Crown Point Community School Corporation Board Meeting Summary 

July 27, 2026 – 6:00 p.m. 

 

A livestream of the board meeting is available on our YouTube channel and linked for each section below.

A podcast summary of the board meeting is also available online. It was generated by A.I., but double checked by our communications team for accuracy.

 

 

Opening Items 

Public Hearing The Board voted to suspend the regular business meeting and open the public hearing. 

• Chief Financial Officer Matt Ruess presented on the Additional Appropriation for the 2026 GO Bond. He noted the hearing was properly advertised in the Post-Tribune and The Times of Northwest Indiana, and explained that the $5 million additional appropriation would fund the upcoming debt issuance for HVAC work, transportation and buses.
• No patrons were registered to comment on the public hearing item. 
• The Board voted to close the public hearing and resume the regular business meeting.

Patrons’ Comments

• No patrons were registered to comment on educational issues at this meeting.

Consent Agenda 

 

Action Items

5.01 Out-of-Country Field Trip to Switzerland, Bavaria, and Austria 

• Director of Secondary Education Mrs. Ramirez requested approval for Crown Point High School students to travel to Switzerland, Bavaria, and Austria from June 14–22, 2027. The trip is designed to expose German-language students to the authentic culture, products, and practices of German-speaking countries and to give them the chance to practice their language skills with native speakers. Board members discussed the program cost of $4,876 per student and confirmed a 1-to-5 chaperone-to-student ratio for the trip.

5.02 Curricular Resource Adoption 

• Mrs. Ramirez presented “The Art of Dementia Care” for adoption beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. The resource, approved by Ivy Tech, will support the Crown Point High School Healthcare Specialist: CNA course by allowing students to earn an additional credential of value aligned with the new Indiana Diploma.

​​​​​​​5.03 Resource Purchase Assistant Superintendent 

• • Mark Gianfermi presented a proposal to purchase $140,000 in Edmentum EdOptions Academy course enrollment for the district’s virtual learning option beginning in 2026–2027. He explained the prepaid, debit-style contract model locks in a discounted per-course rate and is valid over a two-year period.

5.04 IDOE Formative Assessment Grant 2026–2027 

• Mrs. Smith requested approval to apply for and receive $59,201.80 in funding from the Indiana Department of Education’s non-competitive Formative Assessment Grant. The funds will support the NWEA MAP Reading Fluency screener and a math screener for grades K–2, PSAT 8/9 administration for eighth and ninth grade students, and, with any remaining funds, the CogAT High Ability Screener. 

5.05 Ed-Flex Waiver Application for Renewal 

• Mrs. Smith requested approval to submit annual renewal applications for Ed-Flex Waivers 2 and 4, a U.S. Department of Education program that allows added flexibility in meeting certain Title I paraprofessional and Title IV spending requirements. She noted the waivers allow the district to train paraprofessionals locally rather than relying solely on federally prescribed qualification paths. 

5.06 Resolution #878 – $5M Additional Appropriation 2026 GO Bond 

• Mr. Ruess presented Resolution #878, formally authorizing the corporation to spend the $5 million in proceeds from the 2026 GO Bond issuance discussed during the earlier public hearing. 

5.07 Resolution #879 – Final Bond Resolution 2026 GO Bonds 

• Mr. Ruess presented Resolution #879, the final bond document authorizing issuance of $5 million of the $150 million in general obligation bonds previously approved by the Board. He noted the bonds are planned to be paid out over the 2027 and 2028 budgets. 

5.08 Resolution #880 – Permanent Transfer of Funds 

• Mr. Ruess presented Resolution #880, a one-time permanent transfer of $1,809,713.81 from the Debt Service Fund to the Operations Fund, made possible under House Enrolled Act 1210. 
• He explained the transfer helps offset additional circuit breaker losses tied to Senate Enrolled Act 1, which are expected to total $4.2–4.4 million this year, up from about $2.2 million last year. Mr. Ruess noted this transfer opportunity is available only in 2026. 
• Board members asked about how such opportunities are communicated to districts; Mr. Ruess responded that the Department of Local Government Finance, along with state school business, school board, and superintendent associations, actively shares this type of information.

