001Good evening. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct the business of the Gettysburg Area School District. Board of director's 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. 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 made available by contacting the business office. Please take a moment to silence your cell phones and any other electronic devices. On a housekeeping note, the board held executive session prior to tonight's meeting relating to a legal matter and personnel. Sorry, I forgot about that ad addition. Uh,
002everybody's in attendance here this evening. Would you please stand for the pledge of allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Just also um before we get to our first presenter, if there are anybody that just came for that presentation, I'm going to take a moment afterwards and you can excuse yourself. You don't have to stay for the whole meeting unless you want to, but I am going to give you an opportunity if you if you want to exit then. So without much further, Franklin Township, Dr. Lappy, would you step forward for us? Hi. Got it. >> Oh, okay. Thanks. Should we go into >> Vanessa? What? >> Here we go.
003>> Yep. >> Okay. First, we're gonna uh introduce the group that's with me here tonight. Thanks for having us. And I'm Shelley. I'm the principal at Franklin Township. And I have Tara Johnson with me. Um third grade teacher, also baton twirler. We have Ashley Kungl who's a reading specialist and she is also was a field hockey coach and Eli Bro in case you haven't noticed. He's a second grade teacher and also is a unicyclist. So anyway, they're not going to do anything for you tonight unless you ask them to. But um tonight what we're going to share is we've done something different this year. Um something called Warriorway Clubs that I learned from Dr. Schaefer's interview. So when we were interviewing her uh you know for the Lincoln principal position, I had heard her talking
004about something that they do at the end of um at the conclusion of their sort of like their celebrations. I don't know what each school calls it but for us it's our Warriorway celebration. So this year we tried something new and different and so we had about 25 clubs and each of our staff members all of them had a particular club. I mean ranging from well you can see field hockey, baton, unicycle and then we had simple things like table top games um let me just look here creative pumpkin patch party soccer bracelet making book club all sorts of like 25 different things that we've done and it was just simply amazing. So before I go to the next slide I'm going to have Ashley talk a little bit about her experience with the field
005hockey. Hello. So I decided I was a field hockey player in high school and still have a passion for that. And so I decided what better way to introduce kids to the game of field hockey because it's not something that's very well known. Um you can see we did not play on a field. We played in our gym. Um which proved to be a little challenging with as quickly as the ball moves on a gym floor. But we did things like talking about how to hold a stick um that you can't use both sides with a stick in field hockey. We taught the kids how to do some simple passes, some dribbling, and we ended the day with playing red light, green light with the field hockey ball. Um, they had a lot of fun.
006You can see it was a mixture of boys and girls, which was really exciting, and it was a great time. Thanks, Ashley. And each club depending on the sub um significance or like the level of skill set that you might need you would have like maybe just three through five for certain clubs and some of them had K to five. Most of them most of ours had K through five um availability and also like we had something like what we talked about in a minute diamond painting. So that needed like two adults. So everything was really different and you know what I'm just thrilled about this because it really was fantastic. like we didn't really have any idea how it was going to turn out and how how to organize it. We spent uh a
007lot of the beginning of the e school year, several weeks meeting regularly about how this could work out and how to get kids to sign up for certain things and to make sure that they, you know, would have multiple choices if something was already filled up, which unicycling filled up very fast. So, um but anyway, so BJ's not here, but she wanted me to um share a little bit about diamond painting and she wanted you to know a little history of it. So, I'm not going to read that, but if you're interested in that, I think you all have the presentation, but there is it's very interesting how it came about. And she wanted me to um share that with you. And I don't have my I made one as well, a pumpkin um and
