MSD Martinsville board approves consent agenda, budget advertisement, handbooks, contracts, grant and donations

At its meeting, the MSD Martinsville Schools Board of School Trustees approved a series of routine and program items by voice vote, including permission to advertise the district’s 2026 budget capital projects and bus replacement plan, multiple handbook changes, a paraprofessional training contract and several grants and donations.

Board President Heather Staggs called for a motion and the board approved the consent agenda, which the president said included meeting minutes, payroll claims, the payroll report, check claims, budgetary claims and the personnel report. The motion to accept the consent agenda was carried by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

Field trip and travel: The board approved attendance by Kathy Hall and Jessica Hostetter at the National Association of Gifted Children conference. The board record notes that the district will not incur expenses for that trip.

Budget advertisement: The board granted permission to advertise the 2026 budget capital projects plan and the 2026 bus replacement plan; that motion passed by voice vote.

Handbooks and contracts: The board approved an updated food service handbook presented by Mr. Bodell, and approved an update to the John R. Wooden student handbook to accommodate larger book bags with straps (described in meeting remarks). The board also approved a contract with Starfish Solutions for paraprofessional training.

Grants and donations: The board approved acceptance of a $113,800 Community Foundation of Morgan County grant for pre-K programming and approved a block of community donations, including (as read at the meeting) donations such as: $500 from the Martinsville Classroom Teacher Association to MSD robotics; $500 to MHS Cheer; $500 from Circle of Peace to Hammonds; $500 from Allen Acuff Construction to MHS Cheer; multiple donations to MHS Athletics (amounts of $250, $500, $1,000, $1,500, $1,500, $1,500 listed in the meeting); an anonymous $8,000 donation to MSD robotics; and a $20,000 donation from the MSD of Martinsville Education Foundation to the district pre-K program.

Each of these motions was carried by voice vote with board members saying "aye" when the president called for the vote; the transcript does not record individual roll-call tallies or recorded opposing votes.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved by voice vote. Motion text: "accept the consent agenda". Outcome: approved.

- National Association of Gifted Children conference attendance (Kathy Hall and Jessica Hostetter): approved; no district expenses. Outcome: approved.

- Permission to advertise 2026 budget capital projects plan and bus replacement plan: approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

- Food service handbook (presented by Mr. Bodell): approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

- John R. Wooden student handbook update (allow larger book bags with straps to be stored in lockers): approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

- Starfish Solutions contract for paraprofessional training: approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

- Community Foundation of Morgan County Impact Grant (pre-K) for $113,800: motion moved by Luke Jackson and approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

- Donations block (multiple donors and amounts as read at the meeting, including $8,000 anonymous to robotics and $20,000 from the district education foundation to pre-K): approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

Ending: Board members thanked community donors and staff; no additional formal votes were recorded after the block approvals and the meeting adjourned by voice vote.