001Good evening. I would like to welcome everyone to the board business meeting for the Colonial School District. It's Thursday, September 18th, 2025. Please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the standy andice for all. The board met in executive session prior to this meeting for approximately 1 hour. Personnel and legal updates and upcoming negotiations were discussed. And now I will make a motion to approve minutes as presented in items 3B through 3G. May I have a second? Yeah. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. This is a motion to approve financial reports as presented in items 4B through 4L for August 2025. We have a second. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. And this is a motion to approve the
002August 2025 treasures report. We have a second, please. Rick, any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. Um, and now is there any public comment on any items on this evening's agenda? >> All right. Seeing none, I will turn the meeting over to Dr. Christian. >> Thank you, Mr. Paturo. Uh, items 7 A, 7 B, 7 C. Motion to approve the personnel report and extracurricular contracts as outlined in items 7B and 7 C. Board action is requested for recommended personnel changes. Appointments for promotion, deployment, or transfer are subject to the presentation of valid credential employment verification documentation and statemandated requirements. >> May I second, please? D. Any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. >> As we move on to the next agenda item, I would like to welcome our student board reps
003to their first meeting. If before you guys do your uh report, if you wouldn't mind introducing yourselves to the board and the community, we are excited to have you be members of the board this year. >> Hi, thank you. Um I'm William Bar and I'm a senior. >> Thank you so much. I'm Chihad and I'm also a senior. >> So for our report for PW, it's homecoming week. Students have been enjoying a variety of after school events like Rainbow, Powerpuff, and Color Wars, and participating in spirit days throughout the week. The dance is this Saturday, September 20th, and tomorrow, students will wear yellow during the school day at the homecoming football game in support of Alex's lemonade sin, childhood cancer. Seniors commemorated their final year at PW during the senior sunrise on the first day
004back to school. Fall sports and the arts are underway. PW sports have had a strong start to the year and students have been attending informational meetings for the many clubs that PW offers. All right, next up we have Colonial Middle School. So the sixth grade open house is August 26th. 7th and 8th grade open house will be August 27th. Um and we had incredible attendance at both of these. The TSA Technology Student Association kickoff meeting will be September 8th. The school spirit rally by grade level double will be Friday, September 19th. Um there are excellent class visits to all sixth grade science and history classes and all seventh and eighth grade history classes by principles to talk about creating a welcoming inclusive environment and addressing hate speech slurs and bias. Ball athletics are underway and
005we are very excited to see um our CMS teams competing soon. So, thank you very much to faculty department for getting us in great shape to start the year. And lastly, chords, banding, orchestra are all rehearsing and working on their musical talents. We're also very excited for the sixth grade musical Sh begin rehearsals soon. >> For CES, new music parent information night along with both fourth and fifth grade open houses were held in the last two weeks. All were very well attended. the PH Elementary. Um on August 25th was kindergarten orientation and the first day of school. On September 10th, the open house grades for first and and third grade. On September 12th, PTO ice cream social. And lastly, on September 17th, open house for grades kindergarten and second. Next up, in early September, Plymouth
006had received the bikes for the kindergarten all kids bikes to learn to ride program. Students will be alert working on learning how to ride during gym classes with PH and teacher Mrs. Reenda. Thank you so much the foundation for sponsoring this opportunity and thank you to Joe Ali and the facilities team for their help putting the bikes together. We are excited to continue Panda Press where third graders will act as hosts for school news highlighting special events, cultural celebrations, and classroom happenings. It's sent to PE teachers each Friday to share with their classes and with families through our E Friday newsletter. We're looking forward to a wonderful new school year for Kona Hawken Elementary. CE welcomed 80 kindergarten students. Our largest grade ever and the teachers and students are doing great. The PTO hosted popsicles
007on the playground on September 4th from 3:50 to 5:15 and we had a terrific turnout of staff and families connecting and reconnecting. All classrooms had special meetings with Miss Marx and CE counselor Miss Nebans to learn more about using kind language at school and No Place for Hate. CE held open house on September 10th and as always, we had a huge turnout. Third grade walked to the Ka Haken Elementary School plot at the community garden to do some weeding and picking vegetables. Over the summer, families tended the garden and donated vegetables to the Colonial Neighborhood Council. Third grade will begin their community service club, helping hands, on Friday, September 19th. >> All right, next up, Rich Park Elementary. The PTO there held the annual ice cream social on Friday, September 12th. Um, we had an
008incredible turnout and many happy families. Families attended back to school night on September 10th and the 17th. They're able to meet with teachers and learn about the incredible things happening this year. Lastly, for White Marsh Elementary, in early September, students and staff participated in a schoolwide assembly focused on reinforcing expectations and recognizing positive behavior. During this assembly, students learned about the importance of using kind and respectful language with an emphasis on green light, yellow light, and red light words. Families were also introduced to this framework during open house sessions to encourage consistent conversations at home. On Thursday, September 11th, Red Marsh Elementary hosted its annual Patriot Day ceremony to honor local first responders. Community first responders joined staff and students for patriotic songs and receive thank you cards from our students. Special recognition is extended
