001for coming tonight and let's please stand for the pledge. Mr. Raul roll call please. Mr. Adrian. Here. Mrs. Binsay. Here. Mr. Briegel. Here. Mr. Camilletti. Here. Mrs. Schotary. Here. Mrs. Kennedy. Here. Mr. Lynch. Here. Mr. O'Neill. Mr. Soder. Present. Eight members present. Thanks Brad. Next alternative to Dr. French for superintendent's comments. Thank you. We'll just move into the celebration of excellence. Thank you. Excellence in education in Peters Township School District. Our Bower Hill best buddies got together this month to help celebrate America 250. The students made colorful red white and blue wreaths and Bower Hill is also getting ready for their America themed third grade musical coming up soon. Therapy dogs from pit paws visited Bower Hill and spent some time with Mrs. Dyer's third grade class. Students had the opportunity to learn about the
002services the dogs provide, how they are trained, and the places they typically visit. Students also had some time to read to the dogs and ask questions of the trainers and just get in some cuddle time. This month 10 seniors from Peters Township High School signed their national letters of intent to continue their high school athletic careers at the collegiate level. Please join us as we congratulate these talented students. Nine Peters Township students took part in the state level of the National History Day competition. National History Day is an opportunity for students to present historical papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries and original websites designs pertaining to an annual theme. Congratulations to all of our students who participated and to the high school students above who are moving on to the national competition in June. First grade had
003their in house field trip this month with the wild world of animals. It relates to their language arts and science unit on animals and the kids research and wrote animal reports. Thank you to the Pleasant Valley PTA who sponsored this visit. Representatives from the Manchester Craftsman's Guild visited our high school art department to help our students try their hand at raccoon pottery. Raccoon is a dramatic low-temperature firing technique where glazed red hot pottery is removed from the kiln and placed in combustible materials producing unique unpredictable and often metallic crackle finishes. Congratulations to middle school teacher Josh Elders who has been nominated as one of two Pennsylvania teachers for the 2026 National History Day Teacher of the Year award. Each nominee is a teacher who demonstrates a commitment to engaging students in historical learning. One national
004winner will be selected and announced at the National History Day contest in June. Washington County Commissioner Electra Janis came to Pleasant Valley third grade to talk about Washington County government and fun things to do in Washington County. The children were also given county activity booklets and everybody enjoyed the presentation and asked lots of good questions. Pleasant Valley third graders had a Star Wars themed STEM day on May the 4th creating games, building bridges, and creating robots that solved a problem like practicing soccer with you or even doing your homework. High school senior and Western Area student Anthony LaBarbara recently won a gold medal at the PA SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference where students showcase their talent, leadership, and professionalism by competing in their trade areas. Andrew is in the carpentry program at Western Area.
005This month featured Farm Day for kindergarten at Bower Hill. Dressed in their finest farm gear, students rotated through stations where they got to try their hand at painting a barn, shearing sheep, planting crops, milking the cows, and more. Hard work is fun when you're in kindergarten. Students from Peterstownship High School attended the Stars Prom with other students from around our region this month. They got a big send-off with some photos under the high school arch. May featured Poem in My Pocket Day in Mrs. Wilcombe's second grade classroom at Bower Hill. To celebrate National Poetry Month, the class all kept a poem in their pocket all day long. Anytime someone asked, they had to read their poem with expression and intonation. Congratulations to our high school media students who took home top awards at the Digital
006Media Arts Consortium hosted by Robert Morris University. Our students received eight awards in all for best commercial, instructional video, sports photojournalism, sports article, opinion article, best writing for the 48-hour film challenge, best music video, and Mia Anderson earned the Founders Award at the event. The National Association of School Resource Officers has awarded Peterstownship their Model SRO Agency Award. This honor is given for exemplifying the school resource officer's role as an informed counselor, public safety educator, and law enforcement officer. In addition, they were recognized for demonstrating creative and innovative approaches to school-based policing. Peterstownship was among only 11 police departments given this honor across our nation. That was wonderful. Thank you, Dr. French. Okay, public comment on agenda and other items. Peterstownship School District values parent and community engagement. Speakers who signed up in advance per
007policy 903 will be allotted a maximum of five minutes for public comment. Oh, other speakers will be allotted a maximum of two minutes for public comment. Part of our communication effort involves taping and sharing videos of our board meetings to help our community stay informed on matters before the board. Any guest speakers or members of public who are taking part in the meetings are reminded to come to the podium and use the microphone when making comments so that they may be heard by those of us in the room and those watching online. All speakers are reminded to state their name and resident status for the minutes. Under President's comments, there was an executive session held on May 11th and also one immediately prior to this meeting to discuss personnel matters and the presentation of the
008annual school safety and security report. Under new business, is there any new business before the board? All right, so we will go to business office and we are looking at the first recommendation and we're considering a motion to approve business office recommendations as follows and it's one two ten. Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Those opposed? Motion passes. Thank you everyone. This is when it's going to get complicated. My section. Okay, so I will present the motions and then we'll go through everything for the for the five of them. Okay, so I move to approve the Act 93 agreement for a period of four years from July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2030. Second. Is there any discussion? Is there any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed?
