January 13, 2025 School Board Summary
Key Takeaways: School board meetings are now held in the new central office on Benton Street with a more official-looking setup. Austin was elected as President in a 4-3 vote, continuing in her role from the previous year. There was a great deal of discussion about her attempts to exert inappropriate control over the superintendent, other board members, and school processes including mishandling a recent public records request. The board approved a $2.85 million transfer of the remaining construction funds that were borrowed in 2017 to the debt service fund. There was an update on the Happy Hollow building, outlining steps for community engagement and stakeholder consultation before deciding on what to do with the property.
Agenda with links to board documents
Topic Timestamps: YouTube Meeting Recording
2:22 Austin elected as president in 4-3 vote
29:30 Wang elected as vice president in 7-7 vote
32:42 Lyle elected as president in 4-3 vote
44:11 Financial, physician, and lawyer appointments
52:16 Board compensation
54:21 Witt nominates self for Education Foundation
1:03:45 Consent agenda
1:05:42 Wonderland lease and update on plan for Happy Hollow facility
1:08:58 Austin’s mishandling of a public records request
1:16:31 Transfer of $2.85 million in construction funds to pay debt service
1:17:58 Discussion on school board communication practices
1:47:39 Superintendent report on diploma requirements and strategic planning
1:53:04 CFO report
1:54:31 Board reports on committee assignments, legislation, and WLSEF
2:14:47 Report on school investments
2:15:57 Report on school fiscal indicators
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.
0:20 - The school board meeting was held at its new permanent location in the central office building board room at 3061 Benton Street. David Purpura and George Lyle joined the board as newly elected members. The meeting was divided into three segments: the organizational meeting, the regular meeting, and the board of finance meeting. The board approved the agenda. Wang reminded Austin that public comments must be allowed before any voting occurs. I'm grateful there was no pushback this time. Last year when he gave the same reminder, Witt incorrectly argued that organizational meetings are an exception to the rule requiring public comments (January 2024 meeting 0:18).
Voted 7 out of 7
2:22 Election of Board President: Before making a nomination, Mumford said that the school board president's authority is limited by Indiana state statutes and district policies. The president can call special meetings, sign contracts after board approval, preside over meetings, act as the official spokesperson of the board, appoint committees, and approve agendas. However, the president cannot direct the superintendent and cannot control information. Mumford said that the board president should follow policies, ensure equal access to information, avoid creating liability, respect all members, and prioritize serving the board over exerting control. She nominated Wang as president because of his strong understanding of Robert's Rules and school policies, his consistent and accurate adherence to them, his respectful and unifying approach, and his commitment to fostering a collaborative environment where all members can share their opinions. Yin seconded the nomination.
Witt complained that Mumford’s comments are “speculative with regard to the nature of the operation between the board chair and the superintendent.” Witt said it is difficult to transition board presidents and that Austin has now gained familiarity with the responsibilities including running meetings and collaborating with the superintendent and so she nominated Austin to serve another year as president. Lyle seconded it.
Lyle asked Mumford for examples of the board president inappropriately directing the superintendent. Mumford said that there is an example from this week. The school board's website was updated to only list Austin’s email address. Mumford emailed Greiner, copying all board members, to recommend that the email address for each board member should be listed. Austin responded to the email directing Greiner not to make the change, insisting that only her email should be displayed. Mumford said this is an example of the board president overstepping her authority and that such instances of the president interceding and unilaterally directing the superintendent occur frequently.
Yin agreed with Mumford that the board president's role is to preside over meetings, not act as a boss. She supported Wang as a unifying leader with experience and suggested rotating leadership roles to share the burden and benefit from members' collective expertise and perspectives.
Purpura requested that Austin conduct a roll call vote, asking members to choose between Wang or Austin, instead of the typical yes-or-no format. Austin agreed to the request. Purpura made several procedural recommendations throughout the meeting which made things run much more smoothly. Over the last year, Austin frequently rejected similar recommendations from Wang, Yin, or me, but was willing to listen to Purpura.
