001like to call the meeting to order. Roll call. >> Mr. Brad Upgro >> here. >> Mr. Roger Up Grove >> here. >> Dr. Weir >> here. Dr. Wy >> here. >> Mr. Broofphy >> here. >> Miss Connor >> here. >> Miss Kat. >> Miss Nimon >> here. Mr. Penello >> here. >> All present. If >> we all rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence and think about uh Corporal Okconor who recently passed to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible and justice for all. board of school directors held an executive session prior to the March 10th, 2026 committee. The whole meeting topics were personnel and legal session lasted approximately 1 hour. Takes us down to our discussion and information section
002for this evening. So we have a number of items to uh share with you. Uh we did want to bring back the as requested by um some board members the 202425 audit document and um if there were any follow-up questions that any board members had in regards to it that we could um get back to the auditors. um they are looking to finalize this audit and we are hoping to bring this forward at the March 24th um legislative meeting for your approval of the final audit. So I'll leave it open. Mr. Lent, any more commentary with >> Yes. Um we also are required to have the audit approved and then submitted um to what's called the single audit clearing house um at the federal level for our federal program compliance uh by the end of
003this month. So the board would approve it. We then would go through um the uh submission process with our audit firm um and then um make some u minor changes to our annual financial report to the state for the prior fiscal year and it'll be closed. Any questions from the board? >> Okay, Mr. Lance, would you take item uh items actually B and C, please? >> Thank you, Dr. David Heiser. So, uh, last year the district started the property tax rent rebate program. The program is modeled after the state program. So essentially you have to be eligible for the state program to then submit that approval um verification back to the district and um in this year based upon inflationary factors the maximum rebate has increased um is $250 but the um thresholds for the
004maximum income have adjusted based upon cost of living. So, individuals um based upon eligibility with the state um with a maximum income up to $48,110 um can submit to be approved for the rebate. And there's a sliding scale um with regards to uh what's provided based upon um your income. Uh to give you some data for uh reference from the property tax rent rebate for last year, uh we issued 117 rebates. Um there were six that came in that were denied um deemed not being eligible in particular because of not being approved by by the state. Um in some cases individuals applied that were not addresses within the Bertown Area School District. So they were deemed ineligible. Um and then one was because of the the deadline. Um so that's one of the things that
005um is um adjusted for this year because um the district is closed over the holiday. So on that deadline the 31st, we're not physically here. We do accept post dates, but we did adjust um the deadline um in the resolution to allow that it's when um we're back and uh are able to have individuals, you know, come in and uh um have us review that documentation. Any questions? Okay, then I'll go to C. So, um, the Burks County Career Budget, um, so, um, this budget, um, has been approved, um, by the Career and Technical Center. Um, overall, it's just under a 5% increase compared to the, uh, the prior year budget. Um, and what the districts bear is a 4.15% increase in the budget. um we're allocated a portion of that budget um based upon
006um our um our data as it relates to the other districts um within um the CTC. Um and so um that contribution is an increase of $21,451 from the prior year um bringing us to 2.1 million for a contribution for the year. So that contribution is an absolute for the year. any adjustments to the enrollment factors are impacted on subsequent budget years. Um, so it's a I'll say lock and load rate uh so to speak for that. Um, then there's also a special uh needs uh rate that's in the budget. Um, and our obligation for that is $17,433. That's a decrease from the prior year. So again, you can see that the uh budget for the next year um fluctuates in part because it's based upon enrollments for for previous years. So uh we'll be
007bringing this forward to the board for approval um at the legislative meeting. >> Any questions from the board regard to it? Okay, we'll be bringing that forward uh for your consideration at the legislative. And going back to item B again, um the uh property tax and rental rebate program, um it's inaugural year was just this past year and we did see some some real good success with that. Um and our business office really did a a a fabulous job with um regards to um executing all of those applications that came in. And um one of the uh stipulations with this is that we we're bringing this back as an annual resolution to you as to your consideration to continue this process. So we are highly recommending for our community that that you do so at
008the uh 24th meeting as well. I want to say something about that because um the last our last meeting we discussed a u as far as the budget go and you know where we're at on that but we also have to discuss the fact that there's 500 and some kids waiting to get into the BCTC and we are maxed out. So we're actually this week we're uh sending out to uh do a study on um maybe uh trying to get another building up and running. But um it's it's like it's going to be a two three year process at the most till that happens. But like we are maxed out as far as space and like I said 500 students waiting to get in and um you got to sign up early and then now
009it's getting to the point where it's really tough. >> Yeah. The state has recognized that as an issue over the last decade um as there's been a a great push for um training um in in a lot of the service industries um there's been significant interest from student bodies across the state. One of the problems becomes the infrastructure that is just not necessarily there. And it's, you know, it's just not overnight where you create a center that has all the automotive center and abilities and welding and and uh construction abilities and big um you know equipment service areas. So it takes time and it takes acquisition and it takes a cooperation from all the all the sending districts to those um CTC's as well to cooperate in doing those types of things. So it's recognized
