001I'd like to call to order the finance committee of the whole meeting of the board of directors of the school district for the city of Allentown for today, July 24th, 2025. Prior to tonight's meeting, anformational executive session was held. The purpose of the executive session was to engage informational updates presented to the board on a number of district initiatives as well as confidential matters pertaining to personnel. Informationational updates and discussion with council pertaining to tax assessment appeals and costs associated with the neighborhood improvement zone and anformational update with council regarding negotiations with the teamsters union. The board welcomes and invites public comment. You may address the board on agenda and or non-aggenda items. The first opportunity for comment is at the beginning of the meeting and is limited to agenda items only. Comment cards must
002be received by the start of the meeting, which is now. We will not be receiving public cards once the meeting begins. A copy of the public comment policy is located on the table next to the comment cards. According to our board's policy, any person may address the board in accordance with the procedures and limitations of this policy. either on issues presented in resolutions being considered or on other matters affecting the administration, management, or operation of the district. Remarks of a personal nature directed against any individual will be ruled out of order. If you choose to address the board, please fill out a comment card and hand it to the board secretary, Mr. Simson. Comment cards are located at the podium near the door. Once recognized, please come to the podium and state your name and
003address for the record. Madame Superintendent, do you have any remarks at this time? >> Yes. Thank you. Um, Madame Vice President, good evening to uh our school board of directors, to my team, and to members of the public, all of our families, students. Uh, good evening and I hope everyone is having an enjoyable and relaxing and rejuvenating summer. Uh, before we um get into our finance meeting, I'll make all my remarks during this session. Um, I just want to share, uh, earlier this week, uh, Miss Reese and I were able to attend a national convening from the National School Board, I'm sorry, the National School Public Relations Association, uh, where Miss Ree was recognized amongst other leaders as a comm the communicator of the year for the state of Pennsylvania as well as she was
004one of the people presented as the finalist towards becoming the communicator of the year for the nation. So I just want please join me in giving her a round of applause. Also want to add that the district was recognized uh we received five awards and the superintendent also received a an award and I say this this way you know I am because of all of you. So I thank you for your hard work and commitment and I know that I put the language arts teacher position that I still have in full effect. So, I thank you for working very closely because we were recognized nationally for our work around the strategic plan uh as well as our equity work and I'm going to say the e-word in public um and the op ed that we
005presented and um actually others are asking us for guidance as to how our process our videos and such. So, I'm really excited. It was a really great day for Allentown for our name to come up across that screen and people really excited and coming up to us saying, "Wow, Allentown is on the move." So, thank you, Miss Ree, for your hard work and commitment. And to everyone here in the team, please give yourselves a round of applause. [Applause] As we continue our summer programs, we want to say that we have the unique pleasure of serving this summer about 1,900 of our sensational, creative, talented, gifted, handsome, enthusiastic, brilliant students this summer from uh from kindergarten through. Our students are taking some classes at institutions of higher education this summer. We're really thrilled about the continuous
006work of our AI institute. We have our students working and I want to thank Miss Singer for stepping in and helping uh work with Dr. Voy on implementing our internship program. So we have students making a whole lot of money this summer and I wish I could make as much could have made as much money as they are making this summer for their u contributions to our internal learning community as well as with our partners. So please let's give everyone a round of applause for our efforts on the internship and we want to thank our friends at the sales uh universities uh particularly because this effort uh came out of an idea uh through my my Google fellowship that we're able to execute on and this is year two of that effort which also is
007we've were learned from this experience to help shape our new bridge view academy. And so I want to thank all the leaders who are involved with that, Miss Ramos, Miss Brian, uh, Mr. Rosado and his entire team for all those efforts. So, thank you. And let's please give them a round of applause. [Applause] Something that's near and dear to my heart um, as it relates to overall engagement of our learning community, I mean, our students, staff, students, and our broader community. We are halfway through the superintendent's reading league dive into reading challenge. Yes. Yay. So it's our district-wide summer reading initiative that is has um running through or will commence uh through August 10th and this is a part of our overall big picture thinking around lighting our way to literacy. So uh we will
008begin to promote the lighting the way to literacy throughout for the the remainder of this new upcoming well for this upcoming academic year. So everyone who's under sound my voice including our community leaders you want to track your minutes in beanstack um and also via clever for our students and there will be prizes. So I hear for our top readers and so and our team will give me some people that I can uh visit next week who are some of our top readers. So we want to thank you so much. Reading is still fundamental. Okay. So I know we have a lot of I'm going to read on my iPad but a good old book is still good. Okay. And it helps you to discover new ways and new possibilities and take us in various
009places. So we're excited about that. a part of the lighting away, we will share with the school board and everyone else. Uh we're going to uh have some of our new talk shows and have some of our community leaders help host those shows. Um and we will have various books by grade level that we are reading as a collective community. So, more to come. And I have to they told me to make sure I mentioned this. Um our students as of last week have logged 120,700 minutes this summer. So, please give them a round of applause. [Applause] Believe it or not, in less than a month away, school begins again. Yes. So, I want to highly encourage our families or anyone who's listening to talk to a family, a niece, nephew, cousin, brother, uh or
010child you are in in uh you have been entrusted with the care. If you are not registered, please register for school now. And it's particularly if you are in kindergarten. And so now the superintendent went out on a limb. And we we are accepting students who are four years old, as we mentioned, to attend kindergarten cuz I thought I was okay. And so and I didn't realize all the other factors. But with that said, we would like for families to register your children early so that we can best prepare for them and particularly our friend Mr. Kruula have nap on our team so he can uh if you need transportation that we can plan early so you won't say you we can't have you come the day before and say where's my bus. So, we
