Student Recognition:
Dr. Brian Smith, Superintendent, recognized three Valparaiso High School seniors for being semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship: Glori Liu, Alexander Sachse, and Jennifer Wang. He also celebrated 8 students who were named National Merit Commended Students: Ava Bosman, Jonas Bozickovic, David Casteel, Lena Gibson, Hayden Manoski, Nolan Pagel, Nuala Small-Swihart, and Elizabeth Szevery.
Pictured below are Glori Liu and Jennifer Wang with our School Board.
Public Comment Pertaining to Agenda Items:
There was no public comment pertaining to agenda items.
Public Hearing: Master Contract
Presentation of Master Contract
Dr. Brian Smith presented the Master Contract Agreement between the Valparaiso Teachers Association and the Valparaiso Board of Education.
He highlighted some key parts of the Master Contract, including pay increases for new and returning teachers and an increase in sick and personal days. A total of $900 has been added to the base salary of new teachers, bringing the starting salary to $56,200. Returning teachers will have $1,800 added to their base salary, which is aimed to help ease compression. Finally, those at the top of the salary schedule will have $1,000 added to their base salary and will receive two $400 stipends.
Additionally, the amount of sick and personal days were increased. Teachers will now have a total of 9 sick and 4 personal days. There were also a few stipends and extracurricular positions added to the contract.
A copy of the Master Contract can be found at this link.
Public Comment on Master Contract
There was no public comment on the Master Contract.
Consent Agenda:
The Board of School Trustees approved the consent agenda, which includes previous meeting minutes, dockets, check registers, and more. Consent agenda documents can be found at this link.
Superintendent’s Report:
Dr. Brian Smith began his Superintendent’s Report by thanking the City Council, Mayor Jon Costas, and the Valparaiso Police Department for helping VCS host the Homecoming Parade. Additionally, he thanked the City Council for working with him and Mr. Jim Holifield, CFO, on approving the 2026-27 budget.
Dr. Smith then highlighted academic success across our district, including Memorial Elementary School winning the Indiana Blue Ribbon and the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists at Valparaiso High School.
He then asked Dr. Judy Barbknecht, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, to speak about Parkview Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Elementary being nominated for a Distinguished School Award. She said that we are looking forward to hearing about the results, and that it is an honor to be nominated.
Dr. Smith was also proud to acknowledge test scores, saying that early data shows that VCS is in the top 10 schools across the state.
Athletic success was also highlighted during the Superintendent’s Report. Dr. Smith gave his congratulations to the Boys Tennis, Girls Soccer, Girls Flag Football, and Unified Flag Football teams for their sectional championships, and he looks forward to seeing how our Football, Cross Country, and Girls Volleyball teams do very soon. He also celebrated Kennedy Gutierrez, who placed 5th in the IHSAA Girls Golf State Championship. Dr. Smith thanked all the people who contributed to this athletic success.
Finally, Dr. Smith thanked the Valparaiso Teachers Association for their collaboration on the Master Contract. He also thanked his team, including Dr. Barbknecht, Dr. Allison, Mr. Holifield, Ms. Douglass, and Mr. Rayson for their assistance in negotiating the contract.
Financial Reports:
Performance of Budget Funds
Ms. Samantha Douglass, Assistant Financial Officer, provided a monthly update on the year-to-date performance of budget funds and requested approval of the financial reports. She stated that a review of the funds indicates a positive financial position. All related documents pertaining to the performance of budget funds can be found at this link.
The request was approved by the School Board.
Contract Considerations
Dr. Brian Smith requested approval to enter into contracts and MOUs with Ivy Tech Community College and Playlab.
The Memorandum of Understanding with Ivy Tech Community College is on behalf of Valparaiso High School and defines how both schools will collaborate to provide dual credit courses and a pathway to completion of the Indiana College Core (ICC).
The contract with Playlab is for VCS educators to partner with Playlab to build a custom AI tool that functions as a curriculum planning assistant grounded in the district’s maps, scope and sequences, coaching playbooks, curricular materials, and IDOE materials.