009to our music teacher, Chrissy Langes, for organizing and leading this meeting. >> Thank you. Go ahead. >> You finished? >> Yeah. Uh, I'm going to put you on the spot. Uh, I'll be sharing your resumes with the board, which are extensive in the music, athletic, and service arenas. But would you each just take a couple moments and share some of the clubs and activities you're involved with senior year? >> Um, some of the clubs I'm involved in is the technology student association. So, this year I'm serving as state president. Um, I'm also involved with the PW orchestra, chamber ensemble, and I love volunteering. So, I volunteer with a club I started called Crisis Care Club as well as UNISF. >> Um, I'm the captain of track and cross country here at PW and I'm the
010co-president and co-founder of a club called Hope for the Homeless, which volunteers with local homeless shelters and donates supplies to shelters in our area. And I'm also an ambassador of the Key Pennsylvania Beautiful program, which aims to create a more beautiful and safe environment for our um residents. If there's any way the administration or the board can help support your efforts, particularly in the service arenas, please let us know. And welcome to the new school year. Exciting time for our seniors. Thanks. All right. Now, um, moving on to new business. Uh, yeah. >> Okay. In accordance with board policy number 004, two students, Willie and Mariani, have been nominated for the positions of student representatives to the board. Interviews have been conducted and related information has been reviewed. Motion to accept the administration's recommendation for
011student representatives to the board. Any questions or comments? All in favor? >> Thank you. >> And thank you guys for serving. >> Thank you so much. >> This is a motion to approve the board policies outlined below on a first basis as presented. These policies were reviewed at their respective committee meetings held on September 2nd and September 8th. Policy number 101, mission statement, vision statement, shared values. Policy number 330, overtime and policy number 702, gifts, grants, and donations. >> I have a second, please. Sharon, any questions or comments? >> All in favor? Thank you. >> This is a motion to approve a revision to the K12 calendar for the 2526 school year to designate August 20th, August 21st, and November 4th as acts. May I have a second, please? Appreciate it. Any questions or comments?
012>> Is it important to just share for the public what an act day is in case there's any wonderings around the calendar changes? >> Sure. Uh act 80 days or days that can be counted towards instructional time where uh the district conducts things like parent teacher conferences uh curriculum writing and other staff development. Uh we fully intend to meet the 180 days and 990 hours. Uh but in case anybody was around in 1995 in this area and we had the ice storm of the century where a week and a half school was missed, it would allow us uh additional instructional time on our calendar to prevent us from going to school until June 25th. >> Thank you. Great. May I have a second, please? Will. Any other questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you.
013This is a motion to approve the educational services contracts outlined below for the 2025 2026 school year. The first one is the Bucks County Intermediate Unit to provide special education services as needed. The second is Martin Luther School tuition for 33 returning students at $75,592.98 per student. The next item is a personal care assistant, also known as a one-on-one, at $349 per day. Occupational therapy at 12 $121 per hour, including initial screening and evaluation. Physical therapy at $121 per hour, including initial screening and evaluation, and speech and language therapy at $121 per hour, including initial screening and evaluation. The district will recruit these sls or comments. All in favor? >> Thank you. This is a motion to approve the transportation contract as outlined below for the 2025 2026 school year. Uh this includes uh St.
014is preparatory school for the transportation of Colonial School students at the rate of $11.7 per student per day uh for the 2025 2026 school year ending on June 30th, 2026 and an arrangement with Carolyn Eder to reimburse mileage at the current IRS rate of 7 cents um a mile uh or an established higher rate uh per mile from August 25th through uh 2025 through August 31st, 2026. >> May I have a second, please? Rick, any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. >> All right. Um, this is a motion to uh to approve transportation contracts for Superior Bus Service and ALC School LLC to provide uh supplemental bus services. Due to the nationwide bus shortage, uh uh administration has recommended contracting with two additional companies to provide transportation. Superior Bus Service and ALC schools
015will be utilized to supplement the school district's primary bus contracts for uh after school, athletic and other transportation needs as required. Contracts do not commit any upfront costs. The district will be excuse me the district is build only when uh services are used. May >> second any questions or comments? All in favor? Thank you. Appreciate it. This is a motion to approve the PW High School orchestra students trip to NYC to tour Carnegie Hall and meet with members of the pit orchestra for the musical wicket and to attend a performance of the show. >> Second, please. Any questions or comments? Yeah, sounds good. >> Um, all in favor? >> Great. Thank you. Great. >> Motion to accept a donation of $1,000 from Bergie Chevrolet to support the Colonial Middle School athletic program. >> Second, please.