010the state has really operationalized funding toward that. Um certainly not enough that that that we can you know move on some things but you will see and as Mr. up to Grove just just mentioned there may be some things presented to you as a board in the future to consider as acquisitions you know future land or buildings and things of that nature. Uh districts are often also looking for space inside their own um entity as well. One of the unfortunate things we don't necessarily have any open building space. some districts that enrollment has dropped significantly and sometimes space opens up and some of the the the programs um can be u acquired in-house uh to do some of those things. So um you know we'll start to work on that and as Mr. Upgro again
011said you know we have a large presence in our CTC and many students who also cannot get in um due due to that enrollment piece. So under item D uh and E, these are uh two reoccurring uh agreements that we've had and successful uh ones uh agreements that we've had with the YMCA. One is their summer camp program and traditionally this is is hosted at um Boyertown Elementary School. this year for um that summer camp is they've acquired a license for Middle School West due to the work that's being done at Boyertown Elementary uh this summer uh which there will no there will be no HVAC on throughout the summertime and while they work on the project and the roof project there. So there is a contract here um with uh a change in location
012to that there is a 3% increase on this from the previous year and under item E YMCA before and after school program that runs during our school time and we have checked in with CHA in regards to the work being done and we do um that we have gotten affirmative that um that can be hosted at Bertown Elementary uh as well as many of the other elementaryaries um that are part of this contract as well. There are four uh Gilbertsville, No Hanover, and Washington are also inclusive in these programs and have been very very successful programs for um and cooperative programs for the district and the YMCA. So, we will bring these agreements forward and again the the before after school is a 3% increase on last year's uh rates as well. Under item F
013and again we did talk a little bit about this in the executive session. There is a transitional component really of name change of our uh legal um solicitor and a movement to that. We are going to uh with the board bring a motion forward at the legislative meeting that will enact with your approval that transition um in name. Certainly not in service as Mr. Sultanic and his team have have done um really wonderful work with us as a district, but there will be a name change and um really nothing else beyond that um for um the the the short future as as we make that um transition. Under item G, there were two uh confidential settlement agreements that we did share with the board. Um and um certainly uh can answer any questions uh privately
014in regards to those. we will bring those forward and I know um Mrs. Bartman and her team and our solicitor's office have worked uh diligently with regards to those settlement agreements. There is a donation list. We do have one donation. It is a monetary donation for purchase of some books for intervention classrooms um coming through the Bertown Elementary PTO. Um that will be on uh your consideration list for the 14th. Um items I through you uh include um updated policies coming out of our policy committee that we had discussed. Some of which um were really just a review. There weren't any changes to those others that there were slight slate um changes. We did pull back some policies. Many of the ARs as were shared with by Mrs. Petri and her committee um have been
015pulled back as we evaluate those. They are really um part of the process that we're going through right now when it comes to our literacy resource changes. So, we want to take some more time with those work with our book publishers and um understand that we have the right ARS guiding that. Those that you do see listed here um were those that were um discussed and were chosen to come out of policy committee and present to you um here for this. I'm certainly welcome to answer any questions. Um our we we look forward to bringing these forward for our first read at our March 24th um committee. And again, our charge with policy this year has been really too um many of our policies are sometimes 5 to 10 years old and we want to
016bring those inside of a three-year look back window. So, we're looking at all policies that fall outside that certainly any that have taken any more recent legal changes um that are part of that. So, um, we're guiding our ways through the zeros and now through the 100s and expect to be in some 200s before the end of the school year as well. So, this will be an ongoing process as we update policy >> BCIU report. Mr. Brophie a few things. So, some different things come out of BCIU this past couple meetings. Some are pretty interesting, some are actually uh good things to see happening. Uh for one thing, the Ann Sullivan award will be out. That's April 8th. So, that's a Reading Hospital search sciences. I don't know if you're going to that or >>
017we have a we have a team. We also have a candidate and uh we plan to send a team out there. So that's always a nice event. >> Good. So the another thing that's that's interesting that they're starting at BCI is a therapy dog program. They actually have a golden doodle which I don't know what that is but it's but it's big and it's friendly. So as a golden doodle it's pretty good. It's a they they brought one around to the meeting. It is it is the dog has a calming influence. I recommended they bring it here but they didn't have time. So, but they, you know, they showed how the dog how the dog and the therapy with the kids, there was a film and everything else for it. So, it was it's pretty
018interesting and a pretty good program. >> Hopefully, Dr. Hackman has her pet policy updated over there as well as we start to look actually as a policy that we're we're we're looking at here right now. >> Yeah, I decided not to ask that question over there at that time. Didn't sound like something I wanted to get in the middle of. Um there's a there is one thing that came out in the meeting was it's kind of disturbing and that's uh fraudulent checks being pushed into the districts all of a sudden fraudulent checks showing up in our payouts. Um it it's becoming more of a problem. So more you I'm just asking more vigilance on all the checks to make sure that even though it says the right name, even though it says the right people,
