001time meeting the order of 704. Would you please stand for a moment of silence for the pledge? I stand to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. All members are present except one excuse executive session dealing with personnel student matter personnel. Next topic is going to be I think uh guest presentation but uh I'm going to do something on there board member could you please stand welcome 20 25 this and they're all lined up because they are going to be receiving certificates. And um just so that our community sees they're all going to be receiving certificates and when I call their names each of their certificates reads as such certificate of achievement.
002The following award is given to the student. This certificate is awarded for the achievement with the football team in winning the midpen colonial division for 2025. So when I call your name, you all will come up. you're going to line up and we're going to give you all a picture. But before we have them do that, um we just want to say that we're very proud of them for what they did this season. Uh we all sit out in the cold and we were shivering all season long because they just kept winning. And so uh we're proud to recognize them. We want to thank the parents as well for coming out. So we'll start with Jakan Alonszo, Gordon Bailey and Gin's on too. All right, Jon folks, I know this name. All right, Jude folks,
003come on up. Amari Johnson, I know this one, too. All right, Eden Johnson up, Josiah Jones. All right. Quamir Kelly. All right. Uh Audrey's uh Kent Yither. >> Say it again. >> Kint Yer. All right. You're welcome. Jared Kerr Leaks. >> Congratulations, Gage Lavier. Come on up, Gage. Come on up. All right, Gyrie Matthysse. Josh, you gonna help me with this last name? JOSH. >> NEGATE. ALL RIGHT. Josh is going to tough. >> All right. Yes. Nazir novel. >> And Jaden Riley. All right, we have Jaland. Did I say this? Juland. >> Good. Jalandis Russell. And then we have Graham Bailey. We have all of our coaching staff coming in. Please welcome our coaching staff. All right. >> Yes. >> Actually, what I'm going to do is have uh Coach Eden come up and introduce
004his team. Come on up, sir. Introduce your coaching staff. >> First of all, thank you for having us tonight. >> Oh, absolutely. >> We definitely are so appreciate it. We're gonna have all of our coaches on tonight with the schedule. Sorry. Unfortunately, tonight we don't have all of the coaches with us because of schedule change and things going on. But with us tonight, we have Mike Kern who is our offensive line coach. Give a round of applause to >> We have Rick Pierce with us tonight. Rick Pierce is in his he was just recognized by the Pennsylvania State Coachers Association for his 35th year of coaching in the state of Pennsylvania. So Rick Pierce offensive line first. Uh, right beside Coach Pierce is Jimmy Beex. Was also recognized by the state of Pennsylvania for 34
005years of coaching in the state of Pennsylvania. And then finally, >> never graduates. Been here forever, but does a great job. And that is Jay Jones. Hey, and uh coach, I'm gonna ask you to come back up as well because coach Heden was also um did uh coach of the year for Colonial Division for Pen Live. Yes. Did I get it right? All right. I am okay. >> I'm somewhere in here, too. Tell me where to go. >> Can I just make a suggestion? I think that coach should center himself in the middle of the >> should wait. Athletic director, would you like to come on? There you go. Awesome. You went too far. J John. There you go. >> So, are you all in the window? If the person in front of you, I
006got it. You got them. Y'all good? All right. Everyone look here. Smile. Take a punch. All right. The camo doesn't actually work that way. >> This is totally dating myself. just how far back I go. So, back in my day in high school, they had a a rap song, Hula Fry, and they also had a rap song, Love the Rim with the Rollers. I'm just putting it out there. I think that our team should >> All right. So, um Josh, you have to come stand beside me. All right. So, uh, we also want to mention, um, that Josh was named defensive player of the year. Did I get that right? Right. And Torren, who is not with us tonight, was uh, named offensive player of the year. And if we really wanted to be here
007all night, I would start naming which colleges and universities our young men got accepted to, but we don't want to do that. But I will tell you, we are very proud of the offers that our young men have received and we are looking forward to great things from them. All right. So, thank you all. Thank you. >> And all you guys, please get your teacher. >> Oh, Lord. Oh, Lord. >> All of you are not going to the big league. I'll tell you that you only a few may make it, but be a teacher. You can get a job. >> That's right. >> All right. Well, gentlemen, thank you. you will see your faces on social media again and we're just very proud of you for all that you did. To our graduates, congratulations on
008an amazing final season. All right. He says, >> "Thank you family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Celebrating. >> Yeah. Celebrating families. >> Celebrating families, sir. Starting with celebrating families. >> No. Do you want to go? Yeah. Do you want to go back to there? >> Yeah. Is that the way to agenda? >> Yes. >> We going celebrating families first and then building spotlight. >> Okay. So, um, >> we might have a few extra folks then, but if the Rutherford family wants to step forward. So, tonight, um, not just part of our building spotlight, but we wanted to celebrate the Rutherford family and their contributions to Sesqua Township Middle School. Um, I will tell you that this family has helped the middle school not just to shine but to build um the capacities of our
009musical, our choir, our music programming um our PTSO, create a new booster club. like the the um our building would not be as healthy and as off to a great foot as it is without the extra efforts of this great family um who we wanted to welcome tonight. So go ahead without further ado I introduce you to the Rutherford family. one of a kind limited edition South Hannah Township blanket. It's a really nice blanket. Um, I will also say before I come down for the the photo that Mrs. Rutherford is an amazing baker. >> I know that. I won't say how I know, but just know I know. Amazing. Um, but also Mr. Rutherford serves as the treasurer for the Hannah Foundation. And as you all know, we just accepted a $12,000 check from the
010Hannah Foundation to help our students with dual enrollment. And so they're paying for those scholarships. And so we just again want to thank you all for all that you do. It extends beyond the middle school. They're really impacting the entire district. So thank you for that. All right, come on up. We're going to do a photo up for you guys. And this is the certificate. It says, "Celebrating families certificate of appreciation presented to the Rutherford family in recognition of your invaluable contributions to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment in our school community. So, thank you all. You are welcome. because you got the riddle. >> And so Daniel, you can direct us however you'd like. >> We don't need to do two lines or anything. >> Okay, we're good together. >> In the middle