008it was still getting sealed, so I didn't get to bring Thanks, Dr. McFarland. I didn't get to bring mine, but maybe I'll bring it for the next one so you can at least see that I did make one as well. All right, Eli, you're up, bud. >> Hi. So, uh, when I found out we were doing clubs, I was very excited because I had recently impulse bought a bunch of very small unicycles on Facebook Marketplace. I just couldn't pass up the deal. I've been kind of unicycling on and off for a long time and I'm like, "Oh, this is perfect." So, I got to bring them to school. And, uh, these guys, the kids who signed up for this, I would describe them all as very curious. Okay. Like, this is, you kind of don't
009really know what to expect. It's like, you know, you could ride a bike. Some of them could do a wheelie. But this is for all of them. I guarantee you the hardest thing they've ever tried. And I know exactly what it's like because I did it. So it's uh it it's kind of like, you know, you just Nobody can do it first try. Nobody can do it right off the bat. We had an hour. >> Sounds like a challenge. >> And uh what I liked about this was that at the end of this hour, I didn't have any kids who could ride the unicycle. None of them could actually do it. A couple kids were getting better at it. You know, they were making the smallest little increments of progress. And everybody left just totally
010fired up. Like you would have thought they were riding laps around the school. They were just like really excited. But uh yeah, it was it was a ton of fun and I got to put some miles on those unicycles. >> No, you're good. >> Let's see what's next here. >> All right. So, um we also had pumpkin paint. You can see the picture there. And uh with Mrs. Robinson, Mr. Hog did construction crew which was also awesome because we had one of our families donate all the lumber and uh it was awesome because we're trying to build something also for outside of our courtyard. So we're going to get like some raised beds and stuff. So they're going to continue working on this for the we'll do this three more times and we haven't decided
011how we'll organize the second one if it's like you went to you'd go to the same club again or if you choose different ones. I don't know if Mr. who's going to want other people building on what they've started or not, but you might want the same crew coming back with you because they've already practiced. But anyway, and then we have Jana walking. She went on a nature walk. That's the picture at the bottom. >> Um, so like I said, we've had creative club bracelet making. I mean, there's Vanessa, thanks so much for coming out and making taking all those pictures. So, there's hundreds more pictures we could share, but we just wanted to kind of give you a glimpse into the day. And it was just so fun. And this is some of the
012things that our kids had to say about um the experience. So I'll leave it there for just a few seconds so you can get get a glimpse into their day. And then um we had our this is just some quotes from our Warriorway Club leaders. Um, you know, you can just see that it was just it was so wellreceived. Like people were just blown away and we, like I said, none of us knew what to expect because I had a feeling it would be like organized chaos and it was just so much fun and the kids were talking about it for for days. They still are wondering when the next one is. Um, and again, you have this so I won't, you know, belabor the point, but it was just really wellreceived and everybody was
013all in. They were involved. as a reading specialist. Is that enough time to leave that up there? Okay, let's move on. And there and then Vanessa and her just amazing talent. She put all our pictures into the FTE at the end. So, at this time, we'll take some questions. And if there is a volunteer would like to try the unicycle, we have one right here for you. Not >> doc Dr. Lappy. Uh >> how do do the kids at the school actually with all the different variety that you have uh do they have choice? Uh for the most part and is like if they don't get their first choice to get to the second. >> Yeah, they came down with their did they we did did we decide on three or five? >> Five choices.
