School board approves device ban, budget transfer and personnel moves; directs staff to explore Medicaid billing and virtual school

The school board approved a set of policy and budget actions and gave staff permission to explore new revenue and program options at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Superintendent (speaker 1) opened the meeting by outlining a proposed wireless-device and classroom-recording policy that would make recording devices visible to teachers, limit their use to lawful recording purposes, and prohibit students from possessing wireless devices during the school day. She said disciplinary procedures will be developed and parent communications will follow. "We do need to move forward on this," the superintendent said, recommending approval of Option A.

The board moved on a motion and voice vote to adopt the wireless-device restriction (motion moved and seconded; the transcript records a voice vote of "All in favor? Alright," with no roll call recorded).

Staff member (speaker 3) presented contract recommendations for food services: Prairie Farms for milk and dairy and Commercial Food Systems for snack and beverage service for the 2026-27 school year (the transcript shows the year as "2627"). She said the bids had been reviewed and approved by the state Department of Education food-service office. A motion to approve the bid recommendations was made and seconded; the transcript does not include a clear recorded outcome for that item.

The board considered Resolution 2026-11, which staff said implements changes allowed by a recently passed state law (House Bill 1210, as cited in the transcript) to spread the financial impact of a supplemental homestead credit across non-exempt funds. The staff member said the district could transfer $165,074 from the debt-service fund into the operations fund and asked that the transfer be completed before June 30. "That would be a $165,074 that we can transfer from the debt service into the operations fund," the staff member said.

A motion to approve Resolution 2026-11 was made and the board approved it by roll call (ayes recorded in the transcript).

In the superintendent's report, the board approved the 2000 series of policies (second reading) covering programs and curriculum and received a first reading of the 3000 series (professional-staff policies), which required no action tonight.

Several personnel actions were announced and approved: Candace Foley will move to an elementary art teaching-aid position; Megan Wehner will move to an attendance and counseling administrative-assistant position (increasing from 194 to 207 days); Madison Busick will take the elementary STEM and student-success support role; and Brianna Harrell was approved as an elementary teacher at a starting salary noted in the packet ($45,000). The board also approved two staff members—Kelsey Schmidlapp and Jacqueline Caldwell—to attend the Indiana Career Readiness conference at $275 per person to be paid from Title II funds.

The superintendent also briefed the board on an 'Earn Indiana' reimbursement opportunity through the Indiana Commission for Higher Education that could reimburse the district for half of summer student wages for eligible students; paperwork has been submitted and staff plan to file for reimbursement after summer payroll.

The board authorized staff to explore Medicaid billing to offset some special-education costs; the superintendent emphasized that this authorization was for exploration only, not implementation. The board also voted to authorize staff to explore development of a Southwestern virtual school program.

Board members closed with brief comments, set a tentative next meeting for July 27 and approved a motion to adjourn.

Votes at a glance

- Wireless-device policy (Option A): motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote (no roll call recorded in transcript). - Resolution 2026-11 (transfer of $165,074 from debt service to operations fund): motion approved by roll-call vote (transcript records ayes). - 2000 series policies (second reading): approved by voice vote. - Personnel approvals (four hires/transfers listed above): approved by voice vote. - Conference requests (K. Schmidlapp, J. Caldwell): approved; cost $275 per person from Title II. - Authorization to explore Medicaid billing: motion approved by voice vote; exploration only, no implementation action authorized. - Authorization to explore Southwestern virtual school: motion approved by voice vote.

Details and documentation from the meeting transcript (motions, quoted language and exact phrasing) are recorded in the district's minutes and the supporting timeline. Where the transcript did not include a roll-call or clear tally for a given motion, the article states that the transcript does not record the outcome.