011and then go. >> Okay. >> There. Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Put mine closer. >> Yeah. Do you want to go back to the There we go. >> All right. Mr. Ross, are you okay if we start with our building spotlight? >> You okay if we start with our building spotlight next? >> Yes. Yeah, that's what Okay. Very good. >> Yeah, you are. >> Okay. Thank you. Um well, hi. Hi everyone. If if we don't know each other, and I think we all know each other, I'm Ryan Evans. I am the building principal of Susuana Township Middle School. Um, I have been in that building since 2018 in one capacity or another. I will say it feels like home. I love it there. We've made a lot of growth over the
012years and tonight I'm hoping to spotlight some of that growth. Um, so little bit of demographic data and a little bit about who we are. Go ahead, Mr. Bishop. Um, so we've got a breakdown of just our demographics, the students who make up our building. We are the most diverse middle school in the entire nation and in the state according to Nichi. Um I I will just highlight some of the special factors um that do sometimes add to the depth and breadth of our data including um nearly 10% um English language learners across the building um 18% special education um identifications. And those are factors that we consider as we're going through MTSS programming and PBIS programming and the daily functions of the building that all build into our behavioral and academic data. Go ahead,
013Mr. Bishop. Um, so a little bit about our cell and behavioral data. Go ahead. So, as you know, over the past probably four or five years, we've been um on track or on a journey um to create PBIS systems at the middle school. Um frequently visiting behavioral data, talking about sore, sore expectations, how our behavior impacts our learning. Um we have been recognized last year at the IU level as PBIS implementation tier one with Fidelity. Um which means that's a second year that we've been able to implement PBIS um in a way that's in line with other schools across the state. And our goal this year is to achieve tier 2. Um so we've been really working hard on those efforts and I will tell you that that has some outcomes. Um decrease in behavioral
014data. Um when we look at this time 2024 to this time 2025, we have nearly a 50% decrease in um behavioral referrals or office discipline referrals um in year-to-year comparison. Um we also have increase in students and staff feeling safe across every environment in the building according to our October to October sore um surveys. And we have increases in students who recognize that there is a staff member in our building who cares about them. And that doesn't necessarily mean a teacher, but it could be anyone, a school counselor, a dean, um a custodian, but they know and recognize there's an adult in that building somewhere that cares about them. >> And I would just add that the reason why we're sharing that statistic because that is linked in research. the student persisting in school. It
015helps to decrease um trauma and it also has to decrease slow. That's why we're sharing that stat that statistic. >> Yep. Go ahead, Mr. Bishop. So, just a quick look at our behavioral data from 25 to the school year 2425 to >> and that includes anything from talking in class. You want to go back You want to go back one? She wanted to highlight one. >> Yeah. That includes anything from not prepared for class um to talking in class, disrupting a learning environment, a class cut, all of it. >> Okay. Thanks, Mr. Bish. >> We're looking at 7735s in Octo. >> No, not at all. >> Um, so a little bit more about our sore data, and this is stuff that the kids don't always see, so this part might be a little boring. I'm
016sorry. But 82% of our staff have reported feeling supported by building level administration. Um, since I've been ch tracking that in 2022, that's a statistic that has nearly doubled. Um, so our staff right now is feeling very comfortable and confident in the fact that they're doing the right job and they have the support of the school administration to keep doing that job. um staff who report feeling that they strongly disagree with district initiatives, building administration has fallen to 0%. Um and that's again in our October to October sore survey. Um and our staff who report that they care about the students who are in our building is at an all-time high of 100%. Mr. Bishop, if you want to go ahead. So, some of our academic data. So, in the 2025 PSSA, so the test
017that the kiddos just took um in the spring, we can see that as far as our data for ELA and math, we do have some room to grow. What I will say is even though our achievement scores are a little bit on the lower end, our growth data outpaced the rest of the state for three continuous years. That helped us to get off of our targeted school improvement plan last school year. So if you want to hit the next one, you can see in 25 our math data, our growth math data was at 79%. that outpaced the rest of the state by about five percentage points. Last year, we did see a bit of a dip in our growth data for ELA. So, students who are not demonstrating growth did decrease from 23 24 to
01824 25 and they did not keep pace. We did not keep pace with the rest of the state, students across the rest of the state. If you want to head to the next one. So in recognizing that fact we do follow benchmarks and we follow um uh fall to winter to spring benchmark process through MAP. And you can see that we are projecting that across sixth, seventh and eighth grade roughly 25 to 30% growth rates between each of the grade levels. And this is for math. And if you want to hit the next one up. And again in ELA, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Again, 25 about 40% growth across ELA with our eighth graders outpacing the rest of the building. Go ahead, Mr. Bishop. So last school year um 24 to 25 our yearend
019assessment for MAP demonstrated that 44% of our kids were growing faster than same age peers across the state. And if you want to hit to ELA and half that number 21% were outpacing same age peers across the state which is kind of in line with what the PSSA data had to say. Go ahead. So, our academic goals for this year and recognizing that data, we'd like to see um our ELA scores to meet or exceed 53% of our building population demonstrating proficiency in PSSA and 60% for math. So, our pathway forward, so recognizing our data where it is and where we want to be, our goal is for students to make more than nine months worth of growth in the nine months that we have them in front of us, right? So, we've increased our
020focus on MTSS data um and strategic grouping of students. Um that's part of our CBL programming. We've also um increased our selection of evidence-based intervention materials and resources available for all of our teachers, especially at the tier 2 and three level. And the curriculum department has helped us select and trial some of those. We're increasing the alignment of our professional development efforts, induction program, mentoring, and sponsorship to focus on tier one best practices that all students can benefit from in the building. And we also are providing increased leadership uh focus on the STSD leadership model to help us with our continuous cycles of improvement and monitoring our student growth across the year. And we've got an additional focus on depth of knowledge in our walkthrough process and observation process. And I will thank Dr. Martin.