014They came down with a postit of five um choices and the there were large sticky notes all around like a certain section and it had the name of the club and you know who was leading it and so we had enough dots if it was like a K to five we'd have enough dots that signified and we had a key that signified okay we can have this many K to three and then this many four five so that it wouldn't fill up and then you could we could have a variety of kids from different grade levels and I think everybody got at least one of their five choices is >> uh h how often uh do clubs meet at Franklin Elementary? >> Well, this was our first one. So, we're going to do it three
015more times. We'll do it. We have our quarterly Warriorway celebrations and so we'll have this following it for the hour after that each time. So, we'll do one in another one in January and then March and then the end of the year. >> Just one or two more quick questions or uh comments and then a uh request. uh no the November uh newsletter that I just read from Franklin Elementary and all the newsletters. I just want to thank you for sharing that with us and how informative that is and I think it's a great uh message there for the parents as well. Keep up the good work with that. I also want to say every time I'm there and I see uh you know people that come in or guests or whatever, it's just a
016really welcoming atmosphere and environment, a really a family atmosphere out there. And I you all are commended uh for creating that. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens by design. I'm sure I think it's great that the kids are really physically active here in most of these activities, which is outstanding. And I I personally, if President Hassinger would be willing, I would love to see for the first time ever in a schoolboard meeting a unicycle demonstration by Eli. >> I told you possibility. >> I I said to him, I won't ask you. I I said I can't guarantee that. No, not going to ask. >> I did wear my my unicycle outfit. So, look at this. Look at this. >> Oh my god. It's like games. >> Oh, whoa. >> Eli won't tell you this,
017but he also is in, and if I get this wrong, please correct me, but it's a video game of some sort, right? A cartoon character. >> Street Uni X. >> Yeah, he's the character in it on a >> Could you put uh Dr. Lampy on that and show us how you showed the kids to do their thing so we could see how you instructed them? In one of the in one of those pictures I'm like hanging to the side of the pillar outside Franklin, not moving from it, but I couldn't get very far. I'm recovering from shoulder surgery. Okay, >> you you guys are rock stars. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, Ned. >> Are we good? >> Yes. Thank you. And again again, please, you're not going to
018hurt our feelings. You guys have a long day. You can stay or you can go. We have a meeting. >> So, moving along here. There I'm being told there is no citizen participation this evening. That stands that stands correct, right? Good. Okay. Next is our routine approvals. 5.1 the agenda. 5.2 2 regular board minutes October 6, 2025, 5.3 regular board minutes October 20th, 2025. 5.4 the uh is an approval of settlement uh agreement and 5.5 is the uh human resources recommendations. I'd like to do all of those in one lump sum. May I have a motion for 5.1 through 5.5? >> So moved. >> Second. Question on the motion. >> Hearing none. Roll call. Tim, >> yes. >> Michelle, >> yes. >> Al, >> yes. >> Kathleen, >> yes. >> Alice, >> yes. >> Mike,
019>> yes. >> Jeremy, >> yes. >> Ryan, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. Items for board action 6.1, consolidation of the business management administration. uh program offerings. This was a part of anformational item last at our last meeting two weeks ago and I believe that our high school principal is present if there is a question related to this item. So may I have a motion please? >> So moved. >> Second question on a motion. >> Kathleen, >> I don't have a question but Mr. Lusk, I want to say thank you for the data that you provided. >> Any additional questions? Hearing none, roll call. Ryan, >> yes. >> Jeremy, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes. >> Alice, >> yes. >> Kathleen, >> yes. >> Al, >> yes. >> Michelle, >> yes. >> Tim, >>
020yes. >> And I vote yes. 6.2 to once again is another item that was a part of anformational item last last two weeks ago. It's the administration building renovations um revised pro uh project scope/budget. May I have a motion? >> So moved. Second. >> Question on a motion. >> Mr. Mr. President. Um just to reiterate, uh Josh, could you just let us know um just a little review of this again and also if you could tell us what you thought that the um design stuff might cost for the designs. >> So, a quick recap, uh the original scope uh design scope and budget was 4.6 million as was approved back in in May. Um and then we got our estimates in and the scope that we had intended on uh designing to which was renovation
021of the entire building HVAC uh related items as well as fitting out the third floor space for an IT department came in at about uh 6.8 million. Um, so we came up with a couple different options uh to make what we felt was uh probably better use of funds and uh space and uh came up with uh adding on an addition increasing the um footprint of the building to um put a boardroom addition on just beyond this exterior wall over here behind the screen. And then um also designing in what would essentially be an ad alternate uh when we bid the project would be a second floor for future expansion above the first floor addition. Uh that would be a total of 7.5 million. So that's the overview of the uh the scope. The administrative