019we have to make sure it's the right check. You haven't had any issues with it at all that because it it seems like they say it seems to be a growing problem. So >> those checks coming in or us sending out well it's bills bills coming in and us paying them out and they all look legit. So there's a there's an issue around that that we just want to be a little more vigilant on is to become a >> cyber crime. >> Yeah. Yep. So that's it's just getting bigger. So I just wanted to bring that out. Thought that was noted. That was noted. Uh I won't go into that one. There is this one reform. Nothing with this one. On the federal laws, there's once again there's there's a ton of them. Uh there's
020nothing in federal I'm going to bring out now that we hadn't already talked about. The mandating cursive is now due on April 12th is the actual enactment date of it. So I don't know where we are with that, but it's now mandatory. So we I'm sure we're we're adjusting to that as we need to. >> We are we just spoke about that a little bit with commit in committee actually prior. >> Good. But that's uh that's where it is with that. that was that was really the the only one that really stood out that I could say too much about. Um, also there was the 27th annual board president superintendent meeting you just guys just went out to. >> Uh, it had some interesting in like your keynote speaker Dr. Carl Sus >> and uh
021they had artificial intelligence and education as a as a topic is I don't I didn't see you there. Uh, Mr. Mr. Panel, do you have anything to report out on that? >> Um, it was it was very enlightening actually the AI and where where he's at and he's over at Cutstown >> and I think we I mean obviously Dr. David I was there we learned a lot um >> getting into how they're using it and chat GPT and all the other outlets out there >> and one of the takeaways which I never really think about is um when you're feeding your information in there if anyone else is using it they're now hacking that. So, if you're putting in your socials and everything when you're asking maybe you're asking Chad to do your taxes, I
022wouldn't do that. >> Is is there any like information they can share with the board like anything they put out that would be >> He didn't have any. >> No, not really. It was more of a >> So, yeah, I'll give Dr. Hackman a call and see if there's anything anything they have in writing they can put out. The PA Department of Education just recently released some information um on AI kind of their summary form of where of information sharing. I don't think it was anything different than we already knew. Um I did share with uh Mrs. Petri and Mr. Stout. I believe it was uh Massachusetts Department of Education who I think had a very very thorough IIA or AI um u program and really some studies into some of the things being done
023um there. So, um, yeah, I think the the presentation done at that that that was more peripheral. Um, a little bit of what he does at the the collegiate level as well, but um, it was informative, but not to an extent that I don't think anybody in this room would have known a little bit more about. >> Should we reach out to anybody on on especially him or anybody else out there to to send us some information? Well, we have been continuing our AI committee here and gathering information. There has been um some sharing of some experts that we've utilized that have come into those meetings as well. So, um you know, based on the latest Pennsylvania information, we'll take that back to the committee to see if there's anything else that we need to
024be discussing in here um as a district and anything um that that that moves it a little bit beyond where we are right now. >> Okay. It's coming just going more and more. Nice photo op. By the way, I did get some stuff on the Commonwealth budget, which you're probably already aware of. Uh it looks like they're looking for increases in different programs starting at 3.3% up to 17.9%. which uh I'm sure we know not to hold our breath, but there is a there is a push to get more money, but there is doesn't seem to be a push to to approve it. So, I don't know how that's going to affect us. >> Yeah, I think our our conservative approach to really budgeting at a state level, what we've seen thus far from this
025past year, if you recall, the budget wasn't passed until November of this year. Um, and I don't think there's a lot of excitement among the legislature 3 months later to really be talking about another budget already. Um, so I think a conservative approach and and how we're budgeting for next year is probably prudent, >> especially with especially with the level of increases that are being presented to >> to the legislature. They're not the appetite's not too much there from what I can gather. Yeah. >> Okay, that's it for me. Thank you, >> BCTC. you miss up the group. >> Um I don't I don't really have anything from what I said earlier. >> Very easy. >> There's no one signed up for public com period number one. >> So at this time we'll be looking
026for the approval of the February 24th, 2026 latest date of meeting minutes as presented. I'll >> motion a second. I will call the role. Mr. Brad Upgroo, >> yes. Mr. Roger Upgroo, >> yes. >> Dr. Weir, >> yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Brof, >> yes. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Miss Kratz, >> yes. >> Miss Nyman, >> no. >> Mr. Penelloo, >> yes. >> Eyes have it. Under the super superintendent's itemized agenda, there's one item or it's our personnel agenda and the administration is recommending approval of the personnel agenda as listed. >> Penel moves. >> I'll second. >> I will call the role. Mr. Bradrove. >> Yes. >> Mr. Roger Upgroof. >> Yes. >> Dr. Weir. >> Yes. >> Dr. Wy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Brophie. Yes, >> Miss Connor. >>
027Yes, >> Miss Kratz. >> Yes, >> Miss Nyman. >> Miss Nimon. >> Miss Nim, if you can hear us. Uh, your vote on personnel. Yes, >> I hear. Yes, >> Mr. Penel. >> Yes, >> eyes have it. >> Under old business, um, as we had mentioned, um, we kept full day kindergarten under there. Um there's been a couple of things added and these are hot off the press. So my apologies to the board who really most of you haven't seen these yet. Uh these came to me this afternoon uh late as I had asked CHA to put some things together for us. um and doing this gratus. Um and um most of which I wanted to to start to get some visuals as to the idea if if all day kindergarten were to be considered
028by the the board, what does this look like from a visual standpoint as we had um through the study and had been indicated by our um study expert that we would need to expand Boyertown Elementary School as an option. Um, so I had asked CHA to uh put together some visuals this evening to get an idea and some numbers together for you this evening just so you can see and understand the complexities of this. Mrs. Miss Moyer, would you just um draw that up larger for us, please? There you go. And if you could just Yeah. Yeah. Keep drawing it up. Draw down a little bit. A little bit more one more. There you go. Okay. So, just to orient you as to what you're looking at, um you're looking at the uh part directionally