009Motion passes. Second recommendation. Move to point Michael Hennegan to the position of principal Peters Township Middle School pursuant to the Act 93 compensation plan and on terms and conditions approved by the solicitor effective July 1st, 2026. Second. Is there any discussion? Is there any public comment? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Okay, motion passes. Congratulations, Mr. Hennegan. Number three, move to approve an employment agreement with Casey Thompson for the position of director of technology for the period July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2029 and on terms and conditions approved by the solicitor. Second. Is there any discussion? Any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Those opposed? Okay, motion passes. Congratulations, Casey. Number four, recommendation, move to approve a one-year extension of the employee agreement for Justin Piles assistant athletic director effective July 1st, 2026
010through June 30th, 2027. Second. Is there any discussion? Any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Congratulations, Justin. Number five, move to correct item 2-6 on the April 20th, 2026 regular meeting agenda to reduce the five-day suspension to a two-day suspension without pay for employee 03-25-26. Second. Is there any discussion? Any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes and that is all I have for personnel. So move on to buildings and grounds and Alex O'Neill is not here and a building, I don't think Mike Lynch. Mike, do you have any comments? I don't know if he can hear us. Okay. I can hear you. Okay. No, not at this time. Okay. All right. I didn't want to ignore you as the as the vice. Okay. Buildings and grounds committee
011meeting. I appreciate that. Okay. Just want to make sure awake. A buildings and grounds committee meeting was held on April 27th, 2026. And next is education. Mr. Briegel. I got nothing. Okay. Thank you though. Moving right along. Okay. Finance, Alex Spencey. Thanks, Kathleen. Finance committee meetings were held on April 27th, 2026 and May 11th, 2026. Two recommendations. Recommendation move to adopt the proposed final general fund budget for 2026-2027 school year in the amount of 89 million seven hundred and eighty four thousand one hundred and thirty seven dollars and a millage rate of 16.6. And Brad, do you mind doing a roll call on this? Second. Is there any discussion? Yes. Mr. O'Neill, correct me if I'm wrong. I seem to remember in the past whenever we've had to vote on the budget and any kind
012of millage increase there's always been the the percentage has always been listed. And I am I wrong on that? On the proposed final it would not have been listed and the percentage on the final when we set the millage in June that that will include that so I'm guessing that's what you're remembering. All right that that could be it. Thank you. Can you please refresh my memory? If we approve this what is that percentage we're voting for? Is that the 2%? Correct. So current millage rate of 16.28 this will bring the millage to 16.6, 1.97 rounding. Close enough. Percenting. Okay so 2% and the maximum was 3.5. Correct. All right. Thank you. I have some other things I wanted to bring up that are quasi relevant to this. I can either do it before or
013after we take the vote on this. Ms. Schotter, do you have a preference? All right. Let's see. So at the most recent Finance Committee meeting we were looking at and I guess combination buildings and grounds we were looking at various things that needed to be done and I've been thinking about that sense and we've been talking about some of the work that needs to be done at Bauer Hill and I know the comment was made at least I heard it more than once we don't want to hit the taxpayer twice. I'm really not sure what that means because I think the bigger issue is how much we raise taxes not how many times we hit them. Regardless I am still worried that if we let that work at Bauer Hill go too long what I
014pretty much can guarantee is that the cost is going to go up and Mr. Rao, Dr. French correct me if I'm wrong on this but I seem to recall that we actually are in a pretty good position right now to borrow enough with very little impact on the taxpayer. If we would use the additional revenue from the two percent increase in the millage and applied that to a bond issue we would be able to generate it was over 20 million estimated okay so that would be enough those are all just estimated numbers based on current market conditions we haven't done any in-depth analysis of it yet. Sure and everybody please understand I'm not advocating that we do this right now but I would like us I would like the administration to at least look at
015getting the ball rolling so that if it turns out that we're in a favorable position and we could get this done earlier before prices go up that we're positioned to take advantage of that that's all I would like to do I'm not saying I want to pull the trigger on spending anything automatically right now what I don't want to do is we don't get ready and then it turns out we would be or we might be in a position to do it and we're not ready and we missed the boat. Well from I don't disagree but being ready are you saying from a plans perspective or are you saying from a borrowing perspective both? I don't want to pull the trigger on anything such that we're committed to anything but I would like to at
