001and honor for the many legacies that have impacted our community, particularly those buried over time. Acknowledging truth is critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. Cheltonham Township stands within within the Lape Hoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenai Lape civilization. Their people were and still are caretakers of this land and its rivers, and their legacy continues. We pay respect to their elders, past and present. Our community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will. Some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life. And some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Please
002take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together. As a school district committed to fostering intellectual curiosity and discourse in service of social justice, join us in uncovering such truths. >> Thank you, Dr. Whiting. Miss Hatrick, could you please take the roll call? >> Good evening. >> Miss Mia Blitstein, >> present. Charles Williams >> present. >> Mr. Zachary X >> present. >> Miss Jenny L >> present. >> Miss Leah Mohur >> present. >> Miss Robin Murphy >> present. >> Mr. Daniel Short >> present. >> Dr. Caroline Watts >> present. >> Dr. Ross >> present. >> Thank you. That concludes our call. >> Thank you Miss Hatcher. We will now move on to public comment on agenda items only. Any Cheltonham resident, taxpayer, or school district employee
003is permitted to comment on agenda items at this time. Uh speaker's comments will be limited to three minutes or less. If you are on Zoom, please raise your hand and you may participate that way. If you are in the room and would like to make a comment, you may come to the podium now. Right. Thank you. Seeing no hands and no one at the podium, we will move on to uh the next portion of our agenda which are recognitions. And we would first like to recognize Meyers Elementary, Mr. Lidle. Uh, greetings everyone and thank you for the microphone. Um, I usually have to hunch over, but I'm very appreciative of you guys thinking of me. Uh greetings board members, uh teachers, staff, um central office administration and community. It's truly an honor uh to be
004here today to highlight some of the great things uh that are happening at Meyers Elementary School. You can change the slide. Uh at Myers, we work very hard uh to root everything that we do in our core values because those values truly serve as the foundation uh for the growth, progress, and positive outcomes we are seeing in our students each and every day. You can go to the next slide. Now, as a principal, uh when positive things happen in a school, uh people often acknowledge or praise uh the principal for the growth that's taking place. And while I certainly appreciate that recognition, I often say when anyone comes to me about anything positive at our school, I talk about our team. Uh I don't say that cavalerely or as a uh an inauthentic moment as
005a martyr. I I really do believe um that team is essential to our progress. Everything good happens because of our team and our village. There's tremendous power in having like-minded people who are passionate about teaching, learning, deeply dedicated to children, and willing to work beyond their own perspectives in order to work collectively towards student outcomes. At Myers, we truly operate as a team, a village, and a family. And that collective ownership or collective responsibility uh of our vision and our students is what continues to move our school forward. You can go to the next slide. One person who perfectly embodies that village mentality and the very heart of our core beliefs is Miss Geraldine Flynn Austin. Uh Miss Austin passed on May 4th uh 2026 and I would like to take the time here today
006uh to acknowledge her and to pay tribute to her as she truly embodies the very best things of our Meyers community. Miss Flynn Austin represents everything that is special about Meyers. She lead she led with love, consistently, passion, humility, and unwavering commitment to children. She approached students not simply as learners, but as whole human beings, deserving care, dignity, patience, and support. Her impact extended far beyond the classroom and touch students, families, and staff throughout our entire community. When we talk about teamwork and collective ownership and building a culture where children feel safe, valued, and loved, Miss Flynn Austin is truly the embodiment of those ideals and of what it means to be part of a Meyers family. Miss Jerry, uh, I never called her that. Um, Miss Flynn Austin was deeply passionate about children. She
007was an outstanding colleague, an incredible team, and someone who was truly beloved by those who had the privilege of working alongside her. Even when she was not feeling well herself, she showed up and she poured her heart into serving our children. One thing that I admired most about Miss Flynn Austin was her genuine joy and the joy she took in the successes of the children. She believed wholeheartedly in the children and refused to allow others to underestimate their abilities. She held students accountable, but she truly believed because she truly believed in what they were capable of accomplishing. And yet she balanced those high expectations with love, compassion, humor, and joy. Miss Flynn Austin was honest to a fault. Uh she told it like it was. But what made that honesty so powerful was that it
008always came from a place of love, authenticity, and desire to help people grow. She genuinely loved learning about different people, cultures, experiences, and perspectives. We had many conversations uh just like, "Oh, really?" or what does that mean? And we would just have that rich dialogue um of diverse people all working together to support our children. She was perfectly imperfect and in many ways the very def definition of someone that was authentic. She was open, accepting, compassionate, and always willing to go above and beyond for others. Whether it meant giving one a shirt off her back or buying a child the shoes that they needed for their feet, she consistently led them with generosity, empathy, and love. You can go to the next slide. What made Miss Philosa so special is not just what she did,
009but how she did it. She brought warmth, laughter, laughter, honesty, humanity, and authenticity to every interaction. She could make you laugh when you needed it most. She would speak the truth. She would speak the truth and remind people of what truly mattered. She showed up every day with passion, purpose, and heart. As I close my remarks about our highlights, you can go back to the previous slide. Instead of taking a moment of silence, I would like to honor Miss Geraldine Flynn Austin in a way that truly reflected who she was and how she lived. She would not want us sitting quietly in sadness. She would not want us con She would want us connecting, talking, uplifting one another and leading with heart just as she did each day. So, please at some point take a
010moment to honor Miss Flynn Austin by doing what she did so naturally. Make someone feel seen, valued, heard, or cared for. Those who know me know I have data slides that I would love to talk about. But I think that is a perfect spot to put a pin in it and to leave this moment for Miss Geraldine Flynn Austin and her wonderful contributions to not just Meyers but the Myers community and Sheltonham School District. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Mr. Lidle. Thank you for sharing those kind words and uh I think that was the perfect place to stop and I hope that we will all do as you say and and honor her uh as we go about the rest of our week. Um I will just take a brief moment to appreciate the
011artwork around the room from your lovely students and our teachers and so thank you to all of them for the hard work they put into we I know the board members enjoy walking around and looking at it so thank you um for all of that. Uh we will now move on to uh to recognize our uh 25 years of service uh employees. So before we begin a recognition uh just a brief comment that kind of frames uh what this 25 year uh of service celebration embodies. Uh tonight it is our honor to formally recognize the monumental commitment of our employees who have reached 25 years of service. This milestone represents a stellar mix of uh academic and operations experience dedicated to a singular purpose, connecting with, investing in, and guiding the students of Shelham School
012District. Our educators have spent a quarter century improving teaching and learning while advocating for student growth while our operations staff have worked to facilitate collaboratively to mobilize the vital resources that support our schools. We offer our deepest gratitude for your dedicated years of service. And at this time, we're going to start uh with uh Dr. Pimento uh with recognizing Miss Kathleen Silver. Miss Silver. Oh, actually it's going to be Dr. Savage. Come on up. >> Okay, I got to bring this down. Dr. Pman couldn't be here today, but he was kind enough to share these words with me. I have been working with Kathleen for the past two years since I've been here. Um, but Dr. Pimento was better able to capture all of the joy and all of the the perfection that she brings
013to the work that she does on a regular basis. Uh, 25 years ago, Kathleen Silver walked through the doors of Sheltonham High School, the same school where her own daughters were students. What began as a career in administrative support became something far greater. a career of service, dedication, and genuine love for the district she calls home and everyone in it. Over the course of her tenure, Kathleen moved to the central administration building where she became the organizing heart of all of the work surrounding curriculum, instruction, and assessment. In that role, she has supported no fewer than nine superintendent and assistant superintendent, and countless other directors and supervisors. through every transition, every initiative and every challenge. She has been the constant, the one who keeps things moving, knows where things are, >> how everything works, and
014who needs what before they even ask. I can attest to that wholeheartedly. But Kathleen is more than an ex exceptional administrator. She is a fierce advocate for the people around her. She looks out for her colleagues with a loyalty that is rare and a warmth that is unmistakable. And she has always operated with a belief that when we take care of our teachers, we take care of our students. Kathleen, 25 years is an extraordinary gift to give your community and Sheltonham thanks you for it. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you so much. Thanks. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Thank you everyone. >> You don't want to say anything else? >> Well, okay, I will say something. Um, >> I actually started at Sheltonham Elementary in 2001. I was an aid. I started um because
015my youngest daughter was starting kindergarten and I wanted to be on the same schedule as my kids and it worked out very nicely. I then went to the high school. I was there for 5 years in the library as a secretary and came over here in 2008 and it has been a great pleasure. All the turnaround, every person I've worked with has been a joy. It's been a pleasure. So, I've got a few more years left. Thank you very much for all the wonderful words. Thank you. Good evening. So much to say. Uh, it is my privilege and honor to recognize one of the most important individuals in Shelham School District, Miss Patricia Tenry. A person who if she weren't working at the district would be immediately missed. Not only because we wouldn't get our
