2025-10-13 School Board Discussion Meeting

001Good evening and welcome to the discussion meeting of the Mount Lebanon Board of School Directors. Today is Monday, October 13, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and present at Parkway West Career and Technology Center. I want to thank for hosting us this evening. We're really excited to be here to hear an update from them and especially to digest our delicious dinner at the culinary arts. Um, >> oh, that's me. >> Sorry about that. Mrs. Berdick here. Mrs. Crrael >> here. >> Miss Fleer here. >> Mrs. Gman here. >> Mrs. Gel >> here. Miss Goo here. >> Mr. Mr. Hoffman >> here, >> Miss Johnson >> here, Mr. Wy >> here, >> all present. >> Um, we are pleased to welcome Dr. Darby Copeland, the executive director of Parkway West ATC to present an update on Parkway. >>

002Well, good evening everybody. Welcome to Parkway. Time for some of you, others, it's a chance to come back. Um, now Mrs. Johnson had the she asked me to please make sure you understood that at our normal board meetings we have mac and cheese sandwiches. She said there was some sort of fight about the board seat of Parkway after the film. Uh in all serious the the kids really enjoy preparing and prepping and the prepping started actually Friday for your meal. It's a big deal for them to be able to cook for their school directors and for their administrative staff. Um it really shows a lot of confidence from you and there and their abilities here at Parkway. Um do want to introduce with you two of my administrators is here with us tonight. Uh Mr.

003Michael Le is our assistant principal. Mr. Rob Snder is our principal and they're going to kick off here with just a few things before um I take. So Mr. Schneider, you're up. >> All right. Uh good evening everybody. Just to echo what Dr. Copeland just say. We appreciate everybody coming out and uh mainly send our own department, but uh having your board meeting here uh we do appreciate that. Uh Mike and I work very closely with uh your admin team in your high school, primarily with uh with Joel and Teresa. Uh they work I mean they're they're great anytime we need them. U they're very answer our calls. So um just up here uh we have our 16 career majors. Um you kind of peruse and and read those yourself there. Uh just one thing

004that uh I just want to highlight that we're changing. We changed it this year. So, in our excuse me, in our construction program, we have four construction trades and we do a cluster rotation. Uh, we've done it for years in there. So, when a student comes in their first year here at Parkway, they each a nineweek session they have in each one of those trades, get kind of familiar with uh they may think that they want uh we'll just say carpentry, but they kind of, you know, gravitate towards one teacher in another program or they just like that trade better. So we have uh it's been a success in our construction cluster. So we have moved that to our auto u auto field. Um so uh we have four programs down there which is our

005power motorsport small engine repair uh our automotive, our diesel and our auto body program. So uh so far it's worked out well. We haven't had any grapes. So uh which is great and uh just kind of wanted to highlight that. and we we uh next year we plan to do a little bit of that with our sports medicine program and our our nursing healthc care occupations program. So again, thank you for coming out and Mr. Le I think is >> all right. Thank you Mr. Snder. So as Mr. Snder said, I know he just said it, but it is worth mentioning again. U I deal with mostly the discipline out here and although Mount Leon has one of the lower discipline rates out of our 12 districts, uh when we do have an issue, specifically

006Dr. Mitchell is always available and and a great partner to work with. So we do appreciate the support on our end. So I get to talk to you about our shared students. So our shared students here in Parkway from Mount Lebanon, uh we currently have 79 students, which is not our biggest district. However, when I started first started teaching 13 years ago, I remember a half a bus coming out here, right? And so now we're looking at 79 students. We're looking at two packed buses. Um so just in just in those 10 12 13 years um our numbers have really really shot up from Mount Lebanon. Um so last year looking at our statistics from last year our students take a noi test here. It's the end of the year evaluation for their seniors. They

007ended their time here. It's specific to their program whatever program they're studying here. It's a two-parts component. There's a hands-on portion roughly between two and a half hours, three-hour test um where where members of the industry come in and grade our students based off their performance and then there's a 200 question test again related to their field of study um that they test and this is really what we're preparing our seniors for most of their senior year. So you can see your your Mount Le and Ni rate 100% of our Mount Lean students passed last year. 83 of them got advanced. uh 17% of them I'm sorry 83% got advanced and 17% got confident and that's based off of uh the cut scores that come out from the state average and that's determined so it's

008depending on what program they're in uh their average score there. Um and then the other thing that we're very proud of of our Mount Living students and all our students here at Parkway is our industry credentials. So this is when we sit around with with uh community members and employers, potential employers, we ask them what what do you want to see from our students? like that. That's our job here. Make them ready for your for your company. What are you looking for? And the two things that are always um well, I should say three. The three things we always hear are their attendance rate. They want them here every single day. They want to make sure that when they hire someone, they're going to show up to the job site. Um so, they want them

009here. They want to be able to pass a drug test. That's always up there on top of their list. And then the third one is what type of industry credentials are they provided here at Parkway to give them that step compared to someone that did not come to Parkway. Um, our industry credentials are unique here. Uh, one barrier is the cost. Some of these can be very costly and we pay for it out of Perkins. So, not a single student, that's not an obstacle for any student comes here at Parkway. If they put the time and effort that some of these require, um, they will have the opportunity to earn these credentials. So, for our construction guys, that's OSHA. For our welding guys, uh, that's AWS. Uh, these are the big ticket saying that I

010know what I'm talking about. I passed the safety test. I have the entry level skills um and this is what makes them more employable and to be honest with you um why they're getting hired at a higher rate um than some of our other CTC's in Alageney County. >> All right. Thank you very much Dr. Cleveland. >> Thank you Mr. Letty. So both Mr. Mr. Lety mentions you the great relationship with all has principles and this has been going on for a long time but Dr. Davis and I have been in our respective schools for a long time, but he was high school principal. I was principal here. We may have each had a little more hair. It may have all been one killer. That's a long-standing relationship there and we've always appreciated that. >>

011So, want to talk to you just a little bit about Parkway. Um, we've experienced an explosive growth over the last 12 years, 143 and a half%. So not quite but almost tripling the size of our student body here at Park Barkley. Um if you take a look back over that same 12 years, the base average act one index increase has been 2.72 and we've been about 1.58. So we've worked really hard to be good stewards of of the dollars. Uh every time we spend a dollar it comes from the 12 school districts on this wall over here, Mount Lebanon being one. So, we work really hard to try to minimize our ask. Our students in the last 12 years have earned 13,440 industry credentials at no cost to them. So, as Mr. Ley alluded to,

012those are things like AWS, uh, EMT, nurse aid, AS, and automotive. Uh, and the list goes on and on. Every one of our programs has uh, one or more industry credentials. And every one of our programs that can be externally accredited is. So for instance, our our uh veterary technician program just got reacredited by NAFTA, National Association of Veterary Technicians. Um only about nine secondary schools in the Commonwealth that are accredited. Um it's a very rigorous process, but it's not Darby, Brock, and Mike standing here telling you we have quality Beth Heck program. It's external validation. We believe heavily in that. We have that across every program that can be American Culinary Federation and in our culinary program that you just got to enjoy. So work very hard at that and maintaining those in the

013previous five years. NOCI is Mr. Ley spoke about NOCI is our if you were our keystone exams. It's a two-part test. It's a written and a psychomer. The psycho motor is administered by business and industry professionals who come in and evaluate the students. So 97% pass rate over the last 5 years or our student body which is among the highest in the in the entire Commonwealth. Really shows the work our teachers do. They do a great job in the classroom. Um they work diligently with each and every child to make sure that they get it. And when you look at that small percentage of kids that don't pass, if you take one part, not the other, you don't pass, right? So kid might show up for one but not the other. Um and and it's

