August 4, 2025 Summary

Posted byDacia MumfordPosted inSchool Board Meeting Summary, School Board MeetingsTags:, ,

Key Takeaways: New state tax laws are projected to significantly reduce school funding over the next several years, potentially reducing our district’s referendum revenue by more than $1 million annually. This will force difficult financial decisions in order to maintain essential services. The superintendent said that WL faces not just slower growth but actual revenue losses, making the situation more dire than initially feared. He recommended pausing projects including the JSHS ground floor locker room remodel and the Happy Hollow demolition until the financial picture becomes clearer. A focused community engagement process is to begin to gather input for the future of the Happy Hollow site. A year-long strategic planning process incorporating input from all stakeholders concluded with the approval of the 2025–2026 strategic plan.

Agenda with links to board documents

Topic Timestamps: YouTube Recording

  • 1:01:39 Special Education Department Slide Presentation
  • 1:37:21 Revenue Projections
  • 2:32:16 Appointment of District School Safety Specialist
  • 2:33:26 Presentation on Construction Manager as Contractor (CMC) Model
  • 3:06:29 Approval of Strategic Plan for 2025–2030
  • 3:17:53 Happy Hollow Site Planning and Community Engagement
  • 3:47:54 Locker Room Project Hearing and Resolution Postponed
  • 3:54:58 Proposed 2025–2026 Supplemental Fees Denied by Board

The following is my summary of the public school board meeting, not the official meeting minutes. My personal thoughts and opinions are given in italics and represent my own views which do not necessarily reflect those of any other member of the school board. I identify myself as Mumford in the summary but use first person when describing my personal thoughts and opinions.

1:01:39 – Special Education Department Slide Presentation: The regular meeting opened with Stephanie Qualio, special education director, presenting an update on special education services across the district. She reviewed staffing levels, noting that West Lafayette Elementary has three resource room teachers, one registered behavioral technician (RBT), and ten paraprofessionals. The Intermediate School employs two resource room teachers, one essential skills teacher, one RBT, seven and a half paraprofessionals, and two essential skills paraprofessionals. At the JSHS, there are four resource room teachers, one essential skills teacher, one RBT, eleven paraprofessionals, and four dedicated to essential skills. At the district level, she serves as director and is now supported by one full-time secretary and another part-time secretary, along with a contracted board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Staffing has remained stable compared to last year.

She reported that 237 students (about 10% of the student population) have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This number has remained roughly consistent across recent years. Unlike neighboring districts, West Lafayette has all special education positions filled. She noted progress in coordination with Greater Lafayette Area Special Services (GLASS), including consistent therapists across all schools. The district also now has all in-person speech language pathologists. A new hire will serve at the elementary school, while another, in collaboration with Purdue, will bring four to five graduate students to assist at the intermediate and high school.

Qualio also described new initiatives: a structured learning program at the elementary school to aid students transitioning from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) centers, and the ongoing use of the Milo robot, which has expanded into phonics and math instruction. She acknowledged challenges with the rollout of the state’s new IEP system, which has required teachers to rebuild IEPs, but noted that staff have undergone training and created Google-based forms for data tracking. GLASS student files have been relocated to her office. Work continues on the dissolution of GLASS, including preparing to post related service positions, and redistributing equipment. She is working to start parent study groups, the first of which is scheduled for September 15.

Yin asked about turnover among paraprofessionals and whether the district had strategies to improve retention. Qualio responded that most turnover stemmed from relocations or individuals pursuing teaching careers, with some retired teachers returning as paraprofessionals. She emphasized ongoing training, support, and valuing staff, and noted that WLCSC experiences less turnover than surrounding corporations. Yin asked whether professional development could be provided for general education teachers and parents to increase awareness of special education needs. Qualio explained that this aligns with her planned parent study group, which will help identify topics of most value to parents and provide learning opportunities open to all families.

Wang noted that last year the paraprofessional compensation rate was raised to $15 per hour and asked how that compared to neighboring districts. Qualio explained that while the hourly rate is slightly lower, West Lafayette is the only corporation in the area offering benefits to paraprofessionals, including health insurance, which makes the positions more competitive overall. Wang asked whether moving away from GLASS would create administrative or financial difficulties. Qualio said that while statewide budget cuts are a concern, transitioning away from GLASS is expected to be manageable and potentially more cost effective. She has already begun coordinating with administration and applying for grants to support the transition.

