001like the call meeting to order. Before we begin tonight's meeting, um we're going to have Judge, honorable Judge Bruce Bonnie, come on up for the oath as we have our newly elected school board members. Also, get ready to uh say the oath for our new term. board members. We're going to go to we're go on this side over here. >> Good evening everyone and thank you for inviting me. Uh yes, if I can have the four uh reelected candidates here. All righty. Thank you. As with your prior service, we all wish you, each of you, Godspeed as you embark on this next endeavor of public service and ongoing commitment to our collective prosperity. Would you kindly now each raise your right hand and repeat after me? I state your name. >> Do solemnly swear or
002affirm. is always >> that I will support, obey, and defend >> the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania >> and the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of >> And that I will discharge the duties of my office >> discharge the duties of my office >> as director of the Stow Rocks School Board. as director of school board >> with fidelity. >> Congratulations to each of you. [applause] >> We got one up here. You can share. All right. One for each of you. Wherever you want to sign is fine. [laughter] >> Oh, sorry. >> So, this is Adrian. Adrian, that's >> Yeah, that's right. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thanks everyone. >> You sir.
003[clears throat] [snorts] All right. Thank you again, Judge Bonnie. We appreciate you, sir. And to all the board members that remain on the board, thank y'all very much. Thank y'all for this uh hard work that we're doing and I'm so excited to continue serving with you all superintendent the district as a whole and um continue to make some changes and some positive uh changes in this district. So I can't wait to see what happens next. So again, thank y'all and I'm looking forward to working with y'all for the next four years. Next, can we have please wrap a I'm sorry. Darren, please write a pledge of allegiance. >> 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
004and justice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. Thank you. >> Sorry. Can we have roll call, please? >> Director Cooper, >> here. Director Culver >> here. >> Director Dona >> here. >> Director Isowski >> here. >> Director Hunter Rue >> here. >> Director Meyers. >> Director Roberts >> here. >> Six members present. >> Thank you, ma'am. At this time, like to turn the meeting over to our solicitor, um, Michelle Ganon, who will act as our temporary chairperson. Thank you so much. Um so tonight we are reorganizing meaning we are going to um elect um a president uh to serve the following year's term as the board president. And so at this time I'm going to open the floor for uh nominations for school board president for the following school year. >>
005Hammer Civer. Okay. And are there any other nominations for president? Hearing none, I will close uh the opportunity for nominations. And I would now ask for a roll call vote uh as to uh candidate Culver. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Directors, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Congratulations, President Culliver. And I will turn it back to you um to uh elect the vice president for your turn. >> Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate that. And again, thank you all again for choosing me to be your president as we move forward for yet another year. Looking forward to what's about to happen in this district. I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy to be
006uh at the seat. for you all with you all. So, thank you. At this time, I'd like to ask for nominations for vice president for 2026. I can nominate Director Roberts. Any other nominations? None heard. Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Zowski, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> All right. Now can I ask for nominations for a 2026 board treasurer from December 4, 2025 until the next reorg meeting December 2026. >> Like to also nominate director Hunter Ru. Any other nominations? None heard. Mrs. Hoover. >> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Director Culliver. >> Yes. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Director Zowski. >> Yes. >> Director Hunter Rue. >> Yes. >> Director
007Roberts. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Congratulations. Next like to appoint the offices of Weiss Brook Kramer LLC as solicitor and Lake Tax Collector for Stout School District for 2026. I have a motion. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Isowski, >> yes. >> Director Hunter, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Congratulations, ma'am. >> Thank you so much. We're happy to continue to work with the district very truly. Thank you. Next, I'd like to appoint Pennsylvania Schoolboard Association liaison, PSBA liaison for the upcoming school year. I'm sorry, upcoming year nominations like to nominate Director Da. Any other nominations? None heard. Mrs. Uber. >> Director Cooper.
008>> Yes. >> Director Culver. >> Yes. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Director Isowski. >> Yes. >> Director Hunter Rue. >> Yes. >> Director Roberts. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you, ma'am. Congratulations. >> Next. At that point a PSBA alternate leaison nominate Mrs. Cooper. Any other nominations hearing? None. Mrs. Hoover. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Director Zowski. >> Yes. >> Director Hunter. >> Yes. >> Director Roberts. >> Yes. >> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Director Culliver. >> Yes. Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Congratulations. Up next at the Point Parkway West Current Technology Center liaison. Any nominations to nominate Director Meyers? Any other nominations? None heard. Mr. Zuber. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Director Zowski. >> Yes. >> Director Hunter Roo. >> Yes. >> Director Roberts. >> Yes.
