April 14, 2025 School Board Summary
Key Takeaways: The board approved a contract with PCC Sports for the tennis court replacement project. The final design includes 11 courts, with 10 dedicated only to tennis and one flex court striped for both tennis and pickleball with added sound mitigation measures. The board discussed their role during graduation ceremonies with several members expressing concern that standing at the bottom of the stage stairs may be distracting and may also block the view for parents trying to take photos. After a long debate, the board agreed that the topic of each communication from the audience should be included in the official minutes. There is ongoing disagreement about whether the official minutes should record all votes taken by the board. Another point of contention is whether inaccuracies in the official minutes need to be corrected with some board members arguing that community members can just watch the video of the meeting if they want to know what happened.
Agenda with links to board documents
Topic Timestamps: YouTube Recording
1:16 – Work session to discuss strategic planning
1:01:25 – Athletic Highlights
1:27:31 – JSHS Update
2:13:57 – Discussion and approval of Minutes from February and March meetings
2:57:50 – West Lafayette Observatory User Agreement
3:00:46 – K-6 Science and 7-12 Spanish Curricular Material Adoption
3:04:39 – Approval of Athletic Trainer Contract
3:05:47 – Approval of Tennis Court Contract
3:11:59 – Discussion on board involvement with graduation ceremony
3:21:31 – Superintendent Report
3:25:18 – 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.
1:16 - The board held a work session before the regular meeting to discuss strategic planning. No community members signed up to speak. Consultant Adam Jones from Skybound Education presented an update on the development of the district’s strategic plan. He facilitated a discussion with the board on refining the mission statement, beliefs, and strategic priorities.
Jones began by inviting discussion on the current mission statement:
Our mission is to engage students in a world-class educational experience that prepares them to be well-rounded, ethical, innovative, creative, productive, and adaptive citizens who will shape our global society.
Jones questioned whether the phrase “world-class” was too vague and if “adaptive” was the most accurate word to describe students in the mission statement. He noted that some participants had expressed a desire to shorten the statement into a more concise, headline-style motto. Witt emphasized the value of an aspirational mission statement, stating that without attention to the mission, an organization risks straying from its purpose. Yin commented that the current version was too long and difficult to remember, suggesting a clearer, more memorable alternative like “excellent education for everyone.” She referenced other districts' slogans such as “Together We Achieve” and “Excellence Through Relationships.”
Jones then shifted the conversation to the district’s belief statements. He proposed streamlining the lengthy list by presenting key ideas as bolded keywords followed by short explanations. The goal was to establish a succinct mission statement supported by a small set of beliefs and values that could guide decision-making and strategic priorities. Austin recommended that these beliefs be framed as actions, directly tied to the district’s commitment to prioritizing students. Mumford emphasized that the values should reflect what makes West Lafayette unique and not read like generic statements every district would use.
One belief statement in particular, “Academic excellence is the hallmark of our school corporation,” sparked discussion. Wang suggested that this phrasing was too limited, and proposed broadening it to include other forms of success such as the arts and athletics. Jones shared that while educators strongly favored expanding the language to better reflect a range of achievements, community members expressed concern about preserving the district’s reputation for academic rigor. Lyle echoed the need to strike a balance, advocating for a version that maintains high academic expectations while also recognizing diverse forms of student success.
The discussion then moved to the five emerging themes identified in the strategic planning process, beginning with “Academic Excellence with Room for Growth.” Jones explained that the plan would center on areas in need of improvement rather than highlighting current strengths. He noted that concerns had been raised about the pressure students feel to achieve academically, the lack of adequate support for students with IEPs, language barriers, or those performing below grade level, and the limited way success is currently defined. Austin and Yin suggested that the district should find ways to celebrate a wider range of student achievements, including those that happen outside of school. Mumford emphasized the need to strengthen feedback channels with students, especially at the high school level, and ensure their voices are included in decision-making.
The topics of supporting diverse learners and engaging the broader community led to a discussion focused on special education, family engagement, and the district’s transfer policy. Lyle recommended offering training for parents to help them better understand special education services and what resources are available to support their children. Mumford emphasized the need to examine why some families who live within the district boundaries choose not to enroll their children in WLCSC schools. Purpura suggested that an external focus group or similar outreach could help uncover meaningful patterns and guide improvements. In response, Jones noted that a landscape audit might be a useful tool for this purpose. Mumford also raised concerns about the absence of a clear, written transfer policy, pointing out that the lack of transparency creates uncertainty and stress for families in the community.
