[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6606957,"mediaKeyId","2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767","parentId",2956767,"title","Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center highlights special‑education testing, zero deficiencies on state visits","audioSeconds",647,"startMs",1388000,"endMs",2035000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767&start=1388&end=2035","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767/thumbnail_1388000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6606957/Indiana/Carrie-Gosch-Early-Learning-Center-highlights-specialeducation-testing-zero-deficiencies-on-state-visits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606957-6ff1bf048b649b04b6d1d594af89c187/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024598&Signature=D6CEoVPyXQgdjl20ls2q~BHDiWR6wiQFygw0UyUEPmt-4SGTTa9U1zuRetWGoeI-k06rd5MXB7DeBliVOpxfvjO5OF-QbFqSjkJj48fi~lDBiOGyGoJFFeoemn5xg3o~soLx06SynXe9~JWpE4sCc1DrXyRtSxyqQUUk9TzPAM2aDBthJ4JqpTcE4JrkjN6mTB56kYzh81~X8fnWEA8vdP1US7SYiWqL6F7HnCHEmwir1gfu58AVjf4h19TK45-diycFvy3Yu5Lkt0PsIWswstNifXW68upUcXO~fI8mjWlDiHlMMCd~n79WI14hIUtHcpo5EYZxUCWDS~XOxMAT7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School City of East Chicago","date","2025-04-11T01:16:09.99Z","article","Principal Daria Ransper presented an overview of Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center to the School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees on April 10, 2025, describing the site as a licensed early‑learning center that provides on‑site special‑education testing and allied‑health services for children under age 5.

Ransper told the board Carrie Gosch is “the only facility for students under the age of 5 who are not yet in school where they can be tested for special education,” and that the center offers speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy and special‑education services on site. She said the state visit in February resulted in “zero insufficiencies,” which she characterized as a perfect inspection result.

Enrollment and programs: Ransper said the center has 37 students enrolled with 25 on a waiting list and that, she added, 58 students within the center’s broader population are identified as receiving special‑education services. She described classroom staffing and program configuration as seven pre‑K classes, one severe special‑education class, two special‑education resource teachers and one bilingual classroom. She also listed supports and requirements for staff, including background checks, drug testing, annual training hours and certification under the state Paths to Quality system.

Family and community engagement: Ransper described the center’s parent café and a roster of community partners — including the East Chicago Fire Department, East Chicago Police Department and the Northwest Indiana Food Council — that provide programming, safety visits, food‑access events and volunteer activities. She noted partnerships that bring student performances and library readings to the center.

Goals: Ransper said the center’s goals include advancing from its current Paths to Quality rating (reported by the principal as level 3) to the next level and maintaining the site’s role as the district’s early‑learning testing location for special‑education evaluations. She asked the board to help recruit qualified early‑childhood teachers for six vacant classrooms the center hopes to fill next year.

Why it matters: The presentation highlighted the district’s early‑learning capacity and its in‑house evaluation resources for young children with suspected disabilities — services families and referring childcare providers in East Chicago and neighboring communities rely on to begin special‑education support before kindergarten.

Ending: Principal Ransper invited board members and community members to review documentation in a binder she left for trustees and to tour the center after the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular School Board Meeting - April 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Principal Daria Ransper told the School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees on April 10 that Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center serves as the district’s licensed early‑learning site that provides on‑site special‑education testing and allied‑health services for children under age 5.","taxTitle","School City of East Chicago, School Boards, Indiana","taxId",46609,"location","Indiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6606961,"School City of East Chicago board approves personnel report after heated debate over salaries",1638,2729000,4367000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767&start=2729&end=4367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767/thumbnail_2729000.jpg","/articles/6606961/Indiana/School-City-of-East-Chicago-board-approves-personnel-report-after-heated-debate-over-salaries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606961-440c312d57737ea744461126c9d85835/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024599&Signature=jjXMvAUB01T8MSQ~lmCGLSzsQkyHVcJWQjt8~4D4cP2Cs2zDkEYuKRX-ZGYtCPrqciLDZy8i2afNgF2Rt9zoVSZkzgcN9wULs4WBLqCXZO033hWFnxK3bED~8-qcdkdjaNkAJezosu~T0vxzJ5pLEE4dAWOM5rHh8~gbD3jgk9tdb0EYhBNoMxtbJ3FSkaLR10FXEy9R~CHvwDuaHUUzhmNJrgG1FQW~h1LcktNYT1VcvRUTKFLcjwbdWbo8-~DMIQTCMfqSgDUKb7OwsJUzdC3JpPiUc594SZzIwDZplq5Fb7eVEPwnS-2y8SGOiA2V2UA4Ncfs-V-yI2hZUIthiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees voted to approve the district personnel report (item 6.01) at its April 10, 2025, regular meeting after extended debate over proposed salary amounts and board transparency.