1:24:12 – No communication from the audience (those who had signed up before the meeting began)

1:24:20 – Consent Agenda:

Witt motioned to remove the agenda from the consent agenda so that item 15 on policies can be modified. The remaining consent agenda items were then approved.

            Voted 7 out of 7

1:25:53 – Agenda for the August 4, 2025 Regular Meeting: Witt motioned to remove all the proposed policies listed under item 15 except Policy A125 (Nepotism & Conflicts of Interest) and Policy H250 (School Library Material Removal Request Procedure). Wang motioned to modify the motion and remove all policies from the agenda. He stated that policies A125 and H250 were not ready for board discussion or a vote. He explained that the board had previously agreed to seek legal input, which had not yet been received. He recommended that the policy committee work on clarifying the language and present updated versions to the full board, emphasizing that this process would make board operations clearer and more professional.

The policy committee had not met since the last board meeting where several concerns were raised.

Mumford noted that A125 did not include previously discussed revisions from the June meeting and lacked consistency. She said H250 was missing submitted changes based on community input, and said that it was inappropriate for Witt to determine which proposed revisions are allowed to be included for discussion. Mumford concluded that neither policy was ready for board action.

I requested some revisions be included for consideration, but Witt said she was not willing to include them. It is inappropriate for one board member to unilaterally decide which proposed policy revisions are brought to the meeting for consideration and shared with the public.

Purpura said that the current board meeting was the appropriate time to discuss policies A125 and H250. He argued that keeping these two policies on the agenda would allow the board to identify specific concerns, decide whether to vote or delay, and clarify next steps. He felt it would be unhelpful to send the policies back to the policy committee without first having a full board discussion. Purpura was not present at the June school board meeting and appears to have not realized that the discussion on those two policies had already taken place during the June meeting. The board was waiting on the policy committee to edit A125 and H250.

Voted 3 out of 7 (Austin, Lyle, Purpura, and Witt opposed removing A125 and H250 from the agenda) These policies were brought up at 4:09:46, but were then postponed until the next meeting.

Voted 7 out of 7 to remove all the other proposed policies from the agenda

1:37:21 – Revenue Projections: Jane Herndon with Policy Analytics presented revenue projections for WLCSC under the new property tax rules established by Senate Bill 1. She explained that, for the first time, net assessed value (NAV) is projected to decline statewide due to expanded homestead deductions, a new $300 or 10% homeowner credit, new deductions for apartments, long-term care, and agricultural properties, and higher exemptions for business personal property. These measures shift the tax burden away from homeowners and certain businesses, reducing the school district’s ability to raise revenue even if tax rates remain unchanged. By 2031, our district’s property tax referendum revenue could fall to about $6.6 million, a loss of more than $1 million annually by 2028, compared to current levels. She said that some districts facing similar funding challenges are considering renewing their referendums early at higher rates; otherwise, they may need to prioritize and reduce spending to maintain current programs. Debt service rates are projected to rise, though repayment obligations remain mandatory, creating funding tradeoffs. Herndon also noted the impending elimination of property tax replacement credits from local income taxes in 2028, which further reduces revenues.

Yin questioned whether new developments such as the SK factory were factored into forecasts, and Herndon explained that while market trends and historical data are used, specific local projects were not yet modeled. Yin expressed frustration that the state’s policies appeared to weaken schools despite Indiana’s already low tax rates and described the forecast as “alarming,” warning that schools were already underfunded and that these changes could devastate education. Herndon noted that some districts may even go negative in operations funds. Witt stated that the state’s actions amount to forcing schools to “default on teachers and students” and stressed the need for stronger advocacy. Lyle sought clarification on the loss of the property tax replacement credit, which Herndon explained is likely to disappear under the new framework, leaving cities and counties to determine future use of local income tax.

Greiner said that WLCSC faces not just slower growth but actual revenue losses, making the situation more dire than initially feared. He recommended pausing projects including the JSHS ground floor locker room remodel and the Happy Hollow demolition until the financial picture becomes clearer. The JSHS ground floor locker room project is important and it is disappointing that it has to be paused. The previous school board and administration left the school district saddled with such a high level of debt that our essential needs cannot be addressed. Instead of prioritizing critical improvements with reasonable levels of borrowing, they chose to prioritize projects that were not as necessary, leaving us now with fewer options to meet the real needs of our students.

2:31:21 – Purpura moved to bring forward agenda item 11, the appointment of the District School Safety Specialist, as the next order of business.