009>> Director Cooper. >> Yes. >> Director Colliver. >> Yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. And also like to appoint Parkway Center liaison alternate like to nominate director Hzoski. Any other nominations? None heard. Mrs. Hoover. >> Director Donia. >> Yes. >> Director Zowski. Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Myers. Oh, sorry. Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. >> Up next is to approve the official newspaper. Appoint Pittsburgh Post Gazette and West Hills Gazette as the official newspapers for the Stur Rock School District for 226. Have a motion. Have a second. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Zowski,
010>> no. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Next, I also like to approve the 2026 Start School Board meeting schedule. Have a motion. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Director Roberts. >> Yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Zowski, >> yes. Director Hunter, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you, ma'am. I want to say this before superintendent says anything, if she has anything. Um, anyone who's out there online, those in person, we're looking forward to this meeting schedule. We're coming to a community near you, right? We're trying to meet you where you're at. So, we're hoping to really get out there and out and about and seeing you all. You don't have to go too far. You
011don't have to hop online if you don't want to. come out, come and see us, ask your questions. Sign up, please ask your questions. We can answer your questions. Close mouths, don't get fed. Um, and we want to make sure that we're making the most changes and positive changes for you, um, and your neighbors, your your children, um, even if you don't go to school here, the community as a whole. Uh, so we're looking forward to making some changes out in the community. Um, but also meeting you where you're at. So, please come out and see us. >> All right. Items for information. Mr. agree. >> Thank you. Um with the short time between last month, the end of November and December, um I don't have financial reports for December yet. I will present or
012for November. I will present December and November and January's meeting. Um but just an update, uh the AFR and the audit are on track to be done on [snorts] time um with the extension on the AFR. And then also in January, we'll start the preview and the prelim for forecasting the budget for next year barring any questions. Also, um because you guys had that training with Michael Lamb, he's also before the audit gets presented in the spring, he's going to do the part two of that training, too. So, you guys can see that. >> Thank you. Anybody have any questions? All right. and none heard. Before we go into reports presentations, let you all know that we did meet before this meeting uh for executive session uh to go over personnel items. Now we'll go
013through reports of presentations. Let's go to our superintendent, Mrs. Sonia Coleman. And sorry, I'll let you take it from there. >> Good evening, those present and those online. my report this month, as I said in the prior month, um giving other departments an opportunity to provide an update because oftentimes the community isn't aware of what each department is doing and the the fabulous work that has taken place and give you a break from hearing from me every single month. So, I am going to turn it over to our director of student services and title nine, Mrs. Brittany Liten Liten Bigler. [clears throat] >> It's quite a mouthful. Uh, thank you for having me tonight. Um, looking at the slide, Chris, thank you for your help. You can go ahead to the next one. Just a
014short intro about myself. Um, my educational background. I earned my master's degree in special education from California University of Pennsylvania when that still existed in 2010 and most recently uh my supervision of special education from Slippery Rock University. Um my experience I've taught special education in several schools in the surrounding area. Uh Mon Valley School at the AIU, West Alagany as a learning support and emotional support teacher. Uh Baldwin Whiteall teaching SEAL to autistic support students um and self-contained kindergarten. um and then most recently Keystone Oaks Life Skills um high school and unified botchi coach and um served as interim or intern supervisor of special education um until I came here. On a more personal note, I have two sons at home, Murphy age seven and Henry age five. Next slide. So I want to
015start off with looking at where we are coming from. So looking at special education data from previous school years, the 2425 isn't publicly released just yet, but we have increased the participation for our students with IEPs in state assessments, PSSAs, Keystone testing. Unfortunately, our proficiency rate has not increased. It was um at a very low rate. So low that the state was not able to report on the proficiency rates of those. So we know we have work to do. We need to change the way that we are presenting education, delivering education to our students with special education needs. So that's what we're focusing on. Next slide. When we look at what it costs to educate our special ed students, we see that our vendors are about $4.6 million of the budget. That's all of student
016services, mental health, transportation for out of district, thirdparty agencies like our paraprofessionals. Um it's quite the bill. So, we're looking at how can we build that infrastructure inhouse, keeping those people in district so that we can grow them professionally and keep them within our community and also save ourselves some money to continue to grow those programs inhouse. Um, looking at outofdist costs, about $5.8 million were spent on outofd costs for special education and student services. Next slide. So, we did a deep dive into this. When we're looking at our action items for our recovery plan, we have very specific um targets to meet. So, one of these targets within our instructional programs and operational initiatives is to evaluate the impact of in-house versus out of district programs on students outcomes and the associated benefits of
017potential expansion of in-house programs. Um, I've linked a spreadsheet here. You can go ahead and click on that, Chris. Um, if you go back out of slideshow. Yeah, right there. Thank you. So, this is a copy of our act 16 reporting. Um, it's not the actual version because that would have student information in it, but this is redacted. Um, this sheet shows all of the places that we have outside schooling for our special education students and the costs associated for the total year as well as broken down to average per student. Um, if you go continue to scroll down, Chris, at the bottom, that number there, almost $2.4 million, that's just sending our kids to outof district placements between tuition, transportation, um, paraprofessionals, and related services. So, while we want to meet the needs of
018our students, we want to look at how can we best serve them here to increase their least restrictive environment, keep them in our community, and also keep those dollars within our own Stow rocks infrastructure. Can close that out, Chris. When we look at um how much of our district is comprised of special education, we can see that year-to-year um the difference between what we have and the state average is between 5 to 7% higher than the state. Um we have about a quarter of our district receiving special education services. So we really need to invest in these kiddos and make sure that we are providing the best education that we can from our own um buildings, staff, structure and programming. Next slide. Um, to do this, we've looked at a number of consultants that are
