Name Carolyn Gassmann

EPPSP Group 39
Butler University

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

STANDARD:
41. Attend and report on the workings of a school board meeting

Summary:

I watched the recording of the MSD of Lawrence Township School Board from June 15, 2020.
The following are the topics that were discussed:
 Updates on progress of the renovations occurring to many schools throughout the
district. Most buildings are on or ahead of their scheduled construction timeline.
o Updates on the companies that are currently bidding on completing various
portions of these renovations
 Re-entry plan progress
o Two teams working on the project – curriculum team and safety/implementation
team
o Timeline for working through re-entry plan – 6/5: received “go-ahead” from Dr.
McCormick to begin planning for re-entry; 6/10: review IN-CLASS documents;
6/18: teams’ re-entry recommendations are due to the School Board; Week of
6/18: Superintendent meets with others from across the county to discuss
consistency in re-entry plans
o Parent survey to gain understanding on what the families would like to see
 Will parents send their kids back to school in-person?
 If you’re not ready to send them back now, when?
o Re-entry plan goes to discussion with Director of HR and the LEA on 7/20
o After meeting with superintendents from across the district, the proposed plan will
be revised and shared with the community.
o We still do not have guidance from the Marion County Health Department.
o Proposed additional Board meeting, so Board members are “able to tell their
neighbors the plan with confidence”.
o How Marion county’s plan will be similar to/different from Hamilton County and
Johnson County.
 How will the plan affect student health, especially when people travel so
fluidly between these counties?
 Will parents choose to enroll their child in a neighboring district if they are
not content with the district/county plan?
o “For years we didn’t want to be mandated by the state on things like start dates,
but now we’re asking for that guidance”
 Focusing on the things we do know and the things we don’t know
o
 “We know that in Lawrence Township we can’t put 3 kids on a bus”
 “We know that we can’t hire 50 additional teachers by August”
o How are we accommodating the teachers who are in the “high-risk” categories?
o “We need one model to return back to school”
 Purple Star School Designation
o Four schools in the district seeking this designation at this time
o Schools with recognition programs honoring veterans during the past school year
 Changes in policies
o Update on student medication holding at elementary level
o Medication policies will be discussed on a case-by-case basis
 New district notification system
 New funding if the district needs to supplement money for school closings in the fall
semester
 Votes:
o Continue the Lawrence Central renovation - approved
o Approve the Purple Star Designation – approved
o Updates to the policies – approved
o New mass notification system – approved

Reflection:

Living in a time of such uncertainty, it is reassuring to hear that the Board members are doing all
that they can to ensure the safety and care of all members of our school district community.
Starting with the school renovations, it is great to hear that, despite the current situation and the
questions regarding returning to school in the fall, the district has made the decision to keep the
renovation projects happening. They could have easily put a halt to those projects and decided
that now is not the best time to renovate a plethora of buildings, but they recognize the
importance of having quality spaces for students to use when they return to in-person learning
eventually.

Turning to the implications surrounding the re-entry planning, it is again reassuring to hear that
the School Board wants what is best for the students in the district. As the superintendent
stated, he will be meeting with superintendents from across the county, as well as with the
Marion County Health Department to make consistent decisions regarding safe re-entry. As is
true in many situations, when a team works together, every member’s strengths can be
amplified. For example, if one superintendent has great expertise in operations and another in
curriculum development, they are better able to consider all areas necessary in greater detail
than if they were to work in isolation.

Additionally, I think that being realistic and transparent is such a worthy strength of this group at
the present time. Instead of thinking of this as they could be, the Board is working with the
situation as it evidently is. While it would be fantastic if students could remain socially distanced
on buses at all times, they are aware of the reality of the situation—there are not enough buses
or bus drivers to operate in this way. Knowing this fact makes it easier to create an exact plan,
rather than focus on what “could be” or “should be”.

I am eager to hear the Board’s plan for re-entry. I have confidence that it will be well thought out
and serve the needs of all families and staff in the district. Their careful consideration and
collaborative planning will bring about the necessary steps towards a successful return to
school.

Artifacts:

Recording from 6/15/2020 - https://vimeo.com/415134023