001Uh, first I'd like to apologize. Thank you all for waiting and being patient this evening. We had some executive session items to cover. We ask everybody to rise for the pledge of allegiance. Okay. Thank you. Uh Mrs. Ramirez, do you have roll call? Okay. I'd like to acknowledge that we have Miss Wellington and Miss um Xando Dennis on the line. Uh next we have superintendent report. >> Good evening everyone and again we apologize for the delay. I'm going to work backwards. Um, you know, on my list of things I want to talk about. As always, we have a couple little shoutouts. This week, um, November 3rd through 7th is National School Psychology Week. And so, again, we want to, uh, make sure that we're honoring those individuals that support our students mental health and uh,
002needs within the school building. So, as we move into next week, we'll be thinking of those individuals. Uh, secondly, you've all heard this before. You've seen the notices. notices and went home. But we want to reiterate it again that our school calendar changed and that what was changed on that were our parent teacher conference schedule which was scheduled the three days prior to Thanksgiving. They are now the Friday after we come back from Thanksgiving. So November 5th, the Monday, November 8th, and the Tuesday, November 9th. And so again, our families were informed about that, but we can't repeat it enough times. So we want to make sure that you hear that one more time. On November 5th, we will be offering our first of this year family community um event, if you will, and that
003is a movie that is open to our community for free being done at uh the middle school auditorium at 7:30 on November 5th. The movie is called Counted Out. I spoke a little bit about this previously. It is a movie um in large part about mathematics and the narrative that America has. um for just uh idally passing passing and being okay with saying I'm not a math person. I'm not good at math. So it does st talk a lot about that narrative, but it also talks about um some equity and political pieces that have um fed into that narrative over the course of our American history as well. And so I had the opportunity to see the film last year. It is an outstanding um film, very well done. So, I encourage our community to
004come out and see that. We will be showing it to our entire staff the day before. It is also a film that perhaps some of our high school students uh might find interesting or intriguing or informative. It's not Disney by any means, so our longer younger age students probably would not um have the um interest in in sitting through the sitting through the film. but it is a great commentary on education and politics and um equity around the theme of mathematics. So if you have interest, please come join us 7:30 November 5th at the middle school auditorium. And lastly for my report today, I would like to introduce you to and invite to the podium Miss Kila Vincent, our executive director of family connection. We've asked her to come today and give a report to
005the board in the community and we will ask her to do this a couple of times throughout the year so that we stay in tune and in touch with the good work that Family Connection is doing on behalf of the district and behi on behalf of our community. So Kila, welcome and thank you. >> Hi everyone. Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it. I just threw up some slides real quick. My name is Kila Vincent. I'm the executive director of Family Connections of East. This is my third program year. I'll just tell you to turn the slide. Is that okay? That's me. >> Gino. That's me. Um, my hair is shorter, but that's definitely me. Um, again, the executive director of family connections of East. This is my third program year. I'm
006a proud Al Eastn Area School District alum. Um, always a Rover and so happy and thankful and honored to be able to do this work and be here with you guys today. Next slide. Um, who we are. We are the family center for eastern area school district. We have were founded in 1998. So for almost 30 years we have been doing work here within the district to support our students and families within Eastn area. Um we help children to be successful by engaging and supporting families by removing barriers to learning and developing positive family school and community partnerships. So you'll see uh in later slides some of the things that we're doing here today and some of the things that we hope to do in the future to really help um create these bonds and
007really help support our students in their academic success here within our district. Next slide for me. This is my small but mighty staff here. Um you'll see why I call them mighty in some future slides here, but this is my team and the people that I'm honored to help to work with side by side every day. In addition to these people that you see um photos of, we have nine student aids that are primarily high school students here from Eastern Area High School. And we do have one pair of professional that also works here within the district. This is a list of our programs. I'm not going to go through all of them today because I could be up here talking forever and I know you guys are ready to get done with your day,
008but I'm going to primarily highlight a couple of them. The one you see there in red is our community school coordination. Um that's new to us. So, we took on uh two new community school coordinators on July 1st um from another agency to really help um work more cohesively and collaboratively across the district. And we're very excited to have them. So, if you go to the next slide, I'll show you their pictures. Um Stacy Banko, who is our Chestn Community School Coordinator, and Janine Eberhart, who is our Paxinosa Elementary School coordinator. Both folks have been with the district for quite some time in in the community school coordinator capacity. Many of you, I'm sure, are familiar with working with them or seeing them in and around. Um, you may have seen them in the news
