001At this time I would like to ask for a moment of silence for uh an Upper Darby student lost recently, Mr. Khaleef Webster, and other victims of gun violence locally uh and nationally. The district posted this evening's agenda to BoardDocs at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of this meeting. Is there a motion to approve that previously posted agenda? So moved. Second. Are there any amendments to offer? There are no amendments. The agenda has been moved and seconded. All those in favor, please say I. I. Those opposed, please signify by saying I oppose. Those abstaining, please signify by saying I abstain. Motion The only item on tonight's agenda is one item of new business, uh which is acceptance of a board member's resignation. I will read the the the resolution, and then the board
002will vote on it. Resolution to accept board member's res- resignation and to authorize the process to fill the resulting vacancy. The Board of School Directors of the Upper Darby School District resolves that it accepts and approves the letter of res- resignation from Neil Desnoyers, a member of the board of school directors effective on Thursday, May 29th, 2025. As required by board policy 004 and accompanying board operating guidelines, the board authorizes the administration to advertise the vacancy in a newspaper of general circulation within the district and to include in such advertisement the request for applications, the deadline for such applications and the intended timeline for appointment of an individual to fill the vacancy. Consistent with the those requirements, the board sets the deadline for candidates to submit their applications as June 13th, 2025 at 12 p.m.
003The board will review all applications prior to interviewing the candidates and those interviews will take place on June 17th, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. The board anticipates filling the vacancy at the conclusion of the special voting meeting on June 17th, 2025. Do I have a motion to approve the resolution? Yes. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you. Are there any comments from the board? Vice President Murphy-Morrisey. I just want to say on behalf of the board, we appreciate all the work that you've put into your position over the years. We know that you make sound good decisions with the community at at heart in everything that you've done. Words cannot express how much we'll miss you. Thank you very much. >> finished. Oh, sorry. And um light of Don's absence, I'm going to do his
004part. The first gift is not Bath & Body Works. It just didn't have a bag. Reads, "Difference maker, a committed individual who is capable of of having a significant effect with just a few words on on a small act or a small act. A person who improves the lives of others, someone who inspires and motivates others to progress and brings about change." That's you. We are trying to keep you Delco even though you're Monco. So, we heard your favorite restaurant was Tank and Libby's. So, you have to come and visit us. In light of keeping you Delco, we have a Wawa gift basket for you. Awesome. And Andy. Thank you. And then we also have some Upper Darby swag. So, you you got to stay close to Delco. Okay. Upper Darby forever. Thank you very
005much. I I wear my Upper Darby swag proudly. Great. Well, now you got more. Are there any Are you finished now? Thank you. Are there any other comments from board members? Director Worrall Savage. I think Vice President took the words right out of my mouth, but I just want to take a moment right now to appreciate you for your friendship, for your guidance, helping me to be a better board member through the example that you set. And like a famous teacher here named Benjamin once said, "Someone may stand where you once stood, but no one's ever going to take your place. We will miss you. Thank you. Uh thank you to Mr. Neil. Uh Uh This is sad for us. You leaving to us. You've been here a long time. And everybody love you on
006our our community. Everybody knows you. And when I came here and you came to my place and teach me how to read, how to work the advice work here as a director. So, thank you for your time and your uh help to us for our community. Thank you. I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your dedication to the board, for your commitment, for your leadership, and for your service. So, thank you. I just want to echo what everybody else is saying. Thank you so much for being part of the board and part of the district. Thank you. Okay, are there any comments from the public? If If I can speak Neil before the the public goes >> Go ahead. Go ahead, Dr. McGarry. >> you being a volunteer, becoming a part
007of this board is is not an easy situation. So, I think we first met several years ago when you volunteered as a community member to be part of the comprehensive plan. I think over a long period of time I've grown to appreciate, you know, the attention to detail, um the amount of hours that you put into painstakingly the right words and the choices that go into policy. And uh you know, we we should probably have an award dedicated in your honor moving forward on policy because you take it so seriously. However, I will say that would be wouldn't be right to let you go without a little joke that, you know, you're leaving without having finished policy 707, which which I which I think is tremendously selfish. Um and I I'll leave it at that,