016paycheck, but also because when you call the payroll department, you wouldn't be able to talk to the kind and understanding voice on the other end. Uh Patty's journey started in 2001 in a building support role which quickly evolved into secretary I'm sorry the secretary at Elkins Park School. Uh Corey erys friend of Patty and teacher at El Elkins Park School described her time with Patty as quote from day one it was clear that Patty ran the building and things would come to a screeching halt without her. If you needed anything at all Patty was the gatekeeper. she could either make it happen with her magic or she knew exactly who could get it done. She was not just a co-orker but a friend and part of the Elkins Park family. End quote. After 21 years
017at Elkins Park, Patty made the transition to the business office and pay in the payroll department where it was quickly evident that Patty was someone who was a hard worker, extremely reliable, and never afraid to ask a question or to do the right thing. These are qualities that are essential. We're such a high demanding, high stress job that is filled with repeating deadlines and enormous responsibility. For that, we are grateful and we need more people like Patty in our district. And some of you may not know, but on top of being a fantastic co-orker, Patty is an incredible artist. Her paintings are hanging all over the district admin building, and they improve every space we hang in. And Patty is also also an author with her most recently published work in a major periodical and
018that also can be found hanging within the district admin office. Uh before closing, I wanted to share some kind words from some of Patty's other co-workers that were shared with me. The first is from an anonymous employee in the business office who describes Patty as being the dinosaur loving nut job that we all adore. You can you can hunt that person down. Uh, and another Elkins Park teacher, Laura Laura Moore, who describes Patty as one of the most caring, thoughtful, and genuine people I know. No matter what kind of day someone is having, Patty is always there to listen, to help, to give advice, or to somehow make things better. She is the person that everyone goes to because she always knows what's going on and somehow always knows exactly what to say or how
019to fix it. In closing, it's hard to believe that Patty has reached 25 years of service, the midpoint of her career here at Sheltonham Elementary, and she did it in record time. Congratulations on 25 years. >> Thank you. Uh, thank you so much to the board and to Josh. It is my pleasure to work for him in the business office and Nelson. Um, once again, like Kathleen, uh, HR sent a flyer home looking for substitute aids and I thought, "Oh, I'll do a lunch recess once in a while." Not really sure what happened, but here I am 25 years later. Um, so thank you very much for being acknowledged. Thank you, Josh. Principal Nelson. So, schools have heartbeats, buildings have heartbeats, and I quickly realized when I got to Cheltonham Elementary that Miss Stephanie Summers
020is one of those heartbeats. Stephanie began her journey with Cheltonham in 2000. She started as a long-term substitute at CES. She spent all of her years teaching third grade, second grade, fourth grade, and now is teaching the inaugural fifth grade class at Cheltonham Elementary. She graduated from Temple University as a business major and spent 10 years traveling and modeling professionally. But her impact extends far beyond everything that she's done at Cheltonham Elementary. She has been the longtime social committee president. She has a special gift for bringing people together and making others feel cared for. Whether organizing monthly staff breakfast, celebrating birthdays, coordinating flowers, gift baskets, baby showers. I mean, I've seen so many emails coming from her in my short time there. All the things that she's coordinating. Um, she has spent years building community
021at Cheltonham Elementary. In my time there, I can have seen that not only does she have great ideas, she gets that work done, too. She doesn't just come talking about what we should do, she does it. She's also created lasting memories for students through her leadership. She did the Black History Month show for the past 25 years, helped launch the CES talent show eight years ago, and gives staff and students just every opportunity she can to shine. A colleague had this to say about Stephanie this past uh teacher appreciation week and she said, "Mrs. Summers has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to our students throughout the year, going above and beyond to support their academic and personal growth. Her dedication is evident in the thoughtful planning of her lessons, her responsiveness to individual student needs,
022and the positive inclusive environment she fosters in her classroom. She builds meaningful relationships with her students, encouraging confidence, and engagement while maintaining high expectations for success. Through her consistency, care, and professionalism, Mrs. Summers has made a lasting impact on both her students and the school community. They love you. But Stephanie's greatest pride is her family. She speaks so lovingly about her daughter, Chrissy, who is a proud graduate of Cheltonham High School and Temple University as well. and she continues to make her smile along with her husband and their three children. She's got three wonderful grandchildren. Stephanie, thank you for 25 years of the commitment, joy, leadership, humor, and heart that you've brought to Chelham Elementary. And while I've just been with you for a just a few short weeks, I have seen the impact that
023you have made, and it will be lasting. Thank you. >> Thank you. Oh, okay. You talk. >> It has been a pleasure to be here for the past um 25 years. So, I would like to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with the children in the district and I am a proud parent. Um my daughter is a graduate and I have several nieces and nephew um that are also graduates from Sheltonham High School. We'll make that. >> Good evening everybody. So I have here Mr. Clark and Mr. Clark is someone who has truly made a difference at Cedar Brook Middle School um as well as in the Sheltonham school district. Mr. Clark is one of those teachers that you never forget. He's dedicated, passionate, and he always challenges scholars to think
024outside the box. He doesn't just teach science. He makes scholars think, question, explore, and work for their success. I've always believed that there are three things you need to be a great middle school teacher. The first, you have to be crazy about kids. Second, you have to be crazy about the subject that you teach. And in this case, Mr. Clark teaches science. And third, you need to have some crazy strategies to actually get middle schoolers to learn the material and stay engaged. Mr. Clark has all three. I can definitely also speak of this from firsthand because my daughter Simone also had Mr. Clark. And I will tell you this, she's never had she had one B in high school, right? But she almost had a B in Mr. Clark's class. And I remember the I'm
025going off script right now, right? And I remember that's what I do, right? But I remember her coming to me and really concerned because she never had a B. And you know what does a good father do? He encourages, you know, her to go talk to the teacher. Um, you know, find out what you have to do. And the one thing I value the most is that Mr. Clark did not just give her an A. She she stressed and worked hard for that A. Um there were no handouts and he definitely didn't accept mediocrity. So he pushed his scholars because he knew that they were capable of doing more. And one of the things that really struck or excuse me stuck with me was something that Simone had said um when she went to Shelingham
026High School. And the thing that she told me is that she really felt prepared for high school because of the workload and the amount of, you know, experiments and projects that she had to do because of Mr. Clark. And that says everything right there. So, a great teacher doesn't just help scholars pass a class, they prepare them for what comes next. And that's exactly what Mr. Clark's been doing for 25 years. So, I want to thank Mr. Clark for all his hard work. Um, thank you for challenging our scholars. Um, thanks for everything you've done for Sub Middle School over the years and congratulations on 25. >> You got to give a speech, man. Everybody know all over the district. You got to give a speech. Um, when I came here in 2001, I will
027tell you that I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Um, this district was just what I needed. incredible kids, then incredible kids now. And what I really love is that you guys make sure the kids stay the focus. And I'm so blessed to have been here for this long. Thank you so much, >> man. Thanks, >> Dr. Ham. Y'all should have put me first instead of after me. But thank you. It is an honor. I am getting to recognize two teachers today from my staff and being in Chelingham as long as I have and having the history with the two individuals that I won't put in in speech, but um it it really means more to me to to be able to do this opportunity. First up is Miss Salazar Deulio. Miss Salar
028Julio began working for the school district in 2001. And when when when she told me this, I I laughed because she said she came in as the youngest person in her department. In fact, she still remembers vividly like it was yesterday that every time she walked the hall, she was constantly stopped by our security staff because she was asked for her hall pass. She has many amazing memories from her years at Cheltonham. Some of the mo some of the moments she cherishes the most are the years she spent helping students grow outside of the classroom while serving as an adviser for both the Key Club and the Organic Farm Club. These opportunities allowed her to connect with students on a deeper level and help facilitate meaningful community service experiments experiences. She also shared one of
029the most important memories for her, which was meeting her daughter and having the opportunity to help guide and support her growth into the young woman that she's become today. While being an educator is not an easy task, one of the things that has kept her going over the past 25 years is her love for being in the classroom and the energy that young people bring into the space. She also values the opportunity to learn from her students and form those lifelong connections as she watches them grow into young adults. I would like to thank Miss Salazar Deulio for her 25 years of dedication, passion, and service to the students and families of Cheltonham High School. Thank you so much. Um, Cheltonham has been my home. My children grew up here and it's been a wonderful
03025 years. I felt so much love and support from my co-workers, from the board, and I love being in the classroom. Thank you. >> One more. Up next, we have Mr. Mr. Steve Jenkee, a social studies teacher, current PBL10 teacher, and for many people in the high school, their trusted handyman and repair man. Mr. Jenkee cho also started in 2001 after spending three years teaching in Upper Derby. Growing up in the area and having competed against Cheltonham as a student, he was excited for the opportunity to join our community and help build upon its rich traditions. From the start, he became deeply involved in school life. He coached football, sponsored and created multiple students clubs, and worked to provide students with opportunities connect beyond the classroom. One example of this was his creation of the
