May 28, 2026 - MCSD School Board Meeting

001under God, indivisible, [clears throat] with liberty and justice for all. >> Going to call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Baker, >> here. >> Mrs. Barl, >> here. >> Mrs. Bombardner, >> here. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> here. >> Mr. Herb, >> here. >> Mr. Harshburgger >> here. >> Mr. Ketchum >> here. >> Mr. Buyers >> here. >> Mr. Wy >> here. >> Communication reports. Uh, school board secretary, Mrs. Lewis. >> I don't have anything this evening. All right. Thank you very much. Schoolboard members. >> Yes. >> Um, I got to take advantage of Mrs. Zerby's invite at our last meeting, inviting us into her classroom. Uh, today I got to spend a period with her. She was doing flight day uh during a small small group breakout on math lessons. Um, so

002they got to, you know, build a paper airplane, measure the distances versus their height and everything and apply some real world math to calculations. Um, so the winner was 13 ft 10 in for how far they went. Um, but it was great to see a small room breakout sessions. >> That was Thank you again for that. >> That was at the middle school, correct? >> Yeah, that was at the middle school. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Wyan. Uh, any other board members? >> Yeah, I I would like to say something. >> Yes, Dr. Ketchum. Was there somebody before me? It's hard to tell. I have >> Do you mind if Dr. Ketchum goes? All right. >> Go ahead, Dr. Ketchum. >> All right. Hey, I just wanted to bring attention. I I really um

003was really impressed uh yesterday at the balore service that was done for uh students that wanted to participate uh in that uh uh faith. uh kind of setting the the kids off into uh uh with into the world with kind of a send off from a faith-based perspective. And um it was it was it was it looked like it was half the class. I mean, it was great turnout and uh really was really was encouraging. The the the the people that volunteered and the music was fantastic. The students put on great music and um and I know that there was a lot of work put into it. I know that Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministry was was involved in organizing as well and it was it was just really a special special time. I was really

004really proud to see that and I hope to see it again next year and and hopefully uh turnout will be just as good or even better. [clears throat] >> Thank you, Dr. Ketchum. Uh Mrs. Dixon. Yeah, I just last week I made a comment [clears throat] and um it was not it was perceived as offensive and I ap I want to make a public apologies. Mr. Barner just did not mean to um offend him in any way. It does not have any um doesn't that does not reflect on what I think of him personally as a superintendent. So I just wanted to thank you Mrs. Dixon. Uh any other board members? All right, moving on to our superintendent, Mr. Barner. The Mills family's here. We get started. Um, track season here. We have to do

005a big shout out Reese Bell, um, Reese Cassin, W Coffin, Con Lynch, Carter Smith. Great performances at the track and field championships. I mean, absolutely incredible baseball team, you know, still playing. Softball team really turned around. I had a great end the season. Um, I mean, just great for everybody. Um, all the board members received a copy of the paw print. So, you have that at your at your table. And then we also, um, you know, it's been a while now. I think I think it's February. Um, Rebecca Connor Miller, I sent an email to the board. I brought up the board meeting. She won the Dr. Laurel Humble Technology Innovator the innovator of the year award at the PNC conference at Hershey. So one of the board members said, "Hey, can she come talk

006to the board?" And she said, "Hey, can I wait cuz I want to showcase some of our TSA kids that qualify for nationals." So Miss Con Miller, if you want to address [clears throat] the board a little bit and then introduce your >> Sure. Um, I just wanted to say this award is like to me huge. Being named the innovator of the year for the state of Pennsylvania is like it's just amazing. I come from a technology education family. My dad was a teched teacher in Meland County for 36 years. My uncle was a teched teacher and he was an administrator at the junior high school. I have several other family members who are also teched teachers. So it's just like the apple does not fall far from the tree. So being able to promote

007tech in such a positive light was like the most amazing thing just for me to be able to step into that space. Typically that award is won by somebody who is doing educational technology which is more like computer based or programs and things like that. It's not the hands-on career related types of fields like we're doing in teched. The name of this award is after another very well-known tech teacher who is a female as well and we are very rare in this space. So that is also very meaningful to me. Um that award just symbolizes what our district is doing for our students. That award is given to people who are collaborators. They're creative. They're doing innovative things. They're bringing many many student experiences to our youth. So that is what is most important for

008me. Some of the things that were showcased in that were our collaboration that we do with fifth grade classes for Eco Day, our chemistry carnival, our Lego robotics program that we've developed. So these are just some of the amazing things where we're collaborating across the district with different grade levels where high school kids are going into classrooms and showcasing their skills. These wonderful humans that are here today are here representing the club that I adise, technology student association. It is a club that's affiliated with technology education. So, this is actually their third year getting ready to go to nationals. Their first year, their sophomore year, the way that TSA works is kind of like sports. You start off with a regional competition, you go into a state, and then hopefully you go into nationals. They've

009been able to achieve this sequence for three years in a row. I'm not sure that this has happened in Mlin County. So, these humans are amazing. Amazing. Their first year, the sophomore year, they won third place at regionals, first place at states, and second place at nationals. Huge. Second year, they won first place at regionals, first place at states, and seventh place at nationals. And this year they won first place at regionals, second place at states and we're hoping for something pretty big at nationals. >> So this year's theme was villain era. So this is the garment that I had come up with and then as a team we also helped work with this. So um basically we came up with a story line to also help develop this idea. So our villain's name is

010the Duchess of Diamonds. Um, and essentially her whole backstory is she fell in love with the Duke of the town and then he ended up falling ill. So then she thought to save him that it might be best to just kill him. So then she poisoned him and then the whole family turned against her and then they passed her away from society and then she grew very bitter and now she wants to get revenge on the royal family. So each of the motifs are represented here. to me with a diamond which represents the love and purity that she had and then it starts to kind of over crest over here which is showing like the bittering heart and then this is like her heart beating in a way and it also shows the shell that

011she puts up as well as the armor here and oh you want to talk about 3D printing so I 3D printed the armor of the chain mail on the shoulders and these little diamonds um this was done with a resin printer and these were done on a Um, for nationals, I plan to uh make these bigger and to polish them so they don't look as like dusty and how they do. And I plan to make these doublesided because when they flip over, they're just black on the back which looks bad. Um, yeah. [laughter] So, this is my first year in CSA. Um, Emily actually coached me and asked me to be the model. It means a lot to me, especially because I'm a dance star for 14 years. I've never done anything else really. So,

012it was nice to step out of my comfort zone and do something different and challenge myself and definitely take the lessons I've learned. >> This is my third year in TSA. Um, and I've been a part of the fashion design team all three years throughout every single part of the competition process. And my first year I took more of a role with the documentation um which is a side you guys don't get to see tonight but it's basically a 20page document of all like the research that we did we put into it how we interpreted the theme what our story line was and how we actually sewed the garment itself as well as some pictures and sketches that we had while we were going through. Um then my second year I started to take on

013more of a hands-on approach with the sewing with my friend Raina. Um, and then since she's graduated last year, I took on the full sewing role this year and I hope I did a really good job. So, um, this is also my third year at TSA. I work more in like the background area. I do a lot of the computer drawings and then this year I did the 3D printing which was my first time ever using a 3D printer. So, that was exciting. Um, I had a lot of fun with TSA and when I go to college, I plan to join TIKA, which is like the college version of TSA. So, I'm going to use in TSA to do good Tika hopefully because Oak is going to school to be a tech teacher. >> They

014don't give themselves enough credit. What you guys also don't see behind the scenes is that this club starts in September. We meet every single week. We have workshops. They prepare for all these competitions. Once you get to the states level, they submit all of their competition pieces to a panel of judges who go through 30, 40, 50 and they pick the top 12. After they pick the top 12, they have to do a live runway show, which at CSA is the only live event that is live stream. So, they have to do that to pick the top three. So, pretty awesome. >> Thank you, your last day of school. Go enjoy. Get out of here now. Did you design those diamonds on the computer from scratch? >> I did. Yes. >> Did you run into

015any issues with 3D print? >> I did not. >> Oh, that's good. Oh, that's good. Sometimes you get stuck on the >> design from scratch >> and and yes computer and print them. what I just what we just injectors >> pins and stickers that I designed for our TSA chapter this year. Um it's a goose and he has little safety glasses and our TSA attire and it says community through community which is our TSA um our national saying this year and then it has N County PA and then it has N County High School TSA written on it. Um, I just thought it would be a good gift to give to you all for treating us so well through these past three years and we're like very grateful for what you do for us. >>

016Good job. >> I got the question. What was your biggest challenge in designing all this? Um, I think definitely the biggest challenge was sewing because although like I took on a small role last year, it does not compare with sewing a whole gar by yourself and like especially you have to make all the patterns yourself. You can't just go to the store and like buy a pattern and start making it. Um, but I don't know if Annie shows the back of this, but this part right here, which is a coffin, which like represents how her husband also died. Um, but this was like really hard to sew because it was so many different panels together and there's a lot of issues with fit throughout that. So, >> couldn't 3D print it. [laughter] >> I also

017did use a laser engraver on this garment too, but like that's how these cutouts got here. And there's also some of that discoloration there. So, >> thank you. >> Yes. um at the holiday they have in November at the high school. Um, they have their display and they have keychains of different things and I had softball. I think it was you. I asked about a softball one. They have baseball, but I didn't see softball and you went back or thought whoever and within minutes had a softball a couple softball keys made and that's incredible. Like, >> oh, it's >> Yeah, we have a lot of neat things going on at the high school. I mean, all of [clears throat] our schools, but it's nice when they reach that level. I mean, Emily and Oak have

018been here forever. I mean, it just, you know, now Ann wants to be part of the show, of course. >> Great kids. Thank you very much again. [applause] >> The conclusion of tonight's meeting on the executive session for personnel and contractual topics. And that's all I have. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Barner. U moving on to our chief academic officer, Mr. Mr. De Armit, >> I have nothing. >> All right. Thank you very much. Our [clears throat] chief operations officer, Mr. Arin. >> Nothing. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, our director of building and grounds, Mr. White. >> I just said one thing. Thank you. I did get an email from the state on the application for the grant money for the Rupert East area, they just said they reviewed the project narrative and

019didn't have any requests for additional information at the time, and they had submitted the application to pro program manager. So, it's no confirmation of anything. It's just moving process. a quick quick question. So, >> yes, >> I noticed you mentioned some of the pipe work in the yellow at the high school corroding. Is that there are no leaks? So, uh what spurred us to look at it again, we had just uh had a lift in there a couple years ago and we're looking at every angle we could see in there. We seen a wet spot. Actually, Matt Moore pointed out seen a wet spot during one of the shows on the ceiling. Um, so I honestly think there was one person during construction that wasn't tightening them all the way or wasn't putting up those

020ones. So we found, you know, sporadic places. We can see three. One's corroded pretty bad. So they're just the black iron is corroded and it's starting to seep. So obviously we want to repair that before we end up with a leak. So we were just back up this morning looking at it again with Ralph sprinkler. We're going to set up the second week of June. We get drained by 3/4 of the school the sprinkler system to to repair those. We're setting up if we get to replace 25 of them if we will, but uh we're looking at um suspended off ceiling, laying clanging down above that ceiling and getting up there. We might take some of the auditorium seating out to get the listing where we need to to get up there and make repairs.

