Punxsutawney School Board Committee Meeting, September 4, 2025, 7pm

001I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Thank you. Okay. As a reminder, all or a portion of the meeting may be live streamed, recorded, and posted on the district's YouTube channel for the purpose of public broadcast and according to board policy. The district disclaims any responsibility or liability for any defamatory or slanderous statements expressed by any member of the public. any unauthorized recording or rebroadcasting of any video, audio, and or still image of this meeting is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the board or superintendent. Uh Susan's taking roll call. We have members in attendance and we have um Mr. Cardamon and Miss Evans on Zoom. >> Are there anyone

002signed up for public comments? >> No public comments this evening. We will start with the student board report. And this is the time of year we get to welcome new board members, new student board members. So, if you would please introduce yourself and uh maybe tell us why you think it's important to be here at the student board. >> I'll stand up. Uh my name is Bo Thomas. Um I am the uh class treasurer. And I think it's important to be here because I think I like to have like a voice in what goes on at the school. And I I felt like last year I kind of missed out on this. Obviously, I wasn't a senior. So, I I'm very grateful to be have this opportunity to be here with you guys tonight. Thank

003you. Great. Thanks. Okay. Um I'm Elizabeth. I go by Beth. I'm Beth Bal's. Um our I'm our senior class president. Um I think it's important to be here. Like I really agree with what B said about having a voice, but also being here for the people who like don't have a say in this to give them a voice, too. So, it's definitely a really cool opportunity. Happy to be here. >> All right. Beth, thank you. And then whoever wants to get started with your uh your board report, go ahead. >> Um I'll get started. So, this past Friday, we had the first ever um introduction of the kindergarteners where like all the kindergarteners and all of the high school seniors went up to the football field. The seniors started at one side of the field

004and the kindergarteners started at the other and a song played and we walked slowly uh to the middle of the field. We met, we introduced ourselves, and they gave us a red bracelet that said class of 26, and we gave them a white bracelet. And for me, it it was important because my little cousin is in kindergarten. And it was it was just so surreal to it was just and to realize how old I was going to be, and how I'm going to be graduating this year. And I feel like it's important to have that opportunity for the seniors just to be able to be like, "Wow, it's like I'm finally a senior." And after that, we talked, we introduced ourselves and then the song changed and we departed and went back to our sides

005of the fields and it went well and it was very organized. >> Yeah, it was good. Um, do you want to talk about club? >> Yes. Uh yesterday we had the uh high school club fair, right? >> Yes. Yesterday >> so 9 through 12 club fair and there was around 20 clubs there and there was various amount like various different clubs such as uh student council all the way to ski club, uh swim club, just for a few examples. And uh we had it in the cafeteria and we called it down by two grades, right? 11 and 12 came down and then 9th and 10th and it was just a I feel like it almost went better than when it was outside. It was more organized and like people actually got to like talk about

006the clubs and really just introduce their clubs and try to get people to be involved in it. And then today we have the junior high clubs which we weren't a part of because of the junior student council runs the student council table and I'm sure it was the same. Yep. >> All right. And then um we were also kind of just looking ahead. So I mean I'm sure a lot of you know this, but it's our job as student council. We plan a lot of things throughout the year. So right now we're like really heavy hitting on homecoming cuz that's this month. Our homecoming game is September 26th. Um and then the actual dance is September 27th. So we've been planning that. We've got like our decorations ordered. We're going to have it at the

007school this year. Um I think it's 7 to 10 that Saturday night. And our theme this year is enchanted forest. So, we're pretty excited about that. Our our court got announced, so it's Maggie Gadis, Olivia Toven, Riley Miller, Khloe Silverstein, Sarah Gotwald, and Cameron Hall. So, that was good. That's exciting. Um, I think that's that's kind of it for homecoming, but >> it's quickly approaching. >> Yes. >> Anything else for us? >> That's it. >> I think that's all. >> Okay. I don't know if the principles warned you, but um we may have questions for you occasionally. We also welcome you to bring student perspectives to the board that may be outside the events or anything else. If there's something that your student body feels it's important the school board should know about, you may

008want to run it past your principal first, but definitely bring it to us and we'll be happy to listen. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> And then also the format of this for you guys have been we know you're really busy in the evening sometimes. If you want to stay and learn from this experience and what we're talking about, you're welcome to stay, but if you need to go because of your busy schedules, we're okay with you doing that after your reports. >> Good. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any questions for our student board reps? >> All right. Tomorrow night. >> Thank you. >> All right. Good. We'll move on. Uh we don't have any presentations for this evening. Correct. >> And then on Tuesday, we'll be asking for approval of the minutes from

009the July 29th and August 13th meeting. And then uh we have the athletic report u from Mr. Gold and we have um to hire uh three individuals there. And then do we have someone else to add as well? >> Yes. He would like to we'll do a revised agenda and be adding another position for Tuesday night. >> Okay. So keep an eye out for an update to the agenda. We'll be adding uh a letter. We have A, B, and C. And we'll be adding a D to the uh to the agenda. And then we have anformational item for home swim meets. Are you covering that? >> Yeah, I'll cover that, Mr. Gold is uh with the uh junior high football game currently. Um this was justformational that we um are we're going to be uh

010our pool is up and running that the uh tested the electronics and the starting blocks for accuracy with some uh live swimmers. So we're ready to begin a home season this year. uh we're scheduled through the conference that we were in last year and the intention at least for our first year is to um have three to four home meets that would be with those schools that we would be home meeting against twice. So um we will have a more formal proposal and what that will involve at our next meeting in terms of um officials and timers and all that is involved. So >> do you know how many swim meets there will be? >> Three to four. But three or four is what we're Yes. >> Any question? Any questions on athletics or swimming?

011The swim needs. Okay. Um then the transportation report. Uh we had on Tuesday we'll be asking for approval for new vans and then some new drivers and monitors. Any question for Mrs. Sulla on the transportation report? Moving on to building and maintenance. Uh we have to have permission to accept some sealed bids for uh selling off a co a Chevy cobalt bowl and that's all we have under buildings and maintenance. Anything for uh for Carmen on that? >> Carmen, this has to be the smallest agenda item you ever had. I mean things just must be tiptop in the facilities area. >> Any questions for Carmen? Okay. Um moving on to cafeteria. There's nothing on the agenda for this month. I have a question on cafeteria. Go ahead. >> Um, I'm hearing from students and parents

012and teachers that there's a lot of waste at lunch. >> Kids are getting their lunch and they're throwing a lot in the garbage. Is there any way that we can have a shelf that the kids aren't going to eat with their on their tray, they can put it there for someone else to pick up like they had in the past instead of throwing it all away in the garbage? >> She did. Um, Mrs. Phillips isn't here for uh for this one, but I will convey that to her. Um, there we'll research that. There are some uh compliance concerns with that, but I'll make sure that I can speak accurately to that. >> Can they not take the entire lunch if that's being wasted? Like, can they only take if they want to milk, they have

013to take the whole lunch? >> They do. Yeah, they they have to take it. um how it's handled with health standards and so forth with what isn't used. You know, things were sealed and such. Um I'll get a more articulate answer on the rules with that. >> Any other cafeteria issues? Um Dr. Gaston has for us um items one and two and subsets. >> Was there anything we need to add there? We're okay. >> Yeah, I believe she wanted. >> Okay. Um, anything under was there Dr. Bass, you want to >> speak? One, there will be a revision. Some of the names for the second years need to be changed. >> Okay. >> That will be ready for Tuesday. >> And we're going to add a couple purchase orders. >> Okay. And we have Tuesday

014as well. >> We have three purchase orders now for Sinclair and we'll be adding a couple more. >> Yeah, we're going to work on those tomorrow. >> Okay. Is there anything that you want to discuss on the items that are being added? No, they're just um curricular items that we realized needed to be purchased today. >> Okay. And then uh you want to lead us in a discussion on uh um primary intervention options that um Doug and Bob had been heavily uh interested with the kindergarten level, right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, whenever you're ready, you can get started with that. >> So, um this was last discussed at a board meeting in June. Um, I was in attendance to prepare um to step into the district in this role and got to see the

015presentation from the kindergarten teachers and Mrs. Richardson on the fueling brains um program. My understanding at at that time was that was being shared as a possibility as an intervention for some needs that existed in the kindergarten classrooms. um between that time there wasn't a decision made and knowing that my predecessor who had helped spearhead that um wouldn't be there for that continued consultation I started looking at options available to us um fueling brains had a large price tag which was part of that discussion um so my thinking is we needed to have all of the information we could with what is possible school to pick up that discussion. Once Dr. K and I got in place to continue moving forward, um the kindergarten teachers expressed that there was a need and I wanted to

016make sure that we are attending to that as we started the new school year. So during that process, um I collected information that you have in your packet on five options. Um fueling brains is included as one of those options. Um I'm not saying that that that is not part of that discussion. This is just looking at the totality of what we can do to address their concerns. I broke that down by option, what the the program or the choice focuses on, the components of that choice. The train that was there's yeah, the training and PD that would need to be provided to support that and the cost. um some of the cost information has changed as we've been working on this and I can get you specifics um on each one as we go.