009in other capacities and supporting our our schools, uh, both Chestn and Paxinosa. So, um, the bullets listed up here are some of the initiatives that they're working on this year. So, we have a Blue Buddies program that's in partnership with East Police Department. Uh we have a title one our math and reading nights some attendance initiatives across both schools a tardiness initiative as well and we have afterchool art program and a veum program in partnership with St. Luke's. So those are some highlevel things that are kind of happening with our community school coordinators. Um both work very closely with our principles to help create spec specific initiatives for each school that help support our students that are in need in those places. Next slide. wanted to briefly talk about parent child plus. Um it is
010our prek program and a kindergarten readiness program where we have home visitors go to the homes of students and get them ready for school. So I put up two um bullets that I think are important to note about this program. 50% of our graduates are more likely to be prepared for kindergarten. So I know that those have been conversations that we've been having about some of the challenges of students being ready for kindergarten. This program helps our students get ready for kindergarten. And then uh parent child graduates from our program are performing performing 10 months ahead of their peers from a chronological age perspective. So those are big numbers if you sit in the in the education seat and you're aware of what kind of happens at the kindergarten level. Big numbers for uh what
011I is a small amount of students but very important in that a lot of our students are not necessarily receiving access to prek learning in any other way. So, um, part of that small but mighty is going to visit our students, um, two times a week, 30 minutes, uh, every session and imparting these, um, school goals and and values back into these families before they come into our schools. So, last year we had 28 families participate. Go ahead. >> The age group of the students you see is three through five, >> 18 months to five years, >> excuse me. Okay. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next slide. I wanted to talk briefly about after school programming. I know this has been a hot uh topic based on what we've had from challenges from
012a funding perspective from the state. Family connections will continue to support after school programming at both Chestston and Paxinosa. Um we're doing that two days per week um two days per school. So for PALS which is the Paxinosa afterchool learning club it is uh two days a week Mondays and Wednesdays our CCLC which is the Chester Cougar Learning Club. It is th Tuesdays and Thursdays. All of our students receive snack and dinner. Um that is important. So we have about 80 students um have registered for CCLC and about 100 students registered for PALS. So uh big numbers trying to continue uh to offer some supports from an afterchool learning perspective. We have guest speakers come. Last week we had a guest author come and read to both schools and uh the author left books in
013both Spanish and English for both libraries. Um we have Lafayette tutors come in and work with students on those days and we do usually have um some athletic component from Lafayette come and spend some time with kids with the kids in the gym during the week as well. So that has continued to happen um in the absence of some of the funding that's missing from the state. So two days a week at both schools. Um that bottom portion of the slide here talks about Crazy8s math club. We are going to be implementing that across both schools starting in November. That's going to run from November um to probably the second week in January. We threw in a couple snow days just in case we get caught by the snow. So, probably by the mid uh
014January, we should be done with the first round of Crazy8s math and should be able to get some clear test results based on their baselines from the beginning of the year and the testing that happens in January. So, we're looking forward to seeing um how that implementation is going to impact some of our students there. Uh I want to quickly talk about family support which is our case management program. Last year um the total number of ch children and adults was about 5,800 plus students. Um they received support services from our family support team last year. This year um we are up to 100 referrals for homeless. Um we delivered 186 backpacks with school supplies for back to school. Um 141 people uh participated in our clothing boutique at Paxinosa which offers free clothing and
015toiletries to families. And we prepared 550 kindergarten readiness bags for our Rover Ready program. I wanted to flash up this uh backpack pals and pantry slide just for some for everyone to get a view of what we were able to distribute in October for our backpack pals program. So it's broken out by school. So you'll see Paxinosa all the way over to the middle school. So, we did distribute bags across every school here in the district for a total of 538 bags for the month of October. Um, last year we distributed a total of 3,50 bags of food across all schools in the district. Um, in addition to that food distribution, we also have a pantry at Paxinosa with a refrigeration and a freezer and we were able to distribute 700 or basically serve 777
016students and adults uh with that service in the building. And lastly, um this is my pitch for uh help us out for what's coming up. Uh the holidays are coming as you know. Uh stuff the bus is our campaign that we've been running probably for probably about eight years now. Um so you'll see me standing outside in the cold at the bonfire with the help of uh the principal and our transportation team. Um we will be at the bonfire on Wednesday. Uh then Saturday and Sunday down in the circle stuffing the bus. Um, all of the proceeds that we receive, um, whether they be gifts in kind or money will go back to our students, uh, for holiday shopping. We set up a holiday shop in Paxinosa's Ox Gym and set up scheduled time for
