BCSD Board of Education meeting 1/21/2026

001If we can reconvene to open session, the board has been in executive session since six o'clock to discuss two tenure recommendations, three personnel matters, and a litigation matter. If we could please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Have introductions. John, >> good evening. John, >> Dave Hurst, >> Catherine, >> John Walston, >> Merith, Holly Denba, Jody Monroe, >> Robert Tu, >> Y Mcn, >> Lauren Graasso, Uh, first up on our agenda is our approval of minutes. It is recommended by the superintendent that the board of education approve the minutes from the January 7th, 2026 regular board meeting. >> So move. Second. >> Any

002discussion? All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? That carries. Um, item three, meeting reports. And first is our superintendent report. >> Sure. Uh, first thing I wanted to congratulate our middle school students uh and our staff for the musical performance this past weekend and no snow day this year. So, that was good. I know there's some middle school students here, but um uh there's always a great turnout and I know families do a lot to support it. Our staff do a lot and I'm always impressed with the performance of our middle school students. So, uh congratulations to them. Also, we have our esports team in the back with the Eagle uniforms on. So, we invited them because they went to the state championship. And the adviserss, Navar Johnson and Justine Nigro, are here.

003They're going to just tell you a little bit about what they did at esports and how they um were able to attend and then introduce the students. They all have their medals on as well >> and then we'll have them come up and be recognized. So Justine, you want to begin? >> Sure. Thank you so much for having us. Um, Eagles Esports is a club that facilitates competitive video gaming in a scholastic setting. Um, which is usually a pretty isolating activity and it is putting it in this scholastic setting where we can provide more opportunities for students. Um, we have we're in our fourth year. We just finished our fourth year as an official club. That's been a pretty fabulous experience. We have two competition seasons. There's a fall season and spring season. Currently, we

004compete in the games Marvel Rivals, uh, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Um, we compete in Rocket League and we have chess teams. And, um, Syracuse University hosts our uh, play versus um, championships, state championships by annually. And this We had two teams um compete at championships. We had our Rocket League team and our Marbor Islands team place. Um so I'll tell you about a few of these these players here for our Rocket League. They placed third in the states which was fabulous. We have um Captain Max. We have John Stapleton and Kai with us tonight and they all metal place. So that was really exciting. Um and then we also have our rival players here. We had um our club president. We have John Singleton. We have Matt, our vice president. And we have Captain Benson.

005And I think that was about Congratulations. Okay. Uh just a couple other things. Um we did uh put out our RFP for UPK. Um we will be expecting to offer the same number or possibly more seats for the 2627 school year. Uh so uh we should have those back in the next month or so. Uh both child time and TSL have indicated a desire to continue working with the district. Uh we'll see if we get any other um agencies who want to partner with the district. So those have gone out. Uh we also just a reminder we have our capital project vote coming up February 3rd from 7 am to 900 pm here at the high school. Hopefully we will have better weather than the last uh date. Uh so wishful thinking on that. And

006the last I wanted to provide the board an update. At our last meeting the board had asked Tyler Technologies to provide an update on some of the transportation. Is there basically any difference um between the options the board is considering for reasonzoning in regards to transportation? So, I'm going to ask Britney if you could just go to um keep go to the uh next slide. So, this uh basically Tyler put this together and you can see that they use something called live miles. The live miles is basically the miles driven with students on the bus and then they also have a loading time or which is the time the bus has students riding on it. So you can see in this uh basically the average load time is is pretty much the same. There's no

007real uh difference in regards to if the board allows fifth graders to remain at their current school. uh basically and this is all formula driven so you can expect that perhaps there would need to be one additional bus um at both Eagle and Glenma in order for that to happen but there's no real uh you know big disparity between either options and when I spoke to uh Ted who's done many of the presentations he said he didn't see the fifth grade uh because not all the fifth graders will likely ride the buses this is accounting for um consideration that all of them would in fact take the bus, which is probably unlikely. >> So, okay. So, there's any questions on that, but >> any questions? Pretty negligible. >> No, thank you. Thanks for >> Catherine

008and Jody. Just a Oh, thank you. Um, just one question. And you were saying that it doesn't account for or that this this accounts for all students >> potentially >> choosing to stay in their >> to it accounts for all students choosing to stay who are eligible for the fifth grade and all of them taking the bus. >> Right. Which we have to account for no matter what under state law. Yeah. >> Correct. >> Great. Thank you. >> Uh and that's all things I have in my report. >> Okay. Y >> um and for the board report, I just wanted to thank the middle school for hosting us this evening. It's always nice to be here. Um, so thank you Dr. Clman for having us. >> Great space. >> Um, and I also, um, wanted

009to echo Jod's comments about the musical. I had a chance to come see that on Thursday night. Um, and you guys all did a, um, did a phenomenal job. And so I give a shout out to the cast, the crew, um, the staff, and the parents who I know always put in a tremendous amount of work. Um it's it always is amazing to me uh the caliber of our middle school productions. Uh any other board members have something they wanted to share? >> I just want to extend my thanks as well. It was it was just fun to see uh the performances and the cast was phenomenal and it can't be done without everybody else supporting. So I am also just echoing my gratitude. It was a great time. So thank you. you. >> We

010had four students, two from Glenmont, two from the middle school who had um selected to take part in the statewide modern the King art exhibit. And I think that it's more useful than ever to focus on Dr. King's words. So, I thought it was really nice that we had students participate in that and have the opportunity to just reflect on that. >> Um, next are our um student reports. Um so Claire, turn over to you. >> Yeah, the um environmental club and the peer helpers are working together to build a courtyard at the high school um which is near the I think it's outside the guidance office. Um the space will honor Madame Matala and we're working with the French students and the student senate and we've talked to a lot of adults. We measured

011the space. We figured out funding and it'll hopefully be up and running by June or at least the upcoming year. >> Yeah, I love that. Um, and do we have anybody from the middle school here tonight? >> Um, we would like to congratulate the cast and the pit band and the directors of the middle school musical production of Newsies. Another outstanding show and we especially appreciate all the help provided by our parent volunteers. Thank you and congratulations. Um, character t-shirts have arrived and are being delivered to students throughout this week. We want to we want to also congratulate the middle school select choir on their outstanding WMT music for the holidays concert that was aired by W by WHT around the holidays. >> We want to congratulate two of our classmates whose artwork was chosen

012for the statewide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Their art will be displayed in exhibit located in the concourse in downtown AL. >> We want to congratulate our helping hands club who for the second year in a row was awarded with the distinction of the at the kids can build campstruction event at Crossgates Mall to support food and security. >> Congratulations to our two classmates who won our school spelling bee last week. They both await the details for the next round of competition. We wish them luck. Thank you all for your continued support. >> Thanks guys. >> Uh next on the agenda is our presentation this evening. Um and it is on our BCMS kindness leader micro assemblies. Thank you. >> Um, just to give you kind of an overview in 30 seconds or

013less of how this is going to run, there's a few slides that I'm literally going to rip through very quickly because it's really just a historical timeline. Uh, and then after those slides, uh, Avani and Claire are going to help us a little bit. Uh, and they're the real talent behind this. You'll see that the adults kind of stand in the background. we're not front and center for this. Uh and the students uh starting with our high school students a few years ago are the people that are leading this initiative and for the first time ever now because of and thanks to some of our elementary principles uh we have some of our eighth graders being trained to do the same thing at our elementary schools. So next slide please. Uh this really started back

014in the school year 2223. Uh and I'll introduce my two co-presenters. My name is Mike Kugman. I am the middle school principal. Uh behind me I have Miss Serrilla Fuso who's one of our counselors in the middle school. Uh and she was formerly I think in every one of the elementary schools. So she's familiar with all the staff in those buildings. Still every year when the elementary kids come up they know Serilla. So she's got a great connection to the kids. Uh and Mr. Alan Gadston is one of our central office folks. Uh and he works in all the buildings. He helps uh students as much as he helps staff. Uh and he actually is kind of the spearhead behind all of this. So despite the fact that I'm doing the talking, the reason why

015I'm talking is because like he doesn't want to self-ceelebrate. So I'm going to celebrate him the whole time. So here we go. Uh special thanks to Jody and Dave Hurst uh and Dave Del. Uh Allan brought in NCBI which stands for National Coalition Coalition Building Institute. And if that sort of you can sound out what that means, it's basically just bringing people together. So, and in that training, the first group of high school students that were trained were so uh cap their capacity was so huge for impact. We literally were trying to find ways to expose them in ways that we had NCBI in the district, Jody, what like 20 years ago. Uh and we were trying to think up really creative ways to get those kids out in front of other students to create

016linkage between kids. Next slide, please. So with that in mind, we came up with the the idea of parents, you may be used to this. Uh you say something to your child five or six or seven times and then someone they really look up to like an older sibling or peer says the same thing and it sinks in that first time. Right? So we recognize the power of uh what our peer network can do and we're trying to tap into that. and our high school students. We had the idea of doing these what we would call micro assemblies. We didn't want to put all 350 kids in a grade level in the auditorium. We wanted to go out into our study halls, which is anywhere from 18 to 25 students. Uh and we had two