011would like for you if you need transportation and you know your child is four or five years old and is going to go to kindergarten that you register no later than July 30th because if you uh register after that transportation may not be readily available for the first day of school. We will uh we will get you transportation but might not happen then because all the logistics. So please, everyone who has a friend, cousin, niece, nephew, everyone else, please help us to have our students get registered. Um, early registration is crucial and I just want to make sure I said all those great things. So, thank you, Miss Reese. Please visit our website or contact any of our schools. If you have questions, you're like, what is she talking about? I really don't understand. Please
012contact our schools. Visit our website. We will have someone contact you. Dr. Dr. Kelly will also assist if you are in kindergarten and our assessment office will also support you in the registration process. Okay, we know this is one time of the year that we get really excited as a community. It's our back to school bash. We want to remind everyone within our community that we will have a big bash on August 13th, Wednesday, August 13th. And you know, this came out uh two years ago. The students who were part of my superintendent's advisory council said to me and I think Miss Pollock and Miss Reese may have been in the room at the time and they said, "We want to have a block party, Dr. Burks." And I was said, "Oh no." And they
013looked at me like, "How is she going to respond to this?" And so the block party turned into two consecutive years of a big bash. Approximately 9,000 people. first year about 8,000 and the next year 9,000 people. So we want to have be 20,000 if we could. And so please encourage families. We're going to give out free backpacks, food, all we have about 75 of our partners participating in this effort. And if you are so impassioned that you love children but you don't have children, we will accept your check today. If it if you anyone who's under the sound of my voice, if you're an alumni or you're someone who just loves education or we will if it's $5, we'll take it, okay? Cuz we want to ensure that our students are equipped. Um we
014have food. We're going to give out all free food to everyone. We're going to have some taste testing. We will have survey survey. We're um people who are going to be uh identified as teacher of the year, administrator of the year. So, you have to be here to vote for the person of the year at Cedar Beach Park. We're partnering with the city of Allentown and many of our other partners. And we want to thank all our generous donors who have contributed at this point, but we can never raise too much money. So, and if you want to volunteer and if you don't know who to call, Miss Parks will be happy to talk with you and help you out. So, Miss Parks, can you wave? I don't know if the camera can see her,
015but yes, she will take your money. Okay. Thank you. And so, that event will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Cedar Beach Park. We also there are some logistics so around if you can't get to the park, I think we have some transportation for some of our schools. So again, if you need um talk to the school leaders at the school in your catchment area, we want to start the year strong together. Um we will also have our new educator orientation or new staff am I calling it that? New educator staff orientation that take place on Thursday, August 14th and Friday, August 15th, 2025. We're w we're looking forward to welcoming and when I say new educators, not just teachers, social workers, psychologists, anyone who is a part of the A.E.A. And
016so, so we look forward to welcoming about 200 new people to our learning community. And so we've added various positions to enhance our theme-based offerings. We are growing grades. So those numbers are higher because we have more staff that we're hiring. So we are thrilled about that. Um as tonight on our regular school board of directors meeting there will be several um administrative appointments um and so we will have them recognized during that portion. We have some uh leaders taking on some acting roles. We are as an organization we are committed to continuous improvement and we are in the midst of looking at our organization aligning aligning the talents and gifts of members of our learning community to support our district and school continuous improvement efforts focus on our students. One more thing Miss Mat
017work with me. So on Monday, August 18th, we will have the adults kickoff. Our convocation will take place. It will be held at the PPL center. And so in last year and the year before we had and this this will happen this year, we will all come together. The district will close our offices for a few hours about four hours that day. So August 18th. So, if you can get everything you need prior to August 18th and uh but between 7:30 and say 12:30 the offices will be closed in the district cuz we are all going to launch the year together every role in the organization. So that is that me? I'm a custodian. That's you. Am I I'm a parent. That's you. I'm clerical. Everyone. Everyone say everyone. >> Everyone. Everyone. Everyone in the
018district. We will come together. We will showcase our successes. We will highlight our students and we will talk about our progress at our strategic plan as well as our way forward as an organization. For all the partners who are listening, we did extend invitations to you and if you could please confirm that you are attending just so that we can make sure there is a special place for you to sit. So you can say I'm a special partner. So if you don't tell us, we can't make you a special partner. So again, I'm excited about the work that is underway in the district. So I want to thank again everyone and we look forward to the next year even though it just felt feels like we just ended the school year. And so again, I
019thank you. And Miss Matson, I turn the microphone back to you. >> Thank you. Uh at this time, do we have any comment cards on public uh agenda items? No. Um we do have five action items on the finance agenda this evening. The first three action items, Mr. uh Mr. Cuff is requesting approval from the board of directors for tax assessment settlements. Without objection from the board, we'll take all three of those together. Good evening everyone. Okay. We are seeking of the school board director to authorize Fox Roth Child to enter to an agreement for the property located at 10 to14 Summer Avenue in the city of Allentown setting the assessment of the property at $738,150 for the tax year 2025 and for each subsequent tax year until change in property assessments pursuant to applicable
020laws. That's motion number one. Second motion seeking approval from the school board of directors to authorize Fox Rothschild LLP to enter to an agreement for the property located at 140 North 7th Street in the city of Allentown setting the assessment of the property at $542,640 for the tax year 2025 and for each subsequent subsequent tax year until a change in the property's assessment pursuant to applicable law. Third property, third motion, seeking approval from the school board of directors to authorize Fox Rothschild to enter to an agreement for the property located on West Liberty Street in the city of Allentown, setting the total assessment of the property at $798,000 even for the tax year 2025 for each subsequent year until a change in the property's assessment pursuant to applicable law. Thank you. Okay. Is there any
