April 21, 2026, 7:00 PM - Work Session of the Board

001Okay. >> All right. Thank you all and good evening. I'd like to call the April 21st, 2022 2020 April 21st, 2026 Mactton School Board of Directors work session meeting to order. Please stand for the 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. >> I'm glad it's not 2022 and we're in 2026. Um, with that the public is hereby advised of audio and video recording of this meeting for the purposes of rebroadcasting. By the way of attendance, we have all board members present and Miss Still is participating virtual and I believe will join us. She's on so she's on um the call and next we'll pass it on to Dr. Zerby for guest and

002schedule speakers. >> Thank you, Madam President. Before we do that, I just have one announcement. Uh the board of school directors met virtually in executive session on April 14, 2026 to discuss matters related to collective bargaining agreements with the MEA, MESPA, and Teamsters in addition to personnel matters involving professional, administrative, and support staff. With that, uh it this evening we have two guests and scheduled speakers. I wanted to introduce the Shrader Group and ICS uh to give us an update on the Mthactton High School renovation project. Good. There we go. Can you hear me? All right. So, I'm gonna uh bring up the screen here. There we go. Um, I do have one very small animation. So, I won't make you come all the way up here, but there is one thing to look at

003on the screen here. Everything else is as you have it in front of you and we'll start from the first slide. All right. Uh, thank you for having me again. Good evening everyone. Um, it's been a couple of months now since we last uh gave a quick presentation. Um we're just here to give you an update on the progress. Uh we are in a design development phase which was the next one we were approved to move into. So we've uh been about two months uh into that process here. So we'll give you a quick update on where we are today. Um as we've seen we are meeting every two weeks with our design team meetings. Uh we've started the enduser meetings these past two weeks. We've had really good success with those. Uh we've met

004with several different uh of the groups um including the performing arts the um general classroom. So all of the uh chairs of each of the departments were uh with us for those uh conversations. We've talked to teachers about the commons and the library. Uh we've spoken about um the family consumer science spaces, some of the life skills apartment spaces and the fab lab. And we still have to meet uh this uh tomorrow actually with for the with the pool and some of the athletic uh training spaces and we still have to meet uh with the uh administration the the high school administration about their spaces as well. We also have a student feedback session scheduled for the 29th. So we'll talk to a group of students about the courtyard and the commons uh particularly to

005get their uh feedback on how they might use some of those spaces. Uh we also have scheduled uh some parent and community feedback sessions. I believe in June we're going to give out some uh information to the the parents and then we'll come back and uh hold a session in September when everybody's back at school to have get some feedback from the community. Uh we've gone through land development uh starting last uh phase here and we've continued to go through that. Our next step is May 5th which is the zoning hearing. Uh so we'll go through that process with the township. Uh we've also met with the planning commission in March and we'll continue to do that. Our next one is tenatively scheduled for June. Uh then we meet with the supervisors after that. And

006then the ongoing thing which is the longest part of the process is the county conservation district. The plans are currently being reviewed by the district. Um, so we hope to have some feedback soon and then that's a back and forth process that we will go through all of this year to get through. Uh, we will continue to go through estimating and value engineering for this phase. So you'll start to see some uh, updated budgets uh, come in towards the end of this process. We'll continue to give you updates. I believe we're going to meet with property committee in May and then be back in front of the full board in June. Uh, and then the end of this phase is still August. Um, so we'll have several updates between now and then. So, quickly, here's

007the the one animation that I have. Uh, it's just to update you on the site plan. You can see on the screen uh some of the changes that we have. It's little minor tweaks from what you've seen last. Uh, you have a parent and entry uh parent entry and exit. So, parents would drop off at the current drop off. You can see Oh, this doesn't really work on the screen there. Um, but you can see it's using the existing entry point and we're just extending that loop further into the site to get more queuing capacity in there. So, we keep all of the cars off of Creable Mill. Uh, then you have the bus loop. So, bus entry and exit would be your next curb cut in the property. All buses would enter in this

008way and then loop around up towards the uh transportation center and come back out onto the site or off of the site. And then students would enter their current entry point uh in and out of that exit or out of that entry point uh between the FINA building and the high school. Um here is where we currently stand with some of our parking lots. Uh you can see the students are in their current lot including the tennis court. Staff would be up in that upper new lot. If I There we go. Oh, this is dying I guess. um up in that upper lot and then uh bus drivers would uh park in that upper lot by the transportation center. We have overflow and visitor parking in that lower lot um for students and staff and

009then staff would still utilize the the lot that they have over on the east wing. Students and staff would cross through this prominade. Uh we do have a raised uh walkway where the buses are. So buses do not stop along that portion and everybody can cross across that walkway to get into the main entrance there. So you can see the buses would essentially line up here in two rows. The left lane would go first when they're exiting. Uh they would loop around and go back out the same exit point. And then parents would drop off their kids in a queue similar to this here. And you can see how far it extends. And then there's a sidewalk that gets them to the main entrance or to the uh east wing entrance. So there's um the

010updated site plan and I'll take questions at any point, but um the floor plans have not changed since you've seen them last. They're getting tweaked at this point as we go through the end user process. Uh but you can see nothing has changed in terms of where things are on the plans. Second floor as well. Uh we do have a couple updated images just to show you. Uh this is a view of the exterior. This is uh the same view that you've seen previously, but there's that prominade getting you through to the main entrance. Uh all of your new pool, auditorium, performing arts spaces are on the left of the main entrance and then a new two-story classroom wing on the right side. Uh this is an updated view that you see from uh crossing

011the bus loop here. So this is the two-story classroom wing uh going towards the main entrance there at that canopy and then where you see the Mthactton High School that's the administration area. So the secure entry would be through this entry point and then the background you have the auditorium. The next one from the outside is the secondary uh entry. So this would be utilized for nighttime events. You have your pool on the left and the auditorium all the way on the right. And visitors would enter in through this exit or through this entry for evening events um as a secure entry point. Then a couple of interior shots. Uh you've seen this view before, but this is the the new uh entry lobby. The um commons would be to the right. The balcony on

012the second floor of the auditorium is on that upper corridor. And then the classroom wing would be to your left. You can see the main entrance. Uh you'd be able to check in through that secure entry point and uh check into the administration area on the lower level. And then on the upper level, there's kind of an open large group instruction space and some uh additional office spaces up on the second floor there. Turning around, this would be the view uh coming into the building. So you can see your commons. Uh you see the Warriors Cafe which is really the school store and then that nice circulation stair connecting students as soon as they get into the building they can go up the stairs here uh to the second floor of the classroom wing and

013then up the stairs looking back you can see that uh large group instruction space straight ahead uh and then over to the right as uh that's kind of the entry into your balcony space. And then the last image here is the commons. We've had really good conversations about the commons and how we utilize some of the space, but if you see the white columns that are kind of enclosed in drywall, those are all of your existing columns of the library. So, we're opening up all of the walls except for the structure. The structure stays. Open up all the walls and then build an addition right next to that. So, those gray columns are actually the new construction piece and then everything to the left stays. But we are opening that space up to utilize that

014for pre and post functions for the auditorium. There's a lot of different activities that can happen uh within the commons throughout the day as well. Last slide here. This is just a reminder that we still have phases after the design development phase. So this one runs through August. Uh that gets us to a point where we have a defined floor plan. we have a a really solid cost estimate and we're going to get through um a lot of the phasing discussions in this uh design development phase. Next, we move into the construction documentation phase where we really prepare uh the project for bidding. We'll have our act 34 hearing if you remember from the Arrowhead project that would uh tenatively be scheduled for October. Uh, and then that phase runs through January of 2027, in

015which case we'll go out to bid in February of 2027. And then you can see construction would follow uh going from June of 2027. So that first summer through the fall of 2023 2030. Seems like a long time, but it's right around the corner. >> All right, I will stop talking and open it up for any questions. >> Thank you, Devin. Are there questions from members of the board to my right? for Evan. Mr. Wyers. >> Yeah, just a quick question. Uh, thank you for this. Have you started looking at the phasing? You have the 27 through July. Uh, June 27th through July 30. So, I assume that phasing is part of the reason for the extension. >> Yeah. So, the phasing, we actually just met today uh to kind of refine everything. But that's

016a conversation that's going to go through the design process. And I don't know if if Scott Kennedy wants to come up and speak about phasing at all, but um it is in progress, but it's something that's going to be working through the next several months. >> We presented initial draft phasing plan to the district two or three weeks ago. Went through that looked acceptable. We shared with our civil engineer to start working the site, the storm water management controls, things like that. He came back with some changes to that. We presented again today. So we're again, we're working through the phasing. We'll meeting every two to three weeks refining that student parking, which entrances we're using, access, the vehicular access, all that. So, it's a work in progress, but we're working on it now. >>

017Any other uh mrski? >> So, I'm looking at the it's the last slide. the the timing of phasing uh to decision to to put it out to bid and the uh specifically the cash outlays as the approximate dates of decisions I assume are correlated to the estimates on um cash outlays. So yeah, I mean like for example you have the board action approved CD phase fees August 25th approximately 1.45 four or five billion that those dates correlate with approximately when the cash outlays occur. Correct. >> I I believe those were were given and and that was accounted for in some of the the draw schedule. >> Okay. I'm just wanting to confirm the the schedule and the amounts. Thank you. >> Any other questions to my right, Miss Graph? >> Yeah. Um so I I

018just wanted to follow up with Mr. Murky's comment. If we haven't confirmed that draw schedule combined with the schedule that we now have that is getting refined, I would definitely like to see that brought to finance so we can make sure that we're on track. And along those lines, I know the last time we talked about this in property, the request was made to um apprise the board of the enduser meetings. So, can we make sure that the feedback sessions that you're holding get on the board calendar so that if we want to attend the community, particularly community and parent meetings, we could certainly hear what the community has to say. Um, I think it's going to be really important for the board to understand concerns the community raises during the process and um, especially

019when we get to the point of like that's going to impact design and therefore costs. I think it would be really helpful for the board to be able to at least um be apprised of those conversations as they're happening. And then um I think it would be really helpful for the board to understand a little bit more about the plans for the act 34 um meeting and what that entails. And I don't think we need it, you know, right away, but I'm thinking maybe in June or at some point over the summer months in a meeting. Maybe you want to walk us through that process. >> Sure. Yeah, we can certainly do that. Um, just real quick, the act 34 requires the DD cost estimate to be completed. So, we'll be using those numbers, but

020we can certainly lay out the process uh in a future meeting. >> Yeah, I just think so everyone knows what that entails and what the process looks like and we're prepared for that. >> Sure thing. >> Thanks. Any other comments or questions to my right? Seeing none to my left, Miss Clary. >> Yeah, thanks for the presentation. Um, wanted to ask you a question about um, slide three, the one I guess that you were trying to animate. >> Yes. So, it's easier for me to see it on my version of the site plan, but the the raised walkway. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I just want to understand that a little better. So, at the to the far left is the student parking lot and then it looks like um bus traffic will go through