017high school students in every single one of those uh doing kindness, basically micro assemblies talking about how to be kind to each other, the power of words. Um Serella is probably going to talk about that a little bit more. Uh so that's kind of a a structural look at how we manage that. Uh and we're fortunate that Allen was able to recruit a really high capacity critical mass group or we had enough high school students to run this through our 15 home bases at each grade level. Uh as you see up there, periods four, five, and seven. Next slide, please. Uh our so the first time our high school kids came to the middle school was in June of 2024. Uh and believe it or not, the the scope of their presentation uh was fleshed

018out initially by Serilla and Allen. Uh by the time it was finished, the kids had brought as much to it as the adults did. So they're from the outset, they're really involved in the design process. Uh we lean on them because we're talking about things like cell phones and status seeking and how that challenges, as you might imagine, people being kind to each other. Uh and our high school students have a wealth of insights that they bring to this. Next slide, please. Um, student feedback from that very first one back in June, uh, were those sort of things in blue about themes, but it was all positive. Um, our high school kids, uh, I think when New York State began its teacher mentoring program, we found that mentors got as much out of it as

019the mentees did. And I think our high school kids report the same thing. The leadership that they take away from that is extended into the high school. Uh, and it leads those students into doing things that we probably wouldn't have envisioned before we started this. Next slide, please. Uh, in the 2425 school year, a year later, we increased to two micro assemblies at the middle school, um, Sherilla is going to talk more about the thematic. You can see a little bit up there about what some of the themes are. U, but we, it's one of those domains to Dr. McNe's point, there's no amount that is enough. When you talk about kindness, uh, and teaching kids social skill, uh, this is something they're going to learn for the rest of their lives. So, we're dealing

020with 10 to 14 year olds uh who are influenced as much outside of their homes by social media and cell phones even if they don't have them as much as kids are like in their own homes by their parents core values and obviously the school's core values. Next slide please. Uh special thanks um to Ian. Uh so this year we're expanding as I said in going into the elementary schools. Our first pilot is with Hammerrail uh and that is coming up at the end of next week. Uh we hope to get into some of the other elementary schools, but that's going to depend on honestly our reflections on how next week goes. So fingers crossed uh that our middle school eighth graders have helped us a lot with that presentation. Uh and Serilla has met

021a number of times with that crew. We have them in what we would call a leadership lesson structure where we're asking them to help us out in bringing language language down to a fifth grade level. But we're really excited for that, too. Uh next slide. Uh and again, special thanks to Serrilla. Uh I'm going to let her speak a little bit about some of the themes that that take over. Uh and Serilla uh she I I told her when we came in here, she puts me to shame with regard regard to her design creativity uh and what she can do. Uh and her ability to listen and take and translate what the students insights are into action has been phenomenal. And I'm hopefully not overselling it, making her feel really nervous. Uh but with that

022said, I'm going to bring Cerillo. So this is Sela. Mission accomplished. My hands are sweat. So on this slide, I have a couple pictures of some of the slides for the eighth grade presentation to the fifth graders. So the idea behind the presentation in the elementary school. Um on the far left says, "Preparing for the middle school starts now." So in the spring, we always have presentations in the fifth grade classrooms to get ready for the middle school. all information for them to hopefully ease their nerves about coming to the middle school. But we're adding this presentation really focusing on kindness and respect because that's another level of development when you get to the middle school level especially with advocating for yourself or standing up for others which is a life skill no matter what

023age you are. Obviously that develops as you're getting older. So, um, some of these slides are the two, um, the circle of control slide. Really, one of the takeaways that our eighth graders were talking about, um, that I've had conversations with our students about all the time is we can control what we can control and really empowering our students to focus on that and what they can control themselves and how we can't control other people's choices and words and etc. So with that um on the far right is how I control me relates to kindness, right? We can control our own actions and our own behaviors. And in the middle was um seven different points of advice directly from our eighth graders that they want to give our fifth graders as a takeaway from this

024lesson. So that's one of the most important things is with the eighth grade presentation to the fifth graders. We want the fifth graders to leave feeling like they have something to go with them, that they have strategies, that they have a new level of confidence. Uh, next slide, please. And then on on this slide, um, the two images are part of the uh, presentation that the high school students do with our middle school students. And we try to the point of this that Dr. Clugman also talked about was practicing social skills as well. Talking with people, kids talking with each other, the high school students to our middle school students, our middle school students with each other, focusing on communication skills, facing each other, eye contact, continuing conversation, but also more importantly hearing what each

025other has to say and really taking that and developing that into a better understanding and level of respect for each other and, you know, thinking broader with our community and society. So the high school presentation um excuse me is a little bit more about the the real power of our words and the impact that that has on each other and a level of understanding with inclusion and um acceptance and diversity and um you know the impact that we have not only on other people but within oursel as well. And um the picture on the right side is again strategies. The goal is for our middle school students to have some sort of takeaway and action plan and strategies of what they can do to stand up for themselves or for other people. >> Oh gosh.

026Okay. >> All right. So, we have several um high school students here that have been just absolutely phenomenal, Claire and Avani. And I can personally say when developing this and starting this program with Ellen and Dr. a couple of years ago. I have leaned on these two students, myself, a lot because really our middle school students want to hear something that's a little bit more relatable and has a different impact than us as adults. And so, um, we started with creating a presentation and I would bring it to the high school students and I'd say, "What do you think?" And I did the same thing with our eighth grade students and I got a lot of feedback and changed the presentation a lot. Um but the high school students really just have a different outlook

027and different um ideas and I have absolutely loved it and just tried to go with that and it's been I think so impactful for our students and um and it's just been we've had a lot of really great results come from really good feedback before we turn it over to the board and any of the staff to ask any questions you might have. Um, I have a couple questions. Uh, they're really softballs, but they're interesting in their reflections of how things have gone because Claire and Ivani have been with us from the onset of this. So, the first question is for both Claire and Avani, what has been the best part of this experience in being a high school presenter so far for each of you, whoever wants to go first. Um so the best

028part of this experience has probably been the amount of impact that I have underestimated that I have made. um after presentations or even I come here for Alana, the middle school Alana. And many kids have come up to me and said, you know, I want to know more about the high school. I want to know more about this, more about that. And I think it makes a big impact on not only me, but it shows how big of an impact it actually makes on everyone. And not only that, um it also makes me feel good that there might be some sort of change in PE in people when it comes to going transitioning from the middle school to the high school. And there's also a big impact that um of that I personally al I

029made with my peers um when I spoke to the middle school staff um back I think last year. I don't really remember when um but Mr. Gaston he told me that many teachers were coming up to him and asking him about my experiences and which really made me feel amazing and heard that people are actually taking things into account. So that's how I felt about my experience as a presenter. is definitely like the community we built. We um through our training we meet people we don't really cross paths with. We found common interests and we learned how to be kind, supportive and build relationships with one another and these are the same values we try to facilitate to the middle schoolers. Another meaning part meaningful part of this experience is being able to pass down

030knowledge to younger students. Middle school is a very awkward in between stage where you're not a child but you're also quite not a teenager and it's often when students begin to face the harsh realities like microaggressions and stereotypes. Um, as presenters, we teach them how to handle these inevitable situations, how to be kind when they happen and how to um respond to them when it happens to them or to someone else. And um I I'm just happy that I am able to um be able to teach these lessons because um I mean I wish I had this when I was their age and I'm incredibly grateful for these people to make these um presentations happen. >> Thank you both. Uh board member, staff, does anybody have any questions for either Aani or CL? questions. >>

031Yeah. I'm just wondering if there's anything kind of um unexpected or anything that that surprised you as you were um both learning and engaging with your peers more and with the um with the coalition building institute or al or you know surprise you when you're talking to younger students. Um, I think what most surprised me is that I learned a lot about myself through this experience. I mean, um, I was able to connect with the younger students and figure out what's been happening because I I I think that I know what's happening in the middle school, but, you know, it's a growing age and and social media is growing more and more prominent and um, I mean, I learned a lot about myself and about the world and I've learned how to kind of combat

032combat these new challenges that the middle schoolers are going through and try to guide them the best way possible. But yeah, >> um sorry. Um I was going to say middle school for me was the start of a whole new world, especially since I came to middle school from a different country. So it once I stepped into high school, I think that and even through these programs like CBI. I think that I learned that a lot of people have very very different experiences from you. Um I think my world was more compacted for sure before this and being in these programs, being in NCBI and working with Claire and other people, other peers. I think it's really um built upon being more open-minded and seeing that different people have different experiences experiences and go through

033different things. you in? >> I have I have two if I may. First question is what you think the challenges are going to be to scaling this so that everyone gets the opportunity and the second question is what push back have you had? I'm sure not everyone is just like this is all wonderful and everything's happy. I'm curious what obstacles have come up that need to be done. >> I'll handle the first one. Claire and Havani, you go first. if you can speak to the feedback that you guys specifically gave Miss Palo and evolving the themes and the language. How much play did you guys have in that? >> Do you recall? >> I don't recall. So, we started off a couple of years ago. We started off um more similar to the eighth grade

034presentation to the fifth graders where it was kind of broadly about kindness and um acceptance of others and differences. And then um I remember specifically the first two-day training through NCBI that I attended, I was just wowed listening to directly our high school students about their experiences or about their thoughts and feelings. And that opened my eyes personally. And I think it it really turned a corner for me to help our students share their voices and to speak up and share like Avani said, share their experiences because that matters. And you know, there was several students that that were talking about how hard middle school was and that just made my heart hurt for them and just wanting to, you know, help that those really tough years. And so I think, you know, when it

