TCSC School Board Meeting

HS Spanish Students Trip to Mexico - Summer of 2024.  

 

Assistant Superintendent, Scott Jaworski
Director of Food Service, Adam Proulx
Director of Technology, Steven Gingerich

For August, we ended the month with balances as follows:

Education Fund - $830,659.69
Operations Fund - $1,426,803.02
Debt Service - $836,071.29
Rainy Day Fund - $2,253,080.26

With September being our three (3) payroll month, I did not make the transfer from education to operations in August.  However, once we see how September month end balances look we may need to make adjustments.  The corporation and food service annual financial reports were drafted and submitted in August prior to their respective deadlines.

The 2024 Budget, Capital Projects Plan and Bus Replacement Plan were shared during the Public Work Session prior to this meeting. Permission is requested to advertise the 2024 Proposed Budget including the Education, Capital Projects, Bus Replacement, Debt Service, and Operations Funds.   A Public Hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2023. The Board would then consider approval of the complete Budget at the October 10, 2023 School Board meeting.

The following policies were presented at the August meeting for first reading and discussion.  They are being presented at this meeting for second reading and approval.

Policy 0141 - Number (Technical Correction) This bylaw has been revised to include the legal citation for board composition.

Policy 0142 - Election and Eligibility to Serve (Revised) This bylaw has been revised to reflect current eligibility requirements for school board candidates. Also, Superintendent of Public Instruction has been changed to Secretary of Education, reflecting changes from 2019 HB 1005 that became effective 1/11/2021.

Policy 0142.1 - Term (Revised) This bylaw was updated to reflect accurate statutory term lengths.

Policy 0142.2 - Oath (Revised) This bylaw has been revised to include statutory language and guidance for the oath of members.

Policy 0142.3 - Vacancies and Appointment of Board Members (Revised) This bylaw has been revised to include language regarding felony convictions and to update citations to the Indiana Code.

Policy 0144.1 - Compensation (Revised) This bylaw has been revised to provide information about stipulated per diem amounts for board members.

Policy 0144.2 - Board Member Ethics (Revised) This bylaw has been revised to include board member ethics related to students.

Policy 0152 - Officers (Technical Correction) A cross-reference to Bylaw 0142 has been added to this bylaw because Bylaw 0142 - Election and Eligibility to Serve contains provisions regarding Secretary of Education filing requirements that include board officers.

Policy 1213.01 - Staff-Student Relations (Revised) This policy has been revised to include child seduction as conduct that may constitute a crime, as described in I.C. 35-42-4-7.

Policy 1425 - Nursing Mothers (New) The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) take effect in the next few months, and will cover all public school employers and most school employees. In response, we are adding policy content related to Nursing Mothers at Policy 1425. 

Policy 1615 - Tobacco Use Prevention (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect the recommendations of the Indiana Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Team.

Policy 2410 - Audio, Video, and Digital Recording of Meetings (Technical Correction) This policy now cross-references Policy 2461 - Recording of IEP Team Meetings/Case Conferences, to help ensure consistency in implementation. 

Policy 2461- Recording of IEP Team Meetings/Case Conferences (Technical Correction) 

Policy 2462 - Dyslexia Screening and Intervention (Technical Correction) Superintendent of Public Instruction changed to Secretary of Education, reflecting changes from 2019 HB 1005 that became effective 1/11/2021.

Policy 2510 - Adoption of Curricular Materials (Revised) This policy has been revised to reference AG 2510B – Collection of Textbook Rental Fees and Policy 6152 – Student Fees and Charges.

Policy 3124 - Employment Contracts with Professional Employees (Technical Correction)  Superintendent of Public Instruction changed to Secretary of Education, reflecting changes from 2019 HB 1005 that became effective 1/11/2021.

Policy 3213.01 - Staff-Student Relations (Revised) This policy has been revised to include child seduction as conduct that may constitute a crime, as described in I.C. 35-42-4-7.

Policy 3215 - Tobacco Use Prevention (Revised) This policy has been revised t reflect the recommendations of the Indiana Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Team.

Policy 3231 - Outside Activities of Staff (Technical Correction)  This policy has been revised to update a legal citation and include cross-references to employee conflict of interest policies.

Policy 3362.01 - Threatening and/or Intimidating Behavior Toward Staff Members (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect that all threats to staff should be reported to the principal and cross-references Policy 2266 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities and Policy 3362 – Anti-Harassment for investigation of harassment based on a protected class.

Policy 3425 - Nursing Mothers (New) The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) take effect in the next few months, and will cover all public school employers and most school employees. In response, we are adding policy content related to Nursing Mothers at po3425. The related legal alert provides a summary of the two (2) new laws.