017parents to come and shop. Um, so that is my summary. If anybody has any questions, I'm here to answer those, but I appreciate the time. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> I appreciate it. >> Have a good night. >> Have a good one. Take care. That concludes my report. for all you guys do. >> Thank you. Have a good day. >> Thanks. You too. >> Okay, next we'll be moving on to reports. Uh first, Colonial Intermediate Unit 20. Mr. Snider. >> Yes, thank you. Just a couple quick things. The uh newsletter uh the 20 for the uh month of October. I mailed out to the board on the 23rd. Uh two other things of note. Uh Dr. Candianis uh presented a uh presentation on kind of what they're going to call
018guard rails of use of AI. So I know we're also working on that here in the district. So that's something uh that they're working on. and the IU just of note um did approve the executive director and the the staff to proceed to uh seek a revolving line of credit of up to $20 million uh because of the budget impass. Uh the interest rate on that the board approved not to exceed 4% but uh not I don't know what the number is going to be but it looks like the number is going to be much lower than a 4% uh loan on that. So that's good news. Uh even though they do have to now seek this because the budget uh the IU thinks they're good for quite a while yet, but they're they're just,
019you know, playing it playing it proactive. Uh other than that, that concludes the report. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, we have the Eastn Public Library. >> Good evening. I'm Betsy Walker from the board of directors of the public library. Um since the pandemic, our programs have gone wildly, just have grown astronomically. Um in September, we had 94 programs with 930 people. And these programs go from preschool all the way to old people like me. Um we had a book sale in October which netted uh $6,500. It was run mostly um and with the really hard work of our friends of the library. Last week was National Friends. Friends is a national kind of thing, but they do a lot of the programs over the summer um that have these the um all of the
020uh book clubs and the summer reading programs that we do for school district children and for adults. Um in midocctober we joined in with the East Book Festival and we were a location for the many authors who were um doing their thing all around Eastston. Right now we have a partnership with the nurture nature center. This exhibit is going to be there for a while as part of the connect create connections project. Um of note there is going to be a on November 2nd journey through the solar system with done by nature nurture and um these programs will be um ongoing to combine their um all of the talents that they have with the talents that we have. Um, one thing of note, um, as of yesterday, um, we expanded resource ser sharing with Northampton
021Library and that means that only two libraries in the Lehigh Valley and Monroe County are not in this sharing partnership. And for those of you who don't um, aren't aware of this, if you have an Access Pennsylvania card, you can access any library in all of the Lehigh Valley except for one or two. And in Monroe County, the book is delivered to your home library or the material is delivered to your home library. So it allows the patrons to get what they need while not having everybody have to buy 37 copies of a book that may be popular for two and a half minutes. So um the sharing partnership has proved very very popular. And um we are also part of um as you probably know the Lehigh Valley Consortium where our little book van
022goes around the valley to deliver these things. The cost of postage for doing inter library loan has been so ridiculously expensive that this has really assisted um all of the libraries in making um resources available to people without having to put them through the mail. Do you if you have any questions for me, I'd be happy to answer them. But otherwise, things are booming at the library. >> Okay, thank you very much. >> Thank you. Have a good night. All right, next hopefully one of the other two can grab this for me because I was not there. Ker Institute of Technology. >> So, uh, the discussion was the expansion of, uh, the building. Uh, still a lot in play. Um obviously how it's going to be paid for is one of them, but you know
023we are they looking to do a small expansion, medium or the large expansion. Um and um you know we talked about the new animals at the Vette um and just uh overall you know how things are going and things are going really great at that school and a lot a lot of interest uh at CIT and and rightfully so. So, it's very exciting time for them. Thank you. >> Okay. Next is Northampton Community College. I'm not seeing anyone here. And the report is attached uh in the website if anybody would like to read that. Next, we have the foundation for schools, Miss Siago. >> No report this time as we had a report from uh Miss Crow last meeting. Thank you. >> All right. Next we have Charles Shren Science and Technology Initiative and we'll
024be having a meeting November 6th and maybe have more information after that. >> Okay, next we have um student Jack Lee. >> Good evening everyone. Thank you for having me here once again. Couple weeks ago we had another exec board meeting. The freshmen were still not in attendance, but the next day we held their election and at our next meeting they will be inducted. The upperassman student council members going around the freshman advisories certainly helped as many people signed up in this election. As of right now, the student councils are all preparing some fundraisers and getting ready for decorating the halls during Thanksgiving. and the senior class is just getting ready for their Thanksgiving week traditions. In our open form, we talked about the status of the elevators and the accommodations for injured students who