035was time to start the, you know, the next year of presentation, I I feel like I personally leaned more on the high school students to give me their feedback on zoning in a more concrete um and targeted presentation than just the broader idea of kindness. And so I think that's where we kind of um steered a little bit more towards um the diversity piece in really specifically inclusion, the power of our words with microaggressions and how that makes other people feel and just being aware that sometimes we don't we don't might not realize what we say and the impact or the hurt that it causes other people. And so um every meeting I think that we had with the whole group was just learning more and more. And I feel like I also saw um

036this change with the high school students feeling more confident to really express themselves and to talk about this so that we could have it um have the whole presentation have a true meaning and impact with our middle school students. Yeah, the the piece of the push back that we really don't get too much. Um I think the biggest piece we find is that um when some high school kids want to join in, uh schedules become a big thing like they can't get out of class, uh certain things like that that happen, uh tests come up or it's just all the things that are important to kids uh academically. Uh where NCBI is a two-day training, so they're out of class for two days. So that becomes a reason why some kids get deterred but others

037want to join it. The kids again uh talk to each other they become the voice of the program. So when we first started it u it was more of going to the adults to identify kids to come in and now we've moved to a point where now the kids are talking to each other about coming in. So with the high school kids coming to the middle school the high school kids that done the two-day training will come to the middle school but that have some friends asking to come along that didn't go through the two-day training that want to see what this is all about. So now we we have a good problem, right? We have kids that want to come in. We started the program, I believe, with 23 kids and our last sign

038up this past year was close to 40 kids. And so um we're going to tag on some more kids coming down to the middle school as well. One piece I don't want to forget to say is out of the two-day training this past this past training uh the two uh facilitators of the NCBI program uh that is a nationwide program asked our students um to do a skit. It's a skit part of of the program where they go through diversity and inclusion and it's a whole whole big thing and it's a lot of fun for the kids to do. They asked our students to put together a video uh and they would be given a $200 gift card um uh to them for for doing this. So this video would go out on what microaggressions

039uh diversity and inclusion look like and our school will be represented in their nationwide uh work. So they were really really impressed with our students here at the school. So uh in the district. So this is growing. It's a powerful thing. It's fun to watch kids talk to kids about being a part of it. It's fun to watch kids walk the halls and talk about it. Um, you see it during the training. Uh, we give them breaks throughout the training. So on day one, if we give them a break, the kids are looking in the window wondering what's going on in that room. They want to be a part of it. So, uh, this is going to continue to grow. So, uh, that's where we're at with it. And it's a really positive thing to

040see the kids do. >> Yeah. I would just echo the comment about scale because in the first year it was tough with only I think Alan said 23 or 25 students. Uh we're up to more than 60 in the high school now and 40 last count maybe 43 or 45 in the middle school. Uh and we take so we have 15 home bases. So we we try to put two high school kids in those home bases when they come here. We are for example when we go to Hammergirl there's three fifth grade classrooms. We're putting four eighth graders in each of those classrooms. So we travel with 12 to 15 kids. And now that we're a couple years into this, the scaling is really not the issue because we're uh we're scaling with a critical

041mass of kids that are really talented and enjoy the work and they're dragging friends into this which is great. Uh Serilla would comment I think that all of us are building the curriculum as we go so that when we get into subsequent years we both have a staggered curriculum so kids aren't hearing the same thing over and over again. And yet our sixth graders, it may be new for them as they come in or our fifth graders as we get into our fifth grades. Uh so we're looking to build a curriculum which is probably four sub successive years of presentation. So our kids hear this over and over again and they're hearing it from the kids who are living the model when they go to the high school. >> Questions before we uh leave you

042all uh on is it Friday? We're going next Friday. Next Friday, what we're handing out uh to the board is they're invited to come see the eighth graders go down and do uh the training with the fifth graders at Hammer Girl. So, they're getting invitations right now to uh come down. And again, as Dr. Pman said, we were talking earlier came up with the idea for the invitations because we were just saying we should just invite them. and she's like, "Let's just take that to another level and uh and do invitations." So, it's great. One thing about this position that I do is the first word and it is coordinate. And coordinate to me means uh build a team. And uh I want to say uh thanks also to the transportation staff. Uh they bust

043these kids all around and us as parents, I'm a parent as well. To get our kid to and from somewhere safely, short trip, long trips is a big deal. uh we provide lunch for the kids and uh even though we provide and they bring it in still our our uh cafeteria staff uh works hard uh to help us with anything we need. So I want to thank them our counseling staff in all the buildings that we do this in has been extremely helpful. Uh I've not heard one no uh to anything that I've uh asked uh for for a child. Uh and again to Jod and Dave, thank you for your help with it all. But building a team of people that are all about kids first has been a lot of fun doing doing

044this job. Uh because when we look at diversity, we look at inclusion, all that, it can get messy in the world, but when it comes down to it, we're just trying to help kids be good human beings. And if we can do that as a school and as a staff, I think we're going to set our kids up to go out into the world and be really good people. So that's why we do this. >> Great. Thank you so much. I think I speak for everyone. I say really appreciate all the work you're doing. Um, and thank you for coming and sharing it with us tonight. >> Um, before we move on to our next item, I forgot at the outset just to ask if we have any pig or soup students with us tonight.

045I see a couple hands in the air. Thanks for coming. Um, you guys need to stay until nine o'clock or the meeting is over. Um, whichever one comes first. Um, and just make sure that you come up there. Sign out sheets up here. Make sure you come up and sign out before you leave so that you get credit for being here. Um, next on our agenda uh is our recognition of public comment on an agenda item. Um, I have a list of people who signed in to speak to the board on an agenda item. So, I will go through that and then um at the end call for anybody who did not sign in. Um just as a reminder, the board uses public comment as an opportunity to listen to concerns but will not debate

046issues or enter into a question and answer session. Um speakers have three minutes um to speak and um you are also um more than encouraged to provide the board with a written copy of any comments um that you'd like to make. And I'm going to ask Britney um is going to help keep time for us. Um I'm wondering are people going to be talking right there? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you can So keep an eye on Britney. She will hold up a yellow card when there are 30 seconds left and then red at the end. Um the first person that I have is Joseph Storch. Good evening. Thank you, members of the board. My name is Joseph Storch. I'm the parent of a middle schooler and a fourth grader at Eagle. On behalf of a

047number of families who live in Westchester Woods, who I've spoken to, I rise to respectfully urge the board to adopt option 3A. The remaining two options, 3A and 3B, are very similar. In fact, the only difference is whether 33 students in 51 move from Eagle to Hamigrail or 22 students in 57, 58, 89, and 90 make that move. Of the remaining options, 3A is best. Our neighborhood, Westchester Woods, is a nice walkable neighborhood to Eagle Elementary School. The neighborhood is full of walkers and bikers when it is warm. Not today. The walk, bike, and run day in May is packed all along the route. Happily, the vast majority of the route from Westchester Woods to Eagle has a protected bike path and a crosswalk. Kids cross Cherry with a crosswalk and then are on the

048bike path the entire way until they cross at the crosswalk between the high school and Eagle. Eagle is a true community school for that neighborhood. Hamigrail is wonderful, but is a riskier walk or ride for kids in that neighborhood. Murray Avenue unfortunately features drivers who speed between Cherry and the bypass, often on their phones. It is a straightaway and they reach very high speeds. The town recognized this danger and put in many speed bumps of sorts, but they are ignored by reckless drivers. Parents will understandably be a bit more nervous with their kids walking and biking to Hamigrail compared to Eagle. Option 3B will require two more buses and four more live miles per day, putting 720 more miles on bus tires and expending $500 more on gas each school year. A criticism of 3A

049is that even though the neighborhoods are much closer to Hamigrail than they are to Eagle and closer than 51 is, in that plan, the kids in 57, 58, 89, and 90 would have to cross the bypass to get to Hamigrail. But they have to cross the bypass to get to Eagle right now. Either way, they have to cross the bypass. And Hamigrail is both a shorter walk and a shorter drive for those neighborhoods. But in 3A, Area 51 remains walkable and bikable to Eagle. 3A also has the fewest numbers of fifth graders moving, moving a larger group for just one year. The committee has recommended 3A and 3B. There are certainly positives and negatives to each. In 3A, 51 maintains walkability and 57, 58, 89, and 90 get closer to their elementary school, shorten their

050drive, and cross the same bypass. It moves fewer students overall and fewer fifth graders. It requires two fewer buses and hundreds of fewer live miles per year. With gratitude for your time and your willingness to hear from the families, I respectfully urge the board to consider adopting 3A. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um Matt Downey. >> Good evening board and uh members of the public. Um, for those who don't know me, my name is Matt Downey. I live at Six Thorson Street, uh, the community known as, um, right next to Eagle. We're the anchor neighborhood for Eagle. Um, I you used to be a board member for anyone who doesn't know. I served on the board from 2008 to 2017. Uh, sat in every position. I was a vice president for two years and

051president for five years. fully respect your the job you guys are doing and I thank you for your your dedication to the community. I've been there back in 2008 uh when they were doing the last redistricting uh my neighborhood went to Clarksville along with the neighborhood along Park Edge uh people from Haswell and and a bunch of other communities went out to Clarksville. 2008 our neighborhood pushed advocated to be put into Eagle. We were never part of Simlands at that time. We are walkable. Um, and the decision was made to move our neighborhood into Eagle since we're the closest neighborhood to Eagle. We moved into Eagle. Um, I have no vested interest. My kids are already out of school. They're giving me grandchildren. Now, for me, I have no vested interest except for the children