014a small margin. And what's really impressive um when you look at that, our student body population, 77% is economically disadvantaged and 43% have uh special education IEPs. And that's not before you count in 504s. So, these are kids that are really behind the eight-ball when they come in to our door, right? And our teachers work collaboratively with them to get them where they need to be. It's really it's exciting to be part of that. So, our campus um that you're here tonight, the main building was constructed in 1967. Um it is a very unique building as you might notice when you drive by. The walls are 13-inch pork concrete for rebar. uh very hard to do modifications, very costly to do modifications. Since 1967, we have not had a renovation project and the districts have

015not had debt service uh since the '9s, the early 90s from the best that I can tell from the records back then. Um that is that is um not overly uncommon across the the Commonwealth. Most of these schools were built in the 60s and 70s. here in Alageney County. AW Batty had a construction renovation about 20 25 years ago. Uh Still Center, which is in Egyptian Hills, is doing a $35 million project now. Uh and Forbes Roads is just in the exploration part of it. So in the 2324 school year, our board, which is called a joint operating committee, which uh Mrs. Johnson services as your representative emissioned um HHSDR architects to do a facility study of our of our um of our current campus and that study um took place during the 23 24

016school year. It involved um teachers, students, parents. Every one of our programs by code has what's called an occupational advisory committee. So occupational advisory committees are made up of parents, students, post-secondary partners and business and industry employers and they meet twice a year. So before we expend any capital dollars here, it has to have the thumbs up stamp of approval from that committee because we want to make sure the investments that we're making are mirroring what kids need to know in entry- level employment. So during that time, the instructors gathered data from all the all the parties mentioned and then would meet with the AR the architect with each each instructor or each program and and their instructor as well as the administration to really lay out what type of changes the program needed not

017only for today but for tomorrow for future growth. So that went on uh 23 24 school year. uh at the end of May 24, I I I received this very nice document of our facility study. That study really yielded two options. First one being in the sky, everybody gets everything they ask for. It never happens, right? Um 85.3 million. And then a much more paired down um piece which was infrastructure safety improvements and the addition of a 37,000t building was 698. So that happened 23 24 school year. That report was given to the JOC in June of 24. Uh and at that point our JOC I think similar to your board doesn't meet in the summer. We said let's take this let's digest it. We'll talk about it first item in the fall. So here

018comes fall and we begin to hear rumors that Pittsburgh Technical College which is a little over a mile down the road from here perhaps was closing fell on some hard times. So the board said we're not going to do anything right now. let's see how this plays out and if it does close let's see what perhaps can be the most economical and best educational decision before we move forward. So um sure enough uh it did close uh in January of 25 because of the manner in which it closed it went into receiverhip and receiverhip is not as easy to work through as you would think. It took us to around April to get in there JC actually to the building in April. That point uh they met with the architect solicitor uh and said you

019know this is something we think we want to take a stronger look at. So we spent April and May with our architects um really diving into the infrastructure of PTC. We we took what we learned and we compared that to what we learned in our facility study as to what everybody what we had to have and what was nice to have and what would be great to have. And we developed a plan of what that would look like. So the architect came back with two different options. One was uh renovating that facility and doing everything that everybody wanted. Again pie sky nobody gets everything they ever want. Um and it was 597. And then the second option was 47,000 which was infrastructure safety improvements and necessary programmatic um updates. So one area that campus falls

020short is automotive. There aren't garages. So you know like 10 million that is adding on garages one side for the program areas. There are many programs you can walk over there and immediately really just open welding HVAC health programs. The way PTC is designed, it was designed as very small classroom areas. So there's a lot of opening up spaces. And you got to remember in a program like Parkway, you're building instructional spaces, but they have heavy electricity needs. They have gas needs. They have all these things that are specific to the trades, which unfortunately really increase the the cost of things. So took a look at at what opportunities do we have at PTC that we don't have at the current parkway campus. >> And it really was um optimizing current programming uh the potential

021for future revenue generating. They have two fully equipped operating rooms there. They ran a search tech program. Just prior to closing, they had a deal with a major health partner in Pittsburgh. they were going to pay tuition for two cohorts of of students per year to complete their search tech in exchange for work agreements. So we thought wow we could open a secondary search tech program which which articulated into that very easily very low cost and then the evening has some revenue generating opportunities there and growth of our out of jointure. Um we do have a we do have a robust out of jointure enrollment. Um our kids get first out of our joint get first priority. Um, but that has that our out of Georgia students have have saved our 12 school districts $4.1

022million over the last 5 years. So it's a very big number, very big number. So why do we have out of jointure students by school code? If a student wants career in technical education, you have to divide it. So Parkway gets to the point where we and this is the first time and and certainly in at least three decades that I know of, perhaps maybe more that we we had to turn 20 students away and it was for a cosmetology program. You just couldn't there's square footage requirements. there's there's instructor to to student uh ratios. Um and I lost more than a few nights of sleep over that because we're not in business of turning kids away. The problem becomes if one of those kids was a Mount Lean student and they go to their

023principal, they say, "I want cosmetology." Not only do you have to find a program for them and pay for it, you have to provide transportation. So Carington about two years ago had a young man that wanted uh agriculture. we don't have agriculture. Um they they sent that child to Fort Cherry and the tuition was around 15,000. It was an all day placement. That wasn't really the big deal. The big deal was transportation. It was $200 a day times 180. So you do the math on it real quick. They're in a 50,000 for one regular egg kid. Now, if you have five children and want to go five different places, all of a sudden you have a lot of money invested. Fortunately, once that student got his driver's license, they cut a deal with the family

024to pay mileage, which decreased that a lot. But the family said, "I don't want my son driving all the way to Washington County, or they don't have a car, whatever the case may be, you're on the hook." So, you know, I always say the difference between special education and career education is you have to qualify for special education. Anybody who wants care education has to have that opportunity. It also gave us an opportunity for future CTE program for us. We cannot add anything further. At this time, we have 16 career majors. Um, we just don't have the the space to be able to do that. That's a good problem, but nevertheless, it is a problem because as new things emerge, if you can't add them and other places do and kids want them, you're right

025back to where you have to send them where there's where there's program. So after reviewing all this material, uh the JOC deemed that the best economical and educational decision was to pursue the Pittsburgh Technical College uh option. It has an increase in square footage, newer facilities, and opportunities not currently present at our current campus. Uh the board did contract with Howard Hannah commercial real estate to negotiate with bond holders. The initial price was about 20 million for the campus. um they get that down to about 12.2 for the actual purchase of the campus. So when you add the actual purchase of the campus with the minimum amount of renovations that we need to make it functional, um you come up with that $60 million number. Now, if this were to come to fruition, this campus

026would then sell and that revenue, again, there's no debt service here, would be refunded to the districts. What will this sell for? it would depend upon what the intended use of it is. If somebody wants to build a a housing division here, they have to tear everything down. Um so it becomes not as lucrative. If somebody wanted to set up a warehouse of some sort, it would be perfect and it would certainly um increase a bit and in the sale price of it. Um so that would be refunded. We have met with several legislators who are like, you know, we're all going to band together. We're going to do the best we can to get you an ARCAP grant for this. But you can't apply for an ARPA grant until you have a project and