Austin received 4 votes (Austin, Lyle, Purpura, Witt)
Wang received 3 votes (Mumford, Wang, Yin)
My view is that the best leaders are those driven by a genuine desire to address the needs of those they serve. In contrast, Over the past year, Austin used her role as board president to exert power and control over board members, often by limiting access to information and engaging the school district's legal counsel. This behavior was evident again this past week following my testimony to the Indiana Senate Education Committee about proposed anti-bullying legislation.
Current state law and our school district’s policy give school administrators several days after they learn of a possible bullying incident before they are required to say anything about it to the students’ parents. I think parents should be told right away, by the end of the day at the latest. In February 2024, I requested that we prioritize revising our school district’s anti-bullying policy. The original version of the proposed policy, presented for its first reading in March, requires parents be notified within two days of a school administrator learning about a potential bullying incident. I introduced a revision requiring that parents be informed by the end of the same day the incident comes to the administrator’s attention. It was not until the September work session (7:21) that this policy and my revision were discussed. It was never brought to a vote. In November, the policy was referred to the school board’s ad hoc policy committee. However, I was not allowed to serve on this committee because I would not agree to stop writing school board meeting summaries. The ad hoc policy committee never addressed the anti-bullying policy, leaving this critical issue unresolved.
Recognizing that this issue extends beyond our school district, I reached out to Representative Vernon Smith and Senator Spencer Deery, both of whom serve on their respective education committees. I urged them to consider introducing legislation to amend Indiana law regarding parent notification. As a result, House Bill 1539 and Senate Bill 255 were introduced, both requiring no delay in parent notification.
Last week, I testified before the Senate Education Committee in support of SB255. I began my testimony by noting that I was speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the West Lafayette School Board. An Indianapolis reporter published an article about the bill that included quotes from my testimony. In response, Austin sent an email telling me and other school district leaders that she thinks it is inappropriate for me, as a board member, to speak to the state legislature and asserting that board members must always publicly support the current practices of our school district. Austin frequently vents her frustrations about me by sending these types of messages. Instances like this one, where she also involves the school’s lawyer, seem to be attempts at intimidation.
29:30 Election of Vice President: Witt nominated Wang as vice president and Lyle seconded it. Purpura nominated Yin as vice president but she declined and said she supported Wang as vice president. Witt praised Wang for his commitment to training, professionalism, reliability, adherence to board bylaws, and informed decision-making. I am surprised that it took Witt and Austin so many years to realize that putting Yin, Wang, or me in the vice president position would help make it look likely they were trying to be inclusive. The board vice president has no responsibilities unless the board president is absent.
Wang received 7 votes
32:42 Election of Secretary: Mumford nominated Yin as secretary and Wang seconded it. Witt nominated Lyle as secretary and Purpura seconded it. Witt emphasized Lyle’s legal expertise and highlighted the balance he would bring to the leadership team with a president with 4 years of experience, a vice president with 2 years of experience and a secretary who is new to the board. In last year’s officer election, Witt emphasized that having experienced board members as officers is more important than having diverse perspectives when she argued against electing a board member with just 1 year of experience as an officer (January 2024 meeting 15:10).
Wang supported Yin, citing her dedication to transparency, accountability, and attempts in improving meeting minutes. Mumford added that Yin drafted a plan with recommendations for producing accurate and inclusive meeting minutes, which Austin and Schott disregarded, highlighting her dedication to clear procedures and maintaining unbiased, precise records. Yin highlighted her contributions to improving the quality of minutes over the years and shared ideas for further enhancing them, including giving more details in the student recognition section.
Lyle expressed his intent to make the minutes neutral, useful, and thorough, emphasizing their importance as a primary source of public information about the board's actions.
At the start of the organization meeting, Lyle began taking secretary notes. It was clear that it had already been determined by the majority of the board who would serve in each leadership position. I sincerely hope that Lyle will make an effort to establish clear procedures that allow input from all board members when writing the minutes. School board meeting minutes should be accurate, inclusive, and informative. There have been many times over the past two years where the majority of the board approved obviously inaccurate meeting minutes (2024 November 1:12:31, 2023 April 6:42).
Lyle received 4 votes (Austin, Lyle, Purpura, Witt)
Yin received 3 votes (Mumford, Wang, Yin)
It looks like we still have a 4-3 board. Hopefully, the new board members will encourage the majority to adopt a more collaborative, organized, and effective approach to communication, helping to reduce dysfunction.
