Boyertown Area School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting: 1/13/26

001Call the meeting to order. Roll call. >> Thank you. Miss Connor >> here. >> Miss Katz >> here. >> Miss Diamond >> here. >> Mr. Brad Upgroo >> here. >> Mr. Roger Upgra >> here. >> Mr. Weir >> here. >> Miss Wy >> here. >> Mr. Broofphy >> here. >> Mr. Panerello >> here. All present. >> Let's rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Yeah, there's nothing. There was no previous executive session. >> Takes some us down to item four, recognition showcase. And I'd like to invite to the podium our athletic director, Mr. Nick Paladino. We have a special um recognition this evening and I'd like

002to turn it over to him for the introductions. >> Thank you, Dr. David Heiser. A few months back, we were lucky enough as a department to have coach Todd Moyer. He was inducted recognized into the Tri County chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, which in this area, it's a big deal. Uh a lot of times we can we nominate our coaches or our former players and we've been lucky enough to have that recognition in that area for our coach. Uh coach Moyer is somebody who is a standup individual not only to our teams and to our players but in the community. So at this time I'd like to invite Coach Moyer and Representative Maloney up to the podium. Thanks again. Well, good evening everybody. I have to say that when you represent a

003district and an area that has sort of a variety of issues and people, it's always a pleasure for me and an honor for me to come back to the roots, if you will, of an area that has probably had the biggest impact on your life. And for me, um, that's Boertown. And so, so today is also very special to me. When I reached out to the athletic director some time ago, I said, you know, there's a lot of different ways that recognition for people can happen, and I would certainly like to get a citation from the House of Representatives for Todd. And there's a little bit of a description in it that I think I'll read because I think it's very important to know the length of this impact on the community and some of

004the things that it would mean to me and others who know what I'm going to say. So, this citation from the House of Representatives, which I always like to put a little extra plug in there because they're so much nicer than the Senate. They just don't seem to get that. But, so here's a few statistics that I'd like to read to you. Todd Moyer is being honored upon his induction into the Tri County chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony which was held November 1st which was already mentioned to us. Now, for folks like myself who have sort of grew up with individuals who have had inner inter interactions of different walks of life, to me as an athlete, as a PIAA official in a couple sports actually I was the

005only one in the House of Representatives that was for two sports. And when you get to see the youth and you get to see the sort of the interaction and the development of kids, there are people who are behind that. And we know that many times it's parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, pastors, teachers, some of the best mentors that you can have something to do with those folks success or where they go. And for me, Todd is one of those great examples. Todd is a 78 graduate of Boyertown. Now, I'm going to stop right there. Some of you in here have heard me say that before. that actually happens to be the best graduating class. >> You know, >> Greg, we're sorry about that, but we sort of let the standard kind of teach guys like

006you. It's a little bit of a jab, but we have a lot of fun with it. Shows our age, but shows our pride, too. Where he excelled in baseball, Mr. Moyer signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the team's farm system prior to returning to Boyertown. Now, I had to get to tell you a little bit of story about that. He knows this is an old story, but I like to put it out there because it's really a lot of fun. So having graduated the same time I did and you know what happens your your lives go off in different directions and sometimes you come back and and in my case I saw Todd who pretty much graduated at like 5'9. Four years later the guy was half a giant. It's like

007what in the world happened here? I mean, it's like he got he really got the juice. And, you know, I went like seven, eight inches. He knows I always jab him about it, but it's true. I mean, he he graduated like 5'9 and I see him four years out of high school and he's 6'4 and he's out there playing ball at the pool and and uh it was just uh it was really good stuff because we never know how how those things change in our lives and and what it means. But it it it made a big impact for folks like me who who really uh noticed that kind of change. I got the same thing from people, but the fact of the matter was it was in different ways. And Todd really showed how

008he could apply the tools of his abilities and his outreach to kids that made a really big impact in Bertown. So in 1985, um Todd came back to Boertown as assistant coach. He was named a head coach in 94. Under his leadership, the Bears captured the PIAAA state title in and won 14 league titles. To his great credit, Mr. Moyer has amassed more than 483 career wins. He was inducted into the Boyertown Senior High Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024, recognized by the USA Today as the all USA Pennsylvania coach of the year in 2016. exuded vision, energy, and enthusiasm. He approaches each day's work with the highest of professional standards. Sets a sterling example of dedication, skill, and hard work for the young athletes that we know that he has been a great role

009model to. and so forth. And so now, therefore, the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania extends heartfelt congratulations to Todd Moyer upon his most noteworthy achievement, offers best wishes and continued success in his future endeavors. So, it's a great honor for me to be able to present this to a classmate, friend, and one of your great community um mentors. Congratulations, my friend. >> Thank you, John, brother. Thank you. Thank you. Want a picture? Where's the picture? Any picture? Oh, there you go. Right there. There you go. Good. All right. I've heard that story before. I lived it. And there was no jab and there was no juice. So, I'm just be sure on that. It was all, you know, all natural stuff. Anyway, thank you to all of you. Thank you for everybody

010watching. And most importantly, I spent the last 40 years trying to impress on our baseball team and our baseball players and their parents that this isn't an individual thing. So an individual award for me is it's an honor, but not just not for me. It's for them, you know, and thank you to all the players and to the parents who allowed us to hopefully affect their lives in a positive way and the support of the administration along the way. All right. Thank you. Thank you. CONGRATULATIONS, Coach Moyer. Thank you, Representative Maloney. >> All right, that takes us down into our discussion and information section for this evening. And uh we're going to start with item A, water quality management. We have invited this evening um and I'm going to ask to move go to the

011podium Jeremy Crumb who is the vice president of environmental services for Suburban Water Technology. Uh just for a little back story and information, over the summer, uh Suburban Water took over our water license here in the school district as we have three weld properties and began working with us over the summertime and taking over the reigns of the oversight of our water quality. What has come more into um detection and into the news more recently is the detection of PFAS at Gilbertville Elementary. And we wanted to make sure that we inform the board, our public about some of those uh regulations, some of the information, and some of the remediation plans that we're recommending to address some of the situation that is coming that is taking place at Gilbertville. So, I'm going to turn things

012over to Mr. Crumb for his presentation this evening. >> All right. Thank you. Uh that's a tough act to follow though. I get to talk about POS and Todd gets to get recognized for all all of his um accomplishments. So um let's start with what is POS? Um so POS are synthetic chemicals that have been used in a lot of different um items since the 40s. Um, some of the most common items that it's used in non-stick cooked wear like teflon, um, firefighting foam, stain resistant, water resistant clothing, makeup, um, fast food wrappers. So, it's kind of in everything. Um, um, Teflon tape is a big thing that's used in the water industry. So, that when we're doing all the water sampling, it can even be in the piping in the distribution system. It's not

013always coming directly from the well. it could be being introduced from within the building as well. Uh the POS rule for Pennsylvania was passed in 2023. Um the the limits that we follow are called the maximum contaminant level or MCL. There's two POS compounds that are regulated by Pennsylvania currently. That's POS and POA. POS has an MCL of 18 parts per trillion. P FOA has a MCL of 14 parts per trillion. Um monitoring for these two compounds started in 2024 and carried on into 2025. Those um samples were based on population of the water system. So larger water systems were tested sooner than smaller water systems. So all the schools for um Boyertown School District are relatively small that have wells. So they weren't tested until until 2024 and 2025. Um the regulation states that

014we must sample quarterly for each of those compounds for one year. Based on those results, that dictates how often they get tested after that four consecutive quarters. After those four consecutive quarters are tested, the D calculates the running annual average of those four samples. So, they just basically take all four sample sets, um, add those numbers together, divide by four, and get a running annual average. Now, the federal rule is a little different than the Pennsylvania rule. the federal EPA rule, there's five different POS compounds that they're looking at. And the regulation currently is stating that the EPA rule MCL for POS is four parts per trillion and POA is also four parts per trillion. So, as I said earlier, the Pennsylvania rule for POS is 18 parts per trillion and 14 parts per trillion

015for POA. Oh, let me go back one. So currently as water systems in Pennsylvania, we only have to abide by the Pennsylvania MCL's. The the EPA federal um MCL's are going to be rolled out into the states around 2031. I say around 2031 because it was going to be 2029 and the EPA recently pushed that back to 2031. They may push it back further. We we have no way to know that. So currently our goal is to obviously meet all the PA rules and and MCL's and eventually get to the point where we're meeting the EPA regulations once they're finalized. So let's talk about each of the Boertown schools in particular. Let's start with Earl Elementary. In 2012, all four quarters there were non detects. So that means there was nothing detectable. Um, so the

016water won't be tested again for POS until 2027. New Hoverver Elementary School, that school was tested in 2024 and again there were non detects so that school won't be tested again till this year. So it's every two years. Um, Gilbertville Elementary School in 2024 is when the sampling began. There was one detection for for POS below the MCL and seven of the sample sets there were no no detects at all. As for POA, there were seven DTEKs of below the MCL and one above the MCL. The running annual average currently today is 8.4 parts per trillion. And then the MCL for that is 14 parts per trillion. So we're still well below the Pennsylvania MCL for both contaminants. So therefore, we are in compliance 100% with the Pennsylvania D. um we talk to them regularly

017and just make sure that there's nothing's changed and they're still, you know, agreeing that we are in full compliance. Now, let's talk about treatment options. Currently, there's two approved treatment techniques that the D um allows us to do in water systems. One is carbon filtration. Um carbon filtration works great. The downside to it is it takes a bigger footprint because you need more contact time to reduce POS and POA using carbon filtration versus annion resin. Annion resin is a resin that was specifically made for negative ions in the water. Pos and PO are both negative ions. So this resin was designed to take those out of the water specifically. The advantage to that is you need five minutes of contact time which results in less media needing needed to be used and less footprint. Um

018the annion resin is more expensive than the carbon but you only use about a quarter of it based on the contact time. So our recommendations that we've been working on currently are using the annion resin. This is another school in Burks County that we did uh POS treatment at recently. It's a very simple treatment system. It's a passive system. The water just flows through the media bed. There's no backwashing. There's no rinsing. There's no electronics. So, it's a very simple treatment technique to treat for these chemicals. Um, so I just wanted to show a current one or a recent one that we just did. Now, cost and timeline. Um, the timeline is basically dependent on the D. It's a first come first- serve basis. Once we submit the application, the application for construction has to

019be signed and sealed by a professional engineer. So in our company, what we do is we we have a engineer that we work with. We assist him with divi designing the water system. He signs it, seals it, submits at the Pennsylvania D. We can do our part of the application in three to four weeks. Then the D has up to 180 days to approve those applications. Once we receive the permit to install the water treatment system, we can typically have it done in four to six weeks. After it's installed, before we can turn the system on, we have to have it inspected by the Pennsylvania D. That process typically takes two to three weeks. Cost for an average system for an elementary school um based on 20 gallons per per minute flow is about $30,000.

020That includes engineering fees, installation, materials, basically the entire system. So overall, compared to other contaminants that could be in the water, it's not really overly expensive. Even for homes, we've done um individual homes for treatment for less than $1,000. So it is very treatable. It's something that is all throughout the country. It's not just here. Um we have treatment systems in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania. So, it's definitely a common issue that we're seeing everywhere. Now, Mr. David Heiser, did you have specific questions? >> So, you had uh mentioned um the origin and and what's been in the news most recently is the landfill that right that's been closed for what 40 years or so. um next to it. Understanding Aquafores run underneath and um you know we're seeing that detection of it at Gilbert'sville.

021We're not seeing the detections at the two other weld systems that we have. So some of the questions I've gotten from from families, one has been so your water's contaminated, you know, why aren't you shutting all the water off and why aren't you providing alternative measures? Can you speak to to that a little bit with regard to this? >> Sure. Um, so everything that we test for, like I said, has MCL's and then it's it's ruled or or overseen by the Pennsylvania D. So, if the levels were above the MCL, then the Pennsylvania D would give us guidance of um public education, public notices, alternative water sources, and being that we are below the MCL under the Pennsylvania PAS rule, we just are in in compliance, so there's no further action needed currently. Um, obviously,

022if the school opts to go above and beyond and treat now, we can. Um and that's a path that we can certainly do. >> Yeah. So, other questions I've received has been just a little bit about the um PFOA and PFAS in general in terms of why has there been regulations that have just recently in the last couple years come into play with regard to that, you know, and talk a little bit about with our weld systems, we also test on other items that we have to test on most regularly and and meet meet those and stay within the exceedence levels. with regard to that. >> So, yeah, like you said, PFAS are really new. Um, so it's constantly evolving. The guidance is constantly evolving. So, we we stay up to date as much as

023we can with the EPA and the D guidance. Um, the the EPA, I think it mostly started near u military bases with the firefighting foam. That's where they started detecting it first. Like Willow Grove was one of the first in our area that had really high levels of these chemicals because of the firefighting foam. So I think that you know the safe drinking water act was put into play and adopted by our country so that we could provide safe drinking water and they're constantly you know detecting new chemicals and and new um guidelines and MCL's for different chemicals so that we can make sure we're providing safe drinking water. Um you asked about other testing that we do heavy metals that's another one that we monitor arsenic in particular. Um, when I started in this

024industry, when I interned at D, the MCL for arsenic was 50 parts per billion and currently it's only 10 parts per billion. So, as the EPA gets more knowledge and and and more testing and and see the impacts on public health, then they they change those MCLs as they see fit. So the school tests for nitrates, it tests for lead and copper, heavy metals, California bacteria is tested monthly. And then, you know, there's all those MCLs and if they're not approaching or at those MCLs, then they just are in compliance and there's no further actions with those either. >> So I guess so I guess one of the questions that's come up, you know, safe, right? So is the water safe? Is it safe to drink? Is it safe to, you know, interact with food

025and surfaces and things of that nature? Well, obviously we want to work toward driving the numbers down to be below that four MCL threshold, right? Um and and part of that is figuring out what sorts of filtration systems work best and investigating that. >> Um you know, is is is that safe? Is it, you know, in in >> So for me again, I have to go on regulation. I have to base all my opinion on regulation. It wouldn't be fair for me to give my opinion as an individual. So, according to the regulations and as and according to the Pennsylvania D, we're in compliance. Therefore, the water is safe. But, as I discussed earlier, if the school decides like, you know, we want to be proactive and not reactive and start working at getting the

026permit, getting the system installed prior to the state adopting the EPA rule. Obviously, that's going to be the best path. question. Um, in that photo you had up with the tanks, are the, um, six small tanks and the three large tanks all part of that system? >> That's a great question. Um, it's only the six small tanks. Um, so water to disinfect, you need to have contact time with chlorine, too. So, with with water treatment, contact time is a is a big variable. So those larger tanks in the back are their chlorine contact time to make sure there's no ecoli in the water. Um it's just the smaller tanks in the in the foreground that are the POS treatment. >> And they would be the the carbon tanks or are you talking the other >>

