03-12-26 BSD Work Session

001Good evening. Welcome to the March work session of the Rose Tree Media School Board. The school board holds monthly work sessions to carry out its responsibilities in public as dictated by the Sunshine Law. At these meetings, the board's standing committees conduct the work of the board through discussion with the administration. We welcome the public to these meetings and depending on the length of the agenda may be able to entertain public comment. If we're not able to address comments, we encourage emails to either committee chairs or the administration. As a reminder to where our conversation should focus, the students are the center of the RTMSD learning community. Our mission states that all students will reach their intellectual, emotional, social, and physical potential in a safe environment that celebrates diversity, individual talents and efforts, and promotes collaboration,

002caring, respect, and leadership. Students will be wellprepared to create meaningful and productive lives in a global society. Uh we'll start off with a few presentations this evening. First up, we have the Springton Lake Native Plant Meadow. Dr. Malage. >> Thank you, Dr. Knobson Williams. Uh I'm very excited that Mr. Jonathan Henredig is here with us this evening. Mr. Henredig is a teacher here at Springton Lake Middle School. um and he reached out I guess early last fall initially um wanting to have a discussion about um doing a a native meadow planting uh here at Springton Lake. So he and I and Mr. Nolan had some discussions going into the fall uh some more discussions in the winter and he's here this evening uh with a presentation for us to take a look at. So, we're

003going to get him uh sharing his screen. I'm gonna turn it over to him. Also with him at the table is Mike Nolan uh from our facilities and grounds department uh who has been instrumental in the discussions and helping providing some guidance for us. So I'm going to do my presentation from him that actually you have your presentation. I will just make sure you're on that. All right. and go back to uh the Zoom. Share again. Share. Yep. There you go. All right. Great. You want to maximize that? All right. Okay. Slideshow. Get this out of here. All right. Everyone, Jonathan Henredig. I am a teacher here. As uh Dr. Malashsh mentioned, I've been here for nine years. Um I am a parent as well. I have three children in the district. Um, and I'm

004the co-sponsor of the environmental club here. Um, we've been I just gonna try to keep it short. I've been told that's a good idea. But, um, I've been gardening just briefly for over 20 years in all different capacities. The past 10 year I 10 years or so, I've been um, really enamored with the native plant a movement and uh, restoration ecology. and I've been um you know converting my yard to night and native plant habitat and um most recently removing the any um grass lawn for the most part except for a path and creating a native meadow. Um, and I'll just tell you it's absolutely gorgeous and the amount of life um of all forms of knife life that have showed up in my yard are incredible and I'd love to share that with the

005community here and bring it here. Um, so I'll just say my goal in creating this native plant meadow is to bring the latest is to bring real nature back into our kids and families lives to showcase the incredible beauty and educational and therapeutic properties of living amongst a seasonally changing tapestry steaming um teeming with life. Um, like I was saying, I feel like home and school is where kids first interact with nature. if they're lucky, they might get a yard with a tree, uh, some shrubs, and a perfectly manicured small lawn. Um, and as great as that is, this is a suburban vision that is of nature that I think is deeply lacking in all that nature can offer. And I'm hoping that, you know, we can provide, you know, a a real different view

006to the community and to our students here, um, with this. So, if you don't mind, let's take a one minute of enjoying our native plants. Um, it's a mid-Atlantic native plant meadow, which is our region. Why can't I move this along? Maybe because I'm sharing. Oh, that looks good. There we go. So, >> hello. >> That's sorry. Um, believe I haven't done this before. Um, with that in mind, these are, you know, when I when um when I first came out and looked at this, I talked to our new principal, Mr. Burbal, and he recommended um his from his previous school, talking to the Delaware County Master Gardeners. I did reach out to them. I thought it was a great idea, and they put me in contact with um Delaware County um conservation district, who's

007actually located right across the street at Rose Tree Park, and have done some meadows. There's apparently two new meadows there now and they've done a come a couple in the area recently. Um I originally, as you can see on the left side, that's a sort of the whole school property. Um was considering all different places, especially places originally that were sort of like had been recently left unmode. Um which is great habitat that's growing on its own, but you know, I thought could really be enhanced with the actual planting. Um but the guys that came visited um recommended actually convert that the most of the grants that are available for this kind of thing are available to areas that are traditional turf grass. So we looked around and they saw this spot um which is

008next to the tennis court as you can see and it is kind of like a sloping space that is really used by uh the cross country team only for just running around. I mean, there's a whole track that goes around our our whole school, but um so they run around that and they run through it, but no other teams use it. And I was told that it's not really a great sp space to be converted for anything else. So, um we thought it would be a great spot. It's a great open space. Um and that's our potential spot right now. the one on the right side. As you can see, um we have it in mind to be used not only as just a beautiful entrance to the school um in that spot and habitat,

009but also as a potential outdoor learning um you know, space, educational hub. Um it's pretty accessible the front of the building. You can walk right through there. So, we'd have a path go, you know, and the path is not set in stone right now. It's a sort of a temporary concept. um but um that you could walk right to and sit around maybe some other spaces for different classes depending on how much interest we get. Definitely gotten a lot of other interest from some of the science teachers um in the school um for this as well. I'm an art teacher by the way. I don't said that but love science too. All right, let's go move on. So why build a meadow? As I've mentioned, they're beautiful. They support biodiversity. You know, it's an incredible

010vision to come into the school and present, you know, to the public and to our community that, you know, we stand for this this great idea that we want to bring biodiversity and beauty to in in a sense of nature to our students. It's an outdoor classroom potential for all different classes including the arts and sciences as well as the ecological benefits um which are many um as I've mentioned tons of life the whole life cycles come to my house and um neighborhood I see all sorts of levels of insects and bugs and birds enjoying it along with other cool animals and you know we cut down immediately on the mowing that takes place so it's a cost savings in the long run as long as well as you know the carbon that will be

011eliminated by uh not mowing. We can go I have a lot more detail on this that you guys can look at. I believe this is shared with you um but um keep moving. So here's a sort of conversion timeline from the grass that is currently there. Um we have I've done uh with the team that's been out there a sort of site evaluation met these requirements. It does have some different levels and air different level areas so that there are some wetter areas and you know you can certainly pick grass seed I'm sorry plants native plant seed um perennial seed that is for those different areas. I do think that probably one of the from my conversations biggest areas of you know concern might be the step two which would be um how to deal

012with removing this the turf grass um and as I'll present further all the people that I've talked to that are you know wetland conservation experts use um pure glyphosite which is not exactly the same as Roundup um people that are concerned with that um but it is considered the the most you know ecologically um the best option in a sense that it wipes out any invasive plants the in the fastest u most methodical method. Um and then you're planting it with plants that are, you know, going to completely replenish and fix the soil. Um we'll get into that more if there's any questions. um after that's been sprayed two times um in the dormant let's see it's they suggest late spring and then late um summer so you get the two different growth cycles. Then

013we then uh rake the land and overseed it with lots of beautiful native plant seeds and put a layer of mulch on top of it that is sort of like a fixed on top of that to hold them in place. And so that season we're then waiting for the seeds to sprout for the following season. Then the first season is apparently not much. You do mow it um every few weeks, but not as not every week just to keep it down and to keep the new plants competitive um with um each other versus any kind of other, you know, grass seeds that would be coming up um and to let them establish their root systems. Um, and I do think it's important to put some good signage up there to let the community know that

014we are would be building a um a meadow and for educational purposes also. Um, and then over the next two seasons it grows more and by the third season is apparently like a full-blown gorgeous meadow. >> Season or third year? >> Uh, third year. Yeah, second year apparently you can see some some of the earlier sprouting flowers. Um, but yeah, you really get the full effects in the third season. So, if you know, I just put it out there again for for people that are interested in um the glyphosate issue. I certainly have lots of information about this. Any of you aware of the sort of native plant movement, some of the these are some of the two sort of most internationally and nationally well-known authors. Doug Tommy is local professor in Delaware who really

015um I would say really pushed the movement forward a lot and um you know in this the video down below um if anybody's interested I'd be happy to play a short clip where he does advocate for the use of um glyphosate and a actual friend family friend of mine Jim Jordan is a CEO of the Brandy Wine Red Clay Alliance he put it to me if people that are really concerned like almost every state, all of the forest agencies and nonprofits use glyphosate for this exact reason, to um clear existing um invasive plants from an area that really harm the potential of starting a uh native plant community. All right. So, um I have lots of other great reasons to do it. And I have uh I also have this piece. I thought if anybody

016had any questions about the cost, we are, you know, the the gentleman I talked to from the Delaware County Community, I'm sorry, Delaware County Commission um wershed um gave me this as a sort of like it's a little hard to see I guess up here, but a actual bill of converting um 2.8 acres to native plant meadow. So, I could use some of those numbers in general to get a sense from him what it might cost. Um, I did a little Google Maps assessment of what the space is approximately. Looks like it's about 1.5 acres. And the grant that he says he's, you know, used to getting and giving out to people is usually a 50/50 split. And so it looks like the grand total should be potentially for converting the space between5 and $6,000

017which would leave um the district with between 2.5 and 3,000 to sort of balance that out to cover costs. Um that also takes into account the offset of mowing being done here by our own maintenance team and also they've offered you know help with assistance with more of the more specifics with the layout of the design of it and the you know the different plants that we would be use the seed that would be using. So I I was expecting people to cut me off at different points throughout this. Does anybody have any wrestling thoughts or uh questions right now? >> I just want to say first of all, this is really interesting. Um I love uh parks and nature and hiking and being out in all of that. So uh I think it's wonderful

018to be able to have something like this for our students to see. Um, you alluded to some of it, but will there be opportunities or ways to explore for the students to be able to see how this meadow progresses, right? To because three years is a long time for a kid to wait. Are there learning opportunities to be able to be part of this or to participate and see how this goes? >> That's a great question. Um, I love that idea as an educator um, and as the environmental club uh, sponsor. We certainly talk about all this stuff in my you know my class a lot. Um but I do think that yeah absolutely you know if we were going to go ahead with something like this that we as I've mentioned I've talked to

019some of my closer colleagues in the sciences and they are very excited about it and I you know know would want to be doing that and looking for you know opportunities to get outside in our beautiful campus which we're so lucky to have. So, I definitely think that they could and I certainly have tons of resources that I would be happy to pass along to anyone that's interested um as far as what to look for and and and absolutely as far as adding to the meadow as well like a um you know is as you say three three years is a long time to wait. Um I think that we can certainly >> for a meadow for children to learn as we go right and see this transformation and to be feel like they're part

020of the process. Um, >> oh yeah, >> wondering if that's something you're looking into. And >> and on a slightly different note, um, >> I can also understand if some people might have concerns about vermin. So, are there cons are there issues that residents, so we're good community neighbors. Should we worry about vermin or anything like that or how is that going to handle? Do you understand what I'm >> Absolutely. Okay. I mean, my wife might be one of those people that might be concerned with vermin on in my yard as things grow. She's been very understanding and she's learned along the way that I do think that nature takes care of itself in a lot of ways. If we were pouring out seeds and, you know, nuts to things, then you might have some

021more things that are unpleasant to see. But I do think that um yeah from my experience that there's you know there are insects that come in and they're beautiful um and none of them we find out and this I think such an important thing um are dangerous. I mean we're going to have these big mode paths so I think students will have the opportunity to walk through it and enjoy it and learn from observation but you know no one should have any issues with anything attacking them. um the in fact they're going to learn the opposite that these insects and animals and you know meaning birds mostly um are there just living there and enjoying it and will just keep and are really fixated on getting you know nectar and um stuff from the plants.