Policy 4120 - Employment of Support Staff (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect that LEAs who meet the requirements are allowed to utilize the more flexible State-defined paraprofessional requirements for highly-qualified than the current federal requirements. These requirements apply to Title-I funded paraprofessionals in Targeted Assistance Schools, or all instructional paraprofessionals, regardless of how they are funded, in Schoolwide Programs.

Policy 4213.01 - Staff-Student Relations (Revised) This policy has been revised to include child seduction as conduct that may constitute a crime, as described in I.C. 35-42-4-7.

Policy 4215 - Tobacco Use Prevention (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect the recommendations of the Indiana Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Team.

Policy 4425 - Nursing Mothers (New) The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) take effect in the next few months, and will cover all public school employers and most school employees. In response, we are updating policy content related to Nursing Mothers at Policy 4425. The related legal alert provides a summary of the two (2) new laws.

Policy 5330 - Use of Medication (Revised) This policy is revised to include an optional subsection to address expected actions of staff in the event an error occurs in the process of administering a medication to a student.

Policy 5512 - Tobacco Use Prevention (Revised) This policy is revised to reflect recommendations provided by the Indiana Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Team.

Policy 5517 - Anti-Harassment (Revised) This policy has been revised to clarify that bullying that does not rise to the level of unlawful harassment shall be investigated under Policy 5517.01 – Bullying.

Policy 5517.01 - Bullying (Revised) This policy has been revised to clarify that if during an investigation of reported acts of bullying and/or harassment, an investigator believes that the reported misconduct may have created a hostile learning environment and may have constituted unlawful discriminatory harassment based on sex, race, color, national origin, religion, or disability, the investigator will report the act of bullying and/or harassment to one (1) of the Compliance Officers so that it may be investigated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Policy 5517 - Anti-Harassment or Policy 2266 – Discrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities, as applicable.

Policy 5771 - Search and Seizure (Revised) Some Neola clients have expressed an interest in using metal detectors to search for more than just weapons; in particular, some school districts want to use metal detectors to alert their staff if a student is carrying a vape pen or other vaping-related equipment/devices. In response to these inquiries, Neola developed optional revisions to the identified documents to allow the use of metal detectors to alert school staff to students in possession of other unauthorized objects (which may include but not be limited to vape pens/other vaping-related equipment/devices).

Policy 6250 - Required ADM Counts for the Purpose of State Funding and Verification of Residency for Membership (Revised) This policy has been revised to specify the type of documentation, as well as the number of types of documentation, the Board requires to verify residency. For the purpose of audits, the Indiana State Board of Accounts has taken the position that only one type of documentation is required to support a student's proof of residency. IDOE continues to limit the number of options for proof of residency to three.

Policy 6550 - Travel Payment and Reimbursement/Relocation Costs (Revised) Several client districts have notified Neola that their auditors are requesting a policy that prohibits them from paying relocation costs for existing or new employees. Given that the payment of certain relocation costs is expressly permitted under federal law in specific circumstances, Neola is offering optional revisions to Policy and AG 6550. The optional revisions either expressly allow the Board to pay relocation costs in certain circumstances or blanketly prohibit the payment of such costs. It is important to note, however, that a board of education does not need a policy in order to pay relocation costs. Rather, it could simply include such compensation in the board’s employment agreement with a certain employee and pass a board resolution authorizing the employment agreement. Alternatively, the Board does not need the policy to prohibit the payment of relocation fees; instead, it could just not offer such compensation to any new or existing employees. Also, if the board is considering payment of relocation fees to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, such a benefit would be subject to labor negotiations.

Policy 6700 - Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (Technical Correction) The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) take effect in the next few months, and will cover all public school employers and most school employees. The related legal alert provides a summary of the two (2) new laws.

Policy 7434 - Use of Tobacco on School Property (Revised)  This policy has been revised to reflect the recommendations of the Indiana Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Team.

Policy 7440 - Facility Security Program (Technical Correction) Class D is now Level 6, and we have added a legal reference to I.C. 35-43-2-2(b).

Policy 7540.02 - Web Accessibility, Content, Apps and Services (Revised)  This policy has been updated to reflect best practices and the evolving state of the law related to website accessibility based on the Americans with Disabilities Action (ADA). While the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) have not formally adopted regulations pertaining to website accessibility for public entities, including public schools, they continue to publicize the need for public entities’ websites to be accessible to individuals with disabilities in order to comply with the ADA and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, the OCR continues to find districts out of compliance with the law and to enter into resolution agreements to bring the offending district’s websites into an acceptable state of accessibility. The proposed revised documents are recommended but not required.