031guitar club, which reflected his commitment to helping students explore their interests and talents. One of Mr. Jenkey's most proudest accomplishments was working alongside Miss McKenna to create our blue and gold tradition. Many may not realize that this school year marked the 20th annual blue and gold competition where unfortunately the gold team won. However, traditions like blue and gold exist because of the vision, passion, and dedication of educators like Miss McKenna and Mr. Jenkee who worked to create experiences for students to remember long after graduation. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Jenkee has always had a passion for building and repair work, something many people around him know very well. Over the last several years, he's had the opportunity to merge those passions of teaching and of of being of of fixing in the PBL environment. His
032creativity and skill set have helped students develop incredible presentations and and he played an influential role in projects such as their illusions ex exhibition. In many ways, joining PBL reignited his passion, his passion for teaching because it allowed him to not only teach social studies but also to help students learn practical skills, build with their hands, and express their creativity. When asked what keeps him coming back day after day, Mr. Jenkee shared, "As a child, it was the great teachers and faculty I had in school, both in the classroom and through sports and activities, that helped me mature and find purpose. I still feel honored to help our students the way I have I was helped and to provide them with a stable and caring place to be every day." Mr. Jenkee, thank you for
033your 25 years of dedication, passion, and service to the students and families of our community. See you. All right. Thank you. Uh, it's been an honor to be here for 25 years. I just can't believe how fast 25 years has gone. Um, I know Mr. Clark and I look a little older, but Anna looks exactly the same from when I met her that first day. Um, and I just want to say like I I'm very passionate about what I do and I I do I complain a lot and I I I I go a little crazy, but I think that's to balance out the amount of love and fun I have at this school. I I really have enjoyed my 25 years. And when people ask me how many more years I have, I I
034tell them five to seven, but I don't know. I who knows. I I think it's going to be hard to walk out of this school when it's done. But just want to say thank you. >> Proud of you. Let's go back there and take a picture, >> principal. I have the honor of recognizing three teachers from uh Meyers Elementary School. Uh the first of which is Miss Giza. It is with great pleasure that I recognize MSKA for 25 years of outstanding service to the Sheltonham School District. today actually marks the official 25th anniversary date of uh her service, making this uh even more special of a recognition. Uh for her career, Miss Giza has dedicated herself to the students and families of Myers Elementary School. 19 of those years were spent serving as a highly
035respected K2 learning support teacher where she collaborated closely with the general education teachers to ensure that students receive the care, instruction, and support they needed to succeed. I just pictured you coming to my office and saying, "Mr. Lidle, I just want to talk to myself." Okay, got it. Uh, for the past six years, she's continued making an incredible impact as a first grade general education teacher. Miss Giz is the kind of educator uh that every school hopes to have. Warm, consistent, dedicated, deeply committed to the children. She creates a classroom environment that is welcoming academically engaging and the relationships she builds with the students and families and colleagues are truly exceptional. She is a trusted teammate, a professional and she is someone who can always be counted on to lead with integrity and excellence. On
036a personal note, uh one thing I feel like when I say that you're like what is he going to say, right? Okay. Well, on a personal note, uh, one thing I appreciate about Miss Giza is something she probably does not even realize. As a principal, you learn quickly, uh, how to navigate difficult conversations, uh, stressful moments, uh, intense situations, especially when they're rooted around children with different perspectives. Uh, and Miss Giza does that exceptionally well. She's very candid. She's very clear, but she's thoughtful, and always willing to work through differing perspectives in order to do what's best for children. And perhaps my favorite part is that no matter how difficult that conversation is, when we come back to work the next day, we're good. Uh we have children at the center and we have a
037a great respect for the perspectives of everyone in our building. She's unwaveringly consistent, authentic, and I have a she has tremendous respect by her colleagues and who are fortunate enough to work alongside her. Miss Giz, on behalf of Myers Elementary School in the Sheltonham School District, we thank you for your 25 years of phenomenal service, dedication, and impact on generations of children. We salute you and congratulate you on this incredible milestone. >> Thank you. Uh, Miss Kilpatrick. I know every principal says this, but I really love my team. I think I'm I'm really fortunate. Okay. It is an honor to recognize Miss Gopatrick for her incredible 26 years of service to Meyers and the Sheltonham School District. Uh she started that first year as a long-term substitute, but the past 25 years have been spent
038entirely at Meyers, where she has left an lasting impact on again generations of students, families, and staff. Over the course of her career, Miss Kopatrick has served in multiple roles, including 16 years as a title one math specialist or a math specialist as well as a second grade, fourth grade teacher and an outstanding kindergarten teacher, which is her role. Now, during her years as an interventionist for math, she worked closely with teachers and families to provide students with the supports, resources, and encouragement needed to help them reach their potential. As a kindergarten teacher, Miss Kilpatrick brings something truly special to our building. She has patience, perspective, a calm demeanor that only a seasoned teacher can bring to a classroom full of 5-year-olds. Um whether navigating the funny moments, the messy moments, the challenging moments, or
039the joyful achievements, she approaches each day with laughter, grace, consistency, and an unwavering love for children. One thing that I admire most about Miss Kilpatrick is the way that she takes things in stride. Uh she has a wealth of experience that allows her to truly understand what is important, what is worth fighting for, what can wait until tomorrow and what is absolutely necessary to uh for children to reach their fullest potential. Uh that perspective brings a sense of calm and steadiness not only to our classroom but to the entire kindergarten team. I also deeply appreciate Miss Kilpatrick's approaches to collaboration with her fellow kindergarten teachers. They have created systems, procedures, communication practices, and a kindergarten culture that truly welcomes children into the school along with their families. They don't simply teach students that are assigned
040to them in their individual classroom. They work collectively to support all kindergarten students as a team. What makes Miss Kopatrick exceptional is her ability to put herself in the shoes of a 5-year-old. Entering school for the first time, she instinctively understands what they may be feeling, what they may need emotionally, academically, and how to help them feel safe, confident, loved, and successful. Her ability to teach children while simultaneously make them feel cared for is truly second to none. One thing that uh I admire is her ability to connect with students um and to hold them to high expectations while still caring for them. And if you know Miss Kilpatrick, you know that she's going to tell it like it is. I have a lot of teachers that tell it like it is, which I I
041like. I like that. Okay. Uh I'm sorry. She tells it like it is honestly and unapologetically, but somehow in a way that still makes you laugh while hearing exactly the message you needed to hear. That authenticity, humor, and directness are part of what makes her such a special and valued person and such an important part of the fabric of Myyers. Mr. Kapatrick, thank you for 26 years of dedication, professionalism, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to children. And we salute you and celebrate the tremendous impact you have had on our school community. >> Surprised no one has anything to say. You guys say stuff to me all the time. All the time. And Miss Diamondstein We are I'm gonna stick to the script. Okay. I I I truly appreciate Miss Diamondstein and the relationship that we have.
042We teach each other. We always talk about culture and perspective. She teaches me words like mashuga, right? All those types of so we we exchange ideas and and I truly appreciate that. Um, it gives me great pleasure to recognize Miss Diamondstein for 25 years of dedicated service to the Sheltonham School District. Over the course of her career, Miss Diamond has served students and families across multiple schools, including Sheltonham Elementary and Myers, of course, the home of the Peace Train, where she has spent the majority of her career making extraordinary impact on children. Through those 25 years, Miss Diamond has worn many hats, uh, being a challenge teacher, first grade teacher, third grade teacher, fourth grade teacher, and a math specialist, um, serving students, um, with tier 2 and tier three interventions. No matter the role,
043grade level, subject area, she has consistently demonstrated an exceptional understanding of teaching and learning and an unwavering commitment to children. Miss Diamondstein is probably one of the most genuine people I've had the privilege of working with. She often comes by and she'll say,"How are you?" And then we usually give a response, "I'm good." Or, "I'm okay." And then she'll stop and she'll say, "No, how are you?" Or, "Are you sure?" Um, and it's one of those, it's in those moments that we slow down and kind of just connect and have a moment of humanity. And I appreciate those moments. So, thank you. She's incredibly uh authentic, caring, meaningful relationships with students and staff. Children absolutely love Miss Diamondstein. They love being in her classroom. They love learning from her. And they love the way she
044makes learning engaging, meaningful, and personal. She approaches teaching in a way that makes children feel like they are part of her extended family. And that sense of care and belonging is something students carry with them long after they leave her classroom. Miss Diamond is also an exceptionally resourceful and deeply knowledgeable person about instruction. One of the things that makes her especially impactful as a math educator is her ability to move beyond simple learning procedures. She helps children truly understand the why behind the math concepts, scaffolding the learning in a way that builds longlasting conceptual understanding rather than temporary memorization. Beyond her skills educator, Miss Dynastine brings honesty, thoughtfulness, warmth, humor to every interaction that she has. She reflects deeply, communicates authentically, and always keeps children at the center of her work. Miss Dyene, thank you