016Any questions or comments? >> Exactly. Thank you for that donation. Um, all in favor? Um, is there a solicitor's report this evening? >> No report this evening. Thank you. Um, all right. Uh, I know there's no um student life uh report this evening. Is there a curriculum report? >> Yes. >> Uh, yes. So, the board received updates on several different initiatives um at our committee meeting uh this next Monday. So the committee reviewed summer academy for grades 1 through eight as well as the extended school year program for students with disabilities. Uh we discussed successes, challenges as well as future considerations for possibly rethinking summer learning. Um so more to come on that. Um Cleo District also welcomed 27 uh new teachers through a three-day induction program with ongoing mentorship and professional learning plan throughout
017the year. So welcome to our new teachers. Um staff also participated uh in August in professional learning sessions that were aligned with the future ready comprehensive plan focused on data use, student supports, leadership development, and sense of belonging, particularly student sense of belonging. We also discussed plans that were underway to pilot a new K3 math resource this fall uh with the final adoption next year. Uh we also dove into a new maps K5's premier delta maps RPI which was also introduced and the board also um reviewed policy 101 align to vision vision and shared values. >> Great. Thank you. Uh will anything for facilities? >> No report. >> Uh Rick >> finance committee met on Tuesday September 2nd. The committee introduced new policy governing gifts which we just did the first read on grants and
018sorry gifts grants and donations a donation from Burger Chevrolet for CMS athletics which we just put on as well and review district 2025 versus 2024 financials district is still waiting on state budget to pass in order to receive state revenues. One additional item of note is that the act one index or 2627 has been set at 3.5%. >> Thank you. Uh Gail HR, >> no report. >> Um the tech school, um Chris isn't here to give a report, but if um you have been over to the tech school at all this year, you'll see all the parking lots have been redone and it is it it looks great. Um and I think it'll help a lot in the winter time with um bad weather and rain. So it's definitely worth taking a look. Internally, they
019expanded the salon to increase enrollment and the barber mentorship or apprenticeship that they're starting uh with local businesses. Uh they also did some uh rebing in other areas uh to get them up to date. They um I met with Dr. King last week. Uh they will be approaching Mr. Dig and myself as well as Marian and Narstown to talk about some projects of the future. the most impressive of which is the auto body shop, the floor and the ceiling. So, they'll have a presentation ready for us in in the coming months. Uh hopefully have it done next summer. Um but we need to work out what needs to be done, the expansion that they're hoping to do. Uh because it's popular area, they want to add a couple lifts uh and do some remediation, renovation
020there, but they also need to play. So that'll be probably introduced in two months and then in January, February. We're working with an architect in >> um and also I believe they also have started a breakfast program there which was something that was very hard to do with the three districts and where kids were coming from in the morning. So this is like the game changer. So we're very excited that that um has taken off this year. >> All right. Um, can I ask the question? >> Just going back for a minute to the um student life meeting. Is it possible for us to just share with the public um a little bit about the conversation that we had last week at the curriculum meeting? >> Sure. >> Yeah. So, I mean, just one I
021want to um thank Jesser uh who talked about the adult evening um program and the new platform and um how that's working and the suitability there. Um so, thank you for that. And just um if anyone wants to chime in, feel free. that we did have a really good discussion around um our equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and a lot of the training um that our staff has taken this year u related to um uh what we're calling level three offenses. And if you want to, you know, feel free to take this over and just do a little snapshot. I think it would be important for the public to know some of the things that we are um focusing on this year and a lot of the training that you and your team position are
022um taking ownership of. But if you have a moment to share that, that'd be great. Certain uh as required by the state, we track all of our uh discipline data. So when you reference level three and level four offenses at the middle school and high school, those are the more serious offenses. More importantly, we're taking a specific interest in identifying and addressing areas of incident bias. Um this past summer, the entire administrative team, not just principles in central office, but every administrator in the district, uh and all of our departments worked with the anti-defamation league for a day and a half long um uh professional learning opportunity. And then most recently, this past week, uh we had worked with the NAACP over the summer to schedule uh professional learning training to work with students of