021comment or question? >> Seeing none, may I have a motion to move all three items forward to later this evening? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> We have a maker and a seconder. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. And the motion carries. >> Thank you. >> The next action item, Dr. Wharton is requesting approval from the school board for Pocono Mountain Dairies to provide dairy produce for the 202526 school year. >> Thank you board. Thank you Dr. Burks. This is one where I would love to enjoy say got milk. So what's really interesting about this when you go out to bid for food service or any types of services sometimes there's something called a consortium. The consortium will have multiple products. This year they did not have milk because the volume would
022be extensive. Just by way of example, we serve approximately 20,000 units of milk product a day. That's 3.6 million units of milk per year. So it's a lot. Now think about 500 school districts going after the same vendor. So this year we had to go after a vendor which is Pocono Mountain Dairies for $533,46550 cents. So it's a lot of milk but it's good milk. So we're looking for the board to approve. Sorry. Is there a comment or question other than my laughter? >> Seeing none, may I have a motion to move the milk item forward? Make that motion. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate that. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Then the motion carries. For our last action item, Mr. Sang is rec requesting approval from the board for theou between
023the Allentown School District and the Federation of Professional Security Professionals of America, Allentown School District Secretarial Educational Support Personnel Association and Program Participant. Thank you. Uh good evening, Dr. Burks and school board. Um as Miss Mat uh stated, this is a memorandum to get approval for four differentus memorand memorandums of understanding. It's with three of our employee groups and then the fourthou would be for the individual participant. Uh this initiative with Hampton University online will help support the Allentown School District in growing our own future leaders and professionals across a variety of roles. By investing in the continued education and development of our current employees, we will not only increase the number of qualified staff in key non-eing positions, but also strengthen employee engagement. This commitment to internal growth fosters a culture of opportunity and
024advancement which in turn enhances retention by encouraging talented individuals to build long-term careers within the district. Uh we do also want to shout out Michelle Sodto who is a graduate of Hampton uh University online. [Applause] Uh she has now advanced and is a uh teacher at building 21 based on the credentials she earned through Hampton. >> Good. Can you share what her previous role was? >> Uh, she was a security officer previously. >> Wow. >> Fantastic. >> Is there any comment or question about that item? >> That's so cool. I know. >> I know when she started building now, it's going to be bridge. Oh my god, that is so cool. >> Yeah, we're very >> We're very excited. >> There you go. She she is and it's the wonderful part is she's a cancer
025survivor. She is and she did her job and everything they let our school district. So our school district is wonderful. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Is there any other comment or question? May I have a motion to move this item forward? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> And we have a maker and a seconder. All in favor? >> I. >> All anybody opposed? And that motion also carries forward. Do we have any comment cards? Is there any old business to come before this committee? Any new business? >> May I have a motion to adjourn the building committee? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> Quick question here, Miss Ramos. Um, my list doesn't include the building committee. Should it, what order should it be in? >> Okay, thank
026you. So policy >> are we adjourned? >> Yeah, I thought Oh, I'm sorry. I thought I did adjourn. >> All in favor of adjourning and moving to the next item. >> I >> Okay. >> I'd like to call to order the policy committee of the whole meeting of the board of directors of the school district for the city of Allentown for today, July 24, 2025. Do we have any public comments? Okay. All right. We have two policies to present this evening. Dr. Seavoy will present both policies for their first readings. They're policy 815.1 on artificial intelligence and policy 8/19 on suicide awareness prevention and response. >> Thank you. Good evening. I have um Dr. Voris Sanchez who's going to support me with the policy 819 suicide awareness prevention and response. The first policy is policy
027815.1 which is the use of artificial intelligence in education. The board um previously approved this AI um policy a few months ago. We had to revise it so that we are in we are compliant with federal regulations. There are a few um items that I want to point out. On page four of the policy, a statement was moved to this area for AI generated content verification. It was previously in the policy, but it was um placed somewhere else. Page four, right there. AI generated um content verification. Individuals using generative AI tools and resources have a responsibility to apply proper oversight and evaluation of generated information. Generative AI tools shall not be the sole determining factor used to make decisions related to student learning, assessment, academic integrity, or conduct. We um emphasize um that it shall
028not be the sole determining factor. On page five, we added the issues identified during the evaluation and monitoring process shall be reported to the district's innovation task force. That was added. Scroll down a little bit more, please. On page five, AI use of operations. It's the second paragraph. This was revised and added. Well, revised, I'm sorry. While AI tools may be used to assist in HR processes, which is human resources processes, so long as the protocols above are in place, the board directs the final decision- making regarding employee evaluations, promotions, and hiring be human decisions and not solely by AI technology to ensure fairness, compliance, and compliance with anti-discrimination law. >> Okay, good. >> Those were the revisions made to the policy. Is there a motion to move this policy forward to the regular board
029meeting? >> I'll make that motion. >> A second. >> Any discussion? I do have a discussion point for this policy. The original draft that we had passed contained two instances of the use of the word equitable and access to generative AI that are no longer present in this draft. Um, while I still believe it's a strong policy, it is my belief that policy is the environment that we all live in. And if we want to be an equitable district, I personally favor for moral reasons only that it continue to contain those words. >> Is there a reason why that the words were that was taken out? My belief is that it would be more friendly to avoiding AI word tracking for keywords from the federal government to avoid attracting their eye. >> Oh, Mr. So
030in your recommendation, the word equitable is that that's the term you want to use or access or is there >> I believe in both instances it was used as an adjective to describe access equitable access but starting with this policy two uses of the word removed. Not sure how many more we'll remove from other policies, but having a motion in a second. All in favor, please let me know by saying I. >> Wait, we're stop. >> Oh, more discussion items. Okay, go ahead. >> I'm still discussing. Um, I understand you with that because it looks like a slippery hill. As the board members here, are you okay with that not being there equitable >> in this draft? They're already removed. >> It's already removed. >> The one that we approved in December contained that language.