029that that faces east um off of the one area of the playground that's um if we were to um include an expansion to Boyertown Elementary to host full day kindergarten um six modular classrooms. So from just kind of a goo Google Earth view that gives you an indication as to where they could go. Uh from a proposed standpoint, we believe we'd have enough setbacks from the building and we could create enclosures from the um egress doorways to the main building with restrooms that are right in proximity as you enter the building. From there, if you could slide down to the next slide and I can give you a little bit more of a All right, if you could enlarge that please and focus on the quadrant in the upper left corner. So this would give
030you an indication a little bit of where the idea of where uh again these would be and orienting to the building. These are spec modular classrooms um that meet the requirement of a minimum of a maximum 25 student per um these would be brand new modulars uh that would be connected. Um, as you can see there, it's a little bit of a reference to coming out of a an egress doorway on the far bottom there, walking along the building, which would be enclosed, and you'd have two opportunities on either side of the the modulars. So, the two modulars or the three modular classrooms, top and bottom, are connected by a hallway. Um, so you enter in from either side. there would be a pathway that would be created that would run along the building and
031up to the right hand side. Um, as you're looking at the diagram now, Mrs. Moy, if you can go down to the next, I think there's another one that presents this. Yeah, that bottom right one or bottom left one there, excuse me. that gives you a little bit more of a visual view um as to a pathway that would be enclosed. So essentially circling around the rectangle um and then having both access points to either side of the modulars. Um, we saw this as an opportunity um, a if if you were to if you were facing the front of Boyertown Elementary and went around the left corner as a little bit more of a narrow playground area there. Uh, we don't believe there would be enough setback at CH CHA does not believe there would
032be enough setback for uh, these to occur. However, as you go a little bit more around the building, the playground itself enlarges there. Uh, we've walked this with Mr. Kale just talking about playground experience and spacing and he certainly believes that um you know with these there there'd still be ample playground space um up top and if you recall you can also go down two sets of stairs down to a lower playground area that's also paved at the bottom area. So um he certainly believes there's enough outdoor space um impervious surface. So the other document that's included, thank you, Miss Moore, just details some more information from CHA. And this is a little bit more on the pricing and some of the details that go into this. So if you could just expand. There you
033go. Right there is fine. So, uh, they did give us pricing on four. Uh, if you recall when the presentation was made, it was made with, uh, an interest in five classrooms. Really, modulars come in even numbers. Um, so there we we did have them price both four and six classroom sets. Ultimately, we do believe we would need a six classroom set. So, if you would scroll down to that and just a little bit about the details of what that would be. Um I won't read all of those things to you, but you can take some time to read through those. Uh essentially a little over a quarter of a or threequarters of a million dollars, 735. Um they have and I did ask them to make sure that and they still do not know
034whether or not footers would be necessary um with regard to what being on that imperous surface and whether or not um they would be needed under code. in with Colbergdale. They did include those in the cost structure to all of this. You can see the ramping and different ADA compliance pieces that are all part of that. So that would include classrooms, their delivery, um, and all of the requirements needed to set the modulars up in a permanent kind of structure and and and in casement. If you'd scroll down to the next page, you can see some other costs that are part of this. Um, they did include exposed canopy system. We're not recommending that. That's a canopy system. That would just be a roofing system that you would walk outside, still be exposed on the
035sides, uh, but not over the canopy of that. Uh we do believe in this day and age uh with our our high regard for safety and security that we want a fully enclosed canopy structure. And that second item there, the $600,000 creates a three-sided enclosure um and all the needed egress door egress doors and lighting um as well as safety uh precautionary items as well. the concrete slabbing which really includes the prep needed to go around um the necessary areas of the um of the structures themselves. If you could scroll a little bit more, there's electrical costs. Those include safety measures such as fire alarm and clocks and speakers and security cameras um along with all power and internet. Um, inside of that, if you were to total up all those areas, that comes to
036about $1.6 million on those six classrooms. Again, this is more of a 30,000 foot view estimate, cost estimate. What we haven't done is we've not talked with the township, and really, you don't necessarily talk to the township until you place an an application in to understand what other code requirements might be there. Um there is fire alarm systems that would be included in this. Whether or not it would require um fire suppression um and sprinklers inside of that, we don't know. That's a that's a code question that Colbertdale would have to determine for us. The um you know, there's other permitting and approvals that are necessary as well as other engineering and design things that are there. This was specked and I asked them to go in without any water or sanitation due to the
037fact that the access points are right inside the uh main building um to this and they can get be getting to gotten to very very swiftly by any student. Um and and it also draws down the cost by not having to include that for fire suppression. I'm not sure if if if and it would be required. that would be have to be something that we'd investigate if the board decided it wanted to move forward with um this um any further and in an application phase and so forth. But I did um promise you to get you back information um in regard to what these were. The estimates I believe that came Mr. Stout that came out of the study were in the like the $3 million range when when we were looking at at some
