001Hello. >> Hello. >> My video is not working. >> I don't know why. >> Everybody can hear me. You can see me, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank [laughter] you. Are we set? >> Yes, we're set. >> Okay, we [clears throat] call the meeting. We call the meeting of the June uh 26th. >> How about January? >> Okay, how about I wish it weren't June. >> That's it. >> I call the meeting of January 26 to order. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Our roll call. Mrs. Rosado. >> Okay. George Andrews, >> present. >> Rebecca Bear, >> present. And
002I got my video to work. >> Okay, I see you. Anne Catillo >> here. >> Mike Catillo >> present. >> Jason Goldrand >> present. >> Keith Carut >> present. >> Debbie Kulich >> present. >> Richard Leis >> present. >> Shenica Story. >> Is that okay? That's okay. >> Okay. >> She present. No. >> No. She's not able to attend. >> Okay. So, eight present. >> Okay. Thank you. and we welcome all of our guests and um hopefully everything will go well tonight. I think it will, but uh just bear with us um in case we have any issues and we'll work those out as we go along. An executive session was held on January 10th, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. for the purpose of discussing personnel and an executive session was held this evening before the
003meeting for the purpose of discussing personnel litigation and negotiations. I need a motion to adopt the agenda for January I got it right that time. January 26th as submitted with the board of education reserving the right to add to the agenda and take further action on any items raised in executive session. Immediate action on such items is considered to be the best interest of the district. >> Rebecca second >> uh comment or discussion? >> Sure. Mhm. >> I'd like to add to the agenda to change the meetings dates for the properties and facilities meetings for the February and March meeting to the second Wednesday of the month. >> So moved. >> Any discussion on that? >> Nope. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I opposed. Okay. Um a motion to approve the minutes of the
004December 1st, 2025 reorganization board meeting. So moved. >> Second. Debbie. >> Questions? All in favor? >> I opposed. A motion to approve the minutes of the December 15th, 2025 regular school board meeting. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Um any questions, comments? All in favor? >> Opposed. Okay. We're going to move on to our um reports. Do we have our north representatives, Lawrence or Dylan or and Dylan present? >> So, our north and south representatives were not able to attend tonight, but I do believe our MCTI rep was going to try to come. >> Caitlyn, are you with us? >> She is. How do we promote her? >> Can you guys hear me? >> We can hear you. Welcome, Kaitlyn. >> Welcome. Hello. Um, please give me one second. >> Uh, I was having
005trouble turning on the mic and everything. Um, >> you can hear. [snorts] >> Okay. Sorry. Um, okay. So, good evening schoolboard members, administration, and guests. Happy New Year's. Um, obviously I'm Kaylin. Um, so MCTI a career and technical students have been busy with their organizations. MCTI FFA students attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show on January 12th and competed in several competitions in the following students placed for East Strawburg North is Kirsten Berlin which got second place in terium tropical foliage. Uh and then Jasmine Fleming second place with mixed foliage arrangement for East Strawburg South. It was Melanie um Palad Padilla uh who got third place for a terraneian tropical foliage. Um McKenzie Dickerson for second place for the mason jar arrangement. The following students reser re received their FFA jackets at the PA farm show during
006the PA mid-winter FFA convention which was Anthony Dalo, Madison Lure, Kamaya Hadley, John Nessa Reyes, Cora Le Lipold, and Emma Hernandez. Skills USA students are set to compete on Wednesday, February 4th in Allentown. And if there is a snow day, it would take place on Thursday, February 5th. Uh I'm pretty sure that they sent you guys the list. Um and if you guys have any other like questions or want to attend the event, um it says to contact Miss Hafler. Um I don't know if you guys have her your email, but if if not, I can send it through uh Gmail. On Friday, February 6th, MCTI will be holding their third annual sweetheart dance. And in February is the Career and Technical Education Month. And we have several activities planned at MCTI to celebrate. That
007concludes my report. >> Okay. Thank you, Caitlyn. And thank you for making us think of flowers in the beginning. [laughter] Nice. Nice to think of flowers at the beginning of uh with all the snow. Thank you. >> Yes. >> Dr. Vertali, we turn it over to you for the superintendent report. So, we're going to start my report by welcoming our auditors. Um, so we have Rachel and Jeff here, and they are going to go over the audit report that you all received. >> Yes. Can everybody hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> All right. Um, so hopefully you guys got the audit reports. I'm just going to highlight a couple areas. Um, my name is Rachel Gouger. I was the supervisor on the audit again um with Jeff Weiss as well as the partner. Um I
008just want to start out by thanking Matt, everybody else in the finance office, Maggie for getting um the audit done. Takes a little bit of work from the finance office and the district as a whole really um as we kind of get through everything. So page one through three, this is your audit opinion. Um it's a clean audit opinion on all of our audit areas. opinion audit areas. Page 4 through 11. This is management's discussion and analysis. So, this is just a discussion of what occurred with the district's finances throughout the year. We don't audit this. We just make sure nothing conflicts with the financial statements. It's a good opportunity to read through these to get a better understanding of the numbers that are in the statements and some sort of wise of what changed
009and why. page 12 and 13, these are your entitywide statements. So, if we take your financials and put them into two columns, this is what we get. Governmental activities and business type activities. This includes all long-term debt, capital assets, net pension, and your net OPED liabilities. Page 13 shows a negative net position of about 64 uh.3 million total. This is really driven down by your pension and OPED liabilities. Most people concentrate on page 14 and 16, which is your general fund statements, which is the district's main operating fund. Uh page 14, this is your general fund first column. It shows a fund balance of about 40.9 million. Out of that, about uh 1.3 million is unassigned and the other 39.6 Six is committed or assigned for other purposes. Page 16 is your statement of revenues.
010Again, general fund shows a decrease in fund balance of about 10.3 million for the year. Um, which is better than the budget by about 7 million. Uh, on page 14 and 16, there's other columns showing your major fund, which is capital projects. Uh, that's listed out separately. that has a decrease of about 3.5 million and that's just due to ongoing capital expenditures the district has. The other column is non- major funds which is made up of your scholarship funds and your special activity funds. This remained relatively the same compared to last year. Page 18 and 19, this is your enterprise fund which is the food service fund. Um it shows a net position of about 327,000 which is an increase from last year of about a million dollars. Page 21 and 22 these are your
011fiduciary funds. This is the student activity funds. Uh relatively similar to prior year. Starting on page 23 are your notes to the financial statements which just goes in depth of different areas of your financials. I'm going to highlight a couple of those that are important. Um, starting on page 34, note 7. This discusses your long-term debt of the district, which includes various bonds and notes totaling about 78 million. The district also has leases for computer equipment for about 727,000. Uh, page 39, note 10. This discusses your pension plan which is through peasers. Uh you have a total net pension liability of about 194 million. Similarly on page 44 note 11 also through pasers the district has a postemployment benefit plan which is healthcare after retirement discusses it in detail and your oped liability is about
0128.3 million. In addition to those two plans, the district also has a separate OPED plan on page 48, note 12. Um, your total net OPED liability for this plan is about 25 million. Page 54, this is the next schedule that a lot of people like to focus on. This is your general fund budget to actual statement. Your revenues came in about 10.2 overbudget, 10.2 million overbudget, and expenditures were about 8.6 Six overbudget revenue was largely overbudget due to the additional state aid for uh plan con bond reimbursements expenditures. There was a lot of different lines over budget. The two largest was facilities construction improvement and student transportation services. Jumping to page 56 through 60. These are required schedules for your pension and oped plans and it shows uh up to 10-year data for those plans.