025need to go from floor to floor but can't do can't due to the inactive elevators. This past Sunday, we held our trunk or treat at the school in the parking lot, which was quite successful. On this Friday, October 31st, we will have our Halloween dress up and the proceeds will go to the Llamas family. The next day on November 1st, will be our homecoming, which will be from 7 to 10, and tickets will be $15 each. They can be purchased through hometown ticketing or they can be purchased in person in school at during lunchtime until Thursday. The link has been posted in each grade schooly group if they want to buy it online. That's all I have. Are there any questions? >> Uh, it's held at the high school in the main gym. Anything else?
026Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Association reports. EA Good evening everyone. Uh again, I'm Bill Quinn. Um I'm going to keep it very short, but I'm going to talk about something that's very close to all of our hearts and uh everyone's wallets right now. Um as the district uh knows, as everyone here knows, the budget impass is really uh affecting everyone and it's not going to get any better anytime soon. Uh so my my only business here tonight is really to ask and encourage and implore everyone to contact their state senators. That's Joe Emer and Flood and Robert Freeman and your uh state did I say rep? I'm sorry. State reps Joe Emer and Flood and Robert Freeman and your state senator Lisa Buscola. uh to please encourage them uh you know to work
027as hard as they can to uh get past this impass because it is certainly going to have an even bigger uh impact as we go forward. We already heard about you know loans for different entities and that's not something that anyone wants to do and the repercussions are going to hurt everyone down the road. Uh so please make sure uh you contact them and also uh we have an election next Tuesday so please make sure everyone gets out to vote. Uh if you're looking for pro-education candidates and to help through impasses and issues in the future uh please go to schoolhouse ballot.com and you can get information there. Thank you. Any questions? Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Quinn. Okay. And there's uh no one from the PTA this evening. All right. So, we are
028going to be moving on to public to be heard on agenda items. Is there anyone? Okay. This is not our normal thing to do. However, we did receive Mr. Simeonetta did receive some communication and was asked to read this this evening, so I will be reading it for him and hopefully I pronounced the last name correctly. Good evening members of the East Area School Board. My name is Jennifer Parzal Parziel and as a concerned parent taxpayer in the East School District, I'm here to urge you to vote no on the proposed 2% raises for the chief human resource officer Cara Defor, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instructed instruction Dr. Bonita Draper, assistant superintendent for district operations and services Dr. Josh Datic, and chief financial officer Jack Trent. First, let's be clear. These raises are not
029contractually required under the district's act 93 compensation plans and individual employment agreements. Salary adjustments are performance-based and fully sub subject to your approval. Past contracts like those from 2016 to 2020 once included automatic increases, but recent ones such as the 2023 adjustments of 3% and 3.25% have been presented as recommendations, not ma mandates. Specific agreements for these administrators allow up to 3% hikes only upon satisfactory evaluations, giving you the discretion to modify or deny them if standards aren't met. The board has voted on similar raises before, like in 2023, confirming your power to hold leaders accountable. Approving these raises now would reward unperformance underperformance at a time when our district is grappling with academic stagnation, fiscal strain, and operational failures. All while taxpayers face a 3.5% property tax hike in the 202526 budget to cover
030a growing structural deficit. Consider the evidence on curriculum and instruction profic proficiency proficiency rates are alarmingly low. At East Middle School in 2024 25 only 40.8% 8% of students were proficient in English language arts, barely up from 38.7% and just 18.1% in math from 16.2%. These fall far below state averages of about 50% and 40%. Districtwide, the 2025 state of the district report notes ongoing growth challenges in reading and math with no real progress toward the superintendent's 80% proficiency goal by 2627. This points to ineffective oversight and leadership in curriculum on operations. A 2019 state audit revealed significant internal control deficiencies in transportation and non-resident tuition, including improper payment issues central to the operations role. Even recent 20 202526 improvement plans still tackle chronic absences and facility inefficiencies showing these systemic problems persistent unresolved on
031finances. The 202526 budget cut 2.5 million in salaries but still required a tax increase highlighting poor long-term planning. A shocking $15.6 $6 million deficit discovered early in 2025 led to reactive steps like early retirements. Yet, the CFO's so-called balanced plan ignored sustainable revenue options amid state funding shortfalls. On human resources, HR leadership has overlapped with works force strains, including a 2025 early retirement push to trim costs, but retention problems continue, leading to staff shortages that hurt instruction and operations. Withholding these raises align with our district's merit pay principles, pushing for real improvements in student outcomes, budget stability, and compliance. The residents of EISD voted you in to be our voice. Taxpayers deserve fiscal responsibility. Don't reward status quo. Demand results first. Be our voice. I ask you to vote no tonight. Thank you, Jennifer Parziel.