In discussing student well-being, Jones said that mental health was one of the most cited concerns across all stakeholder groups. He encouraged the board to consider initiatives like better connecting families to community resources, balancing academic load, and expanding wellness training for teachers. Yin supported the idea of spreading out testing schedules and also recommended greater collaboration among teachers, noting that some classes may be disproportionately challenging for students. Purpura proposed that the district’s strategic plan recognize different needs at each grade level, taking a preventative approach to well-being that starts in early education.
54:09 - The work session was adjourned.
1:01:25 - The regular meeting opened with Joel Strode, Athletic Director, sharing Athletic Highlights. He explained that Shane Fry is the new assistant athletic director who teaches four classes and then helps in the athletic office. Strode shared data showing that more than 50% of high school students at WLJSHS participate in athletics, with 288 students engaged in multiple sports this year. He emphasized the importance of having cooperative coaching staff who make multi-sport participation possible. He noted a rise in female participation in athletics and acknowledged the benefits of steady support for both male and female programs, even if the numbers are not always perfectly balanced. Strode was especially proud of the number of three-sport athletes, recognizing the dedication it takes to compete in multiple seasons. He also addressed updates in the IHSAA transfer policy that will allow students a “free” transfer during their first six semesters of high school. While this change is expected to have less impact in West Lafayette than in larger urban areas, he said it may still introduce challenges for coaches and school culture.
In terms of facilities, Strode praised the district’s long-term planning and commitment to continual improvement. He mentioned upgrades underway, such as the new track, lights at the athletic complex, tennis court renovations, and scoreboard replacements. Purpura asked about youth programs that then feed into high school sports. Strode described recent changes in youth basketball as well as coaches more involved in youth baseball and softball. Football is managed in-house. Yin suggested the athletic department present sports opportunities at the junior high open house to help families navigate how to get involved. Purpura emphasized the need for consistent communication. Strode agreed, noting the athletic department needs to provide more guidance, especially for lay coaches who lack the training teachers receive. He also mentioned tools like Final Forms could help standardize communication across teams.
1:27:31 - Rodgers gave a JSHS Update. He began by highlighting recent accomplishments, including the Wall of Pride celebration, successful gold awards for the performing arts performances at ISSMA, and the robotics team heading to nationals. He praised student achievements such as a national spelling bee finalist, Scholastic Art and Writing medalists, and a national orienteering champion. Rodgers also discussed the importance of maintaining accurate graduation cohort data, noting the challenges with data cleanup and emphasizing the usefulness of a new live-tracking system to better monitor students’ statuses throughout the year.
Rodgers shared progress on school goals, beginning with increased student support, especially in mental health. He highlighted the growing number of counseling sessions and the use of “The Zen Den” relaxation room, and shared the need for better support for counselors. He emphasized the importance of fun in the school environment, mentioning staff Halloween costumes, student talent shows, and reward-based games like Button Bingo, and described these activities as critical to engagement and well-being. On professional development, he introduced peer coaching models based on the Marzano framework, where teachers lead lunch-and-learn sessions and observe one another to share best practices. Rodgers sees this as a sustainable way to improve instruction and validate teaching expertise already within the building.
He concluded by discussing preparations for implementing Indiana’s new high school diplomas, addressing logistical challenges around new graduation seals, work-based learning requirements, and hybrid coursework. Rodgers reassured the board that West Lafayette is well-prepared, with strong existing programs and qualified staff. He also discussed ways teachers could adapt to the evolving expectations, such as embedding communication standards across different subjects, and using expert-developed curriculum already in place for required courses like PCC (Preparing for College and Careers) and Personal Finance. He provided further details on Governor Braun’s remarks about the new diploma seals and college admissions. While it was implied that earning a particular seal would ensure admission to all Indiana public colleges, this is only partly true. Institutions like Purdue still maintain their own admission standards, and receiving the seal does not guarantee acceptance to the West Lafayette campus specifically.