013Uh page 63, this is your government auditing standard opinion, also known as the yellow book if you've heard that. This is also what you would call a clean opinion for the district. In addition to the financials, we do a single audit uniform guidance audit, which is um an audit over your federal awards. This is also a clean opinion. Uh for this year we tested the child nutrition cluster and along the education stabilization fund which is also known as ARP or ESSER depending on the grant. Um so those programs were good as well. So that's pretty much the district in a brief nutshell. >> Hey, thank you. Any board members, any questions? Okay, thank you. >> Thank you, Rachel and Jeff. We appreciate the work you have done. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you.
014Have a good one. >> So, I am attempting to share my screen, but I am not able to. Edwin, do you think you can help with that? Please try now. We see it. Can anybody see it? >> Yes, >> it just popped up. Yes. >> Okay, perfect. Excellent. So, this was the presentation that I had scheduled for December, but um some of the conversations ran a little long and I just wanted to make sure that um we were fresh and and available to talk about the Belltime study. If you remember uh last spring we started to investigate our bell times just for the purpose of looking at the effectiveness and efficiency of our transportation routes. So we presented a whole bunch of options. You wanted us to explore some other options. So this is kind
015of the outcome of our exploration and our survey. So let's start with let's be really clear. This is schoolboard appreciation month and we had an amazing event scheduled with lots of fanfare, but because we're virtual, we're just not able to do it. So, we want to take this moment to thank our school board for all of the work they do. And um by the way, this was a graphic created by Chat GPT and I really liked it. Um so, thank you schoolboard members. Thank you for being leaders in our community. Thank you for being dedicated. Thank you for making sure you are always putting our students first and you are selflessly leading our district and our community. So, a quick thank you and shout out as we celebrate schoolboard appreciation month. Just a quick reminder
016that our goal is always to maximize today's potential for tomorrow's success. We want to do that not only with our students but with our staff, our schedules. And this is really why we're looking at the bell time study so we can see how are we able to maximize how we're using our transportation to better serve the students and our families. Our mission statement. So if you remember we had a micro move that we had suggested. It was to move secondary 5 minutes earlier and to move elementary 10 minutes later. Elementary would start at 9:10 and end at 3:40. Intermediate would be at 7:25 and end at 2:15. And then high school would be at 7:15 and into 225. Then there were two other scenarios that were more macro moves. The first scenario was to switch
017the start times. So to put elementary first, put intermediate at 8:45, and to put high school at 8:35. And then the second scenario was to switch start times but to create a three- tiered busing. So right now we have two-tiered busing where our buses are on the road picking up intermediate and high school students at the same time. This would separate that. We would have our elementary start at 7:15 and end at 1:45. Our high school would then go in about an hour later and end at 3:25. and our intermediate would not start until 9:25 and four end at 4:15 PM. So those were the two options out of I believe the seven that we presented that you said you wanted us to investigate more in addition to that micro move. So we sent out
018a survey and man oh man we got amazing responses from the survey. We had over 2400 responses to the survey, which means that our community was actively engaged and we really like that and we want that. The only way we can know the outcome of some of our decisions is if we survey people and they tell us and they told us within an hour of releasing the survey, we probably had about 800 responses, which means that this was something that our students and our families were really, really engaged with and concerned about or excited about. I think we're going to see concern more than excitement. So, if we break out who responded, about 25% of the responses come from the elementary level, 15% come from the intermediate, and about 60% come from the high school.
019And then 36% of the responses were students, 34% were parent or guardian, and then the rest of it made up our professional and support staff. So, we really have a nice mesh. And what makes me happy is that the largest stakeholder group were our students responding. And I met with them shortly after this survey went out. Um, and they had a really good we had really good in-depth conversations about the impact that this would have, why we were looking at it, and what they thought about it. So in addition to the survey, we also got to have really good fruitful conversations with our students. So here is what they said. We started with how does our current schedule meet your needs and overall people are mostly satisfied with it. Um between the very satisfied and
020the somewhat satisfied but there are some issues with our current schedule but overall people are definitely happy with it. We looked at how the schedule aligns with their current schedule, aligns with their current family or personal schedule. Because the reality is is that if we're going to change our start and end times, our parents aren't going to be able to go to their employer and be like, "My school district changed my elementary student to 7:15. You need to change my hours." That's not how it works. And also our students who work, they're not going to be able to change their work schedule or they're going to lose work time because they're dismissing later. So we wanted to know first how does the current schedule meet their family and personal needs. And it it feels like
021overwhelmingly more than 50% felt that our current schedule and bell times really work for our students and their families. And then we asked what challenges do you feel that you were experiencing? And overall uh student wake up time was the biggest. Uh student fatigue was another one. And about 50% said they don't have any challenges. They just make that schedule work. So again, the current schedule seems to be working for our families. When we talked about the micro move, if we moved again, uh, secondary to be a few minutes earlier and elementary to be a few minutes later, we asked how much of an impact would it have. Um, and and that everybody was, I want to say about neutral. There was about 30% that felt it would have a positive impact, 30% that it
022would have a ne negative impact, and then about 40% across the board were really neutral or didn't think that it would have any impact. Again, looking at that micro move, we said, "What would be your biggest concern?" And our family said the impact on routines would be the biggest concern and then students sleep schedules because their schedules would be changed by a few minutes. Um, and then there was other and those were all just very very specific and personal reasons. When we looked at the bigger macro move of switching start times of putting elementary first and then secondary second um we asked basically how supportive are you of this decision and more than 50% were opposed to the decision. So I think our community is very clearly saying that they are not in favor of
023us switching our start times and putting elementary first. when we asked more in depth, okay, if you like it or you don't like it, tell us what you're concerned about. And their concerns were very honestly across the board. So it was after school job commitments for our students, child care, changes to child care, extracurricular activities and athletics because our secondary schools would have been getting out later. Impact on family routines, support staff schedules, and then the contracts that go along with them. Sleep schedules was a big concern for our students. And then transportation or bus schedules. So out of all the areas of concern that we felt we would identify, our families agree that it is significant concerns that they have with child care being the most concerning. Scenario two is changing to three tiers