031>> I know it's, you know, it's it's a political climate right now. >> You have to go with this version, >> but there are things that are bigger than that. And that's for students. I know I'm only here till this till November and y'all have to deal with this afterwards, but I'd like to be back. I don't know how everyone else feels, but I'm going to stand with Nick on this one. So, I'm going to take my motion back. I feel um the same way you guys feel as long as it doesn't put us in any sticky situations with all this political federal stuff going on. Um so I agree with you guys. It's definitely just a hard decision regarding the political climate right now. >> Mr. Salt, what do you think? This is less
032of a legal question and more of as indicated by your policy committee chair uh a quote unquote uh moral question. Okay. >> I am probably going to venture to say regardless of what wording you put in your policy, the behaviors of this district will still remain the same. This may be more of a surface issue than anything else, but we work in a world of symbolism and actions. And I believe that uh Mr. Nicolov aptly indicated that the reason why the language was the you know the rationale for why the language was uh changed. But I don't believe for a minute that your uh district's uh focus on equitable actions would change regardless of the way this policy reads. And the question is whether or not you want to be subject to the vagaries of
033an AI based sweep of our policies. That's the issue. But I don't view this as a legal issue as much as a moral issue. And uh I'm going to give you some legal advice. >> You don't go to a lawyer for moral advice. >> I I I'm still with you, Nick. I'm still with you with that. So you've withdrawn your motion? >> No, I I'm I I'm withdrawing my motion. So, you need a new maker. >> If we're to move that, >> you need a seconder. I'll be I'll be willing to make the motion. Okay. And a second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Nay. Go ahead. >> I just want to make sure that we capture exactly where you're suggesting that the team knows where we want
034it. uh in the draft from December that we had approved there are two instances that contained the phrase equitable access in the use of generative AI. One I believe was on page four I think >> the chair may just address Dr. Do you know exactly where Okay. >> You know where it is, Mr. Um, >> give me a moment. >> I can I don't have it printed out. On page three where it says to ensure access, it used to be to ensure equitable access. And then on page six under professional development, same thing, equitable access to generative AI. Do we have action? I'm not sure. >> Well, the motion didn't pass. >> Okay, >> we'll hold off on this one, I guess. Make some edits. >> Are you suggesting that we bring it back or
035you want to address it now? Uh if we the board is comfortable addressing it now and changing the language, we can make an amendment and then move that one to the regular board meeting. >> Okay. And >> do you need a motion to do that? I think >> I'll make a motion to amend it to contain its con uh previous language with the two uses of equitable. >> A second. >> All in favor? >> I I posted. Okay. We'll move that forward. All right. Next up, we have policy 8:19. This is suicide awareness, prevention and response. >> Thank you. The suic the policy 819 has extensive uh additions to the policy um so that we are compliant with state and federal regulations regarding suicide awareness and prevention. Dr. Lordis Sanchez is the chair of the
036district psychological services department and will review the policy and respond to any inquiries. Thank you, Dr. Seavoi. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Uh, the language throughout the policy has been updated to reflect research-based practices, providing additional clarity on implementation procedures. The revisions also address the correlation between threat assessment teams and crisis response and intervention teams, reflecting more current terminology and resources. The district's purpose statement has been revised to align with the board's responsibilities in providing a comprehensive program that promotes school connectedness and behavioral health in accordance with law. The definition section has been significantly expanded and revised to promote consistency in understanding the terminology used throughout the policy. Language outlining specific warning signs and suicide risk factors has been removed as this information and language would be more appropriately be included in administrative regulations
037or internal training materials. The language regarding suicide awareness and prevention education for both students and staff has been updated to better clarify how this education will be administered in accordance with school code. Additionally, recommended strategies for delivering lessons on student suicide awareness and prevention based on research-based practices have been included. In the methods of prevention section, language has been added to clarify that suicide prevention efforts will be integrated with community-based support systems. Under referral procedures, language has been revised to specify that students exhibiting suicide risk factors or behaviors indicative of a threat to their safety should be promptly referred to the appropriate team or staff member and supervised to ensure their safety. Additional recommended language has been included to direct staff to report students showing signs of risk to the threat assessment team or the
038designated suicide prevention coordinator to facilitate assessment and intervention processes. A new safe to say something section has been added to address reports received through the safe to say program addressed in policy 805. The district existing language on methods of intervention has been replaced with recommended procedures for assessment and intervention taken from PSBA's policy guide. This is more clearly address this more clearly addresses the steps to be taken when evaluating students at risk. The district's procedural language is better suited for inclusion in administrative regulations supplemental to the policy. Language has been added to recommend establishing administrative regulations and procedures to promote collaboration between the threat assessment team and the crisis response intervention team. Additional language has been incorporated to emphasize the importance of collaboratively developing appropriate student safety plans as part of student assessment and intervention