Wang asked about the low special education percentage (7.76%) compared to state averages and questioned whether this reflected district demographics or other factors. Rodgers noted the percentage had changed slightly and speculated that West Lafayette’s limited enrollment access may contribute to a more stable number. Yin asked about social media outreach and how good news and achievements are shared with the broader community. Rodgers noted the school is still developing its social media footprint, mainly using Twitter (X), and acknowledged the need for a better system. He welcomed the idea of a form or centralized system to collect and distribute student success stories and encouraged community members to email him directly.
2:12:45 – No communication from the audience
2:13:12 – Consent Agenda:
Voted 7 out of 7
2:13:57 – Minutes of the February 10, 2025 Work Session: Wang expressed support for the board’s decision to include a short summary of the work session in the minutes. When I first joined the board, no minutes were kept for work sessions at all (2023 April 6:39). Having even a basic summary now is a meaningful step forward in ensuring our community has access to essential information from these meetings.
Voted 7 out of 7
2:15:30 – Minutes of the February 10, 2025 Regular Meeting: Mumford motioned that the minutes be revised to include the topic of each communication from the audience. Witt stated that she did not want a summary of audience communication included in the minutes, as she felt that any summary might misrepresent the speakers’ intent. She emphasized that only the timestamp to the video should be included in the minutes. Witt also argued that the proposed summary of audience communication is subjective due to the inclusion of terms like "concern" and "support." Yin expressed her preference for listing the topic of each comment, without including a summary. Witt responded that, if listing a topic for each audience communication were to be included, an acceptable label for this particular public comment would be "legislative matters." Mumford agreed, saying it was important to her that the topic be listed, and that labeling it as "legislative matters" was a good solution. Mumford amended her motion to revise the topic heading for this audience communication to read “legislative matters.” Meeting minutes should be accurate and informative and that means that they need to include the general substance of the message shared by a community member during public comment. Community members are allowed, just like board members, to submit revisions to the minutes if they ever feel they do not correctly represent their comments.
Voted 6 out 7 (Lyle opposed) to amend the minutes and add a topic for each public comment
Lyle did not originally share why he was opposed but Yin asked him after the vote and he said that he was opposed to including this in the minutes when anyone can go to the timestamp and watch the video for themselves.
Voted 6 out of 7 (Lyle opposed) to approve the February regular meeting minutes
Over the past 4 years, school board minutes have transformed from a minimalist list of board actions (often unhelpful like saying that unspecified policy revisions were approved) to a document that now provides useful information about the schools. The board has a responsibility to produce minutes that describe the general substance of the meeting. I don’t understand the resistance, but I’m happy with each improvement.
2:25:55 – Minutes of the March 10, 2025 Work Session: Yin asked if the video link can be added to the top of both work sessions minutes.
Voted 7 out of 7 to add the YouTube link to the top of the minutes
Voted 7 out of 7 to approve the March work session minutes
2:28:08 – Minutes of the March 10, 2025 Regular Meeting: Mumford requested that the minutes be revised to include the topic of each communication from the audience and also to correct an error in how the vote on the football lighting is described. Mumford said that she provided these versions to the board via email days before and that Lyle had agreed to make the changes, but did not follow through. Austin suggested removing the entire description because it is just a vote to amend a motion and not the final vote. Mumford explained that the vote to amend was approved and so it should be described that way and said that Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-4 explicitly requires “a record must be kept of all votes” not just final votes. Witt said that she does not want to spend more time discussing the minutes, and noted that the YouTube video is available if there are concerns about the accuracy of the minutes. Witt motioned to call the question in order to end the discussion.
Voted 5 out of 7 (Mumford and Wang opposed) to end discussion
With discussion ended, Austin called for a vote on the original minutes with no revisions.
Voted 3 out of 6 (Mumford, Wang, and Yin opposed and Purpura abstained) to approve the minutes
The minutes were not approved, so Lyle motioned to amend the minutes to include the topic for each communication from the audience, but not revise the description of the football lighting vote. Witt seconded the motion. Mumford asked Lyle to explain why he had changed his mind on correcting the description of the football lighting vote, noting that he had agreed to make the change. Lyle answered that he believed that he already made all the recommended edits. Mumford said that he missed this one and that when he sent out the updated document she emailed him to point out that he had not made this correction. Lyle did not respond. Yin proposed postponing the vote to the May meeting to allow time to correct the error rather than continuing to discuss it in the meeting. Wang seconded the motion.