Policy 8310 - Public Records (Technical Correction) Class D is now Level 6.

Policy 8451 - Pediculosis (Head Lice) (Revised)  This policy is revised to reflect the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).

Policy 9111 - Communications (Revised)  This policy has been revised to more accurately reflect communication strategies implemented by School Corporations.

Policy 1521 - Personal Background Checks, References, and Mandatory Reporting (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect changes brought forth in SEA 342 impacting criminal history checks, offenses that impact employment, mandatory reporting, and provision of references.

Policy 2221 - Mandatory Curriculum (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect HEA 1608 prohibiting a school, an employee or staff member of a school, or a third party vendor used by a school from providing instruction to a student in prekindergarten through grade 3 on human sexuality. (A school employee or a school staff member is not prohibited from responding to a question from a student about human sexuality.)

Policy 2414 - Reproductive Health and Family Planning and Human Sexuality (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect that an employee or staff member of a school, or a third party vendor used by a school to provide instruction may not provide any instruction on human sexuality to a student in prekindergarten through grade 3 (HEA 1608).

Policy 2416 - Student Privacy and Parental Access to Information (Revised) This policy has been revised to incorporate the new requirement for parent notification regarding identification (HEA 1608) and to include provisions regarding personal analyses, evaluations, or surveys established by HEA 1447.

Policy 2510 - Adoption of Curricular Materials (Revised) Revisions were made to this policy to incorporate legislation prohibiting charges for curricular materials (HEA 1001).

Policy 2520 - Selection of Curricular Materials, School Library Materials, and Equipment (Revised) Revisions were made to this policy to incorporate legislation regarding school library materials (HEA 1447) and the prohibition on fees for curricular materials (HEA 1001). See also policy 2510 - Adoption of Curricular Materials, above, for additional information. See Policy 6152 - Student Fees and Charges, below, for more information.

Policy 3120.02 - Adjunct Teachers (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect changes brought forth in SEA 342 impacting criminal history checks, offenses that impact employment, mandatory reporting, and provision of references.

Policy 3121 - Personal Background Checks, References, and Mandatory Reporting (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect changes brought forth in SEA 342 impacting criminal history checks, offenses that impact employment, mandatory reporting, and provision of references.

Policy 3220.01 - Teacher Appreciation Grants(Revised) This policy has been revised to include language about the option to allocate a percentage of the Teacher Appreciation Grant to provide a supplemental award to teachers who serve as mentors to teachers who have less than two (2) years of service (HEA 1001). 

Policy 4121 - Personal Background Checks, References, and Mandatory Reporting (Revised) This policy has been revised to reflect changes brought forth in SEA 342 impacting criminal history checks, offenses that impact employment, mandatory reporting, and provision of references.

Policy 5710 - Student Complaints (Revised) This policy has been revised to refer to Policy 9130 - Public Complaints and Concerns.

Policy 5720 - Student Activism (Revised) In response to HEA 1447, this policy has been revised to address student engagement in political activism, lobbying, or efforts to persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the federal, state, or local level as an incentive, course of study, grade, credit, or extra credit.

Policy 6152 - Student Fees and Charges (Revised) Revisions were made to this policy to incorporate legislation prohibiting charges for curricular materials (HEA 1001). As a reminder, the McKinney-Vento Act requires that corporations review and revise policies to remove barriers to the education of homeless children and youth, “including barriers to enrollment and retention due to outstanding fees or fines, or absences” [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(I)]. 

Policy 9130 - Public Complaints and Concerns (Revised) This policy has been revised to include provisions related to complaints and concerns regarding school library materials established by HEA 1447.

Policy 9700 - Relations with Special Interest Groups (Revised) This policy has been revised to refer to Policy 2416 - Student Privacy and Parental Access to Information and Policy 2221 - Mandatory Curriculum, both impacted by HEA 1447 provisions addressing administration of personal analyses, evaluations, or surveys to students.

We have some old equipment and technology we need to declare surplus.  Most of the equipment has been replaced as part of the renovations completed at the high school.  Technology included will no longer accept software updates.  Every attempt is made to dispose of these items responsibly through recycling.  

September 18-Personnel

September 13 - Professional Development Day - Students Do Not Report

September 25 and 26 - Indiana School Board Association Fall Conference

September 26 - TES Literacy Night 5-7 PM

September 26 - Public Hearing for 2024 Budget 5:30 PM

October 10 - Monthly Board Meeting