022recommendation is to um design up to the $7.5 million estimate. Um and then uh we could obviously have that as an ad alternate the second floor. Um and then um hopefully we would have funding if we got good uh good numbers in. Um that's the administrative recommendation. Um and again the ask tonight is to take action on authorizing us to revise the uh scope to design to not to uh award anything. We would go through the same process that we did with the team room. We would go out for bid. We get the bids back in. Then we put those forth for information. and then ultimate action um and then the board could ultimately uh decide what scope they wanted to award. Um so in in a nutshell that's the the scope and the path
023forward. Now you asked about the design fee. So the design fee the way the contract structure which is uh a typical design fee structure is um Barton Associates in total uh which would pay them as well as their subconultants. they would get 6.5% of what the uh validated bids are. So, uh or if we don't go out to bid, then their estimates would prevail in terms of what the probable construction cost would be. So, let's just say we were to get bids in for 7.5 million, they would get 6.5% of the $7.5 million um bids. So, when we approved the original um Barton Engineering to do the design contract back in May for 4.6 million, so that that's already been approved. So, we would be paying an additional percentage between the 4.6 and the the
0247 uh >> that's correct. Okay. >> Yeah, you're correct. And if I am correct, Josh, that this addition would be basically the same size as this exact footprint we're in now beside us. Correct. >> Roughly. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And then this space here would become the uh IT department cuz we wouldn't be in that scenario. We would not be fitting the third floor out. That would just remain attic space and storage um for everything that our our archives if you will that we have up there now. Um, and this space here would become uh mainly the IT space. And there'd be a couple uh swing spaces for offices. There' be some conference room uh space as well. >> And then the addition would then be the new school board. >> Correct. >> Yep. >> Well,
025no. We would be authorizing what? Somewhere in the area of $30,000. If this board would vote this evening to send this out to bid to revise this, the difference between what we've already approved and what the the price is now, we owe that difference. Correct. We would for design fees. Yes. So, at 7.5 million, if we were to authorize them to design up to 7.5 million, which would be the second floor above the first floor addition, that's $487,500 at 6.5%. Um, if my math is correct, >> I think 2.99 for design fees for I'm sorry, construction cost was 4.1 million. Total budget was 4.6 including the design fees. Sorry, Kenny. >> No, that's fine. I think you I think I I think you answered my question, but I have a and this may not be
026a question for you, maybe for Belinda. What is I don't want to use the word urgency, but why what forces this board to take action on this item when this board's going to look entirely different in le in a month? Are we losing something financially or I mean what's happening that that if this board why why why aren't we not letting this for a new board to discuss in December is there a financial reason for that because new board could come in here in theory not like the proposal or want a change of that and we've already committed district funds to this pro to this program or to this project and they could say no which Fine. Those those funds are gone. I'm just I need I haven't heard at the lastformational item or this
027one. And I raised the same point. Why is this here today opposed to not in December when there's five new board members sitting here? They may have a totally different idea. I may like the project, but they may not. I think it's all >> I think it's all planning time frame of when to go out to bids, when to extract the bids and so forth as well as use the remaining bond money that we have, >> right? But if we are delayed by a month and this is an item that the new board can take a look at, however that's structured, what is the damage done to the district financially in any way? Is do we lose something off the bonds? I I don't I don't know. Well, so one of the I understand what
028you're asking given the fact that it's a like this is happening now and that is only a month away, but I I want to blow out that idea a little bit more to just think about the way that this board always functions. Every two years there's a change that happens and we plan our capital projects and our projects for updating facilities 5 years plus out. So if we're always keeping that in mind, then there's always a possibility of pushing back the timeline to wait for a restructuring of a board, which means that then that narrows down really, really small windows of where we can take action to fulfill the needs of the district, right? So that is something to consider sometimes. I guess the question here is, you know, I imagine that not voting on
