001Evening. Good evening and welcome to the July 28, personnel committee meeting. We'll go ahead and get started by taking ro director and So, the first item on our agenda is public comment. Has anyone signed up for Did you sign up for No, but can they use microphones? I can't hear. So, can you just move that and then push their button? Yeah. Did you do a personel? Not for this one. Thank you. Sorry about that. Um, so we just completed our committee roll call. Um, we have no public comment. So, with that, we'll move forward to approving uh the April 28th committee meeting. April 28th, 2025 personnel committee minutes. All in favor? I I Okay. And so, we'll move along to our two agenda items. The first being the review and approval of a new job
002description for the position of districtwide translator, English Spanish. Miss Cleman. Yes. Um so, on the screen or in your packets, you'll see the new job description for our district district-wide translator for um English to Spanish to English and English to Spanish. Uh this right now over 70% of our translations are Spanish. So better is that better? Okay. Um so we contract out for all those services. So we're looking to bring someone on board so that we have that more readily available to us. uh help answer our Spanish dedicated phone line that we currently have. Um help with registrations, help with everything we do in district, as well as right now we send um a lot of our larger documents out like IEPs or evaluations to be translated into Spanish. That will help keep a lot
003of that work in district. Thank you. Any questions on the committee? Well, with that um All in favor? Any opposed? I just have a quick comment or question. Um, for the hiring of this position, are we going to try and find someone whose native language is Spanish, like from the community? I mean, we'll post the job position and everyone can apply for it and whoever the best candidate is would be the chosen one for that one. Okay. Okay. Our second agenda item is a review and approval of a new job description and position for a plumbing mechanic. Mr. Ber. Okay. This position is a plumbing mechanic one position and they would ultimately be responsible for the lion share of the plumbing work in the district. Um with aging infrastructure and and um the just overall
004age of the district, it is necessary to have a plumber that works full-time in it. Currently, our HBAC and plumbing department works together and this would give an opportunity for that person to focus their efforts onto the plumbing. They would still report to the HBAC plumbing supervisor um and and would still work out of that department. Um but as I said, their their primary function would be to uh look at plumbing systems, whether that be um backflows for water, whether that be toilet fixtures, etc. Right? So, water lines really not a whole lot to the position in the sense of of explaining that. I mean, it's it's a plumbing position. I'm happy to answer any questions that you guys have, but is this so this is a backfill? We've had plumbers employed through the district
005previously, or is this the first time we're actually hiring a plumber? So, we we have had people who have worked within the HBAC department who do plumbing work. This is this is the first time we've created a plumbing one position for the for the purpose of having somebody specifically only for plumbing. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions from comments. All right, with that, all in favor? I Okay, thank you. Um, and with that, those are our two agenda items for this evening. And our next committee meeting will be Monday, August 25th. Meeting is Excuse me. Good evening. I would like to call to order the July 28th, 2025 meeting of the Westchester School Board. Let us begin with the salute to our flag. Please stand. To the flag of the United States of America and
006to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have no special announcements this evening. Next on the agenda is roll call. Miss Cherish President Bing here. Vice President here. Director Christie here. Director here. Director here. Director Fry here. Director. Director Parkinson here. Director here. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Next up is public comment. Do we have any public comment tonight on non agenda items? We just We have uh two non-aggenda items tonight. Okay. So, we'll save those for the end of the meeting. Thank you, Mr. Cornoski. Is that correct? You got it. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Now, we'll approve the minutes from the June 16, 2025 meeting. may have approval to approve the June 16, 2025 meeting minutes. May I have a first? Director Dietri may
007have a second. Director Dell. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. I have an executive session announcement for tonight. M chair, please note in the minutes that the board met in executive session tonight, July 28, 2025, regarding a legal matter. We'll move on to approving tonight's agenda. Now is the opportunity for board members to request changes to the board agenda. Are there any requests for changes? Being none, may I have a motion to approve the July 28, 2025 agenda? Vice President, may I have a second? Director Wsley. All those in favor say I. Opposed. Motion carries. And now Dr. Christopher will give us his reports. I just have a brief report this evening. Uh I want to let people know that earlier this evening we did have a chance to meet with
008some of our Xen Elementary and Fugit and East families about a spot redistricting that we'll be doing the 2627 school year. Information about that redistricting effort will be on our website moving forward. It turns out that the area around excellent is just growing pretty rapidly and so we are going to be uh moving some students uh within the school district uh to some different locations and that was a positive meeting with that's our third meeting with uh with families from that group. Also want to make note that our work on our virtual graduate continues to move forward. We actually have a meeting tomorrow uh at Rustin High School with our committee and we look forward to seeing many of our staff and families and community members tomorrow. Uh we're hoping to get final designs and
009and try and lock that thing down so we can be ready to get moving in the fall with our portrait which we're excited about. While summer often brings transitions and we're always sad to see Westchester folks moving along, we're equally excited to welcome new leaders to the Westchester team on queue. They walk in just now. So pending board approval this evening, we look forward to Dr. Alexis McGoy, Miss Principal at Fugate Middle School. Uh, Mr. Anthony Freyo will be moving from STSON over to Fugat to assist her. And Miss Macy Basin is also here who will be backfilling Mr. Anthony Freyo at Stson Middle School as the assistant. So, uh, we're grateful to have them here this evening. We're excited for them to get started. We're also want to take a moment and thank Dr.
