Warrick County board approves LifeWise memorandum for released-time instruction at Newburgh Elementary

The Warrick County School Corporation board on voice vote approved a memorandum of agreement with LifeWise Inc. to establish released-time religious instruction at Newburgh Elementary, school officials said.

Dr. Redmond presented the MOA and said staff and counsel (including Cliff Whitehead) reviewed the agreement, which outlines how students will leave campus for religious instruction without missing core instruction, consistent with Indiana Code 20-33-2-19. Cleo Holder, a Newburgh resident who represents Lifewise in the district, thanked the board and said LifeWise aims to expand to all schools over the next five years if funding allows.

The nut of the agreement, administrators said, is that parents must initiate a request for their child to participate and LifeWise will coordinate schedules so students do not miss required instruction. The initial implementation will be staged at Newburgh Elementary with the possibility of expansion to additional elementary, middle and high schools as parents and LifeWise request services.

Board members asked procedural and implementation questions during the discussion; legal counsel reviewed the MOA’s consistency with the cited Indiana statute. The board approved the motion to authorize administration to execute the MOA by voice vote.

The action does not adopt a district-wide policy change; administrators said future expansions would be implemented school by school and would be contingent on parent interest and available funding. The board did not vote on funding beyond administrative authorization to execute the agreement.

The board is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 12, 2026, when any follow-up or implementation details could be discussed further.