052I see every day walk, including today. They walk. The coldest day, they they walked. I I took a picture of it. Um, it's really amazing to see the community that is that neighborhood and how close together they are. And they don't do it for a photo op for white to blank day. They actually walk every day. And that's what I ask you to please consider. These 33 children that you're moving under both options. It's unacceptable. They are the closest children to their neighborhood schools. Bethlehem always prided has always prided themselves on a neighborhood school. This is our neighborhood. We're the closest 33 children. Please do not move them. It It would be an injustice to them. Um I went and did some The closest house to Eagle from our neighborhood is uh 210 of a

053mile away. The furthest house is 7/10 of a mile. It's furthest house that you're going to move anyone from is 7/10 of a mile. You move us to Slimlands. The closest house is 710 of a mile. 710 of a mile. The the furthest one is from Eagle. The furthest house if we move to Eagle is 1.1 miles away. I'm not I I I don't understand how you would move the closest neighborhood. I don't believe you would move the closest people that live to Suland. You wouldn't move the closest people that live at Hammer. you wouldn't move the closest people that live to um Glenmont or Ellir. I'm not sure why you would move the closest students. So, please for the students, not for the parents, not for the other residents, for the students that you're

054thinking of moving the 33 students who are moving under both options. Please don't move them. Thank you for your time. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Jeremy Miller. Good evening. My name is Jeremy Miller and I'm the parent of two current elementary students and one future student. I know this decision is heavy. I've watched you ask tough questions and I thank you for that diligence. Tonight isn't about lines on a map. It's about ensuring student success. As you weigh these proposals, I want you to ask yourself, have the district leaders presented a clear proposal that shows resoning will lead to student success? I don't believe they have. First, let's look at the class size argument. The district has anchored this entire plan on a target class size of 18 to 22 students. We've heard we

055haven't heard anything to support these numbers, but we know that they're the preference of the district leadership. Preference is not proof. As a student, I wouldn't be allowed to submit an assignment without citing my sources. Yet, this board is being asked to approve a proposal with zero footnotes. So, I put my own grad school uh coursework on hold this weekend to do the academic research the committee skipped. According to the Tennessee Star study, a leading study on school class size, the biggest impact on academics academics happens at 13 to 17 students per class. The school superintendent association suggests at 15 students per class. We're disrupting families for a number that seems arbitrary. If we're moving over 100 children, we need rigorous research to support their their decision, not just a preference that fits a spreadsheet.

056Second, most concerning, the staffing of these proposals. We know that these options add seven or eight new class sections next year. That means new teachers and new aids. And we haven't seen a strategy to staff these classrooms and support our students academically. You spent months reviewing multiple great detailed presentations on the capital project, hearing about mill work and ceilings and the AC for the renovated classrooms, but you haven't heard any uh any presentations um or you've had a lot of great presentations for a project you don't directly control the outcome of anymore, but you control the destiny of our children. these proposals. If the district leaders felt felt like you needed multiple briefings on the infrastructure updates for the capital project, you certainly need time to discuss who will be teaching in these updated classroom

057sections. One of the examples to justify this resoning process was the OT programs at Glennma are sharing space because of lack of facilities, but we haven't heard anything that these resoning proposals will actually address situations like that. Third, let's talk about academic success. Throughout the district, our third and fourth graders are performing exceptionally well based on an academic update presentation at the November 5th schoolboard meeting. Research from the Annenburgg Institute proves that transferring schools triggers a mobility penalty and leads to a measurable drop in academic success even for students transferring within a school district. So I ask you to measure these proposals against our core values, academics, wellness, character, and community. If you were a parent sitting in these seats tonight, how would you feel? Would you feel confident in your child's success next year?

058Or would you be worried that the district hasn't done enough to show that this resoning process will benefit them? Voting yes on these proposals is not voting for a strategy of student success. It's just voting for a map. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jess Fuller. Hello. Um, I'm Jessica Fuller. I'm one of the parents, one of many that was responsible for the petition that ran around at the end of last week. Um, it currently has well over a hundred signatures. I also am the, um, daughter-in-law of Sheila Fuller. I don't know if any of you know that name, but she was the board president for a while. She was town supervisor and she was the Hammergirl PTA president when she was alive and she would be disgraced. So, I'm going to start by reading some

059of the petition, then I'll formally submit it for everyone's review. Uh, we addressed it to Holly Dela. It says, "Dear President Dela and board members, on behalf of the attached signatorries, we respectfully request the district pause the potential elementary resoning vote and prioritize student wellness. We believe the current elementary school resoning process has been rushed, rigid, opaque, and lacks the necessary depth to ensure the best outcome for our community. The district has failed to articulate how these changes will enhance the actual daily experience of our students or why these proposals are being rushed despite declining enrollment data. We feel this process has neglected the desk the district's core values of academics, character, community, and wellness. Students have been treated as numbers on a spreadsheet rather than individuals, ignoring the deep social bonds that form a

060school community. Our primary concerns are as follows. Lack of flexibility. The current options fail to explore creative, flexible solutions that could allow families to remain in their current schools while gradually and delicately reducing the overcrowding in some schools, breaking social bonds. By forcing many families out of their schools, the district is severing friendships. This causes meaningful distress not only to the students being moved who must start over but also to the friends left behind who lose their peers. Core values ignored. This process has prioritized logistics over the stability of our children's lives. Therefore, we respectfully request the following. Immediate pause on resoning. We request a formal pause to the current resoning process and vote. We asked the board to restart the conversation to include datadriven, logical, and creative options that offer flexibility to families, and

061expanded community involvement from groups such as the special education PTA and the school PTAs, school counselors, district transportation department, parents, and more. We also asked the district provide families with the actual data in addition to the consultant sanitized presentations. We also asked we also the district has only been providing the presentations one day before public hearings. So we further ask that families receive this information at a reasonable amount of time moving forward in advance so that we can meaning meaningfully participate in our children's future. Um there's more but I'll submit this. I know see that my time is coming to an end and thank you very much. >> Thank you. Uh, tomorrow Reiner. >> Hi, my name is Tamar Reiner, but I'd like to yield my time to Jessica Fuller. It is unusual, but I

062think we can let it >> go under the circumstances. >> Um, so that was my formal hat. This is just my parent hat, concerned parent in the district. My name is Jessica Fuller and I'm here as a concerned parent in the district. Uh, my children don't move in either proposal, but I have had a child bounced across elementary schools because of this district's uh, terrible special education practices. So, I am unfortunately very aware of how being ripped from a school and forced into a new one impacts children and families. I am here to beg the school board to please stop the vote and not move forward with the unnecessary relocation of hundreds of children. Both plans propose moving our community's children from all grades to new schools. Some children make friends easily with no social

063or emotional issues, and they may be fine moving, but those children are the minority. I spent years as a teacher and have my mers in secondary education. And I can assure you the majority of children have a hard enough time navigating social settings and excelling at schoolwork as it is. To rip them from the only elementary school they've ever known will have lasting effects. Many kids do not make friends easily and have worked very hard just to find a solid friend or two. When you move hundreds of children, not only do you impact those hundreds of families, but the children and families of those left behind who may have depended on their moving classmates for the only friendship companionship they feel each day. I'm aware of the challenges we face now and I know some

064schools are overcrowded while some have unused classrooms. That being said, it is a direct result of the superintendent, school board, and district failing to project accordingly and plan ahead. Why should our children pay the price for the mistakes and neglect of the adults entrusted with their care? I have advocated since the beginning of these meetings last year for a softer approach to fix the issues. There are dozens of great ways to do it and one simple option is to have less kindergarten rooms for next year at Eagle and Glenmont through a flex zone approach and only resume reszone to a new building. The kids entering school for the first time. There they can form lasting friendships and enjoy one building for six years. And we can leave the current students alone without causing irreparable damage.

065My approach doesn't fix the problem overnight, but it effectively redirects 80 students, 40 from both schools in year 1, another 80 in year two, and effectively solves it entirely by the start of year three. All without a single child being ripped away from their community. Many others in this community have offered up creative solutions over the last few months. All of which have been largely ignored by the district and board. So I beg you now, do not vote tonight. Do not force our children, the most fragile and special part of the community, to pay for the sins of our district leadership. I am partly responsible for the petition that I just read that has more than 100 signatures. And we would had a lot more. But many families responded by saying things like, "What's the

066point? The district's made up their mind. The school board clearly doesn't care what matters to us. I'm here to say it's not too late. The school board doesn't have to feed into that narrative and confirm everyone's worst fears that you really don't care about our kids. Instead, you have the chance right now to be the hero to stand up and say, "You know what? These plans are far from perfect. They're highly problematic. The process has been rushed. Alternative solutions are possible, and we'll work to find a way." I beg you one last time tonight after months of begging, please show you care about our children. make them the forefront of this decision and prioritize their well-being. Convince the superintendent that our kids are not just numbers on a piece of paper and that they matter.