Dr. Nick Allison, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, provided an explanation of Playlab and how it can be used to help lighten the burden on our teachers. It would be used by a small cohort of educators at the beginning. Discussion was held amongst the board regarding wording of the contract and privacy in regard to artificial intelligence.
The MOU with Ivy Tech Community College was approved by the board, and the contract with Playlab was tabled for further discussion and analysis.
A copy of the contracts and MOUs can be found at this link.
Grants
Dr. Judy Barbknecht requested approval for three grants: the Secured Schools Safety Grant, High Ability Program grant, and Opportunity to Learn Planning Grant.
The Secured Schools Safety Grant has a total allocation of $86,000. It supplements the VCS portion of salary and benefits for our School Resource Officers.
The High Ability Program grant has a total allocation of $63,493. It is used to provide high ability screening and assessment, curricular materials, IB and AP testing participation fees, and various professional development opportunities.
The Opportunity to Learn Planning Grant has a total allocation of $20,000. This grant is used to evaluate programs that address non-academic needs and develop sustainable strategies to address non-academic barriers to student success.
Dr. Barbknecht then explained the process of applying for grants, and described how lengthy and hands-on the applications can be. Further information on the grants can be found at this link.
The request was approved by the School Board.
Donations and Gifts
Dr. Brian Smith requested Board approval to accept donations for multiple schools and for district-wide use. A list of donors can be found at this link.
The request was approved by the School Board.
Construction Updates:
Dr. Brian Smith and Dr. Nick Allison provided a brief construction update, stating that the construction at VALE is wrapping up.
Old Business:
Board Consideration: Approval of Board Policy Third Reading
Dr. Brian Smith requested approval of ISBA Policy #4200 (Student Wellness on Physical Activity & Nutrition), of which this is its third reading. This policy was tabled for further discussion at the September 2026 Board Meeting, and it has since been revised.
The policy was approved by the School Board. A copy of the policy can be found at this link.
New Business:
ADM, Enrollment Reports
Dr. Brian Smith presented the Total ADM (Average Daily Membership) count as of October 1, 2026. The total across Valparaiso Community Schools is 6,239.28 students. He stated that this count is lower than 2025-26’s total, which is 6,285.32, leading to a decrease in funding based on the amount of students. Dr. Smith also mentioned that, in conversations with other school districts, enrollment is down across the state of Indiana.
The ADM Enrollment Reports can be found at this link.
Board Consideration: Permission to Dispose of Surplus Equipment
Mr. Randy Pearl, Director of Buildings and Grounds, requested approval to dispose of surplus items by sale to the highest bidder. These surplus items are no longer in use, have been replaced, or need repairs costing more than the replacement cost. The surplus items consist of various pieces of furniture, technology, and musical instruments. A list of the surplus items can be found at this link.
The request was approved by the School Board.
Public Comment for Non-Agenda OR Informational Agenda Items:
A public comment was heard regarding the Playlab contract, the work involved in the contract, and appreciation of the Board for analyzing the terms of the contract.
Superintendent/Board Comments:
Mrs. Erika Watkins, President, opened Board Comments by expressing her excitement for the Board to participate in the Valparaiso Downtown Trick-or-Treat and being more in the public eye. She also discussed the Indiana School Board Association (ISBA) Conference that the entire Board attended with Dr. Smith, Dr. Allison, and Dr. Barbknecht. A picture of the group can be found below.
Finally, Mrs. Watkins expressed her appreciation for Mr. John Miller, Principal at Central Elementary School, for making sure that his custodians were involved in the day-to-day life of the buildings.
Mr. John Peluso, Board Member, said that he was looking forward to discussing the Playlab contract further and thanked the team that has worked on it thus far. Additionally, he expressed a desire for getting more community involvement in our schools, and he said it was a pleasure to meet with other schools at the ISBA conference.