024and still switching that start time. So putting elementary first, high school second, and then intermediate starting at 9:25. We asked how supportive are you are of this? And I would say that about 70% of our families are not supportive of this scenario at all. Again, when we asked what the biggest concern was, overwhelmingly it was after school job and then those commitments and then child care were those biggest concern areas. But as you can see, they are concerned about all of the issues that we felt they may be concerned with. Um, so child care and those afterchool jobs and commitments are the biggest concern if we make the macro move of switching the start times between elementary and secondary and then breaking up and having three tiers. So then we said, well, which would you
025prefer if would you rather keep it the same? Do scenario one or scenario two? and and very clearly our community said they would rather keep it the current schedule of where we were at, which is about 62% of them said, "Let's just keep it the same." Now, this is really where we're going to discuss. If you remember, the whole reason we did this was to align our bus driver routes to try to get them the same or similar. We have 73 a.m. roots and 112 p.m. routes, which is the disparity. So, we wanted to make that a little bit more efficient and get those numbers the same. I am never suggesting that we sacrifice student learning because of personnel woes or personnel concerns, but I do think that we have an opportunity to make a
026decision of where we want to go. Do we want to keep the current schedule with us needing 73 and 112 respective routes? Do we want to consider the micro move which would bring it down and it would drop our roots in the PM from 112 to 91? Even though our community has some strong feelings, I I still think we need to talk about scenarios one and two if there is any interest for that because that really decreases our roots. But again, I'm always going to say we need to be cautious about making instructional programming decisions when it impacts students and families. Our families have been very clear with the concerns that they have. So, let's talk. Where are we and what do we think? >> Maggie? >> Yes. >> Why did Why when you asked
027them to compare the various uh options, you didn't include the micro move in the choices. You only put three. You put current or the two. >> You know what, Debbie? as I was reading through it, I'm not sure I'm not sure if I just didn't pull the data. Um, as I was talking it through, I realized that was an error. So, absolutely, you're absolutely right. We didn't ask about that or I didn't include that. So, I would have to go back and pull that. I took the uh the percentages for the micro move and overall 68.7% were positive or no impact etc. Elementary seemed to be 5050 with the five minutes or so and intermediate was uh positive for 74.3 and high school was positive for 75.5. So just if you needed that the negative
028impacts on overall was 31.4 elementary 50.6 six. Um, intermediate 25.8 and high school was 24.5. I just because it was missing. I wanted to see if there was any trend which seemed to be overall positive for the micro change which would hopefully get kids to school faster and home faster agree. So just trying to make our transportation routes a little bit more efficient, which is why we we did this study was just to look at efficiency and see if we can better support transportation and better support timeliness of transportation. >> My concern is over the years we've had an issue with uh staffing in in our busing uh system, our transportation department. We've lost a lot of seasoned veterans over the years for a lot of different reasons. And I don't know if the the
029issue with our busing right now is is going to make a difference if we change the times or not. >> So I when we say that we we have a shortage, we have we currently have three open positions. All of our other routes are staffed. We have three open positions currently. >> Okay. Then then how did we do? Okay. We we we were larger we were a larger district before with a lot more students and and I'm concerned it's not a it's not a it's not a a bell schedule time. I'm concerned it's a it's a a management problem. Like our I'm not saying our management is not doing a good job. Maybe we look at the routes better or I mean we have all this technology with our that with our routes. We've invested
030all this money in technology to help make our buses better, but it seems to me it's not working. We maybe go back to the original way we used to do it with, you know, people and and pen and paper and and mapping it out. I mean, I don't I don't really I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if that's the solution, but I mean, that that's where I'm getting. I mean, if you look at our our transportation department years ago, we had a lot less and we did a lot better. And I don't know how how you address it. I >> if if you remember when we did the initial response of the Belltime study, we had them look at the efficiency of our routes and they had no suggestions of how we
031could readjust our routes. They felt that they were as efficient as possible. Their suggestions were time changes. So, it wasn't to reroute, it was to change some times. Um, that was those were the recommendations. So, we currently have 92 positions in our school district for bus drivers. Um, there are three open positions that we currently have. [snorts] And if you look at the 92 positions and we need 73 versus 112, um, our drivers are driving a lot. Um, I I would say that our administrators and the director of transportation does a great job of trying to fill positions when drivers are out. Absenteeism is is really our biggest concern is attendance. It's not necessarily that we are understaffed. We always would welcome more drivers and substitute drivers, but attendance is is is a concern that
032hinders us. >> So, how do we fix that? I mean, I I know this is probably not the meeting to talk about it because it's a personal issue, but I mean, I don't know. I I I don't necessarily think that the bell schedule is going to make it any different. That's just my own personal opinion. I I don't, you know, please don't hold that, but that's you're asking for discussion. I'm giving you discussion. >> This is exactly what we want. We want you to discuss it and and tell us where you think and then give us directive of should we explore the micro move more or should we just not go with any of these options. We're we're just looking for direction so that we know how to plan. >> Well, the micro move as
033Debbie brought out before there's more positive feedback than there was negative in terms of percentage. And we are also the AM route obviously is only um one, you know, route different. So that's not a big deal. But the PM route, I mean, you're bringing it from 112 to 91. I mean, that's a that's a kind of a significant change for a micro change that from the survey of 2400 responses was more positive than negative. So, if I was going to go with obviously any of the moves, that would be it. If that would, you know, if that would at least um help our PM uh routes to be more effective >> because I would say then in theory, if 20 people were out, if we had the micro route, if 20 people were absent, we
034could still do our normal route if we went with the micro as opposed to the regular route. So, it is making a step toward improving the efficiency of transportation which you know from our public hearing that we had recently which addressed a different issue but transportation was a big issue that was brought up and you know I think any move we can make as long as it's not disrupting families as the macro moves would um it's a step in the right direction um because it would help with efficiency even in a small way but it's still I I would definitely not want to look obviously as I most people probably not if the other moves are really not welcomed by our families but the micro move you know may for a little bit of relief
035for now and while as Keith said maybe we explore some other things too um so I think that's well worth looking into the micro one >> how do the micro moves affect >> Rebecca Rich Rebecca can you hold on one second rich kept raising his hand go ahead Rich >> I'm sorry to Mike and an just from your recollection of working in the district for so many Has there ever been a time when our transportation actually worked on time or is this just something that is traditionally a problem? Anyway, I'm going to tell you as a principal and I was principal at each level. Um, waiting for buses and and transferring kids and and changes in buses is certainly not a new thing at all. I don't I can't say statistically, you know, but I
