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LaPorte school board approves staffing changes, agreements and AED donation; several items pass by voice vote
Summary
At its June 8 meeting the LaPorte Community School Corporation board approved routine consent items, appointed representatives to redevelopment commissions, accepted an AED donation of about $20,000 to replace 18 devices, and approved a clinical affiliation agreement with Franciscan Health and other administrative changes.
The LaPorte Community School Corporation board on June 8 approved a package of administrative actions, personnel updates and partnerships intended to support student career pathways and school safety.
Superintendent Wood introduced two new leadership hires — Chris De Bruin as director of business and Sean Pluta as director of human resources — and the board approved changes to an assistant superintendent position description and title aimed at shifting the role toward principal support, district safety and organizational coordination.
The board accepted a donation "upwards of $20,000" to fund Automated External Defibrillator replacements; Assistant Superintendent Oni told the board the gift will allow the district to replace about 18 AEDs, roughly half of the devices the district identified as needing replacement. "We are in desperate need of replacing those," Oni said. "Because of this donation, we're gonna be able to replace 18 AEDs." The board voted to accept the donation by voice vote.
The trustees also approved a Clinical Affiliation Agreement with Franciscan Health to provide clinical observation and hands‑on experiences for students enrolled in the district's health careers pathway. Superintendent Wood described the agreement as a way "to take this program even a step further, partnering with Franciscan Health," which has a facility adjacent to the high school. The motion carried by voice vote.
Other approved items included: continuation of an operating agreement with the La Porte County Career and Technical Education district for 2026‑27 while the district pursues CTE district designation; establishment of a resolution and administrative protocol to accept out‑of‑state transfer students (tuition required) prompted by a single inquiry; a memorandum of understanding with the teachers' federation to add a spelling bee coordinator position for the 2025‑26 extracurricular schedule (clarifying implementation in 2026‑27); approval of the La Porte Online School handbook updates; and compensation for unused accrued benefit days for childcare staff following the district's shift to a YMCA partnership for before/after care.
A consent agenda of eight items — including May 11 minutes, financial ratification, extended contract days for a health careers instructor, revised staff handbooks, field trips, personnel recommendations and summer school personnel updates — was approved after a board member said they would abstain from that specific vote. Otherwise, motions passed by voice votes with no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript.
The board also appointed a non‑voting representative to the La Porte County Redevelopment Commission and a non‑voting representative to the City of La Porte Redevelopment Commission.
The board did not set any formal deadlines or implementation dates in oral comments beyond identifying the 2026‑27 school year for several agreements; many items approved were described as procedural or administrative steps in ongoing program development.