045for 25 years of outstanding service, dedication, and impact on the students and families of the Sheltonham School District. We we celebrate you. We appreciate you, and we salute you for your the incredible difference that you have made in the lives of so many children. And I would love for you to say something to him. when I first No, I'm just kidding. Um, it really has been um an honor and a privilege to work here for almost my entire teaching career. Um, little side note, I did my student teaching here. I worked here through grad school. So, um, even though I'm an Abington alum, this really is um, home to me, right? So, thank you. I am sure that she was sweating that entire time and that I was very nervous about what she might say
046but thank you. You did a wonderful job. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Tell like Mr. Vital I love my team too. Tonight I have the honor to uh celebrate and acknowledge two extraordinary educators uh at Windcoat Elementary. So we'll start with Mrs. Landalfi. All right. These remarks will be surprisingly brief because we will have another opportunity to celebrate Mrs. Lendoling next month on the occasion of her retirement from Chelham School District. For 25 plus years, Mrs. Landie has been part of the Windcoat family, working primarily with our K2 students who receive both itinerant and/or supplemental learning support. She has written numerous IEPs, met with countless parents, mentored generations of students, supported teachers, pareducators, and even brand new principles on how to collect and interpret data, and she has supervised more student teachers than I
047can count who are fortunate enough to be in her care. Most importantly, she has celebrated student growth over time. Even the most incremental growth warrants a celebration with laughter and cheers. Many parents have commented over the years that Mrs. Landalfi has become part of their family by the way she makes the often confusing world of special education understandable to them. Through it all, Mrs. Landie has been a part of our family and we a part of hers. Here it comes. Fred Rogers says that times when families laugh together are among the most precious times a family can share. We have had many good laughs at Windcoat Elementary in the past 25 years with Mrs. Landalfi and we look forward to the continued laughs for at least the next five weeks. And then you head off
048to share laughter and love with your family, including your 3-day old great grandson. Congratulations, Lisa, on this milestone achievement. >> No. >> Are you going to talk? >> I'll talk. You >> I knew I knew you would. >> I've always got something to say. Um, keep it brief. Usually I don't. Um, but I have to I have to say it has been an absolute honor to work with all the students that I have worked with over the years that I have been in Jelnham. Every child that has walked through my door, I have loved every student. It doesn't matter who they were. As soon as they entered that room, they became mine and they became my heart. It has been a journey worth having. And if I had to go back and start my journey
049again, I'd do it all again with every child, every challenge, and every moment. Because this journey has not only been about teaching the children who've walked through my door, but it's been about teaching me, those children taught me so much about just being human, just enjoying the little things in life. Because truly children are innocent. They come to us with the most wonderful curiosity and joy. And if we can remember that every child has that gift, no matter what their struggle is and what IEP says, if we remember that, then we truly are teaching, loving, and and just being a part of the village. So, thank you very much. I appreciate it. It's been wonderful. Lisa, save those comments and you can reprise them next month. Dr. Shaw, don't worry. Outside of Dr. Shock's kindergarten
050classroom. There is an ocean themed bulletin board with the caption, "Dive into our sea of scholars." Dr. Shaw's professional and life experience align with Fred Rogers wisdom that diving into unknown waters requires vulnerability, honesty, and kindness. For the past 25 years, Dr. Shaw has been swimming in the sea of the Cheltonham School District. She took the risk to work with the alternative middle years program at EP. She dove in feet first to develop and pilot a model program for elementary inclusion classrooms at Glenside Elementary. She floated over to Cheltonham Elementary to teach first and second graders and then joined Windcoat's kindergarten team four years ago. And trust me, I know from firsthand experience that teaching kindergarten always feels a bit like you're swimming upstream. Along the way, Dr. Shock took a detour into the very
051deep and dark and turbulent waters of childhood cancer with her beloved son Dominic who is graduating from high school next week and then sailing on into college. Doc Yeah, that's that calls her a round of applause. Dr. Shock always navigates these waters with honesty and kindness, constantly throwing life jackets to students who need some additional support before they can learn to swim on their own. Thank you for these 25 years and here's to several more and hope because you have college tuition to pay and hopefully you can sit by a pool or the ocean this summer and just watch the waves rather than feeling like you need to jump in. Congratulations, Angel, on this professional milestone. I'll just thank you. It's been an honor. >> Please note, she cried. I did it. >> All right.
052Thank you uh to all of our building principles for sharing about your uh and uh central administrators for sharing about your beloved staff members. Um I think we all enjoyed hearing the impact they have made and then hearing from some of them about the impact our students and district have made on them. So uh I I wish we had more because that was so lovely. But we are going to move on to approve our minutes. So if I could have a motion to approve our minutes from our April legislative meeting. >> So moved. >> Dr. Whiting. A second. Second. Thank you, Miss Murphy. Any comments or discussion? Thank you. We will uh move to vote. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Thank you. The motion carries and the minutes are
053approve approved. Next, we will hear uh from the high school from uh Miss Striker with the student council report. Okay. Good evening everyone. My name is Elizabeth Shriker. I am a member of Cheltonham Student Council. Our last meeting was April 22nd. Um since then we've hosted student council elections for our upcoming president. We haven't quite announced who the winner is, but be out for that information because it will be posted soon. Um tomorrow in join with Key Club um student council is hosting a campus cleanup. Um, so feel free to come and help clean up the school. Um, we're just going to be going around campus and cleaning up litter. Um, on April 30th, the the student council hosted a blood drive in partnership with the Red Cross. So, thank you to everybody who gave
054your blood and thank you to the Red Cross for um, our partnership and continued partnership because we do our blood drives every single year, at least twice a year. Um, our environmental committee is currently in the process of organizing a thrift event that will be um, it'll be done by the end of the year. Um, we have a tentative date. We're just waiting for it to be event approved, but it'll be really cool. Students can donate clothing and then come back later to explore inventory and buy clothes. And it'll be a good way to get some reduced reuse recycle in, I think. Um, our class of 2027 hosted their junior prom on Saturday at Arcadia's campus. It was very cool. Um, I hope everybody who went had a good time. Um, as an organization, we've
055been doing some housekeeping just to get things ready for the next year. Each committee has recently conducted interviews and anybody who's looking to join student council can reach out to Miss Vargas or Mr. Fuka for more information. Um, I conclude my statement. Thank you guys. >> Thank you. Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy, you said if anyone wanted to join with the campus cleanup tomorrow to come on over. So, what time should >> It's at 2:30. >> All right. >> 2:30 after school. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, next solicitor's report, Mr. Dazio. >> Thank you, Miss Muler. Yes. Uh the board had one executive session on May 2nd, 2026. Uh there were a number of administrative personnel items discussed at that executive session. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Diazio. Superintendent report. Dr. Stricken.
056>> Yes. Good evening. Uh it's my charge always to bring forth the superintendent report. And if we can go to the uh first slide. I know that there is u a lot of noise out there uh around me right now as superintendent. Uh and some of that is uh framed uh in a inaccurate narrative of a statement attributed to a report I made with uh 6 ABC uh where a quote uh regarding slow to respond has been uh connected to uh misconduct or in any inappropriate behaviors that uh that's what I'm was slow to respond to And that is by far uh the truth. The uh statement uh was framed around uh my timeliness uh in responding to emails and other correspondences. Uh as I go through this presentation, you will see that we take
057any allegations uh extremely uh serious. it's paramount uh that uh creating a safe environment is at the forefront of of what we do. Uh so I wanted to um clarify uh I know that there are uh some uh challenges which are unique around perspective with Sheltonham Elementary. our full administrative team is pushing in uh to support uh Sheltonham Elementary. And uh I simply wanted to uh start uh by addressing uh a statement uh that has really spiraled uh out of control. Uh and I wanted to uh set that record straight uh this evening. Next slide. There were two administrative trainings that we've held as a district. Uh, one was dealing with the investigation um process uh from our district uh solicitor uh and the other was uh grounded in our process for incident uh reporting
058procedures. On November 18th, we had a full principal training uh K through 12 uh where we went over uh in detail a process on uh investigations. Uh there were a lot of information that was covered uh and there was a structural framework which we do follow. uh when we talk about uh the legal r rationale of investigations, when we talk about our responsibility as being mandated reporters, uh that is something that we take extremely serious. Uh that is something that we do not uh let uh significant periods of time elapse uh before we address. And these are trainings that we have annually um to make sure that our principles are consistently uh implementing um practice and policy uh across the district. Next slide. We also had a detailed uh training around serious incident reporting uh
059what that looks like versus uh a minor incident versus a serious incident and what the protocol for documenting and reporting looks like uh as we move forward with the work. I think it's going to be important uh that we clearly uh communicate uh what our processes are. We do have a lot on our web. Uh specifically at Shangham Elementary, we we will be having some small group sessions where we can collect from community stakeholders what is it that they need more of. We're currently going through our strategic planning process and one of our pillars uh which is a foundational uh pillar which is under going to undergurt all five of our pillars is uh around diversity, equity, inclusion, uh belonging and engagement. We're going to also work on uh having a parent and community engagement