008but we'll I'll definitely miss those conversations and the time that you've you've given to the district. So, thank you. So, as I told another board member um on our way here this evening, um I am available for consultation. Are there any comments from the public? Thank you very much. Um, so Neil, director, president, Des Noirs, um, this day feels a little sad for me, um, because we started out together. And, um, I just wanted to write a little note to you from the House of Representatives in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Um, dear school board president Neil Des Noirs, the office of Rep. Gina H. Curry would like to acknowledge your hard work and dedication to the Upper Darby School District over the past 7 years, 7 and 1/2. We recognize that this work
009is not only an act of service, but truly an act of love, ensuring our students and community have access to the resources and policies they deserve. As a former director myself, I've witnessed your commitment to partnership, equity, and justice for all students, staff, and administrators. Your advocacy for sensible policies and resources has been deeply valued and appreciated. We with a grateful heart, I want to say it has been an honor to serve alongside you. I always felt reassured knowing you were thinking not only of my own children as they journeyed through the district, but of every child in Upper Darby. We are truly thankful for your service. You will be missed, but not far away. Thank you for your sacrifice, your dedication, and your unwavering commitment to all of us. We wish you the very
010best in all your future endeavors. All the best, Gina H. Curry. Thank you very much for the kind words. Neil, this is personal for me, so, uh I didn't intend on being here. I had other plans, but I have changed them around so I could be here for you. So, we started our journey together as school board directors, and I watched you evolve. Um it was my idea to suggest to you about uh being the policy chair. So, I watched you um evolve into someone that's extremely competent um and dedicated and attacked that like, you know, you took to that that role like a duck to water. So, you did a great job with that um up until this day. So, you did a great job as a school board director. I was proud to
011serve with you. Um and we're friends, so we're going to keep in touch. Um I'm going to keep checking on you to make sure you're doing okay. Uh and I appreciate serving with you. So, thank you. Have a good one. Thank you very much for your kind words. Okay, we've had a motion and a second. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> I. All those opposed, please say I oppose. Those abstaining, please say I abstain. Motion carries. We are now at the time for the public hearing. We will call on Upper Darby School District residents who signed in to address the board in the order in which they signed in, followed by emailed and phoned comments. We would ask that you come forward, give your name and address, and present your comments in
012the 3-minute time limit. In accordance with policy 903, the time allotted for general comments, both in-person and submitted comments, will not exceed 1 hour. As uh Representative Curry and Mayor Brown are the only ones on the um sign-in list, um uh and they previously spoke. Uh I think we don't have any other comments. I believe we have That's correct. No comments. Do we Do we have the online Did online comment comments come in? >> We do have an online comment. Um I don't know that it was reviewed to align with the agenda item though. >> Well, this for I think for this meeting Ms. Buford as opposed to the committee meetings, I think for general comments for this meeting they they would work. For general comments? There are none. For a for the voting meeting
013there is a comment. I I'm not sure if it aligns with the agenda item however. Please advise. Yeah, so for for this meeting tonight as opposed to the committee meetings, comments that came in that are related to this meeting, we can read those we can read those comments. >> Okay. So, we have one comment from Joseph Riley located at 311 East Baltimore Avenue in Clifton Heights. This comment was received on the 23rd at 7:28 p.m. via email. It is a general comment. It begins, "Hi and good day. I pray all is well and this email finds you okay. I am Josiah Riley, a Clifton Heights PA resident. I wanted to bring a possible proposal to the board for an updated curriculum to implement in 25-26 school year. This proposal is multifaceted and for all educational
014levels, elementary, middle, and high school. For high school, I would like to see the board and district implement a civic engagement course or debate class to instruct the youth on how to properly engage with dialect over a physical altercation. Next for the school to offer an early driver's education class to eligible aged students. Next, I'd like to see the district offer electives such as trick technical trades and home economics or study hall open periods. Excuse me. All levels should subjects should study subjects. All levels should study subjects math, ELA, geographic history, physical education every day. The elementary level should offer music and art as electives for before after school clubs with chess club and study hall options. I'd like to see the board implement legit standards for physical education development at all levels to inspire
015the students to earn their grades and assist them in obtaining or maintaining healthy weights and BMIs. I will be in attendance at the next meeting, but I do not wish to speak. However, I do ask the board to consider these few changes as I believe they will strongly help the students and families. End of comment and that concludes all of our comments. Thank you very much, Ms. Buford. Is there a motion for the adjournment of the meeting? So moved. All in favor? Aye. Meeting adjourned.