[{"_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",6529597,"mediaKeyId","3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb","parentId",3797825,"title","Board approves amended personnel report after trustees press for clarity on career-coaching grant","audioSeconds",867,"startMs",6123000,"endMs",6990000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb&start=6123&end=6990","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb/thumbnail_6123000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6529597/Indiana/Board-approves-amended-personnel-report-after-trustees-press-for-clarity-on-career-coaching-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529597-3580d0bcc18543bf6f06689910d1f32e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775104769&Signature=bglPOXLt6GIYoIlyVJpEOp7wrpyg9sDq4pPpbWb7PhYEQDQr9OYXWI-Edknbd87Prx3kb-L8fehYbFLC0YjJyxs9-V9od0LEpJ~vDW1c~BG-Cc-v9gZBvf9~qQlFjE41R-~pWoHq9-DgZZrK70MHrynrC5YiilrLSXvJeSP-kmEljNJ-5eAnLZxPF-7yocsgwukAo0wl6KHSGYhwcKqIF6QbCZC86TN3hcpwxOiW-UDuknEipYwuGQ2lN6HnZJNz3K0pBFvQxCz7fFaKUbsK5Ab9B1dj6uwmRUR7~GcM48S6M2iQ6a7x0dyRJZi99a0DApZjD71s5b0av70nrlMCtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School City of East Chicago","date","2025-06-11T14:33:13Z","article","The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees amended and approved the personnel report after trustees moved to add two previously removed items (identified in the packet as items 26 and 27) and remove item 1 from the published personnel list. The board approved the amended personnel report in a roll-call vote.

Public commenter Helen Steinbach raised questions about two added personnel items tied to a career-coaching grant, citing the contract language and a newsletter from the grantor. Steinbach read from the original grant memo approved last August and said the memo authorized “$5,000 to be used for staff and student field experiences relating to college and career readiness and ... $10,000 to be utilized to pay a district career coach or coaches a stipend.” She asked the board how the stipend funds were distributed, how many students earned credentials, how many field trips occurred, and whether reporting requirements had been met.

Trustees said they had similar questions. Trustee Rodriguez asked administration to schedule a fuller presentation from the grant partner and for details about the funding source, the grant timeline and measurable outcomes. Trustee Gomez said the board’s policy committee is preparing templates and a process to ensure future grants and stipends come with defined reporting timelines and deliverables.

Superintendent Dr. Bornay confirmed the personnel items in question appear under “extra duties, compensation for staff” and said the board’s vote on the personnel report approves personnel items, including stipends listed in the packet; the discussion focused on the two specific stipend lines. Administrator responses indicated the grant runs through December 2025 and that the district is due to provide additional documentation on outcomes.

After discussion, Trustee Rodriguez moved to add items 26 and 27 to the personnel report and remove item 1; Trustee Gomez seconded the motion. The board approved the personnel report as amended on a roll-call vote.

Trustees requested administration and the grant partner present a full accounting of grant activities, including number of field trip experiences, micro-credentials issued to students, exact stipend recipients and remaining available funds. Several trustees also asked that the board’s policy committee produce a grant-reporting template to appear with future grant-related personnel items so the board can review deliverables before approving stipends.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular School Board Meeting - June 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees amended and approved the personnel report after debate and public comment about two career-coaching stipend items linked to a K–12 career-coaching grant. Board members asked administration and the grant partner to present details at a future meeting.","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},6529602,"School food director reports 444,789 lunches served this year, district remains in federal CEP program",475,4790000,5265000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb&start=4790&end=5265","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb/thumbnail_4790000.jpg","/articles/6529602/Indiana/School-food-director-reports-444789-lunches-served-this-year-district-remains-in-federal-CEP-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529602-04c734f92284f716b39e53376a55f6a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775104770&Signature=cFYAhV54BrL7svt5c3OjL8Orv0MHjgjtfknSZMEOjN5E2wMdHIsye8Yq4bQ5rT0CpJoxQdaqTsssDfo6QO7VZRD2oSm9Axi21DQUw9NStnw5oYM31R8xJpiVoP0lwX44ZNGS7AB6sW48pE-MA-XZvVkAdNPq5l4mlcMnWFt0Tti14Qoljn7EkNdquWt7YdS5GY43wmQeetiejWyjw0JzBXN2eEpsyT7OD6YXgn-ojC-3TyovZSdvHFEtplcbsRfEDmx6Nd9N9a1fsJ~FhhXhmZ86FQYxbSbt5yA95~p3pV19iKOjLX-RZjs91UMrzhtARChQWs9X-dmbMOn5fQhY0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","School City of East Chicago food services director Michael Hale reported to the board that the district served 444,789 lunches and 261,380 breakfasts during the 2024–25 school year under the National School Lunch Program and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which provides universal free meals in high-need districts.

