Key Takeaways: Melissa Prochnau was nominated for the interim school board position through December. The board split 3–3 on both postponing the library board appointment and reappointing Altschaeffl, leaving the position unresolved. After the meeting, the administration moved toward a more open process by creating an application available to all interested residents of the taxing district, with applications due September 1. The district is launching an optional, grant-funded AI teacher cohort to support ethical classroom use of AI and potentially inform future district guidelines or policy.
Topic Timestamps for Work Session: YouTube Recording
- 0:18 Work Session Discussion on Library Board Appointment
- 33:30 Clarifying Revisions to Policy A310 Wireless Communication Device
Regular Session Agenda with links to board documents
Topic Timestamps for Regular Meeting: YouTube Recording
- 0:21 Special Education Update
- 12:54 Public Comment on Library Board Appointment
- 17:16 Consent Agenda
- 18:01 Personnel Report
- 18:43 Interim School Board Member Nomination
- 20:22 JSHS Natatorium Repairs
- 29:56 AI Policy Update
- 32:00 Consideration of Hiring Employee Under IC 20-26-5-11.2(c)
- 32:40 Policy A310 Wireless Communication Device Approved
- 33:25 West Lafayette Library Board Appointment split vote
- 1:00:25 Superintendent Update
- 1:05:52 CFO Report
- 1:07:52 Board Reports
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.
There are currently only 6 board members as Witt moved out of the district.
The board held a work session on August 3, 2026. I provide a brief summary of that work session below, followed by a summary of the regular board meeting held on August 10, 2026.
0:18 The work session began with a discussion of a proposal to appoint Martha Altschaeffl to the West Lafayette Library Board. The school board is responsible for appointing two individuals to serve on the library board. Appointees must reside within the library taxing district, which does not include University Farms, making Lyle the only current board member eligible to serve. Austin said that Lyle could not serve in two positions. Mumford responded that Lyle is eligible and should be considered if he is interested. Austin then clarified that she did not mean Lyle was unable to serve on the library board, but that his legislative assignment already requires significant time and she did not think he should take on another position. I think the board president should ask any eligible school board member if they are interested, allow them to make the decision for themself, and, if they are not interested or available, then open the opportunity to members of the community.
Martha Altschaeffl and Anastasia Krutulis currently serve as the school board’s two appointees to the library board. Altschaeffl has served two four-year terms and requested appointment to a third term. Austin explained that this would be Altschaeffl’s final term because library board members are limited to three terms. It turns out this is incorrect. Library board members may serve up to four terms. Austin said she met with Altschaeffl and library director Marra Honeywell and recommended that Altschaeffl continue serving on the library board.
Mumford said the school board should establish a more open process for making library board appointments. She suggested first allowing eligible school board members to express interest and, if no board member wished to serve, opening the opportunity to interested community members rather than automatically reappointing the same person until the term limit is reached. Austin said she was open to reconsidering the process in the future but supported allowing Altschaeffl to continue serving through the maximum number of terms permitted. Purpura also supported retaining Altschaeffl through her maximum term while developing a more formal application process for future vacancies.
Yin said the board should have information about an appointee’s work before deciding whether to continue the appointment. She expressed concern that there has been no communication between the school board and its library board appointees and questioned the purpose of making appointments if the board receives no information or reports about their service. Yin also recommended openly advertising the position whenever a term ends so community members have an opportunity to apply, allowing more people to become involved in supporting both the schools and the library.
Wang said the school board is required to appoint two members to the library board, but those appointees serve independently and are not required to report back to the school board. He supported keeping the current appointee in place if she was willing to continue serving, particularly since no other interested candidates had been identified.
Lyle said the board should develop a fair and balanced process for future library board appointments, but argued that the discussion should have taken place through email rather than during a public work session. He suggested that board members privately agree on a process and then present it at a later meeting for a vote. Mumford responded that board discussions and deliberations are required to take place in public meetings rather than through email. She said she did not want the board to discuss the issue for the first time at the regular meeting and then be expected to vote immediately afterward. Austin said the discussion indicated that a majority of the board supported appointing Altschaeffl to a third term.
33:30 The board discussed revisions intended to clarify Policy A301 Wireless Communication Devices.
46:01 Work session adjourned.
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This is my summary of the regular board meeting held on August 10, 2026.
0:21 The regular meeting began with an update on special education staffing from Stephanie Qualio. As of June 30, 2026, WLCSC is no longer part of the GLASS cooperative, which has dissolved. Special education services are now operated as a department within West Lafayette Community School Corporation.