029this tonight would push the ability to go out for it's it's just delaying your ability to act on bids is what I remember you talking about last meeting. So, you know, I think everyone can can operate with the information we have about whether or not this is a project we are looking to invest in moving forward. Um, it sounds like the finance and facilities committee was working on that as well and is putting this forth as a recommendation in addition to administration. So, I I appreciate that thinking a little bit, Kenny, but I also think that if that's always the way we approach any decision we're making, then every two years you're going to be able to say it's going to change. Do you know what I mean? Half of this board will still be
030here. >> Alice, I I do appreciate that, but I there's five. This board is changing for the majority. That does not happen every two years. It's rare that it even happens every four years where we're having five people up for election and we are talking about seven plus million dollars. And I'm just looking out if I'm walking in on the new board. I'm handing them this. They can say they like it and move forward with it or they can say they don't like it and there's the 30,000 or whatever that price tag is gone. >> So why don't we just make a motion to table it? >> Well, so to be clear, every four years unless something happens with a special election. Yes, every four years five people will be up for election. That is
031the way. It's a five and a four split. Um I think we can probably vote on it and if it's not something that gets voted through then that is effectively well maybe it's not tableling it. I don't know. I I I find that rationale difficult is um I would rather help move a project forward and have the next board decide whether that is something they would like to continue working on. >> I appreciate that, >> Mr. President. I I hear what you're saying and I agree with you. I I agree with you. I have a greater concern that five months ago the board approved up to 4.6 million and here we are five months later and we're looking at adding 3.1 million to that. That's a real concern for me and I think that warrants
032some greater discussion and we started that discussion two weeks ago. But coming off the heels of of committing to the team's room like we did, this this seems like a pretty big ask without I think having had enough discussion. >> I would I would agree, Kathleen. And I would also I mean based on some of the information that I was provided like needs like needing this room specifically for like election days and preparations and stuff like that. I mean, I I just I would echo Kenny's question like what's what's the urgency? Um, and the same with the IT stuff. Like, I understand that it's in the basement, which is not the most ideal conditions, but there are um there are there are things in that you can purchase to help with climate control. And and
033I would think that with technology, we're we're going more and more to cloud-based stuff, and our our IT footprint should be shrinking, not growing. Um, yeah, those are just some concerns I have. Can I can I ask Tim for maybe a little bit of a like window into what has been discussed in the finance and facilities committee in regards to this project because it's been on it's on the list for a while. When I read something that talks about required electrical upgrades and HVAC um that is not something that I like waiting on if it's needed because we have had situations where buildings, you know, if HVAC goes out and you have kids in a building like that's not that's not a fun thing to play around with. No, I mean that's what started the
034whole um the whole plan was the HVAC system here. And Josh can aliterate uh when I'm done here, but um the the AC in this place is hit or miss, I guess from what I heard, one room could be cold, one room could be hot, depending on where you're at. So the heating system needed and that's what started just like every other HVAC project here. The system's old. Started with that. And then of course when you do that while you have everything out you're like okay we need to run this wire that wire these lights all that becomes into a plan and then I guess the idea come up to they needed more space thought about using the attic getting the IT stuff out of the basement where all the moisture and everything is and
035moving upstairs. then that became more of an expense than what they originally thought it was going to be at 4 point whatever million and so they tried to revamp come up with another plan and I don't know Josh um I know the the addition out here with the second floor was 7.5 but what is it without the second floor addition >> 6.5 so extra million so I mean it was you a million dollars cheaper to put the addition on. So, I get where they're going with that, but um my that that's what led to us to here. Now, what we decide as a board is what we decide, but that's I know the HVAC was a priority. Um and I I did have a question for Belinda. How much since we approved that 4.2, not