021So, thanks. >> Uh we just want to get done as soon as possible. Sure. >> Uh second question for you. Do you I know we probably talked about this in building these rounds committee. >> Do you think are you going to look at what we could possibly put on this bid from Mitchellfield like over the summer? I'm not sure we're going to get to that at this point. >> I'm just curious. >> We have I already got a full pipe. The sprinklers just started up. We had paving project now. The state threw some stuff at us, too. I'll be speaking to more length over the summer here that we're looking at with water testing and things like that. So, uh I'm not sure we'll get to that. >> It's not going anywhere. >> So, yes,

022we um if we get to that point, we will. But, I mean, I've spent the last couple weeks just ordering materials, getting permitting ready, having things in order. So start next week when we start happening some of these projects. >> Thanks. I was curious. I have a question just kind of we talked about the Indian Valley playground equipment and you utilizing an opportunity to get the kids involved. Did we go through that? And I'm just curious what playground equipment we ended up with. >> We voted during the meeting on uh option B. Correct. >> [clears throat] >> I went around like three different directions that night, but I think we landed on we put the schematics on the board and um we chose the option B, which was the option that I had planned with

023they had put them up and you guys have chose that. So, I hope so because it just shipped last week. [laughter] >> Let's roll with that one. >> I was confused about that as well. >> Like I had to Yeah, I had a conversation with Mr. White about it as well. Yeah, I didn't think about it for a while, but yeah, we went around and I think we reopened and then we looked at I had emailed them to to Melinda and she put them up >> looking the kids get involved. >> We had talked about that >> at one point. So, >> okay. >> I think that's where we landed anyhow. >> It's coming, right? So, >> yeah, it's birthday of school. >> Thank you, Mr. White. Um, so we'll go ahead and move into

024our first public comment. The general rules that apply is that you must state your first and last name and the town that you reside in uh before you start your public comment. Individual public comment is limited to 5 minutes to a 30 minute limit for the entire public comment section. Um, and for this public comment, it has to pertain to what is on the consent agenda, not the consent agenda, what's on the agenda. Uh, so at this time, do we have any public comment? All right, >> there we are. >> Justin Burnham. >> Yep. >> Passion is defined by Miriam Webster as an intense driving or overwhelming feeling of emotion. It's broadly encompasses a strong affection, deep interest or a devoted enthus enthusiasm for a specific activity, object or concept. That concept to our families

025the education of students in Newland County. We've seen firsthand with our oldest son the immense benefits the academy provides and we've heard comments recently from other students grateful for the opportunity. Therefore, Mr. Harshburgger's push to remove a principle during previous discussions as well as an immediate dismissal of the nomination as alternate on the committee has struck a nerve with us. While the language used in relation to the interaction between Mr. Harshburgger and Mrs. Parlor was not professional and an apology for such language is public record on last week's committee of the whole meeting. The censure document posted late yesterday afternoon to the website under item B is discussed. This document goes beyond procedural censure and is a blatant and slanderous attack of a schoolboard member. The repeated accusations of lies and premeditated lies are liable,

026slanderous, and defamatory. Furthermore, how dare the authors of this document attempt to bully and intimidate Miss Carla for voicing her comfortability to meet upstairs late at night privately? They know nothing of her history surrounding any abuse, domestic violence, or her heightened sensitivity to situations as such given her personal professional experience of more than 20 years in human resources. Another board member did express a lack of comfortability in that situation. should she be in Miss Barl's position during public session. Frankly, any individual, male or female, should have the respected right to express their comfortability in the situation, and reasonable accommodation should and can be made. This censure document goes far beyond procedure and conduct or the apology that Mr. Harshburgger believes he's entitled to or any resolution whatsoever. It is a blatant attack and an intimidation

027tactic, and Mr. Mr. Harshburgger and any co-authors should not receive the support of the board. I do hope the conduct regarding this topic and censure are evaluated by the board members at this table because none of this proceedings, the time spent and legal fees are in the interest of moving forward collectively and constructively. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> I know Abigail, Miss Abigail and I wanted to speak. >> She wants to it's a curriculum thing. and she was a short to speak at this public comment or the second one. >> We don't have anything for curriculum, so it would be more appropriate for the second public comment. >> I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Thanks, Ashley. >> Yes. >> Hi, my name is Kelly Strober. I'm a teacher at Lewistown Elementary School. I'm

028just um going to advocate that um you take into consideration strongly what the um picture committee school board the school picture committee has has offered you as the number one suggestion. Um I attend home and schoolboard meetings throughout the year and at Lewis Elementary School we have probably a four solid parent attendance for parents. If you were to move that picture yearbook aspect to someone local and private, I do not know that they would have the ability to get these kids their yearbooks. These little ones um at this point there their yearbook is what they leave school with. Like we've had beach day the last couple days and they cling to that yearbook like all they have are their beach towels and their yearbook. And I just want to to implore you that do not

029take the picture thing as smoke machines or whatever for these older kids. I know that's important, but if we don't look at a at an organization that can provide this for our little ones, they aren't going to have it. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. Is there any other public comment? All right. Hearing none, we'll go ahead and move into the consent agenda. Um any changes from the committee of the whole to the regular board meeting will be highlighted in yellow which does include under finance a presentation and discussion of the projected revenues expenses and general fund balance. Um, so you want to go ahead and super share [clears throat] on the screen. See here I start this window. Yeah, >> there it is. Okay. So, um we've had a couple of requests

030from the board for um projections and there's been some discussion about um projections and instead of looking at things at our budget one year at a time, why are we not looking at this for multiple years? We've had some board members um suggest using AI. We've even had a board member that has done their own AI projection. Um, so I just wanted to share some things. We do have a a projection platform that we use. Every month I take the district's um actual financials. I dump them into a platform and we look at where we think we're going to wind up for the current year. And that for platform also has the capability we can take the current year then where we think we're going to wind up and look out um for five future

031years. The you know the problem with that is it is just a projection and as we've been talking about all during this budget season we get 57% of our revenue from the state. There's a huge timing difference um with the state. We don't know how much money we're going to receive. I sound like a broken record, but that's a very real problem that we deal with here. So, if we just take a look these um this uh presentation here, it's not fancy. It's it's pretty bare bones, but um if we take a look here at these this slide, this was included in one of my uh budget presentations from this current budget season. Um these are our actuals uh our actual budget for these three years. Our most recent three um completed you know 12

032months fiscal years. So we had in two of those three years we had uh budgeted a deficit but we actually came out with a surplus. So we do that we've talked about it. We budget conservatively. Um, and we do that for a number of reasons. We, the number one thing we would never want to overshoot our budget. Um, one of the main reasons we do that is because, um, you know, we don't have like a booming economy here in Midland County. We're a poor rural district. You know, we're not State College. We're not center county. We don't have um you know restaurants and businesses lining every single street. Certainly we've made some progress here um in recent years. Uh you know we have we are doing much better than than we had. We have some

033expanding manufacturing uh facilities and all of that uh businesses moving in. But one of the uh positive things that we have when Standard and Forest comes in and looks at our books, when we go to do refinancings, um they take a look and they say, "Wow, Mifflin County has uh surpassed their budget uh projections each and every year. So for the past five years, we have outperformed our budget and um we get kudos for that. When we did our refinancings for 2024 um we actually our credit rating was upgraded from a um stable to a positive. So one of the main reasons was because we outperform our budget. So, I mean, we don't want to um you know, go overboard on that, but we um the target is uh per uh a person at PASVO,

034it's the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, they say a benchmark is um 2 to 3% on your expenses. um you know you should have that margin of uh variance for your budget on expenses. So that's basically what we try to do as we've explained all during this budget season. There's so many variables, so many of our different uh line items that we just don't know um you know how it's going to come in, especially um on the special ed side of things. So anyway, this is uh where we ended up. So knowing this like 22 23 $6.3 million surplus um you know the other year not quite as much but would have been very hard to argue for a tax increase in these years. Um you know hard to defend a tax increase in

035these years. Although um as we've talked about before uh we did get an increase in our homestead farmstead allocation the gambling revenue from the state and in theory we we could have increased our millillage to a point that would have equaled that um that allocation and half of our residential taxpayers would not have even seen an increase. Um, but I pitched that to the board three times and I could not get five people to agree with me on that. It would have been just a small increase for the school district. Um and our 10,000 residential property taxpayers would not have seen any increase because as we've mentioned um in the past 5 years, those 10,000 people who have been approved for our homestead farmstead exclusion, they've actually seen their taxes go down by $143. So

036all of that to say that we typically do outperform our budget and uh this these are actuals. So you've seen this slide before too. Um uh since 2020 our state revenue has increased significantly. 2020 we had total state revenue of 41 million. Here we are in 2027. We're budgeting 57 billion. So $17 million increase in state revenue um in like six or seven years. It's just a tremendous increase in revenue. We This asterisk here was Governor Wol's legacy budget. Uh Governor Shapiro picked up the torch. He's been carrying it. He's a huge advocate for public education. Um, but what we're hearing is that, you know, those days are likely coming to an end. That's the issue. Um, that's what we're afraid of right now. That's why we're just extremely um concerned when we look forward.

037um we've gotten the adequacy money, the $2.5 million that's been added to our ready tolearn um bucket, but uh you know, we're hearing from the state that that's not sustainable because the state is having the same issue, you know, that the school district is is having. The state um needs to find additional sources of revenue to continue to fund at its current levels. um and they just can't seem to agree on on how to do that. So, we can't control the money that's coming from the state. The only thing that we can control is this one line item here, real estate taxes. That's the only line of revenue that we have control over. >> Can I ask a question? >> Sure. >> Um we don't have any we don't have any control over per capita

038taxes for um when I saw in Junata County I read the newspaper briefly. I thought they had listed like per capita taxes, occupation taxes, um amusement taxes. Do we have >> I mean we have we have per capita taxes. We have a local services tax. >> I'm not sure that the school district would I don't think an amusement tax would apply to the school district. >> I think that's for the Port Royal Street. >> Okay. >> And that I think some people [clears throat] down there get that live close get a property tax relief from them. I know somebody that does get a little bit because they live so close. So, but we we can't we don't have any control over like per capita or the real estate transfer tax. >> Not that I'm aware

039that we could >> what what sets those rates or who sets those rates? How can we raise those rates or do you know >> I don't think that I mean the state is who sets forth the amount and how they're aortioned because the municipality gets part of those the county gets part of those and the school district gets part of those. So when you have your real estate transfer for example the certain percentage of that 2% goes to the school district and a certain percentage of that is owed to the county and and to the municipality as well. So the there's a tax act that lays out how you know what all taxes can be collected and what the uh the limitations are uh on those. Uh Mifflin County got rid of the occupation tax.

040>> Uh I think right around the time of act one came in. I mean there was because a lot of it wasn't a very popular tax, >> right? Well, no connection. >> Well, but it was it was extremely arbitrary >> uh because it was based on title as opposed to any any sort of income. >> So, if you have a a kid that gets out of Penn State as an engineer is paying the same occupation tax as somebody that's been engineering for 40 years. Hardly fair to the person. So, that that was [clears throat] phased out. But, uh, there there's a local tax, uh, act that that sets forth, you know, what those, uh, what those requirements are and how they're be divied up. So, and county, as far as I know, is maxed out.

041The school district is maxed out on the tax levels for for those particular taxes because >> per capita. Yeah. We get one half of 1% >> for the real estate transfer. >> That's correct. >> Yes, Dr. >> Thank you. Yes, Dr. Ketchup. >> Um, thank [clears throat] you. Uh, so I just I Jim, every time we talk about this, we talk about the surplus that we have um every year, how how we beat our expectations. you have mentioned about the standard score rating, but um you know I I think that there I don't think we really understand what that means. Uh can you please explain a little bit more what that indicates exactly because I know that we're talking about you know discussions about cuts and you know some some of that was you know

042portrayed maybe not accurately in different or wasn't received the way it was intended in some ways. Um and that um uh the the the reason why people are asking for those things is because we want to make sure as a board that we do our due diligence to make sure we're being good stewards of our money, right? Being good stewards of the tax dollars spent. And if so, we're looking at it from that perspective as the board. I think that's what the the reasoning behind a lot of that is. And and I think that we we jump over the the surplus or the the the budget surplus that we've had over the last several years. um as well we just we we we underestimated here we underestimated this but really you know there's another way

043of looking at that I feel and and I just wanted to see what your thought your thoughts are on that along the lines of you know uh a proof and point that you that that we are keeping pressure on uh internally there's being pressure being kept to ensure that we don't you know get inefficient. >> Yeah that's right. So, I mean, we establish those budgets and [clears throat] we issue um monthly reports at the end of each month and closing. I send out an email that the business offices finished processing the month closing and all of the department heads and all of the building principles run their um monthly reports and, you know, they take a look at their numbers and they make sure that they're not exceeding their budgets in every single line item.

044So um you know our leaders are very uh cognizant of you know the budget and what they have to spend and um you know what they've been allocated and what they you know they know what their limits are and um yeah that they are looking at their numbers monthly. >> So like a we use a general account 610 account [clears throat] is is you know general instructional supplies. you will have, you know, Mr. Porzine at IB, you know, he's ending up the year and he's going to have some money left over. He would not just go spend it instead of losing it. He knows, you know, to save that money, be a good steward and then we put that that goes in back into that money goes back into this year's next year's upcoming budget.

045So, that's like a prime example there. And like, you know, if they're not sure, you know, they talk to their their staff, they'll bounce it off somebody in here. And yeah, so that's that's a prime example. You just don't use or lose. We don't we definitely do not do that. Um the other thing is is that um as and and maybe maybe we're going to get to this, you know, stop me if we're going to get to it, but I mean the idea of um as far as how do we compare to other districts, you know, other comparable districts, you know, in the real estate market, and maybe this isn't the right time for it, as far as tax increases over the last several years, per year, not overall, per year. >> Yes, I have

046that information. I have that information. Yeah. So, this slide was just to show that um you know, we've our past success was based on the tremendous in increases that we've gotten from the state. What we're hearing is that um you know, those may not be coming in the future. Um you know, we just don't know. uh and that the real estate taxes um that is the one line and only line that we really can control. >> Okay. >> Uh so these are the millage rates. I show this to you all the time. It's just a different type of presentation. This is the millage rates of Milan County since 20134. So these are the increases that we've had um in that time period. You can see it's been flat. This is the um the slide that

047was in our last budget presentation that we had up at the high school. So this was just showing the increase um in the last 10 years. the overall increase. So this was just to show um that in 10 years Mifflin County has increased their millage rate 3%. The next highest district is Juniata Valley and there's another 6% here Mount Union that in those 10 years they've increased their millage rate by 6%. I was actually misqued in the Sentinel as um you know the Sentinel made a comparison of the millage rates and you can't do that because um the assessed value um is different in different counties like we base ours on 50% of market value. Like there's something called equalized mills. We didn't get into any of that conversation, but you can't just say that,

048okay, Midwest has the highest taxes because they're 76 or 81 is the highest. You can't just look at that and say they have the highest taxes. It doesn't really work that way. This slide was just to show um who had the greatest overall increase um and really to show who had the lowest overall increase and that was Mifflin County. you know, you can see these other districts um you know, are raising taxes because that's how public education is funded. Um >> catch them. >> Is my audio coming through or is it just a little bit quiet or something? I'm just curious. I I can't tell. Um >> I didn't hear. >> Is his audio coming through or is it a little bit quiet? I feel like >> it's it's a little it's a little quiet.