027you have a building. So it's like what comes first, you know, and how do you make that work? So obviously no guarantee there, but Steel Center, for example, got $4 million. So if that money were, you know, we were fortunate this went through and we did that, we would then refund that money back to increase that overall cost. whole lot of information uh in a very short amount of time. I am going to give you some documents that are more of an executive summary of this. I fully understand the financial hardship that Mount Lebanon's in. I I get it and I understand it. Um much much like Dr. Freeze who works for you, I work for a board as well. uh our board responsibility was to identify a problem to look at potential solutions to

028the problem and bring what we thought was the most economical and best educational decision to our Georgia school districts. So for this to be approved, all 12 school districts would have to have a simple majority of yes. I don't want you to think that your vote doesn't count, but I will tell you West Alagany has indicated to us that they will not be passing. They were going to they're going to vote it down. has not happened yet, but uh in all full transparency, uh they were very vocal about they're going to do that. So, unfortunately, if that happens, it's game over, but everybody still has to take a vote because we were very thoughtful in a manner in which we did we did purchase sales agreement to simply take that off the market. It gave

029us a a 240day runway, but the way we walk away from it is be able to demonstrate that our districts did not approve this. this doesn't get approved, we still have a significant problem here at Parkway. We have an aging facility that's not ever had anything done to um that's a discussion for another day. Should we get there? Um and I'm not sure what the answers are there because you saw the numbers of of where we're at there. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to not do anything that doesn't add square footage. are growing and at the rate that we are currently there are uh about 10,000 children statewide that can't get into career centers across the state. Um I was told at a PD meeting just last week there are a few

030special education uh bases at the department level where IEPs were written for students to be in career center programs and there weren't seats. The the bad news from Mount Lebanon is the way our joint agreement is written, which was written in 1967 when this joint was created, was that school districts pay according to the average state of membership of the 11th and 12th graders at the home school. So that puts you at a much bigger disadvantage financially than a much smaller school. However, the other side to that coin is is um we're working on enrollment procedures right now with our board and our solicitor and we share a solicitor um because our joint agreement speaks to when programs get pulled. Same way seats are allotted according to your size. So, Mount Lebanon has more seats

031than you currently would ever use. Hopefully someday you'll use them all, but then it becomes almost like a like a a competition game and there'll be a date where you have to have them in and if you don't that date then there'll be a month where you reallocate those to other districts and then after that month then you would take out of joiner folks in. Um it gets a lot more convoluted um and and a lot more competitive among the districts. So I've said an awful lot. I want to hear any questions you might have. Uh, obviously again I'm well aware of your financial situation. You're not the only ones in that in that situation. Uh, but again we felt the the need to to bring the problem u which has been growing and and

032offer solutions. >> Thank you. Any questions? I'm going to you guys pass one because you have any questions at all? >> I do. um $60 million uh divided in what way among 12 joint districts? >> So our joint agreement which was entered in 1967 outlies how capital expenditures of the Native Parkway. So they're based upon the average daily member membership of your 11th and 12th graders at your home school district. So you're the largest school district among our 12 member districts. And unfortunately the allocation of of that makes you have a bigger share than perhaps >> well >> we're the largest um 79 or we're the largest school district among these >> among your 11th and 12th graders. You have the biggest 11th and 12th grade class >> at our home school. >> Yes, correct.

033>> Okay. >> And while that why that was created I I don't know. I can't say. There are a lot of joint agreements across the state that are like that. Um that is not really an common thing but when you look at you know what's your class size Dr. Freeze >> about 1800 I can go do you want me to give them the overview of the financial stuff I did share it with the board in July but so that people can follow they state it >> and just to one to my one point here. So you have about 400 kids of class roughly >> 450 Cornell probably has 650 K12 so that that is the kind of the difference. So um the and correct me if I'm wrong I don't want to misspeak but the

034proposed financing model is structured as a lease agreement rather than a traditional district issue debt. Correct. >> Yes. So that so this would not count against your borrowing ability >> um with an estimated 30-year bond rate of between 3.5% and 4.9% callable after 10 years. And if the district's financial responsibility is calculated based on average daily man um membership of high school, we hold the highest share which is 17.66% of the total cost. And our cost would be between $680,000 and $825,000 per year or a 20, a 25 or 30. Um and the bond payments would begin in March of 2026 potentially. >> That that could be even two years out. So again, we have a 240day runway. We understand budget cycles are tough. And when this and and like one thing I think bears

035mentioning here is when a purchase happens, it happens, right? This becomes available and you have to act on it. And when you're negotiating for a purchase, you don't want everybody in the world to know you're negotiating for a purpose because what happens? You lose your disadvantage, right? So this happened rather quickly. We our our purchase agreement was just signed. My goodness, less than a month ago. So it's 240 days from then. So it conceivably be this is 25 26 26 could be conceivably 2728 for any that service will be there. Depends how how we structure it. >> And our our current budget is about 350 for tuition and then whatever capital I think there was like a roof project or something like that this year. So our current cost with 1516 is 480,000. So you

036take that and then add on to it anywhere from 680 a year to 835 a year. >> So you guys unfortunately get to the big hit because a lot of school districts their cost per student goes up $1,500, >> right? >> Yours goes up quite a bit. Now part of that is you have a little number compared to your population. Uh the other part of that is you're just a big school. Um it's not fair from where you sit at all and I get that it's not uncommon in joint agreements and why that was brought about I I don't know >> what's our opportunity to change that >> the other school districts would all have to agree and I don't see that happening. Thank you so much. And I mean all fairness, you look at

037our structure. I mean, we have >> I mean, you look at budget size, you know, >> yeah, we're talking like, you know, we have $125 million budget. We're talking that might have 50 60 million >> and for no less, you know. So I I think you know when you really take a step back when easy for me to say because I'm not sitting in a hot seat where you guys are at right but when you take a step back it kind of makes sense following Dr. P's point of you know when you look at the the budgeting process. So joint agreements unfortunately do require each board to pass them. >> That's so you you indicated on the outside there was at least one school district that had already sort of forecast now. >> Yes. So

038what happens like so hypothes yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no yes noes and some nos >> it's dead what's that it's >> everybody has to agree >> everybody simple majority of each so it gets a bit confusing because we only need 55 votes among the 108 12 boards and nine to purchase the property but you can't purchase property unless you get finance financing is simple majority of each board >> so all nine boards have to >> all 12 boards have to have to vote Yes. Not a simple majority across >> no simple majority of each school. >> So if if 11 school boards vote 900 to do this and one vote one votes 54 not to do it, it's over. >> Then you

039need 108 votes, right? >> There's 108 total votes, possible votes. >> You got to get majority of those, right? >> Yes. So you have to have five from each district assuming every board has 12 me every board has nine members like sto does not have nine members I think they have six so there' be a few less which is not uncommon for snow >> so it's a very very high bar to to to jump and get over yes >> so question though but thank you for for all this information um do you try like with all the indust industry credentials in the postsecondary articulation and 17. What are your graduates doing? Where where are they? What are they doing? >> So, by code, we are required to do a survey 6 months after graduation. 6

040months after graduation, uh if you look back the last three or four years, 82 to 85% of our kids are either working or employed and and related to what their program was here. Um the other 15% I think in 6 months out are still trying to figure out where they go. I think if that if that was pushed out a year later, it would be a bit higher. Um, but our kids are in a really good position right now. Everyone that wants a job and to reemphasize what Mr. Ley said and can pass a drug test have two or three opportunities walking out the door. And one thing that we're hearing more and more from uh business and industry across every facet, every one of our 16 career majors is send the kids to us,