036can definitely say, you know, back in the late 90s when I was an elementary principal, I do recall many days um having to wait and change buses and make a list of who would be on a different bus and that was, you know, we're talking 98 99 at that time. So, I I think there were issues and most of them come because as Maggie said, of absenteeism and people are sick, you can't do much about that. Can I can I just give a historical moment says hell how far we've come. When my father was principal, he would take two weeks in the summer and drive all the bus routes with a stopwatch. So we have moved ahead. It was always exciting to be the person to do the stopwatch. Thank you. Well, I also um
037also think that if you now we have so much of on the app that at least parents know too, you know what I mean? When they're going to be changed, you know, the the time of pickup. Not that we want that obviously, but thankfully, you know, we've gone, as Debbie just said, beyond the stopwatch, you know, that at least parents are alerted to the changes. But um to answer Rich's question, having been on bus duty, you know, uh and such through the years, I mean to me there there have always been, you know, um areas with transportation that, you know, buses have been late, etc. Why, you know, I'm assuming because of absenteeism as well. I mean, I wouldn't know that obviously as a teacher, but um you know, as a parent of a student
038who, you know, was on the bus and seeing what I saw at bus duty. I mean, there's always been issues. It's just the way it is, I guess. >> And Rebecca, thank you for being patient. >> No, I was just going to ask with if we did do a micro move, how would those time changes affect um if a team had an event or the chorus had to be somewhere for an event and use the buses, how would that affect that as well? >> It wouldn't. So, so we're really talking about five or 10 minute changes. it it wouldn't affect after school activities or attendance at um any kind of competition or anything like that during the day. >> And then how many buses in that run that you're talking about are buses that aren't
039just in the district but maybe going to the IU or to an out of district placement of those buses of those runs. We just looked at district runs to our schools. >> Okay. >> Not um those out of district runs. >> Okay. So, >> I believe I don't have the fe the Bell's time study in front of me. Um I would have to go back and look at it, but I believe we we kind of teased out those other runs. >> Okay. And do those other drivers that do those outofd district runs [clears throat] help with other stuff as well or do they only do those runs? Like if could they fill in for something else if need be? >> Police to our drivers. They fill in all the time. They fill in whenever we
040need drivers. So, so whether they're doing a run to our building or whether they're doing a run to an out of district placement or our non-public schools, they are filling in to make sure that our students get to competitions, that our students get to that 12 plus program, the transition program, whether they get to MCTI, and that they get to and from school safely. So, our drivers are making this happen for us. I wanted to make sure that that you know and kudos to our drivers that do make it happen every day because it's not an easy job. >> It is not. >> It's a thankless job being a bus driver and you know it's we're not saying that they're not doing their jobs. You know, it's they're there every day. They're showing up. They're
041getting our kids to and from where they need to be. They're stepping up and covering their peers when need to be and everything to make the district run. So, I just wanted to say that. So, >> agree. Absolutely. Keith and George. >> Uh, yeah. Just me again. I'm sorry. I I in talking to some community members um that have approached me on this. One thing that some people have said um was, you know, some of our smaller outline. First of all, there's no there's no dis there's no I'm not denying the fact that we have a large school district. We have hundreds of miles of roads that our buses have to to go across and and the feat that we do as a district of our bus drivers is amazing that that we could handle
042this. Okay. Um but my my thing one cons one option that someone said is you know some of these outlying neighborhoods that maybe have 30 or 40 children or maybe less that they see all the kids standing out there and one bus will come and take elementary students and then a different of maybe three or four and then another bus will take at the same time a few minutes later will take you know the intermediate. So they said why couldn't some of the students ride on the same bus? I know we've always as a district said, "No, we don't want older kids rid and where I live in Winona Lakes, high school and middle school ride the same bus." >> Correct. >> So the same building >> some of them, not all of them. Some
043of them, but elementary starts considerably later. Um my my hope is elementary and intermediate students aren't at the bus stop at the same time because they start about an hour different from one another. But also re Hold on. But also realize that our non-public school students, we transport them as well. So you might not be just because you see kids at the bus stop doesn't mean they're going to the same location. They might be picking them up and doing a direct route to a non-public school. [snorts] >> Okay. Maybe that's what maybe that's what people don't realize and that's good. That's what Bill were talking about that. >> Yeah, absolutely. And and can I can I just throw out a fun fact that I learned, Keith? You talked about how many miles we drive. Does
044anybody want to guess how many miles we drive in one day? Come on. You have to throw numbers out. >> Our entire fleet, how many miles do we cover in one day? >> 400 >> 2500 >> uh 3,000 >> 6,100 miles per day. We do. >> Wow. >> That is enough to drive to San Francisco and back and then Miami in one day. we do with our fleet. So when we say kudos to our drivers, kudos to our drivers. Rich and then Jason. >> So I think one of the pieces of the conversation here has to be about making our service on time. I mean that's a critical element here. We have folks we have buses that show up late to elementary schools or whatever in the afternoon getting kids home. I I I think
045anything that we can do to try to get this ironed out would be really helpful so that everybody gets picked up around the time that they're supposed to. >> So I I I think that there's this element here that we need to address on the the on the performance side of this service. It's not just about saving money. It's also about making sure that we provide the service best for our students. I was never looking at this to save money. I I was really looking at this to make the roots as efficient as possible so that we are on time, >> right? And yeah. So, okay, Jason and then Rebecca. >> Jason, I think you might be muted. So, whatever brilliant you said, you have to say it again. Um, no, I was just saying,
046uh, thanks to Deb for pulling those numbers. I know you have them. Um, they weren't they weren't here. And so based upon that information with, you know, the micro move, um, it seems to be, um, just as positive, if not slightly more positive than the current system. And so by you showing us that information, it appears that it's a um more efficient um by reducing the number of PM runs um and you know so for me I wouldn't see a harm in doing an investigation into a into a micro move um with that. But question is, is there a way that our software with that micro move with the reduction of runs in the afternoon could do some sort of simulation of um you know the efficiency of the pickups and the drop offs um
047that we would have in afternoon runs and would it make that big of a a difference? you know, like we were saying, you know, we um you know, it's great having the software and and the parents being able to tell where where their children are and buses. Um but many districts run into the issue of you have to take this bus or that bus home and this bus is going to be late. Um do we have the capacity to do simulated runs to say with this efficiency of plus you know or less 20 runs um we can increase our efficiency with those runs. >> Um >> so that would be the next step. If if you guys tonight say, "Hey, Maggie, go explore the micro move a little bit more, then we will start to