The discussion began during public comment when Vanessa Hernandez Orange told the board, “The School City of East Chicago is going to lose $4,000,000,” and urged greater transparency about personnel pay and who would receive increases. Other public speakers, including teacher Wanda Clark, urged the board to consider teacher retention and pay as factors in district performance.

The debate among trustees centered on process and timing. Trustee Jesse Gomez argued the board lacked an approved salary schedule and said approving specific pay without that schedule would be “operating outside of our own approved salary schedule.” Trustee Gomez moved a secondary motion to keep personnel appointments on the agenda but remove the salary lines for further review; that secondary motion received a second and was discussed at length. Trustee Pastor Rodriguez, however, urged the board to allow the superintendent to assemble his leadership team, saying the district needed the recommended positions in place.

Board counsel, attorney Harris, advised that the secondary motion (keeping individuals but removing salaries) was procedurally appropriate and required a second. After additional public comment and board discussion the trustees proceeded to a final roll call on item 6.01. The recorded votes in the meeting minutes and on the livestream show Trustee Jesse Gomez voting no, Trustee (first name) Smith voting yes, Trustee Taylor voting yes and President Gibson King abstaining. The motion was recorded as approved.

The board exchange included repeated requests for additional documentation. President Gibson King and several trustees said they had asked the superintendent for copies of prior personnel approvals and salary documentation and had not received the full set of records before the meeting. Trustee Gomez and public commenters had asked for an after‑the‑fact personnel recap including names and amounts as a transparency measure.

What happened next: the board approved item 6.01 (personnel report) and moved on to other agenda items. Trustees who objected said they intend to continue review of the salary schedule and budget implications during the board's upcoming work sessions.

Why it matters: public commenters and at least one trustee warned of multi‑million‑dollar budget shortfalls and said approving salaries without clearer budget transparency risks cuts to classroom services. Supporters of the superintendent's recommendations said completing the leadership team is an investment intended to deliver improved academic outcomes.

Several board members and members of the public said the board will revisit the salary schedule and budget details at a future meeting or in a work session; the superintendent referenced a planned further discussion of the salary schedule after the board's work session process.

Ending: The board did not adopt a separate, new salary schedule at the meeting. Trustees who voted to remove salary lines said they intend to press for follow‑up discussion; those who supported the superintendent said adjustments can be made later if needed.

","After public criticism and a motion to remove proposed salary amounts, the School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees approved the personnel report (item 6.01). Trustees and public commenters debated transparency, budget impacts and whether the board was acting outside an approved salary schedule.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6606952,"Board approves HVAC, restroom and building‑assessment contracts and several facility uses and MOU",699,2501000,3200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767&start=2501&end=3200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956767-62dd3cfb44357ddb9cd28a9ef7c7c767/thumbnail_2501000.jpg","/articles/6606952/Indiana/Board-approves-HVAC-restroom-and-buildingassessment-contracts-and-several-facility-uses-and-MOU","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6606952-2355f6b3afe4ee921f1cc39df315b2bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771024599&Signature=Izm-p~J7GAyjJedO7mAIj3db4H2TfN4EI-585EE-j7t8ToZdhDTIG7rfbft-qc9nnRPkoV4n784syFidxBX9MjwMGCTGHSbAJ5M-mHod9Dh-gocGpEcHZrpF8W353pLWwaxI39rffolrwjwQaNvk~FnpfMwhV0iTseKP1uqH5-MmzMCzMbjZyT7xpkFNhRJyMo1jGZaSTOrDu9YkoLrBYbOtUFy0sHRTU2o5USLjnVt3HaS~UaIHxzAXW2PoaHVFlvtYvr3RaaKon7Ifg5CT4sAOLa-9ZwJJ643UMiinH8e5K4TDFoWrz~QRlzKuP0AaM9PNDLyedfIPBBFKAYSHFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees approved a package of facility projects, vendor contracts and facility‑use agreements at its April 10, 2025, meeting, including bids to repair Central High School systems and a districtwide building assessment intended to guide multi‑year planning.