032I'll give that to Mrs. Ramirez. Okay, seeing no other public to be heard on agenda items, uh, executive session, executive session was held on September 30th from 5:34 to 6:50 regarding legal and personnel matters. Okay, moving on. Okay, we are going to take six A, approval of minutes. Motion to approve the minutes of the following meetings. academic standing committee meeting, budget and finance standing committee meeting, buildings and ground standing committee meeting, and educational technology and student support committee meeting all held September 9th, 2025, and the regular board meeting held September 30th, 2025. >> Motion. >> Is there any questions or discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? >> Any opposed? Okay, next we will be taking personnel. We have a uh through sorry let me get to the end here. Okay Q okay we will
033be starting off and we can take them individually then if we need to or vote for them individually. A motion to accept the following athletic employment or coaching agreements between the East Area School District and the retiree for the 202526 school year as presented. We have B. Motion to approve the following list of subject coordinators for the 202526 school year as presented. C. Withdrawal of employment. Motion to approve withdrawing the offer of employment to the following employees for the failure to fulfill all conditions of employment. Uh employee number 0106 9036 and 9150. D. Motion to approve the following resignation as presented. Resignations as presented. E. Motion to approve the following leave of absences as presented. F. Motion to approve the following contractual salary increment as presented. G. Motion to approve the following administrative transfers as
034presented. H. Motion to approve the following voluntary transfers as presented. I. Motion to approve. Motion to elect the following LTS long-term substitutes as presented. Pending receipt of all forms and documents required by the district. J. Motion to elect the following support staff as presented. Pending receipt of all forms and documents required by the district. K. Motion to elect the following coach as presented. Pending receipt of all forms and documents required by the district. L. Motion to elect the following volunteer coaches presented pending receipt of all forms and documents required by the district. M. Motion to approve election administrative as presented. N motion to approve the chief human resource officer Cara Defor to receive a 2% increase above the 202425 salary. O motion to approve the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Bonita Draper, to receive
035a 2% increase above the 2024 25 salary. P motion to approve the assistant superintendent for operations Josh Sciatic to receive a 2% increase above the 2024 25 salary and Q motion to approve approve the chief financial officer Jack Trent to receive a 2% increase above the 20 2425 salary motion. >> Okay. Okay. Is there any questions or discussion? Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I oppose on N through Q. I'm a nay on 7B, 7 M, 7 N, 7 O, 7 P, and 7 Q. >> Okay. Um I am a no on N through Q. >> Okay. Is there anyone else? Any other questions or discussion or I'm sorry that was it. Sorry. I'm sorry, Mrs. Ramirez. You have that. Okay. Thank you. Sorry. Okay. Next, we move on to academ
036Oops. >> Sorry. to say for uh Elise Jones, uh we're going to miss you. Good luck uh to you. And I wanted to say uh also to uh did we talk about Shawn? >> Yeah, that was a lot of numbers. I just want you to know that uh congratulations to Shawn. >> So, I'll echo those remarks. You just approved the resignation of Ely Jones who has been a staple to our in our district for quite some time as a leader. She um has the opportunity to move on and go to Bethlehem and as in the capacity of an elementary principal and um we certainly wish her well and um are excited for that opportunity for her, but she will be sorely missed here and uh we'll leave a big uh some big shoes to be