038of those. So this is a little bit less. However, you can see some of the items that are excluded from this, which would could certainly drive the costs um um further up if if needed um with regard to that. I do know that Mr. Stout had invited the board to take some visits. Most recently, some board members took advantage of that. Do you want to just share a little bit with the rest of the board about that visit and what you saw, Mr. Stout? >> Sure. Um, as I had shared at a previous board meeting, um, I took pictures of the Antidum School District, their whole elementary school scenario are modulars and, um, Dr. David, I said box, was that the >> box? >> The box was the company. Um, ironically enough, I took a
039picture of the side of the building and box was the picture that I took. Um, the projections that are proposed to you today are the same company, which I thought was was interesting. Um, so we're kind of looking at apples and apples. Uh we took the opportunity last Friday to go visit uh Wilson Area School District, Whitfield Elementary School, which has um had had all day K for approximately I'm going to say 15 to 20 years when they transitioned over. But one of the benefits about visiting that uh particular um building was the fact that they actually have a modular that is in their back uh playground area. It is not attached to the building, but it gave uh two two of our board members the opportunity to see a portable classroom that was two
040classrooms on a side and then a hallway down the middle. And then we also had the opportunity to go visit Y missing area school district which has had all day K for a period of time to just, you know, kind of see what an all day K um schedule looks like. Uh the benefits of what happens in the morning versus the afternoon with our lunch schedule. uh all the different kinds of things that are beneficial for uh having all day kindergarten. So, um it allowed some Q&A for um our board members as well as Mrs. Petri and myself to to kind of follow up on some questions that we had had um class size numbers, things that were part of what they um deal with on an annual basis and you know give um an
041opportunity to see another school district. So, um, we, uh, have have been appreciative of the opportunities that we've been given. So, I put this out to the board is, um, is there any further information that we can gather for the board? Um, I think one of the, as Mr. Stat and I, Mr. Lince have been talking about this. We need um we will need an answer by the latest would be the legislative meeting in April. Um as this does impact our budgetary plans for next year. Um we have two legislative meetings left. April 24th and I believe the 28th of April is the um April legislative meeting with a proposed uh final budget being considered in May and a final budget being considered in June. We really need to have a final declaration as to
042the direction that the district and board seeks with regard to all day kindergarten. Um, so we're we're happy to collect and gather or direct the board in any way that we can with more information or if any further visits are are sought in regards to um it >> um Mr. Stout um how many do we have presently in in the uh kindergarten now roughly Our current enrollment as of um the last numbers that were run, which would have been last month, is 389 students are enrolled in in our kindergarten program. >> And that's half day >> half day >> total. Um our our average class size right now if you look all the way through the elementary school like for instance first grade has 432, second grade has 421, third grade has 458, fourth grade
043has 483 and fifth grade has 463. So we are typically in the mid fours. Um our kindergarten enrollment numbers are a little bit less because um parents will often take the opportunity to go to an all day K program. So um they often return to us in first grade just because we have all day first grade. So, >> how many how many are you expecting >> if this project was approved? >> I my prediction Yeah, my prediction would be consistent with what our numbers in first, second, third, fourth, and fifth grade are, which is about the mid 400s is typically what we have. I would I would suspect that they would be consistent. Uh we really don't we're going through kindergarten enrollment right now, so we really don't know what those projections would be for
044the upcoming school year. But if you look at the trend um it it eb and flows anywhere from the lowest number right now is 421 and that's in our second grade class. Our highest number is 483 which is in our fourth grade class. So it's between 421 and 483 is our range of high to low in first through fifth grade. So again, we're the administration is seeking some direction as to the board's intention as to when you would you would uh or if you would consider this as a motion to proceed or not. With regard to all day kindergarten, I think it's really reached its point to where um uh you know, we we need a decision and it impacts budgetary processes moving forward this spring. and um and and really want to know what
045your intentions are for the administration and direction that you seek. >> Do you want to show hands for the next legislative meeting? >> I just had a question. Um are you aware of any districts that offer a half day option? >> We do. >> No, like in addition that offer full day but also have a half day option. I I'm not um to be honest any local that we're we're aware of the difficulty with that is you can imagine the difficulty with that um with the transportation components to that which really compounds some things um quite a bit. >> I don't know that you'd have to just my I don't know that you'd have to offer transportation for a half day option because I feel like the families that would want that would be available
046to pick their kids up. >> Yeah. I think the problem becomes, you know, it really becomes an equity component and um, you know, it it really it creates really inequities for some that can, some that can't. Um, and I I don't know that's a a a an area to which I I I would recommend to to put the district in when it comes to to that. Um and I think that's why most school districts itself along with all the complications um the added costs when it comes to transportation and so forth that really um adds another layer of of perceived um inequity inside the district. >> Dr. uh Cocenau when we um Mrs. Peter and I met with her. I believe I want to say it might have been her home district because they transitioned