036to go over and get that first uh bid out there, how much are we now committed to having to pay to Barton? Where are we at right now? I mean, if if we didn't go any further today, how much do we committed to pay out to them? >> I would say that we are committed to pay out to them the 4.6 million of the 6.5%. >> So, $276,000. >> Correct. >> And if we do the rest of we we would owe another $174,000. >> Correct. I'm not >> and I just want to share that the admin building was to be I don't if many of you were here not here or many of you maybe remember or not the admin building was to be addressed when we were doing James Getty and Lincoln and it
037was taken off the plate at that time and so the admin building has always been on the agenda with the FNF to address HVAC work as well as the importance of getting technology out of the basement with the recent flooding that we had down there. If technology goes down, the technology is down for the entire district. So that's the secondary concern. Not so much the addition of the boardroom, but you learning through this whole process. Um it was more feasible to add on then try to outfit the attic when in fact you needed two separate attached easements stairwell into the facility. um which would have been a heck of a lot more money and you were losing more space by outfitting the attic because of the knee walls that needed to be presented. So it
038was the option that the committee looked at to add on providing the necessary space and giving the space for technology to be out of the basement into the main level is really um just the backbone of where where we are at and why we are studying this at this particular point in time. >> Uh Melinda, thanks for adding that. I've been on the board for quite some time. I try to attend finance and facilities meetings. This is uh this has been on the agenda and off the agenda and back on the agenda on several occasions. It's been vetted uh pretty far. It's not a fly by night all of a sudden. We're looking uh to do this. Now, some of the expansions of this and I I don't have a strong feeling if we hold
039off a month or two or whatever and educate uh whoever else is new that's going to be on the board. Uh but but I do think it's something that absolutely we need to take a strong look at it and get it and bring this admin building up to contemporary standards. I I would I would be interested if uh Dr. Matzer, not to put you on the spot, but I' I'd love to have this is your work home, so I know you have some pretty strong thoughts about this. Uh uh I' I'd be interested to hear your recommendations for us as well. Well, the the addition um again, it it provides it's going to provide more space for us. Like right now, um we have very little conference space in this building at all if if
040needed. Um we do also have some like our school psychologists, some other people that have offices in the buildings, uh where we might be able to bring those offices back here to the admin building and have them give them a home base here and free up some spaces out in the buildings for other purposes. I know we've talked about bringing some of our special ed classrooms back. So we may have some extra space to be able to do that. The other part of the addition that we talked about um one of the advantages of it is for nights like tonight for board meetings or for you know elections I know we talked about that would have a separate entrance and exit right into that room. So we wouldn't have we wouldn't necessarily have to have
041anyone from the public coming into the actual admin building into this space and they would just be able to go right in and out of that. So that provided a lot of different uh advantages for us to do the addition. >> And one of the thing Josh and u maybe you can give me a a educated guess so to speak. We were supposed to do this when we did James Gettys and now we're proposing it now. How much has this cost of this project you think has went up from if we had done it at James Gettys to doing it now? >> Good question. which comes from kicking the can down the road sometimes. It's I believe about 800,000 about 800,000 Thank you. >> Well, the board did commit to do this. We've never not
042This board as a whole voted for the HVAC system. Two weeks ago, it was presented to us with this addition. And I'm just simply asking what's the difference between now and a month from now. That's all. I mean, it's a legitimate question. Tell me we're losing something. tell me it's going to cost us something. >> What does waiting a month do for the timeline? Because you we've asked that budget question. I guess that's less of the issue. Does that cause an issue for working with the people that we've we want to go out to bid with >> relative to the the timeline of working in the building? um it doesn't make that much of a difference, but the the longer we wait, the you know, the more inflation is going to get us and the
043more it's going to cost. Now, another 30 days, not a big deal. Um if we punt it two years like we did last time and because we couldn't fit it into the Getty Lincoln budget at the time, u then obviously we're, you know, looking at a significant increase. But to let it go to the next board time-wise for construction, I can't speak to funding, but to construction, that's that's not the end of the world. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any additional questions? >> No additional questions, but I would like to make a motion to table 6. Oh, go ahead. >> This is Lee. Sorry. Over here. Um, and before you finish that motion, I would just caution because tableabling a motion means you carry you pick it up at the next business meeting and it's