019here on a grant basis from the AIU, Watson, and Patton. So, these are no cost to the district. They're here serving as coaches to our teachers and our pair professionals to increase their skill set so that we can serve more of those kids in our buildings. So, we looked at each of the consultants and again, those columns are grayed out, redacted to not release any teacher or consultant personal information. um but looking at each of their skill sets and the greatest need in each of the buildings and spreading those out to make sure that we were very um intentional on where we were putting coaching and consultation to increase um the outcomes that our students are producing. So, this is helping us with another one of our recovery plan action items to develop a continuum
020of supports and services to provide least restrictive local learning environments where possible. Next slide. Um, another one of the action items here providing those least restrictive environments are enhancing the programs in each building. So, this year we've only been in school a couple of months, but we've already done some pretty big things at each of the buildings. At the primary center, we've added an additional life skills support classroom and emotional support classroom. So, this gives us more of an opportunity to keep our babies in house, give them a smaller group setting, give them a variety of um ways that they can learn, whether that's self-contained, staying in the classroom, or pushing out with their typically developing peers with a special education teacher going alongside them. So, it's opened up a lot of opportunities for those
021children. We've also added two paraprofessional support positions um one of whom is going to be voted on later this meeting um so that we can provide additional supports to those students who need um more individualized attention. And then we've implemented the unique learning system curriculum to our life skills students. It's a researchbased program focused on um state standards but adapted in a way that our students with intellectual disabilities or autism are able to access on their level. And one of our Watson consultants that I referenced in the last slide um has been pushing into the classroom to work with teachers on making sure that they're implementing it with fidelity to make sure that our students are getting the best support and growing. At the upper elementary, we noticed that we didn't have a sensory room
022or a regulation space. So, when some of our students have those big emotions that they're still learning how to navigate, they don't have somewhere to go to release some of that high energy physical aggression or a safe space to um release their stimulation. So, we're working on building that with safe items in the classroom that are soft with soft lighting, soft sounds, um, and they can have privacy to engage in that behavior that is, um, maybe not something that they want on public for the rest of their classmates to see. In that building, we're also implementing the ULS curriculum under the Watson consultation. And we've received tremendous feedback from that building specifically as those students are getting a little bit older and we're seeing a little bit more of that content driven learning from some
023of our most vulnerable learners. So that's been really exciting. And then finally, at our junior senior high school, we have added again an additional emotional support classroom. We recognize that there is a great need there. And when we have a 7 to12 building, we do need to have more opportunities for those kids to receive those supports in a smaller group environment. Um, we've also moved to a full inclusion model for all of our learning and emotional support students. We want them learning alongside their typical peers and we want them to be engaging in grade level content delivered by qualified instructure, qualified instruction um, with the content that we are investing in. So, they have the opportunity to learn in a classroom with the general ed teacher who's the content master as well as a special
024education teacher who specializes in adapting their learning to the level that they need it. But then they can also that special ed teacher if those students need maybe a smaller group to take a test or focus on an area or they need a break, they can then pull them from the class and go to the resource room or the emotional support classrooms, take that break, get the extra help that they need, and then get back into class with their peers. Um, and we also have um with that push for co-eing and inclusion, we wanted to make sure that our teachers had the skills to make that shift. It's a different style of teaching and we don't want to ask our staff to do anything that they're not fully trained to do. So the AIU um
025TAC unit has come in monthly to provide um training during PLC times and we'll also be doing walkthroughs and learning tours um to make sure that the lessons that they're learning in that professional development are being implemented for our students so that they have all the tools that they need. Next slide. Um, I lumped two of these action items together because I feel that they really relate to one another. Um, one is to implement and maintain progress monitoring systems for all students receiving supports outside of district classrooms that is equitable to the monitoring systems used in district. And the second action item here is to develop and articulate standardized processes and procedures for the identification and placement of students who are struggling academically or behaviorally and implement them with fidelity. And I connected these two
026because we can't determine whether or not a student needs to be placed out of district if we're not monitoring the progress both in and out of district equitably. So, how do we really know if a student benefits from an alternative setting if we're not monitoring that progress equally? Um, so our special education department has been working on developing a handbook, a very robust handbook um that is aligned with IDEIDA 504 and all state and federal guidelines to make sure that all of our documentation is compliant and up to-date and all of the services that we're delivering are being monitored both in and out of district. and we've updated all of our reporting to electronic standards to make sure that we have a full continuum of recordkeeping for that. Um, within the handbook there are tabs
027that specifically relate to progress monitoring as well as least restrictive environment so that we can tie the two together to make sure that all of the progress in the data demonstrates the need for a more or less restrictive environment for a given student. Um, additionally, we don't want to look at students just academically. um we want to look at them as a whole person. So their mental, emotional, social well-being. So our student assistance program or SAP um receives referrals from all of the staff in the building when we see something off. So we notice that a student is behaving differently, is um becoming withdrawn, is acting out, maybe is absent more often than normal, they'll submit a referral to our team who has been trained. It includes our school psychologists, our counselors, home and school
028visitor, teachers from different departments, administration, and then we go through the students file and we look at what supports are already in place, what are the concerns of the teachers and what can we provide that student, maybe not necessarily special education, but possibly a referral to um the Alageney Children's Initiative, which helps us do screenings for mental health or other um emotional and social therapeutic um referrals. Presley Ridge outpatient is currently at our all three buildings and then their wraparound services or their CSBBH are at our upper and primary as well. So we're able to identify the students that need those services through our SAP referrals. Um we keep it very explicit. When we have a referral, we have a um an outline that we do for intervention. We assign a case manager and then