021He's hugely aided us in that in the um development of that process. Go ahead, Mr. Bishop. So, we're Susana Township Middle School. That's who we are demographically. Those are our scores. There's good, bad, ugly, and there's always room for growth, which is our mission, the success of every learner, and it's what we're striving for every day in every way in our building. Go, Mr. We. We do have a few members of our student government and our student government advisor. So, I'm going to turn the floor over to you. >> Hello everyone. Um, so my name is Aaron Wright. I am a social studies teacher at the middle school as well as this year I am the co-advisor with Cali Wendell, our math interventionist for our student council student government organization and they're going to be
022here today to show you some of the things that they have been doing so far this year in our student council. >> Um, good evening. My name is Olivia Smith. I'm an eighth grader at STMS. In the student council, we specifically work on the day the weekly roar, principal's advisory, and student council. We have renewed our efforts to strengthen student voices and leadership throughout the student council. Student council does many things such as advertising and taking account of students voices, which insurers which ensures diverse perspectives. While in the weekly Aurora, we film weekly announcements, including teacher shoutouts, upcoming events, and honorable mentions throughout the school. With this, we are creating a greater collaboration and ownership in our school community. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Gay Hunsburgger. Um, I'm an eighth grader and
023I'm a part of student council, specifically principal's adviser. Our role in principal's advisor is to get some of our more like student ideas and opinions into the building. A little bit more of what they might have that might include like in the past we have talked about getting more sports and after school activities more of like if they have meets and getting that more around a school advertising for those. But just because we talk about those ideas doesn't mean they're always set in stone. We go through a talking we talk for 45 minutes. We meet with Mr. Evans and then he reviews our ideas and see if they are suitable for the school. >> Go ahead, Abby. Just speak your heart. >> Hi, my name is Abigail Goto. I'm a seventh grader at STS and
024I'm a part of the weekly war and also a principal advisory. Um, so during student council, we talk about the more um uncovered things at school and we talk about our students ideas on how to help fix those things. So, and you do a great job at that job. >> Well done. Well spoken, Abby. Well done. Adele, do you want to add anything? >> Are you sure? >> Yeah. Okay, Mr. Bishop, if you want to advance the next slide. Um, I will welcome Miss Rutherford to speak if she would like to. She is part of our PTSO. Um, as well as well as our everything else I mentioned, musical choir. So, there's anything you'd like to add on behalf of any of those organizations? >> Um, no. I am just really happy to be um
025here to support Susanna Township. I am an alum and my husband is also an alum. Um we have been a part of the Hannah Foundation actually since it began with Thomas Holtzman. Um so that is near and dear to our hearts. Um I have been involved in the PTO when my children were at Sarah Lindamuth and currently at Thomas Holtzman and then also the PTSO at the middle school. Um and it has just been a pleasure to be able to um give back to our school district that um my husband and I both had such an amazing experience um at um when we were growing up. And so we're just really happy to be a part of everything um that's going on in this district. So thank you for all of your support, Dr. Willis,
026Dr. Martin, um all the support that you give to us um as families. Um we really appreciate that. So thank you. >> So that's our presentation unless >> No, I'm Mr. Stack. I'm assistant principal. I've been there four years. Um, these are four of roughly 805 students that walk through our doors on a daily basis. I can absolutely guarantee that I don't know 8005 names, but I I say hi to each one. Friend is my most common way to if I don't know their name, but um and stop out and see what we're doing at the middle school. We're doing some great things, whether it's in the in the classrooms, academically, in the art rooms, outside in sports, musicals. I just attended the orchestra concert last week. So, we're doing some great things and we
027invite you all to come to see what we're doing. Band concerts Wednesday. >> Yes. >> Any questions from the board? >> Mr. Adams. >> Sure. >> I just wonder we don't we're not reporting any students in foster care. We don't have any students in foster care system at the middle school. >> So, I would say that that information is pulled directly from the state website and there's there's nothing listed there. Um, it's possible that in this school year we do, but in 2425 we we did not or at least from the time they pulled the data from. >> Y >> I was just wondering if there was any like awareness around that like if we do have some like it said not applicable. So I we do track the other trackers and that we do
028that if we do have some of those students that they might you know have or might need some additional supports >> just because they just >> Yeah. And so I'm aware I'm aware of a few cases this year. Right. So that's that's where things like having a schoolbased social worker is really helpful and our communities and schools efforts that we've put into those folks um really come into play and make sure that we're providing for the whole child and that there is community support to wrap around that child not just during the school day but upon going home as well. and only half a percent of military. Go >> ahead on the waiver participation for science on biology. >> Um yeah. Okay. So over the course of the past few years the state has restructured
029the science standards into what's called steels. Um it's very much an inquirybased model of science instruction. Um but given that fact and the fact that it has kind of um upheave or or had an upheaval on the curriculum end for every school district in the state um they haven't calculated that data for the past year. Um they're giving the school districts a little bit of time to catch on and get their curriculum up to speed to make sure that everyone's aligning with the steels standards. Um and then I think this ne this next year they're going to start tracking that data again. So I I I had I'm sorry. Nothing. Did you >> I just Oh, you did. Okay. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> I was just wondering about the so our proficiency levels. So
030it it's saying that for mathematics and algebra and then also um English language and uh literature we are not we did not meet our intern goals and our numbers are significantly lower >> than statewide average >> and as well as the statewide goals what what is do we have a plan for >> Yep. So that's where part of the MTSS process comes into play as well as our professional development induction programs. >> You want to go back to the >> Yeah. You want to go back to the slide, Mr. Ke? I'll tell you. Yeah. Uh, wait, go forward one more. There you go. So, in math, we met we met that growth measure, right? In ELA, we did not. Um, what I will say is that's the first time in three years we did not
031meet that target. Um, there could be a number of factors at play there. Um, increased population of English language learners. Um some of the efforts that we have put into place at the middle school include focus on vocabulary strategies um written um expression um composition and that is something that our instructional coach as well as Mr. stack as well as members from the IU have come out to the school and provided specific instruction to our staff on on how to continue our efforts in those curricular areas um to pull students up from kind of the spaces that we recognize they're performing at the end of the 2024 25 school year and hope to increase that growth in 2526. So our staff undergoes a weekly professional development. We've created a resource bank based on those professional
032developments that our staff are accessing for researchbased um evidence of evidence-based practices for reading writing um that they are then going back to the classroom and delivering incorporating into their daily tier one instruction. Um so we recognize that as a pain point for us and that's part of that pathway forward that I had outlined um in the next slides. I just have one last question about uh staff who report that they care about our students. It says has risen to 100% in a year-to-year comparison from 2022 to now. >> Yep. From 2022 to now comparing every year. I I will tell you in 2022 that number was not 100%. >> Yes ma'am. >> Though I mean let me just jump in. We want people to be honest because we can't help them if they're not.