017Part of that conversation then extended when the kindergarten teachers were back in the buildings and accessible. So I started having conversations with them to learn more about what exactly they were seeing in the classroom and what needed the attention. So at your desk is a printout of the survey that they completed for me to gain more of that understanding. Um the first part of that survey looked at determining what the exact and precise needs were of the students in those classrooms. Um executive functioning biot motor skills um came in as the most significant needs followed shortly by instructional and academic readiness. So, as a reminder, executive functioning is um a student's ability to follow directions, um prepare for transitions between activities, make those regulatory decisions for themselves on how to how to do school. Um

018those are skills that that across our region are identified as needs in our incoming kindergarteners and primary learners. I then asked them questions to determine what kind of support they were looking for to address the issue. And I think that that sometimes we get lost in the sales of a program without thinking about what it actually does, how the teachers interact with that and how it fits in with the general plan system that we have for the district, not not just one little component of a building. So, their answers to that indicated they want um availability to a short-term rapid response. Um what that means is if there is a specific issue that they're running out of of options and ideas and strategies to work through, they want to be able to get a hold

019of someone to come in and help with that to address it quickly so they can move on. They also indicated that they wanted family and community connections and outreach support. So they want some some program to help bridge the gap between our parents and our community in terms of what we need for kindergarten readiness so that our little learners are coming in equipped with some of those skills that they're having challenges with. you know, there there are some other options there that were also um pretty high. Um what they said they did not want was virtual coaching. Um and then there was a there was an other request and their specific um information related to that are in the comment section if you want to read through those. I know that's a lot of information

020to digest. Um, but I don't want to leave this unsettled as we move into the school year. By all accounts from the teachers and administration, kindergarten is going very well this year. Um, they're not seeing the same influx of those issues, but that doesn't mean that they're not going to pop up or that we're not going to be in the same position next year that they found themselves in last. Um, we have a smaller group of kindergarteners this year. The needs seem to be lessened. I'd love to see that continue. But my leading thinking is this is our foundation. This is where we get it right. This is where we build everything that is to come. So, if they're expressing that we have a need, I I don't want this to go on as something

021that we talk about um and talk about. So I know it was it was discussed and there was um significant debate during that meeting in June. So I wanted to get some of your thoughts um on the options that we have and the general direction. So in front of us we have five options right we have the fueling brains classroom aids league on social services riverview >> with I don't know what the AC the PA ttan is but and then the hybrid approach >> yes >> um does anybody want to ask about specifics on any of those or do you want to jump or should we just go right into recommendations is there questions >> I'm a proponent of the fueling brains as well as um putting aids in the classroom. Yes, those are the

022two single most expensive aspects of this plan. But I think um and speaking one of the things we always have said for the last two years is we want to hear from the teachers. Well, teachers came in and pitched it with Kelly and the um support staff. Um that was enough for me. That's what they said they think they need. I can guess what they need. They also expressed the need for AIDS sitting in the classroom in a kindergarten classroom. It's clear to me that AIDS are needed in that classroom. I mean that to me to me is without question. How we get there, I don't know. But in my view, those are the two things they need. It's it's also expressed in one of these opinions written here in the comments, but that's where

023I stand with that. >> I'm all for the classroom. That's my number one choice is a in the classroom one-on-one with the students teaching them to tie their shoes to zip their coats. They need an extra set of hands in their classrooms. >> So I think this should be part of a larger maybe round table discussion with the teachers um sitting in here um hearing about these five options. You just surveyed them. You didn't discuss these other >> two three options with them. They are aware of the options. >> They're aware of it. And what feedback did you get from them on the other? >> Um they did not give me any feedback. >> Okay. >> Um they Kate as the lead teacher um discussed a little bit more of how the proposal for fueling

024brains came about and we had some discussion in that regard. Um I sent them three emails specifically related to what I'm going to share with you tonight and I did not hear anything back from them. >> Yeah. So I I think we should sit down have a you know roundt hour discussion with them and you know get feedback. So there are two other options here. One of which it appears um first of all is free or or not maybe not free but included in our agreement. >> Um so I think it's worth exploring what services and um assistance they can give to us. Um the other thing, this League on Social Services, can you tell us a little bit about what that is? >> Yeah, League on Social Services is a nonprofit that's based out

025of Clearfield. Um they've been around for over 20 years. Um but for for whatever reason, they're not well known in our area. They service nine counties in the state. Um part of what they do is the rapid response team. So that is a team of of experts in early childhood that will pay a visit to your school and work with students who are at risk of suspensions. They're at risk of disciplinary issues. Um anything that would be considered an explosive behavior, they will work with the teacher, the family, and the classroom to develop a plan to support that student. So, they would work with a targeted student that needs their services, not just like I'm reading in this uh one of the the comments here was the couple students had an accident. >> They may

026not have been an atrisisk student, but they needed a rapid response to get them to the nurse's office. Could that agency? >> No. No. >> So, the rapid response is to um occasionally a little kindergartener will exhibit some big emotions and that looks like a need to clear a classroom for safety reasons. So when you have a child who is having a difficult transition to school, the rapid response is to get people in place so that that doesn't continue to disrupt learning and to support everything around that student so that we don't move in a direction that hinders the experience for that child but also all the students in the room. >> So rapid response is not an aid. >> No, that is not an aid. That is not an aid. um the other part

027of what they do. >> So, uh I'm sorry for interrupting. >> No, you're okay. >> Uh rap. So, in order for a student to when you say rapid response, this would be a >> uh behavioral support therapist that's with them. >> Is that is that that's kind of what I'm framing or imagining what you're saying? >> It would function similarly. and a student in kindergarten may not be eligible for those services yet because they haven't been um determined to need those services. Is that part of the issue here? >> So, a lot of times when we have kindergarteners come in who are not part of the preschool systems, we don't have that incoming information to help us with that transition. We're trying to figure out what is the cause of the behavior, what's the root,

028why is it happening, and then what is the most effective way of intervening with that student. So, you can call in a behavioral specialist. Um, we don't have one on staff. So, that that is a an expense to call somebody in specifically to work with that. Um, the difference between that avenue and this one is that they would come in and work to develop a system of support with with our teachers. So, they would be able to come in when we have those moments, evaluate, provide support, some guidance on how to do that. The piece that they provide that's missing in some of those other rapid response um interventions is that they do that outreach with the parent. They develop a plan to help the family adjust to whatever that child's needs are and they

029have an community outreach component so they can offer workshops and developments for family andor the greater community who have kids that will be attending school in the future. >> Okay. And just briefly, can you summarize the services that the Riverview at the IU? >> Yes. So the the IU um I was in a Zoom meeting with them to get a full understanding of of what they do. Their services are similar to the legal and social services. They can do many of the same components. Their approach is from the educational side. So they're going to look at the systems that we have in place, the breakdown of instruction, how the school system is built. they have more of a comprehensive approach to not just kindergarten but they can look at that more of a through the

030lens of kindergarten within the primary grades K to2 then they can also extend that out to look at how things are working throughout the building so we can develop an approach to kindergarten and while we're doing that consider how that feeds into first grade how that feeds into second grade and beyond. patent is a a state um estate system that supports with special education and how we process that. So when those two work together, they can take our systems I said from small classroom and look at the broad picture. So, if we have a child who is struggling academically, behaviorally with um with a physical need that isn't identified until they're in kindergarten, any of those needs, they can help us develop that system of support for not only that moment, but what we do

031next and what comes after that from a systems. >> So, their their approach is not necessarily hands-on with the students. Theirs is more of observing and making recommendations. >> They will start with observation and recommendations. They absolutely do hands-on with students. >> They can send in employees to >> Yes. And they have a team that would be available to coach our teachers um that they would have support through a text message. If they're having a bad day, they can call or text that that coach that they have to have that instant support that they identified as wanting. um that does not exist in any of the other options. Classroom aids are absolutely available to do things like take children to the restroom and back, take them to the office and back, help them tie their