029we collect data. What interventions are we putting in place and are they effective? And then when we go through new referrals, we save time at each meeting to look at past referrals and make sure that we're touching base on each of those kids that have been brought up. And then finally, we have a threat assessment team. Um there are times that we have reports made where a student is unsafe to themselves or others. Maybe they've made a threat to harm themselves. Maybe they've made a threat on other people in the community or the building. and we come together as a team um safety and security, student services, and we have a a process that's outlined by the state where we look at all of the students um mental health, their academics, their home life, what's
030going on. Is this kid just acting out because they had a bad day and is a teenager that said the wrong thing or do they have intention? Do they have means? And then we have guidelines for how we act on that in a confidential and supportive way. It's not punitive. It's not suspensions. It's providing support and making sure that that student and everyone else is safe. So in this way, we can look at the student as a whole person and provide as many supports as we can and be proactive and preventative before a student starts falling into a hole that maybe they can't get themselves out of. Next slide. Um, another action item that we had was to provide CPI or crisis crisis prevention intervention training to all appropriate staff including deescalation procedures on an
031established training cycle. So what this is is it provides staff with verbal deescalation tools so that when a student is escalated might become verbally or physically aggressive, we want to try a hands-off approach. um giving the students space, talking in a calm voice, using limited words, um trying to distract them, all kinds of strategies that people can use, whether it's security guards, counselors, teachers, um to try and help a student come out of that uh troubling moment. And then if those verbal deescalation techniques are unsuccessful, CPI gives us training to um physically intervene in a safe way that keeps the adult safe as well as the student. and it's again used as a last resort and anytime that would be used it's reported to the state. So we wanted to make sure that all of
032our staff was trained so that we were keeping staff and students safe during our August professional development. You can see the list that we were able to train a very robust group of um staff members. And then we had another professional development day in November where we had some staff that were newer paras that had been recently hired security guards as well that were not part of our our family during the August training. So we were able to provide that again. Additional training um outlined in our plan is to utilize pulse programming to provide administrators with appropriate standardized training on special education programs and compliance guidelines. So, Pulse is a a year-long program usually provided by the AIU that principles and other administrators can go through to learn more about special education and make sure
033that within each building they have a firm grip on those special education laws and how things are implemented. So, we're working on getting all of our administrators to be registered for that in the future and sign up for those cohorts. And um in the meantime, we are holding monthly principal meetings in Mrs. Coleman's office after school where we go over a variety of topics oftentimes relating to special education but not always but the topics um discuss being an LEA which is running an IEP meeting and what legal mandates that requires um what suspensions in special education look like. There are very strict guidelines for how many days and when you can suspend a student who receives special education as well as manifestation determination. So trying to understand a student's disability to see if the action
034that they're potentially being suspended for is part of their disability. And if that's the case, then we need to find another way to hold them accountable and teach them a different behavior. Um, finally, we're working on indicator 13, which is cyclical monitoring for secondary transition. So, making sure that our special education students that are in um 14 years and older are receiving post-secary education for career goals, college, independent living, and functional skills. So, we want to make sure that all of our special education teachers, staff, um counselors, and administrators have a full continuum of knowledge of what that needs to look like. So, the AIU is providing consultation on coaching our staff. Um, we're also working through a schooly course that provides us with additional education. Um, we've submitted our preIEPs. So, they come in
035and they look at what do your transition plans look like before you get the education in the professional development. What areas can you grow on? We work through this coursework and then at the end of the year, they pull IEPs that we have written after receiving that training so that they can see the improvements um that we have made and then that's all reported back to the state. Next slide. And finally, we're looking at resource management. So, I have a chart there of the different resource management that we need to work on as a department. And these are things that we are targeting within our special education handbook. Making sure that we have strict guidelines and procedures for maintaining least restrictive environment that we're being very intentional when we're deciding what type and level of
036supports students need to meet their specific goals. Um I referenced the ACT 16 chart. So again, we're looking at what are the places that we are sending our students out to. Are they the most appropriate? Are they meeting the students needs? or are there ways that we can educate them here in our buildings that would give them more of an opportunity to be connected to their community? And then we are working with the AIU on school-based access program so that we can get reimbursement from the state for um Medicaid related services. So if a student is receiving nursing services or personal care services, um related services like speech and language, physical therapy, occupational therapy, those are all reimburseable by the state. So we put our staff through training and made sure that they are all
037credentialed to be able to file for that access. And then we're working on getting systems in place to make sure that they are able to submit for that so that we get credit and financial dollars back for all of the work that we're already putting in. And then finally, we are working through PIM's training. So, our student accounting and our child accounting. Um over the past few years we've identified that we need to grow in this area making sure that as students are uh moving in and out of the district we know we have somewhat of a transient population that we're keeping um solid recordkeeping so that if a student leaves and comes back we know oh they this student had an IEP this student needed special health services and making sure that all of
038those procedures are tightened within each department because students might be from one building to the text, special education, regular education, um thirdparty agency services and therapies. Uh so we've been tightening that up uh significantly. We just had our December one child count and it only took us about two days to get it right size. I at our operations meeting today, we talked about that. It's even better uh now by this evening. So I'm really proud of that. Um it was a big goal of ours in our department this year and a lot of u manpower went into that. So, thank you for every to everyone that helped with that. Um, that's what I have for you guys this evening. Uh, what questions do you have for me about anything that we're doing in student services?
