001Everyone, I'm going to call the work session for April 8th to order. And we will start with the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisibley and justice for all. All right, we'll begin our meeting with audience of citizens and I will read the disclosure. This meeting is being videotaped for community cable channels and streamed live. Individuals attending the meeting and intending to speak to the board should be aware that they are being videotaped. In order to meet the requirements of Pennsylvania sunshine law, it is necessary to record the names of all citizens who speak to the board during the meeting. To assure compliance with this requirement, it is essential that those planning to address the board state their name and
002municipality. Members of the audience are asked to limit their questions and comments to three minutes. As a reminder, the audience of citizens portion of the meeting is designed for residents and taxpayers of the district to provide comment and feedback on matters which are or may come before the board. It is not designed for debate or discussion with the board. When appropriate, individual school directors may choose to respond to public comments that have been made once the audience of citizens period has concluded or request that a member of the administration follow up with the speakers after the meeting. And this is in reference to board policy 903. Would anyone like to make public comment this evening? Good evening. Hello. Um Kofia say Tommenson resident. Um Mr. uh Fusco is my friend in spite of the fact
003that he tricked me into running for office. I am uh I'm someone that is uh openly critical of my friends. And uh one critique I have of Christian is that I think some of his social media comments are a bit too partisan for the the topic at hand. But um that is his first amendment right and I wouldn't tell him to stop and I especially wouldn't say they are violent. Um, I I've noticed over the last few months there have been a a handful of social media posts referencing a um one of uh Mr. Fusco's Facebook comments um that uh was about stopping the sewer cell and said uh I'm part of the group that you don't want to f with. And if we're going to use this um standard of don't do anything you
004wouldn't let your students use, I heard a lot worse as a student at North Penn. Uh especially uh as someone who's um a threeletter athlete. Um my last soccer game uh was a playoff game at at Konesoga. Um they had a big crowd. Um there was a lot of stuff said, but how uh our team responded was, you know, play hard. And my my teammate Eric scored a goal and he went to the home crowd and just blew a kiss while he was riding by. It's one of the coolest celebrations I've ever seen. And in spite of all the words that were said, um, in spite of the fact that we lost in double overtime, no fights broke out, you know, uh, you're allowed to trash talk sometimes. And I think trash talking about political
005opponents or utility companies is okay. Trash talking about uh, your opposing sports team is okay. Um, and I I am someone that values uh, youth sports a lot. If we don't, if that's the standard of of uh rhetoric, I I think a a lot of our young um boys and girls that are playing sports will end up uh a lot softer than I I would like. And um this other issue of like continually bringing this up despite in spite of the fact that um the news isn't picking up and it's not getting as viral as something in say Town Mson Township. um when this is brought up every time there's a violent incident at school, I I do think that increases tensions in a way that is unnecessary. So, I I would urge anyone else
006in the public that if you have a specific policy about safety that you want to bring up to the school directors, I I think they would listen to that. But this like witch hunt over frankly nothing is um very disappointing to me and I I wish um we could uh cool down that record. Thank you. Thank you. Would anyone else like to make public comment this evening? Good evening, Mr. Millennier. Good evening, Jason Laneir Lansdale. Um, I was wondering whether or not the board or there's been any action regarding um complying with the uh executive order to eliminate DEI in in throughout the education system here in Pennsylvania, but specifically North Penn. Has there been any progress? I know I know there was a letter sent to the PA Department of Education and they were
007supposed to transmit it to everybody in the school every school district in Pennsylvania. Are you guys unaware of this? Is is this the first you've heard of it? We're aware. So, are you are you for are you continuing in in fulfilling that promise or that obligation or are you going to just forgo the federal funding? It's a question. It's not a hard question. You're right. It's public comment. You guys are allowed to speak. It's it's your own, you know, self-imposed rule. So, the question is, is Mr. Summers, you should be able to answer it legally. Are you guys going to be abiding by uh the DEI withdrawal with throughout the curriculum and in ed and hiring processes? No comment. I This is unbelievable. This is very simple ask and and and there can be there
008can be no discussion here. There can be no I know you don't want to have discussion but it's a minute 30 here. It's a simple thing to say. Are you doing it or not? Yeah. No. So, is it is it more important to have this in the curriculum than it is to get the financial support from the federal government? That's what you're saying. And what is it? It amounts to about $6 million or so. And you'd rather forego the $6 million to keep the DEI in the curriculum. Is that what you're saying? No. This is unbelievable. there this board me you guys don't want to do you don't want to say anything you don't want to mention your commitments you don't talk about this in meetings you just do things behind the the in in
009secrecy and then announce what's happened and then you say well we we've talked about it in committee so is this going to happen or not it's a very straightforward question no takers no one wants to discuss it was has it even have you guys even discussed it and if you When have you discussed it? Because you're supposed to be discussing this in public, right? You're not allowed to meet in in in a quorum to discuss something unless it's public. All right. Well, that's good. No progress, no nothing. We'll leave it there. Do nothing. Mr. Laneir, Mr. Lir, this question that you asked was provided a response previously and stating that you believe that this board is meeting secretly or meeting and not being transparent is completely incorrect. We abide by all of the laws that