049>> Okay. Okay. I wonder if you could maybe >> out though. Um I I So the last slide I wanted to ask uh uh for instance Huntington School District at 52% increase would that mean that you divide that by 10 they they have an average increase of 5% a year? I mean average >> quite right but something like that >> right average that's >> right >> actually too so it might be >> so this is um I have slides for our the districts that are in our IU that actually show the increases per year. So you can see this is Huntington County. You can see it's just a steady a steady rise every single year. There's an increase. I mean I won't belabor the point. Junata County a steady rise every single year. This is

050Mount Union. Mount Union gets a little tricky because they have two school districts in one county. Um that gets a little tricky. The multicount, that's a different calculation. Southern Fulton, steady rise. Southern Huntington, they were flat and then they took a couple of really big bumps. And then this is the IU. This is not intended for you to see it, but just you can just see the visual. That's those are the counties, the districts that I just went over. There's Smith County flat. And then the next one, this is Center County. So this would be Bald Eagle, Belfont, Milan County, right? We're here in the middle, Pens Valley, and um State College. So again, you can just see um you know, this one that's Belmont, that's more gradual. Uh Penn's Valley and of course State

051College. Everybody knows about State College taxes. is their legendary for their tax increases. So this is the visual representation of um our projected fund balance. I mean this is the bad news if all of these bars represent a different scenario. So, we had talked about um like three different scenarios. Well, really four. No tax increase, a 1.45% tax increase, a 2.9% tax increase increase, and then a full tax increase to the um act one index. Um, and this graph shows what would happen to our fund balance in each of those situations with the uh five-year proform that I've done. So, it's assuming minimal increases from the state, just uh minimal basic education funding increases. It assumes no adequacy. We don't know what's going to happen to the adequacy. Uh we're hearing that we will probably

052get it in 2627. Mr. Barner is hearing that we're not going to get it in 2728. They're saying it's just not sustainable. >> That's 2.5 million, >> right? So, um, this shows that with a 4% increase in our expenses each year, our $29 million in fund balance is uh gone by the year 2030. So, it shows that um really the only way we can get to zero fund balance is if we would have a 3% tax increase every year. Um and that gets us to zero. That at least keeps us um you know from falling below the line. So, I mean, is that going to happen? You know, we would certainly hope not. This this uh assumes a 10% increase in health care. We've typically had a 5% increase in healthcare. One year we had

053an 8%. >> Last year we had less than 3%. >> This year we got the 20%. So what uh this projection assumes is a 10% each year in healthcare. Um so with these different scenarios um it shows that we can make it till 2930. >> I have a question on this slide here. This is just assuming we spend exactly what our revenues [clears throat] are each year. Correct. Like there's no surplus or is there any surplus calculated into this? >> No. So this is assuming um a deficit each year. >> Okay. This is assuming we continue with the deficit each year. >> I just want to confirm for context that this is a worst case scenario option here. >> Yeah. So this is saying like even if we were to increase taxes to the index

054the green the green bar one year like we're basically in all of these scenarios um you know we're underwater in 2030. like we really need um we need the state funding to to sustain us. Uh you know, we can't even raise enough money to um dig us out of this deficit here. What I've done here um in this slide, I said, well, what if we do get the 2.5 million each year? What if they fully fund the adequacy as they, you know, as the fair funding lawsuit said that they have to? Well, then we end up with um like 6 million in our fund balance at 2031. [clears throat] Is that going to happen? I mean, we don't know. That's the problem with um I mean we need to be forward looking for sure but

055um we just don't know what that state piece is going to be. >> Was our debt service projected to be paid off 2031 or is it 333? >> It's 3334. That' >> be another $8 million in. >> Yes. [clears throat] This almost [cough] >> almost gets us there. So this doesn't include any hypothetical surplus at the end of each budget here. We have you show that we do have >> it does not this is just um showing our um just our projected expenses. >> Yeah. The way the way they are. Well, then you're pretty much basically saying even with tax increases, we're not going to have be able to keep up with [cough and clears throat] without pulling money out of our fund balances, >> right? >> So, it's going to have to be a

056combination of those two things. And we're still possibly going to be underwater by 20 or 20 20, >> right? We still need we still need help from the state. Right, >> Mrs. K. Even that that uh chart that you have up there right now [clears throat] with a six million fund balance in the best case scenario that's still an amount below what they recommend that we have correct. >> Yeah. Yeah. [snorts] Yes, it would be. So, this slide just shows um just revenues. Um this is not including the adequacy. This is just showing the different scenarios. The no tax increase. These are would be the options. Well, okay. One point. Oops. Oh, no. What did I do? The 1.4 4, the 2.9, the 4.8, and then I I did add the 3% tax increase per

057year because that um got us to zero in that last year. That was, you know, pretty much our break even. But you can see um you know, it just doesn't do it just doesn't give us a lot of revenue like our one line that we can control. um it just doesn't have [cough] a [clears throat] large impact. This is a good slide. It shows um the cumulative change. So whereas if we did not do a tax increase um [clears throat] in the current year, our revenue would increase like $500,000 just from like the change in assessed value. And in 2031, not doing a tax increase, the cumulative effect of not doing a tax increase in the current year is like a million dollars. But if we go here to the purple, the 3% tax increase

058per year would get us I can't see that 1.3 in the current year. The 5-year cumulative effect of that 3% in this current year is 5.7 million. So like this um slate color is uh the to the index of course that's going to get us more in the first year but you know just doing that one year it's going to get us two and a half the cumulative effect of that is two and a half over five years I mean really we need sustained revenue is what we need. I had just taken a look to see what the 3% I mean we this 2.9% is 1 mil. So I had just looked at what 3% would be for our average you know what we said our average assessed value was the 39,172. If we were

059to do a 3% increase for five years, it would be um roughly $41 a year, it comes out to $215 over five years. And remember what we've been saying, the homestead farmstead like that person's uh that property would have already been reduced by $143. So it would go up $215 over five years in that scenario with a 3% increase over five >> up two or up each year. Not up each year. That's up to $215. >> A 3% increase per year like to get this situation here. >> Okay. that got that's what I needed to get the district to zero fund balance at 2030 was the 3% >> we weren't negative without um >> oh right that's without advocacy so this we do get to funding that's so much the better >> correct She says

060worst case. >> Yeah. >> Very good. >> So, this is something that we look at. It's not um it's not that we're not looking at it. We certainly are. >> No, this is all on the revenue side. [clears throat] >> Um yes, we were just we were looking at the revenue side. I mean the on the expense side, I mean, they just stayed the same in all of the different scenarios. We kept um you know, we did like a 3% increase for uh salaries. Like I said, I did a 10% increase for um insurance. I mean, maybe it won't be 10%. We kept transportation the same. Um we kept charter school the same. Just hoping that like the pluses and minuses would net out. >> So that is the last slide. And I mean I

061would just say that you know it's um we want to be forwardlooking but we don't want to be alarmist at the same time. It's a delicate balance. I guess >> a delicate balance when you don't know if we're getting adequacy. You don't know about state funding. The variable we're going from 3% healthcare to 20% this year >> to say something. >> Yes, Dr. Katchcha. >> Well, I I really what a really a lot of different ways of looking at it and I think that was very helpful. Thank you so much for putting that together. >> Certainly. >> [clears throat] >> about >> I uh one thing that I um everything that we looked at essentially is just treading water basically like this is how we keep the lights on and the one thing I've noticed

062you know if you re if you look at um companies that are highly successful and those that kind of fail and go to you know go out of business um the the one thing is is when When you are scared that or just trying to keep the lights on and that's where your focus is is just keeping the lights on, your lights are going to probably go off at some point, right? Because you're not focused outward looking at all the possibilities around you being creative with what you know what we can do, right? because we're we're right now we're just talking about treading water and and maybe that is a very critical part of you know keeping lights on but without a it also and and I think this points to a broader idea of

063of trying to do some real robust planning because right now we we don't have anything that we we're we're aiming towards we're just aiming away from the lights going out right I mean figuratively of course you know that would but we're just aiming away from that instead of towards anything right so so um I really like this is a good good foundation. We can see that things are coming down the pipeline, but if we focus on this and this is all of our we're going to have blinders on to see all the other things that we could potentially be doing too. So like we and we talk a lot about it. We talk a lot about treading water um without paired to outcomes for students and without paired for outcomes for class size and without

064paired for all these other things should be in the same conversation. Now, maybe there will be at some point and I hope that we can try to incorporate that more going forward because I think that that would give a lot of context to what we're talking about right here too and we would appreciate it more um as the board and as the public we would appreciate it more when we see the the when we can take a step back and zoom out a little bit to see it in the context of the whole. But I mean the the numbers themselves and I I think that this helped quite a bit to be able to quantify and demonstrate how things are going to go out in the future as well. So it was really really helpful.

065Um I just hope to see the other side of it at some point. >> Maybe. >> Can I ask a quick question? >> Sure. >> Is there any way that we can maximize our income on real estate taxes? Um I looking at these financial reports every month there's always recommendations to exonerate um on collecting delinquent real estate taxes or recommend to approve an offer which is just looking one of them was $5 and then we also passed um a resolution relating to lura in 2022 for 10 years. I mean that essentially is lost income and lost revenue for us and we do we know the impacts of the LERA resolution. So those requests come from the county but do we know the impact that the lost revenue that we're receiving because of that resolution that

066was passed. Some people are getting tax breaks for five years. So 100% tax breaks for five years. >> Yeah. Typically those properties are not paying like they're um deteriorating and you know they've just been abandoned and nobody's paying on those. And the idea is that you know somebody's going to come in and buy them and you know fix them up for the and get the tax break on the renovation and then they're going to come back on at an assessed value and they will be income producing properties. That's the idea of that. But but do we know the impact that that has had? >> I mean I don't know the properties specifically. No, I [clears throat] do not. >> Is that something that is easily obtainable? >> I mean I can certainly ask. I don't

067even know that um you know enough time has passed that that it would be measurable. >> Three years isn't enough time. I mean 2022 is when the resolution passed for Lura. >> Yeah. So I mean I'm not even sure that anything would be back on the books, but I can certainly ask. Yeah, I can ask about that. >> Now we've had KZ's in the past. >> Yeah. Opportunity. >> Yeah. >> So like you know [clears throat] >> they come in ask us to cut them a break and then recruit business come in give a 10year window I think. >> [clears throat and cough] >> Is there any other questions for Mrs. Kad? >> I had a couple of other things on my list. Um, last week someone asked if we could post the academy budget

068and Mrs. Holtz did that. It's attached to the agenda. And then um I think it was Mrs. Garner asked for the evaluation rubrics for the Mets RFP. I asked for that. I mean, I did ask like why we said only was it were they the cheapest? >> Yeah, I was just wondering why we went with them. Separate budget. >> I have them if you'd like to see them. the evaluation rubrics. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, Mrs. Kette. Um, so further on into the consent agenda, other changes include um added items to the personnel sheet. Um, is there anything from the consent agenda that a board member would like to pull for roll call? Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> Motion.

069>> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I have a question on the uh >> personal sheet. >> Yes. There only auary people that are on here. Is this a like a one and done? We talked before about is this a one and done or are there going to continue to be >> positions? These are all the folks that were already approved in previous years that wanted to continue on to next year. >> I believe then um once they are approved, Mr. Lley is going to open it up to if there are any new individuals that are interested and we should have a bulk list of those for you. So you're going to and then that'll be it for the we'll approve that. >> That's my understanding that that is how he's going to handle it. >>

070Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Any other discussion on the consent agenda? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Baker. >> No. [clears throat] >> Mr. Wyan? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Burner? >> Yes. >> Mr. Styers? >> Yes. Mrs. Barla, [clears throat] yes. >> Dr. Kentum, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >> yes. >> Mr. M. >> Yes. >> All right. Moving on to roll call items. Uh item A, recommend approval to submit the Bethlin County School District 2026 2027 application for flexible instruction days. Uh once approved, this application will be valid for 3 years. Uh do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Burgerer, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >>

071yes. Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barla. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> I'm sorry. Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lion. >> Yes. >> Good. >> Yes. All right, [clears throat] moving on to item B. Rec recommend a retroactive termination of the listed employee effective May 2nd, 2026. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Barl, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, [clears throat] >> yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Nixon, >> yes. Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> There we go. >> Mr. Syers. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumner. >> Yes. >> All right. >> Moving on to item C.