016least look at it and see what planning we need to do grants we need to watch for and I think that was being done anyway if necessary talk to whoever we would borrow anything from and just find out all the details I just want to have everything ready so that if we decide yeah you know what we can do this earlier and maybe get it done before the price goes up I think that might be something we'd want to consider and take advantage of because if we're worried about hitting the taxpayer well if we don't do it and the price goes up I think that's gonna be the bigger hit so that's all I'm asking so I guess the first thing is and is anybody unclear on what I'm asking I don't want to commit
017us to any to spending anything that's not my point. I guess I just assume that's what we were doing because the only way we can do the bond issue is if we raise taxes and to such amount that we can fund and if I misunderstood that my mistake but yes I would like to I just want to make sure we're doing that. I guess we kind of my recollection of the last meeting Alex was that we raised the taxes and therefore had enough to either exhaust the capital fund on that slide four and everything on slide eight or some combination of exhausting the capital fund and borrowing and I think what you're asking is my point is I want to make sure how do I phrase this I want to make sure that if at
018some point in the future we decide wait a minute yeah we should borrow this right now I don't want to be behind the eight ball and not be ready to do it that's all so I'm I would ask that we as a board ask the administration to do whatever is necessary not to commit us to anything but just to be ready and I realize that's kind of a vague request. Or bond financing rates like we did like we did with the high school where Brown was authorized to explore it. Exactly and that would include like SiteLogic firming up and bidding these projects as well? I would think so. I mean okay yeah I agree I just want to make sure. Now the other thing is though where is this I think it's policy 11 and
019I know I'm the one asking this right and whoever's the expert in policy you can correct me if I'm wrong I think policy 11 basically says that no individual school director really has any power to do anything we only act as a group and I'd like to get away from any individual any one of us making any requests so I'm asking for a consensus of the board is this something that the board overall would like the administration to move forward to position us carefully so that we can take advantage of the necessary or am I the only one? I don't have policy 11 in front of me and I don't think I've ever read it but I Kathleen I'm in favor of the board tasking them and not individual board members I don't know I
020mean Joss maybe you know is this policy 11 capture that and if so what does that mean an execution? Policy 11 is the principles of governance policy so it talks about how you know the board is expected to act ethically to be informed to communicate all the things that you're doing right now. It might be three or two I had it open on my phone when I walked in here but regardless. It also has that in it. Okay. That you know and when we do the board trainings that no one member of the board has any authority to act you only act as a group by voting so but you can also build a consensus directing the administration to explore something and then ultimately any action would have to come forward at a public meeting
021through a public vote to actually take action on anything but making sure the administration understands that they can explore something but ultimately what would come to you is like a parameters resolution from bond counsel right so just looking into that having you know getting it started doesn't require the board to take any official action if there's nobody opposed to them exploring it I think that that is information that they should know and then they would have to come forward to you at a public meeting for your approval to take any official step forward after that. You said that much better than I did thank you. Here now we don't need an official motion to get the wheels turning on the bond. We can all just say yes we agree. I would just say that if
022there's anyone opposed to them just starting the exploration process speak now or forever hold your peace but but there will be no official action taken until there is a vote at a future meeting. This is just get get the board some information and come back with your recommendations. Does anybody object to the to the administration getting information for us? Okay good thank you. Then one final point before we take the vote on the moved recommendation one of the things that this board has talked about for a while is the state of the locker room facilities at the middle school for the stadium and I forget when it was a year or more ago I did take advantage Mr. Guyer took me down there and I saw them and they are really poor and I forget