032shoes, those fine motor skills that they just don't have yet. Um what they can't do is that interaction with the teacher and the guidance on the instructional and supervisory end of things. Do you do you have a recommendation out of these options? What you know you what you would prefer or what you think is the most appropriate right now? >> I think the most appropriate right now for our approach would be to get the IU to come in and do some observation not just of the kindergarten classrooms but the school itself. um so that we have some assistance in looking at what's going to be the most effective for not only our kids but our school system. They also don't have a additional charge attached to that. So that's as easy as sending an email

033and saying hey come in. Um, what I like about that as well is that will help us bolster our MTSS process so that when we have our kids who are moving through those levels of support, we can make sure that all of those pieces are in place. Kate and Natalie do an excellent job, our psychologists do an excellent job, but that is a tall order and it can get it can get messy when you're trying to make sure that we're not allowing things to fall through the gap. I would start there. I think that we need some community outreach in terms of making sure that our our kids are getting what they need when they come to us. Um, I know that our our preschools do a fantastic job. I know that our parents who

034are taking care of their kids at home do a fantastic job. Kindergarten does not look the way it did when we were in school. It doesn't look the way it did when my kids were in school. any of us who have young kids um it is it is not the same. the expectations are much higher for that academic this is oh my gosh I'm thinking of the word stamina their academic stamina what is expected of them at five and six is um it's a lot and so it's more than our kids knowing their colors and their numbers and how to write their name for kindergarten so I think that trying to connect our community to get that extra is important. How we go about that, >> I'm not entirely sure, but >> every other day

035with every other day with a nap at noon and a chocolate milk. >> That's been the nut to crack as a community outreach piece, >> right? And I I do think that that's an important element. Yeah. >> Um, so my my recommendation would be we start with the IU and we coordinate with legal and social services for a proposal on what they could do for us. Um, that doesn't mean we take it, but that means we explore that a little deeper to see how and if that fits our need. I think that classroom aids are crucial for some of those things. You'll see in one of the comments, um, one of the teachers talked about getting a child to the nurse and there was no one to help with that process and little people would

036get lost in that building. I get lost in that building. So, I can see the need that that is real. We're also in a place where we're still looking for eight eights. >> Mhm. >> And to add another >> eight, >> seven, eight. Um, we're we're trying to find people that don't exist for the spots that we have. That's a struggle. That's going to be a struggle. the IU can look at that process, look at the building, get to know how it's developed, and help us figure out what we do in the meantime while we're trying to find people. There there has to be a way to get that response quicker with what we have. What that looks like, I'm not sure, but that has to be collaboration. And to your point, Doug, the kindergarten

037teachers indicated that Fueling Brains was going to take care of the executive. >> I'm not disagreeing with that. What I would like to see though is the team of experts who can spend some time in those classrooms and give us more of a yes and or a we worked with this and this is working. Um that that's my feeling on it. My concern with all of that isn't there's nothing that I'm concerned with with the program. I've had a very very difficult time getting information from the people who are trying to sell it to us. Um they will not give me information that has already been given >> to folks in the district but is not available for me to access. Um >> that's never a good sign. >> That is a concern to me.

038>> Yeah. Have we invited them to come here and give their pitch? >> No, we have not invited them to come here. Um I will tell you that I I reached out several times. >> I explained the situation several times. Um, it was like pulling teeth to try to get anything other than an invite for an hourong video chat. Is >> there any other districts that have done this >> that have done >> one? >> Hazelton. >> Just Hazelton only >> in our in our region. >> So PASA which is an organization that Dr. K and I belong to at one point had promoted it statewide. They wanted to build a consortium among schools who were using it. There it is absolutely evidence-based. The the science is the science. It's it's accurate. There's there is

039no debate with that. Um but it's not being used in our state. So that part of that was working to get more districts to sign. >> Is it just too new or is it just >> Well, I think >> people aren't using it. >> They're based out of Florida or Texas. I can't remember which. >> Canada. Oh, really? >> Yes. Their their core is in Canada. They have a division in Texas, >> and that's that's who we've been reaching out back and forth with. >> Um, it's it's too new. It's very expensive. Um, even with the consortium price, it is 93,000 per classroom. >> Wow. >> That I mean that that's a lot. Um, >> I'm sorry. Let me take that back. It's not 93,000 per classroom. is 93,000 for our classrooms per year. >>

040Yeah. >> Per year. >> Um so those those things combined when ESRE funds are no longer existing that is that's a heavy bill to support. Um it's hard also it requires 90 consecutive minutes of time for kids to work through each stage um of the program for the 16 weeks. So, where you you run into some challenge with that is how do you get 90 minutes for that in the school day? Something's going to be bumped out. >> I don't know that that's a terrible thing to bump some things out >> and spend some time focusing >> on the development of those skills. >> And this is why it's a it's a challenge to say we go this way, we go that way. Um, >> so first step you're recommending not the last step or

041that's going to be concluded but would first step would be to bring the IU in. >> Yes. >> And it's free. >> And since >> it's already paid for it in advance, >> so it is it is free. I think that they can help. >> There's no harm in having them in. >> No. And it gives our our teachers access to someone that they can reach out to whenever there is an issue to get advice on on how to possibly manage that. That that isn't supervisory. You know, I think that they have a great relationship with their principles, but you don't always want to make that call to the principal's office to say, "I'm struggling with this." Um, you want someone that you can confidentially call and say, "I can't do this today. This is

042what's happening. Give me some help. Um, I like the the clinical end of it so that we have eyes in the building again who aren't in a supervisory role looking at our systems in place that can better guide the rest of that decision that that does have significant money attached to it. >> What's the time frame for them? >> Um, I can call them as early as tomorrow and say when can you get here? >> Yeah. And I I I do still support the idea of I mean I surveys are great and I appreciate that we have this information but I do like the idea of sitting down at a table whether it's before we have this data from the IU or after. >> Yeah. Um just again all sitting down and you know >>

043I think what what you're gonna hear I'll tell you what I heard in talking to all the all the kindergarten teachers as well as talking to the preks the two major issues you have and are the fine motor skills kids showing up with no fine motor skills to the point where they can't hold a pencil they don't know how to hold a pencil >> and the executive um >> Executive functioning. Yeah. And even daycarees have had the same pro or um preks have the same problem because a kid will come in and was never in daycare and will land in prek at four years old that's never been in that environment in in a environment with a bunch of kids at all. They don't know how to do any of those things. No. goes beyond

044just not knowing their colors and their first letters of the alphabet, things like that. They they don't even know how to function in that area. That's one of the biggest problems they have. I mean, they'll tell you that the first six months of kindergarten is learning how to be in the building, learning how to be in a classroom, learning how to do those things. So, what I haven't heard is anything else that addresses that executive functioning part. Does the IU address this that aspect? >> I believe that they can if we ask them to look at what we're doing, >> okay, >> and how we can bolster those skills. >> Okay. >> And and if they can't, >> I have faith that they'll recommend >> that that this we need this to address that. >>

045Okay. Sounds like we also need to maybe come up with an outreach plan to these incoming students that of what's expected of them. >> And that's where >> and maybe one of their parents like >> Yeah. And that's where that that other recommendations you approach the legal and social services and ask them to develop a plan for what that could look like. So we have more to work on and um customize for what we would need as well as a quote on what that would cost. Yeah, we have to develop some type and we could hopefully would be the ones to do that. Develop the outreach that gets these kids into a prek be before they land here >> or or even a plan or even a plan for the parents who are choosing to

046do that at home. I'm a huge proponent of of >> prek. However, >> we have parents that want to keep their kids at home with them. even making sure that that they have access to some information on these are the skills to be working with with your child at home or if they're going to grandma's, these are some things that grandma can be with them during the day to help prepare them, >> right? >> Just just that outreach to make sure whatever choice parents are making, they have what they need to make sure that their child's ready because we all want that. They all want that. Since there's no spend associated with this, will there need to be a motion on Tuesday or can we just It sounds like we have consensus for step one

047here to have the IU come in. >> I think we should be fine since we already have their services. >> Yeah. Is everybody okay with uh Dr. Yastston making that call tomorrow? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Will you know by Tuesday then when they could come what skill set they bring in terms of the executive functioning in motor school? >> I expect to. >> Okay, great. Y brief update on that on Tuesday how that communication goes. >> Yes. >> And then you um under your part of the agenda there's anformational about the PIAA and title N trainings. >> Yes. At the last um board meeting, we discussed making sure that our our coaches had some access to to the training to perform their duties um with a little bolstered education on the on the legal end