Voted 7 out of 7

2:32:16 – Appointment of Sgt. Dave Smith to District School Safety Specialist (Job Description): The duties, previously handled by Mr. Ulrich and Smith, will continue with Smith. While he may occasionally require additional hours beyond the normal school day, no added cost to the district is anticipated.

Voted 7 out of 7

2:33:26 – CCHA Presentation on CMC; 2025 Hourly Billing Rates; Functional Responsibility Matrix: Jon Becker, an attorney with Church, Church, Hittle, and Antrim (CCHA), presented to the board on the construction manager as contractor (CMC) model, which is governed by Indiana Code and applies to most public works projects involving construction or renovation. Unlike the traditional competitive bidding process that requires selecting the lowest bidder, the CMC model allows the district to issue a request for proposals and select the “best bidder” based on a broader set of criteria including price, experience, warranty, and customer satisfaction. Becker compared it to selecting a preferred shopping experience, such as choosing higher quality service over the cheapest price.

This approach minimizes the administrative burden on the district, which otherwise would manage dozens of subcontractor contracts, write multiple checks monthly, and bear liability for scheduling conflicts and delays. Becker emphasized that this model reduces risk and change orders because the architect and CMC collaborate early, addressing issues before bidding begins.

Lyle asked why a district would use any other method given the benefits. Becker responded that while CMC use has grown substantially in the past five years, many architects and contractors still prefer older models that carry less risk and liability. Lyle asked how the CMC model differs from hiring a general contractor, since both rely on subcontractors. Becker said that general contractors must be selected through low-bid, which often leads to underbidding and later change orders, while the CMC model allows for selecting a more qualified contractor upfront.

3:06:29 – West Lafayette Strategic Plan 2025-2030 and Overview: Greiner summarized the finalized strategic plan, detailing its development through stakeholder surveys, focus groups, public input, and board feedback. He recommended the board approve the plan. Yin raised concerns about wording inconsistencies in the “values” section and suggested involving teachers, especially language educators, to refine the language. She moved to table the vote to allow for revisions, but the motion failed for lack of a second. Mumford noted that future adjustments could still be made, but since feedback had been actively sought previously, it seemed appropriate to move forward. Greiner added that the board would be voting to accept the work of stakeholders, with minor revisions still possible. Jones emphasized that the plan is a living document and encouraged the board to move forward if they felt it reflected the feedback received.

Voted 6 out of 7 (Yin opposed)

3:17:53 – Happy Hollow: Adam Jones, Skybound Consulting, presented the initial plan for gathering community input on the long-term future of the Happy Hollow site, following the board’s request for a recommendation by the end of 2025. Due to the forecasted decline in property tax referendum revenue, Greiner recommended pausing the planned partial demolition of the building, while still moving forward with stakeholder engagement. He announced a community survey that was sent out after the meeting on August 27:

The West Lafayette Community School Corporation values the input of our families, staff, and community as we plan for the future. We invite you to participate in two surveys currently open for feedback:

These surveys will remain open until Wednesday, September 10 at 9 am. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on these important topics. Your feedback helps us plan thoughtfully for the future of our schools and community.

Greiner emphasized that parts of the building, including the gym and robotics space, are essential for current programming and must remain in use. A chiller replacement, estimated at $300,000, will be necessary for climate control in the usable areas. Lyle questioned the financial implications of keeping the full building intact, specifically whether costs would increase to ensure safety in partially used spaces. Greiner explained that considerations were underway to repurpose and clean up sections for ongoing use, including replacing the chiller to ensure adequate climate control. Purpura inquired whether demolishing sooner would allow for a smaller, less costly chiller. Greiner noted there would be some savings, but the difference in size and cost would not be substantial.

Purpura also emphasized that community expectations should be managed, given that the site may not be fully redeveloped until at least 2031 due to funding constraints. Mumford asked that the New Chauncey neighborhood be specifically included in outreach. She also noted community concerns about the aging pool at Happy Hollow and emphasized the importance of coordinating with the city. Lyle asked if any formal market studies had been done to evaluate potential uses, and Greiner reported that no studies had been conducted during his time as superintendent.

Austin asked if selling the Happy Hollow property was an option. Witt responded firmly that the site was a valuable asset to the district and should not be sold.

3:47:54 – West Lafayette High School Locker Room Project Hearing and Resolution; Memo; Public Notice; Notice of Hearing; Renovation Study: Purpura motioned to postpone the project hearing to a future date due to concerns raised during the Policy Analytics presentation regarding funding challenges.

