Tipton School Board Briefs: July 11, 2026

Submitted by Tipton Community School Corporation

Tipton Community School Corporation Board Briefs is designed to share highlights from the most recent School Board of Trustees monthly meeting. Official minutes of each Board meeting are posted on the district website and are available for public viewing.

The next scheduled meeting of the Board of School Trustees is Aug. 11. School board meetings are conducted from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the TCSC Board Room at the Administrative Offices and are open to the public.

Blue Future Awards

Superintendent Scott Jaworski and Missy Henry, Head Volleyball Coach, presented this month’s Blue Future Award to members of the Tipton High School Volleyball team who helped the program earn the 2025-26 IHSVCA Team Academic Award.

The Blue Devils VB team is one of just 67 teams to earn the award out of more than 400 high schools across the state. To qualify, the cumulative grade-point average for the entire team for the year must be 3.5 or better. The team exceeded that benchmark with a GPA of over 3.6.

Congratulations to Chidalynn Beach, Addyson Chesshir, Anya Cline, Kelyn Everling, Shelby Fernung, Isabella Henderson, Sarah Jane Hill, Sophia Lopez, Natalie Moreland, Shaylan Morris, Emilie Mumbower, Lucy Roach, Makayla Schinlaub, and Olivia VanHook.

Board Secretary Kimberly Fague recognized senior Darci Dunn who was sworn in as the District IV FFA President and an Executive Committee member at the State FFA Convention in June. The District IV President serves as the student leader for all FFA chapters in the district, not just their own chapter. There are 17 chapters in our district, and Darci is the student leader representing all of them. Congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment.

Spotlight on Schools

Superintendent Scott Jaworski provided facility updates and reviewed the district’s Meal Debt Policy and Transportation Fee.

• Under the Meal Debt Policy, student accounts should remain funded; students may receive hot meals until their balance reaches $30, after which an alternate reduced-price meal is provided. A la carte purchases will not be permitted while accounts are negative, and unpaid balances may be sent to collections.
• The Transportation Fee remains at $5 per student per round trip, designed for partial cost recovery with flexible funding options and protections for student participation. The fee is temporary and will be reviewed in June 2027.

Starting last year, as permitted under state provisions, Jaworski shared the rationale for assessing a nominal student fee. The fee supports essential instructional and communication tools, including PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS), ParentSquare Mass Communication, and paper resources for Grades K-2, as well as Communications/Supplemental Resource Fees for Grades 3-12. A fee will be assessed again this year pending Board approval.

In addition, Jaworski provided updates on district facilities, the new Referendum Information segment on the district website, and details on Tipton’s new Wireless Communication Device Policy. He said the transformation of the new elementary playground is nearly complete and it has been exciting to watch the progress. A special note of recognition was extended to the district’s facilities and maintenance staff members, Eric Johnson and Mark Webster, for their extensive work along with Jessica Henricks, city partners, and community members who repurposed materials for the Kirkendall Trail. Johnson and Webster put in extra hours to refill the north half of the old playground with dirt and planted grass. Hendricks repainted the activity area north of the playground to give it vibrant colors. The city helped with removal of the old turf.

Recent facility improvements also include refreshed gym floors at Tipton Middle School and the Tipton High School Auxiliary Gym, creating a clean, updated multi-use space. The district’s Referendum webpage continues to expand with factual, easy-to-access information for the community. Additionally, the new Wireless Communication Device Policy has been posted online to help families understand expectations and access key details.

Jaworski’s preview for the August meeting topics include: 2026-27 Certified Appraisal Plan, Second Reading of Updated Food Service Policies, Extracurricular Accounts Schedule of Balances, and Beginning of School Year Highlights.

Assistant Superintendent Report
Prepared by Dr. Ryan Glaze

Key updates highlighted district sponsorships and upcoming professional learning events, recent assessment developments, accountability planning, and notable staff contributions across the district.

Preliminary 2026 ILEARN data remains under embargo until after the August State Board meeting with finalized results expected in August or September. Because the new testing model combines checkpoints with the summative assessment, year-to-year comparisons will be limited. Early districtwide results are encouraging, with strong math performance across several grades and areas for improvement in elementary ELA, sixth-grade ELA, and overall seventh-grade results. With staffing changes in sixth-grade ELA, the district anticipates positive instructional gains. Based on current data, Tipton Elementary and Tipton High School appear well positioned under Indiana’s new A–F accountability model, while middle school results present mixed performance and clear opportunities for targeted improvement.

The high school completed its first administration of the Grade 12 Government ILEARN assessment this spring. While the results do not impact the school’s accountability grade, they provide useful curriculum insights and may contribute additional points under the new model. Combined with a strong graduation rate and solid Biology performance, Tipton High School is well positioned as accountability calculations are finalized. As more state data is released, a full analysis and projected accountability grades will be shared with the Board.

Shout Outs:

• Custodial Team: Recognized for exceptional work restoring the middle school’s terrazzo floors.
• Eric Johnson & Mark Weaver: Commended for preparing and reseeding the former playground area, creating a new green space.
• Steven Gingerich & Peggy Georgi: Applauded for developing the district’s referendum website, ensuring clear, accessible communication for the community.
• Scott Jaworski: Praised for outstanding leadership.