010Jeff for his years of service. Tonight will be Jeff's last board meeting uh before U Terry assumes the role of director human resources and she'll be making news reports and uh in in our next meeting. So uh thank you Jeff and we appreciate your service. We look forward to starting the school year strong and we are getting ready to get off and running. I also want to put out uh I think all of us I think everyone received their print newsletter, our first print newsletter. Um I I think it went really well. I'm excited to see how we're able to use that new media uh to uh to connect with families and with our community. That went to everyone in the school district, not just parents. So, um want to thank Molly for all that
011work on that. It turned out really well. So, thank you. That's it. Great. Thank you, Dr. Christopher. And well, Dr. Almer, the last one, so make it make it a good one. Good evening, Mrs. Fleming, Mr. Aqua and members of our board. Our personnel report for the month of July 2025 is as follows. With removals from payroll, we have 16 resignations this month. Nine teachers, three secretaries, one principal, one athletic trainer, one librarian, and one custodian. Additionally, we have six retirement notifications. First, we have Mrs. Nancy Angeluchcci, second grade teacher at East Ocean Elementary School with 39 years of service. We have Mr. Matthew, master mechanic at facilities and operations center with 24 years of experience and service. Mrs. Sarah Doerty, second grade teacher at Mary Sehouse Elementary School with 18 years of service. Miss
012Diane Jacobs, special education teacher at Rustin High School with 19 years of service. Mrs. Cindy Leperty, secretary of the assistant principles at Stson Middle School with 20 years of service. And finally, Miss Donna Marino, English language professional at East Ocean Elementary School with 18 years of service. We wish our retirees nothing but happiness as they begin this new exciting chapter in their lives. Congratulations and thank you. In addition to payroll, we're recommending the hiring of 16 teachers, one instructional coach, one reading specialist, one speech and language pathologist, and four long-term substitutes. Additionally, we're very lucky to be recommending two administrators to the Westchester team. First, Ela who we are recommending as the instructional technology coordinator at Spellman Education Center is coming to us from Downtown Area School District. Furthermore, we're recommending Macy Bum as an
013assistant principal at Stson Middle School. Macy's coming to us from Derby School District. Macy, would you please stand and be recognized? [Applause] In our support staff, we're recommending the hiring of one special education par professional. In temporary summer staff, we're recommending 17 teachers, tutors, and par professionals. Personnel events have communicated and delivered two status changes in the professional group, four status changes in the non staff, and one status change in the support staff. Also, I communicated and delivered four involuntary transfers in this teaching staff for 2520 school year and I and one involuntary transfer in the non- bargaining group. Furthermore, I communicated and delivered three voluntary transfers in the teachers group and one voluntary transfer in the administrative group. Additional information. We're reporting six updated start dates, a rescendant of an acceptance of a position,
014salary adjustment, an update for years of service, a tenure update, stipens from special Olympics with free employees, and the approval of the act 93 administrative group salaries and performance bonuses per the act 93 administrators compensation plan. In supplemental contracts, we're adding 19 fall contracts for the 2526 school year, 501 annual contracts for the 2526 school year. We're removing five contracts from the fall 2526 school year, and four adjustments to contracts for fall 2526. Lastly, we are recommending 60 employees for game help. I'm respectfully requesting approval for all personal matters listed above. Thank you very much. Thank you, Dr. Ol. And uh on behalf of the board, we wish you much happiness in your retirement. We'll miss you and uh thank you for your years of service. How many years have you been with the district?