022Um but yeah, I think that they can certainly plant things and add like spring bulbs is a great way of planting things or bringing also people talk about this all the time in the you know as as the meadow sort of movement takes off and there's different designers that cap cap capture people's attention like you know you can you can purchase you know we could fund raise for certain things or we could as a class kind of say we really love this plant let's create a spot for that here you know and sort of like make interventions throughout out of different times as well. Um, and yeah, I think you certainly could study you could study, you know, the growth of the meadow. You can, um, certainly study the different things that come into it.

023I mean, Doug Talamy has a whole thing that he's studying the different mods and he has this whole thing about mas and how they're the sort of like the um what is the cornerstone of the um sort of you know the whole cycle of life and that all the birds depend on on these you know and we just don't even consider that um caterpillars and how how important they are. So, you know, like all the different aspects of things that are gone. There's so many different myriad ways that it could be studied and um can be, you know, kind of like a part of the whole process as well as sort of like, you know, like I think showing our students, you know, we have an incredible TV program sort of the Spartan Scoop is

024a great way and our environmental club is putting starting to put out little blurbs of, you know, sort of, you know, TSAs or, you know, whatever PSAs TSA. um right for different ideas, but we could also talk about that, you know, we're going to have a meadow that's growing here and like this is what's going to happen the first year and this is what we can start to look for and it's not going to look like a fullblown, you know, Disney meadow yet, but it's going to eventually and it's going to be, you know, even better because you can get to walk through it. Um, however, so yeah, it's a great point and something to consider and I think we'll get out, you know, as soon as we get the coat. >> Yeah. say, "I

025also love it. I think it's cool." And we talk about happening doing this at my house all the time and we just never do it. So maybe I'm inspired now. >> Oh my god. >> And now I know what to do to kill all my native grasses. >> Um but I think it's great and I second what Susan said like as much as you can involve the students even maybe the high school. There are kids who do landscaping and have started businesses and so it might be an opportunity also to kind of go across schools. I do love that idea and I've also, you know, been talked about how they at the high school had um an outdoor classroom. I think that was more of a forest there and that's something I certainly you know

026thought about and you know certainly has led me to to sort of consider this as well. Um, so yeah, I mean I think interacting and you know cross schools is a great thing and I know that there's also a great a big gardener at the media elementary school as well too and there's all different people that you know hoping that you know we start like a little community of gardeners that you know share stuff for sure across the district. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. I also want to say I love the idea. We've talked a lot about it in my area and um you know the idea of planting the seed with the kids about the value of this when they become homeowners and members of their community as adults. It's going to be in the

027back of their mind if they've enjoyed it. I would also say that uh this kind of growth is can also be a creative inspiration right so for art for poetry creative writing kids can document >> the changing seasons in >> you know their creativity the English department could you know arts could use it too >> um so uh yeah no I think it's I think it's a great use of a of an area that's been sort of dormant for a very long time and we get all those geese Key over is one of the areas that we get too many geese, right? And then keep them away as well, right? The hawks come. >> Yeah. >> You mentioned about grants. Are there multiple grant opportunities out there? >> Um I have I mean I think

028the short answer is yes. I think that the, you know, the people that I talked to specifically that were doing it very locally seem to have a grant in mind that they've done got the impression that um the guy that came and talked to me sees a lot of the grants come directly to him and he helps distribute them. So, he seemed like kind of it was a pretty big of a shoe in you know with him. Um, but I, you know, I don't know if there's I don't know bigger or better ones than than what but it seemed like, you know, these guys do this for a living, so probably going to go with with that. But, um, you know, my also my friend Jim Jordan from the the Red Clay Alliance said, you

029know, if if it's not working out around here, we'll see if we can help out, too, you know. and they they they do this a lot too even though it's sort of a little bit outside their perimeter in their zone. But um yeah, but I you know, we definitely we definitely were going to look into all of the opportunities for grants, but it seems like that I got the impression that that's sort of like this is the typical way that it goes where it's sort of 50/50 split and they even went into specifically like it's given out over three periods of time like or it starts when it's in the middle of production and then like when it's finished you get third installment. So like that, you know, there >> I also think this is

030a great idea. >> Thank you. >> Before I was married to my husband, he used out in Chester County on like nine acres and had turned five acres of it into just exactly what you're talking about. >> Um I know that he um got a lot of advice from the nature conservancy and the natural lands trust group. >> Um and there's a natural lands trust place just a stones throw from Springton Lake over at the Hildey. Um, and I know that they like to um get to advise or to help and assist with more of this out in public spaces. So, they might be another um opportunity for us. >> Okay. I'll definitely I mean I'm certainly aware of them and I will reach out though. I appreciate that. Definitely. Thank >> you. You have

031anything else from the board? We have something from the the community that just as a reminder that I have to repeat the question or comment that you make. So keep that in mind. >> I'm one of them but here's my question. It specifically has to do with compensation. The question I'm sorry, let me just repeat it. The question is about the glyphosate and and what information do you have about its safety that may have been provided to you? >> Um, so thanks for the question. I know that this is a definite um continuing you know a big kind of question for this um this idea and from the research I've done it seemed like um there's a lot on this and the basic thing is that Roundup yes all of most sides that use glyphosate

032um work in the same way that they the chemical goes directly into the plant and it's considered the best at killing because it stays there and immediately like kills the plant. The thing about Roundup that I've read is that there's like a a surfactant, I think, or something that basically is a it is an added there's added basically other ingredients, other chemicals that are considered more dangerous um than pure glyphosate that sort of like make it stick around longer and um are considered carcinogenic that I think like the state of California, which thinks everything's carcinogenic, no offense, to them. Um they're one of the only states that apparently has like banned its use for for use in this. But again, Roundup is considered different in the sense that it is glyphosate, but it has other

033binding agents, I think, or something in it to make it worse. Also to put it in another perspective I think it's really important to consider is that and actually disturbing to me on many levels um when I was doing the research for this is that glyphosate is um and Roundup in particular is sprayed on almost all of our crops in the United States but particularly um worrisome are soybeans and corn because it's you know it's sprayed it on them while they're growing so it's in them and so we are all eating it. Um and we you know so you know the the government thinks that that's okay. Um and we've been doing it for a long time but at the same time um this is nothing like directly eating like we wouldn't be eating it.

034It's a it's a that happens throughout every growing season continuously when you're doing that. And if you do it continuously that apparently is not good for the soil. But if you do it one or two times and you wipe out, you know, the invasives and then there's years of native plants restoring the soil, um, doing their job, that's, you know, considered like a massive win, right, in the long run. >> So, sure that those who use it in the profession state have a higher rate. >> It's just a there's a comment about the use of Roundup because it has the glyphosate and the the fact that there is um studies have been done that say it be people who use Roundup there's a higher instance likelihood of cancer. So it was just a concern about

035that. Okay. All right. We good? Um, thank you. >> Sorry, I I did I was my fingers were slow. I know. I know. I'll be really super fast and my apologies, Teresa, but I do think it's something that is important for us to consider moving forward. This information, I'm assuming, will be provided to the board. You have a lot of information that we just can't go through tonight, including all the links and whatnot to the difference between glyophate, saying it right, and Roundup. And so, you know, that is something we'll have access to and will also be made via this to the public. Right. Okay. Thank you. >> Right. Can I just add y um this any spraying of glyphosate will be done by a a licensed uh contractor. You have to have a pesticide

036license to spray on our properties. So, um and just to add, you know, as a facilities side, you know, we're taking a lot of pride in our area. You'll see media little league coming up want to do some improvements as well. Um, we're doing that. You know, we've done the tennis courts top. So, as a facility side, we're we're very open and excited to see, you know, what Springton Lake could be, right? I mean, taking down the putting the concrete curbs in and putting taking the wood down. It's kind of been falling down for years and, you know, an ongoing process. So, talking to Jonathan, he's much more passionate about the meadow than I am. But, you know, we're definitely happy to work with him and we are going to assist him in in mowing

037and excuse me, in keeping um, you know, keeping the the invasives down. And so, yeah, pretty excited to see, you know, I even mentioned a couple other spots around the district that if this works that maybe we can bring this and, you know, I don't know how excited he was about that because we're pulling them off at his school, but um, yeah, I think it's a it's a good thing for the district. So, >> and and real quick, I know this is kind of a last minute thing, Teresa, but I know we talked about this taking three years. Um, it might be cool to invol in involve groups of fifth graders from every district because by the time they graduate, it'll be done and they can kind of see the progression of it. >> Love

038that. It's a great point. Great idea. >> Thank you guys. All right. Uh, next up we have another presentation from Media Little League. Um, they're going to talk about their initiatives to improve the facilities and efforts to be more ADA compliant. >> Thank you, Dr. Napson Williams. I am excited that uh with us tonight we have Mr. Chris McFaden and his colleague from media little league. Let me just get presentation pulled up here. Sorry. So, I'm going to turn it over to them uh to go through uh about their proposed capital improvement infrastructure plan. Uh as the board knows, Media Little League's uh property that we own is where their facility is located here at Springton Lake. Um there's been great success um in the league the last few years and and honestly back to

039the the early 1950s um that it's been around and they're looking to continue to upgrade and to improve the facilities to expand their reach uh and the opportunities for the children within our community. So um they've been great partners for us. I'm excited the guys are here tonight to be able to present and that they can share what it is that they're interested in doing. >> Good evening everyone. Uh again, thank you for having us. My name is Chris McFaden. I recently took over as the vice president of operations at Media Little League. Greg Marson uh recently took over as the vice president of baseball. So he runs the baseball ops from day to day. Uh and I basically run everything else uh including trying to get money. And I will start this with we

040are not here to ask for money. Uh the last slide I'll bring up which actually may interest you guys from the uh meadow perspective uh is a grant opportunity that we were given from Representative Omera. Uh, and there is one project that we would possibly like to get into that would affect uh, fields outside of where we lease, and I'll I'll get to that in a minute. Uh, so league goals for us, uh, our biggest one, this is our 75th year, but we are introducing a challenger league. If you're not familiar with that, it's a league for players with physical in intellectual differences. We have had huge uh, support so far. Um, Austin Morgan actually has the Pentest baseball team. they're going to come by and be buddies. Uh Tom Grandaryier, who's the head baseball

041coach up in Episcopal, they're going to help out as well. Um so some local businesses, Game on State is actually donating all the um uniforms and helping us with some of the operations stuff. So for the players that sign up for the Challenger League, it'll be a completely uh free experience for them. We've been talking to some other leagues around the area. Uh it's really great and we're really excited to get it going. Um we put 610 players on there, which is what we had last year. We're trying to improve everything for them. We found out yesterday we have 611, which is a big deal because it is now the biggest year for us in 75 years. Uh, which is great. We actually have 15 T-ball teams this year. And for anyone who's had kids