Director of Food Service Report
Prepared by Adam Proloux

The 2025-26 school year has officially closed, with kitchens cleaned and shut down for summer. Staff are preparing software, orders, menus, schedules, and other operational needs for the coming year. Summer meal service averaged 24 students per day. The department is filling one open high school position and continues reviewing candidates for two openings in the middle school/elementary school kitchen.

New Business

2027 Budget Timeline approved

The Board approved the 2027 Budget Timeline as required annually by the Department of Local Government Finance. The calendar outlines key dates for the upcoming budget process including the public hearing on Sept. 22 and final adoption on Oct. 13, 2026. Approval of the timeline allows the district to proceed with the required development, public notice, hearing, and adoption steps.

2026-27 Handbooks approved

The Board approved the updated 2026-27 student handbooks, which reflect recent legislative changes and other necessary revisions for the upcoming school year pending recommended updates to personal days and new and existing driver language in the Transportation segment. Each handbook was accompanied by a memo outlining updates from 2025-26 school year previously shared with the Board for review and comment.

KASEC Joint Services Agreement approved

The Board approved the annual Joint Services Agreement with the Kokomo Area Special Education Cooperative (KASEC) formalizing TCSC’s continued participation in the cooperative alongside other member districts. This agreement ensures ongoing access to special education programs, services, staffing, and supports for eligible students while maintaining TCSC’s responsibilities as a member district.

Franciscan Health Sports Medicine MOU Agreement approved

The Board approved a three-year memorandum of understanding with Franciscan Health to continue athletic training and sports medicine services for Tipton High School contingent on recommended updates by board member, Tami Brown. The agreement provides athletic trainer coverage for high school athletics, support for home IHSAA events, coverage for away varsity football games, physician support for varsity football, and consultation, injury prevention, and treatment services. Costs are set at $18,000 in year one, $21,000 in year two, and $25,000 in year three, covering July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.

Communications/Supplemental Resource Fee for 2026-27 approval

The Board approved the 2026-27 Communications/Supplemental Resource Fee, permitted under HEA 1002 (2023), which allows schools to charge reasonable fees for non-curricular materials that support instruction. Based on projected costs, the fee will be set at $40 for students in grades K-2 and $45 for students in grades 3-12.

Professional Services Agreement with Dr. Melody Marley approved

The Board approved a professional services agreement with Dr. Melody Marley for the 2026-27 school year. Under the agreement, Dr. Marley will review and sign Medicaid orders generated by TCSC with total compensation set at a flat fee of $500.

First Reading: Wellness & Meal Debt Policy update

Following the Food Service Audit this spring, the district is required to update Policy A275, F175, and F176.

• Policy A275 establishes the Corporation’s commitment to student wellness through nutrition education, healthy food standards, physical activity, public participation, and regular review of wellness practices.
• Policy F175 establishes procedures for collecting debts owed to the school corporation, documenting collection efforts, authorizing limited debt forgiveness or write-offs under defined circumstances, and properly handling remaining positive account balances.
• Policy F176 establishes procedures for managing unpaid student meal balances, including family notifications, charging limits, alternate meals, collection efforts, appeals, and the handling of inactive accounts.

ClaimAid School-Based Medicaid Billing Services Agreement approved

The Board approved an agreement with ClaimAid Consulting Corporation to support school-based Medicaid billing. ClaimAid will handle claim preparation, submission, follow-up, and reconciliation, while TCSC maintains responsibility for eligibility, documentation, program oversight, and compliance. ClaimAid will receive 8 percent of the federal portion of successful reimbursements with no fee for denied claims. The agreement meets the requirements of Indiana Senate Bill 200.

2026-27 Advisory Committees formed

TCSC has established its 2026-27 School Board Advisory Committees. Each focuses on key areas of district operations and planning and first meeting dates:

• School Finance Committee: Eric Underwood, Rob Cochrane, and Tami Brown
• Academics & Teacher Development Committee: Beth Woelfert and Jennifer Humrichous
• Communications, Public Relations, & Culture Committee: Andrea Campbell and Kimberly Fague
• Wellness Committee: Tami Brown
• Safety Committee: Kimberly Fague.

In other board activity, TES Teacher Paula Stevens was recognized for perfect attendance for both 2024-25 and 2025-26. Superintendent Scott Jaworski commented that this is truly an outstanding achievement. TMS Principal John Ayars introduced and welcomed Ashley Higgins, the new sixth-grade English Language Arts teacher.

THS Student Body President Kennedy Lancaster requested permission to revive the tradition of decorating senior parking spots with students submitting designs in advance and repainting spaces to original condition at year’s end. Board President Rob Cochrane asked Dr. Glaze to work with Principal Leach to determine feasibility, outline guidelines, and explore directing any associated fees toward meal account balances.

Important Dates

• Aug. 3: TMS Rocks (sixth grade)
• Aug. 4: Teacher Workday
• Aug. 4: THS Blue Devil Kick Off (freshman)
• Aug. 4: Blue Devil Bash/Open House, 4 to 7 p.m.
• Aug. 5: Staff Prof. Development Day
• Aug. 6: First Day for Students
• Aug. 11: TCSC School Board Meeting