015Uh 32. Wow. All right. Good luck. We'll miss you. Thank you so much. You couldn't hang in there till to hit 35. Mrs. Angel, she got 39. She told she did. She did. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Um, may I have a motion to approve the July 28th, 2025 I'm sorry, I just lost my spot. Um, to request the personnel report as presented. We have a birth director. Oh my gosh. Sorry, I'm like director, Mr. Christie. And we have a second, Vice President. All those in favor say I. I opposed. Motion carried. Just catching my place here again. Okay. So, that was okay. Next, we'll uh approve the consent agenda for tonight. We don't have any changes, I don't believe, to the consent agenda. So, I may have a motion to approve
016the July 28th, 2025 consent agenda as listed. First from Dr. Dietri. May I have a second from Director Parkinson? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. And we will now move on to our committee report. I believe we have a personnel committee report from Director Park. Yes. The personnel committee meeting was held immediately preceding the board meeting. The committee approved the job description and position of districtwide translator for English and Spanish and also the job description and position of plumbing mechanic one. I do have two agenda items for board vote tonight. Approvals requested for the new job description and position of districtwide translator English Spanish. I so move. I have a first from director Parkinson. I have a second Dr. Dietri. All those in favor say I. I opposed. Motion carries. Approval
017is requested of the new job description and position of plumbing mechanic one. I salute. I have a first from Director Parkinson. I have a second. Director Fry. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Thank you very much, Director Parkinson. And we'll move on to Director Christie with this month's legislative report. Thank you. The legislative council, excuse me, very loud. Um, the legislative council last met on June 25th. Uh, Chris Fazio from the CCIU provided a legislative update. There are a lot of education bills that could potentially be part of the still unresolved state budget. Uh, some bills that have passed the state house already, and this is just a small taste of truly the dozens of education related bills that are floating out there. HP 17, which would require, excuse me, which would
018mandate the teaching of cursed writing, and HP402, which to uh reduce certification fees for teachers. Um and like I said, there's no news on when a state budget may get passed, but um maybe we'll hear more at the end of August. And at the federal level, there has been a lot happening. In early July, the Trump administration froze $6.8 billion in federal education funding. Um this impacted districts all across the country, including here in Chester County and our district. Uh the majority of funding was set aside for legally mandated support for English language learners and teacher training. The federal education department sent on a three-s sentence email on June 30th alerting states that the funding would not be available the next day as expected. Uh two dozen Democratic le states sued the administration and legislators
019on both sides advocated for it to be released. Uh through much pressure last Friday after nearly a month of uncertainty, the Trump administration did say it would be releasing the funds this week, claiming their review of the funding was complete. It's unclear what that review entailed or the results of it. Hopefully our districts and ones across the country will be able to access that funding here in the coming days. Um, our next meeting for the legislative council will be held on August 27th at 6:30 p.m. And this concludes my report. Thank you. Thank you, Director Christie. And we do not have a CCIU report tonight, but I believe Director Dell had something for all of the board members. Yes. Uh the the IU put together a summary for each of the school districts that they
020support. So this summary is specifically for Westchester and I wanted to mention it publicly and then share with each board member and I believe I have enough for cabinet members. Maybe not all of you. You might have to share it, but certainly it just shows how many students benefit from the services and programs at the IU. It's just a great summary and I just wanted you all to know about it and have a copy. Thank you. Thank you. We also have several uh other business items to vote on tonight. First up is Director Dell. Thank you, President Fleming. Approval is requested of the JP settlement agreement and release. I so move. I have a first from Director Darnell. May I have a second? Dr. Dietri, are there any questions or comments? Seeing none, all those
021in favor say I. I opposed. Motion carries. Next approval is requested of of the IG and VG settlement agreement and release. I so move. I have first from Director Dell. May I have a second? Director Christie. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I. Motion carries. And then finally, approval. Approval is requested of the professional services agreement with American Association of School Administrators, Inc. doing business as AASA. The school superintendent association effective September 1st, 2025 through December 31st, 2025 for a fee of $24,500. I so move. I have a first and director Darnell. I have a second. Director Fry, any questions or comments? I I have a question. Can we just um can someone just share what that is for exactly please? Sure. This is for our port graduate work.