039efforts. The district's current methods of response language have been replaced with procedures from PSBA's policy guide as a recommendation, providing clearer clearer guidance on methods of responding to threats and suicide attempts. These methods of response are more procedural and better suited as an administrative regulation supplement to the policy. Recommended language regarding confidentiality of reports and information has been added, ensuring compliance with federal law and regulations. Finally, the list of resources has been updated and recognized, reorganized to include additional contact information related to suicide awareness, prevention, and crisis response for better structure. >> May I make a have a motion to move this to our regular board meeting? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> Having a make or second, all in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? No. Do we have any
040public comments on non-aggenda items? I have a motion to adjurnn. >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. All right. I'd like to call to order the education committee of the whole meeting for the board of directors of the school district for the city of Allentown for today, July 24th, 2025. The board welcomes and invites public comment. You may address the board on agenda or non-aggenda items. The first opportunity for comment is now at the beginning of the meeting and is limited to agenda items only. Do we have any cards? >> Okay. Madam superintendent, do you have anything to add for this agenda? >> Yes. Thank you, Miss Mat. Uh tonight we have a few items on the agenda. One is to include the mobile vision uh
041program with our great partners, the U Valley Health Partners. So we want to thank them for their continual partnership, our student code of conduct and additional resources for K5 to math students, K to5 math students uh due to increase enrollment trends. And then we also have on tonight a great partnership and I think Mr. Chick is going to talk about that and that superintendent is over the moon on this one uh about the Julie Art School uh performing arts school and so thank you u Madam Chair. Um, tonight we have six agenda items. The first four items are being presented by Dr. Seavoy. Uh, without board objection, we'll take all four of them together to determine whether they move forward. Uh, please tell us about them. >> Good evening. Again, the first one is the
042first item on the agenda is the approval, the request for approval for the memorandum of understanding with the Valley Health Partners Community Vision Center to facilitate the provision of vision examinations and related vision services for students in the district via the mobile vision program. This is a continuation of our agreement from um this past year and it also allows us to have u more than one location and one site for the services. >> Is there any comment or question about that? Next, >> the next agenda item is a request for board's appro the board's approval for the of the proposed Allentown School District digital learning program encompassing K through 12 virtual learning opportunities for students in full-time, hybrid, and credit recovery models at the cost not to exceed 316,600. The virtual campus will be a
043full-time is a full-time online learning program for students in K kindergarten through 12. The hybrid component of this program is for students in grades 6 through 12 who need additional support to be successful in virtual learning. And the third part of the pro the program is for credit recovery to offer credit recovery courses for students in grades 9 through 12. this um this last year we had um egeneuity and we went to Pearson learning for 9 through 12 and we had imagine learning for K through um I'm sorry 6 through 12 and we had imagine learning this encompass all grades so we will have one learning platform >> any comment or question we can take the next one >> the next item is the annual approval of our code of conduct for the 2526 school
044Here we made few a few revisions as it relates to an updated um letter from the superintendent and board president. We updated the school board of directors. We updated title nine. We updated the name to of building 21 to its new name, Bridgeview Academy. We changed some fonts and colors in the um document. We updated contact contacts and we um changed one title for um for community support. We added additional um policies and we included the artificial intelligence policy. The rest are more formatting um revisions that we're making. >> Any comment or question? May I have a motion to move these four items forward? >> I make that motion. >> Second. We have a maker and a seconder. All in favor? I >> opposed. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Um the next item for
045board approval is the memorandum of understanding between project aware and the Allentown school district to accept the data aare funding which will support the development of datainformed processes for school-based counseling program pending the district the district solicitor improvement. We received 70 the social workers and um psychologists received $70,000 through project aare. So this is an opportunity for them to gather data on the services that they're providing in one platform. And you can see they it also provides training for the the staff and they're getting training in socially emotional strategies um activity tools and we need storage units for our um other activities that we have going on with the social workers. >> Any comment or question? May I have a motion for this item? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Maker and
046a seconder. All in favor? >> I posted. >> The motion carries. Thank you. I didn't mean to split those, but >> thank you. >> We have a math curriculum item. Miss Smith. >> Good evening, Dr. Burks. Good evening, school board of directors. As you know, our enrollment hasn't increased. And so, this this is our core program for math, our core resource at elementary math level. However, we do need some more student additions. So all students have a workbook in front of them. So this uh request is to approve mathematic materials from Sabbath at the cost of 600 or I'm sorry 67,74416. >> Question or comment? May I have a motion? >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> We have a maker and a seconder. All in favor? >> I opposed. And the motion carries.