048um to make sure. So we have Vector Solutions as a um a PD and training platform that delivers training to our teachers as well as our staff and we did successfully add the coaches to that. They can access PIAA required training and they have been assigned um Title 9 and athletics updated to current requirements. Um they have 30 days to complete that. A lot of our coaches have already completed the PIAA elsewhere um through the PIAA. So, um DJ had checked on that to make sure that we had that documented and the title N. They have 30 days to complete that. It's I think 45 minutes and they'll get a certificate and I'll get it on the back end showing that they've completed that. That will just make sure that we're handling everything with our

049student athletes legally and ethically. And then does DJ's office or your office keep those compliance records? >> They will come to me through my office and I will make sure that DJ has copy of >> So you'll get alerted that people don't get it done within 30 days. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Good. Any questions on any of those items for Dr. Gaston? Thank you for the update. And um Dr. K has conference and field trips for approval on Tuesday. um drug and alcohol commission assistance program IU6 agreement and then um we had a uh a student issue that we're going to need to accept um on item number four there and then uh go ahead if you want to any questions on those items or you can jump into yourformational stuff. Any questions on

050items one through four. >> All right, why don't you get started on the other >> Okay. Um policy discussions. The first bullet diabetic management. Um this is a followup from um previous meeting. Uh we um had some discussion about the nature of uh students being able to um manage their own diabetic um equipment and and so forth. Um we went through the policy, talked about the criteria that um needs to be signed off on in order for students to be able to do that. Um I I did have outreach from a particular parent that had some concern with this and and it really um it was understood what those criteria were, but the the concern was um in terms of managing the um kind of called postmanagement after you know making sure that those numbers

051stay where they're supposed to. Uh there wasn't comfort with that. So um the direction of our solicitor on this is is really the following. our policy directly reflects the language that's in the statute. Um and that's not something that we really can change it. It's the law as it's written. Um the the criteria as well as um um you know that we are not going to bear the responsibility uh for you know how the medication is taken and so forth. Um but in in addition to that it was also suggested that um students with um diabetes should have a 504 agreement and then within that agreement would be the management plan for how those things will be handled and managed. So um that that's been addressed with that particular family and student at this time

052and or they're working through that as we go. So, um, the recommendation is is leave the policy as it is and and families that that where this would apply, we will address those supervision and medication issues through that 504 agreement. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you for taking care of that. >> Sure. >> So, where does this leave our student athletes? >> They can participate, but they can't, you know, we would not prevent them from participating. Um so again it would come back to those four criteria that you know the nurse signs off the the student's position and the parent sign off they can self uh uh manage that process and and the student has criteria that they need to follow as well. So when those four are met you know they can they

053can take it with them and administer that. Um, what made this one case a little bit different is the parent wasn't comfortable with not being, you know, was comfortable with those signoffs, but was not comfortable with not being able to make sure that there was someone to manage the numbers after they self-medicated. >> Okay. >> And that's where the 504 agreement would handle that separate from the policy. >> Good. Is that >> I think Yeah, it's good enough for now anyway. I'm not I I just like if we have a diabetic kid who the nurse is kind of watching him during the day at school and then they go to play a sport, who's watching him at that sport? I guess that's my question. Do we provide someone to watch them at that sport or

054do they, you know, like like I know an instance of Dub Boys where the mom just goes because she knows what to do. >> Do we >> that's typically part of their health plans. >> Um I don't want to say in every single case. site. I know how that's being handled, but in my experience in the past that that's been understood by the coaches or the training staff. A lot of times the parents are there. Um, you know, with modern technology, they're able to monitor it with right >> phone technology and other electronics. So there there's multiple ways, but it's typically handled with a with a health plan and a 504 so that it's understood how we're managing that. >> Okay, that's good. Thanks. >> Um, the second bullet point, investigations. I had a request

055following our last meeting to review um how we're handling investigations um whether that be a student discipline issue or staff along those kinds of things. Um I reached out to um or accessed some of our PSBA services that that we have um access to um in terms of our policy management. Um, currently there isn't a PSBA policy that we don't have one in our in our manual and there isn't one that's out there available that specifically addresses that. So I there are a number that allude to that. Um, so um I guess I'm looking for a little direction. So I'll kind of explain the framework we have. Um, we have policy 103 and 104 that are quite elaborate that talk about um, uh, title 9 and investigating sexual harassment, harassment for students or staff. It's

056very detailed in the steps and how those things are handled. Um, we have discipline policies on for students um that are policy 218 and 233 that that refer to due process and refer to how um, suspensions and expulsions happen. Um so of course before any of those happen steps have to be followed. Um and then we have some other uh uh misconduct policies that would really be for uh uh 317 which would be a staff one uh which really talks about educator misconduct and stuff and how those um items would be addressed. So, um, is there any further direction on we, if I step back a second, we we don't have a policy that's in existence that I could take and modify to our needs. It would, if this is something that the board desires

057for some specific language. We would have to draft it from, you know, uh, from the start. Um, so if that's the desire, then I would need direction on that. Um, if there another route might be if there were some administrative guidelines around a specific policy that I mentioned or topic here, then I could >> Are those in the student handbook about investigations? Is there anything in the student handbook? >> Um, >> specific to the student? I don't know that there's specific surrounding that, but it each of these policies, whether it's a title N, you know, complaint or if it's a discipline thing, it's inferred that, you know, how the discipline process will fall out and what the consequences will be is certainly in there. I don't I don't have anything to add. I I didn't

058have a concern about investigations. >> So, um I was one brought this up. Um I won't go into the reason why but um so in conducting an investigation and I'm not asking for a policy really that you just have guidelines by which you direct people to conduct an investigation. So for an example whatever the situation is that a disinterested person is the one conducting the investigation right and then by what steps do they take to conduct an investigation would be something like I spoke to soand so on such and such date these are this was the conversation a summary of that conversation really what amounts to is documentation did I speak to if there's two children I speak to both these children involved in the incident. Did I find other witnesses? Did I speak to

059those witnesses? What did those witnesses say? Did I review the video cameras that that showed what did it show? You know what I mean? And some of the things we've seen in the past. Um on one or two occasions those steps did not take place. In other occasions, um we didn't know if they took place. Um, and some occasions they didn't take place until asked. Did you look at the video or things like that? Some of those things should be in my view should be standard procedure. You you should talk to everybody involved in every witness and have documentation of those conversations. One, it helps you get to the issue to find out what really happened. But two, you're also able to say, we've covered all these bases and this is the conclusion we've arrived

060to. And if you have an an outline by which you conduct an investigation, no one can really con that. One example was we had an incident here almost two years ago, 18 months, whatever it was. And the question I had, first question I had was let me see documentation of your investigation. There was none. Did you speak to them and ask them this question? No. Okay, we're done here because I can't help you. You know what I mean? I can't back you if you didn't do any of the that leg work or ask any of those questions. So, no, you're not getting what you want and they are. I mean, it's just how it panned out. So, it really caused some undermining, frankly, >> which okay, >> people can defend themselves from that if they

061do the proper documentation investigation. I always assume I my understanding was you guys had like a rubric you followed of what you had to do to complete an investigation, right? And you're just asking for more of a form. >> We just we have a a standard set of procedures based on what the situation might be. Um >> when to involve the SRL, when not to. >> Yes. >> When to involve the parents, when not to. And so what you're asking for is like a formal publication of what that >> No, I'm asking that they have a guideline about how to conduct the investigation to arrive at the decision to call a parent or to arrive at the decision to call the SRO. You see what I mean? Some of them are cut and dry. Kids

062got a weapon, you call the SR, you know, those things are obviously cut and dry. I'm talking about getting to the roots of an of an incident that happened particular when there's multiple people. Does that make sense? >> Not sure I'm being clear. I thought I mean when we've gone through these incidents I thought that's been those things have been done um we may need to just uh >> if it's a specific like if there's specifics we can't talk about because it's in a public meeting we can we can go over an executive session >> because it will maybe uh remind us of something or point out easier to Dr. K what what your concern is. >> So maybe we'll put that on executive session. >> Sure. >> Good. Um All right. And the um

063third one was our volunteers policy. We had some um uh interest in reviewing uh how we are managing clearances uh drug test, TB tests for volunteers. So um let me start with this and if you want to add into it. So we have volunteers fall into two categories. Um, some are, let me just make sure I have this correctly. I'm using the right words here. >> Positioning. >> Position. Yes. Position volunteers. Um, which would be um largely good way to coaches, volunteer coaches and and those kind of things. The others are guest volunteers, which would be perhaps PTO volunteers or um guest speakers or, you know, those kinds of things. So, right now the the general rule has been if you're a um a um position volunteer, you're being handled as a coach and you're

