001like the call to make an order. Can we have roll call, please? >> Director Cooper >> here. >> Director Colliver >> here, ma'am. >> Director Dona >> here. >> Director Isowski. Director Hunter Rue. >> She'll be there in a minute. Okay. >> Director Myers >> here. Director Roberts. >> Sorry, Martha. Hunter Ruth is here. >> I got you. Thank you. >> Can everyone please rance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Is there a man standing for a moment of silence? >> Thank you. Good evening everyone. Welcome to tonight's legislative and v legislative voting meeting. Appreciate you all for coming. We know it's cold out there. And those of you online,
002thanks for logging in. Any public comment related to the agenda items? Not heard items for information. The school board met in executive session following the board meeting on January 15th, 2026. and before tonight's meeting discuss personnel issues reporting presentations up first want to have the passing of the mantle for school board representative student school board representative from Jaya Ellerby to Garen Cone and Darnell All right. >> There we go. Good evening everyone. I'm delighted to be able to pass the torch to not just one student representative, but two student representatives. Allow me to introduce Garen Sirone, a member of our graduating class of 2028, and Darnell White, a member of the graduating class of 2027. The decision was made to extend the position to more than one member of the student body. This decision was
003made to help relieve some of the pressure and responsibilities that come with being the student representative. I'm looking forward to being able to support them in their new beginnings. As my final farewell as the former student representative, I'd like to leave you all with some positive motivation. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Jay Ellerby signing off. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Y'all, y'all come back up. J, you too real fast, please. J, you first. >> First and foremost, we want to tell you thank you. >> Um, for your enthusiasm doing this job um for this volunteer opportunity, I should say, right? Um, we appreciate you. you're a voice for the entire student body across the entire district, you
004know, and what you say really does matter, really resonates with us and we take it seriously. All right? Um the things that you mention, the things that you bring up, but your enthusiasm and like in your passion, we love to see it. We love to hear it. So don't stop that. All right? Um and continue to be a voice between now until you're always done always done with school. Continue to be a voice and a vessel for your entire student body. Right? you have access to a lot of people and and you know this. All right? So, continue to be a vessel. All right? And continue to motivate them and help them out as you go on throughout this journey. They might be nervous right now, but they won't be in a few months, but
005you're still going to be here. Okay? >> We appreciate you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Who's up first? Who's up first? All right. Tell us a little bit who you are and and tell us about yourself a little bit. >> Um, my name is Darnell White. I'm a junior at Stoox High School and sometimes in my meantime, I train mixed martial arts as a sport and I study manufacturing and safety hazards in my pre-apprenticeship classroom in Rocks. Um, being when Miss Davis first asked me to be school representative, I thought she was just joking. It was just a walk by joke, but she called me in the room and asked me to really be one. And I said yes cuz I wanted to really make a difference and um
006be important cuz in school I'm not really popular or anything. I'm really quiet but I observe a lot. So I tend to know a lot in my head but not speak it out loud. Yeah. Other than that that's pretty much who I am. I >> appreciate that. So what do you what do you want to see changed? You know and I asked that respectfully. You know what do you want to see changed? know what are some of your ideas? >> I feel like the dress code is not really that great. Some people still come to school in, you know, um blue jeans, sweatshirts. They have full uh availability to different school uniforms and sweatshirts and quarter zips, but you know, they don't really take it in their opportunity to take that opportunity. And yeah, other
007than that, it's pretty much it for me. Okay, I won't dive too much into I won't won't cram you too much, but um I also want to remind you too that um because I heard you say something and I'm gonna say it again just re to you. You are important. All right, we're all important. Okay, and I'm right. So, I am glad you're here. I am glad you have ideas in your head and I can't wait to hear about them. Okay? I'm dead serious, too. So, but you are important. You're all important. Okay? Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, y'all. My name is Garen Sone. I came here back in like 2015, starting kindergarten. Oh, okay. I'm in I'm in 10th grade. I graduate in 2028. I'm kind of nervous. Sorry. >> That's okay.
008That's all right. >> All right. I'm I'm really excited to be here in the school board. Probably be like help you out. changing things a little bit, you know. >> All right. I'm just excited to be here. >> All right. I love it. I love it. >> I'm sorry about I don't talk I don't talk that much really. That's the reason why I'm not saying much. >> That's okay. You're saying a lot without saying a lot. We appreciate it. >> You know, why why why be a student a board rep? Why? Why you want to be one? >> Who wants to change? >> I feel like got to be a ch I'll be a really great addition to this. To be honest, I guess that's reason why. >> Okay. >> So sorry. >> That's okay.