037filled. And then Shawn, we want to congratulate you. Shawn will be our new director of special education and we couldn't be more happy for you. That also leaves some shoes to be filled at Shaunie School and so we will start tomorrow on that process. Um but we wish you well in your new role and we certainly wish Ely well in her new role as well. >> Okay, thank you. All right, then moving on to academics. Um we have A through C. A. Uh motion to approve the following international cultural exchange students as presented. B. Motion to approve the revised 202526 school calendar as presented. C. Motion to approve the following field trips as presented. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or discussion? >> Uh I would just like to say that in regards to
038the revised school calendar, I know we've already advertised the change. However, I am um to say the least disappointed in this change and also feel that it is far far too late in the school year to be making such a significant change to the calendar. Thank you. >> Okay. Is there anyone else for discussion questions? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> I'm opposed to B. Okay. All right. Moving on to budget and finance. Uh we have A through I, excuse me. A financial matters. Motion to approve the financial matters as presented. the treasurer's report, the general fund revenue and expenditure report, monthly student activity statements for EAMS and EHS, the bill register, the regular and AC, general funds, special activities, capital projects, and food services. B. Motion to approve the attached reimbursement
039resolution as presented. C. Motion to approve the annual renewal quote from Burke 1 for the Homestead Farmstead application mailing as presented. D. Motion to approve the attached agreement with Harrison Group, Inc. as presented. E. Motion to approve the NSA Property Holdings LLC settlement stipulation as presented. F. Motion to approve the attached request to establish new student activities, namely Synergy Group, Clash Royale Club, Middle Eastern Association Club, and Guitar Club. G. Motion to approve the charter school resolution as presented. H. Motion to seek appraisal for the eastern for the education center 1801 Bushkill Drive Eastn PA 18040 and academy 2035 Edgewood Avenue EastnPA 18045 as presented and I motion to approve the PSBA resolution as presented. >> Motion second. >> Any questions or discussion? I just I I apologize. Could I just get a quick refresher
040on what uh item B was, the reimbursement was relating to, and what item D was? I I know I know it was on the committee, but I I could I just get a quick refresher on what those two were for, please? >> Sure. The reimbursement resolution is where um we can reimburse ourselves the district for money that we spent out of the general fund into the high school project funds. And then D was just a Oh, my screen just >> Oh, sorry. That's just that's the flexible spending account that that we offer to the staff. >> Okay. Okay. It came back to me now. Thank you for Thank you for helping me on that. Appreciate it, >> Jack. I have a a couple questions on some of these items. On the finance reports, um the
041expense by function, the budget says 193 million. Are there some numbers missing? The budget was around 213. I thought >> expense >> on the revenue. >> No, I see what you're saying, Mike. Uh I I'd have to look into that. You're you're correct. The budget is >> okay >> at that that level. >> If you could just like revise reports, that'd be that'd be great. Um, on the bond resolution, I support this obviously. Um, but my question to you is when when did we talk about our first borrowing issue? >> It'll be in the spring. >> Okay. >> The first Josh, correct me if I'm wrong, 2020 million. >> Okay. >> 20 million. We'll have an issuance. So, which leads me to the question again on the 2324 audit that we still do not have.