064going to produce the same clearances, drug test, TB test. If you are a guest volunteer, there are two of the three clearances that you will do. Um and and that's all that is necessary for that position. Um I reached out to um get some uh cons legal consultation on this. There there is one thing that we will need to change after you know further discussion on this um and that would be regarding the the tuberculosis test. So the um state code on this is that um all volunteers should have a TB test done for uh whether it's position or guest. The difference that the statute allows for is that if you're a guest volunteer um for less than 10 hours with kids, then you're you're not required. So, we would have to have a way

065to track that or just ask everybody to do it. So, that's um what Jennifer >> 10 hours at a time or 10 hours total >> total. So, a parent who goes on a a parent that's involved in PTO and goes on a field trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo for the day and then comes in later in the year and helps with the child's party has to have a TV test. That's what our legal consultation suggests. >> Um, one of the other things >> I'm sorry, let me take it back. 10 hours per week, not total. >> Okay. >> Oh, that's week. Oh, that's weight. Okay. >> Okay. That's okay. >> Okay. That's a whole different vlog. Yeah, I was >> I was thinking of the next question, but >> really messing things up for us

066here >> 10 hours a week, but still we >> I wouldn't go to the next PTO meeting if >> um under supervision there um where it says each volunteer shall be under the supervision of a designated school administrator, teacher, or other member of the school staff. I feel like that that should say guest volunteers and I think that we should elaborate in there that they cannot be left alone with any students whatsoever by themselves. >> Where are you at, Jess? >> Yeah. Where are you? >> Um I printed it out. >> Oh, that's the policy here. >> Yeah, this is the policy. It would be on I think the fourth page. It's like on my print out it says supervision and then goes to the next >> it's in the last three paragraphs well fourth

067>> paragraph it's in >> oh supervision's on one page and then >> my mind and then the explanations on the other that's why I couldn't find it >> and I guess like there was a lot of confusion when people were asking about being a volunteer And why doesn't some volunteers have to have all of these um clearances when they're with kids? I mean, a lot of parents came to me. They said that they, you know, would feel better if we they all these volunteers had all of these clearances. Um, I mean there is a lot if you look at every clearance you have to go through just to be a volunteer coach, but I mean how do you honestly know if there's not problems or how do you know if you're not allowing like somebody

068that is heavily on drugs in to volunteer with the kids? >> What do you want to change again? You >> you want to change the wording of the supervision clause or Yeah. Right. You want to change the the the the sentence under supervision. Each volunteer shall be under the supervision of a designated school administrator, teacher, or other member of the school staff. You want to specify each guest volunteer. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, doesn't that cover both volunteers, whether it's a guest or a >> the current one seems to? >> Yeah, >> that's what I would read it as. >> Yeah, but as a volunteer coach with all the clearances that you go through there, like I'm allowed to be with the kids by myself. >> So, as a volunteer coach, you have to get

069fingerprints. >> Oh, yeah. Here's your list. >> Okay. Do you want PTO parents that come in have to go through the process of getting fingerprints >> if they're under the guest volunteer? I think that the policy should elaborate that they cannot be left alone with the kids if they're not getting all of these clearances. >> But it says they work directly under the supervision and direction of the school administrator, teacher or member of the school staff >> and they don't have direct volunteer contact. >> But your positional volunteers can be where it doesn't specify which position. So, like people had asked me why I'm allowed to be with the kids by myself, but they're not allowed to be. Do you get what I'm saying? >> Isn't the volunteer clear like what we do for volunteer

070clearances? Is that a state rule or something that you only have to have the two? Cuz like in my job, I spend less time with the kids than the volunteers do, but I have to have all three because I'm an employee >> and the volunteers only have to do the two free clearances. >> Correct. Unless they've not lived in the state, then they have to do the Right. Correct. >> So I think that's a state rule about the which clearances you have to have for for that level. I I want positive. >> Well, I guess when I asked like for volunteer coaches, we were told we had to get every single one of these clearances. >> And the only thing that we actually did not have to get was a physical. And I was stupid

071enough to get a physical. So I guess like and there was confusion online when people were getting their clearances for PTO or we had all these new people signing up to volunteer for coach and when you looked at the policy they don't go hand in hand if you get what I'm saying like if you want to pass that around like you can see and this is everything that a volunteer has to have to coach like even fingerprinting you have to get everything >> I I thought volunteer coaches weren't supposed to be left alone with students. I thought only paid coaches were to be left alone. I thought that conversation happened somewhere along the way previously. >> I I think I don't know. I don't I didn't remember having that conversation, but I I thought that

072a coach was a coach whether they're paid or not. >> Yeah. I don't know. But but those clear those clearances essentially you are you're hitting the qualification that you would need those whereas a PTO mom coming in to do a party doesn't doesn't hit that that level of whichever one you know they're the guest volunteer not a >> not a position volunteer >> I should know this answer I don't I you know the clearances are child abuse clearances which flags if there's a child abuse issue the state police is if there's a criminal background activity. >> I I don't know what that fingerprinting, >> you know, I would think that if there was a something that happened, it would flag up under the state police thing if you've had fingerprints done. >> We get them

073hit on the different ones because they're different databases that they search. So, we can have something come back on the fingerprint clearance and not hit on the state clearance or something hit on the state clearance and not hit on the other. >> It does happen all the time. And I will say >> FBI is probably too it's it's federal. It's it's all 50 states where the state police may just find. >> The other thing with volunteer coaches is a lot of times they go from volunteer to paid coach and back and forth type thing. So and additionally there was a time where volunteer coaches got paid for wreck work. So that was another reason we treated them more like employees because they fall into employee category in and out quite quickly. just did you want

074to get a clarification like are you want to make the policy so there's a clarification of something that's unclear or do you want it to be a higher level of scrutiny for some category of >> like I think clarification because there was a lot of questions on what's the difference >> between what again between a >> like when you look at that one for so they explain like here in that supervision like when I say like your coaching positions like you can be by yourself whereas the guest volunteer you're not allowed to be. So, a lot of people were asking like what is the difference because like why was I allowed to be with the kids when the coach wasn't there? But it says in this policy technically when people read that it's saying supervision

075for all volunteers, >> but I think it goes back to which if you're a position volunteer, which you would be as a volunteer coach, right? That's coaches are listed specifically under position volunteer. That's just a little bit further up in the policy. And then if they are not a coach, if they weren't, you know, approved by the board to be a coach, they would probably be a guest volunteer, which that specifies they need to work directly under the supervision of of the uh of a school administrator, teacher, other member of the school staff. >> I don't know. Maybe it's just the way that I look at it and I read it like it doesn't really specify that. >> Are you advocating that guest volunteers get fingerprints, too? No, I'm talking about like with the supervision

076here. I mean, people did ask me like why kids are in the school working with their kids and cuz there was a big conversation and I don't know if anybody else seen that. It was on social media and people had reached out to me asking me questions and like for me it was completely different when I'm looking as myself as a volunteer and I have to get like the act 26, the act 24 like the FBI clearances. I mean I had to take all these certifications like Jenna was saying which this isn't current anymore so we'll have to change it. But there was a lot of people that were asking, you know, why certain people had to and other people didn't. >> My understanding, and it may have changed, I know at the library when

077we have volunteers at the public library, if you're under 18, you don't get clearances because it won't show anything. That's what we were told. >> Yeah. And it is in here that if you're under the 18 or you're a student, you don't have to have, >> right? of the students that are working from the high school up there, unless they're 18, wouldn't need to have clearances. So that that and on the um where it says at the under that position field trip chaperones I don't think that means like day trip chaperoons when when the band goes to Florida and you're if we were going on a band trip where chaperoons were staying over then we had to have the three clearances you had to get your fingerprints your uh child line and your state police

078But if you were just riding the bus to the football game or whatever, you only had to have two. >> I had to get all three for my for my kid to go to a stock challenge presentation last year. >> Overnight or was it a daytime? Okay. I don't know. That's what we were told. >> Why don't we do what could we could we maybe compile like an FAQ like if you're this type of volunteer, this is what you need. If it's not, this is what you need. And maybe bring it to us before we publicly put it out there. Mhm. >> And then if we need to change the policy, we can do that because there's some confusion here. >> I think if we start requiring PTO moms who are coming in for a