027that school? Um we actually did prior to more of the um resin being used more readily used and and now I would lean more toward the resin. That one is carbon. >> So that one took up a little bit larger footprint. Now that was a smaller um school. that one is only 10 gallons per minute. Um, so if we were doing 20 gallons a minute, it would be twice as many tanks. So I that's why I would lean toward the resin. And then also, if I could just add, so with the resin, there's less other testing. I'll say it that way. So carbon is is out of the ground and what they can find sometimes is arsenic attached to the carbon. So before we're allowed to put it in service, there's additional testing to make

028sure there is no arsenic. Um, so it just more more involved with carbon versus the resin. >> So, Mr. Chrome, can you give a little additional information? Are these the only two types of filtration systems currently be being engineered for specifically for PFAS? >> Yes. And what's the determination on the systems to which you go on and where are you seeing schools and do you see schools with similar you know running annual averages to us in Gilbert'sville that that will be comparable? >> The school there that we did was over the MCL. Um so again back to the guidance from D. So when you are over the MCL, you have to put a public notice out to every parent and post it at the school that says, you know, our water exceeds, you know. So

029then they did provide bottled water and didn't use it really for anything in the school until the system was approved. It took again 3, four months to get approval with D for us to install it. Um so carbon was the first technique that was approved. As I spoke with D at that inspection, they were telling me about the resin and how it was becoming more readily used. And then my recent conversations, they said almost everybody is now using the resin. It's I think it's mostly because of the not being, you know, having to test for arsenic and and other parameters like that that could be that could wreak havoc on the water quality. >> How how does the resin system work? What's the servicing and the filtration? And >> so it's a similar thing. It's

030it's a passive system. Um in very similar tanks um they don't allow any backwashing of the resin because the backwashed water could be contaminated then you're sending it back out into the environment. So the resin attracts as much of the of the POS and PO that it can and then you have to have redundancy. So you'd have so that you see there's six tanks there. There's three and three. The the the water flows through the first bank of three tanks and then there's a test port and then the second set of tanks. Quarterly, we would be required to test between the two tanks. And once there's breakthrough, you have that backup set of tanks there. So, you're not serving water that has elevated levels. So, once there's breakthrough, you would dispose of the primary set

031of tanks and replace that media. Um, as far as gallons and and how long the resin would last, that would be part of a, you know, we wouldn't know that until after it's installed. >> Yeah. Several questions. um you have down that it's like $30,000. Is that a year, a month? >> So that would be the initial cost of the of the engineering, the permitting, the installation, the labor, the materials for that system to be installed and then there would be ongoing testing that would be required and then the maintenance would be dictated based on the results. >> Uh wouldn't it be probably a lot cheaper just to hook up to the water for Gilbertsville? There's a water >> a public water man. >> Yeah. >> I I don't know. I don't know how much

032that would cost um or where it is. It's it's certainly something that the district would look into. >> I mean, if this is going to be an ongoing issue, it's probably the cheaper route to go is just to hook up to public. Um but my next I guess and I I know it doesn't it's not you. >> It's okay. Why is the state not funding schools or businesses? Why are they only funding household? Maybe we should be sending a letter to our >> Well, we've actually we've been in touch with DAP and um there is a an organization called Penvest which is the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority um to which we've made contact with which apply granting opportunities for that and do provide some things. Now we're in such the initial stages yet you know

033once the decisions are made what's you know what you're applying in terms of your preventative measures then gets determined through the granting opportunities and so forth but um you know we uh I can't answer the question as to the difference necessarily why between us and home individuals. I would assume some of that's more proximity closer to what they were what they may be deeming eventually a super fund site um over at you know nearest the landfill um but that we sit far enough away um what are we what do we qualify or what what are we termed in terms of our well Mr. Crumb? >> Um so there's three classifications of public water systems in Pennsylvania. There's a transient water system which is a is a well that's that serves the public. it's 25 or

034more people, but it's it's um like a a diner or a convenience store where it's different people all the time. It's just a transient population. And then you have a non-transit non-comm community water system, which is 25 or more of the same people every day, like a school. So, all schools are classified as a non-transit non-comm community water system. And then the third classification is a community water system, which is like a housing development where the people live and and use the water for bathing, you know, drinking and everything like that. So, um, non-transit water systems are tested more thoroughly than a transient system. And then community water systems are tested above and beyond a non-transient system. >> So, I guess are you going to be looking at what it would cost us to hook

035up to >> Yeah, we've we've already put some contacts out to Aqua in terms of what that would be. >> If it's going to be longterm, that's got to be the cheaper way to go than paying >> uh I I I don't know. I mean, long term, yes, obviously there's long-term involved. it's pretty uh could be pretty substantial as to where that that hookup and and the type and whether we qualify for that type of hookup or not. So, we've put some of those out to Aqua right now. So, we don't have some of those answers for you yet with >> and I guess I would like the board to put out a thing to the state reps and to the to both um Maloney and U Penny Cook and see what they can do

036to help us. Yeah. I mean because if they're going to help homes, why can't they help us? >> Agreed. Agreed. I think some of the things we learned through this have learned through this experience is um this is brought by a number of families. I think one of the things we can do much better with is um similar to the way that we um place our lead testing, we place our Ahira testing for asbestous on the website and announce that we can be doing that for our quarterly treatments, right? Um and what those numbers are. So our public can follow those and under, you know, maybe understand those a little bit better. Um, in terms of that, I think two of the things that we also have to think about and I and I would

037highly recommend, you know, once we get some answers from Aqua that we move as quickly as we can with a determination of what we need to do at Gilbert'sville. We have to also be concerned about what do we do with the other two weld sites um some of which may not have access to public hookup and what can we do with regard to those sites while there's no there's non detects there as well right now um you know trying to get ahead of that would be um in the best interest of of safety for for all when it when it comes to that. So this is some of the new experiences that that Jeremy has has assisted us with in the in the past couple of months. Dr. Wear um excuse me, what is the

038uh overall lifespan of the resin system? >> So it's based on flow and the concentrations of the POS and PO in the water. Um I can tell you for the carbon system because that I have concrete data. So that one has been installed since September and the carbon still really non-detected to midport. So I would suspect it's going to last many months, but I really don't know. It's I know it's not a great answer, but I just don't know >> because it's, you know, the gallons of water for each school and then the concentrations and it's it's really hard. >> Yeah. the um what do you think the the cost would be? I would say for each vessel you're probably looking at >> well just the one school Gilbert's school >> yeah for each so

039so there would be redundant systems so um I would say around $4,000 per vessel when they're when the media is spent in that range >> that doesn't give me a total of $4,000 >> well so you I I'm thinking for a 20 gallon per minute system, we'd have two vessels. We'd have a primary, a lead lag system. So, you'd have a primary and a secondary. When the primary is spent, that one gets disposed of. The secondary tank gets moved into the primary position, and then you put a new secondary tank in. I would say 4,000ish in that range per, you know, for a whole new tank. >> And what's be the timeline to have the system installed with everything going through? I mean, I would say with the D, they're a couple months out. So,

040you know, if you said go ahead and start the application, that would take us a couple weeks to submit. I talked to our engineer today, so I would have, you know, see how busy he is and he's actually got some openings right now. So, we could do the application within two weeks and then the D would take a couple months to review and then as when we get that construction permit, we would be able to install the system. So it would take a lot longer to put water into >> Oh, for sure. >> Talking years. >> For sure. Yeah. Yeah. This is something where it's months, not years. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Of course. >> So, could I ask for clarification? So, the $30,000 >> would be for setting it up. >> It

041would be for us to do the application for D. It's called a construction permit. So, we would do the permit application. Our engineer would sign, seal, and submit that to D. Um, so that's included. And then we would install the system. So it's the resin, the vessels, the labor, the piping, and the materials. After it's installed, the Pennsylvania D would come out, they would inspect it, and then they would give us what's called an operations permit. So that that $30,000 estimate would be from beginning to end. The school would have a treatment system, >> but then to replace the uh canisters >> of of the resin. So, the resin gets um vacuumed out and then we replenish it with new resin. >> And that's 4,000. >> I would say 4,000 in that range. >> And

042how often would that >> That's the part that I I don't know. I I don't know how often that would need to be done. >> And that's just because it's the the the resin is the the replacement of the resin is based off of the usage of water. Correct. >> It is. It's based off the test results. So quarterly the D would require us to test the untreated water at the midport between the two vessels and after both vessels. So they the the monitoring would be dictating how you know when the media needs to be replaced. >> So would we be talking years or months? >> I would think months like six months year you know it wouldn't be years I don't believe. >> Well we we only have nine months. Yeah, true. Like I

043said, the other district that we did that system right there, that's still the original carbon and it's been in since September before school started. Um, and it's still perfectly fine. But it would be really wrong of me to think that that exact system is going to be the same at at Gilbert'sville because there's other other um negative ions in the water that could be impacting the life expectancy because it's not going to know, oh, I'm only taking out POS. It's any negative ion. So, um, if there were nitrates in the water, which, you know, again, that's tested. It's not over the MCL because otherwise we'd be talking about that tonight. Um, but then it could be taking those out, too. So, then that might use it up quicker. It it would just be really wrong

044of me to give you an exact life expectancy of it. >> And these full systems themselves, most of which are the tanks themselves, right? that that the the resin tanks are really most of the operating systems to that of mechanical pieces. >> Yeah. Fortunately, there's very little >> Yeah. >> mechan there's very little maintenance other than the media because there's no working parts. There's no electronics there. It's it's like I said, it's a passive system. The water just flows through it. Um so it is nice that there it there's very little regular maintenance to it. It's just the testing and then replacing the media as needed. I'm I'm pretty sure the school has a water softening system in it. How does that work in conjunction with this? Then >> um it's actually important. Um the

045the resin manufacturer would not want more than seven grains of hardness going to the resin because it's harder on the resin. So they recommend to have softening before it. >> Um so the school already has that. So that's why again um when Mr. David Heiser asked me why did steer turn the resin versus the carbon. If you didn't already have a water softener, maybe it would be better to do carbon because then you wouldn't need as much pre-treatment. Um, but you already have the pre-treatment. So, I I feel it's going to be more cost effective to use the resin. >> Other questions from the board? So I think one of the things that we will try to get information to you as quickly as possible is regards to the which is a great question is

046to a public hookup trying to get length of time period that would be um cost and and as as best we can and as swiftly we can through through Aqua. I do think there's going to be as some people have suggested that a pretty long time span for that to be accomplished. Um, but we'll try to get and identify that for you as quickly as possible. I would recommend, you know, we have detection. We've monitored this. It's been other than one uh quarterly one quarterly test that was um right just above the MCL. All the the remaining have been around six. So, it's we've got a constant now. So, we see detection. We see it. It's there. Mr. Crumb's um recommendation is that it can be can be handled and really drawn down um below

047the the four MCL. Um and I would say pretty quickly to be able to act on that and to be able to do that pretty quickly. You know, our our drive is to be zero. I don't know if that can be accomplished through these types of systems. Whether it it it removes all of that or at least reduces it significantly enough that it's below the MCL, but that we move as quickly as it can. And like I said, we also have, you know, other considerations um that should be made with our other two weld systems as well um and incorporated. So um we'll work with our facilities director, Mr. Bramble, and getting some of those answers as quickly as possible to you. But I really would ask that you take some thought consideration into what's

048being shared tonight for us to be able to act as quickly. And um you know we're taking this extremely seriously with regard to that knowing that you know and I've heard you know that you know well it's it doesn't have to happen till 2031. We recognize that but we want to certainly do what's right in the best interest of of everyone's um um uh safety and and and so forth so that we're providing um and doing everything we can to provide the best water treatment that we can. Could you get us a better breakdown of what the cylinders and you're talking those other white things in the back, correct? >> Uh the white tanks in the back are not part of the system. That's all part of their existing chlorination system for disinfection. So, it's

049just those smaller cylinders in the front. Um I could get a more specific cost breakdown for resin and carbon and also the exact number of tanks just so you can kind of see it. Um, I have schematics that we could throw together that just kind of show the train and how it would look. >> Yeah, I think we need a better breakdown so we know what the cost is going to be and an approximate time because even in the summertime that school is being used. I think >> there's always water. >> Not as heavy. >> Correct. There's there's going to be variations and you know we have when you have a couple weeks off so it it varies in time. I don't know that we can know that for sure, but I think if you

050calculated a flow that would be average um for what we we distribute um we should be able to probably come up with an estimated idea of how how much replacement cycle you would need $4,000 a canister and how often that would have to be re replaced on a >> you know five year basis or something. So some of the resin manufacturers they can if we send them a sample of the water a lot of times they'll do an analysis of the water to see what other ions in the water would impact the life expectancy of the resin and then they could give us a better breakdown so we can talk about that too to see if that's something that we want to do so that we can have a better idea because like I said

051that any other negative ions in the water will impact the life expectancy. I will try to get the board that information as quick quick quickly as possible. We'll continue to place this as agenda items and you know hopefully coming to a decision soon um so that we can act on some of this as quickly as possible. Try to get that that information to you um you know off hours here so that we uh can measure that. So any other questions for Mr. Kum? >> I don't know if this in your wheelhouse if your kids were there would you want us to supply bottled water? Um, I'm probably not a good one to ask about bottled water. Um, I I I see it all here. Um, I'm just not a fan of bottled water. Um, it's

052not tested as regularly as our public water systems. Um, so at least at Gilbert'sville, it's being tested and we know what's in it. A lot of the bottled water, it's not really regulated and tested as frequently. Um, and then you also have microplastics and things like that that are in bottled water. So, I would not I would rather not have bottled water for my kids. Um, I I'm comfortable saying that that water meets the D regulations. So, I would most likely lean toward yes, using that water because they're not sitting there guzzling gallons of water if they again, I'm not really for water fountains either. The bottle fillers I would use. Um, um, and I would feel better knowing what's in the water than bottled water. That's that's my opinion. >> Mr. Scrum, I want

053to thank you for for coming out this evening. >> You're welcome. >> We'll be in conversation, no doubt, tomorrow. >> Thank you. >> So, that takes us down to item B. Um, and we traditionally have had donation list at the at the end of discussion information. and we decided to place it upward because we do have a an additional um uh foundation grant that we want to share with the board and see how many grant opportunities have connected this um at at Bash um and in within our um technology education department. So, I'm just going to read and I won't read these to you, but you can see those listed there. We do have a number of donations for um this month. Many of which are through the education foundation. Uh and you can see

054there a number of microphones for our telecom communications department in grades 12 9 through 12 at bash. New Hanover um PTA has donated motivational posters um that should not be Stutterfly but Shutterfly um which did make a monetary donation which um delivers a lot of pictures but this is for uh book vending machine at Boytown Elementary. The ministry ministerial association a donation for breakfast items and supplies for our FCA club students. Herford Menanite Church donation, $100 for food and supplies um again for our students. And um we have two rather large donations um by the Rose F. Koozer and the Roger L. Daniels and Gloria F. Daniels Charitable Foundation that I do want to make you a little bit more aware of as these are significant donations in sponsoring the development of a program. So,