5.09 Food Service Procurement Plan Approval for 2026–2027 

• Mr. Ruess presented the annual adoption of the Indiana Department of Education’s statewide food service procurement plan, required for participation in federal Child Nutrition Act funding. The Board approved the plan unanimously.

 

Information/Recognition Items 

• Director of Elementary Education Dr. Ciochina thanked elementary teachers for attending summer professional development on the district’s updated Bridges mathematics curriculum, with about 140 teachers participating. He previewed upcoming ILEARN results for second and third graders, and highlighted the upcoming kindergarten kickoff program at all seven elementary schools, as well as elementary open houses scheduled for August 10 and 11. He thanked front office staff, custodians, and administrators for their work preparing for the new school year.
• Director of Secondary Education Mrs. Ramirez thanked Diana Smith and Zach Wells for leading the 2026 Advanced Placement testing administration, along with the Crown Point Community Foundation for helping offset AP exam costs. She shared that, over the past five years, the number of AP tests taken has risen more than 450%, and the number of students earning scores of three or higher has increased 519%. This year saw 152 more exams administered than the previous year, a potential family cost savings of about $186,000. She also cited roughly $11 million in potential future college tuition savings from dual credit over the past five years, and noted the district offers 72 career and technical education courses. In response to a board member’s question, she confirmed that students taking more than two AP exams may have some out-of-pocket costs. 
• Director of Exceptional Education Mrs. Paskis shared that the district received a Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) rating of Level One – Meets Requirements, the state’s top rating, from the Indiana Department of Education, placing Crown Point in the top 25% of districts statewide on federal special education compliance measures. She announced upcoming training for building administrators on serving as the required public agency representative during case conferences, and thanked Mr. Equihua and Brooke Allen for organizing an open hiring event to recruit additional paraprofessionals.
• Assistant Superintendent Mr. Gianfermi recognized the Crown Point High School Orchestra, Theatre, Band, and Alumni Band for their float sponsorships in the community’s 250th birthday Fourth of July parade, which also marked the high school’s 115th year. He thanked building-level administrators and staff for their work over the summer preparing for the return of approximately 9,000 students.
• Chief Human Resource Officer Mr. Equihua thanked district leaders for their work over the summer hiring season, noting the district welcomed over 20 new teachers in the final ten days before the start of the year. He reminded attendees that the new teacher breakfast begins the following Monday, with New Teacher Academy running August 3–5. He also thanked the food service and transportation teams for preparing routes and services for the new year. 
• Director of Communications Mrs. Allen thanked front office teams for their work during the start of registration season and highlighted the district’s annual in-person meeting with front office staff to review key information ahead of registration.
• Superintendent of Schools Dr. Terrill recognized Mrs. Ramirez and Mrs. Smith for presenting alongside him at a conference in Chicago on the topic of AI in education, noting that attendees from corporations across the Midwest were impressed with the district’s work and approach.

 

7.01 Other Business of the Board 

• Board members discussed the school calendar, thanking the community for its flexibility in balancing a later summer break with the need to keep semesters balanced and finish the first semester before winter break to support AP and dual credit timelines. 
• Board President Smith also addressed public speculation about a potential four-day school week, clarifying that this is not something the district is considering or that would be practical for Crown Point.
• Mr. Angel encouraged community members with questions about topics like the upcoming referendum to contact the central office directly for accurate information rather than relying on social media speculation.

 

8.01 Board Statements of Appreciation and Recognition

• Board members shared several recognitions: Mr. Hoffman recognized recently retired Lake Central Superintendent Larry Verraco and congratulated former Highland Superintendent Brian Smith on his new position in Valparaiso. 
• Board members also thanked the band, orchestra, and alumni band and their booster clubs for representing the district in the Fourth of July parade; recognized the many back-to-school ambassador programs and new teacher initiatives taking place across the district.
• Mr. Angel thanked the grounds team, led by Mike Malaski, for their work maintaining district properties over the summer; and recognized Chris Seibert, Alison Duncan, and Matt McCaleb in their new athletics and transportation roles for their visibility and support at public events.

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:42 p.m.