023color um as we deal with situations as they relate to detentional issues. Uh and they put us in contact with the Pennsylvania Relations Commission and we participated in training this past week. uh all all of what we're doing is to identify how to support students and how to minimize uh incidents that take place. How do we solve things at the lowest possible level? How do we resolve conflict uh between students or between an adult and a student before small and understanding that every student comes from a different perspective? Um and then also our uh at the middle school and high school and the elementary school, our student uh I'll talk about elementary first. Our student reps talked about it. Our elementary principles uh and counselors are using the same vocabulary talking to students about the
024text how we teach about speech and how we teach about being kind and they're using developmentally appropriate terms such as red light, yellow light and green light. Um, and we think that's important because our K to3 schools all funded into the form five. Obviously, at the middle school and high school, uh, we have made it point not to just have class meetings at the beginning of the year to address our stance against hate speech in any and all forms of it, but how to be proactive and preventive. Uh, and so principles and counselors and not just doing class meetings with 400 students in the meeting. I don't know if you guys have had this yet, but they're visiting our English classes and our history classes where we have groups of 20 and 25 students to
025reinforce the concepts that we've learned from uh DHRC and from uh middle schools doing that as well. And then at back to school kids, we've been introducing the parents and this is a point system for this year. We have always believed we have wonderful students and wonderful families. Um, and despite some outlier circumstances that have happened in the past, it is our collective responsibility as students, teachers, administrators, and families to protect our children and to protect each other and to continue, you know, all the great things that happen in a daily basis, which are wonderful. So, uh, happy to speak with uh, any resident, any parent about our efforts. Um, it's it's a start. Uh, it's a point of emphasis and we continue to track our our data as it relates to it. And there
026may be situations that pop up that we have to address, but that's what happens when you have 5,700 students in a school district and almost 800 employees uh, but we will address them uh, with keeping our students safety and welfare in mind. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. And I just want to say thank you to you and your team for your very proactive approach and um your transparency around the work that the district is doing to continue uh this work. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh in the meeting. >> Yep. Just one update. uh the MCI's executive executive director uh Virginia Speaker sent a letter to Governor Shapiro and members of the Montgomery County legislative delegation um advocating for a quick resolution to the growing crisis that is the budget impass
027and and the impact uh that that this impass can have at least on on some school districts and eventually uh more than some. And so I can share that and maybe I think it's on the NCI website, but certainly we could put that in the notes and I can share for those who might be interested. >> Thank you. >> Um Sharon, anything legislative? >> I said yeah, exactly. Exactly about the budget. Yeah. >> Um any community reports this evening? Lloyd Township Toucher Truck is Saturday, September 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Miles Park lower lot and fall day is Sunday, October 5th, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or until trucks are full. Miles Park uh lower parking lot uh more information on what Township website. >> Ki Confest is this Saturday from
02812 to 8. Um please come out and join us. Love to see you. >> Yep. Um, so Planet Township, we got a couple things going. Um, so we have a fun bingo at the Greater PL Center from 12 to 2 on September 29th. Uh, also a Halloween bingo on October 3rd, uh, at the Crater Plan Community Center between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Um, there's also going to be a, um, campfire in Hayride at Harriet Weather Park uh, between uh, 700 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on October 18th. And what a lot of folks want to know about is October 13th, 6:00 p.m. there should be a decision uh rendered about re um categorizing the parcel between um Plymouth Road and North Bay Lane on that evening. >> Thank you. Um and Jerry, the foundation, >>
029uh it'll be a busy day at PW's campus on Sunday, October 5th. Please come out for foundation day between 11 and 3. Tickets are um after September 27th, which I believe is next Saturday. Tickets will be $15 uh for kids five and up and $10 for prek, but $2 off, like I said, until um the 27th. uh uh plenty of games for um kids, young and old, food trucks, all sorts of activities to help support the foundation, as well as the first annual, um PW Alumni Association Cornhole Tournament, which is also on Sunday the 5th, uh starting at 11:30. Uh tickets are $25 per team, two people, uh two people per team. Uh so please announce work foundation for the work that uh they do providing grants and funding back to um various colonial stakeholders.
030>> Great. Thank you. Um attached to this evening's agenda for your information are the activity accounts for CMS and PW, the athletic accounts for CMS and PW, a curriculum report. Um and now is there any public comment this evening? Seeing none, is there any board comment this evening? All right, seeing none, this meeting's adjourned. Thank you.