041let them demonstrate to us that we will they'll come to work, they'll pass a drug test, they'll do the things they need to do. We will invest in them and pay for their post-secary college training, whatever the case may be. So, not only are they working and earning a a salary, they're also coming out debtree. So, the kids do metriculate to where they're going. And I think when you look from a from a national perspective, why do we have a six year four degree? We have a six year for degree because kids and young adults don't know what they don't know, right? So when you come to the career center, sometimes it might take two, three, four, five different stops before you figure out what you like and what you don't like, what you're good

042at, what you're not good at. And if the only thing we accomplish with the children here is that they figure out what their passion is and what their life's work is that that's a huge success because there you know I always tell I'm a nurse by trade prior to coming into career in technical education and I went to nursing school a long time ago in the '9s and when I was in nursing school and this is still the same today which just fascinates me because I have some friends who teach nursing um you know the first semester is kind of more book work basic classes is then you go out on clinical rotation. You wouldn't believe the amount of people that quit nursing school when they realize they have to touch people. >> And that

043seems really silly, but it happens. It It really does. Or, you know, you have a kid that they show up at Parkway, all I want to do is be a welder, and then they figure out they have to get dirty. I don't want to be a welder. Okay? And we do a really good job and career ed in general does a really good job of really exposing kids to many different opportunities and allowing them to figure out what it is they want. And and our career clusters are really that's really why we do that because kids get to try a little bit of everything and we hope that in a year or so they've kind of figured out where they want to go. A lot of career centers do not allow kids to move around.

044Once you're here, we let you move around much as we need to until we can find your home. Build a student tracker for Pennsylvania. Only 59% of kids graduate a four-year degree in four years. What's even scarier is we don't know where the missing kids are. That's that's 41% of kids floating around. You look at our community college in Alagany County, over a third of their enrollment in people with bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees coming back to get training so they can find a job. And and they have a bachelor's and masters or a doctoral degree. What else do they have? Oftentimes a significant amount of debt. So that's a very long answer to your very short question. I apologize, but I get passionate. Yes, >> I have a question. That's throw us under the

045bus, but if that goes forward and they don't vote and this is dead in the water, are there opportunities to kind of collaborate with other institutions by like the West Hills CCAC center or Rosedale kind of like use some of their facilities that may be more >> Rosedale's busting at the seams. >> Oh, they are. >> Yeah. And and really the trades programs it it's a very hot time for the technical education. Um, so we've looked at a variety of issues. We looked at other buildings close by that that the cost to make something for what we need. And you know, you think you renovate a middle school, you're basically renovating a classroom classroom. Yeah. There's more technology, there's more that, but when you're taking a blank slate and you're putting lifts and welders and

046electricity and all those things in, >> um, it it's it's a lot more than you would think. And you got I mean, I don't know how many members were on the board when you did your high school. Um, it adds up very very quickly. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Other question? >> Sounds like it's a fantastic idea with a really high price tag that um isn't budgeted for in the current situation. So I think that's So I think the challenge is bringing that cost down quite honestly. >> It doesn't sound like there's a whole lot of room to move on cost. I mean some of that >> I'm thinking about like grants and stuff but I don't think that >> willing to sell it for is kind of what it is. I mean

047they got it at >> well grant funding to fund the purchase is another avenue but that doesn't look great on the horizon budget >> problem is you can't do grant funding until you have a building you have a project >> right you can't sell something you don't have >> budget grant based that's the most challenging part about this and I just want you to hear from us that our board is fully supportive of Parkway we love the programming our kids love coming here was not a knock against this program that we can't financially cover it right now. We have put ourselves on a diet of financial obligations to write the ship, right? And the board knows that we have all aligned with sticking to the plan so that we can recover, right? And a part

048of that recovery is not adding additional, you know, costs and trying to cut. and we we did a 32 staff member reduction uh about a year and a half ago and that was really really hard and um I just I want you to hear from us and I think the board would echo this that it is not a knock against this program. We truly value all the support you give to our kids and your willingness to always be flexible and that's for your whole team and that's doesn't happen everywhere and so just a genuine thank you to you for you and your team's work >> and I appreciate your kind words and I again as I started this conversation I understand your financial position. I hope that the board also understands our position that we

049have a problem. We investigate the solutions and we're bringing these forward. Had this not been a purchase, to your point, this could have been a much longer runway for renovation, but a purchase is available when it's available. You know, this is an approximately $70 million campus that we would potentially be able to buy for 12.2. And there have been, well, why don't we buy it and sit on, but when you start factoring the cost of what it's going to cost to sit on it or to run two campuses, it's not good, right? So you run two campuses, one SRO. God forbid something happens at the school where the SRO is not there. We're all get sued, right? You know, so there are a lot of challenges and we looked at about every available option. Um,

050and I get it. I understand it. I hope you guys understand our position. Nothing was meant to sneak up on Mount Lebanon or anybody else and say, "Oh, here it is." That was never the intention. Uh and Maria can tell you she's been involved in a lot of conversations at our JC level. We truly like you want to do the very best thing we can for the for the students we serve. The harsh reality of it is economics is always a major factor in education and education is there's a big inequality. I mean we all know that and we all live with decisions that were made before us and we are where we're at. I appreciate you coming out here listening to what I'm saying. Um, I guess I'll just part with saying, um, it

051appears as if this project is not going to go forward. That still leaves us with a big problem here that's going to have to be addressed. I don't necessarily know the solutions to that because addressing those solutions here, everything costs more. I mean, the cheapest one is between selling this place is 14 or 15 million more. So, what does that look like? It is a smaller piece. Is it restricting enrollment? I I don't know, but that's something that we'll certainly have to circle back to and really take a hard look at. So, I guess what I'm saying is probably not the last time you get to see my smile on the face. >> Hey, the number that you gave us on new properties, 12 million in purges, it was >> 47 to renovate a lot

052of it. It seems like there's a lot of similarities between this campus and that and you even alluded to it in your presentation that some of the stuff with the turn key. >> Yes. >> You sort of move over fill the room with your stuff. >> Is there a way to strip down that 47 to to just absolute bare bones to get us there short amount of time? And 12 million is a great number for that property for sure. You know, >> for sure. Um you know, we took some hard looks at that. you know, 10 million of that is simply the autom that's 22. >> Yeah. Another 8 million is permitting and architects and and all those things. So, when you really get down to what we're doing to the facility, we're opening up

053walls and we're running necessary electricity and and those types of of things throughout that building. Um, you know, the architect's original uh proposal was really moving a lot of things around. the principles spent about two days in there really saying no, we don't need to move this, we don't need to do that. So, I guess what I'm saying to you is we've done a lot of that already. Um, you know, the only thing that would make sense, but it doesn't make sense, is running two campuses temporarily, but that's really a dangerous thing in my view because let's be honest, is there ever a good time to come ask for money? The answer's not likely, right? And everybody has their own projects and they're you have to take care of them first. if we get that.