023the numbers but I don't know how many teams we have down there in every season. The restroom facilities seem insufficient the shower facilities seem insufficient. My understanding is that during the summer when the facilities are being used there's no air conditioning it can get incredibly hot in there. Again I'm not asking for any action or expenditures but what I would like is at least rough estimates from the school if we were going to replace those facilities with a fieldhouse. How big would it have to be where would it go and roughly how much would it cost? Again I'm just trying to find out information I don't want to commit us to anything but it seems to me that and and my kids are all graduated and gone but if they were down there I would
024not want my kids to go through that and it seems that we're a district that we can afford better for our kids and I don't know why we haven't so again I'm not asking that we commit to anything but I am asking that we at least look into some options and find out what it would take and I would also request that this be more of a consensus of the board asking the administration so maybe that's sounds like a buildings and grounds committee kind of discussion that maybe I think if you're asking the administration to bring some information to a buildings and grounds committee and you have concerns I think that's that's perfectly fine but it sounds like that would be something that would be appropriate for committee discussion. I mentioned it here only because
025of the financial aspect but if this is the wrong place to mention it I can bring it up again later. I don't think that Mr. Rao is budgeting for that right now. No I'm not asking for a budget I'm just saying what what what will be looking at are we looking at fifty million five thousand I just want something rough just so we have a better idea than then at least I do right now which is nothing. I guess I'm hearing two requests one is to have a finance committee meeting and then we could bring people on on discussing the the bond issue process and what that looks like a preliminary numbers just talk that through and then probably a separate like Mrs. Kramer said a separate buildings and grounds meeting maybe to review the
026projects. I'm I'm fine with that I would just like the information any objections? I think back to what Mike brought up before where we have some facilities like the lacrosse or the turf field at the high school where you know we don't have stairs there we don't have seating there I think a conversation about facilities like this has to be a lot broader before we hone in on something like that. Alex I agree with you I think with the no disrespect at all but with the new superintendent and the new athletic director I think it's an opportunity for us to ask the new team how they assess the facilities both again broader than sports could the music program etc etc and then from that we hear the the new leadership teams perspective and then that's
027where we can engage the buildings and grounds team if our current understanding of the capital projects are accurate or if they need to be adjusted. I think that makes sense the only reason I brought these up now is because if we're looking at a budget for next year these are things we might want to keep in mind that's all and again I'm not trying to commit us to anything I just want information. No I think I personally appreciate you bringing it up because it kind of wraps up last week's and really the last month and a half's discussions and postures us for the next year. Next question what would you see the timeline for buildings and grounds to meet? I'm not sure when we're like this school year next school year. I don't have an
028answer for that. Okay well I guess I would defer to the administration on how much time they would need to get the requested information. You know what I'm gonna suggest that Mr. O'Neill watch this video when he's and then he can decide what he's gonna do. All right okay is there any further discussion on number six and thank you Rolf for bringing all that up. Is there any public comment and next we're gonna do a roll call vote Brad. Roll call vote on item number six the proposed general fund 26-27 general fund budget. Mr. Camilletti? Yes. Mrs. Chaudhary? Yes. Mrs. Kennedy? No. Mr. Lynch? Yes. Mr. Soder? Yes. Mr. Adrian? No. Mrs. Binsay? No. Mr. Briegel? Yes. Motion passes. Okay thank you Mr. Rao. Alex? Number seven recommendation move to authorize Peacock Keller LLP to
