Board approves QuestPoint contract, Chromebooks loan application, declares surplus bus and adopts policy updates

The board moved through several administrative items and approved each by roll-call vote.

Contract approval: Mr. McCarty presented and the board approved a contract with QuestPoint Group to provide IEP therapy and speech-language pathology services for the upcoming school year. "Tonight, the administration is requesting approval of a contract with QuestPoint Group, for IEP therapy and speech language pathology," Mr. McCarty said. The motion was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.

Common school loan for Chromebooks: Mr. McCarty explained the administration is requesting a low-interest common-school loan from the State of Indiana to purchase Chromebooks and cover a related maintenance contract. He described a device replacement cycle and said devices are typically distributed by grade (fifth and ninth grades mentioned as cycle points). Board members asked how older devices are handled; Mr. McCarty said older machines have sometimes been offered to students and staff for purchase but in recent years the district has kept older units for spare parts. The motion to apply for the loan was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.

Surplus special-education bus: The administration asked the board to declare a 2013 Bluebird special-education bus surplus. Mr. McCarty described a planned sale to a buyer who will remove the bus body and convert it into a workshop tool chest and vehicle transporter. He emphasized the sale is not intended to produce a "party bus." The board approved declaring the vehicle surplus.

Board policy updates: Dr. Hall presented a second reading of a series of board policy updates that had been discussed at a prior meeting, asked whether any changes had been made since the first reading and requested approval of the updates on second reading. The board moved, seconded and approved the policy updates by roll call.

Roll-call votes: The transcript records affirmative votes from board members called during roll call, including Anna Blake, Buck Evans, Kevin Ginder, Mike Hanna, Bill Hutton, John Ward and Mark Thompson; motions were moved and seconded as shown in the minutes.