009Don't be Don't be sorry. >> We appreciate you. The haircut look good on you. All right. >> Thank >> Welcome. Thank y'all very much. Thank y'all. >> Up next, we're going to have Mr. Scott Reid for Strasco District preliminary budget presentation. >> Thank you. Good evening board members, faculty, community members. Uh tonight we'll be going over the 2627 school year budget introduction and preview. Next slide, please. First is uh the budget development process. We'll re uh review demographics to project en enrollment. Uh look for input from our stakeholders, assess the f fiscal needs of the district, identify high priority capital improvements, and embed sufficient funding for ongoing preventative maintenance and then discuss scenarios with the financial committee before making final recommendations. And below are some of our key dates for March, May, June of this
010year. Next slide, please. Next is um talking about some expenditure considerations, the upcoming uh CBA teachers union negotiations, cost of increasing health care and charter school tuition, and then also the deferred maintenance of the junior senior high school facilities from the capital improvement plan from 2024. Also including ongoing needed improvements. Next slide, please. Student enrollment trends. The graph here describes the difference between the average daily membership, which is all students that live in Storo School District that we're financially responsible regardless of where they attend school. And then the in district enrollment, which is the count annually on October 1st of students that attend student uh Stow Rock School District. And as you can see from the graph, both have been trending downwards. Next slide, please. This is the capital projects, the list from the capital
011improvement plan that was evaluated in 2024. And again, of the remaining work, there's about $7.5 million of outstanding projects, most urgently urgently here at the junior senior high school. The administration is currently pursuing uh recent quotes for updated cost as well as exploring grant opportunities to help supplement the district funds. And then all this work will reply rely on capital reserve fund the fund 33 to ensure students are educated in self safe and health healthy buildings. This includes both known and unknown facility needs. Next slide, please. The fund balance implications. While the district still remains in financial recovery, to be eligible for exit, we need three consecutive years of a positive fund balance and then five more years of monitoring with positive fund balance. Currently, we're projecting a surplus for the 2526 budget. And then
012also separate from this from financial recovery PD the Pennsylvania Department of Education policy ex explicitly limits the unrestricted fund balance to a maximum of 8%. While our local board policy is to remain above 5%. With that, we're looking at tonight a recommendation to be approved of 5.8 million moved from unrestricted fund balance to the capital fund to support health and safety of the students in our buildings. And then also the administration, the board may consider another transfer from the fund balance to capital later in the spring. Next slide, please. Sorry. Thank you. Um the preliminary highlights and revenues at the local le level. By virtue of tonight's resolution, the board is not considering a millage rate increase above the act one index. At the state level, current 2526 budget include historical investments and critical formula
013changes to the cyber tuition formula that have helped districts, but future support at this level is unknown. And then at the federal level, uncertainty remains around potential changes to title one funding blocks. And in expenses, maintaining current expenditure levels with the expect expectations that costs will increase due to outside factors such as annual charter school tuition increases, healthc care increases anticipated by approximately 10% increases, capacity charges for electrical, and then again the ongoing negotiation with the teachers union for the next contract. Next slide. This is the real estate tax overview. The board will vote in June on the filided final mill rate for the 26 27 year where it weighs the following factors in its decision. Local tax burden, anticipated revenues and expenditures and then shorttime short-term budget gaps and long-term financial stability. Again, the
014pending resolution from tonight, the board would the board is not planning to increase local taxes above the act one index. And then three scenarios that will be shown are meant to act as reference points for potential revenue where there's no change to the millillage a.5 mill increase and then the act one increase. All right, next slide. This shows tax implications on the district revenues. As you can see between the 2014 and 2015 and the 20 and 21 the district raised tax only once in the 1718. This meant for revenue each year but it also required the district to le levy substantial tax increases in the last five years to catch up. Moving forward as part of the financial recovery efforts the district should consider the impact of proactive marginal tax increases on its long-term financial
015positions. The next one this shows um the tax scenarios as we said shows the historical 2425 increase the 2526 increase and then with the scenarios of looking for next year at 0.5 millillage or the act one as you notice on the below the impact on the household at 50,000 it's approximately $2 a month $4 a month and then $65 a month for $150 B. Next slide. This is the preliminary revenue estimates. Some key takeaways are the state revenue is estimated at the current level. Local revenues we have estimated with a zero increase. And then our other revenues include sources such as local and state grants as well as the plan con reimbursement which is a partial reimbursement for the 2017 general obligation bond. Next slide please. This next one is our preliminary expenditures. The key
016takeaways here right now we're anticipating um revenues are insufficient to cover expenditures in 2026. A current shortfall of just under $300,000, but this does not yet include the growth of the salary and benefits from the upcoming negotiations. Charter tuition and transportation costs increasing. And then we're projecting the other cost at a 20% increase. Next slide, please. Our next steps, again, as we said, the ongoing negotiations for the CBA, evaluating different state and federal funding scenarios, conversations with our individual budget managers, updating the presentation for the March board meeting, and also monthly updates with our finance, building, and grounds committee. And finally, what questions do you have for me? Where' it go? Um my question is it's just simple. Um I think simple when you say solicit input from stakeholders. Um who exactly like have you