033And so that is that's a reality. >> They are articulating that. They're not saying it to the children. >> Well, I mean, they're articulating this in in a metric like in a survey. They're saying I don't I don't care nothing about them. I'm just >> Well, it's not I don't care anything about them. It's just that it's not maybe a priority at the time. That is Yes. Yes. And they're working for us. Yes. >> Wow. >> Have changed. So, we've changed that. We've changed that mindset since 2022 >> and that's one of the reasons why I'm highlighting that. >> And I would like to say it had a lot to do with your board members supporting administration that apply to the matter has a lot to do with it. They feel comfortable that they can
034take things to see shaking his hand. He can take things to the teachers and they know they ain't got support. >> Yes, sir. >> That means a big thing. I I I was going to say that earlier. I just want to thank you board member for being supportive because the little things that you do sometimes you don't notice it but that is better. >> All right. Yeah. Thank you. All right. Thank you for your time. We appreciate it. Um round of applause for our kiddos. >> I think I heard Dr. Bill. Thanks for coming. >> Thank you. Thank you. Next up is reports. >> Mr. Thank you. >> Next up is reports. Uh legislative update. Anything? >> Uh no. >> Billings and ground report. Uh student reply what you want to say. >> All right.
035Good evening everyone. U my name is Amari Johnson and I'm here to present our December 15th STSD presentation school presentation. Slack hosted its annual PA smiles dental week where local dentists and hygienists volunteered their time to provide free dental care for our students. Cleanings, exams, and fillings were done right in our gymnasium and we had almost 100 students signed up by their families. It was a great it was a great support for students health and wellness. Slack PTO holiday shop. Our PTO held a holiday shop after school on Wednesday and Thursday. Students were able to shop with their parents for gifts and family and friends. And we also collected donations for the Hannah Pantry, helping support families in our community. Thomas Holtzman math and ice cream night. Holman Elementary hosted its math and ice cream
036night on November 19th. Families came in to learn practical math strategies from teachers, enjoyed ice cream together, and had a chance to visit PTO sponsored book fair. Sorry. This Thursday, Thomas Hman Elementary learners in our band, orchestra, and choir will be performing at our fine arts winter showcase. Doors open at 6 pm. Various artwork will also be displayed throughout the showcase. Sounds like a great time. As in previous years, Thomas is partner partner partnering with the American Heart Association and participating in the Kids for Heart Challenge. This year's theme is join the KHC lightsabers league. We will be sending our information to families when we return from winter break. It's a very fun time. I I participated in the event raising money and I really enjoyed I really enjoyed it. I I didn't really understand
037it when I was younger, but it they do great things and it's a great organization. STMS had a very had a busy concert season. Our our chorus and orchestra had great performances at STMS and STHs. Our band and concert will be held our band concert will be held on Wednesday, December 17th at STHs. We invite everyone to in to attend STM STMS PBI PBIS engagement and student engagement. Sorry. Students at SCMS also also had an additional PBIS reward opportunities through our partnership with communities and schools. During during responsive periods, students participated in escape box challenges that encourage teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking in a fun and engaging way. At the high school, winter spirit week runs from December 15th through the 19th. Student council will be selling farm show milkshakes on Wednesday, and the
038week will wrap up with a winter sports pep rally. We also want to recognize our field hockey and cross country teams for earning district three sportsmanship awards. So, round of applause on that. >> Thank you. Association W Foundation Harrisburg America College of Report County Tax Collection Committee. Anything county technical school in the media unit. >> Okay. Board of Commission report superintendent. >> Yes, my presentation on the screen here to the next one. >> All right. So, we do want to um share that we had three of our players that were in the room earlier uh for signing day recently. And you saw that uh I mentioned that Josh is going to Temple. Um and just so you know, Josh is actually graduating and so we are very proud of him for that. Yor >> Yindor
039as well. Yep. Okay. So Yindor as well going to West Virginia and then Zakir Leaks signed to Yukon on signing day. So there will be more. This is some of the earlier signings. So very proud of them. >> Yes. Also, the winter concert season is upon us. If you have an opportunity to get out and see our uh children as well as our wonderful staff, the hard work that they put in to get um our students ready, I encourage you to do so. Um there is a band concert on the 17th and I believe it might be the final concert for the high school. Uh that is at 7 pm and again we encourage you to come out and support our staff and our learners. Next one. >> Nope. Um there is a basketball food
040drive. Um you can donate at the game. It is the game against Steel High on December the 9th the 19th at 6 PM. It is at our high school. Um so please come out and bring uh some of those items that are listed on the flyer. Also, if you go to the Hannah Pantry website, you'll be able to see some of the items that they would u be appreciative if you brought to that gate. Also, we had a number of midpen recognitions. Uh really too many to even go into, but I encourage you to visit our district's athletic page and you'll get a chance to see all of uh the learners that were recognized. Some of them again were in the room tonight. Uh we are super excited. um to report that we had multiple
041recognitions across multiple uh sports. And so it wasn't just one, we had multiple recognition. So we're proud proud of that as well. And uh then finally, um if you go to our website, this is a a video clip, a compilation, and uh for time sake, I won't um play it. It's about five minutes, but I do encourage you to go to our website um and visit it. You can see one of our students, actually a number of our students, um, and their conversations with Governor Shapiro. We are very honored to have him come out, reach out and, uh, request to come visit with our school district uh, in recognition of some of the work that we've been doing with the funds uh, that have come down in this year's budget, but also in previous year's
042budgets. Um and then also just um applauding the district for their that teaching program. And so again, all of this is on our website. If you have time, I encourage you. It's five minutes. It's a great uh watch. Um but we again are pleased with that visit. All right. And I think that uh >> I believe thank you so much. >> Dr. Wils, can you put that last picture up again, please? >> Oh, yes. doing the signing. >> Uh yes. Can you go back to the last? >> Did you actually if we have five minutes you can watch it as well please? >> These resources will strengthen our academic programs, expand student opportunities, and help districts meet the needs of every learner. We are well positioned to expand our cadet teaching program, which provides a
043pathway for high school students who aspire to enter the teaching profession at a moment when the Commonwealth faces a severe teacher shortage. Through this innovative model, students can transition into support staff roles in our classrooms immediately after graduation, and the district can then cover their college tuition as they work toward full teacher certification. This creates a full circle approach that grows our own educators, supports our learners, and builds a sustainable work pipeline for the future. Look, I I believe that what you're teaching here at Suscoana Township is the foundation for all opportunity in the future. Article 3, section 14 of our state constitution actually guarantees every Pennsylvania student, not just those of you who are fortunate to be here in this district, but every student across Pennsylvania, a thorough and efficient public education system. a