047as well. And um they they did what you were, you know, suggesting that they had done. Um or it was a neighboring district. So I'm I'm not remembering specifically, but uh within two years they all they went all day K because it started off with the interest was um interesting, wasn't high, but enough to to make it work. And then they eventually uh in a pretty quick turnover transition to all day K across the district just because um it kind of took over because that's what um they felt was best for the students at that time. So the interest was very low. They couldn't even support a class. So um but again that I I don't have the specific school district but we did ask that question because I know you had brought that up
048um in previous um questions that had come up. >> Yeah. I guess just the tension I feel is I wouldn't have wanted it personally and I know other you know other families that also wouldn't want it. So what what are their options like if you didn't feel like your child was ready for a full day at 5 years old it's not I mean you don't have to attend kindergart kindergarten is not a required component to that um you know so you know that that parents make those choices already as it is even with our halfday program right now. So some of those those students, you know, the differential that Mr. Stout spoke of, which is about what comes about 60 70 students maybe on average each year. Um, I don't know. We've never surveyed those
04970 folks to find out whether they um choose just not to send their their children to kindergarten or they seek a more full-time exposure to to somewhere and then they they seek a daycare or, you know, um um a parochial school that might have, you know, those types of things. >> I have a question. How many teachers aids do you think we're going to have to hire for the whole program? >> So we're all >> six units for six. >> No, this isn't just about six units. This is an all day co kindergarten program across the district, right? So this is um so in our analysis and Mr. Mr. Stout's um you know committees that ran last year estimated that we're probably at about 11 FTEEs when it comes to fulltime employees um uh that
050would be needed as as teachers in the kindergarten program. We estimate there could be one to two special areas that would h also have to be added in addition to that. So our math has been along the way. We initialized last well our current year's budget that has two FTEEs. Um Mr. Lance we have five >> correct >> five FTEES proposed in this current recommended budget um so far um with the idea that if the uh uh plan was to move forward we would include another five FTEEs in next year's budget. We estimated it was going to take us at least three cycles to to include those necessary FTEEs inside of that. And what would what would be the cost factor on each one of them >> salary and benny's were in at 75? >>
051Correct. We've we've put two we've built into the millillage already. Two, five more are included in the millillage for this uh recommended uh year if the if the board so chooses to move forward. And again, this budget cycle is dependent upon that that decision. Also, some of the additional supports such as the um math interventionists are have also been identified as supports for buildings in the current state. And one of the proposals in the budget is to have those move forward in 2627 um for the the needs of our existing buildings, but also there's um the capacity that those individuals will um also be able to support the full day. Um so in other words um the recommendation would be to move forward with those separate from this decision based upon our building needs. Um
052but they also will have capacity to support this. So they're not necessarily correlated to the fold K decision. Um but they will help to support the program. Okay. So, so based on the identified educational shortcomings of the district and the state in general, what problem are we solving? Well, ultimately our goal is 90 more days with students and that's what we gain out of kindergarten, an all day kindergarten program. 90 more days with with those those students at an age to which we've already identified that uh Mrs. Petri through our screeners um at the start of the school year. How what's our percentage of students that were not prepared >> coming in? 60 was it around 60? >> Yeah. >> 62% of our students that um were were really not prepared. Um and uh the
053added nature to all the components that come with a kindergarten instructional program which is not only long longer um and and and more uh you know focused programs in reading and math but giving us longer times and periods with them. additional special areas that we can include those students in in an all day um kindergarten program. Uh more socialization which is is needed, play techniques that are all part of that growth um and that that time period. So all of that included is where really where we land as a school district, as administration in making this recommendation for well over a year now. >> Okay. So based on based on I guess our knowledge or our speculation that a lot of the problems going to the first grade are more with socialization which it appears
054that it is. Would it be better to be going into a program that may or may not work versus maybe adding a aid to the first grade classrooms that could assist the teacher and actually work more on that socialization than maybe kindergarten and also at a much lower cost. >> Yeah. And I'm not recommending that socialization is the the the focus. That's a component to to all of that. We're talking about longer reading and and math daily instruction all areas to which um students are in our screeners becoming very unprepared with and the need to and the ability to have those students for an extra 90 days. I don't disagree with additional aids through which um you know we have been continually adding aids in all different types of grade levels as well. Um, another
055focus is always reduction of class sizes too. Um, but you can't swallow all of them at once from a financial nor a budgetary standpoint. So, you know, our our guide was to to really look at what we project to be one of the more successful modifications to what we currently have based on screeners that we've we're showing. you know, a a lack of preparedness to that and what we estimate that 90 more days of instruction and um us holding those students can do for them. I don't disagree that other supplemental resources throughout any other grade will can if purposely placed and at the required and necessary times and and places can also assist with those types of things. I just believe that the amount of money you're putting into this could be best used other