017like are you talking to the most part? Mostly our stakeholders are going to be our um individual budget managers within there and then also um when we do the financial finance buildings and grounds committee. >> Okay. >> Like do we put it out there publicly or like stakeholders across the I'm sorry when I hear stakeholders I think about the community. >> All of us, >> right? So input can be that's why we do the committee meeting and get input >> for sure. Okay. >> Yeah. And the committee meeting committee meetings are open. Um and the um as well as the financial recovery meeting is open to the public. So anybody's welcome to come there. >> Just double check. Thank you. >> And then you know what? Never mind. Never mind. >> Thank you. Yeah. See,
018sorry. We're going to skip straight to um IA one. We're not going to vote just yet. We're going to skip straight to um IA1, the board meeting minutes portion of here, so we can go over some of these uh newer items that were added since the last meeting. I I A1 is just to wave and accept the reading of the November 7th uh voting meeting of the Parkway West Career and Technology Center board of directors. Any questions? I see. Approve the following ABC Transportation employees for Star School District. Any questions for those two? Number two, approved accepted dun projects awarded for Christy Shahilo classroom project help close our math gap. Carolyn Smith health and full Joanne onko random classroom needs and supplies. Heather O'Hara, Full Bellies, Feel the Mind, and Briana for sure, dress code,
019clothing, and snacks. Approve the facility usage request for Stuck Curi for CVR. If I see it, CVRI for a stop the violence basketball game on March 14th at Junior Senior High School from 4 to 8:00 p.m. Oh, I can't wait for that. ID approve the approve ratify the future matrix as presented. Any questions about the matrix will be core symphony. Approve the resolution for the following board policies to be considered reviewed with no changes needed. Policy 004, membership. Policy 101, mission statement. Policy 105.2, exemption from instruction. Policy 107, adoption of planned instruction. Policy 111, lesson plans. Policy 115, career and technical education. Policy 116, tutoring. Policy 118, independent study. Policy 119, current events. Policy 121, field trips. Policy 123.1, concussion management. Policy 127, assessment. Policy 130, homework. Policy 138, language instruction education program for English
020learners. And policy 143, standard for persistently dangerous schools. And policy 144, standards for victims of violent crimes. Any questions? Thank you for reviewing those committee superintendent approve approve ratify the propell matrix as presented. Any questions? Number two, approve Lewis Slipperilla, former physician education teacher at Butler Area School District, as a volunteer to collaborate with primary and upper gym programs for instructional classroom management skills. All right, any questions? And then uh a legal a solicitor one item under >> Thank you, ma'am. All right. Now, we'll go through the voting portion of this meeting. We can take items A1 through A1 through sorry A1 through F6. A1 through F6. Can I have a motion when ready? >> Motion. I have a second. >> Director Colliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Rue. >>
021Yes. >> Director Meyers. >> Yes. >> Director Roberts. >> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. Thank you, man. Now we're going to G personal management like to approve items. I'm sorry. like to take items. Item one by itself all of hiring transfer resations and retirement. Sorry, motion ready. Second. >> Director Hunter R. >> Yes. >> Director Meyers. >> Yes. >> Director Roberts. >> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Director Culliver. >> Yes. >> Director Dona. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> I want to say congratulations to Mr. Eric Alex. And uh a thank you and a farewell to Mrs. Margaret Davis Custodian up elementary. Take items two through >> two through five >> G2 through G5. Have a motion. >> Have a second. Director >> Hunter. >> Yes. >> Director Meyers. >> Yes.
022>> Director Roberts. >> No. >> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Director Culliver. >> Yes. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Number six, approve special contract with Dr. Eric Wido, a substitute administrator. at a rate of 350 per day to cover admin principal amidences starting January 9th6 or up to three weeks. I have a motion. Have a second. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. Director Hunter. >> Yes. >> Director Meyers. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Now I take items I A1 through IF2. I A1 through IF2. Actually, you know what? I A1 through IG1. Have a motion ready. >> Have a second. >> Director Colliver. >> Yes. Director Dona, >>
023yes. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Myers, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Now pass it over to our solicitor. Um so at this time we have a candidate who's seeking appointment for a vacant member of um a vacancy on the board. And um if so interested um I would ask for a motion and a second Okay. I'm sorry. Uh any committee reports for this month? >> Policy procedure and legal committee met on Tuesday. We discussed updating a few policies, policy 617, petty cash 237, electronic devices and 229, student fundraising, as well as some other legal updates. And we will address and discuss these updates further at our next committee meeting in March. >> Thank you. >> Also, the
024safety and technology committee meeting met today. Um some really good information was was said um in that meeting talked about this technology from standpoint of making sure students are being taken care of whenever we can at school in person. You know they're taken care of at home with with the devices that they need. Um we definitely need parents to please sign up and and um make sure they get the their their kids registered, you know, to get these devices because they're important, you know, they're needed. Um we can't have kids, you know, missing out on some important work that has to get done. Um then we talk about uh security uh so safety items as well just and that'll be all making sure our kids are are secure and safe um while they're you know
025in our district um at whether we're at the facilities or throughout the attack district as a whole. So we appreciate you all the meetings are public as well. So please feel free to come to a committee meeting anytime. Anyone sign up for public comment? None. Our next schedule meeting will take place Thursday, February 19th, which will be a combined meeting. So, there's only one meeting next month and after that will be March. Uh, next meeting will be in the cafeteria and have a motion to close. Have a second. Means a journ.