079party or going on the Pittsburgh trip to get >> Yeah. I don't want moms to >> And there's also costs money. The other two are free, >> right? >> Yeah. So maybe maybe we can take this policy, break it down into a little bit more uh you know specific questions that we're getting on a a mom handing out cupcakes versus a volunteer coach versus somebody getting on a bus >> and then either work with PSBA or the solicister to get those definitions >> and then we can see if we need to change the policy. Is everybody okay with that? >> Yep. >> All right. >> Throw a sticky wicket in here just go. Yeah, please. And I hate to make this conversation go longer, but um sometimes when you are volunteers and on field trips,

080you're not with somebody else. So that will need to be a consideration as well because if they're at the zoo, they're not necessarily with a teacher. You make a good point or whatever. Yep. >> So that should be something to discuss. >> So we'll put that on the agenda for next month as well. Okay. Good. Um the last thing that I just wanted to share um um earlier uh perhaps two board meetings ago we um enrolled in the full um all access to the the PSBA um options that we have in there. There's a number of functions that we have. I just wanted to share those with you. if any of those um strike your interest and you you know want to do more and you know that kind of thing then I just wanted

081to make sure that you were aware of what it was. Um and part of our goals that we talked about involve doing a policy review and making sure that we're current things. Um one of the things that we get is something called the uh policy news network newsletter. So there's about four um uh legal briefs that we get digitally that outline a number of policies that should be revised and they give us options to bring to the board and say these are um policies need to be brought in so that they're consistent with how law has changed or other circumstances have changed in the world of education. So um it gives us the option to tailor it to the way you would like it to be but at least alerts us to the fact that

082laws have changed. we need to be current with those. Um there's 20 to 30 of those a year that will come out. Um and we also have access to last year and the year before that as well. Um we're able to request 10 uh policy guides per year. So if we don't have e policy on something and we would like to, they have um about I think they said 530 of them that exist that um are in it. you know, in in the current categories that we have the zeros through the 900s, um that we can use as a reference to build from. Um there in some cases, and we referenced this earlier, there are times when when there isn't one that exists. Doesn't mean we still can't write one, but we can work from

083there. um they um also have um policy administration regulations that could also be useful in the case we just talked about earlier that we can I can go in there access that and say you know is there something that we can build from that that would tailor to what our needs are. So I'm going to use that service. Um we also have the the um option to for them to process our board policies. So if we have for example something that we want to write from scratch or one that we wanted to have built, they can make sure that it it meets the legal standards um you know they have a team of attorneys to make sure that it is is appropriate and and consistent >> and that comes with our like like if we

084had Bob or or our other solicitor that would cost us this is our >> pay this is I don't call 5 an hour. >> Yeah. Um, the last thing that they offer that, and this is a charge that's in addition to that, I'm I'm just sharing this. I don't know that I'm recommending it, but they uh they have an option for a complete review of all of our policies, not just the ones that have been brought up in the recent, you know, last year or two years, but, you know, everything to make sure that they're current. We have some that are quite outdated. Perhaps they still fit that they could have a 2002 date on the last time that they were looked at. Um, they will look at all of those. There's a charge of

085$7,200. It takes a 12 to 18 month review to complete that and they would invoice us over three fiscal years. Um, so I I don't know that we I'm necessarily recommending it, but I just wonder if that was something that was a concern. Um, there isn't a way to go about that. Um, but I think for us being no and the options that we have here, this will keep us busy for a while. >> So there it was the recommendation of the last administration and I think you you both want to think that there should be a holistic policy review of all our policies to make sure they're up to date. Right. And if we do that in-house, it's going to take an extended period of time, right? >> Yeah. Okay. versus paying PSBA to

086do it a little bit quicker for $7,200. They would do it over the course of a year and a half. So, um um I don't see and we're dealing with pressing and policy issues as they come up because we're either getting a PSBA alert, the solicitor is involved, or we have an issue that we need to to address. Right. Correct. So, is everybody okay allowing these folks in central office to slowly get through these policies rather than farming and it out? >> I thought they did that for free, but >> I did too. >> So, they they give us their library of policies, but they won't review ours for free apparently. >> Well, you get 10 of them a year. You don't get their full library, right? >> Well, you shouldn't need I mean, unless

087we're adding That's a lot of policies to add in a year. >> We will review 20 of ours a year. We can ask for 10 additional to be written per year. >> They'll review 20 of them a year for us for free or >> as part of the >> So, you're going to take advantage of that? >> We have >> um I I probably wouldn't guess several hundred. >> Mike has a whole separate server just for our policies. I didn't realize there was that many. >> We have access to every polic we can >> get every policy they have. >> Correct. here. >> No, it's for new policies. >> The new policies we get any new when they >> new. Okay. >> Yeah, >> we get >> they they have a guide, >> but if

088we wanted a one on >> that kind of looks like this of every policy that's been written, >> okay, >> in each of the categories, we don't have all of them. We probably don't need all of them, right? Um but >> those are the ones that we can get access to if we needed to on on a 10 of those a year. So when you bring you previous administrations bring these to us like say that something needed update on the volunteer one >> we don't that doesn't count in our 10 or 20. >> Okay that's because it came from them that we need to do this. >> We already have it. We're we're just right now we're in the discussion phase of that and you know we don't we don't it's not a new one.

089It would just be a review of what >> it's something they push out periodically. Right. That would be Yeah. That's what you're referring to. >> Right. But like in in previous board meetings, we we get this policy needs updated and it's got red line and stuff. >> Yes. >> Do we does that count in our 10 or is that from that comes from them? It's if we ask for something new, >> correct? >> Okay. I'm clear now. >> Doug asks about a policy on investigation, right? >> That would be one of our 10. >> Okay. >> Right. >> A better example might be, you know, recent years and everyone went through this, you know, there was new legislation on um threat assessment, threat assessment teams. there were probably six policies that needed to be updated

090to reflect that new legislation. And so, you know, they provided the um proper policy in place in there in the language. And then under that language, they would give you a number of check boxes that you can decide, you know, as a board, these are the ones that we want to have the choices that you can pick up those choices, but it would still be compliant. >> It' be good to know. I think we wrote six new policies last year that we did not take advantage of. Oh, we started with a template. I I'm almost sure we started with PSBA template on >> Oh, did we? I I I would have to go back and look, but my guess is we probably >> I don't remember paying for any extra. >> No. >> And browsing

091through it, Chad. We may have 100 150 >> maybe 120. I'm just I didn't count them, but just going through zero through 900. >> Yeah. So, take advantage of the 20 they offer. Knock down what you can and then we'll deal with them as they come up. >> Okay. >> We'd be foolish not to do that. I mean, if even if we have say we have a hundred policies over the next five years, we're constantly reviewing. >> Yep. Okay. >> 20. >> All right. That's all that I have. >> Okay. Thank you. Back to my agenda tab. All right. Next, we have principal reports. Um, M. Richardson, you Mr. Richardson, you representing the elementary school tonight? >> Yep. >> Okay. So, I just have a couple of celebrations great to talk about. Um, first one

092was our meet the teacher nights. I think the board had requested last year that they be prior to the beginning of school. So, we tried to oblige. We had three nights. We serviced 587 families. So, um, pretty pretty successful. Got lots of good feedback from that. Um, hopefully we can continue that next year. Kinder camp was in August as well. We had 85 kids attend out of 115. So, we got almost everybody. And I think that also helped the smooth uh the smooth transition for the start of our school year. Parent boot camp, that was the first day of uh kinder camp. We had 60 families attend that. So, again, we hit almost half of that population. So, again, having those parents on board, knowing the expectations, I think that was that was positive. Um

093things to look towards. Bo talked about the kinder senior event. I think Matt Curry was putting that on social media. I think some of you were there. So, that was a positive. Um, Beth Saxman has been putting on our elementary page under activities, new teachers. We have a ton and she's formatted it as like the lineup, the starters. If you haven't had a chance to look at that, you should. And then, uh, this is from Jeff Coons. It's an invitation to be part of our leader in me on the trail. It's on Tuesday. So, just lots of things. >> So, we can be excused from the board meeting if we go to that Tuesday. >> Oh, yeah. Guess not. >> All right. >> From 5:30 to 6. No, we we're having executive order. >> We'll

094be there in spirit. Any questions for Mrs. Richardson? >> I do know that this got a lot of of positive feedback last year. >> It was really good last year. I'm only going to have my new story walk this year a little bit. >> Any any elementary school questions? No. Thank you. Okay. Um under high school, it looks like uh number one is going to be um we're going to do some uh discarding of some music uh some equipment from the music department and then some purchase orders. Any questions on one or two? Are there subsets for Dr. Smelco? Um, if not, I'll ask her to start herformational. >> Why? I have one question. >> Yep. >> Why is the guidance like is that a normal amount for their postage? That seems like a lot