12:54 Communication from the Audience (those who had signed up before the meeting began)
- Gale Charlotte, a community member, said she attended as a concerned citizen after watching the August 3 board work session discussion about the school board’s appointment to the West Lafayette library board. She objected to a board member’s suggestion that a teacher, parent, or someone with a stronger connection to the schools might better represent the district than someone whose connections included past donations. Charlotte argued that this perspective discounts taxpayers without children currently enrolled who continue to financially support the district, particularly while the district is asking voters to support a referendum. She also questioned whether there were any concerns about the current library board appointee, noting that she had served faithfully for eight years. I never meant to suggest that people without children in our schools cannot serve the schools or hold an appointed position like this one. That was certainly not my intent. Everyone in the community has something to offer. I should have explained more clearly that I would like the school board’s library appointees to help create a more meaningful connection between the library and the school district, which has not been happening.
17:16 Consent Agenda:
- Agenda for the August 10, 2026 Regular Board Meeting
- Minutes of the July 20, 2026 Regular Board Meeting
- Minutes of the August 3, 2026 Work Session
- Meridian Health Services MOU
- WLCSC and TSC Transportation Services Agreement
Personnel Report- Accounts Payable
Mumford motioned to remove the Personnel Report from the consent agenda so she could abstain because a family member was included in the report.
Voted 6 out of 6
18:01 Personnel Report
Voted 5-0-1 (Mumford abstained)
18:43 Interim School Board Member Nomination: Purpura nominated Melissa Prochnau to serve as the interim school board member and fill the vacant seat. He said Prochnau was an excellent candidate because her prior board experience would allow her to step into the role immediately. Yin expressed appreciation for both candidates’ willingness to serve and contribute their expertise, but agreed that Prochnau’s previous experience would allow her to take on the position right away.
Voted 6 out of 6
Both candidates, Cale Bigelow and Melissa Prochnau, were publicly interviewed at the July 20, 2026 board meeting, where they responded to questions from the board. I would have been happy to work with either candidate. This interim appointment runs through December, and the November election will determine who fills the seat for a four-year term beginning in January 2027. Neither Bigelow nor Prochnau is running in that election. Prochnau’s previous service on the board from 2016 to 2020, along with her experience helping with a prior referendum, will be valuable during this short interim period. There are three seats available in the upcoming election, and both Wang and I are running as incumbents.
20:22 JSHS Natatorium Repairs: Roth said the board packet included information from Fanning Howey about the bidding process for the repairs, along with a recommendation to award the project to Spencer Construction based on the base bid and selected alternates. She explained that the board was also being asked to authorize a letter of intent so the contractor could begin securing materials, labor, and insurance while the standard AIA contract was finalized. Roth introduced Michael Radjenovic from Fanning Howey to answer questions and provide additional details about the project.
Radjenovic explained that the project has two primary purposes. The first is to better support the south wall of the pool by ensuring the floor slab is properly connected to it, correcting a deficiency from the original construction. The second is to prevent warm, moisture-saturated air from the pool area from getting beneath the roof membrane and condensing. He said the project would address both the structural support and moisture issues at the same time. The current schedule calls for construction to begin in March and be completed by the end of May.
Roth said the project would be funded with remaining 2018 lease bond funds, which are sufficient to cover the project through the contingency amount and somewhat beyond it. She clarified that any separate costs related to resolving mediation would be handled independently and would not come from these project funds.
Voted 6 out of 6
29:56 AI Update: Roth shared an update on plans for an optional teacher cohort focused on artificial intelligence in schools. The program is intended to help teachers better understand issues surrounding AI and build their capacity to use it appropriately and ethically in the classroom. Although the cohort was initially planned for the summer, the district now expects to share information with teachers in August and begin the program in September. Funding will come from a donation from SK Hynix. Wang asked how much funding would be needed for the cohort. Roth said the cost would depend on the number of participating teachers because the district plans to provide stipends to compensate them for the additional time and effort.
Mumford asked whether the cohort discussion would include consideration of potential district policy or guidelines, noting that a student had raised concerns and questions about this issue during a board meeting (2026 June Communication from Audience). Roth said the cohort could identify topics or recommendations that might be useful in developing a future policy or guideline, though the cohort itself would not be responsible for creating the policy. She added that the discussion could also consider whether the district’s current academic dishonesty policy is sufficient or should be revised.
32:00 Hiring Employee Under I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(c) Personnel Report – Item VI
Voted 6 out of 6
32:40 Policy A301 Wireless Communication Devices
Voted 6 out of 6
33:25 West Lafayette Library Board Appointment: Marra Honeywell, West Lafayette Public Library Director, clarified that the school board appoints two members to the library board and that library board members may serve up to 16 years, consisting of an initial appointment followed by three additional terms. She said Altschaeffl has served for eight years and requested reappointment. Honeywell explained that the seven-member library board has responsibilities similar to the school board, including financial oversight and setting policy. She said the library director develops budgets and recommendations, while the board reviews, questions, and ultimately approves them. Honeywell also supported strengthening communication between the library and the school board.