Voted 7 out of 7

3:53:50 – Fanning Howey Architect Agreement (JSHS – bottom floor); Memo; Services : Lyle motioned to postpone the agreement to a future date due to concerns raised during the Policy Analytics presentation regarding funding challenges.

Voted 7 out of 7

3:54:58 – 2025-2026 School Fees – JSHS, WLIS, WLES: Cronk explained that recent legislation clarified which curricular materials schools can charge fees for and which they cannot. Curricular materials are defined to include textbooks, workbooks, technology, hardware, and software. The state provides $158 per student for these items, but Cronk said that the district is spending an additional $100,000 to $250,000 each year. The proposed course fees charged to the families of our students would be for supplemental materials that students consume, keep, or take home and would recoup about $75,000 to $100,000 annually.

Purpura opposed the proposed fees, stating they burden families and contradict the principle of free public education, even with waivers in place. Mumford said that the timing was too late with school beginning now and recommended the administrators consider proposing to implement these fees for spring courses, to give families time to plan ahead. Witt also objected to introducing fees two days before school and highlighted the disproportionate impact on arts programs. Cronk responded that the fees fall more on art classes because art projects go home; science class materials remain in the classroom and so they are funded by the district. Purpura warned that sudden fees could hurt future referendum support by making families feel nickeled and dimed. In response to a question from Yin, Cronk confirmed that students receiving free or reduced lunch would not be charged course fees. Yin supported shared costs but agreed the timing was poor and recommended the proposal be brought earlier next time.

Greiner clarified that the proposed course fees are significantly lower than the fees that the district charged in the past, which ranged from $120 to $350 per student. He said that if the board does not approve the new fees, the district will have to cover the shortfall through the education fund.

Voted 2 out of 7 (Austin and Lyle supported)

I appreciate the administration’s efforts to address our district’s financial situation and also appreciated their efforts to gather information on the fees charged in other districts. Our district has a long history of the board rubber stamping every proposal brought by the administration, so I was encouraged that the board voted this request down. The administrators seemed quite surprised that the board voted down the introduction of course fees. If our board held a work session several days before each regular meeting (as is common practice in many other school districts) administrators would have been prepared for board members’ concerns. Holding a work session in advance to prepare for each regular meeting allows for discussion, ensures information is shared openly, and gives time for agenda adjustments when necessary. All of this ultimately leads to more efficient meetings and better decisions.

4:09:56 – Policies – 2nd and Final Reading (as recommended by Policy Committee): Policy A125 – Nepotism, Conflict of Interest, Gifts and Use of Corporation Resources and Disclosure Statement; Policy A200 – Firearms, Weapons, and Destructive Devices; Policy A225 – Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect; Policy A285 – No Distracted Driving; Policy B100 – Board Authority and Philosophy; Policy B125 – Duties of the School Board; Policy H250 – School Library Material Removal Request Procedure: Witt motioned to postpone this agenda item to next month due to the late hour. Austin expressed concern that while the temporary ad hoc policy committee was created to streamline the policy review process, the ongoing scheduling conflicts and repeated board meeting discussions suggest that the current process is not achieving that goal. She asked for suggestions to improve the process. Purpura acknowledged that coordinating schedules was challenging during the summer but said that with routines resuming he did not think any changes to the policy committee were needed. Yin suggested creating two committees to divide the workload, with each committee reviewing a set number of policies and then exchanging them for additional input. She noted this could help speed up the process. Austin responded that having two committees would increase the burden on administrators by requiring them to attend additional meetings. Purpura said his preference is to continue with just one policy committee. The policy review work has gone very poorly. Back in 2023, the school board voted (4 to 3) to replace all 400+ school policies with a smaller set (100+) written by the school district’s law firm. Each new policy has to be reviewed and adopted by the board. Ten new policies were presented for a first reading in February 2024 and twelve more in March 2024. In the year and a half since then, the board has only approved 9 of that first group of 22 and only 13 policies in total. Working through these new policies methodically (rather than in fits and starts) would require consistent effort from the board leadership and/or the policy committee. Like Yin, I have volunteered multiple times to help with this and have always been refused.

