining the windchill. Temperatures this morning were anywhere from 0 to
three degrees, depending on where you looked. Um, and wind chills were anywhere from minus4 to about minus13. at minus19 according to the National Weather Service windchill chart. That's when um students the timer starts for
when students can uh experience frostbite below minus 19. Certainly there are precautions, but there's not a set time that if they're standing out at the buses that that something bad may happen to them. So these decisions are never easy. I take great responsibility
in making these decisions for what we feel are best for our nearly 16,000 students. Um, and we recognize that um, parents always have the final say when it comes to whether they're going to put their child out at a bus stop or bring them drive them to school uh, or let
them drive to school. Uh there were some days uh the past couple of weeks I did not let my son drive to school um even though school was um arriving on time or even a two-hour delay um just because that was my decision as a parent. And so I finally want to share that we also
need to be mindful of um when we're calling two-hour delays because they can add up quickly and we have not even hit January yet. And so if we're calling a 2-hour delay when it's a minus4 windchill out, um January we may see a
minus4 windchill uh quite often. And so we're going to be mindful of those decisions. I utilize a lot of data. Um I am on I was up at 4:00 a.m. this morning communicating with Gary Clevenger. I drove the roads last night. I drove the roads and the lots this morning. I
personally go out and make those assessments as I'm responsible for making that call. Um, and we did decide to go on time today along with our neighbors, Hamilton Southeastern to the east and Washington Township to the south, uh, and, uh, many other districts
to the south of us also chose to go on time. So, it's not a decision I take lightly. Um, the safety of our students is our utmost priority. Um, however, we do take a look at a lot of the data, a lot of the research and make a final decision. So, I did want to share that
with the community. We also put a statement out today um as part of a news release uh and also on our social media. For every um email and phone call and um uh comment we receive on Facebook that may not agree with my decision. We
equally have uh comments from uh parents who say, "Hey, I'm so happy you didn't decide to go on a two-hour delay because I could arrive to work on time or I didn't have to take docked pay today or I didn't have that plan B ready to go even though it's a good idea to have that plan B ready to go." Um so it's a
no-win situation for superintendents across the state, but I am very mindful. I take my responsibility very seriously. I am always thinking of our students from our elementary and our youngest learners all the way to our high school students who are driving to school. And so with that, if there are no other
questions, um I'm going to yield the rest of my superintendence report tonight to our vice president of the board, uh Ms. Nelson Williams. >> Thank you, Dr. Ostrike, and my fellow board members.
Good evening. Tonight I am announcing that I will be retiring from the Caramel Clay School Board effective December 31st. I'd like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the administration
for their consistent support over the last four years. I'm also thankful to former board presidents Leila Spandenberg and Katie Browning and to our current president Kristen Coke for their leadership, guidance, and
friendship. My appreciation extends as well to superintendent Dr. Beersport and Dr. Orike for their counsel and professionalism. I'd also like to recognize Colleen Nobous. Her talent and dedication are
exceptional and the district is fortunate to have her. Finally, to my fellow board members, thank you for your collaboration and for the deep commitment you each bring to serving this community.
Some of you may not know that my path to the board mirrors the process you will soon begin. When Pam Nolles retired after more than 10 years of board service and a remarkable 40 plus year career in education, I chose to apply
because because I cared deeply about our schools and our city. I believed strongly in creating an environment where every student could thrive and I had built a foundation of serv service through years of volunteering in our schools and throughout our broader
community. As you seek the next representative, I'd like to offer three thoughts, each grounded in the importance of truly getting to know those who step forward. First, look for someone who is already
involved. Engagement in our school community, whether through volunteering, committee work, referendum efforts, and the Carmel Education Found Foundation, or simply for showing up consistently, demonstrates not only a commitment, but
an understanding. Taking the time to learn about a candidate's involvement helps ensure that their actions already align with their intentions. Secondly, choose someone who is passionate about all learners and who
understands public education as a cornerstone of this community. Ask candidates about their experiences with students, teachers, and programs. Ask how they view the future of CCS. Understanding their vision and their
work have already supported is far more meaningful than relying on broad labels and assumptions. And third, seek someone who leads with steadiness and humility. It is important to find an individual who listens more than they speak and who
is not swayed by the loudest voice in the room. There will always be strong opinions, full inboxes, and passionate public comment. A board member who understand understands that their role is to serve
all students and all staff will make sound decisions even in challenging moments. Carmel is an in is incredibly fortunate to have so many individuals willing to serve. Let us set the precedent now by
lifting up those who are engaged, collaborative, and genuinely excited to support the important work happening in our schools each day. Thank you again. It's truly been an honor to work with you and to call you
my friend. [applause] >> [applause] >> Thank you to you guys. [cheering] Really appreciate it. >> Okay. Well, that is one way to end um and this um thank you so much for your service to
this board. Um I got to know you gosh three years ago. We spent a lot of time together. Um and I I think all of us have who've been in these positions have learned a lot of leadership skills from from you. So, thank you.
Um, now I I guess onto more mundane things. I kind of I have to give a few announcements before we end out. Um, did you want to say something real quick? >> Yeah, I also [snorts] wanted to share my appreciation for Miss Nelson Williams and your steadfast leadership on this board. We appreciate you greatly.
Hopefully, um, with tonight's announcement, we can bring you back in January and recognize you more formally. uh as a board and as a district. And I did want to share uh for the community um that we will quickly put together a timeline and a posting because per
statute statutory requirement uh we have from the day that u Miss Nelson Williams steps down which uh uh December 31st then we have 30 days as well we the board has 30 days um to fill the
position and so I'm uh I'm out of that and uh there'll be uh fortunately Fortunately and unfortunately, we do have a timeline that we've utilized in the past that we will certainly uh follow a similar path for posting interviewing. The board will re review
applications and just also for the public um this position has to come from district two because that is where uh Miss Nelson Williams was elected was from district two. So, thank you and
congratulations Um, yes, correct. So, this is not an atlarge seat. Your seat is in in district 2, which is the the middle of our city from south of Main Street um to 116th Street. Um, yes, we you will be
hearing from that posting this week. Um, go over a qu a couple quick dates. Um, this Friday, yes, gosh, believe it or not, um, this Friday is a teacher work day. There are no students. So students are finishing up uh on Thursday. December 22nd through January 2nd is the
CCS winter break. January 5th is a teacher work day. Our next school board workshop session is January 14th. And a reminder again that our board meetings are moving from Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. to Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. So
these dates reflect that. January 19th is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All schools and offices will be closed. And then our second school board meeting in January is Wednesday, January 28th. May I have a motion to adjourn the
meeting? >> So moved. >> Thank you. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Meeting adjourned.