044system where all students have a shot. I wanted to be here today not just to celebrate the additional funding for Susan Township, but I wanted to salute the extraordinary things you all have done here with that increased funding. You've hired 11 additional staff to give students more hands-on help. You upgraded the HVAC system so it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter. You're hiring more school counselors so that students who need to talk about their feelings or talk about challenges that they have a place down the hall they can go and get the help that they need. I've had the opportunity to visit with some of the students from the cadet program. I had other students peering out their doors to come say hello. I met one uh teacher here, graduated with our
045daughter from Pit who got a student teacher stipen which helped land her here at Suscuana Township. And I got to say it just fills up my cup to see students learning in an environment where they get to learn how to be their best selves and explore so many different options. And Dr. Willis, that's exactly what you've built here in this school district. And so I'm I'm grateful to be here today to talk about some of the important work we've done together to advance education, but I'm also grateful that you gave me a chance just to have my cup filled back up by these wonderful young learners. So, thank you very, very much. >> Being part of this program has been nothing but life-changing. It has given me a firsthand look of what it's like to
046run a classroom. Through this program, I've been able to see what it's like and learn to teach both small group lessons and large group lessons. and I've be able to experience one-on-one time with students as every student has different learning abilities. >> I want to see this cadet program be ramped up in other school districts across Pennsylvania. I really think Suscoana Township is a model for what we should be doing in other school districts across Pennsylvania. I know Dr. Row is going to work on that with other school districts. Programs like the cadet program give students that same head start that I had and I think we need more of them across the Commonwealth. >> We have a great example of what that looks like. A student who's able to learn in the classroom and
047learn about themselves and what drives them and what they want to be as they grow older. And a great example of that is Cole Huntsburgger. Cole is a member of the cadet program. He got excited about being a teacher and he got signed up for this program. He signed up for this program and the first thing they did was they put him in the lunchroom. I learned and you know, you're thinking, I want to be a teacher. I want to get right in the classroom. You get sent to the lunchroom and I'm sure Cole will share this story with you, but that was hard. And you know, maybe there were moments where he kind of felt deterred or he wanted to go do something else, but he persevered. He pushed through and he came out.
048Now, all he wants to do is every aspect of a teacher's job to engage with young people to help them be their best selves. And for him to be able to grow up and take what he's been taught here at Susuana Township and use those lessons to go uh and support other young people. That is a righteous righteous circle. >> Teaching has always been in my future. I for for years I've imagined myself teaching. I've never considered another path. There's a picture back from when I was in preschool where we dressed up as what we wanted to be from when we what what we wanted to be when we were older. I showed up in a blue button down, some khakis, and a little chalkboard saying I wanted to be a teacher. And that has
049never changed. It's >> I've always felt called to do this work because teaching gives you the chance to help others learn and be the best they can be. It's my passion and I know it always will be. From my small experience I've had, this program has shown its power, what it can do. It's opened pathways to me and many other students change some for some students even changing their career path going into education now. It removes barriers and create opportunities and experiences we gain to prepare us to make a difference in the future. Thank you governor for investing in the programs like this and support for the next generation of educators. They say um all the people online and the ones are here sometime you don't realize what you have in this district. Sometimes you
050want to criticize but uh I want to say to Dr. voice a fantastic job. And to get the governor come in this district and give you all those accolades, how well you're doing, that says something about you. And now I understand why organization said that you were the administrative educator of the year because you you're doing a fantastic job here. And I will say continue doing the job because she doing a wonderful job. And Lord, I want to thank you for supporting her the way we do because when when when she knows that we have her back, she can go out and make some tough decisions and not worry about getting fired because we have your back. So I just want you to understand that. So again, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, board
051comments. So, I I'll just piggy back. >> I don't want nobody to steal my stomach. >> I um to piggy back on what uh President RS has said, I asked uh Dr. Willis to I'm sorry. Okay. >> It's not board comments to make I I I was I'm sorry. I got to do something before we go to that. >> Okay. >> Yes. Uh number two, let's approve the agenda. Can I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Move. Second. Been >> moveing. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I oppose. Eyes have more board comments. >> So, I was just going to say um to piggy back on what President RS had said, uh Dr. Willis prepared our had our u media team prepare this video and wasn't going to play it and was
052going to refer us to the website and also she had mentioned earlier in her report about our uh number of uh academic u acceptances and enrollments. I just wanted to highlight um myself the good work that the district is doing. I was in attendance along with uh director Hill and uh President Ross and correct uh director Heatenberg at the signing. Uh Governor Shapiro came here to sign the education portion of um our budget which was uh finally passed. And one of the things that he did report uh that they did not say here is that Susuana Township, this is a historic level of educational funding across the board for the state, but our district specifically on average there has been a 30% increase in funding from the state for districts. Susco Township has received 66%
053increase in funding. So our previous level of funding was $7 million. We're now at roughly $12 million. Like I did the exact math on that 66 it was like >> uh 11,620 or something 11 million excuse me 11,620,000 um so that is is significance significant truly um to have our governor here to have uh Dr. who is the newly appointed secretary of education in attendance along with um almost the entire Susana Township Board of Commissioners were in attendance at this along with Senator Patty Kim and Representative uh David Madston. This was um it was a historic day for Susana Township and we're very proud of that. And I would just add to what President R said about uh Dr. Willis, our superintendent. Uh, I know that the public has questions about things like compensation and
054you know, we're a we're work a blueco collar town, uh, hard scrabble community. A lot of people are not what we would consider to be high income earners, but I want to put in perspective for us um comparatively to what uh superintendent who are uh on average most of the time doctoral level professionals who are working in the building daily from 12 to 15 hours a day on average. like superintendent day might start at 6 pm and on a lot of days like today it's already 8:00 won't end till 9 sometimes 10 o'clock depending on what's going on. So um I just wanted to offer that as some perspective on uh compensation compensation scales and what it is that we pay a superintendent and I'm going to tell you that Dr. Willis earns every penny
055of her salary. Uh what you don't always see out here in the public face is that um our board we you know we do our due diligence, we ask questions, we challenge, we go back and forth. Um we don't always agree. Everything is not always like a rubber stamp. Yes. In the public and sometimes you will see that here. Um in general we try to keep a a pretty united front face as a board and with our superintendent as our tenth man. But it's just important to us um for the public to know and for superintendent to know that we do support her and we have been supportive of her and I'm glad to hear that in our our surveys that the staff is feeling more supported and that that's coming across in the data.