056places, especially in the fourth, eighth grade areas or third to eighth grade areas. And also if you put in if you did use aids in first grade instead of putting a whole new multi-million dollar program in place, those aids could also help with any other socialization and also any learning issues that would pop up in the first grade and you would be able to attack them right at first grade and not and not assume this is going to happen and look at the things that actually happen. It's just that I disagree with the the pro I just agree with I disagree with the >> the premise that all day kindergarten is going to give us >> a lot more than half day kindergarten goes where we could use the money elsewhere in different programs that
057are proven that would give us more bang for the buck and also better learning conditions for the first graders and early early education. Uh, you know, there's other studies out there that there was a I know you know of that at one point in time it was decided to hold kids back for a year and that was going to help them out and everybody was behind that and said this is a great idea until they actually checked it out four years later and said it didn't do a thing. So, I'm just wondering if we're jumping into something that we're going to spend a lot of money on that three or four years now we're going to we're going to regret we did it. Well, I just want to say I do agree with you that
058we do need more help in the other classrooms, but looking at the other How many districts are there, Dr. David? How many other schools are there in Burks and Montgomery? 30 something. >> There's 39 school districts >> and we're the only one that don't have it. There's got to be a reason for that. >> We're smarter. >> I would say we're just 20 years behind like we are with everything else and we're trying and we're trying to fix it now. >> Or maybe we're 10 years ahead. When when you look at the research, you had mentioned research. When you look at the research that speaks about early education for children, you know, one of the visits that we did this week was the learning center >> and how you have the three and four year
059olds there >> and the work that is being done to prepare them. Uh those children certainly had uh some disabilities. Um but the work that is being done at that young age to prepare them for kindergarten >> and then they we we don't have a kindergarten program to extend the work uh that is done for them and having I I wish I wish we could have had more of our members at the um visits so that you can see the program of the full day kindergarten. It really is not the children sitting at a desk. It's not ramming uh math and reading into them all day. It really is an overarching opportunity to prepare children who are ready to learn. children who need the social contact. They need to understand how to interact with one
060another and many of them are not uh getting those kinds of skills. They need to understand the fundamentals to being a part of a group. coming in. Sometimes they're sitting on the carpet and they're learning how to respect one another's personal space. Then they'll get up from the carpet and they'll be at the desk where they are learning some of the frameworks for reading and math. Then they're going to the library or they may be going over to the music department and learning songs and being able to um uh explore other um intelligences other than just reading math and and science. or they're going out on the playground and they're playing in the playground or they're uh learning how to be responsible in the cafeteria with their trays and how, you know, to go about
061learning the confidences of taking care of themselves. There's a lot that can be done in the full day because half a day when those children are coming in, they can't even line up. They know nothing about how to line up, how to proceed in the in the halls. That by the time that two and a half hours is done, there's there's very little time to um develop and to explore all the various components to being a learner, to being an active learner that full day kindergarten provides for them. We can't afford not to do this. We cannot afford not to do this at this day and time. >> So we believe we we believe that parents at home are not capable of doing anything to move their children forward. We have to put them in
062a school environment to do that. I understand what you're saying. >> I did not say that >> that you're you're you're talking about you put you put the students in there, they get to go around, they do this, then they get to do that. So maybe they pick up something here, maybe they pick up something there. At at the cost we're talking about maybe doesn't work for me. >> And >> I am saying to you a home environment. Can I finish the studies I've said said educators agree we can clearly see it is it is it is it is evident uh all the all the all the soft words that say you need to believe this study because we said so I see in a lot of the studies and that's not the way a
063study should be coming out if you can't get definitive information definitive results that you can measure and they did that with the holding the kids back for a year and proved that that was incorrect. And if you told people before that that holding kids back for a year was not going to work, people would have told you you're crazy. You don't understand what you're talking about. We're going to disagree. That's okay. I mean, you you have your you have where you stand on this. I have where I stand on this. >> I I have research. Well, I have research behind me. I also have experience. I've been in public education for 23 years. I have worked with many young children. So I do know what I'm talking about through the research experts who have studied
064and developed these concepts. I've also had the practical knowledge because I've been in the classrooms. I've been in the the uh elementary schools. I was an elementary principal for over 12 years. So, I've experienced kindergarten and I do understand the value of this and the fact that we haven't done this. As Tony was just saying, everyone else in this region understands the importance of it. And honestly, I'll be very honest with you. I I don't understand the the hesitancy to move forward with what our children need to be competitive and to be globally ready in the marketplace with their peers. So, what you're telling me is is full day kindergarten, going from half day to full day kindergarten is going to make our kids >> competitive in the world market where they aren't right now.