047>> Thank you. Thank you. And we have a motion for the Giuliard School Partnership. Hey, Mr. George. >> Good evening, everyone. School Board of Directors, Dr. Burks. Uh, we'd like to request the board's approval to partner with the Giuliard School from August 1st, 2025 through June 30th, 2028 in providing professional learning for educators, mentor and industry professional visits, and instructional strategy and systems design consulting. What this consists of are comprehensive professional development opportunities for our teachers. So, Giuliard will provide training for both performing arts and non-arts educators aligned with our academic and artistic goals. In-person workshops, so hands-on workshops, they will come to us and being that we're in close proximity, uh it makes it pretty easy for them to come and provide training for our uh staff and students. Virtual coaching and mentorship. So
048monthly virtual work or monthly monthly virtual sessions with staff Jiuliard creative classroom access. So they have a full curriculum we'll call it a curriculum bunch of plans that are accessible online that we have we will have access to to incorporate into our uh curriculum the support for non-arts educators. So we were we had an opportunity to experience a workshop and immediately my first thought was this would be great for everyone and that is something that they actually do. They provide training for non-arts educators just on how to spark creativity and uh different strategies within the classroom. How does this impact our students? Through a comprehensive suite of services and support, Giuliard will collaborate with the Allentown School District to elevate the role of music, dance, and drama in our schools while also reinforcing broader academic
049and wellness goals. This initiative directly supports our district's vision for whole child development, interdisciplinary learning, future ready graduates, and theme-based schools. By building teacher capacity, and inspiring students through direct engagement with professional artists, the partnership lays a foundation for systemwide impact. Students will be provided access to world-class art ed arts education. Most of us have probably heard of the Julie Arts School. And when we think of that, we think of the best of the best. So, this will enrich their academic experience through creativity, exploration, and artistic expression. Students across all grade levels will benefit from the inspiring encounters with professional artists, hands-on mentorship opportunities, as I mentioned, and expanded curriculum offerings that support the development in those three content areas, music, drama, and dance. High school students will also have access the opportunity to enroll
050in advanced Jiuliard courses preparing them for college career pathways in the arts. Okay. So, this is Julliard Julliard, New York City. >> Lee Jiuliard. >> We talking fame from when I was younger and everybody wanted to wanted to go to that school at fame. We're talking Debbie Allen. We talking real real. We're talking real things. >> Everyone, everyone who's gone to Giuliard, that's the Giuliard. >> Who who found this program? >> Sorry. >> Who found this? >> It I was going to say there was Dr. Burks can speak to that a little bit more about how it came to be. Um but >> we um so as part of our our partnership with the digital promise and our membership the league of innovative schools, we visited the Giuliard School um at Lincoln Center about two
051years ago. And so we met the executives from Giuliard and at that time uh Miss uh Brown Noel and Miss Connover were with me and so we began to we said that we want to partner with them and so as you know things take a little bit of time so we're able to now broker this partnership with Giuliard for the benefit of our students and although they work with school districts around the country but this project is unique in its kind of the level of intentionality that they are working with the school district. So, we're happy our friends in um Compton, they have a relationship, but not to the extent that we are engaging in with Giuliard. So, and I w I would be remiss if I did not commend our team, uh Mr. Urchek
052and our school board directors, um Mr. Berso and Miss uh Brown Noel in assisting with this as well as our school leaders. And I don't want to miss any names. So, I'm going to say though, we we had I'll say the school principles because I remember who went on that trip with us, but um Mr. Schmidt and Miss Telsa Sparks, yeah, from Rainbow School. And we had other teacher leaders who were with us. And so, we began to have those conversations, had an opportunity to experience some of the learning there. And so, I'm really thrilled about this partnership. And because of their commitment to digital promise and the league of innovative schools, they were quite interested in Allentown. And so and so we have to thank our friends for Digital Promise and the League of
053Innovative Schools for their support with this. >> Okay. So that means we got Jiuliard, Giuliard, New York City, Giuliard, our superintendent and everyone else bought it to us. We going to do it. And we got people complaining about where she lives. Shut up. Shut up. I don't want to hear. If I read another word, I'm coming for you because I only got three more, three, four more months. So, yes. No superintendent has ever done this ever, ever, ever, ever. And this is amazing. So, I thank everyone that was on that team. Thank you. Give our team a run. So, I just want to say there's more to come in the development of this partnership. And then we want to thank our friends at Giuliard because they were just as committed to seeing Allentown be a
054partner as we were enthusiastic about this experience for our students. And so, we don't have all the details. So, I'm just preempting any reporters coming to me because we have to work out some of the logistics of this before we can say exactly what the entire project looks like. So, thank you so much, Mr. Chick, for your hard work in this. >> Thank you. >> May I have a motion to move this forward? >> I make that motion. >> I thought you might. >> And one of you did second it. >> Okay. All right. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. It's moving forward. Uh, do we have any comment cards for non-aggenda items? >> Is there any old business to come before this committee? >> Yes. Um, again, for those of people who keep
055attacking our superintendent and our decisions as a board, stop it because this has never happened before and we're going to continue doing more and more and more. This board even is going to continue to give our children something they've never had before and a equal foot in the 21st century. Thank you. >> Any new business? I have a motion to adjourn the education commission. >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. And the motion carries. Building is next. Okay. I'd like to call to order of the building committee of the whole meeting of the board of directors of the school district for the city of Allentown for today, July 24th, 2025. The board welcomes and invites public comment. You may address the board on any agenda item and
056non-aggendum items. The first opportunity for comment is the beginning of the meeting and limit to agenda items only. Comment cards must be received by the start of the meeting which is now. We will not receiving any card public cards once the meeting begins. A copy of the public comment policy is located on the table next to the comment cards. Per our board's policy, any person may address the board with accordance with the procedures and limitations of the policy either on issues presented in resolution being considered or on other matters affecting the administration, management and operation of the district. Remarks of personal manner. Remarks of personal manner directed against any individual will be ruled out of order. Um, do we have any comment cards? >> All right. Did you want to say? >> No. Thank you.