048run simulated information and then come back to you probably in March and say, "Hey, here is here's what we have found. >> We found although they said it would make a difference, it doesn't. Or here is the difference that it makes." And then from there, we would request a board action to change the start times. Um, all I'm asking for now is which direction do you want me to go to go get more information and what information do you want? So, yes, we will run simulations and we will get that for you. >> Thank you, >> Rebecca. So, one of the things too, it's not just to me the efficiency of the run. It's the efficiency of getting the children on and off the bus, whether it be in the morning, on the bus, or
049on the bus in the afternoon when the day ends. The bell rings, it's time now to get on the bus. Is are we being as efficient with that as well? Because I think that causes issues for the elementary school to be late because of efficiencies of just getting kids on the bus where they're supposed to be on the bus. Like are we will the bell schedule, the micro change help with that because it'll give a little bit more time if you will to be more efficient with getting a class on the bus, getting a class off the bus so that they can then go to the elementary school or vice versa. I think >> I'm not going to speak for our building principles. However, I've never been in a school where the entire staff wasn't
050motivated at dismissal time to ensure that all the students got on the bus as safely and quickly. >> So, the some of the problems you have is motivating teenagers is not super easy to get them out of the building as quickly as possible. But being in the schools at dismissal time, um they they are trying to get those kiddos to hustle. But all of you that have teenagers or have lived through teenagers, getting teenagers to hustle is a full-time job. Um, so they are as efficient as they can be. Now, we always look at internal processes. And I I haven't seen a dismissal that I'm concerned about per se of that we're not getting kids out there quickly, but it's certainly something I can spend more time at dismissal time at all the 10 buildings
051and seeing if there's areas that we can clean it up as well. Because I think it's also it could be, you know, even the getting them on the bus and then just maybe, you know, incidents on the bus or whatever happens on the bus and the driver has to stop to deal with that and then it it's like a domino effect. Getting the kids on the bus and then emotions on the bus and then the driver's emotions on the bus pulling over if you don't stop this behavior. And then that two minutes is going to kind of just domino. >> I can guarantee we are constantly working on behaviors on the school bus. Um Keith and George and then Rich. >> Yeah, I got it. Yeah. One of the things that uh it's it's a
052good and bad at the same time though a lot of times the bus drivers will sit and wait five minutes for a kid they knows may not get there and so that makes that whole bus run already starting to be late because they wait for the kids. So you know there's a parents have a little bit of issues in this too. They got to get the kids to the buses on time to make sure they get to the school on time because once they once they get behind the bus drivers have a tough time catching up. >> No. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Parents have kind of ownership on that. But I don't know if our drivers are waiting at the bus stops. Um I I would have to dig into that to see if they're waiting.
053>> I I know for a fact I've seen for a fact number numerous times where the bus driver was waiting for a kid to get on. And I'm not saying that's bad. I'm just saying it makes it tough to keep the bus schedules going because really it's probably good that he's waiting for the kid that doesn't get there. But that that really goes back to the parent, but that's all I'm saying on it. >> Good. Thank you, George. Rich, >> can I wait? Can I just Can I just bite me real quick while George is where while I'm muted? I want to say I I'm okay with the going with the option of the micro micro >> looking at that. But another thing to look at too, maybe you can consider looking at this too
054as being a parent at a school of a couple schools that have a very large population of pickup parents. We have a problem at some of our schools uh JTL Smithfield are two of them that and I think uh JM Hill also where the parent pickup is so great at some point that it I think it hinders some of the busing because there's so much traffic flow. If you really look at that as a parent or I I've noticed that as a parent that they've at like where our our lot that we used to have for buses at say at Smithfield is now the parent pickup because they're so large that the buses now go to the side of the building and it's not as efficient as all the buses is lining up. Maybe is
055there a way of adjusting a pickup time for non-bus driver students? It's something to look at. I and I'm sure you'll find, you know, you'll look into it, but like maybe is there a way of adjusting parent pickup by maybe 15 minutes earlier than the buses or something like that. I don't know. Just an I mean, but then it's cutting on instructional time, but just an option and just a note that that could be an a way of cutting a couple minutes off the the flow of, you know, the progress. So anyway, >> yeah. So, so I will definitely look at parent pickup. That that is something that I've spent part of my career in in making more efficient. So yeah, let me take a look at that as well. >> Just in a point.
056Okay, I'm >> Thank you, Rich. >> I I think it's a good idea to proceed with making not the changes, but at least doing the investigation for the incremental move, the the micro move. I I just want to say also that if you know, if the buses are there on time for PM dismissal, the kids will be moved out quicker, too. And that seems to be a challenge for some of our schools. So, just putting it out there. But I think that this is a good approach to take to identify whether or not this will make a difference for our families in our students getting to school on time and picked up. Thank you. >> Okay. So, what I've heard from this conversation is that we are going to explore more of the micro move
057and we will bring you more information um in March once we're able to dig in and run some scenarios. Does that work? >> Yes. And just because we're exploring it doesn't mean it's happening. We're just exploring it. So make sure >> we are just exploring it. And the last part of the presentation is kind of what's next. So in February 9th we will do our feasibility work session and that is really where we will talk about the feasibility study um and our meeting that we had on January 10th and we will hopefully answer everybody's questions in a pretty cohesive manner. So please tune in or show up for that. February 23rd at that board meeting uh Mr. Snider and the curriculum and instruction team will present their comprehensive plan. RLPS will come and we will
058present the survey responses that we received from our survey. And then the March 16th board meeting, although it's later than I'd like, will give you an update on our goals and where we sit, as well as information about that micro move of changing start and stop times and any further discussion that we need about the feasibility study. And that is my presentation and all I have to say. Any thoughts, questions, concerns for me? >> Nope. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Battali. We appreciate the info. And we're going to move on to our committee reports. We'll start with Monroe Career and Technical Institute. >> Thank you. Uh MCTI Joocc did not meet in January. Our next meeting is uh this coming Monday uh February 4th at 7 p.m. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I have a
059similar report for Colonial IU. We meet on Wednesday and I've already reported uh we had an early December meeting. So I will now have a report to our next uh meeting also. Um we are now on property and facilities. >> Properties and facilities did not meet in January. >> So we're to the same boat. Y >> okay. Education Programs and Resources >> AIM. We did not meet in January, but our next meeting is Thursday, February 12th at 5:30 in the boardroom or via Zoom. >> Okay. And finance committee, >> we did meet. >> Yay. [laughter] >> So, on the agenda, you'll see a couple of items. Um, we have open parachute subscription renewal from which is $14,000. You'll see the intro intra one. I I always pronounced that wrong. The Cisco network switch. We've been