055I'm going to ask if Kayn Barton, our director of special education, if she could step to the podium to just explain a little bit to you in regards to if you do choose to accept these donations, what they are initiating in regards to some programs and um titled the pays programs a little different, not pay a but aes. >> Sure. The practical assessment exploration system is a research-based assessment system that identifies aptitude for community- based employment, functional skills, interest, and work behavior strengths for barriers to success. Students would clock in and work in nearly 300 jobs in five different career areas that are based upon typical skills found at community-based job locations. Students find out what jobs they're good at and what job skills they like to do. Pays exposes students to hundreds of essential

056work and life skills. The goal of the Paye program is to provide taskbased learning and data-driven results in order to determine what an individual can do on their own. And this would be for our students in special education to really help them with their post-secary transition goals. It would be housed at the high school and it would be a really great program. The IU has a PAS lab that we do send some of our students to and they've been very successful, but to have this donation would be incredible. >> Mrs. Borman, can you just explain a little bit more nuts and bolts of to what the program? So, if I walked in that into a classroom into a lab setting, what what what am I looking at? >> Sure. If you walked in, there would

057be different boxes of community things that the students would be working on. There were also iPads with simulations. Um students would be working individually because again we want to really assess their job skills because as they are working on their transition goals which is why this would be placed at the high school we want them to have the most success as they are looking towards what they want to do in the future. So this would really help them with getting that hands-on experience and exposure. >> M >> I think it's a great thing. Uh my big concern is is this like a onceanddone thing and is it going to last for a year? Would it be enough to do for a year? >> Yes. Um in looking at the funds that we would be receiving,

058this would last us with programs and things for approximately five years. >> Oh, that would be wonderful. >> Yes, it it's absolutely fantastic. I'm very very excited. So with any any any type of donation, right? Um we always want to present to the board any strings attached. So one of the strings you said after 5 years for us to maintain and continue a program if we feel like this program is resulting in the types of of things that we expect it to do that would be something that would we we as a district would need to fund. Correct. Um as part of the the budgeting cycle and so forth. So this um uh you know certainly want to make the board aware of those components. Mrs. Barman, correct me if I'm wrong. There's no staffing

059um pieces that are tied to this. This is all equipmentbased, computer-based, lab-based types of of items. And can you share what some of those items are with what they look like and resources look like? >> Sure. I mean we are really working with of course individual students with their individual needs. Um so what it looks at is there are some iPad based programs that they can work on clocking in clocking out working on some of those really fundamental job skills that we see out in the community. We do have the best program that I know you are all aware of where our students are going into the community but this just provides them another opportunity to work on those job-based skills. So they would be students that are throughout our high school that could go

060to this lab and truly be independent in learning some more of those skills. >> Would this be something though that we could go back to these people and say, "Hey, it was a great success. Can you help fund it again?" >> There's always that possibility. Yes. U I I don't know in terms of what their um assets are and if they would have more money in regards to that. Um there's always those opportunities to do that. Some some you know plan to exhaust their funds and so forth and not make them reoccurring but others do not. >> You sounds great. >> Is there a way of collecting data to show the impact whether this new system is what the benefit is over the five-year period? Of course, I think we can look at the transition

061goals that are outlined in the students IEP to see how we are meeting them. Um, and we can definitely look at collecting some data. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mrs. Martin. >> And just listing some of the others there, mentioning some of the others. Again, the foundation board town who's making a generous donation of uh four book vending machines for four of our elementary schools. I think some of the board members have seen those vending machines. They look like a true vending uh almost a candy vending machine in which books can be purchased through a token system. Uh we have some of those out in Bertown Elementary already, I believe, and we have one at Washington Elementary as well. and they come highly regarded from our principles and our staff who

062have utilized them and and a real incentivebased system for our students to read and and interest level. The books are what we need to purchase and recycle those books through there. As those tokens go in go in, the book comes out, the student takes that book, the book becomes theirs and uh we replenish those. So part of that is a recycling that we've talked with our PTA groups and through some of our building budgets as well. M >> will that make one at every elementary then? >> We are working on the last elementary uh which is still absent of one which is Earl Elementary. >> We got her now. So Earl Elementary is going to be the last. >> So each each elementary will have >> have one or do some have >> we'll have

063one. >> That's fantastic. I think I think that's a good incentive for our students. >> Yeah, it's been a generous donation for on behalf of the education foundation for helping to fund those and they've been met with great success. Um, and we have the St. James Lutheran Church uh donation uh giant gift cards there again for families experiencing food insecurity. So these uh donations will be placed on our uh legislative meeting in two weeks for your approval, your consideration and and hopeful approval of those. There is one other grant that um we wanted to present this evening and again this is the foundation for Bertown Education. Um we have Mr. Andrew Schope who is one of our bash tech ed teachers who is uh has been working closely with the ed foundation and uh through

064their generous generous donations has been the recipient of a number of other large types of pieces of equipment and we wanted to show this evening we invited Mr. chauffe here. Um, and I see he has some supporting cast of department members here with him this evening to show a little bit and display of how do all these things work together in improving the learning for all of our students. So, Mr. Schae, thank you for coming out tonight and I'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you, Dr. David Heiser. I appreciate that. I uh I now see why you group the uh the donation presentations after the uh the doomsday water presentation. So, thank you for that. Not a not a whole lot of room there for uh for jokes, but thank you. Um, good

065night or good evening everybody. Um, I I am excited to be here. I do have some uh some exciting news. >> Mr. Chev, can you just turn your microphone on? So, >> I apologize. Um, I have some great news to share some things that are happening in the technology and engineering department. Um, I'll be honest, it's been a while since I've been in front of the board. Uh, my wife was sure to remind me before I left tonight that the the last time I was here, I had a little more hair and a little less weight. and I said, uh, you know, thank you, sweetheart, for, um, that that, uh, boost of confidence. Um, but again, for for anybody that may be new or just doesn't know me, my name is Andrew Schae. I am

066a technology and engineering education teacher, uh, in the district. Uh, I've been with the district for 18 years. Um, nine of those years were spent at Junior High East and, uh, nine of those years have been spent um, at the high school. Uh, currently I'm I'm still dosiled in the high school. Um, I've served as a a TSA advisor volunteer for 15 years and currently still serve as a TSA advisor mentor uh at this point. Um, one of the things I wanted to do this evening uh is I thought it would be prudent if we just took a a look at how the the classes um in the high school teched department are structured to kind of uh gain a little better understanding of of the need for uh this donation and some of the

067equipment that I'll highlight a little bit later. Um, for those of you that don't know, the graphic that you see there is available in the program of studies. Um, and and this is something that we give to all of our students to to try to help guide them a little bit uh in their choices for for classes in the high school. Um, the department created this graphic. We're we're very proud of it. uh we do feel that it's a a good a good guide for the du uh diverse student population that we have and uh really helps them to find a fit in teched regardless of their their interests and and past experiences. Um it's it's broken down into four pathways basically. Um and those pathways are designed to try to follow some of the

068the realms that are uh within teched. Uh so for example we have a communication pathway um where one staff member focuses on uh things like you know digital uh uh digital media uh photography, print media, things like that. Uh we have a production pathway uh which would be a little bit more tactile and traditional in scope. Um our engineering pathway would be for for those students who are a little bit more cerebral uh and are fairly certain they'll they'll end up in in an engineering world at some point. Um and then we also have a design and build pathway uh which tries to uh really incorporate um you know the elements of of product ideation and practical application and and things of that nature. Um each pathway is structured in a way that has a

069a introductory level class or classes uh an intermediate level class or classes an advanced uh as well as a super advanced that we call the capstone or um the tech R&Ds. Um it's not it's not mentioned in the graphic, but I thought it was worth noting that um we also host the technology student association or the the TSA club. Um and that's also available to any students uh regardless of their enrollment um in in teched classes. Um if we focus for a minute on the design and build pathway, this is uh this is really my piece of the pie. This is the area of um instruction that I'm most responsible for in the department. And I just wanted to to kind of paint a picture a little bit of of you know what we do

070and and and um you know the the students that would uh the benefit from uh from this donation this equipment. Uh so t typically my schedule will have about six to seven uh sections of class per day. Uh each class would be uh you know enrolled with about 20 students. Um coupled that you know with with about a 100 student average enrollment in TSA. uh you know any given day of the week there's about 120 to 240 students that are that are coming through uh through my particular classroom. So that's that's quite an exposure um you know to the to the population. And I I realize that those numbers may not be as meritorious as as you're hoping for. So I thought it was worth noting that um you know in the spirit of of

071course selection uh if you don't know our our students just received their their course selection cards for next year. And um if you if you took a look at the numbers from the 24-25 school year, 36% of the bash population uh signed up for at least one of the electives offered by only two department members. U that number grows to about 50% uh when you look at the or examine the department as a whole. And I do think that is a little bit more applaudable. Um, and I I I think that also speaks volumes to the desire of the students to to take our classes. Um, and I also think that that shows that we're we're doing great things, uh, you know, within the department to keep their interest there. Um, I think it's also

072important that, um, I explain, you know, the story behind the design and build pathway so that you you really have a the big picture understanding. Um it really begins with the districts pivoting from the junior high system to the middle school model about a decade ago. Um you know I found myself being moved into the high school which at the time already had a full complement of of teched teachers. And so it presented an opportunity to to craft an experience for the students that was going to be authentic um and and really uh founded in in in real world problem solving. And so to make sure that we were we were staying on par and staying aligned with industry uh one of the things that I did um in the days before COVID uh was

073I went around to some of the local businesses and and surveyed what they were doing. So I I talked to some folks at Penflex uh I I talked to Sharon Talon at at BC Fabrication just up the street. Uh talked to some folks at DECA and just you know just asked them you know what are you doing? Um what are you looking for in a graduate and and you know what do you what do you need from us in the future? And I was I was pleased with uh the fact that a lot of what we were already doing as a as a department was was on par with uh you know with what was going on in industry. But I think one of the concerning things I I heard over and over again was

074that you know they weren't able to find um you know they they they couldn't get workers. They they were struggling to fill positions. And that speaks to a greater problem in the country. uh you know if anybody's tried to call a plumber or an electrician you already know uh you know the country itself has a deficit of 550,000 plumbers right now and that number grows about 44,000 every year till the end of the decade um worse than that would be welders um if you know Mike Row from uh the the TV show Dirty Jobs his foundation the Mike Row works you know they they try to fill the skills gap a little bit and they work closely with the American Welder Society and they like to report or I I don't know that they like

075to report, but they do report that right now there's 300,000 to 400,000 um welder positions that are open and that number is expected to grow by 90,000 for a decade with the average American welder being 55 years old. So, one of the things that I wanted to do uh when when making you know an experiential uh uh class for these students was I wanted to make sure that we weren't limiting them to the trades. the the trades certainly need to be championed. Um, and I think we do a good job of that, but I also wanted to make sure that we were staying rigorous and relevant while preparing them to be uh career or college ready. And the design and build pathway, I think, really homogenizes all of that and makes it um all come

076together, so to speak. you know, we we are able to uh to take our um our Solid Works software, which is a 3D modeling software, and we're able to pair that with with some pretty incredible equipment that's been purchased through the foundation uh for Boyertown Education. So, in talking with those those different companies out in uh in industry, um we I wanted to, you know, we wanted to make sure that we were modernizing uh you know, our our facilities and and specifically this particular pathway to to make sure that we, you know, we were staying uh on track with what they were doing. So, beginning in 2022, uh we purchased a CNC plasma cutter uh through Lincoln Electric with a 4T x4 foot capability. Uh we also purchased a CNC laser water jet. Uh we

077recently purchased a CNC press break and we also purchased a CNC laser engraver. And while these big ticket items are all CNC controlled that that means computer numeric control uh for the record that's you know the computer you program the code and and the computer makes the cuts and the processes. Um but these big big ticket items you know these are just the heavy hitters from the foundation. We we also were able to upgrade and improve, you know, our table saws and our band saws and and a lot of our traditional equipment like drill presses and sand blasters and things like that. So, all told, uh, in my tenure of you being with the district, uh, you know, I've secured a total of about a quarter million dollars of outside funding to help keep our

078program relevant for our students. Um, so my focus tonight is is uh a machine that I feel there's a a real need for in this particular pathway. Um, the machines that I just highlighted a minute ago. They're they're great for what they do, but they're a little little limited in their abilities in the sense that they they mainly process flat materials. So things like sheet metal and and and uh various materials like that and both ferrris and and non-ferris. And and I do want to make sure that I that I clarify uh the goal in the design and build pathway is not to prepare anybody specifically to be a welder or or you know a metal master uh so to speak. Um metal is just the material uh it's the medium that I use in

079that particular pathway. So if you're familiar with uh teched or you know industrial arts or shop class there's really four uh four ways that we output. So there's wood, there's metal, there's polymer and there's inks. Um and for the design and build pathway, it's it's metal for us. So um right now when we process our materials uh to to build the the the projects that the students have designed, one of the bottlenecks that we run into is the fact that structural steels exist, but we have no efficient way to process them. So structural steels would be things like round bar, tubing, C channel, angle iron. um you know we can process them right now in a traditional way and it's it's very time consuming and that's a that's a real concern for a class with

08020 students and and you know only a semester long. So we were looking to to try to uh you know make that process a little bit more efficient and we settled on uh the Scotchman DO70 iron worker. So the Scotchman iron worker uh is is capable of processing those particular materials uh through a series of punches and dyes and shears and things like that. Um the reason that we chose this specific machine is uh is trifold basically. There's so first of all it's it's built in the United States. Um it's actually manufactured in Philip, South Dakota. I toured the plant myself. I I watched them build them. They're they're super robust. Um their customer service is great. Um but but more importantly it's a dual operator model. Uh so historically speaking an iron worker is

081a single operator machine but this machine has twin pumps which means two people two students uh can operate this machine simultaneously. And I think that does add to the excitement of the class a little bit. You know when you're when you're up you're moving around you're working. It's it's not just another quotidian experience uh you know like like in other schools. Um, this particular iron worker uh costs about $38,000. Uh, that does include freight from Philip, South Dakota. That's about an hour and a half east of Mount Rushmore, if if anybody's ever been there. Um, the donation also includes about $4,000 for uh for some additional materials and tubing and steel and things like that to process. Um, the warranty is three years parts only. Um, and the service life is, uh, it's rated at

08230 years. I do think that number's a little crooked, uh, in our situation because, you know, given the inherent schedule of of of of school being off in the summers, obviously, I think that number is probably more like double. Um, that machine is certainly going to outlast my career and probably the uh the term of everybody on the board here right now. So, I'm confident we'll we'll certainly get our our money's worth out of that. I do try to make sure that any equipment we purchase has a a service life of about 30 years. And um I think we're we're doing a a fine job of of meeting that requirement. Um when when we purchase a large machine like this, there's always a the the question of future expenses always comes up. Um it's it's

083kind of like owning a vehicle. You know, there's always going to be some unforeseen um maintenance along the way, but one of the things that we can prepare for would be routine maintenance. Uh, so right now, you know, the the the daily greasing and the occasional rotation of shears and and punches and the replacement of those as they wear out would really be the only foreseeable expenses. Um, there's not a lot of consumables on this particular machine. Um, you know, it's it's it's just a worker. That's that's what it does. So, um, you know, with that, I'd like to thank the board again for their continued support, um, and the foundation for their consistent investment in our in our students. and I would welcome the opportunity to answer any questions for anybody. Thank you. >>

084So, Mr. Chu, why don't you take a second and just introduce the the folks that are here as part of your department members and >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> So, on the right is Mr. Kennedy. He's our department leader or our our elder department member. >> And then uh then we have Ally Baker and Ron Flicker. Ally uh teaches our our communications pathway. Mr. Flicker teaches our uh engineering pathway and uh both our current TSA advisers at the high school and I appreciate them being here. >> Well, I appreciate you giving us the overall experience as to you know the donation is important but how they all connect and interconnect into the curriculum and to the pathways that we have established. So for the board again, you heard some of the things. So some of

085these larger ticket items, we want just want to make you aware of of additional strings that that will become your responsibility as these assets while they're donations, they become the district's assets and want to make sure that we're maintaining them. There may be some cost and structures and I think Mr. Schae has, you know, thoroughly explained those those things to all of you. And uh so this would be something again with all the other grants that we had just reviewed that we would uh be asking for your consideration of approval at our next meeting in a couple of weeks. >> Did do you have something? >> Yeah, I was going to ask you what's the power for that machine require? >> Sure. So this machine is um can be configured however the district sees fit.

