April 14, 2025 at 7:30 PM - Regular Board of Education Meeting

Discussion:  Notice of the meeting was given in advance by publication to the public and to all members of the Board of Education. Availability of the agenda was communicated in advance. The Open Meetings Act was available for review. 

Discussion: 

Knott- I would like to shout out all the cast, crew, directors, staff that were involved in the Curtains musical. It’s a very busy time of year for many of these students with Speech, FBLA, FFA, FCCLA, track and other activities also competing for their time. It was a great show and I’m always amazed at the talented actors and singers that participate.

Roberts- Shout out to the bus drivers coming home from Wayne when a bus broke down.  Trevor did a nice job handling it and getting everyone home safely.  

Frey- Shout out to the musical cast and crew members.  I watched it three times and it got better every time.  The cast, crew and sponsors put in a lot of hours.  It was really fun to watch.

Stuhr- Mrs. Kayton for her efforts in the interview process for hiring a 1st grade teacher, she did a great job picking a great candidate for the position.

Fogleman- I would like to recognize Nolan Vandenberg.  I was sad to hear the news that he was leaving Boone Central.  Nolan has helped so many kids recognize the importance of health. exercise and especially lifting.  I feel like he really helped Boone Central itself focus on the importance of these things. A quote from my son "From my standpoint he was more than a coach, he was a friend, inspiration and supported in everything that I did."  I feel he was like that for every student  he had at Boone Central. With that being said we do wish him all the best in his next chapter.

Rolf- I’d like to recognize the FFA students and Mrs. Hitchler.  State FFA is a great opportunity for the kids to get involved in the FFA program.  Thank you to Mrs. Hitchler for all her time and effort.

McDonald- The custodial team consistently demonstrates their dedication by ensuring our campus and buildings remain in excellent condition every day. They maintain a positive and adaptable mindset while collaborating with the Leadership Team, prioritizing effective communication and transparency across all aspects of their work.

Larsen- All of our Substitute Teachers. The Spring of a school year is a busy time in our calendar. The individuals that agree to show up, sometimes at a moment’s notice, to allow us to continue with our regular school day are integral to our success. I appreciate their dedication to our district as well as the support they provide our students and staff. Additionally, Mrs. Angie Zoucha handles the scheduling of these substitute teachers. She also deserves recognition for all of her efforts to keep our days running smoothly when teachers have to be absent.

Curry-  I want to give a personal recognition tonight to Mr. Sup, who continues to do tremendous things with our Speech program.  Coming off a state championship year last year and graduating many (but not all) of our state points, he and his assistant coaches coached our Speech Team to their 5th District Championship in a row!  They earned a 4th-place finish at State.  My daughter can now say she has both a Team State Championship and an Individual State Championship!  Additionally, Katelyn and 6 other of her FBLA members earned an opportunity to compete at the national level this summer.  She and two of her friends earned a first-place finish in Event Planning at State FBLA.  I am greatly appreciative of how he has pushed and challenged not only Katelyn, but everyone on his teams to be their best!

Kayton- I would like to recognize the staff members that helped with Kindergarten Round Up last week.  Angie Zoucha, Jen Molt, Mandi Kettelson, Payton Miller, Shayla Nelson, Bonnie Molt, Julie Stone, Deb Lyon, Nicole Bennett, Laura Larsen and Theresa Wilke.  Our newest Cardinals participated in a "signing day" and were able to complete various stations in the Kindergarten classrooms while getting to know the teachers, staff, and classmates!  This would not have been possible without the help of these staff members!

Discussion: 

Next Thursday, Kendra Gustafson from ESU 7 will be hosting our All Staff Data Dig.  During this Data Dig we will look at data results from the Perceptual Survey that was given to students, parents, and staff.  We will look for trends and determine action plans to improve  before the survey is given again in two years.  We had students in grades 3-12 complete the survey.  All Boone Central staff members were asked to complete the survey.  We had about 150 parents complete the survey.  We are hoping the results will give us valuable data and insight on ways we can improve.

Discussion:  The Albion Education Foundation approved a total of 24 out of the 36 requests that were received, totalying 41,580, two of which were for St. Mike's.  The directive is that the AEF does not fund anything that would be covered by the district.  $120,000 scholarship funds are availble to students who wish to further their education.

