The Monroe County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees discussed school renovations and social justice curriculum at its monthly meeting Tuesday night.
The board approved a resolution to spend an estimated $5 million to renovate some MCCSC facilities, which they did not specify in the document. The proposed renovations include safety and security upgrades, technology upgrades, roof replacements, site improvements and the purchase of buses and equipment.
The project will be funded by one or more of the following: operations fund, common school fund loan, general obligation bond issue and/or a building corporation bond issue, according to the resolution.
The board passed two more resolutions related to the project. One of them declares the MCCSC’s official intent to pay for the project. The other said the school corporation can issue bonds up to $5 million to help pay for the project, and the bonds must be redeemable by Jan. 15, 2028.
“These projects allow the MCCSC to keep its facilities and infrastructure repaired and up-to-date while holding our tax rate steady as one of the lowest in the state,” said John Kenny, MCCSC director of business operations.
Board members also unanimously approved a resolution that encourages each MCCSC school to incorporate social justice standards into their curriculum. These social justice standards, which are identity, justice, diversity and action, are to be worked into existing curriculum. One example is identity, which the Indiana Department of Education recommends working into sociology and world language courses.
“MCCSC recognizes that social justice curricula are essential and valuable for all students, but especially critical for students of color, differently abled students, LGBTQ+ students, and students from other marginalized groups,” the document states.
MCCSC Board President Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer presented an update on the District 5 MCCSC Board seat vacancy, which was formerly filled by Keith Klein, who died Jan. 25. The seat was originally supposed to be filled before this meeting.
Fuentes-Rohwer said the matter is currently pending before the unified Monroe Circuit Court, which issued a statement saying they are not yet ready to recommend someone to fill the seat.
The board also approved a COVID-19 protocol amendment which allows for people who have COVID-19 but are asymptomatic to quarantine for 10 days, starting during summer programming. The rule currently in place is 14 days and will be until summer programs end.
