EVSC School Board Meeting

August 25, 2025 / 5:30 PM 

Full board is present.

• Meeting was called to order followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Jason   Woebkenberg began meeting with good news slide show

• talked about the EVSC’s success with the recent IREAD scores

• Followed by “What’s Happening With Dr. Hoover?”

• Acknowledge the most recent Hall of Fame inductees: Sally Becker,

• Highlighted Fall sports across the EVSC

• Acknowledged EFD and EPD’s recent visit to Helfrich Park Middle School to greet students as they came to school

• President Karen Ragland pointed to the Hall of Fame wall as well as the Central High School art wall

Public comments were as followed:

• Larry Samples - discussed Lekita Hart’s continuous support and contribution as assistant to athletic director and the middle school track meets.

• Lori Young -from the Evansville Teachers’ Association

• Discussed the success of their first workshop on classroom management conversations

• Discussed ETA presenting at the Indiana PTA conference about advocacy

• Invited all to the Labor Day parade in Booneville on Monday, Sept 1, and asked those who come to bring a bag of candy to hand out at the parade.

• Celebrated the IREAD successes within the EVSC

• Dr. Hoover said there were 7 consent items to be addressed in the meeting

• 3.01 approve minutes of aug 11 2025 session and regular board meeting

• 3.02 consideration of the allowance of payments in the amount of 12,594,8845 that include invoices net payroll and payroll obligations

• 3.03 approve grant approvals

• 3.04 onsideration to approve the resolution to transfer funds from the ED fund to the operations fund

• 3.05 propose graduation dates and times for 25-26 school year

• 3.06 consideration to approve the renewal with College Board

• 3.07 consideration to approve the ratification of the adjustment to retention programs extended daycare center employees.

• Motion and second to accept consent items

• Question regarding 3.03 asking how AIS will be able to sustain these resources once the grant expires. 

• Next question regarding homeless children. Dr. Hoover said that these students will need a homeless liaison to address educational barriers and connect students to appropriate resources within the community

• Motion is carried.

• Michelle Williams personnel recommendations: 

• Motion and second to accept recommendations.

• Motion is carried.

• District Spotlight

• IREAD success with representatives from Dexter, Fairlawn, and GLA

• 83.4% IREAD pass rate within the EVSC

• India Williams - literacy coach at Fairlawn Elementary discussed IREAD success attributed to data and communications with District and “taught the research based stuff and eliminated the fluff”

• Angie Oliver - principal at GLA - intentional and collaborative research work to tailor students’ individual needs with strategies

Action Items
Asked for approval of the upgrade to replace aging servers and storage hardware Motion and second carried

• Motion approved

1. Seeking approval of the resolution to establish a cultural institutions fund as part of the 2026 budget planning process. This fund will ensure continued support of local institutions that provide educational and cultural value to the community consistent with the EVSC mission

• Motion and second carried

• Question regarding field trips outside of Vanderburgh County. How will EVSC allow students 

• Answer: Field trips would have to take place in Vanderburgh County

• Question: do you foresee field trips allowed outside of Vanderburgh County? 

• Answer: yes, it’s possible

• Money has to go to the cultural institution within Vanderburgh County

• Question: Will summer school field trips be available?

• Answer: yes, possibly

• Motion carried

2. School corporations are required to hold a public hearing to notify the community and allow public input prior to the start of pre- formal bargaining with employee unions such as the Evansville Teachers Association. This ensures uh, taxpayers and stakeholders with an opportunity to learn and comment about the upcoming labor negotiations.

• Any person present who would like to offer a comment to the EVSC regarding bargaining between EVSC and ETA? No one.

• Public hearing adjourned

3. Request for permission to advertise for additional appropriations in the debt service fund

• Motion carried

4. Request for permission to advertise 26-28 capital project plans

• Motion carried

5. Request for motion to advertise the 2026-2030 bus replacement plan

• Motion carried

6. Permission to shift the contracted bus resolution to shift the contracted bus service to bus replacement plan

• Motion carried

7. Funds summaries: as of July 31st, uh, we've expended 54.82% 18% of the education fund budget, leaving a balance of $48,491,731.20. In the operations fund, 53.6% has been expended, leaving a balance of $31,479,255.38.

Student attendance - chronic absences - policy 4320 

How will we know if the policy is actually improving attendance? Answer: every month, data is pulled to compare to previous year. Teachers to make students feel comfortable at school and communicating with families to see what can be done.

Chronic absentees is less than 1% of EVSC students.

Habitual truancy at 10 days - note to prosecutors’ office. This is for no call/no show situations where guardians are not providing reasons for truancy. 

Constant late students or leaving early consistently? Answer: It’s captured because teachers are taking attendance for each class period (in high school) and twice daily in elementary and middle schools.

Community groups that would help a child get to school if they miss the bus but not affiliated with EVSC.

Doubling down on motivation to get students to school.

Where do we compare statewide with attendance? Answer: do not know the comparison at the present moment.

Urban districts are possibly higher and if so, how can we improve?

IREAD scores could help with attendance because students will feel more confident as more children are able to read. If students can’t read well by grade 3, their….

Kids may miss school because they don’t understand and maybe aren’t getting positive reinforcement to be there. 

 Dr Hoover and board members - students who can’t read by the end of 3rd grade are more likely to drop out of high school. Last year (23-24), we were at 72% of students who could read by the end of 3rd grade. We are at 84% now. Props to students, teachers, families, administration, etc for working together to make this happen. 21 out of 24 schools saw improvements in their reading scores in 24-25 school year.

• Discussed incentivizing students to be successful in the classroom, implementing study tables after school, and continued support of students. 

• 38 awards to the PTAs in Vanderburgh County at the recent Indiana PTA conference.

• The EVSC PTAs have given $237,000 worth of reader books in 13 months to encourage and empower young readers in every elementary school, from 1st grade down in the EVSC district. 

• Encouraged families to participate in school fundraisers to continue helping EVSC students.

• PTA is the largest child advocacy group in the United States.

Students in attendance represented Reitz, North, and Central high schools.

Thought for the week: When you are completely exhausted, but someone says that you are their favorite teacher.

A moment to recognize Leonard Collins, “The Mayor of Goosetown,” who continually advocated for his grandchildren and people in his community.