054Um, so I I don't know that there's enough room to make meaningful difference to to the overall number. And the other thing is, you know, we're thinking this is what it's going to bed at. I mean, obviously we could go over that once we floated the bond, but bidding is is, you know, crazy right now. Absolutely crazy. And doesn't seem to be getting any better any anytime sooner. >> Yeah. our advisors that keep that but it won't get better for at least two years. We know obviously have as well >> right >> battling the economy needs to pay for >> to that point in the market currently. Do you foresee that going quickly? Are there any part anything? >> Um >> who knows is the short answer. you know, anytime you go to buy something,

055it's it's like going to to buy a new car and they say there's two other people looking at it and sometimes that's true and sometimes that's not true. Um, we really paired down we we weren't and we weren't interested in the dorms so we cut those off to cut costs. There's some property up across Gamble Road. We cut that off because we really didn't want to get residential developing. Um, I don't know. I mean, a year from now that could still possibly be available. Um, but the other side of that is if you go into a purchase agreement, I don't know that the seller is going to be interested in a, you know, a year runway on that, which is what's going to take districts to really get up and running. You be like, well,

056you did this once to us. You know, you want to do it, you're going to close in 180 days or that's it. That's just not enough time to get to the districts. There's so many moving parts with it that it's just an atypical uh um kind of a purchase. If you as a board decide you're going to purchase a piece of property or renovate a school or you know you run the numbers, you figure out where the money is going to come from and you do it. So when you look when we want to do something like that, you know, it's 12 different boards. Um and and you know, when you look across at our 12 school districts, um you know, you're dealing with your community, we're dealing with dozens of communities and and different

057expectations. there's a very high um level of expectation for education in Mount Lebanon and the kids are expected to perform and behave in a certain manner. That's not always true everywhere. It's it's just different and and that's one of the challenges at the career center. But the other side of that coin is for these 12 students, the only place the the playing field is level for a Stone Rock student is when they come to Parkway. They have everything in Mount Lean Student has. And that's pretty powerful, especially when you 77% of our kids are are economically disadvantaged. This is the only level playing field perhaps in their life. So, it's very powerful. I >> think the singular concern is the cost to >> the districts. Um, so 12 million's a great price for a property

058like that. And I'm, you know, I'm wondering how far you can spread that out. Purchase the property. Don't do anything to it until you plan for it the next year. You're not opening up and moving over immediately. >> You're making a longer, your word was runway. That's a great word for it. Like it's just a longer trajectory of um planning. >> The only problem with that is if they don't have guaranteed funding, then they purchase something that they won't be able to sell. And so they want the total kind of package because if not they are stuck paying for something that they can't utilize fully which means insurance and >> well to set PTC idle for a year. Uh taking a look at at utility bills we've been riding with and cutting those way back.

059It's still $210,000 a year to sit there idle that the districts would have to pay for it. So absolutely no ROI on it. No return on investment whatsoever to do that. And the problem is if the boards vote to approve it and I think quite frankly if if we were buying CCAC West Hills which is much more suitable to what we teach and we had to go in there and do $5 million and we could buy for 12 we really wouldn't be here to have this conversation. It would be a done deal. But unfortunately you're you're bound by where you're at. And when you think about things like bus schedules in Mount Lebanon is larger walking district, but many of our buses here, you know, you heard we have two Mount Lebanon CB has like

060three or four. They all leave here and go to other runs. So moving more than a mile away from here disrupts significantly busing for, you know, 10 or 11 other school districts. So, um, and running two campuses, which we looked at that again, you know, now you're looking about a $700,000 increase, and that's bare bones. That's like an SRO, electricity, some minor repair, some insurance. One thing that Parkway does not have a capital reserve fund. We refund to zero each year. You get a small refund from Parkway each year. So we can't even prepare for something like this because we don't have a reserve funds by code career centers if primary by our districts can have up to a five years but it's got to be allocated for something. Okay, we're going to need to

061buy a roof roof in five years and it's going to be a million dollars and we're going to try to tuck away $150,000 year so the districts don't have to any up for that all time. but with the condition of, you know, the infrastructure of our facility. Um, and we've done very well doing small three $400,000 projects, renovating bathrooms, renovating hallways, classrooms, paint, minor things, but as you know, cuz your board has done renovation, you know, $5 million is not much for an HAC project. Not much at all. I mean, so when you look at we have many things in our walls that have been there in our ceiling since 1967. if we we've gotten all the money's worth out of it and you just wonder what day are you going to go to school

062and is it not going to work and then here we are and it's it's May and by the way you know great way to get off superintendent's Christmas card list is to tell them hey we have an unanticipated $5 million expenditure or $3 million or whatever the case may be um and that you know it's not uncommon for career centers it's the way we are built the way we are designed. Um there has been a lot of talk at the state level and and through our professional organization. We have we continue to advocate for some kind of plan called plan con called something different because plan con is a very bad word with legislators right but how can we leverage the legislators who are who are in love with career ed because basically our business

063and industry in Pennsylvania are telling our legislators if you don't get us a workforce we're leaving taking our tax dollars. So business, you know, legislators are saying a cured and we're saying, listen, these schools are old. The districts don't have money laying around. They have their own issues. Sweeten the deal a little bit. What if you gave a 50/50 match or 60/40 match or something to be able to help that? Then it makes it a little bit more difficult for a district to say, "We just can't get there." Right? So we're not looking for somebody to come in and do it all. We're looking for help. And and I think that's a pretty reasonable ask when you look at the the economic development problems in our state, which is a lack of a workforce, right?

064So, um, all problems we won't solve here tonight. I know you guys have an ambitious agenda and I can sit here and talk for it all night because I'm very passionate about it. Um, are there any other questions before I allow you to have the rest of your meeting? >> Thank you so much for coming out, Dr. Hall. >> Thank you. Thank you. Officer Hall will be here uh to make sure everybody gets their cars okay and uh they're where they need to be. Also, at your uh place, I left a folder with some information. Any unlike the event you can't sleep tonight, just pull it out. I read most of it. You'll fall right to sleep. >> Thank you all so much. >> Have a good evening everybody. >> Thank you. Next item. Take

065the kids again for dinner. >> Um, >> I did. >> Yeah, I got kicked out. But guess what? I have paper. >> You're never going to see any other >> seriously blowing in. >> Yeah. Same back. I'll keep who does anyone with mine's also good Yeah. Okay. >> Does everyone have their agenda? >> All right. The next uh section of the agenda is on the proposed policy adoptions. We have three policies for consideration this month. The first one is 1132.4 confidentiality of special education student information. The second one is 115 career and technical education. And the third one is 223 use of bicycles and motor vehicles. Um the retirement of the policy for this month would be KFAA use on school property of bicycle, skateboards, rollerblades, and other devices. During our policy meeting, we discussed

066all three of these policies. Um and we recommend to the community to take a look at them. They would be up for vote next week on Monday. And during our policy discussion, we did talk about adding fourth and fifth graders as eligible riders of bicycles to school. >> Any additional question? Um yes. So, um I agree with all of that and I just wanted to um lost my notice, but um I wanted to say maybe can we add into the policy something about in accordance with PA or with state law helmet laws like just to have it have it in there maybe even though it's not an expectation but that we would like all students to have helmets some some type of wording like that. I don't know. Um >> I was surprised to learn

067though under we don't want to do the bare >> what I what I was like playing with was like you know that in accordance to state law I fall under but we >> recommend telling all students >> exactly something like that and then um we'd also like to see just in regard to that elementary school fourth fifth grade um kind of the education piece I mean I feel like I don't know if it's also getting the move libo into our education piece of you know bike riding, pedestrians, drivers, respecting bike riders because that is something that um yes it's dangerous but it's also because people don't know how to drive with bikes. So it would be nice to kind of see them in their community. Um and um bike racks I think that's something that