Hale said CEP allows the district to feed every student at no charge and that meal reimbursements come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He told the board the district received roughly $2,500,000 in USDA reimbursements this year, with a reported operating surplus of about $455,000 that the program can use for equipment and cafeteria upgrades.

\"We qualify for what is called CEP, which is a community eligibility provision, which allows me to feed all of our students for free or at no cost to the student body,\" Hale said in the presentation. He described USDA nutrition regulation changes that will further reduce permitted sodium and sugar levels in school foods and said the district uses federal reimbursement dollars to replace equipment and improve meal presentation.

Hale provided a school-by-school breakdown: elementary lunch participation about 87% of enrolled students, middle-school lunch participation about 93%, and high-school lunch participation about 70%. For breakfast he reported 65% participation at elementary schools, 36% at the middle school and 26% at the high school; he noted breakfast participation is typically lower because it requires earlier arrival or additional cafeteria time.

Hale told trustees the district uses educational engagement strategies such as “So Good” (monthly features highlighting healthy foods), “Global Bites” (monthly international items), and a student voting bracket for foods during events such as “Food for Thought” (grain bracket leading to new menu items). Examples he cited included strawberry bruschetta and a winning breakfast item, maple oat bites, that will be added to next year’s menu.

Trustees asked whether the district could expand free breakfast-at-the-door programs used at one elementary school; Hale said building-level administration decides the delivery model because of instructional-time tradeoffs and building schedules. He told the board the district is currently financially solvent for food operations and is saving for larger cafeteria upgrades, including replacing a high-school walk-in cooler and freezer.

Trustees also discussed federal funding uncertainty and local sourcing. Hale said recent cuts eliminated a program that allowed direct purchasing from local farms; the district negotiated to keep some local supply lines (for example, beef from Fisher Farms and apples/pears from nearby producers) but said future federal changes could require adjustments.

The board received Hale’s report; no formal vote was required.","The district’s food services director reported meal counts, reimbursements and programs tied to the National School Lunch Program and the CEP universal free-meal provision; the board discussed operational challenges and potential federal funding changes.",{"_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},6529607,"School City of East Chicago board adopts 2025–2030 strategic plan after multi-month community process",5725,1477000,7202000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb&start=1477&end=7202","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3797825-6a0249b09f498dddc893dd4d1c03a4fb/thumbnail_1477000.jpg","/articles/6529607/Indiana/School-City-of-East-Chicago-board-adopts-20252030-strategic-plan-after-multi-month-community-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6529607-98579d38f07b6969de71e4f120945f7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775104770&Signature=isu1G~aVIimcG2mb-70uqy7JG2BMb7d2h7BuiBclgMgRHyigWz8sJLRrTheu19QVYoG-rD6SEMkhVztx6iwLp6mByqz1yv2nrF0uMR2gEIdiAgxos-cfrKMaOHeHGI4RSQkpv8Dyutn9prA8hYN6s~xWLejeKLPfaNgj~PBoOhOz7G3QmZPy9KIB88ATmCdUZ9-HA0f8buUdnIzv4Lkv8zyZqRu0xQqoOUj0NSk0dBrKXpgB3r1Hx0tHeifkdRXaeAtdX3Arw0UcJNfhKU3Kk889ROY6j-lGIXYcMp27ObOp0pmoctJJ2T3DhF0z~bPoIcBlgTHqyzAAZooQ8qcfCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees approved a draft 2025–2030 strategic plan after presentations from the district superintendent and the plan facilitator, setting the district’s mission, vision and core values and directing staff to begin implementation work.