010were required to comply with. And I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Bower. Sure. Thank you, President McMerry. Um, I believe Mr. Lir is referencing um something that came out from the office of civil rights um regarding I guess um I'm not a lawyer but an addestation of some form uh saying that we are aren't doing anything which was delivered to states um and right now I believe the governor's office in Pennsylvania has not yet responded to that um and then after they respond there is a lot of literature out there that says school districts will be asked to respond but you are a lawyer um and do have the all agree. So, why don't you tell us officially your interpretation, Mr. Summers? Sure. So, just backing up a little bit more broadly, um
011the district is certainly aware of executive orders, uh guidance that's being issued by uh the US Department of Ed, the Department of Justice, um the Attorney General, u the White House, all of all any guidance that is issued um that's brought to the school district's attention. The school district certainly reviews um that information has been disseminated um within the district. I I you know I certainly feel comfortable that the the district is complying with all applicable um state and federal laws. Uh the most recent um uh communication was from the US Department of Ed last week requesting that uh every state certify that that each state is in compliance with title six of the civil rights of the 1960s which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race. Um and certainly that's been applicable law for
012for many many years. Um each state was given 10 days uh to indicate whether they are complying with title six or not. Uh my understanding is that um a number of states are working with the US department of bed to provide that certification and as a result of that uh there's been an extension of time for states to respond by at least an additional 10 days. Um again my understanding is is each state will decide how they are going to communicate with school entities or local educational agencies within that state. Um but if asked, I I certainly believe that the school district would indicate that um North Penn is complying with Title Six, is not engaging in in any sort of discriminatory or illegal um actions um certainly with regard to race. Um that communication
013um that was issued last week referenced a US Supreme Court case from 2023 involving um post-secondary institutions and the use of race in admissions decisions. Um and I I would just point to that um from back in 2007 there was an earlier Supreme Court case which had held that school districts K to2 school districts are not permitted to use race uh in school assignment or other uh means and and certainly we've been abiding by that um since. So, I don't think there's anything new legally, just um some updated priorities in terms of enforcement at the federal level. But the school district um to the question is very aware of of all um guidance that's being issued and and actively monitoring all of that information. Thank you, Dr. Bower and Mr. Summers. Good evening, Mrs. Burke.
014Hello, everybody. I'm Margaret Burke from Landdale Burrow. Um just to what Mr. Somerset said, "I just find it interesting that an administration who's killing the Department of Education wants to tell states how to run our education when um all I ever heard for many years is states rights." Well, how about our states rights? And if you're going to abolish the Department of Education, I don't think you should be telling states how to run their schools. Um I wanted to congratulate our board for the last few months. I I watch at home on YouTube and I know you guys have really been thinking hard about how to keep that double A rating and I know how important it is for our interest rates as we do this uh renovation project at the high school and you
015guys really deserve a lot of kudos because you really thought of every angle that you could with how much we should use from capital reserves, how much we should borrow to keep that so we can get lower interest rates and save the taxpayers money. and I as a taxpayer appreciate what you have done there. Um I also heard somebody say something interesting um that the opposite of diversity is uniformity, the opposite of equity is inequity and the opposite of um inclusion is exclusion. So why would we want a uniform inequitable exclusive experience for our students? I do not. DEI in my mind has nothing to do with merit. As a woman in higher education, I can tell you that I always had the highest scores on every test I ever took, but I was not
016given the best opportunity. Those were given to men. When I was at graduate school at Yale, I can tell you those women were the smartest people you ever want to meet who were in my biology uh class that I taught. However, the also at Yale, um, we had a lot of people who were legacies, and I don't want to call them dumb as bricks, but they were. And I remember one student who I he was terrible. And I I thought it was generous of me to give him a C as a final grade. And I was told by Yale administration that I was not allowed to give a student a C. And he earned maybe a D. Okay. and he was a white male legacy student, but the um people of color in that class
017and the women, I was so impressed. So now in our uh community, in our country, you can't offer people of different color or women opportunities even though they have merit, but you can still let legacies in. And let me tell you, the studies that were in the Supreme Court decision recently that came out show that those are the people who don't have the scores to be at Harvard and Yale. And I know it from my experience there in the '9s. Thank you, Mrs. Burke. Would anyone else like to make public comment this evening? Okay. All right. Then we will move on to the items recommended for work session. Dr. Bower. And yes, before we get there, I'll ask Mr. Summers to give a superintendent or excuse me, solicitor's report. I wouldn't dream of it. Yeah.