42:26: After the election of board officers, Witt asked Austin for clarification regarding the use of titles (i.e. "Ms.") versus first names when addressing board members during the meeting. Austin said that she wants to use first names, noting that it feels more collegial.
44:11 Appointment of Treasurer and Bonded Positions: Michelle Cronk was reappointed as Treasurer and bonded. Additionally, the other bonded positions were approved: Janelle Wade as Deputy Director, LeAnn Montemayer as Extra-Curricular Accounts Treasurer, and Robin Beckhman as Athletic Secretary.
Voted 7 out of 7
46:10 Appointment of School Corporation Physicians: Dr. Chester Ho and Dr. Anne Marie Bianculli were reappointed as school corporation physicians, honoring their request to continue sharing the position.
Voted 7 out of 7
47:55 Appointment of School Attorney - Church, Church, Hittle, and Antrim: Wang requested clarification on the contract for rewriting all the policies and how it compares to their existing contract with the school. Greiner explained that these are separate agreements.
Voted 7 out of 7
52:16 Board Compensation: The board approved its compensation, which remains the same as last year: $2,000 annually, $150 per meeting, and $75 for special sessions held on non-regular meeting dates. Lyle said that the board is not determining these rates; they are set by Indiana law. Mumford clarified that while the law specifies these rates as the maximum amount the board can be paid, the board has the option to choose lower amounts. Lyle did not seem happy that I corrected his claim. During the short break, he told me that I should not have said anything because “that kind of negative interjection doesn’t actually serve anything.” I apologized and explained that I did not intend to be disrespectful, but said that I believe it is important to provide the community with accurate information.
My first year on the board, the leadership resisted holding work sessions to discuss school issues with the excuse that it cost too much. So I proposed not paying board members to attend work sessions so that couldn’t be the excuse (January 2024 meeting 28:42). My proposal passed, but then was reversed in the February 2024 meeting (2:18:18). But, it was effective nonetheless because they stopped using that excuse and ended up holding a few work sessions.
Voted 7 out of 7
54:21 Education Foundation: Witt requested to be appointed to the Education Foundation board, highlighting her prior experience with the foundation and her familiarity with its members. There was no discussion. Witt was on the Education Foundation board 2014-2017. In the past, two elected school board members served on the Education Foundation board, but in the last two years only Schott was allowed. It was clear that Austin had already told Witt that she would be appointed because later, during board reports, Witt explained that she had already interacted with the Education Foundation and shared some information she had received from their director prior to the meeting. These are the recent school board members who have been appointed: 2021 Schott & Austin, 2022 Schott & Karpick, 2023-2024 Schott, 2025 Witt. I think they would have more success raising funds if there were to take a more inclusive approach.
55:29 Organizational Meeting was adjourned
1:02:22 Greiner opened the regular meeting by recognizing the school board’s contributions as part of ISBA Board Appreciation Month with a small token of appreciation.
1:03:40 Communication from the Audience: No community members signed up to address the board at this meeting.
1:03:45 Consent Agenda:
Mumford motioned to remove the Wonderland lease and Yin motioned to move the accounts payable from the consent agenda. Austin said that we would no longer need a second in order to remove an item from the consent agenda. The rest of the consent agenda was approved. Our current policy 0166.1 specifies that it takes two members of the board to remove an item from the consent agenda. Nearly every other school board in the state has a policy that allows any one member to remove any item from a consent agenda. Austin’s announcement changing our practice to be like other districts is welcome, but this isn’t the right way to do it. We need to change the relevant policy rather than selectively adhering to some policies while disregarding others.
Voted 7 out of 7
1:05:52 Happy Hollow Wonderland Lease Memo and Wonderland Lease: Mumford said she has no concerns with Wonderland’s lease of part of the Happy Hollow building but would like Greiner to share an update on the school district’s plans for Happy Hollow. Greiner said they are creating a detailed plan to gather stakeholder input regarding the future use of this facility. The process involves reaching out to various groups, including current facility users, school leaders, as well as the broader community. The plan is to collect input through surveys, facilitated discussions (with a facilitator yet to be selected), individual meetings with school-related personnel, and feedback from facility lessees. The goal is to compile this information and present findings to the board by December 2025. The use of the facility will tie into the overall strategic planning process but is separate from the current work being conducted by Mr. Jones. This aspect will be an additional layer of planning within the broader strategy, focused specifically on determining the future of the building.