095of money. It's >> for the whole year. >> The whole year. >> It's their open PO for the whole year. >> What's like what what's your PO down here? >> I don't know off hand. I'm sorry. >> Our postage costs are phenomenally high for a district. I mean, all school districts. Yeah, I would love to get into the digital age with everybody else that we can confirm delivery to parents things, but I think we're still stuck in the mail mail days. >> Well, I would be in support of sending report cards home on the last day of school instead of mailing them to save some money if that's possible. >> How many report cards are you going to think you're going to make at home? >> You think? >> No. Sending the report cards home

096with students on the last day of school. going to say how many do you think are going to get there? >> Well, >> there's some years my kids would not have given me these rewards. >> I just know, you know, the the postage that was spent on that. Last year was a lot probably a lot of money. >> Yeah, >> maybe it's unavoidable, but >> some of that would be state testing data when we get their keystone worth their PSA scores, things like that. >> Okay. um report cards. >> We did send progress reports home previously with the kids, but that's all digital now. Um but that would be some of the additional things at the high school that we would send home via the mail. >> Did the state that state testing stuff? Yeah,

097there's you usually get two or three of those. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um kind of echoing Belle and Mrs. Richardson. Um, >> last Friday was was was pretty special as a parent, a senior parent. Um, I was not crying at all, which there was wind. There was a lot of wind on the football field. Um, was, >> but it was I I have to say Mr. Coons did a phenomenal job. He he really did a lot of the organizing for that event and coordinated and it uh, like Mrs. Richardson said it is on the Facebook page, the district page. It's it's really good. So, um we're very fortunate to be able to do that. Um kind of along that same line of thought, we are looking to take our senior

098athletes and band members back up to the elementary school for homecoming like we have the past couple years. We greet the kids as they're coming in the building that day. Um so, working with our elementary school administration to get to get that set up as well. Um overall beginning of the year I think has gone has gone well. We are settling into a very different schedule for the kids and the teachers. Um the days are going by very very quickly with 40 minute periods when they've been used to 70 or 75 minute periods prior to um I feel like we kind of blink and it's we're halfway through the day already. So I think that has been good. Um in that process though with a brand new schedule, you know, we are seeing there are

099some things that we want to look to adapt and change and correct as we move into next year. And mostly that is looking at where we have courses offered this year and how we can maybe make some of those changes that we need to to ensure we're not having conflicts for for students and maximizing what they can take during their their school day. Um, but I think that is just kind of part of the growing pains of of switching to to something new >> and working on some of those bugs. >> Um, our meet the teacher night was very well. We did the whole building 7 through 12. We were busy that night. We had a lot of families, a lot of kids coming in. Um, again, for our high school students, it was to

100get their schedule to see what classes they were going to have. Um, I think that also helped again transitioning into a new schedule this year. They could see the class periods, what times they were being offered and start to kind of process a little bit more. They heard that we were moving to a new schedule, but to actually see what the bell schedule looked like on paper and what that looks like for their classes, I think helped helped a lot, too. Um, military and first responders night is tomorrow. It is our our football game tomorrow night. the the boys will be wearing their alternate gray jerseys, which are the military jerseys that we that we have. Um, Mr. Gordon has been working closely with local fire companies, VFW, um, and, you know, local organizations so

101that we're we're ready for that. And we're excited. I think it's going to be it's going to be a great event. Usually one of our busiest that and homecoming are our two busiest games. So, we're looking forward to the football game tomorrow. Tailgates is still at 5:30. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Pull pork sandwiches courtesy of the first and 10 club. >> And you are or not jumping out of a plane, Mr. >> We have a plane. We need to get a jumper. That's Bob L's dream is to do that someday. I have a parachutter, but not this year. >> Do you want to ask for our insurance? There's no there's no clause here that >> I look over that every year and I know that there's not a clause for that. >> We had

102there were some concerns we had about scheduling. Can you talk, you know, um sometimes the AP students and AP classes? >> Yes. >> You know, sometimes those students are they're not just taking one AP class but multiple AP classes. >> Yes. >> Was there conflicts there and are there resolutions? We did have some conflicts. Um, we tried to separate the separate out the AP classes and some of the more advanced classes that the seniors would be taking as much as possible. Um, right now we have a conflict between AP calc that has caused a few scheduling conflicts. Um, and that's like I was saying, one of those things where initially in the schedule when we placed the classes where we did, that was an unanticipated conflict that we thought would that would be happening. Um,

103so we've been able to I don't want to say use a workaround, but we've been able to make sure that we're offering students that want both of those classes an option and something that we want to look towards next year to be able to make sure that we don't have have those conflicts anymore. My goal is in October, similar to how we did last year whenever I I explained that I went to the department meetings and we started talking um we want to take the big board if you've been in my office you know the big board the scheduling board um taking that and taking the master schedule and working with the departments and saying okay what would you like to see moved what offerings do we need to put where and try to start

104doing that as early as possible so that we can be prepared prepared for scheduling and and avoid those conflicts in the future. >> Do do we have any senior students or junior students this year, especially senior students that aren't able to do their two AP credits if they want or their two AP classes if they want them? >> Not to my knowledge. We had a conflict and we were able to work within the academy to make sure that we were still offering the AP classes that we needed to. Um, again, my goal would be to be able to have the have that happening in the building, >> but to accommodate >> I do not like that. I I don't think a student should miss out on a class period, but if they have to take

105that class, the only option is for them to take it online. So, that's something I think we needed. >> Um, how many students taking online classes? >> We have a number of students taking what we call a singleton. It's a single class on E Academy. Um >> because of the scheduling problem, >> sometimes because of scheduling, sometimes because of a miscredit somewhere that they they needed to recover that class from whenever they were an underassman, but some of them were taking them because of some of the conflicts that we did encounter. I do have to say that it's nice that that option is available. Um because previously that wasn't an option. You know, I'm I'm talking a good few years ago, but you know, kids were kind of left with well you can do work

106study or you can't or you can play sports or you can't because you can't get enough classes. So, it's nice that there is flexibility for those that might need something. Yes. To do that. We we looked at um every option we could to try and avoid having a student have to take a class online. In some situations, that was our only that was our only option that we were left with. Um we had some creative scheduling solutions. I have to say um the the guidance department, you know, would look at what was available and we would try to come up with the best option that we could to to make sure that because we didn't want the students to miss out on an opportunity if they wanted to take a particular class. >> The problem

107that I heard and that I heard this from the students that AP lit and AP calculus was scheduled the very same period. So they had to choose. So in the past they were never scheduled the very same period. We had AP calc is a two period. It's it's a block of two periods back to back. Um and that's where the conflict comes in. it's third and fourth period and AP led is fourth period. So there was a scheduling conflict there. The other part of the AP classes, especially with the seniors that we were also trying to be mindful of is trying to fit the classes in the schedule where they would work so that students could also still do work release if they wanted to be part of the employment program. Can you maybe not

108like just catching a cold on this, but can you maybe get us some numbers so we understand the scale of the conflicts like the uh the number of kids that are having to take singleton classes because of scheduling conflicts? >> Yeah. >> And and yeah, it see it seems like that uh that AP thing I would think are like our brightest, you know, collegebound kids that should have kind of been known that we were going to have both those kids. A lot of the kids that want to take one AP want to take the other. That overlap, you know, and I understand they may not, you know, then they may not have been able to do the work study in the afternoon and something's got to go somewhere. But I don't know if this is

109three kids or 13 or 30. >> I can tell you the AP concern was a very very small number, >> okay, >> of students. I would I would look for sure, but thinking back to the kiddos that I enrolled into an AP Academy course, those numbers were very small. >> All right. Can you get get some numbers for us, please? >> Y >> Chad made me think to ask the question. The um keyboards from the music department are the piano, are they not functional at all? Are they something we could sell? >> Mrs. never had said that they were past their prime. I can check though and see if that's something that we could possibly resell. She had just asked for discard for those. >> I mean, if they're functional, there might be some people

110that would be interested. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Anything Anything else for Dr. Smoker? >> I just have a couple points. I don't know what I'm talking about here exactly, but it's just some of the feedback I've got. I think there were more um kids that had to choose between uh AP classes than just calc and lit. >> Okay. >> Um I think there were two or three other instances. I don't like the the fact that kids are being forced into e academy. Um I also I get sometimes confused where some people have so much time in their day that they you know but other kids have not enough time. Um I'm also um I have some questions about dual enrollment. Um so I am I I think this is a dual enrollment is a wonderful