067And in closing, I will say that no matter what decision you make tonight, I'm going to go to bed and lay my head down knowing I fought for our community and did everything I could to protect our children. My deep hope is you guys will hear my words and each of you will be able to say the same thing. >> Thank you, Katie Miller. Hi, I'm Katie Miller. I'm concerned with the integrity of the analysis provided by Tyler. Based on the proposal submitted to the district, it notes they will consider flex zones as an option as defined by the district which begs the question was the expert constrained to at all in the finding solutions making the analysis incomplete at best and manipulated at worst. Flex zones are a proven tool in comparable districts. Miscayuna

068and Saratoga Springs have utilized flexible enrollment strategies to balance populations without shattering communities. It seems the flex zone option was largely ignored despite the call for creat creativity as the committees focused on redistribution and resoning which ultimately caused divisiveness between MPUs and Tyler presented no analysis on flex zones. Why wasn't there an option presented showing how flex zones could work? Tyler presented option two which really wasn't viable at all as it put Singerland's 52 students over the target enrollment. The current Eagle target enrollment was only over 34 students. It actually made it worse. Both 3A and 3B show in 2030 both Glenma and Eagle will be over targets. So they really don't last for the five to sevenyear projections like the proposal with Tyler articulated their work would. Glennma is roughly 16% over its target

069enrollment. Whereas Eagle is only eight. This really shouldn't be a one-size shoe fits all approach. Maybe resoning is needed for Glenma, but could Eagle do a flex zone? Flex zones could directly support the district's goal of moving the fewest families possible and prioritizing student mental health, stability, and academic success. Let's not forget Eagle once had over 500 students in the building. Okay, now I'm going to put on my NPU 54 hat and talk about walkability. Yes, I'm the ring leader. I quit my dream job, became a stay-at-home mom, something I said I'd never do, and I was able to walk my kids to school. What started as something that made sense due to our proximity quickly morphed into a fun, healthy way to go to school. Neighborhood kids and parents started to join us. I

070started to see the joy and excitement these kids had in going to school. There was less nagging in the morning to get them out the door. And now we're going on our third year. Proposals 3A and 3B turn Eagle into strictly a commuter school during a known bus driver shortage. The only data to show consistent everyday neighborhood walking and biking is demonstrated by at least NPU 50 54 students who actually do walk and bike every day but are slated to move. A school who buys electric buses for environmental concerns now says walkers bikers please use a bus or car. Walking school buses and bike buses are growing across the country largely thanks to San Balto. Justin Timberlake has even joined his bike bus. Moving an actual walking biking neighborhood dismantles a carbon neutral and healthy

071transportation ecosystem that the district claims to support. NPU54 should be the gold standard walking community that the district should be studying rather than dismantling. NPU54 are the true all-weather walkers and bikers. The district shouldn't be making it harder by doubling the commute for these kids to walk and bike to maintain a healthy habit to solve a logistical map and put butts and seats. The hypocrisy of bike to school events with reszoning daily walkers and bikers is staggering. You can't celebrate one yearly photo uh while building permanent barriers for the kids who actually live those values daily. I strongly urge you to pause this vote and to really look into flex zones. >> Thank you Mark Tarantelli. I'll keep this very brief and then would like to yield. But my brief comment is more my series

072of questions as a parent of a third grader who has been impacted by movement before already. And it's premised in the questions being asked. And I know there was some select parent feedback, but is it too late to ask parents if they absolutely want to stay or go or some other solution that might be there? Have we evaluated some of the nuance in our district like the schools out program, some of the the parent commuting route, some of the other the not just the walkability and what's on a map, but what are some of those actual interpersonal relationships? Uh we have a lot of people here who might know I don't know they might be have an affinity for Slingerlands or for Hammerril have how how do those relationships all come about without the questions?

073So, is it too late to ask more f for more parent input, more family decisions in the matter? And with that, I yield. >> Thank you, Isabelle. >> Yes, >> that's okay. I'm sorry. I paused because I did not want to um air. Okay. Elast I have no students any children left in the school district. I am the school crossing guard at the Eagle. I have watched these students from the Long Long Meadow development every single day walk no matter what the weather is. And to have them not be able to walk to school every day is unmerciful. They enjoy it. I have complete sight from them when they cross Delaware Avenue, when they hit the high school all the way to the Eagle without any interruption. But there is absolutely no sidewalks on Orchard

074Broccoli Drive or any of that for them to be able to walk. So you would be taking that away from them. And I know that there's families that come from Murray Avenue because we pass them going to work every morning and you'd be taking that away from them, too. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Ariana. Hi. Um, I'm Ariana. My kids are currently in Eagle. I'm a fourth grader, first grader, and incoming kindergartener. Um, we live in Westchester Woods, MPU 51. I wasn't going to attend this evening's meeting. I figured I would stay home and watch my fate virtually. Uh, but I saw there was an opportunity for public comment before the vote, so I won't pass up an opportunity to advocate for my kids and our neighborhood. Um, I respect and admire the the

075work that went into the petition. Um, but I do get the impression that a decision will be made this evening regardless. So, I'm here to urge the board to vote for option 3A. Option 3A meets two of the original goals of this task. Minimizing the number of students impacted and minimizing the transportation impact. In addition, as myself and neighbors have shared before, there are many kids in our community that safely bike to Eagle. Uh in the last meeting and today, a community member spoke and made a very valid point that the route to Hamigrail has our children riding down or crossing Murray, a road that the town is trying to slow cars down on, but I can attest has not been very successful. With speed humps that cars avoid and a four-way intersection at Derek

076and Murray that is optional at best, option 3A keeps us on a safe route to Eagle. I also want to advocate one last time for grandfathering. The transportation analysis is incredibly helpful in understanding what a minimal impact grandfathering will have. It seems there's no option but to say yes. Thank you again for your time and thoughtfulness during this process and for listening to your community. I appreciate your dedication to doing what's best for our school staff and students. We absolutely love Eagle and we know the other schools in the district are just as good, but Eagle is our community and it is our job as parents to provide safety and stability for our children. So, please vote for option 3A. Thank you. >> Thank you, Maria Bara. Hello, my name is Maria Bara. My husband

077and I are parents of a second grader at Eagle, a first grader at Glenmont, and a preschooler who will start kindergarten in 2027. I'm also a proud chartering member of uh Bethlehem SEPTA, which is our district-wide special education PTA. I'm here today to urge all members of both the board and of the entire school community to keep up this level of passion, care, critical discourse, and thoughtful consideration that you've all dedicated to the resoning process when considering improvements to our special education programming and the treatment of our district's most vulnerable population. If class sizes and equity are such a driving force to instigate this huge district-wide restructuring, then why is it okay to have a foundations classroom at Hammigril that spans three grade levels, a wide range of academic, behavioral and social needs, and we

078expect the teachers to meet all of the students needs. For reference, there used to be a K1 and a 23 and a four five, but they consolidated it into two classrooms um despite negative feedback. If bus transportation times and the number of buses on the road are such a priority, then why are our students routinely subjected to long bus rides across the district to get the support they need? When students are placed in programs outside of their home school, they're not even given a priority to the next closest school if that's an option. So, my daughter is being busted to Glenmont despite the fact that we're in the Eagle District and she has to drive past Hamigrell where there is also a cot in her ear. If neighborhood units and being part of a community

079are important enough to be the entire foundational structure of this resoning plan, what does it do for a young autistic child to be removed from their neighbors and sent across town? That is not inclusion. That is exclusion. Our kids are often don't get to go to school with their neighbors or even their siblings and they don't live near their classmates. If projections and foresight is something to be considered and why isn't that being done for our kids, thinking about how they might transition between support levels if and when their needs change without the difficult disruption of changing schools and completely starting over. So, we are not at risk of being reszoned in this plan. But I still have a child moving schools next year because she's been determined to no longer qualify as a child

080with a disability even though she's autistic. If grandfathering is something the board is considering to help fifth grade students avoid difficult transitions for just a year for the reasonzoning process, why isn't a consideration for special education students who get moved for program placement? When a student is moved out of a specialized program, they're not even given the option to stay in that school to finish out their time. My specific anecdotes are unique, but there are countless among the special education families. Our children deserve the respect and consideration that was given to this process and I urge you to please engage with SEPTA and hire a special education consultant to rethink our continuum of services and the lives and outcomes of our special education students. >> Thank you. >> Um that's the end of the um

081of my list that I have of people who signed up in advance. Is there anyone else who would like to address the board? And if you can just state your name. >> My name is Stephanie Moon. Um I'm a parent. We live in um MPU 54. I have three kids currently at Eagle and my youngest will be in kindergarten in a few years. Um, so I just want to start off by saying that um I'm sympathetic to this whole process. No one wants their kids to change schools. My kids um we just moved here two years ago, so my kids have already changed schools, so we unfortunately know firsthand how hard it is um to transition to a new school. Um but you know, one of the things that attracted us to Delmare to move

082here was the walkability. I think this community prides we pride ourselves in walkability. And then I found um a house a half a mile from the elementary school. So I'm like perfect, just what I want to be able to walk somewhere every single day. And as you've heard from our community, that's what we've been doing. Um and as I just mentioned, transitioning to a new school can be incredibly difficult, but honestly, walking to school with our neighborhood helped my kids transition to their new school. It really did. As you've heard from my friends and neighbors, our crossing guard like our kids enjoy being outside and walking to school. Um it's a positive experience for them and it really truly did um help my kids adjust to their new neighborhood and their new school. We have