039>> Hi. Um, I did have a question about >> Well, so year to date, I'd have to look at that. I don't want to estimate and be incorrect. Um, between each building, we can get anywhere. Some weeks we might only have one referral in a week in a building. We have a SAP meeting for each building. I think the most we've had at one time it was about eight. Um so it es and flows. We see more referrals coming around report card time when teachers are maybe noticing like we, you know, we've really struggled to get this kid to the finish line and just couldn't quite make it there. So they may refer to SAP or um when attendance starts to dip in those colder months when people are getting sick. Um, but we do
040I would say between one and eight referrals per week per building. >> When you're tracking this, are there any students that are referred multiple times? >> Yes. And we encourage that because we may put interventions in place for a student and they may make progress and some of those interventions may be done. I mean, I don't know how many of you have been to therapy, but I know when I'm feeling good and I'm thinking I'm I'm fine, I'm all good and I'm all done with it and I tell my therapist to take a walk and then a couple months later my husband tells me, "Think you need to call Maryanne back." So, we do have repeat referrals um and we encourage that and it helps us track. We have um folders yeartoear so we can
041go back and look, oh, two years ago this kid was referred three times. Last year they weren't referred at all. what what changed, what went right last year that didn't the year before. Um, and it gives us a really good tracking system for identifying student patterns um and what interventions are working and not working. >> No, it's it's not in um a formalized system. It's it's all confidential. We don't have it housed in our districtwide. It's just for the people that are trained. Um, and that training program goes through UPMC. It's not like a district trained. It's it's through the state. Um, so only people that are trained on that SAP team have access to the information. Teachers have a referral form that they can send to us, but they don't see what happens after
042that. We'll follow up with what the family is okay with us sharing with the team. There are certain times where the family might say, "Hey, if you could let the the teachers know we need to tread lightly. My kids's having a hard time." We'll share that out. But as far as a student receiving therapy or um getting inhome services because of certain mental health issues, we keep that very confidential. So, the administrators have access to that. And then the specific SAP team members >> welcome. And then you also mentioned that there was training for deescalation. >> Yes. >> And you said that going to be tracked or that is >> that is tracked. So our CPI training goes through the state. So we have to turn in all of those certificates. Um individuals need trained
043every two years to maintain their certification in CPI training. Um, but in addition to that, um, on our November 4th, people that were already CPI trained or, um, maybe aren't in classrooms that need that intensive level, they, those teachers received additional deescalation training from the AIU and Watson. Um, they came in and gave tools. if you're in a large group regular ed setting and you just have a wild bunch, what are some ways or what are some skills that you can use to deescalate and kind of prevent um largecale incidents? So, that wasn't a formalized training, but all teachers were able to receive some type of deescalation, but CPI is tracked um within our HR files um for every two-year rotations. And then when >> that is tracked by the state. So there's um a
044risk reporting system that is online. It goes directly to PTE for any special education student that is involved in any physical restraint. Um and a restraint is anything that restricts movement. So even if you're holding your hand out and not letting a kid come closer to you, that's a restraint. Um and we have to report those. And there are there's a lot of data that goes into it. So we have to track the antecedent, what happened right before the behavior, what behavior led to it, and then what happened right after. We also have to report what deescalation strategies did we use prior to laying hands on a child. And then we have to hold an IEP meeting within 10 days of the restraint um with the parent to make sure that we're updating the child's
045plan to work to prevent that from happening again in the future. I know that. >> Yes, >> that's not tracked through the risk risk system or through the state, but we do keep incident logs with our security team. Um, and those are kept within the district office. So, that is always um monitored and tracked and filed, but it's not reported to the state in any formalized system. You're welcome. >> Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. >> Heard I mean some amazing things about what you're doing, what you have been doing from day one. Again, my first time meeting you unfortunately was well, not me and you, but you know, we had some some uh some some some game together, right? You know, but uh but >> trauma bond even that we did, but even
046that day, you were on it and all I see from you and hear about you is you're on it. You're getting it done. So, thank you. We need it. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I love the work I'm doing and I love being here. So, I appreciate all of you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Up next, we're going to have Ja Ellerby with her last school board student presented report. >> [laughter] >> Good evening, Director Culliver, Director Roberts, Director Hzowski, Director Meyers, Director Cooper, Director Hunter, Director Donia, Mrs. Coleman, Dr. Rabel, administrators, students, parents, community members, and teachers. My name is Jay Ellerby. I'm a senior at the Stoox Junior Senior High School. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve as a student representative on the
047school board. November flew by and I get the feeling I get the feeling December will be a busy month for student, staff, and community members of the junior senior high school. We are in the process of making our resource room in or LSS store a schoolwide studentr run PBIS incentive. Interviews were conducted for resource room attendance sixth and seventh period and the selection process is underway. We had a three-on-ree basketball tournament hosted by our PE teachers, but organized and planned by students. In addition with PBIS, students had to have no suspensions or unserved attention in major dress code violations. Students who qualified to attend were also pleasantly surprised to find out we were able to get our phones back for the last hour of the school day. We tomorrow we have a winter sports pep