021that parking lot to the um the overflow in the staff parking lot. Right. Buses can go between those two parking lots. >> No, buses only go up and down north and south on both. >> That's right. Okay. So, what's happening in between? There's a space between the student parking lot and the overflow lot that on that on this printed version is like white space. >> That's just grass. >> Okay. >> And that's existing so we're not touching that. >> Okay. All right. I just wanted to make sure that the what I was trying to get is were the kids protected from traffic between those two parking lots and you've answered my question. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? uh to my left. Miss Purdue, >> thank you for the presentation. I I just want

022to know um based on the um I'm sorry, based on the meeting with the Warsa Township um planning committee, can you provide us some insight on how that meeting went and any act actions or items that came out of that meeting? >> Sure, great question. Um, so overall I think they were fairly supportive of the new plan in comparison especially to the plan they saw before with the new construction. So they liked the uh improvements to circulation, the improvements to parking, everything fits on site. Um, so I think they're supportive overall of the plan. There were conversations about sidewalks and uh you know we'll kind of recommend a deferment of the sidewalks at this point but um there was support and kind of opposition on on both sides of that but generally we got a

023sense of pretty fair support from several of the members. Um we submitted a sketch plan and the township engineer hadn't really provided too many comments back at that point. So when we go back in June, we'll be able to address a lot of those uh comments that he does have. >> What when we go back in June, what are we taking back to them and what is the I guess what is the goal for the follow-up meeting? >> So what they saw currently is a sketch plan which is similar to what we were showing before this. Now, we'll have a fully engineered plan that has all the grading, all the storm water management, everything, all the little details will be provided to them. So, they'll be able to react to all of those details that

024uh really how does it comply to their ordinances and their uh their process. Um so, we'll have a lot more comments that are technical in nature. Um right now, they've provided feedback on layout uh type of of comments. Um, so we'll be going in for a preliminary final approval. Uh, we we don't expect to have that in June, but we're going to be looking for that. >> Okay. And then do you know if there will be more discussion in reference to the sidewalks? I'm just curious in reference to that um if that's something that um we think will be an issue or do you have any concerns with some of those discussions about it? So, we'll continue to have discussions with the township manager and with some of their staff. Um, we're open to I

025think the recommendation was a deferment of the sidewalk. So, we're not saying we're not going to put them in. Um, but we're it's not a a non-negotiable thing. Um, there was commentary from both sides of the part, both sides of the argument whether they want the sidewalks in or whether they be okay with a deferment. So, we just have to kind of figure out where they're going to land on that discussion. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Miss Alustin, did you have a question? >> Just a quick one because I remember hearing something different. The on the second slide, um, the Montgomery County Conservation District review permitting spring through fall 2026. I thought I remember hearing that could take a lot longer. So generally it's about a year and we submitted back in January or it

026might have been December. So we're expecting some review around the December January time frame. >> Okay. So so more like winter >> as long as we have it. Yeah, I guess end of fall 2026. >> Okay. So fall does maybe seem a little ambitious. >> It might. Yeah, I would say December, January, but we don't need that until we're starting construction. >> Okay. Fine. I just remember thinking, well, that's it didn't quite match up with Thank you. >> I like to be optimistic. >> I love that, >> Miss Clary. >> Sorry, I'm coming back around on my question. Um, I as I continue to look at that site plan. Yes. So, I was confusing buses coming down there, but there actually is traffic. It's the students driving in between this. >> Correct. >> Okay. So

027now that we've now that I've reestablished that for myself, my current concern is still the same. When the students park in the first lot >> and they have to cross in front of the students who are driving, is there the raised platform there as well? >> There is not the raised platform on that driveway, only on the bus side. >> Okay. So how are we keeping them? I >> I believe it's going to be staffed. It's gonna be staffed. Yes. Okay. Thanks, Can you check with Miss Steel to see if she's good? Okay. Are there any other questions to my left? Any other questions to my right, Miss Graph? >> Yeah, I just um Miss Purdue just reminded me. I know there was some talk at the most recent Warcester Board of Supervisors meeting about

028the project and I notice on the schedule it could be a while before you get back to the board of supervisors. Can we um at least approach them and see if there's an interest in having anformational presentation to them to just give them a little bit of an update on where we are, what the schedule looks like, what the project looks like. It's my understanding there was some misunderstandings about what the project was or was not going to include. >> It's a good question. It's almost like you were in our meeting today. Um so the township manager is on vacation, I believe, this week. Uh but our civil engineer is checking in with him to see if the supervisors would like us to come to that meeting just as anformational uh check-in. Um we're not

029asking for any comments, asking for any review or any approval, but it would just be anformational session just to keep them apprised of the project. >> That would be great. Thank you. >> We don't know if they would like that. Uh but at least ask, right? Like I I guess I I'm always on the side of let's make sure people have the information that's accurate as much as we possibly can. >> Thanks. >> Any other questions or or comments for the design team? Seeing none. Thank you very much, gentlemen. >> Thank you all. >> Uh next on the agenda, we have Miss Stephie. She'll be presenting the proposed 2026-27 final budget. uh for the board's uh information uh we are we will be seeking uh the approval of the proposed final budget at the end

030of this month and then we have uh time between that uh approval and the June 16th uh uh dated final budget adoption to make any additional changes. With that said, Miss Stephie, >> I don't see a clicker. So, James, I guess I'll just ask you to Okay. Could you advance the slide? It's not working for me. Thank you. Since the presentation of the proposed preliminary budget in January, several adjustments have been made. Reduction of five MEA positions and one administrative position. It's okay. Got it. Um, okay. The reduction of five MEA positions and one administrative position. As part of the proposed final budget, we are reflecting a $100,000 reduction in transportation costs. The savings is a result of transitioning to a different third-party provider for certain van services. We've added one psychologist position reflecting anticipated

031needs. One long-term sub position has been added. There has been a 38% increase or $83,000 in workers compensation costs. This increase is driven by a higher number of claims, including two significant claims. As a result, our experience modifier has risen above 1.0, zero, which has led to a substantial increase in premium rates. The increase reflects claims that are spread across various departments and roles with no single area or trade driving the overall change. The Mthactton School District safety committee meets once a month to discuss claims and ways to mitigate costs. Through the work of the district safety committee, we have realized approximately $18,000 in savings for next year's budget. A 75 $175,000 special education liability has been added. At this time, we have 14 open special education claims. While there is uncertainty regarding the timing

032and ultimate cost of these claims, it is financially prudent to include a liability in the budget. Also included is a $134,000 health care contingency. This maintains health care at the level presented in the first look. While the third rate projection came in approximately $134,000 lower, there rem remains uncertainty around plan enrollment due to upcoming healthcare changes. As a result, we are taking a proactive and conservative approach by maintaining the additional funding in the budget. Any variance will be accounted for and reflected in the final budget presented in June. Prior to the adoption of the preliminary budget, several reductions were made. We had a reduction of five MEA positions. We had um four MEA retirements. We made a reduction to the REACH program. We had the reduction of one vacant staff nurse position as well as

033a vacant unarmed security guard. We made special education behavior support changes resulting in almost a million dollar reduction. We've reduced the number of building substitutes from 24 to 12. We had a reduction in supplemental contract costs as well as the removal of the food service transfer. Departmental and building cuts resulted in a $1.4 million reduction. And we had a $100,000 reduction of ESY costs um from bringing the ESY program in-house. Total expenditures for for the approved preliminary budget were just about $4.4 million and revenue reductions were about $400,000 for a net reduction of $4 million. Okay, this slide provides a year-to-year budget comparison by major category. The key takeaways are the 3.86% 86% increase in salaries is attributable to contractual obligations as well as the shift from outsourced special education behavior support to in-house. A

0344% increase in benefits is attributable to increased pasers and FICA costs as a direct result of a salary increase as well as increased health care costs. A 10% increase in purchase services is attributable to budgeted increase in third-party special education supports. The budgeted increase does not represent an increase in supports, but rather aligning the budget to historical spending. The 23% decrease in purchased property services reflects a decrease in budgeted maintenance contracts. The decrease in supplies is the result of the district's six-year curriculum refresh cycle. With five core subject areas, one year within the cycle does not require a curriculum refresh, resulting in lower costs in that year. The $43,000 decrease in equipment is the result of a one-time phone system upgrade that was budgeted in the current year. The debt service transfer and lease expense

035remain stable heading into 2627. Total 2627 proposed final budget expenditures total 143,84,66.81. As of the proposed final budget, revenues sit at $141,754,56, creating a $1.3 million operating deficit. I am asking the board to approve a $4.9% tax increase, which is necessary to maintain a balanced budget. Approving the proposed final budget is the next step in the state required timeline. It is important to note that approving a 4.9% increase now does not obligate the board to approve the same increase for the final budget. At the time of the preliminary budget adoption, district administration identified several areas where possible reductions may be available. The elimination of three positions has been included in the proposed final budget presented tonight. At this time, we are not recommending moving forward with any of the other alternative reductions. Next step, at

036the voting meeting next week, I will ask the board to approve an expenditure budget totaling 143,84,6681, requiring a 4.9% tax increase. During the month of May, we will work on refining the 2627 final budget. Updates will be presented at both the May finance committee meeting as well as the board work session. I will then ask the board to adopt the final budget at a special meeting prior to the June 16th work session. That concludes my presentation. >> So members of the board, you do have a copy of this in front of you. you do know that uh there's there's actually two more slides that will Miss Stephie will present uh following any discussion that we want to have at this point in time on the proposed final budget as she presented it here this evening

037uh absent of those additional two slides. Those are actually in in our opinion next step slides that we have discussed in the finance committee meeting that we wanted to bring forward as as a next discussion. So, with that said, are there any questions on the proposed final budget as Miss Stephie presented, which includes a 4.9% tax increase? Any uh comments or questions? Uh to my right, Miss Graph. >> Yeah. Um thanks for this. So my fir my first question is on slide two you we have here that the proposed final changes approved since the approved preliminary budget is the addition of one long-term sub. Where is that long-term sub? What is that position? Can you >> Dr. Jer we address that? >> I believe the long-term sub is at the high school uh for a

038social studies position. And how how is that compared to on slide seven where we said we were going to um propose removing four long-term subs. So slide seven it says the alternative reductions. The first bullet says reduction of four long-term sub positions. >> Yes. So these four long-term substrate positions are related to uh the coaches that we have in place right now. >> So if I understand correctly, when we started the process, we were we were proposing the administration was proposing to potentially remove four positions that are long-term subs related to coaches. And instead, we've now added a long-term sub, and we didn't reduce any of those. Is that accurate? >> Yes. Okay. Um, so the social studies teacher at the high school is what's the purpose of that? >> We have are we short

039a social studies teacher at the high school because of our retirement? >> Uh, we will be short uh if if other personnel matters are approved to be uh by the board. Okay, I'm not exactly sure what that means. So, I'm going to just ask that I'm going to need some more information around this. I feel like we started out with reductions and now we're back to adding in addition to not taking those reductions. So my first question is, is it possible for us to reduce one of the coaching positions and then if you need the long-term sub at the high school, that's fine, but that's a net zero. So that would be option one. Option two is I'm not sure I understand completely what the addition of that high school long-term sub actually is for.