044also I would say probably a table within this governing board and to the point of like people changing you would be on the table for the same for a different board in a month or you know what I mean because you wouldn't be able to table it I guess until the second but it's a different governing body that's table. You can motion to table indefinitely which could be brought back up at some other random time >> and as Okay. Yes. And Okay. >> So I make a motion to table 6.2 indefinitely. >> Can I can I hear the ration? Can I hear the rest of that thought before? >> No. >> I mean it's it's only that normal I I you can table it indefinitely. You are tableabling it and it's going to be a
045different board that's picking it up. That sort of the essence of this. I would otherwise vote it down and bring it back up again. But if you want to table it, it's fine. But it's being tabled amid people that are not going to be the same. And a new board in December 2nd will be different than maybe December 15th. But indefinitely makes sense. But I'm just pointing out one governing body tableing it for another governing body. >> Or we can we can put it up for a vote. It doesn't doesn't matter. >> Well, there's no second. I mean, I'm I'll go to roll call if there's no other questions. >> We we have seconded this. >> Not the table. No, not on the table. >> I withdraw my motion to table. >> The original motion
046is on the table. >> Okay. The table has >> It's withdrawn. 6.2. I withdraw it. So, it's gone. >> Any additional questions. Roll call. Tim. >> It's the It's the order of the draw. >> Yes. Michelle, >> no. >> Al, >> yes. >> Kathleen, >> no. >> Alice, >> yes. >> Mike, >> no. >> Jeremy, >> no. >> Ryan, >> no. >> And I vote no. >> The motion it did not carry. So, can I just ask the question now then with the understanding that like that can be something that can come back for the new board because I think the intention here was that the nos were coming from a space of not wanting to vote on behalf of a board that is changing in a month. Um, but I think that needs to
047be said cuz I, you know, otherwise I'm not sure how that works. Whoever sitting in my seat in December and has the agenda, they'll bring it to it. They'll bring it the way it always happens and it'll go back on the agenda if the administration wants to continue to recommend that and the new board can vote however they want to vote. >> Thank you. I think that's important to say that. Thank you, >> Mr. President. Yes, Dr. Matzer. I would just say as as we have some turnover on the board, uh as best we can uh with the new board members, if we can educate them and bring them up to speed on this so that they're not put in a position where they're making uh votes without uh you know, educated thoughts and so
048on as best you can. >> When it comes up, we'll have Josh come back and and do his presentation one more time. >> Two years running, Josh, >> there are noformational items. Board committee reports. Anybody? >> Just a real uh quick one. President Hassinger, uh my understanding is they're they are close to a state budget. Uh I know a lot of schools that aren't in as good a condition as we are financially or have already looked into loans and all kinds of other creative ways to finance their schools. Uh I'm hearing that the big um uh block that is uh uh forcing this thing to go so long has a lot to do with uh the funding and making a base payment for cyber charter schools as you may or may not know. I have
049a personal issue against them. I think we're being overcharged uh egregiously and uh I I hope they hold the line on that and that we get some good news that's going to save us hopefully some s significant dollars. But my understanding is they are very very close within the next week or two that we are going to have a state budget. Uh that's the word on the street and that and and I think it's maybe a good reason why it's been held up so long that they're holding the line and trying to push a reasonable number a flat fee for what public schools have to pay for these cyber charters. Thank you. >> No additional uh our last item on our program reports. Dr. McFarland. >> Good evening. I'd like to share a brief update
050to our board and our community regarding our fall title one and parent and family engagement events at our elementary buildings. Uh Franklin Township held their Title One event on Thursday, October 9th at 5:30. This event was incredibly well attended with over 200 students, parents, providers, and staff in attendance. Uh the weather for this event was beautiful outside which was a good thing because the night started with a fun run from 5:30 to 6:00 where students received colorful you matter bracelets after uh completing each of their laps. Following that the warriors had opportunity to attend a book fair, participate in craft and STEM activities along with a warrior obstacle course in the gym. There was also uh a family provided delicious apples for all of those in attendance as well. Uh, this event also doubled as