068whether it's parent organizations or I mean there are by Pis there's organizations out there where where that could be feasible, right? So those are all really great conversation starters. >> Yeah, we'll take care of the education piece. So yeah, one for the students to go up town later this um that conversation for >> Yeah. And I believe that um in my time on the um on the economic development committee in Mount Lebanon, similar to how this is a shared responsibility between the districts and the municipality and then of course like parents and same with the students. Um but similarly to how municipality drafts safe walking routes, they tried to draft safe biking routes and they found that safe. So I feel like there's also potentially like an equity issue if you're introducing this because not

069all of our schools are going to have a safe biking path to from wherever you are. Um I say that as a parent of a high school bikes every night. Um and can also coign there are significant safety issues not just with the driver's device but with a driver. Um, so I think if we're getting into younger grades, we're not necessarily we're encouraging potentially the use of bikes for school. I think it would be a multistakeholder conversation to make sure that there were education pieces pieces. >> I think I work with PTA on that. And I think the other piece is the um state blocking routes is no longer a thing. Um I met with the police this week and they're going to meet again on Monday. Um there was no smaller program called safe

070walking routes. So now it's going to be recommended walking routes and they're not accredited anymore. So that'll be something that's like a language update in the next six months as we think the funding for the program disappeared. So, you know, we are a walking district and it's actually surprising the small number of kids that bike to the high school, right? And everybody drives. So, starting with the kids and teaching them these good stills, I think is only a good thing. Um, so thank you because most of you know I'm extremely passionate about this topic. Um, you know, I there are many more accidents that the majority of us have not heard about have happened on on the e uh scooters, the ebikes. Um, so if you aren't feeling particularly passionate, feel free to ask me

071um why I am, but um did you say they are going to start ticketing? >> They're not. Okay. So, you verify that. Yeah. >> Okay. Um >> tickets for what? >> Tickets. Well, like for instance for the violator for scooter for like scooters for kids that ride scooters. >> I I I don't know that this is the case. I I think that I've heard that there were more violators at Jefferson Middle School but now I don't know if that's true. Um >> that's accurate. >> Okay. And so um you know there were a couple dirt bikes being ridden to school and I think possibly still a lot of them just not being parked on on campus. Um, just to go on record, I I love where we live. Um, I I don't think it's safe

072for fourth and fifth graders to ride bikes where we live. I mean, I I live in a perfect world, I feel like, you know, we could do that, but I guess it is just a question of what you want to leave up to the parents and not. I just from what I've seen on scooters and talking to parents who think their children are being safe who are not. I witnessed them. I don't know. It's just like at what point does the school district step in and say, "Hey, like our job is to protect kids, too." And you know, fourth and fifth graders, we're just going to draw the line. You know, apologies to anyone who knows their child. You know, Val Sun might be completely responsible enough to do so in fourth grade. Um but

073overall um you know just trying to students student safety I would personally uh keep it 6 through 12. Um it this the condition of the sidewalks Washington Road Cochran I mean it's we don't live in a in a community sadly that that is safe for for riding these things I don't believe. Um, I think that was it, but thanks for doing this. And the police department's fantastic. I I called the police department as a parent. Um, you know, spoke to somebody who who knows I'm a board member, but you know, they're I understand where they're coming from terms with their enforcement. Um, and really they went above and beyond and and certainly the administration at Jefferson did as well. So again, it's all about keeping kids safe. Thank you. >> Additional question. >> A revised

074version of the policy to everybody at least by Thursday and then I'll be back. Thank you. U moving on. Our next uh section is our finance section. And the first item in the finance section is our treasures report. >> The treasures report reflects cash transactions for the month of September 2025. First document is our treasures report. It's a four-page document. Page one is a list of our main bank accounts with the ending cash balances as of 9:30 2025. And the uh those those big accounts are our general fund, our payroll, capital project, real estate tax account in the capital area. Page two, the top of that page is our investments and what the balance was as of 91 2025. And if you scroll down um you'll see the ending balances on page three. Page four

075is a list of our smaller accounts with an ending balance as of 9:305. The second document is our projected expenditures and revenue. And um we are just showing you the adopted budget compared to what we've spent so far as of September 30th, 2025. In the revenue section, you'll see some gaping holes under state revenue sub sources because there is no state budget and we are not receiving any state funds. So, it's kind of impossible to do a projection at this point because we don't know what is happening with the state funds. So, um the the projected final is an assumption that we will break even based on what we budgeted. questions or comments on treasury report. I just want to thank Mrs. Connelly uh for this information and continue um advocacy and urging others to

076advocate to the state for passive budgets so that districts over the Commonwealth. Um where their expenditures need to be if shifting after the first quarter has already passed of the budget year. Um and we that will be coming up shortly. I think there are very few legislative session days left in the next monthly list built. The monthly list of bills reflects checks authorized to be drawn between September 11th, 2025 and September 29th, 2025. All checks have been reviewed by the administration. The superintendent recommends approval of this list. >> Questions or comments on the list? >> Next up, we have invest tax refunds for September 2025. Elicit tax refunds totals $259,95266 for eight refunds for September 2025. The list has been reviewed by the solicitor's office which recommends approval. The list is recommended for approval by

077the superintendent government. This is refunding. It's eight refunds, but it's for two commercial properties, right? But yes, for the current year it'll look bad, etc. and it's a quarter million quart million dollar. So we do have money in the budget for some tolerance for real estate refunds. We planned ahead knowing that we were going to have the ratio issues. Um but again that's not necessarily like a predictable final amount but this is a big chunk for two months of which is the Galleria which they go and file CLR every year. So, we'll see them every year until um our state or local government decides to allow school districts to do their jobs. >> Questions. >> Is the other one writing? No, it's a mouth drop. Oh, so this is something that has been uh in

078the works for a couple of years, but Mr. Beller resolved and we discussed an executive session back in May and so it finally came to its end where they agreed. We actually ended up doing better than we originally thought, which is definitely a good thing. He's been a Mr. developer has been a fantastic addition because he's been fighting them and he has a lot of history um with fighting these appeals. So, it's it's very it's worked out our favor additional questions on site. Okay, next up we have a list of your budgetary transfers. The board has asked to approve year-end budgetary transfers for 24 and 25. The superintendent recommends approval of this action question. On that we have a list of transfers for October budgetary transfers for October total $19,000 for sporting beneficials and security.