048rally. On December 9th and December 11th, we will be taking our middle of the year map testing where we get to see what growth we've made in our academic skills since the start of the year. On December 10th, our students will be taking the algebra keystones. I wish them the best of luck. The countdown to winter break is filled with many daily themes, and students are happy to get a break from dress code as long as they show up in theme. Tonight, our high school girls basketball team has a game against Burgetttown. Our high school boys basketball team has a game tomorrow against Cat and Lel at 6 p.m. Our middle school boys basketball team has an upcoming game on December 9th at Avanorth starting at 3:30. Please join us as we cheer on our
049basketball teams. Go Vikings. We hope to see you all at the Winter Art Show on December 17th from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. For those of you who don't know, I am passing the torch to someone else to become the next student representative. So, we are currently searching for our new student representatives. When making a choice for the new representative, I wanted two students to have the opportunity of being the next student representatives. It seems like only yesterday I was standing in front of you with my first report. Here I am nine months later with my last report. I'll leave you all with some positive motivation. Just believe in yourself. Even if you don't, pretend that you do and at some point you will. This is Ja Ellerby signing off as your student representative. [applause] >>
050Don't wait. Wait, wait. Don't leave yet. Don't leave yet. Ja. >> Yes. >> Thank you so [snorts] much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We know you're going to be coming next month to pass the torch off officially, but thank you so much for the the smile you brought every meeting, the motivation, the you know, just being so upbeat. It it it uh it attracts other other people, you know what I mean? Um it's it's huge. It's amazing. Thank you. I'd like to know um if you can say what you've learned in this past year. What's some experiences that you can take back and say, "Hey, this is how I grew." Well, this role has really helped me to enhance my communication skills and my public speaking skills. You know, it's kind of hard to
051stand in front of the schoolboard every month and give a report. It's kind of nerve-wracking, but at some point, you learn to just get over that little bump in the road and you just go from there. >> Good job. >> Love that. >> Do you think this is a good program to continue? >> Yes. >> For others? >> Yes. I love that. All right, I won't keep bothering you. >> There you go. >> You know, sometimes I like to motion, but it's whatever. [laughter] >> Got you tonight. It's gonna happen tonight. Watch. >> Thank you. Good job. [laughter] >> Up next, we have introduction of recommended new hires. Want to ask Miss Alyssa Hermer professional for primary center to come on up, please? Anyone mind just telling us who you are, where you're from, why
052store rocks, etc. >> Hi. Uh my name is Alyssa Hermer. Um I live across the river in Belleview. Um, and I've been in PA for like nine years now. Originally from Phoenix. Um, I am finishing my bachelor's and I'm on a fast track for my master's program. Um, and originally it was in psychology with a focus on child um, development. Um, but after the previous school district that I was in, I think I might be making a switch over to special education specifically. Um, [laughter] And I also have a minor in social work um as well. Um I was over in Northgate working as a pair professional in one of their elementary schools. Um and the support there just was not it. Um, like Britney was saying, um, when talking about like deescalation and keeping
053track of, um, anytime that you have to be physical, um, in restraining a child, that documentation was not happening. Um, we were paras in the wild just trying to survive. Um, and it was just an unsafe place. Um, I know a few of the mental health workers over at the middle school who work in Stoox and all they do is tell me that I need to be here because the school board, Britney, the special education team is there supporting you. Um, and that's just where my passion is. Um, personally, I'm a mom of four. Um, so I have zero time ever for anything. Um, but my passion started because one of my children is neurode divergent. Um, so from day one we started with um, therapies, OT, PT, any type of therapy, you name it.
054I'm very familiar with IEPs, 504 plans, um, just all of it. Um, and it's just I'm passionate about it. It's what I love. I love these kids more than anything. Um, leaving the last school was really, really hard. Um, because I had to leave the kids I had built a connection with and that I was seeing them grow. Um, but I'm also confident that I'll be able to do that here at So Rocks. Um, especially having smaller class sizes. I love life skills classroom. It is my favorite place in the world to be. Um, and I'm just really excited to be working with you guys. >> I love that. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Welcome. I like that a lot. And then real quick, I want to ask Miss Janet to come
055on up, please. like now >> and just break down what's going on tonight. First of all, thank you very much. But then also break down what these these bags are and what's what's over there. >> Um before it's gone, >> there was a special request for chicken on a biscuit. So that's what you have. Um and then >> who brought that? >> The uh pudding cups. We've been making those for the kids here at the high school. Um we sell them in a snack shop and we started selling we will start selling slush puppy tomorrow. >> It's um 100% fruit based. It's allowed to be sold in schools. So I think that'll be something nice for the kids. >> All right. >> And I will get my November board report to you real soon. [laughter]
056>> Well, thank you. We appreciate you. Thank youelcome so much. >> Oh, the bags are from the bags are from my boss. There's a Christmas card in there for you. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. [cough] >> Excuse [clears throat] me. >> Any public comment listed in the agenda items? I'm sorry. [clears throat] >> Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. >> So, would you mind if Chris would pull up the link to item B2? I just want to make sure that the community who's watching and even [clears throat] that it's archived in the minutes the significance of this resolution. Item B2, financial management property tax lean resolution. B2. He doesn't have the link. >> Okay. So, if I could, do you mind if I just read part of that? >> Oh, he did find it. No,
057>> it's not a link. Okay. So, I just want to make sure that the the community recognizes this. This is very significant uh crafted by the district's solicitor. I'm in full support of this. Um, and it this was spearheaded by the superintendent and the board of school directors and it's important that you get that recognition. So, in this particular resolution, it acknowledges that the board has not taken action such as this since 2021 and it would seem that you abandoned that practice because you did not have sufficient funds to go this route. So, the community needs to know this. Um embedded in this resolution also specific language says whereas the Stow rocks that the school district wishes to minimize the real estate tax burden placed on the residents of Sto rock school district. I know