051a PTO fundraiser where families could donate a flat rate. 100% of that went back to the kids and Dr. Lappy noted that this was one of the best attended family nights at Franklin Township. James Gettys held their parent and family engagement night and this was only for K&1 on October 16th from 6:00 to 7:00. Uh, reading specialist led sessions where families were provided information about hands-on literacy activities uh which they can do and help their children at home. Several tips and tools for supporting early reading skills were shared, demonstrated, and reviewed. In addition, EL teacher was available to answer questions and provide similar information. Light snacks were also the highlight of the evening, and several community partners were on hand, including Scap, United Way, Head Start, uh, which provided information and various giveaways and support
052for numerous families that were there. And approximately 20, uh, families were represented at this event as well. Uh last but not least, Lincoln Elementary uh school held their event on Thursday, October 9th at 6 o'clock entitled Wild About Reading. It was a huge success with just over 100 families who signed up while 70 families were able to attend that evening which focused on a building a love of reading. Students and their families participated in a variety of engaging animal themed literacy activities, including listening to a readaloud, writing about animals, adopting a pet and writing about it, selecting free books to take home, and playing various animal themed games. There was also several community partners in attending that event as well. Uh members from the Strawberry Herald Nature Preserve, Scap United Way, Head Start, and Adams
053County Library provided various resources and support to our families throughout that evening. It was a wonderful night of learning, connection, and community partnerships. Um, something we we've been focused on is uh our engagement and the community outreach. Um, and as you hear these types of numbers that were families, 100 families, 70 families. Um, so obviously there was, you know, two, three, four, and sometimes up to five and six representing each one of those. Um, I'd like to thank our numerous families for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend those fall events, as well as a big thank you to our staff at our elementary buildings and community providers for planning and supporting such valuable engagement opportunities for our students and families. Um, I for one was very impressed with the attendance and the
054opportunities at all of these events and really look forward to how we can build upon this momentum in our community and schools. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Dr. McFarland. Uh first of all, a big thank you uh for following up on this. I I know when Alice and I uh participated in the comprehensive plan, this was one of the big goals that we had with our large representative group and uh so I appreciate uh the followup and congratulations on the turnout uh uh for this. Historically, many districts have a lot of trouble getting people to come out and so on. What was the secret sauce of getting uh uh so many people motivated to come out and participate? >> I I really can't say um I I can say there was a lot
055of effort uh from our schools uh from the Sanders over here getting the word out. Um and a lot of work on our teachers just publicizing this in their classroom, the schools. Um I was actually on a a Zoom meeting and I heard Dr. Lappy on the announcements um mentioning this as well. Um so just getting the word out and making it accessible to families. uh we've done some things with times as well as uh brought in some various community supports as well. So I think just the continuation of the word getting out for families. >> It's great to have many times strategic plans, comprehensive plans become, you know, dust sitting on a shelf in a binder. This is making that comprehensive plan a living working document and you following up and giving us updates
056is uh much appreciated. Thank you. >> Sure. And just to echo that too, based on my experiences, these numbers and families that were able to come out to this event is it it's definitely skyrocketed from previous years. >> Awesome. Dr. Master. >> Yeah, I just have a few uh calendar items just want to discuss. Uh October 24th, last week was the end of our first marking period. It's hard to believe they're already quarter of the way through the school year, but we are. Uh that leads us to parent teacher conferences. Uh K through8 parent teacher conferences are happening at the end of this week. Um we have no school on Friday for our students. Uh but again K through8 parent teacher conferences will be November 6th and 7th. Tomorrow we already talked about is election
057day. Our boardroom is going to be pretty busy. Uh be active tomorrow for election day. And um being new to our positions, one of the things I talked about when I interviewed for this job, Dr. McFarland and I over the last couple weeks held our first two superintendent meet and greets for the public. Um, we did an elementary one for secondary families, one for elementary families. I will admit that the attendance was not exactly what we were hoping for. Um, but we are not going to be discouraged by that. We're going to continue to hold uh meet and greets open to the public for anyone in the community to come just chat with us, answer, ask some questions. Uh, we'll probably look to do another one in a couple of months. That's all. >> Thank
058you. Our next uh meeting will be November 17th, uh, 7 o'clock here in the boardroom. May I have a motion to adjurnn please? >> We are stand adjourned.