060uh pillar which will also undergurt underneath Debbie. I think that those are important uh pieces uh that have to be elevated uh and that be that has become extremely evident uh in some of the voices and comments uh that I have heard. Uh we know that we are charged uh with meeting the needs of all students. Uh and we are definitely uh taking that seriously uh to make sure that we are holding ourselves accountable uh for doing what is necessary to gain back uh some of that relational trust which I uh believe potentially uh has been frayed. Next slide. When you look at the combined impact of these two trainings, uh it's really uh to address a full life cycle of school safety events. Uh, and this is going to be a a good segue
061uh for me to feed into that if I was not taking the voices of the community seriously, uh, we as a board and as superintendent would not have moved forward with engaging uh, the center for safe schools. Next slide. I just want to give you an overview of who they are. of the center uh for safe schools uh was in was formulated uh in response to the PA act 44. Uh their work really became deeply rooted uh especially in 2018 and beyond. uh they are aligned uh to PCCD which stands for Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency um standards and they are involved not just within the state of Pennsylvania but their work or their arm um stretches uh nationally. Next slide. They used the 100 point scoring algorithm uh which is grounded uh in
062three levels. Um this document will be uploaded as all my reports are uploaded uh to our web page so individuals can take a deeper look uh at what those levels are and the definitions uh for those uh levels. Next slide. When you talk about the work, it's grounded in five assessment domains. Uh one is emergency preparedness and operations. Number two is access control and visitor management. Number three is physical security and site conditions. Number four is the behavior health and student support uh which we did at the secondary level. and at Sheltonham Elementary School. We will also be uh scheduling dates for those assessments to be held at our other four elementary schools. And the final uh domain is training uh climate and policy. And under each one of those do domains uh you have
063uh components that are specific uh to fi to defining what the assessment of those domains uh look like. Next slide. When you look at how the scores are banded, there's four uh different bands. One is 0 through 30 uh which is critical attention is required. The next span is 30 to 60 which indicates that you are in the developing or needs significant attention. The third band is 60 to 90 uh which is where all six of our schools landed. uh it states that that means that they're well structured and there's significant compliance by all parties. Next slide please. When you look at the specific scoring breakdown by school uh you will see that uh as a district uh for the safety and security assessment uh we had an average score of 81%. We are going
064to have representatives for uh from the center of safe schools come out and do a presentation uh publicly to the board and the community with regard to the findings, the recommendations and what the phased approach of implementation should look like. Uh even though our schools are in that third band, we know that we need to level up to hit that next band, which is 90% or higher. Uh that report will specifically outline what our next steps are that we need to take to level up uh to that uh next band. And that will be a differentiated approach uh based on the findings school by school. So there will be a individual uh corrective action plan that will be developed uh for each one of our uh school buildings. Next slide, please. When you look at
065the behavior, health and climate assessment, it's a similar score band interpretation. That assessment was done at Sheltonham High School, Cedar Brook Middle, and Sheltonham Elementary. Uh again, we fell in that third quartile of 60 to 90. Uh which reflects a well ststructured behavior, health and climate. and that significant compliance is being made. Are we where we need to be? No. And I clearly recognize that and acknowledge that. They will also push in uh to give a corrective action uh feedback on findings and recommendations as it relates to the behavior health and climate assessment report uh and subsequently what our next steps would need to be. We prioritize the secondary especially the high school on Shelham Elementary because we know that that right now based on the data uh is where uh the greater uh attention
066uh needs to be directed. So I hope this gives some clarity of where we are in process. Uh this final report will happen uh early part of June. Uh once the date has been secured based on the center for safe schools availability uh that will be shared with our larger community. Um and at this point that brings closure to my report. Thank you. >> Thank you Dr. Scriven. Uh next is the board president's report. I only have one item and I just thought it was fitting to recognize that last week was teacher appreciation week. I know all of our buildings had various celebrations. Uh whether it was building administration or PTO's or parents or central administration or our CA teachers union, different groups celebrating all of our teachers and staff. And I know uh as
067one school me board member, I think I speak for all of us when we say thank you to all of our teachers and all of our staff that are in our buildings every single day uh doing the boots on the ground hard work. Uh we thank you for your time and energy. Uh next up our committee reports will begin with the Montgomery County Intermediate Union Unit. Miss Lman. Thank you, Miss Mgher. The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit board of directors met on Wednesday, April 22nd um at 6:45 p.m. in person and at the MCIU's main office in Nortown and over Zoom. The board received reports from each one of the MCIU's 10 offices. Highlights of the meeting included a presentation from Ben Dantis who's a project consultant um working on student events in the office of
068organizational and professional learning. Specifically, he works with the reading Olympics program which we all know and love and he talked about some other programs including a Keystone competition which is a STEM competition for grades four through eight. Um, and the chief science officer program, which we have students who participate in, the dreaming forward program, which elevates student voices to reimagine belonging in Montgomery County schools, and several other programs that are organized and managed by the MCIU. Just a little trivia about the reading Olympics for this past year. It involves students from 156 schools, including private schools within the county. and um there were over 45 stu 4,500 students who participated in reading Olympics this year. One other thing I just wanted to mention is that um he Mr. Dantis mentioned that the Randelle Center for
069Civics and Civic Engagement and the Montgomery County Bar Association are looking to get into 250 classrooms in the county to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. We didn't get more details on that, but I sounded interesting to me. And so if there's anybody out here who wants to know more about it, let me know and and get you in touch with Mr. Dantis. Um Zachary Trump, who's the director of the MCIU's Office of MS services, provided um an MCIU funding breakdown presentation about the current fiscal year's budget. Um the presentation is actually publicly accessible on MCIU's website if you go to their board docs. um and click on the April 22nd meeting. The presentation is attached um to the meeting agenda. The MCIU's budget currently includes 112 separate cost centers, which means that
070there are 112 smaller budgets that make up the entire operating budget, which totals just shy of $200 million. It's $199 million. The member services budget, which is what each district pays into, including Cheltonham, is $2.1 million, or just 1% of that overall budget. All other revenue is fee for service, meaning the services the IU sells to member districts or schools. Um, grant-based funding, either state or federal funding, um, and some some private foundation funding as well. Um the federal funding is either pass through such as the special education funding which the IU manages on behalf of the state or direct funding such as Head Start funding for the Head Start programs that the IU operates. Um there I'm going to just leave at that. There was an extended discussion about the indirect cost rate that
071the MCI use MCIU uses which is set aside uh set by the state um on behalf of the federal government. um that is the indirect cost rate that you can take out of a a grant award that you receive or administrative um expenses. There was quite a discussion about that. Um, there was also a fair amount of discussion about whether to direct the MCIU's administration to create a request for proposal for legal services as the MCIU has apparently never bid out for solicitor services in the history of the intermediate unit like I don't know 50 some years. Um, the board approved a motion to have the administration present an RFP for legal services to the board in January 2027 with services to then be effective July 1st, 2027. The board also approved a resolution to
072establish an ad hoc committee of the board on travel reimbursement policies and procedures imposing a temporary travel moratorum um and authorizing engagement of external professional advisors due to some issues that were reported on a few months ago about travel that had been taken by um the executive director and some other members in the leadership um team at the MCIU. Um just a couple of other things. Um the project aware grant which is federal funding to assist with addressing student mental health needs of of which Celtam has been a participant in and and um that grant actually ends September 2026. Um, the MCIU is actually collecting testimonials about the importance of the work that is funded by that grant, suicide prevention, student mental health awareness to get the state to support the IU's efforts to continue
073this work and apply for another federal grant. Um, there will be a job fair um hosted by the MCIU on May 13th. Um, and the next MCIU board meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 27th at the MCIU's main office and over Zoom. This entire report. >> Thank you, Miss Lman. Next, we will have a report from the Financial Affairs Committee, Mr. Schultz. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Financial affairs committee met on May 5th, 2026 uh in a hybrid format. Following roll call and approval of minutes, the committee received our interim financial information presentation which I would recommend folks interested in the details of those numbers. The video is posted online but everything is moving according to plan and the line showing expenses is moving towards the line showing revenues at the right rate. Uh
074we then had a presentation about uh an item on tonight's agenda which is the food service management renewal or uh contract which can be renewed but due to structural changes in our district uh namely the uh the fact that we no longer have the EP building. Uh the decision was to rebid our food services contract this year and this evening we will be uh voting on the recommendation that came out of that process. So the process was very involved involved taste testing and surveys and and other types of interviews in addition to evaluation of the uh proposals themselves. The uh we also received a brief timeline update standard about our uh tax uh our budgeting process and the fact that next month we will be voting on a final budget. So please uh make a
