Mishawaka school board approves curriculum, facilities purchases and phone‑system replacement

The School City of Mishawaka Board of School Trustees on May 13 approved a package of routine business and capital‑planning measures, including a curriculum adoption for the construction pathway, multiple food‑service equipment purchases, professional design services for a cafeteria addition at Emmons Elementary, and a districtwide phone‑system replacement.

Board members unanimously adopted the meeting agenda and then approved the consent agenda, which included warrants and payroll totaling $7,343,192.36 and an engagement with Policy Analytics LLC to perform a property‑tax base and revenue analysis. The board also approved a personnel report that reflected summer‑school appointments and recognized several long‑service retirements.

Curriculum and capital items: Dr. Mann asked the board to adopt the Career Connections curriculum as a one‑time purchase to provide a four‑year framework for the construction pathway. The board approved the adoption.

Food‑service equipment purchases for multiple schools moved forward after staff solicited competitive quotes. Dr. Stevens said quotes were solicited for the Liberty walk‑in freezer (Stafford Smith, HPS, CNT Design) and recommended Stafford Smith as the lowest responsive bidder. Similar procurement processes resulted in approvals to purchase a dish machine for Twin Branch (HPS recommended) and a serving line for LaSalle (Stafford Smith recommended). The board also approved a walk‑in freezer and cooler at LaSalle Elementary; Stafford Smith submitted the lowest responsive bid for that package at $68,514. Dr. Stevens told the board installations for these food‑service items are expected over the summer to be completed before the new school year.

Emmons cafeteria design: The board approved engaging JPR Architects to prepare design and construction documents for a roughly 3,200‑square‑foot cafeteria addition and serving‑area renovation at Emmons Elementary. District staff said design work would produce pricing and that the district planned to use cooperative purchasing (TIPS) to solicit contractor bids with a goal of beginning construction in fall if funding and schedules permit.

Phone‑system replacement: Technology staff recommended replacing the district’s Panasonic phone system, which reached end‑of‑life in March 2025, with a 3CX solution. Mr. Mondale said 3CX offers flexibility and that new handsets would not lock the district into a single platform. Teledata was selected as the installer; the vendor was described as a longstanding regional contractor (est. ~1989) with prior cabling work for the district. Mr. Balog said Teledata had performed cabling work for the district and that installation is planned to be complete by Aug. 12, with costs charged to the technology referendum fund.

Training contract: The board approved a consulting agreement with Carl M. Fischer to provide Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) staff training at $400 per day for up to 30 days during the 2026–27 school year. Mr. Fisher is a CPI‑certified trainer.

What happens next: Several of the approved purchases are scheduled for summer installation; staff will return with final contractor pricing and implementation schedules as design work and procurement proceed. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for June 10, 2026, at the Administration Center.

Quotes: "We solicited quotes from three different vendors," Dr. Stevens said regarding several food‑service items. Mr. Mondale said of the phone recommendation, "It provides necessary future flexibility as our new handsets will not be locked into that 3CX platform."