083a really strong community in our neighborhood and moving us out of it. Um it's just going to break that up for us. It's just it's a fact that it's going to take us longer to walk over a mile to Slingerlands than a half a mile to Eagle. Like you can't argue that. It's plain and simple. and we're just not going to be able to do it as much um as we can now despite a valiant effort. We've brought up concerns in the past that the safety of getting to Slingerlands from our neighborhood. As Isabelle, our crossing guard mentioned, we get to Delaware, there's a crosswalk, she can see us straight shot down the sidewalk, crossed Eagle. So safe. Like I would let my kids walk there uh without me because it's safe. And um to

084Singerlands, I run around these neighborhoods almost every day. It's people are speeding down Long Meadow. They're speeding down broccoli. They're speeding down Orchard. You know, I myself have had to like jump onto the grass to get out of the way before. There's no sidewalks. Maybe about halfway down Orchard, you get a sidewalk, but that's it. And then down Union. It's not a safe route for young kids to go to school. We have got kindergarteners walking and biking to school. Uh my youngest Arya, she um was walking with us when she was in preschool before she even attended Eagle. It's just not safe. Um and I'd like to think that that's a concern. Um, and then you know when you're pulling our kids out of Eagle, um, and not allowing them to be able to walk

085and bike to school every day, you're disrupting their daily routine and their lifestyle on top of changing their school. These our kids, they're used to their parents walking them to school every day, bringing them home from school today. And we love doing it. So now they have to go to new school. My son will be going to second school in three years. the only third only incoming third grade boy in the neighborhood. Now he has to get used to riding the bus. He's it's just it's affecting us in more ways than you think. Um so I just urge you, you don't have to choose one of these two options. There has to be a better way. We I we're just so close to the school. We're such a strong community. We value the walking and

086being outside so much. I just urge you to find another solution, please. >> Thank you. I see a hand in the back. >> Good evening. Uh Jean Hustlin here. Um I wasn't going to speak tonight. Um, so I think a lot of valid points have been made and I think you guys have tough decisions to make and there's never really a right answer when you have to make these type of decisions. But I wanted to speak to a more narrow uh subject. I'm the uh parent of a fourth grader at Eagle Elementary and I want to remind people of a couple of things. This is the uh group of people that entered school during CO. They were the ones that were masked. They were the ones that were isolated. They also happen to be the

087group of students that have had to maintain only three sections of class despite every other group ahead of them and behind them having four sections. They've always been the most cramped group of students in the school and they've always had the largest classes that in addition to being that co class leads to a lot of disruption in how they function. Whatever decision is made, what I'm advocating for is that we have appropriate class size for that group going possibly into fifth grade because I think that in other schools they had the opportunity to enjoy the 15 to 18 size classes where these classes have been 22 and sometimes 24 currently. And so I think that you know as we look at this and we start to look not only macro picture of what needs to

088happen to uh have schools appropriately right sized however that decision is made whether it's flex whether it's delayed or not I do urge that we make sure that we have appropriate class sizes and possibly even that current fourth grade class that might become a fifth grade class next year or will become a fifth grade class next year get to enjoy what every other student has been able to enjoy in their elementary school education, which is a small class that's able to provide them that same opportunity to be able to learn in that type of environment. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? Okay. Uh, next on the agenda tonight, item six, action items. Um, our first item is, um, item A, our zones of attendance proposal adoption. Um, and before I

089ask for a motion, um, I wanted to open up some discussion on this. Um, and first I just I wanted to acknowledge that this has been this has been a really hard process. Um and I think you know even when we know we need to make change nobody wants it to be them. Um and it is uh it is hard to um it is hard to uh move that forward because I think everybody on the board empathizes with everybody that we hear from. Um and again this has been a really long process. you know, um we started talking about our enrollment um zones back in the state of the schools, which was I think February um of last year. So, we are almost at about a year since we've started talking about this. And then

090I know Jody, you moved the conversation to President's Council and then shortly thereafter um meetings with the our parent group leaders and then we formed the zones committee last spring. And um you know, we've said it before, but I really wanted to thank the parents in particular um that served on the zones committee and we also had um had staff. But you know the parents they they met I think the first committee meeting was at the um before school ended last year. Uh and then they had about um six uh additional meetings and then they also were doing outreach to um their parents in their respective buildings. Um, so I know that they have put in a tremendous amount of work um and been really thoughtful about all of the different um many many options

091um that have been explored. And then we on the board have had I think about half a dozen presentations coming out of their work which again just shows how much work they've put into it. Um and I know that the the board has listened carefully to public comment all along and read the emails that have come in. Um and that brings us uh to where we are today um considering the um the the proposals that are before us. Um so I wanted to open it up um to see if people had um had things they wanted to raise comments. Um so I will go first. >> Yeah. I think in addition to um to the thanks that you shared, Holly, I'd like to raise my voice in thanking all of the members of our community

092who have weighed in throughout this process as well. Um it has informed our conversations. It has made them stronger. It has certainly made me consider other aspects of the conversation that I wouldn't have otherwise. Um so this has been a um a process of deep involvement throughout throughout the school district and um I'm grateful for that involvement because that also takes time and commitment um from our parents whether and families uh and neighbors whether they're here in person or watching at home and emailing that's time and commitment as well and uh that has made this whole process stronger. So, I just want to lift up my thanks for that. >> You >> I have a couple thoughts on specifics. I thought it was worth noting that, you know, the best time to fix something is

09310 years ago, but the next best time is today. And so, I I appreciate no one ever wants to move, right? But if the end result is better for many people now and in the future, that's what you got to do. And so, I don't think that's a You shouldn't be bound by any failure in the past to address it. You should just make sure you do the best you can right now to fix things for the future. Given the options before is I'm going to personally suggest that I think my preference would be for 3A and that really the driving factor behind that is the contrast between the two possible sets of moves. Right? You've got a bunch of students in 57, 58, 89,990 who are further than the folks in 51 currently from

094Eagle and as was actually mentioned earlier are already almost all busing just because they have to cross the bypass and so on. They would have a shorter bus ride or a shorter walk to Hammer Grail. And I didn't see the same set of benefits from moving 51. And I'm glad the proposals have come to where they are because it's kind of where I thought they should be. from the first presentation, some of which were really quite poor. Um, but given those, I think the best choice is actually um to move those folks in 3i will be where I would end up. >> Yeah, I'm sorry. Um I mean I I I'll echo much of the same sentiment as as you and um you know the big difference between the two proposals before the board tonight

095are you know whether uh area 51 moves or whether the cluster uh which is 578 and 89 and 90 moves and uh you know that that cluster is is quite close to to Hamigril um further from um you know from Eagle Um and and there's one of our other uh concerns was to to impact the fewest students possible that you know there's there's not not a an enormous amount but I think it's 15 145 versus 154. So uh 3A has that going for it. But um you know I I'll echo my my support uh at this point for for option 3A. >> You one thing I forgot to note. Sorry it was brought up last time. I'm still unconvinced that moving area 40 ever needs to happen. I know it's on the cards in theory

096for two years from now, but I'd like to suggest, you know, that motion include. We'll check in on that because as far as I can tell, it just looks like it's going to be a negative rather than a positive in terms of numbers >> of thoughts on the two different >> um well uh in terms of between the two proposals. I do think um they are both good proposals and I appreciate the committee um bringing them both to us. Um as Bob noted, they are similar numbers, but uh 3A does have fewer kids and that does make a difference to um what we said, you know, in terms of impacting fewer number of kids. It's a very important thing for our community. Um, also fewer buses. Um, I also voiced, you know, last, uh, at

097our last meeting, um, concerns regarding students walking along Murray. Um, if we moved, uh, 51 to Hammer, there would be a lot more children walking along Murray. Um, which does concern me. And therefore, um, I do support AA, which moves the cluster. Um, to as opposed to Westchester Woods. I do just want to say um I really do hear concerns um regarding walkability and NPU 54. Um I really truly feel like we have tried a lot of different um options. A lot of different options were proposed that didn't move NPU 54. Um but for many different reasons um they just did not work. And so I do want to know that we have uh really looked at that and and tried to see a way that that could work, but none of the none of

098the plans have. Um and um walkability is, you know, certainly something that's important um to me, important to a lot of members of our community. Um um I I would agree. I also am um leaning towards 3A in mostly because it minimizes the the number of kids um and seems to have a it's it's not a lot but a slightly lower transportation impact an impact to rising fifth graders. Um and the numbers look just a little bit better um in that fiveyear out range. Um, and I but I also I went for um I went and I drove around the neighborhoods um the other day because I just wanted to kind of assess, you know, where they were in my other than on a map um in relation to um Hammerrail and in relation to

099Eagle and um and I was surprised that those four they actually felt closer to Hamrail to me. Um, and so that also was factoring into my decision. >> Yeah, I I really would like to thank everyone for their engagement. Uh, you know, understand your desire to protect your family, protect your your schools and your communities. Uh, it's a super challenging decision, a lot of information. Um, and I really appreciate what you said, Maria, about people staying engaged. I think we have a lot of things going on in our school. Um, It's great to see so many people involved and it would be great to see more people remain involved, remain informed, contribute, and I think we have a great opportunity to really come together as a community. We had a great presentation tonight about kindness,

100empathy. I think whether your child is moving or they're not moving, I think we can all have some really great conversations at home about how our kids can be better to the kids coming into the schools, kids who were leaving schools. And I think hopefully now we can start to come together as a as a community. I think a myriad of reasons that everyone has already shared. I'm definitely leaning towards 3A. Um given our two our two options u but again it's difficult decision and I understand some people will be disappointed but again I think hopefully we can be a better a better community and work together and um move forward for better. Yeah, I will um join in the the emerging consensus around 3A um in in part because it does seem to um