042in media little league, we have 12 Continental League teams uh this year, which will actually play into uh kind of what I'm talking about later as far as um making things better. Uh, one of the things that we feel as well as the president who couldn't be here tonight that we have lacked in for the last at least since I've been involved with the league is community engagement. Uh, we've we are a nonprofit. We are all involunteer and we've had a lot of trying to fix things on our own kind of backdoor channels and it's just not working. I'll show you some pictures later if you haven't come through the slideshow that we just need to be better at it. So, we met with Upper Providence Township Council uh about a month ago. they were

043really on board with them getting involved more with the league and our our spaces talking about native plants. One of our objectives is to get native plants in and around our facility uh in between the fields, out in the outfields, all that kind of thing. And so we've been talking to their environmental council. They actually just got a big grant, I think, through the county for what they said was all of the native plants they could ask for. So we are trying to set up a community planting day, bring in other people. Um and if they want to bring people in and plant trees and plant plants, we're all for it. So getting people down there, you know, obviously gen up interest in the league, but also within Upper Providence. And I myself am not

044I have a media address, but my kids go to Wallingford, and the Wallingford community loves me little league just as much. So hopefully we can go through that. Increasing funding through state and local grants. I am learning. I am not qualified at all to be in this job. I just ro raised my hand too many times. I'm learning a lot about the state grant process and how painful it is. So we'll go with that. And we're hoping to go back to Little League World Series again. So when we kind of took a big look at our critical infrastructure needs, uh if there is anybody here who has been to a media little league game in the last two years, you have not used a bathroom, you've used a porta potty. Uh we did not know

045we had septic tanks until about 24 months ago. And they had not been they had not been emptied since Chris Owens, who runs the league, had joined the board, which was about 20 years ago. So we got that all figured out, but we realized we couldn't use the bathroom. So, that was our big push this fall. The bathrooms are almost done. Uh, we are actually expanding. We will now have three women's stalls instead of two. We will have an ADA compliant stall in either bathrooms. We are putting in a baby changing table for withund kids in the T-ball league. We obviously have toddlers running around everywhere. So we are trying to get there and and the big p uh push for ADA not only stems to the challenger league but we have anecdotally uh you

046know I was present last year when we hosted a district game and a fan from Nell it wasn't a media game it was Nell versus Aston got out of a car big rainstorm it was very rainy last spring in a wheelchair and couldn't move we had to pick him up and carry him off of the parking lot so it's embarrassing but it's also unacceptable so we are trying to work through that But, uh, we have a huge failing cement pad in front of our snack bar. We've had people trip and fall, get hurt on that. So, uh, our upper parking lot, I just mentioned, I'll try and go through these quickly. I know you guys have a lot to go on, but um, we have finally gotten lights on our majors field. For anyone who

047may not know, those games end at 10:00 at night. Our parking lots completely unlit, so we would like to get lights in there obviously for safety reasons with young children running around uh, all night long. So, uh, the ADA compliant walkways between the fields, that would be on our lower three fields. The Challenger League will actually play on the Continental Field, which is the Springton Lake softball field. We talked with um the other leagues in the area about accessibilities to that, and the current accessibility would be fine. and they'd be okay getting up to the continental field. But we would like to, you know, fix our other three fields uh so that it would be easier for not only people who may have disabilities, but grandparents, older uh fans and stuff that are coming by.

048The next one, regrading and fixing the drainage on the Continental Continental League field. Um we have neglected that. Uh we have been Ronnie Shortall and I you know Mike and I have been uh talking that's a lot on media little league. Uh I was the commissioner for the Continental League for a couple years and I was screaming and yelling that we needed to be better at getting up there in between games to deal with things. But it got to a point last year where we were running two pumps to drain that field after a rainstorm. We lost 21 games last year in the Continental League alone uh due to rain. And Continental League is for us is a pivotal year. We lose about 30 to 50% of our players after the Continental League and it's

049just kids who, you know, they they realize that baseball's not their sport. It's really the last year where you kind of have that mix of kids who really want to be competitive or stay with baseball and kids are there just to learn about the sport. So, if that is their last year, that's fine, but we want them leaving with a positive experience. Uh, we do have a quote on that which I'll get into for fixing the field. Uh, and then the stairs, I'll show you a picture of that. They're like a terrible. So, I put this up here just in case anyone might happen to know, anyone in the community that would be interested uh for the Challenger League. Like I said, it will be free. They will be practicing once a week. They will

050be playing on Sundays on the continental field. We also have a plan to get them under the lights one game uh on our community day, which is in a later slide as well. Um but it really is a great program. It's a great opportunity. Uh one of the other leagues we talked to, they have players from age four to upper 20s. Um there are players that started when they were young kids and they just stay. We will have two leagues. We will have a junior and a senior league obviously split between ages. Um but it's really going to be great. And if anyone wants to get involved as well, please let us know. >> Yes, please. >> I just like um because I know a lot some of our our district residents play in the

051media league instead of media little league. Would they be eligible for the the challenge? >> Absolutely. There is no little league uh boundary set to a challenger league and they are very from the leagues we've talked to that you know there may be a player who lives in media that current currently plays in Ridley's challenger league if they want to move to media they're fine it's all about getting these players playing. So there's abs if you have a kid from Wyoming who wants to fly out twice a week to come play Challenger, we'll take them. >> Yeah, we'll take them. We'll pick them up at the airport, drive them in twice a week. So these bathroom renovations, uh I think I kind of went over all of that, but uh for those of you who

052may have remembered how small and frankly disgusting the old bathrooms were, we're getting there. So uh I was telling Mr. Nolan earlier that we found out we have a water issue with our roof and it is leaking into there. Obviously, we can't put the epoxy floors down, but we are hoping to get them up and running before the first game, which is the Monday following Easter. So, >> you about this? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Is there a reason there isn't a changing table also in the men's room >> uh space, but we could certainly look at it? >> I think these days we should look at being equal. >> Yeah, if we can get it in there, we certainly will. So, I'll I can bring that up to the board. It wasn't left out for

053the, you know, assuming men don't change diapers. I've changed many a diaper. But yeah, uh you can see, you know, the the water is killing our cement. That's the area in front of the snack bar there. So, we've added those temporary ramps. Uh like I said before, we've had people trip and fall. One unfortunately was a um a pregnant mom and that was very scary moment for us. Uh but we need to get that fixed. So, when I get into the grant uh opportunities that we have had, this is priority number one. So, I'll get I'll get to that in a second. You can kind of see our parking lot. Um, we don't know the feasibility of paving it. That's kind of a a dream that we're hoping to go with and we know that

054would require engineer and water runoff and stuff. We do have an aqueduct right behind that shipping container uh that runs down towards Providence Road. So, I don't know if that would work or if we need a dry well. We need something. So, whether it's paving three spots and making them ADA handicap spots and leaving the rest unpaved, uh, we can do that. But uh you can kind of see we regrade that every year with the stone. And this was five days ago when I made this PowerPoint. Everything just every year shifts towards the clubhouse based, you know, just the water, the way everything settles in and in in that area of the the uh complex. So, uh you can see our nasty clubhouse stairs. Uh it's actually missing a couple of the uh one of

055the risers is already rotted through. It's kind of just placed up there. So that with our initial grant money, we are hoping to fix this obviously for safety issues with kids coming up and down and parents and umpires as well. Non-critical infrastructure improvements. If you've ever had a kid in the national field, you notice when they're playing center field, you can kind of just see their shoulders up. We have a massive sink hole in there. So I don't know if it's so much a safety issue, but we do have to get it fixed. And we have a grant opportunity with a local turf company that will actually help us fill it in. So we've applied for that. We're waiting to hear back on that. already talked about the native plant species. We want to make

056it look better. We had a bunch of trees die last year in some of the storms, so they had to get removed out in the NL outfield. We'd love to replace them with something uh more native, which kind of goes along with these shade trees along the entrance to the complex. We've been talking to Upper Providence about putting in Pennsylvania red buds. We think they'd look nice. It'd be a nice shade tree and it's local, but we're kind of working on that. Other than that, adding bedding cages for the American League now that we're so much bigger. Um, these are kind of things that obviously don't affect everyone on a day-to-day basis, but materials bin. We right now have piles of dirt and uh wood chips that kind of out by the cross country track

057that just look gross and I'm sure the neighbors don't like them. So, and the indoor training facility when someone here decides to give us $100 million, but uh talking about the grant opportunities, we are having a 75th anniversary. We couldn't we didn't couldn't decide whether it was going to be a beef and beer banquet. It was 50/50. So, they called it the beef and beer banquet. That'll be at St. Mary Magdalene. It's obviously open to the community. Uh we have a great silent auction going. A lot of sports merchandise, golf and stuff like that. So if you're around and you want to go, we'd love to have you. Uh 2sp will be sponsoring it. So there'll be some good beer there if people are interested. Um Slugfest Community Day, community day is going to be

058a big one for us. We're pushing that through with the rack community uh with Upper Providence. Uh we do a Slugfest fundraiser every year. It's kind of a batting competition. This year it's going to be a little different in that all the kids will bat in the morning and then that night we'll bring the top 10 scorers in every league to have kind of a home run derby under the lights. The challenger league will um be playing under the lights. We'll have T-ball teams up there playing. We're going to have food trucks, bounce houses, all that stuff. So try and get all of media, Upper Providence, Wallingford, everyone in the area up for that. Uh we had Victis Bats, if you guys are familiar, they are sponsoring a uh actually custom wood bat for the

059winner in each league. So really hoping to drum up some a a lot of interest in that, get a lot of people down there that day. That'll be May 9th. Uh we're selling bricks uh with, you know, names on it, memories of your time in the league. Uh we're going to put those around the flag pole kind of in between our National League and Major League Field if if you're familiar with that. So, the big things for us, uh, kind of getting into what we're really here for, uh, other than just letting you guys know where we stand, we were talking to Senator Carney and back in January, we found out that he submitted us for a $60,000 discretionary grant to push this ADA compliance and fix the safety issues. We found out that was

060approved. It just went through last week or earlier this week. Uh, so that one was approved and now we just have to put in the formal application for that. So, we're hoping to get that money sometime June or July. we may have to just fight through some of these issues through this season, but then really get it fixed for next year. Shortly after we found out about that, we found out that Representative Omera put us in for a matching $60,000 grant. So, that one's going to take a little longer. Um, you know, sitting on the appropriations committee helps Senator Carney. So, she thinks it'll go through. We hope it goes through and that'll be um uh obviously very beneficial. So, uh, the big reason we are here, uh, her office also told us to look

061into this community conservation partnership grant. It's a grant for nonprofits and local parks. Um, it the grant will go up to $500,000 because we have a 25-year lease. Our understanding talking to our grant writers that we can submit it. Our initial fear was that the school district had to submit it, which we know you guys have a lot going on. We believe that if you give us a letter authorizing us to apply for this grant that we can do it. We have our own grant writer. The grant application is due April 30th. Um and then the only I think I might have it on the next slide. Yeah. So basically this is what I just said. Uh we are working with this local grant writer in media. But what we would like to do with

062the Continental Field, which Spring Lake softball team also plays on, if you guys would let us, we would like to submit as part of that uh for funding from the state to pay for redoing that field in terms of getting it drainage and then, you know, back filling, putting in the dirt, and then laser leveling it and stuff. We obviously won't ask for that if you guys aren't comfortable for it. Um Mr. Nolan and Ronnie have already they're going to go in this year and regrade it as it is. Um but without having drainage there and the way that those fields sit, we can probably limp it along for five six years and then have to redo it again. So if we can get the state and everybody else to pay for it, we'd really