Key approvals included:
- Award of a bid to Panjir (Panji?r/Angier in transcript) Corporation for restroom renovation work at East Chicago Central High School.
- Approval of Valdez Architectural Engineering to provide HVAC design and air‑handler work at Central High School.
- Approval of Whitman Architecture & Engineering to perform a comprehensive facilities assessment across district buildings; the assessment will identify needs and support a five‑to‑ten‑year capital plan.
- Approval of MOU and a rental‑management app to centralize facility rental paperwork and payments for district properties.
- Approvals of parking‑lot use for East Chicago Parks and Recreation events and approvals of several special‑event facility uses, including the district’s hosting of the autism walk in the event of inclement weather.
- Approval of technology restructuring items and continued technology staffing as presented.

Most motions were moved and seconded by trustees and passed on recorded roll calls. For example, the contract award for Valdez Architectural Engineering (item 6.06) passed with the recorded votes shown in the meeting roll call. The board also approved Panjir Corporation (item 6.05), Whitman (item 6.08) and the MOU (item 6.04) after staff described the scope and minor edits to governing‑law and renewal language that counsel said would be added before final execution.

Why it matters: The district said these steps will allow summer work at Central High School — including bathroom restoration, HVAC and chiller replacements — and will move the district from piecemeal repairs to a longer‑range capital plan based on a full assessment. District staff said they intend to start work as soon as next week and to perform construction over the summer where possible.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded in the meeting):
- Item 6.02 (contract/agreement with Central Technical Education partner): approved (roll calls recorded as unanimous yes votes by available trustees).
- Item 6.03 (East Chicago Parks and Recreation use of parking lot): approved, roll call recorded yes votes.
- Item 6.04 (Memorandum of Understanding for rental app): approved after counsel noted edits to term and governing‑law language.
- Item 6.05 (Panjir Corporation restroom bid): approved (motion by Trustee Rodriguez; second by Trustee Gomez; roll call recorded yes votes).
- Item 6.06 (Valdez Architectural Engineering, HVAC work): approved (motion by Trustee Smith; second by Trustee Rodriguez; recorded roll call yes votes).
- Item 6.08 (Whitman Architecture & Engineering facilities assessment): approved (motion by Trustee Smith; second by Trustee Rodriguez; recorded roll call yes votes).
- Item 6.09 (use of Carrie Gosch gym/hallways for autism walk in case of rain): approved; public speakers noted the event’s size and cross‑community participation.
- Items 6.11–6.12 (technology restructure and continued technology technician): approved on roll calls.

Public comment and staff notes: CFO Leah Simmons briefed the board on the Central High School HVAC bid and said work would begin as soon as next week, with additional summer projects to restore bathrooms and common areas. Counsel told the board a final MOU will include language that prevents automatic renewal without mutual written agreement and will specify that disputes would be governed by Indiana law and the Lake County Superior Court.

Ending: Board members said the summer will be busy with construction and that the facilities assessment will guide the district’s priorities for multi‑year capital planning.","Trustees approved multiple capital contracts and facility‑use items at the April 10 meeting, including HVAC and restroom bids for East Chicago Central High School, an architectural engineering contract, a districtwide facilities assessment and a memorandum of understanding to support facility rentals.","actionData","errors"]

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Carrie Gosch Early Learning Center highlights special‑education testing, zero deficiencies on state visits

School City of East Chicago board approves personnel report after heated debate over salaries

Board approves HVAC, restroom and building‑assessment contracts and several facility uses and MOU