040And so I think I need some more information around what that um what the whole the whole picture of that so I understand why we're adding that into the budget instead of taking things out of the budget. Um, and then my other question, Miss Stephie, for you is nowhere in here do I see an increase in costs related to increased gas prices, increased electricity prices, increased natural gas, any of those kinds of utility costs. Can you show me where they would be? >> So, those you don't see those broken out specifically, but they were included in the proposed um preliminary budget. So, it wasn't a change from budget to budget. It was um when facilities presented their original budget, there was about a $400,000 increase in utilities. >> Okay. So, >> it's tied it's tied

041into the supplies where you see where it says supplies. >> Okay. So, it's a supply line item cost. >> Correct. >> Okay. Great. And the other question I have is the in property and in finance we talked about the reduced costs related to preventative maintenance on our equipment. Where is that reduced cost identified in this? We we are those costs are identified in the reduction of to um departments and building uh reductions and then the next two slides that we have after we get through this discussion we'll be talking a little bit more about that. >> Okay. >> If you're looking at the budget to budget it would be under purchase property services. >> Okay. So I guess overarching I just I'm finding this a little confusing because in the budget-to-budget comparison which is identifying

042the object in accordance with the requirements that we have to like bucket our costs but then on the budget the slides we use different terms. So on one slide we're saying it's department and building cuts and then on the other slide it's purchased property services. Well, department and building cuts would be across all of the categories. >> Okay. So, preventative maintenance costs would be other purchase services or would they be purchased property services? >> Purchase property services. >> Okay, great. Thank you for the clarification. >> Are there any other questions to my right? Um, Miss Chand. >> Hello. Thank you for the presentation. Can you remind me what the what the specific special education behavior support changes are that amounted to almost a million dollars? >> So is um large majority of it I think

043about $900,000 was the reduction of um the elimination of what what we call program support specialists. And I can't really go into a bunch of detail about what that specific position does. Um but we are implementing a new special education classroom model next year. Um and the program support specialistes will not be needed to support that model. >> Any other questions to my right? Seeing none to my left. Any questions? Miss Austin. >> Hi. Thank you. Um on slide two, it would be really helpful for me to if you could add dollar amounts to what those um changes had been. Um that would be really helpful. Um, and I will echo what Miss Graph said about the coaching positions, those four long-term subs, that I really think we need to take a close look at

044those. Um, and the addition of the one psychologist, I also think we really need to take a close look at that as well. I I don't think given this budget we should be adding um those positions. I really think um we should not be doing that. the um just as a point of clarification, the addition of the psychologist um brings us up to eight psychologists, which is how we're we're currently functioning right now. >> Okay. So, that's a replacement. >> We in the in the propo in the preliminary budget, we had um anticipated a need for seven, but since then, we've we have had an increase in in the anticipation for need, so we've added one back in. And that can't be I mean do we think that's ongoing or do we think that that's

045something that's like a a a blip or you know and we can out we can um >> it's my understanding that it will be ongoing. >> Okay. Um >> and Miss Alustin uh we're putting together actually I saw the draft of it uh today. Dr. Grain has the numbers associated with all the the cases that our our psychologists are are overseeing. Uh plus in addition the way the way those eight positions lay out, seven of them, okay, would be uh district employees and one would be a third-party MCIU under the the MCIU cost plan. So it gives us the flexibility to uh use that or not use that over time if in fact we see a change in in the need. >> And that's what we have right now. We have >> that's what's in

046the budget. Well, no, that's not what we have right now. Right now we if if you recall we had at the beginning of this school year we had four psychologists that were uh district employees and all the other four a combination of of different third party entities were uh doing that other work uh for for the other four individuals. We since I believe in February we hired uh two individuals. Uh so for a total of six now uh in the as district employees and our recommendation based on what we have in the budget here is hire one more and then leave the MCIU position in the cost plan the one that we can use as a variable uh for future need if we need it. We don't need it. We we only need it for

047half a year. We need it you know two years down the road. We're not making a the long-term commit. >> What right now we have six employees and two IU. Okay. And then we're just bringing one of the IUs as an employee in. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um All right. Thank you. But but we will be providing uh to the board related to those the case management of all of that because I I I do think it's important you see some of the historical uh plus you know some of the additional work that we've done in previous summers by getting extra help to make up some of the the the increase that we've had. So laying that all out for you I I believe is important for you to understand this. Um, but we also

048are kind of trying to get all that information together and stay on this timeline with the budget. >> Is it a cost savings to us to bring one of those M MCIU employees as into being an employee? Is that a cost savings? >> It it's it's really dependent on where they fall on the salary scale. >> Okay. Um, okay. Thank you. >> Does does Miss Ste have any questions? Okay. >> Hi. Um, good evening. Good evening. Thanks for um, thanks for your presentation, Miss Stephie. Um, I do just one question because it it I didn't see the number on the slide and um, I missed the number. Is there the I just have to get the wording. The special education liability additions. Can What's the number for that? Is there a number? Was there a

049number? $175,000 is included currently in the proposed final. >> Okay. So, that's not an addition. It's just being it was just pointed out or is it addition? >> It's been added since the preliminary budget. >> Okay, great. Um, so thank you for that. Um and uh you know just with some of the information and the data around the special education and the addition of the liability. I know we had spoken before and that there's consideration going a special education audit and getting some outside eyes and and I just feel the need to say that that might be prudent going forward in the next couple months for us to discuss um just to see just to make sure see if we can get some outside recommendations from specialists and educationist educational specialists in this field saying

050maybe maybe helping us to avoid and bring down the numbers of um and the number connected to the liability Um that's the first thing and I just wanted to um respond to some of the comments just because um there's been a lot of work in ed committee over the last couple months um and uh specifically there's been a lot of discussion around the um the coaching positions and um the coaching positions there was a presentation connected with them where presented to ED committee in March and um they've been doing a lot of work connected to the schools cubed and the literacy initiative which is connected directly connected to the the board and the school district goals and the 95% proficiency that we would like um and while um like they are growing in their capacity

051and their work but they have been trained and they have been in many of the trainings and um you know if I'm if I'm wording this incorrectly I welcome correction but um they've been working with the school's cubed um leaders and uh right um the one at Arpola and the one at the elementary school and they've been learning and helping to implement across the district. So um while I know we want to bring cuts down that 95% proficiency is a big reach and uh the work that the coaches are doing at least what we've seen with presentations with with the vocabulary instruction um the shared language which actually then also connects to the discussion around the school psychologists and bring the psychologists on. Um I believe a few months ago we talked about the number

052of students who need assessments because with the rising special education needs there's also a rise of students who have need to be assessed and the and the school psychologists play vital role and um there's a timeline connected to that. So making sure that we are appropriately staffed in order to not break the law is really really really important and I would be concerned if if recommendation is to hire um I would think that that would probably be a really good idea. Um but also the less we contract and the more that we staff ourselves, the language and the um understanding and interpretation of the sta of the assessments are more streamlined and consistent across the district rather than contracting out. So be so like for instance when it comes to literacy and reading we can

053make sure that all up to speed with say what what what schools cubed is and what our definition of literacy um and dibble's assessment well they don't do dibble's assessment but what our definition of reading is and what we what what our connection is with that and our work with schools cube there's only one other district in the area so far that's doing it which is Norristown so it does not necessarily mean that the IU the IU is not partnering with schools cube to my knowledge. And so that being said, um I just wanted to share that those particular additions to the budget are con are that our special education system, at least from what I see, um that we are appropriately staffed for the needs of special education and the assessments that are needed

054and also that we can make sure there's a shared language and that we continue to drive the literacy um knowledge and understanding across the district to everyone who needs it. Um, so thank you. I hope everyone is doing well. >> Are there any other questions or comments to my left, to my right, Mr. Winters? >> Yeah, I just want to make a comment related to the long-term subs because I think we're talking a little bit apples and oranges. Yes, there was something proposed the reduction of those four replacement people, the the coaches that are there, the four long-term subs that we have are filling in for them as their coaches. Um the a addition of a long-term sub in August, if the board was asked to add another fourth grade class because of an enrollment,

055we would give usually historically we would support Dr. Zerby and and we and usually in June provide him that leeway to do that related to elementary class. The long-term SE of a social studies high school teacher is something that the administration's coming back and says they need because of what we provide in policy. We provide 25 to 30 kids in a class. We provide electives. We This is what we need to provide the high school social studies program. adder back into the budget. Um, so I think all these decisions need to be thought about and not just look like, oh, it looks like we're adding a long-term sub for the sake of adding a long-term sub. That is not what is being done here. It's being added because of a need. And if you think

056of it in that same way at the high school as you do in August when we may need to have another kindergarten teacher or fourth grade teacher because of enrollment in Warsester, you wouldn't think twice about adding that. So I just want to point out that you the whole context needs to be discussed and not just looked as a bullet point that is a budgetary item. It's the context of delivery. >> Any other questions or comments? Uh Mr. Mki, >> it's uh actually a comment and request. Could you remind us um how we came up with and what the purpose of the alternative reduction list was back in January when we came up with the >> Yes. budget. >> Yes. So, as uh Miss Stephie uh reviewed earlier uh this evening, um she reviewed, I

057believe it would be slide four, she identified that the district had identified uh both in in uh expenditure and revenue uh a total reduction of about $4 million. in and when we came uh the proposed uh preliminary budget um we were at at one point in time about $1.4 million short of the uh the act one index. It so happened that by the time I think in a few weeks after that we were about $1.7 million short. So when we approved the proposed preliminary budget, these were these alternatives were really identified as things that we could consider if we had no other option or other choice available to us. Um and we we we didn't necessarily uh like all these options, but uh they were the the least uh of of the things that we

058wanted to impact in terms of our overall operation of the district. Uh each one of these has a unique uh challenge to us in the district. Um and uh it will while we can do it, they will have you know other additional uh uh as I said challenges for us. So at this point we're we're definitely not recommending uh those alternative reductions. Uh but we do have some other suggestions and and things that uh we would like to share with you to consider for the long vision of of budgeting and and preparing uh not only to rightsize the organization but to uh you know get our budget in line with the challenges that we've seen in spending associated with with special education cost. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments, Miss Graph? Yeah, I I

059have one more question. On slide four, we explain there's the reduction in costs for extended school year of $100,000. On the agenda, item 10 N8 for supplemental contracts says approve supplemental contracts in the amount of $102,23.78 for extended school year as attached effective 2627 school year. >> So we currently we currently run our program through variety club. >> We are intending to bring that back inhouse. So what are the supplemental contracts for >> teachers? >> So there's supplemental contracts inhouse for the 102 and the total cost was $22 last year. >> It was it was a little over $200,000 because there were also costs associated with um behavior supports. >> Okay. So the net cost is down a hundred but we're approving. >> Correct. I guess my question my question is maybe my question is

060beyond that. I appreciate the explanation because it's very confusing. Um but we're approving items that are in next year's budget advance of the budget approval. Is that what I understand from that agenda item? >> Say it again to me. >> Are we approving items >> Dr. Serena? Yes, that's correct. Because we normally approve them at this time of year, we know that we have to run extended school year by law. So, we are approving those uh in advance of the the budget. Yes. >> Okay. So, so what we're approving reflects the change that was proposed in the budget. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. That's super helpful. And it reflects the change in the operation of the ESY program bringing it inhouse. >> Y yeah. Any other questions, comments? To my right, to my left.