057>> Okay. >> Tonight we have one action item. Dr. Dr. Wharton B is requesting approval from the school board of directors for KCBA architects to provide professional architectural and engineering service for the future program of the newly named newly named Brigadier Academy of Health Science Innovation and Technology. >> Thank you very much again. So, as uh Miss Harris just said, I'm looking for the board to approve KCBA architects for do working on the new Bridge View Academy School. And the idea is how we did came about this. While we don't have a design for the school, we wanted to pre-qualify architects. With that said, we went out to approximately uh 18 architectural firms of which five submitted proposals. Then we interviewed three of them that had comp uh that had uh experience in school construction.
058That's what we were doing here. And KCBA wound up being the uh firm that the committee selected and we're bringing them to you. So, as of right now, it is a firm that we'd like to bring in. From that, we're going to be working with Mr. uh Sultanic to develop the contract and then also with Dr. Burks developing the program for the new 21st century school. But we wanted to bring an architect on board first. And this also follows the mandate from Dr. Burks as well as the board to broaden our broaden our portfolio of professional services. So now we have a whole bunch of really great architects and engineers who are investing their time, their experience, their capital into the Allentown School District and I welcome them. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions?
059All right, this is action. I don't need to bring it before the board. Can I get a motion >> to move? May I have a second? >> Second. >> All righty. Uh all in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Eyes have it. Motion is carried. Thank you very much. >> Uh, do we have any cards for non-aggendum items? No. Do we have any old business? Do we have any new business? Um, I do with um, of course I do, but it's not bad. It's really good. Um, because building is also under athlet athletics. Um, we have a young man who a gra who just graduated from Allen who had a 5.0 gradepoint average. Also graduated from LYC. So, his associates degree and his name is uh Dural Holden. Um he is going to
060Albbright College, but he's also being considered to be voted for uh young athletic sports sports illustrated young athletic athlete. So, I'm going to be giving that to Dr. Burks and uh Miss Melissa Reese to put that on our website so we can vote for him. That's amazing. From Allentown and And he's not just athletic, he's smart, too. So, yeah, we we doing things over here. All right. May I have a motion to dismiss? >> Make that motion. >> We have a second. >> All right. All in favor say I. >> I. Eyes have it. >> All right. You guys are Which means we're ready to move forward to the regular board meeting. Uh because we're moving rather quickly tonight. I'm not going to declare a break. We're going straight on. So, I would like to
061call to order the meeting of the board of directors for the school district for the city of Allentown for today, July 24th, 2025. Do we have any public comment cards? And we have none. We will now have roll call. Mr. Simson, will you please do that? >> Yes, ma'am. Miss Brown, Miss Conover, Miss Harris >> here, >> Miss Mat >> here, >> Mr. Nikoloff >> here, >> Miss Noel, Miss Hartnett >> here, >> Miss Sierra >> here, >> Miss Diver >> here. >> We have five uh board members present and one virtual. >> Thank you. Uh, please rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty
062and justice for all. Madam superintendent, do you have some other things you would like to say this evening? >> Thank you, uh, Madam Chair. I'm just again really thrilled about the partnership with Giuliard. I just think how how more innovative we can become and enhance our professional learning and services to our students. So, I'm just really happy that we're able to move. Everyone knows I use this little metaphor moving things from hot dogs to lobster for our kids. So, I'm really excited about that. Um, I also want I would be remiss we do have seven of our staff members um participating in a Google certification program. Um, and so we are um excited about we are able to strengthen our partnership with Google. So, we want to thank them and we're looking forward to them
063coming back to district and help to innovate um and execute on using more AI tools to support and personalized learning for our students. And I want to thank u you Mr. Deline um and we have Mr. Kaufman and Mr. Weiss leading that work for us. So, thank you so much. So, let's please give those editor teachers. So, it's not just administration, but we have teacher leaders now studying over and um in Chicago, studying going more in depth about learning about Google tools and AI and all those things so they can help embed that work within our district. So, please give them a round of applause. We have no uh public comment cards at the moment. So, may I have a motion for the approval of the minutes? We need a maker and a seconder. >>
064I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> We have a maker and a seconder. Mr. Simonson, would you call the role, please? >> Uh, Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicoloff, >> yes. >> Miss Hornett, >> yes. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Mr. Berscio, >> yes. >> Motion passes 5. >> Thank you. >> 6. I'm sorry. >> Uh, information updates this evening, Mr. Nickeloff, is there any report from the Allentown Human Relations Committee? >> There is. As of a few weeks ago, the current human relations commission has been disbanded with the passing of a new human relations ordinance. As of right now, the one that they passed has no language that affords for a school district representative on that commission. Um, >> so >> until the city council makes
065an amendment in that regard, we have no guarantee of any representation there. >> What a shame. >> Interesting. >> That's it. >> All right. Uh, Miss Harris, Mr. Gersio, is a report for the public library. >> Yes. Um, just want to let you know that the library does have every month resume writing with um PA career link. That's usually the last of the month. And the chess club has also been meeting with us. Let me see. We've had many things happening during the summer. We had make your own viewfinder for teens. We had um the Lehigh Valley Zoo, um the trunk day for the for the library. We have um the art of steam as well as make your own um I'm sorry read about therapy dogs mixing matters with the venting center or art