086So I would defer to Mr. Bramble on on that. Um our building is 208 three-phase. Um but but the machine can be ordered from 110 to 480 >> and um >> I just wanted >> Sure. >> Anything else from the board? >> Again, thank you, Mr. Chauffe. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate >> So that takes us down to our next item, item D, the planetarium/arning dome presentation. I'm going to ask if Mr. Stout who has taken the lead on this investigation over nearly the past year as it relates to the space at Middle School East. And um so Mr. St. I'm going to ask if you take it over right now. >> Thank you, Dr. David. David Heiser. Uh I'd like to just reflect back on the past year and a half and

087remind the board that if you think back to I believe it might be in October of 24, we actually had a board meeting at the middle school east and had the opportunity to visit the uh the planetarium and I think it was an eye openening experience for everyone on the board just to kind of reflect and um some of you reminisce on your experiences with the uh the learning dome. Uh not too long or I should say the planetarium. Um, not too long after that, we uh I believe it might have been Washington Elementary School. We had put information in front of the board uh to talk really about the uh what it might take to resurrect, for lack of a better term, the planetarium and really think about, you know, what kind of process

088would um take place. So over the course of the past year, uh we've worked diligently and um tonight I'm pleased to to uh to introduce we have from the foundation for Bertown Education, we have uh Mr. Greg Herb and we have Jamie Fox. Uh we also have uh Mrs. Ruth Diroff from the um uh Stellar Dreams nonprofit organization. And um if you can think back to the Washington uh presentation, we have JT Town. if you want to wave there. Uh JT Town, uh I say came to us from the sky. Um she she had heard about the district's um desire to really investigate what it might take to uh open the the planetarium and comes with us with I will say this and I'm saying it uh with not enough justice with a wealth of

089planetarium knowledge. So um she's given us the opportunity to do a lot of investigating for costs uh for equipment. Uh she's given Mrs. Fox and I the opportunity to go actually see a planetarium in action and really kind of get our our feet wet with what um has taken place. So, I brought them to the table tonight uh as you see in the presentation to really uh be able to be able to maybe answer questions that I as the assistant superintendent within the Buen Area School District might not be able to answer. So, I just want to start with a few pictures from our our current uh planetarium. Uh they're just an overview of where we are. Um this this planetarium um as as uh has been noted has been shut down for numerous years

090and um in the investigation that really has taken place. Uh there are some obvious reasons that it might have gotten shut down x amount of years ago just because the cost and the ability for us to kind of modernize the uh the space really um was not a prioritization of prior boards or the district at that particular time. So if you look at um I just gave a quick overview of pictures here to give people perspective. If you haven't seen it, on the left hand side is the projection system, which I will say that when you look at the projection system here compared to a modern projection system, this does look like it's from the uh the the moon mission back in the '60s to really get us to where we need to be. And

091the the control panel there, which you see the front end, you'll see the back end in a second, is really uh very antiquated based upon what current technology has. This is a a podium that was built uh in the planetarium to really help to have the um presenter within the planetarium actually do presentations and uh give the information to our students and outside organizations. My favorite picture of all um you really see uh the seating and the wear that has taken uh when you're in a planetarium and if you remember board members that the lighting in the planetarium is not very robust. So you don't really get to see uh things such as this, but when you put a flash on a camera and you take a picture, you can kind of see kind of

092the where that has taken place. So as you see seating for up to 75 people, uh part of our recommendation to resurrect this this planetarium would be to really uh take everything out and start from scratch. And you you're going to see cost structure and what would it be entailed to potentially do that? This is a front picture looking out across the planetarium and again looking at kind of the the antiquated nature of the uh the technology that's in the the uh room. So um I as Mrs. Peachy will be proud of me I used uh artificial intelligence to come up with just somewhat of a mission statement. It's kind of a heavy mission statement but what is the purpose of our planetarium? And we do have the information here that it was opened I

093believe in 1973 based upon the information that I looked at. But it really um at one point in time it was a highlight of the Bortown area school district. Um so what do we need to do to to potentially resurrect this planetarium to make it a regional hub for STEM education and community engagement. Um and we've kind of come up with a pseudo name um called the learning dome um to help us to move forward with this. And you know, most importantly, if you look about threequarters of the way down, it really is not uh people think of the planetarium as looking at astronomy and astrology and the and the science that goes along with that. But what we have learned in this process is so much more of that. It's all facets of science

094technology. And uh Mrs. Fox and I actually got to see an art show uh in a planetarium. And when you can see art that is uh highlighted in in the planetarium dome, it's amazing what those pieces can look like. Uh so again with the help of Mrs. Town and uh the expertise that goes along with that the information that uh you will see throughout this presentation is really an option one and an option two. So option one is a more costly projection system that goes to uh support our planetarium. Option two is a less costly uh planetarium system. And when consulting with Mrs. town. Um, I will say to you that I'm not so sure. You think if you buy the more expensive uh projection system, you might think you're getting more out of it.

095Uh, in consultation with Mrs. Town, we we may be fine going with a lesser um uh projection system just because of what it provides to us. So, um, that's some of the investigation that we need to do here in in this process. Mrs. town has also kind of negotiated with um some of the organizations out there and got us a a you know the best price we possibly can get as far as what our projections would be. So option one and option two is how we'll cycle through the presentation. Um as I purposefully put the chair picture into the presentation uh you see here the cost for uh if we think about clearing out all of the mounted seating that is in the planetarium. We would look to have stackable chairs that are movable so

096that we would be able to use this learning dome for more than just the purpose of just staying stationary. We get to use it as more of an operational space. And you can see the costs that go along with that. And we'll be talking approximately $27,500. Uh you'll see a summation of all of the costs in a little bit. So um just tried to highlight each area. The facility cost to really uh these are projections. uh we have not gotten uh specific uh uh engineers or I should say uh contractors to come out. Uh this is based upon looking at what current uh um projections might cost us. It's a demo which would be clearing the room and disposing of most items. We we're projected about $15,000. Uh the dome as we had stated to

097the board earlier. um it does have um a speestous in it and what we would be looking to do is encapsulate um and paint that uh dome so that we don't have to worry about it. Right now it's it's checked every 3 years and we're in a safe place but the last thing we would want to do is have to um shut down or have to uh you know kind of close our planetarium to do this work. So we tried to get a a projection of what this would cost for that to happen and we were projected about $40,000. And what I learned from Mrs. town is that, you know, you just don't go paint like a white paint. There's a specialized gray, if I'm not mistaken, that really helps to highlight and capture the

098image that's projected on the dome. Um, the next piece is really the preparation of the space with new or required conduit, power outlets, Ethernet ports. That would be part of the uh the running of the information that's in and the system that's in the the learning dome planetarium. And the last thing is a cove lighting uh trough that would go through to be rebuilt. Uh the LED lighting, the lighting that's currently in there is again very antiquated like the rest of the information or uh systems that are in the learning dome. So that would be approximately $6,000. So the current cost to really think about overhauling the actual space would be about $76,000. Mrs. Nimon, >> can any of that be done by our facilities people? >> Uh, it it it it potentially could be.

099It's just a matter of do we have the current capacity to take our our facilities people out of what they're currently doing. Um, my my recommendation would be that we should be looking at doing this on the outside because this is going to be somewhat of a daunting project and to take our facility staff away from what their current responsibilities are. We're we're tight where we are right now. So my recommendation would not be to do that. I mean anything could be done by um our current staff. It's just a matter would they have the time to be able to do it. >> If I may, um there are limitations under the public school code as to the extent to which we can utilize our maintenance staff and to the uh I don't know the

100exact cost of what this will take. So uh we may be limited by doing that anyway. So that may require just a public bid. >> Thank you, Mr. cell tanning. >> I think you also need to be certified to remove or encapsulate the asbestous. >> Yeah. And that would be a specialized component of the of the of the project for sure. Yep. >> We will not be doing that in our maintenance. >> We would not be doing m Mr. Sultanic said so. So we will not be doing that. Uh so this is as we look forward um and and you're going to see a slide shortly. Uh what those slides up until this point are really the the cost to get the learning dome up and running. This slide here is the cost of the

101projected cost for what it would be that's the recurring fees to maintain uh the learning dome to be moving forward on an annual basis. So when we put the information into this slide, we put the cost of one full-time teacher because we would be looking at a full-time teacher who would be uh supporting the learning dome during the course of a day. Transportation, uh I just put out a number to um quickly bus service and projected two round trips per day for approximately 150 days. And you'll see the calendar a little bit later on in the in the uh our committee meeting today, but we have 180 school days. So, I just took 15 days on each end that, you know, we're doing some other things that perhaps were not uh transporting kids to the

102learning dome or or planetarium. But, but again, that's that's kind of just a projection to hold a a line item number. And miscellaneous is that um based upon the information that came from our projection system costs, uh it would be about a $12,000 annual investment to do the maintenance agreement that would go along with our with our purchase. Now, there may be uh a year or two that we can add into the initial cost to negotiate that, but uh I just wanted to make sure we had the information here that would be, you know, what would the Buerin Area School District be requiring to uh to pay for during the course of of an annual recurring fee? And we were project about um $112,500 per year. So what does this look at look like when

103you put it all together uh and put it into um you know option one? If you remember back to the first slide with the one projection system versus option two which is the second projection system. All of the capital costs which um you have copies of this presentation in your uh in your packet for the week uh would be slides 9, 10, and 11. Option one is uh 446 $467,635. Option two is $379,500 for the capital costs uh to get that up and running. And then the recurring cost, like I shared with you before, projected would be of $112,500. And at the bottom, you can see the total estimates of what that would cost for us to get this up and running for the first year, which would include the cost of the instructor. As

104this process has evolved, uh the foundation for Boyertown Education, uh has really worked diligently. Um I have the opportunity to sit uh as a as a guest on the the foundation board on a on a monthly basis and talk about all those grants that you graciously approve uh for the district. Uh this has been an ongoing conversation as to what is the ability for the uh foundation for beron education to help support and commit money to. Uh so they have been willing to uh moving forward commit $250,000 and have asked the district to see if we instead of taking that huge chunk out of their their excess funds or I should say collected funds, they asked if we could uh use $50,000 for a fiveyear consecutive years. We would work work on an agreement with

105the foundation to really come up with a plan of what this would look like. But their overall donation would be uh $250,000. You can see that they are a nonprofit, a 501c3. Uh they will continue to seek grant opportunities in this process. They also ask for the education foundation uh learning dome to have naming rights um to potentially gain visibility for the foundation so that they can um you know promote uh the potential to continue to uh collect funds for our schools. And you can see from Mr. Schae's presentation today, the amount of of support they've been able to provide has been has been uh exceptional. uh they've asked for a 10-year minimum commitment for continuous implementation of the learning dome uh planetarium. We shut down the planetarium in the past uh because of just

106the ability to for the upkeep that had taken place uh and the inability for the district to commit funds for that, but they've asked for a 10-year minimum continuous implementation. And uh we would also be working on an initial legal agreement with BASD to to put all of this into official writing. The next uh nonprofit is Stellar Dream and that's Mrs. Diroff who has uh come to the table to help support uh her initial donation would be approximately $100,000 uh and be working on what that terms of that annual contribution would be and I have TBD there if it would be a one-time if it would be over over time. Uh she would also be working on a 501c3 fundraising uh nonprofit. Uh also continuing to seek out grant opportunities to collect more funds. Um

107the difference between the education foundation and the stellar dream nonprofit is really the stellar dream was looking and which is a huge help is really looking at us to conduct uh and run after school programs. So, as you think about, you know, the evening activities and things that many of you have had experiences to partake in, they would be looking at uh running those programs with with their own uh you know, support to to keep the the community uh with the ability to access the the learning dome. Uh they also Oh, let me I skipped over. We what we would do as a built as the boy tenary school district we took uh what we typically charge for for Wi-Fi facilities use uh custodial work uh things such as that and kind of put it

108all together for a lump sum. So we decided that $150 per hour is what we would charge for the use of the facility based upon those after school types of activities. Uh they also had asked for a 10-year minimum continuous implementation process and uh with anything we would look to implement an initial legal agreement with the Boyerary School District. So uh with all of that being said, it's a lot of information to process. I do have the representation from each nonprofit here as well as our planetarium experts should you have any questions. So I um I put that out there. The timeline as far as what we'd be looking at is uh October 24 25 like we discussed. You had an initial visit. Uh we had our school board workshop today. Uh we are looking

109at potentially bringing this to you for the uh January 27th school board of directors legislative meeting for uh a vote to move forward. uh we would be targeting based upon the availability of outside contractors with demolition starting in the spring summer of 26 and the hope would be at sometime during the fall and winter to have the learning dome uh up and running. So these are the next steps we would be looking at the consideration and vote. Uh you know the considerations are really the recurring expenditure slide on on uh slide 12 uh the estimated $112,500 from our general budget which would be the annual recurring expenses and really just thinking about upfront uh as the foundation as well as the uh stellar dreams are not uh giving us all of the money. Uh there