072Recommend approval to rename the ad hoc evaluation committee to the ad hoc performance recognition and development committee. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barla, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bomber, >> yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Moving on to item D. recommend approval of the 2026 2027 athletic programs regulations. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> These need to be approved tonight or can we wait to approve them until Mr. Well, the aquatic director has the opportunity

073to review and have input or we have confirmation that he's [clears throat] comfortable with these. >> In order to do that, we would have to table the motion. >> Correct. I was just asking the >> he told me he's had I I specifically asked them and he has said yes, this was a collaborative effort. >> Okay. All right. Cuz I know last week we were unsure. >> Yeah. And I I called him Friday and [clears throat] Yeah. >> Okay. >> And if something would come up between like now and let's say August, we just bring back one little line item in that athletic reg to update or change it to do a revision if needed. >> Okay. something came up like in the athletic committee maybe that we're kind of yeah coming up um but

074one of the things I did notice is that the uh proposed regulations still mention an assistant AD um is that something that is being considered >> well I was going to wait to see everything happened tonight was approved approved and we start talking about that probably on Monday we have not posted any job or anything like you know Is there any other discussion on item D? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barl. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumberger. >> Yes. Mr. Baker. Yes. >> All right. Item E, authorize the director of voting and grounds to review the bids and award the paving project to the lowest

075responsible bidder within the approved budget. Uh the bids are due on June 1st, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and the boards will be the bids will be reported to the board. Um do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? Roll call, please. >> Mr. Hersburgger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bum Gardner, >> yes. >> Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barla, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> All right. Moving on to item F. uh recommend authorizing the following central office administrators to sign contracts on behalf of the Midland County School District for July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027. Um, and this includes uh Vance

076Varner in his capacity as superintendent to a monetary limit of $100,000. Uh, Thomas White in his capacity is the director of building and grounds to a monetary limit of $50,000 on his own and an additional $50,000 with an addition with the signature of the superintendent. um a $5,000 monetary limit for the incoming athletic director. Um Cindy Marsh under her authority as the director of student services to be authorized to sign for approval of daily rates and other program costs for student placements outside of and within the Midland County School District. Uh Doug Cunningham under his authority as the director of information services authorized to sign for approvals of software packages and programs and -ate submissions. and Steven D. Arman under his authority as the chief academic officer to be authorized to sign for approvals of

077supplemental services, online accounts, etc. with textbook purchases, instructional instructional programs, professional development programs, and likewise. Uh, do we have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? [clears throat] Roll call, please. Dr. Peppa. >> Yes. [laughter] >> Mr. Wyan. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger. >> Yes. >> Mr. Syers. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barl. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumurner. >> Yes. All right, moving on to item G. Recommend approval for teachers hired for the start of the 2026 2027 school year to perform supplemental work during the June, July, and August months of 2026 if needed. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >>

078Is there a number of days or Mr. >> Um there's no specified number of days. We have we have a limited number of trainings that are available. So >> I mean I I guess a teacher could come in for all that are available although some days are duplicates so we can offer them in different times to try to accommodate vacations if we can. Those kind of things but it's limited really to probably um the two weeks before school starts is really about all that we offer. >> I think we could use this for ESY. I don't think anybody that's new is doing ESY, but that would be about 20 days in July for like three hours a day >> is extended school. >> Yeah. >> Are are they required to come or is this >>

079No. No. Nope. >> Okay. I mean, I think it's nice that it's offered for coming in brand new and everything. I think it's >> and we have a lot to do. >> Great opportunity. Right. We have a lot to do. We [clears throat] But we can we can require them to come for something outside of their contracted work day. But we do have a lot of teachers um we have a lot of new teachers that take advantage of this. It's very very helpful to have them >> more prepared to start the year for sure. >> I would think it would be >> to their benefit. >> Oh, it's good that we offer. >> It's really it's been really nice and very beneficial since we started doing it. >> For sure. >> Thanks. Is there any

080other discussion on item G? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Styers, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bumurner, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barla, >> yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> You can do the next [clears throat] three all together. All right, >> speed it up a little bit. >> So for items H, I, and J, it would include recommending approval to resend the transfer of Nicole Lewis from HR generalist to business education teacher, Methlin County Junior High School. Nicole will remain as the HR generalist. Um, it also recommends approval to resend the resignation of Nicole Lewis as board secretary. that would that was to take effect on July 31st, 2026. Uh

081Nicole will remain as the board secretary and Betsy Casner will no longer uh be the board secretary for the Mlin County School District. And this would also retract Candace Fry as a mentor for Nicole Lewis as the business teacher of the Midland County Junior High School. Uh do I have a motion to approve items Hi, and J? Motion. >> Do I have a second? Any discussion? We'll call >> right here, guys. That's me. [laughter] >> Mr. Lion. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. >> Yes. >> Mr. Styers. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumgardner. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mrs. [laughter] Yes. >> Got two there. >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb. >> Yes. All right, moving on to item K. Recommend approval of the updated job descriptions

082for certified occupational therapy assistant, physical therapist, speech language pathologist, and occupational therapist. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bumgardner, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barl, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. [clears throat] Mr. B. >> Yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sireers. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wy. [clears throat and cough] >> Yes. >> All righty. So, items L, M, and just the not the SRO agreement. >> SR. >> Okay. So items L, M, and N would recommend approval of the updated memorandum of understanding per chapter uh 10 in the state schools provision with the Lewistown Police Department effective July 1st, 2026 along with the Midland

083County Regional Police Department on the same date. um along with the approval of the SRO agreement under the same uh statute with the Burough of Lewistown effective on the same date. Do I have a motion to approve items L and N? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Bumgardner, >> yes. >> Mr. Styers, >> yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barla, >> yes. >> All right. [clears throat] Moving on to item O. Recommend approval of Andrew Baker as the first assistant girls basketball coach for the winter 2026 season of the 2026 2027 school year. Andrew has 10

084years of experience and will be paid a salary of $3,920 for his work. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Barl, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> abstain. >> Mrs. Bunardner? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dixon? >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb? >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger? >> Yes. Item P, recommend approval of the renewal of the food service management agreement with Mets Culinary Management for the period of July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027. Do I have a motion? >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. I would just like to say that um I'm not really satisfied with Matt's

085nutritional value that they provide or the quality of meals that come out to our our students. Um, I'm just sharing that because last week a member of the public asked that we be more transparent if we have a no vote. >> Sharing that. >> Thank you. This is Gardner. >> Yeah. >> Uh, any other discussion on item P? I would also like to add to that that there have been reports that the dietary restrictions for students are not being met and by Mets and that uh employees in food service are supplying that with their own money and then possibly submitting for reimbursement. Maybe not always submitting for reimbursement. >> Say it one more time. students with special dietary needs, their needs are not being met by the MET's menu that's offered to them. So, you

086have your cafeteria staff working within what confines [clears throat] they have to make the accommodations for those students. >> Can you email me details? I think this is >> No. Nope. Sorry. >> I have I have something. Uh, so are you able to hear me? >> Yes, Dr. Ketchum. Um so in the committee of the whole we we uh I believe Mrs. a little bit brought up that there is a there is a committee that talks about the food specifically about the food and I believe we we found that it was I mean can we talk a little bit about that and when the next opportunity would be to maybe dive into that a little bit to see what kind of you know to keep that constant pressure on trying to get to more whole

087foods and uh and uh and in general uh following the kind of the new guidelines that are have been publicized federally All right. Thank you, Dr. Ketchum. >> Well, is there any other discussion on item? >> Well, no, I was asking a question. I was I was asking about, you know, when the >> It's an advisory committee that we're required to have by PTE. It's part of the um contract that PTE um it's part of the renewal contract and it's on PTE's format. So we actually have to sign off that we do have an advisory committee. It has to be led by the school district. It cannot be led by the management company. And our advisory committee meets annually and uh they had a meeting in January. So it's made up of students, teachers, parents,

088um and principles. is Melinda, you did review the the minutes. Is it only high school students that are involved? >> I believe so. I think it's held at the high school and only high school principles. Uh yes. I don't know what lat I mean I don't know what latitude. It just says like I'm the one that signs off on it [clears throat] so I was aware that it exists. It says, "I certify that the SFA has created an advisory board composed of students, teachers, and parents to assist in menu planning." I guess the you know it just um like it's just easy for us to like our person works here in this building to walk up the hill. I mean, if we were we would want to have elementary students, we'd have to find a

089way to transport them. I guess it would be a logistics thing, I guess, to include um other >> I think it would be to include elementary school students because they can only buy this or the choice whereas the high school students have more options available to them every day. Do you know what I mean? I I do understand the logistics of it, but elementary school students are much more restricted. >> I mean, and I also noticed that there was only one parent that was included in that, and that parent is also a teacher in the district. So, it's not really inclusive of parents. Yeah, [clears throat] the parents were uh also employees. I saw that, too. Yeah. >> Is there a reason for meeting with January and not closer to time this particular item? Uh,

090I mean, January would be the middle of the school year, so that would be, you know, want that done before we vote on this. >> Yeah. No, I understand. But it'd be fresh in everybody's mind if you had the committee meeting a little bit prior, not January and then five months later. That's all I'm saying. >> Yeah. >> It was just more of a curiosity question. Maybe you could move the meeting next time. I don't know. I think it would be it's like for feedback for the management company. So like you know the Mets is also there. >> Okay. >> So they're part of it and it's supposed to be feedback on the menu and everything. So like he's he's there getting the feedback from the uh [clears throat] >> from the uh students. So

091if they say what you know whatever he's supposed to be taking that feedback in January and adjusting accordingly. I mean maybe they could um you know zoom in other >> Yeah. >> student population to their meeting. I mean certainly >> we can make a better idea. >> Get a little more finished. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Dr. Kum. >> Yeah. So so given that like Okay. So we're we're halfway there, right? So we're about halfway through the year. given that um the next one's in January, so we can't move it, but it's a real opportunity if we start thinking about it ahead of time because so it doesn't sneak up on us that uh maybe given the big changes um that might be or are in the process of being um put out

092uh for whole foods and things um maybe it could be targeted as maybe we could include maybe Mets beforehand to have like to bring in with some real options potentially to talk about some real options is to try to be a a little bit towards the leading edge of that as opposed to the trailing edge of those shifts in uh dietary recommendations. I mean, I don't know what when we would essentially like when would we need to start talking about that to make sure we got time to have a really robust discussion when the next meeting is. I mean, so yeah, we're saying that we want um to start the we want to start the changes um earlier than we don't want to wait. We want to be proactive in the changes towards um like

093scratching and all that. That's what you're >> want to be proactive if if the advisory committee is part of the process to kind of work with Mets to figure out you know menu choices and options and and and Mets from our last discussion with Mets we did it did indicate that we wanted whole milk and we wanted options for you know they explained that there's a lot of there's a lot of pieces here so it can't be you can't snap your fingers and say okay we want we want whole foods [clears throat] across the board no more processed foods, all the but but but we always want to keep pressure on it so that we we're not it's not given to us that we're part of the we're part of the change instead of um

094you know instead of just waiting for it to be done and then we accept it. I mean it would be nice to be part of it and just be a little bit more forwardleaning on that, >> right? Okay. >> Yeah. I mean it would be really nice from my perspective. I don't know if other people think the same way, but you know, because these sometimes sneak up on you. You know, all of a sudden it'll be a month and then you're limited to how much you could actually, you know, research and do. And Mets might be able to offer some really good suggestions based on the current state of things too that we don't even know yet because of uh you know, these things are evolving, >> right? >> I forget when we met with

095them last they were to present. When was that? >> Probably January or February. >> That's what I thought. January. Do we know if they've implemented any of the new food pyramid yet? They said that I understand a lot of moving pieces supply chain in general terms, but do we know if they've begun to look at that or done anything with that? They've had five months. >> Yeah, I'm sure that they I'm sure that they are. I mean, I don't know what progress they've they've made. >> Is that something we can find out? >> Yeah, we can find out. I mean there's going to be a lot of lost implications for >> Oh, sure. >> Well, I was impressed with >> you know >> changing their we're working on their recipes and things I believe >>

096to meet the to meet the new food. I think that's what he he told us when he he met with >> mention it. Yeah. >> I don't we've not heard where he's where they're at. Well, there are other other lowhanging fruits, I'll call them, they could probably get started on. I'm just curious if they if they did. >> Mhm. Yeah. Yeah, we can check. >> All right. Is there any other discussion on item P? >> Call, please. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Syers. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hawaiian. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumner. >> No. >> Mrs. Barl. >> No. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> No. >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Moving on to item Q. uh recommend approval of hiring Maline Marsh as a