029file 2027 property tax assessment appeals to properties transferred in the district from July 1 2024 through June 30 2026 that meet the following criteria. Number one minimum sale price of $200,000. Number two minimum under assessed tax revenue of $500. Second. I would request a roll call on that as well please. Okay any discussion on this recommendation? Any public comment? Okay Brad. Roll call vote on item seven. Mrs. Chaudhary? Yes. Mrs. Kennedy? No. Mr. Lynch? Yes. Mr. Soder? Yes. Mr. Adrian? No. Mrs. Binsay? No. Mr. Briegel? Yes. Mr. Camilletti? Yes. Motion passes 5-3. Thank you Mr. Rao. Alex you're wrapped up. Okay thank you. Next is policy. Yes thank you. So previous to this meeting we had our last cell phone working group. In this cell phone working group we had three options of policies that
030groups could redline and make their own policies out of it. Some of the discussions with these policies were storage requirements that the school district was going to have, disciplinary actions that the school district was going to have, the different types of storage requirements that were talked about with a bell-to-bell policy would be a kid storing it in their backpack. A second option was storing it in a locker. There were talked about like a container of some sort where they would store them in at the beginning of the day and those were the three options. Some of the disciplinary options that people talked about first offense would be like returning it to the office. A lot of people agreed to having a parent called confiscation. There was a lot of talk about preference on being stricter
031quicker so then students wouldn't have their cell phones out. So in-school suspension was what a lot of the parents said for either second or third offense and then there were a couple that said Saturday detentions but after school detentions were kind of like cut out of all of the policies. But yeah it was very productive. We really enjoyed the working group and getting the community involved. Everyone was pleasantly like surprised about it and wanted to do it in more options and different segments. So I hope that we continue allowing for some community involvement with certain topics. Thank you Sarah. And next PSBA. I'm just curious do we have a phone policy ready or what do we expect to have it? No so we are going to compel all the data that we got from the
032community working group. Natalie did come to this session and the house currently is on the third pass of a bill that will then go to the Senate and she thinks that timeline would be June. The new bill that they proposed at the house was that it would be a immediate policy adjustment and it wouldn't go to school year 2027-2028. So plan of action is to compel the data possibly put it into an employee handbook have a policy set aside so we can see exactly what's being passed by the house so in Senate so we don't do something and then a month later have to revisit what we did. So any other questions for Sarah on the cell phone policy? Okay take it away Sarah for PSBA. Okay recommendation move to approve the purchase of the
033Pennsylvania School Boards Association standard membership and policy maintenance option for the 2026-27 school year at a cost of $17,745.24. Second. Any discussion? Sorry I don't know. Okay the last thing I want to just recommend for the PSBA is for the new school board members just to make sure you get your training orders or training hours in. It's really simple if you have any questions just reach out to me. Is there any public comment on this action? Hey all those in favor? Opposed? Okay motion passes for PSBA. Next Western area Career and Technology Center. The next joint operating committee meetings will be held on May 27th and June 17th and just a quick update you saw a picture of Andrew LaBarbera. He's a senior at the high school. He was student of the month. Andrew is
034a third-year carpentry student and is an active SkillsUSA member. He is a two-time competitor brought home a 2026 gold medal in the state competition. So I wanted to say congratulations to him it was a big deal. The other two actions we took at the last meeting that were relevant to us well everything's relevant but that were just kind of higher on my list. School calendar for next year was approved and also this took us a few months the JOC entered into a one-year lease and operating agreement with CCBC for use of the former LPN building that was not being used. CCBC will use this building conduct to conduct on-site LPN to ADR classes at the cost of 50,000 per year plus utilities. So we're gonna put that towards operating costs and that concludes unless there
035are any questions that concludes my report. No questions? Okay now next is the superintendent's agenda. Thank you. I'm requesting action on certificated personnel items number 1 through 8. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Requesting action on non-certificated personnel items number 1 through 7. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Requesting action on extra-duty personnel and programs items number 1 through 3. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Requesting action on professional conferences trainings and trips one item only. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Requesting action on educational programs and student activities items number 1 and 2. So moved. Second. Any discussion?