061Good. Okay. With that, uh Miss Stephie, we're going to go on to slide uh the next two slides. And just to just to to kind of get this uh part started, we had uh a lengthy discussion in the finance committee meeting about uh the current status of this proposed uh final budget. The current status of the proposed final budget with a 4.9% tax increase would mean that we'd have about $1.3 million above the act one index. um the the special education exception. If we were to take the special educ education exception as a as a whole or to in total, that would be about $1.7 million. And that's what we were sitting with uh as the uh approval of the proposed uh preliminary budget. And and with that uh the finance committee had asked us

062to consider things that if we could and the board was so obliged to do so, what were some things that we would add back into the budget that we previously cut? And with that, I believe Miss Stephie is going to share that information with you this evening. >> Okay. So, as part of the initial budget development process, several expenditures were reduced or deferred in order to align with financial constraints. Since that time, the district has made significant adjustments, including the reduction of a substantial number of positions. As a result of these actions, the district now has some additional financial capacity. With this improved position, there is an opportunity to revisit a limited number of previously reduced items. Specifically, the items under consideration include technology supplies and equipment, curriculum resources aimed at building instructional capacity for

063future years, and preventative maintenance with operation. These recommendations are being presented for board consideration in special ed special education costs remain highly variable and can change significantly based on student needs and placements. For that reason, we are asking the board for an additional $150,000 of budgetary reserve for special education facilities costs, including preventative maintenance contracts, grounds maintenance and upkeep, as well as originally delayed building maintenance projects. Curriculum needs. Future curriculum needs require us to maintain capacity for scheduled refresh cycles, which are essential to instructional quality, but not always evenly distributed year-toear. And lastly, several items under the technology, software, and supplies umbrella. Utilizing the full exception now allows the district to better absorb these increases and helps minimize the impact across other departments, preserving programs and services more broadly. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Stephie.

064Are there any questions or comments on these matters to my right, Mr. Wyers? >> Yeah, for the curriculum um refresh, do we know what is in the cycle for next year? >> I believe it's social studies. >> That recalls my memory. That was the discussion in education. Thank you, >> Mr. Moski. So, uh, one question for clarification. So, the 150,000 for special education contingencies in addition to the 175 that was put back in. Correct. >> Correct. The $175,000 was put in um as a result of learning that there were 14 open special education claims at the moment. Um, the additional $150,000 we we do feel is needed. And just as an instance, I had a um outplacement referral today. >> Okay. Thank you for the clarification. And then just I'm going to make a general

065statement. So when I went through the line by line on the budget with Miss Stephie a few months ago and had a better understanding of the cuts that were made in the first process to come up with the preliminary, I felt that there were several areas where the departments had been asked to cut that were probably one-time items that would have to be put back into the budget. So they weren't sustainable. And that's in in part how this discussion got started. So we have had several further discussions in property and finance questioning around specifically what was taken out of the budget and whether whether it was was sustainable and so we made the request for the administration to come back with these recommendations. I just wanted to give you that background to where this is

066coming from. Any other questions or comments to my right, Miss Graph? >> Yeah, I'm going to um just sort of add to what Mr. Murski said. I think you know the operations additions are coming from the discussion in property where we came to understand that preventative maintenance contracts were eliminated. So those maintenance activities are things that we do to our equipment and our to make sure that we are operating it properly just like you would have your car serviced for you know standard oil changes. The boilers need that kind of service. All of those kinds of things need to be done or we could end up with significantly higher costs later. Um especially where we have buildings that have some aging infrastructure. I think that it's a really really important thing for us to be

067thinking about. And while I understand there's budget constraints, I I think that the long-term benefit certainly outweighs shortterm. And these are things that we will, to Mr. Murky's point, have to put back in the budget next year or the year after. They can't go forever without going back in the budget. So, I just think it's important for us to consider that when we look at where we're spending our money. Thank you. Any any questions? Right. How to my left? Miss Purdue. >> I just can you clarify with the special ed contingency um what line when we look at the um what you gave us on one of your previous slides. Where is that going in support services? >> It goes into debt leases and transfers. >> Debt leases and transfers. Okay. Can you explain that

068um how that works with that special ed contingency going into that um bucket? >> In particular, what do you what are you referring to? >> I'm sorry. I'm asking reference to the 150 that's later for contingency. I wanted to know what line item and you're saying I thought it would go under support services, but you're saying it's going in in that debt transfers and lease. Yeah. Can you explain that? I guess it's the other >> Yeah, it would stay in there. Um, and we would transfer it out as needed. So, if it was needed for behavioral supports, we would transfer it to professional services and if it was for tuition, we would transfer it to the purchase professional services. Okay. So, that so at the I and the 175 also went in the same correct.

069>> Okay. Thank you, >> Miss Purdue. I just want to make sure that I as I was listening to you, I want to make sure you understand that the initial 175 is in the proposed final budget and the extra 150, the stuff that's on slide 10, none of these items are in the budget right now. I just want to make sure that that you and everyone else is is because I I thought sounded like you might have thought that. So, >> no, no, I'm clear on that. I just was wondering where that 150 will go and if it went in the same bucket as the 175 previously. >> That's fine. Thank you. >> Any other comments or questions to my left? Miss Clary. >> Okay. So, um the special ed contingency, um the 175 reserve

070that you you spoke of, is that for I I was trying to find it on the slides real quick. Is that for a reserve for the 14 claims or for something else? Because >> for 14 claims. >> Okay. And without giving me any I'm not looking for any privileged or confidential information, but um are are you aware of whether those numbers both the 175 and the new 150 are recommendations from council? Like where are these numbers coming from? >> They are not. So we see um with 14 open claims typically when we settle it could be anywhere from $30,000 to $300,000. So, I wanted to make sure that I included something in the budget. Um whether 175 was the right number or not, it just um it seems like 175 was where a typical larger

071claim would fall. So, if we anticipate one large claim settling next year would be about that amount of money. >> So, the budget for next year without without that reserve and without this new 150, the budget has no other money in it. um to anticipate for special education um settlements. >> Only the settlements that we are currently aware of. >> Okay. >> So, no new settlements. >> No new settlements. So, those So, if we don't have these reserves, if we don't have the 175 plus the 150 um and and we have a special ed settlement, we're that's outside of our budget. >> Correct. >> Okay. That's problematic. Okay. Um the I heard the answer on curriculum and I remember that from education that it was the social studies refresh. But what I don't understand is

072is it we were we were going to skip the refresh next year but now we're asking to put it back in. Can you explain? >> No. So so um it's a six-year refresh cycle because when you buy licenses they're good for six years. So, you get a six-year license. There's five core subject areas. So, one of the six years means we're not purchasing any curriculum in that year. So, the $100,000 is just a way for us to build capacity because we know in year two, which is going to be 2728, that we're going to have a pretty hefty expense for social studies curriculum. So, we need to add something in. In my opinion, it needs to be more than $100,000, but we need to get something in there so that in year two, we're able

073to we're able to balance the budget. >> So, in a in a in a year when we're not having budgetary constraints like this year or last year, in a in a more normal year, you have your budgets, your budget builds in the capacity um for the curriculum refreshes. >> Correct. >> Okay. And maybe you can't answer this, but a typical one of the core subjects, a typical not typical, one of the core subjects when we do a refresh, what like what is what kind of overall cost are we talking about? I >> think this year was science and it was $700,000. >> Okay. >> That was a with the steals due to steals. Yeah. But would that be typical of a cost we would expect for social studies then? >> Yeah, it's probably most likely

074between five and seven. >> Okay. And then my last question is >> that I'm sorry, but the the um the two subjects that are are equal to that 700,000. It's usually science and ELA. >> Okay. Those those and the historical those have been not only Mactton but other districts ac across the Commonwealth. The other subjects are much less than that. Well, much less >> it's not it's it's not between 500 and 600,000. >> Okay. But it's more than 100,000. >> It can be. Yeah. >> Um and then >> it depends on and the I'm sorry. But it depends on whether how many texts we're buying and and and the and the available and the actual curriculum that we're and the publisher that we're using. if if it's a if it's a brand new resource um

075>> and and and and the other uh uh supplemental things that come along with the the resource sometimes causes the the the cost to go up. So we we but but generally speaking I think we're talking about with science or I'm sorry with social studies is probably more like you know $200,000. Uh ELA is is a good $700,000 like science. >> Okay. Uh, and then technology. Um, can you give me a little bit more information on the $50,000? >> I'm not asking for line by line, but I just don't understand what we're putting back in. >> Yeah, I'll let Dr. Zerby address it. He discussed that with the director of technology. >> I'm sorry. I was I'm sorry. Which one? >> Technology. >> I was asking about technology. I wasn't sure from this description. I

076don't know what we're putting back in. not looking for line by line, but >> yeah, some of some of these items under under suppliers are things like um third party uh additional support. Uh and and and some of these the software are things like we had originally anticipated removing say I think it was 24 $25,000 worth of uh software that we had purchased for the nursing module. We're working with the the nurses now and there will be much, you know, there will be much of a less lesser cost, but there's there will be a cost where we cut the whole thing out originally and now we have to put put some of that back, but we can get you the the specifics on on all of that. And I I just don't have >> I'm

077not really looking for specifics. Um, but I am looking for more information than just software and supplies. >> That's fair. >> General um understanding of of what is being recommended. Um, and I kind of I you know I feel that way with the operations uh as well. Like I understand it's it's it's um it's in line with what we talked about at property which I appreciate but just in general what do those things mean other than the gym floor refinish? Like that's the kind of >> Well, let's let's do this. This is this is a summary. If this is something that the board uh you know would would would entertain if we provide more information we will certainly provide you know the line we can provide line item uh information associated with all of this.

078Our directors have already done that work for us. Uh so this information has been collected from them as a result of our conversation of finance committee. Uh we can provide that to all the all the boards so you're clear on what we're really asking in the >> I just want to be clear on additional work. >> I'm not looking for line by line. I'm just But if that's But if that's how you choose to provide it to us another way. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It's how you choose to provide it to us. But more detail I think the board uh would appreciate. >> You got it. >> At least I would. >> Are there any other questions? Uh Miss Okendo, >> thank you. Um I appreciate that you're going to provide kind of some more

079detail. I'd like to know specifically for technology. um how many of these requests are going to be studentf facing or things that are going to benefit or be used by students and how much is going to be backend software that's going to be used by staff um in terms of the curriculum refresh. So I understand the budget to budget this year we we are we are spending less because we're not doing a curriculum refresh, right? Um, so is this $100,000, is this going to be added to what we would normally budget for a social studies year, for example? >> It's trying to get us up to the capacity to what we would normally budget for a social studies year. >> Okay. Um, and then for the special education contingency. So, what I'm hearing is that

080both the 150 and the 175 in essence is going into a pot that's only going to be tapped to pay out any special education um settlement costs. Is that right? Not not just settlement, but it's like things could arise such as um um behavioral support for a student. Like right now we only we have in the only the supports that we know about, but should a student require us to provide um a PCA next year, that's a $65,000 cost. We don't have any of that built into the budget right now. The only thing that's built into the budget are the known costs and the services that we're currently providing. So if we have one student um that needs an aid, it's going to it will eat up half of that $150,000 um up there. Or

