001All >> [snorts] >> right. Good evening everybody. Thank you for coming to our meeting tonight. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct the business of the Gettysburg Area School District. Board of directors meetings and committee meetings are open to the public but are not public meetings. All school district residents who wish to make public comment should sign in prior to the start of the meeting and request to speak during citizens participation. School district residents wishing to speak to the board shall do so only during the citizen participation section of the meeting. [snorts] Public comment is welcome and all issues will be referred to the appropriate board committee or administrator. Comments will be summarized in the official board minutes which will be available by contacting the business office. Please take a moment to silence your
002cell phones and other electronic devices. Uh prior to this meeting, our our board conducted an administrative session and we have all of our board members present except for uh Dr. Moyer over here who is excused this evening. All right, please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. So, so for citizens participation this evening, we have uh two two people Yeah. together. Great. Uh Nancy Lily and Janet Riggs, come on up. [laughter] >> I didn't know we were going to be right up. >> Hello. Uh we are Janet Riggs and Nancy Lily and we are here on behalf of Pathways to Racial Justice.
003We are a community and faith-based group working to create a world where racial justice is woven into the fabric of society, ensuring dignity, equity, and opportunity for all. The success of our children depends on their ability to effectively deal with the rapidly changing multi-racial and multicultural world in a way that facilitates success and happiness. All students need many different positive role models to help mentor their hopes and dreams and to pre prepare them to succeed in a global environment. We believe that diversity among our educators strengthens learning, broadens perspectives, and helps every student feel seen and valued. To that end, we urged the Gettysburg Area School District to form a task force or adopt a clear action plan to [snorts] recruit, hire, and retain African-American and Hispanic teachers and administrators. This is about preparing all
004our students to live and lead in a diverse world and showing them through our own example that every child belongs and can thrive. Thank you. Great. Thank you both so much. I remember uh last meeting a couple of your other uh team members came up too. So, thank you guys for coming back and speaking to us again. All right, we are moving on to routine approvals. I'm going to take these together unless anyone has a need to separate them. Uh looking for a motion to do 5.1 the agenda. 5.2 two regular board minutes from the 5th, 5.3 regular board minutes from the 20th, and 5.4 the human resources recommendations. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> Madame President, I just have a comment. I would like to thank Christina Culie for
005her 20 years of service as a reading specialist and we wish her all the best in retirement. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Okay, great. Hearing none, [snorts] a vote. Kathleen, >> yes. >> Ryan, >> yes. >> Dave, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes. >> Tim, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. Justine, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. >> Moving on to items for board action. The first item on our agenda is 6.1 the team room warrior stadium scope modification. So when we're looking at this one as written on the agenda um this vote is going to come perhaps a little bit differently than what we normally do. We're not we're not doing a vote yes or no. We're doing a vote for option one or option two is the way I
006read that. So, um we've, [snorts] you know, discussed the different uh different things on here for a while, but we will have um an opportunity to ask further questions and discuss more before the vote. But just to clarify that when we are looking for a vote, you would be answering either option one or option two. Okay. Um, so could I have a motion to put the team room warriors stadium scope modification vote on the table um as written for those two options? >> So moved >> and a second. >> Thank you. Any questions or comment on 6.1? >> I I do have a question. >> So in option two, it says that the administration maintains it. Thank you, honey. >> It says the the administration m maintains its previous recommendations is to select scope opt.
007Is that central office administration or who who we talking? >> That's correct. Uh district administration. When this first came up, our recommendation was to uh go with option two. >> Okay. So, that's the administration that we're talking. Okay. >> Yeah. So the the history on this vote, just a reminder um for the board members is that this project was approved by the former board um at at option one which included the pathway and the um viewing platform. Um [snorts] the recommendation like Dr. Master just said from the administration at the time was option two which is the project without the viewing platform or pathway. Um, and the reason that it was able to be brought back to the table was because of um a delay in the ability to build because of a variety of
008permits, shall we say? I'll just put it that way. Is that is that adequate and uh efficiently explained? >> Yes, that is accurate. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Um, and so now it's back in front of us with those two options. Any further questions or comments? >> Just one question. I apologize for not going through the earlier minutes in sufficient detail, but is there any difference between the current scope option number one as is written here and what the board voted on in the fall? >> There is not. >> Okay. >> Go ahead, Kathy. >> Can you please remind us why the administration recommends those two line items be removed? The main reasons for us had to do with um if we had the viewing platform, we had concerns about some safety and security issues that
009would be up on top of it. Any further comments or questions? Okay, hearing none, uh we are going to take it to a vote then. And remember, your vote is option one, which is the one that includes the [snorts] platform and [clears throat] view and pathway. Um, or option two, which does not. Okay, Ryan, [laughter] sorry. I'm going I always do it that way. I apologize. I'm just going around. >> I'm voting for option number one. >> Thank you, Dave. >> Two. Thank you, Mike. >> One. >> Thank you, Tim. >> One. >> Thank you, Donna. >> Two. >> Thank you, Justine. >> Two. Thank you, Kathleen. >> One. >> Thank you. And I vote for option one as well. All right. Moving on to 6.2, the LIU general operating budget for 2627 school year.