110would be a commitment to approximately $3 to $400,000 uh from capital costs. That would be uh us for the ability to actually start and have the uh planetarium up and running at the start of the 2627 school year or I should say fall to winter of 2627. Now I have my questions. Uh you can see some of the pictures up here are really that of uh modern planetariums and you can kind of see the uh the amazing uh imagery that comes from the the new projection systems. It's it's quite a a vast difference than what the current projection system in the in the middle school lease planetarium shows. So any questions? >> Uh can you reexplain the transportation the projected two round trips per day? Is this from the elementary schools from from so I

111mean that's a great question and I I completely just put numbers out there to project. Um so what and what it came down to is the cost of $70 per day would be the the quickigly um fee to transport back and forth. Uh we would have availability for bus drivers because it's the middle of the day. Uh we definitely have a shortage of bus drivers. So that that's not that's not an issue. Um I I was a principal in the in the district for many years when we did have uh field trips to the planetarium on a on a daily basis. My kindergarten class when you know we had different grade levels. But what I what I put out here was two round trips. So I thought there would be two groups of students during

112the course of a day that would visit the planetarium. So like there'd be like a a late morning group that would go to like midday. Uh they would get taken back to the school. Then there'd be another group that would be like midday to the earlier afternoon piece. So, I was thinking of two round trips to the schools uh with the cost of about $70 per day is what we were projecting that. So, again, that's that is truly an estimate of what that would look like, but just to have a placeholder as far as a number would go, but yeah, Mr. Broofphy. >> Okay. Is this system upgradeable? >> Would it be >> Mrs. Town? Would you like to come to the podium? I I figured you were the one to ask that question. Um

113digital planetariums are computer-based and they also employ um one or two uh digital cinema video projectors and yeah about every 10 to 12 to 13 years one side of that system the computer control side uh you know and the projectors need to be uh upgraded. >> I I think what I'm looking more is I'm going to use the word app because everybody understands what app >> software software side not the hardware side. >> So if if something comes up uh like a new app >> yes >> uh is it easily upgradable or once it's set >> is that's is that what you have? It would depend on the system and so that would be an excellent question for the vendors. >> Uh but generally uh I would say that you know I think the answer

114would be that there are some free softwares that are available at um intervals. There are lots of um shows that are like dome documentaries. Uh, a lot of those are free and then some of those uh can be uh5 to $8,000 for those to bring in those for let's say a five-year license for running those shows. Um, but yeah, it's upgradable. Um it's possible that there would be if you know if if a company puts a lot of work into a new software like if uh they've just done a new software on architecture you know the company may say if you want this architecture software added uh there would be you know a fee I've never seen a fee more than five or 8,000 bucks for a software upgrade. I thought when we talked before

115there was something about a sharing program between the different uh planetariums around is that >> well those you can share things that you make. So if you have students that make a uh show or a unit or something um they can you know that that can be shared with other schools and other schools might have if they have a similar uh projection and software system to yours then you know pieces can be imported and exported and shared. The same would go with software then. Correct. >> Right. But uh a lot of times a software Yeah. The license is just for your location, >> you know. So like some of those dome documentaries, if you license the documentary, you can't like give that to another school. It's it's licensed for your site. And some of the

116main software uh that comes with the system is um you know, when you buy it, you're accepting that it's just going to stay there at the school. From your experience with different planetariums, does $150 an hour sound like a proper charge? >> Uh, well, some schools don't charge anything. Uh, they charge uh sometimes for meetings, community meetings. Um, sometimes they charge if a a company or corporation wants to come in for a a custom showing. And uh a lot of times a museum planetarium would charge much more than that. Uh but schools don't generally charge as much as museums do. But you can charge what you want. I mean you can charge what what what you can get what the market will bear. Uh and then a lot of times schools don't have a mechanism

117for taking the money in. Um so I mean that's something to think about. Maybe you do here. So, so it's pretty much a mishmash. >> It's a mishmash. >> Okay. Pretty much. That's okay. That's fine. >> Yep. >> Thanks. >> In in 19. >> Okay. Just one just one more. Go ahead. >> I uh I saw the thing about naming rights. I would have to hear more from legal uh in discussing naming rights. I'm not sure we've done that before or what requirements are around it and what uh process we'd have to get go to do that. I'm sure that's that's just a thing where we can say yep, you got it. I don't think it works that way, but just just so we I think we need to discuss that. >> Yeah, we can

118stick by we do have that in policy. So we can we can look at we've looked through that policy as it relates and it really does give the autonomy back to the board depending on significant value what it brings back to the community and things of that nature. It's a broad policy with regard to that. >> But we have two we have two donors. >> Correct. >> So we'd have to that had to be a discussion I think. >> Yeah. And there's stipulations from from the one donor in regards to that. >> Yeah. But the second donor could also put the same stipulation. So I think there's got to be a little more talk about that. >> I'm not saying yes or no. >> Yeah. No, absolutely. These were some of the initial considerations that

119each of the two organizations that we spoke with that we that we worked on. >> Yeah. My question um in 1973 when the planetarium was uh certainly something that um was very useful since that time we have smartboards. Uh we have the ability of virtual experiences that the district has already invested in. Um what would spending uh this large amount of money bring uh to the learning experience that they can't really get with the smartboards and some of the other technologies that we now have access to? >> Yeah. Well, planetariums have uh planetarium systems have uh completely changed over the years just for the reasons that you're mentioning. Uh in in the 60s and 70s when planetariums um when so many of them went into schools especially in Pennsylvania and New York State uh where

120um really hundreds went into schools. Uh it was because of the excitement in the space program and uh the fear of um uh other countries getting ahead of us in science and uh so yeah we don't exactly have all that anymore but that's why digital planetariums um have um been invented and and uh uh developed that are used for um various types of immersive uh learning. They foster creativity uh not just for STEM but also um you know for the arts, multimedia, storytelling, computer graphics. Uh and when you do when you do step into one of these rooms, I hope you can visit a digital planetarium. Uh you can tell that it's a a special place and um students react to that and are really enthralled by the computer graphics and scenes that you know

121they can see in STEM. And there's there's so much that is built in uh to a new digital planetarium. So there is astronomy in there. Uh but there's also uh a lot of visuals on um biology, chemistry, uh and arts. Uh so and then you can also create your own computer graphics. So uh it's really not just for astronomy at all anymore. Some places don't even uh cover any astronomy or they might just do um run some of those dumb documentaries for um this the grades like fourth graders or whatever grades need to have a solar system um uh show uh because that's easy to do. >> Yeah. I I think we would really have to look at the transportation uh the scheduling which is very different from yester year and looking at how many

122students really would have access uh to that space uh in a way that it truly is going to enhance their learning as opposed to the smartboards that are in their classrooms. uh looking at the standards that are now established for science and for some our STEM uh programming, I just would question whether spending uh the money is going to get us the largest bang for our bucks. So, um I see we have the cost to hire a full-time teacher for this, which makes sense, but you know, we're hearing about how, you know, these learning domes can be so much more than just astronomy and things like that. So, what's the curriculum? What's what's the uh syllabus look like for each grade? Is this teacher going to be able to do everything from astronomy to anatomy

123to >> Yeah, art? >> It's a it's a great question. So what I would envision that position being, it would be a a collaborator with uh with the current teachers, whatever the grade level might be, and they would be working on what the specifics of that focus would be. Uh I I I Mr. Weir had asked the question, glad came back. Um what the I had just made mention about elementary school, but you think about the secondary environment and and kids in science class at the high school that would take trips to the planetarium for whatever those astronomy type purposes would be. I would think this person would be uh an expert in the planetarium and the function of the planetarium but would work in consultation with and collaboration with the classroom teachers which would

124be the expert in the curriculum in those areas and they would target different focal points that would say hey in this particular grade level we're looking at this how could we utilize the planetarium to help enhance what that might be. So, um, it would be absolutely impossible for one person to have that knowledge from a K through 12 perspective, but I think it would be collaborating with those teachers to be able to do that. >> So, that all makes sense. I just feel like if we're going to be voting on this really soon, shouldn't we know what that's going to be before we vote on that? Like, we've I mean, we're speculating. They might do this, they're going to decide that. I think we should know beforehand. >> I think one of the things that

125Mr. St is trying to explain is that this delivers an experiential setting. That's what it delivers. It's not about the curriculum. It's not about the things that are that are measured there. And I think he's trying to explain that that that would be impossible to do that. The facilitator teacher that's going to be in there would work with multiple teachers throughout the district. this provides a this this provides a setting and I think that becomes part of the the angst with this because there are settings that can be created differently in today's world that we do have um as as part of that right now. So that's the I think the ying and the yang that the the board has to understand is that we're not going to present you necessarily with a curriculum. That's

126impossible to do. This is a learning dome. If this were to move forward, this learning dome experience would experience things throughout multiple subject areas that would not be like it once was in 1973. It was strictly a planetarium. There was a program that I would assume Mr. Deadline through years morphed and changed and modified and and you know increased and so forth. That was the static to it. um and and and delivered that planetariums or experiences like that can be done so much differently in different settings now that you don't have to go into a dome experience. The dome is simply bringing it back to a dome experience with the ability, not the ability, but the the the possibilities of doing other types of functions in there, whether it's working, you know, on a biology

127lesson, a biology lab in which you're seeing some towards a surgery that can be almost 3D morphed inside a dome experience that can be facilitated by somebody. >> Sure. And I get all that and I'm I'm pro- planetarium. I just think it's weird that we would jump in without we're we're still guessing. We're going, "Oh, we could do this or we could do that or maybe it's going to morph into this." It just, you know, when it was built in the 70s, we knew it was for astronomy. >> Yeah. And we don't know. And we I And we're not going to be as able to answer that question for you. I I'm I'm being very honest with you in that you're asking us to bring back a space. That's what and to modernize a space

128if you want something very very specific that's something a whole lot different we've been tasked with bringing this space back and modernizing we can make it a planetarium again and it can be strictly astronomy based lessons that we take standardized through our third grade um curriculum and run all of our third graders through this or our kindergarteners through this in terms of that and that's what the former program was more similar and like to in its experiences this is I you know in 2026 it's evolved now to where we have those spaces philosophically we have those spaces in different ways we can form those I can put a pair of Google goggles on you and create that experience for you you never have to leave your chair in your classroom. But we've been tasked with

129the idea of bringing that unique space back to life to be able to engage multiple different things and that is the leap of faith that you would be taking as a board member to do that. I can't write you the unlimited amounts of curriculum and lessons that would be developed through this because we don't know what those are yet with the teachers that would be or we'd ask to to put through there or say you know this would be a great experience for 10th graders to come from Bash and to do this annually in regards to this bio lesson or something along those lines. So there is that and this is why it's taken this long. It's been nearly a year seeing what funding is out there, seeing the types of organizations that would partner

130with us to give opportunities to say what does it need to bring it back to? But that's what we were tasked with. Um I I'm going to say this out loud. Mr. Stout knows this well too that we don't need that space to teach the to the standards that we're doing. Right? We haven't needed it for eight years to do that. So, this is an ad to that we've been tasked to try to think about how we can bring this unique space back to life. Um, we haven't had to do it. It was it was sheltered I think it was 2017 part of which was the retirement of the person. But I think it's also the the the space became less unique because there became more and more immersed technologies that developed the space that

131once was so unique. Right? 73 you had to go there to experience that sort of thing. There weren't the smartboards. There weren't the 3D things. We weren't able to put on glasses and goggles and do all those immersive things that we are today able to do. So it is a unique space that we're suggesting I think for lack of a better word. So, I'm sorry for that long wait. >> I I think it sounds like a cool experience. Um I think it's extremely generous of Moff and the foundation to donate that amount of money. I think it's a tough pill to swallow with the district having to essentially come out of pocket over 400,000 for the first over that first well the first year if you want to get it in place. And then a

132total cost of reoccurring costs because it's a 10-year minimum. I believe they both were 10ear minimums. You're talking about another over 1.1 million in reoccurring cost for a nice to have for an experience. I think that sounds like a waste of money, especially when we're living in a virtual reality world. And that those those elements would be way cheaper. Maybe you look into repurposing the space and putting the tracks in there to put 12 stations of virtual reality where you're able to walk around on a planet or you're able to operate on somebody virtually with things or anything else. Um would be more advanced. I don't know. It sounds like it's a nice to have, not a must. I don't know if it benefits our students as much as the money that you're coming out

133of pocket. That's just my opinion. So, so one of the things I think in the in the in the timeline that we wanted the board to take time we've we've um >> Okay. So, uh, was for, you know, I I think we would recommend, administration would recommend for the board to take some time to hear from community members and think on your own and come back in a couple of weeks. And we formalize this through more of a vote as to what the board's intentions are and what you'd like us to do as an administration in moving this um, particular project forward or not. in in terms of that >> since we do have three new board members on board and they've I don't know if any of you have ever gone down to the

134planetarium and seen what it's like maybe we should have some type of a showing down there for them to see. >> I would I'd be more than more than excited to take anybody down there that I that they'd like to to take down there and you know we can arrange that. So if anybody that's not some of the new board members absolutely >> I would like that. >> We can arrange that for you know possibly next week we could we could do that and have you down there >> foundation speak. >> Are we engaging? >> Well she's not technically she's a sponsor correct. So it would be like having Mr. Herb up there which I would have left. >> No I just have one comment. I know I'm out of out of bounds here but

135Mr. >> Moff can you step to the podium please? >> I just Mr. deadline here. Why don't we let him talk? Because he's one. >> That's exactly what I was going to say. This man ran that planetarium for 35 years. So, if you have any questions, Mr. Derline is here. Perhaps he could answer them for you. >> I just didn't want to put him on the spot by saying that. >> Well, we did. Anyway, if anybody has any questions, >> Mr. Daline, if you you're certainly welcome to the podium. If anybody has any questions for Mr. Dline, Mr. out of line here taught for 35 years spending a great majority of time in there and is the expert resident for that particular space. >> Thanks. >> I will be one for first to ask you

136a question. From when you were there till now, how do you see that planetarium changing? >> This is phenomenal. I've been running it for 35 years. We would have two elementary groups come in per day. We would have junior high east boytown school district or the senior high come in. We would run astronomy. We would do that kind of stuff for elementary. We would also have art classes, music classes, math classes, English classes. Okay, all these different uh curriculum would work in there. But there's a couple things that are the same. And that's you have a big ball that projects stars out onto the dome. Over 1,900 little points of light that have been drilled into this thing and you can really simulate the nighttime sky, but it's a mechanical device. It needs lubricant. It

137needs It has mirrors. It has gears. It has belts. The change that's going to happen here is just phenomenal. This is kind of like having and finally getting that really huge TV at home you really wanted for your sporting event. And it's really high deaf except this time it's going to wrap entirely around you. And what they'll be able to do with that is going to make your mouth drop. Yeah, that's the big thing. That's good. You'll just go wow once you see everything that you can do with this. And I think as far as curriculum and looking at other things, if somebody wanted a show in the planetarium, they would tell me what they wanted and then we would work together to try to figure that out. And I think you mentioned that quite