075point to attend the next financial affairs committee meeting which is when we will be re having our final look at what that budget uh what that budget is being proposed as. Our next meeting will be held on June 2nd in a hybrid format and at the administration building. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you, Mr. Schultz. Dr. Whiting, the educational affairs report, please. >> Thank you, Madam President. The educational affairs committee met on April 21st, 2026 at 7 p.m. here in the administration building in a hybrid format via Zoom. The meeting consisted of updates to district curricula, programs, and systems. Miss Ferraro presented on changes to the K through5 curriculum in English language arts, math, science, and social studies with a specific focus on alignment to the Commonwealth's new science, technology, engineering, environmental literacy,
076and sustainability or steels standards. Miss German presented changes to ELA, math, science, and social studies standards, which also focused on steel standards, and potential changes to middle school schedules to accommodate science as a new focus uh in testing and at the state. Notably, curriculum development led by Miss Ferraro and Niskurman has focused on the adoption of high quality instructional materials which include evidence-based aligned curriculum um and extension that can be differentiated within the context of the lesson. This year, elementary schools also added STEM as a special class during the school week. Dr. Dr. Pimel presented on the district's approach to STEM in grades K through five which focused on technology and engineering and a broader set of innovation standards including innovation, collaboration, and problem solving. Grades 6 through nine redesign focused on STEM alignment to
077coding design thinking and fabrication while grades 9 through 12 included a focus on STEM in the innovator pathway and proximity to the innovation lab. Miss Keen presented information on changes to career education and work standards which include career awareness and exploration, employability skills, personal interests and career planning and growth and advancement. New reporting structures to the Commonwealth include career benchmarks in fifth, 8th and 11th grades. Mr. Hoff presented in compliance with board policy 126 asking to review course enrollments. Based on course enrollments, administration has recommended to not run calculus 2 honors, AP physics, and PBL 10 and PBL1 at the high school next year. Dr. Savage presented on the ways testing into algebra 1 courses have changed based on a variety of measures in sixth through 8th grade, which affect student placements in algebra 1
078and grades seven and eight. In addition, pathways for students to engage in math in grades 7 through 12 were mapped and described. The board will consider the adoption of new ELA, math, science, and social studies curriculum in the June legislative meeting. The next educational affairs committee meeting will be on May 26th here in the administration building at 7 p.m. in a hybrid format via Zoom. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Dr. Whiting. Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, Mr. Brell Williams. >> Uh, thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology has not had their May meeting. That meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, May 13th at 8:00 PM in person at Eastern's facility on Turwood Road in Upper Morland. If you do want to follow up on any previous board meeting
079minutes, uh they are available on Eastern's website at easc.org. Thank you. >> Thank you. And you can uh continue with the facilities report, please. >> All right, sounds good. Uh the May meeting of the facilities committee was held on May 5th in the hybrid and inerson format. Uh after roll call and approval of minutes, uh we heard some updates from the facilities department that might mirror a lot of what we are doing at our own homes in terms of spring cleaning and beautifification at some of the schools in the district. Now that winter is officially over, I think I can say that um with a with a lot of confidence. Um so we did hear about those beautifification projects that are happening specifically at the high school. Uh and then we heard an update on
080the three building projects that we have going on across the district. Right. Quite a bit of construction activity happening. It's been a while uh since we've had this much construction happening in the school district. though this you know the and so what we have currently we heard about the uh the uh high school stadium uh and the progress that's being made there uh you will see that there is now asphalt down so we're getting closer to having a track there's fencing uh the main um you know clubhouse building where is nearly uh let me just say it's close to being complete but not not all the way there. Um, so still uh still some way to go there, but but happy of the progress that's been made to this point. As far as the Cedar
081Brooks, the Cedarbrook and W Cedarbrook and Glennside projects, both of them have kicked off. If anyone has been around those schools, you'll see that um there's some fencing already erected. There's been some grading of the surfaces and um some footing uh and aspects of the foundations for each of the new structures has has started to take some shape. So very exciting stuff for for us in the township and for our future and facilities. The uh last part of our meeting reflected on the finances related to each one of those building projects. Um, I'll leave it to everyone here to spend some time reviewing those uh very well done financial statements, but what I will state is that what you'll see reflected on those statements reflects the progress that have been made in those projects. So,
082for uh the high school athletic stadium, um we're about 80% of uh along the way from an expense perspective based on what's budgeted. I won't put any words in anyone's mouth and say we're 80% complete with the with the project itself, but we've paid about 80% of what we budgeted um for that project. And then for uh both the construction project at Cedarbrook as well as at Glenside, you'll see that so far, even though we have had some construction happening, that a lot of what we've paid for was a lot of the pre-work uh and administrative work that was required before we even started to break ground. Um we will continue to gather those updates for future meetings of the facilities committee. Uh so stay tuned over the next uh number of months and and
083and years as it comes to our projects and and that information will be available on our website for you all to review if you do not make the meeting. Uh the next meeting of the facilities committee is is that the 12th June 2nd of June? The 2nd of June at 700 p.m. That will be in a hybrid format. And that concludes my report. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Belle Williams. I will now give the liaison group report. The liazison group met on April 20th with members of the school school district staff and school board as well as members from the township staff and uh commissioners. The school district updated the township on our construction projects uh similar to what Mr. Bol Williams just outlined including um gratitude for them uh being flexible and working
084with us on the permit fees to come to a agreement that was mutually beneficial for everyone. Uh we updated them on strategic plan process. Uh the assistant superintendent search, administrative moves with uh Cedar Brook East and Cheltonham Elementary. The township updated us on uh work that uh Pendot is doing with changing the speed limit on Ashborne Road and that is still an item that is in in process before it can actually be signs of the speed limit changed. Uh they are still underway searching for the next police chief and township manager. Uh they also spoke about facilities on their end, a new pool uh that will be uh at at the old Melrose Country Club at the new development that is there across from Tottenham Elementary. Uh work at the Roland Community Center, trail system
085work, uh blocks and different things. Uh they continue to work on updating citizens committees including the human relations commission and the active transportation committee and the new committee. Uh the active transportation committee is a new committee that is going to work on improving connecting existing trails with other trails both in the district and outside of the township um as well as adding new ones hopefully down the road. So some exciting work happening there. They touched on their own comprehensive plan that uh townships are required to have through the state and uh they announced that a there's a new township merchandise store uh that I believe is now live. So, if anyone wants to uh have some Chland Township swag, uh they can find that at the Chland Township website. And the next meeting for the
086liaison group will be this coming Monday, May 18th at 8:00 a.m. via Zoo. That ends that report. Uh next up is policy, Miss Gloman. Thank you, Miss Moharren. The policy committee um met on Monday, May 4th, uh 2026 at 7 p.m. in person at the administration building and over Zoom. The meeting was chaired by Miss Robin Murphy. After roll call and approval of the minutes of the March 24th policy committee meeting, the committee reviewed and discussed proposed changes to seven existing policies under new business. These seven policies are listed for first reading on tonight's consent agenda. They are policy and administrative regulation 806 child student abuse policy and administrative regulation 860 maintaining appropriate boundaries with students policy in AR 350 educator misconduct policy in AR236 threat assessment and policy 255 educational opportunity for military children
087policy 827 conflict of interest and policy 619 19 district audit. Most of the changes that have been proposed for these policies are some routine updates related to changes in state law. Um there uh were also some changes proposed to bring some definitional language that had been contained in the administrative regulations into the policies themselves. Um and there was some discussion um from the public about the child abuse policy. There was a member of the public who has requested that um because the child abuse policy generally applies to adult abuse of students. Um although there are a few there are six crimes that there are six child on child um crimes that are considered child abuse but generally that policy applies to adults um abuse of students. There was a member of the public who requested
088that the student on student conduct that is generally addressed in the 200 series of the board policies um be reviewed specifically policy 218 on student discipline and its accompanying administrative regulation. Um and there was a another member of the public who also asked for um handbooks, school handbooks to be reviewed um both with the intent of making their that will just leave it. Um, uh, the other, like I said, the only other changes were me really to reflect some changes in state law. Um, and then once these policies are voted on tonight, they will go back on the next policy meeting agenda for second read. Um, the next policy meeting will be in June sometime. We have yet to pick a date. Um, but we will decide on that soon. And this ends my report.