010Uh we looked at this last week, last week, no last meeting. >> Uh [laughter] snow snow days and snow schedule took a lot out of my brain. Um and we are looking for a motion to um to vote it through. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Second. >> All right. Any questions on the LU general operating budget? I do have a question. It's more for just general curiosity. Over the past couple of months, we've talked about how [clears throat] some of I guess the responsibilities, for a lack of a better way to put it, from the LIU have come back to the district. And could Dr. Matner or or Dr. McFarland explain why that there's why there's why we're seeing a budget increase over there? Um, is it just cost and everything else is going
011up or is there a specific reason that you can explain? >> I certainly could try. I know this is just their general operating budget. Um, the conversations that we've had that involve bringing some of the uh special ed classrooms back. Um, they're still the IU is still offering obviously a lot of supports in other areas. Um, so I would assume that's partially what their uh budget increase is about. There are specific um programs that we need to bring back, but not all of them. And even the ones that we do bring back, I know that if we're bringing them back completely, I know the IU is still offering some at uh some supports for those um if districts choose to take on those supports. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions about the LU
012general operating budget? >> Okay, hearing none, we'll take a vote. Dave, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes. >> Tim, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. Justine, >> yes. >> Kathleen, >> yes. >> Ryan, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. All right. 6.3 2627 District academic calendar. Can I get a motion for that? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any questions about the calendar? every time around this year. I can't believe we're already thinking about next year's calendar, but I know we have to. I guess it is February. All right, we will take a vote on that one. >> Mike, >> yes. >> Tim, >> yes. >> Donna, >> yes. Justine, >> yes. >> Kathleen, >> yes. >> Ryan, >> yes. >> Dave, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. All right, moving on to information
013items. 7.1. Thank you, Dave. Uh enjoy the enjoy the last basketball thing. >> Senior night. >> Yeah, absolutely. [laughter] >> All right. Uh 7.1 is uh ACTI nursing agreement 2526. Do we have um any questions on that information item? Okay. Um I believe just for some context I I want to say you may could share what you shared with me um about how n we like looked at this in the past I think right >> we we did I'm actually turn it over to Morgan. >> Great. Thank you. I appreciate that. just to give a little information while it's here in >> so the board previously did look at this document uh back in October and during that time it was going under review from both uh ACTI council and Gettysburg Area school district council
014as well and throughout the course of those discussions it was one as an information item before the board which is probably what you're remembering seeing it as before. Uh during those council discussions, there were some changes that were made to the agreement which as you can see is highlighted I believe in red, but there should be a paragraph that was noted in the attachments for you to see of what that major change was. So due to that change through the course of those conversations, that's why you're seeing it again as an information item here. Thank you. That's I feel like important information for those of us that were on the board back in October. So I appreciate that. Um for those of you who weren't, that's what the red is for. Um, any other questions
015about that information item? Great. Moving on to 7.2, illustrative math K5 curriculum resource. I'm excited. Dr. McFarland, >> that's me. Uh, good evening. I'd like to share a brief update regarding our recent math work at the elementary level. Um, at the beginning of 2425 school year, our administrative team and a core group of teachers began exploring possible math programs to replace our currently and since I've been here, everyday math program resource. Um, during the second semester of last school year, we decided to further explore two specific math programs, our Eureka program and IM math program through Imagine Learning. As a team, we traveled to both um both to observe this program and work in other districts. Um we went to numerous grade levels uh numerous classrooms a few different schools. We met with various teachers
016to gain um not only observe the program but to gain um some authentic information from them on the pros and cons of both of them. After taking all this into consideration, we made the decision this year to pilot both Eureka and our IM program. Um, currently Eureka is being piloted by one teacher in second grade, third grade, and then across our fifth grade in one elementary building, while our IM program is being piloted in kindergarten, first grade, and across fourth grade at another one of our elementary buildings. All of our pilot teachers received uh training prior to the start of the school year, ongoing support during the school year um from our team as well as representatives from each company. After a semester of implementation just a little while ago um and support, we met
017again as a team to evaluate each of these resources and really determine what our next steps would be looking into next school year. And through the lens of our district math vision statement, our core beliefs, we asked each of our pilot teachers to evaluate their individual resource in the terms of focus on the major work of mathematics, conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, inquiry and problem solving, mathematical discourse and collaboration, coherence and connections, instructional supports, assessment, and student agency. The results of our discussion and evaluation overwhelmingly brought us to the conclusion of recommending that we move forward with purchasing and utilizing our IM or the IM program as our K to5 math resource beginning with the 2627 school year. Prior to our meeting this evening, um our administrative team started to explore the cost of this adventure