065And that's our problem. >> Have you looked at our proficiency scores? Do you And you're talking about waiting until third grade. I heard you say that, Jeff. >> Attack the problem where it is now. Third, second, third, fourth, fifth, learn. Go to those curriculums. go to those programs, find out what we're doing wrong, find out what others are doing, and then emulate that, and not assume that our kids need to be to be coddled a little bit more coming up through kindergarten, and that's going to make them better scholars. >> How do you think we get proficient second and third graders? How how do we get them proficient at that level? You start where they are coming into the schoolhouse. They are ready. >> They are excited about learning and you develop a program that
066is going to help them to be active learners. Okay. We can we can we can disagree. >> That's fine. >> I won't go with anymore because we're not going to get any >> Yeah, we're not going to get anywhere with this. It'll be on the next agenda to move forward and then we'll have the board vote on it and that's the only way you figure out if we're going to be going anywhere with this. >> Okay. So, you put a motion forward at the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Public comp period number two. Donnie Savage, public education advocacy at the state level. Thank you. As some of you know, I spent the last three years delving into the state's impact to public education in Pennsylvania. I participated in the public education's champion program
067for two years and continue to advocate at the state level. And I've learned a lot more than I knew while I was serving on the board. And for those interested, I recommend visiting the websites of Education Voters PA and the PA schools work coalition. As we heard at the earlier committee meeting, there are many statec controlled impacts to our local public schools. Some are good, some are bad, some, you know, we won't judge, such as cyber or charter funding, unfunded mandates, private school vouchers, and pasers. But tonight, I'd like to focus on state funding for public education as background. In 2019, there was a court ruling declaring the state's method of funding public education schools unconstitutional, ruling that the funding was not adequate overall and that it was unfairly distributed across the schools. It found
068that school districts with weaker tax bases like Boyertown, those without a very high income population, big malls or major pharma companies for example, were not funded adequately by the state. and it resulted in our districts needing to lean more on our local property taxpayers just to make ends meet. Our legislators were tasked with finding a solution and a bipartisan group of them proposed a multi-year solution to this $5 billion funding gap. For the past two years, the governor has included the funding for this multi-year solution into his annual budget proposal, and our legislators have agreed for two years in a row to fund one ninth of that funding gap and add it to the base each district receives each year. This is called the ready tolearn block grant or adequacy funding. The governor's budget proposes
069the third installment of this 9-year plan, but this solution is not codified in law, meaning each year the legislators must agree to the next year's funding. And we know that last year there was a long budget standoff, so it's not guaranteed. In fact, the senators and representatives who represent us have historically voted against the funding. Boyertown School District has received $2.9 million in adequacy funding over the past two years and is still owed 10.3 million. Every dollar that we do not receive from the state translates to losses to our district and our students or higher property taxes. I'll never forget that when I was on the board, a legislator told me that they rarely heard from school boards. I wasn't advocating. I figured somebody else was doing that. So, I'm asking you now to reach
070out to our legislators. Tell them what Bertown needs to achieve and how essential this funding is to meeting those goals. They're talking about this budget right now. Consider inviting them to a panel discussion on the topic. It's been done here before. We've had legislators come in and answer questions for us. And that's all I have for you tonight. Thank you for allowing me to speak. And I'm available if you'd like to learn any more on the topic at any time. >> Thanks. Board comment period. Miss Nim. Miss Nyman. Any comments? >> She on. Miss Nyman, any comments? >> No. Sh. >> Mr. Brophie. >> Roger. >> Uh, yes. I want to bring it to this board again that the fact they can ask Mr. Han, you know that, you know, we're looking at spending millions
071of dollars for kindergarten and the fact that we're losing 16 teachers this year, middle school and high school, and how are we going to replace them? It's going to cost money. >> 16. >> So, I I didn't have much to say, but I will address that. When you replace when 16 teachers leave, you replace them. They're already in the budget and you're probably replacing them with a lower level. >> Okay. But you still have to replace them coming up. I mean, that number doesn't change. You take 16 go away and you add five or six more to it. You got to replace that other five plus whatever's leaving the other. >> When when 16 people leave and you replace 16 people, nothing's changed. >> It's the same as it was. As a matter of fact,
072it's probably going down because they're not getting the same rate of pay at that point. So, >> I'll just I'll comment on that real quick. Um, >> so obviously when when we're losing teachers to retirement, they're they're typically at step 12, our highest level of the salary schedule. Um, our contract, our CBA states that when we bring in a new teacher, we're not allowed to provide any compensation above step four. So, there's a significant gap between step four and step 12. Um obviously when when that salary is lower you're saving the the money on the peasers contribution as well. Uh we historically from last year we had 13 retirees. All of those individuals came in at a significantly lower salary than the outgoing folks. So we do see a savings when we do hire new
073employees. Again we're losing a ton of knowledge and a ton of experience and we're bringing in relatively fresh educators. Um but that's not always necessarily a bad thing. But there is a cost savings when we do replace um retired teachers. >> I agree with that. But at the same time, our proficiency rate is just middle line. We're not gaining >> upcoming upcoming meeting events. So, we do have uh some upcoming meeting. Uh March 24th, we will uh convene our facilities committee meeting at 6:00 here in the ed center followed by our legislative meeting at 700 p.m. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> We are moves. >> Second. >> Meeting adjourned.