018Please, please don't. Solicitor's report, please. Yes. Um the board met in executive session earlier this evening for the purpose of discussing a matter of labor relations involving the district's administrator group and a matter of personnel involving a former professional employee of the district. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Summers. All right. Next, I recommend moving the attached MCIU 2526 intergovernmental agreement for shared services to the April action meeting. Okay. May I have a motion? So moved. Mr. Fusco. Second, Mr. Casa. All right. Any comments or questions on this agreement? I would just say that um as a related service provider who works for a district but partners often with a department with the MCIU, I see how valuable their services are and fully support this. Thank you, Mr. Fusco. Anyone else? Okay, hearing none. All
019in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion passes. Thank you. I recommend approval of the personnel items as per the attached. May I have a motion, please? So moved. Mr. Fusco for second. Mr. Casa, any comments or questions on the um motion? Mr. Fresco? I don't have a question. I was just scrolling. Sorry. All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion passes. Thank you. Next. I recommend approval to appoint manufacturers and traders Trust Company, more commonly known as Mnt Bank, to serve the district as paying agent on the upcoming 2025 GO bond issuance. Thank you. May I have a motion for Mnt Bank? So moved. Second. Okay. Mrs. Stole, Mrs. Ramich, any comments or questions? Hearing none. Uh, all in favor say Is there
020a question now? All in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none. The motion passes. Thank you. I recommend approval of the proposal by her and caner associates to provide a survey report for pedestrian roadway and the road widening impact as requested by Tmenson Township based upon the denial of requested waiver. MPSD is still seeking deferment. Uh proposal is in the amount of not to exceed $4,000. May I have a motion please for the traffic study contract? Second. All right, Mrs. Stole and then Mr. Casa. All righty. Any comments or questions? I think this the scope of this is specific to Sumtown Pike, the widening, the sidewalk. Um, just taking a look at for those who know the property well as you move towards Valley Forge Road on the left hand side of Summit
021Town Pike gets very steep and there's a water feature down there and what that could all look like. So, um, we're looking to defer building of that sidewalk and some of the curbing until, uh, that road is widened, but we're going to study it to make sure. Accurate, Mr. Slaughter. Correct. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification, M. Dr. Bower. All right. Any other comments or questions? Okay. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion passes. Thank you. Uh, next I recommend approval of the 2528 uh, North Penn School District comprehensive plan. U, just as a note, Dr. Waters and team gave a very thorough presentation about this roughly six weeks ago. Um, so it it was posted publicly on the website for over 30 days and now
022this is the final approval. Thank you. May I have a motion for the comprehensive plan? Moved. Second. All right, Mrs. Stole and Mr. Fusco, any comments or questions? I I do have just want to circle back because it was a phenomenal presentation. It was you, Dr. McKenna, Dr. um Nicholson, right? Dr. Cougler. Oh, jeez. Lart, I'm sorry. Oh, Dr. Hart. Yeah. Well, okay. So, a shout out to the whole team. Um when we talked about it though um I think at the time there was a request and I think I made it about followup regarding specific goals the the goals in there and single points of contact and um as it because there is so much work put into it like realistic um updates that comes back to the board because it's a three-year plan.