089>> Thank you, Miss Lman. Uh the legislative update, Mr. X. >> Thank you. Uh good evening, members of the public still with us tonight. Uh administration and anyone listening. I'm Zachary Eps, a member of the Montgomery County Board, Members, Legislative Committee. So, we meet periodically to discuss uh both proposed and adopted legislation at the state and federal level that impacts education and most importantly the the districts within Montgomery County. Uh last May 4th uh was PSBA, the Pennsylvania State Board of Association's Day on the Hill. And so uh a group of board members from around the county went and met in person with uh state senators and representatives uh there in Harrisburg, meeting them where they are to advocate for various priorities. Uh it is budget season for everyone, not just our school district, at
090the state level as well. Uh last week we met with Representative Timothy Briggs uh who represents a portion of Montgomery County. Uh and he was able to share with us uh some positive news that there's anticipation that there will be um hopefully a budget that's closer to on time. Uh and that's that's progress from what we've heard uh previously quite frankly. Uh and a lot of it was leading to the fact that there's an election uh this year and so folks are uh hoping to get some business done before that. Uh but we'll we'll we'll take it whatever the reason is. Uh there are proposals right now from the governor that does increase education spending as one of the largest uh expenditures in the state budget. And so here in Sheltonham there's two avenues. I
091won't get into the weeds of it, but there there's there's two primary methods where the increases flow through. Here in Sheltonham, we receive increases in funding to really alleviate uh well, it's called tax equity supplement. So hopefully alleviating increases that we have to make in our property taxes. The following year, uh increase funds are are awarded uh to the district. So there are there are proposed increases, but there's also proposed increases for districts uh to further meet the Supreme Court's decision around uh the state not adequately funding schools. And so that is a continuing conversation. In previous years, we've heard that down payments were made. And so we're certainly continuing to advocate uh that that commitment is is continued to be met continue to be met. Uh, and so there's last last month I I
092updated you all on a on a proposed bill around the high school time change that's still sitting in committee. There's another bill. There's there's a lot of bills out there, but there's there's one that I will promote. We we that we had a number of educators here. Uh, and there's a bill to award a tax credit for educators who have to pay for um supplies out of pocket. So, it's up to $500. And so, uh, hopefully that passes through and and and educators who do that can can take advantage of that tax credit. So, again, that's not a that's not a law right now. That's a bill being discussed. Uh, and it is in the education uh, committee. Uh, and that brings my report to a close. >> Thank you, Mr. EPS. Dr. Watts, a
093report from the Chelham Education Foundation. >> Thank you, Miss Mhern. Uh the Johnham Education Foundation board last met on Wednesday, April 22nd uh at Wind Code Elementary hosted by Mr. Taylor. Uh just to hit the highlights because this is the foundation's busiest period of fundraising and events. Uh we had the third annual race for education. So many of you there earlier in April. Final fundraising total was $21,500. The date for next year is already set. Mark your calendars for April 17 of 2027. That money feeds right into the next two items, which is the scholarships. 67 applications have been received for the different scholarships that the foundation gives out and those will be announced and awarded on Monday, June 1st um at Cheltonham High School. So that's very exciting. And then grant applications for the
094education the educator innovation grants are open now. Applications are due the 17th. So five days left. Uh the district will review those and then the foundation reviews on June 2nd and the winners will be notified on June 12th. So all of that fundraising money feeds right into these two important uh resources for our students and our educators. Um another fundraiser chamblanc will be held on June 20th 2026 at Arcadia and our next meeting uh will be May 27th I believe it's Cedarbrook Mr. MedCap and uh we will be planning for a strategic planning retreat this summer. This concludes my report. >> Thank you, Dr. Watts. Um, next up is uh approval of agenda items, our consent agenda. Before I take a motion on the consent agenda, I just want to acknowledge that um while we
095have very important and exciting things on every single agenda, this particular one um also includes the election of our next assistant superintendent. So, um Dr. Kinder Johnson who is with us this evening. Um she began her career as a chemistry teacher and has done many other things through uh building leadership and assistant superintendent, superintendent, all kinds of things. She brings experience and expertise in equity, strategic thinking, curriculum and instructional leadership. And um after the vote, we look forward to hearing from her. Uh I will now take a motion for the consent agenda. So moved agree. Second Charles Bordian. >> Thank you, Mr. Border Williams. Any comments from the board on the agenda items? >> Miss Lman, >> thank you. I just wanted to highlight one of the contracts that we're voting on tonight, which is
096um Empower Ed School Solutions to provide special education and intervention um services. it it's um what it is is a contract to do an audit of our special education program. Um and I as speaking as one board member have been waiting for this for a very very very long time. So, I'm appreciative of this administration for being willing to take this step um and to get an outside eye on our special education programs as a whole and what we're doing well and what are some opportunities for improvement and where we go from here. So, thank you, >> Miss Lman. Any other comments? Mr. Rex, >> uh second to those comments. Uh, also that's we are continuing to I'm I'm always encouraged to continue to invest in the mental health supports for our students. So, you'll
097find a contract that does that at the secondary level. Uh, shout out to MTSS. I'm sure it's still working and and leading to some of these things. Uh, but I also want to uh comment on the um our considering our for our assistant superintendent. And so I just want to make a really um I think when I when I look at there's such a comprehensive experience that Dr. Johnson offers some things that stood out to me were measured success uh specifically for student for specific student groups uh and also you can see uh progress at large from from from previous districts that she's had. We know that we have a policy around equity that touches we we heard our strategic plan is going to be undergurtded by uh parent and community engagement and diversity, equity,
098belonging, and inclusion. And so all of those things uh ring true to me. And so and then when I heard her speak, it wasn't here are the numbers and here's what changed. It was really talking about the people first and and the students that we serve and then and then how that actually feeds to the data and the system. And so I'm encouraged uh by the words by the and and looking for looking for the continued evidence uh as we bring forth uh new and uh folks to our team to to to better serve our students. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Schultz. >> Thirding Miss Lman's comment and seconding uh Mr. Epson's comment. No, I I just wanted to um give a very warm welcome to our soontobe new assistant superintendent. The past two weeks,
099we've as a district been been all reeling is a strong word, but there have been a lot of things that we have been thinking about here as a board member and witnessing how much time, energy, dedication all of our administrators put in. Uh, I'm grateful to have another incredibly talented, skilled administrator in this building. I was just doing some math about we have roughly 4,000 students. And if you amortize the amount of hours in a year a single administrator has, it's about one hour per student. And so when we're thinking about communication and when we're thinking about all of the things that go into a school system, our administrators need to put in place systems that leverage more than an hour of their time per student. And that is what they do. And that is
100what that 30 years of experience about to be part of our district is going to bring us. So thank you for applying. I'm thank you for uh to the team that did the interviews and I'm excited to see what happens next. >> Thank you, Mr. Schultz. Dr. Whiting. >> Second, Mr. Schultz. Third, Miss EPS. Fourth, Miss Lman. Um just want to take a moment to recognize the 19 people who jumped through all of the hurdles to volunteer for our district. It is not easy to do that. our uh district our external district activities and even some of our internal district activities would not run without the people who are dedicating time to this work and I want to take some time to acknowledge them. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Whiting. Any other board comments?
101All right, that I will we will have a vote on the consent agenda. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed or any abstensions? Thank you. The motion carries. Um, Dr. Scriven, before I invite Dr. Johnson to greet us, would you like to share a few words? >> I'd just like to be one of the first to uh welcome you to the district. I thank you uh for uh committing uh to the work here. uh even knowing what we're currently navigating. Uh coming in with your eyes wide open uh to the best of the ability because you never know what you don't know. Um but knowing that you have the repertoire of skills um that have well prepared you uh for this opportunity. So uh welcome. Please come to the podium. I
102know you had a a few remarks and uh excited to have you. Not quite as tall. So, it is truly an honor to stand before you as your newly appointed assistant superintendent. I would like to extend sincere gratitude to you, Dr. Brian Scriven, the superintendent, as well as to the Sheltonham School Board, and all of the individuals who were involved in this very comprehensive search process for entrusting me with this opportunity. I do not take this appointment lightly. I stand before you with humility and I'm grounded in this idea that who we are and what we bring should be centered on doing what is right by students first. With nearly three decades of experience, I've had the privilege of serving first as a classroom science teacher. I'm very proud of my experience in a classroom,
103also as a school-based administrator, as a central office leader, as a curriculum writer, as a higher education leader, as an attorney, and also as a superintendent. Across all of these roles, three truths remain consistent. One, education changes lives. Two, the people closest to students matter most. And three, superintendants need individuals who are thoughtful, strategic, and understand that both the work contains a responsible mindset and someone who understands the urgency and complexity of moments. Having sat in the seat, I understand the weight of decisions. I understand the urgency of challenges and I understand the importance of trusted collaboration. I stand ready to serve you and with you Dr. Scriven as well as the community and I would do so with integrity. But I cannot let this moment pass without thanking the teachers. We just celebrated teacher
104appreciation week and I believe firmly that teachers are the heartbeat of our schools. They inspire, they support, they challenge young people to see in themselves some things that they can't see sometimes. And I believe that when we invest in teachers, when we honor teachers, we know that they can bring out the best in students. I also believe deeply in centering student voice. I understand for me that students are not just simply recipients of educational decisions. They are in fact our partners in what they need to learn. We need to look at them and experience them as active learners. understanding that their lived experience that their aspiration should not only shape what we do but actually prioritize what we do. Equally as important on May 1st we honored our principles for National Principles Day. Research reminds
105us that schoolbased leadership comes only second to classroom experience in terms of shaping what happens for children. Our school principles and school leaders create conditions for teaching and learning. And when we organize ourselves around supporting school leaders, they are able to do what is best for children. and I commit to doing that for you school leaders. Further, I understand that meaningful progress requires authentic collaboration. Therefore, I look forward to partnering with educators, union leadership, families, community organizations, business leaders, faithbased leaders, my of course higher education partners and and students because you are our servants that we need to make sure that we are meeting the needs of family voice remains essential because families, you are our students first teachers and I believe you are the strongest advocates. As we move forward together, my commitment will
106be simple. Lead with integrity, listen intentionally, advocate courageously, and remain relentlessly fing focused on doing what's best for children. And for me, what's best is not unilaterally defined. It should be collaboratively defined through alignment with state standards, evidence-based practice, industry standards, students lived experiences, and meaningful collaboration with educators to ensure that what they are seeing and experiencing is incorporated. I'm excited to begin this work. I know that wisdom is in the room, so I'm looking forward to learning from each of you. I know context matters, so context is important, so I'm looking forward to listening and ensuring that the important work that is already underway continues and that every student continues to be valued, seen, challenged, and supported. Thank you for this incredible opportunity. Let's get to work. Thank you, Dr. Johnson, and once again,
107welcome to Cheltonham. Next up on our agenda, public comment on non-aggenda items. At this time, uh, anyone in the room or on Zoom may speak. Uh, resident Sheltonham resident, taxpayer, school district employees are permitted to speak uh, for three minutes or less. So, if you are in the room, please come to the podium. If you're online, you can raise your hand at this time. Please state your name and where you reside in the township. Uh uh Joanne Spear and I live in Cheltonham Township and I couldn't really hear what someone was saying about the food service the uh company. Could you repeat that? >> Absolutely. the Cheltonham School District food service. Yes. >> Company. >> Yeah, absolutely. Would you, Mr. Phelps? >> I think you're probably referring to my report from the financial affairs committee.