097school psychologist for the Midland County School District beginning at the start of the 2026 2027 school year at a salary of $7,583 which is on the M's plus45 on the salary scale. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? I would like to to make a comment. Um, again for transparency, I am not in agreement with this, not because I don't believe that she could do a good job at any sense of the imagination, but purely from the nepotism perspective and the situations that can arise with having a direct family member in a reporting line. Um, not that you think that that is ever going to happen, but in some situations it does. And I think that it also puts Mr. Marsh in or I'm

098sorry, Mr. Evans in um a very uncomfortable position potentially. >> Thank you very much. >> I agree with that. >> Yeah, I would echo that the chain of command is a concern in the span of control given that we do have a nepotism policy >> and I don't believe that anybody has any intention of not If if this motion would not pass, not keeping the position open and not filling it or utilizing the services that we do utilize now to assist. >> I can I I'd like to say something. >> Yes. >> I I don't have a problem with the person that's being put forward uh for the position at all. Uh, I think I brought up I don't remember if I brought something up executive or it was a public session. >> I think

099it was an executive. >> Yeah. Do we need to talk to them? [clears throat] >> Do you feel that you want to continue to discuss it? >> Well, like discuss it. >> I might want to >> I mean, we could change. I mean, Mr. Ar and I talked about this today. Was it today or yesterday? >> Do you want anybody >> if this would be an issue because we do need a school psychologist. We could have the building principal do the school psychologist evaluations. Some school districts do that. >> My my concern is for trans transparency is not the right word because that's not true. Transparency. But regardless for for the looks of things, I think that uh we need to look at who would be doing the evaluations of her and get that away

100from you know the uh >> office special ed department. >> We can do that >> and and Mrs. Marsh in this case just to make sure that nobody has any reason to claim foul or whatever. So, I mean, like I said, I have no problem and I I intend to vote yes for the person, but um I think we need to be cognizant of how things look or you know, that's just my opinion. Thank you. >> Uh is there any other discussion on on item Q? I'm just gonna echo my colleagues. >> Yes, Dr. Catch. >> Well, I mean, okay. So, I don't know if did we did we really go into depth on on what what what the basis of the recommendation was? Was it just because we need a school psychologist or um

101what what you know administration bringing it to us here? What what was what's the more depth on the recommendation itself? >> We had the position open for over a year. Um we offered it to two other people in the summer of 2025. Um they declined the our offers. Um it has remained open all year. She applied um was interviewed and is going to be certified and qualified and she was offered the job. Um that's we've had no other applicants. >> We still have it open because we have another one of our school psychologist is resigning. So we operated with four this year. We're using a contracted service from I don't know what was February March Pittsburgh. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. started. Somebody from Pittsburgh has been a contracted service to help kind of fill in.

102Um we now are going to be able to we would have had five, but one of them is leaving. Um she and her husband are the area. So um this is going to just put us back at four school psychologists. >> And and and this is this is very important because of the the student experience. Uh is I mean the the This is this is important to have this position filled, right? I mean, it's it's something that having this position filled is is different than what a consultant can provide. Is that is that an accurate statement? And you know, could you elaborate on it maybe? >> Yes. Because this person is going to be here working for us every day. Um, furthermore, [clears throat] contracted services, they're expensive. I mean, it's it it's extremely expensive

103what we're paying for this individual right now to help us fill in. Um, you know, it it's well worth it to to hire somebody and have them here working with our kids assigned to a particular building, getting to know our students, especially when you're doing the special ed evaluations. That's a big piece of what they do. and and then and then because of the the relation the family connection, we'll be able to have an alternate chain of of of what Mr. Baker was saying about reporting or or over or or um uh reviews and evaluations and and all that. >> Yes, we can do that. >> I'd like that writing. >> Yeah, >> I'd like that I'd like that to be reflected in that. And that would mean every school psychologist, [clears throat] not just

104this individual. >> No, I want right now before we vote, >> I wanna I want to amend that item >> to reflect what Mr. Baker's asking. >> And that all school psychologists would have a change in reporting line and not just an exception. >> Is there job description updated too? Uh, can I say I want to say I I [clears throat] just think not just this position but any instance where we would run into this in the future. Uh, I think we need to have a means to deal with it. Not just this particular case, you know. Um, do you understand what I'm saying or >> Yeah, I um you know whether >> Okay, Clint, can I use you for >> Go for it. I did the other one. No, you're But let's just say

105Clint has has >> My son comes and works for the school. Yeah. Your son, say your son comes and you were still the principal over there and he was teaching there. >> Mhm. >> I I think someone >> out of your chain at that point should be >> responsor of the person >> of the of the person. [clears throat] I I don't care what position it is, >> you know. Uh that's that's irrelevant to me. >> Mr. Skyers, I have a question for Mr. Now, in a situation such as this where we have a need for two psychologists and we have a psychologist that applies and is fully credentialed and interviews proficiently, um even though she has family in that department, does nepotism still play into that and there's no other applicants? Well, it it

106does, but the um alternative that Mr. Arn suggested in having a principal do that evaluation because you know with that particular position, it's in the bargain. So, if you don't fill that position and you don't get any other applicants and she is deemed to have been qualified, you know, and you get a consultant, then I'm sure Mr. Fuller and his folks are going to have something to say about it. uh because the fact that that bargaining unit work and you there's cases saying that you're not allowed to go outside of your bargaining unit and if you got somebody that's qualified, you know, we're going to find ourselves in front of the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. [clears throat] >> Well, I guess where where I'm confused >> I still think I have a chance with you,

107Mr. Fuller. But, you know, you've got a strong case for a change. where I'm confused at I would understand it if there was competition for that position then I can see the the nepotism card being played but there's no other applicants >> would I get Mr. to answer the question please. >> The doctrine of nepotism would still be a concern. >> Okay. >> Uh and what you have to look at is is there a reasonable way to deal with that particular and according to Mr. Arin there is. So, you know, you can address both the concern over the nepotism and also the concern over having a bargaining unit position not built. So, you know, and that that's, you know, the probably the easiest way to do it because the the principal would have the proper

108certificate to be able to evaluate the school psychologist. >> The principal. Yeah, just like they do SLPs and occasionally OT's. So that would be that would fall within their wheelhouse to be able to do that. >> Please correct [clears throat] me if I'm wrong, but I believe in my experience when one of these evaluations are done, Mrs. Marsh is who signs off on it. So then it is a parent signing off on the work of the >> immediate family. >> This would be the principal would be the one that would be signing off on the >> So now all the evaluations are going to be signed off by the principles instead of the director of student services. >> We're talking evaluations. You're talking about student evaluations. We're talking about an annual evaluation. I'm sorry. >>

109They're talking performance evaluation. You're talking >> Right. But when you get that work from the school psychologist after a child has been evaluated at the very end of it, it is Mrs. March who whose final signature is on the work that is then produced by an immediate family member. >> The you know there it's all it's all part of the IEP team process. So I mean if the parents thinks that it's biased then the the the parent of the student can ask for an independent educational evaluation and you know nine times out of 10 the IP team's going to talk to Dr. Dalton who's going to recommend that you do do that. So and that's just where you're at. >> That's an interesting thing that Mrs. Bumgardner brought up, you know, I mean, so is

110there potentially any any issue that could arise from that or is the the process robust enough to be able to make room for for that without really causing everybody extra work too? you know uh how often test it >> if a parent disagrees with it and feels that the evaluation from the school psychologist is in any way tainted they have the right under special education law to ask for an independent evaluation and that can be done and the IEP teams will say yes we'll agree to that you know if there's legitimate concerns >> who pays for that >> well like everything else special the school district ends up paying for So, it's potential that if I, as a parent, see that this potential candidate did the evaluation and then someone with the same name signed

111off on it and I don't agree on it, I'm going to question that and then the school district is paying for additional independent evaluations because the cost is on the district. Correct. >> School Yeah, school districts pay for independent evaluations all the time though, >> right? >> I mean, it's not uncommon at all in special education and you know, I'm sure Dr. I'll fill you in on how often it happens within this district. >> Correct. And I don't disagree with what you're saying and I think parents often disagree with with what is in the report whether or not there is just cause or not. I think that we are giving them a bargaining chip by having two related people signing off on the same document. Do >> you maybe I'm not articulating. I I I

112see where you're coming from, but you're giving more of a bargaining chip. If you've only got three school psychologists and you really ought to have five or six and your evaluations aren't being done in a timely manner, then that doesn't even get discussed because as soon as you miss that deadline, they've won. And you know, their attorneys are going to say, "Here's what my competed uh is, here's what my attorney's fees are, and this is what I want." And you're going to lose that. And if you don't have enough school psychologists to do the evaluations for I think it was 900 and some special education >> 900 creeping towards a thousand, >> you know, and and you've got three trying to do all all of those. Yeah. And Dr. Dton can fill you in on

113the specifics, but th those evaluations are very detailed and I just don't see how three people can can be expected to be able to do that. So >> I wouldn't expect three people. I would I would want to fill the position or you know use a contract person if we need to. I just don't think that we should engage in in putting two family members. They're not peers. It's not that these are two colleagues, two peers working beside each other. It is spam control. It is chain of command. >> I I think if you hire a consult a consultant or you have less than the number of school psychologists that you need, your risk is even bigger. We already have been operating with less than we need and we have a consultant permanently, right? >>

114I have four school psychologists. >> Now you go down to three. >> Yeah. >> But isn't there a need for more now? We used to have more and we've been operating on reduced psychologist. So >> we're trying to find separate right now. [laughter] >> I didn't ask that. I [clears throat] don't think it's a good situation all the way around. >> Yes, Dr. Katcha. >> I just This is This is tough. like I thought it was simpler before and this makes it even this makes it really tough because um you know at one hand how do you there's too there's so many variables here like how h how do you um determine if there's going to be a lot of people that are are requesting um what the IEP uh is that what it is

115like IEP after they disagree with it then they escalate it um would this increase that amount drastically that we would then be overwhelmed on a different area. You know, we'd have to or would it be, you know, negligible? Would we this increase maybe a couple, you know, just as many people are going to disagree with their evaluation as they always have and they'll find whatever reason they want to to disagree with it, you know, if they're going to disagree with it and and then there's a process for that. I mean, how how impactful I guess it would it really be? You know, theoretically it could be extremely impactful and I think that's what we're fearing. Um, but but in reality, how impactful would it really probably be? Like most likely in in all >> I

116I think you need to talk to Dr. Dalton since she represents your district in the special ed on that. I'm not going to issue an opinion for her since their firm handles that, you know, how impactful she thinks it would be in defending this district. Am I hearing we need to table it? But we need to have the man p the man and women power to you know to to to serve the the students right. So >> yeah that's tough. >> Did you want to make a motion to table? >> It sounds like Dr. Ketchum is wanting some more information. So I'll make a motion to table it. >> Second. >> All right. Any discussion on tableabling item Q? >> Will that will that um in uh harm like will will that is it is

117it something that we need to how timely is it? Is it do we have time to to table it and have a more discussion about it just to make sure that you know should we move forward with it that it's the you know that we all feel comfortable with it or what >> I'm not I think he's asking about timeline right so maybe that's a question >> I just want everybody to understand that there are all kinds of school psychologist positions posted across the state with I use with school district this person may walk and that is the risk you're So she took a month or more to complete her process >> and they were doing their internship and can't come like a candidate can over the summer. >> We could make alternative arrangements to

118have test drug screenings done and other locations. I >> I'm not going to argue this anymore. I I just I I feel bad. We do not have enough school psychologists as it is. There is my concern. We have an alternative put forward. If you want to table it, you guys can table this. That's that's you guys are the board. You guys ultimately make this decision. >> Well, first and foremost, I don't like the way it's worded. Second, Dr. Keshum sounds like he's very interested in some further information. So, can we get can we be comfortable as a group if the reporting structure is modified? >> We asked for that in well >> someone at the table asked for that in writing before they voted. Also, >> Mr. for the job >> the notion the table

119would have to fail. >> Well, I'm talking about two things. >> You you would have to change job descriptions for employees as well as for the school psychologist as to who they report to because you're you're talking a major alignment for all school psychologist, not just one. >> Um m Mr. Hello. >> Yes, Dr. Catch. >> Uh yeah, Mr. But I appreciate you because you're right. I I'm I'm trying to work out if we need more information or if I need more information or not and and really, you know, so I appreciate you pointing that out, especially since I'm not there and and it's it's kind of hard for me to interact one-on-one with this this screen. Um I you know, I I don't like it's one of those things. We have so many things

120to to worry about, too. like just pushing tableabling something for later is is you know they all it pile if things pile up then too. So you know um I I don't know I don't know if we should table it or not. I mean I don't know if I would support tableabling it or not. I I it's it's it's it's really a tough situation because um this >> so correct me if I'm wrong. Whether we table it or whether we get the wording changed, it's not going to get voted on tonight. >> It can get voted on as is. Not what I asked. >> Well, we have given your options. We can't at the table. We can't change like um the verbiage to say with the mandate that the school of psychologist will be um