138well. And that really kind of works that way. But here, there could be programs that you could get that are going to do what they want. And it's just going to be very, very different as far as how it's going to be run. But it really is going to be phenomenal and it's going to be something that's going to be great for the students. >> It might be that one student that you bring something to that changes their whole aspect of of education. >> And this is not true for anything we're doing, right? >> Might also be making money. >> It'll be making some money. Mhm. >> Anything else? >> Any other questions for Mr. Dataline? >> No. Mr. Dline, thank you very much. Um, do we want any participation from the two associations? >>

139Anyone else want to speak? >> Mr. Herb, on behalf of the >> foundation for Boyertown. >> Thank you, Dr. David Heiser. I'm Greg Ker. I'm actually president, one of the founding members. I was just saying to Jamie, I think it's 15 or 16 years. It'll be our 16th year. Uh, but I want to address Mr. Brophy's question. I don't believe Stellar had a naming in there. You mentioned there was two, unless there was somebody else that was looking at naming. >> But but the second one could ask for naming, right? So, >> okay, I understand. >> Ju just to be clear to answer the question Mr. Stout did a good job of is we're looking at the foundation for boy down education to be somewhere in that title. Uh and the reason for that is

140quite simple. The public awareness of what we are. It's not about us as individuals. Uh I think you saw a presentation tonight where the the technical advisory area has probably a4 million dollars. Uh we're somewhere north of a million and a half, probably closer to two million. And the only reason our organization exists with a volunteer board is to raise funds to support the extra programs that wouldn't otherwise be supported by the budget. So to be clear, that was what our part was and in taking a substantial amount of our hard to work for raising funds that we've done. >> And I'm not saying that's out of line. I'm saying is that has to be >> somewhat discussed and agreed to. uh by the board and by the donors. I mean, correct. That's got to

141be >> hashed out a little bit. It just can't be said. We're going to do this. >> Yeah. Do you >> absolutely? Yes. Sure. >> Thank you, >> Mrs. Dy. >> Yes. >> I'm at a disadvantage. I don't have 15 16 years of having a a nonprofit. Good evening. I'd like to take a few brief m minutes to tell you about Stellar Dream. Tonight, you got information on the planetarium. And I'm sure you never heard of Stellar Dream before. After all, we finally when we after all when we finally got into agreement to reopen the planetarium, I contacted Peter Derline and we sat and talked how we could benefit the kids and the community at the same time. We finally decided that we could do both. Have the school use it during school hours as

142a teaching tool and other hours when school was not in session, weekends, holidays, etc. We could invite the community to see shows, have dinner in a show, birthday parties, dances, something that has never been done to get the public involved. So, in come Stellar Dream, a nonprofit that just started for this specific reason. Remember that name. You'll hear it often. This nonprofit will do the shows, hire the people to run the programs, and see that you're well satisfied with what you desire. They will do whatever. They will do what never has been done before. They want the best for this community and realize we can have both. So now when you hear the word stellar dream, you'll know who we are and what we'd like to do. I do have a video. If I would

143have more time, I would gladly play it, but it would take about five and a half minutes. Sir, Mr. President, thank you. >> Mr. Brophie just to clarify um I really tried to be the facilitator of the collaboration in this process and have coordinated uh a couple meetings over the past uh three months to bring the two nonprofits together to create the information that are on those slides. So just to it wasn't it wasn't I don't I certainly um am it wasn't just put on there it was based on prior conversations that had taken place. So I I 100% you know agree that there are further conversations till we get to the point of a decision but um that everything on this uh presentation was really and I say strategically put there because it was

144part of a collaboration that taken place and the two nonprofits spoke away from those meetings to to come to an agreement on different things. So just just to clarify. >> Yeah, I would I appreciate that. Just just want to make sure there's no >> disagreements later. So I'd rather get things like that. I want >> well and that that's I you know put two slides at the end to have the representation. So I so I agree. I just wanted to make sure that was clear clear. >> Okay. Um as I had said earlier um and we'll be recommending to the board that this be placed on our 27th legislative meeting agenda for your consideration. Um I think obviously there's many opinions around the table here in regards to this itself. So I would encourage the

145board to take some time to think about all the uh information. Uh if you have further questions we and anything for the um nonprofits involved in this. We can try to connect and get those that information back to you in the time. But we will would recommend that we place this on the agenda for two weeks from now to take a vote as to whether we're pursuing this or not. So that takes us to item E. Um and that is um again it is here we are midyear going invite Mr. Stout back to the podium. Uh we have tonight a draft of the recommended and proposed 2627 uh school district calendar and I'm going to have Mr. Stout walk the board through all the pieces to this and um share what changes that we are

146recommending from prior years. >> Thank you Dr. David Heiser. I'm pulling two two responsibilities tonight. Presenter uh as well as a facilitator. So, uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the, uh, the projected 26 27 calendar. Uh I've kind of been a part of this process over the past four or five years within the district and um really I know there has been uh conversations uh in the past here that uh there was a concern about the number of of half days that we would really be looking at as a district just because of the uh the the inconvenience that it would put on parents when they they've got to find a spot for their kids to go uh at the elementary school level uh for the second half of the day. when

147you think about the the calendar in general. So, we tried to really take into consideration if you uh paid attention to Mrs. Petri's presentation, very thorough presentation tonight, uh that stuff that we are requesting doesn't happen without a professional learning that take that needs to take place uh to help support our teachers to be the most efficient and effective teachers that they can be. Uh and we also have uh 190 uh teacher days to work with. So, we need to really think about what is the the best way that we can uh meet the needs of our students and utilize our staff to be able to to support the needs of our kids. So, we're hopeful that this calendar that I'm proposing to you tonight is going to uh be the best of all of

148those worlds. Uh ultimately, you will see in the previous calendar, which I do not have displayed, we had approximately 12 half days built into the calendar. This calendar, you will see has eight half days built into it. And you will also see we very much tried to strategically place those half days at a holiday time. Uh whether it was an extended uh holiday break like the winter break or or Thanksgiving break or or spring break uh or um you know just the the other day and I'll I'll go through the calendar pretty quickly here to to kind of um give you a quick overview if it's a long weekend. So, uh, we're looking at, and by the way, uh, Labor Day, uh, starts as late as it possibly can. So, the creation of this calendar

149is starting as probably early as it ever will. Uh, but it also is bas basically aligned with our BCTC start, which would be um on August 24th. Uh, teachers would come in for three professional learning days the week before, which has been uh, past practice. When you look at September, uh, it is very reminiscent of the current calendar. We would have Labor Day like I shared is on September 7th which is as late as it can possibly occur and then we have our first professional learning day which would be um in the September 16th time block. Uh Mr. Horn if you can wheel down a little bit there. So when you look at the uh Columbus Day weekend, uh we made a significant change here in past practice. that early dismissal day that is actually

150on Friday, October 9th has typically been the Wednesday after Columbus Day. And we purposefully did that just because in past practice PSATs are administered on that day and it worked very con conveniently for our high school students to take those assessments during the morning and then we have our senior project presentations in the afternoon which many of you and and new board members I hope you take advantage of this year have the opportunity to see our senior uh project uh uh presentations that happen on that day. So that's that's a a highlight for our district where we have all of our professional teaching staff have the ability to to uh be able to observe our seniors and the work that they've done and it's a nice opportunity for them to see the the diligence that's

151happened in the the collaboration between elementary school all the way up to high school. So that move from the Wednesday after Columbus Day to the Friday so it butts up against the weekend. Uh very significant change that we put into this calendar much different than what we've done in the past. when you look at the Thanksgiving break and th uh the Monday of Thanksgiving week, Monday, November 23rd is a full student day. We decided to make that a full student day and then have parent teacher conferences in the evening. Then we have an early dismissal day which was past practice on the uh Tuesday which would be Tuesday, November 24th. And then what we decided to make a shift in our schedule change this year would be to have all students off on the 25th.

152And that would be an opportunity for us to have parent teacher conferences in the morning. And then we would have uh our opportunity for our teachers for collaboration uh and whatnot in the afternoon. So that's a distinct difference than what in all of my 16 years here within the district, it's the first time we've haven't had half days on all of those three days. So hopefully that would be a little more uh supportive of our families within the community. The winter break is similar to this year's winter break. Uh it starts with the day before the winter break being a half day and then it would filter through. Mr. Horn, if you can wheel down to the top of the next column, no all the way go up. There you go. Up to January. There

153you go. Uh it goes through January 1st being a Friday and then we would resume our school back again on January 4th. MLK days off. uh because we have uh 80 student days, uh we had to find another spot uh for our students to potentially have a day off. So, we decided to do the Friday um and our teachers are off on that particular day, the Friday before uh the President's Day weekend. If we had our teachers come in on that day, they would be one beyond their typical teacher contracted uh contract. When you look at spring break, it falls into March in this particular year and um you can see the early dismissal day that has been a historical day that has buted up against our spring break. So that would be an early

154dismissal day for our our students. In April, there's one professional learning day for our teachers, which we would not have students. So that would be on uh April 14th. In May, the prom day for the high school, and that uh is confirmed. We have locked in that date. that's typically been a professional learning day for our teachers and also a a day for our students uh to um to have the um opportunity either a half day or a full day. So, we decided to make that a full day. And then the last week in the calendar, which is the first week of June, which is really the Memorial Day weekend. Uh we have our our our four early dismissal days which really help for endofear assessments and of course assessments at the secondary level and

155professional learning that helps to support our teachers to have culmination to the school year as well as to start planning for the upcoming school year believe it or not. So our last calendar day would be on Friday, June 4th. Uh you can see the calendar is uh we used a little bit of a different format this year to try to make it a little more convenient and aesthetically pleasing to look to look at. Uh so hopefully this uh is a calendar that we can put on our agenda for the legislative meeting in January for approval. >> Any any questions? >> Yes. um September 16th and April 14th, the two days off. Would it be amicable to move those to either that Monday or the Friday of that week? I know middle of the week uh

156for some families trying to find child care is is kind of difficult. I'm not sure uh rhyme or reason to to the middle of the week. >> Uh we put them on those day. It's a great question and we can certainly have conversation about it. we had when we had all of the early dismissal days, we did try to put them on different days to not have them always be on the same the same days of the week. So, for the exact opposite reason is the reason we put them there. But I I would not necessarily disagree with you that, you know, depending on circumstances, there's really not an official rhyme or reason why those days are are where they are. >> Mrs. Nyman. >> Yeah. Have we checked with the BCTC to see if

157our days off coincide with any of theirs? >> The start of the BC BCTC calendar is the same >> about the start. I'm talking about days we have off. Do they have the same days off because we're having issues. Parents are having to bring their kids to school and then we have to have another bus run up to the BCTC. Wouldn't it be more inclined to coordinate our days off with them or them with us? We we are attempting again they're they're we're working when we work with the BCTC we work with 17 other districts >> right so all that coordination is trying to go first item is start that we need to align the start and we do uh have many of the days align not all of them get aligned to exactly what

158BCTC has with their needs and staff needs versus our staff needs and again you have a CBA that comes into play with their staff as well as it does our staff with days and so forth. So, I don't know that you're ever going to see a year where they exactly align and overlap because they're identifying along with other districts needs based on their their needs as well and everybody else's schedule as well. They're trying to accommodate seven 18 school districts. We share within uh and among all of the school districts in Burks County and we work through the IU with doing that annually. Um, we've gone through some of that this fall to try to establish that and we've set the norm with BCTC setting the school year start date that that begins it. >>

159One more question. the um Thanksgiving break where uh the November 23rd um have we contacted or talked to the teachers regarding particularly elementary teachers that get inundated with parent teacher conferences? Are they still going to have the same amount of time to meet with with parents um with those two half days or that excuse me that half day and the AM conference on the 25th? >> Yes. Um we've had conversations with the uh the teachers with respect to that. Um it really is still having two evening opportunities for parents to to come in and really we we typically did not have conferences on the Wednesday in the morning but this opportunity moves from Monday to to then to to kind of like complement that. Teachers are going to try to get the conferences in when

160they're going to be able to get them in. And I'm I'm going to predict you won't see a lot of conferences scheduled on that Wednesday for for kind of obvious purposes, but it it provides that opportunity for conferences to be scheduled on that. But really in the end, we still have Monday the 23rd for evening conferences and then Tuesday the 24th for evening conferences. So it's a great question. Um and and really this is a first year to to tweak it. Um and I'm sure we will get feedback based upon whether or not because Monday is going to be a marathon. you know, when you think about teaching uh you know, your kids in the classroom during the course of a day and then having to do parent teacher conferences from the elementary school perspective

161till 7:30 at night, it's kind of like we're we're here today like it's it's a long day to go through that. But then again, Wednesday, they're not going to have kids. So, that's going to give them a little bit of a breath on that day, but also provide opportunities to make up uh conferences on the morning. So, but good question. We we did take that into consideration. We did look at some neighboring schools within McGomery and Burks to see what they do and this is kind of a compilation of what we determined. >> Um yeah, I remember that that Monday being tough and um I do think home and school association provided dinner where I taught for teachers that day. So, >> so I will tell you that when the conference used to be on

162Thursday night the week before, so you know, if you can remember back to those days in in my particular building, there was a potluck. My favorite day of the year when the teachers all brought something in and then the recipes and things like that. So, there was a combination. One day was an HSA, one day was a potluck with teachers. Each building kind of has their own culture to do that. But, um, yes, those are all things that they typically uh are supportive of. >> And when is graduation? Uh, graduation would be on June 4th. The green the last the la the the Memorial Day week. It would be the Friday of Memorial Day week is what our target would be. >> Okay. >> Mr. Dr. Weir, can you just go back and tell us

163those dates again just so I have those that what you want us to consider and change is that one was September 16th. >> Correct. The 16th and April 14th. >> April 14th. >> Yeah. making it a long weekend. Again, just changing it up from the middle of the week. Got it. Just for parents thanks. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any other questions for Mr. Stout? >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Stout. Thank you for your work on on this. We'll bring this back with those considerations from Dr. Weir and and uh hopefully for your consideration for a vote at our next legislative meeting. So, it takes us down to item F. Uh we do have a a budget update. Um and I'm going to ask Mr. Lent who can present there from I believe just

164your seat to give some highlight updates about where we are with our current 2627 budget. >> Great. Thank you, Dr. David Heiser. So just to uh you know remind us all that the budget has been ongoing. We started looking at this year's budget in the fall. Uh we've also started our planning for next year's budget. Uh so when we go to the next slide as far as overview a lot of work has taken place to refine our data for this year as well as to use that data as um a decision- making in what at this point we can best estimate cost will be for the next year. On the next slide um some milestones that have happened since our last um presentation is that um administrators and their staff have worked to enter their