058that there's been some remarks made in recent times about perhaps um the recovery plan andor the board of school directors not being mindful of tax burden. This is evidence to show that you absolutely are mindful of that and that you are following financial recovery. um amendment recommendations and that includes using your surplus wisely on prioritized spending. Embedded in this resolution, it says, "Whereas the school board authorizes unbudgeted spending in the amount of $130,000 to support enhanced delinquent tax collection efforts, included but not limited to leans and lawsuits as deemed appropriate by WD WBK, your delinquent tax collector." So, I applaud you for doing that. It's bold. It's courageous. And I think it is a calculated risk that absolutely will pay off. I also just want to remark, if I could, real quickly on B4, authorizing
059the superintendent to preapprove any emergency capital repair quotes and invoices at the junior senior high school. Again, the spirit of that is embedded in the financial recovery plan, the amended plan. I'm talking about prioritized spending and certainly the capital projects are prioritized. These buildings belong to the community. They are investments and they need to be taken care of. So, I thank you for that. >> Um, one second, please. >> Yes. >> B2. Before we even go into it, just talk about it really fast. What would you say to any community member who has remarks more so negative remarks saying that, well, waste of money to do this X Y and Z. Just hear me out. But just saying, right, there's been a bunch of remarks out there. I just want to inform everyone and educate
060a lot of folks. You know, what would you say for those who have like negative remarks? Why are you spending the money to do that versus getting something else for for for for learning or something like that? Right. >> Well, so I think about, you know, the recent criticism that I'm aware of, you know, heard directly at board meetings, um, other community stakeholder meetings that there was a sense that the board is relying only on real estate tax collection to fund operations. And yes, that's the primary source of funding. However, suggestions have been made that the district is not doing enough to go after people who are delinquent with their real estate taxes, people who have the means to pay. They're just negligent because they choose not to. They've been getting away with it and
061so forth. So, with the solicitor's help, that research was done. And in fact, the district had not done that. But if you're operating in a deficit, how can you do that? It costs money to file the lean letters to follow through with litigation and so forth. So those costs are expected to be recouped and we have been advised from the solicitor's office that interest now will start running um and accumulating once you approve this. So there is that's a calculated risk. You will get that money back. Um in terms of what would else would you spend it on? Again, you have an original recovery plan. You have an amended recovery plan. It talks about prioritized spending. And so you do not want to keep putting the burden on the taxpayer. You want to try to
062mitigate that and so this is your call to action. You are taking charge and you're using surplus to go that route instead of just relying solely on a real estate increase. >> Thank you Matt. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Now we'll go into our agenda and approve the reading of the November 20th 2025 meeting minutes of the Sturox School District Board of Directors. Next financial management. Mr. Three. >> All right. On B1, um this is to approve the ACA tax software license agreement and the invoice from AMC. This is um the 1090 uh 1095 that we have to send out um according to the healthcare tax. Um B2 you guys had just spoke about the to approve the resolution for the spending to enhance delinquent tax for delinquent tax collection from Weiss Birkhart
063and Crimer. Number three is u approve the purchase of 500 checks from first national bank for $324 for our accounting department which are general funded checks just to get the last 500 lasted about two years so we figure we should be good with that again. Um and then for again um Dr. Hines Rabel had talked about authorizing the superintendent to preapprove capital repairs and quotes. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> Thank you. Next in operations approve the following ABC transit employees for this school year. Number two, accepted Dundrew's projects awarded to Chelsea Cruel Classroom Project headphones and mesh zipper bags. Samantha Borg going be going I'm sorry bore going classroom project building skills and confidence. Ashley Dickens number three Ashley Dickinson classroom project bringing learning to life with engaging resources. and D. Ash Digson classroom
064project fueling young minds snacks for focused learning. Number three, retroactively approved the Pittsburgh Stage Company to complete the annual inspection of the Junior High School auditorium not to exceed the cost of $1,100. Number four, accept the donation the anomous donation of $525 for the girls middle school basketball jerseys. Five. Approve the facility request from the Chasons Foundation in collaboration with the school district for the Christmas giveaway at the junior senior high school gym on December 16th from 3:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Number six, accept donation from James Bari and Chris Vote for $1,000 to support students at the primary center in upper elementary as a part of center workshop and how they give support. And number seven, approve the disposal of old broken electronic items, for example, Chromebooks, desktops, etc. Um, from the Junior High
065School Upper and Primary through a company called Upcycle LLC. Any questions, comments, Mr. Any comments? Any comments? Yeah, we did this last year. >> Yes, sir. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Please. Please. >> I just want to go back to number six. You I was really floored um by the donation um that Chris Bolt and her family put together. We do a Santa's workshop and kids have to have money and she did not be a demotional did not want any kid at the primary not to have money >> to go to Santa's workshop. So it's something that they want to do every single year so that every kid has the opportunity. So special shout out and thanks to her and her family. >> That's amazing. Thank you. Next under co leadership I'll also pass it
066back over to you please ma'am to take number one ask a question about number seven >> I apologize I didn't catch it initially is there a cost associated with that >> sorry >> no it's okay um accept the Thomas toll family foundation grant donation of $100 for youth with athletic relief programs. That's over to you real quick, ma'am. >> So, Thomas um Tol um actually is donating to Alagany $2.3 million to schools and we were one of the schools selected. We had to be interviewed and of course you know me, I asked for the moon and the stars and the sun to go along with it. Um, we know that oftent times when it comes to repairs and needs in the district, athletics is usually the last thing and people sometimes will frown upon when