Lyle asked to clarify the policy development process. Witt explained that the policies originate from the law firm in boilerplate language that is essentially 99% complete and fully compliant with state law. She emphasized that while the policy templates come from legal experts, the board has chosen to make small adjustments to better fit the district’s specific needs. As an example, she cited the need to add fencing equipment to the weapons policy because of the district’s fencing club. Witt said it is just 1% that is necessary to change and Greiner said that with all the requests it ends up being 30-40% that needs to be changed. Purpura replied that the board cannot simply accept the boilerplate policies as-is because one of the core responsibilities of the board is to ensure that the policies are appropriate for WLCSC. He stressed the importance of thoroughly reviewing each policy to confirm it meets local needs rather than just adopting them without scrutiny. School administrators are required to follow state law, regardless of what the school policies say, so it makes sense that our administrators prefer the boilerplate policies that are little more than what state law requires. I agree with Purpura that our school policies need to be tailored to reflect the desires of our community and the specific needs of our school corporation. I would like to see us involve a committee of community members to provide input, as is done in many other school districts. Unfortunately, some on the board have repeatedly tried to use their agenda-setting power to prevent proposed policy changes from being considered. In April 2024 and then again in August 2024, Austin argued that the board should just approve all the boilerplate policies with no revisions. I think our administrators need to be more open to adjusting our school policies to reflect the desires of the community. I am encouraged that board members seem increasingly willing to revise the proposed boilerplate school policies to better fit our district’s needs.

Wang shared his view that each policy should go through three readings. The first reading introduces the policy. The second reading is where modifications are presented and discussed, and then the third reading would present the final, clean version for a vote. Wang appears to have put in significant effort to make the policy process more consistent and efficient. I think the process would improve if Wang were treated as an equal member of the policy committee. So far, January – August 2025, the board has approved a total of 2 of the proposed new policies.

Voted 7 out of 7 to postpone until a future meeting

4:24:53 – Superintendent Report: Greiner expressed excitement for the first student day on Wednesday and thanked administrators, teachers, and staff for their preparation and enthusiasm. He congratulated the band for placing 17th at State Fair Band Day, noting their strong performance and community support. He also recognized and thanked Paul Helggerman and Marcelo Holmes for their years of service and congratulated them on their retirement.

4:26:35 – CFO Report: June Financial Report – Funds; Cash Flow; June Credit Card Statement; July Credit Card Statement; Claims Docket Object Breakdown: Cronk reported that claims from June 5 through August 1 totaled $13,484,739.44, covering both regular district expenses and those for the Wabash Valley Education Center. This included four payrolls totaling $5,059,180 and the June debt service payments. The final June 2025 fund report showed a total cash balance of $32,365,848 across all funds, with the education fund holding $7,280,237.

4:27:37 Board Reports:

  • Redevelopment Commission: Austin shared that they approved new translation technology in June. The devices, worn on body cams, allow real-time translation between languages, enabling seamless communication. She said the technology will benefit both the police department and school resource officers, making it easier for families and students who speak different languages to communicate effectively.
  • Legislative: Lyle noted that funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was cut, leading to its closure. While this does not directly affect the district, it impacts local public radio and TV stations that relied on that support.
  • Public Schools Foundation of Tippecanoe County: Mumford shared that the cupcake run fundraiser will be September 21st.
  • Parks and Recreation: Purpura said that Cason Family Park opened in May and has been very popular, with the parking lot consistently full.
  • West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation: Witt reported that the alumni association has recently met with four reunion classes from 1999 to 2002, with a combined event led by the class of 2000. They are now planning the homecoming tailgate for Friday, September 26, with participation from the class of 1975. She noted the successful school supply drive and thanked the community for their donations. Witt announced that construction of the nature center pavilion behind WLES is underway. The project is funded by memorial gifts honoring Colin Kippenbrock, a former paraprofessional at the school who had dedicated time and care to maintaining the nature center. The pavilion will serve as a shaded classroom space, and she expressed gratitude to the Kippenbrock family for their generous contributions.

4:34:16 – Adjournment

Upcoming Public Meetings in the Central Office Board Room, located at 3061 Benton Street:

  • Work Session: Monday, September 8, 2025 at 5pm (if needed)
  • Regular Board Meeting: September 8, 2025 at 6pm

This document is my summary of the public school board meeting, not the official meeting minutes. My personal thoughts and opinions are given in italics and represent my own views which do not necessarily reflect those of any other member of the school board. I identify myself as Mumford in the summary but use first person when describing my personal thoughts and opinions. Previous agendas, minutes, and audio recordings can be found at the WLCSC website.

Leave a comment