[{"_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",6076259,"mediaKeyId","2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417","parentId",2970581,"title","Board votes: alternative education, summer school sites, policies and design-build recommendation","audioSeconds",337,"startMs",3011000,"endMs",3348000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417&start=3011&end=3348","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417/thumbnail_3011000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6076259/Indiana/Board-votes-alternative-education-summer-school-sites-policies-and-design-build-recommendation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076259-28a8bfec962dbd076c7c0b84f4e73c2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931829&Signature=JwaShjt41rHttVVo7sp92mZCcX~6bE9csF1vyifRO~2q2S2pENUalSJv0Une~iEiI2HgwkTUAwzpbphsIDbdOcZtm-hPeJKUPl1O-D7Tsms6PFONDUWs8Sgh0IDIiwh8ojFOiunZgL~rxKJEsRN6VF3-q7RBS61DtO3PKftfjHuZvqTKtLJbFgRr~Kiw6EO7EszNwmWA3WNBtpSLdznP7LOQHW4Q0-CpRmlVPA0LhbpMaRN2iqeCyrRsoApPZtnMVqVDfykwDjft5m6atehBFaage1gBIOyNf5ScBcoAn7Ss-IMG56gbwm1mjwkpwUHKqOTqww7JF5lPEkrXX4aSUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Griffith Public Schools","date","2025-04-11T12:13:50Z","article","The Griffith Public Schools Board of School Trustees approved a series of consent and agenda items on April 10, 2025, including program changes, policy readings, summer-school locations, and a step-1 recommendation for progressive design-build services for the district’s athletic center project.

Why it matters: Several votes change program placements and launch procurement or design processes that affect students and facilities in the coming school year.

Key votes at the meeting (voice votes unless noted):

- Removal of the high-school alternative education class for the 2025–26 school year — approved.
- Approval of a middle-school alternative education class for grades 6–8 beginning 2025–26 — approved.
- Approval to hold elementary (K–5) summer school and the summer food program at Wadsworth for 2025 — approved; administration said the K–5 site choice aligns summer-school location with meal service logistics.
- Approval to hold grades 6–12 summer school at the middle school/high school — approved.
- Approval of second reading and adoption of several policies and rescinded policy items — approved (item 4.1).
- Approval of first reading of policy AG 5610 (suspension and expulsion of students) — approved for first reading (item 4.2).
- Approval of food-service bids for 2025–26 — approved (item 4.3).
- Table 4.6 until the May 8 meeting — motion to table approved.
- Approval of the progressive design-build step 1 recommendation for the athletic center (procurement/design selection step) — approved (item 4.9).

Several items were included on the consent agenda and approved together; the board chair called for a single motion and voice vote for those items.

Financial report excerpt: the board received a high-level finance report stating education operations fund revenue for the month of $1,605,683 and expenses of $1,000,807,225 (the speaker indicated an overage of approximately $201,000 for the period discussed). The administration characterized the finance update as a high-level summary and not a final audit of month-end statements.

What’s next: The administration will implement program changes for the 2025–26 school year, finalize procurement for the athletic facility design-build process, and return to the board as required for items tabled or requiring further approvals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 10, 2025 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Griffith Board approved program, policy and procurement items on April 10, including the removal of a high-school alternative-education class, approval of a middle-school alternative program, and a step-1 progressive design-build recommendation for the athletic center.","taxTitle","Griffith Public Schools, School Boards, Indiana","taxId",74822,"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},6076263,"Griffith board holds public hearing, adopts three resolutions to advance athletic center financing",629,344000,973000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417&start=344&end=973","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417/thumbnail_344000.jpg","/articles/6076263/Indiana/Griffith-board-holds-public-hearing-adopts-three-resolutions-to-advance-athletic-center-financing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076263-6c26266b5979fd9f6e82e12ba3589838/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931829&Signature=erkJESBkv2RS6yRH8amoDMMuWlRVB2GGwlVX0yeKN2VSXIMg4kbBiAmP5v0h~a5MnBusJz-aX5oEB~5mzJQWhwKGdKTZW6fM7Gr9qTBEc~nIbVOrEFWJhqTr4IRCUDNb758SMErWw4Q8HwWjAzS6wnYB4yKxKaz7lKRDjAS4kaLZYHrO4GZJ-pVIxOyxxG3~MPOatPsulsc5rTDVupQ61Cq2oG-v1Yl0IqGMmR7fTVt0MowsEnvI-Es3FdfbJ1Xv1CdaGImlVpABEcp8cB2g3p9AEpeJosmg1wLPJeg2Lh6~LrGpoJpus~ipAbCkHOGglQF3Oqr2KiyNsv9g~l78JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Griffith Public Schools Board of School Trustees held a public hearing and on motions approved three resolutions that allow the district to proceed with financing a proposed indoor athletic facility adjacent to the high school.

The hearing included a legal overview from counsel and a financing presentation by municipal advisers; the board then adopted a project resolution, a preliminary determination resolution and a reimbursement resolution, the first formal steps required before issuing bonds or entering a lease to fund construction.

Why it matters: The resolutions establish maximum financial terms for a project that the district says will convert existing pool-area space into a two-story indoor athletic facility and preserve the district’s ability to reimburse pre-closing project expenses from bond proceeds.

At the hearing, Amy, counsel with Ice Miller, reviewed the statutory hearing requirements and described the process the district must follow. She said, “The notice of the preliminary determination hearing was published as legally required,” and explained that the hearings and resolutions are “the very beginning of the legal process” required by state law.