023Correct. Yes. And one of the things that we talked about I think when you asked that question is there's targets built in the plan. So after year one, after year two, and then finally you try to reach that goal by year three. So we can absolutely give those updates. Thank you. That would be great. All right. Any other comments or questions? I do just want to make sure that I Dr. G. Yes. Thank you. Um I just wanted to clarify to make sure that I understand on page what page I think you know what Dr. Waters which page I'm talking about. It is page 15. So on page 15 when it talks about the different student groups um so it will say English learners this group is not a focus in this plan. Is it
024saying that that statement is false? Yes. And therefore the group is a focus. Yes. And I just double check the way. Yes. Yes. Okay. And that would be the case for each of those individual student groups. Yes. So just for clarity for those who I think that was a great question had me panicked for just a moment but yes that's what that is. So for those who have and why would you I guess for those who have not worked in the comprehensive plan portal for PTE um it is really an interface online and there are questions and prompts and you have to provide data checkboxes. This is the deliverable which is not very user friendly. Um, so anyone who is interested who didn't watch the presentation, I I would encourage you to do so or
025look at that presentation because it addresses exactly what Dr. G is asking because I agree with her that this is not clear. It's Mr. Fusco just said I think off mic. This is a double negative. It says this student group is not a focus. False. Uh, which makes no sense, but it's saying they are a focus. So, thank you Dr. G for clarifying that. Yeah. And I'll just add that when you're in the portal, it doesn't show you that ex exact statement, but the way this kind of pulls out the draft form of it, that's what that is. So, thank you for making sure that everyone understands that. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments or questions? Okay, hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? No. Not hearing anyone. Um, motion passes.
026Thank you. Okay. Okay. Next, I recommend approval of the contracts for the district as listed for April 8th, 2025, copies of which are on file in the business office. Uh, one here was over uh reviewed, I guess, extensively in the safe schools committee meeting and the other contract is a familiar name uh who's coming in to do some ad hoc work for Mr. Gilmer uh with our radios. So, okay. May I have a motion to approve the contract? So, moved. Is there second? Okay, Mr. Mr. Fus, I'm sorry, Mr. Kasa and Mr. Fusco. Any comments or questions? I just have a question regarding the uh contract with Chris. Can we have more information on exactly what that is? Um, I'm not positive that I can speak to this, but Mr. Gilmer is in the truck
027if he wants to run into the podium. Um, this is what I have via email. I would like to bring in Chris Dur to in to assist with our code plug development for the new radios that will be utilized with the new tower being installed at Penddale Middle School this summer. I need him approved as an independent contractor in order to do that work. So I do know that Mr. Durr has an expertise in uh radio worked actually for KYW and um has a unique set of skills to help with the code plug whatever that means Dr. J. So, and I actually believe that's not more his expertise and certifications when he was with us, I know, were rooted in emergency management planning and uh emergency services first responders because we had worked on a
028lot of the repeaters and the communications making sure they were uh all aligned across our schools with first responders and internally. And I believe this is part of making sure that the proper codes and sequencing are able to that that they're synchronized and uh reset. Mr. Gilmer said uh just replied and said uh need his help this summer programming new radios. He actually built the system. So thank you. Yep. All righty. Any other comments or questions? Okay. Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Hearing none, the motion passes. Thank you. Next, I recommend the election of Congratulations Joanna Chavez as secretary to the board of school directors effective immediately bonded as per school code with a stipened of $1,200 a year prated for the remainder of the current term, which ends on
029June 30th, 2025 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Steve Scray. You may recall that a few months ago you approved Joanna as assistant treasurer. Um, and the PL assistant secretary, excuse me. And the plan was for her to eventually replace Steve. So, here we go. Okay, this is great. Uh, may I have a motion to approve? So, move. Second. Okay, Mr. Fusco and Mrs. Ramage, any comments or questions besides congratulations? All righty. Um, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed? The motion passes. Congratulations. All right. Next, I recommend approval of the election of Tara BG Hower as the non-member treasurer of the North Penn board of school directors effective immediately bonded as per the school code with a stipen of $1,200 per year prrated for the remainder of the current term
030which ends on June 30th, 2025 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ron Linky. Um, just to provide further context here, the treasurer does not need to work for the school district. Uh but Ms. Hower is joining us very soon. Um her name will appear on checks as treasurer and it didn't make sense to have somebody else in the interim while Tara has been in communication with us. She's been a part of interviews. She's come in for meetings as part of her trade days. Um so just makes sense to transition that role now. So okay. Thank you Dr. Bower. Uh may I have a motion, please? So moved. All right. Mr. Casa and then Miss Mr. um Rash. Any comments or questions? All right, hearing none. All in favor say I. Any opposed?
031Hearing none, the motion passes. Thank you. And that concludes my report. I believe in other business, Ms. Mc Merry has an announcement she'd like to make. Well, I just want to give a shout out to the North Penn men's varsity ice hockey team. They won their first I think it's double A um championship for the district. Is that correct? My guess is AAA, but yes. Oh, triple. Sorry. and I did speak to the coach and he's really proud of his team. So, thank you. All right. Any other business? Okay. Hearing none, I'll ask for a motion to adjourn, please. All right. Thank you all. Have a good evening.