111opportunity for students. Um especially those students who are going to IUP. >> Yes. >> If you are not going to IUP, it is maybe not as much of a wonderful opportunity. Um if you are going to another state school like Clarin or whatever you those those um other state schools will accept those those credits. >> Yes. >> Um you have to pay to transfer them. Where I get concern where I have concerns about is I think we're encouraging pardon. >> No, my daughter did that. My kid 24 credits at IUP and they all transferred to slippery or >> you didn't have to pay a transfer fee. >> No. >> Okay. There are some schools where they have to check to make sure that the the credits will transfer, >> but for the most part, um

112I know we have some students that have gone to >> outside of the state schools um right system that they've transferred to for them as well. >> They all have >> I know of a student that yes, it transferred. It was not IUP, Clarion, Edinburgh, CU, it was an outside. So that's where I think um you know there's some students that go to PIT or Penn State and they do the dual enrollment and their credits aren't recognized by those schools. So I and and I worry about some of these academic kids that are encouraged to do this dual enrollment but don't end up going to IUP or a state school. They go to Penn State and Penn State doesn't recognize them. But then they've missed out on AP classes that they needed >> or could

113have benefited from. department have any information on or or um inform the students or the students families that which schools may would definitely will accept and which may not anything like that. >> When we do scheduling with the junior class um I guess with the sophomore and junior class because they can start taking them junior and senior year. the liaison that we work with through IUP does come into she came in last year for the scheduling meetings with the kids and kind of presented what dual enrollment was to them and then once the students decide if they want to enroll in those dual enrollment classes they start looking at if they know where they want to go and things like that but I can find out more specifically those conversations that you know the counselors

114would be having with the kids to make sure that >> yeah I'm not knocking I I think it is a wonderful opportunity, but I just think there's >> you just want them to know ahead of time that it's not going to be universally accepted. >> Yeah. I think some schools it's not like depending on what classes that are offered at IUP or whatever, you may not get that. You know, depending on the gen ed >> requirements that Penn State or somebody else might have, they may not all transfer. But like I said, for my daughter, it worked out well. But >> sometimes they get kicked into being an elective. >> Like it wouldn't count as Penn State's English class, but they'll count it as an elective credit >> towards your credits. So it really depends

115on the university and their right. >> And I know that is a conversation with the students when they're choosing to go into dual enrollment. Do you know, you know, what what is your plan postgraduation and if checking in to see if some of those if those classes are going to transfer? But Thank you. I with regards to the the classes and what's available and not available and conflicts and stuff. I'm trying to understand this because I do have a student that will be uh doing this soon and I'm I'm trying to understand it and I just hear feedback from some of these people. Like the other thing was um courses that are required one year and then not required the next year. So, they've taken those courses one year and then the next year it

116turns out they don't meet them. I don't know how often that happens, but it was another feedback I got. >> That would be I don't know specifically if were there any classes that were mentioned that you know of that >> I don't know off the top of my head. Again, I'm talking about stuff that I have no idea talking about. I'm just giving some feedback and I don't like talking about stuff that I don't know. There were um when we did some changes to the curriculum guide um that would have maybe changed. For instance, last year the juniors took half a year of Brit, half a year of communications where we switched back to a more traditional English in 9, 10, 11, and 12. Um >> I do believe Brit was the one that was

117mentioned. >> Yes. So that would still count as half of their English elective this year. Instead of having two separate English classes, they just have English 1 2 3 or four. But it still counts though towards their English credits regardless if that is still a requirement or not. It still counts towards their their credits they need in in each department, each category. >> And what I've told most of these people is I what I I don't know a lot of this. I do know that it sounds like it was a huge undertaking to switch from the previous schedule to new schedule. And so there are going to be some >> growing pains or >> yes, >> screw-ups or whatever you want to call it that hopefully we can get ironed out and in the future

118it's better. >> I think like I said um the the transition has gone well. It's and it's a transition for the teachers and the kids. Um, our teachers were used to teaching double in one day for two days because they didn't see the kids every day. So now they see them every day. So their their lesson planning and lesson pacing is the same but different. I don't quite know how to explain that, but um I've gotten a lot of positive feedback that they really are happy seeing the kids every single day. Um, same thing with the kids. I think there might be some more homework than what they were used to because again it's a 40 minute period so they're getting that content so there might be a little bit more that they're doing outside

119of the classroom. Um and I've got positive feedback too that we do not run on the cycles anymore. When they come in it's Monday, it's Tuesday, it's Wednesday and it doesn't change. they have the same class no matter what day of the week it is, which I think has also been >> has been very beneficial. >> My biggest concern moving forward is just making sure when we when Mr. Gordon and I were placing those classes last year and into the summer, we were trying to be as mindful as possible and looking at those conflicts that we we could foresee. There were unfortunately conflicts that came up that we we just didn't realize would become a conflict at the time. And that's the part now, you know, fine-tuning and kind of adjusting some of those things

120so that we're not I don't want to say forcing a student into the academy class, but that's their only option. They have as many possibilities um to take what they need. >> Do you work with the guidance counselors early on? Like before you have the schedule made up, do you work with them early on with you? >> Yeah, we've tried to work with everybody, the counselors, all the teachers as much as possible. Um there are they they will come with a recommendation and say hey have you considered moving this class here or this class there and we can do that Sometimes it's a little bit harder because then that has a domino effect on all of the other classes that students would need depending on the grade level. And like I said, for this upcoming

121year, now that we have a framework in place and we have the this original master, if you will, asking the counselors, asking the the teachers, okay, what do we need to move and then trying to play that out as as early as possible so we can avoid those conflicts. >> Any other questions for Dr. Smoka? No. >> Thank you. Next we have um oh and I wanted to recognize too we have Mr. Badorf here this evening. So even though even though we all uh we all approved you and voted for you, some of us haven't seen you in person, including myself. So if you stick around at the end, we'll say hello. >> Sure. >> So thanks for coming. >> All right. Uh next we have financial uh reports. Uh we have uh financial summaries,

122occupational tax request, uh exoneration request, purchase order, and then the annual agreement with IEP. Um any questions for Susan under the financial portion of the agenda. Next, we'll move on to personnel. Uh we have additions and deletions to the sublist, resignation, um some hires, and then an appointment of a robotics club adviser. And then we have do we have any additions to personnel? >> We'll be adding a leave request for without pay. And we're going to be adding a leave request for Tuesday's meeting as well. Any questions for Dr. K on any of the personnel items? None. All right. Then we'll have the special committee reports. Um Bob Doug stepped out of the room. Um I can wait for him to come back. Or would you like to say anything about Jeff Tech? >> Uh

123we have meeting um I think the 25th of August. Doug was there. I was there. We met in the food uh refrigeration building that was just open. Um we talked about the program. Um we talked about the staffing of the program, the budget. Uh we also had a presentation from an individual that works for a clean energy uh it works actually for Alageney County but it's all about uh preparing students to convert gas to alternative fuels and uh the JOC seemed favorable on looking into that further as a training program for Jeff Tech and uh we discussed the solar farm that Jeff Tech is attempting to get a grant for that would basically offset the power requirements of Jeff Tech. >> Good. Those all sound like positive things. Any questions for Bob on Jeff Tech

124report? >> No. Okay. Thanks, Bob. Appreciate it. >> Welcome. >> DD, anything from IU6 you'd like to report? >> Uh, the only thing is uh we elected our board officers for the year. Um, everything stayed the same. Um our president is Tom Phillips, vice president Terry Armagos, and the treasurer's Evan O'Neal. Um that just all stayed the same. Um mainly everything else was just um regular business and our next meeting will be September 24th. >> Great. Thank you. Any questions for DD on the IU6? Um, we didn't have any communications that I'm aware of um that we need to discuss. Uh, we have payment of the bills to approve on Tuesday. Any questions for Susan on any of those bills? None. Um, new business. Who has any new business items? Dr. K, you had Did

125you have something? >> I did. I'll go last. >> Okay. Anybody else for new business items? >> No. >> Okay. >> Then I'll go first. Um just to conclude um I have two recognitions um for uh service on the school board. So I will start with um a recognition for Mrs. Evans who is joining us online for 10 years of service. So perhaps on Tuesday yes Tuesday we can get a picture and and all of that and then uh our president Mr. Kerki for 5 years of service. So >> thank you. >> This is a nice little watch >> that send a watch 5 years. I think it's aluminum, isn't it? >> Is it time you appreciate it? Anything else for new business? All right, we will adjourn and see everyone on Tuesday. Thank you.

126Good night.