081tuition. I mean, we had several students. you saw the tuition costs go up about $1.5 million. And so it's just allowing us to account for some of that. And this is my first budget. I don't think that's a secret um on the board. So help me understand, have we done this before? How have we budgeted for these types of expenditures in years past? Because it's my understanding that this is not a new phenomenon, right? That we do have um students that are outplaced in the district. we do have um special education settlements that uh are awarded. So, how have we done this in the past? Why is this year different to >> Yeah. Yeah. So I I think the aside from the actual budgeting part and you know there there's actually programmatic things that are

082actually changing and so in in in some of our our conversations uh just like last year when we said okay we're going to make these programmatic changes with an expectation that we would land on you know a reduction here and I'll give you an example. We said we we had 46 RBTs uh last year and we said we were going to reduce that and we did. We reduced it down to 24 and we saved and I'm going to I'm going to make a guess here a million dollars. But on the on the uh out of is it out of district placements? Yes. Out of district placements we went up a million and a half. So that what we saved in terms of that effort uh it materialized but we also had an un unforeseen uh

083and I'm not saying that one was affected the other. It just so happened that we had students that we we had to do out of placements with one or two of them being very very expensive between like 3 400,000 placements. So to to I guess to your question is every year uh there are things that are unknown and we can't plan for uh we can't put dollars aside thinking that someone's going to come into the district. Uh but I think what we're saying here this evening is um we've had a track record of spending more than we anticipated over the last several years. Um and we've had a track record of making some good improvements and changes um with other things you know uh you know you know detracting from that uh in terms of

084the final outcome. So all we're saying is if the board recognizes that there is some additional capacity because of the the challengings with special education. Now remember I I don't know if this is going to make sense but the the entire $1.7 million uh that we that we approved above the act one index is about what we have been been the variable uh on on a year-to-year budget for us. And I'm and I guess what I'm I'm trying to share is if if we take that full capacity without uh taking away from the operations of the district, without taking away from uh the uh the education of the district and and and the running of it. Um we might be able to put ourselves in a better position long term by putting some of these

085things back by creating the contingencies in case uh there are issues that are are unforeseen. Um, years ago, uh, we used to always have, I believe it was about a 200,000, uh, and Paul, I hate looking over at you, but do you remember we used to have like 200 or $250,000 of budgetary reserve, and that was wasn't actually even earmarked for special education or for any other particular purpose. It was designed that it was the contingency for anything else that we weren't sure was gonna was going to happen. um as budgets uh and as revenues continued to shrink, we've made determinations that we would get rid of the budgetary reserve and and so we we we don't have that. We haven't had that for three, four years maybe. I I can't recall maybe maybe it's

086longer. I I don't know if that helps, but I just want to give you a little bit of history on that. So we used to have the budgetary reserve whether it was specifically for special education or not. It was designed to have that buffer uh because the only other alternative is to go into the red meaning we would be uh overbudget and we would have to pull money from the the fund balance and by and when you do that the risk associated with doing that uh at all uh or to whatever to any degree uh does impact uh our Moody's rating which is the rating that allows us to borrow and get the best rates possible. Um, so, so we're always conscious about the interconnection of all these decisions and I, so I hope that

087explanation was helpful. Uh, but I'm glad to have, you know, answer any other questions you might have. >> That was helpful. Thank you, >> Miss Alustin. >> Yeah, thank you. And and I think it would be helpful and um for us to see some of that that you just talked about as it relates to special ed that um some of this more spelled out in these budget presentations that you know this was reduced but this was needing to be added. Um I just think because what we're seeing are net numbers and it's without a lot of context and I think it's hard for some of us to understand really this whole story here. Um, and I and I guess I would also say though that I I know that, you know, I I mean, of

088course, I want to vote for the best budget possible. Um, but I also know that in the past years we've had a budget surplus consistently. I don't know if that's the case this year, what we're looking at, but but I know that we haven't, you know, we haven't always just gone right to the budget in past years in our spending. So, I just am putting that out there as well. >> Thanks. And do we have a Miss Steel? >> Hey, thanks for this. I really just want to make sure I'm following the whole conversation and that I understand things. Um, and so first, cuz I think I assumed something, the special education liability from the first presentation, that's actually that's I immediately heard liability and thought um, insurance and it's not. It's just our own

089word for liability in our budget. Right. Yes. Perfect. Um, so that's the first thing. The second is there's an additional 150 that would then be built into the budget. Yes. 150,000 um for special education and other things. And my real question is these extra things to be built back in. Are they already included in the 4.9%. They are not. So it would require >> They are not. No. >> Yes. Okay. Thanks. >> Yes, Miss Purdue. >> Um, and just to follow back on that question, so the items that you have here as far as to add back for board consideration, is your request for the board to consider all these items adding up to 400K or is the is the board to consider adding some of these back. I I don't know if I missed

090that point. So, if you can just clarify what is the request? >> I think I think the request is any of these items that could be added back. But our recommendation is to add all of them back and to take the uh complete uh 5.29% 29% tax increase which would include the full special education exception. And and just again for clarification, the these matters don't need to be decided here this evening. They they are first introduction uh based on a conversation that we had at finance committee meeting. Uh we can make those determinations all the way up until the final adoption uh in June. Uh but uh we we also can have you know other conversations because there will be other pluses and minuses over the next month. Uh we are likely to see potentially

091still some resignations uh possible retirements. We'll have uh you know interest income and things of that nature that will be updated. Our assessments will be updated. So there there's still some movement in this which which actually could allow for you know adding more operations pieces in uh that that we talked about here or or or uh Miss Austin. >> Thank you. Um, so I would just sort of add to Miss Clary's comment about adding some detail in these items to add back for board consideration and ask if the administration could um put some sort of ranking system on them as well, please. >> We can do that. Are there any other U Mr. Mercy. >> Miss Stephie, could you tell me um how much uh curriculum um renewal is in the current final budget that

092we're voting? Well, we will be voting on next week. Is there anything in there? >> There's no curriculum refreshment. >> Right. There's zero. And the average is $500 to $700,000 in the years that we pay it. Correct. >> Correct. Thank you. And then just one other comment, the uh I think the special education report that we've come up with to track special ed spending over the last five years addresses a lot of your questions concerning, you know, what have we done, what's been going on in the his, you know, historically what we budgeted, what we actually spend. So, it breaks it out pretty detailed if you want to take a look at that. >> Any other questions or comments, Miss Graph? >> Yeah. Um, so the special education additions, I do think it would be

093helpful to for for us to see the historic costs related to settlements. And I know no two years are the same and every year is different and you know, but if we looked at a five-year average, we could get an indication of what those costs are. I guess the other thing I just want to highlight is in slide three, we identified that we have made program changes that have reduced our special education budget by almost a million. Now, we're proposing to add back into that budget $325,000. So, roughly 30%. 30% of the reduced cost, not 30% of the special education budget. Let me be clear about that. So, I think it might be helpful for the board to see what the total special education costs are. And I know that we've looked at this in

094finance, but I also know in finance we tend to only look at a portion of special education. It's not the total special education costs across the district. It's it's a portion of them and I'm thinking of that that chart that you have shown us many many times in our in our finance meetings. But part of this is bringing up for me our settlements what causes us to overspend our special education budget because the idea that we're going to put this money aside for these settlements indicates to me that that's what's driving our budget overspend. And would that be accurate? That's just I I mean I think I asked the question and it or it was asked and it was indicated that it's not only for settlements right but it's for any supports that will be

095required from our students and I just wanted to just speak on that part because if you look at the cost and and I think you're anticipating that in at any given time any one of our students could need supports that we need to be able to have some contingency for. Right. So, I don't think this amount is just for settlement. I believe that's what I heard you say and I just I just want to make sure that's clear cuz I don't think it is. And because you also sit on finance, I think you're aware of what's provided and I I just when you said we don't see everything in reference to special education, I'm wondering what else don't we see and what else do we need to see? I mean, I think in finance we

096should be seeing it all. So, it may be good to clarify exactly what else maybe we may be missing. Um, and I know Miss Stephie have that new report that um, she's created. So, maybe if there's anything that's needed on there, but I I really just wanted to touch on the part in reference to the amount because I asked the question. I believe it's not just settlements, right? But it's also support services that may need that based on something that they identify for a specific student. >> Right? It could be a onetoone nurse. It could be a PCA. Could be >> then I think we need to be clear because on slide two we do say that we've added in $175,000 for special education liability and it was specifically reference that we have claims outstanding.

097So that to me definitely sort of locked in in my brain settlements when in fact to misproduce point it may not be used for that. Um and I guess the other question is I think I think I want to go back to okay in the past we've we've established a budget and we've overrun that budget. are we doing is this is the purpose of this so that we don't overrun the budget and I guess so my concern is we've we've reduced our costs we've we've stood on a position that these costs could be reduced by this new approach that we're implementing and now we're saying but we want to add a buffer because we're not sure what our students are going to need. So, it's just making me question how we got to this number,

098how we got to the million-dollar reductions, if there's contingency there that we need or we don't need. Like, I guess I'm just it's just raising a lot of questions, right? >> No. So, just like I had mentioned earlier, the special ed budget is built on known needs at this moment in time. So, just you could have a student that comes in and needs a nurse or a PCA or an district placement that there's nowhere in the budget to capture that currently. Well, to that point though, we do account for incoming known kindergarten students and we have made adjustments to the budget to account for some of the needs of those students that we are aware of >> currently. Yes, for early intervention students. That's correct. >> And there's a potential that some of our students

099may not need services next year or costs could go down as well as up. >> Unlikely to go down, but it could happen. >> Okay. I just I think I think this is just raising a lot of questions about how we got to the numbers, how we got to the reductions, and whether we are really accurately allowing for the potential impacts and are we building into the budget the ability to be consistent with, you know, in the past and what we've seen is overrun. So, I guess that's just my question. And Miss Alustin, >> just real quick then could could I ask could could maybe you consider changing the word liability to contingency so that it matches also what's on the add in just I think that would help clarify how we're thinking of this.

100>> Like to me I I added like the 14 open settlements because it to me helped quantify like what we were talking about >> and that could be but it also could not be. So we want it to be broader I think in our minds. >> Miss Steel. >> Hey thanks. Um I just wanted to um I guess put if and this I I mean the detail does not necessarily need to be there but um when we talk about the money related to special education um and if we're gathering any additional information for cuts or for additions um for me what what I would benefit from is the especially cuts-wise is the student impact because I know we're talking dollars and cents and we're at a very high level here, but there is experience um

101connected to a child, you know, outside of the legal costs and settlements and stuff like that. When you know when different services are being adjusted or shifted or personnel is being moved around, I I would appreciate what that looks like at the ground level to make sure it matches with our mission and vision and the drive that we need in order to succeed. Um there are certain areas of special education that need more support than others. And while things can be can be cut, um it does not necessarily mean that it is what's in the best best interest for the district and for the student and the educators involved and the and the classes. So, um, if there's any way to share whenever possible without a ton of work the impact on students or the

102education environment, I I would appreciate that information when viewing that um my brain likes that qual quantification qualification picture that if you will um better and and I think that that's all that I had questions for. So, thank you. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, uh that takes us uh that concludes our guest and scheduled speakers for this evening. Uh again, the first part of the uh proposed 2627 budget presentation, Miss Stephie, is what we'll be voting on as the proposed final budget at the meeting next week. And with that, we have three other presentations uh next week. We have the spirit of mthactton with the high school. We have community cares update. Dr. Regina and some of the members of the community cares group will be will join us. And we've asked Dr.