060gradually updating our network system. So you'll see that and you'll also see on the agenda the act one resolution which is something we vote on every year where the state comes out with the cap for what we can raise our taxes to if we choose to raise our taxes. Just because it's there doesn't mean we're going to raise, but it does state that we won't raise them past the um act one index. You'll see our CHA invoices and there's some applications of payment that you'll see in there from to to train and we have the Keystone fire and safety payments as well as our capital payments. And we did also hear the um same audit review that you guys heard. Um and we have um we spoke about the power ad partnership which is our
061billboards that we have at the or our scoreboards if you will at our football stadiums. and we were just talking about how to go about engaging the public as well as partnering with Power Ad to generate um interest in advertising on our scoreboards. And our next meeting is both via Zoom as we are today or in person on u Monday, February 9th at 5:30 in the admin building. >> Okay, thank you. >> That is it. >> And I think Keith, I know your answer, but policy committee. Well, policy is much better live and in person. And due to that fact, we have we canceled tonight's meeting. So, the public is just gonna have to come next month and see us in person. And uh we'll be hands-on then as appropriately deemed necessary. >> Okay. We'll
062all be anxiously awaiting. >> Okay. And we next have public participation. Then we are on Zoom obviously. So remind everyone that it is limited to agenda items. Um, so please be sure if you are registered for a comment that those comments are limited to things we are actually going to vote on tonight and I do remind everyone if you have comments about the feasibility study um the options that uh were presented uh that would be we do have a meeting coming up on February 9th where there'll be full that's what the whole meeting is devoted to. So again, uh we do again limit you to 3 minutes and I'm going to turn it over uh I guess to Edwin who will be monitoring those people signed up for comments. >> Okay, I'll be promoting Lauren
063Langden, I hope I said that right, to panelist. Uh she's registered uh for speaking. >> Okay, Laura, welcome. >> Laura, you should be able Lauren uh you should be able to accept that. Pardon me. My name is Lauren. >> See her pop. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. Thank you, Lauren. >> Good evening. Lauren Langden, Bur resident, taxpayer, and parent. Um, tonight I'm speaking about the early retirement incentive on the agenda and what it signals to us parents. Despite repeated reassurances, actions are moving faster than words. The board says it's being transparent, but transparency isn't about reassurance. Transparency is about actions matching words and right now they don't. Early retirement incentives are not routine. They are strategic. They are used to reduce staff. They are used to prepare for consolidations. And they are used
064to prepare for closures. Offering a two-year incentive with declining payouts is not an accident. It's deliberate planning for the future. If the district is claiming financial strain so severe that school closures is being considered, where are we getting the significant amount of money to pay for these reductions? So, let's ask the obvious question. If nothing's being decided, why are steps being taken that make closures easier? Trust was broken at the January 12th finance committee meeting during this board's hot mic moment. Families were dismissed. We were talked about instead of talked with, and that moment was a wake-up call. It reminded us that real conversations are happening outside of public view. Trust was further eroded when the feasibility study was pulled from this agenda and moved to the February 9th special work session. To parents, this
065move doesn't feel like transparency. It feels like separation, like fewer people noticing or connecting that this retirement incentive to the bigger picture. Actions reveal intentions. You don't reduce staff unless you anticipate needing fewer staff. You don't need fewer staff unless buildings, programs, or grade configurations are expected to change. From where parents sit, the groundwork is happening first and the community conversation second. Preparations for closure are exactly that, preparations for closure. So, if this board's being transparent and there are no preparations for closure, you must not pass this motion tonight. Show your community you are listening and you can be trusted. actions reveal intentions. Families see the pattern. Trust is fragile and right now it's breaking. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Lord. >> So, Mr. Cillo, if I may, um, >> the feasibility study was
066never intended to be spoken about today. It was always going to be spoken about in the February agenda. And if we go back to my presentations, January was the bell time study. Um what we did do was we added a work session just specific about the feasibility study in February for February 9th and that's the purpose of it. The the second point of clarification is there is no intent to close JM Hill and the retirement incentive is is not connected. In fact the professional staff union approached the district and the school board for consideration. the school board and the leadership did not approach the professional staff union and ask for a retirement incentive. It it really was the union requesting that. So you as a board may choose what you want to vote, but but
067one does not have anything to do with the other. Um the feasibility study and the retirement are are two separate things. And again, this is not something we asked of our union. our union came to us and and put this forward and made this request. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Dr. Wati for clarification. >> Absolutely. Edwin, do we have anybody else? I didn't see anybody else registered. >> I am not aware of any other registries. >> Okay, Mr. Coachell, that is it. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. We continue. Is there any unfinished business that we have? >> Seeing none, move on. A motion to adopt the board's policies that are listed. >> So moved. >> Second, Debbie. >> Yep. Um, any comments, questions? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. >> A
068motion to affirm and readopt the principles for governance and leadership set forth in board policy 01. >> So moved. >> Second, >> questions. All in favor? I >> opposed. A motion to approve the program of studies for the 2627 school year. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Um just a comment, a thank you to our curriculum team. Um uh Mr. Snyder and and all the others in the curriculum for their hard work and principles on that [cough and clears throat] an excellent um program of study. So uh job well done. I also just wanted to make a comment um that um Andy and uh Amy Pulmount have been presenting to the EPR committee over the last several months uh the whole program of studies in each section. So we have been looking at it
069throughout and then obviously it was sent to the board at large um you know earlier on so everyone could look at the whole thing. Um really uh just to echo Michael there. Amazing job um by all of uh the administrators who worked on that. So I just wanted to say thanks again for that. >> Okay. Um any other comments? If not, all in favor? >> Opposed? Motion to authorize the field trips as listed. And there's the list for you. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Questions? All in favor? >> Opposed? Okay. A motion to approve the implementation of the following intramurals or clubs. >> Second, Debbie. >> Questions? All in favor? >> Opposed? A motion to approve theou as presented with Shauny in golf resort for use in its golf course for practice and matches for
070the high school south golf team as per terms of the agreement. >> Second. >> Questions? All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion to approve the recommendation to modify expulsion requirements or agreed upon expulsion waiver of schoolboard hearing release agreements for the cases listed in substantially the same form is presented at this meeting contingent upon the receipt of any manifestation determinations indicating that infractions were not manifestation of a disability. subject to final review by the school district's administration and legal council. >> So move. >> Second. >> Questions? All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion to approve the following jobs descriptions that are listed? >> Some move. >> Second. >> Questions? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. A motion to approve the following memorandum of understanding. Uh that would be the retirement sentiment and teacher assignment advanced