Discussion:  Dr. McDonald discussed the year-to-date budget.  We are currently 7.3% under budget.  Grounds and maintenance items that are under discussion include trailer and roof repairs.  Mr. Look visited Boone Central last month, he spent some time with the leadership team and board members.  Legislative preview and laws were summarized. 

Discussion:  Larsen- MAPs testing on April 16th, ACT testing on April 8 (Casey’s Building); Juniors Pre-ACT (Main Gym); Sophomores 1st of 2 times.  ACT will be changing starting next year; Open to the idea of providing an ACT opportunity for Jr.’s starting in the Fall of next year to better prepare them to be successful on the state test, School to cover all or some of the costs $69 w/o writing; $94 w/ writing.  Other districts do this; some do a cost share; some pay for extra reports for teachers, etc.  Career Fair and Career Academy Showcase on April 30, 2025.  Career Fair in Morning; Career Academy Showcase in Afternoon.  Graduation is May 18th (Sunday) at 2:00PM, looking for Board Members to participate in the ceremony (diplomas).  AEF Update - Total support from accepted grant submissions was around $44,000.  This includes the Big Give pledge to update the TouchPro touchscreen and to move its location in the Commons, which has already ordered; will get installed as able.  AEF is still waiting on any Nationals qualifiers after the last couple of weeks. May meeting will review this information.  AEF Board tabled a grant application for a generator for the Greenhouse in case of power failure, wanted to make sure this was brought before the board; extra costs associated with connecting a generator.  Something for the Building and Grounds Committee to discuss further.  PE/Strength & Conditioning Update - Mr. Vandenberg has taken an opportunity for family and to advance professionally, have started advertising, but will add some additional promotion after starting tomorrow.  Time is short, but will recruit and promote this opening moving forward.

Curry- MAP & NSCAS Testing is rostered and ready to go.  Results will be shared once we get that information.  The 8th Grade went to NECC.  They learned what they are "smart" in, meaning what they might like to do for a career.  They took a tour of the campus, ate lunch in the cafeteria, and traveled to Faith Regional, hearing about the many different careers that the organization needs to be successful.  They came back to school and participated in a "Reality 101" event sponsored by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.  We had several community people volunteer to help us make it a meaningful experience.

Kayton-  After Easter Break, our students will begin their end-of-the-year testing.  The teachers and students have put in a lot of work, so it will be exciting to see all of the growth that has been made this year!  One School One Book - We are excited to introduce One School, One Book to Boone Central Elementary! Each family received a copy of Flora & Ulysses to read and discuss at home. At school, students will engage in activities that celebrate and explore the story with their classmates. This initiative strengthens reading instruction, increases parental involvement, bridges the home-school connection, and fosters a true community of readers. We will wrap up this special event by watching the movie that goes along with the book.  A special thank you to the Albion Education Foundation for generously funding this opportunity for our students and families.  Kindergarten Round Up - We held a Kindergarten Round Up last Friday.  We held two sessions throughout the day.  We had a Signing Day for incoming Kindergarten students and then they had the opportunity to visit the Kindergarten classrooms for various stations while Mrs. Kayton and nurse Jen met with parents and completed paperwork.  It was a successful day.  We have various activities planned for May including our Spring Program, multiple field trips, Track & Field Day and Park Day!  Boone Central Elementary will be holding a Summer Learning Program for qualifying students who need additional support in the areas of reading and/or math.  Summer Learning Programs have been proven to help prevent the regression that often occurs between spring and fall.  The Summer Learning Program will be held Monday-Thursday from 8:30-10:30 in the month of June.  We will take one week off for Vacation Bible School.

Discussion:  9.1 Mr. Knott read the letters of resignations from Nolan Vandenberg and Barb Foland.
9.2 Boone Central will be weloming Mr. Scott Ketteler as a first grade teacher for the 2025-26 school year
9.3 The Superintendent evaluation was read and discussed.

Discussion:  Monday, May 12th at 6:30 am.

Discussion:  Adjourned 8:20 pm.