121supervised by the building principles. We would have to change the job description of the building principles. Definitely the school of psychologist we have to do that in June. >> What about the question that Mr. Baker had? Is that the same situation? You have to change job descriptions. I was thinking more what Mrs. Bumgard >> there's two different options. Yes. One's a different reporting structure and one's the eval. >> Next question. I made a motion. Was it seconded? I didn't. >> Yes, it was seconded by Mrs. Farwell. >> Okay. So, I have one more thing here. We have a position, we need to fill it. You know, if we have a workaround and just needs to come to the June meeting, we can fill it and not risk losing the person. >> Kind of where I'm

122at. >> That's the way that I'm looking at it. >> Again, say that again. >> So, so basically we we're hearing from administration that they can bring the changes to the June meeting of the reporting structure that would impact all school psychologists. Um, you know, if the rest of the board agrees, we approve it as is with the commitment that that would get changed at the June recommend at the June meeting. Um, knowing that there's a reporting structure change coming. >> You're saying you're saying that we we we we vote we vote for her tonight and then and then in the June meeting, the understanding is we're going to change the reporting structure and we can do that at any time, right? For >> Yeah. personally that that's where I'm at. I mean, we have

123a need for students. We don't want I mean, it's not a highly soughtafter position. A lot of people aren't applying for it. We don't want to lose that candidate, but we have a concern about reporting structure. Kind of kills, you know, all you know, kills two birds with one stone there. >> I think this could have been done much sooner because this was in the works for quite some time before this. >> I'm not going to disagree with that either. And we under the policy the board is or the the administration is supposed to notify the board of the familial relationship or any nepotism and that was not the case. >> The board notified or questioned to get the information. >> I think that order of except >> the job offer was made. Mhm. >>

124Can I ask I have one last question? >> Uh, as far as changing the the reporting or whatnot, would that be something that would be you're going to change the job descriptions for people? Would that be a motion that would be made under other business? Or do we just or we just sit here and say it give it like a a directive to change the reporting? I like that. >> I like that. >> But but we'd have to we'd make a motion to to change those job descriptions, right? >> Later on this meeting. >> Yeah. >> We're the law the law has changed. We talk about we're you can make a change here at the table. So we we could do that. We just have to vote to add something then vote to approve. It's

125like two votes to change the agenda. >> So whatever is easy. >> I just I think that you know I already told you I I don't have a problem. I just want to make sure that transparency reasons. The reporting is and have an evaluation of the person that is done. But >> we got to figure out what motion's on the table. >> Okay. And and as far as um you know I I when Mr. was talking about the the tableabling. I I think it is like it to make to be perfectly you know honest like it would be nice to have all the information and everything but part of like getting out ahead of ourselves is is the velocity of decisions. So how how how we can make the best decision we can and move

126on to the next one because if they keep if we keep if we do keep tableing stuff or put things off then it's it's really hard to it's kind of like things pile up. You know what I mean? So, it's it's I'm really torn between the two, but but um but I I I'm I'm kind of leaning towards just for me at least moving moving forward and trying to get it and get on to the next decision. >> Is there any other discussion on tableabling item Q? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >> no. >> Mr. Baker, >> no. >> Mr. Mr. Wyan, >> no. >> Mr. Styers, >> no. >> Dr. Ketchum, >> no. >> Mr. Herb, >> no. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barl, >> no. >> Mrs. Burner, >>

127no. >> Do we have any discussion on item P? Thank you. >> Just for clarity, we can bring it up under other business >> in terms of job description. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> But what happens if we vote and this passes and that does not pass? >> We can still you're talking about the job description. >> So it doesn't pass doesn't pass. Then this then if this passes then we're then we've hired a parent to supervise a child. >> That's so true. Is there any safeguard around that? >> I mean >> to be [clears throat] frank I think you're all in agreement that you want to make the change. So I don't know that there's really an issue there. But I'm sorry if I'm speaking out of turn, but it sounds like you're all

128kind of in agreement to change the chain of command. >> It's allowing discussion. [clears throat] Uh, is there any other discussion on item Q? >> Roll call, please. >> Okay. Clarity, please. Before we know, >> we're voting to approve Maline Marsh as a school psychologist. >> All right. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barl, >> no. Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bumgardner, >> no. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> no. >> Mr. Styers, >> yes. >> All right, moving on to item R. recommend approval of the 2026 2027 Beth County Academy of Science and Technology general fund budget in the amount of 4,182,17. Do I have a motion? >> Do I have a second? >> Any discussion? Roll call, please.

129>> Give us a second. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bumner, >> yes. Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barla. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Moving on to item S. Recommend approval. Recommend awarding the school's photography services for the Midland County School District to Strawbridge Studios from July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2029. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. Any discussion? >> I would like clarification. There was public comment tonight that to the effect that if we did not approve Strawbridge that at least one elementary school could not receive their yearbook or would not receive a yearbook. >> Um I'll allow

130you to >> um what what I was referencing was we have four people that generally attend our home school. If we would go with a company that doesn't provide that service, I don't know that we would have at at my elementary school the parents to come together to make a yearbook for the kids. It wasn't the kids wouldn't. It was that Strawbridge does this. They have this and we they >> upload our pictures and they create our yearbook for us. There's not parents sitting there going through pictures deciding what goes on what page and what doesn't. It It happens. We we send it by grades to them. It's uploaded on those grade pictures and their yearbook lees earbook is created and and produced by Strawbridgeidge. >> The the home and school with Strawbridge together. It's

131they they give the pictures. We give the pictures of the classroom teacher or teachers in our school. We give the pictures to our home and school. Home and school then forwards it to the the yearbook. Thank you. >> Why have I always bought from Balffor and Johnson's and not >> use um different providers? Like I think >> so. Yeah, I don't buy the elementary book. I got you. >> Elementary schools are provided. [clears throat] >> Do the other companies were they willing to to create those yearbooks? Sorry, on the hot seat again. >> So, you're asking if those companies were willing to make um >> elementary school yearbooks. >> So, they don't make the yearbook. they're willing to submit photos for the yearbooks. Yes. But I think what I think what the public comment is

132speaking to is that the it's seamless the way that it's done. Um one of the areas of the rubric was excellence in that regard. Um technical excellence and that is one of the areas where Strawbridge stood out from the rest. [snorts] >> My concern is um there was a lot of public comment here before and a lot of support for a local company. It was very apparent from public comments, postings on social media that the public would like to see the district go with a local company. But yeah, I think we had, you know, we did an RFP process, but maybe in the future if we do an RFP, maybe include recommend including that as a scoring mechanism. Um, just as a area. I mean, it they spent a lot of time on scoring everything.

133Um maybe in the future if we want to do you know have a specific thing we want to recommend we should do that. >> I just want the public to feel heard they come here they take the time to make statements. I want them to know that we're listening. [clears throat] >> Did you say that they would like to be less expensive for the parents? So there's tiered commission and if we use the lowest tier when we take no commission as a district their prices are also the best price point of all the proposals that we reviewed. >> So basically the districts who would take that to help lower >> Yeah. So we would not take a commission as a way to help the parents. We can take up to a 20% commission but then

134the price gets higher for the parents. Well, that was one of the concerns I think too about from from Paris was the cost if I'm correct. Yeah. And that is one of the areas again where Stroll Bridge was excellent. The price point of the roof for those. >> Okay. And and I do too. I mean I I like using global people if we can for things as well. I I see that side of things as well. I'm disappointed the price stays the same. The quality and innovation is not there. My opinion, >> I just have one question. Like when I looked at the RFP, I didn't see anywhere and maybe it was built in um somewhere within the process. There was no consideration for customer service um and how that is addressed. >> So that

135we talked about that through the additional services and also the technical again the technical excellence of the firm. um Strawbridge in particular um because we have experience that we know what their customer service is like. So there was feedback from people on the RFP RFP evaluation team. >> Oh I can I maybe I need to customer service for a parent that is that has issues with photos. >> Yeah. So okay. So you're saying customer service for parents? >> Yes. >> There's parents on the RFP team >> that are teachers. >> Yeah. So they I think that's magic value in my opinion because they have insight to the logistics of how your book photos happen and the packages are delivered. >> I mean I think that we could expand that to have nons >> maybe in

136just another recommendation. >> We seem to make recommendations but no changes are made. guidance if we wanted to include it. >> We with all due respect we were not we asked to go someone created an urgency by himself. So we went ahead and we did an RFP. There was no stipulation or guidance by the board. Mr. Herb, we want this this this as part of the RFP or part of this. So we kind of ran with the RFP. We had the best. Now >> we hear just like Mrs. M. Justin said about the public. I hear you now, but we weren't given that stipulation when we did the RFP. >> Was this a one year? >> Three years. >> That's how we posted it. >> Mr. Styers, when the the this local business um who

137did they get in touch with to indicate that they had an interest in school board? >> Okay. They should have come to our business office. Am I Why wouldn't they? They came to us forward meeting. >> They sent an email first. I think Mr. Harsh invited them >> invited them to participate in public comment. >> I think there's a misconception in the community though that the school board has more control than they do. So I I kind of understand why he reached out the way he did. It was to everybody. I don't think it was like malicious or manipulative. >> It was out of a genuine interest. >> Yeah. And I think that it was out of a national news >> item that >> Well, we we we went through the RFP process, which I

138I voted in favor of it. Now I I sort of you're second guessing my vote because we we're going to spend between5 and $10,000 for that process and we had a a group a committee go through the process evaluate all this stuff and It's still not good enough in my opinion. It's fine. We're getting down into the weeds on the dayto-day business of the school district which we should not be doing. Well, I think, you know, I I think that things we can do. I mean, and I I really was intrigued by the process itself. I think that's a good idea. I think that it would have been nice have a little bit other maybe other inputs because, you know, if you only maybe maybe uh some more communication about the bu the makeup of

139the people involved in that. But I, you know, the process is done. And um, you know, I know firsthand that some of some other schools, some smaller schools, you know, their kids don't have yearbooks at the end of the year. And, and that, you know, when I was growing up, I always always that was a big thing to have the yearbooks at the end of the year so you could get them signed and say your farewells and build some memories. Um, so I know that and I'm not saying that maybe everybody on that list would be able to accomplish that task, but I know that it is it isn't always that way in other places. So it is important. Um, but you know, again, like kind of from earlier, it's it's let's it's make decisions

140quicker so we can move on to other ones and over time we'll get to can we have more room to really focus on some of the some some that might be even more critical down the road. >> Is there any other discussion on item S? >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Barla. >> Yes. >> Dr. Hchum. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wyan. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. >> Josh. >> Mrs. Bumgardner. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb. >> No. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger. >> Yes. >> Mr. Styers. >> Yes. >> Moving on to item T. recommend approval of the resignation of Lindseay Wyan from the position of full-time emotional learning sport professional at the Indian Valley Elementary School with an end date of June 30th, 2026 for personal reasons. Do I have a

141motion? >> Motion. [laughter] >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Wand. >> Mr. Baker. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hersburgger. >> Yes. >> Mr. Styers? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Bumner? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mr. B. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Barlo. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> I'm sorry. >> Dr. Ketchum, can you please repeat? >> Sorry. Yes. >> Item U, recommend approval of the minutes of the budget work session scheduled that was scheduled on April 15th, 2026. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bunberger, >> yes. >> Mr. Harshburgger, >>

142yes. >> Mrs. Barl, >> yes. Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. So, at this time, I'd like to call for an executive session for personnel and legal reasons. Getting [laughter] a long red boy over there. >> Back where you go. apperely applied. [clears throat] >> [clears throat] >> actually last. >> Oh, yeah. >> I think we're just I think Steven's going to be on We're still waiting. We don't need We're already back on air. >> So, moving on to item B. Uh, recommend approval of the attached censure resolution of board member Aaron Barlo. Do I have a motion? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Like to make a motion to table this. >> Right. >> Do I have a

143second? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> My concern is we're holding children to a higher standard than we're holding adults. >> Thank you, Mr. Any other discussion? >> Just for clarity, am I allowed to vote on this or >> Yes, you are. Even if even though it's about you, you do hold hold a right to vote on this. >> Yeah, she absolutely is. >> Yeah. Just just wanted to clarify. >> Yep. >> We're voting to table it. >> Correct. >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Bombarder. >> Yes, >> Mr. B. >> Yes, >> Dr. Ketchum. >> I'm sorry, Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. >> There we go. >> Mr. Wine. >> Yes. >> Mr. Baker. Yes, >> Mrs. Barlo. >> Yes, >> Mr. Styers. >> No, >> Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes.