101continue to meet continue to be the the closest thing to meeting our goals for the longer period of time. Um, and I think something that I really took to heart um, in conversation over the last several meetings is the need to be revisiting this conversation uh, on a regular basis so that we can make smaller shifts wherever possible to avoid larger shifts down the road. But to Ean's point, here we are. Um, and this uh, 3A is going to, you know, minimize the the number of uh, students and families impacted. um it's going to continue to meet those goals longer term. So I think um I think of the two options we have before us, this is this is a good one. >> I guess I have to I also want to thank all of

102the parents and community members for showing up here and sending your really thoughtful um emails and letters to the board and to the district. Um it's it's really great to see all of you so engaged. Um and a lot of you are really smart. So thank you. Um but for the reasons that my colleagues have already articulated um I'm also leaning towards 3A. >> Okay. >> Um you know to you you and to your point about NPU 40 um I you know if if we want to we could amend um the language and I think it would be as easy as putting a comma and if needed >> um >> or consider right >> um at the at the at the end. So when we get to that point, if we have a motion, if

103we would like to propose an amendment. >> Sure. >> We could do it, we we would be doing projections at that point anyhow for enrollment section. So we would re-evaluate that shift at that time. >> And I appreciate that if it's, you know, conceivable, you want to give folks warning, they just don't do it if we don't if it's not sensible. Don't lock ourselves into doing this >> when it's going to be potentially negative. >> Right. Jody, can I ask when um when do we discuss the numbers of that in at the state of the state >> state of school? Well, right. Usually um by this time we would have our projections which would give us an idea except for K is always the outlier, but we start looking at that as part of the

104state of schools in February. And then obviously if there's any shifting we need to add FTE or we're going to be shifting that's part of the budget process. So we would know that. um in January, February of that year, a prior year. >> Right. So if we're talking about moving unit 40 to Elmere effective September 2028, you would you're saying that in January of 2028, we would have the numbers, >> right? We would have the numbers. >> Okay. So, I guess I would just say like I'm making a request at this point for the future future board and administration to um be ready to discuss that in January of 2028. Correct? Yeah. >> Um just one other thing that I wanted to raise because we are we are talking about u minimizing impacts if we

105um or sorry number of children impacted here as part of the conversation. Um, one of the things to consider in in both of these options is that, you know, those 15 students in NPU 40 are potentially in play. Um, as well as as as to whether or not they would be moved down the line. If if this, you know, proposal stands, we will at least be considering that then. Um, and we have another proposal before us that considers um whether or not shifting fifth graders this year is uh the way to go or to keep them at their home schools. Um, if those, you know, if those two things stand, we're looking at much closer to 100. It' be 109 students under plan 3A who would be impacted rather than the the bottom line number

106that's shown here at 145. So something to something to consider as we continue to try to minimize impacts. >> Um as long as we're while we're having our discussion, um I wanted to get people's thoughts on uh the the third item. Um whether or not we want to allow the impacted uh fifth graders to continue to attend their current elementary school. Personally, I would be in favor of that. Um I think it's um that is uh that that of all the years that is probably the hardest. Um and I think we saw that the um impacts on transportation would be pretty negligible. So I think we could do it um and at least make that option available. So there's you and you look like you wanted to >> we can so we should. >> Yeah,

107I agree. Again, it aligns with our goal of impacting the fewest students. The uh the a negligible u if any effect on transportation and so I think it's a good idea >> I guess procedurally how how are we going to then vote on the third would do it one at a time >> um so why don't we um why don't I call for a motion on um item number one to approve the resi revised zones of attendance proposal 3A. >> Do you want the amendment now? >> Um well, let's have a let's have the motion. >> I so move. >> Second. Okay. Um and uh then you have a you have an amendment you would like to propose? >> I do. I'd like to insert the words to consider in the final sentence between and

108and neighborhood. I'm equally happy to have if needed instead at the end. I don't mind. >> Um >> so my first suggestion blah blah blah blah blah 2026 and to consider moving neighborhood planning unit 40 to Elmir effective 2028. So you got add to consider to consider moving We have a second. >> Oh, second. Yes. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Right. So, um, as amended, and I'm just going to restate it. It reads, "It is recommended by the 2025 zones of attendance committee that the board of education approved the presented attached zones of attendance proposal 3A." Um, and Britney, if you can bring that up on the board, that would be terrific. Which moves neighborhood planning units 816,57586 5758, 89, and 90 to Hamigrail and 53 and 54 to Singerlands effective

109September 26, 2026. and to consider moving neighborhood planning unit 40 to Elmere effective September 2028. I just wanna wordsmith that a little because we are approving considering like I think what we're trying to get across is that we want um the board the future board to look at the numbers. Um, I'm just I'm not sure if the wording is quite right because we are approving this proposal which moves these neighborhoods and to consider we're that's kind of saying that this board is considering moving it. It doesn't indicate that this will happen in the future. >> Okay. Um, I don't disagree with that, I suppose. >> So, we could go back to if needed at the end >> and then if it if it is needed. >> Well, why don't we why don't we have a

110specific date to consider moving neighborhood planning unit 40 to Elmere effective to consider in January of 2028. >> Moving neighborhood or I think it's January 2028. >> That's what the question was a moment ago, right? When would you get the data on whether Right. Right. >> I think you would have the data January 2020. I'm just saying we're not considering this. We're we're asking >> A future board. So to consider in January 2028 moving neighborhood planning unit 40 to effective September 2020. you agreed. I think that accomplishes it a little bit more u um deliberately and with with more specificity. >> And if you're moving, I I I'll second it. >> I'm moving. >> Okay. So, you would like to amend the language to insert in January 2028 between consider and Any all in favor?

111>> Any opposed? >> So now I'm just going to read the just the last clause and to consider in January 2028 moving neighborhood planning unit 40 to Elmere effective September 2028. Are you just want to make sure you're Okay. >> Any other >> uh there should be a consider between two and in. >> Yep. >> Consider moving, right? >> No, it's fine. >> Or consider, in January 2028, moving. >> Yeah. The >> in January 2028 is just in the wrong spot. in January 2020 after consider. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Nailed it. >> We're just going to wait a minute so we can make sure we have the right language up there. Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay. Uh I'm just going to restate the request for for a motion. Um can I have a motion

112to approve the revised zones of attendance proposal 3A with the language as amended? >> Some move. Can I just just pause for one second? Can you pull up the map? >> I just want to make sure we're doing this procedurally because um we are approving this map. >> Um >> yeah, >> and the map does indicate 40 moving. Um, I just want to make sure that there's not a problem between us approving this map and then later on saying considering >> are we see >> are we approving the map? >> Well, that's what it says. >> We are approving >> presented zones of attendance proposal 3A. So, we are approving this >> but later on saying we're going to be considering the move of MP4. I think that it's proper because NPU40 is on here

113>> and we are approving that, but we're also um saying that it may not be appropriate in 2028. >> You don't need the reference in there to propose all 3A, right? You could just have it say it is recommended by the committee with the board of education move neighborhood index blah blah blah. >> Those aren't defined >> other than by the map. Okay. >> I see. I I think it is okay because not only are we in the chart that companies map are we referencing for you but we're also planning it um as >> understood. I just wanted to because those are slightly different things. This this says we are moving it in 2028 and our later language says considering >> um I I don't know if this makes it better or not but just

114in case we could also if we we all want to have fun smithing we could end the sentence after 2026 period and direct whomever the administration to cons the board the board hereby directs consider consideration of moving >> 40. Does that address our problem? >> It doesn't because it's still in the map. I think if we really wanted to, we could add we could amend again and add language to the proposal that says, you know, it should be noted that this the map doesn't, you know, should should be read to coordinate with this with this proposal or something along those lines because we can't we're not going to be able to we can't amend the map on the fly. We can amend the language, >> right? I I just think that I mean it's it's

115clear that the the attached map is a committee suggestion, but it is the board's vote on the language here that is controlling. >> So I I I I don't know that I share the concern about the attached map. >> I would I would Okay. Um I'm just trying to not think one other >> comfortable with it. >> One other way to say I'm just trying to think out loud would be um maybe perhaps to end the sentence after effective September 26. Uh to say some um I mean I'm sorry to keep it as is um with just an additional sentence saying um the board um recognizes something about how the board recognizes that the um move of unit 40 to Ellir um may uh be considered um by a future board. >> Can you say

116go the other way? Would it make >> notwithstanding its appearance on the map the board recognizes that moving MPU forward may not be necessary >> depending on your future. >> Well, right. I think I think what matter is suggesting is that we switch the presumption and have it that it's moving now but a future board could say that it doesn't. >> Right. I just because I want to make sure that we are >> we are approving this map. >> So would it make it more light up in your for Is it recommended that the board of education approve the elements of the presented attack proposal that move neighborhood use 816 57 2026 the board further approves the consideration in January 2028 for the element of the attached map that considers moving NPU 40. Would that