071placement biology. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions, comments. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? >> A motion to approve. >> One second. Can Mr. Catillo, can we just interrupt briefly? I believe Mr. Kernan wanted to speak on that. >> Mike, thanks for having us here today. >> Thank you, Paul. Um it it seems like I've spent many uh January or February meeting thanking this board in one way or another for recognizing the hard work of our teachers and I want to thank you once again for that. Um I've known many of you for many many years and I appreciate all that you have done for the community. When Joe and I came to Maggie in November and said how would you feel about this? She said, "Bring us an idea." On Thanksgiving or right
072before Thanksgiving, we sat and met with her and we realized we could have a very good and workable plan. I want to thank Maggie for her hard work and diligence and really kind of streamlining it for us. I want to thank um Matt and the business office, Matt Krauss and the business office for all his help as well as Steve and the entire administrative team for making this happen. But mostly I want to thank you folks as the board for all the good and hard work that you have done for the people of East Straburg and for our employees over the years. Um, without you, I don't know where we would be the past couple years. And I want to thank you very much for that. And I ask you to stay warm and stay
073safe the next couple days. >> Okay. Thank you, Paul. We appreciate you being on this evening with us. >> Okay. Um, >> we'll continue uh the motion uh to approve, and bear with me, it's long, but I'm assuming it should be read. A motion that the superintendent and administration study the professional staffing needs of the school district upon instructional programs requirements and student enrollment and determine the minimum professional staff needs of the district for the upcoming school year and make recommendations to the board no less than no later, excuse me, than 60 days prior to the date of adoption of a final budget based upon the consideration set forth in the Pennsylvania School Code concerning whether any Professional or temporary employ professional employee positions should be maintained, added, reduced, or eliminated for economic purposes for
074the 2627 school year. And if the recommendation is made to eliminate or reduce positions, implement the established procedures through termination specific temporary professional employees, suspension of specific professional employees, or demotion of specific professional employees, obtaining approvals from the PA Department of Ed that may be required due to alteration, curtailment of educational programs, and notify any professional employees or professional employees affected. by recommendations and consult with and work with district legal counsel to ensure correctness and completion of the process. And please don't ask me to repeat that. >> Second comments, >> just for clarification, >> I'd like to say something if you don't mind. Go ahead. >> I I just this is just for clarification. This is the yearly uh yearly disclaimer that we make every year at budgeting time to look at all options of
075staffing and everything. This is not just we didn't put this on the agenda tonight. This is a Is this correct? That right? >> That is correct. This is an annual motion that this board does >> just to make us legal for the budgeting process and the state and everything else. >> Correct. Absolutely. >> Okay. Just Thank you, >> Rebecca. I was going to add that if you look at our previous agendas, I believe we always do this in January and it's more so giving the superintendent permission to look at our overall staffing and to say are we being effective, are we not? And in all my years of six years, and I know you know Keith, you've been on longer, Rich, you've been on longer, Jason longer, I don't think we've ever exercised this. Just
076like with the act one index, this is just that time of year where we have to put these items on the agenda. Correct, Maggie? >> Sorry. Yes, I was I was taking a sip. Yes, absolutely. That is accurate, Rebecca. >> And as Rebecca said too, that is clearly indicated in the minutes of if you go back through the years um six, seven, eight years, this motion will appear on all of our um minutes. So, uh no one to get the wrong idea about this one. And I I would just like to say, Mike, that a lot of what we're going to do with our staff is really driven through the ERP committee anyway. >> That's going to be how we determine whether these programs are effective or and and so if you're paying attention to
077what's going on in that committee, you'll understand how >> this decision relates back to that, >> right? >> And really a very positive thing. So, >> okay. Any further discussion? [clears throat] >> Then all in favor? I >> I >> opposed. A motion to approve the termination of employee number 11470. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Questions. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Okay. Motion to approve the employment actions listed in accordance with the associated applicable policies, procedures, and contractual agreements subject to proper completion and receipt of all necessary documents and clearances. So move >> second. >> I have an extension. >> Okay. >> Page eight, line 10. >> Any other comments? Exemp uh exemptions or obstensions rather. >> Okay. Then um all in favor >> I >> opposed. Motion to approve the resolution that
078the district will not seek exception to the act one index and will not raise taxes in an amount that exceeds the act one index which is 5% for the 2627 fiscal year in accordance with the recommendations from the finance committee >> moved >> second >> questions all in favor >> I'm sorry go ahead Rebecca I'm sorry as I stated when I give gave my finance review we do this every year as well stating that this is the max we can raise taxes too, but it doesn't ne mean that we're going to raise taxes 5%. >> Yes. And thank you. That's an important clarification. Thank you. All in favor? [clears throat] >> Opposed? Right. Motion to approve the disabled veterans real property tax exemption as presented in accordance with policy. >> So moved. >> Second. >>
079Discussion. Question. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. A motion to approve the waiver of tax penalty fees for properties in Pike County sold at the 2025 upset tax sale and have been paid. Oop, sorry, let me read that again. Motion to approve the waiver of tax penalties for properties in the Pike County sold at the 2025 upset tax sale. Taxes have been paid in full for each of the properties. >> So second >> questions. All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion to approve Burke 1 2026 Act 80 comparison service contract in the amount of $775 as presented. >> So move second. >> Second >> questions. >> This over here too. >> I >> Okay. Motion to approve items one and two in accordance with the recommendations from the finance committee. >> So move
080>> second >> questions. I'm sorry doing not too fast. >> Just want to say that with the Integra 1 256,000. We're going to get a it's not going to be that amount based on the rate subsidy on that. So it's going to be much less than that. But just so the public knows we're not just spending all that money. There's actually a grant behind that. >> The majority it is covered by a grant. >> Well, subsidy. Yeah. >> Good. Thank you, Rich, for the information. All in favor? >> Opposed? A motion to approve the payment of bills and un audited treasurers report listed in this agenda for the 2526 fiscal year in accordance with section 687 of the public school code recent directives from the department of education and interpretations made by the auditor general.
081So moved second >> questions. All in favor? >> I opposed I >> were there. I'm sorry. Opposition was okay. Sorry. Okay. I thought so. I thought it was a delay. >> Okay. >> I thought so. I just wanted to clarify. Um, a motion um to approve the payment of the CHA invoices, application for payment and Keystone fire and security invoices for savings services rendered in accordance with the recommendations of the finance committee. >> So move second. >> Questions? All in favor? >> Opposed? Okay. Motion to approve the request to establish the following activity funds as listed. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. A motion to approve the 2425 annual audit prepared by I'm going with Axelrod LLC in accordance with the recommendation for the finance committee.