Voted 6 out of 6 (Purpura abstained because he is on the Wonderland board)
1:08:58 Accounts Payable WLCSC and Accounts Payable WVEC: Yin raised concerns about the $837 legal fee charged by CCHA for handling a public access request regarding text messages, which contained misinformation about Yin, that were sent on election day. She questioned the necessity of involving legal counsel for what she perceived as a straightforward matter. Yin expressed confusion over why only 7 of the 17 text messages in question were provided and inquired about streamlining future processes to avoid unnecessary costs.
Austin responded by explaining why she consulted with legal counsel, resulting in the $837 charge. Her primary concern was determining whether board members’ personal phones, not owned by the school district, were subject to public access laws. Additionally, Austin said that each board member had been asked to submit their own relevant messages for the request. She noted that Witt provided the 7 text messages and that Yin did not submit additional messages, which contributed to the limited disclosure. Yin said that Austin had access to all 17 text messages herself and could have provided all of them to fulfill the public access request without needing anything from other board members. Austin said that she requested that “each board member contribute what they thought answered the request” and said that “I felt like if a board member felt like their words needed to be made public in that way that they should initiate that.” Austin further explained that the legal fees arose from her personal debate with our school district’s legal counsel about balancing compliance with privacy concerns, especially given her work as a government contractor, which makes her personal cell phone subject to important regulations.The discussion transitioned to the need for improved procedures, which Austin said would be addressed later in the meeting during a broader conversation on board communication and training agreements.
Rather than allowing the public access process to be managed by district administrators, the board president inappropriately took control of this request. By doing so, she not only overstepped her role but also opted to spend school district funds debating with the district’s legal counsel about compliance. Greiner and the other district administrators should not have allowed her to undermine the established procedures for handling public access requests. The school board president does not have any individual authority over public records requests. Her actions raise concerns about accountability and the misuse of district resources for decisions that were not hers to make. This situation exemplifies why clear guidelines and adherence to policies are essential. The board president's role is to facilitate meetings, not to independently take over administrative matters.
Voted 7 out of 7
1:16:31 Transfer Resolution Memo, Transfer Resolution: Cronk presented a transfer resolution related to the 2017 lease construction account with a balance of approximately $2.85 million after accrued interest. She explained that during the 2024 general obligation bond process, it was decided that the remaining balance in the 2017 lease fund would be used to cover debt service payments in 2025. This transfer was included in the 2025 budget approved by the board in October.
Voted 7 out of 7
1:17:58 Board Communication: Austin addressed ongoing concerns about communication among board members and with the community, emphasizing the need for clearer protocols. She explained that recent developments, including the surprising fact that personal text messages are subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), necessitate a review of how the board handles communication.
Austin outlined the board’s existing practices for staying informed. She highlighted the weekly "Friday Notes" provided by Greiner, which offer updates on resolved issues, upcoming matters, and emergencies. In the case of urgent situations, such as when fire alarms are triggered at a school, Austin said that Greiner will notify Austin and then Austin will notify the rest of the board members via text to check their email for detailed information. There is no law or policy that allows the board president to be an information gatekeeper. When Greiner wants to communicate with board members, he should do it himself, without messages being filtered through Austin.
Austin then stated that community members should only contact the board via a group email and that any private matters should be directed solely to her. This is why she asked for the website to be configured to only display her email address. Lyle countered by stating that all board members have school-issued email addresses that should be shared with the public. He emphasized that while some issues may require addressing the entire board, there are instances when individuals may wish to contact specific members. I agree with Lyle on this.