063love to do that. Um but that's really our only ask from the school district outside of the area that we control and will pay for and obviously wouldn't cost anything from the from the school district. There's still a question of whether or not we have to use matching funds for it. And if we did, obviously that would come out of fundraising from us and not the school district. If that makes sense, >> I think that may be it. >> Yeah. >> I got to just say as as the parent of a child who I think had 10 of the 21 games that were canceled on the Continental Field last year and is playing there again this year, um it would be awesome to have that field redone. So, I really thank you guys for all

064of your efforts and and thinking about the the kids in the community and for all the amazing work that you're doing for so many children. >> I appreciate it and it will be much better this year. Um, and and when I say we neglected it, I do that falls I think squarely on media little league shoulders. We had, and I'm not trying to pass the blame here, but when I was a CL commissioner, it was like we need help up here. Like, no, it's all about the majors. Like, guys, we're going to start losing kids. We have 120 kids in that league. Like, people will start leaving and going to other places. They redid the districtricting or the um the boundary rules a couple years ago for Little League and there are ways now to

065leave the league and go to a place like Nell that has Cole Hamill's money. We just don't have people donating $5 million a year, you know. So, it's uh you know, we're trying to make it better. We are. And if we can make it great, then we will. I just want to make well first of all thank you for all of this and for being so um organized with all the pictures and explanation. It makes it much easier for me to be able to follow along. Alas my child was not with me league was with um a Aston but uh the work everyone does it it takes it takes a village. This is a true community endeavor and so I really appreciate your thought and expanding to the challenger. I just want to make sure

066I'm really understanding what you're looking for us is a letter that supports and agrees with everything that you presented to us. Is that >> Yes, ma'am. According to the from what we understand, so I apologize if this is incorrect. Because we are leasing the land, >> since it is a 25, not 15-year lease, we are allowed to submit the application, but we have to have approval from the less or would that be it >> for the right to apply for it. So, I think we would just need a letter from the school district that says we support media little league applying for this grant. >> Awesome. >> That's my understanding. >> Okay. And for anyone listening, right? So it's a letter on the behalf of school board supporting this wonderful community organization without any of

067our district money attached. So it seems like a wonderful win-win for everybody. From my perspective, >> it does. And the point I like to bring up as we have spoken with Senator Carney and Representative Omera is if you look at the little leagues in the area, Brook Haven got $350,000 recently. South Marble got $600,000. Asen got that new parking lot. All of that is paid for through taxes from media, you know, constituents. So, if we can go then take money from the rest of the state to fix our facility, we will gladly do it. So, >> yeah, >> big baseball fan as milit dad and all that, but you deserve better facilities. No doubt about it. And I'm so glad that you're taking the initiative to do this. I'm wondering if uh you know I

068don't want to put anybody on the spot uh Mike but the Continental Field is our softball field right so have you guys been confirring about the plans that they're proposing and you think the impacts are for us as a school district as for the athletes? >> Uh absolutely. Um talked to us a couple times already and we have made plans to go out there when the snow melted. That happened yesterday. Um, so we uh we spoke before the meeting and and we've been emailing back and forth and uh Ron Sher who is our ground supervisor is actually on the board at media correct. Yes. So uh I'm very in the loop on you know what's going on over there and um I think you know like I said about the meadow anything that can improve

069the facility here and our grounds like you know who can say no to that run. I mean >> there's nothing problematic in or has impact for us about what they want to do that helps them. I can't imagine, but >> I don't see anything problematic. I think it just helps, you know, our facility, you know, tenfold because, you know, >> um, >> sorry. >> Yeah. So, yeah, there's really no problem at all. I mean, it's just making everything better just, you know, across the board for us. So, >> right. >> Yeah. And and then, you know, at a zero cost hopefully. So, yeah, that's a great thing. >> Thanks. >> Yeah, no problem. Thank you. >> All right. Do we have anything else from the board? No, I think we're good. Thank you for your

070presentation. Thank you all. >> Thank you guys. Thank you. Talk soon. Yeah. Thank you. Well done. >> All right. Next up, we have the K1 Center update. Dr. Malash. >> Yes. Thank you, Dr. Snapsson Williams. Um, so I don't have the folks from ICS or from Shrader with us tonight. um because there really is not a whole lot to provide as a structural uh or progressive update about where we are. So I told them that they could have the night off and I would just give a brief verbal update about what's taking place. Um Dr. Napson will or Dr. Scott and Mrs. Considine and Mr. Jockerty and Mr. Nolan um Dr. Orin, we all participated in a meeting um an extensive meeting uh with the team earlier today just to go through where they are

071in the planning and the development what the school is um all the things that we have talked about. They are continuing to work on for the actual school, you know, the proper and all. We also went through and and had a a preliminary look at the draft of what's going to be submitted to Middletown Township on April the 8th uh to go to the planning board. Um we are expecting the submission on April the 8th and then for our group to appear before the planning board on May the 12th in Middletown Township. So, we saw, like I said, some of the the drafts of what that looks like. And that goes through everything from um the the exterior building design, the interior building design, uh all the different elevations, the finishes on the inside, the

072finishes on the outside, um what it looks like, um you know, for the new parking lot, for the new roadway, what it looks like for the new field, uh what the drainage looks like. It was interesting. Um Mr. Hootman, Gus Hootman was was with us um you know and the the expectations about what the drainage looks like because again as we talked about last year the land just does not perk um out there. So what that drainage looks like, how it has to be set up um you know it's an extensive system what that will look like uh underneath the property. Um so they are where they expect to be. Um they are finalizing some survey work uh that got a little bit delayed with um the weather over the course of the last month

073um and looking for finalized documents and information um from TPD uh the traffic engineers you know who are finalizing the traffic study. So like I said that will all be submitted to Middletown Township on April the 8th. Uh and then we'll look forward to a discussion finally uh with the team in Middletown Township. you know, but we're going to have a public discussion about what it means uh and what it looks like. But beyond that, there there were no other uh structural things, you know, to have those folks be here tonight. And just to say that again, >> any questions or comments from the board? >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Um, we have a couple of things from the the community and just again I have to repeat what you say. So just keep

074that in mind. >> Question about the Rose Tree Road realignment and whether it has been resolved. No, it still has not been submitted. It hasn't been submitted to Middletown Township uh or formal formal submission still has not been made to PENDOT. There's a followup question about the church property and about using whatever needs to be used from that part of the property for the road. We're continuing into our our discussions and our work with the church. Uh we've been meeting and talking regularly with the church since last November. Um Kyle Berman, who is our solicitor, uh has been working through with their attorney uh to finalize what that looks like. Is there another question? I'm sorry. Did somebody else had their hand up? Yes. There's a question of whether this are there two projects, the

075school and the field, and are they uh being done together? Filed together? >> Yes, they're being filed together. >> Yes, because it's because it's one property. There's a question about the the April 8th um submission to the the planning commission. >> So when it gets submitted April 8th, my understanding is it'll go to the the planning commission uh for a public discussion on May the 12th. I'm not sure that I understand what you mean, Miss Wolf, by the hearing process. So, the follow-up was if it's filed one month, the public comment the next month. Yes, that's correct. Yeah. Yeah, it's about a month, four weeks, five weeks. I forget what the the actual time is. >> All right. Uh we're going to move on. Uh strategic planning. We have Mr. Dockerty and Mr. Kunrat. >>

076Yes. Um again, Dr. Nash Williams, Mr. Dockerty and Dr. Kunrat are with us this evening. Um this discussion goes back probably about 18 months or more now. Um as we first uh completed the comprehensive plan that has to be submitted to the Commonwealth by school districts in a periodic Andy three years >> every three years or so. We talked about what that project look like and what the Commonwealth asks us to do. We don't believe that as a district that it is comprehensive uh honestly enough uh and it's truly a working document that will benefit us as a school district. So we also engaged in the strategic planning process um that I was thrilled that Mr. Dockerty uh stepped forward and volunteered to run along with Dr. Kunrat. They both bring some different perspectives to

077the table, put together a great committee that you will see in here uh and have truly worked on the development of a plan um that is meaningful um that is forwardlooking and forward thinking uh and will benefit the school district as we move forward uh into the early 2030s. So I'll turn it over to Mr. Dovey and Dr. Kun. Thank you. Um, so as Dr. Malash said, this was a collaborative effort. It was actually um a very um it was probably one of the most fulfilling experiences I've had from start to finish. Each month as we met, it was this very sort of nebulous process in the beginning and with each meeting we got closer and closer to developing what will be our focus. So we looked at our mission statement, our vision statement and

078then identified priorities, four priorities for our school district moving forward. So we will be sharing those. You will um also see those some goals listed underneath. Um they're broad enough to you know keep the work flexible over the five years but also f also targeted enough to help us focus on what's most important to us as a community. So I will turn it over to Dr. Kunan who will share some of the specifics. Okay, >> thank you um one. So we started this process again last fall. Um we actually talked about it last spring after the completion of the comprehensive plan. Uh we established the committee in September, worked on as you can see there mission and vision then uh took a look at our data analysis um priorities and goals um and finally drafting

079and presenting for now. So we had a pretty um diverse crew between parents, teachers, administrators, um building leaders as well as at the district level um and even and a school board member. Thank you, Jackie. Um who really brought forth a wide range of and students of of ideas and concepts and really what they were what we're hoping to see. And so part of the focus of it was we've been doing well, but we wanted to have something that was obviously updated. Um, and part of that updating came with our current mission statement mission is very wordy. Um, yes, exactly. So part of it was to and one of the kind of ongoing themes of our discussions was to make it in more direct very clear um language for really what we want to see.

080So the mission statement that we came up with was to empower every student to thrive academically, socially and emotionally through inclusive practices and innovative learning. Keep it to one sentence. Um and the mission is obviously where we are. The vision of where we want to be is that RTMSD students will be curious, confident and adaptable learners who think critically, communicate authentically and solve problems creatively. This is the goal what we want our students to end up being. So from there we developed a series of four priorities. Uh you can see here the priorities were based on the ideas of creating a meaningful learning environment. Um focusing on effective and teaching and learning um continuing with a thriving and building a um increasing a thriving culture in the district and then maintaining high quality facilities throughout.