082Second. >> Questions? >> All in favor? I I >> opposed. Motion to accept the grant from the Pocono Mountains United Way for East Straburg Area School District summer steam steamer program in the total amount of $13,050 via donations from UGI PPNL and Weiss Markets. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Questions, comments? >> Thank you. >> We all in favor? I I >> Okay, we're all good with that one. I motion to approve the East Straburg Area School District calendar for the 2627 school year as presented. >> So, we're thinking that far ahead already. Holy. Right. >> Actually, a month later than I wanted it. I'm I'm just like I'm almost disappointed that it's not in December and it's in January. So, there's that. >> Okay. And there's some changes in there a little bit too
083with some half dates in there that we didn't necessarily have before. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Do you do you want me to go over some of the changes that we are proposing? >> Yeah, I would like you to just for the public to hear looks very different than what we're used to. >> It absolutely does. So, we are moving elementary and we're going to present this at uh EPR. We've spoken about it, but we want to do a formal presentation. So, we're moving elementary away from quarters and four marking periods to three trimesters. This really aligns with the benchmarking period of when they do their screenings and makes more sense. Because of this, we had a push back that conference from elementary conferences from November to December. So, that's why there's a December conference date
084because we're doing trimesters at the elementary level, not for marking periods. Um we have done I've spent a significant amount of time looking at parent teacher conference data and how many of our parents attend conferences. About 75% of our families at the elementary level attend. About 40 bless you about 40% of intermediate families present attend and less than 10% of secondary of high school families attend. Because of this, we are proposing that we decrease one of our profession one of our parent teacher conference days and turn it into a professional learning day. Um, now when I say that we are we have a decrease in parents attending conferences, we will still make sure that our teachers are available for conferences, but we're finding that we just don't need that time. And I also don't want
085it to be a judgment or a value statement that parents are not attending conferences. I actually don't think this is a bad thing. Years ago, we used to hold the physical report card hostage, right? It was we would have the carbon copy report card and families couldn't know their child's progress unless they darkened my doorway, came in and sat with me as a teacher and I spoke to them. Well, now our families are getting their students updates in real time. So I don't think we should be making any kind of judgment of our families are not engaged. They're just engaged much differently than in the past. And actually I I want to explore if parent teacher conferences especially at the high school level aren't well attended. Can we move to a different model? So we're
086going to create kind of a a a committee an ad hoc committee at the secondary level of how can we repurpose that time to engage our families. Maybe we move to a workshop model because our families don't need to come in and hear about their child's grades. They know about their child's grades. Maybe we do workshops on attendance and how to increase in attendance or um different types of topics to get families to come in. That's not the traditional sit around a table and talk about my students grades. So, that's another change in kind of how we're parsing out our parent teacher conference days. We are also adding quarterly 2-hour delays. We are spending a lot of time looking at data and having our teachers plan collaboratively in professional learning communities and we are stealing
087respectfully because the contract allows it some of their prep time to have these professional learning communities. Instead of doing that, we're saying every marking period, let's have a 2-hour delay where students come in 2 hours later. And we take that time and we really strategically develop professional learning and data meetings so that we're addressing the needs of the building and not taking that precious prep and planning time from our teachers. Now, other districts do this differently where they do an early dismissal. I don't like the early dismissal model because a as you know once you have students in front of you, you've done the work. When we dismiss early, getting teachers to really focus their energy on data and looking at charts and graphs and making informed decisions is really hard because they've worked and
088although they they've worked not a full day, they've worked and they're exhausted. So we would rather put it on the front end and really support our teachers and their learning and growing their craft by giving them professional learning while they are freshest. Um on December 23rd you will see that we have a student early dismissal and it notes something about professional learning virtual a lot of our educa a lot of our trainings that we have to do. So there's trainings we must do every year they are virtual trainings. So, what we're suggesting is that we treat our professionals as professionals. And on the day before that holiday, we're going to do an early dismissal and we're going to assign a certain amount of hours of professional learning that is all virtual and web- based. And
089teachers must complete that by the time they report back in the new year. So, we're going to create a virtual professional learning on that date. Um, if you look at the calendar, Easter is super early and Labor Day is super late. So, the time from March to the end of the school year, there's a lot of time between that. And as anybody in education knows that end of the year can be and feel like a grind. So, we added a day right before the testing cycle begins that we're just going to close the district and it's going to kind of break up that very long six or eight weeks without a break. It'll break it up a little and then our students will return to us fresh and we will have only proficient and advanced
090scores on our PSSAs. So, those are all of the wildly different changes. Um, we are keeping the oneweek spring break that we initiated this school year. We've heard really good feedback. Um, but that is the quick synopsis. It was not quick at all on the academic calendar. >> Okay. Thank you, Dr. Tally. Um, and thank you for the work on the calendar. >> Can I just ask a quick question because I had a blip in my uh in my Zoom here. Um where's elementary um parent teachers? November and March, right? Too. >> Um let me pull it up specifically. >> Was December though, not November. >> It's December. It's December 11th and then it is March March 29th. >> Is that later than we usually did it? it it is because we're moving to the
091trimester away from the marking period. >> So because because we're moving to a trimester so that it's in alignment with our benchmark assessments. Um if we did it in the beginning of November, uh we wouldn't have report cards ready because of the timing and we didn't want families to sit with us when we didn't have report cards prepared. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Thank you. >> Good. Uh great clarifications. Any other questions or comments? Okay, then. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion to approve the contracts listed for their specific services, rates, and effective dates subject to the review and recommendations of the solicitor and approval of the administration regarding the terms and conditions of any final contract other than price or cost. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? >> All
092in favor? I >> I >> opposed. [clears throat] >> Okay. Uh before we go for the motion for German, any comments, questions, announcements from the board? >> We need to just vote real quick on the change in the >> Yes. Sorry. >> Uh properties and facilities meetings. >> Okay. >> So, so we need a motion. >> Excuse me. Can I just verify the dates that we're moving properties facility rescheduling from February 4th to February 11th and March 4th to March 11th? >> Yes. And then I know we also have APR that moves from February 5th to February 12th. >> That's correct. >> Okay. So, we can vote if we can vote on all those, please. >> Excellent. So, we need a motion to approve um all of the date changes as Mrs. Rosado just read.
093>> Second. >> Any questions or comments? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Okay. And now any uh comments, questions, anything before we depart? Just stay warm everybody. >> Yeah, stay safe. >> We're gonna try. George and I are gonna try. Don't even go there. >> Enjoy. It's very sunny today. [laughter] >> So, we need a motion for German. >> So moved. Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. And thank you to everyone. Thank you to the public for joining us virtually. We appreciate that. >> Good night everybody. Thank you. Hi. >> Hi.