Superintendent (title used in meeting) outlined the planned facility: the existing pool area will be replaced with a two-story indoor athletic center. The superintendent described the first floor as locker rooms and an indoor turf area that will be used for multiple sports; the second floor will house a cardio lab and a multi-sport simulator to be used for physical education and extracurricular teams.

Sean McGill, municipal advisor with Baker Tilly, presented the financing parameters the board considered. McGill said the proposed maximum borrowing amount is $9,400,000 and estimated at least $8,850,000 would be available for project costs after issuance and capitalized-interest reserves. He described the proposed maximum repayment term as 20 years and said, under the conservative assumptions shown, \"The maximum annual payment the school corporation could make per year to repay this financing would be a million dollars, and a million dollars represents just under 10¢ of the property tax rate based upon today's assessed valuation.\" McGill noted his presentation used conservative estimates and that actual market pricing could produce lower interest cost and more project proceeds.

Following the presentations, no members of the public signed up to speak and the board moved to adopt the three resolutions. The board voted to:
- Adopt the project resolution establishing the estimated hard and soft costs and the total project cost for work expected to exceed $1,000,000 per building.
- Adopt the preliminary determination resolution (Exhibit B, preliminary determination resolution number 2020Five-fourteen) setting maximum principal amounts, maximum annual payment, and lease/term parameters.
- Adopt the reimbursement resolution permitting the district to reimburse prior cash expenditures from bond proceeds in compliance with federal tax rules.

Each motion passed on voice votes; the board’s advisers and administration said the actions only set maximums and begin a process that will include additional approvals and final financing documents.

Board members and administration emphasized minimizing property-tax impacts. McGill and the administration told trustees they expected to structure payments so the debt-service tax rate should not exceed current levels, noting a forecasted step-down in existing debt service in 2027–2028 that could accommodate the new payment schedule.

Next steps: administration and the board will continue working with bond counsel and municipal advisers to finalize terms, seek competitive pricing, and return to the board for final approvals and closing. The public hearing notice and statutory citations presented at the meeting will remain part of the record.

","The Griffith Public Schools Board held a statutory preliminary-determination public hearing on a proposed indoor athletic facility and approved three related resolutions that permit the district to set maximum financing terms and preserve federal tax reimbursement rules.",{"_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},6076254,"Students, staff and families highlighted at Griffith board ‘Panther Spotlight’; family donates $2,270 to food service",2726,1111000,3837000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417&start=1111&end=3837","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2970581-c42582c92f96b1e343630c8397490417/thumbnail_1111000.jpg","/articles/6076254/Indiana/Students-staff-and-families-highlighted-at-Griffith-board-Panther-Spotlight-family-donates-2270-to-food-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076254-1777e480e2802abbdbe906097d27dc1f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770931829&Signature=NYHHqPdynxigkCK8tukXHj4QZSrEH70aWaQs1g0zE3OaAJZv5CC0IdAoVNlx2wo1Eb0jEzK~bqPG8k5Xnvm~j~ZbbM9GKBdoRJq2x90D3bPv~7KnGI-55BhXPP~OnJ8uo8rQhuhKK3wXu-yln78lP9XvF7b6qoY~dKjFsLobLxHmCVTprsKqYl8D5Lb4l5X2DHx2bLg24wBPhj2p5JZaTQajZEP34Myo~rKeVWsjr4pplZKbRp5tvysmdAVmHtJjG4RU2zSPYea1FjrEOYOLb~udG5UNCfPaka~Y~yvHJv3hK6c8hGhfUo6yLA42-V6Fipmuu3m1AnlL1lY7HYaFeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Griffith Public Schools used the Panther Spotlight portion of the April 10 board meeting to recognize students and staff and to announce community donations supporting student needs.

Why it matters: The board spotlighted career-center competitors and district staff who work with students facing food insecurity and trauma; a family donation to food service will support meals for students in need.

Casey Verity spoke on behalf of her family and announced a $2,270 donation to Griffith Food Service in memory of her mother, Fran Evans, who worked in the district’s food service program from 1985 until 2020. Verity said her mother “was never going to give anybody a cheese sandwich” and described Evans’s decades of work buying coats, pencils and other items so students would not go hungry. The board and food-service staff thanked the family; the district said the funds will be used to assist students with food insecurity.

The meeting also showcased student achievements from the Area Career Center (ACC): Aiden Nieves described the ACC’s multimedia/news-broadcasting program and an upcoming state competition; Bryce Graham described his construction TeamWorks carpentry competition and a community-service project to assemble a torch for Indiana Special Olympics. Students said competitions start at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and that winners advance to national competitions in Atlanta.

The board also recognized Erica Rios (Erica Rios Corbin), the district’s police social worker, who described her role supporting students and families through trauma, housing instability and connections to social services. The superintendent noted the district shares Rios with the police department and praised her 24/7 availability for families.

Donations and community support noted during the meeting included items and cash gifts from Griffith First United Methodist Church, Griffith First Christian Church, VB and K Dental, Griffith Educational Foundation, local PTCs and corporate donors. Board members thanked volunteers and emphasized the district’s upcoming community Easter egg hunt, which the administration said will use tens of thousands of donated filled eggs and will be open to Griffith residents with ID checks.

","At the board’s Panther Spotlight segment the district recognized students and staff for competitions and service; Casey Verity announced a $2,270 donation in memory of cafeteria worker Fran Evans to support students with food insecurity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board votes: alternative education, summer school sites, policies and design-build recommendation

Griffith board holds public hearing, adopts three resolutions to advance athletic center financing

Students, staff and families highlighted at Griffith board ‘Panther Spotlight’; family donates $2,270 to food service