081Um so the priority one was meaningful learning environment. Uh we three goals for it but basically idea of fostering an environment that promotes academic growth for every student. Um access to challenging and meaningful learning experiences, flexible opportunities to support academic growth and enrichment and intervention. Um and promote student ownership of learning and academic goals or academic growth, sorry. Um effective teaching and learning. again f focus on effective teaching and learning practices that is that support individual student success. Um priorit prioritization of professional development with evidence-based practices and continuous growth instructional coherence alignment of curriculum assessments instructional practices and share understanding of high quality and teaching. uh thriving culture. Nurture the culture that promotes social and emotional well-being for every student and staff member. Cultivate a a school environment where every student and staff can feel

082safe, support, and respected. Consistent approaches to strengthen relationships and emotional wellness and welcome all members of the RTMSD community in the fulfillment of the district's mission and vision. So, we have focus on students and staff as well as the community as a whole. And then finally, the high-quality facilities we've heard about tonight, uh provide safe and welcoming innovative facilities support students and staff while promoting equitable access and responsible stewardship. Um we have six buildings, seven if you count the ed center, lots of facilities around. They require a lot of upkeep, maintenance, and if we want to continue to succeed and to grow, they require innovation just like anything else, just like our own homes do. And so we felt that this was a crucial part of being a part of this strategic plan. Um, so

083provide places that are safe and accessible and adaptable, obtain facilities and resources to support collaboration, engagement, and plan responsibly for long-term needs through thoughtful stewardship and community partnership. The idea is that these four uh priorities with these um goals inside them are what we'll use to shape things going forward. And so if we make a decision on something, where does it fit within these? Does it fit within these? If it does, fantastic. If it doesn't, we need to reook at it and make sure that it does fit within these priorities and goals that we're establishing. Where do we go from here? What's next? Obviously, next step is for the board here for the adoption of this uh dissemination of the community this spring. And then when it comes to the annual goal development this summer,

084these will be on the for be the basis for more specific goals and action plans, but that will be tied back into this. And then um with the idea that then obviously next spring we do a a look back and review and say how is it going? How are we doing with this? Where are we going forward? Yeah, Jackie, are you talking about waiting? Um, I have to tell you, this was a super fun committee. I represented the board and I have never been in a room with as many people who cared about every single word and exactly how it was used. >> And it I I'm telling you, like every single person in that room was invested in making sure that all of the words were correct. like we talked about every word that's

085on the slides and so um I just think the group was really great, super engaged and really focused and I think we came up with I mean I'm really proud of what we got. So thank you for including me. It was really fun. >> Thank you for your participation. It really helped a lot. >> I just wanted to add to Dr. Naps Williams um I stayed back for the meetings. I did attend one meeting because I can't help myself when there's words to be shared. I do love to argue about words. Um, but it was just it it fascinated me the dynamics of the group. You know, you had a board member and you had teachers from different levels. You had administrators, building based, district administrators. Um, they had worked with students over at the

086high school. Um, it was an intense perspective and and honestly, Jackie, I agree with you. People were incredibly invested. uh it meant something and I think the the work product with what the group has come up with that that Andy and Bill have been sharing with us um provides a tremendous foundation for us moving forward. Right? These are this is not just same old same old of what we're doing. These are are goal setting ideas through which a strategic activity can be built each and every year to go through not just at the district level but at the building level. Um I'm incredibly proud of what the group did. Um I think this will help to continue to set us apart in the work that we are doing. Uh and it's meaningful. This is not

087something as this the comprehensive plan often ends up being that was done and then will be set aside. U but this is something that will be alive and active um you know and has words that people can understand and follow. I just want to say thank you very much for doing this and I'm thrilled to hear the report of how um energized people seem to have been by this process. Strategic planning can be a deadly thing if it's done wrong. And um and and the fact that you engage so many different parts of the community, that's just outstanding. Um to have have gone through that and created those connections and gotten input from all those places. I I I just think it's it bodess well for the future that this is guiding us towards. >>

088We're we're coordinated very invested in it and many times Mr. Doy and myself we could basically sit back and facilitate and really let the ideas come out of the group >> which was what we wanted to have happen. Um, I just want to say I think this was a I looked at the group of people it so I should say I should disclose I was a parent participant the last time we went through this um before I was on the school board and there were only two parents that were part of that group and I see that there were a lot more parents who really have who are really big stakeholders in how well we do our strategic planning and so it seemed to be a more focused group because our group also cared a

089lot about words very specifically and they were very energized and everything, but I think um having a more focused group also got you more focused out outcome. I think the group before might have been a little bit too large and so that's great. Thank you. >> Any questions or any other questions or comments from the board? So, can I just ask the um the sort of product at the end, is it going to be more like last where it had graphics and things like that or >> is it going because I think that helps. >> You want graphics, Jackie. You know, just say it. >> Put some graphics. >> This is a question I need the answer to. >> Yeah. >> After the board adopts it, then we will take those next steps. Mrs. Wilson

090uh will work with it about what does it look like to visualize um and how's that visualization look electronically? How does it look like in buildings? Uh but yeah, that'll be a next step that that we will go forward. It'll be Jazzy. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, Jazzy. >> She's ready. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right. we will move on to our final presentation. Um Dr. Saladino will discuss the provide an update on the substitute services. >> So uh again, thank you Dr. Napsson Williams. I'm excited that Dr. Saladino is here this evening. Um he's just getting set up. He's going to share his screen so we can go through uh his presentation. Um Dr. Dr. Salino as you know is in his first year as the director of HR in

091the school district. Uh one of the advantages to us as a district um with Dr. Sal's long experience in education um as a building based administrator as a teacher is he brings a different lens to the work of human resources than what we've experienced in the past. Um, so as we spent time talking about what the presentation will look like, what information needs to be shared, we went back through the last couple of years, talked about presentations. Um, he took a little bit more of a practical approach to what he's going to share and how he's going to share it. Um, you know, and again, thematically, as we've all talked about over the last couple of years, trying to simplify and narrow down what it is that we put out and talk about and do

092so that it's more understandable has kind of been a foundational piece for where we are. So, um, I appreciate the work that he and his team and I'm sure that he'll talk about his team at some point um, that he put into getting all this information together and I'm going to turn it over to him. >> Good evening everyone. Thank you for that introduction, Dr. Malash. Uh, good evening ladies and gentlemen of the board. I'm really excited to be able to just share a snapshot into what substitute staffing looks like in the Rose Tree Media School District uh and give you a kind of current state of affairs. So, our main substitute provider that we use for our teachers and our parrofessionals is Kelly Education. Uh we have been working with them uh since 2019.

093They work with a number of districts in our area and you'll see that in a future slide who some of the providers are and which districts are using which of the various providers. Uh again we use them for the vast vast majority of our substitutes. We also have contracts that you have all approved at different times with some different agencies that provide some specialized staff. So we have Salantiant, gamut, GHR and inalth. We use them mainly for paraprofessionals uh that are at a higher skill level um many times working with students that have IEPs uh and that may have more specific needs uh than can be met with uh some of our other staff. And then we also uh have substitutes for our school nurses. So when school nurses are out very important position to

094fill uh and we work with uh various agencies to provide nursing uh services we use biata uh general healthc care resources and criticare u this is an area that we just are having a very difficult time. It is a high need area. Um we actually work with multiple agencies simply to have an expanded pool for when we need a substitute. Can someone provide us with that substitute? Uh and we talked a little bit with the board particularly in our budget presentation uh of the the challenges that we are having with uh filling those positions. So a little bit about the pay rates with Kelly Education staffing. So we have a range of different levels of positions. Uh we've got our daily perdm substitute teachers. These are the folks who come in, a teacher calls out

095sick. Uh teacher knows that they have a planned personal day. Uh they put the absence into the substitute system. A substitute picks up that assignment. They come in. They are here. They step in, follow the lesson plan left by the teacher for the day, and then hopefully the regular teacher returns the next day. We've got our building substitute teachers and I'll talk a little bit more about them because they are an important part of our team in each of our schools. Uh we've got our extended substitute teachers. These are folks who are in for a particular assignment for more than six days. So 6 days or more. Let's say we've got a teacher that is going to be out on a medical leave for a couple of weeks. uh some type of extended absence, the

096expectation for what that teacher is going to do and to provide continuity of instruction. It's a little bit different than someone who's just coming in for one day executing the the plan that the teacher has left behind. Uh and then we also have our par profofessionals. When they are out, uh we make every effort to get a substitute. You see the various rates there starting at $130 a day for that perdm substitute at $1 150 for our building subs and then $180 for those teachers that are in that extended assignment. You see under each of those uh headings um what Kelly Education staffing bills us. So we pay the teacher $130 a day. We pay Kelly Education 16770. That is the bill rate for them to do all of the hiring, onboarding, managing. I mean,

097they are Kelly Education employees. Uh the last time the rates were increased for our substitutes, the board took action back in 2023. Um the our substitute rates have remained uh steady since that time. And you'll see on the next slide. So, how do those rates compare with market value and what what's going on in other districts? And so this gives you a chart uh so that you can see where are we. Uh I thought that you might be interested to see the different uh substitute services that some of our neighbors are using. Uh many of our neighbors are also using Kelly education staffing. Uh we've got uh STS and ESS, two other substitute services being used by a few districts. Uh there is even one district in Delaware County, the Ridley School District. they still

098handle internally their own substitute. So they have an employee who is responsible for doing all of that coordinating and scheduling. Um and you see the pay rates. So we are very competitive with where we are uh with our daily subs $130 a day. Uh it's one of the stronger rates in the county. You see that there are several districts that are right there with us at 130. Um some that are less than that and and a couple that are higher. Uh, and you know, every district has its own unique needs and challenges that, you know, to to uh drive that rate that they're paying substitutes. Our building subs are $150 a day. And you see that a lot of districts are at about that $150 uh dollar range. Um, and then not every district has

099a comparable rate to the extended sub. Every district sort of handles that position a little bit differently. Uh but you see our rate of $180 is is a pretty strong rate. Um at this time we are not recommending any change or adjustment to those rates. Those rates again seem to be very uh strong in the market in Delaware County. Uh and and our substitute service is not advising us to you know to do anything with our rates. So some quick fra uh facts for this particular school year. So currently and I will tell you that this um this slide in particular this is a moving target. I could have probably updated this every day since I created the presentation uh because the hiring and onboarding of substitutes is an ongoing process. Uh so as of

100about two weeks ago when I uh was working on the presentation, we currently had 133 individuals who were registered to substitute in the Rose Tree Media School District. Uh for each one of those employees from Kelly, uh they submit their paperwork specifically to Roere Media. We review it. We approve them to be uh employed here to be able to work with our students in the school district. Many of those people do work in multiple districts. So, a lot of times when we're onboarding a new substitute, we'll we'll see because it's in their application that they are a Kelly employee and they would like to work in Rose Tree Media, Garnet Valley, and Pendelco. And so, each of those three school districts would independently review their credentials, approve their credentials, and give permission for them to

101begin working in that particular district. Um, since the start of the kind of the hiring season since July, Kelly has onboarded for us 73 new people who are part of that 133. But I can tell you that just today I approved three more substitutes. So that number is just uh growing all of the time. The fill rate, which is the percentage of our absences that they are able to get us a substitute for, you see very strong fill rates. So uh just over 90% of the teacher absences they are able to provide a substitute for that classroom. Uh that other 10% certainly those classes don't go unfilled but the principles in those cases need to find internal ways to cover those classes to to get a substitute. Um when you include the paraprofessionals they do

102have a smaller pool. So the vast majority of that 133 are teachers. Smaller number of people who are paraprofessional subs. So when you include those absences and we look at what is the overall fill rate, uh it drops down a little bit to about 87% but still very strong fill rates and uh they do a great job helping us to be sure that we are staffed each day. This is an interesting slide just looking at absences yearover-year. So in the right hand side of that chart you see our current school year through December. Uh and then you see what those absences looked like uh at during those same months last year. Uh you can see a drop in overall absences. Um you know we can attribute that to a lot of things. Maybe we've got