Voted 3 out of 6 (Mumford, Wang, and Yin opposed and Purpura abstained) to postpone the vote until the May meeting
I don’t understand why there was resistance to correcting an obvious error, nor do I understand why the majority of the board wanted to continue to debate this in the meeting. Why Purpura chose to abstain from these votes was also unclear. If a board member is unprepared to vote, the correct thing to do is to ask to postpone the vote to the next meeting.
Austin called a recess and asked to speak privately with Lyle and Mumford. Fifteen minutes later, the meeting resumed and Austin asked for approval to correct the football lighting section to read “the amendment to specify that the warranty be included was approved,” replacing the earlier language, “The original motion was not approved.”
Voted 7 out of 7
Yin asked how votes would be documented in the minutes. Lyle said he plans to include only the final vote, noting that the video would show votes he does not include in the minutes. Witt responded that the minutes are lengthy and she does not want them to include every vote. Austin said that she would follow up with Lyle after the meeting and welcomed others to join the conversation if they wished. This is the type of conversation that should happen during a work session.
Purpura’s abstentions dragged this on. A majority would not approve the minutes nor would a majority agree to postpone in order to fix the error before the next meeting. Austin was very respectful during the recess and, after reading the email I sent days before the meeting, was eventually convinced that a correction was needed.
It is ridiculous to claim that the official minutes do not need to be accurate because there is a video of the meeting posted on YouTube. Accurate and complete minutes are required by law. Furthermore, the claim that the minutes do not need to include all votes is false as this is clearly required by Indiana code. There is a long history of our district’s minutes being uninformative and we still have several board members that are resisting the move toward providing accurate and useful information about the governance of our schools.
2:57:50 – West Lafayette Observatory User Agreement: Greiner asked for approval of the formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Wabash Valley Astronomical Society (WEAS), solidifying the ongoing partnership between the organization and the district. The MOU, which had been under development for several months, allows WEAS to continue using the school’s observatory facilities for their monthly meetings through the existing facility usage process. Yin suggested that WEAS share flyers about their events with the district to increase community participation.
Voted 7 out of 7
3:00:46 – K-6 Science and 7-12 Spanish Curricular Material Adoption and Purchase of Adopted Curricular Materials: Roth asked the board to approve the adoption and purchase of new science and Spanish curricular materials, following a review process led by teachers. The science materials were selected from the Indiana Department of Education's STEM-approved list, and teacher teams considered both state standards and parent feedback when narrowing down the options. Community members had been invited to preview the materials during the review process, but no one took up the offer. Two motions were presented: one to approve the curricular recommendation and a second to authorize the purchase of the materials, which were combined into a single vote.
Voted 7 out of 7
3:04:39 – Athletic Trainer Contract: Cronk asked the board to approve a new three-year athletic trainer contract with Indiana University Health. The current provider had proposed substantial rate increases, prompting Athletic Director Strode to explore alternatives. IU Health’s contract will result in approximately $48,000 in annual savings for the district. The contract includes a modest 3% annual increase and was reviewed by the district’s attorney.
Voted 7 out of 7
3:05:47 –Tennis Court Contract, Memo, Bids, Proof of Publication: Cronk asked the board to approve a contract with PCC Sports for the tennis court replacement project, following a competitive bidding process in which PCC submitted the lowest of three complete bids. Construction is scheduled to begin in late May and finish in August. This is not the original company that the administration was working with on the tennis court project. At the February meeting, Wang insisted that the contract be reviewed by legal counsel (2025 February 2:13:38). That review revealed that the proper procedures for bidding and public notification had not been followed. As a result, the district opened up bidding and chose to work with a different company that submitted a lower bid. The administration has revised their internal processes to include legal review of contracts before going to the board for approval.
Greiner said there will be a total of 11 courts, with 10 dedicated to tennis and one in the southwest corner near Cumberland Road that will be double-striped for both tennis and pickleball. This change followed conversations with community members to help reduce noise near nearby homes. Sound mitigation measures will also be implemented.