165budgets. Um we're looking at that now. We've also looked at things that um we need to start replacement cycles for, which is why later tonight, you'll see uh vehicle replacement um start to happen within the district. Um as a whole, um we've also complied with some state requirements regarding our reporting and the Sterling X credit, Sterling Act credit, which are funds that come off of your tax bill every year. So on the next slide, you'll see this is where we sit in January. So, we have all the preliminary data from our departments. Uh, I've also done an assumptive analysis moving teachers and staff to where their salaries would be for next year. So, we can kind of capture what that looks like from a dollar amount. Uh, big piece of information we don't have is

166our benefit costs for health care. Um, so I'll talk a little later about what we're doing for that. on the next slide. Uh so at this point from revenue, um you know, echoing where we were in the fall, I still believe the budget's doable with around a 2% property tax increase for the year. We talked the last time that we were able to align revenues to actual trends for interest. I'm actually working on building out an investment program to capture increased interest earnings for the district to stabilize should the interest market change as well as aligning revenues to account for additional real estate tax transfer funds we've been receiving as well as additional earned income taxes. We recently had the state budget pass. With that, I presented to the board an update on the level

167of adequacy funding that we have received from the state. um and that comes in what's called the ready tolearn block grant. So I've assumed at this point um that that amount will continue um in February the governor will release his budget and we'll use that to further further foreshadow the budget. Again um even though this year was a unique year it's very hard to actually figure out where we're going to land within the state budget process. So that will always be one of our our variables. Next slide. So when you just look at overall revenue projections, we're looking at $158 million of revenue for next year um as a whole. And again, our biggest significant changes come in those adjustments to local revenue, both aligning to actual trends, but being conservative about that and um

168at this point the requirement for a 2% property tax increase. on the next slide. So, when we talk about at this point needing a 2% uh tax increase and revenue increases, um this is what it's supporting and these are aligned to our district strategic plan. Uh so, at this point um in the 2526 budget, uh we had built in two full-time positions um for um the plan that if we were to go with full day kindergarten, we would need to have start to have those positions in the budget. Those positions would stay in the budget. We also would look to add for next year five full-time positions for full day AK. And while we're not necessarily pulling the trigger next year on full AK, we have to start to build those costs in the budget

169because we're not able to levy taxes or additional revenues all in one year to accommodate that change. So the goal strategically has been you know going along the path as we are researching the feasibility and that decision to build into the budget associated staffing positions. Um the next um are um just coaching positions um based upon um you know where we are for athletic programs. Um those are relatively small costs because they don't come with uh benefit costs that are significant. Um, other positions that have been built into this budget are um an extra ELELLL position at the high school, two elementary intervention positions, and an intervention at the middle school. And those positions also um are not only aligned to current student needs, but will also set us up that in the event we

170do move forward and have a year that we implement for full day K, we'll have the requisite supports throughout the district for those students. And again, as I stated earlier, assuming our current staffing in place um and these new additions, we've reflected what the um staffing schedule will be for next year. Um also, um as we go through the budget process, um we've included what the non-professional staff increase um is at this time. and um an indicator that we'll talk more about for adjusting our support staff salaries to um market um as well as any other positions throughout the district to a market um base um that we'll uh share more about next month at the finance committee. The next slide. So from a benefit position um at this point I'm assuming a 10% increase

171that's included in the budget on medical but our actual numbers are forthcoming so that can have some variance up or down. We know our peaser's retirement rate for pension is relatively consistent with the prior year as well as all those other payroll taxes that we have as a district are consistent with prior years. On the next slide, from a non salary standpoint, but not um small within the budget, um I've accounted for our current contractual increase uh for support staff, both substitutes as well as our crest staff. um also accounted for our utilization of the technology fund for technology purposes and the associated replacement with um using those funds and as we talked about previously a clear identification of funds to replace the capital reserve fund. So at this point that transfer would be 2.7

172million and again a budget reserve of 1% uh for 1.5 million and again we talked about the fact that student moveins other changes um unexpected issues that we have to address in buildings uh you know just let's identify a 1% reserve put it in the budget and all work off of there that we have those funds that again could delta us at the end of the year to a positive um but that we all have a common understanding of what our additional funding is in the budget rather than having it spread throughout individual line items. So we look at the next slide expenditure projection 158 million and again some of the most significant changes you'll see are that the other uses of funds and other objects increases because that's our associated budget reserve and specific

173identified budgeted transfer to the capital reserve. um with regards to some areas that didn't increase as much. So when we look at the projected salaries and benefits as we align costs to actuals, those don't go up um representative of the associated increase in salary costs. I think from a matrix standpoint for professional staff, it's almost a 10% increase to the budget as the um implementation of step and column increases to there. But because of where the budget was for 2526 developed, um the alignment comes in that we're not going to see that in the budget. And I think that's important to call out because next year we won't be in this position. Next year you'll be, you know, adding to that dollar amount in the expenditures and also we'll have to make up that associated

174revenue with that as it plays out. And from an overall budget standpoint, just to give you a perspective, um you know, this year's budget started with being passed at a $ 1.7 million deficit. At this point, the budget's balanced. Um moving forward, and on the next slide, just highlight some upcoming milestones. Um I mentioned from a talking point in February, we'll have a finance committee update on budget. Um and then in March, another update. And as we move through the budget to get it to be approved as a proposed final budget and then a final budget, we'll start to talk about what a long range forecast looks like in the budget as far as um having a understanding of what the path is ahead because decisions with regards to a tax increase impact us both

175in the upcoming year as well as long-term. Uh because that is a revenue source that you're going to lock into the budget that's going to be a base in those future years. And then just outlining those other milestones. I don't have to go over those at this point. Can certainly answer questions on the expenditure projections. You have benefits going down from 26 to the 27 year. >> Yes. Um the history shows they were overbudgeted. Um and when you see the actuals um it's representative that there was more put there than what we actually um spent and incurred regarding our participation in the consortium for benefits >> and at any point are we going to have someone come in from our benefits and give us a breakdown of what's going on? >> I believe in December

176I gave the board an update um that came right from um the consortium. The next update will be on the >> but we used to have them come in and do >> it was only for board members. You couldn't be it wasn't to the public but they come in and they give us a breakdown of what's going on. any more in depth. >> The information I shared is what they're able to share from a HIPPA and a privacy perspective according to um what they report out to to the trust. Um I can I can follow up back about if they could present but that is a limitation that that they have. So there's not a lot of questions that they can answer um based upon the data for HIPPA and privacy. Also, there's not a

177lot of data that they can share because they can't in any way identify individuals, be them employees or others. >> Oh, employees or others to those trends, >> right? I get that. But they used to come in and they used to say, "Oh, this was x amount of dollars spent on heart or something like that or um gave us a breakdown too of also some of the medical or uh prescriptions. gave us all kinds of good information >> and from my understanding what I provided in one of the weekly updates was what they're able to provide that doesn't in any way identify any individual cases through the district. >> I get that but it was a good presentation right from them and we could ask them questions. >> Mr. Lance will check back with them

178to see if if they have an opportunity to do that or they will just we'll have them continue to provide information like we did in the weekly. Um and then if there's any questions they have generated from that we can always go back to them to seek some of those answers. Correct. >> Mr. lens on your slide. Um other non salary and benefit budget highlights. You have a a bullet there to increase um contractual costs for substitute services. Is that going to include guaranteed subs? We we heard quite a bit I thought very poignant information tonight that students are not getting uh their interventions on somewhat of a regular basis because of the issues with subs. So by having guaranteed subs we could perhaps really um eliminate or limit uh the amount of time that

179that would be happening. So, we've made some measures. I'm going to ask Mr. Han uh to to remind uh so I don't get the details wrong, but we've done some adjustments to rates as well as to um ensure longevity that I'm going to ask Mr. Han to speak to. >> Yeah, it's a good question. We have we started the school year with our request to have one building sub at all of our elementary buildings. Um it took a little while for Kelly Services to provide that. We do have one building sub at all of our elementaryaries at this current point and we then probably in the latter part of November, beginning of December, we requested a second building sub at Colale and at Washington. Um I do believe a second one has been identified for

180Colbertdale after talking to principal Mason last week and I do believe that they're um close to identifying a second one for Washington. But that is something that Mr. lands put in the budget for next year to continue as well. And if you remember probably a month to a month and a half ago, we did increase our daily sub rate from $110 to $130. Um, in an effort to continue to have our fill rate somewhere hover, you know, we know that there we're never going to be at 100% fill rate, but to get our fill rate somewhere between 70 and 75% every day, and we hover anywhere between 60 and 65% at this current time. >> Great. Thank you. >> Sure. Anything else for Mr. Lent? So, just a a final wrap-up. So, for action, the

181board at this point has to approve the resolution that they will commit to not exceed the act one index for the district. Um the goal of presenting you this data now is that you can see from this overview we feel we can as an administration present to you a budget within that index um so that um you know that approval then we'll submit that to the department of ed and there's no referendum exceptions or other steps we have to take until we come back to a proposed final budget in May. And again, you'll see that listed there as item G. And that kind of spells out the formality to which you've been um taking that act one resolution since um 2006 as a school district um when act one came into play. But we feel

182that we can um within within the constraints that we've talked about and so forth u bring forward a budget that's well within inside of that act one uh rate that's allowable. Um, Mr. Lance, you just want to just give a highlight on the IDEIDA pass through agreement with the BCIU. >> Sure. Thank you, Dr. David Hudson. So, on the um IDA um agreement um we receive our funding from for IDA, which is federal funds through the intermediate unit. It's passed through to us. Um and so because of that arrangement, we have to engage and sign this agreement that we will be in compliance for the 1.4 4 million we're receiving because essentially we're spending the money. The IU is going to report it to the feds. And so that compliance means things like federal purchasing

183requirements, background checks for individuals, um those type of things that every school district commits to and agrees to for their IDA funds. Under item I and again uh if you recall during the fall you approved the administration to go out on bid for an RFP on some district vehicle. These are the results and Mr. Lance you just want to share with them where where those came and what our intentions are with regard to this year's budget. >> Thank you Dr. David Heiser. So, um, we talked about needing to develop replacement cycles in the district to have a better sense to manage what needs to be replaced and what our goals are because we can't do it all at once. So, the initial was um student van bids and the replacement of one maintenance truck because

184that is essential to our our plowing and snow removal ability. Um, we also within this to remind everybody talked about rotating vehicles. So some of the vans that uh we're going to take and replace for student use are going to go for carrier and other services in the district. Uh with that so the results here um Fred Beans had the lowest um qualified bid for the pickup truck and school vans. Um so we'll be asking for approval at the legislative meeting to move forward and purchase those and those both vans um land at Bash. Under item J, we do have a placement and it was updated in your weekly with regard to Anderson school and there's an agreement listed there better meet the needs of the student that is part of that agreement. Under item

185K, um this is for a contract for nursing services that are needed within an IEP for a student um at Washington Elementary and our life skills um in order to meet the needs of the designated IEP. And you can see the rates there for that contractual amount under item L. Mr. Paladino still back there. I see. um just to give a brief update and reminder to the board and to our newest members a a sense of what the gold card um is here within the school district and then if you can jump down into and just share a little bit about the athletic bids. Okay. Thank you Dr. David Heiser. Uh the gold card club is a way of saying thank you to all of our Bertown area senior citizens or retired employees for outstanding

186support of public education. Membership in the Gold Card Club entitles residents or retired employees that live within the Boyertown School District who are 62 years of age free general admission to athletic contest within the Pioneer Athletic Conference regular season and plays and some musical productions within the Boyertown School District. Now, it's the easiest thing to the way to explain it with the musical productions. Some of them we cannot just use the gold card club for because of royalties we need to pay per ticket. So I always tell everybody we who we give the gold card to to just check with the school that you're going to make sure they accept the gold card and most of them do. So every school within the Pioneer Athletic Conference, they will accept this gold card if you go

187there home and away. So you go to Potts Grove, get in the game for free. We accept their cards, they accept ours. Then moving on to the next part is our fall athletic bids for 2026 year. As you can see, they're broken down on there by sport bids were sent out. These are the the comparable bids that were accepted. Best comparable bids. So, is there any questions on the bid items? Any questions regarding gold cards? are the bids that are listed there for our fall 2026 season. Any questions about the cards or bids? Again, more procedural than anything when it comes to the bid items that are listed there as we're responsible to to go out to bid for those items. Under item N, there is an overnight trip um listed in the agenda. You

188see the details. These are for PMEA district 10 orchestra uh festival students. And again with these competitions um there are selections that are made so they don't necessarily meet or fit neatly into our design of um be presented at a work session meeting and then voted on at a legislative. We will need to bring this forward later in this agenda for your vote as this activity is going to be taking place prior to our next um our next board meeting. But you can see there and lists out the details of the responsibilities of both students and the activity funds and the cost of the district as it relates. So congratulations to those seven students who will be attending um that next stage of the orchestra festival competition here in Pennsylvania. Yep. >> I see on

189here there's a substitute listed as 110 per day. Is it shouldn't that be 130? >> Do we Mr. Han, do we have that in and incorrect in that? >> It is incorrect. >> That's incorrect. So, we will we will make that adjustment certainly for the pay of that substitute. Thank you for >> catching that for us. >> Do I get paid for that? >> You don't get the extra $20. No, I get part of Mr. Horn's job. >> There you go. You have to negotiate that with him. >> All right. Thank you. >> All the way down. I mean, it's >> Yeah, we have it listed. I I I see where you're you're talking about with it. We'll correct that. So, thank you for seeing that. Um, policies O through Y are policies that were

190discussed at our last policy committee meeting. Again, this was prior to uh the reorganization and the new members coming on board. Uh, I did place them on there. Uh, these were the edited uh versions um of these policies. Many of these policies there was not a lot of change due to the fact that they uh were aligned mostly with federal and state laws as many of these fell into the title 9 and and discrimination policies themselves. Um what I'm looking forward uh to do is to bring these forward for a first read at the next legislative meeting. If there are any other concerns that you have uh over the next couple of weeks, please let me know and we can discuss discuss and make any adjustments. If not, we'll bring these forward for a first

191read for the board and as all board policies must go through two reads. Um so um this will start that process. Okay, that takes us down I believe that ends our discussion items. takes us down to reports. >> Mr. Brophie, >> BCIU, Mr. Broofphy, >> next BCIU meeting is this Thursday, so nothing at this time. >> Mr. Altergrove, BCTC. >> Uh, yeah, we had we had two students from Border Town that excelled really. Uh, we have a Jesus Mininger uh 12th grade border town welding. He fed first place in the competition results in the skills. uh welding. And then we had uh Elliot Wendell, Bordertown Diesel Technology. He was the overall contestant winner, first place, $10,000 scholarship to Penn College. And the diesel technology team top school overall, fourth in a row for $5,000 for