103healthier teachers. Um just people that their plans have not been such that they needed to take off. Um also included in those numbers are teachers who may be out on an extended leave though for whether it's a medical reason, perhaps a teacher has had a baby and is taking some time off. Um, and so if it's for a period of less than 90 days, we contract with Kelly for that substitute. And so those numbers are going to be included there as well. So if you look at it, you say, "Wow, there have been, you know, 400 less absences this year. What happened? What are we doing that, you know, that there have been so many fewer absences?" It could just be we've had fewer teachers that have had babies this year or fewer people that

104have needed to have surgery, let's say, where they've been out for a longer period of time. But nonetheless, year-over-year, absences are down. Um, and the fill rate continues to be strong. You heard me mention building substitute teachers. These are really important people on our teams in each of our schools. So the building substitutes, we have five of them assigned to Springton Lake and Penrest and we have four assigned to each of our elementary schools. These are folks that come in, they are Kelly employees, but they come in at their assigned school and they work every single day no matter what. So they are here, they are part of the team. Uh, you know, from my perspective being the principal here at Springton Lake and seeing how those building substitutes interacted with kids, interacted with other

105staff, they are perceived as just one of the faculty in the building because they are here every day. They know the kids, the kids know them. So why do we have them? Well, one of the trends with the substitutes right now, because it is overall a shrinking pool of people that are doing this kind of work, the substitutes, what we're seeing is that many of them are scheduling out and scheduling their weeks well in advance. So, they may be going in right now and picking their their schedule for the month of April, selecting the days that they're going to work, selecting the assignments because a teacher already knows that they're going to be out for a personal day. They put it in that substitute grabs that assignment. Then they have some predictability. They know that

106they're going to be working. They are not waking up at 5:00 in the morning in the morning logging into the system to see what assignment they can grab for the day. So many of the substitutes are filling up their availability in advance. And so what the building sub provides for us is when we have a teacher who wakes up in the middle of the night, they are not feeling well and they need to call out sick and they enter their their absence in the system. We have a group of people that we know are coming in here every day and those substitutes are assigned to those positions. So, it really is the insurance that we need for the morning of or last minute callouts. Um, we've looked at some data and we see that if

107the longer ahead of time a teacher enters an absence, it increases the likelihood that some non-building sub is going to pick up that assignment. And the closer we get to the absence, it decreases the chances of some other person picking it up. And so we depend on those building subs uh significantly. And you know one of the things I put here on the slide uh sharing is caring. Uh we work very closely all of the principles they share those building subs. And having been a building principal I've was on those text messages in the morning where the principles are texting one another does anybody have an extra building sub they can spare today? and the principles are always shuffling around those subs depending upon need. Now, you know, there are certainly days where that text

108message goes out and nobody's got a spare, but I want you to know that those folks are heavily heavily utilized and they are heavily dependent upon. They also become in many situations the best option when we have an absence that's going to be less than 90 days but something that is going to be for an extended period of time where we need someone to come in and provide the day-to-day instruction. They're not just filling in. They're not just sort of keeping things afloat for a day while the teacher is out. They are moving instruction forward. And this time of the year, we're actually seeing this a lot because we've got teachers who are going out on leave. Uh working with a number of teachers that in a lot of cases it's positive. They're they're they're

109having babies and they're going out. Um it is much more successful for us to take one of our qualified building subs. They know the kids. They know the building. They know our programs. It's much more effective for us to put them into that slot and then to try to backfill their position than it is at this time of the year to go out and find a blank teacher. And so we really really depend upon our building subs and we're really fortunate to have some some great people uh in our buildings right now. So some enhancements, you know, what have we've been doing to kind of increase the overall effectiveness of our substitute services and uh the all of the statistics that I shared with you. One of the things that that we have done this

110year, we were perhaps the only district in Delaware County that with the credentials that the substitutes needed to provide to us also required a complete physical. And so there were substitutes that were deciding, okay, I'm going to substitute in Garnet Valley. I'm going to substitute in Pendelo, but you know what? It is too much of an inconvenience to try to get an appointment with my primary care physician for a physical. I am not going to worry about Rose Media. Uh and Kelly Education staffing, they continue to just say like this is something in your hiring practices that is unique. You may want to consider removing that barrier. Um and so we did make the decision in the fall to remove that. uh and it has helped us to increase the number of folks that we

111are onboarding and the qualitative feedback from the folks at Kelly is exactly what they said that it would be. People are definitely yes, sign me up now for Rose Tree Media. Another thing that we started doing last spring uh and we are continuing to do, act 86 uh allows our student teachers to substitute for their cooperating teacher. So kind of a unique situation before Act 86. So you've got a student teacher who is in a classroom working with a cooperating teacher. At some point perhaps that student teacher now has really fully taken over the teaching responsibilities. Their cooperating teacher calls it out sick. Prior to act 86, we had to get a certified teacher and put them in that classroom. So essentially, they could be a presence in the room while the student teacher continued

112to do what he or she would have done anyway. And so what act 88 86 has allowed is for our student teachers to substitute for their cooperating teacher only for up to 10 days. Um they are permitted to do that once they have been satisfactorily observed by their university supervisor and received the approval of their cooperating teacher. So we are not just throwing people into this on their first day. Right? So after we have given them a chance, we've uh done some quality uh control um at that point we are um approving them in cooperation with their university to be a substitute. They go through the normal hiring process with with Kelly Education. And one of the great things that I like is that because they've done that now during, let's say, the spring while

113they're student teaching, as soon as they graduate, we've got them. They're already signed up with Kelly. They're already they've already been working in our buildings and we immediately on the day after they graduate can be using them as a substitute. So, it really helps with that pipeline um getting teachers into our schools. And then the most recent thing that we've done because of the challenges that we are having with getting nurses. So we have not been using prior to this year Kelly education for nurses. We've been using these other agencies and Kelly Education has continued to remind us, hey, we also staff nurses. And so this year we began the process of utilizing them for nurses. Now, I will tell you it has been a little bit of a slow process because the same things

114that I talked to you about with hiring teachers doing with nurses and there are just fewer substitute nurses out there and so it has been a slower process. Um they do provide more competitive pricing to us. So there is a um an economic benefit and probably for me most importantly it's just another um group of people to be able to add to the substitute pool because again these are very very challenging vacancies to fill. And so now we've got one more place to reach out to to say I've got a nurse at Springton Lake who's going to be absent tomorrow. We need a substitute. Can you staff that position for us? And I want to just take a second to shout out the HR team because it is a collaborative effort. Uh there is a

115lot even though we're using uh these agencies for our staffing and for the substitutes. Um almost everybody on our team has a role in making sure that we have all the compliant paperwork that we need. Uh communicating with Kelly. Uh it is truly a team effort and and I have to tell you um I am just so lucky to have an awesome awesome team. The ladies that I work with in HR um are just fabulous. So um I appreciate them every day. So what questions can I answer for you about substitutes? >> I actually have a question. People are dying to ask a question. Believe me, >> I have a question. So if you are >> microphone I'm sorry you have another one behind you. >> She has two she >> Yeah. Um >> so

116um if you are signed up with Kelly and you are signed up for as you said whatever ones she said Garden Valley Ria whatever >> when Kelly calls them or they post what's available are they able to just say you know which is the highest paying they are. Yeah, I mean it it is a factor, right? So, >> you know, we're putting these absences into the essentially it's a portal where they can see all of the absences >> and they pick and choose, you know, they pick and choose. >> I only want to work on these days. >> Um, there are some people, I mean, I I I see it because, you know, I review the attendance every day. I'm reviewing the bills every week. Uh there are even within the Rose Street Media School

117District, there are people that come to our schools consistently, but they will only substitute in certain schools like they have an affinity for, you know, you pick the school >> and that's where they go. They're comfortable with the rest of the staff, they're comfortable with the kids, and you know, they will only go there. Okay. So, log in really early in the morning because I was like, "Okay, we're showing my age when I say when they get the phone call." But, um, but okay. So, that's really interesting. All right. Because I see that we're, you know, one of the highest within Kelly. Not the highest, but one of the higher ones in Kelly. >> Um, what's it I see the majority, like half of them use Kelly. Is there a reason why some people use

118STS? I've never heard of anybody still using internal but >> yeah I mean it really is I think a lot of what success have you had with them you know are they able to fulfill you know what they say you know I mean everybody everybody says we can provide you with the service you know we're the best in the market we can meet your needs but you know actually the proof is in the pudding right and so uh you know one of the reasons why we're happy with Kelly is because they are delivering on what they said that they can do for us and that is to get teachers into our classrooms. >> Do you know if other districts have the sameish bill rates? >> There's so I don't have that specific data, but I

119can tell you that we meet with the team from Kelly every month to review that data. They provide it to us, you know, uh, continuously. They're not saying to us, wow, like you are lagging behind or you are incredibly ahead. Um, you know, they they report that that is in a very good area. Their goal is 90%. So, if they can hit that 90%. I know that they don't like that 87.03, I think it was, or 87.3, they want that number at 90. And so, each month we're having conversations about that number. Um, one of the things that they have asked us to ask staff is just to remind people when you know you are going to be out, just enter it, right? And and people are really good about it overall. Uh, but if

120you know that you've got a doctor's appointment next Tuesday or you know that you've put in for a personal day, your principal has approved it and you know you're going to be out on May 5th, put it in. Don't wait the two days before to say, "Oh yeah, I'm going to be out on Tuesday. let me enter it now because it really impacts their ability to get us a substitute. >> So that fill rate, how does the building sub fit in with that? Is that in addition to how does that work? >> So what they do is each day uh at the buildings the secretary is responsible for slotting that building SL sub into the person that they covered for. So when we So that number is using the building subs. Those numbers would be

121a lot lot less if we did not have the building subs. >> Okay. So the Kelly number is actually lower than >> the Kelly the the Kelly number is lower, but the building subs are from Kelly. >> Okay. >> Right. So they're still their employees. Um it is a collaborative effort. So, if you went on to our website right now, I think you'll see there's a posting for building subs. We try to see if we can find people and funnel them to Kelly while they are simultaneously doing the same thing, trying to find people. They um you know, we we have I think at one of our schools, we are moving one of our building subs into one of those extended assignments starting next week through the end of the year. We need to now

122backfill that position. And so we have been working together. They have been trying to find somebody in their pool that is interested in becoming a building sub. And we are likewise trying to see if we can find somebody who's interested in working in Ro Street Media, funnel them to Kelly and get them to sign to be signed up. So it's a collaborative effort. >> We are considered hiring the building subs to be employees. >> We do. So what I will tell you is for a building sub it is a live audition for a job. It is a a live job interview. Um and I will tell you that we have hired building subs for teaching positions. Um if your question is have we considered actually hiring our own building subs. So that's not something that

123that that we've done. um you know there is so there are costs associated with that. They are not currently under the umbrella of our teachers collective bargaining agreement. So that would be a little bit of an issue. Um you know one of the things that helps to control cost for the district is um the district does not provide health care benefits to the substitutes. Um and so that would be you know would potentially play into that. would not be an inexpensive proposition. >> Okay. You have anything else from the board? >> Good. All right. Something from the community. Yes. >> My first question is, did Kelly ever share with you the relationship between Bill and Scale that other district? There's a question about whether Kelly shares um with the district the pay rate and >>