Austin moved on and explained that the board president has traditionally served as the board's official spokesperson, responsible for addressing public concerns and providing information on behalf of the board. Mumford clarified that the communications should reflect the board's collective stance rather than the board president’s personal opinions. She referred to policy 9130, which states that it is the board secretary, not the president, who is responsible for sending acknowledgement of any message sent to the board. Over the past year, Austin has sent these acknowledgements, often including her personal opinion of what the administrators should do without consulting the board as a whole. Mumford asked that we change the procedure to follow the policy. Austin asked if Lyle, in his role as board secretary, would take responsibility for sending all acknowledgement emails related to public correspondence, leaving further responses to be managed by Greiner. Official communication from the board president should be limited to instances where she is clearly representing the board as a whole.
Austin said that she believes that individual board members should not engage directly with community members who write to the board. So now Austin seems to want to prevent board members from even talking with community members who approach the board about a school issue!
Austin suggested holding a work session to discuss her recommendations and develop a comprehensive communication plan. When Austin became board president in the January meeting last year, I raised concerns about our poor communication protocols. In response, she assigned me to develop a communication plan with recommended procedures for us to follow. I wrote the plan, sent it to her before the next meeting, and she ignored it. I brought it up at subsequent meetings, but nothing was ever done. Communication issues are among the school board’s most significant challenges. There are many long-standing practices which are inappropriate. A work session dedicated to this topic could help us develop procedures to ensure that board conversations about school policy happen publicly and that communications from the school board are not just the board president’s personal opinion.
Yin suggested creating a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to guide community members on whom to contact for specific issues, such as transportation or food services. This would reduce unnecessary emails to the board while helping families, particularly those unfamiliar with the school system, navigate their concerns more effectively.
1:47:39 Superintendent Report: Greiner provided updates on the implementation of the Indiana Department of Education’s newly approved diploma requirements, which will take effect with the graduating class of 2029. The new diploma system features three primary Readiness Seals: Enrollment, Employment, and Enlistment/Service. Each seal also includes options for Honors or Honors Plus distinctions, giving students flexibility to tailor their high school experiences to align with their post-graduation goals. Greiner emphasized that the district is still in the early stages of planning, and collaboration among staff will ensure alignment of course offerings with these new requirements.
He also shared progress on the strategic planning process. Surveys have been completed, and focus groups were conducted in December, including two virtual and one in-person session. Another virtual meeting is scheduled for January 15, and a "Graduates Prepared to Succeed" workshop will follow, focusing on graduation requirements and readiness across school levels. Mr. Jones, the strategic planning consultant, is analyzing the collected data and will present findings and next steps to the board in March. This phase will focus on setting goals and strategies to finalize the strategic plan.
Finally, Greiner celebrated the accomplishment of a sixth-grade student, Felicia Xie, who recently published her first book. Xie acknowledged several educators and mentors in her book, including local WLIS teachers Sue Stan, Marah Brown, and Celeste Fernandez. He praised this collaboration as an example of the district’s dedication to fostering creativity and excellence. Xie will attend the next board meeting to discuss her publishing journey and answer questions.
1:53:08 CFO Report - November Financial Report - Funds, December Financial Report - Funds, Credit Card Statement, Claims Docket Object Breakdown: Cronk reported that claims for the period from December 5 to January 8 totaled $8,259,446. This amount includes regular corporation expenses and costs associated with the Wabash Valley Education Center. Of this total, $3,715,841.56 was allocated to wages, salaries, and benefits, reflecting four payroll cycles and three sets of benefits linked to those payrolls.
1:54:31 Board Reports
Committee Assignments: Austin said that most members would likely remain in their current roles. She encouraged anyone with input or preferences regarding assignments to contact her within the next few days. Austin plans to finalize the assignments soon and will notify members of their responsibilities via email in the coming weeks. This process aims to ensure continuity while accommodating any member requests or adjustments. Both this year and last, Austin publicly stated a desire for board members to provide input on committee assignments. However, she does not seem to actually want input. Last year, she sent board members their assignments immediately after the meeting. This year, she sent the assignments the next morning. Having observed her behavior from last year, I was prepared and sent her my input immediately after the meeting asking to be assigned to either the Board Teacher Discussion, Community Council, or Redevelopment Commission. She disregarded my input.