079The superintendent recommends approval of these transfers questions or comments. We have a list of unusable. The list of unusable equipment includes a table in fair condition, a computer cart in fair condition, square tabletops in fair condition, metal coat racks in poor condition, a metal shelf cabinet in poor condition, a filing cabinet in poor condition, a large desk with cabinets in poor condition, an overhead cabinet in poor condition, and new student math books. The superintendent recommends approval of this list. questions or comments. Um, you'd like something in poor condition. We got >> I would just add even though that the math workbooks are new, it's a curriculum that is no longer used. So, very outdated. They are not poor in their condition but perhaps in their information. >> Uh right. And finally we have the proposal

080for field naming. >> The board has asked to approve the naming of the Mount Lean High School football field for a period of 10 years in honor of former coach and teacher Art Walker. The proposal requests me rights for the stadium field service only for a contribution of $100,000 to be paid in a lump sum or an annual installments to the school district over a 10-year term and disperse based upon the needs of the athletic department. The superintendent recommends approval. And I will note that the proposal that you see here is the proposal. So if there's any discussion tonight that we need to go back to the team and say, "Hey, would you like to see this?" It will then go to them. we would come to a conclusion and you would see them here

081next. We've uh basically an improvement rather than >> questions or comments on this proposal. >> I have one question. Over the um the iterations of this proposal, there have been suggestions um for what the money would be used for for needs within the athletic department. Um and it's my understanding that no decisions have been made firmly on the allocation of of that sum. Um is that correct? >> Yeah. Under financial consideration, it states the monies will be held in a separate account by the district and dispersed based upon the athletic department needs. However, should any such needs or projects require municipality approval such as installing lighting on the upper practice field and that approval will not clear any of them used by the athletic department or similar athletic projects that are agreed upon by the

082donor committee and the athletic department. So, at no point will we use these funds unless we have a conversation and an agreement with the donor that that is the intended use for the funds. >> Is that between the donor and the athletic director or is the board involved in that? um decision be between the athletic department and myself um the donors and of course an update to the board that it wouldn't need to go for for approval. It would be something that we would have a discussion about. >> So is that typical typical may not be the right word for the donor to have that say so? >> Yes. Yes. And we want that to be the case because we think there has been some assumptions in the community in the past that we need

083to donations, we didn't utilize them for their intended use. And any funds that we take from a donation, we want the individuals to know that we're using it for their intended request. Um, I think that builds like kind of trust within the community and maybe more a willingness to provide us with funds to do some of the projects that we're hoping to do that we may not have um the financial means to do so. >> And isn't so when I read it, the Blue Devil Club, it just reiterated that it was a separate account because isn't that the >> It won't be with the Blue Devil Club. So, we discussed that with the uh donors and if you take a look at the document that's in there, it says that it'll come straight to the

084school district. Is there a 501c3 that is uses the district's um you know name but is not um overseen by us, right? So, this all the funds would come directly and we would have a separate account that we would do the um the deposits to. So, we would always have the correct amount that has been donated. And if see that on the treasur that's correct and then what happens after 10 years for if somebody wants to and if it doesn't I think it's >> for sure. Yeah. >> But yeah I mean I personally like you know reviewing the proposal and all of us reviewing the proposal we know that Mr. Walker was a huge contributor to our school district for many years. Um you can go to football games and still find him in the

085end zone cheering on the team and um was a very nice man who did a lot for our school district and to honor him in this way I think would be an honor to him but also an honor to the students who really loved and respected him during his time here. >> Yeah, it was really nice. the last public meeting, we heard from a number of people that he had impact impacted over his his long career. And that was really meaningful to me as a non sports person here in in Mount Lebanon to hear that that exactly that the community impact uh generational impact and that's that's really rare. Uh it's really special and I I appreciate the iterative approach to this um proposal. uh because we did see this earlier, but it's it's really

086kind of strengthened and again hearing from the community was really something special to me. >> No questions or comments on the >> I will just say a lot of happy tears from those that put forth this proposal. So they're very excited and elated. Lots of hugs of happy. >> Nobody hugged me. >> And so like to state that public. >> Imagining that this is um brought before us for a vote next week and that it's affirmed at that meeting. Would this happen in this um football season? Um it would happen um next football season would be the unveiling of the um signage and the um you know the ceremony for for this. >> Is he still unaware? Did you say he >> does? He doesn't know. >> He doesn't know. >> Wow. >> Yeah. So

087he'll know before next year but like the formal process of >> Am I on screen? It's a little >> Sorry, I did. >> We do want to hear from you. And >> and I also Yeah, I just want to also say um how much we all appreciated hearing from members of the donor committee and also their willingness to continue to work with the administration on something that um would both honor um Mr. Walker and potentially make more sense and more impact for the students in the district. Sure. So any other things for Dr. Freeze to say that a potential again this is the proposal. So we'll have an agreement to vote yes or no. I guess just should it to get board approval if uh you know that clause is about so the municipality says

088no to something and something else is selected for the money does the board have um an opportunity to weigh in on that I understand I heard what you said about the donors that is their prerogative to select a project but can we yes know it >> and I'm wonder athletic department so whatever it is >> well like the typical process improving capital projects even if it could but I mean we're not going to do anything that isn't part of like our overall plan right and I'm going to be candid we have millions of dollars of things that we need to do from an athletic standpoint and other standpoint so never will this money go to something that's frivolous it's going to go to something that's intentional and I would keep you guys informed um all

089all the time like I typically do. Yeah, probably tired of hearing from me, but >> Well, yeah. And I'm wondering then if there could be some language that need agreement, not for board approval, but just saying that it would be um based on the needs of the athletic department and the approved facility plan or something like that. So then there's at least a call back to like we've enumerated a set of projects that are priority. >> I like that. And it's not because I don't trust the feedback mechanism. I just uh I think that it would be nice to keep to those priorities that the board has set. Other feedback questions. We are moving on to the human resources portion of the agenda. That is third. The personnel report details personnel appointments, changes in assignments,

090leaves of absences, resignations, sbaticals, and retirements to be considered by the board. Any questions or comments on the personnel? Um for the next section for facilities, we have two um items related things we've heard about and discussed at some lines tonight. The purchase of real estate and the financing of real estate for Parkway West ATC. Dr. Fleet, >> there are two items. The first is um and again as Mr. Dr. Jared, we have to vote on these whether it's a yes or a no because they need the documentation to go back to the individuals they've been working with to say whether or not they have or not and the only way that they can get out of the agreement if people don't vote yes they have documentation of that. So um though the language is

091written as the board is asked to approve um you'll note at the end that I'm making another recommendation. So for the first one, purchase of real estate, the board is asked to approve the purchase of the real property located in Northad at main campus and list the parcel number and adjacent land parcel number encompassing approximately 33.4 acres and energy center and adjacent buildings including approximately 9 acres of parcel number and a joint district of Fway West career center. and the superintendent does not recommend um approval of this purchase for the reasons that we stated at the beginning of this meeting related to us getting back on track and making sure that we stick to our family. Then inside there you'll notice the uh certification once we've taken a vote that we will fill out and

092give toway. And then for the second one it's um for finance of real estate. The board's asked for financing but just the real property in North Bay at a campus parcel number and adjacent land parcel numbering approximately 33.4 4 acres and energy center adjacent buildings including approximately 9 acres parcel number as a juncture district of Parkway West career and technical as a juncture district of Parkway West career and technical center I think that's a duplicate um again superintendent does not recommend the approval of this purchase >> and just to clarify the items that are on the agenda for this month are related just to the purchase and finance of the real estate um which was I think negot negotiated at about $12.5 million of which we would be on the hook for about 17.7%. Um,

093but it it would be part of this larger um project of renovation that has the potential to have some grant funding or some funds from the proceeds of the sale this facility though not guaranteed. Um but whatever the the uh final price for acquisition and project ended up being Mount Lebanon's portion of that is based on our uh enrollment at the home district not our enrollment um questions or comments on it. It's another area would be nice to see the state step up and and fund something very important when you've got what a dozen cash draft school districts that are wanting to support a really important meaningful program that that brings jobs to the state in a very direct way. Um it's again just a ridiculous example of underfunding and education. Um and what a

094better investment for the state than that than to support such project. >> There's a lot of lip service I think towards support of not only CTC but the trades. Um, and it would be, you know, I would love to consider this if we had zero financial constraints and if it was a partnership with the state unit supposedly providing instead of an unfunded mandate to provide this education. Um, other questions about it. It's just disappointing because it is like Todd mentioned, it's overpromised by legislators that underfunded or no funding at all and it is an amazing program. >> Just the I and I you can say I'm not sure and we can check back. Um, but I know you do an annual allocation for the operating budget and then for the program budget for is that