103Sergeni to give us an update uh for the community and the board on the Ottabon Elementary School property. With that, uh we'll have reports as as standard. Uh we will have some advisements likely public comment on action items and then we'll go into fiscal items. Miss Stephy >> Sure. So for the board's consideration next week, um 9A, list of bills, 9B, treasurer's report, 9 C, budgetary transfers, 9D, 2627, GHR educational contract, 9E, North Monco Technical Career Center budget for 2627. 9F, General Supply Bids. 9G will ask that the board approve our list of depositories for the 2627 school year. 9H, the 2627 MCIU shared services budget. And 9 I proposed final budget for the 2627 school year. 9J summer facilities projects including our cola masonry facade restoration chain link fence system and gates um as

104well as the tennis court restoration and districtwide Ballard project um as well as high school hydroponic pump replacement 9K we'll ask the board to approve the renewal agreement with NRG curtailment solutions for the demand and response program. >> Thank you, Miss Stephie. Are there any questions on any of these items to my left? Miss Purdue, >> can I just have a little bit of background on um I believe is nine um J 4 in reference to um I guess what looks like um work for um pump replacement. >> Dr. So Jenny, >> certainly the administration is recommending accelerating the replacement of the central HVAC plant hydronulic pumps uh and associated equipment as part of the high school additions and re renovations project. That was slated to happen in 2028, but we are recommending moving that

105forward to 2026. It's based on the current equipment conditions, operational risks that we have with that equipment and also the opportunity to improve system performance in advance of the larger project. >> Can I just ask just because we are we do currently have a larger high school um project renovation on the table. How does moving forward with this sooner rather than at that time what's the impact or the pros and cons? >> We anticipated saving money because we are doing this two years earlier than the larger project and it will avoid the escalation costs that would take place over the next two years >> and we won't need to make any like doing it this early. I guess what I'm asking is why when we're starting this and you guys may know from property, but

106I my question is starting it this early. Was the um is there any disadvantage? >> There are no disadvantages. The pumps are all sized appropriately to the new size of the renovated high school. Uh we've worked very closely with Snyder Hoffman, our uh services provider, and ICS in ensuring that. And this should move this portion of the project just two years earlier. >> Okay. And and then there's warranty. I'm guessing if there's anything if we once you know whatever happens with the high school project if so there's you guys have investigated all of that. >> We have. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Any other questions on finance items to my left? Is is Miss the Dr. Regina, is a mist? No. Okay. To my right, see any Miss Graph? >> Yeah. Um to

107Miss Purdue's question, I also want to note that there had been a failure of that equipment that had um a replacement part recently. And so that probably was the impetus to sort of consider this coming forward a little sooner so we don't have another failure in that equipment that we would have to address. Um, and I think the other the other component there is that that budget that money is actually going to come not out of our regular budget. It's going to come out of capital project fund. Just FYI. >> Any other question on matters of finance? Seeing none, we'll move on to personnel items. Dr. Serjini. >> Thank you, Dr. Zerby. Good evening. The personnel items items for this month include the following. We have one resignation administrator, John Smink, assistant principal at Sky

108View. Uh after 16 years of dedicated service to Mthactton School District. Throughout his tenure, John has served with distinction as both assistant principal and director of activities and athletics, his impact on our district uh district is measured by the countless students he has mentored, and the positive culture that he uh developed on our fields and in our hallways. We wish John all the best and his Mactton family uh thanks him for all of his service to Mthactton. There are three resignations professional Leila Lions, art instructor at Sky View and Lauren Rogers, school counselor at the high school. We thank Ila and Lauren for their dedicated service to the students of Mthactton and we wish them well. And David Raminsky, school counselor at the high school, resignation for retirement. After 30 years of dedicated service to

109the students of Mthactton for three decades, Dave has served as a steady anchor for our students, providing the complexities uh providing empathy rather, wisdom and guidance necessary to navigate the complexities of growing up. Dave's Mthactton family wishes him all the very best in his retirement and we thank him for his service. There are six resignations classified, four of which are personal care assistants. Tina Jones, Deborah Wolf, Karen Stewart, and Jay He Chang. We thank them all for their service to Mthactton. There are also two resignations for retirement. The first is George Pastino, head custodian at Arrowhead. After 28 years of dedicated service to Mthactton as head custodian, George's work has extended far beyond the hallways and classrooms. He's been a steward of our environment, a friendly face for our students, and a dependable teammate for

110our staff. His retirement marks the end of an era defined by his hard work and also his pride in his craft and the entire Methactton family wishes him well. And the other resignation for retirement is Kathleen Siccilia, secretary to the assistant principal at Arcola after seven years of dedicated service to Mthactton. Kathy has been the steady heartbeat of the office managing a whirlwind of schedules, paperwork, and student needs with unparalleled grace and efficiency. She's been the first friendly face for students in need of assistance and the indispensable right hand to our leadership team. We thank Kathy for her service to the district and her entire Mthactton family wishes her well. There are two job descriptions both curriculum coordinators content and grade level. These are it's important to qualify that these are teacher coordinator uh coordinator

111positions. It's a new job description for both both based on changes to the MEA contract for the years 2026 through 2030. I also recognize that the words curriculum and forward are misspelled in the two that were placed on the board agenda and that will be corrected for the action meeting. Uh these positions uh one of the changes that was made are or is that grade level leaders were created as part of this. So these coordinator job descriptions are in keeping with the changes to the MEA contract. There is one employment classified Marcy Dean, secretary to the principal at Arrowhead. We welcome Marcy to the Mthactton family. There are two changes of status classified Kiana Matthews from bus assistant at transportation to casual on call and Chelsea Hathcox from par professional at Eagleville to personal care

112assistant at the high school. We thank them both for taking on these positions. There are three uncompensated leaves professional all at the high school for the dates listed. Erin Nice Spanish instructor, Lucy an family and consumer science instructor and Jenna Wetzel special education instructor. There's one uncompensated leave classified Deborah Bruner par profofessional at Woodland for the dates listed. one sbatical leave, Tara Florentino, special Spanish instructor at the high school for the fall semester of the 2627 school year. There are supplemental contracts for teacher support at the high school, chaperones at Arc Colola and the high school, pupil services contracts, a mentor, detention monitor, marching band director, and extended school year. And finally, one community education addition and a current pool manager. Thank you. Any questions to my left for Dr. Serjini on matters of personnel?

113Miss Alustin. >> Hi. Thank you. Just a couple of questions on the curriculum coordinators. Um are th those are currently positions filled even though they're maybe not titled exactly that way. >> They are, but they are some of the positions are retitled in the new contract and those are the grade level leaders. So that's why there it precipitated the need for the uh job description changes and >> Okay. But but it's filled with people and it's going to be filled with people. >> That's correct. And they are teacher supplemental contracts. >> Okay. And um then how does that work? Do is that then does that open like an application process? >> It does for the the positions that are not currently filled. So those that assuming that there was a uh a positive review of

114the individual based on the evaluation system in the current position, they will remain in those positions. any of the newly created positions will be advertised and there will be an application and interview process. >> Okay. Um and then thank you. And then just um real quick on the Spanish instructor just because I know there's a lot of um important exams or maybe if it's AP is is there a sub a sub in place that that is qualified to >> for the current absence? Uh those courses are being taught by our qualified Mthactton teachers. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions for Dr. Sudini? Miss Purdue, >> I just have a quick one for 10J. Um, you have the casual on call. Can you tell me some of the positions or duties that fall under that?

115>> In this particular circumstance, she would be doing casual on call in the transportation department. So, filling in primarily for bus assistant positions. And then so then would you need to I guess have a bus assistant now or will you need to replace that position? >> Yes, that is a position we would look to replace. >> Okay, >> Miss Pet, are you finished? Okay, Miss Aenda, >> thank you. Um, on 10 C numbers 1 through 4, the personal care assistance, um, I just wanted to know, you know, since these are folks that have that one-on-one contact with students, um, if you could just share for us like what the plan is to to get new folks into those roles, um, provide training and, you know, this is our first kind of class of PCAs. Is

116that right? >> Not all of these individuals are part of that. And no, that's not correct. We we have had PCAs employed by the district for for many years. Uh we are in the process of replacing some of the third party contractors with PCAs. We do have three job fairs that are scheduled over the course of the next several weeks to fill any vacant positions. Any that need to be filled immediately have been either filled back filled from within the organization or through a third party. >> Perfect. Thank you so much. >> Any other question? M steel. Yeah, I just wanted to follow up for the uh 10 C I think um items 1 to four as well. It's just a number of PCAs that are all resigning at once and I just um you

117know if we don't have an answer um I would love an update if you can find out if why they're all leaving. Um it just seems like there's a lot. Um, so I guess that that would just be a request for information. Um, just to make sure that there's nothing that needs to be adjusted um because it's just a lot of resignations at one time. >> I am aware of why they're resigning. They are not all for the same reason. Unfortunately, I can't due to confidentiality share those, but I am aware and it's not a systemic issue that caused the four to resign at the same time. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Any other questions to my left to my right? Mr. Winters. >> Yeah, Dr. Zerby or Dr. Serjini. I think it would be

118helpful in the finance committee, we did talk about the early retirement incentive program. I think for the general public to understand where that ended up landing here in April. That would be helpful. In addition to the six retirements about which we were already aware, we had two additional retirements that came in as a component of the early retirement incentive uh that did not meet the threshold that had been established for that program to move forward. Of those two individuals who had submitted their uh resignation for retirement, one of them decided to rescend it and the other one has moved forward and is on the agenda this month. >> Okay. Just to add, in the original plan, we had uh the plan would kick in with 20 uh participants from the MEA. Is that correct? >>

119That's correct. >> And we ended up at eightish somewhere around >> eight. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Any other questions on personnel to my right? Seeing none, we'll move on to curriculum and programs. Uh Dr. Regina. >> Thank you, Dr. Zerving. Uh under 11A, we have revised curriculum. Uh there's a number of items here for approved following revised curriculum for the 2627 school year. That's personal finance, data science, algebra 2, financial algebra, formerly known as applied math, AP research, and then a number of FCS courses. Uh and we covered these also in education committee under 11B, resource adoption. This is the one item um that will need to sit. And so this is for statistical reasoning for everyday life. Um, starting tomorrow, this will be in Fina for inspection, sit until May 19th for the

120period of 28 days, and then be approved uh or or be up for your approval on May 28th, and that is next month's voting meeting. Under 11C, we have two orus agreements. One of them is the approved guaranteed admissions agreement with Mthakan High School. um essentially guarantee admission to a methactin high school student if they earned a minimum GPA of 2.5, graduate from the high school with a high school diploma and satisfy all their application requirements. Uh the agreement also has some additional language around partnership scholarships, dual enrollment acceptance and collaboration opportunities and you can certainly read those in the agreement. The second item under our sinus agreements is the dual enrollment agreement that we're going to be uh hopefully going forward with with her sinus as well. Under 11D, we do have the revise