Voted 7 out of 7
3:11:59 – Mumford initiated a discussion about the school board’s role at the high school graduation ceremony, expressing concern that the current practice of board members standing near the stairs to assist students after they receive their diplomas is distracting. She noted that students often seem confused about how to interact with board members and that their presence blocks the view for parents trying to take photos. Mumford recommended giving the student council the option to decide whether someone should assist at the stairs and, if so, allowing them to choose anyone they prefer, such as a staff member or a student. She emphasized that graduation should focus on the students, not the board.
Witt shared that when she first joined the board, members used to sit on the stage and shake hands with graduates, and the board president gave a speech. A few years ago, this was changed to board members sitting near the stage and assisting at the stairs. Yin added that she had shared a video with Austin last year that showed board members blocking parents' views during the ceremony and agreed that this creates confusion for students. Board members agreed they are open to participating in whatever way students prefer, with several emphasizing their willingness to step back if needed. Austin concluded the conversation by agreeing to communicate the board’s message of flexibility and non-necessity to the graduation organizers.
3:19:34 – Austin noted that coordinating a meeting time for the policy committee (Purpura, Wang, and Witt) has been difficult and offered to consider restructuring the group if necessary. Witt responded that the current committee would prioritize finding a time to meet in the next month and expressed a preference to not adjust the membership of the committee. I appreciate Austin trying to get the policy committee to make some progress as they haven’t met since the end of October. Following the meeting, the policy committee scheduled to meet on April 29.
3:21:31 – Superintendent Report: Greiner congratulated Cronk on being named the Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) School Business Official of the Year. He noted this is a prestigious honor reflecting her statewide leadership and the respect of her peers. He also congratulated Nathan Snyder for completing his IASBO certification as a Human Resources Specialist, which required 73 hours of training. Greiner praised Snyder’s professionalism and dedication to service. He provided a brief legislative update, noting concerns about minimal increases in state tuition support funding, which could negatively affect the district depending on enrollment trends. He also referenced ongoing monitoring of property tax relief legislation and its potential impact on school funding.
3:24:24 – CFO Report: February Financial Report - Funds, March Financial Report - Funds, Credit Card Statement, Claims Docket Object Breakdown, Cash Flow February 2025: Cronk reported that claims from March 5 to April 9 totaled $5,538,345, which included regular corporation expenses and Wabash Valley Education Center expenses. Of this amount, $3,571,748 was attributed to wages, salaries, and benefits across three payrolls.
3:25:18 – Board Reports
Greater Lafayette Area Special Services: Yin said the meeting would be April 15th at 2pm and the public is invited.
West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation: Witt shared that the Scarlet and Grey dinner and auction raised $47,000. The teacher grant committee has awarded six fully funded grants totaling $5,724.99. She also reflected on two successful Wall of Pride days held on April 10 and 11, where honorees engaged with students and other school activities. Additionally, she announced that WLSEF will host the annual scholarship reception on Thursday, May 22, celebrating both scholarship recipients and the donors who support them.
Parks and Recreation: Purpura reminded the board that the grand opening for Cason Family Park will take place on May 22 and is expected to be a fun community event. They approved a few research studies at Celery Bog across a range of topics.
Public Schools Foundation of Tippecanoe County: Mumford said the cupcake run fundraiser will be September 21st and registration is open with early bird pricing until the end of April.
Community Council: Wang shared that he attended the Community Council. Representatives from local libraries, the Purdue First Ladies office, district administrators, and school principals were present.
Legislative: Lyle reported that the Indiana Senate removed universal private school vouchers from the budget, but the House version still includes them. Several education bills remain in play, including SB 289 (DEI restrictions), SB 1 (property tax relief offset by possible income tax hikes), and SB 287 (partisan school board elections). He noted these could significantly affect public schools. Locally, the West Lafayette City Council will vote May 5 on SK Hynix rezoning. At the federal level, he highlighted concerns over DEI compliance and a lawsuit against Google for allegedly using student data for marketing.
Redevelopment Commission: Austin said they showed renderings of the new Public Safety Center. The facility will expand the current West Lafayette Police Department building to also include the fire department. Key improvements will allow fire trucks to drive straight through, avoiding difficult turnarounds, and include a decontamination area to enhance firefighter health and safety.
3:38:57 – Adjournment
Upcoming Public Meetings in the Central Office Board Room, located at 3061 Benton Street:
Work Session: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 5pm, if needed
Regular Board Meeting: May 12, 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.