067you do anything around athletics, which I I don't really understand it, but that's just what it is. And here this is a foundation that says we want to make your programs more robust, your facilities more robust because we we know and I said this publicly that we have to look at our athletic programs and our students as student athletes and the the pride that they bring to schools and communities. We all know when we went to school and you talk about things that happen in high school or college, a lot of times it's surrounded about around a sporting event. And so this is an opportunity to do some of the things we need to do with facilities and for our athletic programs to make a more enticing one. I look at opportunities to bring students
068back. And so we're losing students because of athletic programs. They're choosing to go other places. So this is the start to make sure we're we're working to make sure our finances, our academics are premier. We've got to do the same for our sports as well because we want students to be real wounded. Real well wellrounded. Lord have mercy. Well-rounded. And being a part of that is our athletic programs and and things that students are interested in. And so I was pleased to um for us to be selected and I got asked to speak I and I said I don't know why me but okay to speak and I um got to follow some very prominent athletes um to an event over at one of the Pittsburgh public schools. Um just the way they celebrate not
069just athletics but students as a whole and public education as a whole is truly commendable. Um and just thank you. I got to meet Thomas Tol and have a conversation with him and through and through he's committed to this work and so we owe him and his foundation um a debt of gratitude and thanks. Thank you, ma'am. Next, we'll move on to special assignments. Approve the final reading and adoption of the policy the sorry, the following board policies. Oh my goodness. Policy 104, discrimination, harassment affecting staff. Policy 103, discrimination harassment affecting students. Policy 202, eligibility of non-resident students. Policy 918, title one, parent and family engagement. Approve the second reading and adoption of the following board policies. Policy 102, academic standards. Policy 105, curriculum development. Policy 105.1, review of instructional materials by parents and guardians
070and students. Policy 109, resource materials. Policy 109.1, media usage. Policy 113, special education. Any questions? Not heard. Educational leadership approve ratify the professional development metrics as presented. Number one, following individuals will be going to pass board regional meeting. Scott Reed, Sandy Lor, Zach Simpson, and Martha Hoover. Capacity series behavior and skill acquisition. Claire Teddy and Pasbo annual March conference. the same individuals as number one. Any questions? Number two, approveou with the AIU for ESL telephone interpretation services effective February 10, 2026 to February 9, 2025. Any questions, comments? I'm sorry, 207. I'm sorry. Uh 27. >> Very helpful. We use it for our amazing different. >> Thank you. Approved the quote to purchase emotional ABC for the SEAL program at the primary center for grades K through three. Cost is 468 for a year subscription for
07130 students and 60 parents. Any comments, feedback, questions? Any comments? >> [laughter] >> This is part of what we're growing with the emotional support program at the primary center, adding that second classroom. Um the school counselor is pushing into that classroom every single day um doing social emotional learning. So we wanted to have um a curriculum for her to follow that is following the case standards that um are prescribed by um the state. And this is a a program that I personally used when I taught SEAL at Baldwin Whiteall. And it's phenomenal. It adapts lessons to any learner, um, any capability. It's multiensory, um, digital, print, um, you name it. And I think the kids are going to get a lot out of it and learning emotional regulation skills and social skills with their peers.
072So, thank you. >> Thank you. Number four, retroactively approved December 2nd, 2025 to register as a flexible instruction day for Star School District. And number five, approve tuition reimbursement for employee number 1927 after 93 agreement for three courses being taken in spring of 26 and summer 2026. Any questions? None heard. Now we'll go into the voting portion of this meeting. Start off with A1 through B1, please. A1 through B1. Have a motion when ready. Have a second. Second. >> Thank you. Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Zowski, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you, ma'am. The item B2 by itself, please. I have a motion when ready. Have a second. Second.
073Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >> yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Director Zowski, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Roo, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Can I say item B3 through F5? B3 through F5. Have a motion when ready. Motion. >> Have a second. >> Second. >> Director Colliver. >> Yes. >> Director Dona. >> Yes. >> Director Zowski. No. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you, ma'am. Next in the personal management. The item one and two together. Have motion ready. Have a second. >> Directors, >> yes. >> Director Hunter Rue, >> yes. >> Director Roberts, >> yes. >> Director Cooper, >> yes. >> Director Culliver, >>
074yes. >> Director Dona, >> yes. >> Six yeses. Motion passes. >> Thank you. Congratulations, Mrs. Hermer. >> [applause] >> And now I pass it over to our solicitor. >> I have nothing to report at this time. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, ma'am. New business. All right. Any public comment? Signed up. Committee meetings. The technology like safety technology meeting. Committee meeting met today. deliver a bunch of good information technology wise um and safety wise trying to make sure the district staying upbeat, prepared, ready to go um from a standard of when people come again before we sit to our website, what are they seeing? You know, do they feel welcome? Do they feel at home? Um when it comes to students taking items home with them to help them be prepared and that way
075we're not being reactive versus proactive. I want to be proactive obviously, you know. So, we talk about kind of maybe talking about laptops and what that what that looks like as far as, you know, make sure kids are squared away and prepared, but our superintendent and our um vacations director back there going to take care of us. I'm sorry, it take taking care of us, leading that uh lead that up a little bit and make sure that we're doing the things the right way the first time versus what happened a couple years ago. Any questions about that? All right. Any other comments out there? None heard. All right. Our next meeting will take place here January 15th at 7 p.m. otherwise noted. There's no other questions. Have a motion to adjourn this meeting. >> I'm
076talking about [laughter] I'm talking about I love it. I was coming to you >> to do that all year. >> Motion have a second. >> Thank you. Meeting a journ. So I'm talking to