108Um, we just voted on a food services contract and uh the financial affairs committee, we received a presentation that went over the process that the RFP responses, the proposals that were submitted to us from various vendors. We received a report uh an update on how those were reviewed which ultimately led to a recommendation this evening u of Chartwells was the is the vendor that we just voted to approve. >> So Chartwells is the new food service company. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You you can just come right to the podium. Thank you. Uh, good evening. My name is Tom Peterson and uh I'm a 33y year resident of Landfair Road in Cheltonham. I'm also a small business owner for the past 30 years in the township and I have had three children
109all go through the Cheltonham public school system. Um, I'm here today to uh continue to advocate for a welcoming policy for the school district in terms of um immigration. Um I'm I also represent a citizen group called Cheltonham Immigration Response and we've been successful in pushing the commissioners to adopt a resolution, a welcoming policy for immigration in the township. And we want to urge uh the school district to adopt a similar sort of policy. um a little bit of history and you know you feel free to correct me if I'm if I'm wrong about any of these uh any of the timeline here but my understanding is that there was a submitt to the the children and the teachers regarding immigration policy in February of last year um that that stated the school district's you
110know policy if if ICE were to show up at a school. Um, and I don't believe there was any sort of similar um, statement issued during this past school year. Um, in reading the statement that was issued back in February of 2025, I think there's room for improvement in in that statement. and my organization has submitted a suggested draft policy that is more robust than what was uh issued by the school district uh about 15 months ago. And we submitted that draft about three months ago uh along with 11 questions um that was submitted to the superintendent um Dr. Scriven and and and others. And my understanding is we really haven't gotten a concrete uh response to those questions or to the uh draft document that we submitted. Um I just want to give you
111I just want to read three of the questions. We submitted 11 questions. So, one of them is what are considered public versus non-public areas of our schools in Cheltonham? Do the areas have signage? Another example of the questions that we submitted, is the policy communicated to all district employees, contractors, parents, and in languages they understand? And a third example of these questions, uh, what are the supports available to students if an incident should occur or students are afraid to come to school or concerned for their parents. Um I I attended the March uh policy committee meeting of of the school board and um you know made similar statements um at that time in March and uh you know we we are uh encouraging you know uh for you to review the draft that we submitted
112and um you know we're happy to meet with you uh as needed. Um but we we would most appreciate you know some action. Uh and you know the school year is about to end so in my mind it would be good to be able to submit something to the parents and students yet this school year. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Mr. Peterson. Good evening. Excuse me. Good evening. My name is Randy Libro and uh I live near the uh the the uh Brookwood Run, which if you're not familiar with that illustrious waterway, it runs for probably at least a few hundred feet from Oaklane into Token Creek. Um and uh I'm also here uh representing um our neighborhood organization uh East Cheltonham Cares. Um and uh we we also were very involved with
113um talking to our commissioners about the welcoming policy. Um one of the things we've been around for actually just about a year and a half and one of the things that really got people very fired up early on was hearing about kids at the bus stop uh actually down the block from where we live. um talking about like being scared of like if their family members were deported. Um so we're we're really concerned about, you know, not just the township's policy, but also the school board's policy and how that's how that's communicated. Um, and uh I I know that that uh Tom previously mentioned that letter that went out to parents February a year ago. Parents who I've talked to weren't aware of it. They, you know, we we we asked about it. Oh, did
114you see this because we heard that this went out and people didn't weren't familiar with it. um that so that the way that the information was communicated really apparently was not getting through. Um and I and I think that that's a problem. I think it's really important that you know I I mean just a a little digression uh the the uh you know land acknowledgement and acknowledgement of the you know the value of the diversity of our community. Um I mean that's something that I think is really important. I grew up in Cheltonham. Um I I went to Windcoat Elementary. Um graduated from from Cheltonham High School. Um the Earth's crust had cooled by the time I graduated. Um but I'm not sure by exactly how much, but uh it's it's it's been a little
115while. But I, you know, I grew up in a community that was really not very diverse and I really value the diversity of the community now and the contributions of our of our immigrant neighbors. Um, I just know that our schools are such a central part of the um of our community and that it it's just feels very important to me that there's there be some real robust a you know communication so that there's real awareness of the ways in which the school will protect students uh in the event of you know some ICE activity. So, I also want to just say on on an aside, as a retired uh educator, I really appreciated the honoring of the teachers earlier. That was that was absolutely wonderful. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. I think
116we have a hand online. Please state your name and where you reside in the township before you speak. >> Okay. >> Was somebody speaking from >> Hi. Yeah. Um, my name is Amy Frerieded. I live on Landfair Road in Cheltonham. 33y year resident. Also, um I just wanted to echo and reinforce uh what Tom uh Peterson talked about uh putting together a uh robust a more robust and a as um uh Randy uh also said a a uh policy that is communicated in the languages of the district and not just sent as a email as it was in 2025. that can get very very easily lost in spam and other um other uh places uh in your mail. Um and uh you do have this document with questions and points and uh I think that
117the amount of time that was spent on putting that together deserves a response and deserves a response before 3 months. Um and um I also just wanted to uh talk a little bit about what's going on at the state level and encourage the district to support the welcoming schools policies at the state level. Um this one the welcoming schools policies ensure that PA schools are safe places for all students. The bill which is um Senate Bill 1125 and House Bill 2148 would uh require school districts to adopt clear procedures for responding to immigration enforcement. These steps will protect student privacy, give administrators and staff clear guidance and affirm schools as welcoming places for all. So that is now what was just introduced. It has been co-sponsored by um represent by Senator Haywood and by representative
118um Nelson. Um I would like to encourage whatever legislative work that you're doing or lobbying to really support uh and push through this uh this one these bills. I know it's going to be tough in the Senate, but I I would like to see our our school district really work on that. I would also um like to uh encourage uh uh support of the welcoming uh PA caucus. Um some of the other bills that are up are the driver's licenses for all which is access to real ID licenses for undocumented and documented people. Prohibiting state police from making arrests. The officer visibility act. the documenting ICE civil civil liberties violation, urging Congress to condition DHS funding and protecting vulnerable immigrant youth. All are um acts um uh our legislation uh before the state legislature. So,
119it would encourage uh these are all things that will help um uh ensure um the safety uh and well-being of all our students and especially our undocumented student. And I'd like uh to see Chelham get ahead of the ball a little bit here in terms of uh the welcoming schools act and and have a policy that is uh well articulated and well communicated. Thank you very much for listening. >> Thank you, Miss Reed. Hi everybody. My name is Pam Albbright and but first of all I I totally agree with what the last three people just said. I'm not going to repeat the same thing, but first of all, I just wanted to say that I was really proud to be part of this community and excited to hear the land acknowledgement that was read today.
120I think that is a wonderful and beautiful embodiment of our values in this community and um I really hope that those perspectives and values are reflected in the curriculum that our students are are are going through because I think that's crucial and especially in this day at this day when so many forces are are fighting against such values and and perspectives and and trying to erase um you know uh erase any um truth in our history of our in our culture uh whitewashing uh in our in our educational system. So I'm I'm very very happy that that we're standing up and and and and dedicating ourselves to continuing to um give people the truth in their education. Um and also I wanted to talk to speak about the safety issue um that is one of
121the top uh concerns tonight. Um I think that safety issue also includes um the issue of ice coming into the schools as other people have mentioned and I think in terms of health and safety of our students and including their mental health that I think it's really important that the students feel that we're behind them that we're going to support them. any students who are not only students who might be undocumented, but basically any students of color, any students with an accent, any student, they're all, you know, vulnerable. I mean, as everyone knows, you know, ICE is they're getting um they're getting paid to grab people off the streets and find out later whether or not there's any, you know, legal reason for it. It doesn't seem to matter. So I think our students are
122at heightened um risk of of basically trauma and and fear. Um and I think how are we going to address that? I think we want to move forward with um you know being much more open and clear with the u policies that um would protect them, our welcoming policies and to have them as as Amy said in other um in the languages that all our families will be able to read. And so that's I just I just want to stress that this is all part of the same package of respecting our students from all walks of life and all cultures and helping them to feel u safe and um and and respected and loved in this community that we're all there for them. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, we did have one meeting with
123two or three representatives from your group probably about a month and a half, maybe two months ago. I will have Mr. Kaufman, who's our director of communications, follow up to make sure we get your contact information, but we will reschedu, we will reconvene and have another meeting with you. uh just so we can work on formalizing the draft and uh attempting definitely to get a communication out before the end of the school year. >> All right, seeing no other hands online and no one at the podium that will uh close our public comment for this evening. Uh on the agenda areformational items about future meetings and with that oh yes Mr. shots. >> Just wanted to highlight that um election day will be on May 19th, which is why we do not have an educational
124affairs meeting for that for the one week from today. If you do not already have a plan to vote, please make one. >> Thank you. Uh that I'll have a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Oh, that's a first and a second. And meeting is adjourned. Good night, everyone. All right.