095is this entirely funded by >> or does parkway get any other funding? I guess besides their allocations >> is limited. It's things like that. We fund um this year our budget was about 340,000 for tuition and paying 150,000 that was for operating costs to help them repair things here. I will say this that the state and federal government talks a whole lot about CTC CTC and they don't fund it. It's a lot of talk. They'll go out and they'll put hard hats on and they'll talk all about what they do and then they give them nothing in return. And like these are when you read articles about what's up and coming. It's not college degrees. It is trades. It is people that are learning how to be welders and making six, you know, almost six

096figures out of the trade programs. Um it's not valued to the extent that people want you to think that it's valued. And that's sad because I mean we know in our facilities department we look for people all the time and there are there are not canning baits that are out there. But if these programs are funded by the state, we wouldn't have to worry about open positions because they'd be filled with people who want to have a job and want to have uh you know the education to do it >> and who are trained in the state and states. >> Exactly. >> And they are credentialed when they graduate. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Which is amazing that Parkway is able to offer that through the Perkins grants. But I know Mr. has done a lot

097of grant writing and obtaining extra funds for Parkway over the past couple of years >> and I know there's been some public private partnership and some partnerships with industries fund programs >> but it's not enough unfortunately. >> Um and it is an amazing program and we have welders who are doing co-op and they're 17 years old and they're making $38 an hour after school. Um, so it's an incredible program, but again there's not there's a base commitment by the government, but they're not doing it in the background. Question. So without sounding like I don't love parkway because park sounds awesome. Just a question like what are the other options in regard to other career and tech centers other school districts like just just asking the question because I don't know. >> So we um this

098is our our CTC. So unless they don't offer a program here, you go to the CTC. Um and then in terms of other school districts, the only district that I know that has their own CTC is Pittsburgh public. um and they don't send it out to the other um joint chairs but every school district with Catholic for instance is assigned to one so I think >> okay >> so when all was it >> so there's not flexibility of looking at like the park and look there are some other >> they have to if we move out of a jointure we have to pay back money to the jointure to leave and then pay into the next jointure if they accept us and all of these CTC centers are overs subscribed I do. So people aren't

099going to ask us to join or took maybe more students. >> Right. Right. >> And it helps to have been part of the original uh jointer too. They were saying out of jointer students and then they uh pay a different >> they're paying about $50,000 a year per student. >> So it is to our advantage to remain at this one. >> Yeah. So that's an option. do pay about $4,400 a student question about versus including transportation of course >> transportation is the biggest cost. >> Yeah. >> For one student that's $200 a day. >> Yeah. No, I mean, no, no matter which way the vote goes, yeah, Dr. said this with the um way administrators, it's nothing to do with the sports value of the Parkway program um and what they provide, not just our

100students, but it really does hit home to me that this is somewhere that there are students who are coming in backgrounds or other circumstances. It's just a sad fact of you know the way that this is structured and where the funding has to come from is a reigning of our 80% of locally sourced tax funding to support it. What if we don't a state budget to know where Um, moving on to the curriculum and instruction section. The first item is with the start. >> Yeah. The board has asked to approve anou with the Alageney Intermediate Unit for the purpose of coordination and cooperation between the district and Head Start. Superintendent recommends approval of thisou. Next is the approval of the student assistance team for 2526. Pennsylvania Department of Education requires that members of the student

101assistance team be memorialized by the school board for the 2526 school year. >> Question for comments on the message. >> Just to say I'm so glad we have this at every school and such robust numbers. >> I will add the state did um allow some free training for new members. So, we have been taking advantage of that. Next up, we have an agreement for providing multilingual psychoeducational evaluation. The board has asked to approve an agreement with Karen Mulvich for the 2526 school year for the provision of multilingual psychoeducational evaluations to determine students eligibility and need for special education services. services are anticipated for one student and are not expected to exceed $2,500. The superintendent recommends approval of this agreement. Questions or comments on this? Next, we have a uh student trip girls varsity wrestling to

102the University of Delaware. So, the high school administration is requesting permission for the girls varsity wrestling program to travel to the University of Delaware to participate in the girls beast of the east tournament December 17th to Dece 20, 2021. Students are responsible for the cost of the trip and miss two two and a half days of school. The students are the superintendent recommending approval of this trip. >> Ladies, I think this is a field trip. Never been. It's time. >> Other questions or comments on the field trip. Um, and then we have series of proud funding approval requests from the JES, how and PTA >> boards asked to approve requests from Jefferson, How and Markham Elementary School PTAs to crowdfund to support activities and events that benefit the students of each of these schools and

103the superintendent recommends approval of this request. >> And are these sort of joint requests combined requests for annual activities? There were multiple activities on the request. Yeah. >> Questions or comments on those pass. Um now we have uh questions or comments from residents present comments. Is there anyone who wishes to offer Say your name. >> Ser 450 summit. I came to this meeting thinking there would be more people who are actually I didn't come here with the intention of speaking but I didn't want to address a couple things that I heard. Uh he does not know yet. Um, one of the things that we discussed as a team was since football season is over was possibly doing a uh an announcement in, you know, the initial announcement at halftime last week. So, um, but again,

104he doesn't know and dying to tell him his son. I also have a big passion because I I've been around a lot of high school football and he deserves much like some of his peers. I'm an emotional guy. >> So anyway, yeah. So it's a it's it's the only person in his family that knows is my wife, which is his daughter. So not knowing. So um one thing I did hear and and I'm I was away for a week. Um, it was my understanding that the our proposal indicated that they wanted the money to be held in an account with the Blue Devil Club and then turned over to to the school district. That was my understanding. >> Mr. Able and I discussed that and in order for the district to accept a donation, it

105has to be donated to their district directly. Okay. >> And so that's why we hold it in an obeyance to be used >> get that in a month. Dale was definitely >> spent a lot of time together. >> He and Jim Jim Kck both have been turning back and they were the uh instrumental in putting this all together. I'm the emotional person to the group. But >> that's why they send you to they have no idea I'm here. Nobody knows. I mean again I I just assume I just wanted to hear the process. I appreciate you giving me and I appreciate all the kind words. He does deserve and I found this whole presentation as a as a as a citizen of Mount Lemon very very interesting and it's you know you in today's world

106you hear so much about the the college students and that's and you know and there's not enough people in the trades and this is I think a very important aspect to our youth and and where they're going. I think if if my sons were young um and I I would push him and there's no brick layers anymore. There's none of that and and it needs to be redone. So it seems like you almost have to kind of work out a deal with these other 12 schools to try to to balance it out to to make it, you know. So I didn't really fully grasp what happens if they don't do that. This is because it isn't going away. It's just a >> they just have to come up with another plan, >> another plan. But

107anyway, it is something that definitely needs done. So, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak >> getting to see park. >> I'm sorry. >> And for getting you got to see parkway for your second. >> Yeah, exactly. >> I didn't get the meal. >> There was I'll drop it off at Dale's house. Uh, >> so just to announce upcoming public meetings, uh, next Monday, October 20th, 2025 at 7:30 p.m., our board of governor meeting will, I guess sadly, be back at 205 at the Mount Hall. Um, and uh, the public participation of Zoom and I would enjoy your fun. Come back with reports.