056So I I just wanted to acknowledge her for that and I feel like you were being humble and wanting to refer us to the the website like this would be the time to to our home our her own horn and if people are asking about our successes and what we're doing we need to be noting that and marking that thing that so like don't downplay the shine of what we were doing last week was a very very important day for township. I just need to say that. >> Anybody else? >> Yeah, she stole most of my thunder. I had all that written down. Ditto. The only thing we want to also recognize was um we had members from the choir sing and oh my god they were so good. Um also we had Patty Kim
057also attended and um I wanted to thank you Dr. W for pulling all that together. I was with you. She had y'all don't know it but she had like a day and a half to pull everything together her and her staff. And we thank you. Thank you for coming. Anybody else? Okay, let's set up the hand of the public. >> Nobody read the statement. >> To hear from the public during this section of the meeting, any district resident or taxpayer may address the board on matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may be before the board. Purpose of this section of the meeting is to be heard and as such the board will not engage in dialogue but will listen to your concerns and follow directly or through assigned administrative personnel as
058appropriate. Please begin your public comment by stating your full name. Each member of the public may speak for a maximum of three minutes. At the end of the three minutes, your time will expire. No participant may speak more than once on the same topic. All others who wish to speak on the topic have been heard and only with permission from presiding office. Any comments to the board must be directed to the board president and not individual board members or administrators. Concerns related to specific buildings should first be addressed at the school building level and follow a chain of command before coming to the board. Any comments that are considered disruptive, obscene, abusive, slenders, or defamator will either be interrupted or terminated. No complaints may be made against specific employees, community members, or board members. Private
059information related to any student is prohibited. his first speaker Davis. >> Thank you. Um, again, my name is Russell Davis. The success of every learner. That's what I want to talk about. Based on some prior meetings, some prior comments, I was challenged personally to go back and review the website as you directed some of your constituents to do. And I went one step further. I started to explore line by line everything that's on there from the strategy of the board to the uh duties and responsibilities of the superintendent. I would challenge whoever made the comment to go to the board or to go to the website that they need to look at it because in review of the superintendent's individual responsibilities there is one objective statement. The rest is subjective. You need to know the
060difference. I'm not going to take my time now. In addition to that, most of that stuff that's glamour and glitter, anybody regardless of your position would be able to pass such as interacting with others, uh, professional advancement, the one objective statement, and I think it's very important was the academic standards set by the board. So again, I went through the strategies and it said everything from strategy 100. I would be more than happy to quote that later on. There's nothing defined. We just had a wonderful presentation about growth. Does growth mean I had one answer better? In a in a prior meeting with Dr. Willis, she had explained that the minimum is the state standard. That's what we're teaching. That is what we're looking to achieve. all of this glamour and glitz and pretty graphs
061and all those things. How does that help the success of every learner? Because when I'm reading these papers, I'm seeing almost 700 kids with only less than 200 being academically proficient. And that's an assumption because we talk about growth. We don't talk about academic proficiency. Thank you again to everybody on the board because it's a time commitment that you guys have that you could be developing or dedicating to other things. But I think we've lost our way. I think we are reacting rather than innovating and initiating success of every learner. Everything should be falling down from that with specific standards that everyone gets graded on. It alarms me the same way that it alarmed one of the other board members about somebody not caring about what they're doing. I understand you have good days and
062you have bad days. The same as in the evaluation, you ask the individual to be evaluated to fill out their own personal evaluation. We don't do that anymore in the business world. Again, I would give you those reasons. Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Lily Harmon. As you most of you guys know, um I was quiet the last few meetings and purposely so. I've been doing research and that's always a horrible thing when Will starts doing research because he takes it a little bit too far but is very thorough. And what I was trying to find was the role of the superintendent. Now, the reason why I looked that up, and I'm not going to say that she hasn't been uh successful in areas, is the number of press conferences slash um media
063interviews that she's given and the whole explaining of a referendum in a political campaign. I cannot find any source where that is the standard norm or considered to be along the lines of what the role of a superintendent is. Now, I'm not addressing this towards the superintendent. I'm addressing this towards the board because it seems like our superintendent may have either gotten a little high on the horse or has more authority than one would give one one is supposed to have in that role. a simple Google search, it always comes back to those simplest things that I look for and find that, you know, she's she's she is liaison to the public, but she's not her role is not to comment, speculate, or even dictate, as it sounds in some of those interviews, um the
064political side of what the board is supposed to be doing. And I can point to examples of the uh twice shot down referendum. Um and then the after after after remarks that were made by her and I'm like did the board authorize this? that the board even know she was going to give interviews because you know from my perspective didn't seem like you guys were aware of this and it seemed like she was allowed to just free rain someone that doesn't even live in my township but you know I'm watching everything guys I I know some of you guys know that and when I'm quiet I'm probably looking things up from operating this under Robert's rules of order. I am very familiar with that to, you know, saying, "Hey, what are you doing to make