022So formally we partner with the help for kids which has now been acquired by AASA. So for our port graduate work we work with doc Dr. Coen Lewis for our um two meetings that we had in May. We have another meeting tomorrow in the fall. What we'll engage in is work with um Dr. Shannon King who lead us in that road mapping work. So how do we take that portrait process and make it actionable in all of our schools and classrooms? So that agreement is allowing us to engage in that continuing work. Thank you Dr. Reynolds. Any other comments or questions? Okay, being none. All those in favor say I. Opposed. Motion carries. And I believe doc director Parkinington also has a motion for tonight. Yes. Approval is requested of the Deb Advisory LLC independent
023contractor agreement to serve as acting principal at the Fugate Middle School at a daily rate of $850 a day effective July 29th, 2025. I so move. I first director Parkinson. May I have a second? Director Dell, any comments or questions? All those in favor say I. I. opposed. Motion carried. And finally, Vice President Belor has three motions virtually. Yeah, be three motions today. But what I'm going to do is due the fact that the board hasn't looked at these or seen these potentially before, I was just going to have to uh Mr. Burster speak just briefly at a high level each and then after he explains them just briefly at a high level, I'll then uh put the motion for Anybody reviewing the agenda? These are K through seven community atmosphere to come around the
024microphone. So um so the the three separate projects. The first one is the um an award for um generator work at all three of our middle schools. um we had replaced our generators and were significantly under budget. Uh what we had found is that there was some more work that we really should have done through that process. So um the first portion of this work would be to or the first award request would be to fund that work for the three different generators and unfortunately grab my computer if you need to. So, so the first one, the project number is is CO74. This is in reference to St. Middle School. Um, the vendor is Power Premium Services. It's the same vendor for all the different projects. The award amount for this specific one is for
02517,000. I just Yeah, that's okay. Wait, I can I can read this. I appreciate it. So, our second one is if you middle school replacement. Uh the award amount for that is for 3450 leaving a project balance of say 1,754. And the last one is a Bradford uh for the award is for 8459 leaving a project balance of 60,322. So those are the three projects and what this will effectively do is put two transfer switches at each building location uh and main breakers for that for their generator. So um it gives an opportunity to separate um the the transfer of fluid to two different locations systems. Thank you for giving the update on that. Anybody in the board have any questions before the motion? All right. I I have a question forformational purposes. How do
026we prioritize which generators at which schools get replaced? Absolutely. So uh when when we are looking at the the life cycle of the actual generator, we monitor uh how much they need from a maintenance standpoint, what the actual age is, what the total hours are. So each school um I don't want to get in individual schools if we can, but ultimately some schools we will lose power more often than others, which means that the generator runs more often, which means that the engine ultimately gets more hours on it. Um we will monitor the hour usage and then the overall maintenance requirements for it in addition to the age. Thank you. All right. So, I have a motion for the board for approval tonight. Approval is requested of the capital project bid award as stated. I
027move. I have a first from Vice President Kavala. May I have a second? Director Christie. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. All right. Continuing on with the capital projects. Mr. Fer, the next item we had was was the roof refurbishment at East Bradford. So, uh, and both of the next two projects are related to each other. So, the next project would be the roof refurbishment, uh, for East Bradford Elementary School. What this would allow us to do is to put a a coating on the roof at East Bradford that will allow us to maintain a warranty on that roof for a total of 25 years or a minimum of 25 years, I should say. Um, and the the amount that we're asking for for a budget for this would be the amount of
028$975,125. Thank you, Mr. Ber. Did anybody in the board have any questions on that item? All right. Um, I do have a motion for the board for approval. Approval is requested of the updated 2526 capital project list stated. I so move. I have a first for Vice President Beal. I have a second. Director Wsley. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carry. And the last item for tonight, we did have one other capital project and it's East Bradford Sbury Falls. Right. So, this would be a capital reserve project for the solar arrays at East Bradford Elementary School. Um, we're asking for a a project budget balance of $485,000 um to start building out the bid the raise. Thank you, Mr. Burster. Did anybody have any questions on that item? All right. I do