042Um, first of all, is there any more update? I personally would request that the auditors who have been doing this for almost a year now. Well, yeah, two years or whatever. But since Jack's been here since January trying to get this done, >> uh, I request the auditors come here and present to the public. I mean, we're 2324. We're starting to build the 2627 budget and we don't know where we're at from three years ago. Um, I would like to see the auditors come here and do a presentation even uh in anticipation of the final report. But to my point, how are we going to borrow and do a rating call and everything else if we don't have our status from three years ago? Is that going to delay the borrowing? >> It is if
043we don't have it. >> Yeah, >> it will. We've already spoken with Raymond James about that. So, as far as where it's at, we have the consulting firm and they've ramped up their efforts. I'll say that as the consulting firm started, we unveiled further issues and now that those issues have been identified, uh more and more is being corrected in the business office. Um a couple of the staff and myself have looked at uh going through 2324 and we're almost near the end of correcting uh any transactions that were posted incorrectly. there was transactions that weren't posted at all. And um I can tell you that the people in the office are going line by line and correcting that. We started in January, we had to move back and now we're currently looking at March
044and April. So we're getting close to closing out the year. So at least Skyward reflects what is represented uh on the books. And once we do that, that really that's been helping the consulting firm move forward because they were in the beginning trying to correct that without really know what was going on, discovering more issues once we kind of figured out the starting point that we need to go line by line. Um, and you know, obviously most are posted correctly, but there's some that have the an incorrect amount. There's some that weren't posted at all. And that's what we've been doing in in the business office. And I I'll say that since we started doing that, since I asked for increased efforts from the consulting firm two weeks ago, uh things are moving along much
045quicker now. Um I think a lot of it more was just, if I'm being honest, pinpointing what the problems were before we could even start to correct them. And at least now we know, we knew that there was wrong. We didn't fully understand why those end values were wrong. And now we've been able to work back and figure out where it is and move forward with it. So that's where we're at. And I do agree um having a meeting with the auditors. Um the goal is obviously and I've spoken with the consulting firm and we had a meeting with Raymond James that we we're not going to have any issuance without the audit. So, um, speaking with Raymond James, we need to finish this audit, which I anticipate we'll we'll be fine for the that
046initial bonds issuance and then since the 2425 will not be completed, he does Ken Phillips does not see that as as an issue. It's just that we'll have to write up a give a give a statement of our accounts and explain where we're at with with the the financials at that point. >> Right. Um, >> so I mean I would yeah I would I can speak to our auditor tomorrow and set something up for that. >> So a couple things. Um, prior to you obviously during that time when we were closing out that school year there was an interim making uh 85 or plus dollars an hour to do the budget to manage the office. Was nothing being was it just the budget they were working on? nothing was being uh managed or oversight of
047the uh uh of the business office and the data entry if you will for lack of a better term. >> I wouldn't say none of the data entry was being done but there were were a good amount of entries that were missed or placed incorrectly. I mean, if if you just want an example, utilities would be the easiest where there'd be 11 months posted, but one wasn't. >> Go back and just >> we just have to go back through all the utilities and you know, and again, I mean, Wendy Manatan has been working very hard on that and she's been posting all of that and doing and correcting all of that. So, >> okay. Um, the name of the company, the consulting firm, >> uh, Sesuana Consulting. >> Have they built us yet? Because I
048haven't seen it on the, uh, >> uh, they have not. >> Okay. That'll be coming up. >> We'll have to get an estimate on >> Yep. I can I can provide that. >> Okay. I'm sure it's a lot of hours. >> I mean, obviously I I allocated and found the funds before we move forward with that. We weren't going blind. >> Yeah. I get I know you budgeted for them, but it's still a lot of money that we had to do to do double double work. Um the last thing, the charter school resolution, I am 100% in support of that. I'd like to see a higher percentage being withheld, but I'm on the minority end of that. Uh but at least it's a start. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Is there any other
049questions or discussion? >> Okay. Seeing none, all in favor? >> Any opposed? >> I'm voting no on any payments listed to Home Depot. Yes on everything else. >> Okay. All right, moving on then to buildings and ground safety and security. We only have one item and that is a motion to approve the agreement between EISD and Palmer Township as presented. >> Motion second. >> Any questions or discussion? All in favor? >> Any opposed? I >> Okay, next we have uh 11 educational technology and student supports. We have items A through D. All right. A motion to approve the agreement between Oh, I'm sorry, wrong one. Motion to approve the agreement between EISD and Red Rock Job Cores as presented. B. Motion to approve the Integra 1 voice management agreement as presented. C. Motion to approve
050the Cisco flex agreement as presented. And D motion to approve the out of district placement agreements. >> Okay. Okay. Any questions or discussion >> on the tuition agreements? These are these settlement agreements? >> No, it's just All right. And the one uh one's residential, one the transportation. Is that transportation involved? That's not listed in this. >> It Yeah. So, Mike, let me answer a couple of your questions first. So, um, they are not settlement. Um, they are out of district placements. And one of the reason, one of the things that we're doing currently in the special ed department is we're trying to bring all of the agreements for all the out of district schools that we utilize in this district. We're trying to get those approved on a yearly basis just so that they have