018and began negotiating with the company. I'm happy to report that after much work on from our team, we are below the expected budgetary line item to purchase this program for the next 5 years. Samples of the IM program and resource are out in our district office right now located in the lobby. I invite you to explore these materials prior to our next board meeting. Finally, I'd like to thank the work of and leadership of our staff uh our teachers during this extensive and very important process. their dedication to this endeavor in addition to all of the extra responsibilities that they already have is greatly appreciated. I thank you and please feel free to reach out to me if you have any other questions about the resource. >> Great. Thank you, Dr. McFarland. Are there any
019other questions right now? I I love hearing that uh both pilots were used to ensure kind of appropriate data there and I'm glad that it was useful to do that. Look forward to reviewing those. [snorts] Moving on to 7.3, theou workday calendar, uh4 the workday calendar, uh a memorandum of understanding with our teachers union just to align um the the workday chart that exists in the c in the collective bargaining agreement for um readjusting with the current like calendar changes with hours instead of days. Any questions about that? Go ahead, Ryan. >> Just one. Are we then going to be voting on this next meeting? >> Yep. So, the way that the memorandum of understanding works with the um Gettysburg Area Education Association is that they uh were they talked with the administration to work
020that out and their um body of members in the union voted on it. So, it's coming in front of us because that is an agreement that has been met between the two. uh just officially has to get voted on by us to change the collective bargaining agreement. Other questions about that? Great. So, yes, that will be an item to vote on um next meeting. Are there any board committee reports? Great. Um I I guess I will say a board committee report. So um we we uh over the last couple of meetings have been mentioning that you know we're looking at changing our committee structure. Um so that more board members can attend these board committee meetings. Um the intention for this month is that this will be the last month that has board committee meetings
021on the Tuesday and the Thursday. So um this coming this coming t no not tomorrow next week's Tuesday uh will be the policy committee meeting as usual at 4 and then on the third Thursday at 4 for finance and facilities and then moving into March um we are looking to shift over to the committee of the whole structure. So that would look like the board meeting that is the first meeting of the month um would then in fact effectively serve as our committee meeting. uh we'd put the information from those committees into that big big meeting together um that enables all the board members to be present for that conversation and information uh to kind of increase transparency and and making sure everyone has all the information they need. Um we currently have many teachers
022and people who are on the committees with us. So, um, the intention of that meeting would also be to have time for comments from the staff and and review of kind of what they've been looking at as well. Okay. So, still including input um from from our teachers uh who are able to come and continuing to hopefully get better information shared um among all of us um on the board. that would be starting in March and uh those of course are also public meetings and you you know we will change the way that's advertised. Uh we'll talk to Belinda about that to make sure that the public's very clear on what time that's happening. But for the month of February uh we still have a policy committee meeting next Tuesday at 4 and a um
023finance and facilities committee meeting the following Thursday at 4. Okay. >> Hey Alice. >> Yeah, go ahead. Um, I did want to say that we had a um >> [clears throat] >> um meeting for the ACTI on Wednesday. Um, and we just discussed um just normal stuff, but uh we are getting ready to um start interviews for the process for hiring a new director of the over the next couple weeks. So hopefully in the next 3 to 4 weeks we we should have uh somebody for that position so they can be at the same time and and get that crossover that they need for that position. >> Great. That's a very exciting update. Thank you. Yeah. >> And I just have a logistical question. For the past two meetings, this one included, we've had the
024interfaith group Pathways to Racial Justice come and talk and request that we form a subcommittee. Um, and I don't know if the formation of that subcommittee would require a board vote or how it would progress if if we were to acknowledge a request and and and put that to the board. >> Yeah, sure. Great question. And so the way that um as we were reviewing the committee structures in general, right? The way that committees can be formed um is is is through the president of the board. So um as the board decides to kind of discuss things further and and move to take, you know, um something into not action but into um forming some sort of subcommittee. um while we're looking at moving into the committee of the whole, it would still allow us
025the space to make subcommittees um to address other other areas. So, yeah, to answer your question, yes, we could do that. Um I I would love to talk more about that and I think we can continue to do that moving into the following meeting and month um with that new committee structure. Yeah, thank you for bringing that up. >> Great. Thanks. >> All right. Um moving on to program reports, Dr. Massner. Yes, just a few uh announcements and some calendar items. I'll do the calendar items first. Um we did have to reschedu our fourth and fifth grade orchestra and band concerts uh from Snowageddon last week. So those are now on February 4th. This this week uh fourth grade fifth grade orchestra is at 6:00 and fourth and fifth grade band is at 6:45. Um,
026we do have an early dismissal coming up on February 12th and we have no school for our students on the 13th and the 16th for a PD day and President's Day. So, those are some calendar items. I also want to uh shout out to our boys wrestling team. I'm sure you all heard they repeated as District 3 champions. So, I would like to congratulate the uh boys wrestling team and wish good luck to the girls wrestling team. Uh they are starting to compete in the first district 3 uh championship tournament for girls wrestling this week. I believe they start tomorrow or Wednesday. Wednesday. Wednesday. Uh so shout out congratulations to the boys and good luck to the girls. >> All right. Uh that brings us to our calendar of board events. Our next meeting is
027scheduled for Tuesday because of President's Day, February 17th in this meeting in this room at 700 p.m. >> Can I get a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. My friend.