The plan, presented to the board in June by consultant Gregory Hutchins of Revolutionary Ed and Superintendent Dr. [Bornay] (transcript uses “doctor Bornay”), frames the district’s mission as an aim to “educate and empower every student through aligned instruction, meaningful partnerships, and differentiated practices to ensure success in life, college, career, and civic engagement.” The board voted to approve the plan in a roll-call vote; all five trustees recorded “yes.”

The board adopted a mission, vision and five core values — Access and Belonging; High-Quality Learning; Comprehensive Supports; Integrity and Accountability; and Belief — and six strategic focus areas: academic support systems; behavioral, emotional and social supports; career pathways; family and community engagement; funding/resources; and staff relations and professional learning. The plan also commits the district to develop implementation road maps and measurable metrics in the coming year.

Dr. Gregory Hutchins, lead facilitator for the strategic-planning committee, told the board the plan resulted from a four-month, multi-stakeholder process including focus groups with students, staff, bilingual families, and community partners. “These past four months, they have been pretty intense,” Hutchins said during the presentation, noting two virtual sessions and additional committee meetings that informed goal-setting.

Superintendent Dr. Bornay reviewed the drafted mission and vision the committee proposed and emphasized the board’s earlier involvement in refining the statements. “The School City of East Chicago educates and empowers every student through aligned instruction, meaningful partnerships, and differentiated practices to ensure success in life, college, career, and civic engagement,” he said when presenting the recommended mission.

Committee members presented goal-level theories of change tied to each focus area. Examples included a districtwide academic supports system with a focus on high-fidelity Tier 1 instruction, and structured behavioral and social-emotional supports to increase school connectedness. The career-pathways goal calls for expanding middle- and high-school opportunities and partnerships with local industry and postsecondary institutions; committee members named local Northwest Indiana employers such as Cleveland-Cliffs and BP as prospective partners.

Board members who served on the strategic planning committee praised the process and the plan’s community input. Trustee [Rodriguez] and Trustee [Taylor], both committee appointees, told the board they were satisfied their perspectives and those of other stakeholders were incorporated.

The superintendent said approval would allow the district to move into development of detailed action plans, including metrics and an “implementation roadmap” that will define baselines and reporting for future board monitoring.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of 2025–2030 Strategic Plan (agenda item 6.02/6.03): Motion by Trustee Diane Smith; second Trustee Christie Gomez. Roll call: Gomez—Yes; Smith—Yes; Rodriguez—Yes; Taylor—Yes; President Gibson King—Yes. Outcome: approved.
- Approval of memorandum of understanding with Starbase (agenda item 6.03 on packet): Motion by Trustee Joel Rodriguez; second Trustee Taylor. Outcome: approved (roll call recorded all present voting yes).
- Other related approvals taken later in the meeting (personnel report amendments and multiple contract renewals) are recorded separately in board minutes and discussed in full in this meeting’s record.

What happens next
The board asked administration to develop the implementation phase, including specific metrics, action plans, and a policy audit tied to the plan’s goals. Hutchins and the superintendent said the next steps include drafting the implementation roadmap and identifying baseline measures for the board’s first year of monitoring.

The board meeting packet and supplemental documents the district provided list the finalized mission, vision, core values and the draft goals that the board approved.

","The School City of East Chicago board voted to approve a five-year strategic plan that sets mission, vision and six core values and establishes districtwide goals for academics, behavior supports, career pathways, family engagement and staff development.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves amended personnel report after trustees press for clarity on career-coaching grant

School food director reports 444,789 lunches served this year, district remains in federal CEP program

School City of East Chicago board adopts 2025–2030 strategic plan after multi-month community process