Legislation: Austin emphasized the importance of engaging with elected representatives during February and March, noting that these months are critical for legislative advocacy on behalf of public education. I agree that engaging with our state representatives and senators is critical. I decided to reach out to the state legislature after the September 2024 meeting (7:21) when Austin argued that if the General Assembly wanted us to handle bullying incidents differently, they would have written the law that way. I decided that changing our school district’s policy was not enough, we needed to change Indiana law. The relevant Senate Bill 255 passed out of committee with an 11-0 vote and then was approved by the entire senate in a 49-0 vote.
WL Schools Education Foundation: Witt said that the director of the Education Foundation had previously provided her with information to share at the school board meeting. The deadline for seniors to apply for foundation scholarships is Monday, February 3; all eligible students are encouraged to submit their application. Additionally, the annual Scarlet and Gray Dinner and Auction is scheduled for Saturday, March 1, at the Cultural Center.
2:05:01 Regular meeting was adjourned
2:12:31 Election of Board of Finance President: Austin began the annual board of finance meeting and asked for nominations. Witt nominated Wang and Lyle seconded it. The only responsibility of the board of finance president is to conduct this one short meeting.
Voted 7 out of 7
2:13:48 Election of Board of Finance Secretary: Wang asked for nominations for secretary. Lyle nominated Mumford and Purpura seconded it. Last year, I also served as the Board of Finance Secretary, a role limited to helping prepare the minutes for this one meeting and signing them after they are approved. However, last year, I was not initially allowed to be involved in preparing the minutes. The document prepared had a large number of errors. I edited the minutes for accuracy and sent my revisions to all board members before the next meeting. At the next meeting, Witt had not looked at my edits but said she would not accept edits made by me (February 2024 meeting 40:04) and so the board postponed the vote to the March 2024 meeting (1:46:54) where the inaccurate minutes were discarded and my version of the minutes were approved with no changes. I’m hopeful that it will go better this time.
Voted 7 out of 7
2:14:47 Board of Finance Update Memo, Investment Register,and Interest Earned Annual Report: Cronk reported that in 2024, the district maintained accounts with Huntington National Bank and had investments managed by Huntington Trust. From December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, the district earned $691,733 in interest—an increase compared to the previous year, though she cautioned this level of earnings is unlikely to recur in 2025. She shared that the district currently has five certificates of deposit (CDs) and two treasury bills set to mature over the next two years, with interest rates ranging from 4.11% to 5.4%.
2:15:57 Fiscal Indicators Report and Fiscal Indicators Update Memo: Cronk presented the fiscal indicators report, a state-mandated overview of the district’s financial health. The report includes various metrics, such as enrollment trends, demographics, fund balances, revenue sources, and operating expenses. She noted that Average Daily Membership (ADM) has remained steady but declined slightly for 2024-2025 due to lower kindergarten enrollment, reflecting national trends. Demographic data showed increases in free and reduced lunch eligibility and English language learners, while special education percentages decreased.
The district maintains strong cash reserves, with balances equivalent to 50% of total expenditures, well above the minimum standard of 8.3%. Revenue has slightly increased over the years, with state tuition support as the largest source, though it has remained flat despite stable ADM. Cronk highlighted the operating referendum, which accounted for 17.2% of total revenue in 2023, preventing a $6.2 million shortfall. She praised the community’s ongoing support for the referendum, which remains critical to the district’s financial stability.
2:21:20 Wang raised a question about improving board members’ understanding of the district’s financial reports and suggested holding a work session. He emphasized that board members have a responsibility to oversee finances and explain expenditures to the community. Wang noted that school finances, while simpler than public companies, are still complex and challenging to grasp, particularly for new board members. He proposed a session to provide a clearer understanding of major expenses, funding sources, and the overall financial framework.
Cronk offered to tailor such a session to the board’s needs. The board discussed leveraging existing resources, such as training binders and the Indiana School Boards Association’s New Board Member Academy, while using one-on-one meetings with Greiner, Roth, and Cronk to determine specific topics to address in a group setting. A group session on broad topics would be a valuable refresher for all members, with more detailed questions handled individually.
2:30:22 The annual meeting of the board of finance was adjourned.
Upcoming Public Meetings in the Central Office Board Room, located at 3061 Benton Street:
Work Session: Monday, February 10, 2025, at 5:00pm
Regular Board Meeting: February 10, 2025, at 6:00pm
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.