065these these students better learners?" I'm watching and I when I show up and I want to talk, it's probably because I've already done the research and I don't want to bring a cloud of doubt over anybody, but I'm your I'm If you're her boss, I'm yours and I'm watching it. That's all. Thank you. >> It's up capital project. Good evening board. Just wanted to give a a quick capital projects funding um update. The information that we're going to show tonight is representative of uh transactions that have occurred from July 1st through December 1st. So the format of this um Excel spreadsheet should be somewhat familiar to you in that you would have seen a variation of this uh during the June 12th uh finance committee meeting. You'll see the project descriptions um in one column
066and then the original budget uh as of June 12th of 2025. And then the next column is anything that might have been re revised since uh that presentation. The next column is a payto-date. So invoices that we've paid from July 1st through December 1st and then the balance um outstanding. Above that in row number one, you'll see the uh balance of funds as of December 1st. This includes any interest, earnings um and outstanding checks. The Excel spreadsheet is broken up in uh two parts. The upper uh component, the first part of the um Excel spreadsheet reflects the deer path um also Anderson Center project. And you'll notice that um there have been some revisions made to to the project. There are two items specifically um that as we were going through the project we identified
067and needed uh to add. First was the UGI natural gas conversion. So the building is currently electric and so we're moving uh converting that to natural gas which in the long run will save the district money. There is a component that UGI um requires from the district to pay for the line going from Linglestown Road up to zero path. Then the second item is TK elevator. We have a freight elevator that is not operational. Um, and so we needed to um contract with someone to repair that elevator. And that is important because in that basement area will be our cafeteria and lunch area for students. And so we'll be receiving all of our food supplies and things like that. You'll notice that when it was presented in June on June 12th, uh the project estimate
068at that point was 24.6 plus million. um the revisions um as of June 1st inclusive of the two additional items and a small adjustment to EI associates um you'll see that there is an increase overall of um $373,000 to date we've paid 9 5.9 plus million um and you'll see that the balance is there any questions on the first half of the excel spreadsheet. >> Yes, I was just going to ask about that 373,68.76 that is that difference is from the elevators and the the gas line >> primarily. Yes. >> And also I just wanted to ask about and I just want to make sure that I'm clear. I'm looking at the top portion and I see our pay to dates. Our zeros are are in red there. And I was just wondering is that
069a is that a typographical or is there like just a different way of accounting on the top? >> No, there's just colors. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions on the first half of the Excel spreadsheet? The second half of this Excel spreadsheet um consists of various capital improvement projects throughout the district. Um anywhere from uh HVAR controls to rooftop unit replacements. Um we had uh replacement of or installments of a hydrants um on our roofs. We had the middle school gymnasium bleachers. We had a high school landscaping project. Uh we have some monies budgeted for the removal of two Thomas Holtzman modular classrooms. Um we have monies set aside for the slack roof facia and trim seal. Um and then we had budgeted some monies aside for any high school kitchen improvement
070project change orders. You'll refer to those as uh supplementals. We also have um additional services from EI Associates as our architect of record. And then we had an urgent capital improvement repair. Uh this is our tankless water heater installment. The total uh for the projects presented on June 12th was 2.3 plus million. Uh today it was revised to represent 2.4 4 plus million, an increase of $140,000, primarily due to um couple areas. One, the high school landscaping uh design cost uh was not factored into the 612 presentation, and so we've added that cost. um the change orders for the high school kitchen improvement and then the two items that um had come on later. Pay to date um is about $1 million um in total invoices in RO 26. You'll notice that there is so
071I've tried to color code to guide your eyes to specific totals. Uh row 26 shows the totals of the original budget versus the revised budget. Row 27 shows the expenditures paid to date. So any invoices that were processed. And then row 28 shows uh the balance that we expect or hopefully as we've estimated to date of projected funding for other change orders or other capital improvement projects. And that is simply taking the uh balance available at December 1st minus the 19 million minus the 1 million gets you to the 2.5 uh million. Any questions? Yes, ma'am. When we took a tour of the high school kitchen, there was a area in a kitchen that was designed correctly >> around the Norway. Yeah. Have that how do we how we >> So our project Mr. Anderson
072who serves as our project manager is following up with um both EI and LBAR on a punch list. So before the last payment is issued to our contractors, we'll make sure that we've completed all of those punch list items. >> And I'm pretty sure you will make sure that we know that's been completed. >> Absolutely. >> Before they make that last payment, I don't know what the last payment. >> Yeah. >> What do you usually hold 20%. >> We use uh I will have to check. It's dependent on whatever the contract is, right? >> So that's right. have to make everybody aware of what she's saying. So when they do sign a contract, they do might have a provision in it that they do the final inspection and and we haven't done the final inspect.
073>> We have not yet that is yet to be scheduled. Any other questions? >> Actual 600,000 >> 300,000 mentioned for the 300,000 other sites I was curious where the other has to be roughly increase. So the total for deer path uh the increase is uh $373,322.54 and that's primarily due to uh the UGI gas and uh TK elevator cost. Uh there is a small increase or adjustment made to EI associate of $98,772. on the capital improvements. Um there was a total of $140,000 revised over budget. Um and there are a couple areas there. That's the landscape uh EI design of 20,798. There was an increase in change orders of 62,699 and then the other services um that we had came out to 56,629. I believe the total was about 513,000. >> All right. >> Correct.