124the relationship between pay rate and fill rate. >> So I don't know that I have any quantitative data from them. This is part this is part of our >> just have to talk. >> It is part of our conversations with them. I think there are a couple of things that play into it. So number one, obviously people are looking to make as high a wage as possible. You know, certainly a a strong wage. So that's a piece of it. But I also think that the quality of the experience coming into our schools, that is a part of it as well. There are there are places there are districts that were on that list where if money was the only thing um there are places that pay more, but it may not be for the substitute

125the same kind of experience coming into the school. Um and you know we all we all know being a substitute is not the easiest gig in town, right? So um it is kind of a combination of where are they going to have a good experience and feel like you know it's worthwhile work but also you know they want to earn a competitive wage. >> This district or Kelly survey the subs to ask them about >> there's a question about whether this district or Kelly surveys the substitutes to get a sense of their experiences. That's a that's a great question. I know that it is not something that uh we have done to my knowledge. I don't know if Kelly does it um themselves. >> Thank you. Uh no, we're going to move on, but you

126can you can definitely submit that question um to the administration. Dr. Saladino sure be happy to answer. Um all right. Anything else from the board? All right, we're good. We are finished with the presentations. Uh let's see. We will move on to finance and operations. We'll start with capital projects. Uh Mr. Dennisini and uh Mr. Mike Nolan will be filling us in. Good evening. Good evening. Let me take you Thank you. Let me take you through a summary of our capital projects. Um the skylight at media it's on target I understand from the contractor. He'll be taking delivery of the components probably in April May. So we should be fine on schedule. Spring Lake Track and Field permits have for conditional use have been approved I understand as lately as last night. >> Last night

127>> right approved by council >> approved by council. So we have initial comments initial comments from conf conservation district are in. Um Gus Hootman is revising those comments now. We should be sending out an RFP for proposals within the next two weeks. Yep. Construction schedule for starting in the spring. Turfield, we received proposals on March 9th. We're currently reviewing those at this point. We would I would like to have them on the legislative meeting for approval so we can expedite >> this week. Two weeks. >> Yes. Yes, >> we can expedite that project. >> Uh HVAC upgrades at Glenwood Road Street project complete. Yep. Finally. Springton Lake Cafeteria still got some punch list work to do. Exterior site work now that weather is broken. Well, relatively broken. We're back again. Looks like so as soon

128as that Yeah, we'll we'll get that done as soon as possible. media Indian Lane HVAC. Uh that's in progress. In fact, they started at Indian Lane, I believe, this week to take down ceilings in the corridors. They'll be moving to media. So, it'll be the same process as last year with Glenwood and Rose Tree. 202 says, "Capital improvements. We received bids this week on the 10th. I'll review those in a minute with you. And again, construction schedule for summer. Yes. Mike compressor. You want to dick? We need a bit of a ward that >> Dennis, can I ask a really small but important question? >> When I see like the Penrest Dwing toilet room renovations, does that include like stalls and all that kind of stuff? >> The stalls are in pretty good shape to

129finish if we're doing new flooring and also to get those things operational. We have a lot of plumbing work to do. >> Okay. >> That's going to be done on a separate contract through co-stars plumbing in. But yeah, >> as a district, when we do put in new stalls, can we commit to putting them in so that people have full privacy in the stalls? No, no, none of the half inch cracks between the walls and all that kind of stuff. >> They're not supposed to be there. Correct. >> Correct. Correct. >> Thank you. >> It's It's a weird thing. And I noticed that every place now that you go that's new, they don't do that anymore. They make sure that they they'reight but either they're tight or they have a a metal plate that prevents

130that kind of thing because it's I think we're past those that era. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The bid tabulation we received bids on the 10th um for our 2026 capital projects. Our low biders for mechanical was mchanical electrical was spectra. general construction with BSS contractors and plumbing with flow mechanical. Uh, as you can see, we had good competition. Again, getting out early always does that. Um, our budget was 2,840. We came in at 2,356. So, we're about 483,000 under budget. >> But some of that money will be used for the repair to plumbing for the toilet rooms of Pentress. some of that balance. Yes. >> So, can I ask these were all bid together as one package even though they're spread across multiple >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. I just >> All this is

131all >> Yeah, we we've talked about splitting it up, but then you're going to get multiple contractors. >> Well, yeah. Much harder to >> Much harder to Yeah, exactly. >> Money scale. Also, I want to say I'm really glad to hear about the toilet rooms because my daughter uh says the plumbing is a real issue. So, I'm glad it's getting >> that paintbrush. Yes, >> it is. It's been like that for a number of years. I understand. Right. >> Okay. Any questions on the bid award? We have a couple change orders. Uh these both of these change orders are at Pancress and they both involve the gas piping. Wait, I'm my ap my sincere apologies for interrupting you, but I realized I was so blown away by the savings that I didn't do what I

132should have done, which is to emphasize the wonderful job that we are under budget by. How much was that again? >> $483,000. >> 4 Let's Let's say that 483,000 >> $83,000. Thank you. So, that is a wonderful thing due to the due diligence and careful looking and parsing through all of these things. So gentlemen and your team great team. The architect has done a great job. The engineer has done a great job. We've all done a great job. >> I was just so busy. They remind me what am I not doing jumping on this opportunity to share this savings because that is important to shine a light on that. So thank you gentlemen and your >> Okay. So two change orders again for pen crest gas piping. One was to install a new gas meter.

133And while that was being installed, I understand there was a gas leak. So, we had to replace the piping. So, these are two con two small change orders, $1,220 and $2,400. >> M. You did skip over the compressor at 3. That's Oh, you're going back. Going back to that one. Yeah, ready for that one. >> So, um the transportation the there are three compressors at the transportation center. There's a large one and two smaller ones. The large one had a failure in January, like towards mid to end January. And we were trying to figure out like how to go like either co-stars bid, whichever would be the fastest, but no way proved to be the fastest. trying to find a suitable vendor that could do the either repair or replace where replace wound up being

134the better option. We did um wind up finding a co-stars vendor Mike one or two I think. >> Oh well this this one actually runs through KPN >> KPN sorry cooperative purchasing. So this is a KPN vendor and it's a ratify because it's a 16week lead time for the compressor. So we already signed off on it so they could get get in the process and get started with it. >> So that's for refueling our natural gas. >> Yes. >> And what's happening in the meantime without that? >> So they're using the two smaller ones, but this is the larger one and we do have about I think 35 CG buses. So yeah, we're just hoping >> it's slow when it's that. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. >> Yeah. If we happen to lose one of

135the other two, you know, we'd be we'd be even slower bottom line. And uh you know, I keep fueled up. So, >> and that means people have to stay with the bus as well. They refuel that was like staff time for that slow process. Correct. Correct. >> Any questions on >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. drive home safely. I hear it's a little bit slippery out there. So, >> I think we have a few more things under finance and operations. Um, letter F is the agreement with Mcnes Wallace and Norick. So, the education department of Fox Rothschild is moving to Mcnes Wallace and Newur effective April 1. It's a one-year agreement and that will be on the agenda on March 26th for approval. The next few items are our yearly DCIU approvals. So we

136had the technical school in the amount of $583,374. That is a increase from the previous year of about $35,000. And the excuse me, the information is attached for your viewing pleasure. The DCIU operating budget is $83,711.72, which is an increase of $1,346 from the previous year. And the last DCIU agreement is the special education agreement which is $693,332 which is an increase of $313,919 from the previous year. So if you recall when we said um when we had our budget presentation on March 3rd I think that was second or third um these were some of the numbers we were waiting for. So all of these will be changes to those numbers that we presented when we presented we left the number the same excuse me as what was the previous year. >> Our special education

137agreement costs are almost doubling for next year. Yes. >> Is do we know why that is? Is it just we have more students or specific to the IU early intervention is the cost that's significantly increasing. So the number of students who are receiving services through the IU prior to becoming school age is where we're seeing a tremendous increase um over the over the last three. So, it's uh birth to age five. Um we have this year probably a 15% increase. We're still not done. We're still in that process of having the transition meetings right now. Um a 15 to 20% increase from just last year of students and that number has grown each year. So now you're seeing that, you know, reflect itself in cost. >> The pipeline for those early intervention students getting to

138the IU before they come to us. >> Say that again. I'm sorry. >> What's the pipeline? Like how how do they get who determines that they should receive these services before they come to us? >> So in in early intervention, it's there's a similar It's not identical to school age services, but there's an evaluation process that happens through the the IU. Um if a child is eligible for services, they are receiving um an individualized plan in early intervention and then once they become school-aged, we make a decision with the families to either uh do an evaluation to determine if the child is still eligible for school age services or if maybe the early intervention services have helped that child get to where they need to be and they get dismissed from services and they do

139not enter school with an IEP. Is this mostly parents requesting this do you think or >> at the early intervention level? Yes. Yes. It would be a parent noticing or maybe talking to their pediatrician and noticing, you know, maybe a child's not hitting a milestone and doctors and families are collaborating together and then saying, you know, maybe you should look look to the IU for those services. >> Do you have any hypothesis on why we would have such an increase over a one-year time period? I would say uh the that's a trend across the county and I think what it is is people are are more aware to be very honest. I think people know that those services exist um and it's a it's a place that they will go and they will look to

140get those services pretty quickly >> services always existed or was there a new push? Was there any new legislation that you you know what I'm saying? Was there any was there any trigger to this or is it just >> No, the services have always existed. Um I would say it's a postcoavid trend of of families that are that have just become much more aware of of what they can access through the IU. >> Are we using this information to then plan ahead for >> absolutely >> maybe increased need of support services then? Okay. >> Yes. So uh Dr. Collins, who is the interim director here prior to to me coming on board, is now the director of early intervention for the IU. Um, she communicates with every district in the county twice a year, giving

141us our it's called a no-name report. You know, with Furpa, there's only so much information that can be shared, but we're able to then project out um it's broken into two categories, autism and non-aututism. So when we look at our autism reports, um we're able to say, okay, you know, how many kids do we think might be coming in one year, in two years, in three years, so that we can then match that up with our current classroom staff, start to move our kids forward in classes, and have an idea of what staffing can look like. The non autism report is a little bit more trickier to to review because the early intervention disability categories are different school-aged. But you can you can start looking at it when you look at it enough, you start

142looking at the monetary amounts that are spent and where the services are going and you can start to make educated guesses on how many students you think might qualify. >> And I just want to make sure that I'm understanding correctly. Um I certainly think it's a moral good that every child gets a meaningful education but but even beyond that we are obligated there is no discretion for when it comes to this money correct these children have qualified and so we as a district must 100% yes >> um are we are do have we seen I guess it's only been like five or I guess six years now since potentially this increased utilization but have we seen um that investing earlier like this has a positive outcome for the students when they get to school. Um

143that some of the things that if they had not happened earlier like is happening now um it would have been more difficult to do some of the transitions once they get to school. Are we able to track that? Have we seen anything? >> It's a good question. Um I wouldn't say that we have specific data to have tracked it. Um there is a ton of research about early intervention that is you know successful in in terms of being able to help childs uh help children make progress. Um it's a data point that we can continue to track and and look at. Um yeah, it's something we can certainly I I think it would be really good for us then to also start looking at our partner our community partners of where those services are being