Honeywell explained that the library taxing district and West Lafayette city limits are not the same. Changing the taxing district would require agreement from both the West Lafayette Public Library Board and the Tippecanoe County Public Library Board. She said she has had conversations about the issue but noted that financial uncertainty makes those discussions difficult. Honeywell added that although residents in areas such as University Farms pay library taxes to Tippecanoe County Public Library, West Lafayette Public Library has chosen to treat the entire city of West Lafayette as its service area.
Yin asked when the library board appointment needed to be made and whether a short delay in filling the position would be acceptable. Honeywell explained that the library is currently down one board member, a mayoral appointment that she hopes will be filled by next month, and that there is a 90-day period after a term ends to fill an appointment.
Yin motioned to postpone the library board appointment. She gave three reasons: the board does not yet have a formal procedure for soliciting interest in the position, community members had expressed support for a more transparent application process, and the 90-day appointment window allows time to establish that process without disrupting the library board’s work. Mumford said she also supported postponing the appointment so the board could establish a clear and open process that gives all community members an opportunity to apply. She noted that Altschaeffl remains eligible to serve two additional terms and said she would welcome Altschaeffl applying along with any other interested community members.
Lyle said, “Does it not matter to either of you that the director of the library literally just stood up here and told us that she would really love the current nominee to be back on the board and they really need this done?” Yin responded that her concern was with the appointment process, not Altschaeffl personally. She expressed appreciation for Altschaeffl’s service and willingness to continue, but said the board should establish a clear process now that it had identified the need for one. Mumford said she appreciated Honeywell providing additional information and acknowledged that continuity on the library board can be helpful. She noted that board members agreed during the work session that the appointment process should be improved, but some preferred to wait until after Altschaeffl had completed her allowable terms. Mumford said the need for continuity did not justify delaying the creation of a clear, open process that gives the entire community an opportunity to apply, and added that the extra work resulted from the board not having established such a process earlier.
Wang supported postponing the appointment, saying he did not yet have enough information about the candidate to make an informed decision. He wanted a short biography and statement of interest from Altschaeffl so he could better understand her background and reasons for wanting to continue serving. Wang said reviewing that information was part of the board’s due diligence before voting on an appointment.
Purpura said he agreed the board should develop a more complete and open appointment process for the future. However, he supported reappointing Altschaeffl, citing her eight years of experience, the library director’s endorsement, and her willingness to continue serving. He suggested establishing a new process before the next library board appointment, adding, “I don’t think that this board, in the way that we have functioned, can come up with a reasonable process that meets everybody’s expectations within 90 days.”
Voted 3 to 3 to postpone the library board appointment; the motion did not pass
Voted 3 to 3 to appoint Altschaeffl to the West Lafayette library board; the motion did not pass
I was surprised by how contentious the discussion became, particularly because everyone seemed to agree that the board needs a clearer and more open appointment process, even though there was disagreement about whether Altschaeffl should be reappointed before that process was put in place. The history provides some context. In 2020, Altschaeffl contributed $10,000 to the RDP-PAC to support school board candidates Amy Austin, Brad Marley, Tom Schott, and Doug Masson. That is a significant amount of money in a small-town school board election. At the time, the PAC supported Austin and opposed Purpura, Yue, and me. In 2022, it supported Lyle, who lost. Austin later established a PAC that supported herself as well as Purpura and Lyle. With that background, I better understand why all three supported allowing Altschaeffl to continue serving before moving to a more open process. I do not think political spending, or even the appearance that it could lead to special access or consideration, should play a role in appointments made by the school board.
After the board meeting, the administration proposed a process to notify the community when library board appointments are available and give interested residents an opportunity to apply. Applications will be accepted from August 19 through September 1, and anyone who resides within the library taxing district is eligible to apply.
1:00:25 Superintendent Report: Greiner said the district will continue communication efforts about the referendum for the November election. During August and early September, district administrators will attend parent council meetings to provide factual information about the referendum question and proposed tax rate.
Greiner said preliminary enrollment is 2,311 students, including 601 at the elementary school, 569 at the intermediate school, and 1,141 at the junior/senior high school. He emphasized that these numbers are still changing and that official enrollment and transfer numbers will be provided after the October count day. K–6 class sizes currently range from 18 to 25 students, while kindergarten enrollment is lower than in previous years at 121 students. Wang said he had heard concerns from parents about class sizes in grades 3–5 and asked how the district manages enrollment across sections. Greiner said principals distribute students among classes to keep sections at or below 25 students. If all sections reach 25, the district begins discussing whether an additional staff member is needed. He added that each K–6 grade level currently has room to add students without exceeding 25 students per class.
1:05:52 CFO Report
1:07:52 Board Reports
1:17:39 The meeting was adjourned
Upcoming Public Meetings in the Central Office Board Room, located at 3061 Benton Street:
- Regular Board Meeting: September 14, 2026 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.
Dacia Mumford 