051updated rates, updated terms, and just really to be transparent about about the the placements that we utilize. Um, so we hope to have some more in the near future. In regard to the student specific, I'll comment as much as I can. Um, yes, one is residential and one is um does in we we transport that other we transport the other student uh in house. >> Okay. And there we don't have it in this settlement or in this contract that number is not included. Correct. >> Correct. So the the that one mic is a renewal from years past and the other one is um this year. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Okay. Any other questions or discussion? >> Okay. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Okay. Next we have 12 other business. Motion to approve the approved
0522026 regular and standing committee meeting schedule as and advertisement as presented. And B uh just asformational the September 2025 teacher tenure report. >> Second. >> Any questions or discussion? >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Okay, next we have public to be heard on non-aggenda items. Is there anyone in the public who would like to be heard on non-aggenda items? Nope. Okay. Again, we had correspondence to Mr. Simeonetta and I will be reading it on behalf. Good evening. My name is Jennifer Parziel. I address the continued employment of school nurse Kelly Keegan whose documented public statements create a clear and present risk to student safety and violate district policy, state law, and federal protections against political discrimination public schools. Specifically, number one, celebration of political violence, Miss Keegan publicly stated that conservative activist
053Charlie Kirk murdered in September 2025, was a monster and that his wife and daughters are better off without him. the con constitutes endorsement of political assassination and targeted hostility towards conservative families. Number two, calls for harm based on political affiliation. She has advocated aborting Republicans, a statement reasonably interpreted as wishing death upon Republican women and girls, a protected class under political belief discrimination standards. Three, electioneering on school time. Miss Keegan has boasted on social media about registering high school students to vote using partisan blue wave symbols in direct vi violation of EISD policy 707, use of school facilities for political activities, and Pennsylvania education code 1512, which prohibit school employees from engaging in political campaign activities during work hours. Number four, threats of physical harm. Credible reports confirm she planned to coat Republican campaign signs
054with poison ivy and act of vandalism and assault under 18 PACs 2705 recklessly endangering another person. Despite these violations and many others, including mocking disabilities, wishing death on Republican mothers and daughters raised repeatedly in emails and prior board meetings, including September 30th, 2025, no disciplinary action has been taken. Instead, Miss Keegan received a pay increase on September 23rd, 2025, and continues to serve now as a substitute district nurse, most recently at Palmer Elementary, where she where allegedly she was overheard claiming she is untouchable and free to speak. Sorry, I'm not sure what this is. Um, to speak. Oh, and go as she wishes in the district. This is this is not poor judgment. This is willful misconduct, creation of a hostile educational environment and breach of the public trust owed to every student under the
055title 9 the equal protection clause and the EASD's own anti-discrimination policies. The board has both the authority and legal duty under 24ps5- 514 removal for cause and district policy to immediately suspend Miss Keegan with pay pending a full investigation. Failure to act exposes the district to liability for deliberate indifference as known risks. My family's rights have been violated this past month for violations of our parental rights under the protection of pupil rights amendment PPA 20USC1232H as we have shared documented and have proven with it have proven with administration. I am led to believe this is in retaliation of my above complaints. As I have previously stated, the political corruption and misconduct is rampant in this district and we are being targeted and treated differently based on our beliefs. We have serious concerns regarding student safely
056safety, employee conduct, discrimination, and potential retaliation against families who exercise their legal rights. Let me say this for the 10th time. We fear our children. We demand the following: immediate suspension of Kelly Keegan from all student contact. independent investigation into her conduct, including forensic review of district devices and social media, termination if any allegation is substantiated. Our children deserve caregivers who protect all of them without political bias or fear of retaliation. Anything less is betrayal of your oath and this community. Thank you, Jennifer Parzy. Give that to Ally, please. Okay. Is there any other public to be heard on non-aggenda items? Seeing none, moving on to any other business from board members. I'll just ask I know we don't respond to public comment, but Jonathan, all the accusations and the statutes that were mentioned in
057that, is that something that you should be looking at, letting the board know everything's good, we're on safe ground, we're not. Is there anything you should be doing with that? Sure. So, um certainly this is something that our office has I mean every statute there uh has been considered to to the extent that it was applicable c certain certainly aren't um but they were reviewed uh in consultation with the administration the entire time um and and guidance was given. >> Okay. Is there anything else from any other board members? Okay, seeing none, I will call for adjournment. >> Second. >> Okay, we will dismiss at 8:25. >> Thank you everyone.