117would that address your concern about referring to map? I think that the the second sentence I think if we just added a sentence that said the board will consider the the move of MPU40 in January of 2028 or something like that because because then it it does switch the presumption like you said but it's it's it's echo it's um signaling that this is going to be considered again that >> so you're saying keep the language as it was >> as it was end it and then add a new sentence. >> Yes. saying what >> saying that the board will consider the the uh reasonzoning of MPU40 at the date that we had set. I I think that does um more align with what I'm thinking. Um because I do think that we are it is

118important that we are approving this presented um now because we can't adjust this and we are approving it. So I think we are approving removing a 40. Um >> we're not compelled to. We can just >> Well, I understand, but we have to in some way um approve something, right? There's no definitions anywhere else of these NPUs. >> You you could just have it say remove NPUs blah as defined by the attached map. >> Okay. I mean that's that's bring quite frankly it's bringing this back to to to zero which is if a future board wants to reconsider moving 40 then it can do that. >> Yeah. And that's and I'm sorry listening and participating in this conversation. I wonder if that's where we're are are we better off leaving the um language as it

119is and it would just be up to future board in 2028 to advance a new proposal that would just address NPU 40. So at this moment we are approving this proposal as presented. Full stop. >> And then in January 2028 we look at this and we say okay you know we committed to ourselves and each other to come back. We talk about it and we make a decision then and if that decision needs an adjustment then it would need >> Well, can I can I just also add that if you did it that way if that moving that MPU shows that Elmere would have too many students in it, it would be clear when the projections are done. >> Right. >> I I think what we're trying to do is not bind um future boards

120to making this change if it's not appropriate. Um, and we're also signaling to the administration and the future board that we want you to look at this in June 2028. To Katherine's point, um, maybe that's not language that does have to be in proposal. Maybe we can just approve this with and with the understanding that future board and future administration will be looking at this in January of 2028 to see whether or not that is a practical move. >> Can I just ask a quick question? >> What would the district >> I mean are you going to say they're going there or they're not? I think you need to definitive decision and then if something changes in the future >> I hear what you're saying >> and that's why I feel as though to Catherine's

121point I do think it's important for us just to approve the language as is here um with the understanding that if future numbers change um that we trust the future board to to look at this and um make sure the numbers still make sense two years from now >> and and we could we can split the baby if you want if you want a future board to somehow be signaled you just add a sentence go back to the original language and add a sentence you know the board will recon you know we'll examine this in in January of of whatever that is if we wanted something in there that would at least signal that that's going to be considered, you know, uh more than just that they will if you want something in writing because

122then that will it will keep everything the same and it just sort of commits a future board to look at this. >> Is that what I mean? I don't know if that makes is where you're >> so taking out the earlier edit. We're going back to square one, >> reverting to the original language and adding an additional sentence that says the board will consider the necessity of moving NPU 40 in or will >> reconsider the necessity of moving NU40 in >> uh in January 2028. But I I actually I think I agree with Katherine that I don't think we need that. Um, I think if we're going to go back to the original language, then let's just do that and then leave it to future board to look at the numbers. The committee did indicate

123that NP 40 should be moving. Um, we need more students at >> elsewhere. Um we the committee did not want to move those children to Elmere this year with all the other students because of the potential impact of um all the construction that was going to be happening in Ellir. be happening first and it's going to be um a lot for that school and that's why um the committee recommended that unit 40 would be moving um two years later than everyone else. >> Correct. >> So let's go back to that why we have that change here. >> Um if the committee came up with that recommendation and we all know that elsewhere needs more students. I think that we should go back to that, keep it as is. Um, keep the language as is. Assume

124that NP40 will move um because that is what um committee discussed. That is what Tyler has put on these proposals. and just have an understanding that if it turns out for whatever reason that those numbers no longer make sense. We already said that the district is going to be reooking at numbers every two to three years. So that is something that the district and the board and whatever community committee will be there at that time can make that decision. They're going to be making decisions in two or three years anyway. We don't need to tell them to consider that because that's something that we are committing to doing every two to three years. >> If I hear you, I think you talk kind you back around. >> Okay. I was like, wait, I think I

125think we're here. I think we landed. >> What? Yes. What I was trying to do was reenter our decision- making process to this point. >> So, talk back around to to reverting to the original language. >> Yes. So that we are making definitive point that, you know, 40 is going to be moving to Ellir and that we just um understand as a district that we're going to be re-examining numbers every two to three years, including whether or not that is an appropriate move at that time. >> May I make a motion? >> Does that does that meet with your concerns? >> Yeah. >> No. >> Yes. >> So, I take Mid's point on on math, right? And if you look at the numbers under 3A, the move of unit 40 is only negative. It makes

126Elmir overcrowded and makes Slinglands even more under enrolled. It does exactly the opposite. >> I understand that it's not perfect. We But we do need to move students to elsewhere. That is something that we've been talking about from the beginning. The committee had this discussion um about how to best fill Ellir. It's very difficult to fill Elmmeir to the exact right number um because it's such a small school. Um it's very easy to overfill it and as we see now it is currently underfilled. Um so I'm not going to at this moment um take away any of that analysis. I understand it's not perfect, but That is what has been created. Um those are the numbers that have been discussed and that's what we've been discussing all along. >> Holly, could we contemplate that point

127and uh break for a moment to allow some leg stretching and the pig students to >> that would be fine. Thank you for keeping an eye on the time. Yeah, if we have any um any pig or sufa students, you're more than welcome to stay until the end of the meeting. Um we would love to have you here, but if you would like to leave, please come up and sign out on um one of the sign out sheets. Um and we will reconvene in two minutes. so that we can finish our discussion. So, so where we left off, uh, Meredith, it sounded like you were about to make a motion to revert to the original language. Yes, I would move to um revert to the original language as is written in the agenda for the

128reasons I stated. >> Second. >> Uh all in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Nay. >> Um that passes. Um so we have gone back to the original language. So I'm gonna try this again. Um, could I have a motion to approve the revised zones of attendance proposal 3A as written in the agenda? >> So, uh, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Any abstensions? That carries. Uh given the approval of item one, um there would be no need to make a motion on item two. Um but if I could have a motion on item three, it is recommended that the board of education allow fifth grade students to continue to attend their current elementary school for the 2026 2027 school year. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? discussion. >>

129Uh do you want to have more discussion on this? >> Just to note that this is optional, right? It's not mandatory. Somebody wants to move, >> they're absolutely allowed to do so. >> Which given the option to stay? >> We would we would be reaching out to all >> individuals. Correct. Uh all in favor? >> I I any opposed? >> Any abstensions? That carries. Uh B, finance action items. It is recommended by the superintendent that the board of education approve the following finance action items one and two. >> So moved. >> Um any discussion? >> Yeah. Um thank you. So this is a retired teacher Bloom. I don't know this person but they're giving us $25,000 to endow a scholarship. I think it's >> great act of generosity. Thank you very much. >> Very generous.

130>> Yes. I would second that. Very very generous. >> Um all in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Any extensions? That carries. C. Professional personnel action items. It is recommended by the superintendent that the board of education approve the following professional personnel action items one through 10. So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Any extensions? That carries the support personnel action items. It is recommended by the superintendent of the board of education approve the following support staff action items one through six. >> So move >> second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Any opposed? Any extensions? That passes. Um E. Other action items. It is recommended by the superintendent that the board of education approve the following action items one through five. So move >> uh any discussion? >>

131Yeah. Uh Dave, can you just run us through item five? >> Yeah. So um historically the Excel sections um there were four sections. Um two of which were for direct consultant teacher and two of which were not. Um and over the past four or five years due to enrollment and changing student interests um those sections have whittleled down to two sections. Um so what's ended up happening now is students that have um direct consult on IEP are placed in those sections. Um but students that are also recommended those for those sections that have IEPs for other reasons are placed in those same sections. So the number of um special education students in those classes has become the predominant number. So they've sort of de facto become special classes due to the high number of special

132education students in that. So we're sort of reformatting um the program so that we can increase the number of sections back to essentially it's going to go above four now which will allow us to similar to the way code works in elementary level. Um we're going to be able to better distribute students amongst the sections so that we don't have such a high concentration of special ed students in any one section. That's the genesis of it. >> And we you know the idea here is to teach in in the mainstream as much as possible. Right. >> Correct. Correct. Was this discussed with SEPTA? Were they involved in this process? >> No, this was through um this was an ongoing discussion that actually started last year. Um it was brought to the forefront by the teachers

133that actually are delivering the curriculum. Um and then we worked through supervisors and we kind of took all of that information, put together this memo, and then we ran it through curriculum council and then they ultimately >> uh any other comments? Congratulations to John Ms. >> Uh, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? That carries. Uh, item seven, recognition of public comment on a non-aggenda item. If we have any visitors who would like to address the board on a non-aggenda item, now would be the time to come to the microphone. Item eight, future meetings and events. Um, on Monday, January 26th at the district office at 6 o'clock, we have our policy committee meeting. Um, just a note for other policy committee members that we are keeping an eye on the weather.

134Um so depending on um what happens with that it is still a few days out for a forecast but um that we it may need to be rescheduled depending um and for any other board members who are interested the policies that are going to be reviewed are um up in in board docs um on Tuesday February 3rd um at the high school from 700 a.m. to 900 p.m. is our um capital project vote. And then on Wednesday, February 4th is our next uh board meeting um back at the high school um anticipating executive session at 6 and then reconvening to public session um at 7 o'clock. Um seeing no need to go back into executive session, could I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> So move. >> All in favor? I. >> Meeting

135adjourned.