029have a motion. Approval is requested of the 2526 capital reserve project list stated. I so move. Have a first from Vice President. We have a second All those in favor say I. Opposed. Motion carries. Thank you, Vice President Benqua. Uh, now we are at the time for comment on non-aggenda items. I believe we have two. Okay, correct. That is correct. President, uh, now is the time for public comment on non-aggenda items. The board will follow the procedures established in policy 903. All individuals wishing to comment this evening were required to properly register prior to the designated start time of tonight's meeting by completing the information specified on the public comment registration card. Once called to the podium, each commenter will begin by stating their first and last name and municipality. Each speaker must limit their
030comments to three minutes or less per public comment period. Commenters may not seed their time to other individuals. Individuals will be notified by the time clock when their time allotted for public comment is expired. The board asks that all commentary be directed to the board as a whole. Public comments may be may be interrupted or terminated if the commentary exceeds 3 minutes or if the commentary is obscene and or threatening in nature. I will now call the first speaker and that is Judy Defonso and that is 462 Gateswood Drive, East Gan. Topic being disability pride month. Um, thank you. We actually don't give out the address anymore. Yeah, we just the speaker will say the township that they're from. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry about that. Apologies. Well, let's just say everyone's got a
031learning curve to climb it seems when you start out. So, that's right. Thank you. Uh, yes. Uh, Judy Fonso here. Um, and I live in East Ocean. Still same place, same same old same old kind of thing. Um, and it's July and July is uh disability pride month. And I just one moment and I don't have a have a have a timer right now. Hold on one second. Yeah. I I live I live in a world where you know Murphy's law whatever can go wrong will go wrong. It seems to be I can do it on my phone. Well, I I need to be able to see it, too. So, I might need a shorter prescription this year. That's That's a good one. That's I like that size. Thank you. Um Yes. uh July July
032is uh disability pride month and actually on Saturday was the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act which is the reason why July was pictured disability pride and if we go back um a couple more years 50 years ago this year was the anniversary of the Education for all handicapped children act which is what we now have as IDA and IEPs. So, and actually a little bit before that, it was um the park consent decree, which was historically the very first time that special education happened, and it happened here in Pennsylvania. And it started off with 13 um families and a law firm. And out of that came the Parkinson decree and the right to education task forces. And there's a couple other um auxiliary kind of uh documents that go
033along with that that kind of outline how special education needs to be done uh per um the decision. And um earlier uh this month out in Gettysburg um the 29 uh local task forces got together um for capacity building institute. Um we're trying to kind of get the word out that the um task forces exist, that we're resources for parents, schools, as well as uh agencies that serve uh children who have disabilities. I mean, in the beginning, there was nothing. There was no there there was no school personnel. They put it on the superintendent to do this because there was no director of special education. the special education really didn't exist. Um but you know the whole idea behind um the task force is to kind of be a buffer between parents and school districts
034to answer parent questions. Um, Carol Clancy, who's the director of special education, was saying that part of the task of the local t uh task force is actually to kind of prevent due process and lawyers getting involved with special education. And I just wanted to kind of put that word out there that, you know, it's supposed to be a collaborative effort that that, you know, parents and schools are supposed to be working together with the, you know, for the betterment of the students. So, I I just wanted to kind of come out there. Um, you I can't say this at other uh school districts because they don't want me to talk. They don't get to talk here. So, I figured I'd start here and maybe you guys can kind of spread the word a little
035bit and uh we'll see what happens and let's do processes I think will be a good thing. Thank you, Judy. Thank you. And the next and final uh comment is from Sarah Vissit from Westchester. That is in regard to Jeff Almer retirement. Is it a no? And thank you for not sharing my address. We just had a redistricting meeting. So, as Jess closes out his remarkable chapter of his career, we can't help but borrow the words of M and Miss Taylor Swift. It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine. Oh, because while it's the end of an error for us, it's the beginning of a well-deserved new adventure for you. That's what history [Applause] Thank you for that, Dr. again from the board. Best question is Jeff and thank
036you for your years of service. Great. That uh brings us to a German because I did not prepare a quote for tonight because it's summer. I forgot. Um we're learning loss too as adult. Our next monthly board meeting is on Monday, August 24th, 2025. Do I have a motion to adjourn? Dr. Petri, may I have a second? Director Christie. All those in favor say I. I. And opposed. Meeting adjour. was a surprise.