121to plan instruction. Um and this is specific around our German uh enrollment and our German coursework that's currently existing. And it reads, approve a revision to the planned instructional offering. of the district as follows. Beginning the 2627 school year, German will no longer be offered as course for grade 7. Beginning with 2728 school year, German will no longer be offered as a course for grades 8 through 12. These planned instructional offering revisions are being made as a result of a substantial decline in course enrollments. And so since 2022, um our German enrollment has been on a steady decline. At the start of the 2023 school year, our German one and seventh grade dropped by 50% enrollment. And this is due to the fact that we started to allow our students to take their first choice

122language. In the past, what we would do is we would force students into a language they may not have accepted as a first choice in order to try to balance out the schedule. And we changed that methodology starting the 22 or the 2023 school year. Um this year uh only one of our German courses offered at the high school exceeded our unders subscribed limit and our projections for next year deduce that none of our German courses will meet the threshold of 15. So our recommendation is to titrate the German program starting in the 2627 school year. So first we will run German 1B for our eighth grade students to complete their second year of German in our cola next year. Second, we will run our a section of German 3 at the high school, which

123will allow our students that took the first year of German at the high school to complete their second year, which some colleges and and universities still request as part of the application phase. And third, we will run an APG class for those students next year that are completing German for this year. And if possible, accept some German 3 students that may feel that they're ready for AP German next year as well to close that out. So starting in the 2728 school year, then German will not be offered as a course um for in according with the staff. So next year, one of our German teachers will be reassigned to a different position for which she's properly certified. In the 2728 school year, the second German teacher could potentially face a furlow under section of the

124PA school code for curtailment or alteration of educational programs. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Regina. Are there any questions on the matters of curriculum uh to my right? How about to my left? Miss Clary, I just want to follow up on that last comment you made about uh the German teacher and furlow that teacher will have an opportunity to obtain other certifications. Um >> great question. Yes. And and Dr. Sini I think has already had the conversation. Um, so there is only four positions or four certifications within the Pennsylvania certification list that a person cannot test into. And so she would naturally have the opportunity to test in any of those areas and that potentially fill an open void that we would have in the subsequent year for if she was certified in that

125proper area. That is correct. >> So that's two years to do something. Two year one year >> she So next year will be the last year that we're running Germany. >> So a year to do that. Okay. Um I want to talk for you a couple minutes about the or a couple questions on the your sinus agreements. So that's fantastic. Loved it. I loved um reading about that. Um as I read through the agreements and you talked about it a little bit, you mentioned the GPA is 2.5 um and they have to have a GPA of 2.5 plus other uh admission application requirements. Is that what does that mean? Is that SAT score, ACT score? Like what does that mean? >> No, my understanding is basically they just have to fulfill the application requirements of

126the school. It there isn't any other necessary benchmarks that were shared with us at that time. >> Okay. So, a Mthactton student who has a 2.5 GPA, fills out an application, but opts not to take the SAT ACT will >> I'd have to confirm their requirement of a SATs and that might be part of the requirement. I don't know if there's an actual threshold though is what I'm saying. Can you find Can you >> I'll find that out. Okay. >> Um and um >> and one of the things I read in there is one of our responsibilities as a district is to publicize the agreements to the high school students and parents. How are we going to be accomplishing that or have we thought about that yet? >> I know Dr. Gorland and Dr. Jüker

127are working with the counseling department to to figure out how to best do that. So, uh that isn't something that we have yet set in stone, but I know they're working on it. >> Okay. And when does when will it when will the program start? Will it start um for next year's >> That's correct. Next year's class. >> Start for the next year's class. That's correct. >> Okay. Um and then switching to the dual credit um agreement. This just may be my lack of knowledge about the the dual credit courses, but the agreement says that they will accept dual credit courses earned by Mthactton High School students that are taught outside of the normal hours of high school instruction. And I I hope I didn't read that wrong. Um, but I was going to ask

128you, is that how it works? the dual dual credits are outside of the normal high school day. >> Sorry. No. Um, not necessarily, although it could be. So, I think there's a number of bullets. Are you Are you in the one for the not the It's okay. Um, so probably the one we're just talking about that same agreement of what courses they would accept as part of the acceptance one. >> All right. I'll go back and look. Yeah, I think what they'll say the the courses are taught by faculty from college or university that are regionally accredited. So that's one. So they can be in our coursework and they can be taught by our teachers or they could be taught by their teachers. Those could be accepted. I think the courses they'll also um accept

129courses that are taught outside of normal hours um for high school instruction. That's how I'm reading that. Um I can confirm. >> So no no that's okay. I'll reread it. So you think that part was part of the original your sinus acceptance agreement? >> That is correct. Yes. Yeah. Because we when we met with them, part of the idea was that students are going to be able to sit in our chairs and take these courses with our own teachers. >> Okay. I I I'll read it again, but I I think my recollection like if I look at my notes, that note is under the your the original your sign is graduation or the admittance agreement. Um the other question I have is are we doing dual um uh dual credit courses with any other institution

130besides >> Yes, we do. Um I think we run one with the Montgomery County Community College and I don't know if there's any others. I think we run our dual uh chemistry, our dual enrollment chemistry and a couple other courses. Um I can get a list of you but I know for sure it's Montgomery County Community College is one university we do with. >> Okay. Um, and then my final question is I think this is so I just think this is so fantastic um to be doing this with your sinus and I I'm wondering if we have the opportunity to try to do this with other local universities whether it's Westchester or Temple or Villanova or I I don't I mean you you name it, right? I St. Joe's I was just wondering especially because

131St. Joe's and your sinus I believe are connected. Um is there have we is there did they approach us? Did we approach them? How did we get here? >> We have a really good relationship with their sinus. So, we um we're over there quite a bit. We have people that kind of teach some courses with some other professors. I know you probably heard that Kyle and I do a course together over there. Sometimes Melissa goes over and teaches some courses. And so, we've gotten pretty close with them. Um we run some of our retreats over there for summer retreat. A matter of fact, we're doing a five district retreat with North Penn, Percyan Valley, Whisik, and us and Saddton. And we're running that on your sinus campus. Um, so we had just had this really

132great partnership with them. And so through that partnership though, we've gotten into conversations around these two agreements. And I really have to give the credit to Dr. Gora. She really is the one that spearheaded most of this work and did an outstanding job of getting these things prepared. So um, kudos certainly to her uh, for getting this to us. >> I'm sorry. I should have said thank you. >> All good questions. Thank you. Any anything else, Miss Alustin? >> Yeah, this is just um I was just looking at the statistical reasoning for everyday life. So, should the cost be 70 * 154.99 plus 25 * 139.99? Is that what the or is there other costs associated with implementing that? Just because that doesn't add up to $18,48. It adds up to 14,349. >> Let us

133review that. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other math questions? Uh to my right. Oh, I'm sorry. Curriculum and I'm sorry, Miss Purdue. >> No, I had the same and I was just thinking if there was like a teachers edition included with it or something, but um >> there could be. I I'll get that. I'll make sure I have that answer for next week. Yeah, I'm very imp. Very well done. >> But I just in reference to the um the number of student license that is listed on there. How many students do we typically get participating in that course and um how does the license work? Cuz we've listed 70 I believe. So I'm just curious. >> I'd have to get back to that. I know our statistics courses are very well attended.

134>> That's why I asked the question. Yeah. >> And we have been traditionally running just a classroom set of textbooks, not a textbook for every every student. >> And so we run enough digital licenses for our students, but only a textbook set for the classroom. >> Yeah. And I only ask just because I know it's probably a a higher number of students that participate. And I was just it just caught my eye on that number. So, if you can just follow up and then it seemed like it's a older version also because it's 2024, but maybe that's what's available. I just thought that was interesting. But I had a a different question in reference to um to German. Were you able to find out in reference to whether it's our North Monco Sending schools or

135other schools in Montgomery County, what other um school districts are no longer offering German? Were you able to find that information? >> We did not have an opportunity to follow up with other districts yet. I know you had that request and we do owe that to you and then we'll make sure that we do that before next week's meeting. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Any other questions? To my left, to my right, my curriculum. Okay. With that said, we'll move on to matters of policy. Dr. Regina. >> Okay. Uh policy first read. Uh we have a number of items. Um so we have our 006 meeting 008 organizational chart and then the last of our 900 series. Um starting in May, we are back to the 100. So well done. Uh we've

136made it all the way through one complete cycle of policy here in the last few years. Um, in our second reads, um, we do have a number of items there, uh, attached and we have a larger list than normal because, uh, we did have some items that were tabled and then came forward a few meetings ago. Um, now in May, we will be connecting our, uh, as our policy committee discussed. Um, we will be connecting our June policies to our May agenda to make sure that we double up on that. And then in September, we'll be connecting our August policies um with the policy committee discussing not to be operating in the months of June, July, and August. Thank you. >> Any questions on matters of policy for Dr. Regina to my left? Seeing none

137to my right. Seeing none, we'll move on to other gift and donations. Uh listed as a generous gift from Shannondo residents to the planetarium hydroponic farm in amount of $225. A gift from Shannido residents to Eagleville Elementary Art Show winner in the amount of $1,000 and a generous gift from Lower Providence Presbyterian Preschool to Eagleville Elementary School for the backpack program of $250. Approve the trip uh high school trip to Penn State PJs State Science Fair. Uh May 17th through the 19th at University Park. uh transportation to approve the drivers as part of the uh normal approval process. We have a a placeholder here for health care agreements. Uh it it should be known that uh the healthc care consortium, the Bucksmont Healthcare Consortium for which the district with which is one of I believe

13812 school districts that are in the consortium. The consortium has made changes to the available plans. Uh those available plans uh then uh uh perpetuated uh as as outlined in the collective bargaining agreements with the three organizations, the Bethactton Education Association, the uh the MESPA group and the Teamsters uh to uh create a memorandum of agreements uh in order to uh make the modifications associated with the healthcare consortiums. The board's been apprised of what those changes are. The uh agreements are under review by the solicitor and should be posted in this location uh for the board's consideration at next week's meeting. And then uh the next two items we have a residency verification software as it approved the contract with Thomas Rotor's Enterprise for Clear Prolex residency verification software at the terms outlined in the

139attach agreement. This is being funded through the PCCD grant for the first year. Uh the agreement does allow for the district to uh stop uh that in in future years even though it is a three-year agreement with a a uh no uh requirement uh to end the uh the agreement. And the last item is a 2026 delegate appointees uh to approve the appointments of the following members uh Miss Kate Graph and Mr. Glenn Murski uh for voting delegates at the PSBA delegate assembly held on November 7th, 2026. Any questions on the matters under other Miss Purdue? >> I do have one. um if you can just um explain the residency verification software and then my question really is around um the the use of the PCCD grant for the first year and I and how

140we will supplement um for the next three years since I believe it said is a a three-year contract. So, I just wanted to um just understand that a little bit. >> So, it is a three-year agreement with a uh uh a clause that allows the district to get out at at at any time. Uh the district is is being recommended to all the Montgomery County school districts uh through the MCIU to leverage the software in order to better uh control the uh the uh uh the residencies within the uh within the district within the district. Uh Dr. S, do you have some other items you want to add to it? Yeah, it's commonly done by matching names and addresses that are supplied by the families against public and proprietary electronic records. These can include utility