144>> All right, moving on to other business. Um, I believe there was going to be at least a discussion on these school psychologists and uh building principles positions. >> Who wants to start that? So the discussion was about reporting structure, >> correct? >> Job descriptions for both the school psychologist and >> and the building principal. >> Building principal. >> Would it also pertain to the director of student services as well? >> If you Yeah, you would if you were be removing or I guess it' be your director of special education >> special ed that supervisory uh role school psychology. So it needs to be >> three >> supervisor special ed um the principles >> building principles and school psychologists psychologist you you would include who they're going to be supervised by >> just so you

145know currently the supervisor special ed does not supervise school psychologist it's this director of student services so see what I mean we're going to >> is that in a student services job description >> I didn't bring him with me so that's kind of where Okay. So, I think we need to look over both the student service, the director of student services and the director of special education job descriptions to ensure we know where the accurate um reporting is for the school psychologists. >> We violated our policy. again if the director of student services supervises >> school. >> I [clears throat] don't know what the current I don't know what the current job description is. I just don't have it in front of me. I wasn't prepared for that time. >> But you said that the

146director of student services currently supervises schools site colleges, >> but it's not the director of special education. >> We would said if you were hiring this person, we could we would make it. They weren't being supervised. Mrs. Marge would not supervise her own daughter. But that's not what you said in the email when a board member asked for clarification earlier before the meeting. You >> I said Mr. Chris Evans would be the supervising person, >> right? But he's not the director of student services, is he? >> No, he's coordinator. >> Yeah. >> I think the point that Mr. Barner was trying to make just like in a reporting situation where a principal and assistant principal were in a building. If if the spouse of the principal was in the building, the assistant principal would take

147over supervision. >> Not that it's not the current setup though, right? Of >> I thought we changed it so the spouse could not be in the same building as the principal. >> You never change that. >> Remember that. >> I think that that's maybe what you recommended. >> That was a recommend right now. Yes. Thank you for >> I I did I that's not that's not what I recommend. >> Well, I do want to make a clarifying point. Yes. Um under the current structure, um Mrs. Mar Maddie Marsh would be under the supervision of Chris Evans. It's just a matter of figuring out. Um, >> well, we've had some board members who would like that you said we can move it underneath the supervision of the building principal. Correct. >> Totally take it out of

148the office upstairs. >> Yes. I'm just I'm just trying to figure out like >> I did not bring Yeah. I I can't give you know this caught me off guard. I didn't bring any job scripts. I don't >> There's two things. One, are we changing I'm asking my colleagues. There's two things we discussed. Changing the whole reporting structure or allowing principal to do the evaluation. Which one do we want further business? I'm throwing that out for discussion. >> Are you asking for the principal to do the annual performance evaluation for just Maddie Marsh or for all school psychologists? >> That's a question I need to answer. >> Right. That's where I think that I we need to be aligned. >> I would go back and work on that. >> Should it not be uniform? That

149would be my preference not to create additional exceptions which is confusion like further confusion. >> But we also your solicitor also said we should contact Lee Dalton. [clears throat] So I can do that. Can we we put some sort of resolution on the table on our other business obviously that says >> I'm just trying to think of wording so somebody help me if you want to chime in something to regard of um this the school psychologist would be the reporting structure is to be changed >> to be evaluated >> new new job new path come forward to a meeting or something >> just to document it >> I like or any good verbiage. >> I'm open. >> The best ver verbiage I would imagine would be that um the board intends to review the to

150review the supervisory structure pertaining to the school psychologist position. >> Is it the board or are we directing the administration? >> Direct administration. >> Direct administr All right. administration has to be one >> then we report back. >> Y >> make a board motion to direct the administration to review the reporting structure of the sports. >> I need a motion to add that to the agenda. >> Oh, I think the wording is a little loose to review [clears throat] but not to directly change it. So if you review it and come back and say we're not going to change it >> review with the intent to change >> okay yeah let's put you we put that collect >> collect special collect advice from our special counselor >> okay so let's make sure we have it

151clear I want Mrs. flu to have it properly documented. >> So motion to direct administration to review the reporting structure of school psychologists to seek seek special counsel advisement and bring suggested [clears throat] changes to the board table in June. Okay. Okay. Okay. >> And to bring suggested changes to the board table for approval at the June board meeting. >> I think he disappeared. >> He dropped out. >> Yeah. >> It's okay. >> Yeah. >> Not sure his way back. >> Okay. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. >> You want me to read it then? >> I'd appreciate it. [clears throat] >> Okay. Motion to direct administration to review the reporting structure of school psychologists, to seek special counsel advisement, and to bring suggested changes to the board for approval at the June meeting. >> Vote

152on vote to approve. >> Yeah, it would be a vote to add it to the agenda. >> Do you vote? Do I have a motion to add um the requested item to the agenda? >> Motion. Second. >> Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. Mr. Harshburgger, >> yes. >> Mr. Syers, >> yes. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. [clears throat] Bumberger, >> yes. >> Mrs. Barl, >> yes. >> Mr. Wyan, >> yes. >> Dr. Ketchum, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herb. >> Yes. >> So now we have it as item W on the agenda. Do I have a motion to approve item W? >> Motion. >> Do I have a second? Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Second. >> Mr. Baker, >> yes. >> Mrs. Bunger, >> yes. >> Mrs.

153Barl, >> yes. >> Mrs. Dixon, >> yes. >> Mr. Herb, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Harshburgger. >> Yes. >> Dr. Ketchum. >> Yes. [laughter] >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wy. >> Yes. >> All right. >> Do we have any other business? >> I have a question. >> Yes. Uh, respectfully, um, I would ask I'm asking what the possibility would be for me to give my granddaughter her diploma. That's not a bad question. Just ask your >> never happened in Memphis County history. Memphis County high school history, >> right? >> So if the board >> can change, >> you're the board. You want I mean I'm just saying I asked last. >> I'm just I'm asking >> cuz I know that uh whenever Miss Salvo was on the board, we did not allow her to

154um give her diploma to her daughter. I believe Mr. Styrers, did you ask to give um your grandson's diploma to him? >> I thought about it, but I didn't ask. >> Okay. And and frankly, are you done? >> I am. Yes. >> Okay. I disagree with that, by the way. Just for >> I'm expressing my opinion. >> I can see the point. >> And this is a this is me asking, by the way, >> this is not >> she didn't ask, but it was asking. And that's that's the same opinion. [clears throat] >> It it is >> yeah change of protocol is a board action. >> I don't think >> I don't know that it's a board action. >> Yeah. >> Not sure unless it falls under some policy. I don't >> I mean I'm

155sure that I have the authority to make that um approval. In my case, I was under the impression that teachers in the past had asked if they could do that and they were denied that. And so for that reason, I didn't ask. >> Okay. >> That was just >> and and I'm not trying to make things difficult. >> I just asked and if you say you don't want to do that, okay, I'll >> I'd like to see it, too. I mean, >> and I don't want to get in a big argument. I can understand why. Like, yes, that would be a nice memory to make, but procedural wise, I'm not totally sure about actually letting that happen. >> Proced procedurally just going through the >> Isn't it up to him? >> I'm going to stick

156the protocol. I said we turn >> No, Mr. that one >> that that wouldn't be a superintendent's decision that would you know really the board can say this is what we want to say during a graduation and that's you know that's up to >> it would be a roll call um another agenda item >> because it's more of a yeah I don't even think it's one that you voted I you know it's >> I don't see the harm in it I mean just because we haven't done it in the past I really don't see >> like I said I've seen it done at other school districts I mean no disrespect asking Me either. I'm just curious because I like >> I get it. The other side is we've turned down multiple people that made the

157request. I'm just saying >> um >> how do I say this without being arrogant? Because that is not my intent. Board members are in a certain level, certain positions, and we don't get paid. It's a thankless job. I think this request is um I think it should be honored. >> That's your board president. No, [clears throat] but this is one of the times I can or >> if you don't hand it out and you hand it out and we just stand by you. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean I >> as a symbolism type of thing. >> I can tell you that's what does not want me handing out of her burger. She would like it from me. >> I appreciate that. >> And and Ava did not ask Sure, that's I'm fine. If you don't

158>> if he wants to make it work, that's what we probably do. Like what Mr. said, I'd be up there and have Mr. Herb slide right in behind. >> I feel at the end of the day, it's more appropriate for the superintendent to handy diplomas to the graduates. At least that's how I would feel is the most appropriate. Now, if there is a Well, >> I'm not sure how I feel about it because uh >> it's it's going to hurt anything if you look at it by, you know, weighing the risks of the whole thing, which I do as an engineer. Of course, >> I'm fine. I'm fine with what you said about coming up there. I'm fine with that. >> I don't understand. I have a daughter describing too and I just I know

159that the effort they put into the practicing and I think that maybe [clears throat] if this is something that we were going to consider maybe bring it a little earlier so they are not thrown into a loop when they're expecting a certain procedural flow. I trust me I understand like the symbolism behind it but they've practiced now for a few days and I don't want them to throw a loop into it and that can be a distraction. Why don't we just we just ease one upside and maybe we don't do the handout so to speak. >> I can see it because she's the valid validator. >> Well, that's fine. >> I I understand. >> I'm not I guess I'm being selfish. Maybe >> at the end of the day >> people may look at it

160that way. >> Mr. Baker, I don't look at it that way. >> I I asked the same question. But when I found out that other people were denied, then I I told Mr. Barner that I'm not going to ask. >> Yeah. At the end of the day, I feel like it we shouldn't be giving ourselves special treatment over um district staff in that type of regard. Now, it can >> we're elected. That's my calendar. >> I understand that, but we want to be able to have that sense of respect with the [clears throat] uh district staff. That's kind of how I'm looking at it. district staff has been rejected um in the past, but now we're trying to give ourselves that special privilege. I would if we if this is something that the board is

161adamant about, I would say maybe this is something we can review for the 2027 graduation. I I'm going to be honest. I I don't feel comfortable doing it, especially with graduation being tomorrow. >> I again I think you and I agree to disagree. >> Understood. And I I don't see how it can be that disruptive personally >> graduation tomorrow. We are [laughter] >> especially if we're not one doing a handout. I'm again here I am trying to find a a bit of a compromise for what I think is a simple ask and it's being refuted. >> I don't have a problem if he wants to do it. Do you want to do it if you want to do it? I don't [clears throat] >> any more input from the the rest of the board? I

162I it I'll I'll I'll let it I'll let it through if I have a verbal confirmation from five board members. >> Yeah. >> So, I got one to >> a verbal confirmation of >> allowing um not to hand out the diplomas but to >> stand beside. >> Yeah. >> I'm fine with it. >> Is that a yes or no? >> Yeah, that's fine. I [laughter] You're going like this. I'm not sure what >> are we going around the room? >> I already said I'm not opposed to this. I explained why I chose not to ask. >> Are you abstaining, [clears throat] Mr. >> No, I said I'm not opposed. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. >> I have no personal reservations, but if the rest of the board disagrees with me, I will. >> Sure. Thank

163you, Mr. Harper. >> I have one other thing I just like to to address. Yes. Um I know that I made I think reference on two different occasions this evening about teachers or district staff being involved in a process and that they're also parents. And I didn't mean any disrespect from that, but my encouragement was to get parents that don't have the underlying knowledge and interactions of the district to have an unbiased opinion because ultimately when you don't work inside the district day-to-day and you are approaching it from just a parent on an outside perspective, you see things differently. You have different perspective, you have different ideas, um different experiences that you could offer that input as well. So it was not to be disrespectful of the teachers that are also parents but to include

164more community engagement. >> Uh there any other I'm sorry >> go ahead and email Mr. So >> yes he knows what's going to go on for long. >> Is there any other business that the board would like to discuss? All right. So, we'll go ahead and move into our second public comment. Um, the same general rules apply as last time. First, last name of the town that you reside in, 5 minutes per individual, 30 minutes for the session. This can pertain to any district function. So, at this time, do we have any public comment? Yes. >> Um, I'm from Okay. Um, good evening, members of the county school board and administration. I'm here today to bring attention to an issue myself and many of my classmates are concerned about not just for this school year

165but many after that. There are a handful of courses being cut for the coming year including biology 101 dual enrollment AP government history 2012 dual enrollment advanced print media advanced workshop drama AP chem ecology of county and global environmental scientists. The petition I'm going to read directly addresses the cutting of history 2011 and 202. However, there are other test classes, specifically bio 101 and AP gov that have multiple people signed up for as well. Originally, 13 people I know of were wanting to take history 2011 and 202. However, after pursuing this petition, a total of 20 students, 20 are now interested in wanting to take these courses. Myself and many other students collaborated on the creation of this petition to bring awareness to the rising concern of the student body. I am also aware that

166a big issue lately has been finances. However, these classes come at no cost to the school district. And then this is the petition that we've created. Members of the Memphis County School Board and administration, we as students of Memphis County High School have come together to share concerns regarding the current disbanding of history 201 and history show. Taking away this class is deeper than just losing a course. It's losing a great educational opportunity. If we took these courses, it would clear three to six general education credits in college and offer immense savings in college debt. As students, we are concerned for our future and want to take classes that will benefit us in the long run. Dual enrollment in AP courses allow students to ease financial burdens. It could save us up to 13% or