036Any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Requesting action on other items numbered 1 through 24. So moved. Second. Any discussion? I have a couple. Number 21 just curious and I guess 22 what does success look like? We'd send those with the reserve on them just our mechanics appraisal of how much they're worth will put the reserve on the auction if it hits the reserve we would sell them if not we would hold them for the next auction. Okay thanks. Number 23 the whole thing about the again I don't my family doesn't care but did that thing get resolved or? Yes yeah they resolved the senior yearbook photos. Sorry the thing that I'm asking if it got resolved what came out do you can probably talk to a better not can't you?
037Yes the yearbook advisor put out that Redford would take all senior portraits and that would be the yearbook portrait in the yearbook. We found out about that and made some modifications that instead of requiring a certain photographer and Mrs. Belcher jump in if I'm wrong it was about the specs of the photographer of the photo and how it was presented to allow families a little bit more option there. Yeah thanks Jen. And then my only other question was number 10. I don't remember the relationship with IU 3 could someone remind me what that is? We use some of their programs for special education they do travel training for us IU 1 doesn't provide that so we'll use AIU for those. Thank you. Any other discussion? I would like to recognize those individuals and organizations that
038donated to help us serve the students thank you very much. I have to point out that PTA, PTSA that donated $5,000 it's amazing thank you. Any public any other discussion? Is there any public comment? All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Okay any other board information? I do Dr. Murphy if you wouldn't mind talking about the 250th thank you. Sure some of the activities are really ramping up right now because beyond it's the end of the school year we're getting closer to the anniversary. This week's concert is important to highlight because it will be our America 250 concert at 7 p.m. at our high school it's our band concert it's fully American type theme songs although every one of our concerts has had some sort of a red white and blue theme to it
039this one is predominantly our big celebration for the American 250 celebration. At the high school the social studies wing has hung a banner that allows students with QR codes to see how they can volunteer serve or participate in America 250 activities so that was something new that started since last month. At the middle school their mural activity is in full swing. At the middle school every homeroom is assigned a time period from the signing of the declaration up to present time and the homeroom will be researching it they're building a huge mural in the hallway that may have a QR code with videos it will depend on the creativity of that homeroom but the kids are really excited and it's starting to play on the afternoon announcements and then the final thing with the middle
040school and high school is all the eighth grade certificates and the diploma will have a PA 250 emblem on them which is something new and it's kind of a cool thing to have as a 2026 grad or eighth grade to ninth grade student I couldn't think of what that would call. Yes so we have so the elementary so a lot of performances we have the the America play at Bauer Hill coming up and one of the things that they've done adopted they usually have red and white days on Fridays they've they've adjusted that to red white and blue Bauer Hill they had facts on BTV about America 250 and then they also had some assembly so a lot of our elementary schools have brought in assemblies you know one was at George Washington they read
041a book in third grade about George Washington so they brought in you know some assembly regarding that PV STEM night was themed America 250 and then each of our band and our orchestra concerts in one way whether they're dressing up in red white and blue or they're playing patriotic songs that's why they're acknowledging America 250. Any questions? Is there any public comment on agenda items only? Okay then the solicitor's report? I have nothing beyond the executive session items thanks. Thank you. So our next board meeting is Monday June 22nd there's no board meeting in July and then our August is Monday August 17th. Are there any committee meetings that I might be missing? Maybe Mr. O'Neill we'll see. All right I will entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. Okay all those in favor?
042Aye. Opposed? Motion carries and we are done.