141databases, property records, vehicular registrations. And if it it comes back as, you know, verified, then that's an automatic verification. If not, we revert to a process of asking families to provide hard copy documentation. >> And and thank you. I think my my concern is that because we're using a grant, I know the preferred is to use a grant for one time one time use and while we are using it for to cover the first year, there's three years that we may potentially have this that we may not have a grant to cover and then we'll have to look into getting that um funded by some other way. So, and I I just wanted to highlight that I'm aware it's through a grant. So, there's I guess at this time I would say there's no cost

142to the district for it, but I I do really um struggle when we do things like this when we use a grant knowing that there's a cost that we'll have to account for in upcoming year. So, I just wanted to raise that. >> Mr. I I want you to know that we don't commonly do this uh and but the the way the this grant is designed it is one of those and I don't know if I use the right term but more meritorious than and so we needed to put it against some of the things that we had thought uh we needed to put into place uh that but we wouldn't commonly do it this way and so your your point's well taken. Um we will have to adjust the the budget as we do

143with with a discussion every year uh for for future years. >> ML. >> So uh Miss Purdue, just to clarify a few things. So when I took a look at the contract, so um Dr. Zerby is correct that there's um we can get out of the contract with 30 days notice at any time. Um, so if we if we use the grant for one year and um the district wants to continue on with that, they can. If they want if we want to get out of it, we can as long as we give 30 days notice. But just so the board knows, while the costs are like almost 23,000 for year 1, in year two it goes up 5% and in year three it goes up another 5%. Um my question on this one is

144how are we going to evaluate no when are we going to evaluate the effectiveness for us as a district? Is it 6 months in? Is it because there's this 30 we only have 30 days, right? So 30 days for the year. We have to be on top of it. So I'm just kind of what's the plan I guess if we approve this? Yeah, the the the the internal evaluation has to occur by November as we uh start generating and and preparing for next year's budget and and so that that'll be the first, you know, conversation about where where we at we were at. So I believe uh Miss Johnson, our home and school visitor, will be the one responsible for uh producing that information. >> So would the con so if the board approves this,

145would the contract go into effect in May? So the year would be May to May or is the year going to be August? >> When is the when's the agreement available? I'm not not the agreement, the grant. >> The grant is actually currently available. They made it retroactive to Okay. the current year. >> So we would be go so >> we would May to May. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So we would be evaluating then the effectiveness 6 months in. like I I still don't in no that's six months in. All right. Okay. Okay. Thank you, >> Mr. Kendo. >> And it's my understanding that other districts are using this program already. Is that right? >> That's correct. And they are also actually using the PCCD grant for the first year of implementation as well. And

146I I I believe I remember reading this in some of the materials that were shared, but are are any of the districts that are using this software realizing any kind of cost savings by using the software? >> Yes, they are because they are able to better evaluate and determine anyone who is not properly registering within our boundary or within their boundaries. So it could be that in years two and three, although the district may be paying for the use of this software product, we may be realizing some savings in other places to at least somewhat offset the cost. Is that fair? >> That's correct. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions on on other to my left? Miss Alustin, >> I just had one and and I don't want this to sound the wrong

147way at all and I really thank I I think it's very generous for the Shannidell residents to give this um gift to um winners at Eagleville Elementary Art um for the art show. But I'm just a little concerned about equity across all the schools then you know if they you know one school is getting this and not the other ones I that's just a concern. And it just seems because it's a large gift. Um it's a large award. Um so I don't know if we consider accepting the gift, but all the schools can have an award split or I don't know. And I I hope this doesn't sound the wrong way because I'm very happy for the students at Eagleville to be getting this. But it just that just stood out for me. >> I

148I think I think I understand your point. Um I I don't know if uh going in and asking them to make the modification of their gift, but going in and uh being more being a part of the the future conversations about how they're doing their gifts that that we definitely can do and ask them uh to to consider, you know, some form of uh equity across the district. >> Yeah. Because even if it was for across four elementaryaries, it would be a nice very nice award of $125 per student, you know. >> Um, >> we can we we can certainly have those conversations with them >> and it would be celebrating all you know and yeah and it would just be celebrating districtwide um you know Shannondelle would be celebrating all the students and I

149I know that there is a special relationship between Shannondelle and Eagleville especially with backpack program and I know they give generously. Yeah, I I I understand that and you know I'm just pointing this out that it would be nice for all the students to also be a part of that. >> Any other comments on other to my left to my right Miss Chonda? >> Are we providing data to clear? Do we know details around that? >> They're not collecting data or anything like that. >> Not to my knowledge only on as uh as used basis. Okay. >> Is that something we can clarify and find out? >> Certainly. >> Thank you. I'm asking because they are currently wrapped up in some messy relationships. >> Mr. Winters. >> Yeah. I never really thought about this before,

150but on the healthc care agreements, we do have another unit, not a collective bargaining unit for the administrators. So what is the approach for the MAO I think is what we call them usually the methactin administration organization. >> Yes. So both our confidential exempt and our act 93 groups are percentages based off of the language in the MEAMS and it's a 1% difference I believe in both of those. Correct J? Yeah. and a half percent for the confidential exempt. >> So you're saying whatever was agreed to and with the with the formally with the bargaining units will be adjusted. >> That is correct >> proportionately to the MAO contract. >> That is correct. Actually the only addition change is going to be the open choice for plan. Everything else stays the same with percentages. >>

151Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any other questions on other comments? Seeing none, that takes us to uh >> Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Thanks. Um I just I'll be very quick. I just want to echo Miss Shondaanda on um and I know that you already said you get it, but I just wanted to echo finding um the just couldn't nope. um clarifying and getting like um I sorry I lost the word but the making sure that the student data isn't being collected on clear um and that everything is being kept up because there's been a lot of different edtech companies and different technology companies that that has been collecting and selling and has been that have been accused of that data recently and just so just to be super careful.

152Thank you. Uh with with that said, uh that ends uh the the uh the items. Uh we'll go move on to dates for board members calendars. Old all old and new business. Miss Madame Purdue. >> All right. So dates for um board members are for board meetings are available on the district website and also listed here with our next meeting next week on the 28th at 700 p.m. um the voting meeting and then old or new business. I will just like to add that this week we will celebrate prom and also followed by the annual postp prom. This year marks, I believe, the 26th annual postpon minute just to thank all the organizers and we have nearly 400 volunteers that have spent many hours of work um to make this event a safe and special

153time for our students. I know last year I had to drop off something. And I believe it it was for um Miss Austin at the high school and just walking in and seeing the volunteers there. Everyone was in their element working hard to transform the high school to get it ready. Some of them have been up all night. Some of them have been up weeks working on their special areas. I just know it's a lot of work that goes into it. And I can't even thank all those involved and all those that will also be part of it whether it's coming to walk through um which is this Friday from I believe we have it from 6:30 to 6 to 8:30 p.m. for the community walkth through. It's a great opportunity to bring the um

154younger students in and the families to come see how the high school is transformed and then um like I said and everybody that will come up and stay all night with the students just to keep them safe and be there to provide anything that they need including food and entertainment. It is a busy night um at the high school but a lot of work goes in prior to that. So, I do just want to thank everyone that's involved and many of the board members here that will also participate and I've already dedicated some time to it. So, I do want to say thank you. And then with that, I will just check if any board members have any old or new old order or new business. No, nothing from Miss Still. Okay, seeing none, I

155will go over to courtesy of the floor and the board of school directors will now provide an opportunity for residents to make comments on matters that are are or may be before the board. The board asks that you keep your comments to 3 minutes or less. The board of school directors may choose to respond to matters following conclusion of comments. You can also submit questions via email to informations.org. Please state your name and municipality. Jim Malik Warester. Um, you really want me to submit questions? I've submitted them and I'm not getting answers. It's ridiculous. Um, where's the finance and property committee presentations? They're not on the website. What happened a week ago? How come they're on the website? You know, I asked these guys, nobody knows. Um, so your plan for the budget is to

156max out the tax increase and add back the cuts. Whose crazy idea was that? Is that your idea? Both you two should go with that plan. It's ridiculous, right? especially if these cuts are one-time cuts and not repeatable because then you're creating a hole in the budget so you can afford your little building project. Um last year's budget was pulled out. Mr. Winters took us in order to get votes for it. Now I just saw the forecast for 2526 uh budget got a $900,000 surplus. So, we get overt taxed over the index. So, you can come up with a $900 uh $100,000 surplus. That's auditor general time. That's what they That's the audits they did on those 12 schools. Exactly what you guys did. Then you take the special ed exemption all the way up

157and we get 900 grand surplus. Um, this year's no different. You got a business manager who wants to tax us to the max and feels we should have been doing this all along even though we had budget surpluses every year. Now, how do you do that? How do you have a$1 to2 million budget surplus every year pretty much for almost 10 years and then somebody advocates for raising taxes up to the limit higher? Something's wrong with that thinking. Um, what about this for your solution for your budget? What about cutting the 30 million that you're putting out for your school scheme and now you got a balanced budget, no problem. What about that? Where is that? Where is that in the presentation about, hey man, here's 30 million we're throwing in. Maybe that's screwing up

158the budget. What about that, Dave? What? You don't even think about it. Um, the other thing is if you look at the special ed uh support services forecast, you're going to be down 3.4 mil deficit. Where's the analysis? Where's the investigation? Where's the presentation? How can you have a budget surplus with a $3.4 million deficit? How does that work? So, somebody needs to look at all that stuff. Thank you. Amy Smith, Warsester. I wanted to take a minute just to say how exciting it is to hear about the Ursinus dual enrollment program that Dr. Gora has been working so hard on uh to make happen. There are so many opportunities at our sinus and to Miss Clary's point, you know, trying to utilize uh relationships with other universities and colleges in the area sounds great,

159but really starting with our sinus considering its proximity and the size and it's almost like a a great gateway um into higher education for some of our students. And they they really do put a premium over there on each individualized student. They provide a lot of supports for students of varying abilities and and I think it's it's a really great program to explore and I I think that Mthaxton can really um help launch that in the uh in the area. I think some of the other school districts will be interested to see how that goes. So that's amazing that Dr. Gorilla has been working so hard on that. It's great to hear about that this evening. Um, also I just I just wanted to say I appreciated the thoughtful discussion around the high school renovations

160as well. I have not been able to get to the community meetings um early on about those discussions and I I feel like the presentations um that the um uh that the design team have been bringing in are are really concise and easy to follow and understand. So, I just wanted to say uh kudos for that and I appreciate the discussion with the board uh around those those things and especially the emphasis on on safety with the cars. Um anyone who has children who drive uh really appreciate that discussion. So, thank you for that. And I just wanted to acknowledge Miss Stephie and say thank you because all the years I've been coming to board meetings. Um I feel like I've had to do a lot of prep work for the budget presentations. But this

161year I feel as though at whether I'm at finance or uh I'm here uh present for the work session or board meetings um your explanations are are just very thorough and make sense and I appreciate the time and effort you put into them. So thank you. Thank you. All right, seeing none, and before I ask for a motion, I do just want to say thank you again for postp prom and encourage everyone to stop by this Friday to check out the walkth through from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. And then with that, can I ask for a motion or if there's any comments first? Okay. Motion Miss Austin, second Miss Chandanda. And then with that, the meeting is adjourned. Thank you and have a good night. Good night.