192diesel technology program. Those students excelled in the skills competition. Good stuff. That's it. >> Public com period number one. Miss Deeroff Planetarium. >> I already spoke. Thank you. >> I believe then it is Mr. Langden, the water quality management. Good evening. Uh my name is Brian Langden. I'm from Gilbert Soul, Pennsylvania. Uh and it's my uh thank you for having uh the opportunity to speak to you this evening. Um I just want to first off recognize the promptness and uh communication from Dr. David Heiser on the multiple emails that I sent in regards to uh the water quality at Gilbert once the newspaper article was released on December 13th. Um, I also am very thankful and appreciative of the presentation from Mr. Crumb who was very very informative and definitely gave gave me some extra

193insight into what is going on. Um, just for some background, uh, my my daughter is a third grader at Gilbertville and my son is a first grader at Gilbertville and um, I was an employee here for over 12 years. Uh, loved my time here at Boyertown and I miss uh, many of my colleagues and the students here dearly. Um, I've reached out to Dr. David Heiser as well as the board and uh in regards to the water quality. Um, and while the communication was prompt uh prompt and uh very informative as well, there was some uh information that still needs to be answered. Um, my main concern is the lack of communication and transparency from the district from the point of when that newspaper article came out to now. That newspaper article was released on

194December 13th and this is over a month later. Yes, we had a two week off period for uh winter break, but there was a large number of time where our students were there and we were left a little bit without all the essential information to ease the um ease the worries of many families in this district. Uh December 13th, like I said, the article was released and Dr. David Heiser sent out a letter on the 15th. Um, however, there was that test back in October that exceeded the limits, the one that was showing that was over the 14 MCL limit. In my opinion, I wish that the district would have communicated that there was concern already at that time for parents. Yes, the averages um are definitely within the guidelines and I understand that, but

195as do uh Mr. Crumb uh said in his pres presentation when in regards to arsenic that was lowered from 50 to 100 or 50 to 10. We should also be very cautious and whenever we cross um uh a limit we need to make sure that we're ahead of the curve. One thing that else I appreciated that Mr. Kum said was that we need to be proactive instead of reactive. As an educator I always taught my students to be proactive rather than inactive or proactive rather than reactive. but and which is better than inactive. My concern was that the district had information in regards to the PEOS that was at Gilbert Elementary School and was inactive in terms of telling the the people or the students and families and staff members of that that during that

196time while we are within the regulations because of the um the deadline to 2031 I still believe that that could have been shared with our our presentation. So, uh, there was a lot of great suggestions. I appreciate the suggestion from Dr. David Heiser about to list this on, uh, the district website as well as with like the asbestous results and all those other things. I think that's a great idea. I also, uh, am big fan of the the, uh, stainless steel water bottle instead of the regular water bottles. I think that's a great um, I hope that there is some regular regular uh, maintenance of the water filters that are being used at those filling stations as well. Um, I also suggest notifying parents when a test does reach over that mark regardless of the

197average. I think that's important information for the students and um community of Gilbert'sville to know when that is happening and I think by posting that on the website that could be a very easy way to do this. I encourage the board to stop to to not look at the bottom line in this moment. These are students that are in their most developmental stage of their lives and the the chemicals that are in there can prevent or can present some major complications when it comes to that. So I encourage you guys to start looking at the students health and safety in that moment. Not start I mean in this moment within here instead of looking just at the bottom line. I continue to hope that the district takes proactive approach rather than um than the reactive

198approach and what happened in regards to this. Thank you very much for your time. >> At this time, we're looking for approval of the December 2nd, 2025 reorganization meeting minutes. I'll motion. >> I'll second. Miss Connor. >> Yes. >> Miss Kratz. >> Yes, >> Miss Nyman. >> Yes, >> Mr. Brad Upgrove. >> Yes, >> Mr. Roger. Up to Grove. >> Yes, >> Dr. Weir. >> Yes, >> Miss Wy. >> Yes, >> Dr. Wy. Apologize. Mr. Roofy. >> Yes, >> Mr. Pero. >> Yes. >> Eyes have it. >> Now we'll be looking for the approval of the December 2nd, 2025 committee of the whole meeting minutes. >> I'll move. >> I'll second. >> Miss Connor? >> Yes. >> Miss Katz? >> Yes. >> Miss Nyman? >> Yes. >> Mr. Brad Upgrove? >> Yes. >> Mr. Roger

199Upg? >> Yes. >> Dr. Rear? >> Yes. >> Dr. Wy? >> Yes. >> Mr. Broofphy? >> Yes. Mr. Pedro. >> Yes. >> Vice have it. >> That takes us to the superintendent's consent agenda. We do have one item there under consent and that is the overnight trip that we just reviewed a few minutes ago. So, um the administration under item B does um recommend the board approval of the consent agenda item listed. >> Approy motions. Second. Miss Connor. >> Yes, >> Miss Katz. >> Yes, >> Miss Nyman. >> That is with the correction to the >> Yes, we will make that correction. >> Okay, if the correction is there, then yes, >> Mr. Brad Upgroof. >> Yes, Mr. Roger Upgroof. >> Yes, >> Dr. Weir. >> Yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Roofy,

200>> yes. >> Mr. Penell, >> yes. eyes have it. >> Under superintendent's itemized agenda, we do have a number of agreements um that are on for your consideration. And again, as the awarding of the projects back in October and November for both the turf fields and for the Bordertown Elementary roof and HVAC systems um were awarded by the board and you voted on those that set it into stages where then we um developed an agreement. All of these agreements were reviewed by Mr. Sultanic's office and have been approved and all the necessary uh legalities have been worked through with regard to that. So under item A, the administration does recommend the approval of Lantech Group LLC and the contract for the turf fields as listed. >> Panora moves. >> I'll second. >> Miss has a

201question. Uh this is an agreement and that's for the contract. In the contract, do we have anything different in there for a project manager? >> Anything different for a project manager? I'm not sure what you're >> I requested a project manager because at that time originally Mr. Sheiel was here and I didn't think he was qualified to do the project. So the there will be an on-site project manager from CHA that oversees the project on the behalf of the school district and oversees Lantex work and then works with our facilities department in coordination. If there were to be any change orders or any adjustments they was would be brought back through the board be discussed and and considered through that and through Mr. Bramble. >> And Mr. Bramble is going to be out for surgery.

202I think I heard >> um that that I can't speak to. We don't have any information with regard to that. So, it's not something I can comment on. >> So, I have major concerns on that. I still think we need our own project manager, not CHA. Okay. >> We've had issues with it wasn't them at the time, it was Duey at the time, but we had issues. So, >> Okay. Well, I I I am confident in the fact that um not only do we have um uh Mr. Lynch who's organized both projects on both uh on both of these their representatives uh that will be on site and oversight of the primes that will be on the jobs. I have confidence in them working and that uh representative working with Mr. Bramble and Mr. Bramble's

203office to coordinate and if there are any concerns outside of what we expect to happen that they'll be brought back to the board for full discussion and disclosure for any f further decisions. >> Is that the same setup for the sorry is that the same setup for the other projects as well? >> It is. >> Yeah. Just as an understanding, the project manager working for the subcontractor works for the subcontractor, not for us. You can look at him that way as he's working for us, but he doesn't. But that's your choice. Call the RO. >> Miss Connor. >> Yes. >> Miss Katz. >> Yes. Miss Nyman, >> no. >> Mr. Brad Upgrove, >> yes. >> Mr. Roger Upgro, >> yes. >> Dr. Weir, >> yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Broofphy, >> no.

204>> Mr. Pedell, >> yes. >> I have it. Under item under item B, the administration recommends the board approve the JBM Mechanical Incorporated contract for the Boyertown Area School District bees HVAC and roof system replacement project as listed. >> Power moves. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Miss Kretz, >> yes. Miss Nimman, >> I'm gonna abstain because I'm very concerned about not having a project manager. >> You are you abstaining for a non-conlict of interest reason? >> Yes. >> Okay, that will technically be a no, but it's an abstension. >> Mr. Brad Upgro, >> yes. >> Mr. Roger Upgro, >> yes. >> Dr. Weir, >> yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Brophy, >> yes. Mr. Pedro, >> yes. >> Eyes have it. >> Under item C, again, the administration recommends the approval of

205the contract for EA roofing company LLC and for the BES HVAC and roof system replacement project as listed. >> I'll second. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Miss K. Yes, >> Miss Diamond. >> I'm gonna abstain again. >> Mr. Brad, up to proof. >> Once again, just your abstensions will be reflected as a non-conlict of interest. Otherwise, you would have to fill out a memorandum and give it to the board secretary. >> I would gladly fill it out regardless. >> Mr. Ratu, >> yes. >> Mr. Raj, >> yes. >> Dr. Weir, >> yes. >> Dr. Mr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Brophy, >> yes. >> Mr. Perell, >> yes. >> I have it. >> Under item D, B, uh, administration recommends the approval of Philips Brothers Electrical Contractors Incorporated contract for the Borertown Area School

206District Bees HVAC and roof system project as listed. >> I'll second. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. Miss Kratz. >> Yes. >> Miss Diamond >> abstain. None. Everything's the same as the other two. >> Mr. Brad Upgroo. >> Yes. >> Mr. Roger Up to Grove. >> Yes. >> Dr. Rear. >> Yes. >> Dr. Wy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Broofphy. >> Yes. >> Mr. Penerell. >> Yes. >> Eyes have it. Under item E, administration um recommends the adoption of the act one resolution thereby limiting the tax increase for the 26 2026 2027 school year by no more than the act index listed there of 4.2%. >> I'll motion. >> We are second. >> Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Miss Kretz, >> yes. >> Miss Nimon, >> yes. Mr. Brad Upgrove. >> Yes. >> Mr. Roger Upgroth. >>

207Yes. >> Dr. Wearer, >> yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Brophies, >> yes. >> Mr. Penel, >> yes. >> I have it. >> Under item F, the administration recommends the board take approval of the personnel agenda as listed. >> Motion. >> I'll second. Miss Connor, >> yes. >> Miss KZ, >> yes. >> Miss Nyman, >> yes. >> Mr. Brad Upgrove, >> yes. >> Mr. Roger, Uptogrove, >> yes. >> Dr. Weir, >> yes. >> Dr. Wy, >> yes. >> Mr. Brophy, >> yes. >> Mr. Perell, >> yes. >> Eyes have it. >> Dr. David Heiser, could I say something about the retirees >> on the personel? Yes. >> Thank you. On the personnel agenda, I just want to um acknowledge the uh excess of 250 years of teaching experience uh that we're going to

208be losing at the end of this year. Um those 10 individuals that are represented um have devoted uh a significant amount of time and and their professional careers to the district. So, um I just wanted to publicly thank them. Uh we do have uh in the contract the stipulation that all retiree notifications need to be provided by uh January 15th. So we may have um some additional names on the board agenda for um January 27th. But uh I just wanted to give a um a thank you to those individuals that are represented there. >> Next we have old business. will be announcing the committees. The finance committee will be myself, Mr. Roger Upgrove, and Dr. Wy. Education and student services committee will be Dr. Wy, Dr. Wear, and Mrs. Kratz. Mrs. Kratz will also remain

209a student board representative liazison. The facilities committee will be myself, Mr. Roger Upgrove, and Miss Connor. The policy committee will be Miss Kratz, Brad Up the Grove, and Dr. Wear. Next up is comment period number two. No one has signed up. Which leads us to board comment. Miss Connor, do you have anything? >> Not at this time. >> Uh, yes. I have a concern. I had phone calls as to why our buildings were not plowed over the holidays. in particular why the Monroe Street extension was not done since that's emergency personnel that could go through there and everybody was wondering why it was not done. >> I'll need to get some answers for you. It's the first I've been made aware of that. I did not get any contacts from any community members with regards

210to this. It was my understanding and we did have plow systems and salt systems in place to be able to handle things over the holidays as well. So I'll be able to get back to you with some information. >> I was told nothing was done and in fact I drove past the Monstro Monroe Street extension and nothing was done to that. If the fire trucks or EMS or police, whatever, >> I will get some information back to you as soon as I can from Mr. Bramble's office. Thank you for letting know. >> I received the same um same information that um Miss Nim received as well. So, uh from probably different people. Yeah, >> I'll have a conversation and get back to you some information on that. >> Dr. Wy, >> just a concern about

211the sub rate. I I saw a lot of information that although it has been established that those teachers who have a history with the district should be getting the higher rate and that it is certainly something that has been put into place that they're not getting it. they're not getting the higher rate. >> I can follow up with my contact which is Mrs. Belure at Kelly Services and get back to you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. When did we make that adjustment? That was made back in November, October, November. >> It was it was a board meeting. Could have been late October, early November. I'd have to go back and look at the board agenda. So that has been put into I I know we've and that has transpired into us uh having the fill

212rates on some of those sub positions. So that's that's information that we'll need to investigate. >> Do they bill us? >> Kelly services. Yes, they they will bill us. >> And does the bill go to Dr. Mr. >> Mr. Han reviews those? It goes through the billing office and so forth. So I >> we don't get an itemized bill per day. we get an itemized bill for the time period. So, it's not like we can see, >> but isn't the rate on there that they can be paid or >> but the rates vary because depending on if it's an extended sub or a day-to-day sub. So, a day-to-day sub is 130. An extended sub could be up to 155. So, it's they have rates, but correct. >> So, Dr. Wy, are you hearing that from

213some substitutes themselves that have come to you? Do you know if they're of the newer rate of daytoday or are they an elevated rate that they've been here longer? The comments have been that once you've established yourself as an established sub which was how many days once you work >> after the 30 days >> after no is it >> so the day-to-day rate we change from 110 to 130 there is a structure in place that as individuals sub for over 30 over 60 that rate increases. So, we would have to look at what the individuals are stating. Are they stating they're not getting the 130 or are they not getting the additional rate past 30 days or past 60 days? >> They're saying that even coming back, they've if they've established themselves a year, coming

214back the next school year, that they should not have to start over again. >> Correct. And that was something that we addressed. I think Mrs. Kratz brought that up at a board meeting and the next the very next day. and I can provide you with the documentation from Mrs. Biliger that they were going to retroactively compensate those individuals and bill us for those that did start over when the idea was that they would not have to start over the next school year. So, if you have specific names, that would be wonderful for me to to provide, but I will also follow up with with my contact Steph builder tomorrow. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Nothing. I don't have anything. >> Um, I want to thank the um 10 teachers that been here forever

215um on their retirement and um I wish him well and um again I say thank you because I I might have had one back then >> 250 years ago >> about that. Okay, >> we have some upcoming meeting dates and uh our next meeting here will be at six o'clock which will be the 27th our facilities committee meeting followed by a legislative meeting at 7:00 here which many of these items will be brought forward for your consideration. So I thank you for that and I wish everybody a very good new year. >> Motion to adjurnn. Weird motions. I'll second meeting ajourned