066story art story um I'm sorry I just don't have my glasses with me so it's and Shakespeare for kids and we had a summer reading club which did really well we as long as well as that that goes until August 2nd we have free lunches that are available at the library from for our for our youth from June 23rd to August 1st lunches are served Monday through um Friday at 12:30 from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. in the community room and we are um we were we're doing okay at the library. We do have some you know issues to work out with the book with the board but other than that it has been it's the library has been doing well. >> Anything to add? >> No. >> Okay. Which the last one? Okay. Is there
067anything from the Allentown Recreation Commission, Miss Sierra? Mr. Rosio. >> So, there's no updates at this time. Our next meeting will be in September. >> There's nothing from the foundation this evening or from the intermediate unit. The LCTI will meet next month. It doesn't meet in July. So, those are our updates. We'll move to the board of directors report. May I have a motion for the approval of the board of directors report? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> And we have a second. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing none, please call the RO. Mr. Simson. Uh, >> Miss Harris. >> Yes. >> Miss Mat. Yes, >> Mr. Nicoloff. >> Yes, >> Miss Hartnett. >> Yes, >> Miss Sierra. >> Yes, >> Miss Tersio. >> Motion passes 6. >> May I have a motion
068for the approval of the policy agenda? >> I'll make that motion. >> A second. >> There's a second. Is there any discussion? May May I point out that the one item will be as amended this evening earlier this evening. >> Please call the role. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicolof, >> yes. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Mr. Berscio, >> yes. >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Hartnett, >> yes. >> Motion passes. Zix zero. May I have a motion for the approval of the secretary and treasurer's report? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion on them? >> Mr. Secretary, please call the role. >> Uh, Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicolov, >> yes. >> Miss Hartnett, >> yes. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Miss Tersio,
069>> yes. >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Motion passes 6. May I have a motion for the approval of the superintendent report? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? >> Mr. Secretary, please call the RO. >> Miss Hartnett. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Miss Tersio, >> yes. >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicolof, >> yes. Motion passes 6. >> May I have a motion for the approval of the personnel report? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> We have a maker and a seconder. Any discussion? >> Please call the role. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Miss Hartnett, >> yes. >> Miss Tersio, >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nikoloff, >> yes.
070Motion passes 6. Okay. >> Uh we would like to have Mr. Sang come forward and introduce some people to us. >> It's it's not Mr. Sang, it's Mr. James. And I'm so excited and I'm very proud to >> be the very first my first introduction of our new personnel to uh Allentown School District. We're very excited. Let's get excited. Everyone get excited about our new team. So, good evening uh Superintendent Dr. Burks and to our uh school board directors. Uh thank you so much for your approval of the personnel agenda this evening. We will now continue our tradition of introducing the administrators who were just approved and who are present with us this evening. I will introduce them in the order that they appear in the personnel agenda and those administrators will be greeted by
071our school board, our superintendent and CEO and extended cabinet members. Let's get excited. >> First, we have Dr. Katima Kerxy who is the director of family and community engagement. Okay. Absolutely. >> Dr. Ajat Ma, executive director, research assessment and accountability. We have Miss Stephanie Williams who is the principal of Harrison Morton Middle School. We have Dr. Alicia Knoff, who is the acting principal of Allen High School. >> And we have Miss Diane Jansen, who is the acting director of English Learners. Let's give a round of applause for all of our new personnel joining us and they will stay with us in Allentown School District. >> Thank you. Congratulations. >> You know the drill. You have to come back. Congratulations. [Applause] May I have a motion for the approval of the building report? >> I make
072that motion. >> Second. We have a maker and a seconder. Is there any discussion? Please call a roll. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Miss Hartnett, >> yes. >> Mr. Derscio, >> yes. >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicolof, >> yes. >> Motion passes 6. >> May I have a motion for the approval of the finance report? >> I'll make that motion. I'll second. >> Is there any discussion? Please call the role. >> Miss Sierra, >> yes. >> Miss Tersio, >> yes. >> Miss Harris, >> yes. >> Miss Mat, >> yes. >> Mr. Nicolof, >> yes. >> Miss Hartnett, >> yes. >> Motion passes 6. >> Do we have any comment cards on non-aggenda items? Is there any old business to come before us this evening? Any new business?
073>> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> I just want to piggy back off of uh what Miss Harris was saying earlier. Um this nonsense with the comments going on about Dr. Burks on Facebook and social media, it it has to stop. And just because people don't agree with how we vote or the decisions we make, you don't get to qu our integrity as a board because we all care about this district. We all care about the families and the students and the staff, everybody. We all care about them and we make the decisions from our heart and what we feel is best. this nonsense going on online, it has to stop because it's not productive in educating our kids when that's what we're in the business of doing. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] Quit playing.
074May I have a motion to adjourn this meeting? >> I make that motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> thank