167it would take onethird of the money that it would in college students. It could save us. These two courses could give six credits for the whole year compared to some AP and dual enrollment classes that only offer three. As of right now, there are 20 people interested in taking this class. Unlike other AP classes that are being offered with fewer number of students, this dual enrollment class gives us the opportunity to see the workload and pacing that will be in college. Students cannot properly be prepared for college education without first taking academically challenging courses as found in the dual enrollment history classes. Some APN dual enrollment courses offered at our school are solely online and have limited guidelines. Rush history 2011, history 202, and biology 101 offers a chance to learn in class effectively. Dual

168enrollment class credits are guaranteed as long as you pass a class. And the amount of full enrollment classes ML County offers alone cannot build much credit for students going to college. Taking [clears throat] away these already extremely limited opportunities would harm the student body who are in preparation for their college careers. And then we have over 145 signatures from students who do not want to get rid of these classes. And we have some 20 students who want to take history 2012 signed here as well. If someone would like to see this [clears throat] and that's about it. >> Thank you very much. >> She's able to circulate them. >> Um, do we have any other public comment? >> Yes. >> Hello, my name is Alison Morris. I am from Mroy and I'm speaking on a

169really similar issue as um Abigail. Um I am like a current junior at the high school and I had the opportunity to take um biology 101 and I can say that as a student who is from a moderately low income household, it was it was really nice to have that opportunity because I know that college is a severe like stressor in my family with the famous. So having the opportunity to take a class that um would cost anywhere between like one to about $3,000 for the amount for the like same amount of credits depending on the college for about 200 is like extremely alleviating of some of that. And I know that some of the arguments made against those classes is the class size. However, I would like to argue that my smaller class size

170helped in my education because um sometimes, especially with stuff like that, it might be um like harder for students to learn. And I know that um since we had eight students in our class, it was really easy to get like the help needed and things explained more like individually and on a like needs basis than just you know a general thing with a bunch of students where like um the range of knowledge could be really anywhere. It was it was really nice to have that like personto person contact with the teacher. Um, additionally, I would like to say that I believe it's important that the um, dual enrollment in AP biologies are, you know, these two separate things because um, in AP season um, like cortisol levels and different like stressors can raise about 15%

171in the body as well as bring on like physical pains and stuff. And I know that for students with test anxiety, [clears throat] some of the dual enrollment courses um you know alleviate that and allow students to perform better as with the dual enrollments you get the college credits almost guaranteed as opposed to AP where if you get it or not depends on you know the school and the score how some only take four or five some take three. It's really you know all over the place. So it's a nice like guarantee of those credits for such a fraction of the price and it is really >> Thank you very much. >> Is there any other public comment? Yes, I just want to say again knowing that um I won't be able to be here

172next month to say this, but um I [clears throat] really think that the board needs to strongly consider, let's go back to the beginning of the meeting, what was presented in terms of slowly raising taxes over time so that we're trying to get enough funding that we're not behind the eightball in a couple years. I think we owe this to the students. We already see that apparently kids aren't getting the classes they want. That money has to be made up somewhere. There wasn't a whole lot of discussion about how that's going to happen. I think that people have to give serious consideration to a mix of taking money from funds. You have adding some tax base. At this point, I don't think people in this area are going to be real upset about slow tax

173raises since we haven't had them in years. Maybe some will be, but we've got a lot of people with homestead credits. We have business ears that that can pay these taxes. We need to think about this because we also heard at the beginning of the meeting about the vote tax. I didn't hear anybody saying anything about how you're going to put money into the vote and they're going to be coming asking for some. We've heard that repeatedly. Those people are going to need funds. The kids need funding. I don't have any family members are going to benefit from this. I'm going to be paying those taxes, but I really truly wouldn't be putting my time for it to come to these meetings if I didn't think it's about time to start putting a little bit

174of extra tax increases in. and are very minimal so that we don't get rid of all the other funds we have and that we can put more money into our schools. The least of our worries right now, which I'm amazed at, is how much time you folks spent last week and this week talking about school pictures. I'm sorry. There's a heck of a lot more important things happening and I think we need to focus on that and allow those folks to make a simple decision like that. If you're going to micromanage everything these guys do, you have excellent administrators and you have some of those previous administrators sitting on your board and you know use them. I'm not going to take them in this time. I just wanted to state that. Thank you. >> Do

175we have any more public comment? Yes. >> Wagner psychologist. I promised myself that I wasn't going to speak. heard some absurd conversation that I had to actually walk out one because there was talk about our only applicant only applicant an entire year being a neatism. I guess I don't know the entire definition of neatism. I'm not going to sit here and argue that. But I think it needs to be known that whenever we're talking about cost savings for the district, if I contracted evaluations evaluations alone, I would mean my salary and benefits if I had put in the lowest offer by salary and benefits, which is about 35 to 40% of my actual job. So when we're talking about saving money for the district, hiring psychologists for the district who are qualified candidates is a

176cost savings option. And it's embarrassing that three of you voted no for that. Um, feel free to email me or jw35 ncsdk12.org if I need to further elaborate. And I thank you to the six of you who voted yes. And if she decides to not come on board because she tuned in to this entire thing, I would not blame her. And I hope she understands that this board is not a representation of the staff, the administrators, or the teachers who she would work with. public comment. Yes, Ashley Cross. Um, last week it was clear that the board is really eager to understand attritional savings and to prioritize our academic improvement. Um, so we've heard some anecdotes over the past couple weeks from the middle school and from the elementary school. So I'd like to provide

177some insight from the high school to accompany what our students students have already said. um especially so that you can understand how doing both of these things and fixing our academic improvement is entirely dependent on increasing our budget. Um we already know from previous speakers that we are eliminating multiple positions at the high school through attrition teched math and science to other social studies and English are up in the air. Um that's a lot of cells to fill in a master schedule if we lose all of those positions. To handle that, teachers will be taking on four, five, or maybe six preps next year. They will be [clears throat] teaching subjects outside of their expertise, and they will be potentially combining course levels. And still, we cannot compensate for the losses. A student this evening

178has already given you the extensive list of courses we are dropping. Last week, we attributed these discussions to low signups, but if you ask a guidance counselor how many schedule changes occur between the last day of school and the first week of the year, you will know that that is an incomplete picture. How can we think we are going to get better by providing even less? One of my students graduated from college two weeks ago. He completed his degree in four years, which is great, but his roommate, he graduated from college in uh just three and a half years. No, I'm sorry. He graduated a year and a half early. His school offered so many dual enrollments and AP classes that he entered college as a second semester sophomore. His school district saved his family

179more than $50,000. Our AP and dual enrollment classes are the offerings for our collegebound student equivalent to our academy programs. These are what prepare this demographic of students for their careers and adult journeys. So I ask you to protect and advocate for our collegebound pathways as fiercely as we do our technical programs. There are other parts of this attrition academics picture that I think you should consider. Do any of you on the board know how many credits it takes to graduate from county next? We're not allowed to answer questions, unfortunately. >> 21 and a half. Um, there are seven periods in a day. So, that means my senior year, there's nothing left that they have to take. When I was in school, my entrepreneur class turned my creativity into productivity, my business law, um, helped

180me learn about car insurance and contracts. I did journalism and media. My first job out of college was at a newspaper. Mifflin County gave me an education that prepared me for life. But now students only have to seniors only have to pop into the building for an hour or two. Some do go to work, but many do not. How did we get here? We made decisions out of necessity. We lowered grad requirements when we merged to save some money and we expanded flex release during CO, but then to save a few more dollars, we kept those decisions. 21 and a half credits. Course registrations are empty because we can't compete sleeping in. If we are talking about tax dollars and academic excellence, how do we really feel about a senior year spent at home on

181a phone? These choices are not desirable. But this is what has happened when the board has required our administration to make unfortunate decisions. For comparison, look at rural working-class Midwest. Their credit requirement is 27. Senior is required to take at least five and a half credits. According to the PA future ready index, 90% of their high schoolers are enrolled in a college class or CTE program. In Memphis County, that number is fully supported. The county beside us is educating their students bell to bell and year to ear, but our budget is actively preventing us from doing the same. Last week, I watched a board engaged in earnest discussion and I really recommend that we keep doing what Mr. Hostman so masterfully did, turning to our highly qualified teachers and administrators to help us make smart

182decisions. But to be clear, none of this will matter if we do not increase our revenue. Bare minimum budgets simply do not create prosperous schools. >> Any other public comment? >> Yes. >> WC. So earlier tonight, you saw Rebecca Connor, innovator, innovative teacher for the year. group of students who were with her um and they represent our district extremely well and every time we have somebody go out and represent our district that well we always tout that into the public. I saw Mr. Barner's post on social media with uh Rebecca's stuff. I saw your stuff out there for Mr. with the the was it US Big Niagara? >> Correct. >> And they're getting to put making the name boards for a the the Pennsylvania flagship on Lake Erie so that it can be re so

183it can be redone and put back into operation for this year's 250th anniversary. So I also saw that you you know Mr. Bates stepped up when we lost the tech ed teacher and midway through the year. So when that happens, he steps up and gives up his plan, gives up uh also gives up another period that he had. So he's basically teaching all seven periods today. Yes, he's getting an extra pium for the app for the period for that, but that's a lot of extra work because we don't have another teched teacher to fill that position for a program that brings us a lot of pats on the back. [clears throat] So, we need to do our best to do whatever we have to to fill these empty positions and bring people in that can

184do that job. You know, we have we're gonna have stage craft next year, but we're not going to have advanced wood shop. So, you know, we're not going to have advanced printing, but we have stage craft have two other things. Then you can combine someone that does print. We uh and is better at that than using the woodcraft stuff. So, we I I I know there's limited applicants out there, but we need to go out and do everything we can to try to find them and to fund these positions. So, you know, just watching tonight, watching the students that were over here that that are going to represent us on a national stage, we need to find a way to find get get the money in here, go find those people that we need to

185uh build this position and continue to create opportunity for our students. Thank you. >> Do we have any other public comment? Yes. Hello, JC Zerby, middle school teacher. Hello. Um, just want to start out with some positives. I'd like to start by thanking Mr. Lion for coming to my classroom um just this morning and observing um a group of my kids. I mentioned last week that I really I care about my kids and I think they're so awesome. Um and I think Mr. Lion got to see some of their personality shine through today. So, thank you for coming. Um and also thank you for um the conversation we had after my students left. You asked great questions. Um I felt like I was being heard. So, thank you for that. Um, I'd also like to

186thank our students who are here today. I know none of you know me because you're older than when I started in this district, but thank you for putting in the time and for being brave enough to put your voice forward. It's it's really refreshing to see that from our student body. And I say refreshing, not surprising because that's what ML County is. We we [clears throat] show up and show out for um I'd also like to just give a little shout out to um the guidance counselors at the middle school. We had a very successful career day this past Friday. Um we actually were able to put it on because we got a small grant from um an organization to help us put it on. We had many different local vendors come in and talk

187to our kids about their careers. Um and I'm specifically shouting out too because um my own professors from where I went to undergrad and graduate school um Susan University, they were there to talk to kids about the pathway to becoming teachers. And um I was able to talk with him a little bit and he mentioned to me that he loves getting to come to Mland County. This is the second year that Susanna has come to Mland County and he's like we plan to keep coming back because we love getting to talk to your kids and they they see hope in our students, our community for what the educational landscape holds moving forward. Um speaking of our students because that is always my top priority um day in day out. Um, I would like to read

188from your own board policy manual section 0 local board procedures title name and classification. The purpose listed in this policy manual, I'm going to read verbatim. Methane County School District is organized for the purpose of providing a program of public education to serve the needs of the students of the Commonwealth. Highlighting to serve the needs of the students. I'm going to be entirely honest. I feel like there are members of this board who their priority tonight very clearly, not the students. The students should be at the top of their mind at all times. That's what this school district is for. That's what public education is for. And while again, I will advocate for the public, advocate for my fellow colleagues and teachers and things like that and the admin, the students are at the end

189of the day what we need to be thinking about and how we can best serve them. and some of the discussions that were held tonight were not having the students at the top of your minds. Um, and for me as a teacher, again, that's very disappointing and disheartening to see. Um, to come to these meetings every week and to not have students be, you know, the reason you're making these decisions. Um, and you can say all day that some of these discussions were, you know, oh, I want the best for the students, but when it comes down to it and what's actually being discussed, it's not going to meet what the students need now. Um, so I think we just need to as an entire uh board and district be really reflecting on what our

190students need currently. So, um, I think that's it. Thank you. [snorts] >> Is there any other public comment? [laughter] Oh, >> is there no other public comment? All right, [clears throat] public session is adjourned. The board will move into executive session. These will turn for executive