144provided. Um because it does look very different at the the preschool level. Some of the services are pushed in to the preschools within a community. Um some of the families take their their their child maybe to the Aston Center to get the services in an early intervention classroom. So it does look very different but it is something we could look at for sure. >> Just to just to add on to that from the perspective of someone who makes a lot of referrals to early intervention as a pediatrician that there's incredibly strong data to suggest that the sooner you start therapy services whether the children fall into the the autism category or the non-aututism category the outcomes are that much more improved. I also uh from the DCIU perspective there's some speculation about you know the

145developmental stages of the kids and that they may have something developmental at an early age that an intervention helps with and then they don't continue needing support afterwards. Right? So that I mean I'd be interested to to know how what kind of percentage uh of early intervention kids in our district actually need further intervention once they're in the district. >> Yeah, that's a good question. We can certainly track that data out. We can also get some historical data of students who have come through early intervention. The the other number that we always do pay attention to as well is there are students there are families that are taking advantage of early intervention services. There are also families that do not because maybe they're working through a private a private speech teacher or just their child

146is going to a daycare. So, we do have some, you know, procedures in place to make sure that when we work with our kindergarten roundup or when our our families are going through registration that we're trying to make sure that we capture the students that need the services once they get here. >> It's like the compound interest effect where if you invest now, you get increasing rewards later on. So, >> absolutely. >> I just wanted to add just if you're not familiar with it, there's a 0 to three that's through the county. Then there's the three to school age. So, there's a second evaluation. There's one from zero to three. Then there's another one at three. So, there's different when these kids are qualifying. Many qualified professionals are advising that they need these things at

147different stages. So, Almost a shame people didn't know about it sooner or you know weren't there wasn't as much investment in the early childhood education sooner. I almost wish Kelly Schaefer were in the room because I know she was really a strong advocate for that. Yeah, >> I do think it's very as a parent who had one of my children in early intervention many many moons ago and he's an adult. I think we all knew about it. I think it's it's an increase, right? Especially since COVID of um yeah, I think awareness even insurance plays a factor into it because some people do go private. Um and as as you said, absolutely, Colleen, that zero to three, you know, they're very accommodating. They'll come to your personal child care, your daycare. Um so, but it

148certainly is a program. And then my child got to um kindergarten, was evaluated, did not need services, and then was checked in every year by MTSS. And you know, so there's there's certainly data both ways. So, >> sorry, I sorry, Nate, >> I think we have a few more under finance and operations. Dr. Before you go ahead, I just wanted to comment um as the DCIU uh board rep um that these three budgets that you're talking about uh all of the the districts uh certainly pay into them. The um u our share is not nearly one of the highest ones for the services that are being offered under special education. Also for the technical school, uh we have uh 50some students that are involved in that and that that that funding is based on our

149participation and uh they have some uh special ed services that we do not need to take advantage of because we have our own services. So we do not pay into that. Um and with the uh the administrative budget that has basically more or less stayed the same. It goes up and down depending on percentage of uh depending on the relative size of the districts, but it's basically been the same the same total revenue coming from all 15 districts to uh the IU for the last 20some years for administrative costs. uh and it just moves a little bit for each district underneath that. Um and uh the DCIU is is hardly funded by uh the districts really when it comes down to it. They have a budget of over $190 million and uh the uh districts

150pay uh only a small fraction of that amount. There's multiple federal and state grants that go into and entrepre entrepreneurial initiatives uh earned income opportunities that the IU engages in. So, uh it the uh the organization really provides a tremendous range of services to both our district and the entire county uh for u you know it's not free for sure but there's a lot of work that gets done to supplement um the contributions of the districts. >> Mr. Dennis, just the all that data that was there were great data points. In fact, uh the summaries from the IU came out today. Um seven school districts in the county have more than a $1 million contribution. Uh at least one district has a $9 million contribution. There's a district with a $2 million a $3 million

151contribution. So, we're we're at about almost the county median exactly uh at with that $6 million uh well six 600 $693,000 number 600. I I I said million Dr. Scott is throwing daggers at me. I I think laser beams are coming out of her eyes right now. $600,000 700,000. We are seventh in I'm gonna stop talking now. All right, everybody got it? There we go. And that's for special ed, right? Yeah. >> Dr. Scott, there you go. >> The next item is um Sandy Hill camp and retreat center agreement. I I think that's for a program in November for the student leadership program at Pinrest. The two items below that are for the junior and senior proms. The DJ services for both of those proms for 2026. The next item is the power school quote

152for progress reports which is um a module that will allow the creation of new progress reports. I don't know if Christa if you wanted to add more about that board for our elementary students. I just got really loud. Oh, okay. Did you cry? Wasn't on. Um and we are coming to the time where we are presenting it to our staff um by May 19th on our inservice day. That will be kind of the the final piece of of um modifying before we then bring it to cabinet and um present it to the board. So um we are now looking at the technical piece and there are changes that have to be made that Mr. read is not familiar with yet. Um because we are changing how we will measure our students in terms of letters

153versus numbers. Um so that that is what the training will be, numbers versus letters, sorry. >> The next item is just a few budget transfers. So just consent agenda unless you have any questions on the specific transfers and the budgetary comparisons reports which will be posted on um the website tomorrow. Any questions, comments? Y'all see I'm pausing right so y'all can think. All right, I'm trying. I'm trying. All right, we'll move on. Education and wellness. We have Mr. Doerty. Sure. Um, what was this? Uh, can we click on it? >> Check in site. >> Yes. So, this was um for the lease agreement for our Chromebooks. >> Grades six through nine. >> Great. Yeah. Grades six through nine. But we wanted to do this now so that we could lock in this pricing. Um, so

154that was why this is on the agenda tonight. >> It's sorry, but you say lock and facing. Is this >> understood for the Chromebooks, but like is this something that is like a specially good deal or what? >> Um, I wouldn't know like past pricing. I mean, Vanessa might now go. >> So, we've done this in the past when prices start to increase. So what they will do is offer if we agree to it now pending budget approval it we'll stick with the prices for July 1. So any increases between now and July 1 we wouldn't have to pay. >> Okay. Thank you. So we were already going to be paying paying this in July. Correct. We're just asking us to approve it. >> Okay. >> Yes. Uh, letter B is a contract that allows

155us to uh remain compliant with PA state code. The vast majority of our families provide documentation from their children's dentists uh in either kindergart it's it's when student first register so kindergarten uh third or seventh and seventh grade um a handful of families take take uh advantage of screenings at school and this contract allows us to remain compliant. >> Mr. I we're we're not we're transitioning a little bit because we're not using a dentist moving forward. What are we going to use? >> We we will have a uh we have always had a dental hygienist in our district. We are using a new dental hygienist. This year because that dentist office has closed and there is not a silent t in gist. Everyone is making fun of me right now. Not everyone knows that I

156say that word with a silent t every time I say it. So, they wanted me to say hygienist as often as I could tonight. Thank you. >> Okay. And this is for our annual student leadership retreat at um Penrest. Any questions? Dr. S. >> Um, now we'll move to human resources. Dr. Saladino. >> All right. Good evening once again. So, we continue to have some retirements coming in. Uh, we have two more teachers that have indicated that they are planning to retire uh at the conclusion of the school year. Mr. Doyle from Penrest High School uh and Mrs. Hunner from uh Indian Lane Elementary School. Uh we actually had one more come in very late in the afternoon today. And so when we have the legislative agenda, there will be an additional uh teacher retirement

157indicated on there. >> And we're still not at March 15th yet. Correct. >> I'm sorry. >> We're still not at March 15th yet. So >> we are still not at March 15th yet. Um, but I'm not projecting many, if any, more beyond the the one that we received this afternoon. >> Are you at liberty to say who the person was who shared today? If you're not, you're not. >> Just just because it was not on the agenda and so I would prefer to wait until it appears on the agenda at the end of the month. >> Two weeks. Uh the next uh if you recall from our last meeting, we talked about one of our school psychologists leaving uh the district. Uh I'm happy to uh to share that we have identified a replacement uh

158to fill that vacancy. Uh thank you to Mr. Harrison and uh team from student services and the principles uh for going through that search process. Uh we are recommending Alexa Bushy. Uh she is currently a school psychologist in another district uh but also has some connections to Rostream Media. She was an intern here uh prior to being hired in her current position. And so um we're excited that she is rejoining the team here in Rostream Media. We've got uh a bus driver who is transitioning uh from just change in classification based upon the number of hours uh that they are driving for us. Um we have some routine appointments uh for D and E. Each time this year the board approves the appointment of our uh school counselors to work additional days over the summer.

159Um they do this to build schedules for students in particular those students who are newly registering to the Rose Media School District. Uh at the high school level the counselors also would be doing some college planning with students, college meetings. Uh those uh those meetings I guess the meeting with junior students uh and so there is some additional uh time built in for those counselors to be able to work over the summer. Uh and then we also have some uh folks who work specifically with the scheduling teams in the building uh to create the master schedules. Uh and so that is there. The item that I want to also call to your attention is item F. So we are um we've provided you with a job description. Uh it is a change in title, a

160slight change in some job responsibilities as well as a proposed hourly rate for the individual. Uh previously this year, the board approved the position of chef specialist. Uh we had a very difficult time uh recruiting and hiring for that position. Uh we were able to find someone. uh it did not the person did not last very long in the position for a variety of reasons. Uh it was again vacant. Uh and so it gave our team an opportunity to kind of go back and say all right can we do something else? Uh maybe we were looking too narrowly for the position. uh maybe we need to be thinking about the amount of number of days that the person is working and even looking at the hourly rate because we do believe that that may have

161been um a barrier in terms of our applicant pool. Uh, and so our team, uh, with Jenny Lee in food services, uh, worked to sort of refine this job description a little bit, doing many of the things that the chef specialist was going to be doing, uh, relative to menu planning, uh, tasting stations for students in our schools, as well as working with some of the catering requests that we have, but then also expanding some of their responsibilities to support in all of the schools. tools to provide additional training for the team. Um, and so we hope that this reconstitute constituted position with some, you know, refined hours as well as a change in the compensation will help us to find somebody that is a great candidate as well as somebody that will remain in

162the position for a good period of time. And so we are asking uh you to approve that uh job description uh and then when it is approved later this month, we would then begin the posting and recruitment process for that position. Any questions about our HR agenda items? Yes, >> there's a question about what the average age of a teacher in the the district is. >> I I I would not I would not be able to to venture a guess. Um I think that in all of our buildings there's a wide range. Um, we definitely have a pretty experienced staff overall in the district. Um, but I I would really anything I would say would be pure speculation. >> Great. >> That's it. Thank you, Saladino. >> All right. So we will move to policy

163committee >> and go ahead. >> Sorry. Thanks Dr. Absson Williams. Um so this is our uh we have a meeting that is coming up on the 23rd uh is our policy committee meeting. Um these are the policies the new policies to introduce for discussion at that meeting uh including uh looking at the 2728 calendar. Um Mrs. Betcher will share with the board the links that are in the folder to each of the policies so that you got a couple weeks to be able to go through because as we're in our every other month with the policy committee meeting um we have a higher volume of items to include. So that'll come out. She'll send that out to everybody tomorrow and then uh looking forward to the 23rd. Please just make sure you let me know

164uh Mrs. veteran know if you're able to attend that meeting and and Miss Kreniki who's the chair this year of our policy committee. Mrs. Hunt passed the tiara. So that's any other questions or comments as I pause. All right, I think we're done. All right, have a good evening.