074>> Say we are glad that we made the UTI conversion because from the past couple days a regular um heat pump or the underground system would have not worked >> when it gets that cold. They're just not executive. >> Is that what happens with that? >> They're just not efficient. These pumps are not efficient when you go down into the teens and feels like they have a hard time keeping up. I told at at 30 at 3 ft is a frost. Anything under 3 ft don't freeze. >> But we had heat pumps and we also had the underground >> the geothermal water worked. if it worked, but we didn't know if it was going to work. >> No, I think the natural gas is definitely the way to go. Um, your geothermal system wasn't wasn't
075confident that system was going to be operational, >> right? >> Well, I noticed the other building, well, they they they stayed with it. >> Capacity of our building is different than their capacity. I thought it was the use of it. >> It was not much. >> Yes. >> Not for nothing. BPL just announced another rate hike. They're expecting another rate high in the spring. So, it makes sense to go to >> I think my only thing were that UGI charge us that kind of money to put a gas. But then again, they do the same thing with the resident. don't feel like we getting any treatment because I told you before my neighbor to get natural gas cost him $8,000 and it cost me zero including people responsibility the the from street to building that's
076UGI's responsibility right I get that backwards I know on the residential side >> it's their responsibility to provide gas to the meter which is at the building >> right >> um we are choosing to use low bar to go from the street to the meter just because of um cost and uh speed of the project >> and would so so responsible for maintenance of that line that be on the district or would that still be on GI >> that would be on UGI or that's my understanding >> they come to the house anything inside the house is your responsibility so they'll go to the school and if something happened inside We check that out. Leads and things like that. Am I right? >> But outside they will call. >> All right. Next up is uh
077minutes for five and A and B. Can I get a motion to approve the minutes? Johnson moves. Second to move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Opposed? I have. Next up is finance personnel. Is anything in personnel that you want to take out and vote on individual? Is any contracts? I don't think there's any. So we can do all the personnel which goes from A to what? G. >> Okay. From A to G. Got to get a motion. Johnson moves a G. >> Second move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Opposed finance. H. Okay. H >> 8 to H. Can I get a motion? >> Motion. >> A to H. >> Okay. >> Johnson. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Opposed? I second. Policy? Nothing. Other? Nothing. New business? Nothing. Ajournament. Oh,
078wait a minute. You said the date for >> the contracts. Should we miss something? >> Oh, my page was out. That's not only I. Okay. We got contract. Okay. >> A to H. >> Okay. The first one is >> is a discussion. Have a question about a Uh I didn't these interactive displays. I didn't I couldn't tell from the documentation that they like there was a service plan >> with the panels. >> Yeah. I think Justin's online. We can talk through that. >> Which one are you talking about? >> The flat panels too. >> Flat panels. >> Panels. Correct. >> Yes. Yes. So teachers um use these. So it's almost like a the smartboards. They used to be a white board on the wall that you can actually touch. These are now they're now mobile
079>> all the travel. >> So it's the same. Some of our classes already have them, >> right? >> But we would be outfitting deer path for those. And so they do have a uh service equipment that we get with all of our technology. >> These are are these strictly like teachers? Are these I'm assuming there are the be interactive opportunities for the students. >> Oh yes. Yes. They're used in the classroom, >> right? So they create hands. >> So the teachers don't just allow them to go, you know, with it. But yes, so they're they're organized by the teachers, the interaction. >> I don't like my kids touch my TV, but they do know how long they wash their hands. Yes. >> So remember all of our students too, we have devices. So one to
080one so they have their own device. So these will be used when the teacher is is providing instruction and calling the puppet. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Any more discussion? >> I was going to say as as I read those if I'm understanding this correctly like in terms of software kind of remind me of like those CNN like political boards how you can go like deep deep into like data and affidate. That's kind of how I can still question. >> Yeah, I have one more question. And it's a concerned payment. >> Is this going to be a paper check? We pay 3%. >> So depending on what the agreement is. Um we don't have a district credit card with that amount uh today. Um so we'll probably either do a wire or a check. All
081right. Now, from B to to H. Can I get a motion? >> Motion to approve. Uh contract line items E through H. >> Second. >> Move a second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed. Now that was a page over. That's why I missed that. I skipped when I looked. I just went back there. All right. Now, no policy, new business, German. >> I have a a question under new business. Um this was just a a question for going forward. Um as we were talking about PSSAs, I did go to the website and looked up um testing window. I know it's in the spring. It's from uh April 20th through May 1st. That's the window of time in which we have to conduct those tests. So, I just wondered about um would the district
082be doing like prep like ramping up or like prep rallies or however we do that whatever spirit activities or training activities leading up in terms of like test preparation. >> Sure. Martin, do you want to address some of the things that typically do before assessments then what we're doing now? this year working to create opportunities for PSSA test preparation. So kind of being more focused on ensuring that our learners are exposed to the content within their lesson on daily basis. So we've been talking about how to initiate that through our NTSS process and what that looks like. Um as far as how we can we have like intervention block time. Um but as far as getting full test um I know in years past they've done like spirit weeks or that you know get the
083positive juices from um which is needed and sought after. Um but just in my position um this year I've taken a moreation type position to ensure our learners are getting content and material to um provide opportunity to be exposed at the highest level to think about you actually seeing on the test how to work through that. So like I mentioned in the past when I did my presentation on data and such that we have a tremendous opportunity for improvement on like our opening questioning like what that looks like what the state is looking like where we're scoring currently. So my conversations with the principles have have been to extend the opportunities to write at a high level and uh comparison to what the state is actually looking for so we can get you know said
084score because you know as we continue to hear and see you know people are watching as they should and um we owe it to our students to prepare them in that way to know what the state is looking for when we give them when we showcase what our you know what our learners can do. So, um, yes to the question of like those kind of like fun idioms that lead us into the test, but also another like heavy layer of like what that preparation piece like to get them get them for the test. >> Yeah. >> Again, I'm old and my frame of references are always like old and I use songs like stuff, hip-hop. But as I'm thinking about this like prepping for this like and the test PSA, what came to my mind?
085I'm thinking it's time for the percolator. It's time for the percolate. something that can like turn the kids up that they can get excited about doing that or they're using that as a you know what I mean those PSA pet rallies. >> Yeah. Yeah. to be familiar with. It's like a 30-y old reference. That's it. >> That's it. >> Okay. Can I have a a motion for a German? at your sentence. >> Move a second. All in favor? I